Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (March 27, 1933)
Medford Mail Tribfne The Weather Forecast: Rain tonlpht and Tuesday. Moderate temperature. Temperature. Hlghett yesterday 55 Lowest this morn 1 n g 48 Paid-Up Circulation Peopla who pay lor their newspapers are th best prospects tor the adrer tlsera. A. B. C. circulation la paid up circulation. This newspaper Is A. B. C. Twenty-eighth Year MEUFOKU, OREGON, MONDAY, MARCH 27, 1933. No. i. rn JV KM f ' . " . ' : , i " i K Comment on the Day's News By FRANK JENKINS CONGRESS, as you must have no ted, has given President Roose velt practically everything he hss ask ed, even to the extent of a law giving to the President the power to reduce salaries o( government employees, INCLUDING CONGRESSMEN. Why has congress been so gener ous with Its co-opcratlon with Presi dent Roosevelt? Well, patriotism Is one answer. Since Roosevelt was Inaugurated, the country has been lace to face with first one crisis and then another, and In critical times men forget petty personal considerations and fight shoulder to shoulder for the common good. THAT Is one reason why It Is true that when things get Just so bad they begin to get better. They begin to get better because men forget their petty personal differences and begin to co-operate loyally for the good of the country as a whole. If all of us co-operated loyally ALL THE TIME for the common good, things would never get quite so bad in the first place. fJERE 14 mother reason why con- gress has been so ready In Its co-operation with the President: All patronage Is being withheld un til President Roosevelt gets his pro gram Hirniieh the senate and the house. w THAT does that mean? wn in theory, vou know, the President appoint ALL the new of ficials. That Is to say. the new Presi dent gives out all the new Jobs. But In actual PRACTICE he per . mlts congressmen and senators to tell him WHOM to appoint in all but the more Important Instances. So It Is the congressmen and senators who actual ly pass out the Jobs. But they can't do It unless the President Is willing. NOW you beglnto get the Idea The President lets It be known that no Jobs will be available until after he gets the legislation he wants. Senators and representatives are ex ceedingly anxious to give out Jobs, because they have promised them. So they are In the best possible frame of mind to hasten along the legisla tion the President wants. This man Roosevelt not only knows what he want but he knows HOW TO GET IT. THIS startllngheadllne looms In the papers: "fourteen Die As Plane Crashes into House." The house was In the outskirts of Oakland. The 14 who died were sit ting unsuspectingly In It, when sud denly the plane came hurtling down out of the skies, smashed through the wall, scattered gasoline right and left, there was an explosion and the house was Instantly wrapped In flames. The 14 deaths followed. UR pioneer ancestors faced death o We think of them as leading an ex ceedingly dangerous existence. Probably If they csme back and ' faced the manifold dangers of our time, such as automobiles that whiz along the highways and airplanes that come crashing down out of the skies, bringing death to unsuspecting people sitting In their own homes, they would be frightened within an Inch of their lives and would long fn Vi rnmnarattve safety of the plains and the forests. TJERE Is question that 1 being asked rather frequently In these days: Should beer licenses be exceeding ly high In price, so that the sale of beer will be confined to a few places or should they be low In price, so that beer may be sold practically any where? nnHIS writer, who may be wrong, and offers the opinion merely as his own. believes that If we ere going to have beer we should put the most of the licenses low. so that beer mT be sold on a strict commercial basis. Just as milk and bread and eggs are sold. Exceedingly high licenses have tendency to confine the sale to a few places. In order to get back the high cost of the license. thc places are inclined to take on ctrtrr artwi-s (Continued on Fige Two FAMILY CONFAB IS SLATED FOR Accused Slayer of George Prescott Whisked From Grants Pass to Local Bastile Without Trouble. Llewellyn A. Bank, ex-editor and orchardlst, Jointly Indicted with his wife Edith R. Banks, for first degree murder lor the slaying of Constable George J. Prescott, on the morning of March 10 last, was lodged In the county Jail here shortly after 1 1 o'clock this morning. The accused slayer was brought from Josephine county Jail at Grants Pass, heavily manacled and under a