davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1940-10-25
STATE POLICE
ABANDONS ITS
SAFETY POLICY
Proposal Is Made That Safety
Through Education Be Made
Mandatory In Schools
DELAWARE HAS ADOPTED
COURSE. FOR HIGH SCHOOLS

Abandonment by the Maryland
State Police of their participation in
"Safety Through Education" courses
in high schools of the lower Eastern
Shore of Maryland has brought pro-
posal that such instruction be made
mandatory throughout the state.
A bill to that effect will be intro
duced in the next session of the Mary
land General Assembly by Denmead
Kolb, delegate from Wicomico Coun-
ty.
His announcement follows the resig-
nation of State Police Sergeant Chas.
E. Minnick from the Traffic Safety
Committee and announcement by
James M. Bennett, Superintendent Of
Schools for Wicomico County, that
State Police participation in the school
safe driving courses had been discon-
tinued.
Mr.. Kolb vigorously assailed the
abandonment of the course by State
Police who had conducted actual driv-
ing instruction for high school stud
ents. Regular teachers had taught
classroom subjects in the course.
eve all felt that the program had
become an established fact in Mary
land, as Governor O'Conor has shown
so much interest in it and, in many
public utterances, pointed with pride
to the fact that he was not only back
ing, but willing to assume leadership
in the program" Mr.. Kolb said.
"Now apparently his support is
withdrawn for certainly the State Po-
lice would not adopt such an arbitrary
attitude unless they knew they had
the backing of the Governor and his
Safety Committee.
cit is hard for one to understand
why such splendid work was abruptly
-stoppe dafter the tremendous support
given it and it's wonderful record of
accomplishment.
"It does not seem to be any great
effort for the Maryland State Police
to provide officers for almost any e.
vent, regardless of its Importance,
whereas, in my opinion, the saving of
life should be Of paramount import
ance to any individual whether in an
official or unofficial capacity.
"Many members of the Legislature
are aware of the GOODNESS, if not al
most hostility, of many officials in
this administration toward safe driv-
ing.
"My intention is to introduce a bill
in the next session of the legislature
to make safe driving a mandatory
course in the high schools of Mary
land in cooperation with the Maryland
State Police as Practical instructors"
The safe driving course was insti-
tuted in Wicomico High School and,
in three years, spread to the schools
of four counties in Maryland. 1t was
taught in Wicomico, Somerset, Dor
chester and Worcester.
Students who graduated from the
course this year participated in a
Safety Jubilee parade in Salisbury
the largest parade ever held in that
city.
Delaware State Police adopted the
course this year for high schools
there
Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1940-10-25

End, Perry Twining; 3rd, Robert
Long; 9TH, Martin Yeager; 9th, John
Merrill.
Other boys who received a passing
grade of 70 but who are not eligible
for official flock selecting agents
are, Cecil Johnson, Carl Twinning and
Lloyd Renshaw.
Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1940-10-25

Mr.. and Mrs. J. Raymond Hedeman
of Baltimore, Mrs. Hugh James Ryd-
er and Mr.. John Woodcock Armitage
of Philadelphia, spent the weekend in
Pocomoke City, guests of Miss Cora
B. Powell.
Evening star., 1940-04-07

Out stepped DR.. Thornton. Preen-
ing himself, he cried to the
soldiers and their officers:
Il dare you to flre."
The display Of bravado non.
plussed' the relocated troops. They
lowered their guns which they had
raised to their shoulders in order to
forestall resistance to their entrance
to Blodgett's. DR.. Thornton took
advantage Of their bepuzzlement.
"Vandals," he shouted at them.
He delivered to them q stern lee
ture on the uncivilized wickedness
of the wanton destruction of In
valuable documents. like the rec
ords of the patents issued to the
inventors Of the United States of
America. The soldiers left, and
Blodgetts and the patent records
were saved.
Some persons say that this story
of DR.. Thornton's indignant hero
ism is fairy tale. like the cherry
tree story about George Washing
ton. The less dramatic tale is that
Evening star., 1940-04-07

