Sweetwater Reporter (Sweetwater, Tex.), Vol. 40, No. 316, Ed. 1 Monday, April 4, 1938 Page: 1 of 6
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v
GOARANTCE RAIL II
VOL. XXXX
Backbone
Developments In
Spain Quicken
Armament Plans
Chamberlain Assails
Foes of His Policy
Of Peaceful Dealings
Triumphant nationalist ar-
mies today broke the back of
Spanish government resistance
and plunged through Catalonia
to strike a deathblow to the
loyalists.
Loyalist defenses crumble!
at Lerida, key to the rich Bar-
celona industrial district. Nation-
alists, aided by Italians, pound-
ed at the gales of Morella and
Tartosa to split Catalonia from
other loyalist areas. Casualties
were enormous.
Madrid underwent another
heavy bombardment.
Developments in Spain quick-
ened the World's preparations
for the next war in a dozen dan-
gei spots, including:
Washington: Chief of U. S.
naval operations, Admiral Wil-
liam Leahy, urged senate revi-
sion of President Roosevelt's
billion dollar naval program to
permit construction of record-
breaking 45,000-ton battleships,
if desired. The state department
said this country should main-
tain a war fleet at least fiO per
cent greater than Japan.
Face Slapping In London
i London: The house of com-
mons, disrupted by a face slap-
ping between two members,
heard Prime Minister Neville
Chamberlain assail opponents of
his policy of dealing peacefully
with European dictators. He
urged that Britain must not be
disturbed by an election in the
midst of her rearmament cam-
paign.
Paris: Premier Leon Blum's
cabinet approved a series of
drastic financial bills on which
it will stake its existence. The
impending establishment of an-
other dictatorial state in Spain,
under strong Italian influence,
further complicated France's
position.
Budapest: Mounting tension
in central Europe forecast fur-
ther maneuvers to extend Nazi
Germany's influence eastward.
Admiral Nicholas Horthy, Hun-
garian ruler, declared the na-
tion intended to remain inde-
pendent.
s' Resistance Is Broken
Sweetwater Reporter
Claimed By Death
SWEETWATER, TEXAS, MONDAY, APRIL 4, 1938
NUMBER 316
Lovely Laurent
In the spring all ambitious
young movie actresscs climb
into their bathing suits, and
this lovely damsel certainly
won't hamper her film career
by so doing. She's Jacqueline
Laurent, and I'aris was justi-
fiably sad when she left those
parts for Hollywood.
Big Spring Man
Hurt In Wreck
Lem Milbun, 47, of Big Spring
sustained two fractured ribs
and was painfully injured when
his car overturned on the high-
way about four miles west of
Sweetwater Sunday morning. It.
is reported that he was forced
off the road in meeting another
car at an underpass, his car
turning over twice. It was sever-
al minutes before aid reached
him. The injured man was tak-
en to the Sweetwater hospital
in a Yates ambulance. He re-
mained in the hospital for ob-
servation.
Milbun, an oil worker, lives at
1501 West Fourth street in Big
Spring. He was en route from
Cross Plains, where he had been
working, to his home when the
accident occurred.
o—————
*Newman High PTA
Party Tonight
The Newman High Parent-
Teacher association's open
house is to be held at the school
tonight instead of this afternoon
as erroneously reported in
Sunday's paper.
The party starts at 7:45 p. m.
o
City Election To
Be Held Tomorrow
B. N. Roberts and L. L. Ar-
mor, present members of the
city board of commissioners, are
up for re-election in the election
to be Conducted in the foyer of
Municipal Auditorium Tuesday.
They have no opposition.
WEATHER
SWEETWATER — Warmer
and unsettled today and Tues-
day.
Maximum temperature yes-
terday 71 degrees. Low this
morning 59 degrees. Tempera-
ture at 2 p. m. today 83 de-
grees.
WEST TEXAS — Partly
cloudy tonight and Tuesday.
Somewhat warmer tonight.
EAST TEXAS—Mostly cloudy
local showers in east portions
tonight and Tuesday. Warmer
tonight.
BLAZE FOLLOWS
FLUID EXPLOSION
Sweetwater firemen were
called out at 0:30 o'clock
Monday morning to extin-
guish a blaze in the Lester
Dyer residence, 700 Bell
Street. It was caused by
explosion of cleaning fluid
Mrs. Dyer was using. Some
clothes were destroyed and
damage done to the walls
of the bathroom, but the
fire was checked before
more than nominal dam-
age was done.
o
Scout Finance
Drive Resumed
The finance campaign of the
Boy Scouts was resumed today.
The last report made Saturday
showed that better than $2500
had been subscribed for the sup-
port of Scouting. The next re-
port on the campaign will be
made' tomorrow.
Aubrey Legg. chairman of the
finance committee in charge of
the drive, asked that every
Sweetwater citizen cooperate in
making possible the attainment
of the final goal. He said "The
progress of the drive so far in
behalf of the Scouts of Sweet-
water is most gratifying. The
eight teams of workers have
found ready response to their
appeal for support of Scouting
and for the development of the
campsite at Lake Sweetwater,
but additional help is necessary.
