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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 27, 1960)
1KTI PBUCE CHEF SI France Sahara Desert Explosion Scene; Commies Object : Third Test Fired : In De Gaulle's Plqn i Paris IUPD France set off its third atomic explosion in the Sahara Desert today, pushing relentlessly ahead with President Charles de Gaulle's drive to make this country the world's fourth nuclear power. . ' ! ' A communique said only that the latest blast was that of a "nuclear device" of "small force." The announce ment did not say that it was an atomic bomb, arid reliable sources said the device was not a weapon but was anoth er stage in the testing process leading up to development of an actual A-bomb. Double Aim ! Air Force Gen.. Jean Thiry. commanding the operational group in charge of the test ex plosion, said at his advanced headquarters ' at Hamoudia that the latest test .had a double aim: . " "To advance the technology of nuclear weapons and to give the Army, Navy and Air Forces practical data on con ditions for using the nuclear weapon and particularly on protection methods in nuclear warfare." ' - Reds Condemn Tast 'The Communist Chinese and the Soviet Union were quick to condemn France for continuing tests ' in, ' De Gaulle's effort to give his na tion an independent nuclear striking force as soon as pos sible at a cost of more than a billion dollars. Peyton Murder Investigator III 'Portland (UPn ''Sheriff Capt. Gordon Auborn, "chief investigator in the ' Peyton Murder case, was hospitalized Monday with pneumonia, Auborn has headed the in vestigation into last month's slaying in a lover's lane of Larry Ralph Peyton, 19, Port land, and the abduction of coed Beverly Ann Allan, also 19, Port Townsend, Wash.- His condition was not re ported as critical. The Peyton investigation will probably continue under Chief Deputy Ard Pratt and Lt. Ed Fuller until Auborn's return. Christmas .day w.a s Au-" bom's first day off duty since the investigation began Nov. 27. Pro-Western Forces Capture Drop Zone Vientiane,' Laos HIPD Pro Western forces advancing from Vientiane have captured the Soviet arms-drop zone at Phone Hong, nearly 50 miles north of here, it was reported today. . : The anti-Communist forces, advancing in two columns, were reported close on the heels of "neutralist" Capt. Kong Le's paratroops, driven out of Vientiane in a savage 76-hour battle 10 days ago. . 'At the same time, it was reported that two companies of- Brig. Gen. Phoumi Nosa van's pro-Western infantry had driven Communist guer rillas out of a village 15 miles south of Luang Prabang. Texas Lawyer Seen Navy Secretary Washington HOT) T e x a s lawyer John B. Connally was reported today by a well-informed congressional source to be President-elect John F. Kennedy's choice as secretary of the Navy. . Connally formerly was sec retary to Vice President-elect Lyndon B. Johnson and mana ger of Johnson's unsuccessful campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination. At present, he is trustee of the estate of the late Texas oil millionaire Sid Richardson. . Connally's name had not figured in most published speculation on the Navy post. Some reports said Franklin D. Roosevelt Jr. had been under serious consideration. BREACH REPORTED Leopoldville, The Congo -(IP - A serious breach was re Wleyl today between backers of the Congolese Parliament and supporters of the College of Commissioners over plans to keep the commissioners in office-. - " Tests Regional Edition 18 .Pages Jacksonville Residents Killed in Auto Crash "There's Some Dangerous Radical Talk About ,. ..... Democracy Going Around Again" .' Rex P utna Superintendent Of Instruction Salem HOT Dr., Rex Put nam, superintendent of public instruction 'since : 1937, an nounced today he is. resigning effective Jan. 31. '' In a letter to Gov. Mark Hatfield, Putnam said that he would like to be relieved of the ever-increasing responsi bilities, stresses, and strains . in order to conserve my health."