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l.tej Pre.s Foil Le-ed V
51st Year 26 Pages
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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,