davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1961-03-13
Kidnapped by Suitor,
Widow Returns Here

A 39-year-old Bladensburg
widow, who was kidnapped by a
rejected Suitor at her home
last Saturday night, returned
to Washington today by train.
Detective Capt. Wilson j.
Purdy said the woman called
police after her return about
6 am.
She told Capt. Purdy the
man had pulled a gun on her,
threatened her life and forced
her to accompany him.
Capt. Purdy declined to re-
veal where the man took her,
saying the investigation was
being pressed for the suitor,
He said the woman was not
harmed during the trip.
The woman, who police said
had been driven home by her
escort about 1890 pm. was
identified as Mrs. Ruth B.
Walls, of 1921 Kenilworth ave-
nue..
Police said the escort, James
I. Gibson, of 224 G street NE,
was walking with Mrs. Walls
to her door when a man ap-
peared at the side of her house
and ordered them to halt. He
then fired two shots at Mr.
Gibson, but missed, according
to police.
Two additional shots were
fired at Mrs. Walls, but she
was not hit.
The assailant then took
Mrs. Walls to his car and drove
away, a witness reported.
Evening star., 1961-03-13

units was only is per cent of
It's total, the smallest for any
Of the four regions.
The North Central area, the
Middle West and the Plains
States. had $4,000 "dilapi-
dated" units, many of them
found in large cities like Chi
cago, and "a million "deterio-
rating" ones, 18 per cent of
the regions 1853 million units.
Owners Lead Renters
The West-which has received
most of its population in re-
cent years-had $4,000 "di-
lapidated" units and IL mil
lion "deteriorating" ones, total
ing Is per cent of its 9.5 mil
lion units.
Owners seemed to have bet
ter homes than renters. Close
to 80 per cent Of all homes oc-
cupied by owners were classi-
fled as non-dilapidated and
containing all plumbing facili-
ties.
One out of every four renters
lived in an unsound unit.
In the District, one of the
worst areas was census tract "A
"a stretch bounded by Seventh
street and Rhode Island, New
Jersey and New York avenues
NV. 1t had the most "dilapi-
dated" units-340-of all the
city'S 100 tracts and 871 de
teriorating" ones. The total
Of 1,211 unsound units was 81
per cent of all units in the
tract. G
Evening star., 1961-03-13
MEN ABOVE AVERAGE
First-Aiders Ever on Run

that he had recently been in
the hospital for pneumonia.
Although the firemen sus-
pected the man wanted a bed
and meal. he might have been
really sick. So off he went to
DC. General Hospital.
Then there was a woman
with an epileptic fit at Juvenile
Court. There's always at least
one epileptic," Pvt. Dakin said.
The call had come in at 2::35
and by ESQ the woman was at
Casualty Hospital.
BY late afternoon, the eve
ming rush hour was on. Snarled
traffic compounds the problems
Of the ambulances. Even in
normal conditions, a certain
percentage Of drivers pay no
heed to the siren and flashing
red lights. Others apparently
panic when an emergency
vehicle approaches and always
seem to pull into the path of
the ambulance instead of out
Of it.
At 4:37, a call came from
the Coast Guard building, 1900
e street NV. A woman ci-
william clerk had fallen down
stairs and cut her leg badly.
AnyOne's Guess
After the leg was bandaged,
the woman was on her way to
Casualty. The ambulance was
back In service, ready for fur
ther duty by Asst pm.
At 8 pm. the ambulance
was turned over to Pvts.
Charles L. Underwood and
William w. Harrison. They
would be on until 8 in the
morning 1t wasn't long before
they were off to pick up an old
man lying in the street at Mad
ison and Ninth streets NV.
Filthy. wet, reeking of gin and
ranting incoherently, he was
taken to D. c. General.
Then back to the firehouse
to wait for the next one, have
supper and drink coffee.
Evening star., 1961-03-13
The
Rambler
Tries To
Overcome Prejudice
BY GEORGE KENNEDY