All his friends wondered why he
wanted the post. It paid only 81 200
year, and Thornton was q man of
varied genius equipped by nature
with what it takes to make lots OF
money.
He lived in Georgetown, next to
James Madison, the Secretary Of
State Of the time. These two were
close friends, and together they
owned q race horse. Thornton was
the architect who drew up the plans
for the Capitol. In the Patent ONCE
today hangs his portrait by Gilbert
Stuart, who painted only the great.
DR.. Thornton took patents seri-
ously. In 1914, when the British
were raiding Washington, the Pat
ent Office was In Blodgett's Hotel,
at Tenth and E streets NV. The
British soldiers were spreading fire,
destruction and fear through the
Capital. They had applied the
torch to the Capitol and the White
House. They approached Blod-
gett'S.
Evening star., 1940-04-07
Growth of Tribunal Has Kept Pace With
Demands of City Business and
Structure Now Becomes Crowded

cf the court, which tell sad story
OF broken loves, of shattered homes,
Of children shunted from one parent
to the other, of legal separations, of
husbands dragged before a Judge to
answer why they have not kept up
their alimony payments; only to
spend time behind the bars, until
they purge themselves of contempt
OF court. Records of matrimonial
meeting and parting are next door
neighbor at District Court.
Bankruptcies are filed, too, in
that section-stories of business ven-
lures that went awry, of creditors
threatening to close in, of dreams
OF riches that turned to the ashes
OF defeat, OF corporations seeking
the protection of the law until
they can gain a breathing space
and reorganize.
There are juries, total strangers,
deciding upon the intimate affairs of
families-whether Aunt Sarah was
OF sound and disposing mind and
memory when she drew up her
will; whether other relatives used
fraud or duress upon Uncle Thomas
when he left certain bequests and
cut off other kinfolk in his last
will and testament.
And then the spotlight of interest
shifts to Naturalization Court, where
new citizens are admitted, on the
first Tuesday Of the month usually.
There is Eugene E. Cole, examiner
OF the immigration and Naturaliza-
ton Service of the Department of
Labor, who interviews prospective
new citizens In the headquarters OF
the Woman's Bar Association at
District Court and then Is ready
officially to move their admission
before one Of the justices If all is
satisfactory. There is Mrs. Helen
T. McGraw, deputy clerk, attend
ing to the omcial wants Of the new
Americans, aiding them with their
papers and advising them .on this
point and that. And then comes the
big day, when women and men from
lands afar stand before one of the
justices of District Court to pledge
their allegiance to the United States.
Emerging from the courtroom doors
with happy faces, they realize that
they are safe beneath the folds of
Old Glory now, no longer serfs of
the totalitarian dictators.
Many are the citizens that re-
spond to the summons to appear at
District Court for service on the
grand jury or one Of the petit
juIies, for in the jury commits
sion, which Is next door to the
press room at thu courthouse, the
Evening star., 1940-04-07

cause can be finally heard on its
merits.
There, in Motions Court, where
more than a dozen cases are easily
disposed Of in a morning. Richard ].
Kirkland. the clerk, calls out the
cases the first thing, to insure that
lawyers are on hand and that the
time of the court might be con-
served. And, with the justice of the
bench, Mr.. Kirkland's associate, Miss
Eleanor E. Jobe, writes out the as
signment for the next day-notify.
ing lawyers that their cases are to
come to bar.
Up on the top floor, opposite the
library of the Bar Association of the
District of Columbia, where lawyers
are busy looking up cases from all
over the Nation to aid their causes,
there is the assignment commits
sioner's office. There Assignment
Commissioner Fred c. O'Connell,
with his assistants, John H. Sullivan,
Richard l.. Collins and Whitford w.
Cheston, keep track of cases ready
for trial. There are the problems of
gauging how long a case might take
In court, so that another will be
ready to take its place. There is the
system of notifying lawyers by tele-
phone and asking witnesses to
stand by" for quick call to court.
For this is the chess board endeav-
oring to conserve the time Of judges,
counsel and litigants, by anticipating
the moves of the tribunal concern
ing jury and non-jury cases.
A man appears at the gates Of the
White House, seeking to see Presi-
dent Roosevelt to lay before him an
economic plan to save the world. He
is 4 young steel worker from Ohio.
The Secret Service men take him
into custody and he Is sent to GAL
linger Hospital for mental observa-
ton. Then he and his counsel de-
mand jury trial and the case is
heard in District Court.
After the jury listens to medical
testimony and that Of the Secret
Service, the young man himself
takes the stand in his own behalf
and tells Of q vision in which the
plan. to ameliorate the world Is un-
folded. The jury retires, but Is
quickly back with the decision that
the petitioner requires further hos
pital treatment. And it is so adj
judged, and Justice James M. Proc
tor puts his name to the necessary
order and Judgment of District
Court.
For often IL men and true are
chosen to pass upon the mental
health OF some person that has been
confined 70 st. Elisabeth's Hospital.
The doctors are sworn and testify
Evening star., 1940-04-07
Special Committee Undertakes Task {
Strengthening Out Congestion in
Quarters Devoted to the Law

