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About The Oregon statesman. (Salem, Or.) 1916-1980 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 8, 1938)
PAGE TWO i The OREGON STATESMAN, Salem, Oregon, Thursday Morning, December 8, 1938 Basset! Death Story Related Amazing Tale of Slaying Recounted by Former er vl-oniidence woman SEATTLE, Dec. JP)-A con- once moved in international soci ety circles related j in superior court today a confession she said Mrs. Mary Eleanor Smith made orally to her, detailing the slay ing and butchering of James Bas sett here 10 years ago. She also said Mrs. .Smith con fessed Implication in slayings of two men and a woman in Mon tana and Idaho. Mrs. Milhcent Paddleford Faw cett was the witness. Her testi mony came during a preliminary hearing, held with the jury ab sent, while Defense Attorneys Warren Hardy and Milton Heiman sought to determine whether Mrs. Smith's confessions were obtained by fraud and thus inadmissable. J. M. McCauley. warden of the ttate prison at Walla Walla, had previously testified under similar circumstances, declaring both De canto Earl Mayer, 44, and Mrs. Smith, 73, had made voluntary confessions of the slaying to him. Mrs. Fawcett held the court room spellbound as she described ow. Mrs. Smith told her the ex aet manner of Ba&sett's death. v Her story of Mrs. Smith's oral confession to her follows: "Mrs. Smith came to me one night, thinking that I was soon to be . released and asked me if I'd look up her sister, Lacy Renshaw, and her brother, Leslie Conrad, and tell them she was being per- --.-- f 1 1 . T . A f . -1- secmeu. ous Mia xtassciis which had been planted on her son by Seattle nolice. "X asked how that could be possible, because they were ar . rested in Oakland. She said they "sent the watch to Oakland by air mail. I said 'maybe that is true, &. - - . . . lor goouueua gaze leu me just what did happen so I can know where l stand, if I do any- i thing for you.' '"She thought this over and then said: 'The truth is we id kilt Bassett. I had married this good-for-nothing Smith man in Tkcoma- and he wouldn't turn his property over to me. (Smith, 92, abends the trial daily, and proud ly displays his divorce decree Ir.o'nTMrs. Smith.) My son was Just out of Leavenworth peni tentiary and I decided to go way with him. (The state de clines to admit Mrs. Smith and Mayer are mother and son.) - Encourages Slaying My son found he needed a cat-. He got in touch with Baa sett. . . " 'After looking at the car, he told me, "Mom, that's a lovely car.- It's Just what I want. But I'lr have to kill the man to get if!. r I J I said: 'Well, you need a car , and you have to get a start.' " Mrs.. Fawcett, sounding more like -a dowager than a prison in mate', dropped direct Quotations, and -continued: !She said the sat in the front room talking about Bassett's trip . to;Manila. She was sitting on the coach with an iron rod concealed beneath an afghan covering, to help in case Bassett put up a fight. Bassett was sitting in a chair. She had inked him if hn'd accept a check in payment and he Mini UQ WVU1U. "r. Mayer had a . hammer on the mantel. He motioned to his nether to get out of the room and the did, but she heard him say: ,. ia tuut iv uif ivur car and I'm not going to pay yon a so-and-so cent. I want yon to write this telegram. " Mrs. Fawcett recited, almost vstord for word, the telegram Com mander and Mrs. Theodore H. Winters, Bassett's brother-in-law and - sister, received that night, telling them "Gene" had sold his car, and was going to Vancouver with a friend. 1 -"As he took the telegram from Bassett he picked up the hammer and hit him in the back of the head. Mrs. Smith said ahe came late the room and said: 'Earl, he's: gurgling. He's not dead ret. You'd better give him another liltV i. . whack and he was dead." Active in GOP National Meeting 3 V x.1 Transient Influx Plagues Portland Sudden Surge of Crime Is Laid to Incoming Hosts of Hoboes PORTLAND, Dec. 7 - (JP) - As transients flocked into Portland today for the winter, the crime list increased and even churches were victims. Sheriff's Deputies George Min- ielly and Warren W. Weiss accus ed George Kristensen, 24, of rob bing the Catholic church parish house of $50. Last week a robber was sentenced to prison for taking $400 from churches here and at Oregon City. Another burglar stole $55 from the treasurer of a community church. Thugs seriously injured a man and woman in street hold-ups. An other woman victim routed a rob ber