Sweetwater Reporter (Sweetwater, Tex.), Vol. 41, No. 118, Ed. 1 Friday, August 19, 1938 Page: 1 of 8
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Man Kills Girl
When Proposal To
Wed Is Refused
Minister Starts Life
Term 15 Hours After
Confessing Murder
NEW YORK — (UP) — John
Bellinger, an advertising man,
went on a date with his girl
friend with a sawed off rifle
concealed in his brief case, pre-
pared to kill her if she refused
to marry him. She turned him
down as they reached her apart-
ment early today, and he shot
her through the back of the
head.
Leaving the body in the hall-
way, Bellinger went to tho home
of Father John Sheehan and
confessed the slaying.
Together they went to the po-
lice station where Bellinger re-
peated that he had killed Marie
Joyce, 25.
NORTH DAKOTA JUSTICE
MOVES SWIFTLY
STANTON, N. D. — (UP) —
Rev. Helo Janssen, 51, minister,
began a life term in the state
penitentiary today less than 15
hours after he had confessed the
poison murder of his 16-year-old
housemaid, Alma Kruckenberg.
He pleaded guilty in a special
session of circuit court conven-
ed at midnight to hear his case.
He was taken to prison less
than two hours after the court
was recessed.
V. 8. SELLS
HULA SKIRTS
SAN FRANCISCO — (UP) —
Uncle Sam's annual postoffice
sale of unclaimed merchandise
included two hula hula skirts,
one derby hat, one lot of chick-
en wire, china eggs and one
cake turner.
Home Again
When even an appeal to Ihn
kin>; foiled to overcome strict
British animal quarantine
laws, blind Hazel Hurst of
Oneonta, X. Y., refused to
continue her trip abroad with-
out lier "seeing eye." She
is shown as she and the dog
guide, Babe, returned to
New York after lier water
voyage to England. They have
traveled 80,(MM) miles together.
IL S. Asked To Investigate Recruiting
For Spanish War
WASHINGTON — (UP) —
The house committee, investigat-
ing un-American activities, to-
day called on Attorney General
Homer Gummings to investigate
recruiting of Americans to
fight in the Spanish war.
The committee clerk was di-
rected to send Cummings copies
of testimony of Abraham Sobel
and Alvin Halpern, Boston
youths who enlisted in this
country and fought in the Span-
ish loyalist army.
The committee also broaden-
ed its inquiry to include char-
ges that the federal theatre pro-
ject was being used to disse-
minate communist doctrine.
Action on the Spanish enlist-
ments was a prelude to resump-
tion of the committee's investi-
gation of charges that federal
officials protected Harry Brid-
ges when the west coast CIO
leader faced deportation charges
as a communist.
First Bale Turns
Out 530 Lbs. Lint
The first hale of the 1038 cot-
ton crop, grown by Bob Hillev
of the Longworth community in
Fisher county and ginned in
Sweetwater yesterday afternoon
turned out 530 pounds of lint
from 1550 pounds of seed cot-
ton.
The cotton graded 7-8ths strict
middling. It was the second
bale picked this season by Mr.
Hilley, the other having been
STiined earlier in the week at
Rotan. He expects to get out his
j third bale tomorrow. The cot-
: ton will yield more than a half
; hale to the acre, said the grow-
I er.
Two Men Die In
Electric Chair
HUNTSVILLE — (UP) —The
electric chair at the Texas pen-
itentiary last night claimed the
lives of two men convicted of
murder. A third man was giv-
en a 30-day reprieve by Gov.
James V. Allred.
The two who died shortly af-
ter midnight were Collan H.
Morgan of El Paso and Jesse
Polanco of San Antonio.
Morgan was convicted of kill-
ing his wife, Eleanor Rose
Morgan, last year in El Paso
county.
Polanco was sentenced to
death for the murder of George
Forbes, a bus driver, in the
hold-up of a bus.
A reprieve v\;as granted Car-
los Fernandez, who was con-
victed of killing Policeman John
Stowe in a San Antonio club on
Dec. 0, 1936. The governor is
allowed by law to grant a con-
demned man one reprieve with-
out the recommendation of the
pardon board. The board had
announced earlier that it would
not interfere with Fernandez'
execution.
