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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 22, 1950)
Tribune EDFORD IP ' United Press Full Leas Wife United Press Full Lease Wire 44th Year 12 Pages MEDFORD, Oiw W, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1950 NO. 282 mm Ml Nl 0) la win itmnit.l miihiim ir sit er v'ii- Ml f Mcfflt Tehphoto) MERCY KILLING' TRIAL STARTS Crowds of cameramen, newsmen and the curious surround Dr. and Mrs. Hermann Sander (center), as they arrive at the Hillsborough County court house In Manchester! N. H. Dr. Sander is on trial (or the "mercy slaying" of Mrs. Abble Borroto. Jury Selected For Mercy Death Case . Manchester, N. H.. Feb. 22 U.R) A 12-man jury of nine Catholics and three protestants was completed at 11:35 a.m. (EST) today for the mercy mur der trial of Dr. Hermann xm. Sander. Earl Isham Sr., 52, Bedford farmer and protestant, was chos en as 13th juror, to serve as an alternate. The 12th juror was Leo Har keen, 42, unmarried Manchester shoemaker, war veteran, and Catholic. Found Unbiased Completion of the jury came after Superior Judge Harold E. Wescott ended a battle between prosecution and defense attor neys by declaring he found the jurors satisfactorily unbiased. Chief Defense Counsel Louis E. Wyman complained about cer tain published jury "tampering" statements attributed to Chief Prosecutor William L. Phinney. The attorney general, in turn, contended the defense had used improper methods in a pre-trial Investigation of veniremen. The preponderance of Roman Catholics accepted as jurors came as a surprise since their church is outspokenly opposed to mercy killing. Most of the jurors, who will decide on freedom or prison for the defendant, are middle-aged married men. Only one is young er than the 41-year-old Candia physician accused of hastening the death of cancer-doomed Mrs. Abbie C. Borroto, 59, by inject ing air into her veins. The average age of the jurors is 53. Jury Sworn In Judge Wescott immediately ordered the 12 jurors brought Tito Credited With Victory Over Russia Belgrade, Yugoslavia, Feb. 22 (U.R) Diplomatic quarters cred ited Marshal Tito with a tactical victory over Russia today in his establishment of diplomatic re lations with file Moscow-approved Ho Chi-minh regime in the Indo-Chinese state of Viet nam. The official Yugoslav news agency Tanjug announced Yugo slavia's recognition of Ho's re gime last night. The Moscow-trained Ho heads a clandestine rebel regime in Vietnam. The United States, Britain and other western pow ers have recognized the French supported Vietnam government of Former EmperorBao Dai.) Because Russia and the Soviet sphere countries gradually have been narrowing their ties with Yugoslavia, it was counted sig nificant that Ho himself took the initiative in doing business with Tito's government. Oleomargarine Bloc Claims Victory Washington. Feb. 22 (U.R) tThe oleomargarine .bloc in con gress claimed another triumph over the dairy states today in a compromise version of the oleo tax repeal bill. The measure still must be ap proved by both houses. They de feated most of the major dairy bloc strategy on the bill's first trip through the house and sen ate. A senate-approved provision requiring triangular packaging of colored oleo had stalled the bill in conference since Febru ary 2. The house-senate conferees junked it late yesterday and substituted language carrying new restrictions on the labeling of colored margarine. Russia Plans To Increase Policemen Berlin, Feb. 22 IU.R Russian plans to increase the communist police force guarding railway in stallations in the western sectors of Berlin were announced today by the Sovicty army newspaper Tacgliche Rundschau. The paper said police recruits between 17 and 22 wore wanted to increase the railway guard force. No figures on !he number to be added were given. Washington. Feb. 22 ,UR president Trumnn today nomi nated Patrick J. Gilmnre Jr.. for reappointment as United States attorney for the first division of Alaska. into the courtroom. The jury was sworn in at 11:40 a.m. The jury includes nine mar ried men, five of them fathers; one widower; one divorced man and one 'unmarried man. Of the Protestants, one is an Episcopal ian, one a Baptist, one a Metho dist. Both sides asked veniremen whether they had received pamphlets relating to the case. In the recent trial of Carol Ann Paight