state police guard. He was taken there on the day of the murder. Has No Cell-Mate Banks occupies a cell in the county Jail almost directly over the court house steps, from where he preached agitation, and threatened revolution. In "protest meetings. He has no cellmate. The Ceil is large and com modious, but with no areaway In the rear. The only means of communi cation Is through the door window. No undue excitement accompanied Banks' return here. Few knew he was coming. Jailers said he was cool and normal and smoking the Inevit able cigarette when marched Into the Ja.il reception lobby. A regulation search was made and Banks placed In his cell. He saw no one but his keepers. His cell Is away from the department where former aides ac cused of ballot robbery and criminal syndicalism are kept. His wife, who has not seen him since the murder, and Mrs. Henrietta B. Martin, president of the "Good Government congress" and chief side occupy cells in the women's ward a considerable distance away. Family to Confer Banks, his wife, and brother, W. A. Banks, and attorneys, expect to hold a family conference' this afternoon. W. A. Banks told-authorities that he would have to return at once to his business in California. At the con ference It Is expected counsel will be formally retained. Attorneys T. J. En right and H. Van Schmalz have been representing the Banks' to date. Joseph Hammersley of Portland, and Glenn R. Jack of Oregon City are upstate lawyers here. Jack, accord ing to Oregon City Information, came here Saturday afternoon by plane in response to a telephone call. State police report that Banks on the trip from Grants Pass had little to say, but discussed the weather and other casual subjects with officers. He was whisked Into this city by the Pacific highway, and down Main street to the court house. The state police followed the most direct route. Arraignment Delayed Arraignment, of Banks and wife. and other Indicted men for ballot theft is not expected until next week. There will be no Judge on the local bench until next week. The grand Jury resumed sessions this morning and will probably be In session the entire week, probing oth er angles to the Prescott murder, the ballot robbery and the criminal syn dicalism charges. E. A. Fleming, Jacksonville orchar- dlst, held In the county Jail on an Information charging first degree murder for the slaying of Constable Prescott la worried and has lost con siderable weight. Fleming Is also under indictment, reports say, for ballot stealing. Courthouse report said he would be called before the grand Jury some tune this week. Fleming, who was at the Banks home when the slaying occurred, was ar rested when he attempted to floe by the back door. His family had vainly endeavored to keep him from the ac tivities of the "Good Government Congress." Ward Still 111 Claude Ward, brother-in-law of Banks, indicted as one of the ballot stealers, is seriously ill at his home, it was reported thia morning. He will not be arrested until his health is fully recovered. Ward Is the only Indicted man not in Jail, or at lib erty on bonds. J. F. Wort man, named receiver for the Suncrcst Orchards, Inc.. one of the- Banks orchard holdings, has as sumed charge. The Medford National bank holds a $4500 mortgage against It, in process of foreclosure. A simi lar legal action Is underway against the Banks home, where the Prescott murder took place. No further action hss been taken In the affidavit of prejudice filed against Judge W. M. Duncan by County Judge E. H. FehL Technicality Delays It automatically delayed the ar raigning ot Fehl to enter a plea. Last week Fehl filed a motion to quash the Indictment against him, on the grounds that Judge Duncan had no authority to receive the Indictment, and that the grand Jury did not hold Its sessions In the regular grand Jury room. Fehl contends that Judge Duncan was assigned here February 7, to hear the cae of O- B. Waddell against L. A. Banks. The supreme court order directs him to hear this case, "and all other business of a Judicial na ture that may come before him, until further notice." The district attorney's office holds that the indictment against Fehl is lezal and valid, and the room In whlh tt w D-eaared has no effect upon lta legality or validity, Federal Farm Credit Agencies Under One Head by F. R. Order BY AT WASHINGTON,-March 27. (AP) President Roosevelt Informed congress today of an executive order establish ing all federal agriculture credit agen cies under one unit. In the same order, the president abolished stabilization operations by the