The Key West Citizen Newspaper, June 4, 1954, Page 1

For Quick Communication, Use CLASSIFIED Ads! You'll reach buyers and sellers— VOL. LXxv pecs Ken West Citisen THE SOUTHERNMOST NEWSPAPER Gomulunist -Led Rebels Win Bloody Victories French Lifeline In Indochina Is Threatened Commu-' scored Hanoi ; a new HANOI, Indochina nistled Vietminh two bloody successes in | delta yesterday. One threat.to the vital overwhelmed them. How many Vietnamese escaped death or cap- |} ture was not known, a French high command spokesman said in re- counting the battle. Seventy-five miles southeast of Hanoi, 3,000 Vietminh smashed their way through the village Ouanphungha against 1,000 Viet- namese and a handful of volunteer Catholic militiamen who made a fel Or were in a hand-to-hand combat raged on the staircases and in the corridors, a French army spokesman reported. Bursting gre- nades pocked the seminary walls. An indication that as high 4s 800 Vietnamese and Catholic militia- men may have been killed or cap- tured at Ouanphungha was seen in the French spokesman’s report that the command “hoped 200 to 300” survivors from the seminary fight might get back. In Saigon, American sources (Continued On Page Five) Bids On Wrecker Service Proposed By Carbonell City Commissioner Louis Car- bonell announced today that he will present to the city commission a proposal to request bids for city wrecker service. Carbonell said that it is his plan to request bids from auto wreck- er services that are operated in the city of Key West to handle any city towing service. He said that it has been con- ducted in the past by anyone the police decided to call on to tow cars away. Carbonell added that by getting competitive bids onthe towing ser- vice, the people whose cars are towed away may get a better deal on the charges, He said that he wanted it made clear that under his proposal only wrecker services licensed in the city would be allowed to bid on city contract as he is proposing it. Boys Are Held In Bike Theft Two boys were in the custody of the county authorities today on sus- picion of the theft of two, motor scooters belonging to Dempsey Ballard of 203-C Poinciana and Larry L. Helm of 906 White. One of the boys stated that he was just helping the ‘other boy pick them up. The scooters had been stolen pre- viously from the Naval Air Station and Naval Base Gate. ‘ Police officer Rogel made the in- Prono — and balcony “Miss M ay” CARPENTERS RECOMMEND Strunk Lumber 120 SIMONTON, near. Coca-Cola er ES TTT “MISS MAY” RETIRES—after forty-five years of teaching in Key West schools. Miss Sands is pictured in the library at Truman in for the past five tion will “honor Ends 45 Years Of Teaching In Key West Schools KWHS Grads Are Guests Of Rotary “Slide Rule To Live By” Is Speech Topic Rotarian Claude Spear gave the graduating class of Key West High School a “slide rule to live by” based on the four cardinal princi- Ples of Rotary at the Club’s an- ual luncheon in honor of the sen- jor class held yesterday at the La- Concha Hotel dining room. He said these four principles would aid the graduates in arriv- ing at decisions. They are the Ro- tary’s “Four Way Test.” Know The Truth In developing his topic, Spear said the first of these tests is, “Is it the truth?” He urged the gra- duates to “seek knowledge,” and through knowledge “to know the truth.” He said, “Do not accept half-truths, because half-truths are often trickery, sg In discussion the second test, “Is ‘it fair to all concerned?”, Spear gave Webster’s definition of the word “fair” and asked the young men and women to weigh their decisions so as to reach a conclu- sion that is “fair, just and impar- tial.” Making Friends The third test is “Will it build good will and better friendships?” Mr. Spear said. He urged gradu- ates to “strive for good will as in- dividuals or corporate groups.” He reminded them that business and industry consider good will as a “tangible” asset. “Good. will,” he said, “is the faith that others have in you.” “The fourth test, “Is it benefi- cial to all?” is, Spear said, “the most diffcult of the four tests to apply.” He said, too, that it is na- tural to be selfish, and urged the seniors.to make it a point to con- sider any decision in the light of whether it is really beneficial to everyone, and not just a few, Concluding Advice In concluding his address, Spear told the class that “we in Rotary are hopeful that you will take this (Continued On Page Five) Native-born Teacher Will Retire After Years Of Service By SUE JONES “Miss May” has seen a whole generation of Key Westers grow up in the 45 years she has been teaching in the schools in the city, most of them at Truman School. Miss