Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989, April 18, 1950, Image 1

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Medford mail tribune., April 18, 1950, Image 1

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Newspaper Page Textv. rui Li ui HE o ' r - r A T -r f P. 1 Medford 45th. Year. 14 Pages Love Triangle Revealed To Blow Up Los Angeles Husband Perpetrator Of Unsuccessful Plan Los Angeles, Apr. 18 (U.R Aircraft Engineer John H. Grant had no intention of marrying the pretty stewardess who revealed their three-year romance after he tried to kill his wife and children by timebombing an Airliner, he told police today. Detective Lt. J. R. Goldstone said Grant admitted a two-year "friendship" with Elisabeth Suomela and admitted telling her he would marry her. "But he said he was just telling her that to string her along." Goldstone said. .. Los Angeles, Apr. 18 (U.PJ A pretty, red-haired airline stewardess resigned her job today a few hours after she disclosed her romance with a youthful aircraft engineer who plotted to kill his wife and children by bombing an Airliner carrying 16 persons. Police meanwhile placed a suicide watch over the perpetrator of the unsuccessful plot, John H. Grant, 31, of Gardena. Cal.. in his jail cell. A noose, fashioned from cloth, was found under his mat tress. American Airlines revealed that Elizabeth Suomela. of Her mosa Beach, Cal., resigned her job as assistant supervisor of stewardesses, "by mutual agreement." She spent the night with a friend to avoid reporters. Miss Suomela told police she had been in love for three years with Grant, who placed a gasoline timebomb aboard an Airliner carrying his wife Betty, 29, and their children Robert, five, and Mary Anne, four, to San Diego, Cal., for a holiday. Suitcase Removed One Missing, Two Rescued as Boat Swept Over Dam Walter Krause Sr., 64, former ly of Jones creek, was missing and presumed drowned this morning after the boat in which he and two others were riding was swept over the crest of Sav age Rapids dam on the Rogue river near the Jackson-Josephine county line. His companions were rescued. The three men, employees of the Grants Pass Irrigation dis trict, were attempting to free a log which had lodged at the top of the dam. The swirling water forced the boat loose from its mooring, 'over the edge and down 23 feet into the rock-studded rapids below.- The accident occurred at bout 8:45 a.m. today. Two Rescued The two rescued men are Kenneth L. Morfeld. 22, Route 3. Box 505, and Roy P. Halcomb, 34, Route 2. Box 660, both Grants Pass. They were confined to the Josephine County Gen eral hospital, but were said to be in good condition later in the morning. Ced Hefferan of WeAsku Inn, an expert oarsman, and LaVerne Vogt, were credited with saving the life of Halcomb. They took a boat into the rapids, but were unable to reach Krause, who appeared to have been stunned by the impact of the fall. Reports from the river said that Mor field swam to safety on the north bank of the river. River Guide Glenn Woolridge and state policemen in two boats searched the river for Krause's body this morning, and 20 other persons, among them irrigation district employees, lined the riv er's banks with grappling hooks. The boat in which Krause was riding was smashed to kindling in a pocket at the base of the dam. Krause had been an em ployee of the district since 1925. VOTERS DEADLINE Today is the final day for reg istering to vote in the May pri maries. For the convenience of those who delayed getting their names on the poll books until the last minute, the county clerk's office will remain open until 8 p.m. and the League of Women Voters will maintain reg istration booths in all the city's elementary schools during the evening. Search Plane Finds Missing All Six Crewmen Believed San Francisco, Apr. 18 (U.R) A search plane found the miss ing tugboat Omar 525 miles off San Francisco today and a coast guard PBM radioed base that all six crewmen of the stricken ves sel are "safe and well." The tugboat has been unre ported since last Thursday on a voyage from Honolulu to San Francisco. The Omar was the object of an intensive air search by nine rescue planes and two coast guard cutters. Coast guard rescue coordina tion center released a bulletin at 11:15 a. m. (PST) which sig naled the end of the search. The message saidc MEDFORD, OREGON, TUESDAY, APRIL 18, The plot failed when Grant had a change of heart almost at the same moment that a baggage handler noticed the suitcase smoking and jerked