davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1944-05-21
Hat Check Magic at the Press Club
BY Robert J. Lewis.

One evening in April young man
skidded up to the hat-checkroom in the
National Press Club in Washington and
said: please let me have Lord Halifax's
hat"
Clifton Watson. alias "Wejabondero,"
alias "the Coat and Hat Doctor" flashed
his four gold teeth in a wide smile.
II can't give you no Lord Halifax's hat,
suh," he explained. II don't know how
to give nobody's hat less I sees the
person"
Within few minutes, the TALL stoop-
ing British Ambassador stood in line
before the checkroom window. The
Coat and Hat Doctors face lighted up.
"Yassuh, got you," he chuckled. Un-
erringly he leaped for q: black homburg
on the crowded shelves "Just as right
as can be. suh," he said, handing it over.
Delighted, Lord Halifax slipped him
75-cent tip
The British Ambassador was one of
hundreds who checked their hats and
coats that night. Most Of them doc"
Watson had never seen before. Yet he
gave out not a single courtroom check.
He never has.
It's Sheer Wizardry
The 65-year-old colored man who
never spent day in school peers at a
customers face, smiles from one side
Of his grizzled skull to the other, cackles,
Use lookin' right at you, suh"-and
that's all the check he needs. His
miraculous memory does the rest.
Doc handles more than 10000 hats
and 100000 coats year. In seven years
on the job, he has the reputation of
never having made mistake. Since he
took over his first courtroom 80 years ago
he never has used check.
II does my work strictly by remem-
brance," he explains
Doc has guarded the headgear of
celebrities galore. President Roosevelt,
Vice President Wallace, Senators, Repre-
sentatives, cabinet members, generals,
adnirals, kings, prime ministers, prize
tight champions, Hollywood idols-all
have been amazed at his wizardry.
He treats every one alike. The
dignified Most Rev. Cyril Forster
Garbett, Archbishop of York, recently
was hailed with the same Use looking
right at you, suh," that greets every one
else. To the Coat and Hat Doctor, who
man is doesn't mean half so much as
Evening star., 1944-05-21

what hat he wears.
'He amazes everybody" says Sam
O'Neal, president Of the club
Hes almost uncanny," chimes In
John C. O'Brien, club secretary.
Even Doc is puzzled by his feats of
memory. 1T sure look funny; it sure
do," he says thoughtfully. Cali do is
nothin' but look at people"
Even Servicemen's Hats
The similarity of servicemens hats
has been an added test to his skill. To
the ordinary observer they all look
alike. To Doc, each one Is indelibly
associated with its owner. A hat is
never just a hat to Doc-a face always
comes with it.
Doc has discovered he can identify
apparel when the owners cannot Re-
Gently q guest stepped up and asked
for his that and coat"
Doc said: 'rYou didn't have hat, sub:
Just coat" Sure enough, the man
then remembered he hadn't worn hat
that day.
A Government official recently put on
a coat Doc handed him and said, Say.
Evening star., 1944-05-21


BY 1t. James G. Lucas, U.S.M.C.
AN ADVANCED PACIFIC BASE
OelayeO Ensign Orville Banasik, "a,
of Langdon, N. Dak., Naval gunfire
spotter serving with the 4th Marine
Division, sat in his tent this afternoon
during a rainstorm and told us how 1t
feels to die
Ensign Banasik "died" from drowning
when his amphibious tractor overturned
on reef off Roi Island, in the Kwaja-
lein atoll, during the Marshall Island
landings on January 81.
This point may be argued by doctors
and by those who believe a man dies
only once, but Marine First 1t. Donald
Boydston, 316 Lincoln street, Sand
Springs, Okla, who was with Banasik
said he knows 1t is true.
ale Was Dead"
II felt for his heart beat, and I felt
of his pulse, and he didn't have any"
1t. Boydston, who used to be high
jump star at Oklahoma A. and NJ Col
lege, (Stillwater. Okla.) declared. II
tell you, he was dead"
Ensign Banasik said he thought so,
too, though he didn't know how he
would go about explaining how he could
be sitting on the edge of his cot two
months later telling us about it.
Banasik owes his life to Marine Sergt.
Russell Edward Pole, 1910 South Cox
street, Memphis, Tenn, who saws his
body floating five feet beneath the
water and dragged him to the surface
Sergt. Pole, who also swears that the
young naval officer was dead when he
found him, estimated he had been
submerged for least four minutes at
the time.
Banasik and 1t. Boydston headed q
group from an assault company sent
ashore to spot for naval gunfire on Roi
and Namur.
They were directed to land on a small
Evening star., 1944-05-21