with her fists. After police raided one gam bling establishment twice in 24 hours, others apparently shut down voluntarily. Piitcliett Assails Dies Group Probe PORTLAND, Or4 Dee. 7-V Harold Pritchett. president of the i International Woodworkers of America, here today for a CIO conference on Oreron's labor-eon. trot-law, said he considered the JLie committee Investigating un American activities "nothlnr but i committee set up to attack the president and the New Deal." Pritchett made the comment when told that Captain J. J. Kee- gan of the Portland detective bu reatv had accused him and Har old Bridges, Pacific coast CIO leader, of attempting through their organisation to overthrow the- government. : . Pritchett repeated previous de nials of communistic leanings and aifJUatlons. Why : -Suffer Any. Longer? WBXN OTHKKS VJUU tm OUT . Chine - mnadiea, Amaalat i SUCCESS tor S000 years In CHINA. Ho matter with what ailment you are AITUCTED alsorders, slnnsltls. heart, rone. . llvw. kidney, stomach, taa, eon Upatlon. uloera, diabaUa, rheu matism, call and bladder, fever, BUn, female complaints - i Charlie Chan ; Chiaese Ba b Cm. ft. B. Pbnt, yrs . practice ta Cnlna. , Of K hours S to S PA. except Bun 1 day and Wednea .day, to, 10 sun. 123 tL CMl St. SaJeaa, Ore. Bin. Both Pratt and Kenneth Simpson Among outstanding; Republicans at the G. O. P. national committee meeting in Washington were Mrs. Ruth Pratt, national committee woman, of New York, and Kenneth Simpson, also of New York. Simpson was center of much attention at the meeting. Unanimously elected to the national committee to succeed Charles Hilles, who retired, Simpson withdrew his name from consideration for the executive committee to prevent a contest. This was part of a deal to block a nominee of the old Herbert Hoover leadership, which wanted to put Mrs. Pratt on the committee. The deal finally was made and neither Simpson nor Mrs. Pratt were placed in nomination. Former Senator Daniel C Hastings of Delaware was elected to the executive seat. Woman Slayer Goes to Chair Accused of Four Poison Murders, She Pleads to End for Mercy .(Continued from page 1) sat In the chair she whispered to him: ; ; "Be careful. Father! youll be killed!" A Columbus . undertaking con cern claimed the body, but report ed It had no orders as. to Its disposition.- Mrs. Hahn's husband. Phillip, a Cincinnati telegrapher. said in Cincinnati he was not sure about it. Appeal to Federal Court Proves Vain Mrs. uann's lz-year-old son. Oscar, who IS Philip Hahn's step son, tried to visit her at the last moment before she was taken to the execution room, but was re fused. He had been with her most of the day. , He went to the prison chapel and remained there during the ex ecution. Federal district Judge Mell G Underwood denied shortly before the execution her attorney's plea for a writ of habeas corpus. After a conference with attor neys which lasted all afternoon and into the night, the court held that there were not sufficient grounds for interference with her sentence. Besides the death of Wagner, the prosecution Introduced evi dence seeking to link Mrs. Hahn with the deaths under similar clr cumstances of three other elderly Hermans, Aioert rainier, ueorge Sellman, and George Obendoer fer. d d i t i c s in the IS etc (By the Associated Press) ELECTRA, Tex., Dec. 7.-A pi lotless airplane ran wild for two and a half hours on the ground today. The starter failed. Owner H. C, Barrow got out and cranked, and then the plane sashayed past him and bussed around in circles un til the gasoline was used up. All hands gave it a clear field and nobody was hurt. Kidgley Observes Birthday No. 106 PORTLAND. Dec. 7-UP)-T h e unchallenged champion of long evity in Oregon, John Nelson nidgley, observed his 106 th birthday today with an Invitation to newsmen to "come and see me again next year." Ridgley, who lives with a daughter, still loves the favorite dish of his boyhood pigsfeet. Three square meals a day are as welcome as ever, too, provid ing they consist of oyster stew and eggnog. He recalled vividly the Chicago fire and the day he cast a bal lot . for Lincoln. Housewarming Is Held At Robert Bye Home CENTRAL HOWELL A com bined house-warming and anniver sary celebration for which Mr. and Mrs, Robert Bye were hosts was an enjoyable ' affair in their new home Saturday night Five tables of cards were played by Mrs. I. L. Stewart, Mr. and Mrs. Will Egan, Mr. and Mrs. Miles Otto- way, Mr. and Mrs. Perle Bye. Mr. and Mrs. Chris Liechty, Muriel