TE1C MEDFOHD (OREGON) MAIL TRIBUNE
Thursday. Julr 11. 1357
Hollywood Producer Hero in Real Life
Spy Story More Fantastic Than Fiction
By BARBARA BUNDSCHU
United Press Correspondent
New York U A top pro
ducer of frothy Hollywood musi
cals has turned up as the hero
in a real life spy story more
fantastic than movie fiction.
Boris Morros. a Russian-born
musical prodigy, appears to have
operated for at least 13 years as
a U.S. agent within a Soviet spy
ring. And, on at least one oc
casion, he walked a double-dealing
tightrope to the heart of the
conspiracy, a Moscow spy meet
ing. The espionage network is
crumbling today before his testi
mony to a federal Grand Jury
here.
.Morris' part in the spy net
work was shadowy when the
first arrests were made here in
January. U.S. Attorney Paul W.
Williams said this week he is
"a loyal American citizen who
has been working lor me 8'"
ernment." '
A Brare American
By the dryly-worded testi
mony of two espionage indict
ments he is also an incredibly
brave American.
For a time he spied between
acts of his song and dance
movies. For almost 10 years he
appears to have covered furtive
meetings with Russian spies and
American traitors in the cham
pagne party atmosphere of a
"big deal" man vagabonding
across Europe and America.
Old-time associates figure the
62-year-old Morros, also had a
built-in spy cover, the personal
ity of a gay braggart whose life
history has always seemed a
jumble of fact and tale-spinning
fancy. And he could tell it in
nine languages.
His disclosures oh the opera
tion of the spy ring, spawned
in Moscow in 1940 by Russian with spying against the U.S.
nangman i.avrenti r. Beria and
operating "to this date," are still
before the special federal Grand
Jury.
Results to Date
Here are the results to date:
Three persons. Jack and
Myra Soble and Jacob Albam,
have pleaded guilty to espio
nage. They are believed to be
testifying with Morros before
the Grand Jury.
A former U.S. Army offi
cer and his wife. George and
Jane Foster Zlatovsky, are
claiming asylum in Paris from
an indictment charging them
Clyde Crosby Jury
Visits Party Room
Built by Elkins
Portland W A jury from
the court of Circuit Judge James
R. Bain today viewed the base
ment party room at the home
of Teamster Boss Clyde Crosby
here to look at construction
racketeer James Elkins said he
built at no cost to Crosby.
Elkins was on the witness
stand through much of Wednes
day as the state's chief witness
in its attempt to convict Crosby
on a conspiracy charge in con-
nection with purchases of prop
erty for the Portland exposi
tion center. .
Never Reimbursed
Elkins, the man whose revela
tions about his underworld acti
vities spawned Portland s vice
uproar, testified that he had his
own employees build Crosby's
party room and was never reim
bursed. The jury visit to the
party room was at defense re
quest.
Defense Attorney K. C. Tan
ner subjected Elkins to sharp
cross examination on his claims
that Crosby approached him
with a deal to make a lot of
money on purchase of exposi
tion center property.
A grand jury indictment ac
cuses Crosby, a former member
of the Exposition - Recreation
Center Commission, of conspir
ing with Elkins and others to
take options on property at a
site Crosby believed the city,
would later have to buy for
the center.
Three-Way Split
According to Elkins' testi
mony Wednesday, profits from
the planned transaction would
have been split three ways be
tween him, Crosby and Thomas
Johnson, a businessman with
connections in the predominant
ly Negro district. The E-R Com
mission subsequently chose an
other site for the center and the
alleged conspiracy died. Later,
however, the site in which the
state said Crosby was interested
was selected.
Rossellini Angry
With Reporters
New Delhi ilP Italian movie
director Roberto Rossellini
angrily refused today to say
whether he was still seeing the
Indian scriptwriter with whom
his name has been linked ro
mantically. Rossellini arrived in New
Delhi Wednesday from Bombay
to confer with Italian Embassy
officials. He met .newsmen later
but declined to answer questions
concerning his relationship with
Mrs. Sonali Das Gupta, or the
reason for his trip here.
Today Rossellini locked him
self in his room at the Imperial
hotel and requested the manage
ment not to allow anyone up to
see him.
Contacted by telephone. Ros
sellini was obviously angered.
"I am fed up with your coun
try." he told Indian newsmen.
"I would like to leave soon. Why
do you pester me? I feel like
murdering newsmen."
Asked whether he still saw
Mrs. Das Gupta, he said: "Uncon
cerns me and no one else" be-1
fore banging down the receiver.
Sprague Defense
Attacks Character
Of Fellow Officer
Portland (IPl The defense to
day called a stream of witnesses
in its attempt to discredit testi
mony of the state's chief witness
in a false swearing case against
Portland Police Officer Robert
W. Sprague.
Jack Olsen, Sprague's fellow
officer, is the only accuser
against Sprague. charged in a
grand jury indictment with false
swearing before the grand jury
for denying he made payoffs- to
Olsen.
