The Key West Citizen Newspaper, September 24, 1954, Page 1

Xey West, Florida, has the most equable climate in the country, with an average range of only 14° Fahrenheit VOL. LXXV Ne. 227 ma 3 LIONS CONTRIBUTE—Bob Youmans (left) adds up the figures as Lou Eisner (right) writes a check to the Emergency March of Dimes from the Lions Club. Edelmiro Morales, Lions’ presi- dent, watches the proceedings.—JKB Photo, Lions Will Honor Rep. Papy For Work To Save Keys Land At-last night’s Father and Son dinner of the Key West Lions Club the members unanimously voted to honor State Represenptative Bernie C. Papy, for the successful conclusion of his efforts to have the ownership of the dis- puted toll district lands revert to Monroe County. In accepting the motion, Lion President Morales stressed that the club was definitely not partici- pating in local politics but was ex- pressing the thanks and admiration of a civic organization to a public | official for his meritorious work on behalf of his constituents. Papy will be invited to be the est of honor by the Key West Lions Club. at.theiy.-Ladies’ Night, Dinner, scheduled*ior October ix. Polio Contribution ‘The assembled Lion fathers and sons furnished a very appropriate background for the presentation of the Lions’ contribution of $325 to Bob Youmans, director of the Em- ergency March of Dimes campaign. ‘This was the amount realized from the sale if polio brooms by the Lions. Special mention was made of Lion Bill Herman’s son, Carl, who sold $94.25 worth of these brooms for the club. In cooperation with the local safety campaign, Corporal Howell Gillett, Safety Education Officer of the Department of Public Safe- ty of the Florida Highway Patrol, addressed the meetiig. The sin- cerity of his talk impressed all his listeners. Driver Training The Lions went on record as be- ing in favor of driver training in the Key West High School. The Lions Club is the second civic organization within two days to take this step favoring the driv- er training program, The Jaycees voted in favor of the proposal Wednesday night. The Kiwanis club has. also indicated they will con- sider the highly recommended ve- hicle training measure during their next director meeting. Lion Louis Carbonell revealed that through the cooperation of the armed forces the expenses of the annual Lions Charity Football Game would be considerably less than heretofore. Lower Price A lower single admission price will be charged this year agd all seats will be on a “first come” basis. In anticipation of larger gate receipts than before, the gate will be divided three ways, one each for the March of Dimes, Navy Charity and Lions. A committee of four, consisting | of Allen Hampton, Fred Miller, Milton Appel, and Jimmy McMan- us were appointed to handle the tickets for the game. The members all wished Lion Ed Tucker good luck and success, aft- er he announced this would be his last chance to attend meetings in Key West. He has been transferred to Savannah, Georgia, where he will manage the S. H. Kress store. The meeting closed with loud, strong roars for Corporal Gillett | in his safety drive and Lion Ed Tucker on his transfer. INSULATION AGAINST WINTER COLD at Strunk Lumber . 120 SIMONTON STREET Near Weather Bureau Polio Situation Bright In County While other sections of Flor- ida are having polio troubles, Dr, C. W. Morrison, county health officer, noted today that “it has been three weeks since the last polle Case wag reported The last case was on Sept. 3, making the total for the coun- ty 37 cases this year. Up to this date last year, 35 cases had been reported. For all of 1953, there were 56 cases. In September alone last yeear there were 20 cases. Man Admits Jax Slaying DELRAY BEACH (#—A hitch- hiker who got suspicious when he saw a pistol was credited today with causing the arrest of a North Carolina man who has admitted killing Mrs. Margaret Baynard, 48, of Jacksonville. Police Chief R. C. Croft said Eugene Hayden of Miami turned Joseph L. Ezell, 44, of Graham, N. C. over to Delray Beach police Wednesday night when he noticed the man had a .45 automatic. Ezell at the time, Croft said, was fleeing from Jacksonville where Mrs. Baynard’s bullet rid- same time—in a clump of weeds alongside a road. Tells Of Drive The police chief quoted the man as saying he saw Mrs. Baynard “about breakfast