A harbinger was a person
who ran ahead of his lord
ships carriage and arranged
for his accommodation at the
inn.
So within the strictnesS of
the early use of the word, it
must be accurate to refer to
the circus press agent as a
harbinger of spring.
One stopped in the other
day. His name was Joe Shea.
He was advance man for "the
1851 edition of Ringing Bros.
and Barnum & Bailey Cir
Gus"
He was a nice chap, new
on the job; didn't know a lot
about the history of the big
top and was a bit apolegetic
about it.
But he got his message
across. You all know, don't
you, that this 1851 edition"
will open at the Uline Arena
on Wednesday through Mon
day, March 20?
The prejudice? The Ram
bier is going to attend. He
hasn't got his tickets yet
but he has hopes.
He's going to attend, and
he hopes he gets over the
idea that a circus isn't a cir
Gus If it isn't under canvas.
This isn't going to be easy.
Evening star., 1961-03-13

AOuSILlS uLl1CS,, lo,4o1 are Qes
teriorating" and 3,87O are "di-
lapidated." This means about
10 per cent are considered un-
sound by the Census Bureau.
Despite the large number of
unsound dwellings, Census Of
ficials say housing conditions
for the Nations population i'm
proved significantly in the last
decade.
The total number Of units
increased from 46.1 million in
1850 to 58.3 million in 1860, a
q per cent increase. The popu-
lation as a whole only increased
about 1875 per cent. -
SOuth's Upkeep Lags
The South, which has the
largest population by region,
also had the most housing
units-17.2 million. But much
of the South's housing was in
poor condition in 1860, the re-
port indicates.
More than Is million units
in the South were listed as
"dilapidated," more than half
of the national total. The
South had 80 million "deterio-
rating" units. Its total of AZ
million unSound dwellings rep
resented 27 per cent of all its
units.
The Northeast, includin g
New England and the Middle
Atlantic States. had 14.8 mil
lion housing units, Of which
only All 900 were "dilapidated, I"
and IL million "deteriorating. "
Thus its number Of unsound
Evening star., 1961-03-13

Meanwhile, Mr.. Gibson dis
covered a fire under the front
porch of the Walls home and
extinguished the blaze with q
neighbor's garden hose,
Police said the incident was
not reported until 7 am. Sum-
day, by a man identified as
a relative Of the missing
woman.
A lookout was broadcast for
the asSailant, who, police said,
was believed to be armed with
a 90 caliber revolver.
Evening star., 1961-03-13

years. He has been on 8-1-A
for six months. Pvt. Dakin,
%, and a veteran of four years,
has also been with the ambu-
lance for six months.
Only is minutes of the shift
had passed before they were
off and running.
A man was bleeding back
of Magruder's Grocery, 113a
Connecticut avenue NV.
After a brief. rapid. ride
through the morning rush hour
traffic, the ambulance reached
the scene. The aidmen were
told by the man, whose nose
was bleeding profusely. that he
had undergone minor nasal
surgery two days before and
that the wound had then been
cauterized.
Rainy Day
After first aid, the man was
transported to George Wash
ington Hospital. Time: 8:35
am.
At 900, a call came again
Eleventh and F streets NV
No details. A woman had
fallen in the doorway Of q
streetcar.
The woman was conscious
when the ambulance men ar
rived and in a preliminary ex-
animation no fractures were
apparent. Placed on stretcher,
she was on her way to Casualty
Hospital by 9:12.
BY mid-morning, the earlier
drizzle had become q driving
rain, but the traffic was fairly
light. Pvt. Nicholas speculated
that it might be a light day for
the ambulance, II enough people
stayed in out Of the rain.
The ambulance calls are not
all for tragedy victims or the
critically Ill. At l:l9 pm, a call
came from the Central Union
Mission, 613 c street NV.
Down In the basement, a man
was leaning against the wall.
He told the aidmen that he was
having difficulty breathing and
Evening star., 1961-03-13
BY RUPERT WEIGH
Star staff Writer

