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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 12, 1954)
U.S .iunboatlPaiiiiay (Editor'! note: On Dee. 12. 1937. ust 17 years aso, the Japanese tombed and sank the American gunboat VSS Panay in the Yangtse river near Nanking. Three men were killed and more than a dozen were wounded in the incident which is considered by many as the first shot of World War II. United Press Movietone newsreel cameraman Erie Mayell, of Barlingame. Calif, was one of the survivors of the Panay and his exclusive photos of the attack was one of the newsreel scoops of the century. In the follow ing story, Mayell gives his recol lections of that dramatic incident of history.) By ERIC MAYELL As Told to Uniled Press - San Francisco (U.R) I went oboard the USS Panay to escape the rape of Nanking. An American gunboat, plainly marked with the stars and stripes, seemed to be the safest place around. I didn't know how wrong I was until it was too late. It as Dec. 11 when, we went aboard. In all there were about a dozen passengers, including a few American newsmen and em bassy officials, a couple of Ital ian correspondents and a Lon don Times man. We were all dirty and dead for sleep, and as the Panay headed upstream we thought we had left the worst behind us. Awakened by Explosion I was napping on the follow ing afternoon when it happened, I recall that I was jarred awake Vy a hell of an explosion and felt the ship rock and shudder, I grabbed for my camera and ran out on deck. The first bomb hit the Panay just forward of the bridge and wounded a number of men in eluding . the skipper, Lt. Cmdr. James J. Hughes, and the execu tive officer. Lt. A. F. Anders. Hughes was hit in the head and legs and was semi-conscious. Anders got shrapnel in his throat, but he took over com mand anyway. He couldn't speak because of his wound, but he wrote his orders to the crew on paper. Hit by Dive Bombers The first bombs we're from high altitude planes. But a min ute later the dive bombers hit us. They came wave after wave, raising splashes around us with light bombs and sweeping the dack with machinegun fire. One of the Panay's gunners was caught in the shower and he ran to man his gun wearing only a towel around his middle. I shot pictures of him firing at the attackers until his old Lewis gun jammed. Then I ran to the other side and shot another gun ner in action. All I had with me were bits and scraps of film, so I had to keep running inside to change. I was in the cabin switching film when Sandro Sandri, one of the Italian correspondents, staggered in. He had been hit in the stomach with a machine- Employer Contributions Practically Unchanged During Coming Year Salem (U.R) Despite near record payments to unemployed workers during the 1953-54 ben efit year, the average tax and contributions from employers will be practically unchanged during 1955, the State Unem ployment Compensation commis sion said Saturday. . Preliminary computations just completed show that the aver age rate is expected to remain close to the 1.1 per cent figured for 1954 payroll taxes while contributions probably will con tinue at about 11 million unless experience rating schedules are altered materially by the 1955 Legislature convening next month. Of the $23,430,100 paid 'to unemployed workers during the year endeftl last June 30, nearly 37 per cent was charged against the pool, relieving indi vidual employer accounts under the experience rating system. MATINEE 5 :30 pLJ2? ill Cr frr (to;r PLUS r7jJTlMM- 'a.aSui miJ 4Ss, Jr s m mt Nil M i i sd gun bullet and he was holding the wound with his hands and trying to keep his feet. He was very white and he said, "Eric, what shall I do?" There wasn't much I could tell him. I'd seen men wounded like that before and I knew he'd had it. He diei on shore 24 hours later. The Panay began to settle by the bow and Lt. Sanders gave the order to abandon ship. The dive bombers were still coming down to within 50 or 100 feet of the ship, bombing and strafing, but the men lowered the- boats and removed the wounded as calmly as though it were a drill. Once ashore, wehid in the reeds from the Japanese planes. We saw a small boat filled with Japanese soldiers approach the Panay and fire at it with rifles. When there was no re turn fire, some of them went aboard and looked around. The gunboat sang at 3:54 p.m. just two hours and 15 minutes after the first bomb hit. We carried the wounded in blankets and made our way on foot and by barge up a small tributary to the village of Han shan. It was a cold and frightful night as we expected Japanese patrols to come after us. But if they did, they never found us. At Hanshan we learned that a British gunboat, the Ladybird, was waiting for us at the river, so we made our way back and went aboard her. It's a funny thing. I wasn't particularly scared at the time. But just talking about the inci dent today scares me. End in Sight for Sheppard Trial Cleveland, O. (U.R) De fense and prosecution attorneys agreed Saturday tnere was a "stronff nossibility" the Shep pard murder case may go to the jury by the end of next week. "We nlan to keen Dr. Shep pard under direct examination another half-day," Defense At torney William J. Comgan said. 