in Bridgeport, Conn., the presiding judge threatened to act against persons who had sent pamphlets of the Enthanasia So ciety of America, Inc., to mem bers of the jury after it was selected. During recent weeks in Man chester several Catholic parishes have distributed anti-euthanasia booklets. Portland Girl Assault Victim Portland, Ore.. Feb. 22 U,R) Three men were jailed on charges of assault and armed robbery today after one of them was accused of knifing a preg nant 15-year-old girl. Police identified the victim as Mrs. Shirley Ann Verbeckwho said she was attacked- while walking alone last night in northwest Portland. The three men iailed are Ben jamin F. Baker, 29; Eugene jonnson, w, and Kufus D. Ad ams, 18, all of Portland. Mrs. Verbeck told police a car slowed down behind her and one of the occupants jumped out and ran toward her. She swung at the man with her purse when he made a grab for her. She said he slashed at her with a knife several times then grabbed her purse and ran back to the car. The woman ran to a house where a couple gave her first aid and called police. The three men were captured after an 80-milc-an-hour chase through Portland streets. Mrs. Verbeck identified Baker as the man who assaulted her. Kogap Lumber Firm Picketed By Council Pickets bearing signs of the Mcdford Building Trades coun cil appeared at the Kogap Lum ber industries plant on the south Pacific highway at 8:15 a.m. to day. Representatives of the com pany said that apparently the pickets were assigned because Kogap has refused to accede to demands of the council that work being carried on in construction of dry kilns and lumber storage sheds be conducted under an agreement proposed by the coun cil. Much of the work has been done, they reported, by em ployees of the company who might have been otherwise laid off due to slow production. Robert Peebles, of the Build ing Trades council, said he had no comment to make on the picketing. Lew Graves Files Candidacy For County Commissioner Lew Graves, Shady Cove re tired businessman who last week said he was considering running for county commissioner, filed his candidacy with the county clerk's office here yesterday af ternoon. Graves will seek the republi can nomination for the post now held by Robert Lytic. Ashland, who said recently he will stand for reelection. No other candi dates have announced their in tention of running for the job. County Judge J. B. Coleman and Commissioner L. G. "Shy" Morthland are not up for re election this year. Graves said that he decided to enter the election race as the result of urging by friends in Medford and the north end of the county, and more particular ly because of generally favorable reactions throughout the coun ty, including Ashland. Graves said he has received endorsements and evidences of active support from many differ ent sources, who, he said, feel that the fact that he has had 31 years of business experience, and will be able to devote full Britain Elections Slated Tomorrow Will Be Close London, Feb. 22 (U.R) This is the day before Britain elects a new five-year parliament and all sources agreed the contest will be the closest in a genera tion. The voting begins at 7 a.m. tomorrow but the winners will not be known until the early hours of Friday by United States time. Both Sides See Victory Both major parties conserva tive and labor claim they will win a majority of the 622 seats at stake in the house of com mons. The party with a major ity will form the new govern ment. The Gallup poll in today's News Chronicle showed the two parties about even, with the con servatives having gained slight ly since last Friday. The poll showed the standings to be: labor last Friday 45, to day 45; conservatives last Friday 42'i. today 43'?; liberal party last Friday 12, today 1CH&; oth ers last Friday i, today one. Nine Per Cent Won't Say That is only the lineup of those who expressed an opinion. Those who would not say, ac cording to the samplers, repre sent about nine per cent of the electorate. There will be 625 seats in the hew commons but only 622 con tests in the election. One contest was postponed because of a can didate's death and two are un contested. It is possible and even likelv in sucn a setup tnat a party can break even on popular votes and yet have a lopsided majority in the house. It is equally true that they may break even and come up