davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1956-12-12

Clarence E. Watson. jr.. 23-
former Pentagon shoe
shine boy. was convicted late
yesterday by a District Court
jury Of the July S. 1858. duckpin
Staying Of Miss AIyce o. Taggart.
The jury deliberated about 2
hours and 20 minutes in reaching
its verdict. for which the death
penalty is mandatory. Watson
took the verdict calmly.
Judge Alexander Holtzoff, who
presided at the trial. set Friday
Jas the date OF sentencing. The
trial was Watson's third for the
|offense.
Actually. Watson. a Negro. was
tried on three first-degree MUIR
der counts. On one Of these.
which charged first-degree mur.
der through premeditation. the
jury found him guilty Of the less
er charge Of second degree.
The second-degree finding is
practically meaningless because
the jury convicted him on the
.first-degree charge on a count
which accused Watson Of Staying
Miss Taggart. 45-year-old Gov
.ernment secretary. while trying
10 rape her.
Acquitted on Two Charges
The jury acquitted Watson
on a third charge which accused
him Of Staying Miss Taggart in
her room in SCOTS Hotel. 2lO0
block Of o street NV, while
he was perpetrsting a house,
breaking. The jury also sc-
quilted Watson on a house
breaking charge.
HighlightS Of Watson's trial.
which began December 3. in-
eluded testimony BY police that
Watson had orally confessed 20
them that he hit Miss Taggart
with the duckpin. found IN her
room. 70 stop her from scream-
ing and that he lad sexual
relations with her sfterward.
Watson also explained on the
scene hoE the crime was COM
mitted. Il was testified.
Watson testified he vas struck
by a detective during question
ing but this was denied BY the
Evening star., 1956-12-12

congress ana declared:
1--WE hope to comment favor
ably on Affirmative action taken
by cooperating municipal agen-
cies, and we trust that such re-
port will reflect considerable
praise for your efforts in aggres-
sively attacking and substan-
TALLY overcoming the major tran
sit problems of the CITY,"
He told District Commissioner
Robert E, Mclaughlin:
I'VE find it extremely difficult
to reconcile the vagueness and
tone of your letter with the
understanding which we thought
we had reached with you in con-
ference of last week, wherein we
had the impression that you
were making available imme-
diately approximately $4,000 as
a start for the program of con-
structing shelters"
d. C. Asks Details
Mr.. Chalk asked the District
to construct shelters at numer-
Gus strategic transfer and termi-
nal points and was told the Dis
trict might be abe to spend UP
to $4,000 on sucn a progam i'm
mediately. The Commissioners
however, wrote him, asking more
precise details on the l6 locations
Mr.. Chalk suggested.
Mr.. Chalk asked the Commits.
sioners to assign appropriate
members Of your staff on a work
ing level for discussion with oul
Representatives" to determine
exact locations. structural de-
sign, size ETC., BY Joint inspec-
ton. :"
Mr.. Chalk asked for further
parking restrictions on downtown
F, @ and Seventh streets NV
1T was extremely disappoint-
ing to encounter a complete neg
ative on the part of the Office
of the Director of Vehicles and
Traffic" Mr.. Chalk wrote to Mr.
Mclaughlin.
"One of the movements of We
hicular traf11c which causes ter
rife Sfaety hazards and gene.
rates traffic delays is the con.
ltinual cruising and maneuverine
of automobiles for parking
spaces, thus forcing other We.
lhicles to the car tracks because
of the narrow roadway between
such tracks and parked automo.
biles. We do not believe the sit.
uation should be allowed to reach
a point where a bottleneck oc.
ours before remedial action 4
taken"
Advised on Policy
The Commissioners have .tolC
Mr.. Chalk their policy is to elm.
mate parking wherever it inter
feres with traffic.
Mr.. Chalk renewed his plea TO
establishment Of lanes reserved
for buses only on at least foui
downtown streets. In addition Il
H street. between Fifteenth stree
me. and Massachusetts, avenu,
NV. he asked that they be in
lstituted on Thirteenth street N
wv. from E street to New Yorl
avenue. and on Eleventh stree
INV. from E street to New Yorl
avenue.
I'VE are willing to limit tn,
use Of these curb lanes in flov
direction in rush hours only,
Evening star., 1956-12-12
Clues Sought in Theft
or 5000 Piled Bricks

