davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-03

1.-The father of the cherry
bomb" refused to testify on
grounds he might incriminate
himself.
But staff aides said more
records of Mr.. Semel's APP
parently abandoned operations
in Brandywine, Md, and in
the District are under subpoena
by the subcommittee and
should be delivered to the
Capitol Monday.
Already records handed over
by Mr.. Semel on the eve of
hearings have disclosed ship
ments of the potentially lethal
bombs to Florida, Georgia, New
Jersey, Ohio, Connecticut,
Maryland, Virginia and the
District, where sale is unlaw-
full.
Nearly half a million cherry
bombs were sent to North
Bergen, N. j., between January,
1861, and February, 1862, the
records show.
Delivery Banned
A Federal law bans delivery
of explosives for transporta-
ton into any State which pro-
hibitS sale.
State laws vary. Fireworks
termed safe and sane" are
sold legally in the District and
in some parts of Virginia. But
Maryland permits the sale of
no explosives more powerful
than paper caps.
Mr.. Semel tried to patent the
cherry bomb in 1861.
The device is about the size
of a golf ball. 1t is covered
by cherry-colored plastic. A
short fuse looks like the stem
of a cherry.
Defamation underwater can
kill a man within 10 feet, Sem
ator Dodd said.
AS his investigation pro-
ceeds, Virginia officials are in
quiring into the possibility that
a swimmer at Lake Bancroft
was killed July 10 by an I'M
derwater explosion of such a
bomb.
Il think it would bother your
conscience" not to give the
subcommittee helpful informa-
ton, Senator Dodd told Mr..
Semel.
The Senator said he could
not promise that Mr.. Semel
would go scot-free" if de-
velopments showed he had
done something wrong. Testi-
mony might get the distributor
into "a little trouble" Senator
Dodd acknowledged.
Points to Injuries
But. the Senator asked, what
is that compared with the
tragedy of a child losing an
eye from a bomb explosion?
Watching the hearings was
16-year-old Randy Berkeley,
whose right eye patch was a
reminder Of a cherry bomb ex-
plosion that partially blinded
him July 4. He is the son of
Marine Col. Randolph Berkeley,
of Mclean. Va.
Senator Dodd found "signifi-
cant" identical markings on
plastic casing of Mr.. Semel's
bombs and on fragments of a
bomb from the box which con-
tanned the one that blew out
the right eye Of the Berkeley
boy.
A subcommittee investigator
traced at least one cherry
bomb purchase in Woodbridge,
Va. to a supplier who used the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-03

same delivery system a Mr.
Semel.
Investigator william C
Mooney said 200 boxes Of
cherry bombs were confiscated
by Virginia police from prop
erty of M. E. Sullivan. Mr.. Sui
Ivan was identified by another
man, Ashton Shifflett, as his
brother-in-law, the investiga-
for testified.
Carolina Plates
Mr.. Shifflett indicated he
had bought the bombs from 9
man in a new, light-coloreo
Cadillac with North Carolina IL
cense plates, Mr.. Mooney testi-
fled.
Earlier, the subcommittee
had heard that fireworks
brought in" to States by Mr.
Semel were delivered in a Ca.
dillac convertible with South
Carolina plates, in a dark blue
Cadillac sedan or in rented
trucks.
Subpoenaed shipment state
ments from Mr.. Semel showed
delivery by truck from Capita
Fireworks Co., Inc, listed al
both Brandywine and at zoe
c street Sc, and from Car
mine
Staff aides interpreted the
"Carmine" to mean Camrine
Mercolino, who repeatedly oper-
ates Delaware First State Fire.
works Co., Inc, at Elkton, Md
Mr.. Semel's manufacturing
plant at Brandywine was closed
In November, 1862 by Maryland
Fire Marshal j. c. Robertson
Isn't it a fact that after
you took Mr.. Semels license
away that he had First Della
ware do his manufacturing fol-
him?" Senator Dodd asked Mr.
Robertson. Isn't that just q
device to get around the law?
Legal Sales Claimed
Mr.. Semel always claimed his
products were going into wide
open States" where sales are
legal, Mr.. Robertson replied.
Senator Dodd said he would
call Mr.. Semel's record "un-
savory."
An absolute and uniform bar
on fireworks sales in the States
was urged by both Marshal
Robertson and Lawrence r
Wolff, Prince Georges County
Fire Marshal.
People travelling into Mary
land can buy fireworks al
stands set up at Union Station
and at the District line," Mar
shall Wolff testified. This para
lyzes enforcement Of Mary
lands blanket prohibition.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-03
MEMO FROM THE EDITOR:
One Word That Reshaped
Our National Defense

