davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1961-01-12
Police Gain Freedom
For Youth They jailed

| Frakes said. HE Is mechanic
and he said he wanted very
much to help Vern get started
again"
The Commonwealth's at
torney's office agreed to ask
County Court Judge j. Mason
Grove to drop the vagrancy
charge, and the judge obliged
when Vern's case came up
today. Afterwards, Vern left
to go to his brothers home In
Baltimore.
The youth was one of eight
children who were split UP
when their parents separated
16 years ago. police said.
II lived on a farm in Sandy
Hollow, Va. with an aunt and
didn't go to school after the
second grade because nobody
made us go to school," said
IVern.
Until a month ago he worked
in a cannery, then was laid off
1.-The landlady carried us for
o week, then she said she
couldn't afford 1t any more,
he said.
He said he would take ad-
vantage OF the offer of police
officers to go to Baltimore
What would he do?
Go to night school, / hope
I'd like to learn to read, be-
come a mechanic If possible.
know something already about
cars"
The price Of the bus ticke'
to Baltimore is being paid BY
Pvt. Frakes.
Evening star., 1961-01-12
BY JOHN LAWSON
Star Staff Writer

A half-dozen Fairfax police
men today brought about the
freedom of a 20-year-old youth
they jailed a week ago.
The reason: I'VE like him.
We think he deserves another
chance" one of the policemen
explained.
The prisoner, Vernon H.
Kerns, 20, was arrested on
Route as he was on his way
to Florida to pick oranges.
Police, who said the youth
had only IL cents in his pockets,
jailed him and a 35-year-old
C ompanion on vagrancy
charges.
On questioning. police said
they found that he had only
second-grade education. could
barely read and had not lived
with MS parents since ne was
born.
Officers were impressed with
the soft = spoken youth they
came to know as "Vern," and
kept him supplied with coffee
food and cigarettes.
I'VE decided to give him
another chance If we could,
said Police Pvt. Wayne Frakes
who arrested him. He and De-
tective Wilbur Hudson con-
tective Wilbur Hudson callet
Baltimore police who began al
intensive effort to locate
married brother.
! They found him." Pvt
Evening star., 1961-01-12
BY DANA BULLEN
Star Staff Writer

The Prince Georges County
Planning Board has decided to
change the name Of Pony Farm
road over to the protests Of q
man who runs a pony farm
there and likes the name.
Its Just isn't fair" Iddie
Shugart told the board yester-
day.
Mr.. Shugart. 40, said he
maintained the country road
himself without any help from
anybody. Until recently, he
said, it had no name.
Then, over a year ago, $500
worth of equipment was lost
when a deliveryman couldn't
find his farm on the unnamed
country road.
After this experience, Mr..
Shugart asked the planning
board to name the road SO it
wouldn't happen again. The
board has authority to name
public roads in its planning
area.
A young man from the board
! came out, Mr.. Shugart said
looked at his pony farm and
Evening star., 1961-01-12
PONY FARM LOSES
'Horsy' Road Name Sought

decided this would be a good
name for the road.
Meanwhile. back at the Of
flee. the planners sent notices
to six other families who lived
on the road telling them of the
new name. They were outraged.
Mr.. Shugart's neighbors fired
a petition back to the planners
demanding a change. The name
Pony Farm road. they said, was
ridiculous" and objection
able"
The planners checked into
the situation, found the road
was private rather than public
and told the residents to ignore
the new name. Mr.. Shugart
said he never got this message
Eleven months later. last
November, he found out what
had happened when the tele-
phone company refused to list
the Pony Farm road address.
Mr.. Shugart carried his pro-
test to the planning board.
For a year. I've used that ad-
dress" he said yesterday. If
it wasn't the proper address ]
should have been notified"
The board was sympathetic
but told Mr.. Shugart the name
didn't fit in with the alpha
Evening star., 1961-01-12