A derelict with the DTS, a
woman with q fainting spell, a
man with q nose bleed that
won't stop. AL have one thing
in common. They are in the
city-they need help-emergen-
cy help-and they have no one
to turn to.
But as it is some 5000 times
o month, throughout the city.
the needed help is on the scene
within minutes. It is provided
by the District Fire Depart
ment's emergency ambulance
service.
The department has seven
ambulances and an eighth is
operated by Casualty Hospital.
Ambulance No. / is typical. Des-
ignated 8-1-A in department
code, it is stationed on Twelfth
street NV. betweeen q and H
streets. A day with 8-1-A is a
busy one.
According to Capt. Harry c.
Winters. commander Of the fire
house, which also houses Res
cue Squad No. / and Engine
Co. No. 2, the ambulance crews
and the rescue squadmen are
hand-picked, the cream Of the
Fire Department.
Early to Start
These men are not only top
firefighters, but they have to
have a little bit more. They
have to know q lot about first
aid and they have to be able to
think through q variety Of sit
uations. The ambulance men are
out there on their own and they
frequently have to make i'm
portant decisions" the captain
says. "They have to be men
above the average"
One day recently on the
8 am. to 6 pm. shift, S-1-A
was manned by Pvts. Ernest
Dakin and Frank w. Nicholas.
Pvt. Nicholas, 30, has been q
! fireman for five and q half
Evening star., 1961-03-13
Mems Club to Meet

Lee c. White, assistant spe-
cial counsel to the President,
will address the Mems Club of
Tifereth Israel Congregation at
$3.50 pm. Wednesday in Cher
ner Auditorium, Sixteenth and
Juniper streets NV.
Evening star., 1961-03-13

1T ALL MAKES him feel a
little old. He recalled the
succession of circus press
agents who have reminded
him Of the coming Of spring.
Oh well, what's wrong with
another spring?
All would have been in
suited to be termed public
relations men. They knew
what was important - the
press.
There was Frank Braden
with the gravelly voice and
the boater hat. Call it what
you will, a skinner, a sailor
the hat that Maurice Che
Waller wore when he sang
Louise"
Frank would wear it In
February If the circus was
to open in March.
And there was Beverly
Kelley, the intellectual, who
wrote q very interesting his
tory of the circus in America.
Before that there was Les
ter Thompson and the great
Dexter Fellows or Fellowes.
He didn't mind how 1t was
spelled.
They will all yield the
palm to Dexter Fellowes. He
was the most successful
press agent since PhineaS
Taylor Barnum. Dexter was
a modest man given to litotes
rather than hyperbole as the
rhetoricians termed what we
now call understatement and
gross exaggeration.
All the best newspaper
writers in New York would
Jump into the breach to
make up for Dexter's obvious
inadequacy. Edwin C. Hill OF
the Sun, Alva Johnson Of the
Times and Beverly Smith OF
the Herald Tribune would
vie with one another in put
ting fantastic exaggerations
into Dexter'S mouth.
Evening star., 1961-03-13
LEGISLATORS Await
Highways Report
Rood Progress
In Maryland
To Be Outlined

