davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1944-04-11
District Businessman
Believed Master Mind
OF Huge Gas Racket
Arrest Expected Soon;
Four Held in New York
As Members Of Rinq

The arrest of a Washington
businessman, described by Fed
eral agents as the master mind"
of an alleged ring dealing in
hundreds of thousands of used
gasoline coupons stolen here, is
expected shortly, following the
arrest and arraignment in New
York City yesterday of four men
charged with being members of
the gang.
Meanwhile, OPA officials disclosed
that more arrests were in prospect
as result of their investigation of
what they termed "a highly organ
ized operation for the seizure and
sale of hundreds of thousands of
coupons"
The Associated Press reported
that among the defendants ar
raigned before United States Com
missioner Garrett w. Cotter on
charges of conspiracy to violate
OPA regulations were a Washing
tonian and two labor union execu-
tives.
At the time of his arrest yester-
day, Lester E. Miller, 33, who told
New York police he lived in Wash
ington, but gave street address
| believed to be fictitious, had in his
possession more than 10000 stolen
B and c coupons, good for 100000
gallons, it was charged by United
States Attorney James B. McNally
of New York.
Labor Leaders Accused.
The two labor leaders charged
with aiding the sale of the coupons
are Daniel j. Motta, "a, Long Island
City president of Local 15O-A
United Wholesale Bakery and Con-
fectionery Employees, CIO, and An
drew Lautkin, 81, president of the
Retail Clerks International Protec-
tive Association, Local No. 1115O
AFL. The fourth defendant is Ray
mond Gordon, 43, of New York.
| ieSSOFCly VI IO,UUU coupons gOOC
for 100000 gallons of gasoline, some
of which was stolen from a District
bank, was made by the OPA agents
The name Of the bank was not re-
vealed.
ID. c. OPA Declines to Comment.
Officials revealed that after the
coupons are deposited in banks by
gas dealers, OPA agents collect anc
burn the coupons after checking
them individually.
Meanwhile, District OPA Officials
said they had not been consulted
about the case and did not learr
about it until contacted by reporters
They would not comment on tn,
possibility that OPA employees here
might be involved in the thefts.
OPA agents said the coupons wert
carried from here to New York il
d delicate though expensive piece
of luggage The coupons were sole
| for 60 cents agents declared
Evening star., 1944-04-11
u. S. Raids on MurshuIIs
And Curolines Continue

The Navy yesterday reported con-
tinuation of the almost daily bomb
ing of four enemy positions in the
Eastern Marshalls, with bomb hits
on airfield runWays and fires in en-
emy buildings.
At the same time it was an
nounced that other bombers hit
again at an airfield on Ponape. and
that third group struck at Oroluk
Island, dropping incendiary bombs.
No reports on the extent of damage
in the raids on the two islands In
the Carolines group were given.
Evening star., 1944-04-11
Macarthur, Stassen
Popularity Faces Tes1
In Primaries Today
Nebraska and Illinois
Vote Expected to Be
Reduced by Weather
BY the Associated Press.