Character Attacked
The defense centered its case
on tne cnaracter o Olsen ana
called Officer Jack Childers to
the stand in an attempt to prove
its contention that Olsen had
a questionable reputation while
that of Sprague was clean.
Childers testified that he and
Olsen had been fast friends but
that he had seen the accusing
officer drunk while in uniform
and consorting with disreputable
women.
Payoff Not Reported
Other police officers testified
for Sprague's defense, claiming
that if Olsen had accepted pay
offs from Sprague he could have
reported it to his superiors but
that this was never done. Olsen
had testified earlier that he re
ceived payoffs from Sprague
had marked the money and held
it as evidence. He said he did
not report it to his superiors
because he was afraid for his
life, although he admitted no
threats had been made against
him.
Police Capt. David H. John
son and Sgt. Kenneth L. Moore
testified for the defense Wednes
day after the state had rested
its case.
from trusted U.S. intelligence
jobs.
Two other Americans, for
mer New York broker Alfred
K. Stern and his wife, Martha,
daughter of a former U.S. am
bassador, the late William E.
Dodd, have been fined S50.000
for contempt for refusing to re
turn from Mexico to testify be
fore the spy jury.
At least 14 Russian nation
als, in addition to the now-dead
Beria, have been named public
ly as spies. A number of them
had held embassy or consular
posts in the U.S.
Present Address Is Secret
Morris, who has risked his
life for nearly a generation, can
be addressed today "Care of the
U.S. Attorney" Williams will
say only that he is "in the United
States."
He was born in Czarist Rus
sia, Jan. 1, 1885. His father was
conductor of the Imperial Sym
phony Orchestra and Morros
later succeeded him in that post.
He had mastered the piano at
the age of four, went on to the
cello at six and later learned
to play nearly every instrument
of the orchestra. The great Rus
sian cellist Gregor Piatagorsky
is said to have acknowledged
that Morros first taught him to
play his instrument. Morris him
self studied with Rimsky-Korsa-kov
in St. Petersburg.
In 1922, Morros left Commu
nist Russia for the U.S. and be
came a citizen. For a time he
was music director of several
New York theaters. He went to
Hollywood when the talkies
began and was for many years
music director of Paramount
Pictures. He started.his own pro
ducing company in 1939 and
through the war years alternated
between musical gaiety and gov
ernment training films. His last
recorded production was "Car
negie Hall" in 1947.
.... J&&& -y ,XV
REFUSING TO BELIEVE official Air Force notification
Lt. David Steeves was dead, Mrs. Rita Steeves, Fairfield,
Conn, felt he'd come through somehow. Here she is with
their daughter, Leisa Nina, after Steeves reached civ
ilization following 54 days of semi-starvation in Califor- '
nia's Sierra Mountains. He was forced to bail out of his
plane east of Fresno. (International Soundphoto)
El Centre, Calif. IP County
farm advisor Lonnie McGrew
revealed today that he was
hauled into court by a rancher
for killing a bull with his car
while driving through the center
of a small tow 50 miles north
of Las Vegas, N.M. However,
McGrew said the rancher was
jailed by the judge on grounds
he allowed his bull to graze in
the middle of the main street.
Better get 2
! cartons . . . one's
v never enough!
V M KuiX W
' r
37i
I CANADA!
"DRY'
GINGER ALE, for an on-the-spot
quick-energy lift. Light, dry.
Available in 6 bottle cartons.
PEPSI-COLA BOTTLING CO. OF MEDFORD
sT 4 4 d ,r Ml A
ieq. zy.va oi-pc. Aiona
Pattern Dinnerware Set
75.000 JEWELRY
NOW SELLING ud to
Reorganization of
OIHX Announced
Salem (IP An administra
tive reorganization of the Ore
gon Unemployment compensa
tion commission involving three
top men was announced today
by Chairman Cecelia P. Galey.
The announcement came aft
er conferences with Gov. Robert
D. Holmes, L. O. Arens and Wil
liam A. Callahan.
John A. Norton, 42, Portland,
a career employee with the state
employment service for the past
11 years, was named adminis
trator. Silas Gaiser, 62. administra
tor for the past 18 years, was
transferred to an executive and
advisory position in the classi
fied service.
J. Karl Corey, 49, formerly
business management supervis
or and with the commission in
many capacities for 19 years,
was named controller. The job
involves supervising calculating
machine equipment.
Norton started with the com
mission in 1946 as a claims dep
uty in the Portland office.
Gaiser will advise the com
mission on legislative and admin
istrative matters. Corey has been
doing much work on the com
mission's electronic computing
machines which comprise one
of the largest processing instal
lations in Oregon.
Kitchen Damaged by
Fire in City Wednesday
Kitchen of a cabin owned by
James B. Shaw at 1746 North
Riverside ave. was extensively
damaged by fire about 12:40 1
p.m. yesterday, firemen said.
