davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1955-02-12
Weather Cuts Sales
In Department Stores

Cold and icy weather cut de-
partment store sales in the
Washington Metropolitan area
last week per cent below those
of a year ago, the Federal Re-
serve Board of Richmond re-
ported yesterday.
Sales also were down 7 per
cent from totals in the previous
week.
, Area sales in the four weeks
ended February 5 we're 7 per
cent higher than those in the
comparable 1854 period, and
those for the year to date re-
manned 8 per cent higher.
Excluding suburban branches
sales of downtown department
stores only were 8 per cent down
from the previous weeks totals
and 10 per cent behind those OF
the comparable 1854 week. Sales
in the four weeks were up 3 pei
cent, however, and sales for the
year to date remained 4 per cens
higher.
For the entire Fifth Reserve
District, Of which this area is q
part, the weeks sales were 1C
per cent below those of the pre-.
vious week and 7 per cent be-
hind figures for year earlier
Four-week sales were up 8 pc,
cent, and those for the year tc
date were up 9 per cent.
Evening star., 1955-02-12
Eisenhower Halls 9TH Fleet;
Catches Cold Hunting Quail

Because of the cold. Mr.. Hag-
erty said, the Chief Executive
decided against another try for
quail today. Instead, he re-
ported, the President. Mr.. Hum
phrey and New York invest
ment banker Clifford Roberts
were passing the time chatting
by the fireplace at the Humphrey
home.
1.-THE President has no tenn
perature or anything like that.
Mr.. Hagerty said, ''but he is
going to stay in the house"
No White House physician ac-
companied Mr.. Eisenhower from
Washington this trip, but Mr..
Hagerty said the President 'has
no need for a doctor"
During the night the weather
/ in this South Georgia area
turned even colder than yes
terday, with the overnight low
at % degrees. By midmorning
! it was 80 degrees.
Evening star., 1955-02-12
Morals Case Dismissed

A single police witness to an
indecent act is not enough to
convict defendant, Municipal
Court Judge Edward A. Beard
ruled yesterday.
Judge Beard acquitted a 28-
year old man Of charges of COM
mitting the act in the mems
room of the Greyhound Bus
Terminal. The case was built on
the testimony of Pvt. Charles
Rinaldi, who said he saw the act
performed.
Judge Beard said it would be
possible for a single blackmailing
officer to offer an innocent man
a choice between paying 500 or
facing a nasty charge, If more
corroboration were not required
in such cases.
Evening star., 1955-02-12
Air Force Grounds
B-57 Liqht Bombers

The Air Force has grounded
it's B-57 light bombers in what
was described as a precautionary
safety measure following recent
crashes of the twin-jet planes.
In it's announcement yesterday
the Air Force said the ground
ing was requested by the Glenn
L. Martin Co., builder of the B-57
Night Intruder. Also set down
were RB-57 tactical reconnais-
sance planes.
The Air Force said it plans
investigation of two B-57 crashes
last Tuesday, one in Maryland
and the other in California
There was no mention in the
announcement of a third B-57
crackup in Maryland several
weeks ago.
Evening star., 1955-02-12
BY The Asseeiessd Press

THOMASyILLE, Ca, Feb. IL.
- President Eisenhower today
dispatched a thankful well
done" message to officers and
men of the 7th Fleet on success
full evacuation of the Chinese
Nationalist Tachen Islands.
The message was relayed to
the fleet from the plantation
home of Secretary Of the Treas
ury Humphrey, where the Presi-
dent is a weekend guest.
"Yours was a difficult and deli
cate assignment" Mr.. Eisen-
hover nessaged the fleet. "On
behalf of q grateful American
people: Well done"
Meanwhile, Presidential Press
Secretary James C. Hagerty an
nounced that Mr.. Eisenhower
picked up "a slight cold-a slight
case of sniffles" hunting quail
in the rain at Mr.. Humphreys
place yesterday.
Evening star., 1955-02-12
star star Photo.