for either side. And then, when all
the evidence is in, Assistant Corpora
ton Counsel Stanley De Neale makes
it clear that the person confined
because of mental sickness will be
liberated as soon as the alienists
say it is safe to do so, the jury re-
tires and deliberates. Then comes
the decision that means freedom or
trip back to st. Elizabeth's for
additional treatment. OF old, Fri
days used to be devoted, for the
most part, to lunacy hearings, but
now they are usually sandwiched in
when convenient.
Assisting in creating the smooth
running judicial machinery is the
clerk of District Court, Col. Charles
E. Stewart, native of Alabama, law
yer and former newspaperman.
Damage suits, growing out of traffic
cases, and divorce actions form the
bulk Of the litigation filed in the
clerks Office, but there are compli-
Gated patent cases, actions inspired
by new statutes, pleas for injunc-
tions, thick suits against the New
Deal agencies and variety of COM
plants which the aggrieved bring
in, some with the required 10-dollar
bill for f1ling-and some pleading
poverty, insuring acceptance with
out necessary costs.
There are the corridors, filled with
Jurors waiting to be called on the
next case; lawyers scurrying along,
thoughtful over some legal problem;
the assistant district attorneys pre-
pairing. their cases that will send
men to the penitentiary for long
stretch; the big blue van Of United
States Marshal John B. Coipoys,
driving OF with the prisoners; the
grand jury, arranging q new list
OF indictments-all In the days work
at District Court.
And then, when the shadows
kngthen on the courthouse lawn,
and the children come to play on
the long steps, where lawyers and
litigants and jurors tarried earlier
in the day, the charwomen finish up
their cleaning tasks, the lights in
the old building 60 out, one by one,
and the curtain falls upon another
day that means for some couple
freedom from the bonds of matri-
mony, for a new criminal felons
stripes, for q recently bereaved a
found fortune, for the throbbing
light Of another Juliet and Romeo
the harbinger Of promise.
The old District Court Building
has seen them all, times without
number, and seems to brood in the
moonlight Of the drama Of mankind
that will be in tomorrowis law books.
Evening star., 1940-04-07
Historic District Building Many

names Of prospective Jurors are Sc
lected. Usually $50 are summoned.
Each three months a new grand jury
is picked. In Criminal Court No. /,
Justice Peyton Gordon, who is pre-
siding there, chooses the Jurors
receiving the various excuses that
are offered for evading service
the one-man business, illness, op-
Grafton on some close relative, leav.
ing town on vacation. petty clerks
IN the Government that contend
they are executives without whom
Uncle Sam cannot function, sales
men who receive only a commits
sion while actually working-and a
host OF others that have been offered,
with variations, many a term of
court.
Down in the Register of Wills
Office, where Theodore Cogswell
presides, widows weeds are much in
evidence, as the bereaved ones come
In with their counsel to settle up the
affairs of their spouses. There are
housed quaint wills and the testa-
ments OF many celebrities. There,
Mrs. Mary P. Gates graciously dis
closes to the newspapermen a newly
filed will or a petition for probate
revealing the amount of the estate
OF some notable-a charitable be-
quest that may aid the multitude,
new hospital in the making, an
endowment fund for education, a
new public undertaking made pos
sible by private largess.
There are the creditors, filing
against some estate; the bondsmen
that are busy writing an UNDER
taking for some worthwhile execu-
tor; the court orders that unlock
the hidden vault; the papers that
Evening star., 1940-04-07
Current Developments.
Bv WiIlian A. Millen.

