FORECAST: " TTT'T , _
Served By Leased Wire*
Wilmington and vicinity: CToudy of the
windy and mild with moderate to A SCrtPl A Tim PPFCQ
heavy rains and squalls today; Friday AOBUWAlriU rltM*
partly cloudy and warmer with and the
showers. j UNITED PRESS jj
With Complete Coverage ei
—————_ State end National New*
■VOU-81—N047.--- WILMINGTON, N. C., WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1947 ESTABLISHED isTF
Britain Warns Arab
States Against War
LONDON Oct. 14. — (U.R) —
£..ei,t Britain was reported today
w have warned Arab states that
a move to carry out the Arab
League decision to mass troops
iJtg thi. Palestine border may
j,gv-e drastic consequences.
The Foreign Office revealed
that British representatives “in
formally" told the Syrian govern
ed that Britain sharply dis
approves Syrian troop “maneu
erS-’ in the direction of the
Palestine frontier.
There were strong indications
here that similar “advice” had
beer handed to other Arab states.
"A! the middle Eastern coun
ties are now fully aware of
our position,” a Foreign Ofiice
spokesman said.
The British action carried an
implied threat that 100,000 British
troops in thp Holy Land would
take ruthless steps to put down
any Arab revolt within the bord
ers of Palestine while Britain
was still responsible for main
tenance of order.
Another Blow
Diplomatic sources said Rus
sia’s OUtright apprnunl nt
tion was another
who expected a measr *3
So’, let support for they. AA <\
an undivided Arab st
Strong British ^ *
Arab troop mo- V Aidre
garded here a. $;ortain
to quash effectiv aJVd plans
to ring Palestine Ah troops.
The regular armies1 of most of
the Arab states are dependent
upon Britain to a large degree
See BRITAIN On Page Two
Luckman Relaxes Rules
For “Meatless Tuesdays”
QUEEN WILHELMINA
PASSES SCEPTER
Juliana To Serve As Prin
cess-Regent Of Holland
Until Dec. 1
THE HAGUE, The Nether
lands, Oct. 14.—(U.R)—Queen -Wil
helmina of The Netherlands,
overcome by fatigue and ill
ness, temporarily passed the
icepter today to her stalwart,
38-vear-old daughter, Crown
Princess Juliana.
Juliana, as princess-regent,
will rule the lowland kingdom
until Dec. 1, when it is hoped
that the 67-year-old queen will
be sufficiently recovered to re
sume the throne.
The princess took the oath of
office at 3 p.m. before a joint
session of parliament in ancient
Knights’ Hall, amid shouts of
‘'long live the regent!” which
quickly spread to the thousands
of loyal Dutch subjects lining
the streets outside.
The temporary queen, simply
dressed in a greenish-blue
frock, was accompanied by her
husband, Prince Bernhard, who
wore the uniform of a general
in the Dutch Army. Queen Wil
helmina was unable to attend.
Ceremony Short
The short, sober inaugural
eeremony was opened by Prof.
K. Krartenburg with a brief
speech welcoming the new ruler
but expressing “the sincere
See QUEEN On Page Two
TOBACCO PRICES
WEAK ON MARKET
__— I
Middle Belt Growers Get
Lowest Return Of Sea
son For Offerings
By The Associated Press
Flue-cured tobacco markets
reported generally lower prices
yesterday according to the State
and Federal Departments of Ag
riculture.
The greatest price drop of the
season was reported from the
Middle Belt. Averages for all
grades were down from $2 to $7
per hundred pounds from Mon
day’s sales with common and
low quality leaf, fair and low
smoking leaf, all primings, and
thin nondescript showing the
greatest losses, from $5 to $7.
Sales continued heavy but
cuality of the offerings was in
ferior to Monday’s. There was
more common grades and non
descript and less choice grades.
Growers sold a total of 4,447,697
founds Monday at an average
of $43.71 per hundred, 77 cents
above last Friday’s average.
