Pled
Voiced
Hu
m
52nd Year
M
EDFORD
14 PAGES
'sA " ''
? J
V
TWO COMMANDERS Capt. Sebastano J. Fagone, com
mander of the Headquarters and Headquarters' company of
the Medford National Guard unit, shows James W. Grigsby,
commander of the same unit in 1940, how to use a sniper
scope at Sunday's reunion of former guard members and
recruiting drive. Grigsby commanded the unit until it was
activated during World War II. He was one of several former
National Guardsmen who attended the reunion and open
house at the Medford Armory.
Preliminary Plans
For Organization
Of Guardsmen Made
Preliminary plans for an
organization were made at
Sunday's reunion of former
National Guard members in
the Medford area. Several
dozen former guardsmen at
tended the reunion.
The reunion was held in
connection with an open
house of the Armory and a
recruiting drive by local Na
tional Guard units. The group
$900 Counted from
Heart Sunday Drive
. Contributions in the an
nual Heart Sunday door-to-door
campaign yesterday to
taled $900 by noon today, ac
cording to Mrs. Manville
Heisel, drive chairman. She
said there still were some
envelopes to be opened.
The count, being made by
cashiers at the U. S. National
bank, continued, she said.
About 150 volunteers soli
citated contributions though
o u t medford's residential
areas yesterday afternoon.
Mrs. Heisel said it "appears
that the one day drive will
exceed the total collected dur
ing last year's Heart Sunday
canvass."
Cordy Asks Checks
On Themomelers
Fruit growers are asked to
take their thermometers to
the county extension office
for checking, according to
Clifford B. Cordy, county
horticulturalist.
Although William J. Roger,
meteorologist with the U.S.
weather bureau, is not sched
uled to arrive in the valley
until March 15, Cordy said,
with the warm weather there
is a possibility that he will
arrive sooner.
Meter Expected To Be Installed
In Sanitary
A meter satisfactory to Med
ford city officials is expected
to be installed in the South
Bear Creek Sanitary district
sewer by March 1, according
to Manville Heisel, attorney
for the district.
City Manager Robert Duff
reported to the city council
Thursday night that the con
tract with South Bear 'Creek
Sanitary district had been
terminated Feb. 14 because
the district failed to comply
with terms of the contract by
not installing a meter satis
factory to the city.
Meter On Order
Heisel said the district
board of directors since last
summer has had on order a
meter which would meet city
requirements. He said when
the district first was notified
the current meter was not
satisfactory, the board started
work to comply with the con
tract. Copies of the order, which
was approved' by the city.
Heisel said, and the shipment
invoice were forwarded to
the city last November. When
the district received notice
Jan. 7 that the contract would
be terminated in 30 days if
MEDFORH
f
J
plans to hold monthly meet
ings, the first of which is
scheduled March 10 at 7:30
p.m. in the Armory.
The group's temporary
chairman is Ray Schumacher.
Regular officers will be se
lected at the March meeting,
he said. The group said its
purpose is to promote Nation
al Guard activities, inform the
public of the benefits to the
federal, state and local com
munities and to see former
members on a regular basis.
The 8 a.m. to' 5 p.m. open
house and recruiting drive of
the National Guard at the ,
Armory was the final event
of National Guard month pro
claimed by Gov. Robert D.
Holmes, commander of the
guard. -
Schumacher said any other
former guardsmen in the area
who are 4 interested in join
ing the organization can ob
tain information by ' calling
SPring 3-4437 or SPring
2-9923.
Russia Explodes
Nuclear Weapon
Washington (IT) Russia
exploded a large nuclear
weapon Sunday, the U. S.
government reported Sunday
night. Japanese reports led to
speculation it might have been
an upper atmosphere or out-in-space
test of an intercon
tinental missile with an H
bomb warhead.
The official U. S. announce
ment said:
"Lewis L. Strauss, chair
man of the Atomic Energy
commission, stated that the
Soviets had conducted a nu
clear weapons test today
(Sunday) in Soviet territory.
The yield of the test was in
the megaton range." A mega
ton is the equivalent of one
million tons of TNT.
