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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (July 26, 1956)
V (ru A nfsn JL Medford l.tej Pre.s Foil Le-ed V 51st Year 26 Pages -i v 7 ' , - - i ft -; w , -y? ' - . i ENTERS COURTROOM Billv Junior Aunn is shown at nzht rntrrine Iho rnurtroom after a brief session in the juri;r's chamber?. Tare recordings of his conversation with of ficers in AHuras, Calif . May 3 were played in part by Defense Attorney Sam Harbison Wednesday afternoon. The defendant is charged with first degree murder in the sex- Closing Arguments Completed in Trial; Jury to Get instructions D.strict Attorney Walter .Nun ley this morning made his final plea to the jury to make the de rision that would send Billy Jun ior Nunn to the gas chamber. NunH-v's closing argument lasted c' j hours. The jury i ex- pro'tib b retire this afternoon, follow ti g in-.'.ructins from Judge H. Ilanna. Judge Han pa's instructions were to start at 1:30 p.m. The state has asked for the death penalty for Nunn. who is charged with first degree mur der in the April 19 sex-slaying of Alvin Wiiliam Eacret. 14-year-old Klamath Falls boy. Reviews Incidents Nunlev reviewed incidents ' from the beginning of the case to the present time, including discovery of Alvin.'s body April 29 near Tub Springs state park, investigation by officers, arrest and questioning of Nunn in AI turas. Calif., and testimony of witnesses. He asked the jury to give spec ial credence to testimony of State Police Sgts. Thomas Eaton and Earl Tichenor and Deputy Sher iff Joseph Walsh, who did most of the police work in the case and testified that Nunn had made an oral confession to them. Nunley said the defendant's intelligence and cunning had been graphically portrayed in Voluntary Quarantine Placed on County Home A voluntary quarantine has been placed on '.he Jackson county farm home. Highway 99 south of Phoenix, county judge Rodney Keating has announced. Keating said the quarantine was placed because one of the residents has the mumps. He jiaid no date has been set for lifting the quarantine. ioist Air Brings Showers; lightning Fires Reported A breath of noist marine air. In addition the forest service aitoved into the northern Call- reported that lightning knocked , . out thc telephone switchboard at 2brnia-outnern Oregon area ere- r , . , , Star ranger station in the Apple !inf lightning storm activity i gate riislrict- t'o: morning over the northern j Most fires were of the single Sierras, the southern Cascades , snag type. Two fires on state- t)id Siskiyou mountains. ' protected land were controlled. Moist air brought some show- ' a crew w as on a third and pa e:'6 to the Medford vicinity and i troimen were headed to others, more rain from thundershowers j Three w ere in the Soda moun- as expected this afternoon and: tain area, one at the north end evening. I Hyatt lake and the other No measurable rain was re-j southeast of Buncom in the Ap corded by the weather bureau at j plcgate area. the airport this morning, when Rogue forest had a man on its onlv a few drops which did not , blaze near Siskiyou gap on Mt. vet the sidewalk foil. Thunder- Ashland loop rd. storms were expected to bring Curt Ncshcim. southwest fiis heavier precipitation this after-i trict warden for the state for noon and evening. estry department, said the li,ht- Five lightning fires on state j ning storm was "quite bad" ever forestry department - protected the southeast section of the dis land and one on the Rogue River trict. National forest were reported by A s's'- looko'tt also spotted s noon today. i iire over ihe ie in Caliiorsia. MEDFORD, OREGON, THL slavnm April 19 of Alvin William Eacret. 14, Klamaln Falls. The case was expected to go to the lury this afternoon. Behind Nunn is Deputy Sheriff Ed Zander, one of Ntinn's two guards. At extreme left is the defend ant's wife, who is expecting their second child soon. Mrs. Nunn has been present through out the trial. the trial and flescrioea mm as a "depraved, cruel, malignant person." Shows Portrait Nunley showed s porta it of the murder victim to the jury, tt-f n rriTi.trj n?;.ntO!l- of .M- Ir.Wn F.,tt'ret. I ! ,.