Eastern Belt
On the Eastern Belt, the ma
jority of grades were off from
*5 to $3 with losses more prev
alent for smoking leaf, cutters
m . iugs. A few nondescript and
: 'non leaf offerings showed
* vances c.f from $.25 to $2.
j - e general quality of offerings
See TOBACCO On Page Two
1 he Weather
FORECAST:
South Carolina—Cloudy, windy and
with occasional rains Thursday,
*' moderate to heavy rain and oc
” squails coastal areas Friday
c ' -ierable cloudiness, slightly warm
f ; wers east portion.
Carolina—Cloudy, windy and
'‘ld with occasional rain Thursday;
":n 1 ^derate to heavy and occasional
East portion, moderate gales
v" '•< areas. Friday partly cloudy and
with showers east portion.
• ■'torological data for the 24 hours
*ndlnS 7:30 p. m. yesterday.
temperatures
*. "1° a rn 64; 7:30 a. m. 62; 1:30 p. m.
‘ 1 P m. 72; Maximum 74; Mini
n Mean 67; Normal 66.
, HUMIDITY
*,! r m. 87: 7:30 a. m. 93; 1:30 p. m.
1 P m. 88.
precipitation
,a‘ for the 24 hours ending 7:30 p.
' inches.
Ith ht aI Since the of th€ month 2.52
tides for today
to. i; p t'ie Tide Tables published by
• -cast and Geodetic Survey).
Wilm;r a* HIGH LOW
ngtcn -10:36 a.m. 5:06 a.m.
lfasoni 10:51 p.m. 5:36 p.m.
nboro Inlet _ 3:00 a m. 9:19 a.m.
^ 3:32 p.m. 10:01 p.m.
7*>;17, Sunset 5:38; Moonrise
• Mo on set 6:39p.
iMore WEATHER On Page Two
Chairman Now Permits
Eating Of Kidneys,
Brains, Pig Feet
WASHINGTON, Oct. 14—Iff) —
Rules for “Meatless Tuesday”
were relaxed today. You can
eat liver, kidneys, brains and
other by-products and still con
form.
Charles Luckman, chairman
of the Citizens Food committee
directing a national drive to
save grain to feed Western Eu
ropeans, told reporters after his
26-member group met on policy
today that:
1. The committee hopes to en
courage use of meat by - prod
ucts “which are in plentiful
supply,” and which may be
used on Tuesdays under the al
tered program. The list also
contains sweetbreads, hearts,
pigs feet, pigs knuckles, tripe,
oxtails and tongue.
2. The committee will ask the
brewing industry to reduce beer
and ale production to save more
grain. Brewers will consult with
Luckman tomorrow.
3. Luckman said a request to
the banking industry to produce
a smaller bread loaf is under
study. He noted there aie many
problems, such as pan sizes
which cannot be changed over
night. He added that one sug
gested solution is to cut down
on the height of the loaf and
that it could be done with the
present pans.
Waive Weight Laws
The chairman said a number
of states have indicated a will
ingness to waive weight regula
tions on bread loaves if the
committee believes a smaller
loaf is desirable.
4. Luckman will seek to ar
range conservation programs
with three other industries with
in the next ten days—the wet
milling industry, including pro
ducers of corn syrup and mo
See LUCKMAN On Page Two
EDITORS TO MEET
HERE THIS WEEK
Star-News Will Entertain
Visiting Newspaper
men At Luncheon
Plans to entertain editors dur
ing the national editorial associa
tion’s tour of North Carolina next
May will be revealed when the
Eastern Carolina Press associa
tion holds its annual meeting in
Wilmington Friday night and Sat
urday. Henry Belk of Goldsboro,
president of the association, has
announced last night.
The meeting will open with the
association’s annual dinner at
the Friendly cafeteria Friday
evening, and the business ses
sion will get under way at the
Cape Fear hotel Saturday morn
ing. The Wilmington Star-News
will entertain the visiting news
papermen at luncheon Saturday
at the Cape Fear club.