"SNOW AND SLEET might
give us some difficulties, but
they won't bother the guests.
They'll be under canvas or
the big roof from the time
they alight from their cars
in front of the Armory until
they depart"
AS everyone knows by this
time there will be three in
augural balls, at the Armory,
at the Sheraton Park and at
the Mayflower.
The youthful couple who
will have moved into the
White House on that day will
divide their time among the
rnree.
It will be interesting to
note whether the misgivings
of Secret Service will be
overcome, that is, whether
they will dance with the
throng. It's been a long time
since a President Of the
United States has graced the
dance floor.
Evening star., 1961-01-12
Apartment Bid
Hits Opposition
In Foggy Bottom

A request for new zoning to
permit construction of an
eight-story apartment building
on Twenty-fourth street near I
street NV. ran into strong op-
position yesterday from Foggy
Bottom residents.
A six member syndicate
wants to put up a 250-unit
apartment project on a $4,000
Square-foot site which fronts
ON Twenty-fourth street and
backs on an alley.
Property along Twenty
fourth street between and K
streets now is zoned for eight
story apartments to a depth
Of 108 feet. A 10O-foot back
strip. extending to the alley, is
zoned for six-story apartments.
Attorney George H. Beuchert,
jr.. representing the syndicate,
today argued before the Dis
trict Zoning Commission for
extension of the eight-story
land classification back to the
alley.
The request, however, drew
opposition from the Foggy
Bottom Restoration Association,
and others at a hearing in the
District Building.
Evening star., 1961-01-12
D. c. Moves to Protect
Riqht to Dam Potomac

The District Commissioners
have no objection to q proposal
that President Eisenhower de-
clare q 165-mile stretch Of the
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal a
national monument, with one
stipulation.
This proviso Is that such a
proclamation not preclude any
water protection moves that
might be found necessary, such
as construction Of D dam above
Great Falls.
This was the gist Of the Com
missioners' reply to a Federal
Budget Bureau query for re-
action to the proposal. it was
reported last night. Robert E.
Mclaughlin, president Of the
Board Of Commissioners. re-
fused to comment on the report
on this action.
The proposed proclamation
was sent to the White House
on the recommendation Of
Secretary Of the Interior
Seaton. 1t covers the canal
area in Maryland from Seneca,
near Great Falls, to Cumber-
land.
The idea for the executive
order is to give the strip of
land, which is federally owned,
Evening star., 1961-01-12

betical naming system used
near Seat Pleasant where the
road is located.
Even worse, the boards staff
now has suggested a different
name, a proper function this
time, because the roao recently
was made public.
Mr.. Shugart, an expert or
ponies but not much Of a
sailor said he didn't like the
suggested name-Halyard road
1T doesn't fit in with our farm
area" he argued.
The board tried 10 find an.
other horsy name. Members
mulled over several suggestions
including Horseshoe lane, Hal.
ter lane, and Horseman's lane
The name has 10 start with
the letter III"
mo, we don't want Hialeah,
a planner said. Board men,
bers found they couldn't agree
and left the choice up in the
air for the present.
We'll get a dictionary out
and look at some synonyms,
said Chairman Herbert w
Wells. Mr.. Shugart said he
hoped the board would come
up with something appropri.
ate.
Evening star., 1961-01-12
Plans Made
To Find Jobs
ForIouths

The creation Of a new en-
ployment service exclusively for
youths aged 81 and under was
announced today by the di-
rector of the United States En-
ployment Service for the Dis
trict of Columbia.
The new service. known as
the Service to Youth Office"
will serve as a clearing house
for all youths wanting full OF
part-time jobs, said Fred z
Hetzel, who made the an
nouncement at todays meeting
of the Commissioners Youth
Council.
1T will be directed toward
finding jobs for school drop
outs before they leave school.
Mr.. Hetzel said. IF we car
get the youth a job perhaps
he'll be able to stay in school.
The new office at 1724 I
street NV, is expected tt
handle 1000 job applicant.
monthly, Mr.. Hetzel said. Four
teen full-time counselors will
be employed in the office, HI
added.
He said the new office re-
places a rt-time employment
service for youth which for
merly operated under tht
Counseling Division Of USES
The Youth Council passed
unanimously a motion to pres
for the addition Of at least tw'
judges to the District Juvenile
Court when the controversial
subject comes up again II
Congress.
Evening star., 1961-01-12
Fare Raise
Challenge in
Court OKd

