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About The Oregon statesman. (Salem, Or.) 1916-1980 | View Entire Issue (June 17, 1939)
Vacation' Day '". Are here promising plenty of pleasure. Your trip will i be even tuore pleasant If yon ; call 9101 and have The Statesman follow yoa with the news of home. The Veather : Showers today followed by clearing Saturday. 1 Rising temperature. . Max. ' temp. Thursday 00, mln. 47. River 1.7 feet. SW wind. PCUMD3D 1651 EIGHTY-NINTH YEAR Salem, Oregon, Saturday Morning, Jane 17, 1939 Price 3c; Newsstands 5e No. 71 State Ends After Drager Is Due To Take Stand In Trial Today Judge Seigmund, Hewlett Testify Shortage Was News to Them Drager to Relate Story of Checks Written on Private Business Three county officials, a former county commissioner, two bank ers and a Salem man interested in the Salem Mining company were called to the witness stand at the trial of W. Y. "York" Richardson, former deputy county treasurer. In circuit court yesterday afternoon as the state wound op its direct testimony. Richardson and Coun ty Treasurer D. G. Drager are charged jointly with larceny of $23,520.41 of public money. "The state rests," Francis E. Marsh, prosecutor, announced at 3:15 p.m. after C. C. Ward, dep uty county clerk, had testified that Richardson's salary had ranged from $3 a day in 19 IS to $100 a month in 1920, $110 In 1925 and $115 from 1930 until his dismissal last November. Tes timony had been adduced Thurs day to show his yearly personal expenditures from 1926 to 1932, Inclusive, ranged between $1, 435.95 and $3335.45. The treasurer is expected to be - one of the first witnesses the de fense will call when the trial re in. , - - ,,r Drager to Take Stand Today : . Drager's attorneys agreed yes terday that he should waive im munity and testify at the request of Edwin Keech, Richardson's counsel, regarding checks the treasurer wrote on county funds for what Keech contends was pri vate business. J. C. Siegmund, Marlon county. Judge since 1927, was the first county official to testify at the af ternoon session. He was first led to state that the county court had employed the state auditors who found the treasury shortage and then Marsh asked: "Prior to about the time they completed the audit did you have any - knowledge of a shortage or book discrepancy in the treasur er's office?" "No, sir," answered the elderly Judge. "The first time I knew about the shortage was when the auditors brought in their report." "Did Mr. Richardson make any statement there that he knew there was a shortage t" Marsh in quired, after Judge Siegmund had told of a conference last Novem ber attended by the auditors. Dis trict Attorney Lyle J. Page and the court. "I think there was some state ment to the effect that there was . a shortage or an error," the judge replied. The witness was dismissed when he said ' he couldn't remember much about what went on at the meeting and cross-examination was waived. ' Next to testify, Leroy Hewlett, county commissioner from 1934 through 1938, said he knew In his first month in office that there was a law requiring county trea surers to file monthly reports with their county courts. Hewlett Claims Report Asked - Hewlett said he requested Dra ger to file these reports sometime In 1935 but none waa ever pre sented. Asked about the November and' flora' conference, Hewlett said "the whole thing was covered minutely . . . questions were fired at Richardson and perhaps every angle of It was covered." "As I recall Mr. Richardson at the berlnnina: of the investigation said haultnew of no shortage until the auditors made the report," Hewlett recounted. "After repeat ed questions . . he finally admit ted that he did know about the shortage." ' - . "Was he hesitant?" Marsh - asked. - ; "Yes, we had to get It out of him piecemeal." ' "Prior to the audit report did you eved have any knowledge of a shortage 7 " inquired Marsh. Hewlett answered. "No." and then added: : "I am fully convinced, since the first of the year, that at least one member of the court did know about it." , Neither Marsh nor Defense At torner ; Keech on cross-examina tion asked Hewlett to whom ho re ferred. ' Asked by Keech what Treasurer Drager's reaction to the request for monthly reports was, Hewlett sail "he said he didn't make that . (Tan to page I, eoL ijf Testimony Officials Where Trouble Brews in East Tientsin, China, Is the newest "hot spot" in the far east. A Jap anese blockade of the British and French concessions there threatens international compli cations with Japanese adamant to British demands that search and seizure of British subjects cease. (MX) Officials Question Kin of Dead Child Lie Detector Is Brought to Unravel Slaying of Tiny Babe FREMONT, O., June 16.