Medford mail tribune., June 26, 1925, Page 1, Image 1

e
4
' n o
, TBe Weather
Prediction Fair and
continued warm
Maximum yesterday 105
Minimum today 6 if. 5
MEBM)E MAIL
Wefiier Year Ago
Miixlimuii RS
Mhlliilum .49
Tribune
Ml; Twratlttk To
Wxtlt Fifty-third la,
WAN KILLED
IN BLAST AT
LOCAL
L A. Compson of Gold Hill
Meets Death at Buzzard
Mine When Dynamite
Charge Explodes Son,
Archie, Is Injured, But Will
Recover To Probe Cause.
Striking a dynamite charge acci
dentally with his pick, L. A. Compton
of the Gold Hill district wan fatally
Injured yesterday at the Buzzard
mine, 60 miles from Med ford, and his
nun Archie was , wounded about the
head and shoulders and one eye was
flerlounly injured. The father lived
.hut a short time after the ex
AplOHion, being frightfully mangled.
The son Is in a local hospitul not
Reverely hurt, hut quite unneryed as
the result of the tragedy.
The two. men, according to the cor
oner's office, had finished firing their
blasts before stopping to eat the noun
time meal, and when they recom
menced work they counted the
charges finding one had not gone off.
About two hours later Com p ton was
using a pick in the vicinity of the
unexploded churge, and suddenly an
explosion occurred, it being assumed
that the pick detonated the cartridge.
Deputy Coroner J. Walker was
summoned to the scene of the acci
dent, leaving Medford about 3 o'clock.
It was not until early this morning,
about 1 o'clock, because of bud roads,
he arrived In Medford with the body
of the unfortunate man. Archie, the
son, was immediately taken to the
hospital.
The deceused was born April C,
1876 at Mendocino, California, being
49 years, two months and I days old
at the time of his death, lie had
Jived wllH his family two and one
half miles south of Gold Hill on the
road leading to Jacksonville for four
years, and formerly, had been a resi
dent of Jncksonvllle and Ashland. He
leaves to mourn his loss, his wife,
Lillian Compton. nnd four children,
Archie, Irma, Floyd and Grace, all of
Gold Hill, one brother, Willis C, and
two Bisters, Mrs. Felton and Mrs.
Cahlll living In Mendocino, Calif.
No Inquest will be held, us the
death of Mr. Compton Is regarded as
purely accidental. Funeral arrange
ments will be announced later.'
According to K. E. Carter, manager
of the mine, young-Compton Is con
vinced that his father did not pick
into a dynamite charge, and believes
It was a delayed explosion. The exact
cause will be determined after an In
vestigation by Mr. Carter.
Casualties of the
Air Service
MITCHELL FIELD, NEW YORK,
June 26. (A. P.) Sergeant Douglas
E. Logan of tlie United States army
MINE
i air service was killed at Mitchell field
today when a piece of a propeller,
broken in the tall of a Martin bomber
In which he was riding, tore through
the fuselage and pierced his lieurt.
He has relatives In Bisbee, Ariz.
The bomber, piloted by Lieutenant
J. A. Wilson, was undergoing a trial
flight, being just from the engineering
bops. Twenty feet from the ground
a gust of wind tilted the plane and it
fell, breaking a propeller and stripping
the under carriage.
With terrific force a piece of the
propeller flew off and ripped through
the forward cockpit in which Logan
was riding.
Wall Street Report
NEW YORK, June ZC The clos
ing was strong. General Motors
touched a new top at 83 and Amer
ican Can extended Its gain to five
points. ' '
Stock prices moved out of the nar
row area In which they had been
fluctuating on the upside in today's
market. Bullish demonstrations were
vigorously conducted In a number of
motors-, tobaccos and public utilities.
Total sales approximated 1,150,000
shares.
NEW YORK, June 28. Greater
New Ycyk was recovering today from
the effects of a severe thunder storm.
A bolt knocked an arm from the
cross atop one of the two majestic
spires of St. Patrick's cathedral, while
4 40 perform were Inside. Fragments
nf the 20(1 pound marble urm shower
ed the street, but no one was injured.