-.. ,de in 11' n id a his opening statement that Nunn w as guilty of delibera'e. prrmect i'atrd. malicious conditions un 1 d( r which Alvin died. He de ' scribed Alvin a? a small, imma- tore, physically handicapped ad I olescent suffering from effects i of rheumatic fever. He also re- minded the jury Nunn was a weight lifter, long distanre swim- mrr ancl w restling champion. l ne oisirici aitorney earnei commented, "This is the first case I have ever handled in which the defense has argued the defendant was guilty." Defense Attorneys Sam Har bison and A. E. Piazza have said the state could prove nothing more than second degree mur der. Alan Holmes, deputy district attorney, gave the first portion of the state's closing argument Wednesday afternoon. Bloodmobile Visit Scheduled August 8 Th.e Bloodmobile will visit Medford Wednesday. Aug. 8. and will be at the Elks Temple from 1 to 5 p.m. Persons in good twrrn thc ages of have been urged health be 18 and 19 to donate blood. The quota for Jackson county for August is 240 pints. Accord ing to the local Red Cross of fice, during the vacation season accidents are more frequent causing greater demand on the blood supply. 26, 1956 Harbison and Pia:.a each made relatively brief arguments on tlie defendant's behalf Wed nesdny after playing portions of tape recorded conversation be tween Nunn and investigating officer,. The inn vrra; in: ! dc;'lt - r,3ir.v - i',! r::c;:ssi'ui el" fie- i - rrr "r.f m.v.o and rirhK ..f the i , t-,i . ii a psvchintric examination. Thr re-j cordinrs were the onlv evidence ! presented by the defense. j In their arguments, defense attorneys said the state had fail- I til LI) 1 IH f lllt.IL 11IM ULlll murder case and appealed to the jury to listen carefullv to the court's instructions. They also claimed the state's evidence showed a lack of premeditation. Harbison added, "In fact. I ques tion that the state has proved any crime at all has been com mitted." Subcommittee Kills Postal Rate Boost Washington (U.Rt Senate Post Office Subcommittee today killed the bill to raise postal rates. The s-uhcommiUee abandoned the biil. requested by President Eisenhower, as both houses sprinted toward adjournment. The Housr had pass-ed a meas ure to raise postal rates by S430.000.ff00. The Senate ws hitting a fast er clip for the time being than the House. It pascd a S3. 770. 000.000 foreign aid money bill, a S2. 100. 000. 000 military build ing measure, a SI. 500.000. 000 rivers and harbors bill, and several other pieces of legisla tion in quick succession. The social security liberal ization bill made progress to ward enactment when Senate- House conferees agreed on a final version. Both houses were expected to complete action on it and send it to the White House today. Water Restrictions Announced for Talent Talent The water supply for Talent is running critically short, it was announced today by Jim Purdue, water master, and new watering restrictions were placed into effect. The city gets its water sup- ; ply from two city-owned wells and they have become danger ously low. Purdue said. The new watering hours, an nounced by Mrs. P. J. McAbee, recorder, are Tuesday and Fri day from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. No other watering will be permitted and no washing of cars will be allow-ed. Mrs. Mc Abee said. Open hoses will not i-f rl'owcd during the watering hours. aIBUNE t'n.rcri Pre:."- H Lcabcd Wire Price 5c No. 103 Tax Valuation Ratio Reduced 7 Per Cent The ratio of tax valuations in 414 last year, Mrs. Jennings said. Jackson county as assessed by the Oregon state tax commission has been reduced 7 per cent, ac cording to Mrs. Elva Jennings, county assessor. The valuation ratio for the year ending June 30. 1956. was 43 per cent. Mrs. Jennings said, compared to 36 per cent for this fiscal year. Mrs. Jennings said the reduc tion will result in a S949.6oo.76 tax valuation loss from utilities, which will mean a loss in basic school money tor county schools. Mrs. Jennings explained that property owners will have to pay more taxes to make up the dif ference. Largest Reduction The ratio reduction is the larg est there has ever been in Ore gon. Mrs. Jennings said. She said she knew of no reason for the ratio cut. and added that ratios were reduced in all counties in Oregon. The state tax commission de termined assessed valuation of land and buildings for fiscal year starting July 1. 1956 in Jackson county will be S54.759.770, com pared to 555,054.020 for last year, according to Mrs. Jennings. The commission determined assessed valuation of personal properly this year will be $14, 415.550, compared to 514.128,- Medford Boy Listed As Polio Patient A !i (-;. -ri r-old Medf.ird boy . ;iS i:s:rri yesterday ,-is J;ck son county's second polio case this year, according to the coun tv health office. 