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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 27, 1963)
ii ii i lf i refill 1 i KEY ELEMENT IN PKOJKCT Lost Creek purpose storage behind a cliim rIhhiI .'WO feel reservoir, authorized in 1962 hy the Corps of high, us outlined in the photn. Purpose Nerved Engineers, is described as the key element will include flood control, Irrigation, ixiwcr in the Rogue Basin project. The pool, extend- generation, fish and wildlife enhancement and ing 10 miles upstream from the damsitc, will water quality, provide more than 450,000 acre-feet of multiple Regional Edition MEDFORD 20 Pages Two Sections MEDFORD, OREGON, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1963 No. 163 Gangland 'Songbird' Tells Of Mafia's 'Kiss of Death' Valachi Relates Incident During Public Testimony WASHINGTON (UPl)-Gang-fand turncoat Joseph Valachi told Senate investigators today that underworld overlord Vito Genovese gave him the Mafia's "kiss of death" by kissing him on the hand while they were cellmates in the Atlanta federal prison. The stocky, red haired ex mobster described Genovese as the "under the table" super boss of organized crime. He also testified that Genovese ordered the murder of sub-boss Tony Bender (Anthony Strollo) from his Atlanta prison cell. Bender, of Fort Lee, N.J., and his mistress, a Manhattan sports clothes designer, disap peared 18 months ago and have never been found. Bender reputedly was rackets boss of Greenwich Village and had incurred the wrath of Cosa Nostra by espousing the cause of the upstart Gallo mob in Brooklyn. Testifying publicly for the first time, Valachi told the tele vised hearing that Genovese described news reports of Bend er's disappearance as "the best Jiing that could happen he wouldn't be able to take it like vou and I." Valachi recounted the episode after testifying that he joined the disciplined "Cosa Nostra" ?rime cartel "our thing, our family in English" in 1930. Born in New York to Italian im migrant parents, he said he took to crime after dropping out of school at age 15 and working 'or about a year on a sand scow. Speaking calmly almost im passively and chain smoking, Valachi gave the Senate in vestigations subcommittee a rambling account of intrigue be hind the prison walls at Atlanta. He said he felt that Genovese marked him for murder after he sought an appointment with Genovese for a member of the Buffalo-Toronto "family" of the "Costa Nostra" empire. Finally, he said, there came in evening when Genovese asked Valachi and cellmate Ralph Wagner a "Cosa Nostra" outsider to g a t h e r around his prison bunk in the seven-man prison cell. "He (Genovese) grabbed my hand and gave it a kiss," Va lachi continued. NEWS(Q)BRIEFS rrtMS noM 4 AS AR0UND wt ol0M HIRRICANE HITS DOMINICAN REPUBLIC SAN JUAN, P. R. (UPI) Hurricane Edith, packing 75 miles an hour winds and flooding rains, slammed into the eastern tip of the Dominican Republic today. There were no immediate reports of damage, the weather bureau said. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT CLEARS NAVY SECRETARY WASHINGTON (UPI) The Justice Department has cleared Navy Secretary Fred Korth of any conflict-of-interest law vio lation involving a billion-dollar Pentagon contract for the con troversial TFX warplane, it was revealed today. ROCKEFELLER MEETS WITH MAC.MILLAN LONDON (UPD New York Gov. Nelson A. Rockefeller, a poftrntial candidate for the Republ'V.n presidential nomination, met todav with British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan. 180 Acres Burned By Fire in Klamath Forest Near Hilt YREKA Fire of unknown origin, which blazed through the Klamath National forest start ing about 4 p.m. Thursday when danger conditions were at a maximum, was under control by 9 o'clock this morning after burning over 180 acres and de stroying 20,000 board feet of Southeast Wind Boosts Mercury To New High Here Heated by a hot southeast wind, temperatures for Med ford and vicinity soared yester day to the highest on record for this late in the season. The Medford station of the U.S. weather bureau, located at the airport, listed a maximum of 104 degrees yesterday after noon. The last time 100 degrees was recorded during this month of the year was on Sept. 23, 1943. Yesterday was the hottest day here this year. Temperature was expected to reach about 100 degrees today. An invasion of shallow marine air is anticipated, sometime to morrow to end the wave of heat. The Saturday forecast of the weather bureau is for a 90 degree maximum. Rises Six Degrees The southeast wind began blowing in this area about 3 p.m. yesterday and peaked about 15 miles per hour, dying to 10 mph after sundown. The Medford weather station report ed that the temperature rose six degrees in an hour's time from 96 to 102. The high temperature today again was expected to depend