from Parker, Mrs. Kurtz said.
was a blunt hush up, you damn
old -" ts..
Parker wanted to 60 to a ball
in April, 1864. even though he
was on duty that night. Here
is part of the testimony of his
sergeant, c. M. Skippon, accord
ing to police records:
'Mr. Parker said he wished
to attend to the ball--I said no
he said he did not care a
damn, he would go-if they
wished to turn him out they
could do So-he did not care a
damn-he would go by -"
Parker went to the ball.
The next August his chief
charged him with general in
efficiency" Parker had been
missing from duty Al days of an
82-day period.
End Finally Comes.
What apparently convinced
the police superintendent that
Patrolman Parker was not for
the force was the occasion on
which a roundsman discovered
Mr.. Parker asleep on his beat
the night of July %. 1868.
And so, more than three years
after Lincoln was murdered when
Parker was not at his post,
Parker was finally fired-for
sleeping on his beat.
Evening star., 1955-02-12
U. 5. Takes Over Training
OF Wet Namese Army
BY the Assoeiated Press

SAIGON. Wet Nam, Feb. 12.-
The United States today for
mally took over the reorganiza-
ton and training of the Wet
Namese National Army
Premier Ngo Dinh Diem an
nounced the program, agreed
on by Wet Nam, France and the
United States, will be directed
by 1t. Gen. John w. O'Daniel
The young national army is
to be slashed from its present
strength of 217, 900 to about
100000. During 1855 an unspe-
Gifted reserve force authorita-
lively reported as 10000 will
be established.
The United States will foot
the bill for the training and
reorganization program.
Evening star., 1955-02-12
Gambling Trial Involving
Policemen Is Postponed

The gambling conspiracy trial
of suspended Police Capt. John
B. Monroe, Probationary Detec-
tive George Prather and group
of gamblers scheduled for Mon
day has been postponed unoffi-
cially until March Z.
The March Z date was set
yesterday in the case Of Roger
tWhitetop) Simkins. colored, one
of the defendants after his at
torney asked the continuance on
the grounds that Simkins is i'll
Chief Judge Bolitha j. Laws,
in granting the continuance in
the U. S. District Court for the
District of Columbia, indicated
that the trial of Simkins' code
PENDANTS also would be set back
to that date, unless counsel for
the latter interposed valid OBJ
jections by Monday.
Evening star., 1955-02-12
Club Owner GriIIo Gets
SUSPENDED Sentence

Vincent R. Grillo, owner of
the recently raided Lyre Club in
Hillside, Md, yesterday received
a suspended sentence for enter
ing the old Washington Lyre
Club after it was padlocked for
nonpayment of taxes.
Municipal Court Judge Thomas
c. Scalley imposed $25 fine or
30-sday Jail term, then suspended
the sentence.
Grillo, 81, of Coral Hills. Md,
was found guilty last week OF
Illegally entering the building
at 919-921 Twelfth street NV
in January, 1854.
The club. owned by the de-
fendant's wife, was seized and
padlocked by the District in
September, 1858, for nonpayment
of taxes.
The Lyre Club on Marlboro
pike was raided on January 29
and again on February l by
Prince Georges County Police
Mr.. and Mrs. Grillo were ac-
cused. after both raids, of per-
mitting consumption of alcoholic
beverages between 2 and 6 am
Evening star., 1955-02-12
Bad Check Artist
Sentenced After
Plea in 12Cases

A bad check artist, who pre-
viously had been given prison
sentences on bad check charges
in several States and Canada,
yesterday was sentenced here to
serve from 16 months to 4 years
on multiple check counts.
He is Lucien H. Benedict, So,
listed as having no fixed address,
He had pleaded guilty to an in
dictment containing nine counts
charging offenSes here and to.
three informations charging Of
fenses elsewhere.
The indictment here accused
him of causing bad checks for
$3.50, $50 and S72 to be trans
ported in Interstate commerce.
The indictment also charged
Benedict with forging and ut.
tering the three checks.
Sentence was imposed by
Judge Charles F, Mclaughlin Of
the U. S. District Court for the,
District of Columbia. Judge Nc,
Laughlin gave concurrent SEN
tences of from 16 months to 4
years on each information and
the indictment.
Benedict passed one of the bad
checks here at the Shoreham
Hotel, another at the Willard
Hotel and the third one at q
local department store.
Evening star., 1955-02-12
Military Court UphoIds
Fraud Conviction Of GI