District by March 1
a master meter was not in
stalled, the district contacted
the H. D. Fowler company,
Seattle, the dealer handling
the equipment on the west
coast.
Heisel said the district was
assured the meter would be
installed by March 1. The
meter will be assembled in
Philadelphia, and will be in
stalled by technicians from
Los Angeles, he said.
Copies Forwarded
Heisel said copies of all
correspondence were for
warded to the city manager's
office.
Duff said the type meter
satisfactory to the city would
be one which would measure
the flow of sewage and com
pute a daily total.
The district will be per
mitted to continue discharg
ing sewage into the city sys
tem, Duff said. The sewage
will be received and the con
tinued connection will be per
mitted at the sufferance of
the city, and the city may at
any time hereafter without
notice cause ax disconnection
to be made and reject any and
all sewage of the district,"
according to the letter notify
.rtv 1'" f.O
oy Flying in Fog
Blamed for Crash
Hellicopter Pilots
Not Trained for Fog
Red Bluff, Calif. UPU-An
Army investigator suspects
the reason three big Army
helicopters crashed near here
Saturday with a loss of six
lives was that the pilots got
dizzy flying in dense fog.
This was the opinion of
Col. Frank G. Forest, who re
turned here late Sunday after
a day-long investigation at the
crash scene 15 miles east of
Five Army helicopters,
one of the three flights
transferring from Ft. Riley,
Kan., to Ft. Lewis, Wash.,
left Medford airport about
noon Sunday for Ft. Lewis
after refueling.
The planes arrived Fri
day afternoon, but were de
layed here because of bad
weather conditions. The
helicopters are not equip
ped for bad weather fly
ing, according to Army of
ficials. , The helicopters attracted
many valley residents, and
a large crowd was on hand
when they left yesterday.
Red Bluff. Forest belongs to
the Sixth Army's aviation
section at the San Francisco
Presidio.
"It is a distinct possibility
that the pilots got vertigo and
lost their sense of direction
and speed," Forest said.
"That's what happens when
fliers are not trained to
operate under conditions of
fog or dense cloudiness.
"There were no blind fly
ing instruments on the heli
copters and the fliers were
not . trained or equipped to.
cope with such conditions."
Enveloped in Fog
The H-21 helicopters were
part of a flight of seven com
prising the 57th Helicopter
Company, which was trans
ferring from Fort Riley,
Kans., to Fort Lewis, Wash.
At the time of the crash, they
had just taken off from Chico,
Calif, and were heading for
Medford, Ore.
They were apparently fly
ing at 200 to 300 feet when
a thick fog bank enveloped
them "before they had a
chance to avoid it," Forest
said.
Two of the 'copters struck
a hillside, caught fire im
mediately and trapped their
three-man crews in the flam
ing wreckage. The third 'cop
ter hit a fairly flat area. The
three men crawled out with
only minor injuries.
Oregon Highways May
Receive White Lines
Salem - HP) Oregon may
have white center lines on its
highways yet.
The state Highway Depart
ment said today it had re
ceived information that a code
of uniform signs for the fed
eral interstate system had
been approved by 41 states.
The sign standards include
use of white center lines.
ing the district of the contract
termination.
Charges Continued
The district will continue to
be charged, "based upon a
fair apportionment of the cost
of maintaining, operating and
expanding the city sewage
disposal system, but in no
event less than the schedule
provided for in the contract
which has been terminated."
There are 57 connections
in the South Bear Creek
Sanitary district and a con
tract between the district and
the city of Phoenix bring the
total connections to about
250. Duff said.
The original contract, dated
Sept. 6, 1955, was for a 10
year period.
A previous story indicated
that the district had been
notified the matter would be
considered at Thursday night's
council meeting. Duff said
the district was not notified
that he would report the con
tracts termination to the
council. Reference to the dis
trict's board of directors being
notified was in connection
with a letter from Duff to the
board's secretary notifying
the district of the termination.
Tribune
24, 1958
MISS SANDRA BUXTON
Selected for Elks Award
Medford, Crater
Students Selected
For Elks Awards
Miss Sandra Kay Buxton,
Medford High school senior,
and Gerald R. Kime, senior
from Crater High school in
Central Point, have been se
lected for the Medford Elks
lodge most valuable student
scholarship awards, Galen R.