On behalf of our Scouts and
Scouters we request that every-
one who can join with our pre-
sent sustaining members in pro-
viding the financial backing
which Scouting needs and mer-
its by its work.
"Three hundred and one sus-
taining members have been en-
rolled so far. We know that
many more Sweetwater citizens
will enroll." said Mr. Legg.
o
Tidwell Show
Employe Hurt
Marshall Sewpll, employe of
Tidwell shows, suffered a brok-
en leg early Sunday morning
when a truck he was driving
turned over west of town, pin-
ning the driver beneath the
heavy load.
He was moved to the Sweet-
water Hospital in a Yates ambu-
lance.
Motor Patrol
Captains Are
To Be Changed
Shifting of Stations
Follows Dismissal of
Chief Phares Saturday
AUSTIN — (UP) — Changes
in stations for a third of the
state's motor patrol captains
were announced today. The
changes reportedly have no con-
nection with Saturday's dismis-
sal of former Highway Patrol
Chief L. G. Phares.
Captain F. B. Allbright, com-
mander of the San Angelo dis-
trict, will be moved to Austin.
Captain S. J. Gilbert will be
transferred to San Angelo from
Austin.
o
Gladewater Man
Held in Shooting
TYLER — (UP) — Hudson
Johnson, 30, Gladewater street
department foreman, was char-
ged with assault to murder to-
day in connection with the
shooting Saturday night of
Mrs. Dave Lauchers, Mineola.
Johnson's bond was set at
$1,500. He was arrested in
Gladewater while driving Mrs.
Lauchers' automobile.
A search spread over North
and East Texas last night af-
ter guests at a Tyler tourist
camp told officers they were
awakened by a pistol shot an (J
saw a man carry a woman's
limp body to a car and speed
away.
Officers found a bullet em-
bedded in a blood covered mat-
tress in one of the cabins. The
occupants had registered as Mr.
and Mrs. Martindale, Geneva
Britton, Shreveport, La., told
officers that she heard loud
noises in the cabin before the
shot was fired and then heard
a woman cry.
"Why did you do it? Get me
to a doctor."
A description furnished by
attendants at the camp result-
ed in Johnson's arrest.
Mrs. Lauchers was reported
in a critical condition at her
home.
Cold Weather
Halts Paving
ROT AN — (Spl.) — Cecil
Hawk, city engineer of Rotan,
is awaiting a short warm weath-
er period to lay three blocks of
paving in the heart of the city,
involved in the 830,000 pro-
ject sponsored by the city and
the WPA. The blocks to be pav-
ed include the main business
section, which is an exception-
ally wide thoroughfare, stretch-
ing 80 feet from curb to curb.
Another project involving
$25,000. combined city and PWA
work, is being completed. It in-
cludes the widening of Highway
No. 15 through the heart of the
city, two additional business
blocks and residence streets.
No School Today in Wake of Storm
County's Natural
Resources Are
Studied by Club
Conservation Plans
Are Discussed By
Herman D. Reed
To the youngsters this scene meant a holiday, but to their
elders it means something much more serious. It represents
just one small part of the rehabilitation job facing many
mldwestern town- in the wake of the tornado that struck
parts of Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Illinois.
The picture Klidws a teacher and a pupil looking over the
dehris in what was once a well-ordered schoolroom in
Columbus, Kan.
Ruthless Slayer
Of Women Sought
Natural resources of Nolan
county and conservation of Tex-
as natural resources was dis-
cussed in a talk before the
Sweetwater Rotary club today
by Herman D. Reed.
Water was given as a pri-
mary resource of Texas which
requires conservation. Reed
pointed to the various methods
used in conserving moisture in
the farming areas through ter-
racing but stated as yet the pro-
gress in flood control in south
and east sections of the state
was limited. Other state re-
sources Reed listed as, forests,
wild game and minerals. Of min-
i erals, oil and gas were given as
! the most common throughout
the state. Conservation of these
resources, Reed said, is now in
evidence, legislation and plans
having been worked out to that
end.
Nolan county's natural re-
sources include such a variety
as gypsum, silica sand. Fuller's
earth, manganese, strontium,
lime, limestone caliche, and sand
and gravel. Gypsum, found near
Sweetwater, is a high quality
and the deposit now being
worked commercially by Unit-
ed States Gypsum company, is
said to be adequate for 100
years. Sand and gravel found
on Sweetwater Creek besides
being used locally is shipped to
distant points, some outside the
state. Caliche is used extensive-
ly in paving and road making
and limestone for building pur-
poses.
While not strictly a natural j regained
Judge R. A. Ragland, one of
the earliest and one of the
city's most outstanding citi-
zens, was claimed by death
early Sunday morning.
Funeral Is Held
For R. A. Ragland,
Pioneer of City
ALAMOGORDO, N. Mex.