Alexandria police today are
seeking the thieves who hauled
3. 900 bricks from q storage yard.
The bricks we're stacked on the
ground Monday night In the
United Clay Products Co. yard
at Duke street and Diagonal
road but we're missing yesterday.
None Of the company's trucks
was missing. nor had they been
moved during the night.
4 company spokesman said u
would take a 2-ton truck 70 move
the bricks and quite a while
70 load the truck.
Evening star., 1956-12-12

returns to the cellblocks. The
gavel lifts and fails. the judge
rattles off the sentences and the
revolving door keeps spinning.
For years Deputy Police Chief
Howard v. Covell has been cam
Ipaigning to rewrite the drunk
law.
He cites its failure to stop
drunkenness. 1t imposes a load
on jurists and all the other court
workers who process the papers.
1t wastes the time of policemen,
who are in court when they could
be on the beat. 1t fills the work.
house with men living on tax
dollars.
Hard on LabOrers
Deputy Chief Covell said the
existing law strikes particularly
hard at a certain class of labor
ers. They assemble mornings at
points were contractors come to
pick up work crew for a days
work. If the laborer is in court.
he cannot attend the shape up, i"
so he misses a days work.
The deputy chief says a large
percentage of repeater drunks
would be out working for them
selves If they weren't caught in
the revolving door.
He proposes that police be
authorized to bring drunks into
the cellblocks and leave them
there until they are sober. But
he would remove the require
ment that all drunks be booked
on a misdemeanor charge. A
sobered-up drunk could be
turned loose without posting coll
lateral or going to court. He
could go to work instead of the
workhouse.
Officers at the precinct level
would be empowered to turn a
drunk loose or take him to court
Cases needing disqualification
would be taken to court, via the
usual route of booking the drunk
on some charge.
But ordinary drunks could be
turned loose the next day. That
would detour them around the
courts. reduce the docket load,
free the arresting officers from
testifying and cut down on the
jail and workhouse population.
Lighter Views Elsewhere
Some other large cities do not
regard drunkenness in itself an
offense serious enough to war;
rant even a misdemeanor charge
Some of these communities lock
drunks up overnight for safe
keeping" or protective custody"
Evening star., 1956-12-12

Cincinnati's acting police CHIEF
agreed.
Waiver System Proposed
Chief Covell believes that
"a drunk's constitutional rights
could be insured by a waiver oi
court proceedings when he is
sobered.
"If he signs, it's proof he
doesn't want to go to court,
Chief Covell said. IF he wants
to go to court. we could book
him and let him go before a
judge"
Drunkenness is no offense in
itself in New York City. But il
police there can't get a drunk
home and he needs locking up
he can be charged with vagrancy
or disorderly conduct. Once
booked. he must post collateral
or appear before a magistrate
Oficers concede a drying -out
process might turn cellblocks
into hotels. But that would be
cheaper than the existing prac-
tice of using District Jail and
Occoquan as hotels for guests
who linger longer. The average
cellblock inmate would receive
only one meal. costing the Dis
trict 80 cents.
2S-Day Average
Drunks who make it to Dis
trict Jail or Occoquan stay an
average of % days each SEN
tence. Many of them put in most
of the year at either the jail
or the workhouse.
Donald Clemmer, director oi
the Corrections Department, saic
1t costs $2,86 per day per in
mate to keep people locked up
The drunk population on ar
average day figures out to about
900 at Occoquan, 80 in the Won.
ems Reformatory and 100 in the
District Jail.
Mr.. Clemmer warns that ont
cannot multiply inmates times
average cost and arrive at 6
close figure of the money the
District spends on jailed drunks
Much of the S2.86 would not bt
saved by freeing the Merry An.
drews. A good piece of thai
money would be spent on guards
electricity and facilities. which
would still be needed for felon,
even if the drunks were turned
loose.
But there Is no doubt a sub.
stantial saving would result from
altering the present drunk law
Mr.. Clemn1er is in favor of re.
writing it. He condemns tht
Ipresent system as a failure.
Evening star., 1956-12-12
District Authorities Face Problem
In Dealing With Repeater Drunks
By RICHARD RODGERS

