Evening star., 1946-11-01
Fire Alarms Scream,
But Halloween Here
Is Fairly Quiet

Fire alarms screamed-48 false
ones-and precious soap was not
scarce enough to save all the win
dows in town, but on the whole
Washington's Halloween celebration
last night appeared moderately
quiet.
/ In nearby Maryland, however,
fire believed to have been started
by pranksters destroyed a 10-room
vacant house at Mohican Hills, and
police reported series OF smashed
windows.
But throughout the area, most
youngsters in fancy get-ups laughed
and played in harmless Halloween
fun. Parties and parades carried
out the theme of supernatural in
fluences associated with the annual
celebration which dates back tc
pagan times.
Halloween, as the one night when
ghosts and witches are most likely
to walk abroad, is so called because
it is the eve or vigil of All Hallows
or festival Of All Saints.
ssn.,v Leaves on Fire.
uBtfiet firemen repoxted sfpdine
a 6w "connagrat lions, Of Rave.
which apparently were set by prank
sters.
The fire which destroyed th'
Mohican Hills house, on Mohicar
road Just off Macarthur boulevard
caused damage estimated by FIRE
men at $4,000. - - ii
Chief Joseph A. Giammatteo ol
the Glen Echo Volunteer Fire De.
partment, said 'it looks like cast
of arson" He said he would sub.
NIT a report to Montgomery County
Fire Marshal Victor Bender.
The fire chief said a neighbor saw
what appeared to be a pile of burn
ing leaves in the rear of the house
and went to a friends home to cal
the fire department. When SHIT
went out again, according to Chic
Giammatteo, the house was II
flames.
\ Residents Help Firemen.
He said nearby residents aidec
firemen in preventing the flame.
from spreading to other homes aftel
sparks set leaves afire. Firemer
from Cabin John and Chevy Chase
also responded to the alarm. Chic
Giammateo said the house had beer
boarded up after a fire in 1941.
Chevy Chase and Bethesda fire.
men also fought more than a dozer
brush fires started by Halloween
pranksters.
In Bethesda, police captured five
boys who they said admitted throw.
ing stones through windows In sew.
eral homes in the Bethesda Chevy
Chase area and in the police station
The youths, ranging in age from II
to II years, have been released in
custody of their parents pending
Juvenile Court action, according te
Capt. James S. McAuliffe, in charge
of the Bethesda station.
In one home at 801 Elm street
Chevy Chase, Capt. McAuliffe said
pranksters used log as battering
ram to smash the front door.
Windows Smashed.
Windows were smashed in homes
at Blackthorn and Glenwood streets
Western avenue and Forty-f1rst
street and in Meadowbrook.
In Silver Spring, police reported
smashed in homes in the 5000 BLOCK
Of Larry place and 1900 block o.
Meadowbrook lane. They said oc.
cupants of the Larry place house
were showered with glass wher
stones were thrown through theil
bedroom window.
Approximately 5000 Marylanders
attended parade and party on the
athletic field of Maryland Park High
School sponsored by the Mayors ano
Common Councils of Seat Pleasant
and Capitol Heights. Seat Pleasant
Lions Club, My Maryland Post o1
the American Legion, the Maryland
Park Citizens Association and the
Seat Pleasant district YMCA.