Behind the white columns of the
District Court Building, there is
enacted, almost daily, a living drama
of/tears and laughter.
For this structure. one of the oldest
buildings in all Washington-with
the White House, Treasury and the
Capitol-husbands variety of ac-
tivities in which the law has a hand.
Northward on E street NV. rides
eternally upon his steed of bronze
the famed South American stalwart,
Gen. San Martin, a lawgiver, cyno-
sure of Judiciary Square. But SOUTH
ward of District Court rise the struc-
tural steel beams that will soon be
clothed as the new Municipal Build
ing, home of the city government.
And this is a coincidence, for the
building now used for District Court
was the City Hall from 1923 until
about 1873. After all these years the
municipal government is coming
back to the spot where it had its in
ception well over a century ago. And
the new building is measure of the
growth Of Washington, the munich
pality. But the courts have grown
extensively, too. And jurists, law
yers, jurors, witnesses and observers
generally are complaining that the
present District Court Building Is
too crowded for expanding needs of
a tribunal that handles much liti-
cation Of national significance.
Heading the District Bar Associ-
atoms special committee seeking q
new courthouse is Attorney F. Regis
Noel, who has recently written a
new book about the history Of the
simple. stately building that serves
the court.
These venerable walls have looked
down upon generations of judges
and lawyers and juries, for even be-
fore the city government moved out,
parts of the structure had long been
taken over by the Federal Govern
ment for use of the courts. Many
famous cases have been tried within
| its walls
But tones of the law and technical
arguments OF the attorneys upon
some obscure point in a remote
statute are not the sole attraction
here. For there are young, light
hearts that troop up the well-worn
central steps to get their marriage
licenses, planning as they go for
orange blossoms and rice. And close
by where Mrs. Maud r. Rynex and
her associate, Mrs. Sophia B. Ly-
man, pass on the ofdcial permis-
sions to we'd, are the equity dockets
Evening star., 1940-04-07

Its passage moved him to observe:
"An act of Congress authorizing
the. issue of patents for new dis
coveries has given a spring to in
vention beyond my conception"
At that day he was more enthu-
siastic than the inventors. For in
1790 only three men received patents
on the fruits of their ingenuity.
Patent business was so slow that
the State Department added but
one clerk to its staff in order to
execute the 1790 law.
The issuance of patents was
supervised then by a patent board
the Secretary of State. the Sec
retary of War Henry Knox and
the Attorney General Edmund
Randolph. Two of these and the
President had to sign each patent
issued.
Twelve years later business ex-
panded. Congress provided for a
superintendent of patents, and the
man who took the job was the cele-
brated DR.. William Thornton.
Evening star., 1940-04-07

disclose some pitifully small amount
left by a man whose name hourished
in the headlines and the nonentities
that disposed of thousands of dol
lars, monument to a thrifty lifetime
!. In these spacious, well-lighted
)courtrooms, where a golden eagle
sits above the judges head, there is
the clash of oratory, the flash of
wit; sobbing drama as a mother
leaves the scene, her face in her
handkerchief and her shoulders
shaking with uncontrolled grief as
her boy is led away by the deputy
marshals to begin a long prison
term; the defendant that hears
those joyous words mot guilty" !"
from the lips of a waiting foreman
of the Jury; the f1edgling lawyer
who puzzled asks the jurist for q
hint as to the next proper step in
the case; and the veteran, accom-
plished barrister-a Frank J. Hogan,
q William E. Leahy-well schooled
in all the fine arts of the bar, con-
vincing Judge and jury that justice
Is on his side and will prevail.
And there is Motions Court, where
the proverbial laws delay is set at
naught. The black-robed Judge
ponders over q legal problem and
shortly renders decision that saves
lengthy trial-sets ahead cases in
which elderly ntigants are involved,
with but a short life expectancy;
reduces alimony payments for just
cause or sends an erring husband to
Jail for failure to pay for the upkeep
of his wife and children, as the
tribunal had previously decreed that
he should. There is the embarrass-
ing task Of assigning children to the
care of the better parent, until the
Evening star., 1940-04-07

a rainstorm came up when the
British approached Blodgett's, and
the soldiers, unwilling to be van
dals in bad weather. let the place
stand.
Blodgett's burned down, anyway,
in 1887, and many of the records
with 1t. BY then the Patent Once
was part Of the agency which later
became the Interior Department,
with its chief known as the COM
missioner of patents. It was a
stirring time for inventors. The
railroad was a baby, and the tele-
graph was shortly to be born.
America was on the high road to
leadership In the industrial revo-
luton, and the new Mccormick
reaper was benefiting agriculture,
making possible the opening of the
West to grain farming on a vast
scale.
Visitor Impressed.
American inventors were so dill
gent during the first three-quarters
of the 18th century that q Swiss
Evening star., 1940-04-07

visitor was overcome with admira-
ton when he saw display of in
vention models at the Philadelphia
Centennial Exposition in 1876. This
Mr.. Bally. matchmaker, told other
Swiss when he returned to his
home:
Il am satisfied from my knowl-
edge that no people has made in
so short time so many useful in
ventions as the American, and if
today machinery apparently does
all the work, it nevertheless by no
means reduces the workman to a
machine. He uses it as a machine,
1t is true, but he is always think
Evening star., 1940-04-07