Gen. Douglas MacArthur's
voter appeal was tested today in
Illinois, birthplace of the ma
tional MacArthur-for- President
Clubs, while Nebraska plumbed
the popularity of another absent
warrior, 1t. Comdr. Harold E
StaSSen.
In neither of the presidential
preferential primaries were the sue.
cessful convention delegates boune
to support any particular candidate
but the hackers Of Gen. Macarthur
and Comdr. Stassen hoped to show
by sheer weight of numbers tha
their men had captured the public
fancy.
The vote in both States was ex.
pected to be relatively light. Rair
threatened in Illinois and fewel
than half of the States 4,104,93'
registered voters were expected a
the polls. Nebraska's weather out
look likewise was unfavorable.
Situation Outlined.
The lineup In the two States
briefly, was this:
Illinois-Gen. Macarthur, en-
tered without his authorization, wa
pitted against Riley Bender, Chica
go real estate man and politica
newcomer. Both major partie
elect SO convention delegates, with
the Republicans to choose 9 NOR,
and the Democrats more later
Six of the 80 Republican candidate.
have expressed preference for Gov
Thomas E. Dewey of New York,
for Gov. John w. Bricker of Ohio,
for Gen. Macarthur and l each fol
Gov. Dwight II. Green of Illinois
Henry j. Kaiser and Col. Robert r
Mccormick, editor and publisher O
the Chicago Tribune, which is back
ing Gen. Macarthur. The Demo
cratic delegation generally is ex
pected to favor fourth term fol
President Roosevelt.
Nebraska-Comdr. Stassen wa
left unopposed after Wendell Will
kie's withdrawal from the preSi
Dental contest. 1t was too late K
remove Mr. Wilkes name from tn,
ballot, however, and there may b,
a SlZable sentimental vote for him
Supporters Of Gov. Dewey pre-
dicted a heavy Write-in vote TO
the New Yorker, Nebraskas Gov
Dwight Griswold was entered as
'favorite son." and it is believed hi
hackers will concentrate on a vic,
presidential nomination for him.
Hope for Boom.
Gen Macarthur, who has declared
his only ambition is to make tri
umphant return to the Philippines
won three delegates in last week
Wisconsin primary, where Mr.. Will
kie met his political Waterloo. Thos
who would like to see the genera
nominated hoped that he Woul'
receive such resounding indorSe
ment in Illinois that the movemen
would go booming out to all part
of the country.
The same popularity plus ide;
prevailed among the Stassen advo
Gates in Nebraska, which will sen,
Is delegates to the COP convention
Comdr. Stassen, former Minnesota
Governor who gathered in four o
Wisconsin's delegates, has said h
would not seek the nomination bu
would not turn 1t down II 1t wer
handed to him.
Evening star., 1944-04-11

miles from the rail junction of Iasi.
This drive by Marshal Ivan S.
konev's I'd Ukrainian Army was said
to have captured 180 towns and
villages along a 65-mile- long front
and smashed to within Is miles of
the Campulung oil fields and within
l60 miles of the Ploesti wells.
Deepest penetration reported on
this sector was at Solca, 19 miles
northwest of Suceava and 35 miles
from Pennsylvania. Marshal Konev's
right wing was striking westward
along the Darmenesti-B Budapest
railway toward the Carpathian
Mountains. Radauti, one of the
largest cities in Bucovina, was cap
tured.
No Mention of Zhukov Forces.
There was no mention in the Rus
sian communique of the progress of
Marshal Gregory K. zhukov's 1st
Ukrainian Army which reached the
Czecho frontier Saturday.
In the newly mounted Crimean
offensive, Gen. Tolbukhin's troops
cracked the heavily fortified de-
fenses on the Perekop Isthmus, the
communique said, captured Arm
yansk, and reached the Ishuny area
in two-day, l2-mile drive. On
the east his forces crossed Sivash
Bay to the southern shore where en-
erpy defense lines stand guard be-
fdfe the open plains of the huge
peninsula.
Front dispatches said a quick re-
conquest of the Crimea, sealed of
last November l when Gen. Toll
bukhin's army hurled the Germans
back from Melitopol on the main
land, appeared likely, with the Rus
sian Black Sea fleet and the Red
air force cooperating in the offen-
sive.
1Stanbul dispatches quoted a
traveller from Romania as say
ing the Germans had rushed a
score Of pocket submarines to
Verna and Constanta, Romanian
ports, apparently to protect con-
voyS of small boats engaged in
evacuating Axis troops from the
Crimea)
Heavy Nazi Losses.
The Soviet bulletin said the Ger
mans were suffering heavy casual
ties all along the 500-mile front
from the Crimea to the Czech bor-
der In the Skala trap above the
Middle Dnester River, 1,500 more
enemy troops were reported wiped
out, boosting to 20,4O0 the an
nounced total of Germans killed
there in the last seven days.
Inside Romania one Red Army
formation alone was reported to
have killed $500 Germans and cap
tured 600 in two days of fighting.
CToday's German communicate
said heavy fighting with su-
perior enemy infantry and tank
forces" continued on the North
ern Crimea front. The Germans
claimed the recapture of the old
Polish town of Delaytn, 80 miles
south of Stanislawow, at the en-
trance of the Tatar Pass in the
Carpathians. The communioue
said the Odessa garrison had
Withdrawn to the southwest and
west and that the surrounded
Tarnopol troops still were hold
ing out)
Czech troops, under Gen. Ludwie
tsee RUSSIA, Page A-3.A
Evening star., 1944-04-11
FBI Seizes Accountant
And Ration Stamp Hoard