ANNAPOLIS, Mar. 13 (AP).
Maryland legislators this
week will get their first full
report on the progress of an ac-
CELEBRATED road building pro-
gram they authorized last year.
Officials Of the State Roads
Commission will outline the
progress made so far in the
five-year program, a revamping
aimed at speeding construction
of certain major highways at
the expense of less travelled
roads. .'.
Commission Chairman John
B. Funk said last May an esti-
mated $72 million worth of in
terstate and primary highway
projects would be advertised for
bids during the current fiscal
year. A joint session Of the
House Ways and Means and
Senate Finance Committees
will learn tomorrow night how
much of this has been accom-
plished.
Future AS Well As Past
In addition to reporting the
progress of the past two years,
a regular biennial report, Mr..
Funk will set forth prospects
for the immediate future of the
primary and interstate roads
program.
On Wednesday night, Mr..
Funk will report on the spend
ing Of some So million this year
on secondary roads and will
outline where the secondary
road system most needs i'm
provement.
The emergency legislation
enacted last year gave the SRC
authority to ignore the original
12-year roads program and pour
its funds into rapid completion
of main highway links. But
some SO million a year was
reserved for secondary roads
and what areas are most in
need.
Regional Meetings Held
Since enactment of the speed
up program, which emissions
completion of some 400 miles
Of major roads, the SRC has
hheld four regional meetings de-
signed to give planners and
private builders preview Of
commission plans.
The legislature begins hold
ing night sessions this week,
in addition to its afternoon
meetings, and the SRC reports
will be held after the evening
adjournment of both houses.
At 4 pm. Thursday the hear
ing spotlight will swing from
roads to racing as the two fl
nance committees take up all
racing proposals before them.
One Of these bills, the recon-
mendations of a study commits
sion, would authorize the three
mile tracks Bowie, Pimlico
and Laurel-to increase their
40 days Of racing to so each
if they buy other tracks.
Limit Transfer Of Days
Two others would limit trans
fer of half-mile track days
among the present five halfers
or to one of the four harness
tracks.
One of the bills also would
set up the possibility of Balti-
more Raceway holding 36 nights
of thoroughbred racing. Pimlico
and Laurel are on record
against this proposal.
Still other measures would
create a new commission to
regulate the harness sport and
to prohibit any racing in De-
cember, January and February.
In another hearing this week,
the Senate Finance Committee
will consider a bill that would
remove any doubt as to the
validity of the 1860 amendment
to the State constitution pro-
viding for a special assessment
for farm property.
Evening star., 1961-03-13
Douglas Sees
Housing, Aid
Bills in Peril
Rising Opposition
To Kennedy PIon
Cited at PurIey

Senator Douglas. Democrat
of Illinois. said today that
mounting opposition to the ad-
ministration's housing and de-
pressed areas program could
defeat them in this session Of
Congress.
Senator Douglas was Joined
by Representative Rains, DEM
ocrat of Alabama, chairman Of
the House Subcommittee on
Housing Of the Banking and
Currency Committee, in fore
casting a rocky road for q hous-
ing bill.
Both men cited the loss Of
about 20 House seats by Demo-
cratic Representatives last fall
as q factor in the fight shaping
up this year. Those defeated
favored such programs as pub
lie housing and urban renewal,
they noted.
The two men addressed the
National Housing Conferences
30th annual meeting in the
Statler Hilton Hotel.
Message From Kennedy
The conference is composed
Of individuals, labor unions,
consume groups, welfare
groups and others interested in
housing.
President Kennedy sent
greetings to the session and
called for the active support"
of its members.
Together we share the de-
sire for vigorous action in meet
ing the housing and urban re-
newal needs Of our country"
the President said. "Your con-
Structive leadership all across
the land means much in turn
ing that desire into achieve
ment."
Even Mr.. Kennedy's support
for both housing and depressed
areas bills will not smooth their
passage. Senator Douglas be-
lieves.
The depressed areas bill
would bring new industries into
the parts Of the country that
are hard hit economically.
Because Of the opposition
we're running into I'm not too
confident Of its success" Sen
ator Douglas said.
The United States Chamber
of Commerce, the National
Association Of Manufacturers.
big money, big business, big
newspaper groups in the Ma
ton" are Gaiping their guns
on the bill, he declared.
The bill is now called the
area redevelopment bill because
there was some objection to the
term depressed area"
Euphemisms like this are Q
flight from reality, Senator
Douglas observed.
Cabinet Agency Backed
Bipartisan support for the
creation Of q cabinet-level
agency for urban affairs was
voiced by speakers participating
in the meeting.
Senator Keating, Republican
Of New York, said a Department
of Urban Affairs is necessary to
provide q Single, coherent
approach to the tremendous
challenges that face our cities"
He cautioned against at
tempting to wrap up all aspects
of urban affairs in one depart
ment but said q new agency
should have at least primary
responsibility in the fields Of
urban renewal, public housing,
mortgage finance. community
facilities, city planning and
mass transportation.
Mr.. Rains predicted that such
a cabinet post will be approved
by Congress this year.
Senator Harrison williams,
Democrat Of New Jersey, urged
the creation of an urban affairs
agency that would regulate
urban sprawl" as well as down.
town blight.
Last Thursday President
Kennedy advocated the cre-
alton Of a Department of Dr.
ban Affairs as part Of a ma
tional housing progrm involv-
ing some % billion in new
programs.
His proposals were indorsed
at last nights business meeting
Of the housing conference.
Evening star., 1961-03-13
Census Reports Fifth
OfU.S.Homes Unsound
10 Per Cent of Units in District
Listed as Deteriorutinq or DiIupduted
BY BERNARD GWERTZMAN
Star Staff Writer