Knox, exalted ruler, an
nounced today.
Miss Buxton is the daugh
ter of Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth
R. Buxton, 2478 Sunny View,
Medford and Kime is the
son of Mr. and Mrs. G. E.
Kime, 1614 Scenic-ave., Cen
tral Point.
Honorable mention went to
Johanna M. Dobert, Crater
Soil Districts
Set Elections
Two soil conservation dis
tricts in Jackson county will
hold annual meetings and
election of supervisors next
month.
The Rogue Soil Conserva
tion district will meet at 8
p.m. March 13 in the Cen
tral Point Grange hall. A re
port on work accomplished
during the past year is sched
uled.
Supervisors will be elected
for four years to fill posi
tions now held by Chester. W.
Jensen of Rogue River and
Delmar Smith of Central
Point. Qualified land owners
of the district are eligible to
vote.
The Sams Valley - Beagle
Soil Conservation district will
meet at 8 p.m. March 17 in
the Eagle Point Grange hall.
The annual report will be
given.
. Supervisors will be elected
to fill positions now held by
George A. Loftin, route 2,
box 582A, Central Point; A.
T. Wattenberg, route 1, box
74, Eagle Point; and Lester
E. James( route 2, box 540,
Central Point.
Two 'supervisors will be
elected for a four-year term,
and one fpr a three-year term.
Knowland Favors
Election of Nixon
Washington OP) Sen.
William F. Knowland (R-
Calif.) has come out for Vice'
President Richard M. Nixon
for the GOP presidential nomi
nation in 1960 with an im
portant qualification.
Knowland, also a possible
presidential candidate, says
he's for Nixon in '60 provided
he himself is elected governor
of California and serves his
ful four-year term.
. Last Oct. 3 Knowland an
nounced his candidacy for the
GOP nomination for governor
of California. This step was
viewed by some as a prelude
to a bid for the presidential
nomination in 1960 or in
1964.
Knowland has declined to
say whether he, might seek
the GOP presidential nomina
tion. He has taken the position
that he is running strictly for
the California governorship
with . no thought beyond the
governor's mansion, at least
for now.
Roquebrune - Cap - Martin,
France W Sir Winston
Churchill's doctors today re
ported he is maintaining prog
ress in his recovery from at
tacks of pneumonia and
pleurisy.
Price 10 Cents
No. 262
GERALD R. KIME
Most Valuable Student Award
High; Alma Lou Stovall and
Charles Swingle, Phoenix
High; Dean L. Weitman, Eagle
Point; Dayle E. Hawkins,
Butte Falls; and Gladys M.
Beddoe and Jon A. Thomp
son, Medford High.
Complete f-r Awards
Miss Buxton and Kime will
compete for $50 cash awards
for the top boy and top girl
in the south district of Ore
gon judging, which will be
at the Ashland Elk club Sun
day, March 2. District judging
includes winners from Coos
Bay, Coquille, Brookings,
Roseburg, Myrtle Creek, Med
ford, Grants Pass, Ashland,
Klamath Falls and Lakeview.
Winners in the district
competition will be judged in
the state contest and an $800
scholarship . will be p'royided
the first place boy and girl.
State winners will compete
for more than $30,000 in cash
awards at the national level.
Student applicants are
judged on the basis of scholar
ship, 60 per cent; financial
need, 10 per cent; extra cur
ricular and out of school ac
tivities, 10 per cent; per
serverance and resourceful
ness, 10 per cent; and per
sonality and ' leadership, 10
per cent.
Miss Buxton and Kime, as
well as honorable mention
students, will receive awards
from the MedforB Elks lodge
as part of the lodge's obser
vance of National Youth Day,
May 1.
Gill Gets Offer
Of Plane Service
Lebanon (IP) Sen. Warren
Gill, candidate for the Repub
lican nomination for govenor,
said today air-minded local
businessmen have offered him
their airplanes and services
as pilots for his campaign.
