davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1932-08-10
TO RAISE NEEDED S475,
WORKER FACES PENSION LOSS
Poorhouse Only Place Left for Veteran Coored Laborer
and Wife, He Fears.

Forced to retire from Government
service by the economy act, after a
service of "a years, John w. Dyson,
colored iaborer, of 621 c street south
east, is without a pension because he
cannot raise the sum of S475.42 to
purchase 10 years of his service" under
the retirement act.
Dyson's predicament was explained
by H. L. Mccoy director of insurance
of the Veterans Administration, to be
due to the fact that for 10 years he
was not considered in retirement status
and his failure to pay the amount in
question, which constituted retirement
deductions for 10 years at interest. He
was employed in the Water Department
of the District Government.
"Al of my service" said Dyson today
has been on a per diem basis and dur
ing the 10 years mentioned no deduc-
tions were made from my pay on &C.
count of the retirement fund. The re-
tirement law required Is years Of al
lowable service for retirement with q
pension. I have had about IA years OF
such service, and the s475.42 is needed
to purchase those 10 years of service
mentioned.
Il am a poor colored man with a
feeble wife to support, and it is i'm
possible for me to obtain employment
at this time, and I see nothing in the
future for the two of us except the poor
house"
Discussing the case, Mr.. Mccoy said
1t was typical of group of cases arising
out of the District of Columbia govern
ment. 1t was at first held, Mr.. Mccoy
explained, that Dyson and others in his
per diem status were not in the classified
service and not subject to the benefits
Evening star., 1932-08-10
APARTMENT PARKING
DECLARED FIRE HAZARD
Three Tenants and Owner Taken
to Court on Complaint of
Marshal's Office.

Automobile parking practices brought
charges of existence Of fire hazard at
the Westchester Apartments, Thirty
ninth street and Cathedral avenue, in
Police Court yesterday, when three resi-
dents and the president of the apart
ment corporation were brought in on
warrants obtained by the fire marshals
Office
Judge Isaac r. Hit was told by c. NJ
Haller. a representative of the fire
marshals Office, that residents of the
apartment house have been parking
their cars on the driveways of the
apartment tract in way that would
interfere with Fire Department trucks
should they have TO enter the grounds.
Miss Virginia E. Holland r. B. Cum
mings and Conner Howell tenants of the
Westchester. were tried on charges of
parking in violation of the fire marshal's
warning, while the Westchester Devel-
opment Corporation, through Gustave
Ring, its president, was accused with
permitting them to do 50.
Both the management and residents
or jected to the creation of an auto
parking space which Haller said would
clear up the congestion, saying it would
ruin the landscape view inside the
grounds. Judge Hit took the personal
bonds of the residents. He continued
the charge against the company to give
them opportunity to solve the parking
problem.
Evening star., 1932-08-10

OF the retirement act It was not until
January /, 1881, he explained, that by
a change of policy this class OF men
was brought under retirement, and at
that time deductions started on account
of the retirement fund.
They were notified that if they de-
sired to pay up their back deductions
for the past 10 years on the 1nstallment
plan, by having part of 1t taken out
each pay day. they could eaten up on
such payments. Dyson did not 90 lnlS
and consequently, it was explained. ne
and several others have paid In sum
to the retirement fund since January l,
1891, but have no pension coming TO
them. If they pay the difference, or
purchase" their missing years OF serv-
ice, it was explained, they can be of1-
cially placed on the retirement nst ana
begin drawing pension.
Under the Interpretation OF the re-
tirement law, however, it was explained,
it would not be possible to put Dyson
on a pension and take out the S4fo.4z
on installments out of his pension.
The retirement act became ef1ectlve
in August, 1920, and from that time TO
December 81, 1880, Dyson paid nothing
into the retirement fund. according TO
records at the Veterans Administrator:
Although he has about 1872 years OF
so-called allowable" service to his
credit. and needs only total OF 10, ne
would not be able to purchase the slight
difference, it was explained, but must
fill in the whole of his service by pur-
chasing the missing 10 years.
In case he does not do this he Will pe
refunded the retirement deductions he
paid into the retirement fund with IN
terest.
Evening star., 1932-08-10
DECLINE OF S982,58O
SHOWN|NPERSONAL
LEV|ES
District Assessor Reports
Amount Received Exceeds
His Expectations.
RETURNS INCREASED
IN NUMBER BY 1000
Total of $2,933,677 Would Be Re-
ceived on Basis of Declared
Totals.

