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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (July 11, 1955)
Argentine Sovernmefit Takes Over T Church e s as lift tag Dedication of Air Force Academy Attracts Officials Temporary Homo At Lowry Air Baso Denver (U.R) Top Air Force officials turn their fond est dream into reality today when they were to dedicate the United States Air Force academy t 3 p.m. (PSD. Gen. Nathan Twining, Air Force chief of staff, and Air Secretary Harold Talbott were to dedicate the new academy at its interim site on Lowry Air. -Force base here. Then, the first class of 306 hand-picked cadets were to be sworn in by Co. Robert Stillwell, commandant of cadets, while planes of the Stra tegic Air Command and the crack Air Force "Thunder birds" perform an aerial salute. Mora Specialised Training Twining, who arrived here Sunday with his wife and Gen. Carl Spaatz, (ret.), emphasized that the academy would not im prove the caliber, of Air Force dfcicer .material. "It's already good," he said, "but the academy will give them more specialized training." He said the recent Soviet dis play of airpower over Moscow "didn't frighten the United States, but it showed Russian plane production was farther ad vanced than we realized." Talbott was accompanied by Haj. Gen. Ralph Royce (ret), when he arrived Sunday. Royce commanded the first squadron of U. S. planes in France during world War I. Arnold's Widow Present Included also among the early arrivals was Mrs. Henry H. Ar nold, widow of General (Hap) Arnold, considered the father of the modern U. S. Air Force. In addition, attaches from 47 foreign countries and many Air Force and, other dignitaries were to be on hand for the dedica tion. The temporary site consisting of 60 buildings at a cost of $1,- 000,000, will be used until 1957 when the $126,000,000 perman ent site north of Colorado Springs will be ready. Mrs. Clara Drowning Victim Clara Belle Thomen, 40, wife of Robert C. Thomen, 1240 Wood land ave., died suddenly at about 4 p.m. yesterday, apparently by accidental drowning, according to state police and County Cor oner Carlos Morris. The couple was fishing on Mill creek about five miles south of Union Creek, when Mrs. Tho men went upstream around a bend and out of sight. Several minutes later her husband found her face down in shallow water. She apparently fell and was knocked unconscious, striking her head on a rock. ' Funeral arrangements are pending at Conger-Morris funer al home. Lava Flow Continues Down Alaska Mountain Anchorage, Alaska (U.R) A flaming river of lava poured down the slopes of Mount Shish- . aldin on Unimak island today after the 9,978-foot peak erupt ed for the third time in the past two weeks. The commanding officer of the Coast Guard station - at Cape Carichef, 75 miles to the west of the mountain, said the peak was in a state of "intermittent ' erup tion. Fire and huge, plumes of smoke belched from the cone -eJt intervals all day yesterday. Gordon Gay, agent for Reeve Airways at Cold Bay, said there was no apparent danger for the about 200 residents of Unimak island, most of them natives. EMIeUp Washington UR) Presi dent Eisenhower today order ad immediate steps to term inate the controversial Dixon Yates contract.' Morse, Wcuberger Join in Fight for Rights of Women Washington (U.R) Oregon's two Democratic senators joined with six other members of the Senate Post Office and Civil Serv ice Committee today to intro duce a bill to "equalize the treat ment accorded men and women in government service." Sen. Wayne Morse said the bill would rectify the. "curious inequality" of the civil service retirement act, which permits an nuity payments to surviving chil dren of male employees of the federal government, yet makes bo such provisions for surviving PRESIDENT FRIDAY FOR GENEVA Washington (U.R) Presi dent Eisenhower started a busy work week today in preparation for his Friday night departure for the Big Four meeting in Geneva, Switzerland. Mr. Eisenhower, fresh from a week end of golf and rest at his Gettysburg, Ga., farm, re turned to the capital Sunday night by automobile. He was accompanied by his son, Maj John Eisenhower, the major s wife, and Mrs. Elvira Doud, mo ther' of the President's wife: Going to Geneva The First Lady remained at the farm, along with