Gill, who has reported a
lack of political machinery
and funds for his campaign,
called it "operation fair play."
Mayor Ralph Scroggin, him
self a veteran flier, said "our
job is to put the senator any
where in the state in less than
two hours."
Gill planned to fly to Klam
ath Falls Thursday.
The veteran legislator not
ed that almost half of the
pilots were Democrats. "If
they are thinking of bailing
out and leaving me up in
the air it won't work," he
quipped. "I'm a pilot, too."
DOW-JONES AVERAGES
New York IIP) Dow
Jones final stock averages:
30 industrials 437.19, off
2.43; 20 railroads 104.15,
off 1.16; 15 utilities 72.08.
up 0.15, and 65 stocks
149.45, off 0.76. Sales today
were about 1,570,000 shares
compared with 1,700,000
shares Friday, j
WEATHER
FORECAST: Rain, windy and
warm through Tuesday. '
Low tonight 45. High Tues
day 55. TEMP.
Highest Yesterday 65
Lowest This Morning 51
Prec. to 10 a.m. Today 48
Our Skies Tonight
Sunrise 6:56 a.m.
Sunset 5:55 p.m.
Moonset Midnight
First Quarter Feb. 26
PROMINENT
CONSTELLATION
Orion, in the south 7:29 n.m.
VISIBLE PLANETS
Jupiter, rises 10:53 p.m.
Saturn, rises 3:22 a.mi
Venus, rises 5:11 a.m.
Mars, rises well
south of Venus 4:58 a.m.
Scheduled to Die
In Gas Chamber at
Prison March 28
' Governor to Review
Case Immediately
Billy Junior Nunn, 29, Qon
victed of the murder of Alvin
William Eacret, 14, Klamath
Falls, in April of 1956, was
re-sentenced in Jackson coun
ty circuit court this morning
by Judge H. K. Hanna.
He was sentenced to die
in the lethal gas chamber Fri
day, March 28, of this year.
Nunn, who was represented
by Attorney A. E. Piazza, was
found guilty of the first de
gree murder charge last year
and was sentenced to death.
He later appealed to the
state supreme court on the
grounds that an oral confes
sion made by the defendant
to .. police officers was not
properly admitted. The ap
peal also questioned whether
the court gave a complete
definition and explanation to
the jury of the crime of sec
ond degree murder in its in
structions to them, and the
admission of photos of the
body of the murdered youth
as evidence was questioned.
The state supreme court af
firmed the conviction of Nunn
Jan. 27; and also upheld the
judgment of death in the case.
The victim's body was found
near Tub Springs on the Ashland-Klamath
Falls highway.
Nunn was arrested in Alturas,
Calif., on May 3.
Gov. Robert D. Holmes was
notified of the state supreme
court ruling and said that his
legal counsel would review
the case immediately. The
governor, who opposes capital
punishment, said he will announce-
his decision on pos
sible commutation soon.
MSH Commended
At Model UN
Eugene Medford High
school's delegation to the
model United Nations session
at the University of Oregon
Friday and Saturday was one
of five dommended as out
standing. .
Woodrow Wilson High
school of Portland, which rep
resented Pakistan, was named
the best of the session.
Medford High represented
U.S.S.R. During the session,
a "belligerent" Soviet deleg
ate, Eric Eitreimi was ousted
for "undiplomatic," conduct.
Other members of the delega
tion from Medford protested,
and Eitreim returned.
About 415 delegates from
45 high schools participated in
the mock UN meeting. The
model UN is part of the Ore
gon International Relations
league annual conference, and
is sponsored by the Oregon
Education association and the
University of Oregon.
Jacksonville High school
also participated in the ses
sion. Other schools which were
commended include South
Eugene, Klamath Falls, Beav
erton and Lebanon.
San Francisco OP) Federal
mediators have renewed their
efforts to find a formula that
will end a three-week-old
sugar strike in Hawaii.
Washington (IP) Rep. Edith
Green (D-Ore.) has announced
she will file this week for.her
third term as congresswoman
from Oregon's third district.
