The Key West Citizen Newspaper, July 10, 1954, Page 1

Key West, Florida, has the most equable climate in the country, with an average range-of only 14° Fahrenheit VOL. LXXV No. 163 HURRICANE SEASON CLEAN-UP—At the last meeting of the city commissioners, the Key West Safety Council requested that the City of Key West take the initiative in starting a pre-hurri- €ane season “clean-up.” :Tree limbs, debris, as a matter of fact, any type of loose object, can be a definite hazard during high ‘winds. Shown above, two members of the Public Works De- start trimming trees following the commissioners’ ap- proval of the Safety Council’s request—Citizen Staff Photo by. Sybil, High Honors To Be Conferred Are Planned At Sunday Ceremonies Scottish Rite Temple Henry L, Oppenborn of Miami, ‘@ 33rd degree Mason, and active member of the grand council of the Order of Demolay will confer Legion of Honor degrees on Bernie C. Papy, Horace O’Bryant, and Gerald H. Adams in ceremonies ‘open to the public at the Scottish Rite Temple, 533 Eaton Street, at 2:30 Sunday afternoon. Papy will receive the active Le- gion of Honor degree. This is the highest degree to be conferred by the’ grand council and is given for outstanding leadership in some field of endeavor or for services to humanity. The recipient must have been an active DeMolay and over 22 years of age, when the degree is conferred. Adams and O’Bryant, both of ‘whom are 33rd degree Masons, will receive honorary Legion of Honor degrees, given to outstand- ing citizens’ in their respective communities for their contribution to the Order of DeMolay. Miami Men Honored Oppenborn will also confer the DLegion of Honor degrees on three Miami men. Past state master councilor Harold A. Dixon, and Paul Davis will receive active de- grees and grand niaster Frank A. Brown, a 33rd degree Mason, will receive the honorary degree. Oppenborn will be accompanied by Joseph G. Roberts, his deputy and a degree team from one of the DeMolay chapters in Miami. The Chevalier degree will be con- ferred on Henry Cleare, son oi Mr, and Mrs. A. B, Cleare, Jr., and Ronnie Pinder, whose parents are Mr, and Mrs. Darnell Pinder. Highest Honor The Chevalier degree is the highest award given to DeMolays for service to the Order. The Grand Council of the Order ‘of DeMolay at a recent meeting in Dallas, Texas, confirmed the conferring of these degrees. A reception will be held on the reof of the Scottish Rite Temple following the ceremonies. Members of the advisory board of the Robert J. Perry Chapter are Jeff H. Knight, Jr, Harry F. | Knight, Luther Muse, Merville Ro- ? wam, Jesse J. Montgomery, Oswald J. Sheppard, Ben N. Adams, Fer- mando E. Camus, Donald B. ‘Myers, Gerald H. Adams, Everett Rivas and John Kerr, ‘On Local Masoris And Demolays Child Tells Of Long Cruelty Of Her Parents LOS ANGELES (P—A little girl, her thrice-broken left arm still in a cast, her lips misshapen and her front teeth missing, says that for two years she was beaten by her mother and stepfather. Although stunted by malnutrition, erippled by three broken vertebrae and partly blind, Celia Sanchez, 9 told her graphic story calmly. Already on trial for mayhem, felonious assault and assault with a deadly weapon is Mrs. Trinidad Sanchez Vera, 28, the mother. And after Celia testified, the stepfather was arrested. Joe Cruz Vera, 43, was jailed in lieu of $10,000 bond on four counts of felonious assault and one of child molestation. He had testi- fied the day before blaming the beatings on his wife and saying he was afraid to tell authorities because he had served a prison term for rape. Gruesome Story | At times as Celia told her story, weeping spectators arose and left the courtroom. She told of her arms being twisted until they broke and then twisted again; of being hit with shoes, forks and knives until she bled; of being forced to eat hot chili peppers; of having her hands held under scalding water. First she told of beatings she said were given by her mother. Then she said of her stepfather: “He threw a knife at me once. It | landed in my back. Another time he threw a-knife at me and it cut my lip.” She testified he once broke her arm by stomping on it, injured (Continued on Page Two) SOCIAL SECURITY MAN TO BE HERE TUESDAY William B. Weaver, manager of the Miami office of the Social Security Administration announces that the Social Security field rep- resentatives new headquarters in Key West will be room 216, Main Post Office Building. The field rep- resentatives’ next visit to Key West will be Tuesday, July 13. If you have any questions per- taining to Social Security, be sure to contact the field representatives #'| tioned further today. Link Suspects |To Ohio Killing Doctor Re-enacts Finding Of Wife’s Body On July 4 CLEVELAND (# — Three tree- trimmers who witnesses said were near the house where Mrs. Marilyn Sheppard was slain July 4 were jailed overnight, but police were unable to link them with the brutal slaying. They were to be ques- A trio of fishermen who were fishing at a pier only 300 feet from the Sheppards’ house during the night of the crime were called in to try to identify the tree-rimmers as men they reported