with a weak minority repre sentation. Land Search Given Up For 5 Lost Aviators Vancouver, B. C, Feb. 22 !U.R) The land search for the missing five B-36 crewmen was abandoned today. "It has been decided to discon tinue the land search," RCAF search headquarters announced here. Evacuation of the estimated 200 ground party members who slugged through heavy snow drifts, slush and dense under growth for eight days, will be carried out at once by sea and air. The land search officially ended at 12:30 p.m. today. The five men still missing were: Capt. William M. Phillips, 30, Garber, Okla., navigator; 1st Lt. Holiel Ascol, 37, Fort Worth, Tex., bombardier; Capt. Theo dore F. Schreir, 35, Madison, Wis., co-pilot, SSgt. Neal A. Straley, 30. Cashing, Okla., gun ner; and SSgt. Elbert W. Pol lard, 28, Bowie, Tex., gunner. Portland, Ore., Feb. 22 (U.R) A Dun & Bradstreet report for January today showed Portland as tenth among major U. S. cities in dollar volume of build ing permits. time to the office, qualify him for the post. Graves has lived in Mcdford and Shadv Cove for five years. lLj" Sm Wii nil LEW GRAVES Tells Cindidacy 1 5 Delay Asked In President 60-Day Postponement Washington. Feb. 22 U.R) President Trumnn nckort the Tin Communications Workers union rnaay smite aeaaiine 10 provide more time lor contract negotia tions. The union has scheduled a nationwide strike for Friday. Mr. Truman acted after receiving from Mediation Director Cyrus S. Ching reports indicating been made in negotiations. In in progress for several months. Mr. Truman appealed to operations without any interruptions of telephone communications in ine nation, under tne wages and terms now in effect, for a period of 60 days from Feb. 24, 1950." He made his appeal in telegrams to officials of the union and the Bell System and its subsidiaries. Navy Department Orders 'Gag' For Capt. Crommelin San Francisco. Feb. 22 (U.R) Captain John G. Crommelin, out spoken critic of the nation's ex isting defense setup, received word from the navy today George Washington's birthday that he was to refrain immedi ately from further public crit icism of the department of de fense. Captain Crommelin's reply was that he had on file 15 in vitations to speak before aud iences, which he intended to ful fill, and that he had no intention of resigning his .navy commis sion, " Addressed To Superior' ' The officer said the communi cation was from Admiral For rest Sherman, chief of naval op erations and a member of the joint chiefs of staff. It was ad dressed, he said, to his super ior. Vice Admiral George D. Murray, commander of the west ern sea frontier. It read: "Direct Captain John G. Crom melin to refrain from public statements, and from statements which may be published, which are critical of the organization or officials of the department of defense or are critical of any of ficer or group of officers." "I have scheduled 15 invita tions to discuss our national se curity before groups of patriotic Americans during this month and next," Crommelin said. "Unless specifically ordered by my sup eriors, I intend to keep each ap pointment. "I would be disloyal to my country and a betrayer of the trust which so many Americans defended during the past war, and to the memory of my two brothers and the many thou sands like them who did not re turn, if I were to keep silent on a subject which affects the se curity of every American," Crommelin said. Washington's Home Prepared For Guests Sulgrave, England, Feb. 2!i (U.R) The stars and stripes and the union jack billowed over the doorway of Sulgrave manor, ancestral home of George Wash ington, on the anniversary of his birth today. The rooms of the centuries-old manor house, home of Washing ton's great-grandfathers from 1539 to 1659. were prepared for expected American and British tourists. "We have no special ceremony planned but we are expecting a few visitors to come and see us on this red letter day," said C. W. Carter for four years curator of the manor. Frigid Temperatures Grip Northeast U. S. Chicago, Feb. 22 (U.R) A wintry storm plastered the northeastern part of the nation with snow and ice today, and frigid temperatures split an oil tank and an army transport's deck. The storm dumped snow on New Jersey and New York, and weather forecasters said the fall in the New York metropolitan area might measure up to five inches. From southeast Iowa