SECRETARY McNAMARAS MAGIC WORD-Even his
critics concede that Robert s McNamaras mana
gerial genius made him true master Of the
Defense Department. On Sunday The Stars Mill
tary Affairs Writer Richard s. Fryklund discusses
McNamaras secrets Of leadership for the most
complex organization in the world. Find out about
the one magic word that's the key to McNamara's
management method, in The Stars This Week
Magazine.
GUSHING WAKES USHER IN REGATTA SEASON
With earsplitting thunder and breakneck speed
Washington'S hydroplane regatta season has got
ten under way; its climax, the Presidents Cup
Regatta off Hams Point is Just few weeks away
SUNDAY The Star Magazine brings into play the
long reach Of a telephoto lens to catch some dra-
matte closeups Of those fast and furious power
boats in action. The accompanying story lists
where and when this years area boat races will
be held and shows a simple way to make Specta-
tors scoreboard.
IT'S THE ITALIAN SEASON" WITH THE INTERNA-
TIONAL SET-Ths summer many socially promi-
nent personalities from both sides Of the Atlantic
are mentioning in Italy. Society Columnist Betty
Beale this Sunday reports from Florence and
Rome on who's there, what they are doing and
why Italy is so much in vogue right now
Phone Lincoln $4,000 for Home Delivery
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-03
To Hear Tuwes

Maryland high school stu
dents attending the fifth an
nual Youth Traffic Safety
Conference at the University
of Maryland will hear Gov
Tawes and Alfred L. Moseley
research associate in legal
medicine at Harvard.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-03
March Chairman
Sees D. c. Apathy
Cherry Bomb Records
To Speak for SemeI
Fireworks Duto on Brundywine Plant
Expected to Be Delivered Monday
By GRACE BASSETT
Star Staff Writer

The developer Of the plascshe cherry refused to
testify before Senate subcommittee yesterday aides
said they bringing records that expected
themselves
Fireworks distributor Bernard j. Semel who has been
described by Senator Dodd Democrat of Connecticut
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-03
Septic System
Proposals Hit
InMOnfgOmery
Opponents Score
Revisions Asked
In Zoning Plan