Personal property returns filed last
month declared taxes of $2,933,62 a
decrease of 1882, $50 under last year. 5
levy. Thirty-fve thousand returns were
filed, exceeding the number filed last
year by 1000, but the number, although
greater, represented in nearly all cases
smaller declarations of taxes.
District Tax Assessor Charles A. Rus
sell said today the returns had exceeded
his expectations, as he had estimated
shrinkage of about $1,500,000 in the
levy. as compared with last years figure.
In 1881, collections in the personal
property tax account amounted TO
S3.916,207 Since this figure included
increased assessments and tentative as
sessments, the disparity between it and
the assessments returned last month Is
greater than it would be If the extra and
tentative assessments were taken into
account. None of the latter have yet
been made, and these, together with
later returns coming in the balance OF
the year, will cut down the amount OF
the shortage.
Last year the tax on tangible per-
sonal property yielded 81 1863, ,l59, where
as last months returns declared taxes
of S1,017,259.
On the Intangible tax returns last
year the collections were S2,547 ,048 and
last month the returns we're $1,916,368
Last year, in addition to the returns
filed, there were about 1000 increased
assessments and 10000 tentative assess
ments.
The rate on tangible property is $l.70
per 500 assessed valuation and on
Intangible property SO cents per $1,000.
Evening star., 1932-08-10
CAPTAIN SUSPENDS
PRECINCT DETECTIVE
Arlington Is Adjudged Unfit fol
Duty Because of Effects Of
Drinking.

Precinct Detective F. L. Arlington
attached to No. precinct. was sus-
pended from the force early today by
Capt. B. W. Thompson Of the Detective
Bureau, after a police surgeon adjudged
him unfit for duty, because of the ef-
fects of drinking.
Capt. Thompson learned Arlington
was at private hospital in the 1900
block Of Columbia road, and went there
to see him shortly after midnight. Capt
Thompson then summoned police sur
geon to examine the officer. Arlington
was not charged with being drunk, but
was found unfit for duty due to drink
ing.
Arlington, born May 13, 1896. was
appointed to the force in September
1919. He has received a number OF
concentrations for meritorious Service
He was badly injured in an automobile
crash while chasing a law violator some
time ago, and still suffers with pains in
his arm resulting from the injury re-
ceived at that time.
In 1926 Arlington was hailed before
the police trial board on a charge OF
rough handling of prisoner. He was
fined $50 at that time.
Evening star., 1932-08-10
IDLE TO GET WORK
SOON IN PARKS ON
!.REL|EF FUND ORDER
Pay Will Come From $350,0OO
Appropriation-U. S. Fur
nishes Transportation.
BONUS CAMPS CLEANUP
NOT YET AUTHORIZED
Request of Health officer for Fed
eral Action Unanswered-Private
Areas Satisfactory.

The District Committee on Employ
ment will be ready in a few DAYS to
furnish men to the ONCE Of Public
Buildings and Public Parks to do any
desired work in cleaning up the parks,
including devastated areas formerly
occupied by bonus marchers.
George S. Wilson, director Of public
welfare, today sent letter to Capt.
Edward N. Chisolm, jr., of the Office
Of Public Buildings and Public Parks,
informing him that the men would be
furnished as soon as requests of Dis
trict government departments for work.
ers had been filled.
Paid Out of Relief Fund.
The men are selected from those who
apply for unemployment relief, and are
paid out Of the $3.50. 900 fund now being
administered at the Metropolitan Meth
od1st Church, John Marshall place and
G street. The Office of Public Build
ings and Parks furnishes the men
transportation, tools, and superintend-
ence, and the relief administration
meets the pay rolls.
Several complaints, 1t Is understood,
have been made by neighbors of Camp
Marks and other bonus army encamp-
AlACA4e,, VA leIL Oy
the departing bonus army. However,
in Capt. ChiSolm'S request for workers,
the bonus camp sites were not men,
toned. The letter asking for workers
mentioned only the Manor Playground,
located between Van Buren, Buchanan,
Third and Fifth street; the Palisades
Playground, on Potomac avenue oppo-
site Edmunds street, and newly &c
qulred park and playground areas in
| well developed residential areas.
Fowler Asked Cleanup.
On August Health Oficer William
G. Fowler dispatched request to Capt.
Chisolm to slean up unsanitary condi-
tions at Camp Marks and Camp Meigs,
but no reply to this has been received.
The private property occupied by the
bonus army during its stay here has
| all been put back into first-class shape
| under direction of the Police Depart
ment. This property includes Camp
Bartlett and the various houses on
Pennsylvania avenue and A streets
southeast and other scattered addresses
where the men were quartered in pri-
vately owned houses.
Evening star., 1932-08-10
BOYS LEARN TO SWIM
AT CAMP OF Y. M. C. A.
DON Hammerlund, Maryland U.
Aquatic Expert, Directs Rhodes
River Lessons.