it off the plane four minutes before take off. Detective Lt. J. R. Goldstone said a suicide watch was placed over Grant after it was report ed that cyanide pills were found in his automobile. Grant told police he planned the mass murder to collect $25, 000 insurance. He said he needed the money to get out of debt. Miss Suomela later told her story of romance, explaining that she thought Grant was in court yesterday to get a final di vorce so they could be married. Police said she volunteered her story, and they were convinced she knew nothing of Grant's plot. Detective Lt. C. E. Ream said he would question Grant today about the romance. Change of Heart Grant claimed a last-minute change of heart caused him to shout a warning to cargo load ers just as they put his ingeniously-contrived bomb aboard the air plane. The plot apparently would have failed anyway, however. Cargo-Handler Harold A. Mayer said he saw smoke coming from a suitcase which Grant had filled with gasoline, set to ignite when an alarm clock set off a battery operated detonator. Mayer saw the smoke and threw the suitcase to the ground, where it began to spurt flame. (See story on Page 4) End of Chrysler Strike Seen Near Detroit, Apr. 18 (U.R) Chrysler strike negotiators drove today toward settlement of the automobile industry's second longest walkout. A source at the scene of the secret pension talks said that the CIO United Auto Workers' con cession on four issues was a "bright indication" that the end of the 84-day strike is not too far off. The union made the conces sions just before negotiations were recessed late last night. Spokesmen of the corporation and UAW resume talks today. The principal issue is funding of S100 monthly pensions to work ers of 65 after 25 years' employ ment. ' The source warned, however, that "some unforeseen snag on any minor detail" could again snarl negotiations to send 89, 000 production workers back to Chrysler's assembly lines. The strike is second in length only to the 113-day General Mo tors walkout in 1946. "Coast guard PBM dropped two message blocks on Omar at 10 a.m. (PST) requested crew hold arms horizontal if medicine or food needed. Crew stood with arms at side indicating no emer gency. All aircraft except this (PBM) and another that could be contacted by voice instructed to return to base." The Omar first was sighted by a B-17 earlier today. The B-17 hovered over the tug until the PBM arrived to stand by until the coast guard cutter Chautau qua arrives to take the Omar in tow. Nine planet took off at dawn ' I v; i 'Armt TeUphoto, MISS ALASKA Wearing a cari bou parka, Maxine Cothem. 22, Alaska's first entry In the Mis: America contest, arrives in Las Angeles for a tour of Southern California. "I want to break in to this heat gradually," she said. "It I take this parka off too fast 1 might get the bends,'' 'On to Eugene' Theme Of Concert Tuesday An "On to Eugene" concert by Medford student musicians will be presented at the high school auditorium next Tuesday eve ning, it was announced today. The concert, to consist of pro gram numbers which will be played at the state music con test in Eugene May 5 and 6, will raise funds to send the Medford youngster, to the contest. Participating in the program, to be at 8 p. m., will be the sen ior high school band, choir, or chestra and girls' chorus, as well as several smaller ensembles. All these groups won "superior" ratings at the district contest in Grants Pass last week. Tickets will be sold by stu dents in these organizations, and also at the door. About $1,000 is needed to insure the trip for the young Medford musicians. Governmens Readies Maragon Charges 1 Washington, Apr. 18 (U.R) The government set out today to prove that calls John Maragon made at the agriculture depart ment in 1946 and 1947 were strictly business and not for friendship. The prosecution prepared to show at Maragon's perjury trial that the dapper one-time White House hanger-on was busy try ing to persuade the department to reinstate a suspended quota for a New Jersey molasses firm. The 56-year-old former Kansas City bootblack is on trial on charges of lying to a secret ses sion of the senate "five-percenter" investigating committee last summer. Three Elk Creek Men Charged With Theft Archie Alexander Detillian, 31, Donald Earl Yule, 20, and Henry Conrad Englchardt, 37, all Elk Creek, were arraigned in justice court yesterday on charg es growing out of the theft of mechanic's tools and gasoline from R. T. Bates, also of Elk Creek. Detillian and Yule