'I lie case was riiagivscd yes- i tcrcluy, officials saia. The case was lisiea as mun naralvtic. Th bo-v 5 PyMcian said he is past ,llc crucial stage, and is now in thc convalescence stage. o inpiunis oi sicKiiess were noted about five to six days ago. iho nhvtir-inil cnirl Health department officials and the boy's physician said the youth did not have any of the t h ree shots. Salk anti-polio vaccine Residents were reminded bv health department officials that vaccine is available for all three shots for persons up to 30 years of age. They urged residents to contact family physicians, and said that there still is lime for immunity against polio before the actual polio season starts later in thc summer. Jackson county's first case of polio this year was recorded in January. Last year the first polio case reported was in August. Manno Named Head Of Hardware Group Anthony R. Manno. Medford hardware dealer, was reelected Wednesday as national director of the Independent Retail Hard ware association. Delegates representing 25. 000 retail hardware stores in the United States and Canada elect ed Manno at the 57th annual congress in Toronto. Canada. Manno has also served as pres ident of the retail hardware group in Oregon and Washing ton. BASEBALL NATIONAL Milwaukee 11 IB 0 New York 0 9 1 Conley and Crandall; Anto nelli. Ridzik (2). Hearn (2). Littlefield (6) and Sarni. Home run: Aaron. Milwaukee. Chicago 0 4 1 Pittsburgh 4 6 0 Jones, Meyer (7), Davis (8) and Chiti: Waters, Pollet (8) and Shepard. Cincinnati 3 6 0 Brooklyn 5 9 0 Acker, Jeffcoat (6). Black (8) and Bailey; Craig and Campanella. Home run: Camp anella. Brooklyn. AMERICAN (1st game) Washington 0 4 0 Cleveland I S 1 Stobbs and Courtney; Lem on and Hegan. Home run: Woodlinc. Cleveland. Second Sam poalpcnadr niru INSIDE TODAY Women'! newt appear on Page 2 of ihe First Section of today's Mail Tribune. The ed itorial is on Page 4 and sports are on Pages 12 and 13. Locals and personals and market news appear on Page 15. Com ics and radio and television logs are on Page 6 of the Sec ond Section. Assesscd valuation for utilities will be S10.526.804.29, compared to SI 1.746.460.05. for the pre vious year, she said. Total valuation for tax assess ments this year will be S79.702. 124.29. compared to S80.658. 894.05 last fiscal year, she said. Ambuehl Is Bound Over to Grand Jury In District Court Donald La Verne Ambuehl. 31. ; of 1615 Crater Lake ave., was j bound over to the grand jury ; yesterday by Judge Rawles Moore after a formal hearing in district court. Ambuehl. who was arrested July 18 by city and state police and charged with unlawfully dealing in narcotics, was re leased from county jail July 24 after posting S3. 500 cash bond. Witnesses for the state yester day at the hearing included Police Detective Sergeant Lyle Perkins: William Cruikshank. private detective; State Police Lt. Paul Morgan: Jack M. Mer rill, agent in charge of the fed rr.il narcotics bureau office in Portland: and Police Chief diaries Champlin. Defense Witnesses Recalled as witnesses for the dciense w ere Frrkin- and T-c opi r.-'or of liic Y-C';b n: Mcdiord. .Vnhuchl has been a srsprct, uf'or officers received a "tf" earlier last week. When officers confronted him at the Plaza apart incuts he ran to his car anri hacked it sevrral hlor-L-s in Ins attempt, to ranc thorn Tip Hiase was haltoH whrn Am- buehl's car was rammed by a state police vehicle. City and state police are con tinuing the investigation accord ing to Champlin. Bids Called lor MID Siphon Work Bids for construction of Yankee creek siphon and Ante lope creek siphon and wasteway in Mcdiord Irrigation district will be received until 10 a.m. Aug. 28 at the Medford bureau of reclamation office, J. A. Cal lan, project construction en gineer, has announced. Thc project includes removal of existing structures, earthwork and construction of concrete siphons and accessory structures. Monolithic concrete or precast concrete cylinder pipe construc tion of the siphon barrels is op tional with the contractor. Yankee creek siphon will be about 1.940 feet long and Ante lope creek siphon about 155 feet long. Both will be 60 inches in diameter. Specifications may be obtain ed from Callan at the bureau of reclamation office here. Keating Names 7 Committee Members Jackson county judge Rodney Keating late yesterday announc ed seven members of a joint committee appointed to study assessment procedures on or chard trees and make recom mendations to the state tax commission. The committee, appointed by court order, also will have one member appointed by the coun ty assessor and two appointed by the state tax commission. Members of the joint commit tee of thc county board of equal ization and the Fruit Grower's league announced yesterday are Harry Claim. Talent; Howard Bush. Medford. president of the league: Stephen Nye. Medford: William Bagley. Talent: David Holmes. Phoenix: Bob Root. Medford: and Ralph Cook. Med ford. a former member of the board of equalization. Members of the board of equalization are Keating, chair man, and Arnold Bohnert. Med ford. and Edwin