BALTIMORE, April II IP).-Fed.
eral Bureau of Investigation agents
charged a certified public account.
ant yesterday with illegal possession
of ration coupons after raiding his
apartment and seizing thousands o1
stamps for food, gasoline and fue
oil-along with so boxes of nylor
hosiery.
The accountant, William H. Slut.
man, waived preliminary hearing
before United States Commissioner
James K. Cullen and was released
under $4,000 bond pending granc
Jury action.
Evening star., 1944-04-11
Finnish Peace Decision
Expected in Day or Two

BY the Associated Press.
STOCKHOLM, April 1l.-Finland
probably will decide tomorrow or
Thursday whether to accept the
Russian armistice obtained by DR..
JUNO x. Paasikivi, it was indica ted
today as Finnish political leaders
returned to Helsinki after an Easter
holiday spent sounding out public
opinion.
Finance Minister Vaino Tanner
was scheduled to explain the coun-
try's foreign policy at Social Dem
ocratic party council meeting in the
capital today. Parliament meets
tomorrow for its first post holiday
session and it Is likely to reach
some decision by Thursday.
Evening star., 1944-04-11
Odesso's S Fall Called
Bitter Surprise
To German People
BY the Associated Press.

~ bAAS <aooot4GtGO IlGoc.
STOCKHOLM, April Ii
The fall of Odessa was de-
scribed as a bitter surprise"
to the German people in Swed-
ish press dispatches from Ber-
lin today.
Aftonbladet's correspondent
reported that the German press
was extremely pessimistic over
military reversals on the Rus
sian front. The correspondent
declared that on the southern
front 1t was quite clear that
German defensive skill was not
sufficient to halt the Russians
moving swiftly over open coun-
try.
Evening star., 1944-04-11
81 Die, Scores Hurt
In Southwest Storms;
Hundreds Homeless
80 Killed in Arkansas
In Series Of Tornodoes;
Texas, Oklahoma Hit
SNOWPLOWS CHURN path to 80
trapped on Colorado pass. Story
on page Az.
By the Associated Press,

