The Key West Citizen Newspaper, June 16, 1954, Page 1

Take Care Of Your Health—Get Free Chest X-Rays This Week Key West, Florido, has the most equable climate in the country, with an average tange of only 14° Fahrenheit VOL. LXXV No. 143 Road Board Chairman Scheduled To Testify ‘To Grand Jury Today ‘ae : By DENIS SNEIGR | Cecil Webb, the man who tried 'to change the name of the Overseas Highway, is scheduled to testify today. before Monroe County’s busy grand jury in its probe of the old Overseas Road and Toll Bridge District. Webb, chairman of the State Road Board, re-named the famed overseas road the Florida Freeway on-April 14. A few days later, with Keys’ residents up in arms " ever the name change, Acting Governor Charley E. Johns turned thumbs down on the change.of names, Meanwhile, Webb alread: hed had signs put up that welcomed motorists to the Florida Freeway. The signs were changed to read Overseas Highway when the governor pulled the rug out from under ‘Webb. As you probably recall, practi- cally everybody got into the act by issuing statements of protest over the re-naming of the road. Protests Made ‘The board of directors of the Key West Chamber of Commerce, on April 15, voted a protest resolution and so informed Gov. Johns. The same day, the county com- missioners voted to protest the change to the governor, - Civic clubs, also up in, arms, passed resolutions of protest. Earlier, on March 12, Webb had urged an 80-million dollar bond is- Local Safety Council To Meet Tonight Session Will Follow Meeting Of Traffic Board At City Hall What at first appeared to be a ‘lash-up’ in time schedules may turn out to be beneficial to all con- cerned tonight when the Key West Safety Council will get together immediately following a meeting of the City Traffic Committee. It is hoped that many of the folks who attend the meeting of the traffic committee will remain for the Safety Council program. ‘There is no relation between the two bodies other than a sincere desire to improve local safety. The Key West Safety Council is a non-political, non-profit, non-com- mercial organization dedicated to accident prevention. At a meeting held two weeks ago, Bill Gibb, of ‘The Key West Citizen was elected president; Ed Bayly, Navy civil service employee, vice president; Alice Robinson, Boca Chica em- ployee, secretary and treasurer. Program Planned “Several important, projects will be discussed during the meeting ‘with the object in view of aiding other civic bodies and organiza- tions im their effort to provide sa- fety. Among those expected to be men- tioned are the playground at the corner of White and Eaton Sts.; distribution of safety educa- tion material among our young tots in elementary schools; and an award for outstanding safety work by organizations and individuals. Currently, the Key West Council is engaged in a campaign to rid our town of old ice boxes — “‘po- tential caskets,” the Council calls them. To date, response on the part of the public has been immensely gratifying and many old “death- traps” have been removed from every section of the Island. Coun- cil members say they still have quite a list of boxes yet to be picked up. Membership Cards An exceptionally nice looking, (Continued on Page Eight) Power Lawnmowers FOR RENT BY THE HOUR OR DAY POINCIANA SERVICE STATION Commercial Row, Poinciana Place TELEPHONE 2. een 5 sue to four-lane the Overseas High- way. He made the statement about the big bond issue when he met here with the seven-man Overseas Road and Toll Bridge District Commis- sion, That was before the commis- sion was suspended by the gover- nor, No more has been heard about, the bond issue. . Other witnesses But to get back to Coun- ty’s busy grand jury) other wit- hesses also are due to,‘appear to- day, including John Mersh, Dade affairs of the old toll district. James McEwen, of Tampa, an- other special investigator appoint- ed by the governor for. the probe, said Marsh would appear this morning. ‘McEwen named these other men as witnesses slated for today: George Dayton, attorney for the State Road ‘Department; Lee Shields, former of the White Laundry here; jas Man- uel, of Fort Lauderdsle;-2- former member of the state roid board; and Clifford Hicks, former secre- tary of the old toll district com- mission. Yesterday’s session Yesterday, the grand jury heard four other witnesses — Robert Mor- gan, Miami accountant who has been examining the hooks of the toll district; Dave McCallum, State Road Department engineer; and (0 former employees of the toll dibtrict, Walter Woodside and E. G. Dickey. 