the three Eisenhower grandchildren, Bar- Fire Cause Probe Continuing, Fire Chef Barker Says An investigation of the pos sible causes of Friday's fire which gutted the upper floor ofthe Medford Furniture store is continuing, Fire Chief Gor don Barker said this morning. The investigation is being con ducted by city and state police, including members of the state arson squad, and the fire de partment. Barker said that four firemen have been assigned to limited duty for several days, to permit them to recover from effects of inhaling smoke during the fire. No official estimate of the amount of damage has been given, but original estimates of "more than 1100,000" are be lieved to be low. Transient Held Gene Wallace Lauderdale, 29, a transient who has been staying at the Lake hotel, Medford, was arrested at 11:15 pan. Saturday on a charge of being drunk in public. He was employed by the Medford Furniture store two days before the fire. . He was seen helping firemen and store employees during the early stage of the fire, but con cern for his safety was express ed lated when he was missed, j Police finally located him in a tavern Saturday evening. He appeared in municipal court this morning, entered a plea of guilty to the charge, and was sentenced to 30 days in jail. He may be released after being questioned by fire investi gators, police said. Hood River, Wasco Oficers Probe Death The Dalles U J?) Authorities in Wasco and Hood River coun ties today investigated the death of a man identified as Robert Easley, who died in a local hos pital yesterday afternoon. The sheriff's office at'Hood River said that it appeared there had been a fight in a boxcar at Hood River involving several fruit pickers. About 9:30 p.m. Saturday Easley appeared at the railroad depot asking help, say ing a -friend had kicked him in the ribs. City police took him to a hospital where he was ex amined. Attendants said his con dition did not appear serious and he was not admitted for treatment, Later, he was picked up on the highway by some people from The Dalles who took him to the hospital here. At that time his condition was worse, pos sibly through exertion. The sheriffs office at Hood River had in custody five per sons for questioning and investi gation. Stevenson To leave Illinois ' Hospital Lake Forest, I1L XUiO Adlai Stevenson, former Illinois gov ernor and 1952 Democratic pres idential candidate, was expected to leave Lake Forest hospital today. Stevenson entered the hospital Thursday for treatment of bron chial pneumonia, hospital offi cials said. His condition never was serious, they said. children of female government employees. Morse co-sponsored the bill with Senators Richard L. Neu- berger (D-Ore.), Olin Johnston (D-S.C), Thomas Hennings CD Mo.), William Langer (R-NJJ.), Mike Monroney (D-Okla), Mat thew Neely (D-W.Va.), John Pas tore (D-RJ.) and Kerr Scott (D- N.C.). Sen. Morse said the "very fact that a woman with children has worked for the government is a strong indication of financial need.-' TO LEAVE bara Anna, Dwight David II, and Susan. Mrs. Eisenhower will accom pany the President to Geneva when he departs Friday night after delivering a nationwide television-radio address. The Chief Executive gave his 7-year-old grandson a lesson in war Sunday. He took David on a personally-conducted tour of the historic Civil War battlefield near his farm. Mr. Eisenhower stopped sev eral times to explain to his young grandson events of the bloody battle that marked the high tide of the Confederacy. At' Communion Services Earlier, the President and the other men of the family attended communion services at the his toric Gettysburg Presbyterian church where Abraham Lincoln once worshipped. The women did not attend. The Rev. Clyde R. Brown, dur ing the services prayed that Mr. Eisenhower always have the "knowledge that our prayers and hopes go with , him." Large crowds lined the streets in front of the church for a glimpse of the President. Oveross Acquittal Verdict Refused Salem (U.R) A directed ver dict of acquittal was denied the defense by Marion County Cir cuit Judge George Duncan today in the first degree murder trial of Casper A. Oveross of Silver ton. Judge Duncan handed down his decision after an hour's ar gument by Defense Attorneys Bruce Williams and Otto Skopil Jr., and Special