-ff)-Autborltles questioned relatives of slain Haldon "Buster" Fink with the aid of a lie detector tonight In an effort to unravel the perplex ing slaying of the 10-weeks-eld Clyde. O., baby. The mother. Mrs, Velma Baker Fink, 22. and her 20-year-old bro ther, Edwin Baker, 20, were the first to undergo the tests. Results were not disclosed although How ard Q. Robinson of Newark, 0. former superintendent of the Ohio bureau of criminal investigation and operator of the psycograph, asserted "I am satisfied with my progress." Prosecutor A. L. Hyzer then or dered the baby's grandparents. Mr. and Mrs. Oran Baker, to cue to the courthouse here for ques tioning. Also consenting to the tests were Irvin Fink, 23, the di vorced father of the baby, his sis ter, Mrs. Ethel Auxter, 25, and other relatives. Mrs. Fink and her brother were questioned in relays of about 20 or 25 minutes each, Hyzer said, and answered all questions with readi ness. The baby was stolen from his carriage Tuesday night A dozen hours later his body was found floating In a creek between Clyde and Fremont, apparently thrown from a bridge. Tie-up of Harbor In Frisco Looms SAN FRANCISCO, June lS-tiP) -Tie-up of the port of San Fran cisco at 8 a.m., Saturday appeared Inevitable tonight after a confer ence seeking settlement of a wa terfront dispute closed without agreement. Following the meeting the dock checkers employers association announced it would be "com pelled" to carry out its announced Intention of suspending relations with the ships clerks association at its previously announced dead line 8 a.m. if pickets were not withdrawn from American-Hawaiian docks by that time. The union countered with a statement that clerks would re port for duty tomorrow as usual and "it refused employment" by reason of severance of relations would remain on the docks to see that no work went on. , Another meeting was called for 10 a.m., however. City Loses in Payment of The city of Salem yesterday lost in an attempt to collect a S 0-year Id North - Commercial street paring assessment of $269.30 when Circuit Judge U G. Lewelllng handed down a mem orandum opinion holding-that a constructive ' fraud 4 would q be worked on the defendants, J. H. and Jennie Imlah, if they : were forced to pay It Theassessment had : accumulated ' Interest until the total lien approximated MOO. The city itself is to blame for the loss because It "evidently took ao steps to have an audit of its records and no measures to pro tect Itself from errors and mis takes of Its employes, the court ruled In answer to the city's con tention that a lien docket nota tion entered by City Recorder Mark Poulao la 1124 showing ..V.7,vm.1BJ ysard p - o Fooi Dwindles In Concession From Blockade British Press Japanese; Food Situation May Be Serious Japanese Urge Chinese to Bring Pressure on English (By the Associated Press) TIENTSIN, June 1 7- ( Satur day) -The Japanese; blockade of the British and French concessions entered the fourth day today with Japanese urging Chinese to bring Independent pressure on the Brit ish to bow to Japanese demands and the British pressing represen tations against obstacles to the flow of foodstuffs. (The British foreign office warned in a communique that if "the new demands foreshadowed from official Japanese sources in north China should be persisted in, then it must be said at once that an extremely serious situa tion will arise and that the Brit ish government will have to con sider what Immediate and active steps they can take for the pro tection of British Interests In China.") Food prices were skyrocketing; the shortage of milk for children was causing sharp resentment among foreigners; and two Chi nese .were reported killed yester day morning by Japanese sentries while handing up a basket of ve getables into the British conces sion near the United States marine barracks. Japanese Balloon Advises Chinese An illuminated captive balloon hoisted by the Japanese military swung lazily in the sky with a huge placard urging the Chinese (Turn to page 2, col. 6) Murphy's Payroll Speech Approved Pay Cutting Suggestion Greeted by Economy Bloc Warmly WASHINGTON, June 16.