3 The jury’s investigation of. the toll district has been continuing in- termittently since April 19 when the jury was empaneled. After the 18 men were sworn in that day by Circuit Court Judge Aquilino Lopez, Jr., they read a telegram from McEwen saying he had nothing to report and suggest- ing the jury recess until called back unless Judge Lopez or J. Lancelot Lester, County’s state’s attorney, Rave other mat- ters for you, The grand jury recessed until 10 e m. the following Monday, April Confusion Fellows Call However, on April 21 some con- fusion developed when Newell V. Pinder, chairman of the grand ju- Ty, issued a call for the recessed body to reconvene. The customary method of recall- (Continued on Page Eight) K.W. Couple Hit By Tough Luck On Trip Back Home An automobile carrying Mr. and Mrs. Charles Melee tee Tru- man Avenue, and her 84-year old father was listed as a total loss when it caught fire near Cuthbert, Georgia ‘turday evening, it was learned today, All of the passengers escaped in- jury in the blaze, but loss of the car and its contents was estimated at upwards of $3,500, The Kraegers were returning from Toledo, Ohio where they at- tended the funeral of her mother, when the accident occurred at an intersection, The car burst into flames after a rear tire blew out. Exact cause of the blaze has not been determined. They were able to salvage some of their luggage, but household ef- fects valued at about $1,500 be- longing to Mrs. Kraeger’s father were totally destroyed. Heat of the flames kept them from salvaging more. _ The Kragers then continued their journey to Key West by bus. They operated the Siboney Guest home at the Truman Avenue address. THE SOUTHERNMOST NEWSPAPER KEY WEST, FLORIDA, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 1954 was the of the Kiwanis Club last night. Florida Dairy Council in marking m Staff Photo, Spillman. Kiwanis Club Tuesday Night KEY. WEST'S TRAFFIC BOX SCORE June Date Accidents Wv 243 Traffic Injuries __ 3 46 Traffic Deaths __ 0 0 Property Damage $4,930 $63,786 An accident which occurred early today (it brought the to- tal for the month to 17) was caused by the driver making an improper turn. Failure to grant the right of way, cutting corners or using excessive speed on turns can be disastrous. For a trip to St. Peter, all you need is a car, a curve and plenty of speed — hardly a man, is now alive who took a curve at 65. That these accidents cost money is evident by the fact that total property damage in traffic accidents since Jan. 1 has soard to $63,786. That means that damage is already 70 per cent of the. 1953 total. And we have 198 days left in °54. Doesn't look so good, does it? Actress Nurses Hurt Emotions After Hearings By JAMES BACON BURBANK, Calif. —While Su- san Hayward nursed her upset emotions today, attorneys for the movie queen and her’ actor hus- band tried to get together on a set- tlement of their divorce trial. The trial took an abrupt recess yesterday afternoon when the ac- tress reported sick after lunch. One of her lawyers said it was an emotional upset; another called it food poisoning. It was both. : Superior Judge Herbert Vv. Walk- er recessed the trial until tomor- row morning. S. S. Hahn, counsel for actor Jess Barker, said that Miss Hay- ward had offered $100,000 as a set- tlement but that the offer was turned down because “‘of certain strings attached.” “Strings Attached” Barker later explained that the strings included a desire on the part of the actress to pay off the $100,000 as alimony. “How do you suppose that would make me look?” the actor asked a reporter. Part of Miss Hayward’s emo- tional distress stemmed, one (Continued on Page Eight) New Developments In Containers, Processes Told By BILL SPILLMAN “Transparent plastic milk con- tainers will soon be on the public market,” Pat Mayes said last night in speaking before the local Kiwanis