davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1950-10-11

AmcO million people projected by Voluntary Health Insu
nce Throughout the Nation families nsung themselves against
the major Of nat reasonable budgeass prices Voluntary
Health Insurance takes the shock of illness Protect your
family For information ask your doctor-or your
Evening star., 1950-10-11
THE EVENING STAR, Washington D. c. - A-l5
II,

suited to the trees. Mineral de-
fciencies-such as copper, manga
nese, or potash-have been re-
Evening star., 1950-10-11

wealed plainly by certain patterns
in the leaves and by careful leaf
ANALYSIS.
Evening star., 1950-10-11

Alex R. Preston is on tour in Morylond to
study the issues and the eondidotes in
the heoted 1850 election eompoiens for
Governor, the Senote and the House.
This is the first Of his reports.
Evening star., 1950-10-11
ADVERTISEMENT.

Doctors Of this Noton sratefuI fhot the people
refused TO be wooed by the fantastie promises Of this
unAmeriean excursion into sfafe Socialism, Doctors
Of America dedicated their fellow citizens
at home and their comrades in Uniform wherever serv.
ice TO this Naon may tae them. And the thing they
stand ready to fight for-fo sacree for-fo die for-is
not the ellen way Of life Of Socialism, but the ridefu
security Of free and seIf-reIiant people!
Evening star., 1950-10-11
Leaves Tell Soil Patterns

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -
Tung-tree researchers now can
tell what kinds of soil are best
Evening star., 1950-10-11
BY Alex R. Preston
Stor Stoff Correspondent

PRINCE FREDERICK, Md,
Oct. 11.-Republicans have in
vaded Calvert County by way of
Dunkirk.
But unlike the French port city
with the same name, the Southern
Evening star., 1950-10-11
IL Postal Brings
s2,279.67

Fred H. Harrison, Sanford, Fla;
found it pays to send a postcard
asking for White Cross facts. Only
4 months after enrolling he became
i'll. Since then he has collected
$2,279.o7 for hospital-medical
expense and lost paychecks.':
Evening star., 1950-01-18

$1,000. and that of his deputies
$4,640.
Aided in Many Tests.
Although the District office
calls heavily on the FBI, Health
Department and other agencies
for laboratory tests, thus saving
the District considerable money
many tests are run at the Morgue
laboratory.
What do those most closely con-
nected with the coroner say o1
the present system?
Warren Wilson, chief of the
United States Attorneys crimina
division: Il hold no brief one way
or another. but our relations with
the coroner have always been the
most cordial, and we have WORKED
together as quickly as circum-
tances would allow. Perhaps il
is true that the inquest overlaps
the work of a grand jury and that
the Governments case is some
times weakened by evidence ex-
posed at an inquest. But I have
never heard of the Government
losing case on that account"
Police Supt. Robert J. Barrett
Il am a million per cent pleased
with the setup (of the coroner's
office and with the cooperation
the three coroners have given me
both with regard to homicide in
vestigations and other studies. ]
heartily indorse the present sys-
tenn"
Evening star., 1950-01-18

to nod. But DR.. Macdonald says
they are a jury of peers, good
representative citizens"
Serve About 10 Times Year.
They serve on 10 or II juries a
year. Often they serve in more
than one case day. and on other
occasions, when there is a delay
in proceedings, they will return
another day after being sworn
over the body.
The life of a coroner and his
deputies can be routine; it can be
exciting and 1t can be sheer pun
ishment.
In the latter bracket. the Dis
trict staff remembers the recent
Potomac airplane crash, killing 55
They toiled almost without rest
from noon until 8 am. the fol-
lowing day.
Not only does the coroner's Of
flee work hand in hand with the
police on all cases, but often ii
produces evidence that proves q
crime and convicts a criminal.
Unlike the coroners of many
States, District coroners have al
ways been physicians, even though
the law does not require it. This
gives them the same background
as a medical examiner.
District coroners are appointed
not elected, and are salaried, not
fee workers as are many coroners
The coroner's basic salary is
Evening star., 1950-01-18

