Evening star., 1953-04-25
New Yorker Given
1S 10 81 Months in
Stolen Car Case

Judge Burnita Shelton Mat
thews yesterday gave a New
York man consecutive sentences
totaling 18 to 54 months for
transporting a stolen automobile
and for selling it by falsely rep
resenting he had title to it.
Edward S. Wetherbee, jr., SO,
had pleaded guilty to both
counts, contained in separate
indictments.
Judge Matthews. in U. S. Dis
trict Court for the District of
Columbia gave Wetherbee the
maximum sentence of from one
to three years for falsely repre-
senting he had title to the car in
selling it to a dealer here for
$2,550. She also gave him from
/ six to 18 months for transport
Ing the car from New York to the
District while knowing it to have
been stolen. She ordered the two
sentences to run consecutively.
The maximum possible penalty
for transporting a stolen auto
mobile in interstate commerce Is
20 months to five years and
a $4,000 fine.
Other Counts Dismissed.
Another indictment involving
the same sale, which accused
weatherbee of making the sale
while falsely representing him.
self to be a Marine Corps lieu
tenant, was dismissed on Gov
ernment motion. A second stolen
car transportation charge also
was dismissed.
Assistant United States At
torney Grace B. Stiles, who
prosecuted Wetherbee, said she
felt the charges to which he had
pleaded gave the court the op-
portunity to impose an adequate
sentence. Police had no addi-
tional charges against Wetherbee
other than those contained in
the indictments.
| Wetherbee is a brother Of
John r. Wetherbee, 20, who was
sentenced here last week to serve
from one to five years for pos
session of a large quantity of
marijuana.
Others Sentenced.
A number of other persons
were sentenced yesterday for a
variety Of offenses, including one
man sent to prison for second
degree murder and two for man
slaughter.
One of the men sentenced for
manslaughter was Frederick C,
Strickler, 38, who was given
from four to II years by Judge
Matthews for fatally stabbing
his wife, Rachael E. Stricken,
20, last December. The stab
bing was in the couples home
in the 1900 block of F street NE.
Police said they both had been
drinking.
Judge Matthews also gave
Charles E. Garlic, %, colored,
of the 2200 block of Fourteenth
street NV, from three, to nine
years for manslaughter in the
fatal stabbing of his friend, Mary
L. Hill, colored, of the 1400 block
of Florida avenue NV, last
January. The Stabbing was dur
ing a fight, authorities said.
A man, who police said was
trying to shoot another man with
a shotgun but missed and killed
a woman instead, was sentenced
by Judge Richmond B. Keech to
serve from 10 years to life for
second-degree murder.
Pleaded Guilty.
James L. Davis, 80, colored, of
the 100 block of G street S.W..
had pleaded guilty. His victim
was Ella E. Cave. SO, colored, of
the 300 block of F street S.W.
The shooting was last Novem-
Der in Davis home.
Donald G. Hill, "a, of the 5000
block of First street NV. was
sentenced by Chief Judge Bolitha
j. Laws to serve from four to 18
months for embezzling more
than 5000 received from the sale
OF Government pamphlets to the
public.
At the time Of the embezzle-
mentS, Hill headed the salesroom
Of the Commerce Departments
Publication Division.
Melvin L. Holt. 90, colored, of
the 1900 block of Thirteenth
street NV, was given from 16
months to four years by Judge
Matthews on marijuana and mar
cotic charges. The charges on
which he was sentenced included
transferring 81 grains of mari
juana and failing to have paid
tax on it; also, selling a narcotic
and facilitating its sale and con-
cealment. Judge Matthews gave
him an overall sentence and did
not single out the counts.