were charged with grand larceny for the theft of the tools and were remanded to the sheriff in lieu of $1,500 bail each after they had waived preliminary hear ings. Englchardt pleaded guilty to petty larceny and was sentenced to 30 days In the county jail. Tugboat; Safe, Well today to search for the 60-foot vessel which left Hawaii March 27 towing another tug, the Golden Gate, despite a warning from the coast guard that it was unsafe to make the trip. On April 17 the Omar radioed Its engines had broken down and asked for help. The Omar had cut the Golden Gate loose from its tow and the latter tug, un manned, was recovered Sunday afternoon. Last radio report from the Omar was received April 13 when the tug said it had only a few hours of fuel left to run its radio and lighting system. RIBUNE 1950 NO. 23 In Plot Airliner Names of Ex-FBI Men To Be Given Lattimore Case Senator To Propose Agents as Witnesses Washington, Apr. 18 (U.R) Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy said today he will propose three for mer FBI agents as witnesses in his case against Owen Latti more. The Wisconsin republican has accused the far eastern special ist of being a communist spy for Russia. He told reporters he is handing a senate investigator the names of three one-time fed eral agents who will "corrobor ate or supplement" testimony to De given Thursday by excom munist Louis F. Budenz. To Give Names Today McCarthy has said Budenz will swear he knew Lattimore, now a Johns Hopkins university professor, as a communist party member subject to the party's "disciplinary powers." McCarthy said he will give the names of two of the former FBI men to Edward P. Morgan, coun sel of the senate foreign rela tions subcommittee investigat ing his charges, some time today. He will name the third prospec tive witness in the next few days, the senator said. One of the ex-FBI agents, he said, was an "undercover agent for 10 years" and specialized in espionage cases. ; McCarthy was asked! about a statement by Subcommittee Chairman Millard E. tydings, (D., Md), that he is about to launch a re-examination of the 1945 Amerasia case, involving the theft of government docu ments. "I'll have to see it to believe it," McCarthy said. "It's the first healthy sign I have seen from the committee. It's the first sign that Sens. Tydings and McMa hon (Bricn McMahon, D., Conn.) were not completely dedicated to the proposition that the truth about communists and perverts in the state department must not come out." Sams Valley Residents To Talk Soil Saving Landowners in the Sams Val ley area have been circulating petitions the past several weeks favoring the establishment of a soil conservation district in tho central part of the county, and an open meeting has been set for Thursday at 8 p.m. in the Sams Valley school house to sound out local opinion on the issue. If sufficient interest is indi cated by a majority of the land owners in the Sams Valley, Table Rock and Beagle commun ities, the boundary lines of the proposed district wijl be tenta tively located and the petitions forwarded to the state soil con servation committee. The state committee will consider the re quest, and if it is approved, will arrange for a public hearing in the proposed district within 60 days from the date of filing the petition. The petition must carry signa tures of 25 or more landowners and a landowner is defined as one holding title to more than 10 acres of land. Lakeview Clergyman Cleared of Charges Lakeview, Ore., Apr. 18 (U.R) The Lake county grand jury de cided Monday the Lakeview clergyman whose statement that he had been fired upon was later retracted "did not commit the act with any criminal intent." Rev. Omer Idso reported he was assaulted by unknown as sailants April 5, then admitted 10 days later that he had fired the shot through his overcoat himself. He was pastor of Lake view and Paisley Methodist churches. The grand jury said Idso "was acting under great mental strain." Idso said he lied about being shot to "wake up the com munity." Although subpoenaed by the grand jury, he did not appear. The Lake county sheriff's of fice said Idso had left the city with his wife and son. In Eugene. Dr. Raynor Smith, Methodist district superinten dent for southern Oregon, said Idso called him saying he "couldn't continue" hit work. MULTIPLE COLLISION . . . ONLY ONE DRIVER These beautiful new autos. m'ittal'imbli line, and the truck conveying them to a dealer, suffered damage estimated at $6000 when a railroad switch engine crashed Into