At top: Part OF the exhibit
honoring the 15Oth amber
sary of the United States pat
ent system, in the lobby of the
Department OF Commerce
Building.
Above: The original Edison
electric light bulb.
Star Staff Photos.
Evening star., 1940-04-07

AboUe:: Charles E. Duryed
(right), builder of the first
successful American gasoline
driven motor car, ,0hich is
now in the collection OF the
Smithsonian Museum. Mr..
Duryea's driDer is Elmer Rim
ker.
-Under1DoOd & Underwood.
Evening star., 1940-04-07

charge Of the banquet. It will close
the observance of what President
Roosevelt by proclamation has des-
ignated Patent Day."
Current Developments.
Strangely, the banquet comes at
the very time when the patent sys-
tenn is under attack as a contribu-
tor to monopoly. It follows by 16
days the Supreme Court decision
that the holder of a patent cannot
control the production and distri-
button of goods made through the
use of his patent.
In its first days the Patent Office
was a part of the State Depart
ment. This was fitting, because
Thomas Jefferson, the Secretary OF
State, was among the most ecstatic
welcomers of the 1870 Patent Act.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1940-11-01

of his menb shin
IN General Assembly
CONSTITUTIONAL provisions
constitutional provisions
associate
eVenn snail election
which
county except Prince GEORGES County
Judges the said circuit
unless the chief Of
which event only
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1940-11-01

transaction
the several counties renders such terms
nde residents OF Baltimore County and Of said Associate Judges the
Chief hde
have been such residents six months prior their election
shall resident Cecil County shall be appointed by the after
until the FIRST general election for members of the General Assembly that
which election
provided
cult
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1940-11-01
asSoc1a0c Ou1se OF 1WU
111J O11eSU Cc1
saad n0a1aa&xx Ia 4lao a,

be elected whose election would provide
soce judges county
BE- residing other county similarly
highest
IT, by OF condition
candidates
above set out should not be elected at
untitled ~ A o
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1940-11-01

Constitutional Amendment
The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1940-12-10
Three Features
Al Shell Today

How a gang Of Juvenide outlaws
is regenerated through the heroism
and sacrifice of one OF its members
is the basis OF Rko Radios Boy
Slaves" one Of the three features
at the Shell theater today and Tues
day. Anne Shirley. Roger Daniel
and seven young actors recruited
from the dramatic and radio field
are featured.
How a trained shepherd dog
solved a kidnapping makes up the
exciting climax OF Almost a Cen
tleman." RKo Radios new ro-
mantle drama. also at the Shell.
Jemes Ellison. Helen Wood and
Ace. Hollywoods newest canine
star, head the films cast.
Supporting Johnny Mack Brown
in The Courageous Avenger." the
third attraction. are Helen Erick-
son, who fills the heroine role,
Warner Richmond, Eddie Parker.
F. Cassidy. Frank Ball. Forrest
Taylor and Earl Dwire.
The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1940-12-10
Takes Wesierners
To Make Wesierners
II takes a westerner 10 make a
WESTERN

II takes a westerner 10 make a
western,
Take the case OF Dawson Clark,
one OF the featured players in the
new 'Hopalong" Cassidy advsn-
ture picture. ~rhres Men From
Texas" which IL now the feature
attraction Mt the Riviera theAter.
Clark Is n grandson Of George
Washington Clark. who was one
OF the first men 10 mine gold from
the fabulously wealthy diggings
around Georgetown. California A.
a matter OF fact. IL wns Grandpa
Clark who had one time oW ned the
famous Taylor mine. from whhh
literally millions Of dollars Ia gold
have been taken. one day. IN a
TT Of piqus. Grandpa sold the mine
for cool thousand. and then lost
the thousand at IN. gambling
tables.
This upset him 10 that ne dis
appeared the nest day and wasn't
sesn or heard from again until 10
showed up ~ mayor of Rapid City,
North Dakota. a quarter Of a cen
fury or 40 later. Gold was also IN
the blood Of Clsrks father. who
did some sxtsnsiv. digging around
Eldorado. and then Clark himself
took a hand at IN. digRinga.