11 NOR
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FOUR
SHORTLY
Medford
United Fresa Full Lcuea wire
50th Year 26 Pages
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MRS. BELLE LITTRELL
Well-Known Woman Diet
'Mother' Littrell,
Nearly 95, Passes
In Rest Home Here
Mrs. Belle E. Littrell.. more
familiarly known as "Mother"
Littrell, died last night in a
local rest home. She was nearly
95 years old. Mrs. Littrell, born
In August, 1860, was the widow
of the late E. A. Littrell Sr., and
came here from New Mexico
with her husband and family
more than 30 years ago.
Mrs. Littrell was active in the
Medford First Presbyterian
church and a social room at the
church is named the "Mother"
Littrell room in her honor. She
taught school in Missouri.
Survivors include four sons
and a daughter, State Rep. E.
A. Littrell, and Mrs. Ethel Chad
wick, both of Medford; .1 P.
Littrell, Los Angeles; Earl Lit
trell. Coos Bay, and Donald B.
Littrell, River Forest, 111. Other
survivors include 15 grandchil
dren and a number of great
grandchildren. A sister, the late
Miss Agnes Phillips, who died
several years ago, made her
home with the Littrells here for
many years.
Funeral services are pending
at Perl funeral home.
Better Car Supply
Assured Senators
A seasonal shift of railroad
ears from the east to the west
should provide more equitable
distribution, easing the shortage
on the west coast, Oregon's two
senators have been informed.
The Interstate Commerce com
mission and the American Car
service, told Senators Richard L.
Neuberger and Wayne Morse
that heavy grain loading in the
northwest has complicated the
situation, and that instructions
have been issued to discontinue
loading grain until June 8.
In a telegram to the Mail
Tribune, the senators said that if
the situation is not eased by that
time, the service will request the
department of agriculture and
the commodity credit corpora
tor. n discontinue the grain
loading for a few more days.
x..t; .iCS reported to the sena
tors that empty cars are being
dispatched from as far away as
New England in an effort td ease
the shortage in Oregon.
Settlement Hinted
In Trucker Sfrike
'Los Angeles (U.R) Federal
. Conciliator John Fenton hinted
today a settlement of the 15-day
old Western States truck strike
lockout may be reached by the
week end.
Fenton said a meeting sched
uled last night with both sides
was deferred until today because
some of the top management of
ficials had been called out of
town.
Fenton yesterday met separate
ly with representatives of the
AFL Western Teamsters and the
trucking industry in an effort to
formulate some basis for settle
ment of the strike which has
halted nearly all of the West's
long-haul for-hire freight trucks.
Knight Backs Nixon
As Vice President
Sacramento (U.R) Gov.
Goodwin J. Knight said today he
will support -Richard M. Nixon
for vice-president if President
Eisenhower wants him to run
again in 1956.
The governor repeated at a
press conference his previously
announced position that he is
"for President Eisenhower and
whoever he wants as his running
mae."
MEDFORD, OREGON,
Mrs. Frank Bash
On Oregon GOP
Central Committee
Chairman Announces
Other Appointments
Portland (U.R) Wendell
Wyatt of Astoria, recently elect
ed chairman of the state Repub
lican central committee, today
named his appointments to the
executive committee which in
eluded four new-faces.
Colon Eberhart of La Grande
was named to replace William
Hanzen of Pendleton who re
cently resigned as Umatilla
county chairman; Francis Smith
of Portland replaced Philip En-
glehart who recently resigned as
Multnomah county chairman;
George Penrose of Tigard takes
the position vacated when Wyatt
moved to chairman, and Henry
Buehner, state treasurer, takes
the place of the man he sue
ceeded, Lawrence Neault of
Baker.