on the intensity of southeast winds. The winds this morning had "died down a bit." Hot weather has brought low humidities. Relative humidity dropped to 13 per cent yester day and fire danger was listed as high to extreme. Grants Pass, which did not get the wind like Medford, had a maximum temperature of 88 degrees yesterday. yfA T T pine, Joseph Thornton, super visor of the forest, reported. Assistance in fighting the fire, on which 180 men labored through the night, was brought into the area from the Rogue River National forest, the Ore gon state forestry department and the California division of forestry. There were 100 men still sta tioned on the fire, threatened by weather conditions, in an ef fort to keep it under control, Thornton said late this morn ing. Starts In Grass The first started in grass at the railroad tracks at the base of the Siskiyou mountains three miles north of Hut. It threat ened the old Colestine resort, burning up to the hotel, which crews were able to save. It spread into oak trees and then into the pine forest. Help was recruited from the Fruit Growers Supply company at Hilt and from the towns of Yreka and Scott Valley. Three airplanes were flown from the Medford Air Tanker station of the Rogue River Na tional forest, starting at 5:15 p.m. dropping fire retardants. Eight missions were flown by the Medford planes, using borate chiefly. Star Ranger Crew A crew of 16 men from the Star Ranger Station fire sup pression crew of the Rogue River National forest also went to fight the rapidly moving blaze. The men, Robert Torheim of the Rogue River National Forest stated, are usually as signed to the hottest spots on the line. Air tankers from Montague and Redding were also flown through the fire and dropped bentonite for the major portion of the suppression work. There were three trail build ers (bulldozers) and six ground water tankers used in the ground fighting of the fire, Thornton said. Californian Dies Of Accident Injuries Robert Edlow Whitlock, 51, of Coleville, Calif., died about 6:45 p.m. Thursday from in juries suffered in a two-vehicle accident south of Medford. Still in critical condition at Rogue Valley hospital is his wife, Lucille, 46. Whitlock was a sheriff's deputy in Mono coun ty. Calif. In good condition at the same hospital is Mrs. Doris Ruth Evanson, 39, of 1251 Kings high way, Medford, driver of the other vehicle. Whitlock's death brings to IS the number of persons who have been killed in Jackson county this year in automobile acci dents. FORMER DRIVER DIES SAN RAFAEL. Calif. (L'PIl Robert N. Kellogg, 75, a one time stagecoach driver and U.S.4urcau of Public Roads of ficial, died here Wednesday. ii nihil iS ,liM,av TO SERVE APPI.EtiATE The Applegale res ervoir, on upper Applegale river, will be oper ated spi'cilically to serve the need of the Applegale valley. AImiiiI 70,000 acre-feel of nlorage will be held behind a 230-foot dam at the mil shown. The hkiI, extending from the 58th Year Price 10 Cents RIBUNE Ecumenical Council Events To Be Revealed VATICAN CITY ' WU-The American head of the Ecumen ical Council's special press com mittee said today the much criticized secrecy of the his toric gathering has been lifted and journalists will be given details of what takes place. Archbishop Martin J. O'Con nor of Scranton, Pa., rector of the North American College in Rome, told a news conference that a summary of who said what in council meetings will be made public. The new steps, he said, in clude: The press office spokesmen of the seven language groups will be allowed inside the coun cil hall during the daily de bates. During the council's first session this was not done. Summaries of the 17 drafts up for discussion will be given to the press, although the texts of the drafts will not be made public. The press office will be able to make public the view points of the various council fathers put forward in debate and say which speakers said what. The press setup for the coun cil, which reconvenes for its second session on Sunday, was widely criticized during the first gathering last year. The daily communiques were more nota ble for what they did not say than for the information they gave. Jury Expected To Get Case Today GRANTS PASS - The first degree murder trial of Norman Stewart Thomas, 22, of Grants Pass, was expected to go to the jury either this afternoon or to morrow. Testimony in the Josephine county circuit courtroom was completed Thursday. District Attorney Larry Aseh enbrenner and Charles A. Tel fer, the defense attorney, were scheduled to deliver their clos ing statements today. Thomas is charged in connec tion with the death of Lloyd Miles Harper, 48, of Grants Pass, on July 12. A second man, Gerald Rich ard Oden, 25, of Wolf Creek, was found guilty of voluntary man slaughter two weeks ago in con nection with the same case. In the current