- ' r' ' - ' ' Putnam said' he wanted to extend his "deepest apprecia tion for the loyalty and faith fulness of my clerical ' and professional: staff, and mem bers of the state board of edu cation with whom I have Worked so closely and amica bly for such a long time. They are all dedicated people." Selfless Service In accepting the resignation Hatfield said P u t n a m has given selfless service to the Kingsley Field Terminal Damaged Klamath Falls - IIMJ - An explosion and fire in a supply closet caused considerable damage to the new Municipal Air Terminal at Kingsley field here early today. , ' Service' was disrupted at a time when: flights were pack ed with holiday travelers and telephone, teletype and elec tric service in the control tow er and terminal was halted. The lobby portion of the building suffered the most damage but the .restaurant and bar above the lobby will be closed for several days with smoke damage, firemen said. The blast blew out the sup ply room door and a portion of the ceiling in the hallway and cracked large windows. Flames melted plastic light fixtures. : '-: The terminal was complet ed last spring at a cost to the city of $125,000. Firemen, were investigating the cause. .An exact damage estimate was not available. Rev. Dagwell Leaves For Visit to Italy Portland-WPn-The Rev. Ben jamin Dagwell, retired Epis copal Bishop of western Ore gon, left today for a visit to Italy. . :-..' 5 The Rev. Mr.-' Dagwell will conduct a brief tour of service at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Rome. He expects to serve as acting rector until Easter after which he will visit other churches in Europe. Nuclear Device MEDFORD, OREGON, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1960 t-4etsuri p-r m Quits slate of Oregon for nearly a quarter of a century during which time he has earned a warm spot in the hearts of us all with whom he has been as sociated." "He. has given dedicated leadership to new programs," the governor said, "and re turned with renewed vigor from illness. He carries with him the best wishes of the people he has served." .'. Hatfield indicated he will confer with the board of edu cation before appointing a successor. . This means that Hatfield will have appointed three of the state's six major officers during his term as governor. Hatfield appointed Secretary of State.Howell Appling Jr., and State Treasurer Howard C. Belton. ;They both won election in ; November. The other major posts are gover nor, attorney general, labor commissioner and public in struction superintendent. Appointed in 1937 The superintendent of pub lic instruction is responsible for all public,, primary and secondary education in the state. It was made a non-partisan office In 1939. Hatfield has recommended that the post.be appointive un der his government reorgani zation plan, along with labor commissioner. . Putnam, 70,-was appointed to the job Sept. 1, 1937., He won election in 1938 and since then was reelected five times. His current four year term does not end until 1962. Putnam, who suffered a heart attack several years ago, was born at Buffalo Gap, S.D., June 7, 1890. Fog Not Unusual This Time of Year Heavy fog which has blanketed the Medford area is nothing unusual for this time of year. Average number of days of heavy fog in December is 13. Today's fog pushed this month's total to 14; Fog which limits visibility to one-fourth mile or less is considered heavy. December, 1959. had 16 days of heavy fog. State police this morning reported roads and highways in the area free of ice or snow, but most of them cov ered by ground fog early this morning. Police said the fog was lifting in most areas by mid-morning. Tribune Father, Daughter Die in 99 Mishap; Mother, Son Hurt A Jacksonville man and his daughter were killed in a two car accident about 33 miles north of Roseburg late yester day afternoon. The man's wife and his son are listed as being in "poor" condition today in a Cottage Grove hospital. Dead , are Robert Elmo Welch, 57, and Edna Marie Welch, 21, both of 107 Black- stone st., Jacksonville. Mr. Welch has been an em ployee of the city of Medford since 1948 and at the time of his death was chief of the city's surveying crew. City Manager Robert A. Duff said this morning, "We've lost a good man." State police said the Welch car apparently skidded and was involved in a collision with a tow truck driven by J. W. McDonald, 56, Rice Hill. McDonald