the carrier In Richmond, Calif. The driver of the truck, Reeves P Bar raza, who said he didn't see the engine's light or hear Its warning bell, escaped with a bruised knee. Strong Winds Sweep Alabama; Midwesterners Flee Hiqh Water Chicago. Apr. 18 (U.R) Tor nadic winds struck in Alabama today as weathermen warned that other victims will be forced to flee the floods in North Da kota and Minnesota which al ready have made nearly 5,000 homeless. Meanwhile, a cold air mass from the Pacific threatened to give spring a temporary setback from coast to coast. The forecasters said the new "cool snap" possibly will bring some relief to the residents of James and Missouri river bot tomlands in North Dakota. Tem peratures would fall to below freezing in the area, halting a thaw that sent ice and snow gushing torrents into the already swollen streams, they said. Warned To Evacuate But they feared the relief Timber Tracts Sold At 0 and C Auction Puckett and Scherer, Kcno, with bids of $33 per thousand board feet for pnnderosa pine, $32.75 for sugar pine, $20.75 for douglas fir and $2.50 for white fir and incense cedar, were high bidders on one tract of 6,270,000 board feet of O. and C. timber along Jenny creek at the oral auction sale held at the Medford city hall yesterday, according to E. K. Peterson, district forester. Medford corporation was high bidder on the second tract of 7,880.000 board feet located northwest of Bulle Falls with of fers of $13.65 for douglas fir, $22.75 for the sugar pine, $11.05 for the pondero.su pine and $2.50 for other species. Seventy-fire bids from the Magnolia Lumber company, El lingson Lumber company, Klam ath Basin Pine mills and Weyer haeuser Timber company, in ad dition to Puckett and Scherer. resulted in a bid price of 94 per cent above the appraisal for the Jenny creek timber. Thirty-five bids were received on the Butte Falls tract from Medford corporation. Magnolia Lumber company and Alley brothers. The appraised price was increased 35 per cent. Another timber sale, the larg est of the year for the Medford district, is scheduled for June. Some of the tracts will be sold by scaled bids and others by oral auction. Life Raft Believed One from Lost Plane Copenhagen, Denmark, Apr. 18 (U.R) A life raft picked up in the Baltic Sea was identified by U. S. air force officers today as one of the type carried by the navy privateer plane lost 10 days ago with 10 men aboard. The raft was found by the British ,'itcamer Becchland, tak en to Finland, and flown to Copenhagen. Capt. D. J. Klingliner, com mander of the U. S. air rescue mission, said the raft would be flown at once to Wiesbaden, headquarters of the U. S. air force in Europe, where it was issued originally. Records there may show whether it was actual ly from the navy plane. The raft was made to carry seven men. Navy privateers carry three such rafts. County Court Not To Observe Daylight Time Members of the county court announced today that the county government will not observe daylight saving time this year unless the governor should pro claim a clock change for the en tire state. Commissioner Robert Lytle said some county offices In the courthouse will rearrange closing hours for the conveni ence of patrons whose working hours are changed by daylight saving proclamations In most of the county's communities. The city of Medford will go on DST oh April 30. Tokyo. Apr. 18 W.R) Empe ror Hirohito visited Gen. Doug las MacArthur at the American embassy today in his first call of the year on the supreme commander. would be short-lived and author ities warned the bottoinlandcrs to evacuate the area. Farm families packed their belongings, made whatever pro visions they could for their live- Five Important Matters Due for Council Discussion Water department, fire depart ment, park, sewer and projected apartment house matters are ex pected as principal items on the city council agenda for its reg ular meeting at the city hall at 7:30 p. m. today. water commissioners last month proposed a $2,800,000 bond issue for construction of a second aqueduct from Big Butte springs to Medford. It was indicated earlier this month that legislation calling for the bond election would be ready for council consideration tonight. Expect Fire Report A report from Leo Wcidner, acting chief and fire consultant, on needs of the fire department, may be considered tonight and action taken on the basis of his findings, it was understood to day. Safety committeemen have mentioned the need to "catch up on fundamental fire department