'Then we'll have some more witnesses more than three but less than 10." John J. Hahon. head of the nrosecution team, said he ex-J pected to start nis cross-exam ination of the defendant, ur. Samuel H. Sheppard, Monday afternoon. He would not indi cate how long the quizzing would last. Both Hahon and Comgan agreed the seven-man, five-woman jury would get the case by Friday, when the trial ends its ninth week. Ike Appoints New First Army Chief Washington (U.R) President Eisenhower has promoted Maj. Gen. Thomas W. Herren to lieu tenant general and named him First Army commander. Maj. Gen. Claude B. Feren baugh Friday was promoted to lieutenant general and given the post of deputy commander of Army forces in the, Far East. Both promotions are subject to Senate confirmation next ses sion. Rhodes Scholarship Winners To Be Named Spokane (U.R) t The Northwest Rhodes Scholarships committee met here Saturday to select four college students to receive the two year Rhodes scholarships to Oxford univer sity in England. The nine can didates from the six states in cluded: Robert S. Summers, Halfway, Ore., and Kenneth Love, Lyn den, Wash. .1- tfiKl-tfM pm Today GATES OPEN 5 PM a wooirr, voviT panic! YkKHt PtKE Besfl UTHIOffi Hg 1 . APPROVED Lili Kardell, daughter of a Swedish band leader, shows her happiness after Los Angeles court ap proved her Universal Studio movie contract. She was given contract when a mem ber of visiting party of Prince Axel of Denmark spotted her on studio lot and commented favorably on her appearance. Double Amputee Back at Hospital For Skin Grafting Charles Blackshear, Bend, was readmitted Friday to Communi ty hospital for skin grafts after being dismissed from the hos pital about two weeks ago. He first was treated for the loss of both legs as the result of a truck automobile accident on North Pacific highway while he was working on the highway. His father was working on the same job and his mother arrived soon after the accident from Bend. They have been living at 722 North Riverside ; ave. Another patient who has been at Community hospital for some time is Linda Bowen, 11, Gold Hill, who suffered a critical back injury in October. The girl was injured when she climbed a tree to get a kitten which had. been in the tree for about two days after it . was scared by a dog. Though no one saw the accident, according to earlier reports Linda is believed to have fallen from near the top of the tree. Knowles Held by Hood River Sheriff Hood River (U.R) Robert C. Knowles was in the custody of the Hood River county sher iff Saturday following his re lease Friday in Sacramento by Federal Judge Sherill Halbert. Knowles will face larceny charges here in connection with the theft of a car owned by Al bert C. Stuarf, Wickenberg, Ariz. Knowles pleaded guilty in Federal Court in Sacramento to stealing Stuart's car and driving it across state lines. He also told authorities in California that he had murdered Stuart and dumped his body in the Yakima river in Washington. - He said he buried the body in the Hood River area. He was questioned by Wash ington authorities but they did not take custody. Stuart has been missing since last year when his trailer house was de stroyed by fire at Mosier, Ore. The order releasing Knowles to Oregon authorities stated he would be returned to the juris diction of the Sacramento court when Oregon authorities had completed . action. West Coast To Receive Ship Building Pacts . San Francisco (U.R) Approx imately $65,000,000 in ship con struction "probably will come to West Coast shipyards this year, Congressman Thor C. Tollefson ! said Saturday. The Washington Republican told a news conference the West Coast should be able to secure in competitive bidding one sixth of the . $400,000,000 ap propriated last year by Congress for shipbuilding. , Yule Decorations Now at Museum; Displays Planned Jacksonville Christmas dec orations were placed Friday on the front entrance of the Jack sonvHle Museum by Chief of Po lice Frank Carter assisted by Ed Coffman. "' - '' A laree Christmas tree. trimmed by Museum employees, has been put up at the front window of the quilt exhibit room and several new displays have been added, Mrs. Myrtle P. Lee, curator said Saturday. A doll display will be added shortly be f or the Christmas .holidaysj and other exhibits aire planned. Closed Christmas Dav The 'Museum will be closed Christmas day, but through the week regular hours will be ob served, 1 to 5 p.m., on weekdays and 12 noon to 5 D.m.. Sundavs. The Museum also is scheduled to be. open on New Year's day. The newly arranged displays include photographs of Joseph Lane, territorial governor, Jo seph Meek, first territorial sher iff, and William Green T'Vault, first territorial postmaster. In the courtroom on the sec ond floor, one showcase is de voted to a display of old dish ware and antique glass which includes several pieces recently added to the Museum objects. Communion Set Another recent eift to the Museum is a heavy silver com munion service which was the first used at the Jacksonville Presbyterian church after it was dedicated Dec. 4, 1881. The serv ice was a gift to the congregation by Squire William Hoffman, who arrived in the Rogue valley in 1852 and was active in forming Jackson county government. . The service includes two gob lets, and was discarded after