Mrs. Bash Named
Other members included Mrs
Margaret vanLubken, Portland,
state vice-chairman; Mrs. Fred
eric W. Young, Portland, secre
tary; Mrs. Frank Bash, Medford;
L. A. Bean, Madras; Curtis I.
Beecher,' Roseburg; Phil Bladine,
McMinnville; Erline Brauti,
Wheeler; Mrs. William M. Burns,
Portland; John Gallagher Jr.,
Corvallis; Joe Horn, Hood River;
Elmer Lemler, Merrill; Mrs. Col-
lis R. Moore, Moro; Donald My
rick, Grants ' Pass; Mrs. Vida
Robertson, Molalla; Roland Rod
man, Eugene; Mrs. Bess Scharf
fenberg, Albany, and Sidney
Schlessinger, Salem.
Mrs. Harold D. Peterson of
Dallas was reelected at a meet
ing here yesterday for a sec
ond two-year term as president
of the Republican Council of
Oregon Women, Inc.
Equalization Board
Holds Last Meeting
Members of the Jackson coun
ty board of equalization yester
day held their final meeting un
til after a public hearing June
10 on the proposed county budget
for 1955-1956.
Since the board started its
sessions several weeks ago, it
has met with approximately 500
taxpayers and has considered
their requests for changes in
valuation on their property.
The board has requested that
the state send an appraisal man
to Jackson county to conduct
some recheck work.
County Judge Rodney Keat
ing, a member of the board, said
this morning that "It was the ob
servation of the board that the
assessment program has been ex
tremely fair, considering all
factors." He noted that the
board has made few changes to
date.
Other members of the board
are Ralph Cook and Arnold
Bohnert. ' 1 .
Diamond Lake Road
To Open Late Today
The west Diamond lake road
was to open to the public at 4:30
p.m. today, acording to J. G.
Bromley, Grants Pass, district
maintenance supervisor for the
highway department.
The route has been plowed
out to permit two-way traffic
through the snow banks, Brom
ley said. It was being allowed
to dry out before traffic could
use it. Load limits will be im
posed on the route until the
snow is gone.
The section which has been
closed is between the Diamond
lake junction, just beyond
Union Creek, and the lake.
In Salem, R. H. Baldock, state
highway engineer, said the Cra
ter Lake Rim drive and the east
entrances to the national park
will open about July 4.
Masked Men Hold Up
Cleveland Bank, Escape
Cleveland (U.R) Four mask
ed men, operating with stop
watch precision, held up a
branch office of the Cleveland
Trust Co. today and escaped with
an estimated $60,000.
No shots were fired, and the
four sped away in the waiting
car.
Salem U.R Russell A. Pey
ton of Beaverton has been ap
pointed fair employment prac
tices field representative in the
state buna of labor.
FRIDAY, JU
1
SIXTY-SECOND ANNUAL COMMENCE
MENT Two hundred and ten members of
the Medford High school class of 1955 com
pleted their high school careers last night at
the school's 62nd annual commencement exer
cises. A portion of the crowd, estimated at
Importance
Stressed by
At MHS Graduation
"Institutions are but the width
and breadth of the shadow of
man," Dr. O. Meredith Wilson,
president of the University of
Oregon, told the graduating Med
ford High school class of 1955
last night in the Medford High
stadium.
Dr. Wilson emphasized that
institutions are man - made, and
that any member of the graduat
ing class could easily change or
create- institutions that would
help or hurt mankind.
Cites Historical Figures
' Citing several famous and in
famous historical figures, such
as Caesar, Napoleon, Marx, and
Einstein, Dr. Wilson pointed out
that each "although but one"
had . dramatically changed the
outlook of the world by the use
of their minds. He asked the se
niors to realize that the modern
world calls for "people who use
their minds."
Hells Canyon Dam
Decision Delayed
Washington (U.R) A Sen
ate Interior Subcommittee to
day delayed until next Wednes
day action on a bill to authorize
a high government dam in Hells
Canyon on the Idaho - Oregon
border.
Chairman Clinton P. Anderson
(DN.M.) said the delay was
caused by the absence of Sen.