Don Eck, Chicago, manager of
the National Editorial associa
tion, will attend the Wilmington
meeting, according to Miss Bea
trice Cobb, Morganton, state
press secretary. E. A. Resch,
Siler City, president of the N. C.
Press association will also be pres
ent.
Eury To Report
A survey of staff requirements
See EDITORS On Page Two
Eighty Years Of Service
An Editorial
The Wilmington Morning Star today observes the 80th anni
versary of its life of service to its community, state and nation.
Founded by the late Major William H. Bernard, a gallant
officer of the Confederacy, in the stirring days of reconstruction,
the first issue made its appearance on Oct. 15, 1867. It was a
small publication but back of its pages was a courageous spirit of
progress which has continued to make it the dean of North Caro
lina newspapers.
The advancement of the intellectual and civic influences of
c. e Wilmington Morning Star has been constant during the four
years.
gjP^Today its personnel is the most competent and its facilities
■ the most ample in its uninterrupted history. In that, we take
pardonable pride. And this feeling is accompanied by the realiza
tion that this growth was made possible by the steady support
accorded by the community and territory.
We deeply appreciate this support. We believe it has been
engendered through the newspaper’s strong desire for all the
people to feel that it is their newspaper. Over the eighty years,
The Wilmington Morning Star has become an institution whose
interests are so closely interwoven with those of the city and
Southeastern North Carolina as to be inseparable.
Today, Wilmington is living in another post-war era.
But instead of the darkness and hopelessness of the com
parable period when Major Bernard made his vision a reality,
there is brightness and unrestricted opportunity which should
carry Wilmington to its greatest heights.
In the late 1860’s, The Wilmington Morning Star was a
leading force in rallying the people to the hard tasks of re
construction. In the late 1940’s, its first desire is to continue as
the strongest of all voices in the call to hasten the community’s
potentialities in a spirit of unrestrained cooperation.
Because the most fruitful of all years lie ahead for The Wil
mington Morning Star’s sphere of service, it marks this occasion
with renewal of its pledge to do its full part in realizing the
extensive opportunities of Wilmington and Southeastern North
Carolina. It is meeting this responsibility with greater determina
tion than ever because today is the most opportune of all times
for advancement.
May we continue to go forward with greater strength than
ever.
Veterans Will Get
Army Camps Notice
> '
GREEN TURNS UP
CHARLOTTE, Oct. 14. — (JF)
— A traffic light conveniently
changed to green as a driver
less car slipped from its park
ing place yesterday and rolled
across Trade street, one of
Charlotte’s main arteries.
No one was hurt — but a
large plate glass window of
an automobile showroom was
broken, and the owner of the
machine reported $160 was
missing from a glove compart
ment after the freak mishap.
“ORAL” RELEASE
STANDS IN COURT
Jury Returns Verdict For
Defendants In Suit By
George W. Lyons
A jury in New Hanover coun
ty superior Court today found
that George W. Lyons, real es
tate agent, had released Mr.
and Mrs. John K. Davis, form
er owners of Jo’s Night Club
on the Carolina Beach road,
from the terms of a contract
they had made with the firm
of Lyons and Thomas before
they sold the club to Capt. Ben
L. Wagnman for $13,000.
The jury’s verdict prevented
Lyons from recovering $1,800 he
sought as 10 per cent commis
sion on the sale. The case was
clinched for the defendants
Tuesday when attorney W. K.
Rhodes, Jr., called H. H. Thom
as as a witness to corroborate
the testimony of Davis who tes
tified he had been orally re
leased from the contract with
the realty firm when the part
See RELEASE On Page Two
STALIN NOW RESTING
FOR HIS HEALTH AT
BLACK SEA AREA SPA
LONDON, Oct. 14. —W— The
Moscow Radio disclosed tonight
that Prime Minister Stalin is in a
rest area on the Black Sea.