WEATHER
SWEETWATER — Cloudy
and warmer, possibly unsettl-
ed.
Maximum temperature yester-
day 95 degrees. Low this morn-
ing 72 degrees. Temperature at
2 p. m. today 96 degrees.
WEST TEXAS — Generally
fair tonight and Saturday ex-
cept partly cloudy and scattered
showers in extreme west por-
tions*
EAST TEXAS — Generally
fair tonight and Saturday.
World's Second
Deepest Oil Well
NEW ORLEANS — (UP) —
The world's deepest directional
oil well—two and a half miles
deep—came in lsst night opening
Louisiana's 27th new oil field
within a year.
The well, near Houma, La., is
the second deepest producer in
the world. It was designated
Fohs Oil Company's Number
One Bay Baptiste.
Its depth reaches 12,356 feet,
but it is producing at 11,172 feet.
Deepest producer in the world
is in California.
Scurry Co. Farm
Leader Succumbs
SNYDER — F. I. Townsend,
70, veteran farm and political
leader, died at his home yester-
day after several months ill-
ness.
Townsend lived on a farm
10 miles northwest of Snyder
where he moved in 1905 from
Fort Worth.
Me served as state secretary
of the old farmers union, was
the first Scurry county farm
agent, served as county demo-
cratic chairman and inspector
of markets and warehouses un-
der the state department of ag-
riculture.
Funeral services will be
held today.
o
TRICYCLE RIDDEN
FOR 578 MILES
SYDNEY — (UP) — Alfred
Wilkinson, 44, Melbourne ex-
serviceman, completed a 578-
mile ride from Melbourne to
Sydney on a child's tricycle in
0 days, 23 hours and 25 min-
utes to win a bet. The original
wager of $125 was that he could
not ride the distance In 21 days.
With other bets Wilkinson has
won a total of $625.
Sunday 'Go to Church Day'
Enthusiastic Sales Meeting Held Last Night
More than 200 sales directors,
sales people and others at-
tended a mass meeting last night
in the municipal auditorium
which was called by Aubrey S.
Legg, general chairman of the
National Salesmen's Crusade in
Sweetwater, to study plans for
continuing the crusade in '.he
city.
"Last night's meeting was
one of the most enthusiastic
gatherings yet held in connec-
tion with the sales crusade in
Sweetwater," said Chairman
Legg. "The general opinion ex-
'pressed last night was that/the
crusade has already/
great deal to business;
sales people in the city
like campaigns will pr
made a regular part
munity activity in the "future.
It was pointed out that the
fundamental • activity of Sweet-
water citizens Is merchandising
and that any program design-
ed to increase the merchandis-
ing tempo is bound to be bene-
ficial to the community.
Two illustrated lectures were
presented to the sales people,
"Along Main Street," and "The
Human Touch", last night, both
having to do with salesmanship.
Both films on salesmanship
were presented by Sweetwater
firms and both presented funda-
mental steps in successful mer-
chandising and selling.
Sweetwater churches pledged
cooperation in the National
Salesmen's Crusade. >As their
part in the campaign, Sunday
has been set aside as "Go to
Church Day" in Sweetwater.
Pastors and laymen are mak-
ing plans for the observance
Sunday and the first goal set
is: Record attendance at all
churches participating in the
crusade.
All business firms which nor-
mally remain open during the
church and Sunday school hours
will be requested to close dur-
ing both the morning and even-
ing worship hours to permit
the owners and employes to
; attend all services Sunday,
i Requested closing hours are
10 to 12 in the morning and 7
to 9 o'clock in the evening.
Those in charge of the church-
es' part in the crusade have
agreed that "renewed financial
prosperity cannot return per-
manently to tne community un-
til the community, the state and
the nation has undergone a
thorough spiritual revival." The
pastors, said a spokesman of
the ministerial association, hope
that Sunday's "Go to Church
Day" will be the beginning of
this spiritual revival in Sweet-
water.
Sweetwateb .Reporter
VOL. XLI
SWEETWATER, TEXAS, FRIDAY, AUGUST I 9, 1938
NUMBER 11 3
Kidnaping Of
Brownwood Boy
Investigated
Drugstore Delivery
Lad Forced To Drive
Abductor Around State
BROWNWOOD — (UP) —
Authorities of Brown and Co-
mal counties todaf investigated
the kidnaping here last night of
Ray Jones, drugstore delivery
boy.