Arthur V. Watkins (R-Utah), who
is in Utah, and by a decision to
have printed a staff report on the
bill. -
The staff . report deals with
questions raised during public
hearings on the bill, Anderson
said. It '"ncludes information on
whether there is an adequate
flow in the Snake river at the
dam- site for operation of the
project, he said.
County Court Orders
Load Limits Removed
The Jackson county court this
morning signed an order remov
ing load limits from the entire
length of five county roads. The
order becomes effective imme
diately. Included in the order were
Medford-Climax rd., Butte Falls
Fish Lake rd., Dead Indian rd.,
Cobleigh rd., and Geppert rd.
Klamath Falls (U.R) Mayor
Paul Landry says work on the
west side highway by-pass in
Klamath Falls is scheduled to
begin around August 10.
Salem (U.R) Rose Week is
scheduled for ' June " 6-13,
"whether the roses are in bloom
or not," Gov. Paul Patterson
has announced. . k
Wir
jc
No. 64
of Mind
Speaker
Dr. Wilson voiced the desire
that the seniors would remember
well the past 12 years, and their
parents whose sacrifices and
hardships made the graduation
a reality.
The 62nd annual commence
ment ceremony was attended by
nearly 800 parents and well
wishers of the 210 members of
the class of 1955.
Seniors March In
Beginning with the traditional
"Pomp and Circumstance" pro
cessional by the school band,
the graduating seniors marched
onto the commencement stand
for the ceremony. The Rev. Ken
neth F. Korby of St. Peter's Lu
thern church delivered the in
vocation, and at the end of the
commencement, delivered the
benediction.
Following the invocation came
the senior class singers . with
Sigmund Romberg's "Golden
Days," in which a solo by choir
members Macy Overstreet was
featured. School Superintendent
E. H. Hedrick introduced Dr.
Wilson.
Lester D. Harris, principal of
the high school, announced the
awards and scholarships earned
by members of the class, and
Mrs. Moore Hamilton, chairman
of the school board, awarded the
diplomas including one to her
daughter, Nancy.
Earn Honors
x Stan Culy was valedictorian
of the class and Don Robinson
was salutatorian, the traditional
honors for high scholastic stand
ing. .
"Outstanding senior girl was
Melissa Jennings, and the out
standing boy was Lorin Jacobs.
The ceremonies were conduct
ed with the singing of the "Alma
Mater" song by the entire class,
accompanied by the band.
(The many awards and scholar
ships earned by members of the
class are listed in a story appear
ing on Page 8.)
o
rift
Forgiveness Strengthens; Campaign for
Peace, Khrushchev Informs
London U.R) Soviet strong
man Nikita Khrushchev told the
Soviet satellites today that Mos
cow's forgiveness for Marshal
Tito of Yugoslavia has strength
ened world Communism's cam
paign for "peace."
Khrushchev and the star-studded
Soviet delegation stopped
off in Sofia, capital of Commu
nist Bulgaria, en route back to
Moscow from the talks with
Marshal Tito in Belgrade.
The Bulgarian visits was in
terpreted here as a move by the
Soviets to sooth satellite tem
pers frayad by tfa Kiamlin's
Weather
FORECAST: Cloudy and mild
tonight, becoming partly
cloudy Saturday afternoon..
Low tonight 48. High Satur
day 78.
Temp.
Highest Yesterday 78
Lowest this Morning 54
800, is shown above looking toward the stand
where the graduates are seated. At the right
of the platform, directly behind the Medford
High school band, is Dr. O. Meredith Wilson,
president of the University of Oregon, who
ws the principal speaker.
(Brainerd photo)
Firemen Complete
Home Inspections
City fire department truck
crews have completed regular
route coverage of Medford in
their residential inspection pro
gram, Fire Chief Gordon Barker
reported today.
He said that a fireman will be
detailed next week to make re
quested call backs for home in
spection. .
Total number of stops, inspec
tions made and other data were
being tabulated today by the de
partment. ; '
Crews called at 106 homes
yesterday and found 36 free of
hazards." No one was home at 50
.residences and six occupants re
jected the offer of inspection.