trial, the state contends that Harper died while being robbed by Thomas and Oden. The defense contends that no robbery was committed and that Harper died in an acciden tal fall. TV Highlights State Rrp. John R. Dellrn hack. Medford, will discuii the legislature's lax program and what a "yea" and "no" vote will mean at Ihr special fj-clinn Oct. 15 at 8:30 o'clock tonight on KMED-TV (Ch. 1(1. or- yMi. Public Welfare Orders Cutback In Services SALEM (UPI)-A solemn Pub lic Welfare Commission today reluctantly ordered a 14 per cent cutback in aid to old H-o-ple, destitute families, and other welfare services. The culs will take effect im mediately if the tax measure la defeated Oct. 15, and Gov. Mark Hatfield told the enmmis lon to prepare to order cuts of 23 per cent in agency services at a inter date. Welfare Commissioner An drew Jurna said the cuts would have a "disastrous impact on (-rwjn dependent on public as Ivtanee. "Such drastic reductions would remit In inhumane trcal mmt of people. "It will be neccsnary literally for all local communities with in the state to find other re vjurce to meet these unmet welfare recipients' needs, not only in maintenance items, but in medical health service in ad dition," he said. Rep. Peck Cries The 14 per cent cutback will slash $5.8 million from state welfare funds, $2.2 million from county funds, and $7 million in federal matching moneys. Rep. Grace Peck (D-Portland) became so upset over the im pact of the proposed cutbacks that she ran crying from the meeting room. A nursing home operator in the audience complained the cutbacks were too big. Commissioners said they had no choice, that if the tax meas ure is defeated there won't be enough money to keep services going. Major Culs Listed Major slashes to be ordered as part of the 14 per cent cut back include: Establish a maximum $28 adult food allowance. Limit medical aid to the aged enrollment to 7,500 per sons. Eliminate slate participa tion in the general assistance medical program. Limit supplemental and spe cial payments, eliminate step father cases, limit out of state assistance grants. Reduce burial allowances by 15 per cent. Eliminate $5 increase in nursing home rales, and cut rates an additional 10 per cent. Eliminate 55 agency posi tions. Eliminate employees' salary increase, reduce all services and supplies budgets, and elim inate capital outlay expendi tures. In addition, adopt a 13.2 per cent rateable reduction in all social security categories, with the exception of aid to the blind. Cited as examples of the cut backs, a 55-year-old disabled man with no income now receiv ing $103 a month would be cut to $73. A mother of two pre-school children with no income who now receives $165 would be cut to $129. BECOMES PRESIDENT SAN FRANCISCO (UPD Pelcr T. Sinclair, executive vice president of Crown Zellcrbach Corp. since 1959, was elevated to presidency of the company Thursday. WEATHER roRKCAST: Pifllv rlnuifv in flight and Hainrilav. low to nithi SI High Saturday 1mp ItlKhrM. ilrrlav 104 l.owrtt Ihli Mnrnlng 46 Our Skies Tonight fStinwl inrlav 7: p m. ftunrlt tomorrow ... 7:0ft a.m. fwnl tomorrow a m. lull Mftnn (Hirvnt Moon) CKt. Z PROMINENT STARS I aprlla. In nnrthrait p m. Altjtr, high In touth- fit 10:21 P m. VtHllll.K Pt.AVKTft Jupiter, high In aouth ait . 1 1 :2 p.m. ("turn. In louthwetl. 1:04 a.m. damsito to a point across the Oregon-California boundary, is expected to provide large recreation, fish and wildlife benefits as well as control of Applegale river floods and addition al irrigation water. Kennedy Gets Bird's- Slimpse of Rogue IProjec Albania Attacks Test Ban Treaty, Accuses U.S. UNITED NATIONS, N.Y. (UPD Tiny Albania, dubbed the "pariah" of the Commu nist world, today denounced the nuclear test ban treaty, accused the United States of openly threatening Communist China, said Washington defends all the world's corrupt regimes and pledged full support to Castro's Cuba. A policy speech delivered to the (jcneral Assembly bv Al banian Foreign Minister Bchar Shtylla was a sharp departure from the conciliatory cold war line followed by Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko last week and echoed by other speakers from the Moscow bloc. This Year's Move Albania, Peking's only Com munist bloc ally in the ideo logical split with Russia, last week made this year's move to seat Communist China in the United Nations. Nationalist Chi nese Ambassador Liu Chieh promptly characterized Albania as "the pariah of the Commu nist world." Only minor Soviet diplomats showed up to listen to Rehar in the big assembly hall which was three-quarters empty. First Major Speaker Other speakers in today's gen eral debate sessions were Thai land, Nepal, Italy, Ghana, Indo nesia and Chile. Italy was the tirst major North Atlantic Treaty Organization power to address the assembly since President Kennedy spoke here