Prosecutor Charles Raymond. The defense contended the state had failed to prove its objectives in opening arguments. Defense of Oveross, who is ac cused of the ambush-slaying of Ervin Kaser as the Silverton hop grower sat in his automobile in his driveway last Feb. 17, was scheduled to begin' after a short recess.,;....,, . . The state countered the de fense arguments for acquittal on the grounds that if there is any reasonable evidence of guilt, it is up to the jury to decide whether that evidence is sufficient. Final state witness was Dr. Homer Harris, head of the state police crime laboratory at Port land, who identified two .30-.30 calibre cartridge cases which he said he had received from Ralph Prouty.-critne laboratory ballis tics expert. No testimony was given to link the cartridges with the murder case. Bear Creek Danger Varnjng Is Issued Medford parents were warned by county health officials to keep children from wading and play ing along banks of Bear creek in and near the city. Dr. A. Erin Merkel, Jackson county health officer, said he has received complaints from res idents and city officials that children have been wading in Bear creek. He said danger of children cutting themselves on broken glass and cans in the creek is high, and infection would follow quickly. Water in Bear creek is stag nant, he said, because there is not enough flow to keep it clear. Spraying has been done by coun ty equipment to control mosqui- tose along Bear creek, he said. Dr. Merkel reminded parents that children up to 10 years old may use a free wading pool at Hawthorne park. . Pendleton (U.R) Clar ence Ringey, superintendent of the Umatilla Indian reservation here, will be transferred to Ev erett, Wash., to become head of the, Western Washington Indian agency. - Eagle Point Girl Writes Sir Winston ' TwelT-year-oldMollyGregg of Eagle Point sent a letter to Sir Winston Churchill last Mar. and since has-been get ling more publicity than many a member of the sleepy House of Lords. Molly heard of Sir Win ston's retirement, and ten a little not saying she was "sorry ' that he retired." On May It she received a reply: "Thank you for the kind message. It gave me much pleasure." signed,- Sir, Win ston Churchill. : Sine that time Newsweek magasine, in the May 30 is sue, noted the correspondence, and recently, the Comfessa Brenda Helser de Morelos of France sent Molly a quotation . from ' London newspaper selling of the incident, Fire Hoses, Clubs Used To Break Up Demonstrations Churches To Be Rebuil As National Shrines " - Buenos Aires 4U.R) The Ar gentine government today, over the protests of churchmen, took possession of two Roman Cath olic churches damaged in the June 16 revolution and said they would be rebuilt and pro tected by the state as national shrines. The government move was the latest in a 48-hour resurg ence of tension between the government and church authori ties. Government officials said that yesterday's anti-government out burst in Plaza de Mayo brought the church-state rift back into the open after a period of com parative quiet. Some 60 persons were arrest ed in yesterday's outbreak which followed 11 o'clock mass. Police used fire hoses, clubs and chemicals mixed with water and a brown dye to break up the demonstrators who massed in front of . government house shouting anti - government and anti-Peron slogans. Churches seized today were San Francisco and Santo ' Do mingo. Catholic sources predicted that two others, Our Lady of Mercy and St. . Ignatius, also would be taken over by the government. All four were damaged byvfire which President Juan D. Peron charged were set by Commu nists taking '. advantage of the situation arising from the revolt. Priests In charge of San Fran cisco and Santo Domingo churches drew up formal pro tests' against -the seizure and said Catholic authorities wish to rebuild the churches them selves with their own resources and alms contributed by the faithful. It was not known how many of the 60 persons seized in yes terday's outbreak still were held. It was disclosed, however, that many young persons and some women had been released. Truce Broken 'The riot yesterday and the noisy -demonstration by Cath- lics Saturday night before the Buenos Aires Naval Club height ened the tension between church and state in Argentina. There has '! been a "truce" between Peron's government and the church since the revolt and riots last month. But the week end develop ments, condemned by Santiago Luis Cardinal Copello, arch bishop of Buenos Aires and other Roman Catholic authorities, brought the eight-month-old bat tle into the open again. There had been signs of at tempted . conciliation by both church and state in the past week, but the week end develop ments blasted hopes by aurthori ties on both sides of an imme diate settlement. Planning Commission Sets Meeting Tonight A public hearing on a request of a set back for Homer J. Bringle at the corner of West Eighth and Orange sts. will be held at the planning commis sion's 7:30 p.m. meeting today. Also on the agenda is consid eration of a sewer connection for the Congregational church at the east city limits of Medford, changing a set back on Reddy st.i and reconsideration of zone changes on East Jackson st. and in the Queen Anne addition. The planning commission also will receive a report on changing wording governing "structural change" in ordinances connected with zoning. Malicious Cause Seen Possible in Rural Fire Central Point A grass fire in front of the Jake Myers prop erty on Upton rd. north of Cen tral Point yesterday afternoon may have been set maliciously Central Point Rural Fire Chief Richard Krupp reported. He said that the fire started about 3 p.m. in two spots and burned about 1,500 feet along the ditch and fence. Rural firemen with three rigs were at Medford Gun club along with forest patrolmen yesterday morning to help burn grass. On Saturday two rural units were called to Gulf Red Cedar company to extinguish a blaze in bark and chips of a log deck area J Cause was not determined. Veaf her . FOKICAST Fsir -witli Httla tampcrsturs ehaat Uirouf B ; TmMUt. Low tsnlshtfi. Bisk Tnssdsjr ti. ..Temp. Hlthett yesterday . St Lowest this aomins - o FORD cued Wire 8 Pages Ml Tata mm Even Death Said Better Than Life With Communists 'Disillusioned' Trio Refuse Cooperation Hong Kong (U.R) Three American turncoats, disillusion ed with Communism after 18 months in Red China, sailed for the United States this afternoon convinced that even an American prison is preferable to life under Communist rule. The three, who refused repatri ation from North Korean prison camps in August, 1953, and chose instead to live in Red China, were hustled aboard the Ameri can liner President Cleveland 10 minutes before its sailing time. The trio, who came out of Red China yesterday with the com ment that "even death is better than Communism" had one-way travel documents good only for a direct trip to the United States and an uncertain fate. Refuse Interviews . They were escorted aboard the liner by American consular of ficer S. M. Backe, a member of the political section of the con sulate here, and by Robert Ayl ward. . ' The " three, William Cowart, 22, Dalton, Ga.; Lewis W. Griggs, 22, Jacksonville, Tax., and Otho G. Bell, 24, Hillsboro, Miss., were sullen when they . were shown into the big, barracks-like third-class dormitory in. which they will make the Pacific cross tag. , They refused to cooperate with news photographers and movie cameramen who wanted to take pictures of their departure. . All were former soldiers dis honorably discharged from the U. S. Army when they embraced Communism and refused repat riation at Panmunjom after hav ing, been taken prisoner by the Reds in the Korean war. Worked in Farm.' Factory They had worked for a time on a state farm and then in an agri cultural implements factory in Red China before changing their minds about Communism and asking to be returned to their own country. When they crossed the border into Hong' Kong Sunday they seemed happy and cheerful. They were held temporarily by the British as prohibitive immi grants" until it bad been deter mined by the U.S. consulate that they had not. given up their American citizenship. The American consulate paid for their passage and hotel room here, but the three turncoats signed promissory notes to re pay the money when they could. Their accommodations aboard ship were third class. Reasons Given. During a press conference Sunday night the three gave what they claimed were their reasons for refusing repatria tion. All claimed .they were dis appointed at what they found in Red