time” Wednes- day in a tavern and that she in- vited him for a ride in her car. He said she saw he had a pistol and asked him to take it along as she might like to shoot it. The police chief continued: “Ezell said they took a drive, had ja misunderstanding, she slapped him, he lost his temper and shot her in the head and shoulder; then dumped the body out and drove back to get his own car.” The woman's husband, Joseph S. Baynard, told police he woke up about 7:15 a. m. Wednesday jand discovered his wife and car | missing but did not report it. The car, bloodstained and with two bul- {let holes in the front seat an door, {was found about 9 a. m The Local KIWANIS CLUB Will Play the “" "ER KI- WANIS CLY" BENEFIi COMIC SOFTBALL GAME SATURDAY NIGHT AT 8:00 P.M. IN BAYVIEW PARK The game promises to be one of the most hilarious of the year. Tickets are on sale from any Kiwanis member. They can al- so be purchased at game time Saturday night. ———$— died body was found—about the! THE | Safety Queen To Be Crowned Sat. The crowning of Key West's Safety Queen by Mayor C. B. Harvey will take place at 10 e’clock tomorrow morning at the Strand and San Carlos Theatres. The coronation ceremonies will be held jointly with the awarding of prizes in the Safety Essay Contest. All eight candidates for Safety Queen be presented. They are Olga Yole: Johnson, Madeline Meana Fueyas, Dorothy Pi Katherine Pratt, Fabiola Ag: see and Jane Begin. Hearing In Love Triangle Case Recessed Solicitor Seeks To Show Young Golfer Was Shot From Rear LAKELAND (#—The sensational hearing for Dr. Dodge D. Mentzer, charged with second degree mur- der in the slaying of his wife's young boy friend, was in indefinite recess today to give the state time to bring in expert FBI witnesses. At issue is Dr. Mentzer’s testi- mony that all four shots were fired while William E. Leigh Jr. was facing him and that the fatal wound was made at close range after the 22-year-old golf star grap- pled with him. County Solicitor Clifton Kelly wants to show that the fatal bullet was fired from a distance of sev- eral feet and at least one of the lesser wounds was from a bullet entering from the rear. Death April 7 Leigh was killed at the Mentzer home tere April 7 Low after 6 a, m. a few minutes after he and Mrs. Elizabeth Mentzer, 38, re- turned, after being out all night. Dr. Mentzer, 40, testified he told Leigh to leave several times, got a pistol in the hope of frightening Leigh into going, shot once away from Leigh in warning ard then twice at the young man’s legs. He said Leigh then charged him, bent him backward over a hassock and the pistol went off while Leigh was pulling at his wrists. The physician said he previously had warned Leigh to stay away from his home or he would be shot. Doctor Testifies Dr. Newton C. Ware testified in his opinion all the bullets entered from the front of the body and that a dark mark around the fatal stomach wound was a powder burn, indicating the pistol within four inches of Leigh’s body when it was fired. to refute this testimony ran into defense objections, sustained by Peace Justice J. Tom Watson, that the solicitor’s witnesses were not qualified to testify on these points. Kelly had on hand an FBI report covering some of these points but the defense maintained it was in- conclusive and Kelly decided to bring the FBI agents here in per- son rather than introduce the re- port as evidence. Love Scene Described Dr. Mentzer did not say whether jhe ever believed anything was really wrong in the relationship of Leigh and his wife but when, last Christmas, his wife sat in Leigh’s lap and they began kissing, he said he could tell they were very serious. “I got mad with Billy then and |stayed mad until April 7—to the | extent that I never wanted to see or have anything to do with him 'again,” the witness said. Although Mrs. Mentzer’s testi- jmony Wednesday was taken with |press and public barred on a de- zer’s four minor children from pub- licity, there was no such secrecy when Dr. Mentzer testified. ‘ney for Mrs. Mentzer, told the press this was regrettable, that SOUTHERNMOST NEWSPAPER KEY WEST, FLORIDA, FRIDAY, SEPTEM By BILL SPILLMAN A resolution to go on record as | supporting a Key West High School Driver Training program, was un- during their regular weekly meet- ing Wednesday night. It was pointed out during