Llechty. Mr. and Mrs. Robert Jans, Mr. and Mrs. Merl Bye, Mr. and Mrs. S. M. McClung, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Knight, Mr. and Mrs. Bert Bye, Dick and Darlene and the hosts. Four Candidates Taken By Dallas Rebekah Lodge DALLAS The regular meeting of the Almira Rebekah lodge was held Tuesday night. During the evening four candidates were ini tiated into the order. A supper honr was enjoyed by- about 70 members. The next meeting will be December 20 when a Christmas party will be held. ' Efrati Victorious . CHICAGO, De 7 -JPr- Leon! Efrati, Italian featherweight, punched out a close decision over Frankie Covelli of Brooklyn in 10 round rematch tonight. They fought a draw several weeks ago. It's Water Bowl Now INDEPENDENCE The Inde pendence Hop Bowl has turned Into a. water bowl, water from the slough having backed up into it after the recent heavy rains. POPCORN BALLS And Xmas party specialties. Order sow. Special rates to schools, churches and lodges. KARMELCORN SHOP 124 S. High St. Salens LONDON, Dec. 7. H. G. Williams, schoolmaster member of parliament, had a tooth knocked ont tonight while ejecting an anti-Jewish heckler from a political meeting In sub urban Fulham. Williams referred to Brit aln's famed statesman Disraeli, whereupon the man in the an dience shouted "he was a Jew." "Yes, and he was a patriot," Williams -retorted. He threat ened to "chock oat any fas cist," and then tore off his coat and "chucked ont" the heckler. PARIS, Dec. 7.-A rich Paris business man escaped kidnaping today by using a kick in the neck. Two men, posing as detectives investigating an Italian spy case, 'arrested Roger Palllard, the business man, and put him in their car for a trip to "police headquarters. When Palllard saw they were not heading for police headquar ters he kicked the driver in the neck and the car crashed into an other. Palllard was not hurt One of the "detectives" got away but the other was arrested. Police said they believed the kidnap attempt was In revenge for testimony Palllard gave against an Italian named Farina, con vlcted of espionage several years ago. Faces Problem f z Pierson Is Head Of Hort Society Present Oregon Seed Law Defended; Cherry Fly Fight Aid Sought EUGENE. Ore., Dec. 7--Dan nerson, Mooa Kiver, was elected president of the Oregon Horticul tural society here tonight Hood River was awarded the 1939 con vention. Pierson succeeded Truman Chase, Eugene. Chester Fitch, Medrord. was elected vice-president; E. A. Mc Cornack, Eugene, second vice president; A. S. Hazeltine, Hood River, third Tice-president: O. T, McWhorter, Corvallis, secretary; H. S. Merriam, Goshen, treasurer. The society approved five reso lutions: 1. That Oregon seed laws be preserved intact to preserve the high quality of today's products. 2. That every care be made to conserve soil. 3. That private ownership and reasonable federal regulation of railroads be continued. 4. That use of fluoride in pro tecting fruits on the west coast be discontinued because of lngredi ents harmful to consumers. 5. That tho state legislature be petitioned to determine b e s methods of combatting the cherry fruit fly now threatening the in dustry. Mrs. Pauline Kim and child Knotty problems with Immigra tion authorities faces Mrs. Paul ine Uebman Kim, 32-year-old for mer Brooklyn, N. .Y, girl pic tured with her Chinese son whea they arrived In New York.' Mrs, Kim was married to Herbert Kim, s Chinese, in 1930, and has lived with him In China and Russia ' until he was arrested in Siberia as as "economic spy.' Question seems to be the citizenship of the boy since Mrs. Kim had renounced her U. S. citizenship. Former Official Ousted by Party VIENNA, Dec S-(Thursday)- (")-Joseph Buerckel, Adolf hit ler's deputy in Austria, has ex pelled Frans Winkler, former Austrian vice-chancellor, from the nasi party, an official com munlque published in this morn ing's papers announced. The communique said the dis ciplinary action was taken be cause Winkler was involved in corruption in connection with the "Anker Bread factory," Austria biggest bread manufacturers. Max Fuehrer, director of the factory, was arrested a few days ago and expelled from the party, Pitcher Will Wed Festival Princess SEATTLE, Dec. 7.