last week. Thailand and Indonesia were considered certain to bring up the controversy over the forma tion of Malaysia, and Ghana was expected to shed more light on African intentions regarding opposition to the racial policies of Portugal and South Africa. Alert Truck Driver Reports Hold Up at Motel, Calls Police Some southern Oregon inns quilns, a spider and an alrrt truck driver sent the Oregon state police to the Bear Creek Motel shortly before 7 o'clock this morning where a holdup was reported in progress. John Nolan, manager of the the motel, somewhat surpris ed al (he arrived of officers, was able, with the aid of po lice, to reconstruct what prom pled I he telephone call to officers. Between 8:31) and 7 o'clock a motel guest, Ralph Bran from John Day, went to the motel's office to report I plug ged shower drain. The office Is adjacent to Highway 99 and hat a large picture window. While Bran and Nolan were talking, Bran waved some mosquito away, and Noland, looking up In see what was wrong, noticed a spider on a web nearby. He reached up to kill It just as a truck drove hy the driver thinking the mo tel was heira; helik called police. The motel hps been hJd up twice In recent yer. Nolan. In talking to the Mall Tribune, said that he appreci ated the truck driver's action, and added that he wished he knew his name so he could "lr$Ue him in for a cup of coffee." MULTIPLE USE NOTED Elk Creek reservoir on Elk creek, one of the three authorized for construction by the Corps of Engineers, will be used for flood control, irrigation, water supply, fish and wildlife enhancement and rec reation. It will be operated with Lost Creek Hunters Asked Not To Start Fires in Region's Forests Forest fire danger, described as the worst of the 1903 season and one of the worst in a long history of Indian summer prob lems for forest protective asso ciations, is being approached today with an unusual request to hunters, who go into the woods for opening of the deer senson tomorrow The Rogue River National forest and the Oregon forestry department are asking hunters not to build fires unless they are absolutely necessary The weather is warm, Robert H. Torheim of Rogue River Na tional forest, and Curtis Ne sheim, of the Oregon forestry department, emphasized. This eliminates the need for warm ing fires, and there will be ci tations issued, Neshcim stated, if hunters are found building warming fires in the woods. Fires in established camps will be allowed, but hunters are urg ed to use every precaution if they find it necessary to build fires for cooking. All lookouts In both forest areas and forest protected lands are manned, and patrols will be on duty in all areas all hours of the day. The services are geared to maximum prevention for the week end. While the forest protective agencies have faced similar conditions in other years when hunting season opened, the tem peratures are higher this year and no benefits are being real ized from night time cooling, the officers noted. The humidity, as low as 20 per cent, was accompanied by winds of 30 miles )er hour day and night during the past 48 hours on the Siskiyou summit. Torheim staled. The smallest spark under these circumstan ces is lethal. 11 starts fire im mediately and it lakes off in a hurry. Patrols will be on the alert for smoker (ires also, Torheim slated, noting that peoples' hab its often change with the ad vent of autumn. Individuals who have been careful during the summer months, he explained, forget that the weather is still warm and become careless in their habits. They expect the frosty mornings and dampness often associated with autumn and act accordingly. No break in the weather is forecast in the forest area, Tor heim said, and to make matters worse there are forecasts of lightning storms. Three years ago on Sept. 30 while similar weather condi Portland State College Sororities Suspended on Discrimination Charge PORTLAND (UPI)-A sweep- ing move by administration of ficials at Portland State College here Thursday suspended all six national sororities on campus on charges of racial discrimina tion. The ban was ordered by PSC President Branford Millar after a series of discussions between college officials and sorority representatives did t rwve what Millar termud "Sjrimw doubt as tin ataaiico f discrim ination oi Dm bti ti c4r" in rush Mnt pfedep rtivil. SusperM w kwaj irhap trfw of tht tatimaJ sororities Alpha Cfei Omega, Alpha Oml- tions prevailed a lightning storm occurred and at least 20 fires were started, the forest fire prevention officer recalled. If campfires are left unat tended even jn established camps, citations will be issued holh forest representatives made it clear todav. Patrols will be checking on all areas in an effort to pre vent the holocaust which could result from a neglected camp- fire under present conditions. The forests have