With the goal Every camper a
swimmer" Camp Let's is conducting
an all-season learn-to-swim campaign
among Washington boys at the Rhodes
River vacation haven, operated by the
Y. M. C. A.
Under leadership Of Don Hammer
lund, University Of Maryland aquatic
expert, who is in charge of waterfront
activities at the big camp, a large num-
Der Of boys have been taught to swim
and many have been instructed In
hfesaving.
Eighteen campers have Just been
awarded swimmers buttons. It was an
nounced today by J. C. Ingram, camp
director.
The following boys won beginners
awards: Leonard Meakin, John Frisbie,
David Davis, Ellsworth Kenney, Ed
ward Williams, Judson Holmes, John
Kay. Marshall Durgin and Ernest
Cadenas.
Winners Of Y. M. C. A. second but
tons were: Wilfred Cooper, Oliver GRAY.
John Backus, Buck Wright, Pete King,
Kenneth Kinsella, Erwin Osgood,
Thomas Harrell and David Lawrie.
Evening star., 1932-08-10
CHILDREN WILL SEE
GAME AT HALF PRICE
Concession Made for Bicentennial
Contest Between 1924 Cham
pions and Present Team.

Washington's army Of playground
children, IA years and under, will be
able to see Walter Johnson, greatest OF
hurlers, in action in the Bicentennial
game Monday between the 1924 world
champions and the present Washington
team for half admission price.
At the request of Dick Tennyson,
acting supervisor, Clark Griffith yester-
day agreed to allow the playground boys
and girls to occupy the oieacher secIioii
at 25 cents head.
Tennyson urged that as Johnson nae
not been seen in action by any OF ms
kids in the last world series and that
as perhaps the last opportunity was at
hand. he would like to have the con-
cession granted. a.,
Grifith yesterday received the maj
o. x. from Goslin and Tate, making
the entire roster of the 1924 team intact.
Evening star., 1932-08-10
DEPUTY CORONER
WILL WE'D TODAY
DR.. A. Magruder Macdonald to
Marry Miss Helen Pinkowski
in Quiet Ceremony Here.

DR.. A. Magruder Macdonald, deputy
coroner, and Miss Helen Vernon Pin
kowski of 1712 Hobart street planned
to be quietly married shortly after
noon today by Rev. EDWARD r. NC
Adams in the rectory of st. JoSeph's
Catholic Church, at 313 Second street
northeast.
At DR.. MacDonald's Office it was said
he left this morning on a vacation:
Friends of the couple said they had
been unable to learn where they plan
ned to go on their honeymoon
DR.. Macdonald gave his age as SO
and Miss Pinkowski as 80 when they
obtained a marriage license at the
court house today.
DR.. Macdonald has presided at
numerous inquests and taken over a
large part of the investigation work
of the coroner's Office since the retire
ment of DR.. J. Ramsay Nevitt several
months ago.
Evening star., 1932-08-10