farm board. The new agricultural financial or ganization Is to be known as "the credit administration" and will In clude the farm board, the farm loan bureau and various credit agencies in the department of agriculture and reconstruction finance corporation. "A better coordination of the agen cies Involved In our agricultural cred it system," the president wrote, "will produce a more uniform program for agricultural credit and will result in substantial economies. "A saving of more than $2,000,000 Is the immediate effect of this or der." He emphasized the maintenance by the federal government of the policy of aid to the system of cooperative cr (culture. Henry Morgenthau. Jr.. chairman ol the farm board, who Is expected to hMri th new eovernment unit, was called Into conference by the presl dent later In the day. DEPRESSION ENDS PLANS ADOPTED WASHINGTON. March 37. (API- Complete enactment of President Roosevelt's program by June la the aim of Speaker lialney, who declared hla belief today "the depression win end when that is accomplished.' Success so far. the speaker told newspapermen at a conference, has been "due to tremendous almost unanimous popular support." If the people will, continue to support the president, I at least, will do evervthlna I can to see that his plans become law," Ralney added. The program of things yet to be. come law, he said. Includes: Un employment relief through refores. tratlon and a permanent and broad er plan yet to be completed, along with additional direct relief for the states. Legislation to provide some kind of home and farm mortgage mora toriums. In order that nouse Democrats may continue to work with the pres ident, Ralney and the other party leaders have definitely discarded the practice of rushing legislation thru. Numbers of them talked with some new members who had shown signs of objecting to a continuation of past practices. Because of the new order of things, Ralney said, "We can't keep on mov ing as fast as we have been." He added, "and since we can't, It likely will be Impossible for us to adjourn congress by the first of May as we had contemplated. f- E IN G. PASS VISIT A deleestlon of a-wut 20 members of the Medford Chamber of Corn mere, including directors and com mitteemen, motored to Grants Pass tody for the chamber of commerce forum held at the Redwoods hotel. The meeting in ne climatic city was arranged for ttday to further cemrtit the goodwill program under taken by the local chamber. A united southern Oregon is the aim and a'-l problems of interest to both cities and neighboring igricultural regions were considered - Tacoma Mining ' Man Dies Here Frederick "William Thorne. Tacoma mining man who had been here for the past two months, died Saturday nlzht at a local hosDital. following a j brlPf 1IlnWB. The body was whipped I to TftCOm bv the Perl Funeral home. for burial. Mrs. Thorne and son. who were here for a few days, returned to their home in the north. BAKER. March 27. (AP) Michael Rouse, prominent cattleman of this section, died at his home Sunday n.aht of a heart attack. He appar- I entw had ben in good health up to the time of his death. Back to Scene i ?'i Y' "''- '5 1 ' rvf 4 ' ; i(fMj-aaiifc W m&tWmmsA Llewellyn ,. Banks, Indicted with of Constable (icoree J. rrescott. was where ho lias been loilced In Jail Im sentiment here was at lilfilt heat. KISS REFUSED SOLDIER MURDERS PAL, BEATS GIRL SAOSALITO, Calif.. March 37. (AP) A strange moody soldier, who allegedly killed a man and injured two girls when one of the gins re fused him a kiss, sat in the guard house at Fort Scott today, seemingly in a stupor, unable to answer ques tions. The man Is Private E. L. King 53, until yesterday temporarily In charge of the Fort Barry rifle range In the hills weBt of here. Private John Smith, 25, coast ar tillery. Is dead. Miss Irma Talbot, 17, high school student, Is suffering from three bullet wounds. Doctors consider her condition critical. Miss Katherine Talbot, 20, her sister, is recovering from head wounds after being beaten Into Insensibility. DIPLOMAT AND FAMILY DIE IN AUTO SMASHUP FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Msrch 27. (AP) Christian Channing Oross, soldier and diplomat, his two chil dren and his mother, Mrs. Natalie Oross of Chlcsgo. were killed yester day when their car overturned at a curve during a trip that was part of a family reunion. The children were Peter 10, and Barbara, 8. Oross father, Charles W. Oross, retired executive of a Chicago meat packing concern, was Injured t-C. CAMPAIGN TO OPEN IN MORNING Everything is in