the di cussion that the school superinten- dent and the school board had been “thinking” about the driver training subject for some time. | However, they have not as yet tak- en any action. It was also revealed that the Jay- cees had backed the proposal a- ed that the organization had gone to great lengths in obtaining in- to have the proposal given a chil- | ly reception by the “powers that | be” in the school directive system. Football “Chill” The measure was compared to the chill given to the local high school footbal! proposal before the team became a reality. It was also pointed out that, pre- viously, when the proposal was made to the school superintendent, he would have permitted it on an after-school hour, voluntary basis only. The driver training resolution passed by the local chamber is a- long the same line as the resolu- tion passed by the Florida summer convention of Jaycees, JayCees Favor Segting Up Of WHS Driver Training Course | bout three years ago. It was stat-| structors and a training car, only | was | Eyery attempt by the prosecutor | fense motion to protect the Ment-| William P. Tomasello, an attor- | Conference Move The summer conference had re- |solved to request the state legis- lature to take legislative action to make mandatory a driver training program for all Florida high schools. measure under study and it ig’ex- pected that other civic clubs will follow in the driver training pro- posal endorsement. During routine business conduci- ed at the meeting, it was ant mn- ers of America are planning on vi- siting Key West in their winter flight-tour south. The flying organi- Report Ready On Sanity Of LIVE OAK (#—Two state ap- {to tell Circuit Court today that {to stand trial a second time for the slaying of a white physician. Frank Cannon, the Negro wom- | | |he had a certified copy of the psy- chiatrists’ report and that they will ;recommend that she be confined |in the state hospital. State Atty. William Slaighter said last night he had not seen | been filed. “It will be up to the jeourt to decide whether she is |legally insane,” he said | Convicted In Dec. | Mrs. McCollum was convicted in | December 1952 of shooting Dr. C. | LeRoy Adams to death in his office | Aug. 3, 1952, shortly after his nomi- nation to the state Senate. The Florida Supreme Court granted her a new trial. Cannon said the psychiatrists jare William Ingram Jr. and W. H. |McCullagh, both of Jacksonville. | Cannon requested the sanity ex- amination at a hearing before the | trial judge Hal Adams (no relation |to Dr. Adams) on Aug. 30. He |said the woman “has been sick | continually” since her conviction jand that her mental condition had | deteriorated to such an extent that |she refuses to use a mattress and lies on the bare springs of the prison cot with a blanket wrapped around her from head to foot. First Called Sane She was found sane at the time jof her first trial and sentenced |to death. She testified she shot the doctor jin self defense when he tried to \force her to have intimate rela- The local Kiwanis club has the | ced that the National Flying Farm- / ‘Ruby M’Collum pointed psychiatrists are expected | |Ruby McCollum is insane, unable | |an’s attorney, disclosed yesterday | {the report but understood it had | \“‘in fairness to the children the|tions. She said she and Adams had |defense should have made the | been intimate several years and same motion when Dr. Mentzer|he fathered one of her children. | testified.” | The state contended the shooting | resulted from an argument over For Sale! For Sale! For Sale! |" me eal Complete Kitchen Ordering a new trial, the Su- preme Court ruled that Judge Ad- * ams was in error in permitting Equipment for Restaurant the jury to view the scene of the Including Stainless Steel Auto- | slaying in the absence of the de- matic dishwasher... Like new /fendant and in not being with the TELEPHONE 2-7500 : ; being placed before it. © jury at all times evidence was Che Ken West itis IN BER 24, 1954 Plans !zation had requested information about Key West facilities. | Information Asked | A letter was read from a Na man stationed in Guantanamo, Cu- | animously passed by members of|ba, in which he requested infor- | the Junior Chamber of Commerce! mation about the Key West to Cu-| ‘ba ferry. He stated in the letter jthat many Navy men. stationed | there