-UPW a c k Barbour, Seattle's "singing butch er, announced today Aldon Wil- kle, Newberg, Ore., San Francis co Pacific coast league pitcher would marry Jeannie May Bar bour, one of the princesses at the 1937 Portland rose festival. Wilkle went to San Francisco'i Seals from the Western Interna tional league. McAdoo Reported Better WASHINGTON, Dec. 7-(flV Dr. George W. Calver said to night Former Senator W. G. Mc Adoo of California showed eon tinned ' recovery from an attack ot indigestion he suffered yes terday. Dear Santa-Send Mommy Home Fascists Raise . j-.-. " ' .:v:-:4B,v.-Mr -1 i I ' ' r i r zi.x lilt , Tunisia Disorder Occurs vlule French Students Also Demonstrate (Continued from page 1) smeared the building with red, white, and blue the colors of France. The demonstration, in protest against fascist clamor for recog- Itlon of Italian "aspirations": In the French north African pro tectorate of Tunisia, was brought ender control without difficulty by French troops and police. Maria and Louise Caaato If, somewhere In this world, Mrs. Loretta Casale sees this appealing picture of her children, Maria, left, and Louise, right, maybe shell answer their constant prayers to Santa: "Please bring mommy home for fthriatmas." The children were left at the home of Mrs. Louise Parker five weeks ago. The mother disappeared. Neither the children nor Mrs. Cassia's husband know why she did. But they want her to come back. Awards in Turkey Show Are Listed Henry Domes Is Winner in Several Classes at Oakland Event ROSEBURG, Dec. 7.-P)- Judges selected divisional win ners today for the championship class at Oakland's Northwestern Turkey show. Since the largest group of birds, the Bronze class, remained to be judged, final selection probably will not be made until Friday. The annual turkey show dance was held tonight First place honors included: Narragansett Mrs. A. D. Hud- so. Tangent, young torn, yearling torn, adult torn. White Holland Henry W. Domes, Rickreall, adult torn, yearling torn. Dressed division winners in cluded: Mrs. A. D. Hudson, Tan gent, Narragansett adult torn; Henry Domes, Rickreall, Whit Hollad old torn, young torn, old hen. Colonies hot Now Issue, Announced LONDON, Dec. 7-ff)-Britain,s secretary for dominions and col onies, Malcolm MacDonald, shelv ed today the problem of Ger many's demanded restoration of her colonies, some of which Bri tain has held since the world war. MacDonald told the house of commons the question "is not now an issue in practical politics." Cheers greeted his assertion that British public opinion was against any colonial transfer, a proposal which Prime Minister Chamber lain previously has indicated was not being considered at present The government defeated a la bor motion which Included a pro posal to pool under a general mandate all colonies held by world powers which are not ready for self-government. The vote was 253 to 127. Bonneville Power Wanted by Canby Saving of $5200 Annually Seen if Application Is Given Okeh PORTLAND, Dec. 7-;p)-Can by's city administration asserted today acceptance of its applica tion for 2 5 0-kilo watt-years of Bonneville dam power would cut its annual electric bill more than $5200. J. D. Ross, project administra tor who reported the city's expen diture would be approximately 1.1 mills, said if the application was approved power would be deliver ed to the unfinished north unit irrigation district at $17.50 for 65 kilowatts between May 1 and September 1. The city said its bill of $7854 from a private concern would be reduced to $2(46. Canby operates Its own distribution system. Injured Lad Kept Out of Hospital GRANTS PASS, Dec. 7-iflV-!-though a 7-year-old schoolboy may have suffered serious in juries in an automobile accident today, the parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ben Whorley of Jerome Prairie, refused to allow him to be taken to a hospital. ' County Health Officer Dr. S. B. Osgood said the child, struck by a truck as he crossed a high way, was unconscious for several hours. Dr. Osgood quoted the parents as basing their object ions on religious grounds. The yougstec was waiting with other children for the school bus. Warm Spell Marked PORTLAND, Ore., Dec. 7-P) -Western Oregon, surfeited with storms, fog and chilly weather, welcomed an unseasonable warm spell today. The mercury reached 61 degrees. Pacific Professor To Aid Spaniards NEWBERG, Dec. 7-UP)-Pro- fessor Emmett W. Gulley, Span Ish department head, received leave of absence from Pacific college, a Quaker institution, to day to supervise relief work in Spain for the American Friends Service Committee. He will depart as soon as transportation difficulties have been overcome. The professor said the committee recently ship ped 60,000 barrels of flour to