improvements because of the growth of Medford. A park advisory committee man said today in regard to the new city park name poll that the group has picked a first choice and an alternative for council consideration. Residents of the area suggested more than 100 different names. May Discuss Setback A planning committee recom mendation for a seven-foot set back line for a projected apart ment house at 10th street and Oakdale avenue may be brought to council attention also tonight. Bids on five sewer projects were to be at the city hall this after noon and possibly referred to the council. Rexall, Owl Drug Ordered To Desist Washington, Apr. 18 U.R le federal trade commission is ordered the Rexall Drug company and a subsidiary, the Owl Drug company, to stop al legedly misrepresenting prices in connection wltn "one-cent sales. The companies were forbidden to say that two units of merchan dise may be purchased for one cent more than the price of one when the advertised single unit price actually is higher than its usual selling price. Both companies have their headquarters in Los Angcies. Federal Jury Gets Hazel Scott Lawsuit Spokane. Apr. 18 The Hazel Scott $50,000 damages suit bas ed on a state civil liberties statute went to the jury In fed eral court here today. The Negro pianist Is suing Mr, and Mrs. Harry Utz, former Pasco, Wash., restaurant owners, on the grounds that they didn't serve her last February because she was a Negro. , Judge Sam Driver gave the Jury two main points to con aider in his instructions: 1 Did the defendants deprive the plaintiff of the full advant ages and accommodations of their restaurant because she was a Negro. 2 If so, what should the dam ages he. WEATHER roarf'AST: rlr and winner tonight and Weitneidiv. I-0W tnnliht 40. Hlfh Wtdneidajr Temp. Hllhut YMtrrdav ..... 10 Lowtit this Morning Ji slock and prepared to join others who had been chased from their homes. The Red Cross called it a "No. 1 disaster." There was fear of food shortages and doc tors said some water supplies no doubt were contaminated. They took precautions to fight any disease outbreak that might oc cur. Homes Torn Up A thousand miles southeast. residents of a Mobile, Ala., sub urb cleaned up wreckage from tornadic winds that tore up homes, bowled over big trees and injured at least 10 persons. One entire family was injured and a couple and their child were blown 150 yards from their house, escaping with minor in juries. The cool front will bring back a touch of winter to most of the country, forecasters predicted. and by tomorrow temperatures will be lower as far east as west em Pennsylvania and as far south as northern Texas. Hardships Seen The front will bring tempera tures down to about 25 In the North Dakota flood area, the forecasters said. A high of about 50 was predicted ier Pierre.'. S. D., today, compared to 81 yes terday. But while the lower tempera ture may stop the thaw, the weatherman said it may bring hardship on those flood victims who do not have shelter. Red Cross Drive Here Near Goal of $25,000 Col. Ben Stafford, executive officer of the Red Cross drive in Jackson county, reported to day that a total of $20,565 has been raised In the campaign this year. The goal is $25,000. Colonel Stafford said the Red Cross staff realizes that many individuals In the county were not solicited during the drive nroper, which ended March 31. Those who desire to contribute to the Red Cross, he said, are urged to send their donations to the Red Cross office at the court house. Officials say that according to past experience a number of people usually do not make their contributions during the drive, and they are still hopeful of achieving the $25,000 goal only $4,435 away. GOLDEN GLOVES SLATED Chicago, Apr. 18 (U.R) Ama teur boxing stars of Europe and the western United States weigh in today for the 13th annual In ternational Golden Gloves bout at the Chicago stadium tonight. PT&T Files Application For Phone Rate Increases Salem, Ore., Apr. 18 (U.R) The Pacific Telephone and Tele graph company today filed an application wilh the stale public utilities commissioner for new telephone rate increases which would total about $250,000 per month In Oregon. The proposed new rates would increase residence telephone, charges from five to 50 cents a month, and increases for busi ness telephones would range from 25 cents to $1.25 a month. Farmer line rates would be un changed. The company said "grave fi nancial problems" had resulted during the last ten years, when the number of telephones