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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 8, 1946)
EifL 11 1 -A , 4 1 1 '' 1 H - '- ' (Acme Tele photo) Suxann Degnan JAIL ESCAPEE, Tl Calvin L. Burtis, who escaped from the county jail Saturday morning, is being held by the Susanville, Calif., sheriff's office on a charge of armed robbery, the Jackson county sheriff's of fice was advised this afternoon. His sister, Doris, also is being held by Susanville authorities The message also stated that a car belonging to H. R. Sutton 203 North Peach street, Medford stolen following the jail break. was in Burtis' possession at the time of his arrest. Bobby J. Nelson, the other escapee with Burtis, Is still at large. It was unknown today if Cali fornia authorities would release Burtis to serve an 18 months prison sentence in Oregon for car theft. Sheriff's officers said today that Edward Mackey, 17-year- old Negro who escaped from the county jail Saturday with Roger Chapman, another Negro, Burtis and Nelson, had made a full written statement telling their manner of escape. Mackey and Chapman were soon apprehend ed in Medford. According to officers. Mac key's statement said Burtis' sis ter had smuggled two hacksaw blades into the jail. The fugi tives used the blades to saw jail bars, lowering themselves to the ground with the aid of a flagpole rope. Sheriff's officers have traced the purchase of the blades to the girl at a local hardware tore. She also was identified as being with the fugitives when they crossed the state line in the stolen car. District Attorney George Neil son today signified his intentions of charging the girl with a felony for aiding and abetting a jail escape. alleyIlTat T Prospect, Jan. 8 Fire of undetermined origin completely destroyed the Alley Lumber company sawmill on the Crater Lake highway two miles east of here, late Saturday nignt Amount of the loss, which was not covered by insurance, has not been computed, R. H. Alley, one of the owners, said, yester day. The fire, discovered by mill employes about 11:30 p. m. was out of control before ex tinguishing measures could be taken, it was said. The blaze appeared to have started in the central part of the mill. Alley states that no definite plans have been made to buna a new sawmill on the site. The mill had been cutting 50, 000 feet daily and was being operated by Marion Carter. Only 149 Coyotes Killed Last Year During 1945 only 149 coyotes were killed in Jackson county, and bounty paid on their pelts, according to records of the coun ty clerk's office. It was one of the lowest totals in years. Dur ing the relief days of the de pression, a half dozen or so resi dents of hill districts killed al most as many in a single month. FELLER SIGNS Cleveljnd. Jan. 8 -(U.R) Bob Feller, Cleveland Indian fireball pitcher, has signed his 1946 con tract with the Cleveland Indians. Vice President Peckinpaugh an nounced today. The exact sal ary was not announced but was believed to be considerably more than $30,000 per year. a ri MEDFORD United Pre Fortieth Year $ Hf;.liff 'fTi?' :- I Acme Tehphoioj James Degnan, 38, Chicago OPA executive, and his wife, Helen, 36. are shown awaiting word as to the fate of their six-year-old daughter, Suzanne, (left) who was kidnaped Sunday night from her bedroom. The kidnaper left a note demanding $20,000, The girl's dismembered body was found last night within a block of her home. B Washington, Jan. 8 (U.R) The veterans of Foreign Wars is ready to make its pitch for a 25 to 50 billion dollar bonus for World War II veterans, it was learned today. VFW may begin putting on the pressure in a matter of weeks. Other big veterans organiza tions, meanwhile, still believe the time is not ripe. So far, the American Legion has not even come up with a bill. The powerful VFW legislative committee meets here Jan. 14-16 and a major item on the agenda will be plans to promote the World War II bonus. $3 to S4 Day Months ago VFW endorsed a bill by Rep. John Lesinski, D., Mich., providing adjusted com pensation at the rate of $3 a day for domestic service and S4 a day for duty overseas. The maximum payment would be $4500, with an extra $500 thrown in for wounds. Payment would be in bonds, cashable at the rate of one-fifth a year. VFW estimates the bill will cost $25,000,000,000. Other sources put the cost as high as $50,000,000,000. The Disabled American Vet erans has endorsed a measure identical to VFW's in amount. but differing in method of pay ment. It calls for a ten-year re demption, with the veteran en titled to . borrow against his credit for business, educational or home building purposes. YUGOSLAV RECOGNITION REMAINS