For 14 homes a total of 27 recom
mendations for improving fire
safety were made.
New Issue Injected in
Portland Milk Strike
Portland (U.R) Milk-hungry
Portlanders today, learned of a
new issue injected into two-day-old
dairy strike and lockout that
could prolong the city's fresh
milk famine for several days.
Teamsters employed at dairies
where no labor dispute existed
announced they would refuse to
go back to work until paid for
the time lost while locked out
of their jobs by employers.
All dairies in Portland closed
their doors and sent workers
home after AFL Teamsters
struck the Mayflower Milk plant
in a dispute over working sched
ules. The dairies contended a
strike against one of their num
ber was a strike against all.
Emergency milk shipments
were being made to hospitals but
Portland schools, now near the
end of the school year, made no
such provision and substituted
orange juice and chocolate made
with powdered milk for school
lunches.
new., friendly attitude toward
Yugoslavia which until recently
has been treated as a Commu
nist traitor and outcast.
Khrushchev addressed a mass
meeting of thousands of cheer
ing Bulgarians who were order
ed into Sofia's September Ninth
Square minutes after the Soviet
delegation's plane landed.
Khrushchev's explanation of
the trip to Belgrade to woo Tito
and a description of his recep
tion in Sofia were broadcast by
the Sofia radio and were moni
tored here.
The Soviet leader' went
straight into an applanation of
Influential India
Newspaper's Editor
Gives Information
Release Expected
Within 24 Hours
Manila (U.R) The release of
the 11 American airmen still
imprisoned in Red China is ex
pected within the next 24 hours,
the managing director of the
influential Times of India said
tonight.
The Indian editor, J. C. Jain,
who arrived here by air from
Hong Kong, said his information
on the probable early release of
the American fliers came "from
a source that Is usually reliable."
In Washington, officials ex
pressed surprise at Jain's fore
cast. They hoped the report was,
true but there was nothing to in
dicate that the United States had
been alerted to receive the pris
oners at Hong Kong.
Appears Surprised
Four American jet pilots re
leased earlier this week by Red
China reached freedom at Hong
Kong last Tuesday.
"I was informed in Hong
Kong," Jan said, "that 11 more
fliers would be released, possi
bly within the next 24 hours."
The Indian editor appeared
surprised that local newsmen
had not received similar reports.
He declined to give any addi
tional information but did say
he "believed" the other 11 air
men were the ones tried and
convicted by Red China of "es
pionage" and now serving long
prison terms.
Jain said the release of the
four fliers on Tuesday, after
more than two years in Red Chi
nese jails, was "a good gesture."
Sentenced in November
The 11 men whose release he
said is likely in the very near
future were sentenced last No
vember to terms of from four to
10 years in Communist prisons.
The 11 airmen still held in
China are: ' Maj. William H.
Baumer, Lewisburg, Pa:; Air
man lc Steve R. Kiba, Akron,
O.; Airman 2C John W. Thomp
son III, Orange, Va.; Capt. Eu
gene J. Vaadi, Clayton, N. Y.;
Col John K. Arnold Jr., Mont
gomery, Ala.; Lt. Wallace L.
Brown, Montgomery, Ala.; Lt.
John W. Buck, Armathwaite,
Tenn.; Airman 2C Harry M. Ben
jamin Jr., Worthington, Minn.;
Sgt. Howard W. Brown, St. Paul,
Minn.; Capt. Elmer F. Llewellyn,
Missoula, Mont., and Airman 2C
Daniel C. Schmidt, Boise, Ida.
London (U.R) India's rov
ing ambassador, V. K. Krishna
Menon, said today the United
States could contribute to Far
Eastern peace by permitting
Chinese students in the United
States to return, o their Com
munist homeland.
Me'non arrived there today
from Reiping and New Delhi en
route .to Washington where he
will report on his discussions in
the Red Chinese capital of pros
pects for a cease fire in the war
threatened Formosa Strait.