Announcing that Stalin had re
ceived eight Laborite members of
the British parliament visiting
the Soviet Union, the broadcast
said the “reception took place in
the area of Sochi,” a Black Sea
resort.
Stalin, who will be 68 Dec.
21, spent a prolonged vacation in
the Sochi area following the end
of the war when there were wide
spread but unconfirmed reports
I that he was seriously ill.
Fanner, WifeFindMeans
To Continue Charities
PELICAN RAPIDS, Minn.,
Oct 14 —OB—Because Mr and
Mrs. Ktinhold G. Rhode feel a
responsibility toward seven des
titute Eluropean families, those
families are going to continue
receiving food and clothing
even though difficulties have
beset Mr. and Mrs. Rhode.
The couple, who farm 80
acres nine miles Southeast of
Pelican Rapids, wrote to a Far
go, N. D., radio station saying
they would have to cease send
ing food and clothing to the
families because their corn crop
failed and the price of livestock
feed has “gone sky-high.” They
asked aid in locating persons
who would care for rthe fami
lies from December through
May. By the end of that time,
they said, they might be able
to help some more.
Five women responded tc the
request. Two of them said
church groups they represented
would take over the sending of
packages.
Mr. and Mrs. Rhode have
been sending food and clothing
to friends in the British occu
pied zone of Germany.
WAA Officials Agree To
Plan Proposed By
Noble Committee
BY FRANK VAN DER LINDEN
Morning Star
Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, Oct. 14—Vet
erans organizations will get a
thirty-day notice on the sale of
surplus military establishments
suitable for conversion into
150,000 temporary housing
units, the chairman of the Vet
erans of Foreign Wars Housing
committee said today.
The committee, headed by
Ken Noble of Wilmington, N.C.,
completed an eight-point hous
ing program here today and it
will be presented to President
Truman next week by National
Commander Ray Brannaman of
Denver.
Noble said War Assets Ad
See VETERANS On Page Two
ACL ALTERS PLEA
ON TRAINS 48-49
Company Plans To Press
For Discontinuance
To Rocky Mount
RALEIGH, Oct. 14— W —The
State Utilities Commission to
morrow is scheduled to continue
hearing on an application of the
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad for
permission to discontinue its
trains 48 and 49 between Wil
mington and Rocky Mount.
The petition originally asked
for authority to discontinue the
two trains from Wilmington to
the North Carolina-Virginia
state line. However, the railroad
today notified the Utilities Com
mission that it was amending
its application so that operation
of the trains between Rocky
Mount and the state line would
not be affected.
To Press Plea
The railroad officials an
nounced, however, that they
would press their application for
See ACL On Page Two
New Tropical Blow Heads
For South Carolina Coast;
48 Rescued From Airship
Heavy Seas Make
Rescue Dangerous
Giant Flying Boat Forced
Down At Sea With 69
Persons Aboard
NEW YORK, Oct. 14.—(^)—
Weary Coast Guard crews, fight
i. . waves two stories high, to
night rescued more than 48 of
the 69 persons aboard a giant
Boeing flying boat, wallowing for
more than 12 hoi- - approximate
ly 820 miles off the Newfound
land coast.
While mid-Atlantic night winds
of gale force whined around the
leaking hulk of the plane, the
Bermuda Sky Queen, Coast
Guardsmen made five trips to
the craft, removing 48 persons to
the safety of the Weather p
Bibb.
The Coast Guard here report
ed in a message received at 6:45
p.m. (EST) that it would “be
necessary to make three more
successful trips tonight bringing
seven persons on each trip” be
fore the final rescue work could
be accomplished.
This was likely to “take the
balance of the night,” the mes
sage read.
Thus far no injuries or deaths
have been reported despite the
winds and mountainous waves.