large-scale come-as-anybody but
yourself event since 1925.
Mr.. Stain Tin real life, Lawrence
Spiyak, editor of the American
Mercury Magazine) did a few turns
on the dance floor with his wife
(topped by a hat representing a
bright red hammer and sickle)
but by 1890 had removed his
mustache, the better to quaf his
punch.
A hit with the more sweet
toothed guests was Representative
Kearns, Republican, of Pennsyl-
vania, who came as prospector,
complete with pan and net bag
full OF gilt paper-wrapped candy.
A small detachment of Metro
politan Police and firemen In uni
form, plus number Of Secret
Service men in tails, stood stiffly
by the walls and watched. More
than once policemen were asked
by reporters where they obtained
costumes so authentic.
A costume which drew hearty
Evening star., 1950-01-18

would be held up through court
procedure, are quickly freed" he
said. In addition. there is the
process for inquiring into a sui
eide, which relatives often seek
to relieve their minds of any
doubt"
Perhaps the sharpest criticism
of the inquest system is directed
at the apparent repetitive per-
formances of the jurors. OBJ
servers have seen the same faces,
seemingly almost daily, in the
six jury chairs.
Unlike grand, District and Mu-
nicipal Court juries, inquest
| jurors are not drawn from panel
selected by the jury commission
The coroner is on his own, to
select whomever he will.
Consequently, years of trial
and error have sifted down to a
system of building up a roster of
the most available citizens-those
volunteers who may answer a call
to duty in an hours time.
Right now there's an active
jury panel of Sc men between the
ages of 81 and IS. There might be
more, DR.. Macdonald said, except
that a 65-year-age limit imposed
couple of years ago cut into the
list of availables.
Some of the jurors have been
picking up their $7-a-day fees for
many years. Sometimes it gets to
be boring work and head is seen
Evening star., 1950-01-18
5000 Ring, $50 Cash Stolen
While Family Is at Movie

Mrs. Anna King Valenti OF
Rome. Italy, who is visiting Mr.
and Mrs. A. R. Palit, 1898 Six
teenth street NV, today reported
to police the theft of a $500 white
sapphire ring.
Mrs. Valenti, wife of Agusta
Valenti. manager of the Hotel
Sovoia in Rome, said the ring was
taken from a dresser drawer at
the Palits' home while she and
Mr.. and Mrs. Palit were at a
movie. Mrs. Palit is Mrs. Va
lenti's sister.
A gold bracelet, also valued at
$500, was overlooked, police were
told, but $50 in cash was missing
Police said the thief had jimmied
a rear porch door and crawled
through an unlocked window.
Mr.. Palit Is head of the Indian
Supply Mission here.
Evening star., 1950-01-18
Pedestrian, 81, Injured
On Pennsylvania Ave.

Hurrying to catch a streetcar,
Charles Ferguson, 81, of 1888 New
Hampshire avenue NV, was
struck by an automobile at 1880
am. today between Tenth and
Eleventh streets NV. on Pennsyl-
vania avenue.
Police reported the driver was
Walter j. Walsh, %, of 1888 Bel
mont street NV. They said Mr..
Ferguson apparently was standing
between two parked cars when he
walked into the street in front of
the eastbound car.
Emergency Hospital attendants
said Mr.. Ferguson was suffering
from cuts on the knees and a pos
sible fracture of an upper leg and
pelvis.
Evening star., 1950-01-18
ID. {. Teachers Ask HEARING
On Emergency Leave Plan