terpiece. Professional architects have
declared the builder Of Monticello knew
all the tricks of the trade and was the
originator of some which since have
become commonplace The ventilating
shafts running through the house were
striking innovation in a day when
ventilation was held in poor esteem and
when, even at Monticello, extraordinary
effort was made to- insure that the bed
rooms would be alright. The lighting
effects also represent stroke of genius
on Jefferson'S part, the stairway being
so placed under the skylight that the
whole house is illuminated.
Articles associated with Jefferson are
being collected from all over the world.
Most of his surviving relatives have do
mated all they have which has any
connection with their great progenitor.
Every effort is being made to restore
the property to its approximate condi-
tion when Jefferson died there.
Brain Child Still Lives.
Far below in the valley lies the brain
child of which Jefferson was fondest-
the University Of Virginia. Through
the years the university and Month
cello have been most intimately asso-
ciated. The institution, remembering
the old man already in the clutches OF
death, who sat on the mountaintop and
watched it's construction through a
telescope, has Striven to keep alive his
intellectual ideals through the long line
of distinguished men who have passed
through its class rooms.
Monticello may soon be for sale to
the highest bidder. Sentiment cannot
stand in the way of mortgages. But
there is a feeling of bitterness about
fI1er rrr1iry tfry@ y -
Shrine-perhapS of American patriotism
and perhaps of something higher and
finer than patriotism-passing into the
hands of any private owner. 1t would
be nice place for an exclusive Sum-
mer home. 1t would even be a secure
retreat for jazz parties. One. could spot
raiders long way off and get the booze
hidden on time. The mountaintop might
even be converted into an exclusive
Summer resort.
But, they say around the university,
no luck will come to any purchaser of
Monticello who buys the property, in
case the foundation is unable to finance
1t any longer, with any less idealistic
purpose than that of its present own
ers. There is something in the at
moSphere eternally hostile to the pur-
suit Of personal ambition. The noun
tain top must be kept as shrine.
! Otherwise the earthbound spirit will
blight and kill. Commercialism, how
ever secured, will not be tolerated.
Ashes Are Secure.
For the soul of Jefferson still per-
vades the mountain top and still pro-
! tects it. 1t will stand fast in this haven
of escape from the tumult of the valley.
| Whatever happens, the ashes Of the
author of the Declaration of Independ-
ence are secure. They rest, together
with those of his family, in plot on
the mountainside, which has been set
apart from the Monticello property and
retained in the possession Of his family.
He selected this spot when he was a
boy-when he and his chum. Dabney
Carr, used TO play In the woods there.
Evening star., 1932-08-10
GAS FUMES FATAL
TO ARMY OFFICER
Capt. Oscar J. MatIoCk Found
Dead in Home With lets
Open on Range.

Capt. Oscar j. Matlock, U. S. A., per-
sonnel officer in the Office of the quar-
termaster general and a Spanish-Amer-
ican War veteran, was found dead to-
day in the gas-filled kitchen of his
home, 1860 Hamilton street.
With gas flowing from every burner
on the range, Capt. Matlock was found
lying on the floor by Policeman E. T
Vessels, sixth precinct. The policeman
was sent to the residence after Mrs
Flo L. Munck, 1862 Hamilton street
telephoned the precinct and reported
gas was escaping from the house, the
windows of which were closed.
Rescue Efforts Fail.
Vessels summoned the rescue squad,
but the f1remen were unable to revive
Capt. Matlock and he was pronounced
dead by an Emergency Hospital phy-
Sician who accompanied the ambulance.
The Army officers wife, Mrs Atwilda
Matlock, was notified Immediately al
Round Hill, Va, where she was vaca-
tioning. Capt. Matlock, who was 81,
also is survived by two sisters, Mrs.
Viola Warren. 1909 Rhode Island ave-
nue., and Mrs. Josephine Hess, 1925
Thirteenth street.
Fumes Effect Officer.
Vessels, who went through the gas
filled house and opened the windows.
was slightly affected by the fumes, but
did not require medical attention.
in the cellar, vessels found Capt.
Matlock's coat and hat beside a chair
in front of small gas plate with hose
connection.
Acting Coroner A. Magrucer Mac
Donald was told Capt. Matlock had been
in Door health for some time.
Capt. Matlock had been attached to
the Ouartermaster Department since
1916. During the World War he was
commissioned captain in the Quarter
master Corps, subsequently revertlng 10
the rank of warrant officer.
Evening star., 1932-08-10
COBLENTz PERJURY
CHARGE IS DROPPED
ON MOTION OF i. S.
Indictment in F. H. Smith Co.
Case NolIe Pressed by
Government.
ACCUSATION STANDS
AGAINST FOUR OTHERS
Assistant Attorney General Gives
No Explanation for Closing
Case Against Banker.