-()-Attorney General Murphy's sug gestion that government payrolls federal, state and localshould be trimmed by a billion dollars was heartily applauded today by members of the congressional "economy bloc." Contending that was Just what they had been endeavoring to make a start on, they said they welcomed the attorney general's help. Senator Adams (D-Colo), one of those who have sought to cut this year's appropriations, observed, however, that It would be "diffi cult If not Impossible to accom plish such a program" as Murphy advanced and still comply with the attorney general's condition that governmental functions not be curtailed. Murphy discussed government costs in an address last night at Asbury Park, NJ, he asserted It was time to end the "practice of passing out government Jobs in payment of political debts," and expressed belief that three mil lion workers could do the Job now handled by four millions on pay rolls of the federal; state and local governments. ? The attack on political Jobhold ers created a stir throughout the capital. At his press conference. President Roosevelt said the ad ' (Turn to page 2, coL 2) Try to Get Old Paving Bill the lien had been "satisfied in full" was an error. - , "Municipalities hare ample means at their disposal to protect themselves against errors of this kind," the opinion continued. . . Having permitted Its record to stand all these years, it seems to this court that it ought not now at this late- date be permitted In a court of equity to have its Hen reinstated at the expense of an Innocent purchaser for value who In good faith relied upon the city's record and who, if the lien is rein stated, must be compelled to pay the ! same .'without any right of redress' whatsoever against any one, and thus be made the victim of constructive fraud." The court Inquired 'how else Is a purchaser of real property '(Tarn to page 1. eoL S) House Passes Relief Funds; WPA limited Total Is $1,735,000,000 for WPA, NYA, FSA Activities WPA Is Told Just How It Can Spend Funds Allowed It WASHINGTON, June 17.-(Saturday )-(5)-At the-ragged end of a turbulent 13-hour session the house passed the new relief bill shortly before 1 a, m., today, ap propriating $1,477,000,000 for WPA and, for the first time, tell lng that much criticized agency Just how It should spend the money. In addition, the measure In cluded an additional $268,000,000 for related activities such as those of the national youth administra tion, and the farm security ad ministration, running the total ap propriated to $1,735,000,000. The roll call vote on final pass age was announced as 373 to 21. To all Intents and purposes the measure revamped and revolu tlonized the administration of re lief in the United States by im posing a long series of rigid re strictions upon the expenditure of the money and ordering the fed eral theater project abandoned. The bill now goes to the senate. GOP Combine In Command A gigantic combination of re publicans, voting solidly, and of democrats, held complete com mand of the situation. Pitted against them was a smaU group, fighting hard, but futilely, to Increase the appropriations, to soften the restrictions imposed, and finally to save the federal theater from destruction. What support they might have expected from the moderates of the membership had been - swept away by a series of compromises offered during the day by Chair man Woodrum (D-Va.) and his colleagues of the. appropriations subcommittee In ' charge of the bill. These added $19,000,000 to the appropriation for the national youth administration, to bring that allotment about halfway be tween the $81,000,000 recom mended by the committee and the $123,000,000 requested by the president, and did take some of the severe rigidity from a few restrictive sections. But, primarily, the committee had assured its support In ad vance by attaching its restrictive clauses to a bill which otherwise appropriated almost every cent which , the administration had asked for relief $1,477,000,000 for WPA, $123,000,000 for the farm security administration, and varying smaller sums for other agencies. Workers Alliance Given Rebuff Early in the day, the CIO and the Workers Alliance, a union of WPA workers, which has been attacked on the floor as under communist leadership, received a resounding rebuff. The house re fused to increased the WPA ap propriation from $1,477,000,000 to $2,250,000,000, as asked by those organizations. By a tally vote of 201 to 82, It voted to stand by the lower figure recommended by the ad . (Turn to page 2, col. 8 ) Next Depression May Be Greatest PORTLAND, June 16.