By the Associated Press.
A series of tornadoes killed &C
persons in Arkansas last night
Other tornadoes in Oklahoma and
Texas killed one person each. Vio-
lent spring storms and floods left
trail of property damage In other
parts Of the Southwest. A tornado
also hit Alabama.
The Arkansas tornadoes killed
5 persons at Woodson, Pulaski
County: S near Stuttgart, 2 at PINE
Bluff, l at Harrison, 2 near Mari
anna, 2 near Brinkley, at Monroe
l at Duncan and 10 colored person.
at Duncan and Parkin. ,,
At least 14O persons were injured
in Arkansas.
The tornadoes, followed by heavy
rains in most sections, struck in thu
north and swept south. At least /:
were injured when a tornado dippee
down miles north of Pine Bluff.
The tiny Woodson community. l:
miles south of Little Rock, appar.
emily was one of the hardest hi
spots. At least five inhabitants OF
the Farm Security Administration
project there were killed and many
injured. Property. damage at Harri.
son in Northern Arkansas, was esti.
mated at $4,000.
At Magnolia, in Southern Arkan.
sas, Is persons were seriously hurt
and 40 to so slightly injured when 9
storm blew down IA buildings at 6
camp occupied by conscientious OBJ
jestors.
Floods fed by heavy rains routed
hundreds of families from theil
homes in the Askansas River water.
shed of Oklahoma and Kansas anc
in Kingfsher County, in Western
Oklahoma.
Tornadoes at Cordell, Okla, anc
Hamilton, Tex, killed one person
each.
About 200 persons were evacuated
from homes along the Caney Rive,
at Bartlesville, Okla, ahead of ris
ing flood waters, and as many NOR,
were homeless at Kingfisher as con
verging Indian and John Greek,
flooded portions of the city.
In Kansas the rising Cottonwoo,
and Neosho Rivers forced man,
families from lowland homes an,
appeared likely to isolate Empori,
today.
Missouri River Near BankfuI.
The Missouri River north of Kan
sas City was near bankful in man,
places, but no serious threat ha
developed.
Rainfall for the day ranged a.
high as Az inches at Parsons, Kans
and $40 inches at Sedalia, Nc
Wichita, Kans., has had 1O.45 inche
Of rain this year, more than twic,
the normal amount.
Many communities were withou
power and lights.
Snow ranging from 6 to IA inche!
fell in Northeastern New Mexico
marooning bus load of passenger
and several cars between Greenvill,
and Des Moines on highway 81
Temperatures were mild, however
and no fear was felt for thu
stranded travellers.
Evening star., 1944-04-11
Jap Operation Involves
Small Force, Knox Saws

Secretary of the Navy Knox today
expressed confidence that British
forces in India will be able to halt
the Japanese drive near ,Imphal.
Stating that the Jap operation in
volved only small number of men
and that he did not regard it as
particularly serious, Mr.. Knox said
"The British ought to be able to
beat it and no doubt will"
Asked at his press conference
about reported concentration OF
japanese fleet units at Singapore
the Secretary said such reports had
been received, but it was understood
now that the enemy force has
been dispersed so far as we know"
Evening star., 1944-04-11
New Determined Jap Attempt
To Take Kohind Believed Near
Allies InfIict Casualties on Patrols
In Sharp Clashes Close to ImphoI

serves lodged along the Chindwin
River are depleted.
A Japanese thrust near Palel, Is
miles southeast of Imphal, was
thrown back.
Allied patrols struck out from the
Imphal Plain against enemy units,
laying siege to that strategic area.
They amubushed the japanese near
the Tiddim road and inflicted casu-
alties in a number of clashes in the
fosthills northeast of the plain, the
communique from Admiral Lord
Louis Mountbatten's headquarters
said.
To the west, in Northern Burma,
Chinese forces driving down the
Mogaung Valley area captured Wa
kawng, 6 miles south of Shaduzup,
which had been seized by American
troops.
On the Arakan front of Western
Burma, japanese resistance stiff
ened, especially near the main Mayu
range south of the Maungdaw-
Buthedaung road. the bulletin added.
Evening star., 1944-04-11
Lightning Causes $4,000
Damage at Ordnance Plant

CHICAGO, April II P).-Light-
ming struck a powder magazine at
the Indiana Ordnance Works,
Charlestown, Ind, last night, caus-
ing an estimated $4,000 damage,
but no deaths or injuries, the safety
and security branch of the Army
Ordnance Department said. A
routine investigation is being con-
Quoted
Evening star., 1944-04-11
Late Bulletin
D. c. Red Cross Over TOP


The District Red Cross War
Fund drive today went over
the top by raising S2,912,920
or 109.30 per cent of the
S2,665,000 goal. An additional
S341,473 announced today
brought every division in the
campaign better than 100 per
cent of their quotas. The
total number of gifts is 471,-
594, $4,000 more than last
year.
Earlier S6pry on Page BID
Evening star., 1944-04-11
Use of Poison Cos Choroed

NEW YORK, April II P).-The
Germans and Romanians used
poison gas against the Partisans"
during their occupation of Odessa,
the Moscow radio said today IN a
broadcast recorded by CHS.
Evening star., 1944-04-11

LONDON (P.-The Raj
dropped more than 1000 tons
OF bombs on European targets
last night, the greatest load
for a single night on record, it
was disclosed today.
Evening star., 1944-04-11
Reds Attacking on 75-Mi|e Front
In Two-Way Offensive in Crimea;
Nazis Fleeing Odessa |mperi|ed
Russian Forces
Cross 7 Rivers
In Romuniu
BULLETIN.