Jones was sitting in his au-
tomobile near the store when
the kidnaper threatened him
with a gun and forced him to
drive to San Saba, Llano and
Fredericksburg.
Six miles from New Braun-
fels Jones was put out of the
car, and the kidnaper drove
away
—0
Fisher Road On
Sept. Schedule
AUSTIN — (UP) — Federal
and state projects, estimated to
cost S3,088,887 a majority of
which will be submitted to the
bureau of public roads in time
for letting September 7, were
announced today by the state
highway department.
State projects to be let Tues-
day, Sept. 6, include: grading,
drainage structures, • flexible
base from Roby west five miles
in Fisher countv.
FDR'S Proffer of Aid to Canada
Arouses European Nations
IJ.V United Press
The 1938 model of American
foreign designs on Canada arous-
ed excited approval in Great
Britain and France and was
ignored in Italian newspapers
German newspapers criticized
Mr. Roosevelt, emphasizing his
efforts to consolidate the Am-
ericas as a bulwark for demo-
cracy. One paper described the
president's declaration as an
illiance with Canada ana hint-
jd that Canadians might well be
suspicious of the United States
"generosity.''
The president, meantime, in-
dicated that he did not intend
his remarks as widening the
scope of the Monroe doctrine,
which established United States
opposition to any foreign in-
fringement on American repub-
lics.
Meanwhile, the United States'
attitude was generally viewed
as bolstering efforts of Britian
aikI France to ease war threats
arising from the Czech minority
crisis.
Elsewhere on the troublei
fronts:
China: Japanese sought to re-
inforce their drive toward Han-
kow after a series of aerial bat-
tles in which they claimed to
have shot down 32 Chinese
planes. Chinese reported six
Japanese planes were down.
Palestine: New disorders be-
tween Jews and Arabs resulted
in one of the most serious
clashes of Arab extremists with
British troops. At least 30
Arabs were reported killed.
Spain: Loyalists, making
fective use of new aircraft, re-
ported they had halted the re-
bel drive on the Almaden mer-
cury mines.
ef-
Two More Chapters in Torso Murder Story
Sept. Oil Demand
1,398,600 Barrels
AUSTIN — (UP) — The mar-
ket demand for Texas oil in
September is 1,398,600 barrels
daily, the bureau of mines re-
ported today as the Texas rail-
road commission opened a state-
wide proration hearing.
o
Band Concert
Tomorrow Night
The weekly band concert by
the municipal band is to be pre-
sented at 8 o'clock tomorrow
night on the courthouse lawn.
Director Jack Armstrong an-
nounced the following program:
March, "The U. S. Field Artil-
lery"; overture, "Norman";
march, "National High School
Band"; comedy sketch. "Antics
of the Old Gray Mare", by Fred
W. Clement; march. "Lights
Out"; selection, "The Merry
Widow"; and march, "Fair Chi-
cago."
i
E
Religion Basis
Good Government
Says O'Daniel
J
Denies 'Original
Supporters' Quit Him
After Endorsement
FORT WORTH — (UP) —
W. Lee O'Daniel, democratic
nomirtee for governor, said to-
day that religion must be the
basis of good government.
He dismissed a report that a
group of "original O'Daniel
supporters" had rebelled be-
cause he endorsed six candidates
for state offices with the re-
mark "I don't reognize any ori-
ginal O'Daniel supporters in
the list of men backing the
movement."
"I'm not fanatical about it",
said the nominee, concerning his
religious viewpoints. "But I
think the underlying foundation
of government, social life and
economic life is found in reli-
gion. This belief will be an im-
portant factor in my adminis-
tration."
Special Croup
To Investigate
Slaying of Pair
Grand Jury Hearg
Story of the Kill-
ing of Two Escapees
CROCKETT — (UP) — Three
women told the Houston county
grand jury today that they
heard John Hendrix Frazjf.er,
21, of Dallas and Raymond Wil-
kerson, 24, of Fort Worth
"scream" before they were shot
to death in their attempted es-
cape from Eastham prison farm
Wednesday.