CONDITIONAL Washington, Jan. 8 (U.R) President Truman said today that this country's recognition of the Yugoslavian government remains conditional. The question of recognition came up in a news conference discussion of the recent Moscow conference of the Big Three for eign ministers and their final communique. The President said he was sat isfied with the communique and the accomplishments of the for eign ministers. EISENHOWER LEAVING Washington, Jan. 8 iU.R) Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, army chief of staff, is scheduled to leave at 8 p. m. by train for his viit to Canada. He will ar rive in Ottawa about noon to morrow. Full Ltaid Wlr Germans Ordered To H alt Criticism Of Allied Policies Frankfurt, Jan 8 (U.R) Lt. Gen. Lucius Clay today called a halt in the denunciation of al lied international policies by German political leaders in their election campaigning. Clay, deputy military gover nor of the U. S. occupation zone in Germany, ordered German minister-presidents to put a stop to the public criticism of the policies affecting this country. Clay's action followed a dis closure that Gorman socialists were taking advantage of the new-found democratic freedom of speech to denounce the Pots dam declaration. L EYE Blueprints of the new Ameri can Legion home will be on dis play at the regular meeting of Post No. 15 at the Armory Wed nesday night. Commander Rich ard Baize urges every member to be present. Committees are working on the final stages of a plan which will give local Legionnaires and the auxiliary fine meeting halls as well as a large veterans' club room, according to Merle Jar min, chairman of the building committee. O. L. Overmyer, finance com mittee chairman, reports that the cost of the proposed home plan will be so low that it will be paid for before construction starts and the post will not be saddled with debt. Camp Bond Buying Totals $40,098.25 Camp White, Jan. 8 Civilian employees and soldiers purchas ed a total of $40,098.25 in bonds during the recent Victory Loan Drive just concluded according to Chaplain Carl S. Ohman, war savings officer at the camp. Final figures showed that ci vilians purchased $26,103.75 in bonds during the drive. PX em ployees buying $537.75 of this sum, sales to officers totaled $10 080 and sales to enlisted men $3,376.75. PUBLISHER DIES Chico, Cal.. Jan. 8 (U.R) Fu neral services were pending to day for Chester J. Dahl, presi dent of the Chico Publishing company and editor of the Chico Enterprise, who died of a heart attack yesterday while on a duck hunt. He was 40 MEDFORD, OREGON, TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 1946. OF Demobilization Being Car ried Out With Efficiency and Justice, Is Statement Washington, Jan. 8 (U.R) President Truman today defend ed army and navy demobiliza tion procedures, explaining that a "critical need for troops over seas" still exists. The president Issued a formal statement In response to what the White House described as many appeals for the release of various groups from the armed forces. It came amid angry congres sional demands for a full Inves tigation of demobilization spur red by G. I. demonstrations in Manila, France and in this coun try. Procedures Reviewed The president said he wanted to satisfy himself that demobi lization was being carried out with all possible speed. So, he reviewed the army and navy procedures. "I am convinced, as every other American who examines the record must be, that the services are carrying out de mobilization with commendable efficiency Bnd with Justice to all concerned," Mr. Truman said. He explained that there are two primary reasons why is impossible for every member of the armed forces to be dis charged promptly. Huge Task "First." he said, "there Is the enormous size of the task in volved. "Second, there Is the fact that our nation must assume its full share of responsibility for keeping the peace and destroy ing the war-making potential of the hostile nations that were bent on keeping the world In a state of warfare." Mr. Truman said that a criti cal need for troops overseas, rather than arbitrary army ac tion, was responsible for a slow down in the army rate of de mobilization. Ho said the army had released well over half of the 8.300.000 men and women in service on V-E day. From a peak strength of 3. 