The message from the Bibb,
however, said one of the sur
See SEAS On Page Two
R0TAR1ANS HEAR
FINANCE REPORT
State Treasurer Johnson
Guest Speaker At Lunch
eon Meeting
“North Carolina is doing
I more for the average individual
than any other state in the un
ion,” State Treasurer Charles
M. Johnson of Raleigh, avowed
candidate for the governorship
in the 1948 election, told local
Rotarians at their luncheon
meeting at the ^Friendly yester
day.
After Fred Willetts, Jr., had
asked his father, Fred Sr., to
introduce the gubernatorial can
didate, Johnson told the club
that the North Carolina govern
ment is different from any oth
er state government in the un
ion.
Elaborating on this point he
declared that this State con
structs and maintains its own
state roads and that for nine
months out of the year the state
maintains its educational sys
tem.
Discusses Finances
Discussing the financial situa
tion in North Carolina, on which
he is rated an authority, John
son said that there is $25,000,
000 in the highway liquidation
fund, which is kept separate
from the general fund.
In the genera] fund the State
has $51,500,000 set aside and
there is no general fund debt.
Fifty millions are earmarked
for building and 30 millions for
a postwar reserve fund.
Although North Carolina is
'•i'^ralpng under the same tax
law under which it operated in
1940, its income in 1947 will be
$119,000,000 against $41,000,000
in ’41.
Fred Green, a former mem
ber of the local Rotary, was
a visitor of the club. Bradford
Wiggins and Floyd Williams
were honored as junior
Rotarians.
The club went on record as
observing meatless Tuesday.
Along The Cape Fear
BATTLE OF FORT FISHER
—The holiday lull in the Feder
al attack on Fort Fisher did not
last long. On January 13, 1865,
a second fleet of 58 vessels un
der the command of Admiral
Porter appeared off shore and
began a furious bombardment
of the fort which lasted three
days.
In his official report of the
battle for Fort Fisher, General
Whiting writes:
“On Thursday night the ene
my’s fleet was reported off the
fort. On Friday morning the
fleet opened very heavily. On
Friday and Saturday, during the
furious bombardment of the
fort, the enemy was allowed to
land without molestation ind to
throw up a light line of field
works from Battery Ramseur to
the nvir thus securing his po
sition from molestation and
making the fate of Fort Fisher,
under the circumstances, but a
question r,f time.
“Cn Sunday, the fire on the
fort reached a piten of fury to
which no language cm do jus
tice. It wag concentrated on the
land face end front. In a short
time nearly every gnr was dis
mounted or disabled, and the
garrison suffered severely by
the fire.
“At tnrte o’clock the enemy’s
land force, which had been
gradually and slowly advancing,
formed in two columns for as
sault. The garrison, d' ring the
fier bombardment, was not
able to Stand to the parapets,
and many of the reinforcements
we’» obliged to be k.3pt a great
distance from the fort.
“As the enemy slackened his
fire to allow the assault to take
place, the men hastily manned
the ramparts and gallantly re
pulsed the right column of as
sault.
“A portion of troops on the
left had also repulsed the first
rush to the left of the work. The
greater portion of the garrison
being, however, engaged on the
right and not being able to man
the entire work, the enemy suc
ceeded in making a lodgment on
the left flank, planting two of
his regimental flags in the trav
er^s.
See CAPE FEAR On Page Two
FOLLOWING A SUCCESSFUL OPERATION on her eyes,
the dog, said that it was the first time he had tried the operation
“Liebchen” is shown with her mistress Gayla Blasdel in Los
Angeles. Dr. H. Blasdel, who performed the cataract operation on
on an animal. (international)
AFL Votes To Oust
Lewis From Office
FOR CHARITY
WASHINGTON, Oct. 15 —
(U.R) — Former Secretary of
State James F. Byrnes will
not receive a penny from his
sure-fire best-selling memoirs,
“Speaking Frankly”, publish
ed today.
All receipts from sale of the
book and of serial rights
syndicated to newspapers will
go to the James F. Byrnes
Foundation. It will provide
scholarships for orphaned
children to attend college.