One of the most irritating
problems confronting police,
Municipal Court and jailers here
is the question of what to do
with repeater drunks.
Authorities familiar with the
District system of handling the
matter are convinced it is wrong
Night after monotonous night
the year around. repeaters are
hauled stumbling into precinct
cellblocks. The same old faces
keep reappearing in Municipal
Court for another sentence
Treatment Of drunks in this city
has been compared to a revolving
door. Repeaters just go around
and around between the bottle,
the cellblock, the court, the
sentence and, upon release, back
to the bottle and another cycle.
Policemen, judges and appar-
emily everyone else concerned
with the problem are agreed the
present formula accomplishes
nothing. Instead, it cutters the
court docket. wastes the time of
policemen called to court and
burdens the taxpayer with a
whopping financial load.
| A routine night in the Central
Cellblock, at the 1st precinct,
lis a dreary repetition of thou
sand other routine nights.
$40 Dividing Line
In the average course of
Idrunks' affairs, $40 is the magic
dividing line between a drunk
who is a court problem and a
drunk who is a problem only
until he sobers up.
Repeater drunks seldom have
$50 or anyone willing to throw
away $40 on them, since they
Iare bound to be back on the
same charge again.
The law provides for collateral
to be set as high as $100. But
anything above $40 must be ap-
proved by the precinct captain.
Ten dollars is the standard.
The District has two statutes
on drunks. They are conflicting,
but they operate side by side.
One treats alcoholism as a
disease and requires it to be met
with medical care.
The other is the one that de-
fines public drunkenness as a
misdemeanor requiring arrest
and penalties. 1t is this one that
packs the courts, Jail and work.
house.
39,5O6 in Year
Last fiscal year, policemen
here entered 39,506 cases of
ordinary drunkenness on the
blotters. Those were drunk cases,
lin public space, which were
not complicated by additional
Iofenses. The prisoners were
merely drunk-not drunk and
Idisorderly, or drunk while driv-
ing a car.
Some of the prisoners were
under arrest for drunkenness
for the first time.
The first offender is no great
burden upon the courts. He
usually is employed and. when
sobered up. can post collateral
and not appear before a judge.
The monotony of the roster of
Idrunks is obvious in the statistic
that from 500 to 800 repeaters
accounted for 5000 to 5000 Of
the total of cases.
Some of them were committed
to disqualification.
Predict Own Return
But a great many more were
lparaded through the revolving
door. There are repeaters who.
upon their release from Occo-
guam. warn their keepers not to
disturb their tool kits because
they intend to return promptly
for another stretch on a drunk
conviction.
They are the old-timers. the
wretches who stagger before the
judge time and again until he
comes to recognize them.
Their performances in NUM-
pal Court are as trite as the
Evening star., 1956-12-12
Chalk Letters Open
New I ronsit Battles
Seek Early Action on Shelters
And Downtown Parking Limits
By HECTOR MCLEAN

Laying about with verbal shieagh D c. Transit System
owner O. Roy Chalk has challenged Georgetown residents battle
administered blows to the District traffic director and laid
down warning to the Commissioners themselves.
In series Of letter to the city yesterday Mr.
Chalk noted that the will make periodic reports
Evening star., 1956-12-12
Street Scenes

Young boy in cowboy garb
talking with an equally young
sari-clad girl as both waited
in line with the White House
tourists. -.
Evening star., 1956-12-12
Thrifty

Five young ladieS-Our
informant says they ap-
peared to be Government
girls on their way downtown
to work were seen in an
auto on Connecticut avenue
the other day, practicing
economy.
As they drove along. they
were passing one lone Gig
arctic from one to another,
each taking a single puff
before passing 1t along to
the next.
Evening star., 1956-12-12
CONVENTIONS
TODAY

The American Nuclear So
ciety winds up Its business
at the sheraton-Park Hotel.
Evening star., 1956-12-12
Climbers

This happened to a former
Federal Bureau of Investiga-
tion man and a lawyer, and
the two of them probably
could have explained If any
police had happened along,
but luckily the cops didn't.
The ex-FBI man and his
family, returning to their
home in a Bradley boulevard
apartment after a visit to
friends in Virginia, found
themselves locked out of their
second-fioor apartment.
The man recalled a lawyer
friend in the apartments had
a ladder.
While the lawyer steadied
the ladder, the locked-out
unfortunate climbed to the
second-fioor window and pried
OF a screen. As he began
crawling in the window he
noticed something wasn't too
familiar. Small wonder. 1t
wasn't his apartment.
He scrambled down hastily,
made his own place on the
second try, and the next day
headed his neighbors of from
calling the cops by explaining
how their bedroom window
screen happened to be off.
Evening star., 1956-12-12
Cruze