Two Washington lawyers
have q right to challenge in
court q fare raise granted last
March to the D. c. Transit
System. the District Court OF
Appeals ruled today.
The decision upset a ruling
handed down last September
by District Court Judge F.
Dickinson Let's, dismissing the
fare raise suit brought by the
two attorneys, Leonard N. Beb-
chick Of 706 A street Sc, and
Leonard S. Goodman of 1896
River road NV.
Judge Let's had upheld the
contention of the assistant
cooperation counsel's office that
records Of the Public Utilities
Commission here had failed to
show that the two lawyers are
transit riders or are in Other
ways affected by the P. U. c
1ruling granting the transit sys.
tenn a fare raise.
Judge Let's had held thai
the two men. therefore. die
not have standing to challenge
the fare raise in court.
However. the appellate cour'
today, with Judge George T
Washington writing the opin'
ion, accepted certification b!
the two men that they ART
transit riders and as sucf
qualify as persons entitled II
appeal"
The fare increase granted b!
the commission last Marcl
raised the cash fare for a single
trip from 20 to rs cents. bu
did not increase the token far
Of five tokens for 81.
The Public Utilities Com
mission now has under con
sideration an additional far
increase request made by D. c
Transit seeking to increase tn
token rate from S tokens TO
81 to 4 tokens for 95 cents.
Evening star., 1961-01-12
Family Escapes
Fire in Home

A Howard University archi-
lecture instructor, his wife and
daughter escaped through a
second floor window today
when flames broke out in the
kitchen Of their home at 10
Girard street NE.
Police said Joseph D. Ca
baniss and his family climbed
from the window to porch
roof and then to the ground as
the flames wrecked the first
floor of their brick row house.
No one was injured in the
blaze, which firemen brought
under control in about Is min
utes. The cause and the extent
of damage were not immedi-
ately known.
Evening star., 1961-01-12

now on cleaning streets in the
heart Of the city.
He added that q major ef-
fort will be made the night
before the Inauguration when
no cars are parked on the
streets to clean UP the inau-
guration area and parade route
viii Pay Overtime
I'VE have to concentrate our
forces during the pre-inau-
guration period" he said. Mr..
Xanten added that as a result
it will probably take a month
before some Of the sand spread
on streets in outlying sections
of the city is removed.
There will be q lot of over
time pay involved in getting
ready for this inaugural" Mr.
Xanten said. The day Of the
parade is a public holiday and
all employees who work ther
will get double time.
IF it is showing on Inaugu-
ration Day. we will have all
our men out"
He added that the last time
| 1t showed on Inauguration Day
was when William Howard
Taft took office in March
1909.
| Mr.. Xanten said that ar
rangements have been mad
so that in the event Of snow
on January 20 a battalion o
men from Fort Belvoir will ar
rive here to help remove snow
Evening star., 1961-01-12

added protection against any
detrimental use or develop
ment.
The Budget Bureau sent
copies Of Mr.. Seaton's proposed
proclamation to the District
Government and to several Fed
eral officials late last month
The Commissioners report
edly adopted their formal posi-
ton on the question during 9
closed meeting Tuesday.
Earlier. Mr.. Mclaughlin hac
said that the Commissioner,
were waiting for a recon-.
mendation on the proposal from
their staff. The White House
staff. however, apparently be-
came impatient with the time
it was taking the Commission
ers to respond. A White House
aide repeatedly. called each Of
the three Commissioners last
week end to ask for a viewpoint
on the proposal.
Evening star., 1961-01-12