China. Cowart said it would "take several volumes" to tell what happened in Communist China. When asked why . he had de cided to stay in Red China, he replied: "A child decided not to come home; a man decided to go home." He said he had "never accept ed Communism" and added that all had experiences which proved that the free world was better than Communism. "We would welcome Hitler back rather than have Commun ism," he said. , . He said he stayed with the Reds ' because of - his fear of "political persecution." Commenting on his experi ences under the Peiping regime, Cowart said that "the places in China which the world does not see can only be described as hell." 'Just A Poor Fool' uriggs said he was "just a poor fool" for having refused repatriation in the first place MEDFORD, OREGON, v iflg sjsssaaew rS S?'"' EN ROUTE TO STATES Convinced that an uncertain fate in the United States is better than life in Communist .China, three American turncoats, sailed today from Hong Kong aboard the American Liner President Cleveland. They are William Cowart, Monticello, Ark., left, and Otho is Lewis Grigg, Jacksonville, Tex. Murder Trial Opens; Four Jurors Four prospective jurors, weire temporarily approved by defense and prosecution attorneys tnis morning as the cricuit court trial of Bernice Hampton (Tex) White, 37, of 228 Hartley rd., began. White is charged with first degree murder in the death of Eugene Raymond Birk, 32, Phoe nix, last March. A grand jury returned the indictment against White, who is accused " of fat ally injuring Birk by striking him on the head with a two-by- four piece of lumber. One Challenged The four prospective jurors included one who was challeng ed by Defense Attorney Robert Duncan. The challenge was suc cessfully resisted by Prosecut ing Attorney Walter Nunley. Another prospective juror was challenged successfully by Dun can. : The sixth person questioned this morning as a prospective juror was dismissed on agree ment by both Duncan and Nun ley that serving on, the . jury would be a hardship. The pros pective juror said he would thave to work most of the night if he served on the jury- ''v To Resume Circuit Judge H. K. Hanna recessed the trial until early this afternoon, at which time questioning prospective jurors was to continue. At least eight more prospect ive jurors will have to be selec ted. In this morning's questioning Duncan indicated he would pre sent evidence attempting to TO OPEN BIDS Central Point Bids on a pumper, a tank truck, hose and' other equipment for the new White City station will be open ed by Central Point Rural Fire Protection district officials at noon tomorrow: The board will act 'on the bids at a - Tuesday evening meeting. v. He said he now was "facing reality" and was "proud to be an American I am going back to my country." .. ;. - Bell, whose wife is in Olym pia, Wash., said the ' people of China "hate Communism," but they also "hfte Chiang Kai-shek.",-,, . ' . :.-. V; " They were among 23 'Ameri can prisoners of war who- orig inally elected to stay in Red China rather than return to the United States. Two, Edward S. Dickenson, of Crackers : Neck. Va., and Claude J. Batchelor, of Kennit, Tex., returned to U& custody last year and were tried and convicted of collaboration with the enemy. Batchelor was sentenced to 20 years imprison ment, Dickenson to 10 years. : (Salto-T an Pse 8) MONDAY, JULY 11, 1955 SodD BelL Olympia, Wash. Also involved show that White was temporar ily insane, and evidence to prove White has epilepsy. Attorney William Duhaime is assisting Duncan as defense at torney. - Identity Said Made In Meier-Frank Case Portland (U.R) A Portland detective . today reported that "some of those responsible" for the bombing and attempted ex tortion plot against the Meier and Frank department store here have been "tentatively identi fied." v Captain of Detectives William D. Browne declined to name the suspects turned up by his inves tigation. But he said the $28,000 reward money offered for infor mation leading to thearrest of the person responsible was "helpful." The detective said more than, 100 ' persons have been ques tioned in connection with the "Friday Surprise" bombing, which occurred in a third-floor restroom while the store was crowded with bargain day shop pers. --. Aaron Frank, partner in the huge retail establishment, was given an extortion note demand ing $20,000 at about the time the bomb exploded. The store subsequently offered a $25,000 reward for the extor tionist, and the Oregon Bankers Association offered another $3000. V Hells Canyon Plan Said Economically Feasible - Washington U.PJ Five gov ernment officials told a feuding House Interior Subcommittee to day: that construction of the controversial Hells Canyon Proj ect is practical and economically feasible.