suffered only minor injuries. Police said Mr. Welch was killed outright in the accident which occurred about 4:30 pm. His daughter died about two hours later in a Cottage Grove hospital, they said. His wife, Irene, 51, and son, Charles, 20, were hospitalized. Hospital, attendants said to day that Mrs. Welch "rallied some" during the night. By United Press International Eight persons met death on Oregon highways during the Christmas week end. A ninth person, Mrs. Leonard C. Park er of Portland, was killed at 12:45 a.m. today in a two-car collision near. Albany. Since the accident occurred after midnight Monday, it will not- count in the holiday total. Other week end deaths in cluded Yvonne Arlene Butler, 33, Milwaukie, killpd in a bus wreck north of Klamath Falls; William Holcomb, 65, Foster; William Robitsch, 74, Tilla mook; Bert Chaffin Jr., 8, and his sister, Edith, 6 months, of St. Helens; Tony Jensen, 29, Clackamas, and Robert E. Welch, 57, and his daughter, Edna, 21, both of Jackson ville.- . , . . Holiday Traffic Leaves 485 Dead By United Press International Tile nation today counted its highway dead from the long Christmas week end and came up with a figure below a pre-holiday estimate by safety experts. The National Safety Council had estimated 510 persons would die on the nation's highways during the 78-hour period which ended at mid night Monday night. ' ' With the addition of late fatalities, a United Press In ternational count at 9 a.m. (PST) showed the following fatalities from the start of the holiday week end at 6 p.m. Friday until last.mid night: , Traffic ............485 Fires 80 Miscellaneous 109 Total 674 California led in traffic fa talities with 40 deaths. Texas had 35, Georgia 28, Michigan and New York 27 each, North Carolina 20, Florida' and Mis souri 19, Illinois 18, South Carolina 17, Kansas 16, and Louisiana 15.. . .. Sammy Davis Jr. Says Stork Expected Hollywood -(UPD- Sammy Davis Jr. announced today he and his bride of six weeks, blonde May Brltt, expect a baby next July or August. The Negro entertainer and the Swedish actress were mar ried Nov. 13 in a Jewish cere mony at which Frank Sinatra was best man. I 55th Year Price 10 Cents No. 241 EMMETT WHITHAM - Branch Manager HOWARD PIERCE . ' ! Replaces Whitham .' ' " Manager Named, Phoenix Opening Listed by Bank : .The grand opening of the new Phoenix branch of First National Bank of Oregon will be held Friday, Feb. 10, ac cording to Ralph J. Voss, pres ident of the statewide bank ing system; ' - J- Emmett Whitham, Ashland civic leader and banker, has been named manager of the new banking office. ' He has a 31-year background in all phases of banking, and has been with First National since 1936. ri ' Named to replace Whitham as. assistant manager at Ash land is Howard Pierce,; who grew up in Grants Pass and joined First National there 13 years ago. He has bcen serv ing with the bank in Portland for the past six years. . An all-day open house will be held to mark the opening of the branch. It will be First National's 86th banking office in Oregon and the fourth in Jackson county. Plans will be announced later, Whitham said. ;' . 1 i The new bank features the latest .innovations in modern bank design-including drive in banking, after-hours depos itory, off-strect parking, spaci ous .safe -deposit vault, and four tellers' windows. It is frame and stone construction with abundant use of glass and interior hardwood pan elling. Whitham began his banking career at the Portland branch of- the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco in 1929. He became associated with First National's main office in 1936 and a year later moved to Ashland. He progressed through all departments of the branch, and was elected as sistant cashier in 1948, gen eral loan officer in 1950 and assistant manager a year ago. Whitham .served as presi dent of the Ashland Chamber of Commerce and Kiwanis last year, and is a member of the city council and the city long-range planning com mission. He is a director of the, -Ashland -Talent United Fund, chairman of the school disirict 5 budget committee, and has served as treasurer of the Ashland Red Cross and March of Dimes cam paigns. He is past master of