Club in a talk describing in detail the history of Florida’s dairy industry. Mayes, an outstanding authority on milk products, was the guest speaker before the club, marking National Dairy Month. The month of June has been set aside as dairy month by proclamation of the president of the United States. Mayes said that the dairy indus- try is the third largest industry in the state and that Florida is fast becoming the largest producing state in the United States, because of changing climatic conditions throughout the country. Early Days Mayes, in his lengthy history of the milk industry, said that he re- membered back in 1919 how he helped to unload 30 cows in the heart of Miami and herded them out to what is now the outskirts of the city limits, He said that the same feat could not be performed today because of Miami’s growth. He said that those 30 cows rep- resented all the cattle in south Florida at that time. He added that they were brought to Miami because of malnutrition among the children. Dade County now has 31,- 000 cows that produce 23 million gallons of milk yearly, he added. Mayes told of a new method of “flash” pasterization of milk which does not distort the flavor. He said that the flash process consists of quickly heating and then quickly cooling the milk in a very short period of time. New Breeds of Cows Mayes told of new breeds of cows that would be more adapted to the climate of this area. He said that two bulls had been imported from India and bred with Jersey cows, adding that the breeding with the India’s Brahma bulls would make the new breeds more immune to insects which is a big problem in this part of the state. Bill Warner told the club that in addition to the month of June be- ing dairy month, it is also Bugo- logy month. He said that bug peo- ple all over the country are cele- brating the 100th anniversary of Bugology. Warner said that next Tuesday that he would have some | | color movies on bugs. | William V. Albury informed the members that the President of Uni- \ted States had just the day before signed into law a bill that adds the words “under God” to the Am- erican flag. pledge. Visitors Expected President Ralph Faraldo announ- ced that next week on Monday the local Kiwanians will meet with a- bout sixty members of Kiwanis clubs from the 1ith district. The (Continued On Page Eight) IN THE Che Ken West Citisen U.S. A. For Quick Communication, Use CLASSIFIED Ads! You'll reach buyers and sellers— tenants or workers . . Just DIAL 2-5661 or 2-5662. PRICE FIVE CENTS Sheriff's Dept. Seeks Aid Ot Navy Secretary To Get Custody Of Wanted Sailor Navy Heads Here Want Agreement For Return Of Man After Trial The sheriff’s department today appealed to the Sec- McCarthy Is Forced To Admit | Falsity Of Previous Testimony Traffic Meet Is Slated For City Hall Here City Commission, Chamber Group To Hold Discussion A joint meeting of the city com- mission, the Chamber of Com- merce and the city traffic com- mittees, will be held tonight at 3 Pp. m. Purpose of the meeting is to con- sider a lengthy ‘ist of recommen- dations compiled by the various mmittees in an effort to alle- ite the city’s fast-growing, traf- fivcOngestion and accident rate. In addition, a report prepared by Sgt. Oran Caudell of the Mia- mi Police Department will be pre- sented. A traffic specialist, Caudell was loaned to Key West by Mia- mi Mayor Abe Aronovitz. Three Point Program Major points to be covered in the recommendations are expected to be off-street parking, place- ment of parking meters, traffic rate enforcement and traffic con- trol. The Chamber of Commerce com- mittee earlier released details of a three-point program they evolved after their study. Here is their pro- gram: 1. No parking on Duval St. — except for loading and unloading to be confined to one side of the street only. 2. A public parking lot in a cen- tral location in a downtown area. 3. A public parking lot on lower (Continued On Page Eight) Surprise Photos Prove Joe Signed Bid For Commission WASHINGTON (#—Sen. McCar- thy conceded on the witness stand in the McCarthy-Army hearings to- day that he had signed G. David Schine’s application for an Army emision despite his previous teStimony he “never saw it” and knew