FOUETEEN PAGES TODAY
Picks Up Necklace
of Pearls in Paris
Street Worth $36,800
PARIS, June 26. A necklace
of 134 pearls valued by experts at
800,000 francs (about (36,800)
wad found In the street last night
4 and promptly handed in to the
4 police by the finder. French law
4 provides Ihnt the finder in such
4 cases becomes the legnl owner if
the object Is unclaimed for a year
and a day.
-4
SCORES KILLED
THEATREBLAST
Sudden Explosion Wrecks Kan
sas City Theatre While Play
Is Going On Fire Follows
Blow Up Death List May
Reach 35.
KANSAS CITY, Mo., June 26. (A.
P.) An unknown number of persons
were killed and scores Injured when
an explosion, followed by fire destroy
ed the Gillis theater, a burlesque
house, here last night. An audience
variously estimated from fifty to one
hundred was viewing a motion pic
ture film.
This morning, hours after the de
struction of the five-story theater
building, no definite estimate of the
number of dead could be made, altho
police und fire department officials
said they believed from 30 to 35 of
the hundred or more persons in the
theater and restaurants and stores of
the building had been trapped in the
debris. ,
Early today firemen hnd organized
a volunteer party, of 100 men to
search" the smouldering wreckage for
bodies. They predicted it would take
many hours of digging before nn ac
curate appraisal of casualties could
be made.
A fireman, John Hugan, was killed
on his way to the scene when a fire
truck overturned. Two other firemen
were injured.
The explosion came with startling
swiftness at eleven o'clock. Flames
enveloped the structure almost Im
mediately following the blast and the
roof and floors of the ancient build
ing, constructed 42 years ago as the
city's finest play house, collapsed.
Those who were able to make their
way out of the building did so almost
miraculously, according to eye wit
nesses. Exits of the theater, which was lo
cated on the second floor were few in
number. The main entrance and a
rear exit behind the stage both led
down a confuting arruy of stairways
of wood which crumbled in a moment
under the falling building. - -y-
The rear exit was closed almost at
once. ; Stories of witnesses say the
rear exit was closed by the falling of
the sttige. Torn and bleeding men
were seen running from the building
and some of them were dragged from
the debris.
The midnight show had Just started
and a- love scene was playing on the
screen when the blast rocked the
building, bringing down the balcony
as the floor gave way, according to
survivors.
When the entire center section of
the building collapsed, it sent bricks
and debris into surrounding streets
and broke windows a block away.
Thirty minutes after the explosion,
the south wall of the theater fell,
crushing several small stores.
A negro porter In a restaurant on
the ground floor of the building, said
that half an hour before the explo
sion he detected gas fumes in the
basement.
Property damage was placed at
$150,000. ,
KANSAS CITY, June 26. (A. P.)
Persons who escaped from the thea
ter building following the explosion
and fire last night were agreed today
that no more than twenty persons
were in the show house nt the time
of the blast. Last night the theater
audience was variously estimated at
from fifteen to one hundred. How
many of those escaped from the col
lapsing building could not be estimat
ed by the witnesses. i
A five ton granite bqll waA knocked
from a tower of the American museum
of natural history by another bolt.
IThe ball tore a hole in the roof, shat
tered windows and ripped up 25 feet
of Htone wall along a driveway.
) Lightning hit the North Hudpon
hospital and Kmmanuel Kvnngelhal
I church In tlnlon City, N. J. Fifty pa
Itlents wereQirown Into a panic.
MYSTERIOUS
MEDFORD,
GUARDSMEN
LEAVE CITY
ON SCHEDULE
Last Troop Train Left at 7
J. M. Medford Is "Present
ed With Flag and Thanked
for Splendid Hospitality-
Camp Is Expected to Re
turn Next Year."
Following farewell social affairs in
the city last night for the soldiers of
the national guurd, and a happy ex
change of compliments, between the
guardsmen and the people of Medford,
represented by llrigadier-General Geo.
A. White and Mayor Alenderfer, re
spectively, the troops entrained ut the
depot early this morning in five long
special trains lor the homes of the
various units throughout the state, and
Camp Jackson passed into the realm
of pleasant memories.