In Oregon Increased by 115 per cent at the same time the popula tion was increasing 59 per cent. Wage Costs Doubled "Wage costs alone for the company In Oregon have prac tically doubled since 1939, ex ceeding by 50 per cent the amount of additional revenue re ceived In the rate Increases pre viously granted," the company said. "Due largely to inflation, the cost of plant and equipment be hind each telephone added since the war also is nearly twice the cost per telephone prior to that time, Punishment of Red Fliers Demanded In Note to Moscow Oral Denunciation Of Soviet Delivered Washington. Aor. 18-j(U.R) The United States today accused Russia of shooting down an un armed American navy plana over the Baltic sea and demand ed indemnities and punishment of the Soviet fliers responsible. 'iat accusation and the ac companying demands for satis- taction were contained in a not handed to the Soviet foreign ministry in Moscow. Oral Denunciation State Department Spokesman Michael J. McDermott made the note public here and went on to deliver an oral denunciation of the Soviet union for its "astonishing lack of common in ternational courtesy and . . . un usual disregard of human life." The note itself denounced "the unprovoked destruction of American lives and property." The plane, a lour-engined navy privateer patrol bomber. vanished on a flight over tha Baltic Sea on April 8 with 10 crewmen aboard. No trace of the missing ship or its crew has been tound, despite an intensive, week-long air-sea search. Allegations Denied On April 10, Moscow fired a protest at the United States charging that an American plane had flown over Soviet Latvia and fired on Soviet fight er planes that intercepted it. tfotn tnose allegations were denied flatly in today's note. McDermott further called the Soviets to task for decorating the Russian fighter pilots who shot down the American plana and for their failure to help search for the missing men. The formal note, delivered by U. S. Ambassador Allan Kirk to Soviet Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei A. Gromyko, protested " in the most solemn manner against this violation of international law." It demanded that Russia "in stitute a prompt and thorough investigation," express its offic ial regrets for the unlawful and provocative behavior of its aviators," punish the guilty fliers "promptly and severely," and instruct the red air force to refrain from such actions in tht future. , Air Force, Navy To Buy Airplanes Washington, Apr. 18 (U.PJ The air force and navy an nounced today that their com bined aircraft buying program fnr tho 1050 flspnl vpnr whioh started last July 1 cails for 2,048 new planes costing $1,753,800,- 000. The air force is buying 1,250 planes at a cost of $1,203,200, 000. Navy aircraft purchases to tal 798, costing $550,600,000. The aircraft procurement pro grams for the two services show ed continued emphasis on the air force bomber program, but tha purchases included many jet fighters for both the air force and navy. The announcement did not give the number of planes by tvpes nor the air frame pounds. But President Truman's budget had stated that the air force would get 23,500,000 air frame pounds during the current fiscal vear and the navy about 7 mil lion. PASEBALL NATIONAL LEAGUE Brooklyn 17 0 Philadelphia 9 lt 2 Newcombe. Erskine (21, Mo Glothin (3), Barney (5), Labine (7) and Campanellai Robert and Seminick. Losing pitcher Newcombe. "The Increased rates requested are based on the going level and trend of costs. If expenses in crease beyond our present ex pectations because of higher material costs, higher wage rales, or other factors, our re quest will have to be changed accordingly." Under the proposed new rate schedule, day station long dis tance rales would be unchanged, although the initial period of lu cent long distance calls would be reduced from five minutes to three minutes. The company also asked increases of from five cents to 25 cents in night and Sunday and person long distance calls. In Medford, J. H. Creager, . local PTT manager, said rates in Medford for local monthly charges, present and proposed, would be as follows: Business phone, from $7.50 to $8.75: business two-party, from $5.75 to $6.50; residence, from $4.50 to $4.80; residence two party, from $3.50 lo $4; resi dence four-party, from $2.75 to $3.25; suburban business, from $4.25 lo $5: suburban residence, from $3 to $3.50. There would be no change In present charges for farm line telephones-, or for business or residence extension phones.