nothing about it. Joseph N. Welch, special Army counsel, produced surprise photos of the application for Schine, a former McCarthy consultant and central figure in the exchange of “pressure” and “blackmail” charges between Secretary of the Army Stevens and McCarthy. Welch referred to_ sworn testimony of McC: on June 10 that he knew nothing about Schine’s application for a commis- sion, which the Army turned down. Schine subsequently was drafted a private on Noy, 3, % Welch waved the paper’ before him, McCarthy said with a grin and chuckle ‘‘Don’t tell me I notarized it.” “No,” Welch replied, “you mere- ly signed it.” Not “Devastating” The Army special counsel said that he didn’t think the conflict in McCarthy’s statement was “a devastating thing,” but that he be- lieved it ought to be brought out. “May I still say I don’t know anything about it,” McCarthy said. Then examining the paper, he added, “I want to make it clear that it was notarized by Bob Stevens.” Stevens has accused McCarthy and Rey M. Cohn, chief counsel of the investigations subcommittee, with exerting improper pressure in efforts to get favored Army treatment for Schine. McCarthy and Cohn _ have (Continued On Page Eight) Twelve Local Boys Will Go To Boys’ State At Capital Schedule For Free Chest X-rays Given Free chest X-rays. are avail- able today through Saturday” the County Health Unit said. A mobile unit from the State Board of Health — the first to visit Key West since 1951 — will be available at the follow- ing locations and times: Today — At the Table Sup- ply on Flagler Ave. from 10 a. m. to 1 p. m. and from 2 PB mtoS pm Thursday — In front of the colored VFW building at Em- ma and Petronia Streets from 1 pm. to 4 p. m. and from 5 p. m. to 8p. m Friday and Saturday — In front of the Kress store on Du- val St from 11 a. m. to 2 p. m. and from 4 p. m. to 7 chief in of the mobile unit, said that each individual will be notified of the results of the X-rays. Persons with whom nothing is found abnormal, he said, will be notified by postcard. These who are found te have an abnormal: condition will be notified by letter in a sealed envelope, Wooten added. LEE ¥ b © Legion-Sponsored Week To Be Held At Florida State Arthur Sawyer Post No. 28, American Legion, an- nounced today the names of the local High School boys who will attend the Ameri- can Legion sponsored Boys’ State set for June 20 through 26 in Tallahassee at the Florida State University. The boys will leave Key West on Saturday at 5 p. m. by bus. The names of the boys and thei: sponsors are as follows: 4 Frederick Thompson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Mayford Thompson, 2815 Harris Ave., sponsored by Arthur Sawyer Po8t No. 28, American Le- gion. Evelio Sibila, son of Mr. and Mrs. Eulio B. Sibila, 727 Olivia St., sponsored by Arthur Sawyer Post No. 28, American Legion. Joseph Luppens, Jr., son of Com- mander and Mrs. J. C. Luppens, Qtrs. J. Naval Station, sponsored by Arthur Sawyer Post No. 28, Am- erican Legion. Henry Cleare, son of Mr. and Mrs. Allan B. Cleare, 1100 South- ard Street, sponsored by Arthur Sawyer Post No. 28, American Le- gion. Frank Hood, son of Mr. and (Continued On Page Eight) rf retary of the Navy to force Naval authorities here to sur- render a sailor charged with manslaughter. Deputy Sheriff Watson Roper, Jr., r'amed the wanted sailor as Ray Emil Drake, a seaman at the Seaplane Base. Recreation Program Draws| Record Roll Instructors Are Swamped With Kids Who Want To Join At 10:15 this morning enrollment in the summer recreation program sponsored by the Monroe County School board had already reached an all time high. § Instructors reported they were “swamped” with more « children wating to sign up for the popular Program of summer activities, Athletic director ‘Winston Jones, who has directed the summer pro- grams since they were begun in 1950, said today, “this is the larg- est enrollment by far. Judging from the response today and yes- terday, we are expecting «around 700 kids to register this year.” To Add Instructors Jones said that additional in- structors will be added to the nine already hard at work. The biggest jump is at Harris School where 207 children were already registered. At Poinciana