Menon said Red China's re
lease of four American fliers
"opened the door" to settle
ments of Far East questions.
Timber Price Report
Service Aim of Bill ;
Washington Senators Rich
ard L. Neuberger (D-Ore.) and
Hubert Humphrey (D-Minn.) to
day introduced a bill which
would provide for a government
price reporting system on timber
products.
Senator Neuberger said the
system would be similar ' to the
service now provided for agricul
tural crops, and would protect
sellers of timber and lumber who
"now often are unaware of pre
vailing conditions of supply and
market."-
He added, "The bill should be
of great importance to Oregon,
which is the No. 1 lumber
state."
Pendleton U.R) Building
permits for Pendleton in 1955
surged past the million dollar
mark during May. Total for the
five-month period reached
$1,106,000. '
Satellites
Moscow's reasons for forgiving
Tito, despite Yugoslavia's seven
year defiance of the Cominform.
For one thing, Khrushchev
said, Tito steadfastly refused to
surrender Yugoslavia's sover
eignty to other presumably
Western powers, in spite of the
nation's difficulties.
Western experts on Soviet af
fairs said Khrushchev and the
delegation that includes Premier
Nikolai Bulganin and Deputy
Prime Minister Anastas Mioyan
probably will visit other satel
lite capitals to forestall the dan
gers of a new "Titoism" in the
satellite empire. - X
Barbara Graham Dies
In California Prison
Execution Chamber
San Quentin, Calif. (U.R)
Convicted Murderess Barbara
Graham was executed in the
San Quentin gas chamber today
after a frantic sequence of events
BARBARA GRAHAM
Pays Price for Crime
in which the execution was de
layed twice, once only four min
utes before she was to have been
strapped in the death chair.
The attractive mother of three
Two Men, Woman,
Given Sentences
In Burglary Case
Three men and a woman ap
peared in circuit court this morn
ing before Judge H. K. Hanna.
Two of the men received terms
in state prison. . .
Thomas Miner Spoon, 24, Min
eral Wells, Tex., received the
stiffest sentence, a five-year term
on a charge of burglary not in
a dwelling. Two others involved
in the same 90 and 9 tavern bur
glary case were among those ap
pearing before Judge Hanna this
morning.
They were William Riley
Spoon, 26, Santo, Tex., who re
ceived a term of three years and
six months on a burglary charge,
and Luetta Mae Spoon, 24, Santo,
Tex., who was placed on proba
tion for three years. Mrs. Spoon
was charged with concealing
stolen property.
Two 15-year-olds picked up in
connection with the same case
are still held in Jackson county
jail. They have been turned over
to juvenile authorities. '. . ,-
The fourth to appear in court
this morning was Wayne Har
ding, 19, of 229Vfc Chestnut st.
Harding was on probation when
he was arrested recently in con
nection with a felony charge. The
court this morning extended his
probation, which would have
ended in December, for two
years starting today.
France Gives Home
Rule To Tunisia
Paris (U.R) France gave Tu
nisia home rule and brought
NATO troops into Algeria today
in moves designed to stem na
tionalist terrorism.
Premier Edgar Faure and Ta
har Ben Ammar, Tunisian Pre
mier, signed treaties formally
granting local government to
the strategic North African ter
ritory. . . .'
France retained only control
of defense and foreign relations
in the former colony stained by
hundreds of terrorist deaths in
a long nationalist campaign for
home rule.
. Tunicia was quiet today. But
violence continued to flare in
nearby Algeria.
To combat the terrorism,
France moved to transfer from
Germany a division assigned to
NATO. The government now has
100,000 soldiers in Algeria.
Metiford Man Winner
Of Idaho Homestead
A man listed as Robert Smith
of Medford was one of eight
Oregonians who won homesteads
for which drawings were held in
Rupert, Ida., redently, according
to United Press.
Further identification of the
winner was not available this
morning.