Department Building. killed his
wife and wounded two men who
worked with her in the Bureau
of Ships reproduction section
in Temporary Building N be-
hind the Main Navy Building
on Constitution avenue at Nine
teenth street NV.
He then took a car, drove to
219 Florida avenue N. w. where
he cut down DR.. Gregory with
a hail Of bullets in his treat
ment room.
He then went to 2132 Flagler
place NV. the home of a long
time friend, Mrs. Cora Greene,
II, and told her what he had
done. While she called police
Pledger left, leaving one of his
two pistols behind.
He then went around the
corner to a vacant lot in the
100 block of w street where he
fired a bullet into his head as
police were closing in.
Capt. Hartnett said that DR.
Gregory had been charged with
performing a criminal abortion
on three occasions in the past
two years, but the charges were
dropped.
Evening star., 1961-01-12

said the guard, John Pledger,
40, had complained to police
last March that DR.. Monroe G.
Gregory-one of yesterdays
victims - had performed an
abortion on his wife, Zelma.
During the subsequent in
vestigation, Capt. Hartnett
said, Mrs. Pledger admitted she
knew the doctor but denied
that she had undergone an
abortion. The case was dropped
Two months earlier, during
court proceedings in which Mrs.
Pledger was granted a limited
divorce, Pledger made the
same charges, which were en-
phatically denied under oath
by both the woman and the
doctor, Capt. Hartnett said.
Halcott A. Bradley, who rep
resented Mrs. Pledger in the
divorce proceedings, said today
that Pledger once threatened
ITO kill everybody in the case. F"
That occurred during a re-
cess in the divorce hearing on
January IL, 1860. Mr.. Bradley
said.
During yesterdays wild. So
minute shooting spree, Pledger
a General Services Administra-
tion guard at the Main Navy
Evening star., 1961-01-12
Serious Crime
Rises 3 Pct.
Here in 1860
Total Hits. 21,159;
Increases Noted
In All Cotegories

There was an 8 per cent in
crease in serious crimes COM
mitted in the District last year
over the 1859 total, according
to a Metropolitan Police report
submitted to the District Com
missioners yesterday. 4
The number of so-called
part 1"-or serious-offenses
during 1860 totaled 21,159-a
jump Of 1923 or S.3 per cent,
over the previous IL months.
There were increases in all
eight of the crime categories.
With one exception, there
has been a crime rise each
month over the comparable fig
ure the previous year since
1859. The exception was last
July when the number of seri-
GUS offenses dropped by less
than / per cent under the to-
tai for July, 1859.
The report completed the
calendar year statistics with
the figures for December-a
total of 1911 Part / offenses.
This total reflects an increase
Of "a offenses, or 1.9 per cent.
over the December 1859 figure.
Police officials noted that
the "low percentage increase
for December is the first les
sening since July in the rate
of the current upward trend Of
crime"
In the report, police said they
could not yet tell whether the
December figures point toward
a general abatement Of crime
in this city" or merely result
from the criminals staying in
because Of the extreme weather
during part of the month.
The 1859 and the 1860 fig
ures for the crime categories,
with the percentage increases.
are:
Criminal homicide, from 90
in 1859 to 104 last year, up lib
per cent; rape, LA to las, up
Z per cent; robbery. 1.104 to
/ 500. up 45.7 per cent; aggra-
vated assault, 2,898 to 3,014, up
4 per cent: HOUSEKEEPING, 4,247
to 4,619, up 8.8 per cent; grand
larceny, sol to 985. up % per
cent: petty larceny. 8,173 to
1851, up as per cent, and auto
theft, 2,071 to 2,132. up 30
per cent.
Asked to comment on the 8
per cent crime rise for the year.
Commissioner Robert E. Nc
Laughlin said that the best
answer is getting more police
men on the street and that the
first step towafH this goal is
being carried out in the current
recruitment drive to mi vacar1.
cies on the force.
Evening star., 1961-01-12
Two Join Bourd
Of New Hospital