LONDON (P).-Premier Sta
lin announced tonight the
capture of Dzhankoi, railway
junction Is miles inside the
Crimea from the peninsula's
northeastern tip.
Evening star., 1944-04-11

tsee RUSSIA, Page A-3.A
Evening star., 1944-04-11

tSee DRAFT. Page AS
Evening star., 1944-04-11
Guide for Readers

An Associoted Press Newspaper
The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1944-06-09
DeGauIIeMov
Visit States
Continued on Page a

washington, June 9. - CUP -
President Roosevelt today disclosed
that he Is expecting visit from
Gen. Charles De Gaulle some time
before mid-July.
De Gaulle, head of the French
National Committee of Liberation
Is in London now for conferences
with Prime Minister Winston Chur-
chill. He has sent word to Mr.
Roosevelt, the President said at his
news conference today, asking If Mr..
Roosevelt would receive him If he
visited Washington.
Mr.. Roosevelt said he replied that
he would be glad to see De Gaulle
and suggested that the French gen.
eral come to Washington either be-
tween June % and June 80, or be-
tween July 6 and July IA.
Mr.. Roosevelt said the message
was brought to him Monday by Ad-
miral Raymond Fenard, head Of the
French Naval Mission to this coun-
try. who had just returned from Al
giers.
He said he gave Fenard his reply
and that he had not yet heard fin
ally from De Gaulle.
Mr.. Roosevelt would not go into
a discussion of the purposes OF De
Gaulle's Washington visit, saying
this was not discussed In the mes
sage which he received and that
there was no mnetion of possible
talking points.
The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1944-06-09
Nazis Leave France So Fast
DeadSoLdiersL efU nburied

on the very considerable chunk Of
territory we've already sliced of and
it seems unlikely that the Nazis
would be able to resist the steel jaws
that we are closing upon them.
This does not look like an orderly
withdrawal. The bodies of Germans
litter the countryside around deleri-
ously- joyful Bayeux. The men who
manned their coastal defenses gave
up the fight in the first round and
our deep penetration inland fol-
lowed. Coastal defenses which I ex-
amined lacked method in construc-
ton as well as continuity. They also
sorely needed guns of adequate
caliber.
Those Germans who could get
away simply took to their heels.
Someone remarked: who would
ever believe that the second front
would be like maneuvers on Sails
bury plain in peacetime?"
Everyone was asking: Where Is
the Luftwaffe?" Back on the
beaches thousands of supply vessels
are disgorging infantry divisions,
stores, munitions, gasoline and food
with the regularity Of an English
port in peacetime. II all seems very
mysterious.
The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1944-06-09
Daniel Malagutti
Rescued In Ocean