Sands is retiring this year, and the Truman Zlementary School Classroom Teacher’s Asso- ciation will honor her at a tea from 7:00 to 9:00 p. m. Tuesday, June 8, at the school library. Miss May, says she has always loved working with youngsters, and as a child she was “undecided whether to be a teacher or a nurse.” She says, too, “I probably would not be retiring now if I didn’t have to. I really felt more like retiring 25 years ago than I do today.” Native Daughter Miss May’s father, the late Joseph F, Sands, was a native Key Wester. The family originally came to Key West from the Ba- hamas. Her mother was born in the Bahamas, but was brought to Key West at the age of eight. Miss May was born at 309 William Street. She now lives with her sister, Mrs. Virgil Lowe on North Beach Road. She started her education at the old ‘‘Sears School,” the town’s pub- lic school. The school was housed in a three story frame building lo- cated on a lane just off Simonton Street, almost across from the Key West Drug Store. Later she attended Ruth Har- grove Institute, a Methodist paro- chial school, where she received her high school education. The building is now used by the high school for a girl’s gymnasium and manual training department. It was after she graduated from Hargrove Institute that she was talking to friends and was pur- suaded to take the teacher’s exa- mination. Passed Examination “In those days, you didn’t have to have a degree,” Miss May says, “If you pass the examina- tion you could be recommended for a teaching position.” Her first assignment was as first grade teacher at Harris School. After her first year, Miss May went te summer school in Knoxville, Tennessee. She says, “I was just dying to go away. I'd (Continsed o= Page Five) > .| appointed attorneys, KEY WEST, PLORIDA, FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 1954 IN THE U.S. A. tenants or workers DIAL 25661 or 2-5662. PRICE FIVE CENTS On Closing Tax Roll To City Steele Pleads Guilty To 2nd Degree Murder Slayer Sentenced To 25 Years In The State Prison : William Henry Steele, 20-year- old Marathon Negro, was senten- ced to 25 years in the state prison in circuit court today when he pleaded guilty. to a charge of sec- ond degree murder. Judge Aquilino Lopez, Jr., im- posed the sentence on Steele, who admitted that he struck his vic- tim, 0. B. Poole, Marathon, over the head three times with a rock on February 8. Lesser Charge Allewed Steele had been indicted by the Grand Jury for first degree mur- der but the state today agreed to accept a guilty plea to the lesser charge. He appeared today with his court William Vv. Albury and Enrique Esquinaldo, Jr. At their request, Steele told the story of the slaying. The ac- cused said that he and the victim had been drinking wine in Tom’s Bar, Marathon, Steele said they later left the bar and vie the victim pulled a “switch knife” and him. “Then I picked apa Be ; and hit him three times drag- ged him into the bushes,” said Steele. He was arrested the next day by the Sheriff's Department. But States Attorney J, Lancelot Lester said that the investigation he made into the case did not bear out Steele’s story. He said that robbery was the motive for the crime. He pointed out that money was missing from the pockets of the deceased. Attorney Esquinaldo pleaded for mercy for his client, saying that (Continued On Page Five) Earl Adams Is Named To Board Of Clerks Assn. Earl R. Adams, Clerk of the Cir- cuit Court, was today notified that he had been named as a member of the Board of Directors of the County Clerk Association. Word of Adams selection to the board was received from C. Bur- ton Marsh, president of the Clerks Association. ment, Marsh wrote in pai interest in the Clerks’ welfare and your efforts in improving the Clerk’s office, were considered in your selection as a member of the Board of Directors.” Adams said the word of his being named to the board came as a jsur- prise to him as he had not been able to attend the recent conyen- tion of the association because of the pressure of business in -the clerk’s office. , Adams is serving his secoad term as Monroe County clerk. KEY WEST'S TRAFFIC BOX SCORE Te June Date 9 28 0 8 Accidents ‘Traffic Injuries _ Traffic Deaths — 6 0 Property Damage 0 $58,8% Key West is off to a good start for the month of June. onth. Let’s see how long we can keep it that way. Just remember that your car begins to skid when you make. the last turn on north Roose velt Boulevard doing over forty. and threatened to Pres ey RED CROSS AWARDS—The local chapter of the American Red Cross held its annual cases last night and made several awards. A few of the award winners are shown above. Left to tight: The Rev. Ralph Rogers, chapter chairman; Neil Knowles, Mrs. J. P. Baillod, Allan Hampton, Mrs. Don Fox and Don Fox.