The soldiers departed full of grati
tude for the many courtesies extended
to them all through the 14 days' en
campment, and Medford people on
their part regretted to see these hun
dreds of fine young men go, and hoped
to again welcome them to Medford
next year.
It was at the band concert in the
city park given last evening by the
186th regimental band In compliment
to Medford, that the official farewell
speechmaking occurred, during which
General White presented on behalf or
the Oregon national guard a very large
silver loving cup to President R. J.
Clancy of the Chamber of Commerce
for the 'people of Medford. and also
presented the city, through the cham
ber, with the Second brigade flag, to
be kent'bv Medford until cnllnd for
which time General White said lie
hoped would be at next year's en
campment here. - ..
Mayor . 0. O. "Alenderrer began the
speechmaklng: with an address In
which he praised the Oregon national
guard for its fine personnel and the
noteworthy conduct of the troops In
the city during the encampment. The
mayor Btated that so exemplary was
this soldierly conduct that the Med
ford police did not have to even repri
mand any soldier during all this time
The mayor said Medford would he
happy to welcome the guardsmen here
annually. . .
General White came back in n nnr.
tlcularly happy mood In which he ex
pressed the gratitude of the state
troops for the many courtesies and
Pleasures extended them by the Med
ford community, and said that the
guardsmen if they had their war
would-be glad to hold the annual en
campment in this city hereafter.
Thanking Mayor Alenderfer for his
kind remarks, General White then
said that he was happy to learn that
his soldiers had acted so well in Med
ford, and that It afforded him much
additional pleasure to state that the
military police of Camn Jackson on
duty during the encampment found it
totally unnecessary to arrest a single
Medford citizen or a member of the
Medford police fore.
The tent city of Camn Jackson wan
struck at 6 o'clock last evening and
tho wnrk nf hanllnt. all k '
. .. w. u"ui'u. an ma i;am
equlppage that could be spared to the
railroad yards and loading it into the
awaiting baggage and freight cars was
continued from then on until midnight
by the various contingents on this
detail.
The troops slept last night under
their shelter tents, and after a verv
early breakfnst packed their carrying
equipment for the trip home and
marched from the camp to the depot
yards with bugles blowing and letting
out cheers frequently for Medford and
Camp Jackson.
The first train got away north at
5 A. M. and the other trains departed
30 minutes apart until 7 A. M., when
the last of the five special trains de
parted on time.
A detachment of 125 men was left
behind In command of Lleutennnt-'
Colonel Baker to clean up the odds 1
and ends of the camp, which work
will be completed by Saturday evening. I
Also in the railroad yards this fore-'
noon there were 38 freight cars con
taining ordnance and other national
guard equipment to be shipped north,
and there will be 14. more freight cars
of this to be shipped.
The railroad men had a huge task .
in supplying the 66 coaches for the
five special train's with water and ice, '
and worked al night until 4 o'clock
this morning before this Job was
rfinished. I
Another pleasant feature of last
night's concert and official farewell
to the soldiers was the presentation
of a loving cup by tha local Chamber
of Commerce to Company A of Mc-
Minnville. 162nd regiment, for being (
the best drilled company in the Second
brigade. President Clancy of the
chamber made the presentation, and
the award was received on behalf of
the company by Colonel Eugene
Moshberger.
Riffiant Attack French.
FEZ, French Morocco. June 26. (A.
P.) Abd-El-Krim. the Riffian leader,
began a vigorous offensivp near Taza
today nnd the French countur uttacked.
Thff battle whi contGiuIn this after
noon with Riffian losses heavy.
0HE00X, FRIDAY, .1UXK
LaFollette Leaves Washington
tjM til
fm0 nirvi Slr r
m awj lis
6
-r
Tlio body of Senator Hubert M. TuiFollctlit bcliur Uikcn hunt his resi
lience in tile ftipluil, to lie taken to M lullson, VIkiikIii.