seeing about three hours before the killing. The fishermen agreed the tree- trimmers were not the same men who had asked them about a picnic spot and then started walking from at the above address from 9:00 a. m. until 4:00 p. m. on July 13. Huntington Beach, a public park, westward toward the Sheppard home. Don’t Fit Description Nor did any of the tree-trimmers answer the description Dr. Samuel Sheppard, husband of the victim, gave of the man he said “clob- bered” him on the neck outside his wife’s bedroom when he tried to go to fier ‘aid. Sheppard, an osteo- path, deScribed the man as bushy- haired and wearing a white shirt. The fishermen said that description fitted the spokesman for the group of men with whom they talked at the pier. While divers raked Lake Erie’s bottom from behind the Shep- pards’ Bay Village home in a vain attempt to find the weapon used to beat the 31-year-old mother, Dr. Sheppard re-enacted his part in the tragedy for police yesterday. Reconstruction He told what Coroner Samuel R. Gerber described as substantially the same story he had given earli- er: That he was dozing on a couch in the living room, heard his wife scream or groan, and started up the stairs only to be felled outside the bedroom by a blow on the neck. When he came to, he entered the bedroom and then heard a noise downstairs and ran down. He said he saw a man on the back porch and chased him to the beach where he again was knocked unconscious. County Detective Carl Rossbach began his interview with Dr. Shep- pard by telling him: “You are a suspect in your wife’s murder.” “You don’t think I killed her?” Dr. Sheppard cried. “My God, do you think I’d do that when we were expecting our baby?” During his tour of the grounds, Dr. Sheppard objected to news- men, photographers and others in the group. Air Force, Army Have Separate Recruiters Now Staff Sergeant Charles A. Kan- iewski, United States Air Force | recruiting representative for Mon. roe County, will make his first vis- | it to Key West Monday, July 12, | since the Air Force assumed op-| erational control of its own re- cruiting service. The sergeant will be on hand in the Selective Service offices on the second floor of the Post Office throughout the day. Since 1947 when the Air Force and Army became separate bran- ches, recruiting for both services has been a joint effort. However, due to the defense build up of the Air Force, the Secretary of De- fense recently signed a bill giving the Air Force and Army seperate control of their respective recruit- ing machinery. Sergeant Kaniewski will make Periodic visits to Key West to as- sist and advise young men and women on opportunities open to them in today’s jet age Air Force. \ KEY WEST, FLORIDA, SATURDAY, JULY -10, 1954 Ownership Of Valua Police Fail To City Fathers Move To Call For Bids On Tax Appraisal Here Medical View Of Thorne’s Death Probed Four Other Doctors Will Look Over First Findings CHICAGO (®—A medical report on the mysterious death of Mont- gomery Ward Thorne, heir to a mail order fortune, is to be re- viewed by four well known pathol- ogists. Thorne’s death has been official- ly attributed to a lethal combina- tion of narcotics, a sleeping drug, and beverage and wood alcohol that suppressed his breathing. Dr. Harry Leon, coroner’s path- ologist who compiled the medical Teport, said the 20-year-old youth died an “unnatural death.” There were indications, he said, that the drugs probably were injected into ane vee stoy before his a june 19 @ person or per- sons unknown. y e Some Police officials and path- ologists disagreed with Leon’s findings and expressed .opinions Thorne died either of natural caus- es or self. x Double ; Coroner Walter E. McCarron said because of the conflict of opin- ion on the medical report he has summoned four pathologists to study and reexamine the findings of his own physician, Leon. oe er toward the eory foul play, supported Leon’s findings. “I’m convinced Thorne died un- (Continued on Page Two) Disaster Teams Seek To Rescue Flood Victims VIENNA, Austria ) — Disaster teams, aided by hundreds of Amer- ican soldiers, intensified efforts to- day to rescue hundreds of families marooned by floods raging across Austria and southern Germany. At least 13 persons were known to have perished in the rampaging waters and scores of others were missing. In the past two days more than 20,000 persons “have -been missing. In the past two days more than 20,000 persons have been evacuated from farms and villages inundated by the rain swollen Dan- ube and its tributaries. Two big cities—Passau and Linz —were partly under water as a re- sult of the worst flood to sweep the tich Danube and Inn River valleys in 50 years. At Passau, the flood waters have reached the city center. A women’s hosvital is under water in Linz. Many families spent the night (Continued on Page Two) a Cost Estimated At $30-40,000 | For The Survey ‘The city commission voted last night to call for bids on an inde- Pendent appraisal of the city’s tax roll at a special meeting last night. The suggestion was advanced by Commissioner Paul R. Roberts, who asked that the commission contact at least three appraisers and