They reported that a pot of
beans boiled dry on the kitchen
range, setting fire to the wall.
The blaze extended to the ceil
ing attic and roof.
! !i OtiMffli I
fill f G 95 Servi"'"8 I fslP I
Hll I IT Oo Money Down WetSSssieSiBpJ
- IBf $
1
! -ML.
1
f 2 . ed in dark mahog- I I wO
I 9
Reg. 9.95 Large Insulated
Family Size Ice Chest
Eastman Brownie "Starflash
. Complete Camera Outfit
ONLY
S
88
Cover makes
Handy Tray
No Money Down
Only 25c Week
ONLY
9
95
Black and White
Color Snaps
Color Slides
No Money Down
Only 25c Week
sin
REVOLVING 16-IN.
LAZY SUSAN
REG. 9.95
(2
Daily's U-Drive
Medford Airport
Reg. 19.95-1MPORTED
CUCKOO CLOCK
German hand-carv-
ed in dark mahog
any color.
NO MONEY DOWN
ONLY 50c A WEEK
WEISFIELD'S PURCHASE FROM THE ESTATE OF
ENTIRE STOCK OF A LARGE CALIFORNIA JEWELER
. EASY
CREDIT TERMS
TAKE A
FULL YEAR
TO PAY
STOCK
OFF!
3
88
DIAMONDS - - - WATCHES - - - STONE RINGS - - -PLUS
MANY CLEARANCE ITEMS FROM OUR OWN STORE
NATIONALLY
ADVERTISED
WATCHES
SENSATIONAL SAVINGS
ON FINEST DIAMONDS
Reg. 24.95 Gents Water-Resistant
Luminous Dial lft 00
NOW
Direct Reading
WATCHES
NOW
10
$795
Regular 49.50 Gents Benru
ALARM WATCH :
DISCONTINUED BULOVAS
Ladies and Gents
Regular 90.00 ladies Diamond
BRIDAL PAIR
Regular 99.90 Ladies Diamond
BRIDAL SET :
Regular 100.00 Ladies DIAMOND SET
14-K Gold -
NOW
NOW
NOW
Regular 39.95 Ladies NURSES WATCH
Shock and Water Resistant
0050 '
NOW A7
.40 Off
$1995
NOW
Regular 39.95 Ladies Yellow Solid Gold
WEDDING RING NOW
Regular 319.00 Ladies
DIAMOND - 11 DIAMOND SET NOW
Regular 720.00 Ladies Large DIAMOND SET
with Matching Diamond Band NOW
Regular 725.00 Gents
1 CARAT DIAMOND RING
Regular 300.00 Gents
DIAMOND RING
NOW
SPECIAL
Regular 29.95 Gents
GOLD WEDDING BAND
Regular 100.00 Gents
DIAMOND RING
NOW
Regular 19.95 Gents-'
GOLD WEDDING BAND
NOW
NOW
TAKE A FULL YEAR TO PAY
4500 j
4950 j
c coo 1
14950
1O50 LOW EASY CREDIT TERMS
995 . q&smjjm 7 l.
TAKE A YEAR TO PAY
Stone Set Rings
REDUCED
Ladies Sapphire Ring
Was 15.95 A QC
Now O'Oii
Reg. 38.95 Ladies
Birthstone Rings
now 1 8.95
Gents Emerald Ring
Reg. 59.95 40 Afl
Now "
5 gay pottery dishes
rum in polished hard
wood turntable.
NO MONEY DOWN
ONLY 25c WEEK
ADJUSTABLE ALL-METAL
IRONING BOARD
Reg.
14.95
Sit down to iron! Moves easily on
rollers, folds completely.
NO MONEY DOWN 25c WEEK
6.88
LARGE ASSORTMENT
COSTUME JEWELRY
values to a
39-
1.95
3 for 1.00
Dressy, tailored styles in pins,
bracelets, earrings, necklaces.
NO MONEY DOWN 25c WEEK
FOLDING PORT-A-TABLE
WITH ALL-METAL TOP
Reg.
17.95
Folds wily for storage. Useful
outdoors or in. Carryiitf handle.
NO MONEY DOWN 25c WEEK
9.88
Reg.
17.95 Sleeping Bag with New Motorola Portable Radio
3-lb. Wool Filled with Rotary Antenna
ONLY
AIRPLANE
LUGGAGE
YOUR
CHOICE
088
TTX 1
mx 12"
ONLY
Wind-proof
Water-resistant
No Money Down
Only 25c Week
Watch Bands
LADIES'
and
MEN'S
Reg. 5,95
(Less Batteries)
No Money Down
Only 50c Week
.3?
1
95
PROFESSIONAL TYPE
FOLDING MOVIE SCREEN
Reg. .
14.95
Standard 30"z40" site, ideal for
showing colorblack and white.
NO MONEY DOWN 25c WEEK
8.88