The conviction of a Washing
ton soldier on charges of fraudu-
lently obtaining pay advances has
been upheld by the United States
Court of Military Appeals.
The soldier, Pvt. King B.
Leach, "a, of the 1900 block Of
Central avenue NE, had been
sentenced to a three-year prison
term and dishonorable discharge.
He was convicted of II counts
of presenting a false claim for
pay and of one count of i'm
personating a commissioned
officer.
The offenses took place during
September and october. 1858.
while he was in this country on
a 30-day leave from the 393d
Field Artillery Battalion at Kit
zingen, Germany.
The total pay advances OBJ
tanned by false claims was listed
as $500. Five of the installations.
at which he obtained the money
are in the Washington area. Dur
ing one of the illegal trans
actions, he was wearing corporal
chevrons on his uniform and
had a copy of his leave orders
altered to show he was a COR
poral
Evening star., 1955-02-12
Lincoln S Erront Bodyguord
Missed Chance to Be MARTYR

ganized Metropolitan Police De-
partment. He reputedly had a
wife and three children. Their
home was $50 l. street NV.
In Constant Trouble.
Police records show that Par
ker was formally charged with
misconduct of one sort or an
other on a number of occasions,
both before and after President
Lincoln's assassination. For the
most part he escaped with dis
missal of charges. Occasionally
he was reprimanded Or trans
ferred to other precincts.
But once, before the Ford's
Theater episode. Parker was
even dismissed from the force
He was reinstated before the
Lincoln murder.
They actually arrested Body
guard Parker in that case. Al
though never named in the as
sassination conspiracy. he was
accused by a police Trial Board
of neglect of duty.
The Trial Board charges were
heard May 3, 1865. Parker was
acquitted the following June 2
No testimony appears In his
dossier. No one knows on what
basis he was absolved.
His superiors might have
known that Patrolman Parker
was not a man in whom they
could place their greatest trust
In October, 1862, police records
show, Patrolman Parker while
on duty, approached the rounds
man (the sergeant who checked
on the patrol beats) in a threat
ening manner and did use to-
wards him violent and coarse
language insulting to said
roundsman and at the same
time shaking his club at him. ~
The yellowing papers Of the
Police Department carry the
record to the following March
At that time, Parker was accused
of willful violation of the rules
and regulations of the depart
ment and conduct unbecoming
an officer.
These charges stated the pa
trolman visited a house of i'll
fame while in an intoxicated
condition. has been put to bed
in said house while so intoxi-
Gated tand) has fired a pistol
out of the window of said
house."
Only a Reprimand.
Parker had a lot of friendly
witnesses, including the inmates
of the house of i'll fame, in that
case. He escaped with a repri-
mand, in which the arbiter re-
marked. ut is no part of a pa
trolman's duty to act as special
police for houses of i'll fame.
In June of '63 a Mrs. Kurtz
summoned Parker to arrest some
dlSorderly people. The response
Evening star., 1955-02-12

District and vicinity-Fair and
somewhat colder with diminish
ing winds tonight, lowest about
7 in the city and near zero in
suburbs. Tomorrow fair and
continued cold.
Maryland-Colder in east and
south tonight, lowest tempera-
lures zero to 10 above. Slightly
colder elsewhere, lowest tenn
peratures five below to five above
zero except 1920 below zero in
Garrett County. Fair except
snow f1urries in Garrett County.
Tomorrow fair. very cold.
Virginia---Fair and very cold
tonight and tomorrow. Low to-
night 1915 along the coast and
zero to eight in the interior ex-
cept zero to ten below zero in
mountains.
Evening star., 1955-02-12
BY the Associated Press

MEXICO CITY. Feb. 12.-Vice
President Richard Nixon pre-
pared to leave Mexico today for
Guatemala on the third leg of
his goodwill tour of Caribbean
countries. United States eco
nomic aid is expected to be the
top subject in his talks with
Guatemalan leaders.
President Eisenhower's former
personal plane. the Columbine
! II. was readied to take Off with
the vice presidential party for
the fight to Guatemala City this
morning.
Mr.. Nixon is expected to see
President Castillo Armas later
today.
The Vice President and his
wife wound up their three days
of official activities in Mexico
last night with officials and
newspapers applauding them for
Evening star., 1955-02-12
Few Answer Bids
To Testify Against
Harlan Nomination
BY N. A.soeiossd Press