would now drive to and from {the Naval Station there. { It was also announced that Ber {nie C. Papy has offered his pro. jperty for use as a Jaycee football | parking lot. Papy offered the land that is across from the new Ho- jward Johnson restaurant. It was stated that the only stipulation he jmade was that he requested | space be held for his car when he came to the game. Vote Registration Deadline Oct. 2 Oct. 2 at noon is the deadline for registration as a voter, Sam Pinder, supervisor of re- gistration, said today. To date, 40 new voters have registered in the county, he added. Persons whose names have been stricken from the rolls can call or write to Pinder to have their names restored to the rolls, he said. Attorneys Cancel Meeting Slated Today | Bridge District | Group’s Decision On. Suit Is Cavse | James McEwen, Hills- borough County state attorn- ey, and George Dayton, | THE U.S: Water Telephone Gis Pays $23,000 In City Taxes | Southern Bell Is Monroe County's Biggest Taxpayer Today Monroe County’s biggest | taxpayer paid their city taxes to} Archie Roberts, City Tax Collec- | tor, when Don Nichols, local man- ager of Southern Bell, presented} Roberts with a check in the amount | of $23. 79 for his company’s per-} sonal property and real estate taxes. Also a $400 check was given for | Southern Bell’s Key West occupa-| tional license for the year CLASSIFIED Ads! You'll nants or workers... Just IAL 2-S661 or 2-5662 Today PRICE FIVE CENTS Gay Ferry Fiesta Laid; Huge Parade Set Festive Atmosphere To Mark Sailing Of ‘City Of Key West’ Final planning was completed last night for a twoe day “ferry fiesta” — a celebration to mark the maiden rux of the “City of Key West,” which promises to be the largest such affair in many years. Mayor C. B. Harvey presided at the Planning meet- ing at which time final plans were laid for the fiesta, scheduled to start next Friday. ~H__S—_———— | Fiesta Schedule Here is the official schedule for the two-day fiesta marking the maiden run of the “City of Key West” between here and Cardenas Cuba: Friday, October 1 4 p. m. — Fish fry and open house aboard ship at dock, Du- Activities will begin with ja giant fish fry and open house aboard the ship at its Duval Street pier, and wind | up at 9 a. m. Saturday when jthe vessel leaves the Key West harbor bound on its | maiden voyage. val St. 8 p. m. — Tom Moore’s “True or False’ radio show at Key West Kennel Club. Kennel Club. Kennel Coub. Saturday, October 2 8 a. m. — Motorcade down Duval Street to ferry terminal. 8:15 a. m. — Addresses by s at dock. m. — Historic sailing of Nichols stated that the tele-| phone company’s taxes for the City of Key West and Monroe County reach approximately $50,- 000 this year. He also said that Southern Bell Company’s tax Paid to State, County and Municipalities | in Florida during 1954 will be ap- proximately $5,613,000. State Development Florida's economic develop- ment is reflected by the state in- vestment of the company when it parade of small craft. skyrocseted from 355,551,349 in All of the events are open to 1954 to 3216, 054,873 today. | the public. Throughout the state, Southern | State Road Department at- torney, will not meet with | the Overseas Road and Toll | Bridge District commission- | ers today. | The attorneys had been sched- uled to meet with the commission- ers at 5 p. m. Anthony Demeritt, chairman of the commission, said he had re- |ceived the following telegram from McEwen: No Need For Tri “In view of the commission's de- | cision to abstain from road board | suit we shall not come down.” | McEwen and Dayton had asked | the commission to join the road board in a suit for an accounting {of a quarter of a million dollars | which the road board says was misspent. | Demeritt announced yesterday jthat the commission had voted | unanimously not to join the suit The suit was filed by the two attorneys September 14. Named as | defendants are Alonzo Cothron, a contractor. Brooks Bateman, former gen- eral manager of the bridge dis- | trict |. Fliyd Lamb, owner of a construc- | tion company. | D. M. Andrew, former district ; employe. | | taxes {has added up in the past several | | Weather Bureau said. Bell is in the midst of a $41,000,000 expansion program this year. It is| intended for this effort to be du-| Vg] Asked plicated in 1955 in a concentrated | 0 unteers € effort for the entire state to be! ° current on held applications and For Ferry Fiesta requests for higher grades of ser- | vice. + “ ; : All Key West boatmen are asked The expanding of telephone fa. | rsh : is included in this mammoth de-| 5 velopment program, Nichols add-| of the Key West - Cuba ferry Oct. ed. | Wages Increase | Captain Jakie Key (2-2488) or Cap- Employes and their wages are|tain Johnny West (2-5728). up too, he said, from 4,423 em-| A meeting of all taking part will | ployes to 8,700 in the past eight|be held at 8 p. m. Wednesday at 's, making $9,272,765 in 1945 to 9,077,685 in 1953. telephone employe ing twice today what he was aking in 1945. Wages have cent. Nichols said also that increased plus increased labor costs plus a fabulous expansion program ye | Coast Guard Headquarters, Front m The | St. n m ganizations to act, as hostesses for the open house aboard the ship, Oct. 1. Volunteers should phone Mrs. Ethel Seigel, 2-3433. \GABLE GOES FOR” PHYSICAL CHECK HOLLYWOOD - Clar« increased 53 per years to a 32 per cent increase in| telephone rates while during this! Gabie same period the cost of living has | Was admitted to Cedars of Lebanon | increased more than 92 per cent. | Hospital vesterday for what a hos- | pital spokesman describes %, 7 physical checkup. STORM REPORTED The 53-year-old film star is in MANILA (P--A tropical storm | good condition the night supervisor battered the rocky Batanes islands | of the nursing office said today. in the northern Philippines with! ‘‘He’s just here for a few tests 65-mile-an-hour winds today, the | and a general checkup,” she added, | “like any other patient.” BPW PANEL DISCUSSION — Pa: Club on Wednesday night were ( Lee Graham, on the topic, Sybil. ing of the Business and Professional Women’s r, Miss Minnie-Porter Harris, Mrs. Mary aubscher. The round table discussion was inelists at the meeti: left to right), Joe y West Offers You Sound Investments.” (See story, Page 3).—Citizen Staff Pheto, | 3 Those able are asked to phone | And a plea is also out for re-| presentatives of all women’s or-| Louis Carbonell, general manager of the Kennel Club | offered the use of the Stock Island racing plant. | Sandwiched between those events will be a broadcast of Tom Moore's radio quiz program, “True or False” direct from the Key West Kennel Club, a gala Ferry Fiesta Ball, also set for the Kennel Club, a motorcade on the morning of the sailing and addresses by local and visiting dignitaries just prior to the sailing of the ship on its. maiden run, Escort Set The ship will be escorted to the sea buoy by a flotilla of small craft, including Navy vessels, char- ter and pleasure craft and mem- bers of the Key West Outboard Club. Lt. John Hayes, commanding of- ficerof the local Coast Guard sta- |tion is in overall charge of the | flotilla, while Captain Jakie Key and Captain John West will serve jas Commodores. Indications are that ‘he Cuban | navy will furnish an escort for the ship to Cuba Parade Plans Louis Carhonell, in charge of dec- orations and the motorcade said that the parade will form at 7:45 a. m. Saturday at Duval and South Sts. and will proceed at 8 a. m. |down Duval St. to the dock. | He urged all local organizations | to join the motorcade. Carbonell also pointed out that local merchants are cooperating ; Magnificently by decorating their | Places of business. | Hostesses To Serve | Local women will serve as host- |esses aboard the vessel during the }Open house. They will wear rib- bons with the inscription: “Ask Me, I Live Here.” Meanwhile, Ray Knopp and Cap- tain West, co-chairman of the fish fry committee have reported that Planning is nearly complete for “the world’s biggest fish ary.” They have succeeded in obtain- ing 500 pounds of shrimp, along with a quantity of other food stuffs and soft drinks. |BATISTA SEEMS | SURE OF VOTE |_HAVANA, Cuba # — President Fulgencio Batista appeared headed today for reelection by default in ; the Nov. 1 presidential elections, Batista’s only opponent, former President Ramon Grau San Martia, announced last night he wouid withdraw because his Cuban Revo- jlutionary party had been refused equal representation on election committees with Batista’s four- Party coalition. LAST TIMES TODAY MARCIANO vs. CHARLES Complete ALL 8 ROUNDS OF THE FIGHT ARE SHOWN With Knockdowns In Slow Motion