Local 27, American Federation
of Teachers, AFL, today urged the
Board of Education to hold a pub
lie hearing on the need for
changes to the present sick and
emergency leave plan for teachers.
Paul Cooke, president of the
local, said the teachers union sup
ported School Supt. Hobart M.
/ Corning's recommendation for a
! more liberal leave law. However
he added, the present law needs
more drastic changes to provide
/ teachers with full protection and
security"
K One of the liberalizations
needed, he explained, is 70 restore
the teachers right to leave for
pressing business reasons by en-
ployment of substitutes at the
teachers expense.
DR.. Corning presented his rec
concentrations Monday to the
Board of Education's Personnel
Committee. He recommended that
q section of the present law, which
prevents a teacher from earning
leave at the rate, of one day a
/ month because of short periods OF
I absence without pay. be amended
Evening star., 1950-01-18
Anocostio Citizens Oppose
Express Bus Extra Fare

A plan to establish an express
bus route between Washington
Highlands Sc. and the downtown
section of the District provoked
controversy last night at a meet
ing of the Anacostia Citizens As
SociatiOn.
The group did not oppose estab-
lishment of the route but voted
unanimous opposition to clause
calling for an additional scent
fare for the line.
In a series of other actions. the
association opposed the snow
parking regulation in the District.
favored dispersal of military air.
craft from local airfields and voted
to extend all possible cooperation
with the Federation of Citizens
Associations at the next hearing
on the gas rate increase.
Miss Edith Gates of the Tuber-
culosis Association spoke.
r. r. Black and William F
Yearwood, president, were elected
delegates to the District School
Association.
The meeting was held in the
YMCA. Seventeenth street and
Good Hope road Sc.
Evening star., 1950-01-18

By Hermon F. Schoden

Life for the coroner is far from
dead.
1t hasn't been blunted, either
by the fact that DR.. Richard Ford,
a Harvard University expert. is in
town looking over the coroner
system for a House subcommittee
investigating law enforcement
here.
DR.. Ford, a tall, thoughtful man
of IS, brought along the precon-
ceived idea that coroners and in
quests are as outmoded as the
model T Ford. and should be re-
placed by medical examiners.
All of which has enlivened even
more the busy lives Of DR.. A. Ma
gruder Macdonald, veteran cor
oner, and his almost as veteran
assistants, Drs. Richard M. Rosen-
berg and Christopher j. Murphy.
They were in the morgue yes
terday-"Sit down and make
yourself at home"-talking it over
under the stimulus of a reporters
Interrogation, recalling how "Dr.
Mac" joined up as a deputy 81
years ago and became head man
in 1884.
Learned the Hard Way.
That was the year DR.. Rosen-
berg came on the staff to work
the deputy beat with DR.. Murphy,
who beat him there by three
years.
1--WE all came from Georgetown
Medical School and all studied
pathology. but we picked up what
we know about criminology the
hard way" DR.. Macdonald was
saying.
There were no such things as
crime schools in those days. The
fellows who learned it from ex-
perience now are teaching it, like
my class in medical jurisprudence
at Georgetown"
What about this new-fangled
idea of a medical examiner, who
would report his findings direct
to a Government attorney or a
court and cut out the old
fashioned inquest?
There's nothing old-fashioned
about an inquest the way we
handle it," DR.. Macdonald re-
piled. Nor is there anything old
fashioned about a coroner system
that combines the best features
of a medical examiner with that
of committing magistrate"
DR.. Macdonald, regarded by
many lawyers as an able presid-
ing jurist, admitted he learned
all he knows about courtroom pro-
Evening star., 1950-01-18
| Monkeys at Zoo
ToHove Feast of
Chocolate Candy

| Monkeys at the ZOO with sweet
tooth will have a feast on 102
boxes of chocolate candy, which
has been condemned in District
libel action as unfit for human
beings and ordered sent to the zoo.
The candy, product of Czecho-
slovakia, was shipped here by a
New York concern in October and
November and has been stored in
a local department store ware
house.
The Government charged the
candy contained larvae and in
sect webbing" and asked that it
be condemned under the Pure
Food Drug and Cosmetic Act.
Judge Richmond B. Keech signed
an order authorizing the United
States marShal's Office to seize the
candy and turn it over to the ZOO.
The court action was against the
candy itself and not any firm or
organization.
The candy is to be delivered to
the ZOO. There, it was said that
the monkeys will be the principal
benef1ciaries. ~,
Evening star., 1950-01-18
Newswonen Coper at Dress-Up Ball