-(ff)-De-pression resulting from another world war would be far greater than In 129. Dr. Ivor Jennings, University of London, told Reed college's graduating seniors in a commencement address yesterday. Advising 72 graduates to take part in solving political problems, the educator predicted neutrality acts or Ludlow law amendments would be Ineffective in keeping the United States out of the next European war. Dr. Jennings asserted In an In terview on the - British-Japanese difficulties at Tientsin that "no body wants a war in the far east at the moment; there are bigger fish nearer at home. Ashurst Says He Is True American KLAMATH FALLS, June 16.-(-Circuit Judge Edward B. Ash urst declared today bis efforts to remove the "dictators" of Klam ath county the "organised gam bling ring1! and "potentates of the Klamath underworld" were indi cative of true Americanism. - t The Jurist's statement was In reply to a resolution by 100 Lang ell valley farmers demanding his resignation. Judge Ainnxt charged one sponsor of the resolution was "a disgruntled litigant whose sons recently failed . la court to win a $7000 lawsuit. r The Judge promised to persist la a campaign against gambling. CLOUDBURST INUNDATES: in.., . in niwijinn ' K v v. v s , a v f X. ' r ' Flooded by unseasonable rains, Fresno, Cal., streets were recently converted Into fast flowing river after one and one-half Inches of rain f eU in less than an hour. Experiencing the worst cloudburst In Its history Fresno and nearby territory upon checking up found damage in estimate of f 1,000,000. Only casualty was Mrs. Eleanora McMurty, 68, who died of what physicians described as a cerebral hemor rhage Induced by fright. (UN). Water Deal Audit Sought by Olson Resolution Asks Complete Audit of Transaction of Purchase A special audit of "the trans action whereby the city of Salem acquired the present water sys tem" was proposed In a resolution Commissioner O. A. Olson pre sented to the Salem water com mission for consideration last night. Action was delayed until after the return of Chairman I. M. Doughtony'who la In California. Introduction of the resolution coincided with presentation of two opinions by City Attorney Paul R. Hendricks ruling that the water commission Is obligated to pay a Marlon tax bill for $27, S 17.0 5 and a city street assess ment amounting to approximately $1500. Both obligations trans ferred to the city along with title to the water system when It was purchased from the Oregon-Washington Water Service company August 1, 1935. The resolution calls for "a com plete audit of all transactions, books, records, and accounts" per taining to the water system pur chase and "including particularly all transactions, contracts, books, records, and accounts, preceding and to the 30 th day of October, 1937," the day the city council formally turned all control of the system and Its funds over to the commission. No explanation of the resolu tion was offered by its sponsors. (Turn to page 2, col. 3) Temperatures Fall Throughout State PORTLAND, June H.-i-A storm which blanketed the north ern United States had shoved Ore gon temperatures downward in a deluge of rain and snow today. General rains dampened most sections of the state, excepting only Bend, Burns and Pendleton, yesterday. North Bend was the wettest spot with 1.26 inches of rain, Mehama In Marlon county close behind with 1.13 Inches and Portland well up In the list with .70. Snow fell In large, wet flakes at Lakevlew, over the Klamath basin and In Ashland hills. A bumper cherry crop was unin jured at Ashland, but Medford re ported some damage from heavy rain. Temperatures dropped sharply, with mlnlmums ranging from 32 degrees at Siskiyou summit to 49 degrees at Portland. Generally fair weather was pre dicted tor tonight and Saturday, with warmer temperatures in the Interior tomorrow. French, Japanese Clash Threatened SHANGHAI, June lT.-(Satur-day)-(flVAnother clash between Japanese and foreign interests In China threatened today at Han kow over refusal of members of the French chamber of commerce to pay new taxes Imposed by the recently organized Japanese-eon-trolled Wuhan special municipal ity. -. Domel, Japanese news agency reported the foreign firms at Han kow based their refusals on. the contention that they had no source of : income since the Japanese closed the Yangtze rlrer to navi gation last January. . .The news agency said Japanese authorities In the former Chinese provisional capital threatened "drastic acUoa" against tha de faulting firms. .ft rJ - '-X k He Was Gearing Land and He Did Really Clear It TILLAMOOK, Ore., June 16. -(AVBruce Kellow of Tilla mook believes In sufficiency. He was preparing to blast bis first slump while aiding bis father clear some land. He asked bis father If 19 sticks of dynamite were enough. The elder KeUow thought his son was joking. "Why don't you