- , The five, all from the Interior Department, i testified at the opening of a four-day hearing on a bill to authorize the dam on Snake. River on the Idaho Oregon border. Slough in Good Lebanon flJ.- A 3 W-year- old girl submerged for five min utes. in a muddy slough yester day was in "fair', 'condition at a hospital here today after being rescued . and revived by her father. : - !: ' The girl was Deborah Egan, daughter of James Egan.' She was playing on the bank of the slough on the farm of her grand parents, Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Egan, when she lost her balance and toppled down the four-foot bank. United Press Full Leased Wiie Price 5c No. 95 Guardsmen Join All-Out Search; FBI Agents Confer Parents Watching TV .' As Child Abducted ' Sioux City, la. (U.R) All .. available police and 20 national guardsmen were called out today to search for two-year-old Donna Sue Davis who apparently, was IrtHnfinMl fmm hat i(H 1a4 mll- as her parents watched television in an adjoining room. - " ' . Police Chief James - O'Keefa said FBI agents were conferring with police today, but have given . no indication whether they will enter the case. House-by-House Check He said the police and national guardsmen were making a house by house check of the area whera the girl lived with her parents in half a one-story duplex. Sheds, garages, culverts and sewers being given special scrutiny by the searchers. . The girl's father, James Davis. caiiea puuee hi iu.uo pan. to re 11 3 1 1 t. . - port his daughter missing. A short time earlier, Lais Fjedos, a neighbor living across the alley behind the Davis's, called police to report he bad seen a man run ning down the alley with what he thought was a bundle of stolen uiciuiauuue uuua inn. Fjedos said he cornered the man, but the man got away. Seen in South Dakota The neighbor described tha man as about 29 years old, and, wearing a white T-shirt and' khaki trousers.- . Police- said a man answering that description was later re ported seen at Elk Point, S-D but they have been unable to check the report. ' Davis and his wife were given sedatives and put to bed early to- uajr. They have two other, children. Mary, 11, and Timothy, 7, who were sleeping in another bed room. Donna was put in her crib -in her parents' room about 8:30 p.m. ' " : ' . '. Davis said when he went into the bedroom, he noticed the girl was missing and a screen on a window was open. . . No Ransom Notes Davis, a clerk for the Chicago Northwestern railroad, said there were.no notes in the room and ho one has contacted him for ransom. He said his daughter was wear ing pink pajamas and was bar- fOOt . ; ( ' ruuee nave nov yci uucu jb the FBI, but were expected to do so soon.- ,-. -It was the second kidnaping in the Missouri river town in re cent months. Last Aug. .31, Jimmie Brem- . mer, 8, disappeared while on his way from. a movie. His mutilated body was found a month later in a field north of here. . - AMBULANCE SUMMONED Medford Ambulance service was summoned to an accident in the McKee . bridge' area of tho Annleffatsv vallov at Bhmit 1Z:45 p.m. today. It was reported that a logging truck went ever a bank, but no further details war available at press time. : Washington . (U.R) - -Tha Senate has approved unanimous ly President Eisenhower's horn ination of Former Gov. Wilbur M. Brucker of Michigan to be secretary of the Army. He suc ceeds Robert T. Stevens. jn Mir A seven-year-old cousin. Mer lin Egan Jr., sent his younger brother for help, and tried to ex tricate the child with a stick. Tha father, who rushed to the scena, dove into the 5Vi -feet of water and, after five minutes' of grop ing around, stumbled over tha child on the creek bottom. Artificial respiration was im mediately applied. By the time the Albany fire department ar rived, she was reported out off , danger. " '