|
Revised septic tank proposals
for Montgomery County, de-
signed to encourage extension
of public sewer systems, were
attacked last night as a black
door approach" to five-acre
open space coming.
The comments came during
a three-hour public hearing on
ordinance revisions drafted by
an advisory committee to the
county planning board. About
s 0persons attended the session
held by the county council in
Rockville.
Blair Lee III, committee
chairman, said the proposals
were drafted on the premise
that public sewers are the
only safe and sure solution to
the sewage needs of substantial
subdivisions"
Large subdivisions with sep
tic systems should be discour-
aged because, if allowed pre-
maturely, landowners will re-
sist the extension of public
sewers, Mr.. Lee said. Soil and
other studies show the average
life of septic systems in Mont
gomery is no more than 10
years, he added.
Limitation Urged
The committee urged that
areas not within the five-year
sewer extension program of the
Washington Suburban SAM
tary Commission be limited to
five acre lot development. Most
rural land now can be devel-
oped In half-acre lots if the
soil is suitable for septic tanks.
AS an alternative. the COM
mittee proposed that develop
ers be allowed to build on half
acre lots within Is per cent or
on. Is acres of a tract, which,
ever is larger. Parcels served
by a natural water line could
be developed on 20 per cent of
the total tract or 20 acres.
"This sounds like a back
door approach to the five-acre
open space zone," said Coun-
Gilman Jerry T. Williams.
81 agree five acres has a bad
connotation-make it four or
six if you want" Mr.. Lee re-
piled.
A five-acre open space zone
was proposed by the Montgom-
cry Planning Board last year,
but rejected by the county
council. Planners recently in
dicated they are going to shelve
the idea.
Health Problem Denied
John w. Neumann, another
advisory committee member,
said he fought the open space
zone as much as anyone, but
this involves public health and
the only solution Is sewers"
E. Brooke Lee, father of the
committee chairman and own
er of up-county acreage, said
Montgomery has no health
problem The proposals are un-
fair and unnecessary because
health department regulations
already offer adequate protec-
ton, he said.
Were fighting mad over
five acre zones" declared
George Lechlider, president of
the county Farm Bureau.
Charles Her, a Darnestown
resident who plans to develop
260 acres, said the proposals
are like telling a storekeeper
he can sell only is per cent of
his merchandise"
"Dry" Lines Suggested
The Montgomery Citizens
Planning Association urged that
no development be allowed
in the five-year sewer extern
sion area until mains are in
stalled, and that the dry-sewer
requirement apply to areas not
anticipating mains for 5 to 10
years.
Committee revisions were in
dorsed by the Suburban Mary
land Homebuilders Association,
and county and State health
officials.
The hearing record will re-
main open until october 81.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-03

Mrs. Jamison's class COM
prised mostly junior primary
students-pupils who were old
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-03

for three of the youths, objected
to the courthouse cherry bomb
test because he said it was
conducted IN entirely different
circumstances" than existed at
the lake.
Mr.. Grimsley's widow testi-
fled that her 8-year-old daugh-
ter was unhurt by the cherry
bomb the youths threw toward
the group swimming at Beach
four of the lake, although the
bomb exploded only three feet
from her.
Suffered Head Wounds
Mr.. Grimsley drowned after
he received severe head in
jurieS while trying to chase the
boys who launched the cherry
bomb. Fairfax County police
have not determined how he
received head wounds.
Detective Sergt. Charles Baes-
gen told the court of the boys
activities on the lake the night
Of July Is. He said they
launched the bomb with a
slingshot, then padded their
canoe to another area Of the
lake and tossed two other
cherry bombs near a house
along the shore.
Judge Grove kept the testi-
mony from including circum-
stances surrounding Mr.. Grim
sley's death, at the request Of
Attorney L. Jackson Embry,
counsel for the fourth boy. The
judge ruled that the hearing
should concern only the dis
charge Of the cherry bombs.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-03

wants a budget proposal drawn
up to carry on the program
next summer.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-06-02
Opening Shot Puzzles
Biography Viewer
LETTER OF THE WEEK
Mountain Know-How?


Paul Henning, writer Of the Bever-
ly Hillbillies, is surely one of those
modern Voltaires referred to by AL
Capp in his recent speech here, and
the Clampetts, Candies, besting the
hypocrisy. gold-digging. confidence
tricks and other human foibles they
encounter in that best of all possible
worlds, Beverly Hills, with tolerance
and charity, plus q little know-how.
The program is keen social satire, full
Of wit. with delightful folk lore and
fantasy. always In good taste. :.
I could quote for hours, but you'd
have to see Granny's song and dance
(Hullaballoo) In the recent episode
featuring Jim Backus-sheer genius;
the beautiful Christmas card scene of
Ellie's farewell to her pet deer. (And
how about ''Freda" as an appropriate
name for her pet eagleD Granny's
two-minute scene-which might have
been belabored into a whole program
teaching courtesy to Thruway mo-
florists at the point of a shotgun,
For folk poetry-"the moonlight, mid
night newt-hunt." Pearl, on "Sas-
siety"-"Oh, don't try to change the
rules, Just play the camel"
Aside from the outre Jethrine, who
seems to have quietly disappeared,
could YOU possibly give one concrete
example Of what Is so Objectionable
about this program? Mrs. A. M. B.
II these are the v0lues you discern
In the shotO, and you enjoy 1t, and
it's No. IN the ratings, tOhGt do you
tOGat from me? Beverly Has and
the CIGmpetts as represented IN
the series-GTe both cartoons. Hon.
eUeT. as VoItaire also said, that's
Sam VoltGire. you're entitled"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-06-02