the Masonic Lodge and past patron of the Order of East f , - - y ( J jV If ern Star. 1 Pierce joined Grants Pass branch upon his graduation from high school, A Taylor Arraigned; Awaits Session Of Grand Jury Waives Hearing, Right to Attorney John R. Taylor, Salem, was arraigned in district court this morning on charges of assault with intent to kill and- two charges of grand larceny in volving auto theft, He waived preliminary hearing and. the right to an attorney and was bound over to the grand jury. . . ' ' He is being held in the Jackson county jail in lieu of $25,000 bail on the assault charge and $2,500 bail for each of the grand larceny charges. , t - - ... A grand jury will be call ed sometime this week," Dis trict Attorney Thomas J. Reeder said. "I think it is a clear case of assault with in tent to kill," he added.. Taylor is charged with fir ing- three .22 caliber bullets into the leg of State Police man ponaid Cain Tuesday night, Dec 20, when Cain stopped him as he was hitch hiking near the intersection of Highway 99 and 66, Ash land.- -' Taylor also is charged with stealing two cars, to escape to The Dalles area where he was captured the following day. Didn't Understand Charge Taylor told District Court Judge ,L.. L. Sawyer he didn't understand the assault charge when' it was first read to him. I never intended - to kill him," be remarked.-Asked if he wanted an attorney or pre licinary. hearing, Taylor re liminary hearing, Taylor . re over with and serve; my time." ...... State police and sheriff's deputies said today they plan to question the youth in con nection .with the murder of Mrs. Marian Hamilton in Ash land . last spring. Bullets which Taylor fired into the state policeman have been left at the state crime laboratory to check against bullets re moved from the body of the Ashland rancher's wife. Deputies said ' Taylor has admitted: to the burglary of a Grants Pass hardware store about a ; week before- the shooting near .-Ashland. i A number of guns were taken, possibly the two Taylor had with him when he shot Cain, police said., Officers said Tay lor is wanted for questioning in ; connection , with ... other crimes in the state.. , ., . . ,., Two Dog Biting ; Incidents Reported The curse of all mailmen and paperboys the common dog struck twice . yesterday, once at each of these occupa tions. , . ,)-':.- The first victim was Mail man Joseph Edward Barrett, who told city police that he was bitten' by a dog about 10:30 a.m., while delivering mail' on Alta St. . Barrett said the bite bruised his ankle but did not break the skin. Police contacted the owner of the dog; Jean An drew Mills, 924 Alta st., and she intormed them that her dog "has a dislike for mail men." The second victim was a paperboy. Bruce Michael Kaye, 13, of 1011 Mt. Pitt ave., told police he was bit ten by a dog' about 3 p.m. while delivering papers on Murray st. ' ; " . ' ' ' Police said the bite damag ed the skin on the boy's leg, and they advised his mother to have the wound examined by a doctor. The owner of the dog, Rose Mary Breeze, 921 Murray St., told police that the boy kick ed at the dog first. ' ' Khrushchev Assures Oppressed Peoples Moscow -(UPI)- Soviet Pre mier Nikita Khrushchev said today the Soviet Union would join the "oppressed peoples" of the world in any "decisive struggle" against colonialism. Khrushchev, in a statement reported by Tags, -said Com munist principles formed the basis of the recent U.N. anti colonialist declaration. But he accused the "colon ial powers" of trying to block the decision and declared: S "If the colonial powers, re jecting the U.N. call, continue to block the liberation of the oppressed peoples and oppose their Independence, then there will be nothing left for such peoples but to sweep away these obstacles erected in their path in a decisive itruggjf . . "And they will not remain alone In this struggle." ' ltt' tit w ir. ;iw44i SUSPECT ARRESTED Accused murderer Robert Evans, left, is taken from Junction City jail by Oregon Police Officer C. Veteto. Evans is accused of killing Woodrow Whetstone, Junction City police chief, and Everett Fletcher, 54, in a "love triangle" argument. Verna Mae Mulligan, op erator of a cafe, was wounded