"This Will Keep Out
RE-SENTENCED Billy Nunn, left, who was re-sentenced
this morning in Jackson county circuit court after being sen
tenced last August to death in the lethal gas chamber for
first degree murder, is shown above in the custody of Sher
iff's Deputy Joe Walsh. Gov. Robert D. Holmes, who opposes
capital punishment, said his legal counsel would review the
case immediately and will announce his decision soon on pas
sible commutation of the death sentence.
Republicans Rally
To Defend Ike oh
Truman's Charges
Washington (IP) Repub
licans today trumpeted a
massive retaliation against
former President Truman's
"give 'em hell" denunciation
of the Eisenhower administra
tion. They charged that Truman
in his Jefferson-Jackson Day
speech here was guilty of
"dime-a-dance oratory," for
getful about flaws in his own
administration, insincere
about civil rights and callous
toward the unemployed.
President Eisenhower had
no comment on Truman's at
tack. His press secretary, James
C. Hagerty, said when told
by a reporter that the Presi
dent seemed to be the only
Republican "with nothing to
say:
"We let other people com
ment on it."
Avalanche Coordinated
A spokesman for the Rep
ublican National Committee
confirmed that the almost un
precedented a v alanche of
mimeographed anti - Truman
broadsides was somewhat co
ordinated from committee
headquarters.
"We decided we should not
stand for being belabored,"
he said.
"We felt we couldn't just
take this we should answer
him."
Led by GOP. National
Chairman Meade Alcorn, the
Anti-Peron Lawyer
Wins in Argentina
Buenos Aires (IP) An
arrti-Communist, anti-Peron-
ista lawyer today became Ar
gentina's president-elect in
the country's first free elec
tions in 30 years.
With approximately half
the votes counted, Dr. Arthur
Frondizi, intransigent radical,
led Ricardo Balbin by 3,951,
000 votes to 2,560,665. Totals
were complete for the entire
federal district of Buenos
Aires.
Despite the fact that Fron
dizi once ran against a Peron
ticket as a vice presidential
candidate, and. is an avowed
anti-Communist he received
support from both groups in
Sunday's balloting.
Foreign Salesmen'
Republicans charged Truman
with raising a "red herring"
and with uttering typical
Truman claptrap . . . wild and
reckless charges . . . carping,
petty criticism."
Many chided the former
Democratic President for
making his "untruthful"
speech on the birthday of
George Washington, the man
who never told a lie."
Eisenhower Defended
All defended President
Eisenhower's defense, domest
ic and foreign policies. Most
compared economic conditions
in the past Roosevelt and Tru
man administrations unfavor
ably with conditions even in
the current business, slump.
In his best Republican-bait
ing form, Truman accused' the
administration of leading the
nation into a Republican
recession" that threatens
economic disaster, of weak
ening U.S. defenses, and of
damaging the. Free World al
liance in its handling of for
eign policy.
Klamath Tribal
Property Appraised
Portland (IPl The Interior
Department said; today that
properties of the Klamath In
dian tribe of Oregon have
been appraised at a "realiza
tion value" of $121,659,618.
The properties include the
694,000-acre tribal forests
which contains pine timber.
Hatfield Chilson, undersec
retary of interior, in a letter
to Thomas B. Watters of
Klamath Falls, management
specialist supervising the
Klamath termination program
under a 1954 law, authorized
Watters to proceed immedi
ately with arrangements for
a tribal election as provided
in the termination statute.
In the election, adult mem
bers of the tribe will decide
for themselves and their
minor dependents whether, to
remain in the tribal organiza
tion and participate in a plan
of management of their share
of the tribal assets or to with
draw and receive cash pay
ment for their share. The law
provides for' sale of a suffi
cient portion of the . tribal
property to pay off the with
drawing members.
Basin Streams Rise
With Recent Rain
Rogue river basin, streams
were rising from appreciable
rainfall over the "entire area
but the Medford station of the
U.S. weather bureau reported
that as of this morning
"nothing dangerous is in
sight."
The station said, however,
further heavy rain could
change the picture. Weather
men are "keeping an eye" on
the streams and will issue ad
visories when and if they are
necessary. Rainy, windy and
warm weather is forecast
through Tuesday for the Med
ford vicinity.
