Evening star., 1953-11-16
Pupils at Paul
ReassuredAfter
Gang Beating
Two Boys Accused.
More Arrests Due
In Revenge Assault
By Miriom Ottenberq

The students OF Paul Junior
High School-scene of an ex-
tortion racket which resulted in
severe beatings Saturday night
were called to an assembly this
afternoon to hear the principal
praise the boy who helped police
break the racket and to reassure
them against more terrorism.
So far. two boys have been
charged with assault with a
deadly weapon and obstructing
justice. Police expected to round
up at least five more boys today.
The father of the boy who
Sprang the trap to end the
shakedown racket met with
police officials today to discuss
arrangements for protection Of
Paul students. The boy, 14-year-
old Michael Hartman. 1901 Con-
necticut avenue, suffered cuts,
bruises and possible back and in
ternal injuries when he and two
friends were set upon by a gang
Saturday night.
Victim UndergOes Surgery.
One OF his companions, David
Fran, Is, Coolidge High School
student, was beaten so severely
that he had to undergo surgery
at Emergency Hospital yester-
day. His mother, Mrs. Philip
Fran, 1912 Geranium street
NV, said her sons cheek jaw
mucle was cut almost through.
She said X-rays are being taken
today to determine if his jaw
was fractured.
The third boy, Melvin Mack
Ter, Is, also student at Cool
ldge, was knocked to the ground
and kicked by the attackers.
A belt buckle wrapped around
a fist and the clodhoppers of
several of the assailants were
used in the attack on the boys.
One Boy Accused.
Police said both boys now un-
der arrest said the attack was
planned because the Hartman
boy ''squealed" on William
Stramer, IA, of 1916 Longfellow
street NV. Stramer was arrested
last week and is now in the Re-
ceiving Home on charges of car
rying a deadly weapon-a knife
and multiple charges of rob-
berry. Stramer is accused of be-
ing the principal in the extor-
ton racket by threatening to
have his gang beat up boys If
they refused to give him money.
The two boys charged last
night and released to their homes
were Paul Michael Vito, 16. Of
I'll Kennedy street NV, and
Walter Jeffrey Newton, Is, of
TIC Farragut street NV.
Thomas F. Ferry, Paul Junior
High principal, said he has noti-
fed the parents of Vito and an
other suspect that their boys
cannot be returned to school un-
til the case is settled.
Police Congratulated.
Irving Hartman, Mikes father,
conferred today with Deputy
Chief Howard V. Covell, Inspec-
tor Robert Chenault, Capt. Reid
Hamman of the sixth precinct
and other officers and detectives
who have been working on the
case.
Capt. Hamman said after the
conference that Mr.. Hartman
and another father accompany
ing him congratulated the pre-
cinct on its work and said they
were satisfied with plans police
have made TO protect the boys.
A month ago, a student-not
the Hartman boy-wrote an
anonymous note to the principal
charging that Stramer had been
getting money through threats.
Mr.. Ferry called in the Stramer
boy, who, the principal said,
claimed that an enemy" who
he had fought the day before
was simply saying that to get
revenge. Mr.. Ferry said he
gave him a severe warming"
Mr.. Ferry said when he heard
complaints from other boys. he
was in the process of planning
what to do when Michael Hant-
man came to him last Tuesday
and told him he had to produce
dollar by 3 o'clock. Mr.. Ferry
called the police and Mike was
given a marked dollar bill, which