HOT WAVE PEAK RANCHER RIDES
PASSES AS THE
Light Winds and Sea Breezes
Bring Relief to Oregon, But
Weather Still Torrid Mer
cury 101 in Portland Yes
terday, KLAMATH FALLS, Ore., Juno 2C.
A light wind biough some rt-llef to
Klamuth Fulls today, with the ther
mometer regiHtcrinK 80 at 11 o'clock
this morninir. At the same hour yes
terday It registered 90 decrees. Indi
cations were that the mercury would
not p) above 96 during the cluy.
PORTLAND, 'Ore., June 26. (A.
P.) Ocean breezes sweeping in last
night caused temperatures In this vi
cinity to drop considerably with the
result that the temperature was less
torrid here today than yesterday when
a new high record for June wan estab
lished. The maximum yesterday was
101. K. L. Wells, weather observer,
said he expected the maximum here
today to be ahout 90. He said, how
ever, that the hot spelt would con
tinue for two or three days.
ROSKBUriQ, Ore.. June 2C. Rose
burg entered upon another hot day
with the indications, however, taht the
temperature would not reach the high
point of yesterday and the day before.
The morning observation at the local
weather bureau reported a tempera
ture of 55 degrees which Increased to
85 degrees at 8 a. m. as compared to
90 degrees at the same time yester
day. A light breeze blowing from the
north is expected to keep the temper
ature at least below the century murk.
BEND, Ore., June 26. The temper
ature reached 99 early yesterday af
ternoon, according to the government
weather observer. This was within
one degree of the maximum ever re
corded In Bend. During the night the
lowest temperature recorded was 61,
a higher minmlmum than any time be
fore this season.
PENDLETON, Ore.. June 26. The
official government thermometer in
Pendleton registered 105 degrees dur
ing the late afternoon yesterday.
Warm weather prevailed again to
day, the maximum temperature dur
ing the fnrenoon being 92. Farmers
say but little damage has thus far
ben done to the growing wheat, but
they would welcome cooler weather us
the present situation is critical.
HALKM. Ore., June 21. Willi
( Continued on Page Eight)
MERCURY FALLS
2(5. 192.1
FOR LIFE AHEAD
OF AVALANCHE
Gil Huff, Wyoming Cattle Man
Has Thrilling Escape From
Death When Sheep Moun
tain Collapses Tourists
Flock to See Sights.
JACKSON, Wyo., Juno 20. (A. P.)
Racing ahead of an avalunche with
the life and safely of bis fumlly and
home at stake, and winning by a mat
ter of minutes, was the experience of
Gil Huff, Wyoming rancher, whose
story of seeing the north side of
Sheep mountain crumble and fall
across the Gros Ventre river valley
near here Tuesday, became known to
day. Huff said hu was riding on
horseback at the fot of the muuntuin
when it begun to move, carrying on
Ita back a section of the dense Teton
national forest. He was riding near
his ranch, he said, when he saw this.
He turned and began a desperate ride
for safety. The avalanche, with a
roar, Huff declared, bore down toward
him i nthe form of a moving wall of
boulders, trees nnd earth, a hundred
feet high. His frenzied horse, struck
by flying splinters nnd stones, ran to
higher ground at one side, and the
big landslide missed him by only u
few feet, he declared.
Once clear of the oncoming moun
tain Huff raced to his home nearby.
He rushed his wife and daughter to a
point of safety and then returned to
save as many of hiB belongings as pos-
'slble.. Most of these he saved by
working throughout the night, he re
ported. Hufff said many of his cat
lb! were killed, two ranches above his
were wiped out nnd that the ranger
station nearby will be submerged by
the rising water. His home, which was
in the bed of the suddenly formed res
ervoir, now Is under many feel of
water.
Despite the fear that has been ex
pressed that another avalanche will
descend upon the valley tourists and
residents are rushing to the scene of
the occurrence, and It already has
gained fame as a sight of interest.
Ranchers, forest rangers and others
who live near the fallen mountain,
however, regard the possibilities more
seriously, declaring that other parts
of the mountain huve been undermin
ed by seepage from melted snow and
taht ! may give away again because
of the looseness of the earth fn that
place. Karth tremors have been felt
twice in the last week.