Senate judiciary Committee
aides report "only trickle" of
responses from persons desiring
to testify against the nomina-
ton of Judge John Marshall
Harlan to the Supreme Court.
Judge Harlan, now a United
States Circuit judge in New
York, has been invited to at
tend on February % when the
committee listens In secret TO
protests against his confirnia-
tion. There are indications. how-
ever, he may pass up this
invitation.
Committee aides said more
than so individuals originally
asked to be heard. but few have
responded to invitations.
Plan Queries on Treaty.
Some committee members have
indicated they want to question
Judge Harlan about his position
on whether a treaty can over
ride State laws and constitu-
tions--a question raised in a
proposed constitutional amend
ment revived this year by Sena-
tor Bricker, Republican. of Ohio
after it was shelved by the SEN
ate in the last Congress.
Senator Neuberger. Democrat,
of Oregon told the Senate yes
terday he had received 40 or SO
identical letters from Portland.
Greg, asking him to oppose
Judge Harlan's nomination for
the sake of the Constitution of
the United States of America
and this country's free men,"
Senator Neuberger told his
colleagues he thinks "there is
an undercover effort under way
to discredit Judge Harlan with
out any reason being given for
it." He said such tactics would
influence him to support, rather
than oppose, the nomination.
| Same Letterhead.
The Senator said all the let
ters were under the ietterhead
of the Crawford g. Doherty
Foundry Co. of Portland and
that apparently some employees
are being dragooned into sign
ing the letters"
In Portland, Victor Stirnweis,
who identified himself as man
ager of the foundry company
said he sent "a basketfuf' of
letters to Washington in opposi-
ton to the Harlan nomination.
He said a letter from a Portland
American Legion post had said
Judge Harlan supports. One
World and things like that" and
asked opposition to the judges
confirmation.
At State Legion headquarters.
spokesmen reported no stand
had been taken on Judge Har-
lan's nomination.
Evening star., 1955-02-12
The Weather Here and Over the Nation

Winds-West to northwest Is
Is miles per hour tomorrow.
Road Conditions tAAA).
South-Via U. S. /: Slippery
especially on grades.
Via U. S. 30l-Scattered Slip
perry spots as far as Morgantown
(VaD bridge.
North-D. C. to Delaware
River: U. S. / and Washington
Baltimore Parkway slippery but
sanded, chains advised.
New Jersey Turnpike-Slippery
entire length, speed reduced to
35 miles per hour.
Southern New England-Sllp-
perry on Wilburcross and Merritt
Parkways.
SouthWest-Via U. S. 90: Slip
perry as far south as Lynchburg,
Va.
Evening star., 1955-02-12
Nixon Party Stuck in Elevator
In Mexico for 10 Minutes

what was called highly Sue
cessful personal visit.
Yesterday they visited Mexicos S
ultramodern University City and
much to the CONSERVATION of
their hosts got stuck for 10 min
utes in an elevator.
1T was fun" said Mrs. Nixon
after she and her husband, Am
bassador Francis White. Univer-
sity Rector Nabor Carrillo and
other university and Embassy
officials had been released. The
elecator stalled between the first
and second floors.
I'VE Just waited until they got
the door open." Mrs. Nixon said.
land then all we did was slide
out of the elevator about 5 feet
to a chair below "
Apparently overlooking caused
the trouble. The same thing
happened to a group of reporters
and photographers on another
elevator at the university.
Evening star., 1955-02-12
Tokyo-Peipinq Pact Seen

TOKYO, Feb. IL GA top
Japanese spokesman said today
Japan probably will sign a trade
agreement with Red China be-
tween April / and 8. Shozo
Murata, chairman of a trade
promotion group, said the agree
ment would be reached after q
39-member Communist China
trade mission arrives in Tokyo
in mid-March.
Evening star., 1955-02-12
Negro Talks on Lincoln
In Maryland Senote
BY the Associoted Press

ANNAPOLIS, Md. Feb. H.
The traditional speech i'll the
State Senate commemorative
the birthday of Abraham Lincoln
was delivered yesterday by Sen
ator Harry A. Cole, Republican
of Baltimore, the first Negro
ever to serve in the Senate.
He spoke of Lincoln. the
Man" and of the former Presi-
dents policy of crossing party
lines, religious lines and all other
lines" in order to be truly rep
resentative.
Evening star., 1955-02-12
By John w. Stepp