Nearly out of every five American housing units is
in unsound condition, Census Bureau report shows
preliminary study released today reveals that 84 mil
lion Of the 5S3 million housing units classified
riorating' and million "dilapidated"
In the District the situation is better Out of 262641
Evening star., 1961-02-09
AU Announces
10 Scholarships

American University has an
nounced that 10 scholarships
of $l00 each are available for
students to attend the interna-
tional summer school this year
at the Neurological Institute
in Monterrey. Mexico.
The summer session, created
by a Carnegie Foundation grant
to 10 participating institutions,
offers American students the
experience of living in a
Spanish speaking community
and learning the language at
its source.
The course will run six weeks,
from July is through August
Is. Cost Of the session will be
$3.50 including tuition, room,
meals, medical care and other
expenses. To be eligible, the
applicant must be enrolled at
an accredited college or uni
verSity, or be a high school
senior who has studied Spanish
and been accepted for college
in the fall Of this year.
Evening star., 1961-02-09
Woman Receives$1, ,149,
Rejected $12, ,500in Suit

A District woman who once
turned down a $12,500 settle
ment has ended up with only
$1,149 after a Municipal Court
judge finished splitting up a
$4,500 judgment among doc
tors. lawyers, and others.
Originally, Mrs. Ruth Fisher,
SO, of the 100 block Of Ninth
street NV. sued for $150,000
in District Court for injuries
received when a plate glass
window fell three stories and
hit her on the head.
Defendants were Mr.. and
Mrs. Albert Small, owners Of a
building in the TOO block of
Seventh street NV, and the
Apex Decorating Co.. which
was painting part Of the build
ing.
Mrs. Fishers case was trans
ferred to Municipal Court and
tried in February. 1859. A jury
awarded her $4,000. It was
at the time the largest verdict
in the courts history.
However, the verdict was sci
aside in April, 1859, by Judge
Leonard P. Walsh, who agreed
with defense attorneys that the
award had been "unreasonably
high"
Mrs. Fishers lawyer, Joseph
Evening star., 1961-02-09
IRnHal
(0irlSl
4 4 4 =