readiness for the chamber of commerce financial cam paign which will officially start with a breakfast at the Medford Hotel to morrow morning Is the word from M. N. Hogan, campaiRn chairman, today. In connection with the campaign Mayor E. M. Wllron has Issued the following statement: "What the chamber of commerce means to a community is shown by Its accomplishment. Working pro - grams of the past have brough much to Medford and the Rogue River vsl- ley. What is to be done In the future, with activities of great im- portance now definitely outlined, de- pends upon the financial and moral support extended by every one of our citizens. May the campaign for funds be well supported I (6 gned) E M. VtlLSON, Major. of Slaying Ills wire for the first degree murder returned todoy from (irants Pass mediately following the crime when The Tslbot girls said the two sol- dlers had dinner at their home Sat urday iilgui, then the four went to a show and afterward for a drive, end ing at King's cabin at the rifle range. Katherine Talbot, said during the ride he asked her for a kiss and she refused. He became silent. Stopping suddenly at the cabin he dashed in side, returned In a moment with his service revolver, and opened fire. The older girl fled from the other side of the automobile as her sister and Smith were shot, but said King overtook her and beat her with the butt of the gun until she fell. King apparently climbed back into the automobile and started to drive to Sausalito. seriously, but physicians said he pro bably would live. Oross, who packed Into 37 years of life an extensive study of the law, military service In Frnnce and Siberia during the world war and several years in the American diplomatic ser vice, was reunited with his children and his parents at Palm Beach Sat urday night. Yesterday, they planned an auto mobile trip to Miami and were en route when the accident occurred. BE TOLD Tommorrow's issue of the Mail Tribune will carry the complete sn nounoement and lists of awards In the cake baking contest which will be sponsored this week by the Amer ican Legion auxiliary. Lew Boyd, representative of the General Foods (Corporation and A. M. Arila of Swift te company are in Medford arrang- I ing for the participation of their j companies in the unique contest 1 which will test the skill of Rogue river vally hotisewives. Both cash and merchandise awards . will be featured and four six-pice cake sets will be Included among the prizes. The cakes will be displayed I In a prominent local store and sold j by the Legion auxiliary members, , the proceeds going to welfare actlv,. ties of that organization, according to Mrs. K. D. Rosa. FRUIT DISTRICTS SPOKANE, Wash., March 37. (AP) The Spokane loan agency of the Re construction Finance corporation re vealed today It would advance from 1,500,000 to 93,000.000 to apple and winter pear growers in Washington, Idaho and Oregon an finance pro duction of 1933 crops. . The R. P. C. agency commitment brings from $10,000,000 to 915.000.000 the sum pledged for financing 1033 production of fruit crops in three Pacific northwest states. The Federal Intermediate Credit bank of Spokane has pledged about $3,500,000 and Is expected In author! t&tlve sources here to pledge another $500,000 to $1,000,000. The Spokane Regional Agricultural Credit Corpora tion has announced a program under which it expects to loan from $5,- 000.000 to $10,000,000 to growers. The advance of 58 cents a box will be made on a budget basis, so much for dormant spray, so much for calyx spray, for pruning, packing, and oth er operations, as the money Is need ed. FAIR GOLD PANNES CHALLENGE STATE TITLE Mrs. Dale Sheley, who won first honors In the women's division of the panning contest, sponsored here Saturday by the Southern Oregon Mining association, has Issued a chal lenge to any woman In Oregon for the state championship. It was an nounced today. The contest Satur day was attended by more than 1000 onlookers and six priws were award ed. Three In the men's division and three In the women's division. Other prize winners were O. A. Rlcketts, Raymond Pierce and J. H. Fredericks. In the men's division: Mrs. Bessie McConochle and Mrs. H. C. Hansen in the women's division. Mrs. McConochle was winner of first prize In the first contest held here. The Mining Review of Salt Lake carried two references to the first contest end a full page, front cover picture, of the two winners, Prizes for the contest were award ed by the merchants of Medford. There were 20 contestants in Sat urday's contest and five different gold saving