Spain and was prepared to send 120,000 barrels a month for the next six months. Miss Coenenberg To Be Questioned TOLEDO, Dec. 7-P)-The Lin coin county grand jury will in veatigate perjury charges against 19-year-old Lucille Coenenberg, murder trial witness, when it convenes here December 13. Miss Coenenberg accompanied Henry S. Nelson, Portland sales man, on a boat trip at Depoe Bay which preceded the death of Cap tain Richard Earl. Circuit Judge James Brand advised the dis trict attorney, L. G. English, to bring charges when the girl ad' mitted discrepancies in state ments that Earl attempted to at tack her. Nelson, convicted of man slaughter, has filed notice of ap peal to the state supreme cor.rt Woodburn Team Rns in FFA Judging Competition WOODBURN The corn judg ing team ot Woodburn high school took first place in the state corn judging contest held in Portland Saturday, rifteen teams from throughout the state competed. Members of the Wood burn team were Sylvester Klrsch Wilbur Hobart and Warren See- ly, who scored 1957 points out of a possible 3000. Sylvestec Klrsch was the highest Individual scorer of the contest Louder Clamor TOULOUSE, France,- Dec. 7- upy-Students ot Toulouse uni versity stole a leaf from Italy's book today and marched in 'he streets of the city carrying huge placards labeled, "We want Sar dinia, Sicily and Tripoli.!' Thousands of laughing, shout ing citizens joined the parade shouting, "Long live Tunis and Corsica," two French' posses' sions which Italian students have demanded for Italy in street demonstrations. Sardinia and Sicily are Italian Islands in the Mediterranean, and Tripoli is part of her African colony of Libya. Led by students the parade marched toward the Italian con sulate, but was halted a. block from the building by a cordon of several hundred police who were In no mood for joking. W.S. Walker Dies; nites aet rnaav ALBANY-(Speelal)-W: S. (Billy) Walker, 73, prominent resident of Albany and vicinity died suddenly Wednesday night while visiting a sister, Mrs. Pearl L. Yan Orsdel at Independence. Funeral services were set for 1 p. m. Friday, December 8, from the Fortmlller chapel, Lebanon. anon. W. S. Walker came to Albany in 1890. A retired farmer, he was active in democratic politics for many years here. He was born in Edison county, Tenn., in 1865. He is survived by two sisters. Mrs. Van Orsdel, and Mrs. Sarah Caldwell of Knoxville, Tenn.; and four brothers, Charles W. of Albany. Rheube-n of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Robert of Ray mond. Wash., and M. S. Walker of Albany. Widower Marries Widow of His Son PITTSBURGH, Dec. 7-V-Tbe wedding of John Roll, 56-year- old widower and pattern maker. to his son's widow was disclosed today by the bride's mother, Mrs. J. E. Murray. As the husband ot his former daughter-in-law, 31. Rolls, be comes the stepfather ot his eight-year-old grandson. Helen Roll's first husband. John S. Roll, Pittsburgh bank teller, drowned eight years ago Latest of Lindy is v i '-v ' 1 ,- , - v I rv- ; 0n - - - J S ML CoL Charles Lindbergh and wife ' Wearing glasses, CoL Charles Lindbergh and his wife ara caught by the camera walking along' a street in Paris. Latest reports hint that the Lindberghs will take up residence in BerUnJ Workers Testify, Mill Shuts Down PORTLAND, Ore., Dee. l.-iPy-The Jones Lumber company saw mill closed down today because so many ot its employes were in the US courthouse testifying at a na tional labor relations board hear ing on an American Federation of Labor petition for recognition as bargaining agency for mill em ployes. Eight workers whose names ap peared on AFL application cards testified they still wished Local No. S of the congress for Indus trial organisation to represent them. Although the labor board rec ognised the CIO as the bargain ing agent in the Portland industry during the peak of a jurisdiction al controversy a year ago, the AFL asserted It had 'regained a majority. Howard on Job Again MONMOUTH L. B. Howard, local merchant who has been -receiving treatment at the veterans' hospital for several weeks, is home and able to attend to business duties. Fir! Fir! Our Christmas Present To You !ii:iiiow - HDD! X dial in this new 1939 Mash beauty "tunes In" spring weather all winter long. And with its new ter rific 99-h.p. engine, Nash is the best buy in town. Just look at its low price! i Delivered Here! $ CQttmut Emit Silt Extn Otf) CARTER MOTOR 365 N. Commercial St. - ! 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