The Key West Citizen Newspaper, September 3, 1954, Page 1

Key West, Florida, has’ the most equable climate in the country, with an average range of only 14° Fahrenheit buyers and sellers— ants or workers .. . Just 2-5661 or 2.5662 Today Ken West Cilis THE ” MOTHERS 1 MARCH SUCCEEDS Robert Russell, Cub Scout from Den 2 of Pack 257, turns in ‘the money he collected to help bring the proceeds of the Mothers’ March on Polio up to the nearly teported this morning. Mrs, Elizabeth Singleton, who is accepting the money, is one of the Electric employes who donated time to help tally the proceeds. Looking on, left to right, area captain in the March; Mrs. Joe Lopez, general March chairman, } , Robert's mother, who was an area captain also. Mrs. Russell can tes- of the drive on polio from personal experience, having had a daughter who suf- Mothers’ March workers were elated with the success of their effort. ‘proceeds are to be turned in today.—Photo by Spillman. Huge Fish Fry Being Planned To Mark ds inhale Ferry Flere What may well be the world’s largest fish-fry is be- ing planned to mark the maiden voyage of the’ City of Key West between this city and. Cardenas, Cuba,. Oct. 1. Plans for the mammoth affair were discussed last night at a meeting called by Mayor C. B, Harvey of persons interested in Planning a giant two day celebra- tion to mark the first run of the The fish fry will be held from 4 to 7 p. m., Friday, Oct. 1, at the ferry dock. From three to five thousand per- sons are expected to turn. out for the fish fry which is being staged with the cooperation of the Key West Charter Boatmen’s Associa- tion. Committee Named A four man committee was named last night to plan the af- fair. It consists of Johnny West, of the boatmen’s group, Captain Jakie Key, Charles Rosen and City Building Inspector Ray Knopp. Scores of Key West fishermen and business establishments will be asked to cooperate in staging the fish fry. West reported this morning that he has the full cooperation of the charter and bottom fishing cap- tains in Garrison Bight. He asked that all fishermen — including anyone in the bight who owns a boat — turn over their surplus to the boatmen’s associa- tion. Yellowtail, grouper and snapper are preferred. Local shrimp deal- ers will be asked to donate shrimp. “We'll need about a ton of fish,” he. said. Plans call for the fish to be stored in the freezer of a local fish market until the big day. Any sur plus fish will be given to the county old folks home, West said. Knopp will be in charge of “pro- | (Continued on Page Seven) | ESS SS DUE TO THE LENGTH OF THE MOVIE | “GONE WITH THE WIND” OUR DOORS WILL OPEN AT 12:15 P.M., THROUGH SEPTEMBER 7 Feature Will Show at 12:30, 4:30 & 8:30 P.M, San Carlos Theatre | lected $18,000 in insurance in re- {as I know, but he has been col- , cident 12 miles south of Morton, Mesias Man Held In Wife’s Death RALEIGH, Miss, (—A 59-year- old filling station operator of Polk- ville, Miss., is in jail at Jackson charged with. murder and argon in connection with the death of his wife and the burning of his car Aug. 22. Sheriff A. E. Bounds of Smith county said last night the charges were filed after Ross Hawkins’ story of an auto accident that killed his wife “fell flat.” After Hawkins’ arrest, Sheriff R. E. Harp of Morehouse Parish (county) in Louisiana reopened an investigation of the hunting death of Hawkins’ 1?-yearld son in 1945. Officers said the boy was shot through the head while hunting with his father near Bastrop, La. The death was reported as an ac- cident and Hawkins collected $13,- 500 insurance. Heavily Insured Bounds said Hawkins had 10 or 12 insurance policies on his wife, one of which was taken out about two weeks before her death. Most of the policies carried double in- demnity for accidental death, the sheriff said. A month ago, Bounds added, Hawkins’ filling station burned and he aecepted a settle- ment on a fire insurance policy on the station, “He told me in all he had col-; cent years,” Bounds said. ‘“He’s never been in trouble before so far lecting insurance for as long as I can remember.” Bounds said a reported auto ac-! Miss., led to the investigation. Hawkins’ version of the accident was that his car hit‘a tree; his (Continued On Page Seven) Steel Reinforcing Boys’ Stater Tells Value Of Program oye) monn Is Urged Ye Continue Its Interest In Youth High School senior Ken- eth Carter, of Marathon, spoke at the Rotary Club’s weekly meeeting at the La Concha Hotel yesterday. Young Carter. attended - Boys’ State earlier this year and urged the Rotary to continue sponsoring a boy at the program. He said, “It is one of the finest things a club can do — to send & boy to this school of learning about the government, especially the government of Florida.” “The things we were taught are of great importance in the part that youth will play in the next 20 years,” he continued. Training For Life “The intelligent adult is not easi- ly swayed by communistic ideolo- gies. The communists realize this and concentrate their efforts on the youth of every nation.” “Their coniplete devotion to their cause enables them to start with a small group and