do a good Job, he Jibed, "use 80." Young Kellow figured if 00 would do m good Job 120 would be better so he used ISO. , ' - Today, where once stood v small stump there is now a crater big enough to hold av house. Nobody was hurt. Quid, 5, Drowns In Storm Sewer Police Pull Boy's Body From Manhole two Miles Away ATLANTIC CITY, NJ, June 1-(ff)-Five-year-old Tommy Leopar di, fell screaming into a huge storm sewer today and was car ried underground by the swift cur rents until policemen extracted his lifeless body in a manhole two miles away. When tbe child fell in, seven-year-old Jimmie Brennan, ran to a fire station. Firemen John Duffy and Joseph Kernaghan got a row boat and entered the sewer, which is big enough to accommodate an automobile. They heard Tommy screaming pitifully and tried desperately to paddle to him, but 100 feet from where they started the sewer turned too sharply for their boat. Police and firemen ran up Bal tic avenue, under which the storm drain travels, opening all man holes. For two and a half hours they watched from these points, hoping to snatch the body as it passed. Finally the body was sighted at the Georgia avenue manhole and recovered. The boy's father, Roc co Leopardl, a hotel engineer, was there when the body was pulled out and wrapped It In a blanket. Old Ewe Pays Keep ROSEBURG, June lt.-UP-Al bert Cockeram can't be accused of pensioning his 21-year-old ewe. She pays her keep. ' This spring she bore twin lambs which weighed 80 pounds each when sold for 313.80 for the pair the other day. Salem School Budget Needs No Slashing Despite allowance made for the fourth successive six per cent In crease in teachers' salaries, the Salem district school budget re quired no trimming to bring It well within the six per cent limita tion as the district budget board waded through the items in record time without making so much as a pencil-scratch to alter the pro posed draft prepared by W. H. Barghardt, business manager, and the finance committee of the school board. . ' y Total expenditures were esti mated at II49.124.SS as compared to 36J0.610.46 tor the, year Just ending. This Includes $172,414 to he raised for current expense com pared to 1253,074.38, leaving the total $2232.61 short of the six per cent limitation. The actual amount to he raised by taxation. Including FRESNO -r. -4 Fatal Shot's SheU Found Miles Away State Police Trace Shot Which Felled Woman at Mt. Angel The shell of Mt. Angel's "mys tery bullet," that caused the death of Mrs. Frank D. Hittner, was discovered yesterday by state po lice two miles from the house its lead pierced and fatally wounded tbe 72-year-old woman. SgU Farley Mogan last night revealed the shell was -found 1n the woods of the Frank FesslCr place, two miles due north of the Joseph Brockhous home In Mt Angel, where Mrs. Hittner was sitting when wounded. Police es tablished the location by throw ing a transit line from the spot where the bullet entered the house, using the bullet taken by a doctor from Mrs. Hittner's lung after her death in a Portland hospital June S to positively Iden tify the shell as the one that en cased it. Mogan said Mrs. Fessler re membered that on the afternoon Mrs. Hittner was wounded she had chased several young men, who had been firing rifles, out of the woods in which the shell was found, but was unable to Identify any of them. The bullet was fired from a 30.06 government rifle, according to state police ballistic experts, who yesterday were checking guns in the Mt. Angel area. When struck Mrs. Hittner was making ready to leave the Brock hous home, where she had been attending a reception for a priest. The bullet went through two walls. At first thought not seri ously Injured, she was taken to her home but later removed to the Silverton hospital and still later to a Portland hospital. 4-H Youths Quit College's Campus CORVALLIS, June 1 .-)-Two thousand 4H club boys, girls and leaders moved homeward to day at the conclusion of their an nual summer session at Oregon State sollege. Judging contest results In cluded: Llvestoc k Delbert King, Marlon, first; Ronald Wood and Loren Wlederkehr, Marlon, tied for fourth. Homemaklng R 1 1 a Wellman, Marion, tied for third. Clothing Yerlie Duke, Marlon, tied for first. Cooking L aurel Krens, Marlon, tied for third. to Meet Limit debt service, Is $474,936.85 as compared to $454,522.96.' " A substantial reduction la inter est on bonds, from $22,037.60 to $20,187.50, explained by the fact that bonded Indebtedness was paid off 1ik the l amount of $54,000. helped to keep down tha total, as did an almost equal estimated re duction -la interest. on. other. In debtedness due to tbe retirement of notes and warrants and some refinancing at lower rates. Estimated s receipts also In creased from $196,448.03 to $202,620.17, this Item including net cash on hand of $13,213.56 Receipts from the county school fund, and from non-high . school tuition were expected to increase, but estimated rentals were down $3800. (Turn to page 2, coL S) 63 Are Aboard Craft Missing In China Seas No Life-Saving Fixtures Believed Carried by Missing Ship Great Depth of Sea in Bay Would Hamper Rescue Effort SAIGON, French Indo-Chlna, June 17.