laugh from the President was that
of William Mccormick. a Library
of Congress analyst, who came as
a piano with his wife enveloped in
the music for the Missouri
Waltz"
Hottest costumes of the night
were those Of Mr.. and Mrs. j. D,
Bowersock, who came as a pair of
Missouri mules. complete with
papier -mache headpieces. The
explanation? Mr.. Bowersock. ex-
ecutive vice president Of the Union
Trust Co., comes from Missouri.
Not so authentic, but especially
made for the occasion was the cos
tune of Senator Anderson, Demo-
crat, of New Mexico. who was all
dolled up in a Mexican "charro'
outfit. Mr.. Anderson walked off
with a second prize for his getup.
Giving out with a "bully. bully, /"
was Tom Blake of the American
Telephone 81 Telegraph Co., alias
Theodore Roosevelt, "the only
President ! could look like"
Evening star., 1950-01-18
More Witnesses Tell
0fFightBefore Staying
Of B. & 0. Engineer

Additional prosecution witnesses
testified in District Court today
that they saw Fred S. Pritchett
38-year-old Capital Transit Co
mechanic, fighting with Clyde L
King, So, a Baltimore & Ohic
Railroad engineer, a short time
before Mr.. King was shot to death
last July 10.
Pritchett is being tried for first
degree murder.
One of the prosecution wit
nesses was Mr.. Kings 8-year-old
Edward, who has been living with
his grandparents since District
Court custody ruling. He told of
seeing Pritchett and Mr.. King
fighting.
The row, witnesses testified, took
place near the home of the two
men in the 200 block of Charming
street NE.
The prosecution contends that
sometime later Pritchett killed Mr
King while the latter was seated
in the cab of his engine in the
B. & o. yards.
Other witnesses who testified
they saw the men fighting includ-
ed Mason w. Angst and Miss Faye
Simons. II. both of whom live
near Mr.. Kings home where Prit-
chett roomed.
Assistant United States Attorney
Richard M. Roberts is prosecuting
the case before a jury of eight
men and four women.
The fight took place. the prose-
cutor contends, after Pritchett
returned Mrs. King to their resi-
dence following a party at the
home of friends.
A key Government witness yes
terday was George L. Simons,
next-door neighbor to the Kings
and Pritchett, who testified he
carried Mrs. King into her home
after she had returned from the
party with Pritchett in the lat
ter's automobile. Mr.. Simons also
told the jury that Pritchett had
showed him a pistol.
Another Government witness
was Mrs. Mildred A. Keyser. of
Landover Hills, Md, who was at
tending a party near the King
home. She said she heard Mr.
King tell Pritchett: IT told you
not to take her out" She said Mr.
King and the defendant engaged
In a brief fight and that, when
Mr. King opened the automobile
door, Mrs. King fell out.
Mrs. King is said to have told
authorities she was ill, that she
had taken medicine and was not
drunk, although admitting she had
something to drink.
Evening star., 1950-01-18

referred to the United States At
torney for possible prosecution
Seventy-six other cases brought
acquittals.
There you see one of the prime
values of the inquest" the cor
oner said. Those rs acquittals
were 76 fewer cases that the Dis
trict attorney had to present to
the courts"
In the face of criticism of the
inquest as a brake on the wheels
of justice, the coroner said that
about half his inquests were held
on the day of the crime or acci-
dent, and that all were disposed
of on an average of three days
to a week.
Many innocent persons, who
Evening star., 1950-01-18
With Citizens Associations