to New England stretched a belt of freez ing drizzle and sleet. To the south of that belt, rain fell over the Ohio and Mississippi valleys. Roseburg, Ore., Feb. 22 'U.R) Roscburg plans to go on daylight .saving time April 30 to Septem ber 24. but only if surrounding communities do likewise. Hollywood. Feb. 22 0I.R) Tyrone Power and his wife, Lin da Christian, are preparing to welcome a baby in October. Requests today to postpone for 60 days its that "insufficient progress" has some areas negotiations have been both sides "to continue work and Previously Postponed The strike, originally sched uled to begin rebruary 8, pre viously had been postponed un til 6 a.m. February 24 at Ching's request. In his telegram, Mr. Truman said "I need hardly describe or emphasize the great damage to the public interest and welfare which would result if these dis putes arc not settled by agree ment." Mr. Truman noted that there is a "special obligation and duty which applies to public utilities and the unions with which they deal." That obligation, he said, can not be satisfactorily discharged in the face of the Friday strike deadline. Special Responsibility "I feel very strongly that em ployers engaged in the operation of utilities and unions represent ing their workers have a special and extraordinary responsibility to .settled their differences by agreement and without resort to economic action which may de prive the public of the benefits of essential services. The telegram went simultan eously to 25 representatives of the employees and 19 spokesmen for the telephone company and its component parts. Federal mediators have been trying desperately to avert a walkout. 13 Persons Injured As Fire Levels Hotel Glens Falls, N. Y., Feb. 22 (U.R) A prc-dawn fire destroyed this city's second largest hotel today, injuring 13 persons, in cluding one fireman who was buried under a collapsed wall. Approximately 36 guests es caped from the Towers hotel, a 75-room structure, by sliding down makeshift bedshcet ropes or being carried down ladders by firemen. Police said all guests and hotel help had been accounted for. Four firemen were buried un der tons of debris when one wall of the five-story building col lapsed. All were rescued within an hour and only one was in jured. Police said fire damage was estimated at $500,000. There was no indication how the fire started. It was discov ered by a night watchman who summoned police and firemen. Fice companies from Glens Falls and three nearby communities fought the blaze for more than three hours in near zero tem peratures and a snow storm. Man Found In Boxcar; Victim Of Gangrene Seattle. Wash., Feb. 22 'U.R) Frank Zehndcr, 48, his frozen feet infected with gangrene, was in "critical" condition in the hos pital today .while police checked his story that he lay helpless in a boxcar nearly a month with only candles to eat. Zehndcr, an unemployed itin erant, was found in a railroad car by a cement company crew. He had no shoes on and was eating candles to strfy alive, po lice said. He told police he and another man crawled into the boxcar about a month ago trying to get out of the cold. His feet froze shortly after, he said. Grand Jury In Recess Until Thursday Morning The Jackson county grand jury which was called into ses sion Monday has still not finished considering its unusually heavy slate of criminal cases and was recessed yesterday afternoon un til Thursday morning. District Attorney George Neil son said he expected the jury's work would be completed by tomorrow afternoon. Ncilson is seeking seven or eight indict ments, many of thrm against ac cused sex criminals. Telephone Strike Movement Of Coal Drops To Trickle; More Men Strike Independent Group In Illinois Quits Bv United Press The movement of coal from mines to bins dropped to a trickle today as 10,000 more miners joined the 372.000 already on strike in the soft coal fields. In Illinois, the Progressive Mine Workers, an independent group whose members have stayed on the job during most of the United Mine Workers walkout, failed to show up at their jobs today. They permit ted maintenance workers to re port. Their walkout hurried plans for a brownout in Illinois and elsewhere In the midwest. Progressives rejected a mine operators offer of a 45-cent daily wage increase and a five-cents ncr-ton increase in welfare fund payments. They want raises of 95 