get their bids, Reason for the appraisal, Rob- erts said, is “to equalize the rolls and gaif-more revenue for the city.” Moved Call For Bids Roberts acted as mayor pro-tem at last night’s session in the ab- sence of Mayor C. B. Harvey, who is in Havana. He stepped down, however, and moved for the call for bids. The commission approved it unani- mously. Cost of the survey was estimat- ed during last night’s meeting as from between 30 and 40-thousand dollars. Roberts, however, said that he didn’t think it would cost that much. i Louis Carbonell said that id insist ‘that a local firm be given the job, if pos- sible. But during the discussion, it was brought out that it is doubt- ful if the commission will be able to obtain the services of a reg- istered appraiser without going out of town. Roberts also asked that City Manager Victor Lang consider placing a provision in the budget to-pay for the appraisal. Purpose of last night’s meeting was to air a tentative budget pre- pared by the city manager. The commission also decided to hold a meeting of the Equali- zation Board to consider the tax roll next Monday night. They have not been able to meet to date for lack of a quorum. Nudists Bare Convention Plans Che Ken West Ci THE SCUTHERNMOST NEWSPAPER IN THE ble Keys Papy, County And Civic Leaders Back Their Stand At Meeting Here By JIM COBB The Overseas Road and Toll Bridge Commission, backed by county and civic leaders, stood firm yesterday in their refusal to give up title to 10-million dollars worth of keys land. At a meeting with State Road Board attorney George Dayton, marked by an impassioned plea from State Rep- resentative Bernie C. Papy, that the land “be returned to its rightful owners — the people of Monroe County,” the commission took no action on Dayton’s request that they start liquidating their assets. Members of the county commission, the Chamber of Commerce and other inter- ested citizens attended the session. The SRD is asking that the commission turn the land owned by the district over to them when a bond issue floated to finance the Over- seas Highway is paid off October 1 but the commis- sion holds that the property should revert to Monroe County under the terms of a local bill passed by the state legislature. The road department also came in for sharp criticism yesterday for failure to maintain the high- way and Bahia Honda park facili- ties properly since they took it over with the remoyal of the tolls in April. Exploratory Meeting Dayton, who said that yester- day’s meeting was “of an explora- tory nature” said that he was here to “get the attitude of the commission on various problems which confront the road depart- ment and the commission.” He expressed the desire that the two agencies could work together in harmony. According to Dayton, the chief problems are: 1. Establishment of a policy governing payment of bills which Small Boy Is Hurt Slightly In A.M. Mishap A one-year-old boy received a SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. ‘7—| slight injury this morning as the About 500 nudists have taken off—'! result of a head-on collision of two and how—for the annual conven-| vehicles at the tion of the Western Sun Bathing north Roosevelt Boulevard and Assn. Sigsbee Park road. Like any other organization, the, Mrs. Delia V. Alvarez, 13 B Sigs- group has its problems, but one|hee Park, driver of a 1947 thing the bathers aren’t worrying | Chevrolet convertible stated that about is the crease in their pants. | she had let go of the wheel to grab Public relations is in the central| her son who was falling as she theme, and considerable attention | made the turn from the boulevard | is being given to association mag-|to Sigsbee Park road. azines, \press releases. member-| Samuel Q. Miller, a Naval officer ship bulletins and camp papers. The delegates represent 1,100 | and driver of a 1947 Buick sedan, members in California, Arizona,|said that he was parked waiting New Mexico, Nevada and Texas. | for the light to change when the They are meeting at Oakdale collision occurred. Ranch in Caion Pass, 12 miles; Mrs. Alvarez was given a som- north of San Bernardino. (Continued on Page Two) SUBMOBILE—That a car will not float was proved again Saturday morning when the station wagon owned by Frank Wickers, 2021 Seidenberg Avenue, ran into Garrison Bight in a boat- launching accident. The car was being used to pull the boat to the water when accident hap- Pened.—Photo by Spillman. t intersection of | have accurred against the district since the SRD took over. 2. Disposition of personal proper- ty owned by the district. 3. Disposition of the keys lands. 