William T. Reed, Washington
representative for Standard Oil
of Indiana, and Harry Curtis,
vice president of the Curtis
Bros. Furniture Co., have been
named members of the board
of trustees of the Southeast
Community Hospital Founda-
ton.
They replace two trustees
who recently resigned.
The board, in announcing
its new members, said nearly
a million dollars has been
raised for the hospital to be
built on a 20-acre site in
Southeast Washington.
Evening star., 1961-01-12

NOWADAYS wealth is
more democratic. When the
DuPonts or the Firestones
give big parties they want to
ask more than 1000.
"One thousand guests
would crowd any home to-
day, so they expand their
floor space with a tent or
two. We've done work for
both families.
THE biggest tent we ever
set up in Washington was
for a royal reception, Queen
Elizabeth and Prince Philip.
1t was not quite as large as
this, l2,50O square feet as /
remember it. And it was in
the summer.
I'VE can provide a waxed
hardwood floor for dancing,
If that is called for.
This temporary annex to
the Armory will be for re-
freshments. These plywood
sections of flooring will be
covered with the green wool
carpeting you see the men
unloading from our truck
over there.
There are the center
poles (pointing in the other
direction). The tent will be
26 feet high along its entire
26O-foot length. 1t will be
8 feet high at the walls.
do you see that machine?
(He pointed 10 What looked
like a small piledriver)
That's a stake driver.
That work used to be done
by roustabouts swingin g
sledge hammers in the old
circus days.
I'VE will have 40 gas stoves
with fans in 40 cabinets
along the walls. Well get
the temperature to 10 and
keep it there. You'd be sur
prised, we don't lose much
heat once we get things
warmed up.
"As I understand it the
guests will come out the west
door of the Armory and pass
the length Of the tent as they
are being served champagne
and cake-no extra charge
then will pass through a
tented tunnel to the south
that will lead them back into
the Armory by another door
Evening star., 1961-01-12
The
Rambler
Finds
Cunvus Does Ii
BY GEORGE KENNEDY


At the Armory the other
day for a preview of the auto
show, the Rambler came
upon workmen laying an
extensive floor of 4-by-8-foot
plywood sections, out-of-
doors at the west end of the
building.
"It's for the inaugural"
one of the men said.
Just then Leo J. Fogarty
OF the Capital Awning Co.
came along.
Were putting up a tent"
said Mr.. Fogarty, ito increase
the floor space of the
Armory.
"This addition under cam
vas will be so by 260 feet
$4,000 square feet or more
than a quarter Of an acre.
1--WE are agents for william
H. Vanderherchen of Fhila-
delphia in this. It's their
equipment. They erect these
tents for big parties all over
the country. Frank Fitz-
patrick, their representative,
is here. Would you like to
meet him."
Mr.. Fitzpatrick, a short,
dark, broad -shouldered man,
came up and agreed that
January 20 would be a great
day for the Irish.
Il think this is probably
the largest winter job we've
ever erected" he said.
"Of course, we have
nothing to compare with the
Ringing big top. But that's
gone forever-something for
oldsters to try to make their
grandchildren believe.
But there is still a de-
mand for these temporary
enclosures on the part of
people who entertain in a
big way.
You remember Mrs. Will
liam Astor could only invite
400 to dance in the ballroom
Of her Fifth avenue home.
Evening star., 1961-01-12
Suffrage Proposal
Gains in Maryland
BY a Star Staff Writer

