Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-18
OFFICIAL INDICTED
IN MOUNT RAINIER
Intent to Kill Is Charged to
F.B. Matthias After Row
Over Taxes.
~ a stan Correspondent of The Star.

Nv a STAFF Correspondent Of The Star.
UPPER MARLBORO, Md, April 10
-Floyd B. Matthias Mount Rainier
councilman, accused of beating Charles
J. Smith, a citizen of that town in an
argument over street assessments, was
indicted by the Prince Georges County
grand Jury yesterday on charges Of as
ssult with intent to kill, assault and
battery.
Several boys accused of stealing heir
looms from a house in Hyattsville, three
alleged bootleggers charged with using
smoke screens and number OF colored
boys blamed for setting fire to the House
of Reformation were among tnose
named in the other indictments.
Smith Critically Hurt.
Matthias was arrested on the assault
charge after the county authorities had
been advised that Smith was in
critical condition in Walter Reed Hos
pital.
According to the councilman's YER
sion of the assault, however. Smith
abused and struck him. Mr.. Matthias
claims he merely pushed the man away
from him, and says Smith was suf-
fering from pneumonia when admitted
to the hospital. He recovered and ap-
peared before the grand jury. The
councilman will be represented by State
Senator LanSdale G. SaSScer.
Among boys accused of stealing heir
looms and other goods from Miss Pearl
Boone in HyattSville are Vernon Eaton
James Van TaSSall and George Bocas-
ky. The trio were indicted jointly for
alleged larceny and receiving stolen
goods.
Smoke Screen Bills.
John Thomas, Julian r. Foster and
Arthur Morton. who were arrested by
Constable Ralph Brown for liquor VIC
lations after they are said to have used
smoke screens. were indicted for as
sault with intent to kill. This is new
procedure by which 1t is hoped to OBJ
tain more stringent punishment for
persons who use smoke screens. Nor
ton escaped from the Bladensburg Jail
while being held for the action OF the
grand jury.
Thomas A. Phillips of Baltimore and
Paul NJ. Taylor of Washington, who
were captured after an attempted hold
up of a Laurel jewelry store in which
an alleged confederate committed sui
eide, were indicted for robbery. Ac-
cording to police. Phillips has escaped
from several jails and is being closely
guarded at Marlboro.
George johnson, Granville Haskill,
all colored, were indicted for arson in
connection with a recent fire in the
broom factory of the House of Reforma-
ton at Cheltenham.
Murder Bill Returned.
Samuel Spencer, colored, was in
dicted for the murder of John Fleet,
also colored. Fleet was killed in
shooting affray at Croome.
Others indicted and the charges against
them are Paul Lawrence Curtis, deser-
ton, non-Support; Meryle Mercilott. lar
ceny. receiving stolen goods; David
Brown, larceny, receiving stolen goods;
James Robinson, larceny, receiving stolen
goods; Billy Elmer Doolittle, larceny
receiving stolen goods: George Reed,
Charles Gentle, larceny, receiving stolen
goods; Andrew Young, Robert Young,
Elwood Young, larceny. receiving stolen
goods; William c. Wilson, Snowden
Jones, two charges of larceny, receiving
stolen goods; Fielder r. Colbert, Sher-
man Boze, larceny. receiving stolen
goods: Raymond Miller, larceny, receiv-
ing stolen goods and Eugene Castle,
lrceny, receiving stolen goods.