Doc, this isn't my coat; it doesn't even
fit me-" He handed 1t back.
Doc stared at the coat and said:
"Suh, amt a-doubtin'. I seen you,
sub, and this Is your coat"
The man glanced at the label, tried
1t on again and admitted ruefully: by
gosh, Doc, you're right"
Docs own biggest problem is the guest
who tosses his hat on the counter while
Doc is in the recesses of his cubbyhole.
Without being able to see man and
associate the face with the hat, Doc
hasn't the faintest idea who the owner
is. For such cases he has what he calls
his Don't See" shelf. Hats on. that
shelf belong to men he doesn't see. His
record of returns even in this category
is high.
Some years ago member started
calling him Wejabondero. Doc adopted
1t as his professional name. He hung
a sign in the checkroom, reading:
please let Wejabondero see you." After
Pearl Harbor guest stared at the sign
and asked, What are you, Jap?" So
Doc scrapped the nickname. Today his
little sign reads: please Let the Coat
and Hat Doctor See You"
The sign is designed to nudge his
customers into giving him an even
break. In spite of the reminder, half
dozen hats and coats are left on the
counter every day. Sometimes he yells
after the owners, "Hey, I didn't view
you." Recently a stranger peremptorily
demanded his hat.
'I amt seen you, suh," Doe said.
Il didn't think you needed to see any,
body" the stranger replied.
"Oh. yes, do, suh," said Doc.
Wins $40 Bet
"Iu give you $40 bill II you can
find my hat" the man said.
Doc realized he was being baited.
II knowed didn't see him when he
came in," he recalls. "But he had
brogue right from North Carolina. I
could tell that. I sized his head and
flggeed he wore a size rs. had bis
size and had his language, Den I
Wc1e ". 4Aiy Ooii oCc ldCA, dlu- IL
was easy. I looked at the inside of the
hats and see one from Charlotte
IN. c. store.
When Doc brought out the correct
hat, the stranger was dumfounded.
Here's the 10-spot." he said. "You
win" '.-
The Coat and Hat Doctors Check
room memory has made him widely
known. Plenty Of 12-cylinder brains
have marveled at his mental feats.
But in some respects Doc is like every
one else. When his wife asks him to
bring along a pound Of butter or a
dozen eggs on the way home, he often
arrives empty-handed. His memory is
at its best with coats and hats.
Evening star., 1944-05-21
Star stad Photo.

site for the Nations Capitol, but Wash
ington opposed it, lest some might think
he desired to further his own private
interests.
One of the saddest incidents of the
Civil War was the killing OF Ephraim E.
Ellsworth and James Jackson, pro-
prietor Of the Marshall House in Alex
andria. jackson, it seems, on the 18th
of April 1861, the day. that Virginia
seeded, raised Confederate flag over
his house and said it should only come
down over his dead body. This flag, it
is said, could be seen from the southern
windows of. the White House, and when
Ellsworth, colonel of the New York
zouaves, arrived in Alexandria with a
detachment of his troops and was in
the act of removing the flag, the tragedy
occurred.
AS drillmaster Ellsworth had no
equal in this country, and with his
Zouave Corps, which he formed in Chi
cago, he toured the Eastern cities, win
ming, it is said, golden opinions every
where" His men were not allowed to
use tobacco and the use of intoxicating
liquors was not permitted in any form.
He had worked hard for the election
of Lincoln and accompanied the Pres
ident-elect to Washington, where he re-
ceived ieutenant's commission pre-
paratory to his entrance in the War De-
partment. However, upon the issuance
of the Presidents proclamation of April
Is, 1861, he hastened to New York and
organized the regiment of 1900 men,
with which he returned to Washington
in three weeks. He was a handsome,
fascinating fellow and the idol of the
President, and upon his death his body
Evening star., 1944-05-21