individual services were used. . Also on 'display is a tea serv ice, a part of the Native Daugh ters collection. Limits on News of Trials Gets Study Portland (U.R) The Ore gon Circuit Judges' association Friday decided to put off until next year a decision whether to adopt a set of rules that would limit news coverage of public trials. . A committee of iudses brought out a set of suggested rules which included prohibit ing any photographing or broad casting of trials. However, the majority of judges refused to accept it until their committee on relationship of the press and bench has a chance to discuss conflicts between news media and judges. - Judge Howard K. Zimmerman of Astoria" objected to a suggest ed rule that jurors be polled. He argued it places an unfair bur den on jurors in rural commun ities where they feel influenced in their verdicts if they know they will be publicly' announc ed. Dead line Sunday Classified is at noon Saturday : 10 a.m. Mondav for Monday; other days 5:30 previous day. MAKE A DATE r: r fop j" ' m v starts m Skim . ;. WnTHUBT.- iL 1 JHWML. KHMMB.. S til! 4- HAPPY COUPLE Rep resentative Harold Velde, Il linois Republican, has a hug for his bride, the former Mrs. Dolores Anderson, after their marriage at Baltimore. She has been a staff secretary for the House un-American ac tivities committee, which Velde head during the 83rd Congress. 91 Attend CD Rescue Schools - Salem (U.R) Ninety-one persons have attended' rescue schools during the past two weeks, State Civil ; Defense Di rector Arthur M. Sheets said Saturday. The schools were conducted in three cities by an engineer ing and rescue team from the Federal Civil Defense Admini stration. The course in Eugene was attended by 37 persons; Al bany, 32; and the school in Port land ending today had 22. Purpose of the schools was to train instructors in techniques of heavy and light rescue work, which includes such things as tunnelling, shoring and breach ing walls, surveying buildings and handling casualties. Sheets said every county has been re quested to organize one mobile rescue unit. Accidental Gunshot j- j Kills Portland Boy Portland flJ.R) Carl Wil liam Frey, 17, son of Portland fire department Capt. Carl H. Frey, accidentally shot and kil led himself early Saturday while duck hunting with two compan ions at Fairview lake in subur ban northeast Portland. Deputy Sheriff Jack Elliott said Frey was standing in the water-when he reached into a boat for his shotgun. The wea pon accidentally discharged and pellets from the shell struck him in the neck. The sugar pine is reported to live more than 600 years. NOW! Don't Miss It! I TOO EAGER! TOO INNOCENT! and far, far TOO WILLING! 4 Wednesday Sunday, December 12, 1954 State Asks Prompt Salem (U.R) The State Traffic Safety division said Sat urday it is developing plans to get a prompt-roundup of' traffic' accidents in -.Oregon -next Wed-: - Sheriffs in all the country and chiefs of police - throughout the ; state have been- asked to report accidents 'to the Salem' office by the. fastest , possible ; means' so they can be ; tabulated and in cluded in the national survey.! Even so," officials 'iaid; it may take a bit longer to. get all acci dent reports in. . A motorist has 24 hours in - which to file -an' accident report, but for the pur-! poses of the survey, anjr motor ist involved in an accident on S-D day- is urged to make his report at once.- ; The-State Traffic Safety di vision will prepare a running Air Force Studying . Foreign 'Saucers' ; ;" Washington -(U.R) The Air' Force is studying so-called "fly ing saucer" sightings in foreign countries as well as those re ported in the United States. ' -! , A spokesman said Friday that a "flying saucer" photograph distributed by the United States is being studied by the Air Tech nical Intelligence Center at Wright-Patterson AirForce Base, Dayton, O.' . The photograph, ."made at Taormina, Sicily, showed Sic ilians looking at two disk shaped objects. It was made by Guiseppe Grasso, a photographer who sup-' plied the picture to the United Press Rome Bureau. TriE Last sJam'ng .Elizabeth m Wfti ' CONTINUOUS , Walter PIDGEON Donna REED . "jfc EVA GAB0R KURT in-niJULIUS i & PHUT & EPSIEM and . . (Mil RICHARD BROOKS Aetdtmy Awarrf Stir of "From Here To Eterniry" " Scores Again! 1 " a, Sietfitna, WITH BULlETiRiDDLE& FURY! Vv.- - -:-vVrv 'm -Jy-i ADDED : -; UNLUCK DOG" Comedy O Musical Featuretf e O FEATURE SHOWN AT: 1:1 5 3:28 5:41 MEDFORD (OREGON) Accident Roundup count of the accidents as they are reported. SHOWS START 7 P.M. Ends Tonight JS- RANDOLPH VAN ; C HEFLIN YVONNE a uetAKtu in ; ' J TIme . KASZNAR RKHMiD BROOKS wxmm mm JACK CUMMIN6S ' I. Cw I 2 50-Adminioit f SingU 50c I ; vi scon paajaB tf3p$ttKIMtttlfl: fll)i .:-:vMY 3 w St i SEARS THIS SCEU JAMES GLEASON - NANCY GATES MAIL TRIBUNE THIRTEEN THE FAMILY THEATRE -.ADULTS 50c- Children To 12 FREE! When Accompanied By Parents TODAY MATINEE 1P.M. EVENING SHOWS 6:45 P.M. 0E -Paanj EVSTASSS ASHLAND Cinemascopo THE ADVENTURES Or "HAJJIBABA" with John Derek Elaine Stewart QUICK RESULTS From Tribune lnJant Ads T SHOWING Continues from 1 :00 P.M. " Cartoon O News 7:34 10H)5 CJBPW, - FK1HTW "J0LTCT ) Wk BUSTKC Mk I WAY TO VICTORY! , Hchai ' Kdnd ; Cat fl BilSffll-0'SBEII-W PLUS .: pwv TYRONE C P017ER r Tfl a- 71