—Citizen Staff Abolition Of "Replacing Fees. With Pay Raise City Judge Enrique Esquinaldo said today that he is recommend- ing to the city manager that court fee payment to police officers be abolished. and be replaced with an equivalent raise. Police officers receive a fee of $2 for appearing in court to testify against court cases. The two dol- lars comes from the $5 court cost fee charged to guilty persons. The officer does not get a fee when the convicted violators decide to spend time in jail rather than pay the fine. Esquinaldo said that since the officers rotated on their shifts, he saw no need to give one shift more than another shift. Police officers on duty when the court is in session who testify in cot do not presently receive a fee. $3,200 Annual Payment A check in the city finance di- rector’s office indicates that about $3,200 dollars a year is received by police officers. The average comes out to about $13 a month per policeman, When the judge was asked what would happen if the police officers did not show up in court with the proposed new system, he said that it would Probably be grounds for ar suspension by the chief of po- It was pointed out the recom- mendation is only a substitution for court fees and not to be con- fused with any future police de- aaa raise under the new bud- Knifing Victim Is Treated At Navy Hospital Frank Flukes, 29, 709 Chapman Lane, was admitted to the Naval Hospital yestergay afternoon — for cuts in the chgst and hands. The police report states that Flu- kes got into an argument with a sailor known to him only as “Dick.” The fight was reported to have occurred on Baptist Lane where Dick cut him with a butch- er _ knife, his report that he found “Dick” to be William Dunn, 805 Baptist Lane, a ship serviceman striker attached to the USS Gilmore. No charges have been brought against Dunn pending the issuance of a warrant by Flukes, x Photo, Sybil. ‘(Local Red Cross Chapter Has Annual Meeting, Gives Awards Bodies Of Two ‘Crash Victims Are Found Search Crews Seek © Third Marine Flier Missing In Wreck MIAMI ®—The bodies of two Marine fliers were found today azd a third was still missing following the collision of two Ma- rine Air Corps Skyraiders over the Everglades National Park- A fourth Marine parachuted and was picked up by a rescue heli- copter shortly after the accident about 3:30 p. m. (EST) yesterday. The bodies were found by search- ers who used a swamp buggy to reach the scene in the swampy Everglades. One of the planes burned and the other was demol- ished. Searchers reported one body was in the wreckage and the other clear of the debris. The Third Marine Air Wing said they were not identified immediately. Planes and helicopters continued hunting for the third flier. Falls In Glades One plane exploded’ after the collision and both fell into the Everglades about 20 miles west of Homestead. The scéne is about halfway across the extreme lower Part of the Florida peninsula. Rescued and reported in serious condition with second and third degree burns was Pfe. William G. Collier, 20, South Webster, Ohio. He was. picked up from a life raft by helicopter. Reported a gy were: 2nd Lt. Ray M. Holton, 21, Alpharetta, Ga.; 2nd Lt. Harry Proodian Jr., 24, Los Angeles, and Pfc. John Costa, 21, Salem, Ohio.. A Marine Corps spokesman said there was little wreckage left but that salvage crews would go to the scene and an investigation would be made, Month’s Safety Record Released The total of traffie violations for the month of May in the City of Key West has been issued by the safety department statistician, C. Robert Butler. / The list shows: Driving while intoxicated, 47 ar- rests, 37 convictions, 35 losses of license to drive. ~ Hazardous driving, 154 arrests, 134 convictions. Parking and non-moving viola- tions, 218 arrests, 215 convictions. License violations, 29 arrests, 27 convictions. “|chapter was always prepared for Summary Of Chapter Activities Is Made The local chapter of the Ameri- can Red. Cross held their annual meeting last night. A yearly sum- mary of the chapter’s activities was given and awards were pre- sented for service rendered. It was brought out at the meet- jing that this was the first year the local board of directors had {elected to cooperate with United Appeal and conduct a single fund Chest. The results of the joint cam- paign were considered most un- satisfactory. The only solicitation the Red Cross had for member- ship and contributions was the area not covered by the United Appeal. This area was the Mara- thon area. Cases Reported