Evening star., 1936-10-04
Fire Children, Left Fatl'erless
BY Staying, Face Dark Future
Wido,U to Tell Jury OF
Rent argument That
Caused Shooting.

old widow faced an uncertain future as
a coroner's jury prepared to open an
inquest tomorrow into the staying Of
Childress by his landlord during an
eviction attempt.
The shooting of the taxicab driver,
which occurred in his one-room base
ment home at SO New York avenue
northeast Friday night, left Mrs. Ruth
Childress virtually penniless and un-
able to meet the needs of the five chill
dren, the youngest Of whom is 2
months old.
The widow Is to tell a coroner's
jury tomorrow how she watched in
terror. with her 3-year-ol son, Rom
aid, clinging to her skirts. while her
husband was shot down by the land
lord, Donald X. Stanton, 37-year-old
clerk
10 Days Behind in Rent.
Stanton claims self defense. He
had attempted to evict Childress. who
was 10 days behind with his rent. by
mailing a board across the inside Of his
bed room door. Childress broke open
the door, seizing the board which
Stanton had nailed up.
Stanton said he leaped over a bed
in an effort to escape the tenant and
shot after he had threatened him with
the board. Mrs. Childress declared
her husband only caught up the board
after seeing Stanton had a gun, and
was seeking to knock the weapon from
his hand.
The widow was near a nervous
collapse last night.
During the day she made state
ment to police, gathered such of the
family's belongings as she was allowed
to take, moved her children to her
mothers home near Forestville, Va,
and helped to arrange for her hus-
bands funeral.
Funeral to Be Tuesday.
The taxicab company for which
Childress worked and the w. w.
Chambers Co. will contribute the
funeral expenses and a burial plot
in Fort Lincoln Cemetery. The cere-
mony will be held at IL am. Tuesday
in Chambers parlors in the Southeast
section.
Mrs. Childress' mother. Mrs. Jessie
Johnson. who is herself widow, ad-
mitted last night that her daughter
was "up against it." She said Chill
dress had no life insurance and had
been unable to save a penny above
the expense Of keeping his large
family.
Mr.. and Mrs. Childress were mar
ried five years ago. Childress had two
sons. Ray, jr., now IL, and Curtis, 10
years old, by a previous marriage.
Depending on the young widow are
her two stepsons and her own children.
Ronald, 3; Freddy, 2, and the baby.
Cots Provided at Farm.
The children tumbled exhausted last
night into the cots provided by their
grandmother in the small farm house
where she lives with her son, Joe
johnson, about Is. a Navy Yard ma
chinist, and his wife.
MY son and I will do all we can
for my daughter and her family"
Mrs. johnson said, "but I'm afraid
we don't have much. I doubt if my
son-in-law's family will be able to
help much either. They are North
Carolina cotton mill employees and
have a hard time making both ends
meet.
Joe and have our little place
here and a COW and chickens. Last
Summer We had a small garden. So
we've been able to feed the children,
but they lack clothing.
"Mr. Childress had a hard time
making enough to keep his family.
I understand he paid 81 a week for
his single room in the basement. The
family had the use of the kitchen,
which also was used by other roomers.
Scraped to Buy Shoes.
"On the day he was killed, Ray
bought pair of shoes for my daugh-
ter. I doubt If he had more than a
quarter left, for a few days before
that he bought new shoes for Ray, jr.,
so he could 60 to school, He was
planning to work day as well as
night tricks to buy shoes for Curtis,
whose feet are almost on the ground.
THE two boys were in the third
grade in Washington. I don't know
when they'll go back to school. Their
mother Is almost distracted and
doubt If she has any plans for them
yet"
Friends of the family said the boys
lacked overcoats or warm sweater s
now that cold weather is coming on.
Their father, it was said, got into an
argument with the landlord when he
demanded that screens be installed
in the windows and q rug furnished
for the combination bed and living
room.
Seven witnesses were summoned by
police for tomorrow's inquest. They
included Stanton's wife, who was in
the hallway when the shooting
occurred, and other roomers at the
New York avenue dwelling.
Childress died from two bullet
wounds in the chest and abdomen.
He was large man and Stanton
told police he feared for his life when
Childress advanced upon him with
the piece of wood in his hand.
QcTIREMENT CD0lID