cents a nay and 15 cents a ton respectively. Manv communities ordered coal rationing as the nation's average soft coal stockpile sank to near the five-day level. The New York slate legisla ture prepared to give Gov. Thomas E. Dewey emergency powers to seize private coal sup plies and fix prices. In Washington, Rep. Cleve land M. Bailcv (D.. W.Va.) said he plans to introduce legislation giving President Truman power to seize soit coal mines. ' Spanish Fork.' Utah. Feb. 22- (U.R) -A non-union coal truck driver was shot last night as he tried to run a load of coal from strikebound Carbon county un der cover of darkness. Two other drivers brought bleeding and beaten Steve West, 27, Riverlon, to a highway pa trol checking station at Thistle shortly after midnight. He was treated at Spanish Fork hospital for a bullet wound just above the right wrist. West told Troopers C. H. All red and Arthur Collard he was driving his 10-wheelcr from the IJeer creek mine about 10:15 p.m. when a car pulled up in ront of him. West said he stopped because he thought the car was in trou ble. The men ran back from the automobile and one climbed on the truck's running board and struck him in the face, the driv er told officers. Southern Demos Start Filibuster On FEPC Washington, Feb. 22 (U".R Southern democrats today began their long-threatened house fili buster against FEPC They didn't even wait for the traditional reading of George Washington's farewell address, which usually gets top priority every February 22. The southerners started their delaying tactics against the fair employment measure, scheduled to come up for debate today, as soon as Speaker Sam Rayburn had called the house to order. Rep. John E. Rankin, (D., Miss), and Tom Murray, (D., Tenn.) demanded a quorum call. Quorum calls take about 25 min utes. Supporters of the bill, key stone of President Truman's civ il rights program, were deter mined to get the bill before the house, however, and to fight H through "if it takes all night." Bridges Again Will Take Stand Thursday San Francisco, eFb. 22 (U.R) Harry Bridges will take the stand again tomorrow for furth er re-direct examination as his lengthy perjury-conspiracy trial nears its end. Attorney Vincent Hallinan said he planned to ask Bridges "about a half-hour's worth" more questions. He said he did not yet know whether the defense would call any more witnesses. Horse Is A Horse, State Forester Finds Eugene, Or.; Feb. 22 (U.R) Stale Forester Ray Ogletby paid e SI fine for improper parking today. Ogleiby in e lest case parked in a space reserved for "horses only" end argued at defense that under Oregon law a horse is e vehicle after sun down and should have tail lights visible 500 feet. But the court ruled a horse is a horse end in Oregon hat right of wiy over motor car. if WALTER J. PEARSON Seeki Governorship Pearson Announces Candidacy For Oregon Governor Salem, Ore., Feb. 22 (U.R) Slate Treasurer Walter J. Pear son, Portland insurance execu tive, today announced his can didacy for the democratic nom ination for governor of Oregon. Lew Wallace, defeated by Douglas McKay in the 1948 elec tion, already has announced his democratic candidacy for the May 19 primary election and there may be more to come. Favorable Response William L. Josslin. chairman of the Oregon state democratic central committee, said he has been receiving some favorable responses to his suggestion that he be "ordered into battle" for the gubernatorial race. State Senator Austin Flegcl Jr., also was considered a po tential democratic gubernatorial candidate. Pearsons announcement was not unexpected, lt had been been kown for some time that he was interested in the contest. Responds To 'Urgingt' He said he was entering tne race in response to urgings Dy members of both major parties, who realize Oregon voters want a change in their stale govern ment . Pearson was elected slate rep resentative from Multnomah county in 1943 and served in the senate in 1945 and 1947 before being elected state treasurer. Wallace Asked For Red Support, Is Word Washington. Feb. 22 (U.R) Matthew Cvetic, FBI undercover agent who posed as a communist for seven years, testified today that Henry A. Wallace marie a bid for communist support in the 1948 presidential campaign. Cvetic told the house un-Amer ican activities committee that he was approached by Wallace and his progressive party