Byrnes’ father died when he
was a baby and his mother
was unable to send him to
college.
FLORIDA DAMAGE
FIFTY MILLIONS
Typhoid-Laden Sewage
Threatens Health Of West
Palm Beach
MIAMI, Fla., Oct. 14 — (U.R>—
Typhoid-lad en sewage from
overflowing septic tanks and
choked drainage systems
spread a fear of disease over
flooded South Florida today and
authorities ordered strict coun
ter measures as it appeared the
floodv/aters were far from sub
siding.
Damage, mounting hourly,
had surpassed the $50,000,000
mark.
The West Palm Beach city
health officer “advised’’ some
6,000 residents of South and
West sections to move out, aft
er their septic tanks overflow
ed. Fifteen families were order
ed iron) a West Miami location
for the same reason.
A score of inoculation stations
were opened along 120 miles of
See FLORIDA On Page Two
BUS-TRAIN COLLISION
KILLS 12 YOUTHS IN
WEST SWEDEN TOWN
STOCKHOLM, Oct. 14. — M>)—
A bus-train collision in a dense
fog six miles south of Karlstad in
Western Sweden today killed at
least 12 young people between
the ages of 15 and 25, all from the
nearby village of Edsvalla.
The police superintendent at
Karlstad said the death toll may
reach 14 when identification is
completed.
The entire village of Edsvalla
went into mourning as parents
and relatives aided in the grim
task of identifying the victims.
Convention Hands UMW
Leader Crushing Defeat
Over Labor Law
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 14—
W— The convention of the
American Federation of Labor
administered a crushing defeat
to John L. Lewis tonight by vot
ing to wipe out its 13 vice presi
dents in a move to make the en
tire federation eligible to use
the National Labor Relations
Board.
The action came after a
stormy and prolonged fight on
the convention floor which saw
the AFL’s top leadership direct
a bitter attack against Lewis,
head of the United Mine Work
ers, on his stand against signing
non-communist affidavits as re
quired by the Taft-Hartley law.
The floor battle, which at
times developed into heated per
sonal exchanges, precipitated an
other of the famous Lewis
“walks”.
The mine workers chief told
the delegates he would not be a
candidate again for the execu
tive council if the resolution was
See AFL On Page Two
CONSULAR OFFICE
NOW UNDER GUARD
British Troops Install New
Defences Around U. S.
Building
JERUSALEM, Oct. 14— Iff) —
British Army troops installed
new defenses and British con
stables from the Palestine po
lice were placed on guard to
day around the United States
Consulate which was damaged
yesterday by a grenade tossed
over the garden wall.
Sandbagged guardposts, pill
boxes and barbed wire of the
new defenses took the Consu
late inside the British security
zone “B” which previously had
stopped just behind the consu
lar offices.
Police sources said security
measures also had been increas
ed around other Consulates. The
American, Swedish and Polish,
have been bombed in the past
fortnight, and an Arab inform
ant has declared the French
and Czechoslovak consulates
were “next on the list.”
The Arab informant attribut
ed the U. S. consulate bombing
to the “striking force” of 'Haj
Amin El Husseim, exiled Mufti
of Jerusalem.
Arab underground groups.
See CONSULAR On Page Two
Four-Year-Old Blows
Real Scientific Bubble
PITTSBURGH, Oct. 14 —(U.R)—
Four-year-old Sally Coltman
huffed and puffed on a plastic
bubble blower—and a new idea
for atomic ray detection blew
into her scientist-father’s mind.
The tot’s unsuccessful efforts
to fashion a bubble from plastic
at her birthday party prompted
her father, Dr. John W. Colt
man, of the Westinghouse Re
search Laboratories, to aid her.
Dr. Coltman said today the
transparent plastic ended a
long hunt for a “window” for
the atomic ray detector he and
a colleague, Dr. Fitz-Kugh B.
Marshall, nave devised.