An indictment charging Emory L.
Coblentz, Frederick, Md, banker, with
aiding in the commission of perjury in
the F. H. Smith Co. case was nolle
pressed today in District Supreme
Court
The action was taken by Neil
Burkinshaw, special assistant to the
attorney general, before Justice James
NJ. Proctor.
Was at Pitts Home.
Coblentz was indicted after Govern
ment agents learned he was at the
home of G. Bryan Pitts in Florida at
or about the time a number of allegedly
false documents were prepared for use
at Pitts trial on charges of conspiring
to embezzle money from the Smith
company.
Named in the indictment with him
were Miss Helen L. Schneider, Pitts
secretary; H. o. Hart, an accountant;
John H. Edwards, jr., former vice
president of the Smith Co., and Pitts.
No action was taken as to them.
Coblentz testified against Pitts at the
trial of contempt of court proceedings
growing out of the use of the allegedly
spurious documents. Pitts was found
guilty.
Appeared Against Raichle-
He also testified for the Government
against Frank G. Raichle, Buffalo,
N. Y, attorney, who participated in the
defense of Pitts at the conspiracy
bezzlement trial, and who was subse-
quently charged with subornation of
perjury. Raichle was acquitted by a
directed verdict.
No reason was given by Burkinshaw
in asking that the charges against
CoblentZ be dropped.
Coblentz recently was convicted Of
violating the Maryland banking laws,
the charge being that he accepted a
deposit after he knew his bank, the
Central Trust Co., was insolvent. This
case is up on appeal.
Evening star., 1932-08-10
CHILD HIT BY CAR

Six-year-old wilhelm Queen, colored,
4200 block of Marne place northeast,
was knocked down by an automobile
in the 1900 block OF Kenilworth ave-
nue. northeast shortly after 9 O'Clock
last night and severely injured. Po-
lice reported that the child was play
ing in the street when the automobile
Of Fossett Dement, of Colmar Manor
struck him. Wilhelm was taken to
Casualty Hospital and treated for In
juries to his head and knees. His con-
dition was reported as undetermined
Evening star., 1932-08-10

and held his name in veneration. He
placed farmer in charge. The man
sion deteriorated rapidly. Finally 1t
was used for storing grain.
Then came the Civil War. The Con-
federacy confiscated the Northern Navy
officers property, but did nothing with
it. Comdr. Levy died. Under his will,
Monticello was left to the United States
Government, but, if Congress failed to
accept ownership, then in order to the
State of Virginia and the Portuguese
Hebrew Congregation of New York City.
of which he was member. The Will
was broken and he property passed
eventually into the hands of his son,
Jefferson M. Levy.
The new owner restored the property
to the best of his ability. He lived there
a part of each year and, being possessed
of a considerable fortune, acquired more
and more CT the original Jefferson eS-
tate In 1923, shortly before his DEATH
he sold the property to the Thomas JET
ferSon Memorial Foundation for $780,
900. Levy himself had nearly exhausted
large fortune in trying to preserve the
property.
Fund in Hard Straits.
Thus it stands today. The foundation.
hard hit by the depression, has reached
the point where it is having extreme
difficulty in meeting its notes. Revenues
from visitors and from donations have
fallen off badly.
The foundation still hopes to preserve
the property for the Nation. Even if
it had no historical associations, it
would be a choice possession. To the
northwest, across the roofs of the col
lege city and across red patches OF
| fallow fields and a checkerboard of
| farms and green copSes.. swings the
semi-circle of Blue Ridge peaks with
masses of luminous white clouds rest
| ing upon them. To the west lie the low
Green Ragged Mountains. haunted by
the gnomes of Poe. To the southeast
stretches Jefferson's illimitable seascape,
unbroken forest where the dark out
| lines of great intervals of fir and hem
| lock have the effect of waves on the
lighter surface of the oaks and naples.
On a fair day one can see mountain
70 miles away. 1t changes its shape.
Sometimes it is cone-shaped, sometimes
square. Sometimes it appears even
larger than it actually Is, despite the
distance. This always puzzled Jefferson.
He was fascinated by the phenomenon
and made futile attempts to explain 1t.
Filled With Relics.
The house itself Is filled with relics OF
Jefferson. There, over the front door
way, is the clock he devised which
4 would tell not only the time of day
but also, by clever weight arrange
ment, the day of the week. There is
the automatic folding door he invented
the origin of the present-day street car
door. There is the first parquet floor
laid in America. There is the combina-
tion revolving chair, table and lounge
which he devised for ease In reading
and writing. There is the wine cellar
with the automatic dumb waiter which
he so devised that, whenever two empty
bottles were placed in one side, the
weight would pull up two bottles on
the other side.
| The whoae Is an architectural mas