500.000, the navy has returned close to 1,250,000 to civilian life. "These numbers are stagger ing," the president said. He asked the people to consider the ships, extensive staffs and rail transportation involved. Chungking. Jan. 8 (U.R) Leaders of China's warring fac tions announced that they had reached an agreement on the major points facing them at a "peace conference" with Gen. George C. Marshall tonight. Settlement of the Chinese civil war appeared. Siear on the basis of statements issued after a meeting of nationalist and communist delegates, with Mar shall sitting in as conciliator. Gen. Chou En-Lai. leader of the Chinese communist delega tion, issued a post-conference statement saying: "A major portion of our problems were settled, and cer tain details were discussed and disposed of," LAW BLIGHTS ROMANCE Hollywood. Jan. 8 'U.R' Ann Miller, tap-dancing stage and screen star, ran smack against ! her studio lawyers and a threat ened $150,000 lawsuit today i when she tried to give up her career to get married. The cur vaceous, dark-haired dancer an nounced yesterday without consulting her studio bosses that she would quit the movies after her marriage Jan. 20 to wealthy Reese Llewellyn Milner. Then the heard from the legal department Steel Price Increase May Avert Walkout; Kaiser - Frazer Auto Co. Grants Wage Hike By United Press President Truman predicted a small increase ,in the price of steel today, as strikes threatened to idle more than 1.800.000 workers, among them 700,000 CI'J sleelworkers. New York, Jan. 8 (U.R) A picket in front of a Western Union branch office in down town New York carried a large red-lettered sign today reading: v "Western Union workers on strike. "Don't wire write!" Mr. Truman said that the price increase had been under discussion and that he expected some small increase. He declin ed to discuss the possibility that the increase might avert a strike in the steel industry. Telegraphers Out Western Union telegraphers In New York City walked out to day, bringing the number ot workers idled by strikes and shutdowns to 383,000. An impetus was provided for settlement of Detroit's motor in dustry dispute with the agree ment of the infant Kaiser-Fiazer GET EARLY CALL Washington, Jan. 8 (U.R) More than 5000 young medical officers trained under the army specialized training program will be called to active duty July 1 to replace medical corps officers eligible for discharge, the war department announced today. The ASTP graduates are now taking interneships and occupy ing residences in civilian hos pitals. Today's announcement said that after July 1 they will not be continued on inactive status for these purposes. Notice has been sent to the hospitals where they are train ing so they may make arrange ments for replacements. Tengwald Advanced To Lieut. -Colonel Carl Y. Tengwald, Medford realtor, has been advanced to the rank of lieutenant-colonel in the Oregon State Guard by Gov. Earl Snell, the order being ef fective Jan. 2. Tengwald is com mander of the First Infantry Battalion, First Regiment of the guard, this serving Klamath Falls, Medford, Cave Junction and Coos Bay. The officer has been associated with the State Guard since its inception shortly after Pearl Harbor, transferring from the National Guard unit which he had commanded before the war. High Court Pondera Yamashita's Appeal Washington, Jan. 8 (U.R) The supreme court, after two days of oral argument, today took under advisement the plea of Japanese Gen. Tomoyuki Yamashita that his death sen tence for war crimes be set aside. Yamashita has asked the court to prevent his execution by hanging as ordered by an American military commission In Manila, which tried him for war crimes. Mill Wage Scale $1,021-2 an Hour Wage agreements reached by the Southern Oregon Sugar Pine company and employees, who re turned to work at the mill yes terday, established a minimum wage of $1.02',i an hour instead of 87 'i cents as inccorectly re ported yesterday, this latter fig ure being the former minimum wage. Las Vegas, Nev., Jan. 8 'U.Pj A roundup of all suspicious persons in this city was in pro gress today so their finger prints could be checked to rid the city of undesirables. Mayor E. W, Cragin instigated the man-hunt to clear up rob beries committed here recently which he faid "bear the stamp of big-time operators who know their way around," Tribune United Prast Full Automobile company and the CIO United Automobile Workers union on a contract, while in Washington government labor sources held out new hope for averting the scheduled Jan. 14 strike of 700,000 steel workers. The threat of a nation-wide communications tie-up continued grave, but there was new possi bility of governmental Interven tion to forestall it. Compromise Hopes Hope that compromise settle ments might be in the offing was given a boost In the emergence of some agreements between the CIO and the oil industry calling for 18 per cent wage raises. The union originally asked 30 per cent. An 18 per cent boost in the steel industry would mean about $1.20 a day for the worker. Washington believed the union might accept that figure. Kaiser-Frazcr agreed on a basic wage rate of $1.19 an hour, equal to that paid by Ford at the River Rouge plant, the highest In the industry. When UAW demands against General Motors are decided, Kaiser Fr.izer will raise Its wages the same per.