The women, Miss Grace
Brewton, Mrs. Jessie Richards,
and Mrs. M. A. Brewton, moth-
of Miss Brewton, testified be-
fore the grand jury investigat-
ing a charge of murder filed
against Robert Parker, suspen-
| ded Eastham farm dog ser-
geant, in connection with Fraz-
ier's death.
The women live on a farm
eight miles from here near
where the shooting took place.
There was a report that a spe-
cial investigating committee,
named by Chairman Joseph
Wearden of the Texas prison
i board, would appear later to-
day before the grand jury. The
| investigating committee con-
vened at Eastham farm and was
I expected to proceed to Crockett.
Parker, employed by the pri-
son system for 16 years, was
charged with shooting Frazier
as the convict stepped from be-
hind a tree with his hands in
the air.
Beneath a heap of rubbish in a damp near the shores of liake Krie at Cleveland detectives
are shown examining tlie remains of one of the two latest victims of the city's torso terror
killer. Finding of the decomposed bodies of two persons, both apparently women, wrapped in
brown paper and fragments of cloth, speeded the search for the maniac who has slain
and dismembered 12 victims in the last three years. Detective Peter Merylo is pictured pull-
ing out a stained pillow slip in which a section of one of the bodies was discovered.
Dallas oman
Sued for $300,000
i DALLAS — (UP) — Mrs. Am-
ber Collins Massie of Dallas was
named defendant today in a
§300,000 alienation of affections
suit brought by her son-in-law,
Charles P. Link, Pasadena. Cal.,
oil lease dealer.
The suit filed in Los Angeles,
alleged that Mrs. Massie encour-
aged her daughter, Mrs. Andon-
ell Massie Link, to sue for di-
vorce in Dallas.
Link and his wife were mar-
ried March 26, 1935. He charged
that his mother-in-law interfer-
ed in her daughter's domesftic
affairs until she left him last
June 20.
Mrs. Link was reported to be
I in Europe.
Campaign to Combat Cotton Pests
To Be Discussed At Meeting
Farmers, business men and all
others interested in Nolan coun-
ty's cotton crop are invited to at-
tend a meeting at 2:30 o'clock
Saturday sfternoon in the dist-
rict courtroom to discuss the cot-
ton pest situation.
Attending the meeting will
be two entomologists from the
Texas A. and M. college experi-
ment station at Spur, as well as
the head agronomist from the
station.
Purpose of the mass meeting
is to plan a campaign on cot-
ton pests which have been as-
sailing the cotton crop for the
last 10 days or two weeks.
Flsner Farmers Fighting
Similar mass meetings were
held Wednesday at Rotan and
Roby and Fisher county farm-
ers have enlisted in a campaign
to combat flea hoppers, boll
weevil, leaf and boll worms. The
two Spur entomologists attended
the Fisher county meetings and
outlined a "cotton dusting" pro-
gram which they believe will
See CAMPAIGN Page 8
Sylvester Gets
First 1938 Bale
SYLVESTER — The first bale
I of the 1038 cotton crop for Syl-
vester was ginned yesterday by
the Farmers Coop, gin, according
to J. C. McHaney, manager of
the association.
The cotton was produced by
O. Moffett, a farmer living two
miles north of Sylvester.
He brought in 2200 pounds of
snapped cotton, which produced
a 550 pound bale.
The bale was bought by
McHaney, coop, manager, for 9
cents a pound. Merchants of
Sylvester made up a $15 pre-
mium for Mr. Moffett.
LaPorte, Indiana, Judge Names Juveniles to Handle Special
Traffic Court to Deal With Violators of City's Bicycle Code
LA PORTE, Ind. — (UP)-
Two 'teen age boys, back-
ed by the authority of Mayor
Alban Smith, today were
named judge and prosecutor
in a special "traffic" court
for juveniles.
Mayor Smith said the new
court would function as a
branch of the municipal
court.
"It will be backed," he
said, "by the full power of
my office."
Joseph Daley, 14, was nam-
ed Judge, and Fred Dun-
ham, 12, prosecutor.
"The court will deal with
those violating the city's
traffic code with their bi-
cycles," Smith said. "It
will meet once a week to
try violators who ignore
stop signs, ride on the
wrong side of the street or
violate other traffic regula-
tions while riding bicycles.
The first session will be
held at 2 p. m. Monday."