H. Singmaster, Ashland. Salem ;U P- An advisory i committee to study office space : needs for state departments has 1 been named by Gov. Elmo Sraita, "Dick, You Have A Chance To Perform A Great c oervice Sfassen Will Launch Poll To 'Re-Evaluate1 Nixon-Herter Strenqfh Washington (U.Rt Harold E. Stasscn announced today that he will launch a new nationwide poll next week to "re-evaluate" the relative political strength of Vice President Richard M. Nix on and Gov. Christian Hertcr of Massachusetts. Stassen, who is boosting Her tcr instead of Nixon for the GOP vice presidential nomination, made the announcement after a breakfast conference with Re publican National Chairman Leonard W. Hall. Hall, a strong Nixnn sup porter, pulled t'ie rug lroni under Stns.-'ns prii-Hertcr manruver by announcing Tue.-day that Her tcr had agreed to plate Noam's name in tmmination at the San Francisco GOP Convention start- ing Aug. 20. Stassen "Wednesday accused Hall of trying to dictate Nixon's nomination and "fore close" any free choice by con- ; vention delcLatos. j Herter Gets Assurance In a statement. Stassen said j lie had a "thorough and friendly" talk with Hall. He said no com mitments were requested or given by either man. It was reported here today that Hertcr agreed to make thc Nixon nominating speech only after he was convinced Presi dent Eisenhower wanted him to. The report got heavy support to day when the White House con firmed that Mr. Eisenhower had discussed with Hall the possi bility of Hertcr doing the honors for Nixon. White House Press Secretary James C. Hagerty said Hertcr was one of a list of possibilities Weather FORE CAST: Ttiiindrrshowrrs Ibis e eninc Tartly cloudy tonight and I'ridav with afternoon and evening thtin dorshowprs. ooIt. l ow to night 55 High Friday Wi. Temp. Highest YrstPrdav f7 I.ourst this Morning .'? Prec. to If) a.m. Today. Trarc Our Skies Tonight Sunrisp - 1:58 a.m. Sunset - '-3S p.m. MoonriH? 3:10 p.m. Last. Quarter July 30 PROMINENT STAR Arcturus. in thc west .10:33 p.m. VISIBLE PLANETS Jupiter, sets in thc evening tn ilight. Mars, rises 10:35 p.m. below the Moon. Saturn, in thc south west 10:31 p.m. Sat. McKeon Normal Limits Parris Island, S.C. OI.R) The government rested in the McKeon court martial at 11:53 p.m. (PST) today. Parris Island. S.C. U.R' A doctor testified today that Sgt. Matthew C. McKeon was "with in the normal limits of sobriety" when he examined him just after the Parris Island death march. Navy Lt. R. J. Atcheson. the doctor who gave McKeon a blood test for intoxication, told Mc Keon's general court martial he based his opinion on a sobriety test he gave the 31-year-old drill instructor at the request of mili tary police. ! Several Drinks Admitted The MPs arrested McKeon af ter the sergeant took his platoon on a night march into a tidal stream to teach the men disci pline April 8- Six were drowned. McKeon has admitted taking sev eral drinks from a bottle of vodka prior to the march. 1 LL Atcheson Mid the sobriety which the President and Hall discussed at a recent meeting at the Eisenhower farm in Gettys burg, Pa. But he said the initia tive was Hall's: the President did not personally name Hertcr. The final choice. Hagerty said, rested with Nixon. Week To Take Poll Stassen said his nationwide poll will be conducted by a pro fessional polling organization on a scientific sample basis. Stasscn said that until the new poll is completed, in about a week, he plans to "make no ad- verse comments about any Tte- publican and to await thc results of this poll." Thc fact that Mr. Eisenhower knew of. and presumably didn't j object to. Hel ler's nominating Nixon was cited by observers as new evidence that the President has had no sympathy for Stas sen's dump Nixon drive. Salem ;U.Ri The Ore gon State Highway commis sion today appointed W. C. (Dutch) Williams as state high way engineer, to succeed R. H. Baldock. Late News Briefs PLEADS INNOCENT Springfield. 111. (U.R; For mer state Auditor Orville E. Hodge today pleaded innocent to 46 indictments charging him with embezzlement of S637.000 in state money. Judge Dcwitt S. Crow set Hodge's bond at S100.000. which was furnished. TENSION SHARPENED Jerusalem, Israeli Sector (U.P.i A series of border clashes sharpened tension along Israel s frontiers with three neighbor ing Arab states today. The most serious trouble spot was along the Jordan border. PLANE SCOUTS STORM New Orleans (U.R: A second hurricane hunter plane today scouted the season's first tropi cal storm which was reported showing weak signs of cyclonic movement in the southwest Gulf of Mexico. Said Within of Sobriety test was a routine one in which a person's coordination is ev aluated. McKeon. be said, responded in a "perfectly normal" manner to a scries of tests for equilib rium, double vision, gait, straight walking, speech, eye pupils, pointing and reflexes. The doctor said, in answer to a question by chief defense coun cil Emile Zola Berman, that he did not have any confidence in a blood alcohol test, made about midnight April 8. McKeon had started the recruits of Platoon 71 on a march into the tidal wa ter of Ribbon creek about 8:30 that night. 