-entage. Additionally, the company will pay $5 in bonuses on each car into a pool which will be divided among em ployes. May Be Model R. J. Thomas, UAW president, said he hoped the agreement would become "a model for the automobile industry and a basis for settling the Industry's labor dispute." The UAW-General Motors dis pute still was stalemated in the 40th day of a strike of 175.000 production workers. UAW Vice President Walter P. Reuther, en route with other leaders to Washington, said President Tru man's fact-finding board was ex pected to release its report Wed nesday In the GM strike. The Dodge division of the Chrysler corporation meanwhile announced the closing of its truck plant in a dispute with AFL truck drivers. It said 3.000 workers would be idle inde finitely. Poll Phona Workers While the National Federation of Telephone Workers (Ind.) con tinued its poll on the question of authorizing n nation-wide strike of 263.000 Bell employes in sym pathy with 17,000 Western Elec San Diego, Jan. 8 fli.R) A sharp earthquake today shook office buildings and rattled win dows in southern California, bringing numerous telephone calls to newspaper offices and police stations. Fred Robinson, seismologist, reported the quake was record ed at 10:53.15 a. m. (PST) and was of number three intensity. It would be easily felt and had a strong east-west motion. It lasted 25 seconds Robinson said. Sen. Morse Calls on Truman To Name Arbitrator on Wages Washington, Jan. 8 (U.R) Sen. Wayne L, Morse, R., Ore called on President Truman to day for immediate appointment of a federal arbitrator to settle reconversion wage disputes. He said In an interview that Mr. Truman should take that step while waiting for congress to act on his legislative program, which includes a proposal for government fact-finding ma chinery in major disputes. Morse is a former member of the War Labor Board. "I think the president would exercise real leadership," he said, "if here and now he offered to employers and unions to appoint an impartial arbitrator who through voluntary arbitration would settle disputes on the basis of the evidence presented and in accordance with the judicial process." II Mr. Trunin did that, Moriei L.aied Wire NO. 245. trie employes In New York and New Jersey who are striking on 30 per cent wage Increase de mands, the labor department in Washington was considering creation of a fact-finding panel in that dispute. A scheduled Jan. 18 strike of meat packing house workers re ceived serious attention from high government officials who hoped to submit definite wage- price adjustment proposals at mediation conferences tomorrow in Chicago. The board of directors of the National Retail Meat Dealers association In Cleveland asked President Truman for govern ment intervention In the pend ing .strike of 335,000 AFL and CIO meat workers, asserting the stoppage would cause a famine in the United States a week alter it was called. EARLY SOLUTION SEEN FOR ATOMS London. Jan. 8 flJ.R) Secre tary of State James F. Byrnes arrived by plane today and it was believed the controversy over atomic controls which has troubled the American delega tion to the United Nations as sembly will be settled quickly Byrnes arrived at Bovington airport shortly before 2:30 p. m. (0:30 a. m. EST). The American UNO delega tion met for three hours today but left the atomic controversy for discussion after Byrnes could be consulted. The discussions centered on nominations for the security council, the economic and social council and other assembly posts. The United States was understood to favor as nonper- manent members of the secur ity council Netherlands or Bel glum, Poland or whatever east ern European country fnvorcd by Russia. Egypt, Canada, Mex ico and Brazil. The major problem Is to meet Australian demands for a place on the security council. The United States may support Australia In place of Canada. Tax Collections Show Prosperity Tax collections for the 1045 lfllfl tax year up to January 1, amounted to $1,053,482.50, ac cording to a report of the tax collection department of the sheriff's office. The budget re quirement for the same period is fixed at $1,288,002.84. The tax collections amounted to 81.8 per cent of the budget requirements and will largely be made up by later payments, it