Smith said he believed the
youths were "more conver-
sant with Juvenile traffic
problems than adults are.
They will have the power to
restrict guilty youths from
using their bicycles for any
length of 'iine."
City police the mayor
said, would be required to
enforce the unique court's
orders.
"Judge" Daley, just get-
ting ready for bed at 8
p. m. after a conference
with the mayor, promised
to be severe.
"Some of the kids have
been pretty careless," lie
said. " '11 fine them what
they deserve. If it's serious
enough I might even fine
them $1 and take their bi-
cycles away from them for
a week."
"Prosecutor" Dunham al-
so promised to use the
powers of his office to pun-
ish violators.
"We'll have to enforce the
law," he said.
Indiana Deputy Attorney
General Pat Smith said to-
day he questioned the "le-
gal standing" of LaPorte's
new "bicycle" court.
"I don't believe the deci-
sions would be binding if
they were appealed," he
said.
Martin Creator of
Political Cartoon
The political cartoon which ran
on the front page of the Sweet-
water Reporter yesterday was
the handiwork of Billy Martin,
a Sweetwater boy who is at-
tracting increasing attention
through his various forms of
art work.
Although engaged in the com
mercial sign and advertising
business, Billy Martin is keep-
ing up with his studies of the
more serious side of art and
no doubt will carve a niche in
"the "hall of fame" for himself.
On various occasions the Re-
porter has been favored with
some of his work.
Doctors Wife
Death Probed
LINNEUS, Mo. — (UP)
| Authorities of this quiet farming
county said today that they
would wait upon reports on whe-
| ther Mrs. Ella Lamance pols-
j oned herself before pursuing an
investigation of the charge of
murder against her husband, Dr.
William F. Lamance, strapping
former amateur boxer.
Sheriff Max Brown said no
progress had been made in the
| case and that Lamance held in
Linn County jail, was so ner-
vous "I don't feel like disturb-
ing him now." Prosecuting At-
torney Derk Green was busy
with other cases and delayed his
study of this slaying which had
stirred the village of Laclede,
where Lamance was the only
doctor.
The 34-year-old osteopath at-
tended his wife's funeral, was re-
turned to Laclede, then brought
to jail. He was disconsolate.
Meanwhile, Dr. Frank J. Hall,
Kansas City pathologist, was ex-
amining the 29-year-old woman's
viscera in an effort to determine
whether she had killed herself
as she had threatened to do ac-
cording to friends. Early inquiry
showed she had been upset over
family troubles which allegedly
resulted from her husband's
drinking.
Mrs. Lamance's body was
found early this weiK in a fruit
ctllar after she had been missing
a week. Li.mance said he return-
ed from a fishing trip and she
was gone. He conducted a fruit-
less search, he said.
Later Lamance went to Mani-
tou, Colo., with a friend. There
lie sought the advice of his
mother, an evangelist, Mrs. Lora
1 . ir.ance. His mother returned
with him and Monday ihey
went to authorities, who found
the body. The friend, Irwin
(Dot Harbaugh, described their
search for Mrs. Lamance in
Kansas City, whare the couple
met five years age, and said
Lamance was not i.rvvous dur-
ing the trip
Mother and Baby
Are Found Dead
LONG VIEW — (UP)—Neigh-
bors entering the home of Mrs
George Wilmoth, 30, late yes-
terday discovered Mrs. Wilmoth
and her small son shot to
death in separate bedroom.,
of their home.
The child, lying in its crib
in a back bedroom, was found
with blood crusted about its
mouth. The body of the mother
was two rooms away, her head
propped against the wall where
she had fallen after being shot.
Neighbors said that blood was j,
found in several rooms ot the
house.
A pistol was found In a pool
of blood beside the mother's bo-
dy. Her husband, George Wil-
moth, employe of the Gulf Oil
company, told Coronor Matt
Owings that his wife had been
suffering from a nervous break-
down for several months.
The coroner's verdict was
murder and suicide.
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Sweetwater Reporter (Sweetwater, Tex.), Vol. 41, No. 118, Ed. 1 Friday, August 19, 1938, newspaper, August 19, 1938; Sweetwater, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth281968/m1/1/: accessed April 23, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Sweetwater/Nolan County City-County Library.