When the huge reservoir formed by
the avalanibe hns been filled by the
rlvi'f, it will have formed a lake six
(OntlGuud on Pag tilgUl)
' ennn u L
23 Prisoners and
7 Ships Captured
MORILK. Ala., June 26. The
British schooner Marion Adams
and six motorbnats have been
4 seized in the Oulf of Mexico off
4 Mobile by coast guard vessels, uc-
cording to information recetved
f by fedeM authorities, together
with 6000 cases of whiskey and
23 prisoners. The vessels, men
fr and liquor are being towed to this 4
port. 4
Gigantic Power Station Repre
sents Investment of Over
$3,000,000, Capable of
Generating 40,000 Horse
powerProvide Guides,
The big new hj-dro-cleetrlc develop
ment of the California Oregon Power
company, known as Copco No. 2, will
he officially dedicated to public ser
vice on Sunday, July 5th. Invitations
to attend this auspicious event, which
will he In the nature of u final Inspec
tion and dedication, will soon be
mailed out, and all Indications point
to a record crowd from near and fur.
Tentative plans include a number of
special features In nddltion to the
dedication program and the tour of
inspection which will take the visitors
never the entire project. ,
This Importnnt new power develop
ment, which Is located on the Klam,
ath river only 10 miles from Horn
brook, will ba .the largest generating
plant ' on the Copco pystem. ;.(Te,
power house contains two' gehera'tlng
units,, euch .operating under a net
head of 10 feet, and hnvlng a water
wheel rating of 20,000 electrical horse
power, or a total of 40,000 horse
power In all. With the completion of
this hew project, the Copco generating
system will consist of 11 different
power plants with a total capacity of
over 100,000 turbine horsepower.
The following is a brief description
of the Copco No. 2 development,
which represents an Investment of
more than three million dollars. The
diversion dam, which is located Just
below the Copco No. 1 plant, will
divert the waters of the Klamath
river Into a concrete-lined tunnel 16
feet In diameter and 2440 feet In
length. From the end of this tunnel
the water will enter a creosoted wood
stave pipe 1318 feet long and 16 feet
in diameter. This Is the largest wood
stave pipe in the world and will be u
source of great interest to those who
visit the project on. July (Hu. From
this huge pipe the wuter will pass Into
a second tunnel 1105 feet long,. Both
of theso tunnels are lined with con
crete in a horseshoe section, the area
of which la equivalent to a circle 10
feet In diameter. From the lower end
of the second tunnel the water will
be conducted through two steel pen
stocks, each 13' feet in diameter nnd
nearly 400 feet in length to the power
house below. In the power house,
which Is of structural steel construc
tion, there will be found two vertical
type generating units, each consisting
of a 20,000 horsepower turbine and
16,000 kilowatt generator. After pass
ing through the turbines the water is
returned to the Klamath river by
meijns of a tullrace 75 feet wide and
250 feet long. At this plant the surge
chamber, which Is located Immediate
ly above the outlet of the second tun
nel, is excavated In the solid rock and
Is lined with cjjhcrete. It lu about 40
feet it) diameter and approximately
50 feet high.
The entire project Is of extreme In
terest throughout and will no doubt
prove a revelation to those who have
never visited nn extensive hydro
electric development of such mugnl-
tudtij Members of the Copco organi
zation will act as guides, and will per
sonally conduct the visitors over tho
Job. The roads leading Into Copco
are said to be In good condition and
no difficulty Is anticipated In curing
fur thti unusuully heavy truvel which
IsfXpected In connection with the big
event on July 5th.
DED1GATE COPCO
UNIT NUMBER 2
SUNDAY IV 5
WORLD WAR VETERAN TURNING TO S
: : STONE AS RESULT OF MUSTARD GAS-
jMAHA. Neb., June 26. One of
the strangest disabilities reported at
the convention of Disabled Ameri
can Veterans here is that of Peter
Barlch, 38 years old of Minneapolis,
whose hands, feet and eh if? appar
ently are ossifying and have already
lost much of their feeling.