Less than six months In the Navy,
Seaman First Class Daniel Mala-
glitti Of "a Walnut street already
has undergone the experience Of a
ship-torpedcing, life-boat rescue
In inid-ocean, and an Atlantic
crossing IN an incapacitated vessel
Now on leave at his home here,
Seaman Malagutti, none the worse
for his experience, describes the
sinking Of q German U-boat, and
the military funeral given to cap
tiired German as the most moving
experience in his sea-faring career.
The young sailor, the husband Of
the former Carmella Sadetu and the
son Of Mrs. Mary Malagutti Of IS
Bishop street, left on an overseas
assignment in the middle Of April,
and when 600 miles out his vessel
was torpedoed.
Although the crew was forced TO
abandon ship and watch the vessel
burst and sink, the men had the
satisfaction to know the U-boat
which caused the damage also went
to the bottom Of the ocean, the local
serviceman states. Thirteen Ger
mans, including four officers, were
taken as prisoners and were later
delivered to o military post
For three hours the members OF
the crew, many Of whom were
wounded, waited for aid, and all
were picked UP by o Coast Guard
ship, Seaman Malagutti relates. One
Of the Germans, seriously wounded,
could not be helped, and after he
died the crew gathered to attend his
! military funeral on the high seas
y me Waterbury serviceman states
the services greatly moved the Ger.
man victims colleagues, who com.
manded that no where in the world
would anyone but Americans give
an enemy soldier q military funeral
He said some Of the German men
commented that they would rather
be taken to the United States FOR
internment than any other place,
and that they were aware Of the
generous treatment given by Amer
leans to the enemy.
Following the rescue the Ameri-
can sailors were placed In a rest
camp In northern Ireland for three
weeks and then were sent to Wales
for embarkation to this country
They were assigned to an old vessel
which had to be returned to the
United States for repairs, and when
ON the sea the crew realized how
badly disabled the ship was, the
sailor states.
When the seas became very
rough the crew feared the torn bot
INo.ala,,ad IN paua Az
The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1944-06-09
Two Famous
Units Meet

Allied Supreme Headquarters
London, June e-(UP)-Two famous
infantry Observation-Disclosures fight
ing first and Britain's 50th-were
revealed today to be fighting to-
gether on the Allied Beachhead In
France.
Comprising men from every state
in the union, the fighting first went
into the latest action with q one
time private as its commander
The presence of the two divisions,
both veterans Of the first World
War as we'll as the present conflict,
in the invasion forces was an
nounced last night by Allied head
quarters.
Acclaimed as the "epitomy OF an
infantry-artillery team" the fight
ing First has one of the most en-
viable records Of the - army. In
World War I, 1t was the first U.
s. Army division to reach France,
one of the first to meet the enemy
and the first to attack. For every
man 1t lost the fighting First took
100 German prisoners and Gen.
John j. Pershing cited the division
as never broken by hardship or
battle" Even one German official
commentator called 1t worthy OF
the best traditions Of any army.
In this war, the fighting First
came to England in August, 1912,
and later Joined the invasion Of
Africa, where 1t distinguished itself
at Gafsa, FL Guettar and in the
final Tunisian drive around Ma
teur.
From there the men Of the First
Continued on Page ~
The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1944-06-09
1877 Births In
City In March

There were 1877 births and 1903
deaths In Waterbury during the
month Of March It has been reveal
ed by the May report Of the Con.
necticut Health Bulletin. There were
20 marriages during March.
Statistics pertaining to the entire
state for the period from 1899 to
March Of 1914 relative to births
deaths, marriages and communic-
able disease deaths reveal the fol-
lowing: that there has been a steady
increase in the number OF births
during the six year period with the
last complete statistical year, l943
revealed as having l,47S more birth
occurring than In 1899. Statistics for
each year up to and including
March 1914 are as follows: 1882
2028 births; 1940-2037 births; 1871
1922 births; 1942-1664, births:
l943-3506 births and for the first
three months Of 1914 total Of 1897
births.
The death rate for the state dur
ing the latter period has been spor-
adic with q decrease shown each
year from 1899 through 194l and
then subsequent rise during 1912
with the greatest increase shown in
l943. Statistics for each year dur
ing this period are as follows; 1889
l708. deaths; 1940-1690 deaths:
l94l-1559 deaths, 1942-1664 deaths
1943-ls48 deaths and for the first
three months Of 1944-1032 deaths.
A sharp increase in the marriage
rate is noted for the six year per-
iod with the greater share of the In
crease born Of the war years. Statis-
tics are l939-382 marriages; 1910
623 marriages; l94l-710 marriages;
1912 - 1922 marriages 1913 - 1,i07
marriages and 489 marriages for the
first three months Of 1914.
The communicable disease death
rate has been somewhat flucuating
but never increase over the peak
year Of 1889; statistics are as fol-
lows; 1854; 1905; l94i-4S;
1912 - 60; 1913 - 46; first three
months Of 1914 total Of 80.