devices were exhibited, Horace Bromley of the Cslifornla Oregon Power company took motion pictures of the pauners STORY AN ERROR Tniough receipt of Incorrect infor mation last week, the Mall Tribune in a story regarding the circulation of the petition to retain in office Sher?. Gordon L. Schermerhorn, ; nou need that Mrs. May Murray, as circulator of one of tne petitions, got slapped when she cal.ed at a certain Medford home. Announcement was made today by friends of the family that ;t was not Mrs. Murray but her daughter Effle who was circulating the petition, and who was slapped by one of the person upon whom she called. Tho report of the Incident brought to t)'e newspaper, through a misun derstanding unfortunately named Mrs Murray as the person involved CLASS IN MINING The first class in the mining school made possible here through ledeml funds obtainable through the at part ment of vocational education., wss held this morning on the lot .near the chamber of commerce and an en rollment of 23 persons was reported The class wss conducted by George S. Barton, C. C. Clark and J. V. Neff and attracted much Interest from local citizens and miners. The sum of 919o wss appropriated to the cause by the county. The school Is sponsored by tl Medford school system in cooperation with the Southern Oiegon Mining as- soclatlon. AWARDS 23 ENROLLED FOR JAPAN NOTIFIES SCHERMERHORN'S LEAGUE NATIONS OUSTER DECISION OF Inability Or Unwillingness of Leaguers To Grasp Facts Of Sino-Jap Controversy Is Cited As Reason. By GLKNN' RA5H TOKYO, Mar. 37. (P) Japan for mally ended today a membership of more than 13 years in the League of Nations. Th.i final action was taken by the privy council, meeting In the Imperial palace, and the long-awaited decision was transmitted to Geneva with the approval of Emperor Hlrohlto. A 700-word messagi to the league's heatquarters asserts that Inability or unwillingness of league members to crjsp the facta Imolved In Japan's controversy with Ohlna over Man chur'a resulted in the league assem bly', report a month ago condemn ing Japanese military activities in that territory. It said this report fulle.l to contribute to the cause of peacft which It caKed Japan's pri mary objective. I Ian flu Untmnltoneri. The message did not mention the South Pacific islands lying between the Philippines and Hawaii, former derma n possessions ever which Japan was g ven mandates by the league. It was stated officially that Japan Is determined to hold the Islands and will continue to make the required annual reports to the league man naUs commission. If any question , (Continued on Page Five) T TO AVERT FIGHT By J.Ml:S MrMUM.IN (Conyrlghted by MoC.lura Newspaper , Syndicate.) NEW YORK. Mar. 27 The"' best Informed observers here say that MaoDonald's visit to Italy was more of ft rush Job then surface reports Indicate. The objective Is seen ss rather desperate effort to dissuade MuasMlnl from going along with Hit ler. The mission la expected to prove futll.i. New York la watching the European situation very attentively. This la the way It Is sized up In hlgft quar ters: Tlu. powder keg Is all set for an explosion. The Polish Corridor Is the most likely fuse, although friction between Italy and Yugo-Slavu. could also set off tre first spark. Munsollnl'a strategic position makes him the virtual master of Europe's Immediate destiny. ' Prance Is not anxious for trouble but her relation with the Little En tente may get her In up to the ears. Narl mllltantcy is expected to grow On v the atrongest and most skllirui Joint effort by England and Prance can -avert a war. - A by-product of the situation will probably be a vigorous elfort Pranw's part to regain American (Continued on Page Two) T FAMILY IN SLEEP FAROO, Okla., March 27. (AP) The explosion of a gasoline stove, burning under a small whiskey still, took six lives In a small farmhouse near here late Saturday. Trapped In their sleep, most of the victims perished before they could struggle from their beds. A uvfHh member of the family Is Jt perted to die of burns. The dead: Nick Smith, 60; Mrs. Nick Smith, M; Mrs. Marie Stelnment. a married daughter. 