34th Prosecution Witness Lt. Atcheson was the 34th proseeution witness in the ninth day of McKeon's general court martial on charges of man slaughter, oppression of troops, and drinking in violation of reg ulations. Atcheson is with the Parris Island medical detach- m&nL Luxury Liner Goes To Bottom After Collision At Least Four Dead In Mysterious Crash Nantucket, Mass. U.R) The Andrea Doria, Italy's largest lux ury liner, plunged to the bottom of the Atlantic at 10:09 a.m. (EDT) today nearly 11 hours after it was rammed by a Swed ish liner and only one hour after the completion of a dramatic rescue at sea. At least four persons were known dead as the result of the tragedy which occurred despite the most up to date radar equip ment aboard both liners. Six others were reported seriously injured and scores received shock and bruises. The Coast Guard reported that 1.600 survivors of the Italian lines flagship had been account ed for on the six rescue ships bringing them into New York. There were 1.135 passengers aboard the 29.083-ton Andrea Dona. The exact number of crew members was uncertain but esti mated at between 400 and 500 Mysterious Collision The S29.000.000 Andrea Doria one of the world's most beautil fully appointed ships, received its mortal blow from the liner Stockholm in a mysterious col lision 45 miles south of here at 11:20 p.m. Wednesday. It sank irom sight in a burst of oily water bearing useless life boats and suitcases 10 hours and 49 minutes later. One of the dead men and sev eral of the injured were crew members of the 126,000-ton Swedish-American liner whose prow cut into the starboard side of the Andrea Doria like a giant can opener. The Stockholm, which carried 535 passengers ann a crew ol 21 o, was seriouslv j oisa'iied but was en route to New York under iis own power, I Giani search lights from the , resc-ip v,:vs stabbed through the ; oici t and the fog to light the ; way of the passengers down ; c; r::o lines and nets and into lifcboats. The frantic abandon ment of the liner ended a fes tival "last night out" party aboard attended by film stars, industrial tycoons, and so cialites. A pa.-soncer. Miss Julia Strpl- '.. Marion. Ohio, told the Unit ed Press in a radio-telephone interview that there was "some panic" aboard the liner "but everyone acted pretty well." Siic gave credit to the crew and officers of the ship for their calm handling of the situation. "There was a double crunch as the Stockholm hit us on the starboard side." Miss Strelitz said. It was like bumping into a dock. Almost immediately the .-hip began to tilt. "I went to the upper side of the deck on the port side where everybody was gathering. Fortu nately the lights remained on and that made things a lot bet ter, but we had to wail quite a while to get aw:ay.'' Ordered To Leave Capt. Piero Calami and 19 of his officers and crew gallantly stayed behind in a futile at tempt to man the pumps and keep the three-year-old liner from sinking. Only an hour be fore the sinking, they were or dered to abandon ship by the Italian government. 1 The Italian Line reported that there were 426 American citi zens aboard thc Andrea Doria. Many of them were tourists re turning from European vaca tions. Among the notables aboard the Andrea Doria were Mayor and Mrs. Richardson Dilworth of Philadelphia; movie actress Ruth Romand and her son, Rich ard, 5; F. M. Thieriot, circu lation manager of the San Fran cisco Chronicle, and Mrs. Thieri ot; Istvan Rabovsky and his wife. Nora Kovach, internation ally known dancers. All were rescued. Portland (U.R) At least 13 Oregonians were believed aboard the two steamships which collided in the fog last night off Nantucket Island. Aboard the Italian liner An drea Doria, which sank after the collision were: Mrs. John Sac comanno. Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Marchetti, Mrs. Donald Graf and her daughter Marilyn Graf, all of Portland. Aboard the Stockholm were: Mrs. Emily Gunderson, of either The Dalles or Dallas, Ore.; Mr. and Mrs. Edward Olson of Grcsham; Flora Herman, and Mrs. Lillian Morris, both of Portland. (See Story on Page 14) Washington :U.R) The Public Health Service has announced that the 1956 polio rate is run ning lower than in any other year ance 1947,