A fellow we know stopped
In at the Fairfax County tax
Office recently to make him
self right with the govern
ment.
He laid down his check
for some $500. got his re-
ceipt, then stood waiting
expectantly.
"Was there something
else?" the clerk asked.
Where" our friend in
quired, his eyes wide with
innocence, "are the trading
stampS?"
He says his shinS still are
sore where his wife kicked
him.
Evening star., 1956-12-12
The
Rambler
Don't Get Crushed
In Christmas Rush
By JACK JONAS

Someone was saying the
other day that something
ought to be done to keep a
good volume of business in
the downtown area.
: Whoever it was obviously
hadn't tried to walk along F
street the past few days, and
anyone who has tried 1t
would never be convinced that
any business problem exists.
The annual, maddening
crush is with us. One lady
shopper said she tainted in
the middle of the sidewalk
and had to walk two blocks
before she could fall down. A
man reported the best way
he'd found for getting through
the mob was to lift his feet
and let himself be carried
along.
1t isn't quite as bad as the
inaugural reception of Andrew
Jackson. Nobody is standing
on the chairs and sofas in his
muddy boots, and nobody is
bowling over the walters
carrying punch and glasses,
as they were then.
But even though the only
things the shoppers are bowl
ing over are their budgets and
one another, they all must
know how the hero of New
Orleans felt as the mob at his
reception all but crushed him
against the White House walls.
One fellow said he had con-
sidered hiring a tiger from
the Zoo, buying a good strong
leash, and taking the beast
with him to clear a path on
his shopping trips. But, being
an animal lover, he recon-
sidered. He was fearful, he
said. for the life of the tiger.
The only suggestion that
can be offered here is that the
shopper adapt for his own use
the tactics of the waiter who
had difficulty getting a tray
of coffee through a crowd of
guests at a party. His shouts
of Hot coffee!" did no good.
But the guests Immediately
made a wide lane for him
when he began shouting Hot
coffee! Nervous waiter!"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-19
BY ERNEST b. VACCARO
Associated Press STAFF 'vriser

CHICAGO, Aug. l8.-Harry S
Truman went home today, a
smiling but dazed figure. rele-
gated to a secondary role in the
party in which his very name
was magic.
The former President. the
give EN- hell" campaigner of
l948, left behind him the new
forces which guide the Demo-
Gratis and will set the pattern of
the November election campaign
He had gambled his reputa-
ton as a political magician in
one mighty but ANONYMOUSLY
unsuccessful blitz attempt to
seize the party's reins from Adlal
Stevenson.
Averell Hartman Of New York,
for whom he had attempted a
fight that was lost before 1t even
started. accompanied him to the
Dearborn street station as ne
boarded Sante Fe train to 20
back TO Independence and lick
his wounds. preparatory to do
ing battle again.
Now, the 72-year-old Missouri
tigers foe is the Republican par
IS But his arena will not be OF
his own choosing. Mr.. Stevenson
a former Governor Of Illinois. will
be calling the shots and debating
the strategy
Mr. Truman accepts it thai
way He fought and he lost
and as regular party man. hi
will accept the verdict of the
Democratic National Convention
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-19
.92-Degree Heat
F utul to Woman:
Rain Due Toduy

Yesterdays above-90 heat was
responsible for at least one death
a woman who collapsed in a taxi.
cab and died three hours later.
The woman, Mrs. Nellie E
Cole, 80, colored, of 1912 Forty.
eighth street N E., hailed the cal
about 4 pm. at Fifth and +
streets NE. The official tempera-
ture at the time was 90. Tht
days high was SO degrees al
ASS pm.
En- route to the address. Mrs
Cole became unconscious. The cal
driver took her TO Casualty Hos.
pital, where she was treated fol
heat prostration. At tbs pm.
she was pronounced dead. The
body was taken to the morgue
A high OF about 90 is forecast
for today. Scattered thunder.
showers are due in the Afternoon
and evening.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-19

the reaction OF Southern delega-
lions. This morning. a group OF
six Southern States caucused pri-
|vately, discussing the possibility
of disassociating themselves from
the statement on civil rights and
submitting a minority report OF
their own.
At this stage. at least. it ap-
pears to be a limited rebellion
One of the Southern committee
men has expressed his firm dis
inclination to carry the fight to
the floor of the convention after
the platform is presented Tues
day.
This, however, will depend or
how the minority report. il
forthcoming, is phrased. An ag-
excessively worded statement
might well precipitate fireworks
on the floor. A more moderate
one might serve to smooth ovel
the issue while saving feeling:
of the Southern members.
Leaders Silent on Plank
Convention leaders here are
still being cloSe-mouthed about
the actual provisions of the
platform plank. The executive
committee on resolutions viii
present the result of its WORK
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-19
Eisenhower Sturts
Drafting Speech
For San Francisco