If John F. Parker had not
preferred ale to duty he might
now rank as a national martyr
instead of a discredit to WASH
ington's Metropolitan Police De-
partment.
John Parker was supposed to
have been vigilantly on the job
as White House bodyguard out
side the Ford's Theater box oc-
cupied by President Lincoln the
night Of April "A, 1865.
Instead he was next door at
Taltavull's pub. swigging the
golden bubbly.
Only a few minutes earlier
the same tavern was being
shared by the noted actor, John
Wilkes Booth. Historians say
Booth was adding whisky to the
Brandy he had been drinking
most of the day. He had a
reason.
A few minutes after both
these key figures in American
history finished their session in
Taltavull's Mr.. Lincoln lay dy-
ing. At the same time Booth
was galloping painfully into
Southern Maryland and Body
guard Parker was out rounding
up a streetwalker as a seeming
apology for having been else
where when Booth fired the
fatal shot into the President s
head.
Muffed Heroic Role.
Had Parker been at his post,
Booths derringer might have
shot him down in a hero's death,
and the President might have
been spared.
The fact that Parker was der
elict this night probably came
as no surprise to the Metro
politan Police. The department.
in fact, should have become
quite accustomed to Parker's
derelictionS, since there were so
many of them dating from the
time he joined the force in the
early war years.
| Metropolitan Police records
still in existence put the finger
on Parker's reliability.
A musty jacket labeled "Old
Ex-PersonneI' chronicles, in part
at least. the dubious career of
a man who started out as PATROL
man Parker, rose to the high
state of White House bodyguard,
and. despite the apparently
gross dereliction of April IA,
managed to remain on the force
for another three years before
final dismissal.
AS best as any one can tell
Parker was born in 1880 in
Frederick County, Va. He worked
for a while as a carpenter in
the Nations Capital, served a
brief hitch in the Union Army
and then joined the newly Or
Evening star., 1955-02-12
: Police
CONTINUED From First PAGE. ;,

NNOAAbAl0C0 GAOAu CAAot oSCo
charges Of disorderly conduct.
They later foreited $40 collateral
each on a disorderly conduct
"information"-less serious than
a formal charge.
Inspector Roy E. Blick. head
of the prostitution and perver-
sion squad Of the Morals Divi-
sion, said the incident stems
from the arrest last year Of
Margaret Johnson, 20. on a
vagrancy charge. She subse-
quently was acquitted.
The inspector said a man he
refused to name had complained
of receiving threatening tele-
phone calls. The police officer
identified the complainant as a
man who had introduced the
woman to an undercoverman in
the morals division. That led
to her arrest.
Inspector Blick said the man
began receiving threatening tel
ephone calls after the arrest, and
that policemen in the morals di-
vision also received threatening
calls.
Arrested at Auto Lot.
Mr.. Kotecki and Mr.. Celani
were arrested while at work
Wednesday at the K street lot.
Mr.. Celani said that during the
arrest. he was kneed in the groin
by Detective Smith, although he
was oqering no resistance.
Later. during questioning at
police headquarters, Mr.. Kotecki
said Detective Fochett stamped
heavily on his right foot, break
ing the big toe, and both detec-
tives began pummeling and kick
ing him when he fell to the floor
in pain.
Mr.. Celani said in his affidavit
that Detective Smith beat him
with his fists while he was ques-
toned in the same room. The
men said three other policemen
they could not name stood by
during the beating, and watched.
Applied Antiseptic.
They said Inspector Blick
came to headquarters later in
the evening and solicitously ap-
piled an antiseptic to Mr.. Ko-
tecki's scraped leg. When he
asked the men if they wanted
to file charges against the police
men, they replied that they did
not.
They said they were so fright
ened by that time that the
thought uppermost in their
minds was getting out of the
hands of police.
When Mr.. Kotecki went to
work Thursday morning his boss,
Mr.. Greenfield, was so indignant
at the extent of the injuries
that he called the FBI and
asked for an investigation. The
FBI assigned several men to
make an inquiry.
Evening star., 1955-02-12
Dance at Jewish Center

, A square dance and meeting
to complete the organization of a
club for young people over 81
years of age will be held at $50
pm. tomorrow at the Arlington
Fairfax Jewish Center. 1920 Ar
lington boulevard, Arlington.