The detection had to be a hun
dred times thinner -han human
hair, to admit nuclear rays of
lowest intensity. It had to be
strong enough to withstand
coating of aluminum boiled in
to a steam—to keep out un
wanted light rays. The plastic
bubble was.
Dr. Coltman said ‘he new
atomic rav detector can count
particles cast off by exploding
atoms at the rate of 100,000
each second about 50 times
faster than the standard geiger
counter.
- • .-J
90-Mile Per Hour
Winds At Center
Wrightsville Beach Escapes
With Minor Damages
From Tides
High winds and tides wreaked
havoc with the nervous system*
of many Carolina and Wrights
ville Beach residents last night
but if any materia: damage wa*
added to the depredations of th*
Tuesday morning disturbance,
it was hidden by the darkness.
Some of the beach residents,
alarmed by warnings of two
more storms to come Tuesday
night, hurriedly made voluntary
evacuations Tuesday afternoon.
New Hanover county Red
Cross was alerted but no seriou*
relief measures had to be under
taken.
Apprehension reached a high
point when the tide rolled in at
approximately 8:30 p. m. But
it was not appreciably higher
than the tide of Tuesday morn
ing which did minor damage
along the water front.
The wind steadily increased to
near gale proportions as the dis
turbance passed east of Wil
mington. Rain squalls added
nothing to the comfort of small
crowds of anxious observers who
gathered about the piers and
' other vantage points to await de
velopments.
John D. Mercer at the Atlantic
View pier said he sustained ap
proximately $3,000 damage when
the breakers that came in with
■ the high tide Tuesday morning
; battered his concession stand. It
: was the highest tide he has seen
t on Wrightsville Beach during th*
■ five years he has been ther*,
■ Mercer said.
wnen a small crowd of obser
vers arrived Tuesday evening to
wait for the storm, Mercer open
ed the pier for business. The old
timers recalled the storm of 1944
which washed out the pier and
the terrific hurricane of 1907
which washed the beaches clean,
See 90-MILE On Page Two
ENRAGED FATHER
SLAYS DAUGHTER
Eldest Child Critically In
jured From Beating
With Hammer
NEWTON, Mass., Oct. 14—OI.W
—Because he opposed a daugh
ter’s wedding plans, a 44-year
old Newton widower shot and
bludgeoned one daughter to
death today, critically injured
another by beating her with a
hammer, and then tried to take
his own life by swallowing acid.
In a police complaint, Fiore
D’Antonio, a stone mason, was
charged with murder in tho
death of his 14-year-old daugh
ter, Nina, and with murderous
assault on his daughter Mary,
18.
Nina, a Newton high school
sophomore, died as a result of
shotgun wounds in her back and
a fractured skull sustained when
she was beaten on the head with
a hammer. D’Antonio and the
bride-to-be, Mary, were hospita
lized in critical condition.
Hospital authorities said Mary
had suffered several broken
head and face bones from ham
mer blows. The father, police
said, swallowed nitric acid, used
for cleaning masonry.
Authorities theorized that
D’Antonio became angered last
night when Mary told him sht
planned to marry Mario Pigna
telli, 21, of Newton, a former
Air Forces sergeant, late this
month.
Pignatelli said he and Mary
admitted to D’Antonio last night
that they had spent the day
shopping for wedding clothes in
Boston where the girl was a
See FATHER On Page Two
And So To Bed
Rumors were flying thick
and fast last night that th«
Atlantic View Pier had wash
ed away.
Johnny Mercer, owner of
the popular fishing spot open
ed the pier turned on th*
lights and proudly announc
ed that it was still standing.
“If you don’t believe it,
just walk out there and see
how steady it is,” he told a
pretty young miss.
She started out to look at
the waves bashing at the end
of the pier, suddenly the
young lady slipped and fell
flat on the hard boards «f
the pier.
Returning she said to Mer
cer. “It sure is steady.’ as
she walked away brueI''”g
wa^er off her raincoat.
vt