-(Saturday) -(-French naval authorities after a pro longed search for the submarine Phenlx, lost with 63 men aboard, announced today there waa not a single trace of the underwater craft. The submarine submerged Thursday morning in the China sea off the Bay of Cam-Ranh, Indo-Chlna, and was scheduled to appear here Friday morning. The search with alt available naval units and French airplanes was continued today. However, virtually all hope of saving the men was abandoned by authorities. It was not known -whether life-saving apparatus waa aboard. The sea where the search was carried out had a depth of about 100 meters (32S feet). An Im mediate naval inquiry waa planned, but officers first needed to locate the craft. PARIS, June 16.-(jP)-The 2000 ton French submarine Phenlx has been missing since making a rou tine dive Thursday morning oft the coast of Indo-China with four officers and 59 men aboard, the navy ministry announced tonight. The Phenlx and its crew were feared lost. The dive was made la Cam-Ranh bay, where the moun tains of eastern Indo-Chlna drop hard down to the coast making . one of the deepest stretches f water In the China sea. . The great depth of the water, coupled with- unavailability es proper rescue equipment and fail ure to locate the craft after nearly two full days of search, left little hope for rescue. x , The accident was the fourth hi the swiftest succession of major tragedies in submarine history. Only 16 days ago, on June 2, tha British submarine Thetis sank to Liverpool bay with a loss of 99 lives; on May 23 the Americas submarine Squalus sank off tbe New Hampshire coast with death . to 26 and rescue of 33; and -on. February 2, 81 died in the sinking of the Japanese submarine 1-63 400 miles southwest of Tokyo. First Communique Made at Paris The first communique waa issued by the navy ministry at t. p. m. (11 a, m. PST). It said: . 'There Is serious anxiety con- . cerning the fate of the first-class submarine Phenix, at present at tached to Indo-China. "After a dive carried out durlag exercises the morning of June If off the Bay of Cam-Ranh the sub marine did not reappear. "The far eastern naval forces aa well as unattached ships of tbe navy in Indo-Chino immediately began searches which still contin ue. Seaplanes la the colony are) also participating. "Informed immediately, the navy ministry notified the families of the members of the crew." An hour after issuing this state ment the naval ministry said there was little likelihood of a farther announcement before tomorrow morning. Official France tonight already had taken a step toward national ' mourning with cancellation of as -official luncheon which President Lebrun was to give tomorrow at the Elysee palace for the sultan ef Morocco. . - s The scene of the accident la 22S miles northeast of Saigon, capital of French Indo-Chino, at the east ernmost extremity of the Indo Chinese peninsula. Phenlx Built la 1827 The Phenlx, built in 192? and of a type heretofore considered to be one of the most successful un dersea styles In the navy, had been scheduled to leave a point on the Indo-Chinese coast about Iff miles north of Saigon and to go to another point on the coast. It waa to have arrived in the late morn ing. . France had Just opened negotla- ". tions with the United States for four diving bells similar to the one used to rescue 23 from' the Squa lus . She' does . not now have aay . uch equipment,'' - 80-Year-Old Finds ; Aiitn Tfifinns l?ri Aaav smwwuv as maa v .; .. . v- .' f . "" v-. .sr .. . . .... .. - ."v . PORTLAND. June l-(ff)-Mrs. Sarah Bosartn, 80, grew weary of the. ennui of humdrum life the other day so she applied for an in struction permit to lean to drive ' Today was examination day In the state-sponsored safe-driving school here and she passed with a grade of 100 per cent. She hasn't an automobile . and - doesn't contemplate . getting one but she said iho ? enjoyed the ----I'.,. ....... ..v. -,Li-f, ii. -a-; -. -v..,, "r --- N" Classes,- i. . .