BY Star Sta1I writer
ANNAPOLIS, Jan. IL. A
Maryland resolution ratifying
the Constitutional Amendment
giving District of Columbia res
idents the right to vote for
President and Vice President
was approved today by the Sem
ate Judicial Proceedings Com
mittee.
The legislation already has
been given preliminary ap-
proval in the House of Dele
gates and is expected to get
final action in the House today
or tomorrow.
The resolution probably will
be taken up on the Senate floor
within the next two or three
days.
Evening star., 1961-01-12
Leaders Back Plan
To Split 5th District
Four Proposals
For Its Division
Now Under Study
BY PAUL HOPE
Star Staff Writer

ANNAPOLIS, Jan. 12.-Gov.
Tawes and Maryland's six Dem
ocratic Congressman agreed in
formally last night that the
States new congressional dis
trict should be created by di-
viding the big 5th district Of
Southern Maryland.
This would mean a separa-
ton of Prince Georges and
Anne Arundel Counties, the two
big suburban counties in the
5th district.
If the General Assembly ap-
proves this plan, the only prob
lem remaining is to decide
which small counties to COM
bine with the big one in max
ing two districts.
Gov. Tawes said after a
three-hour meeting with the
Congressman and other top
Democratic leaders Of the
State that a specific redistrict-
ing plan probably will be pre-
sented to the General Assembly
in about two weeks.
Montgomery Plan Out
Although the Governor would
not make a definite statement
on the agreements reached last
night, it was clear that a
plan proposed by Montgomery
County legislators was out so
far as the administration is
concerned. The Montgomery
delegates have introduced leg
islation that would create the
new 9th district from Mont
gomery and Howard Counties.
Four plans were discussed
last night. Each would remove
Carroll County from the I'd
district and put it in either
the 5th or the new 9th. Each
plan also would add the nine
precincts of Baltimore City
which are now in the 5th to
the, Sd congressional district
Of the city.
DIo re TInIa, CAuL,,
Here are the four plans which
are under consideration:
l. Create the new 9th District
of Prince Georges, Howard and
Carroll. This would make the
5th consist of Anne Arundel,
st. Mary's. Calvert and Charles.
2. Prince Georges, Charles
and st. Mary's would be the
new 9th. Anne Arundel, CAL
vert, Howard and Carroll would
be the 5th.
3. Prince Georges and Charles
would comprise the 9th. Anne
Arundel. Calvert, st. Mary's,
Howard and Carroll would be in
the 5th-
4. Prince Georges, Calvert. st.
Mary's and Charles would be in
the 9Th. Anne Arundel, Howard
and Carroll would be in the 5th.
The fourth plan is favored
by Democratic leaders in Prince
Georges on the grounds that
Prince Georges and the three
southernmoSt counties have the
most regional community of
interest. Prince Georges would
be the dominant county in any
arrangement, however.
Evening star., 1961-01-12
CoIumnist to Talk

Drew Pearson, newspaper
columnist, will speak on Ken
nedy Foreign Policy-A Look
at the Future" at 1880 pm. to-
morrow at the International
Student House, 1925 R street
NV.
Evening star., 1961-01-12
D. c. Cleaning Streets
For Inauguration Events

District government officials
have launched a drive to clean
up the city for the presidential
inauguration January 20.
Frederick w. Mallon, super
intendent Of the District hous-
ing division, said today that in
spectors have been assigned to
spur the cleanup drive in the
Capitol area.
I'VE also have inspectors
working around the White
House and in areas near hotels
and apartment and rooming
houses where visitors will be
staying" said Mr.. Mallon.
I'VE hope that everyone will
clean up his property for the
inauguration because we will
have visitors here from all over
the world"
AZ Inspectors on Job
He said that a total Of 4.
inspectors have been assigned
to urge property owners to picl
up trash and litter in thei
yards, remove piles Of ashe
and fix dilapidated fences.
Mr.. Mallon said that prop
erty owners who do not CO
operate will be given a sum
mons to report to the corpora
ton counsel's office. He adde's
that the office can take tn
case to court, II necessary.
william A. Xanten, super
intendent of the District santa
ton division, said that hi
street crews are concentratin