spread their views to many, because for the dedicated communist, everything else is secondary.” Young Carter told the club mem- bers, “The United States is safe as long as it holds to God and the principles on which the nation was founded.” He said the reason Rome fell was because as a nation, the Ro- mans repudiated God, and likened Rome’s position of leadership of the’ancient world to America’s pos- ition in the modern world. Lip Service Rapped He urged that all Americans look up to the Flag and not just give it lip service. “In the past, all countries of the world looked up to the American Flag as a symbol of strength and right, but this is mo longer true,” he said. “The basis of our nation is re- (Continued On Page Seven) Last Two Days Buy Now and Save! 1/3 Off on ALL Marine, |} Interior and Exterior Household Paints aa 7 SS Strunk Lumber 120 SIMONTON STREET Near Western Union Monroe Specialty Company 1930 FLAGLER AVENUE SOUTHERNMOST NEWSPAPER KEY WEST, FLORIDA, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1954 Special Patrol Set For Weekend U. $. 1 in Monroe County will be heavily patrolled by high- way patrol and sheriff's cars during the long Labor Day weekend. Sheriff John Spottswood said five radio cars of his depart- ment will be on patrol duty along the highway and that the Florida Highway Patrol will have three cars on the read, Not A Quote, Durbin Says Of Statement Local 151 Official Apologizes For Misunderstanding ers on the cut in yard work- ers,” Joe Durbin, secretary of. Civil Service Federation, Local 151, said today. At a Junior Chamber of Com- Durbin said: “Plans are to cut civilian Navy Base workers to a skeleton crew. These words are not mine. They came from Smathers’ mouth.” Three officials of the Junior Chamber of Commerce who were at the meeting today told The Citi- zen that Durbin had been quoted correctly. Durbin Explains Durbin had this to say today: “Possibly the way I said’ it could have. been interpreted to mean that I was quoting Smathers (Sen, George Smathers, D-Fla.). I am sorry if anyone got that im-| § pression because I was not quoting Smathers on the cut in yard work- “T was not quoting Smath- | merce méeting Wednesday night, IN THE U.S.A. PRICE FIVE CENTS Intervention Of Federal Gov't Into Overseas Rd. Case Is Sought By Webb Asks Sen. Dayton To Seek Grounds For U.S. To Step In Cecil Webb, chairman of the State Road Board, is trying to get the federal government to intervene in the Overseas Highway case, it was reported today in an Asso- ciated Press dispatch from Tallahassee. Basis for Webb’s statement is the fact that portions ‘That was my own interpreta tion,” Durbin what I believe pen. It is of what I belil zen reporter talked the etd and he could be pa ite on his i marks. “ Durbin said he okayed. being quoted. Quote Okayed An official of the Junior Cham- ber of Commerce also told The Citizen that he had heard the re- porter ask Durbin if he could be! quoted and that Durbin had an- swered, yes. Capt. C. L. Murphy, Chief of Staff and Base Public Information Officer, denied that the Navy com- mand here had received any word about an employment cut. “The command here at Key West,” he said, “has receive no such information about a reduc- tion in civilian employes.” Strange Death Is Probed In Panama City PANAMA CITY (#—Officers in- vestigating the strange death of Mrs. Lottie Steakley, 38, said to- day evidence in the case was being sent to Washington for examination in the FBI’s crime laboratory. Mrs. Steakley was found dead on the floor of a hotel bathroom Aug. 21. An electric light cord was wound around her neck and one arm had been slashed. A razor was on a night table beside a blood stained bed. Special Investigator Floyd Nixon said Mrs, Steakley registered at the hotel with a man identified as George Leach who was arrested on Aug. 24 at Marietta, Ga., and returned here. He is being held in jail for investigation. Nixon said a suicide note later was found in the pocket of a shirt belonging to Leach. He said Leach | admitted writing the note but de- nied he had contemplatcd taking his own life. : by Spillman. ES P.O. Windows To Close Labor Day All windows at the vost office will be closed Monday in ob- servance of Labor Day, Acting Postmaster Clyde Stickney said today. There will be no carrier or parcel post delivery but col- lections from mail boxes will be made as usual. The county court house and city hall also will be closed Monday. === Hurricane Dolly Heads For Ocean HALIFAX, N. S. (®--Hurricane Dolly passed 60 miles south of Cape Race, Nfld., early today. It was heading east-northeast at 30 miles an hour. The hurricane threatened to lash Nova Scotia’s south coast in full fury Thursday, but suddenly veered off into the Atlantic to the east of Sable Island. The blow brought a downpour of rain and heavy winds to the island. The storm passed through the Banks and is expected to blow out to sea late this afternoon. Winds |mear the center. THE LITTLE SCHOOL “A Play School for Tiny Tots” Ages 3 TO 6 YEARS Tuition: $2.00 Per Week TRANSPORTATION HOURS 8:30 to 12:00 or 1:00 to 5:00 PHONE 2-6162 northern portions of the Grand? of 60 miles an hour were reported | when Jailer Tom Riggs went to THEY KNOW THE NEED—Kenneth Mesa, left, and his brother, Vaughn, turn in the money they helped their mother, Mrs. Paul Mesa, collect during the Mothers’ March on Polio last night. The Mesa family knows what it can mean when polio strikes. Mrs. Mesa was ill with the disease when Kenneth was born, and Vaughn had polio when he was three years old. March pro- ceeds were turned in at the office of the City Electric System after the hour-long house-to-house collection was made.