campaign manager, C. B. Baldwin, early in the campaign. He said he was asked how many Slav votes the American Slav congress could deliver to the progressive party ticket on which Wallace was the presidential candidate. "Were Wallace and Baldwin aware that you were a commun ist? cvetic was asKea. "I assume thev were," he re plied, "they're both intelligent men." Fire Destroys Cyclotron At Princeton, N. J Feb. 22 (U.R) A fire at Princeton university today destroyed the wiring in an 18,000,000-volt cyclotron used In the Los Alamos bomb project. The blaze was extinguished at 10:30 a.m. . today some eight hours after it was discovered. University authorities imme diately launched an investiga tion into the fire which de stroyed everything but the large horseshoe magnet in the 4UU, 000 research machine. A university spokesman dis counted any possibility of tabo- President Pledges Country To Use 01 Force If Needed America Willing To Support Atom Plan Alexandria, Va., Feb. 22 (U.R) President Truman today warned world communism that this coun try will use "force to defend de mocracy" if it must. The president pledged this country to strive ceaselessly for peace. He said the United States is willing to support through the United Nations any genu ine atomic control plan that would be effective and not a "sham." Mutt Pool Strength But he declared in a Washing ton's birthday address here that the free nations must pool their strength to meet communist force with force. Asserting that our task Is "fundamentally the same" as George Washington's, he said the first president "strove to make democratic institutions more effective." "He knew, too," Mr. Truman said, "that they had to be defend ed that there were times when the use of force to defend de mocracy could not be avoided.". Hinges On Resistance Mr. Truman said bluntly in what he called a "straight from the shoulder" foreign policy speech that man's hope of future peace hinges more on suc cessful resistance to communist aggression and on the spread of freedom than lt does on atomic controls. Mr. Truman spoke at the George Washington National Ma sonic memorial here in cere monies dedicating a new statue of the nation's first president. "We are convinced," he said, "of the necessity for an interna tional 'agreement to limit the use of atomic energy to peaceful purposes, and for a workable in ternational system to assure that such an agreement is effectively carried out. "We believe that the United Nations is the proper forum in which to reach such an agree ment." Latourelte Plans To Oppose Morse Portland. Ore., Feb. (U.R) Portland Attorney Howard La tourette said today be will be a candidate for democratic nomina tion for the United States "sen ate scat now occupied by repub lican Wayne L. Morse. The 66-year-old ex-democratic national committeeman for Ore gon said he intends to file to morrow. He called himself a "Jcfforsonian democrat for sound and decent government." Latourelte is the. first demo crat to announce his candidacy for the senate position. The former Oregon City resi dent is a graduate of the Univer sity of Oregon. In 1935 he was speaker of the house in the Ore gon legislature during its spec ial session. He lost the 1942 democratic nomination for gov ernor to Lew Wallace. PART HOLIDAY TODAY The anniversary of Washing ton's birthday was being observ ed in Medford today with special programs and activities in the schools and with closed doors in city, county, state and federal offices. The anniversary is de signated a legal and judicial holiday. There will be no mail deliveries, no criminals prose cuted, no divorce decrees grant ed, no building permits granted, and no drivers licenses issued. Stores and one Medford bank are open. WEATHER FORECAST: Clear to partly cloudy tonlsht and Thursday, continued mild. Temp. J as Hliheit Yesterday Lowest this Morning . Wiring In Princeton tage. He said the cyclotron was used for "purely fundamental re search, not classified." The cyclotron was one of the first atom smashers but lt no longer was connected with na tional security. It had been used recently for research in nuclear physics as related to high energy particles. During the war it was used for research on the Los Alamos A-bomb project. Damage to the 35-ton machine wai described as extensive. Offi cials said it would have to be re built, a project that will take about six months.