The Key West Citizen Newspaper, June 8, 1953, Page 1

Key West, Florida, has the most equable climate in the wountry, with an average (ange of only 14° Fahrenheit Will Arrive Here Wed THE SOUTHERNMOST NEWSPAPER IN THE U.S.A. VOL. LXXIVNo. 136 Huge Celebration Set 44 t Captain Manuel “Pete” Fernandez Will Return To Scenes Of Youth By JIM COBB Key West born Captain Manuel “Pete” Fernandez, one of the top ranking Ko- rean jet fighter aces with atotal of 14 Red MIG’s to his credit, will return tri- umphantly to the scenes of his boyhood on Wednesday, it was announced today by Louis Carbonell, an official of the Key West Lions Club, who will sponsor the home- coming. It will be the first visit here in a score of years for the 28-year old war hero who has gained national ac- claim including an aud- ience with President Dwight D. Eisenhower for his ex- ploits against Chinese Red and North Korean war-birds. He is the second ranking jet ace in the Air Force. A gala celebration is being plan- ned for his arrival in Key West culminating in a dinner to be giv- “en by. the Lions Club Thursday ‘Confirmation of Fernandez’ vi- sit here was received from his mother, Mrs. Effie Fernan- bo Rasen in @ phone conver- » with Carbonell this all over the nation since his re- turn to the United States late in May. Slated to arrive at Meacham Airport late Wednesday after- foon, Fernandez will be borne in an open car through the city to the La Concha Hotel behind a motorcycle escort. Scores ; coming. On hand to greet the ace at the airport will be top city and county officials: as well as State Repre- sentative Bernie C. Papy. The city will be represented by Mayor C. B. Harvey and Chairman of the County Commission Gerald Saun- ders will be the county’s official Tepresentative Arrangements are being com- pleted to have the Fleet Sonar School band on hand for the af- fair as well as the United States Marine Gorps Drum and Bugle Corps. Fernandez will be the featured at the Annual Lions Club Installation Dinner to be held at the Lions Den, Seminary Street at 7:00 p. m. Thursday, Top Civic and Navy officials will attend this function, as well. The ace was born in Key West but left here when his parents moved to Miami when he was nine years old. He was the reci-) Pient of a tumultous welcome in that city, including a huge Mem- orial Day parade in his honor, | ‘Fighting Men Greet Truce News Joyously First Reaction Of Allied Soldiers Is Hope Of Home By WILLIAM C, BARNARD today greeted news of settlement of the crucial prisoner of war issue with surprise, wonder and whoops of joy. “Boy, it’s wonderful!” shouted Cpl. Carl H. Hudson of Detroit. “I’ve been over here 12 months looking forward to going som2 and this looks like my big chance at last.” The first reaction of all soldiers interviewed was: “How soon can I go home?” The answer was disappointing for all: “Not until after a. peace settlement, which may be months —could be years—away.” Pfc. Roger F, Bennett of Toledo, 0., said, “It seems too good to be true that the last issue has been settled. I’m glad for all of us, es- pecially the guys who have been. over here a. long, ‘Jong. time.’” Bennett is with the veteran 2nd Division, . Marine Pfc. Louis Salomons of “I'm so dumbfounded I don't know what to say This is great news for the Marines.”” Whooped Marine Pfc. of Meeker, Colo.: ‘ “This makes me happier than I've ever been in my life. I sure want to go home.” The Marines explained that from a sector on the Western Front they had. watched the Panmunjom area for many months while their hopes for an armistice faded. Another Marine, Pfc. W. E. Goe of Atlanta, said: “This is the best news I've heard in a long, long time. “Am I glad—well, you'd better believe I’m glad When do I go home?” |Air Raid Alert Sounds In Seoul As Blasts Occur SEOUL im — Two blasts rocked |Seoul Monday night and an air |raid alert was called immediately ;when a light, single-engine plane was heard circling overhead. | The explosions were near Seoul’s burned-out Capitol, ‘The first at 10:40 p m:, (8:40 a.m, May 80th, He his since been feted | EST) was in the area of President daily by organizations in Miami.’ Syngman Rhee’s green-roofed man- Om his Key West visit, he will/ sion several hundred yards north de accompanied by his mother | of the Capitol, and an unidentified friend, with! The second blast, | To Visit Here < SEOUL (#—Allied fighting men f a CAPTAIN MANUEL FERNAN- DEZ, one of the top ranking jet fighter aces of the Korean War, is shown as he received a fond embrace from his dad, Col. Man- uel Fernandez, Sr., upon his ar- rival in Washington from Korea. A former Key Wester, Fernandez will arrive here Wednesday. Fight Dwindles As POW Terms Are Agreed On Little Ground Franklin Square, N. Y., exclaimed: | Action Seen; Air Battles Rage By FORREST EDWARDS D. D. Iie} geouL w—Fighting dwindled to a handful-of small ground clashes today as Allied and Red truce de- legates agreed on prisoner ex- change, last major block to an armistice. However, air action broke out furiously Monday. U. S. Sabre jets covering a Sabre fighter-bomber attack on a Manchurian frontier dam reported shooting down three Red MIGs, probably destroying a fourth and damaging three more, The bombers slashed into the Suiho power installations with eight tons of bombs. High above them the fighters flashed in battle with MIGs which tried to interfere. Capt. Ralph S. Parr, of Apple Valley, Calif., was credited with two of the MIG kills and one dam- aged. They were his first. On the ground. Allied infantry- men Monday tossed back seven small predawn Red probes against two Eastern Front main-line posi- (Continued on Page Seven) Tampa Police Hunt Hoodlum With Bad Aim whom he served in Korea. Hisjnear the main gate of the press;@ hoodlum with bad aim who| father, Col. Manuel Fernandez, Sr. | billets, an equal distance west of | missed a bartender with two close-| will be unable to make the trip! due to the pressure of his duties fs communications officer of the 38th Air Force; Greenville, S.C.) Fernandez grandmother, Mrs, Mary Sue Demeritt, returned re- cently from Miami where she was on hand to greet him on his re- turn from the war front, An aunt, | Mrs. Miriam Kelly of the Thomp-} (Continued On Page Seven) | inued On Page | Commissioners To Equalizing Board |Meet Tuesday Will Meet Tonight * The Equalization Board will Meet tonight in the City Hall for) Board meets at $ p. m. with Act- the consideration of the 1953 Tax/ Roll The Board, which consists of the were hurt there. The explosions shook the area and lit the night sky with an in- (Continued On Page Seven) Three meetings of row. Commission meets and immediat- tally killed a janitor. Detective Bill Bland said the the Capitol.’ At least two guards | Tange shotgun blasts and acciden- | Hand (D.-Fla.) soon may introduce | @Sinst the Reds there KEY WEST, FLORIDA, MONDAY, JUNE 8, 1953 Key West Born Jet Ace Shrimper Dies By Drowning ef |In Gulf Sunday No Foul Play Is Suspected In Drowning Of Solomon Humphrey Solomon Humphrey, about 40, shrimper, was found dead by drowning this morning at 7 o'clock, at Alligood’s Marine Railway. The colored shrimper, who had not been seen since Saturday nid- night was declared, by Coroner Ira | Albury, to have died by accidental drowning. It was the second accidental drowning in eight days. His body was found lodged be- tween the marine railways in the water. Jimmy Hopkins, an employe of Alligood made the discovery. Pa- trolman H Conley and Richard James rushed to the scene and notified Albury. Deputy Sheriff Jack Baker also came to the scene. No foul play is suspected, Al- bury said. There were no marks of violence on the body at all. Humphrey, whose next of kin ts not known, came to Key West from Fort Myers. He was scheduled to ship out for the first time on The Four Winds, a shrimp boat owned by Edwin Gale, Darien, Ga. Capt. Chester Homes of the boat, and crew member Edward Thorp saw Humphrey at 6:30 p. m. Saturday, The skipper had bailed Humphrey out of city jail Saturday morning where he was under $50 bond on a charge of carrying a deadly wea- Pon, to wit a pocket knife, Humphrey was last seen at the Salerno Petronia Street, Sat- urday midnight, by Settinus Con- ner, of Intrepid, out of St. Augus- tine, and byby William Dixon. When his body was found Hum- phrey had on only a light brown shirt, short sleeves, white under- shirt and striped under shorts. He had on socks but no shoes or pants.’ Hum! coed aboard the ae ves: le had recently been working on the “Rover”, an- other shrimp boat. © Coroner Albury says that the body had been in the water about 36 hours before it was discovered this morning placing death at some time Sunday morning. When last seen Saturday night Humphrey was wearing black- striped pants, a light brown sport shirt, a brown cap and no shoes. His shoes were found aboard The Four Winds this morning. The body is at the Key West Funeral home. A routine investi- gation is being made by the Sher- iff’s office, police and Coroner ‘Al- bury, Man Is Beaten With Gun Butt Matthew Thomas, 815 Caroline Street, was taken to the Monroe General Hospital Sunday suffering from head gashes as the result of a fight in which he was severely beaten about the head with the butt of a pistol, Thomas told police officer Ar- mando Perez that he became in- volved in a fight with Lonnie Wil- liams, 312 Thomas Street over a debt. Williams drew a gun and pro- ceeded to beat him about the head and neck, Thomas told police. Thomas said that he will sign a warrant for the arrest of his as- sailant today. at 10:47, was} TAMPA W—Police today sougnt | Hoiland To Ask Damage Payment WASHINGTON w— Sen. Hol- shots from a slow-moving car were legislation to compensate families tense white glare--almost as if the | intended for Paul Ferraro, 35, bar- : bombs were some type of heavy |tender at the Silver Meteor Bar caused when two sailors destroyed jary ac street m *,'or mutilated 39 headstones in a} incendiary, The one outside the | across the t from Tampa 8 Key Sola cometery last F obcuars:| union railroad station and a gam- bler with a record of six arrests; The Navy agreed and one conviction. G joing off duty at midnight Sat. |Spottswood of Monroe County in Key West, Fla.. for damage to turn over John M. for the two sailors to Sheriff urday, Ferraro walked out of the | Prosecution. bar and was leaning against « } plate glass window in front when) NEW CASUALTY LIS: the first blast was fired from a importance car at the curb. It missed his take place among officials tomor-| head by inches. Ferraro leaped for the screen City Electric System's Utility door in an attempt ta run back inside. The second shot punctured (ing General Manager Merville Ro- the door. | Sam, At 8 p. m. the Monroe County | Inside, Henry J. Hicks, 61, was serubbing the barroom floor. After ‘ @lty commission will meet for the | ey following that the Commission) the first shot be raised his head. | second time in as many weeks. meets as Last week, they convened and then | Monroe Genera! Hospital. fecessed when no complaints con-/ In July the County Commission eerning assessm, ed, ‘get. Governing Board of the | The second struck him in the face, killing him instantly. Bland said the gunman was 90 ents, were receiy- | Starts its work om the 1953-54 bu-! qiose to Ferraro the bartender suf- Continued On Page Seven) i i WASHINGTON W—The Defense Department today identified 50 Ko- rean War casualti in a new list (No, 829) that re ed 13 killed, 2 wounded, 2 missing, § captured and 1 injured. JALOUSIES ALL KINDS Strunk Lumber 128 SIMONTON STREET Near Lobster House /KWHS Band Concert 8 Tonight At Auditorium Compositions that will please all music lovers are on the program to be rendered at the Key West High school auditor- ium at 8 o’clock tonight by the High school band. Maj. J. B. O'Neal, supervisor of instrument music in the pub- lic school system of St. Lucie County, will be the guest con- ductor. For some members of the band, it will be their final con- cert. They graduated Friday, but are remaining in school for tonight's concert, Tonight’s program is open to the public. No admission will be charged. The varied program will go from jazz to classical numbers, “Doc” Casterton, director of the Key West band, said, Maj. O'Neal, who is in Key West as the guest of “Doc’’ Casterton is an outstanding music educator, soloist and conductor. His Fort Pierce High school band has been one of the leading bands among Florida High schools for some years. The program tonight will be the last of Summer season , Fears Voiced On Next Action Of Communists Grave Concern Also On South Korea’s Plan To Fight On By The Associated Press News of agreement on exchange | of war prisoners in Korea met with | favorable reception in many world capitals today but fear was ex- pressed in Southeast Asia that the truce expected shortly would only free the Communists for aggres- sion elsewhere. | There was grave concern also jue fighting and thus upset a cease- | fire. | A U. S. official in Washington | said the prisoners’ agreement was the most encouraging news from | Korea in some time. A foreign of- 'fice spokesman in London said Britain “warmly