was brought to the White House, from
which his funeral took place.
Account of the Battle
Many versions have been written of
this unfortunate occurrence. The Stars
account, published the day following
Ellsworth death, will be here repeated:
"At o'clock am, at about the same
moment, the Zouaves landed at Alex
andria from the steamers and the troops
before named who proceeded by the
bridge reached that town. AS the steam
ers drew up near the wharf armed boats
left the Pawnee, whose crew leaped
upon the wharves just before the
Zouaves reached the shore. The crews
Of the Pawnee's boats were fired upon
by the few Virginia sentries as the boats
left the steamship, by way of giving the
alarm, when these sentries instantly
fled into the town. Their fire was an
swered by impromptu shots from some
of the zouaves on the decks of the
steamers bearing them. Immediately on
landing, Col Ellsworth marched the
zouaves up into the center of the town,
no resistance whatever to the progress
being offered, and hoisted the American
flag to the city flagstaff.
"Col. Ellsworth then marched with a
portion Of his command to the tele-
graph Office, which he seized and placed
under strong guard in order to prevent
any news Of the movement of the Fed
eral troops from being communicated
to the disunion forces south of that
city While at the telegraph Office he dis
covered the secession flag floating over
the Marshall House, and, taking with
him a squad, of men, proceeded. to the
place and in respectful language de-
sired the landlord Games Jackson to
haul 1t down. This request being refused,
he proceeded with his squad to the top
Of the house and hauled it down.
-1*"In descending the stairs the keeper
OF the house discharged one load of q
double-barreled gun into the heart Of
Col. Ellsworth, who fell dead upon the
stairs. Pvt. Brownell, one of the Zou-
aves accompanying Ellsworth to take
contents of his musket into Jackson's
brain, bayoneting his body as he fell.
The remaining barrel of the gun in
Jackson's hand was discharged as he
reeled backward, the ball grazing the
forehead of Brownell"
On the day of the funeral The Star
carried this account of what transpired:
THE body of the late Col. E. E. Els
worth Of the New York Zouaves was on
Saturday morning removed, under a
military escort, from the Navy Yard to
the Executive Mansion. preparatory to
its removal to New York 1t was placed
in metallic coffin of imitation rose
wood, heavily mounted with silver and
enveloped in the United States flag. It
was in the usual uniform of the gallant
commander and a beautiful bouquet of
white lilies placed upon the breast. From
8 o'clock to II the East Room was filed
Evening star., 1944-05-21

with a sympathizing crowd anxious to
see the face of the departed soldier,
which bore pleasant and natural
aspect.
"At the appointed hour for the fu-
neral, the President of the United States
and Mrs. Lincoln, Secretary Seward and
daughter, Secretary Smith and wife,
Gen. Scott, number of Army officers,
the field and staff of the Zouaves and
other distinguished persons being pres
ent, the solemn funeral service of the
Episcopal Church was read by the Rev.
DR.. Pyne, attended by Drs. Butler and
Marshall and Chaplain Dodge of the
zouaves. DR.. Pyne made some very i'm
pressive remarks on the subject of the
sudden death and manly character of
the deceased soldier"
Evening star., 1944-05-21
The birthday Report
That George AIDE Wrote

tThe following, story is one Of the last
American humorist, author and playwright,
who was 7s years old on February 9. This
story was written more than year ago,
on the occasion Of Mr.: AIDES nth birthday
annivesary and gives his slant on life as he
nesred the @ i9usse1rs,ysar ;Hsa,v maTk. srad.
worked @ p on % neWspapers Until the turn M Of the the
century when his prolific pen started to
plays. Some of his best known works are
Fables in Slang "Artie," Knocking the
Neighbors," "Single Blessedness.' among
his books, and The College widow, The
Sho-Gun,' Father and the Boys among
his plays)
Evening star., 1944-05-21
1T Was Pleasant Goins'

When I check up on a list of my old
time friends and note how many have
passed out of the picture. am a little
depressed and inclined to feel lonesome
and deserted, but try to be philosophi-
cal regarding obituaries. Anything
which happens is as much in the past
tense one minute after it happens as it
will be 10 years from now. One must
learn to be stole. Remain dry-eyed
as you bid your pals good-by, but plan
to keep alive and intact all the precious
memories surrounding them. Perhaps
you will find yourself living in the past.
Well, why not? 1t was rather pleasant
going. and rich in happy experiences az
compared with the cock-eyed present.
Evening star., 1944-05-21