so far en joyed a good record on man caused fires in southern Ore- gon and officials plan to do ev erything in their power, it was amphasized, to maintain this record through the hunting sea son. They are asking hunters not to build fires this week end. Garage Burned, Houses Damaged By Ashland Blaze ASHLAND A garage was de stroyed and two homes exten sively damaged here Thursday when fire broke out In the garage and spread to the other buildings. Also involved were two barns, one of which was damaged slightly. The situation was further complicated by a grass fire which broke out at another locution while firemen were still mopping up the earlier fires. The chain of events began at 1:5.1 p.m. when a fire of unde termined cause broke out in the garage at 104 Bush St. It then spread to the residence of L. P. Swink, assistant Ashland fire chief, at 108 Bush st. Mrs. Swink, who was awaken ed from a nap by the barking of a small dog, called in the alarm. Sparks Fly Meanwhile, sparks from the Rush st. fire flew over one block to the residence of Mrs. Buma Nicks, 122 South Laurel st. The garage was a total loss. The upper story of each of the residences was gutted. The lire also extended to the roof of a barn at 105 Bush St., where damage was minor, and a barn at 111) South Laurel St., where no damage was reported. While fireman were still at the scene about 3 p.m., a grass fire wns reported at Horsey st. and the Southern Pacific Rail road tracks. No shortage of cron PI, Alpha Phi, Delta Delta Delta, Delta Zcta, and Pi Beta Phi. Millar said the doubt resulted from the "complete rejection by all sororities at the college of two eminently qualified Negro applicants" during rushing which had been under way to select new members. Millar said he intends to ap point a faculty committee to re view the future status of the sororities, but cannot see now how the doubt can be "satis factorily resolved." The sororities have been on thicampus since I960. The president said the chapter were reservoir as a unit of an integrated water resource development plan for Rogue River Basin. A total of about 100,000 acre-feel of water will be stored behind a dam about 235 feet high. Tongue Point, Dunes Area on Brief Agenda ASTORIA (UPI) - President Kennedy was to fly over the Rogue Basin project in southern Oregon late this afternoon to view sites for three proposed dams Lost Creek, Elk Crwk and Copper. No actual work has been done on the dams since money has been available only for planning. Meanwhile. Astorians awSit ed a brief afternoon visit from Kennedy today, hopeful of hear ing some favorable word about the future of the old Tongue Point Naval Station. All members of Oregon's Democratic congressional dele gation and Republican Gov. Mark Hatfield were scheduled to greet Kennedy at 1:20 p.m. when his helicopter arrived from Tacoma. The visit was to bo brief only 15 minutes. Kennedy was to view the installation, meet with local officials but planned no speech. He then was to copter bacic to Seattle-Tacoma airport and fly to Redding, Calif. passing over the Oregon Dunes and the Rogue Basin Project en route. The Democratic congres sional delegation was to accom pany him, then return to Port land by plane this evening. Barricades to control a crowd of 3,000 to 5,000 persons have been constructed at Tongua Point, located just cast of here. Many Clatsop county schools planned to dismiss classes to let children see the President. Morse Urges Use Tongue Point was completed in 1939 as a Navy air station, con verted into a reserve fleet base in 1946 and closed in lniiO as sur plus. Sen. Wayne Morse ID Ore.) has been after the admin istration to find a new use for the facility. Kennedy had been scheduled earlier to speak in Portland but this was called off in the face of threatened picketing of a new public housing project by the National Association for the Ad vancement of Colored People. Rep. Edith Green (D-Ore.) said the President may rclurn in the next few months and stay longer. She said she was "sorry about the combination of events and statements that caused this cancellation." Over Dunes Area Kennedy's afternoon flight south was to take him over tho scenic dunes area between Flor ence and North Bend. Bills have been introduced to convert it into a national seashore. reminded of a rule against dis crimination two years ago when a Negro girl was rejected. Rushing for this year's mem bers had just started Sunday. The two Negro girls were in vited to some of the first rush ing parties Monday evening but were dropped by Thursday. A joint statement by the sor orities said the school's action was, "in effect an ultimatum to all of the sororities to admit one or both girls mentioned to mem bership. To yield to this pres sure eliminates all freedom ot choice." None of the fraternities on tha campus was affcctoA by Thurs day's action.