welcomed” it. | High government officials general- ly withheld comment pending for- {mal confirmation from Panmun- | jom. over South Korea's vow to contin-/ Fort Jefferson Waterspout Has 100 MPH Winds At Center Rips Up Trees, Century Plants In Its Brief, Speedy Wake A waterspout with winds at least 100 miles an hour in its center swept across Fort Jefferson in the Dry Tortu- gas Friday at noon, tearing down three century plants about 30 feet high and rip- ping up an old and large but- tonwood tree. The waterspout was reported today by Boat Capt. Joe Santini of Fort Jefferson whose regular run into Key West was delayed until Saturday by the eight days of storm. Santini said that the water- spout travelled at about 30 to 40 miles per hour from a mile out at sea. He was standing on the dock at the Fort at noon Fiday. “I saw the waterspout when it dropped down from the clouds. It was one of the,largest I have ever seen,” Santini told The Citizen. “It seemed to dissipate but then came down again. It came right across the reef teward the Fort.” Santini it, | was a little scared but wanted to watch it so stayed on the dock.” The lightning like journey of the waterspout took only a few minut- es from ocean through the Fort. “We were so close to it that we could feel the suction of it,” Santini said. “its suction was so great that it picked up a saw horse and swept it like a va- cuum cleaner right across the dock.” The waterspout first hit the sunken snapper boat Miss Priscil- la, ripping her canopy off “just like it was a leaf on a tree.” From the Beach at Fort Jeffer- son it rushed into the Fort, tear- | ing down the three Century plants, “twisting them like grass between ; your fingers” Santini reported. Then the baby twister crossed into the Parade Ground, ripped up the buttonwood tree and crossed to the north side of the Fort where it looked like a real waterspout. During the week of the storms caused by Alice, first tropical dis- |turbance of the | said the Fort had winds up to 50 jand 55 miles per hour. One of the cups on the anemometer, the wind measurer, broke during the batter- ing of the storm, Santini said. Psychological season, Santini | The Associated Press Teletype Features and Photo Services. For 73 Years Devoted to the Best Interests of Key West Rep. Papy Happy That There Will Be No New Taxes In Next 2 Years Pleased At Local And Statewide Laws Passed In Last Two Months By SUSAN McAVOY State Representative B. C. Papy returned to Key West today from the two months’ legislative. ‘session in Tallahassee pleased most of all that not a single tax was imposed during the session. “That I think was the biggest success of the session,” said the State Representative. “We have a good sound two { years of government ahead, with no new taxes. Yet we met all the demands of the state cabinet and state employees. I don’t believe there was one disgruntled individual in the State capitol when we left.” Rep. Papy is particularly happy that the $350 raise for teachers went through. “OF course | tried to get them the $600 raise first, then voted for the $500, and so on down the line. All we could get was the $350 raise.” All of the Monroe county and Key West bills introduced by the Hearing Deferred In Embezzlement A preliminary hearing in the case of Mrs. Neta Mansfield, who faces a grand larceny charge in connection with the embezzle- ment of city funds, was postpon- ed today by Justice of the Peace Ira Albury. Reason given for the postponement was the fact that collections while an employee in the Tax Collectors office at $1600 but it was understood to- day that the amount is a ee BERNIE C, PAPY State Representative went through successfully, he said, As a result of one of these mea- | sures, the proposed abolition of | the city manager form of gov | ment, Key West voters the polls next fall to first time on whether wy’ Mother Dies In Salt Lake City Mrs. Mamie Sawyer, mother of| to retain this form, or go back former Sheriff Berlin A. Sawyer, | to the old Mayor - councilmanic Passed away at Sait Lake City,| form of city Utah, last evening, he announced | MRE TO COME today. | The State Representative contin- At her bedside were her three ued: daughters, Mrs. Isabel Simmons, | “We had full cooperation from Mrs. Lilith Frank, and Mrs. Na-|Governor Dan McCarty. 