from the fact that you cannot be ciassed
as a never-wuzzer.
But / Refrain
I am no longer bouncing juvenile.
In fact, am little rickety in the hind
legs. sincerely believe, however, that
the old bean is still functioning. My
memory is unimpaired. I can still de-
liver the words and music of all the
songs of the gay '9os and repro
duce The Mikado' but refrain from
doing so in public because I receive no
requests.
read many of the new books, and
subscribe to no less than so periodicals
and read the articles dealing with hui
man experiences and present-day prob
lens. seldom dipping into the fiction.
I attend more luncheons and make
more speeches than ever before and I
extemporize more readily I keep tab
on Hollywood and know what Is hap
pening in the department of spoken
drama in the theater, but do not get
into a playhouse once year.
From the Sidelines.
Much of my writing consists of spe-
cial signed articles in support of some
cause" or drive in which I am inter-
ested During the first World War I
was member of the Indiana State
Council of Defense. Now I am on the
sidelines, but believe know as much
as the next man about the status of our
war efforts in the Solomon Islands,
North Africa and other spots on the
map. I have followed the news from
Russia and the day-by-day story of
Rommel's headlong fight across Libya.
In other words, I choose to believe
that. although the chassis may be a
little decrepit, the carburetor is work.
ing fine and the motor is not missing
on anV of the cylinders
Kodiak mirror., 1944-03-04

Edward Minnis, formerly manager of the local Coca-Cola plant. has, left for Chicago where he will be connected with his brother in stationery company.
 Joe Marine has resumed his former position as local manager of the plant.
Kodiak mirror., 1944-03-04

Ellen Leite, IS, of Kodiak, enrolled in the Nurses Cadets in December and is now in train- ing at the Providence School of Nursing in Seattle.
 Miss Leite, the daughter of the late Mrs. Alexandria Leite, IS we'll remembered here where she lived and attended school before going Outside.
Kodiak mirror., 1944-03-04

Dr. A. R. Roberts, of Anchor age, arrived Wednesday to spend a few days here on com bined business and vacation trip, Dr. Roberts, one of the owners of the Orpheum theatre, formerly practiced as a dentist here with offices in the bank building.
Kodiak mirror., 1944-03-04

MT. Maurice Briggs is under going medical treatment at an Army hospital this week for au infection resulting from an in- jury received on his job about a week ago when he struck his head. He is a civil service en- ploye in post utilities.
Kodiak mirror., 1944-03-04

There will be an annual meet ing of the church members of the Russian church at the Union Hall at 7:30 next Thursday, March g. Rev. Gregory Gleboff urges that all members attend.
Kodiak mirror., 1944-03-04

It. Joyce .(Jo) L. Moline is now a member of the Army Nurses Corps and is stationed at Camp White, Medford, Ore.
 Miss Moline was formerly with the nurses staff of the Grlf- fin Memorial hospital and work ed at the Kodiak Library.
Kodiak mirror., 1944-03-04
PERSONALS

Mir. Norris K. Porter, former teacher and principal of the Kodiak schools, has recently joined the Seabees and is now somewhere overseas.
 Mir. and Mrs. Porter lived here about 4 years before leav- ing for Medford, Oregon, where Mrs. Porter is now staying.
Kodiak mirror., 1944-03-04

MT. and Mrs. Albert Laeosse, former operators of the Chicken Inn here, have purchased the Blue Fox Cafe from Walter Blanton of Ketchikan.
Kodiak mirror., 1944-03-04

Paul Swanson, IT,, son of MT. and Mrs. Paul Swanson, under went an emergency appended ,omy at the local hospital Tues day.
Kodiak mirror., 1944-03-04

Alec Wilson vas dismissed from the local hospital Monday.
The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1944-08-03

to the fact that, due to wartime
shortages, little construction has
been carried out during the past
three years and that expenditures
for maintenance and betterments
also had been heavily curtailed.
Annual construction expendi-
lures normally run around &c.
100000 on State highways and
about million dollars on county
highways, he said.
One of the most difficult traf-
fic problems relates to the flow
of traffic through and around CT
ties, Burch said. At present, a
detailed study is being made of
this problem, a study that has re-
vealed that in big percentage of
the traffic the flow could not be
diverted around the cities even
if that were desired. as the traf-
fic, when originating on one side
of a city and moving to the other
side, embraces business stops
within the city.
The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1944-08-03
N. C.. Now Planning Postwar
Highway Building Program