Whetstone was killed when between Fletcher a.nd Evans. Retail Activity in Medford At Healthy Level in Fiscal '60 i.New York - How-was busi- ness in Medford in the last fiscal 'year? " ' ' According to. a nationwide. survey jus.i maae puoiic, rs tail; activity, in Medford. was at h"a ' healthy ' -level ; right through the first half of 1960.1 With . a majority of . the workers getting - bigger in comes,, personal expenditures were, high. ... , , , ' . The survey, covering every part -of the United States, is for -the. 12 months ending June 30,. I960.; It was .compiled by the Standard Rate and. Data Service on the basis- of data gathered from ..national, state and local, sources. - i i , , Gross .Figure '' -J ' It shows that retail' busi ness, in ' Medford reached a; gross figure of $65,556,000 In the year, climbing past tne $59,456,000 recorded In fiscal 1959.' . , : This. was in direct contrast to the experience, in some other areas of the . country where-there was considerable unemployment j and, oon- WEATHER FORECAST:- Valley fo tonlnht and Wednesday mornine. Clear inn partially WedneBday after noon,' Low' tonight, ZS. High Wednesday 40. Temp. Highest Yesterday 45 Lowest This Morning: -v29 Prer. to 5 p.m. Yesterday 04 Prec. to 10 a.m. Today, trace. Our Skies Tonight Sunset today v... 4:45 p.m. Sunrise tomorrow .... 7:40 .a.m. Mnonset tomorrow .... 3:33 a.m. Full Moon Jan. 1 PBOMINKNT STAR Veca, low In northwest S:09 p.m. The solar system (of which the P.arlh Is ' a part) Is moving through space In. the general direction of Vega. Newbry Has To Salem When Legislature Convenes Lyndel Newbry, Talent, re cently appointed state senator, said this morning he has "no real burning issue" to take, to the state 'legislature when it convenes Monday, Jan. 9.- He' did' toy,' however,- that he is strongly interested in keeping O and C timber re ceipts in the O and C counties and is opposed to any part of them being used for ' all schools in the state. ' ' t Asked about the possibility of labor legislation affecting fruit growers In this area, he answered, that, he plans "to keep an eye on' It." "Oregon has no labor legislation now and should have some," he re marked. 'J : He repeated that he will have a belter Idea of what his aims and goals should be after he has been In the state legis lature for three months. Asked about taxes, he an swered, "You can say that I'm interested in this state and the county paying the bill," by a shot said fired by Evans. he tried to . settle an argument ' (UPI Telcphoto) sequently, :a large drop In business ' With their $65,556,000 vol - ume, iretailcrs in Medtord ac counted for ,0300 per cent of the .' nation's business, , the SRDS report notes' It " was more than their quota since the , city 's population ' is on ly .0136 per cent of the national I- Sales strength i was - noted 'In1 most groups pf stores4 but especially in- .those selling children s clothing and shoes, drugs, household equipment. food and other supplies that reflect the fact Hi at the birth rate has been high 'and that there are more youngsters. Incomes Hold ,Up ,. ' . f Most of the confident spend ing by Medford residents stemmed from the fact that personal " incomes, , by r arid large, held- up . well. i . The report shows that local earnings, . after i allowing - for tax deductions, amounted to $50,674,000 -in the -year;, com pared to $46,329,000 in fiscal 1959.. ; , ',' , ;, -;. .., , -:, ' It was at the' -average rate of $5,927' per- household, which. is more than was avail able in the rest of the state, $5,596 per - household: . (The -fact, that sales -were greater: than income shows that the city: Is the marketing center for the . region. ' Denying that- the' lack of buoyancy in business in more recent months ' U due to the fact that people are over-extended, the University of Michigan's Survey Research Center claims .that it ;is true only for a small part of the population. Most people can borrow much more if they want to. Self-discipline and sound budgeting stop them from doing so. 