and TV Critic Bernie Harrison
tUfH do his best to GnStDer Ques-
tons. Please keep letters brief.
Pen names tOtu be used If desired.
Notes: Addresses of networks:
NBC, 30 Rockefeller plaza, NeU
York 20; CHS, 4S5 Madison Avenue,
NetD York %, ABC, z West Sirty-
sirth street, NetD York %.
On the program, Biography Mon
day. WTOP-0 would you please
tell me who are the six people whose
pictures appear at the beginning of
the show? Also, viii these be the
people whose biographies viii be
shown?
enjoyed the two-part biography
Of Harry Truman and hope the rest
Of the series win be equally enter
tanning and informative. Phyllis s.
This Is not "netD'' program. II
has been running all season. The sir
pictures at the beginning are of
Biography subjects iDho may haze
already been done. Write to WTOP
here for further attenuation.
What happened to the Andy VII
liams show? There have been moth
ing but repeats for over q month.
Bob p.
Andy's series-tR sponsor trouble
all season finished early and NBC Is
filling In by repeating.
80
We loved Dinah's shows this season
and the last one was excellent. We'd
really like to see more such pro-
grams presenting talent that Is
young and topnotch. Is it really true
that Dinah is quitting? T. r. Family
What Dindh Is quitting Is the
series 0rtnd-dt least for a season.
Should the right special property be
presented, it's possible ned see her
occasionally merit fall.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-04-15

had lost contact with the sub
marine.
Comdr. Hecker said he heard
the sound of air going into
Thresher'S ballast tanks for 20
to 30 seconds, which he de-
scribed as "a fairly long time"
Hecker testified his ship and
Thresher met April 8 for shall
low test dives.
During that day he said he
noted a discolored area in the
sea near the stern of Thresher
and notified her commanding
officer Of it. At the latter's
request he investigated the
area and reported to Thresher
that he had concluded 1t was
due to a muddy bottom dis
turbance.
He said Thresher and Sky
lark arrived at the deep diving
area, some 900 miles east Of
Cape Cod, where the CONT
mental shelf slopes off suddenly
to great depths.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-04-15

hour to water not far below
the surface in the Threshel
disaster area.
1t has also become known
recently that below the Gull
Stream is a commencement, but
how swift it is in this region,
or at what level located, are
secrets Of the sea. Maybe it is
stronger than Trieste's maxi
mum speed.
At best, under these circum-
stances, Trieste would find the
search difficult. Without all the
luck anyone is entitled to ex-
pect, the search would be
fruitless.
And finally, If the needle is
found in the haystack, and II
Trieste can locate it in some
manner, and If she can maneu-
yer close enough to take pic
lures, there is still a big "if."
Full Of water and lacking the
ability to trim, the ruined sub
marine is probably lying on its
side. The odds that the frac-
tured side is down, buried for
ever in the bottom ooze. are
$3.50.
II under the most happy set
of circumstances Trieste does
get photos Of the correct side,
that will be the ultimate that
can be done. There Is no pos
sibility Of getting to that depth
to handle the vessel-unless q
special ship Is designed and
built as scientists Of the Ma
tional Academy Of Sciences
urged three years ago be done.
This would take years.
What would the pictures
show? With luck, something
discernible as wreckage, but
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-04-15