Notwithstanding the great
need for restoration and improve
ment of highways, the State High
way and Public Works Commits
sion has been for over two years
making actual complete blue
print plans of projects and plac-
ing them on the shelf, ready for
postwar contracting, James S.
Burch, head of the department of
statistics and planning of the
commission, revealed in data re-
leased for publication the past
week.
The engineer said that the COM
mission had taken these steps
with the knowledge that State
and Federal financing probably
would make possible very large
program of needed road projects
as employment for returning
service men and war workers and
to provide a stimulus to national
income until industry can retoo1
and became geared to peace.
The planning, Burch pointed
out, is for all kinds of road, street
and bridge projects. 1t will in
clude everything from replacing
or widening small bridges to a
limited mileage of so-called super
highways.
Federal aid in highway con-
struction is assured, Burch said
although it is impossible to say
whether projected legislation
when ultimately enacted will re-
semble its present form. Legis-
lation now proposed and approx.
ed by the House Road Committee
would allocate IL million dollars
annually for three years. To this
the State would have to add about
eight million the first year anC
IL million for each of the ensu.
ing two years, giving the State
i vided. About $10,0OO,OOO would
have to 60 for special mainten.
ance and restoration work.
The engineer called attention
The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1944-08-03
IL DUCE ATTEMPTS
TO COMMIT SUICIDE

Rome-Hysterical and fearful
of being handed over to the Al
lies, Benito Mussolini made a
feeble attempt at suicide last
September IL, a reliable infor-
mant said this week, by slashing
a wrist with razor blade.
The half-hearted attempt was
made a few hours before Musso-
lini was freed from the Hotel
Campo Imperatore by German
parachutists, said the informant
who requested anonymity.
This was the story told by the
informant:
ION Sept. II, about 3 a. m, car
abiniere who were at Mussolini's
disposal hurried to the SUI
perior officer and told him that
II Duce was almost hysterical
The officer ran to Mussolini's
room and found him standing up
One wrist was cut and blood had
stained a pajama sleeve. Musso-
lini held razor blade.
"T am tired of living Musso-
lini said. He handed the officer
a letter in which he had written
that he wished to end his life. The
officer treated the cut, claimed the
Duce and, without much difficult
ty, pesuaded him to return to
bed"
The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1944-08-03
DIR. MCDONALD HAS
TAKEN N. E. A. POST

Winston-Salem-Dr. Ralph w.
Mcdonald, former member of the
faculty of the University of North
Carolina, who was defeated for
the Democratic nomination for
Governor this year, has accepted
a position as director of confer
ences for the National Education
Association, it was learned this
week. He assumed his new du-
ties August l.
DR.. McDonald's office will be
in the N. E. A. Building in Wash
ington, D. c., and his work will
be throughout the United States,
but he will continue to make his
home in Winston-Salem, and ex-
poets to spend large part of his
program a total of about $68, 00O,-
600. Fortunately, he said, the
State probably will have "a sur
plus of about $3O,OOO,OOO in it's
highway fund by June of 1945.
Part of this could match the fed
eral funds in event they are pro-
specified, ration certificates issued
on and after July Is for truck
and bus tires size 1875 and larger
will continue valid.
The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1944-08-03
100000 BUS, TRUCK
TIRES ARE CANCELLED

Washington Price Admins
traitor Chester Bowles this week
cancelled approximately 100000
truck and bus tire ration certi-
ficates in drastic move to stretch
out critically low stocks.
All ration certificates dated Jul
ly Is or earlier for truck and bus
tires 8.25 and larger are not good
The cancellation applies to all
certificates whether in the hands
of consumers, dealers or manu-
facturers.
Bowles said that the critical
shortage of these large-size tires
make this drastic action neces-
sary."
Most essential users, as. an
nounced earlier, are city and sub
urban buses, most public utilities
fire-fighting, health and mail
services.
Certificates for tires size 1850
and under, and for passenger cal
tires, were not affected by the
cancellation order. Also Bowles
The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1944-08-03
STAIN IS AWARDED
A VICTORY ORDER

London-The Order of Victory,
Russia's highest award, has been
voted Premier Marshal Stain by
the presidium of the Supreme
Council of the U. S. S. r., the
Moscow radio announced this
week.
The citation, as recorded by the
Soviet Monitor, said the award
was made for Outstanding serv-
ices in the organization and con-
duct of the Red Army's offensive
operations leading to tremendous
defeats of the German Army and
to a radical change in the Red
Army's favor in the situation at
the front of the struggle against
the German Fascist invaders"
The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1944-08-03
ROMMEL REPORTED
KILLED IN FRANCE

Canisy, France-Captured Ger
mans told a senior American staff
officer this week that Field Mar
shall Erwin Rommel had been
critically wounded in an Allied
air strafing attack, and a French
Red Cross worker said they told
her he later had died.
The staff order said captives
told him the German command
er was wounded near Lisieux, on
the British front, two weeks ago
when Allied planes shot up his
car and wrecked it in a ditch. He
said a German captain told him
Rommel had been unconscious
for six hours and still was in a
critical condition in a hospital.
The Red Cross worker, who was