Rainfall from midnight up
to 10 a.m. today totaled .48
of an inch. Total for Medford
for the season up to that time
was 18.03 inches. Normal for
an entire agricultural year
(Sept. 1 to Aug. 31) is 18.15.
' Rogue river measurement
at Dodge bridge at 88 a.m. to
day was 3.8 feet and rising.
Flood stage is nine feet. ,
Life Sentence Is
Given for Second
Degree Murder
Also Enters Plea
To Second Charge
Hugh D'Autremont, 54,
who is serving a life sentence
for murder in one of Oregon's
most notorious crimes, made
another bid for possible ev
entual freedom here this
morning.
D'Autremont, youngest of
three brothers sentenced to
the state penitentiary for life
for the killing of train crew
members during the attempt
ed robbery of a Southern Pa
cific mail car near Ashland
in 1923, pleaded guilty to.
second degree murder. The ao
tion was taken in Jacksoa
county circut court before
Judge H. K. Hanna. He hopes
the action may result in pa--role.
Convicted of first degree
murder in 1927, D'Autremont
entered the plea of guilty to
second degre murder today
to one of the remaining out
standing murder indictments
against him, and also to stop
ping a railroad train with the
intent of robbery. Three pencU
ing first degree murder indict
ments against him were dis
missed by the court on the
recommendation of the" dist
rict attorney, Thomas J. Reed
er. Would Be The Sams
In accepting D'A u t r e-
mont's plea of guilty to. sec
ond degree murder- indict
ment, Judge Hanna explain
ed that since the goverrior
does not approve of capital
punishment, the maximum
sentence in either case would
be the same. D'Autremont, as
a result of his new plea, re
ceived a life sentence in the
state penitentiary to be serv
ed consecutively with the life
sentences he is now serving.
Prior to the entering of the
plea of guilty to the attempt
ed train robbery indictment
D'Autremont had to be ar
raigned on the charge. The
judge sentenced him on this
complaint . to . not more than
20 years in the state peniten
tiary to be served consecu
tively with the two life sen
tences. D'Autrement, who ' . was
represented by Miss Noreen
Kelly, pleaded guilty to the
indictment for the murder of
Elvyn E. Dougherty, postal
clerk on the ill-fated South
ern Pacific train. . The other
three first degree murder in
dictments held against him
were dismissed, according to
the district attorney, due to
the lapse of 35 years since
the incident took place. He
explained that prosecution of
the indictments would be ex
tremely costly.
Unsuccessful Tries
D'Autremont has tried un
successfully several times for
parole. He had also attempted
to have the five pending in
dictments dismissed, but his
request was turned down in
an opinion written by State
Supreme Court Justice Hall
S. Lusk last November. ' :
Parole Possibility :
Questioned about parole
possibility for D'Autremont
following his new plea this
morning, H. M. Randall,
Salem, director of the state
board of parole and proba
tion, said, "As far as the board
is concerned, the sentence will
have no effect on Hugh D'Au
tremont's chances for parole.
He has been before the board
on numerous occasions, and
presumably will be again. His
case will be considered on its
merits, as is the case with all
the ' other men in the state
penitentiary." ; -
Hugh and his twin brothers,
Roy and Ray D'Autremont,
were sentenced to life im
prisonment in 1927. They
were convicted of the train
hold up and murder of four
trainmen and a railway postal
clerk in the Siskiyou tunnel
south of Ashland on Oct. IT,
1923. They were caught after
a three-year search. -
Hugh, who was arrested
first, was charged with a hold
up and four murders. How
ever, it took two trials be
fore the guilty verdict was
finally returned. A juror died
nine days after the start of
the first trial and another trial
had to be scheduled. After, a
17-day trial the jury returned
a verdict of guilty of first de
gree murder.
Arrested in Ohio
Several months later Ray
and Roy were arrested in
Steubenville, Ohio. After their
return to Jacksonville postal
inspectors assigned to the case
recommended to the court that
the twins . be permitted to
enter pleas of guilty to second
degree murder on one of the
outstanding murder indict-
(Continued on page 9)
i