Roberts Rules of Order almost
broke up the Cathedral Heights
Cleveland Park Citizens Associa-
tion meeting last night.
The rules of order, which are
supposed to keep things in hand,
caused so much furor that one
member of the association, Robert
c. Wales, got to his feet, picked
up his coat and began to leave
the meeting before things were
back in hand.
The trouble began when John
A. Remon, member of the group,
introduced a resolution opposing
the Kefauver home rule bill and
"any other bill that does not first
provide for proper representation
in Congress for residents of the
District"
Chamberlain Speaks for Bill.
The resolution was duly Sec
onded, but before the vote could
be taken, Culver B. Chamberlain
former president of the group, got
to his feet and began talking in
favor of the bill and home rule
in general when Mr.. Wales called
for a point of order.
There is motion on the
floor" Mr.. Wales told President
Joseph A. Roney. "and the rules
of this association forbid any
member making a speech of more
than five minutes" .
Mr.. Roney then proposed to
give Mr.. Chamberlain one minute
to finish his speech, and again
Mr.. Wales called for a vote. When
Mr.. Roney did not call for the
question, Mr.. Wales asked that
the president remove himself
from the chair. When this was
not done, Mr.. Wales left his seat
and went for his coat.
Remains Standing.
He remained standing at the
side of the room until the vote
was taken. The resolution was
finally adopted.
DR.. Leonard M. Elstad, execu-
tive officer of the Columbia In
stitute for the Deaf, spoke on the
work being done in the District
with deaf people.
The meeting was held in the
Guild Hall of st. Adams Church
Wisconsin and Massachusetts,
avenues NV.
Evening star., 1950-01-18

cedure from experience and read
and I'm not going to say
how much reading"
4,088 Investigations in 1949.
A coroner's around-the- clock
job entails investigation of all
deaths from violence and all
deaths from natural causes, where
no physician was in attendance
Last year 4,088 deaths were in
vestigated, 670 of them violent,
649 calling for autopsies. The
coroner's staff, in fact, investi-
gated 48 per cent of the Districts
8,490 deaths recorded through De-
cember 81.
DR.. Macdonald held 145 in
quests in the neat, red-brick
morgue. Sixty-nine cases were
Evening star., 1950-01-18
Petworth Group indorses
Bill to Bon Liquor Ads

The Petworth Citizens Associa-
ton last night indorsed the pend
ing Senate bill which would pro-
hibit interstate liquor advertise
ment.
John H. Connaughton, who in
troduced the resolution, said
liquor ads would be kept out of
interstate commerce "as you pro-
hibit obscene literature going
from one state to another
The group met in the Petworth
Branch Library, Georgia avenue
and Upshur street NV.
Evening star., 1950-01-18
Board Hears Appeal
OF Private Detective
On License Refusal

The District License Board
today began hearing an appeal
by Perry Bonner from disapproval
of his application to operate as
a private detective here.
First witness was 1t. Harry C.
Blackman, Police Department
night inspector, who formerly
was in charge of the special in
vestigation squad of the Detec-
tive Bureau.
1t. Blackman said a number
of complaints had been received
during 1949 against Mr.. Bonner
and after investigation an ad-
verse report was made on the
detectives application to operate
during the 1850 license year.
Denies Antagonism.
1t. Blackman denied under ex-
animation by Attorney John T
Bonner, the detectives son, that
he had personal antagonism
against the applicant or that he
had ever expressed an intention
to see that his license was re-
voked.
The attorney brought out that
the police officer had engaged
the detective personally 20 years
ago and had not been satisfied
with his services.
Policeman Joe Young Chen.
nault said there were two writer
complaints, one from Charlotte
Weaver of New York, and another
from Dick Thornburg of the Dor.
chester House here. He said the
Weaver complaint, standing alone
probably would not be sufficient
for disapproval proceedings, but
that the Thornburg complaint wa.
considered serious" The nature
of the complaint was not disclosed
Transcript Barred.
Pvt. Chennault also referred tt
a transcript of a civil court case ir
1948 which he identified as the
case of Benton VS.. Benton. Attor.
ney Bonner objected to admission
of this as a complaint"
Chairman Robert D. Wise of the
License Board said this question
would be considered later.
Evening star., 1950-01-18
Roberts May Summon
Another Witness, Then
Rest in Narcotics Trial