'No Burning' Newbry was in the county court this morning to consult with County Judge Earl Mil ler and County Commissioner Chester Wcndt on their1 ideas for county legislation. Miller handed Newbry a list of pro posed legislation fostered by the Association of Oregon Counties. Wendt urged' Newbry. to plug for an amendment to the state c o n s t i t ution which would allow , a county like Jackson county, which has dropped, its tax -base, to re establish it by taking the highest levy the county had during the last three years the base was in effect. Jackson county has been without a tax base for four years, Wcndt noted. Miller recommended legis lation which would permit voters to establish a county commission form of county government abolishing the county-judge position when Former Suitor Of Woman Held On Murder Count Another Man Dead; Divorcee Wounded Junction City, Ore. - UOT - Two men, including the police- chief of this town of 1,614 persons, were dead from shot gun blasts today and the for mer suitor ot a woman caie operator was held on murder charges. The woman was seriously wounded. Police said Woodrow Whet stone, 43, police chief here since last January, died late Monday while trying to break: up a quarrel between Robert Evans, 45, Crawfordsville, and Everett Fletcher, 54, Junction City. Daughters Unharmed Fletcher was fatally wound ed and Verna Mae Milligan, 42, the cafe operator, was shot in the shoulder and cnest. Two daughters of Mis. Milli gan, a divorcee, were un harmed. Evans, arrested without re sistance at his home east of here two hours after the shoot ings, was booked into tha Lane county jail at Eugene. . State police said Evans ad mitted the shootings. He was ' to be arraigned in District Court today on first degrea murder charges. Had Argued Police said Mrs. Milligan, Fletcher and the two girls, Faye, 14, and Kathryn, 11, were driving in Fletcher's car after they closed the cafo about 5 p.m. Fletcher worked in the cafe. Folice sam c;vans had been in the cafe during the day arguing with Fletcher. The older daughter told au thorities Evans began follow ing in his car and they drova to Chief Whetstone's home, fearing possible trouble. Evans and Fletcher began ar guing again, police said and -wm"v lne 11 r u I, , the house to get the chleC l vaflS produced a .12 guaga shotgun. Whetstone, armed with pistol, came out to try to break; up the quarrel. He was shot in the stomach and died al most instantly. Fletcher was shot In the chest and died later in a Eugene hospital. Mother Is Shot .The. girl told police her mother ran toward, the house screaming and was shot arid wounded. She ran into the Whetstone housa and col lapsed on the floor. She under went surgery Monday night. ' Evans then drove off. Pollca said he first went to the home of a brother, John, and then to his own home. The brother later drove to Evans' home and persuaded him to.., turn himself in, police said. Both of Mrs. Milhgan'S daughters were distraught and suffering from shock. Deputy Sheriff James Douglas said -one 6f the girls told him trou ble had been brewing for .".two or three years." Whetstone is survived by his -widow and two children. Hammarsfc'od Plans Plane Trip to Congo New York - IUPD - Airlines sources said today U.N. Sec retary General Dag Hammar skjold plans to fly to tha Congo Monday. - There was no immediate comment from U.N. headquar ters. FLEMMING PONDERS Washington - (UPII - Welfara Secretary Arthur S. Flemming is considering possible ap pointment as president of tha University of Oregon at Eu gene, his office said today., .' Issue To Take such an official performs no judicial luncllon. Referring back to taxes, Newbry said, "It would be a severe blow to the taxpayers if county taxes had to be levied now without any changes." No taxes have to ba levied now to support county government. He noted that some tax resistance was shown when Medford taxpay ers ' with " "pride in their schools" voted down the school budget the first time last spring. . Newbry said he would move with his famllv tn Salem nrnh. ably next week. He plans to . live in Salem with his family -, as do new State Representa tive John Dellenbach, Med ford. and Hnitsia Snpalrnr Rnh. . ert Duncan, also of Medford. Asked If his father, Earl T. Newhrv. a formpp statu stmw ator and secretary of state had given mm any aavice, new bry replied, "Dad told me not to sign all the bills." 1