last wednesday, lnreSner mess
aged:
Experiencing minor prob
lem E. Have positive angle i.
Attempting to blow"
He testified he then heard
the sound Of air rushing into
Thresher's ballast tanks, and
with that noise, the sound of a
voice with another message.
Completely CARRIED
But it was completely garbled,
he said.
He said the voice he heard
seconds earlier sounded very
relaxed. as If discussing a
normal circumstance"
In answer to questions by
the court, Comdr. Hecker, skip
per Of the submarine rescue
ship Skylark, said he did not
recall that the final message
used the words "up angle" as
other members of the Skylark
crew testified last week.
He said 1t was at that point
he had his hydrophone man
ask Thresher "Are you in con-
trol?"
When there was no reply,
he took over the microphone
and repeated the question three
times without a reply.
Comdr. Hecker testified that
his concern at the moment was
for his own ship.
He said that the last position
of Thresher before that was
only 3.400 yards from Skylark,
and he had some fear that the
submarine night collide with
his ship as she surfaced.
IT didn't realize time was
going so fast" Comdr. Hecker
testified.
Sound Of Air
He said it was l0:40 am, an
hour and a quarter after the
garbled m ssage, that he
dropped explosive signals to
advise Thresher to surface, and
at 11:04 am. He sent a mes
sage to the submarine control
headquarters ashore that he
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-04-15

certainly not as clearly or as
closeup as the average news
paper photo of an airplane
wreck.
And one does not need to be
a CAB safety examiner to sense
the impossibility of diagnosing
a plane wreck from a 'front.'
page news photo.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-04-15
THRESHER
THRESHER
Hunt Is Like Findino
Needle in Hoystock
Continued From Page All

OOAS@C0 AAOAu 0SO M
was rammed by a tug at Port
Canaveral, Fla, last year and
later repaired here in the YES
sells only visit to her nominal
home port" will have to be
looked at from the point Of
view of damage done and re-
pairs made. The re-closing of
openings made in Thresher's
pressure hull in recent over
hauls at Portsmouth, N. H..
win have to be reviewed care
fully.
But all this will serve only
to compile a record: 1t will
not serve to pinpoint what act
ually happened.
AS the Civil Aeronautics
Board can testify, there is no
substitute for a look at the
wreckage. What is more, there
is no real substitute for actually
putting the wreckage back to-
gether again. .
Conceivably the first-a look
can be obtained. If Navy
ships now. charting the area
by sonar can find Thresher
8,000-plus feet down, and If
the bathyscaph Trieste can To-
cate the hulk, it is possible that
some telltale photos can be
made.
Needle in Haystack'
But these are tremendous
"ifs." Capt. F. A. Andres, COM
modore Of the task group on
the scene. told this reporter
that the sonar search was a
needle = In the : haystack af-
fair" If the bottom $50 miles
off Cape Gods elbow had been
mapped adequately before the
wreck, it might be possible to
find q newly-added terrain
feature" by comparing newly
made maps with the earlier
ones.
But this is not the case. On
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-04-15

one actual sounding within five
nautical miles Of the assumed
grave" of Thresher. It shows
an indicated depth of 8, 100 feet.
The USS Hazelwood, which
dropped a buoy nearby on Sat-
urday morning, registered a
depth of 8,112 feet on its faith
ometer. The difference between
the two readings is 10 feet
greater than Thresher's over
all length.
Woods Hole Optimistic
A Navy spokesman in WASH
ington, however, was optimistic
Thresher could be found. Ad-
miral John s. McCaine told re-
porters. today that the bottom
of the sea at the scene of the
disaster was mixture Of mud,
sand and clay. The metal
submarine should give a sharp
echo to q sonar ping" while
the bottom should return a
more fuzzy echo. he explained.
The fact that the bottom has
only gently rolling hills rules
out the possibility that the
Thresher ploughed. into some
unknown submarine ridge,
Admiral McCaine said.
Scientists from Woods Hole
(Mass) Oceanographic Institu-
ton also were optimistic that
they could find Thresher with
their advanced depth-measur-
ing gear. But their own chief
back on shore minimized that
possibility in interviews.
The situation is something
like this:
Assume that the bottom
Whereabouts is rolling, like a
series Of sand dunes, and like
dunes, irregular in distribution
Of hills and valleys. Assume
further that the mappers are
able 10 draw an absolutely per-
feet map of the bottom. Which
Of the ups" would they be
able to identity as Thresher,
and which as Just an ordinary
hill? -
And II they persuade them
selves that they have located
the hulk. and Trieste moves in,
what Is the bathyscaph's chance
Of locating the needle in the
haystack?
Were Trieste a maneuverable
vessel. in the sense that
Thresher was or Nautilus Is,
the task even then would be
enormous IN the strange under
sea world Of eternal darkness
and uncharted currents. A lit
tie radioactive leak from
Thresher's propulsion system
might have helped. offering
Trieste a target on which IL
might home by means OF an
instrument such as a geiger
counter.
Currents Known
The Gulf Stream Is known to
impart a current Of about Is
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-04-15
BoIIost Noise Obscured
I'd Thresher MESSAGE