The defense in the James M
Roberts trial indicated at moor
today that it may rest its case
after summoning one more wit
ness for the indicted drug peddlel
and his wife, Evalina. ,
Trial was suspended 80 minutes
ahead of time for lunch by Judge
F. Dickinson Let's after Defense
Counsel Joseph and Josiah Lyman
said they wanted time in which
to summon a Public Health Serv-
ice official whom they identified
as DR.. Lawrence Kolb.
Joseph Lyman later Told report
ers he had not decided whether
the Roberts would testify in their
own defense. The Government
rested its case yesterday.
Offer Expert Witnesses.
The Roberts lawyers devoted
the two hours of todays' session
to witnesses whom they tried tc
qualify as experts in the chemis-
try of narcotics. A large num-
ber of the questions asked these
witnesses were excluded by Judge
Let's, who declared at one point
that the defense had failed to
qualify the witnesses as experts
These witnesses were William H
Newkirk, a Federal Narcotics Bu-
reau agent, and DR.. James r
Cowan. Roberts personal physi-
clan who attended the defendant
last September for an intestinal
disorder.
Roberts, who is colored, and his
white wife, are charged with
Illegally transferring marihuana
cocaine and codine in theil
apartment in the TOO block OF
Girard street NV. in December.
The Government ended Its case
yesterday, after Albert A. Spear
a chemist employed by the In
ternal Revenue Bureau, testified
that the Government exhibits
were the forbidden drugs.
Calls For Blackboard.
He was croSs-examined by Jo-
seph Lyman, defense attorney.
Mr.. Lyman called for a black
board. The lawyer covered each
side of the board with progress
sion of chemical formulae ending
up with the symbols representing
cocaine.
He showed the witness each side
by Tipping the board over. on it's
axis. then asked the chemist
which represented synthetic CO.
caine and which represented leaf
cocaine.
The witness answered that he
had not worked with formulae for
rs years. How then, the lawyer
asked. did he know that the ex-
hibit was leaf cocaine and not
synthetic cocaine.
by experience" Mr.. Spear an
swered.
Explains Symbols.
MIR. Lyman explained, during a
recess, that there is no difference
between the leaf and the synthetic
in the symbols he had written
on the board and that the law
does not apply to synthetic CO.
caine.
THE law has not kept up with
science in that respect" he said.
First defense witness was Mrs
Dorothy Martin, 1888 Kenyon
street NV. who was arrested
with the Roberts and is also under
indictment. Her testimony fatty
contradicted that of Treasury
narcotics agent who arrested the
Roberts after visiting their apart
ment on several occasions. She
said there was no conversation
about narcotics and that the
cigarettes smoked were of a popu-
lar brand-not marihuana.
Evening star., 1950-01-18
With Citizens Associations
Furor on Parliamentary Rules
Almost Breaks Up Meeting

they may be asked by the census
takers this year. 80.
THE census law does not allow
the Census Bureau the option Of
asking questions on income" said
DR.. AitchiSon, guest speaker
THE law states that they may use
their discretion. but that discre-
ton may not be exercised outside
of what is included in the law"
The meeting was held in the
Bell Vocational School, at Hiatt
place and Lamont street NV, and
was conducted by w. J. Oates,
president.
Evening star., 1950-01-18
AImos Temple to Delay
IOfficers' installation

H The annual installation of Off
GERS of Almas Shrine Temple,
originally scheduled for tomorrow
might, has. been postponed in
definitely because the illustrious
potentate-elect, Julius B. Gay,
has been called to the bedside of
his mother.
Mr.. Gay. who lives at 1850
Jonquil street NV, was called to
the home Of his mother, Mrs. S. z.
Gay Of Kershaw, S. c., who lis
| critically Ill.