Hortors have given his case up
nnd hf IsOiiHtfd as a "permanent
total dlHublllty."
NO. 83
IQHPPHFRIVQ
iUIILI IILI1U U
FATE RESTS
Germ Trial Ends With Re
newed Demand for Death,
Penalty By States Attorney
Crowe Tactics of Defense
Assailed Judge
Defended.
Olson Is
CHICAGO. June 26. (A. P.) At
the end of the first hour of Its delib
eration no word had come from tha
Jury deciding the fate of William Dar
ling Shepherd.
Judge Lynch caused the jurors to
stand as he read his Instructions.
The court Instructed the Jury that
if it had any doubt about whether
Billy McClintock caught typhoid fever
by eating oysters or because of the
epidemic extant nt the time of his
death, that doubt should be resolved in
Shepherd's favor. :
He instructed that the jury should
weigh the testimony of any witnesses
and Itself decide the proper measure
of credence.
The Jurors should not be influenced
by talk of a will contest, but decide the
case on Its own merits.
The law requires that the prosecu
tion prove its case rather than that
the defense refute It.
A defendant cannot be forced to take
the witness stand and If he does then
his testimony should he weighed he
same as that of any man. . :ui
Doubt- enough to justify an acquit
tal should he reasonable. -,
To warrant a conviction upon -circumstantial
evidence alone, no theor
ies to be proven should be left for
the jury. i
An acquittal would not mean the
tlefondant waa not guilty, Bald Judge
Lynch,, but thut the state had-lulled
to prove his guilt. ' v
14 years to life, life Imprisonment, the
death penulty, or acquittal, concluded
the charge after 30 minutes of reading.
CHICAGO. June 26. (A. P.)
The Shepherd trial went to the jury
at 4:37 p. m.
CHICAGO, June 26. Denouncing
William D. Shepherd as the perpe
trator of a new species of murder
who had slain his foster son, Wll
11a mMcCUntock, with typhoid germs)
to obtain McCUntock's millionaire;
estate, District Attorney Robert-. ,E.;
Crowe today asked the Jury tosre-(
turn a verdict of guilty that would;
carry a penalty of hanging. -
Shepherd, Crowe charged, "was a
sh lit loss pan-handler," who had been
content to live sixteen years in plenty
provided by another.
The prosecutor defended hlmaelf,
Judge Harry Olson and Alexander
Rclchmunn against assertions' oL the
defense counsel that the trial f was
against Shepherd to prevent hi in
heriting McCUntock's estate. CrWe
said the -reason he placed Judge
Olson on the .witness stand was to
give defense attorneys William Scott
Stewart nnd W. W. O'Brien art op
portunity to make good their abate
ments that ''we will show thlsoaae
a frame-up; that Olson had a finan
cial Interest in It." . '
"What do you think of tact lea ot
that sort," demanded Crowe an') he
stared at the accused and O'Brlemi
"Vim pnn nftpn ttt whet h At np'Uoi
the defendant la guilty by the kind :
of defense he presents." . ;
CHICAGO. June 26. (A. p. An
acquittal In his trial for the murder
of Billy McClintock would not rrte
William Darling Shepherd, It de-
veloped this afternoon. i.;'
Wesley Westbrook, warden of the
Cook county jail, pointed" out he htld'
a. mittimus for Shepherd issued after
a coroner's Jury had recommenced
he be held for the murder of Sirs.
Km ma Nelson McClintock, mother of ;
Billy, sixteen years ago. .
Mhmihnrd nntiM he released from
custody only upon grrnngement for
bnil despite favorable action of the
Billy McClintock murder case Jury.
Perry Knotts of Gold Hill was among
the business callers in the city from
that district yesterday.
. . Bnrich's condition came from muR.
tnrd gas entering open sores caused
by freezing of his hands and feet and
face. He stood guard 48 hours In'
front trench with those members
frozen aid after sixteen days in'
hospital, returned to the fight, wb
downed by a bullet in a churge and
suffered the gas nose. He has spent
most of the time since in n hos
pital and Is now on lenve Trom the
Aberdeen hospital ut Minneupolls,
WITH
JURY