The White House said yester-
day President Eisenhower has be-
gun work on the speech he'll
make to the Republican conven-
ton next Thursday accepting
the party's presidential nominal
ton for the second time.
James c. Hagerty. Mr.. Eisen-
Ihower's press secretary. disclosed
the start of work on the ac-
Iceptance speech, He said he
didn't know whether the Presi-
dent will keep at it over the
week end.
Mr.. Eisenhower will fly to the
convention in San Francisco
next Wednesday and remain in
California for four days of va
cation after he addresses the
Il. o. P. delegates.
Mr.. Hagerty was asked If he
lis sticking to his prediction that
the party will renominate Vice
President Nixon.
II leave that to the conven-
tion," he replied.
For the second time this week,
Mr.. Eisenhower played Is holes
of golf at Burning Tree Country
Club in suburban Maryland yes
terday. He got started early to
avoid the afternoon heat.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-19
$2,324 Average Income
Ranks DC. FourthinU.S

The District of Columbia, with
incomes averaging $2,324 pei
person--not per wage Garner
was fourth ranker of the States
in relation to income last year
The Commerce Department
reported yesterday that the
leading State in per capita in
come was Delaware-home Of
the du Points - with S2.513
Others in the top bracket were
Connecticut, S2.499: Nevada
81. 434; New Jersey, $2,311; Cali.
fornia, $2,271; New York, $2,263
and Illinois. $2.257.
At the bottom of the list wa!
Mississippi. with $946.
Maryland ranked twelfth witt
81 .99l. a 2 per cent rise. Virginia
was thirty-fifth with $1,535. a
per cent rise.
In the country as whole thu
5000 billion in personal income
in 1855 was 7 per cent above the
1854 total.
The Department said the per-
sonal income of Americans rost
to new records in almost al
regions and in most States
Strangely. the State with the
biggest percentage gain ovel
1854, and the only four State;
which showed income drops were
all farm States.
North Dakota made the big.
gest percentage gain-16 pei
cent. 1t was attributed to the
strong recovery in farm income
with a big increase in wheat
yields. after several years de.
cline.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-19

point. Rather he would seek some
way of assuring that Egypt's &C.
ton would not be harmful to
the world in general. Egypt s
sovereign rights will be protected
he said.
Outlines Requirements
A solution. Mr.. Lloyd said,
must do three things. First. it
must provide payment for stock
holders. Second. it must COM
mand support and confidence of
those nations with technical skill
to run the canal. And third, it
must free the canal from politics
that is set up an international
body to operate the waterway.
The task of this conference ne
said is to confirm unanimously
certain principles and then
transmit these principles speedi-
ly to Egypt. Another conference
OF several score nations, as sug-
gested by Russia and Egypt
would obviously not be speedy,
Mr. Lloyd said.
The task for the conference
See CONFERENCE, Page AS
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-19
MODERN YOUTH
WILLING TO HELP

FAIR SHARE-Althoush most teen.
oseS eomploip obout such chores os
mokine beds, moving the lawn ond
woshins dishes. they feel rs only fair
thot they pull their lood os port Of
the fomiIy. Eugene Gilbert Of The
Gilbert Youth Reseoreh Co. gives
youths views on the subject in on.
other in o series Of articles on young
people on Poss 40.
THE AGING coURT-Todoys su.
pfsme Court is not o poriieUlofly
young one. Phil Ysoser and John
Stark report IN their column, Low IN
the News. The ne1, presiden, moy
be called on 10 fill o number Of Va.
eoneiss, they soy on poss Ala.
NEW TRANSIT soss-For on in.
sishi into the ploni and background
Of o. Roy Chalk, president and boaf1
ehorman Of the b c. Tronsit System,
Inc, see Hector MeLeon's feature on
Psse All.
Complete Index. Pooe Az
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-19
UNIONS SET UP
I'M HOTEL SUITE
OF 8 BEDROOMS

SAN FRANCISCO, (P).-
A suite containing eight bed
rooms was ready when Vice
President Nixon and his wife
arrived at the Mark Hopkins
Hotel Saturday for the Re-
publican National Conven-
ton.
The Nixon suite included
the entire southwest wing of
the hotels eleventh floor. 1t
also contains two living
rooms, two dining rooms.
three Offices and a security
ofiice-@all done in oriental
motif.