1 voted omi Simon all of Salt Lake City. |for the Governor's dog race track Mrs. Sawyer would have reach-| program, This will bring about an ed 88 years on July 4th, increase in old age assistance, aid A native Key Wester, Mrs. Saw-|to the blind and assistance to the yer is survived by her son, Berlin | counties and schools.” Sawyer, her three daughters, a! Rep. Papy said on the prevention | sister, Mrs, Fanny Albury, Tampa, | of new Fini = | Fla., and a brother Henry Albury | “If L came back here to Key # | West and gave John Jones a raise She is survived also by nine | of $89 and then that’s taxed right grandchildren, and seven great out of his salary, what good is . grand children, Burial will be at Salt Lake City Wednesday after-| fought afl the texation mea- Boon, | sures thet same belore the fashe: a | tature.” Firemen Avert jof Key West, “I'm back here now to build a bigger and better Key West Monroe County,” In Indochina, Premier Nguyen Van Tam of Viet Nam said a Film To Be Shown jtruce would be “catastrophic” i! Tonight At Clinie serious steps are not taken to pre-| vent China from increasing mili. | oar |tary aid to the Communist - led | coumed will bold pend rte = | Vietminh. The U.S. is aiding the | tor the showing of a psychological j French with millions in military} pod an i] film, “Angry Boys,” President Le- supplies in the seven-year WAFii og warch announced today. The film shows how discord at home can cause a boy to become and take it out in stealing. nts, including Miss Eliza the State Welfare depart- ‘metitand March will lead the mem. bers and friends in talk about the fi The Allied men fighting the war} had one question: “How soon can; we go hone?” Other reaction included: London—A Foreign Office spokes- jman said Britain is “making in-! \auiries” to determine the stand of | South Koreans to the exepected | ‘"™- , truce, It was apparent Britain nal ‘The meeting takes place at the ‘her commonwealth nations were} teliding Fieming Brest, st | disturbed over the possibility South op. m. |Kores might unset any ceasefire ngements. Britain was looking « U. N. Command for assur- ances this would sot happen. Taipeh--Nationalist China's capl- tal, fearful of Red aggression, took | pessimistic attitude. Newspapers said a truce under present propes- als would give the Reds more breating space for new attacks. but obviously unhappy. atra | Queen Patrons TUESDAY WILL BE CHOCOLATE DAY INSTEAD OF THURSDAY— STARTING TOMORROW Hong Kong—The price of gaid bars and silver dollars, which the DAIRY QUEEN Chinese buy when war threstens | Corner of White end United Sts (Continued os Page Seven) | ERENT eR CARR Near Disaster Near disaster was averted yes terday morning by quick action on the part of the Key West Fire De- |Partment when a mattress fire| | broke out at the Island City Hotel, | 411 William Street. |_ Fire Department secretary John | Roberts said today that if the fire! had not been quelled rapidiy, it would have spread through the ancient frame structure and en. gulfed the neighborhood. Firemen who answered the al jarm were at first refused admit tance by the tenant of the room |where the blaze originated and were forced to smash down a door fo fight the fire. Slight damage resulted, they \ said. Slight Damage ‘Caused By Fire | A fire which broke out om the — stand early this morning in Stoppy Joe's Bar. Duval Street, j caused only minor damage, A was teported today. |. Firefighters, who bad t treved | but one block to anewer the alara, | ; y Saiekiy extingstahed the fre with @ booster bose, | At Tallahassee, Rep. Papy voted for the new $5,000,000 school for the University of rida. This passed. He also voted for the turnpike bill, Tomorrow night Rep. Papy will give a full report of the 1953 Fle rida legisisture to the Monroe County Commissioa, Today he returned to his Rey West office. Brimming with vital ity as uswal, he rushed on sumer. ous errands around town, greeting his constituents wherever he wens, ‘Two In Hospital After Accident Two persons were hoepitatizeeg | Sunday as the result of an seeh dent on Roosevelt Boulevard of Flagler Averwe ip which « cap went out of control and struck @ paim tree, police seid today, The pair. Edward &. of the Boca Chica Naval Alr Gis. thon and Shirley Pinder, Sos avet treet were found to be fering from bruises and lacerations atter awards’ vehicle went out of control, pulice officer BR. L. James | Peperted. ards was charged with rec jless driving and crasing on sega erat,