PORTSMOUTH, N H., April is (AP).-The sound of air
in ballast tanks the submarine Thresher made frantic
attempt to surface after encounteng underlined trouble
drowned out second garbled message Navy inquiry
was told today.
1t comdr Stanley W. Hecker 49, testified that at s:l2 M
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-04-15

BILLFOLD. mans. cont. valuable
reward. RAJ 3 Use ms u 80 WASH
CAMERA
At Monoeacy Bridge, Route 2s.
Reward. WO. 0-s622.
CAT, black and white, bob tail. green
WARD. go. 3-2o04.
man manor SV ans. o Toy" Reward. 10.
7-f4I9.
DOG, Doberman type, male; vicinity
Ashton. Nd. REWARD. Call u. g.
DOG, collie. female. strayed April Z,
s sp1al, a, yahes area reward. eau
LADY's GLASSES. tri-focal. black
and sold frame. lowered case. vic.
East kISSs sr shop. ctr. Reward
LADY's WATCH. OMEGA, gold, 2
diamonds, April ID. vic. Wash, blvd.
and MCKINLEY g.. Arl Reward. kE'
LADY's BLACK SUI, In y Frenk
s Sal n Sin kS eTsre. iE i.isa7. i0''
PUPPY, small. all white, long-haired
s pss reward sSSTd. d sSsss MSi' hi' 'ni'd
SHETLAND DOC. brown and white, 2
mo, old answers name Of "Spotts"
WHIST WATCH. name. vic. Conn. and
Knowles ave, Kensington. Inscribed
WHIT from his church, lS06-i040."
REWARD. VIII. 0-2032.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-04-15
Currents Known

The Gulf Stream Is known to
impart a current Of about is
nautical (l.72 statute) miles an
Evening star., 1963-01-13

The Sunday st N Mosu1ne Washington. c, JunUuT 49, 1868
Evening star., 1963-01-13
Horrisonbure, Va. GS; 5Aa. '1TsxAi5v i5NtsS. i

800 Loretta Young tNBcl
$3.50 Young Dr.. Malone (NBCl
400 The Secret Storm tcBS)
4:30 Edge Of Night tcBSl
500 Coptoin Treasure Show
$50 Ann Soihern Show
(Mon., We'd, FTi.)
Yogi Beor (TUss.
HUekleberrY Hound Thurs
900 News
6:2o Headlines Of the Century
6;25 Markets
$50 Sports
$40 The Weather
6:45 Wolier cronkite-News
(cBS)
ll:25 Headlines Of the Century
MONDAY EVENING
700 Viewpoint
7;3o It's c Mans World (NBc)
$50 Soints and Sinners (NBC)
$50 Price Is Right (NBC)
1000 Ben cosey tABc)
lliOO " I'm. Ftnol
1880 The Tonight Show (NBcl
TUESDAY EVENING
ZOO Ripeord
7:30 Loromie lNBC)
$50 Red Skelion Show (cBS)
$50 Grond Ole Opry
1000 Cory Moore Show (CBS)
HOO II Pm. Finol
ll:3o-The Tonight Show (Necl
WEDNESDAY EVENING
ZOO Don Reno-Red Smiley Show
7:3o The Virginion (NBc)
300 Bob Hope Show tNBC)
1000 Naked City (ABc)
HOO II P. N. Final
1880 The Tonight Show (NBc)
THURSDAY EVENING
ZOO The Deputy