Chairman Rev. Rogers announc- ed that over 1,088 eases had been handled by the local chapter. Fin- ancial assistance amounted to $3,- 732. $260 was paid for local tele- graphic service in connection with verifications for emergency leaves of service people. The year’s activities included; training of a member of the PTA group in Home Nursing, conduct- ing three first aid classes, and giv- ing of 43 life saving exams with certificates being issued. Louis Carbonell was praised high- ly for the contribution of his or- ganizational abilities to the local Chapter. The chairman pointed out that although no major disaster happen- ed during the past year, the local any eventuality. Gray Ladies Needed Mrs. Katherine Monroe, chair- man of the Gray Ladies, told of many outstanding accomplishments by the Gray Ladies in the Naval Hospital and other places. Mrs. Monroe also said that more students are needed to become Gray Ladies. The chairman had high praise for Mr. and Mrs, Don Fox who had journeyed all the way from Marathon to attend the meet- ing. She disclosed that Mrs. Fox was named “Woman of the Year” at the recent State American Le- gion convention. Mr. and Mrs. Fox have been active in the Marathon Red Cross as well as in many other civie organizations. Allan Hampton was awarded a| citation for outstanding services as a fund raising chairman. Ten Year Members Ten year service bars were awarded to Leonard Curry, Allan Hampton and Charles Taylor for ten years of loyal continuous ser- vice to the Red Cross. Five year service bars were awarded to Fred Miller, Albert | (Continued on Page Five) raising campaign, the Community | 5°. City Is Faced With Setting Up Own Office By JIM COBB Monroe County Tax As- sessor Claude Gandolfo stood firm today on his de- cision to refuse to allow the city to make further use of his office in the court house. As a result, the city now faces the possibility of mak- ing an expenditure estimat- ed at upwards of $50,000 to set up their own tax assess- ors office. And apparently the city will also have to begin looking for a new tax assessor after Sam Pinder, Jr., announced that he is resigning be- cause of criticism of the tax rolls. Criticism Voiced The situation arose when city commissioners issued statements criticizing the operation of the tax office. The city has shared the county office for nine years as a means of simplifying the assess- ment of real estate and personal property 4axes, It has been the policy for the city to duplicate the county tax roll, Only. expense to the city is the salary of one tax office em- ployee and half of the salary of another. “But their free ride is over now,”=8aid-Gandolfo today, “Tet them set up‘their own office.” “We didn’t ask for this situation — they did,” he added, “We have gotten along fine with every city administration but this one.” No Gratitude He added that his office “has all the headaches without any thanks from the city.” Gandolfo also pointed out that it was only “courtesy” on the part of the coun- ty to allow the city to use his of- fice, they are not required to do Gandolfo said that the city will now have to spend several thou- sands of dollars for office equip- ment to prepare tax books and make entries in them and.to mail out tax bills. In addition they will have to duplicate stacks of re- cords, pay salaries and buy sup- plies. The office now has six perman- ent employees and several who were hired on a temporary basis. / Task For City The city will have to prepare an entire set of tax records, Gandolfo said. He estimated that it would require four years for that task alone. He based that estimate on the fact that it took him and an aide two years to complete the task when he took office in 1941. Since then, the city has almost doubled in size, he said. Each piece of pro- perty including buildings or other improvements will have to be checked personally by the tax as- sessor, he continued. City Manager Victor Lang, when asked to comment on the situation today, said: “I don’t know what is going to be done — this comes as a surprise to me.” Budget Adjustments Lang added that if the city is «Continued On Page Five) REPAVING OF UNITED STREET UNDER WAY It was announced today in the city manager’s office that United Street near the high school annex is being repaved over the work re- cently finished. perge complaints had been mi ade about the short stretch of road after it had been recently paved. The holes that had appeared in the road were explained as being caused by rain preceding and fol- towing the paving. Announcing Opening of JOHNNIE’S PLACE 320 GRINNELL STREET 7:00 P.M., Friday, June 4, 1954 JOHN AND ESTHER (Former Owners of Johnnie’s Fine Food)