Critics have pointed out that
these tests are too simple to be
a true measure Of physical fit
ness. And the AAHPER admits
they're not the last word.
1--WE know the tests are not
perfect" says Louis Means of
the AAHPER, "and we hope
better tests will be forthcom-
ing. -
1T is possible to pass the
tests with flying colors and die
Of heart attack the next day.
The tests won't tell you whether
Jou are fit or unfit, but only
how you stand in comparison
with the national average"
Experts list several reasons
why American youth fares so
badly in comparison with other
youngsters in physical fitness.
For one, life today does not
require the physical activity IL
did only a comparatively few
years ago. This is more true
in the United States than in
any other country.
American youngsters ride in
stead of walking. They have
few home chores that require
physical exertion.
More and more, they arei
turning to spectator sports.
Where boys used to play sand
lot baseball or football, they
now curl up before a television
set and watch the professionals.
InterscholaStic athletics
Little Leagues, Pee Wee Hocke%
and Biddy Basketball aren't the
answer, many experts contend,
Only a small percentage of the
youngsters are good enough to
play in them.
What's to be done?
The answer, say officials Of
the AAHPER, must be found in
well-balanced school physical
education programs, with the
emphasis on the individual stu
dent rather than the school
teams.
And. the officials add, the
picture isn't all bad.
"Cities like Cincinnati; Flint,
Mich; and Redwood City,
Calf, among others, have de-
veloped good programs and the
youngsters there score well
above the national average.
THE same can be done any
where. once the American
people know the facts and de-
mand a change"
y 4
The accepted definition Of a
physically fit person is zone
who has the physical where
withal strength, endurance
and skilD to get through the
normal days activity without
undue fatigue and has enough
left over to meet emergency
situations that might arise"
Evening star., 1961-02-09
First Graders Studying
Geometry to Learn 3 RS

COFFEYVILLE, Ala, Feb. 9
(AP).-The 90 first-grade pu-
pills in Coffeyville Elementary
School are studying geometry
even though they can't read
or do arithmetic.
The 6-year-olds are being
taught geometry so they'll have
q foundation for arithmetic,
which they'll never study at all.
It seems they will acquire the
three RS" as they are exposed
to lines and angles.
Principal James L. Kornegay,
jr., shocked the PTA when he
announced last year that first
graders would study geometry.
The youngsters are now in
the second week Of courses de-
signed to last about two years.
Even though some Of them
can't pronounce geometry"
correctly, they know a right
triangle. an acute angle and
an obtuse angle when they see
one.
Mr.. Kornegay says he first
heard Of the experiments being
conducted at Stanford Univer-
sity in California.
"The one thing I remember
Evening star., 1961-02-09
Angry Chorus Greets
Castles ScoIping Ban

WINDSOR, England, Feb. o
(AP) The dean of Windsor
has ordered the Gentlemen
Choristers of Windsor Castle to
stop scalping their tickets to
the annual parade of the
knights Of the Most Noble Or
der Of the Garter.
The Order of the Garter Is
one of Britain's most exclusive
groups. headed by Queen Eliza
beth II and including members
of the royal family and the
country's most eminent states
men and soldiers.
Once q year-usually in June
the knights parade in their
rich robes and floppy hats into
st. Georges Chapel, behind the
ancient gray walls Of Thames
side Windsor Castle, for a serv-
ice honoring new members Of
the order.
The procession is one Of Brit
aims most distinguished cere-
monials, and the general pub
lie is not admitted. But in re-
cent years camera carrying
tourists from Britain. America
and elsewhere have crowded
windows Of the cloister across
from the chapel to watch the
procession Of richly robed
knights.
The outsiders got there by
Evening star., 1961-02-09

He had a reputation as. a sharp
queStioner on the committees
Civil Aeronautics Administra-
tion and Commerce Department
subcommittee when Republic
can administration officials
were on the stand.
Mr.. Preston drew the ire Of
slot machine operators in 1850
when he introduced a bill curb
ing the interstate operations
in the industry. He reported
receiving telephone threats
after introducing the legisla-
ton.
In 1854, he figured in u
Senate Banking Committee in
vestigation Of the Federal Hous-
ing Authority which indicated
that Mr.. Preston had been a
silent partner in a profitable
FHA : mortgaged project in
Savannah. .r
But Mr.. Preston maintained
that There was not one Fed
eral dollar involved. and there
was no guarantee of any loan
by the Government" Senator
Capehart, Republican of In
diana, and chairman Of the
Banking Committee. later said
he did not see anything illegal
in Mr.. Preston's role.