The homesteads are located on
the northside pumping project,
according to the Bureau of Recla
mation in Rupert, which made
the announcement. A total of 63
homesteads were won in the
drawings.
finally was put in the chair at
10:34 a.m. (PST)I The lethal cya
nide pellets were dropped at
11:36 and she was pronounced
dead at 11:42.
Mrs. Graham was put to
death for her part in the brutal
robbery - murder of a wealthy
Burbank, Calif., widow, Mable
Monohan.
The 32-year-old woman walk.
ed into the death chamber dress
ed as though she were going on
a shopping trip. She wore a trim
beige suit, dangling earrings and
crimson lipstick. A wedding ring
was on the third finger of her
left hand.
Mrs. firahnm'c cV.i-.rf hair
k..w.. b .iux. naa
neatly done. She had a black
i
uuuuiuiu over ner eyes as she
entered the air-tisht rhamhar
door, assisted by two guards.
Accompanied by Priest
Father EriurarrI ninoko.. o
Ouentin's Cathnlio
- vuuiiutu av
companied her to the door of the
... i i
ucaui cnamoer.
Three euarris
but with their hands shaking
nervously, fixed the
Mrs. Graham's arms and body
ana plugged m the stethoscope
attached to her chest. ,.
When the chamhpr Ann cIqim.
med behind the Pliarrlc lemHnrr
Mrs. Graham alone in the cham
ber, she stared straight ahead
with her lips moving constantly
When the first
cyanide pellets reached her nos
trils her head slumped on her
chest. A moment later she strain-
ea against the straps and threw
her head as far back as it would
go. She remained in that position
lur me rest of the time except
for the last moment of life when
ner race dropped slowly forward.
More Than 1,600
Elks at Convention
Ashland More than 1,600
Elks have registered for the an
nual state convention, which
started here yesterday.
Today's activities include a
banquet for Elks official, anrf
guests at the Tally Ho at 6:30
p.m., and a concert by the Eu
gene band at the Lithia park at
7 p.m.
A golf tournament started at
the Oak Knoll course at 6:30
a.m. today, and the opening busi
ness session started at 9:30 a.m.
Afternoon activities included a
ladies fashion show and enter
tainment at the armory and
bowling tournament which start
ed at 2 p.ni.
The convention parade will be
tomorrow afternoon, followed by
a Buffalo barbecue at the Ash
land High school stadium. The
grand convention ball will be in
the Ashland lodge ballroom to
morrow night with Baldy Evans'
band.
Radioactive Minerals,
Iron, Listed in Claims
Two quartzlocation notices,
one for radioactive minerals and
the other for iron, were filed
yesterday in the office of. the
Jackson county clerk.
Redioactive and "other valu
able minerals1 were specified in"
a location notice filed by Carl
Love and Robert E. Welch, Box
515, Jacksonville. The claim is
located in the Trail Creek area.
W. D. Whittle, Reba Whittle,
Archie Haskins, and Carrie Has
kins, all of Ashland, filed a loca
tion notice on a claim listing
iron and other minerals. The
claim is located in the Lilly
Mountain mining district on the
Oregon-California state line near
Perks Pasture guard station.
Tillamook Man Heads
Highway Interim Group
Salem (U.R) The Legisla
tive interim committee on high- '
way study held its organizational
meeting here today and elected
Sen. Warren McMinimee, Tilla
mook Republican, as chairman.
Rep. Robert L. Elfstrom, Sa
lem Republican, was chosen
vice-chairman and Rep. William
Bradeen of Burns as secretary.
U.S. Might Triple
Formosa Air Strength
- Taipeh, Formosa (U.R) Un
official reports said today that
the United States might triple
its air srength on this Nationalist
Chinese island bastion.
The reports arose coincident
with a Far East Air Forces Head
quarters announcement in Tokyo
last night that the 13th Air
Force, under command of Brig.'
Gen. William L. Lee, had been
eiven responsibility for defend.
ing Formosa from tha air.