Is anticipated. The collections indicate the prosperity of the county as a whole for the last 12 months, county officials said. said, it would be "perfectly ab surd" for industry and labor to refuse to accept the arbitrator's services. He said a refusal would indicate to the public that the refusing party "is truly acting in bad faith." At the same time, he said, the government should bind itself to accept the findings and adjust prices to meet them. Morse said he had no objec tion to Mr. Truman's proposal for fact finding boards, "except that in handling the type of emergency cases which now con front us fact-finding is not near ly as effective as voluntary arbi tration in reaching a just settle ment." "I don't know where the presi dent is getting his labor advice." he commented, "but somebody in the administration ought to inform him about the differences between arbitration and factfinding." PIECES HIDDEN IN CESSPOOLS NEAR Six -Year -Old Degnan Girl Victim of Sex-Mad Killer; Ten Suspects Grilled. Chicago. Jan. 8 (U.R) An ex amination of the butchered body of kidnaped Suzanne Degnan showed today that she died of asphyxiation when choked by the man who stole her from her bedroom. The coroner's office reported that a post mortem examination showed" that the girl's body was dismembered after she was strangled. The severed portions of the body were found in separ ate cesspools last night less than a block from the girl's home. Sex Victim The report said there was evi dence that the six-year-old child had been the victim of a sex crime but there was no conclu sive evidence that she had been raped. The results of the examination were announced shortly after police discovered a blood-stained push cart In a basement near th. girl's home. Detectives said they found th. cart In the apartment building in which Thomas Lundmark, a butcher, formerly was janitor. Lundmark and nine others be ing questioned by police wer. being given He ditector tests. The bones were sent for ex- aminatlon to Dr. Wilton M. Krogman, professor of anthropo logy at the University of Chi cago and Internationally-known bone expert. Not. Revealed Police today for the first tlm. released the full content of the note left by the kidnaper when he crawled Into the girl's bed room Sunday night. It said: "Get $20,000 reddy and waits for word. Do not notify FBI or police. Bills In fives and tens." It was printed crudely on a piece of brown, grease-marked paper. On reverse side lt said: "Burn this for her safety." Charles M. Wilson, chief of. the Chicago crime detection laboratory, said the note had been carried around for some time In the pocket of "a me chanic or grease monkey." He said the writer had at tempted to disguise the hand writing. Wilson said he was not certain whether the note bora fingerprints. Before the discovery of th. body, the girl's father, James Degnan, had said that he had burned the note In an effort to get the kidnaper to contact him. Amateur Butchery Coroner A. L. Brodle said th. post mortem examinaiion con vinced him that the body was cut up by "an amateur." "n did not appear to be the work of a professional butcher, he said. "It Is Impossible to tell ex actly what kind of an Instru ment was used," he said, "but It would take a heavy instrument to sever the neck. Police Capt. Joseph Goldberg disclosed the discovery of the refuse cart only a few feet from the catch-basin where the child's blonde, curly head was found. He said, however, that the stains did not appear to be from human blood. Two Chicago detectives left for St. Louis to question an Ala bama handyman In custody there. FBI agents at St. Louis were holding Grovcr Casey, 23, Troy, Ala., who admitted tele phoning the girl's father last night. FBI agents said at St. Louis they were convinced that Casey had nothing to do with the slay ing. $5,000 Reward Mayor Edward J. KcIIey of Chicago, meanwhile, offered $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and convic tion of the slayer. "The people of Chicago ar. shocked by this diabolical slay ing." he said. "Every available agency Is be ing utilized in a zealous effort to solve this horrible crime." At the same time, Police Com missioner John Prendergast, called on the police force for a city-wide roundup of all known sex degenerates and all persons with sex crime records In an ef fort to ferret out the killer. LAMOUR MOTHER Hollywood, Jan. 8 (U.R) Ac tress Dorothy Lamour, wife of MaJ. William Ross Howard III, today gave birth to a six pound, eight and one-half ounce baby boy. Attendants at Good Sa maritan hospital said the glam orous star, who made "sarong" a household word, was doing very well. ABDUCTION SCENE