4. A decision whether or not the commission is to become a party to a suit to recover funds the SRD claims were overcharged by a contractor. Controversial Point _ “The third point, I understand, is going to be a rather knotty prob- lem,” Dayton commented. First action of the commission was to reappoint Clifford Hicks as secretary and auditor of the commission, An employee of the toll district since 1940, Hicks is former assistant general manager of the district. He was named unanimously by the commission. Chief bone of contention at yes- terday’s meeting was the status of the Keys land when the bonds are paid off October 1. The dis- trict has funds on hand to pay them off. State Rep. Papy took the floor and defended the validity of the local bill he had passed which gives them to the county. He pointed out.that when the commission in office in 1946 voted to sign an agreement conveying them to the state, he fought the move vigorously. “They sold my people down the river,” he commented. Papy added that the bill giving the lands back to the county was drawn up by attorney general Richard Ervin, then the attorney for the road board. Voted Te Back Bonds He pointed out that the people of Monroe County voted to tax their property in the event toll revenue was insufficient to pay off the bonded indebtedness of the Overseas Highway. “We want these lands to go for the benefit of the people of Monroe County,” he stated. His talk met with applause from the audience — and from some members of the commission. Papy added that the relationship between Monroe County and Cecil Webb, chairman of the road board, is not of the best. “He has been unfair to my people,” he com- mented. Papy also said that the SRD “does not have to take over the i i it to.” |stationed at the Fleet Sonar School | highway if they don’t want to Webb's Statement Recalled Commission member Sam Har- ris had recalled earlier that Road Chairman Webb, during a meet- ing here March 12, had said that “we (the SRD) don’t want the road dumped into our laps.” Webb had claimed that two-mil- |iion dollars in maintenance was required to put the road in shape and that it would be too much of a drain on the highway depart- ment. Dayton acknowledged that the statement had been made, but de- clined to comment on it Harris also attacked the validity of the 1946 agreement, when he said that the commission violated the terms of the bond indenture when they signed it. The commis- sion had no right, he opined, to sign away the collateral for the Sonds. Suggestion Advanced Rep. Papy then advanced the suggestion that the lands be sold to the county commission for a token payment of $100, subject to the approval of the State Board of Administration. “There is no statute prohibiting that, is there?,” he added. Dayton said that he didn’t think there was but that he was of the (Continued on Page Two) Toll Commission Balks At Losin Lan Lang Suggests Moving Offices Key West's government will be “decentralized” Hf a sug- gestion advanced by City Man- ager Victor Leng is adopted. Lang wants to move the bulk of the city’s administrative of- fices from the city hall to the Poinciane Community Center, which was recently given te the city by the Key West Real- ty Company when they pur- chased e portion of the hous- ing project. Included in the move, ac- cording te Lang, would be his own office, the city finance of- fice and the public service de- vartment. The suggestion met with mix- ed response from the city com- mission at last night’s meeting. Ne definite action was taken on the propesal. Investigation Of Slaying Continues Rewards Are Offered For Information As To Rape-Slayer’s Identity MIAMI State Atty. George A. Brautigam continued his in-~ ve tion of the Judith Aun Roberts kidnap-murder case today and rewards for information lead- ing to the killer reached $1,500, Brautigam, who spent an hour and 40 minutes with the child’s grandfather yesterday, described the appearance of Harry Rosen- berg, 56, as “voluntary.” Brauti- gam said the talk was a “full review” of the case to date but added ho testimony was taken. He said “another man will be called into our office Saturday” but refused to identify him or reveal his possible connection with the case. Denial By Sheriff The sheriff's office denied it had jlaunched its own investigation into the kidnap-slaying of the blue-eyed 6-year-old Baltimore girl early Wednesday, which so far has been (Continued on Page Two) Fear, Resentment Build Up Terrific Tension In Hanoi By FORREST EDWARDS HANOI, Indochina #—Fear and resentment are building a poten- tially explosive tension here be- cause many believe they and their city are about to be handed over to the Communist-led Vietminh under a cease-fire agreement. Hun- dreds are leaving the city daily, nds who lack money or a place to go are voicing resent- ment. As yet there is no real threat of a native uprising such as slaughtered hundreds of Euro- Peans and Eurasians in December of 1946. Nor is there any real panic. But an announcement of a cease- fire agreement that would parti- tion Viet Nam and give the north- ern half of the Vietminh—expected in many quarters—couid touch off either or both. An American in Hanoi tells of a Vietnamese who threatened in his presence: Threat Made “The day I learn we have been sold out, I will take my gun, go into the streets, and shoot the first three French I see. it will make me feel better and it will give me points with the Vietminh.” “I think,” said the American, “he was just talking. I hove God he was, because soc! like that is all that would be neec ed to touch off bloody rioting.” HOUSES SMILE when Painted with BEST PAINT SOLD from STRUNK LUMBER 120 SIMONTON, near Midget Bar