—Photo Prisoners Are Thwarted In Flight Try WEST PALM BEACH #—Five prisoners who attempted to flee the Palm Beach County Jail late yesterday were rounded up within 15 minutes. It was the fourth at- tempted jailbreak here this year. Sheriff John F. Kirk said the ringleader was Jasper Shelton, 21, Sumter, S. C., being held for North Carolina authorities on an armed robbery charge. Shelton fled the same jail Feb, 21 but was caught the next day, along with a com- panion. Kirk said Shelton was armed with an “improvised burp gun” but made no attempt to use it. The sheriff identified the other prisoners involved as William Con- way, 21, Pottstown, Pa., charged with auto theft; Scott Field With, 18, Milwaukee, Wis. awaiting sen- tence on breaking and entering charges; Norman Franks 18, Tam- pa, Fla., awaiting transfer to state prison for auto theft, and Clarence Middleton, 35, no address, charged with auto theft and escaping jail. How It Happened Kirk said the break occurred return Rex Gamble, a trusty, to a large cell on the third floor. Riggs reported he heard Shelton complain of being ill and when he opened the cell door, Shelton slugged him. He was forced into the cell and the five prisoners rushed out. The trusty’s shouts attracted deputies from other parts of the burdi ig. Meanwhile, Conway, With and i had jumped from Fire Dept. Commended By Navy Man Speed In Quelling Blaze, Neatness Is Commended Here The Key West Fire De- partment has- been com- mended — both for their The Citizen received word of the commendation in the form of a letter this morning. The letter uilt with funds from the fed- eral government. “After all,” said Webb, “the federal government contributed funds for the construction of parts of the Overseas Highway, the Re- construction Finance Corpor- ation bought toll district bonds and the Overseas Highway is a part of a fed- eral highway, U.S.1.”_ . Webb said he has asked road board attorney, Sen. George Day- ton, of Dade City, to see if there are any legal grounds for asking the federal government to step inte the case. gives a fair idea about how at| 100. least one Key Wester feels about the fire department. Commendation The letter: “Office of the Mayor “City of Key West, Florida “Dear Sir: “On Saturday, the 28 of August, there was a fire in the apartment building in which I live at 908 South Street. This fire grew to proportions beyond the control of the tenants and the fire was re- ported to the city Fire Depart- ment. “On their arrival, the. firemen made a rapid appraisal of the situation, and by prompt and ef- fective action soon had the fire extinguished. It is interesting to note that the only damage done by the firemen was the cutting of a portion of one window screen in order to gain access to the apart- ment after attempts to use normal access had failed. “When the fire had been ex- tinguished there was a consider- able amount of water and rubbish in the apartment which if allowed to stand would have ruined not only the apartment in which the fire had been but also the apart- ment directly below. It was the action of the firemen in regard to the “mopping up” stage that leads me to commend them most heart. ily for a task well done. The en- tire crew turned to with a will, their cheerful willingness was commended on by all present. “When the members of the Fire Department left, the entire build- (Continued On Page Seven) Goggin High Man In Marathon Poll John P. Goggin led the slate of candidates in a primary election Thursday to select a president of the Marathon Chamber of Com- merce. Goggin, who has held the post for the past three years, will com- pete Oct. 7 in a runoff election Meanwhile, Webb has made a recommendation to Acting Gover- nor Charley J. Jobns, asking that the commissioners be asked to re- The commission met with road department attorney Dayton re- cently, but they were unable to reach an agreement. They refused to give up owner- ship of the land or to turn over any assets, pending further nego- tiations, GUNBOAT CREW TO MARK SPECIAL DAY The crew of the Cuban frigate Maximo Gomez, now in port here, will celebrate Cuba’s Navy Day lay with a field day at soft- ball diamond No. 6 on the.Naval Station. There will be races and other — events. iturday evening the captain of the frigate, Cdr, Humberto Cancio Gonzalez, will be host at an in- vitational reception at the home of Oscar Morales, Cuban Consul, at 1520 White St. LATIN AMERICAN SOCIAL CLUB Presents “FREE”-jor-Members DANCE t a ELKS CLUB ANNEX Muste with 15 other candidates. “JOUENES Dar caro" Saturday, September 4, From 10:00 Till 2:00 ADMISSION Members 0... Free Non-Members _. Gents