School 215 youngsters had enrolled and Truman reported 184, The recreation centers are open at the elementary schools in the city as an extension of the school program. Paul G. Albury, city recreation director, and his capable assist- ants at Bayview Park work with the instructors at Truman School during the summer program, when the park facilities are made avail- able as a part of the city’s over- all recreation plan. Later Registration Children who are attending the various daily vacation Bible schools at the churches can regis- ter at the conclusion of the church programs. Every effort will be (Continued On Page Eight) Naval Officer Is Member Of Copter Society Ledr. Bruce Weart of VX-1 has recently been admitted as a mem- ber of the American Helicopter Society. The society is a very close or- ganization of helicopter engineers who exchange technical material in connection with helicopter de- sign. Weart was admitted to the so- ciety on recommendation of Frank Piasecki, president of the Piasecki Helicopter Corp., and Charles Kanan, president of Ka- nan Helicopter Co. Both Kanan and Piasecki are leaders in the helicopter design and production world. Ledr. Richard Graffy, also of VX-1, is the only other member of the Helicopter Society in the Key West area. STRUNK LUMBER Sells CROOKED LUMBER at Greatly Reduced Prices! 120 SIMONTON STREET Near Western Union The manslaughter war- rant — issued June 8 by Justice of the Peace Roy Hamlin — resultéd from an auto crash June 3 in which Sheila Perren, 20-year-old Navy wife, was killed. She was the wife of George A. Perren, a sailor stationed aboard a submarine. Drake, who is 20, has a wife, Edith Lucille, in Bloomington, Ind, Guarantee Asked Roper said the commanding of- ficer of the Naval Station has re- fused to release Drake to the sheriff's department unless the department signs a form guaran- teeing that the sheriff will return Drake to the Navy, no matter what the outcome of the manslaughter trial, * F On the other hand, the Navy says it is forbidden by a presi- dential executive order to release Drake unless the governor or someone so authorized by the state signs the agreement. Here is the sheriff's side of the controversy as told by Roper: Roper’s Story Drake, he said, was driving the car when it overturned on Saddle Bunch Key early on June 3, killing Mrs. Perren instantly. Drake, Roper added, was admit- ted to the Naval Hospital the morn- ing of June 3, the same day the manslaughter warrant was is- sued. The sheriff's department held up service of the warrant until Drake was released from the hospital on June 11. On that day, the sheriff asked the Navy to surrender Drake. The Navy then asked that the agreement to return Drake to the Navy after the trial or at com- pletion of his sentence be signed. Couidn't Promise = Roper said the Navy officials were told that the sheriff's de- partment could not guarantee that since as soon as Drake was ac- quitted or convicted he was no longer in the custody of the sheriff’s department. 3 Roper said the matter was dis- cussed with the Navy here over the past weekend. = Yesterday, Roper continued, the sheriff's department received an opinion from Richard Ervin, Florida attorney general, saying that the sheriff's department has no authority to sign such an agreement. 4 : When informed of Ervin’s opin- ion, Roper said, the Navy still re- fused to surrender Drake unless the agreement was signed. Appeal Sent That was when the sheriff's de- partment appealed to the Secre- tary of the Navy by telegram. No reply had been received up until 12:40 p.m. today. Roper said he had rece?ved ex- cellent cooperation from Rear Adm. G. C. Towner and the staff of the Naval Base. “This situation, however,” he added, “has developed with the Naval Air Station and the Sea- plane Base.” A spokesman for the Navy’s le- gal department here explained the regulation this way: Navy Regulation He said the order was contained in Section 703 of the Naval Sup- plement to the Manual for Courts Martial, U. S. 1951. The spokesman said the section was issued by the Secretary of the Navy under the direction of the President as contained in Execu- tive Order No. 10214, This order, the spokesman add- (Continued On Page Eighty