2S; Mr. Roy Smith, daughter-in-law, 24; Jack Smith, two-months' old child of Mrs. Roy Smith, and Donald Roy Smith, her two-year-old son. The 2-year-old boy died In a Wood ward hospital where hla father. Roy Smith, lay at the point of death. The father, who seized Donald, rush ed through the flames and Jumped into his automobller "I'm going to die and I might as well tell you the truth," he told physician. "I had a still in the house and It blew up; I was trying to make a living to keep from iu -ing to death." WEEKORJO DAYS Judge Duncan To Study Evi dence Given At Hearing For Findings To Be Sub mitted to Governor Meier. It will be a week or ten days be fore Governor Julius L. Meier may b expected to render decision in the ousr move against Sheriff Gordon h. Schermerhorn. Testimony In the proceedings was finished lste Satur day. Circuit Judge. W M. Duncan of Klairpth county, who heard the evi dence, said he would lequlre a couple of days In which to study and pre pare his findings. They will be sent dlrecVy to the governor. Sensational Testimony. Tie hearing lasted two days, and sensational and damaging testimony was divulged. Salient points in the hearing revealed that. Chief Deputy Phup B. Lowd had loaned his Hudson sedan to Arthur LeDieu and Wesley M-K It trick, under Indictment for ballot-stealing, short ly after midnight on the night the ballots were stolen; the testimony was given by Deputy District Attorney George W. Nellson, nd corroborated by Lowd himself. Only part of the statement was revealed In court. That Sheriff Schermerhorn's ap pointments were hand picked by County Judge Pehl. and sworn in at his home, on the morning of Janu ary 2 last. The appointments were:, John S. Glenn, former county Jailer,, under Indictment; Clark Thomas, deputy Jailer, who resigned Saturday night, and Amos W. Walker, who resigned a week ago, as1 probation offlofT. working out of the county Judge's office. Lowd, the other ap pointee, is still on duty. Solicitude for Banki. That Deputy Lowd wrote a letter to L A. Banks, ask in? when he could serve -a warrant for criminal ; libel, and srarngtng for the presentation of Banks to the Just I court in Ash land, following a "Congress assem bly" nt the Armory, where Banks was speaker. - Thtc Banks had called Schermer horn to his home, and proposed that the official "name CO. 100 or 1.000 deputies to take over Jackson coun ty." This -was on Monday, March 13, three days before the slaying of Con- staole Prescott. Tiat Sheriff Schermerhorn had been "solocltous" of the return newsprint seized ' In Banks paper hald maintained an "attitude of en couragement" to the "Banks guards, had Ignored threats made by them, and had taken no action to keep the courthouse corridors clesr. or act to suppress seditious talk In the court house and auditorium. . . Fehl AIro Regarded Highly. Thar Sheriff s-?aermerhorn had shown . reluctance to serve a legal proccbs on the salary of County Judge Fehl, and had gone into conference with Fehl following its tssusnce. That there was evidence to show that Sheriff Schermerhorn had been under the dictation and domination of Banks and Fehl. T?.st the sheriff had assisted In moving furniture into the Pacific Record-Herald, after It had been taken from the Banks paper, when Banh was dispossessed on a court order. The.t Banks-Fehl henchmen had eaten frequently at the county Jail, when not inmates ot the Jail. That Sheriff Schermerhorn's bond, as f led in the county elerk's office, was approved only by County Judge Fehl, and not the other commis sioners. Claim Unfit ne Shown. The state attempted to show that Sheriff Schermerhorn was unfit for the position, and "barged that he had shown favoritism to "Congress men" and had '"obitructed Justice." The state also showed by testimony of Uie district attorney and the atate police that under Schermerhorn'i rule "conditions wer- unsatisfactory In the county Jail." In derense. the tferlff presented test'mony to show: 'Thai the service of the criminal libel warrant upon Banks was made aa soon as possible after he received It. Tliut he did not know of the exist ence of the letter written to Banks by h's deputy until Its , Introduction in court. That he had conducted an unusu ally lirge volume o? business through his office, and hla chief legal deputy, Olga Anderson, test'lled the office had been conducted aa efficiently as the wo previous administrations. Fehl Ordered Meals. That "outsiders'' eating In the county Jail had been upon the orders of tVe county Judge. L n, -Fehl. That he acted under the orders of the county court, and that It was nt his suggestion that the halls of tht courthouse be kept ;iear. Tha deputies attending the "Good Government Congre"' meet had re ported to him "everything was or derly and nothing said out of th way." That he bore a good reputation .n the county, and that he agreed to the appointment of a new Jailer, and to step aside for 90 days, but after wards changed his mind "because X guiUy of no wrong. nd have done my best." I e