—(UP — A youth wanted
as an army deserter at Fort
Sill, Okla.. was arrested
■here today and questioned
concerning the slaying of
Mrs. Weston Frome and
her daughter near Van
Horn. Tex. The sheriff
would not confirm reports
given Texas police that
bloodstains were found in
i he suspect's car.
man stood by while her
male companion tortured
and criminally attacked the
victims.
After the brutal attack on
Mrs. Weston Frome, 40,
and her daughter, Nancy, 22,
the assailants fired pistol
bullets into the heads of
both women.
Outstanding Civic
Leader Dies Sunday
Morning in Hospital
Funeral services were held at !
10 o'clock this morning at the |
First Christian church fori
Judge R. A. Ragland, 80, pioneer j
citizen of Sweetwater who died j
at 10 o'clock Sunday morning I
in the Sweetwater hospital fol- j
lowing a brief illness. Dr. Tho-
mas Lenox, pastor of the church,
officiated. Burial was in the I
city cemetery under the direc-1
tion of Johnston's Funeral I
home. Members of the Sweet-
water Masonic lodge had charge !
of rites at the grave.
The death of Judge Ragland
brings to a close the life of a
citizen believed to have been
the oldest, in point of continu-
ous residence in Sweetwater.
Came Here in 1882
Mr. Ragland came to Sweet-
water in January, 1882. In Feb-
ruary, 1882, he was appointed
county attorney by the Nolan
county commissioners' court to
fill the unexpired term of F. G.
Thurman. He had lived here
continuously since then.
Besides being one of the city's
earliest residents, Judge Rag-
| land was also one of its civic
leaders and despite his age, he
an active interest in
Federal
To Save Railways
From Collapse
Program Would Enable
Roads to Maintain
Present Employment
WASHINGTON — (UP _
Railway labor and management
laid before President Roosevelt
today a proposal for a federal
guarantee of rail income in an.
effort to revive business and
save the $26,000,000,000 rail in-
dustry from collapse.
It was indicated that what-
ever disposition is made of the
subsidy proposal, the president
probably will send a special
railroad message to congress
this week.
Purpose of the proposed sub-
sidy and guarantee of income
would be to enable the roads
to maintain employment and
payrolls at present levels and
make needed purchases.
If the program works, it was
explained, both labor and man-
agement believe rail revenue
would increase so that no fed-
eral funds would be needed.
Otherwise, maximum govern-
ment liability would be about
8300,000,000 annually.
It \\'as understood that Mr.
Roosevelt told the railroads he
did not think the government
could go along on any general
• ubsidy program but that he
would consider this proposal.
o
New Directors
Of U. S. Steel
Elected Today
GMC Chairman Not
To Accept Any More
Bonuses From Firm
HOBOKEN, X. J. — (UP)—
Stockholders of the $2,000,000,-
000 United States Steel Corp-
oration elected new directors
today, and Edward Stettinius,
37-year-old industrial genius, be-
came chairman of the board,
succeeding Myron Taylor, 64.
1
Not Criminally Attacked
EL PASO — (UP) Roy
Whitwood, investigator for
the district attorney, said
today that tests made dur-
ing the autopsies of Mrs.
Weston Frome and her
daughter fail to show-
definitely that the women
had been criminally attack-
ed.
VAN HORN—(UP)— Au-
thorities said today that evi-
dence at tlu> scene of the
murders of a society mat-
ron and her beautiful dau-
ghter indicated that a wo-
VAN HORN, Tex.—(UP) —
Side by side and face down,
the bodies of Mrs. Weston CI.
Frome, 4fi, and her 23-year-old
daughter, Nancy, were found
last night near the highway,
six miles east of Van Horn.
After an examination of the
nearly-nude bodies of the wo-
men, Coroner J. P. Wright said
that, lie believed they had been
attacked, but he would not
make a positive statement.
Their heads were crushed and
they had been bludgeoned to
death, Dr. Wright said.
Clothing Hipped Off
Most of their clothing had
been ripped off. An inquest
See SLAYERS, Page 2
resource, Reed designated cot-, communitv development until
tonseed as another important „ls fj j illness fo'rced hjm
product of this area, coming jb (
from the soil.
President C. E. Mays Jr.. in- j
troduced Bill Blakeney, Abilene. I
Medical Men To
Meet Tonight
Members of the Nolan-Fisher
County Medical society are to
meet at 7:30 o'clock tonight at
the Blue Bonnet hotel for a
regular program.
Dr. R. R. Allen, president,
is to he in -charge of the
session.
Dr. Sam Loeb is to read a
paper on "Chest Injuries" With
Dr. George A. Gray speaking on
"Infantile Paralysis."
Round table discussion on
new cases is to be held.
o
2 Councilmen To Be
Elected At Rotan
ROTAN — (Spl.)—Rotan vot-
ers will go to the polls Tuesday
to vote for two members of the
city alderman board, up for re-
election. L. E. Newton and W.
A. McKinney are candidates to
succeed themselves without op-
position.
BIG U. S. NAVY
as a visiting Rotarian. Mays an-
nounced a meeting of the board
of directors for tonight at the
Gulf Refining Co. offices at 7:30
p. m.
o
Fisher Co. Boys
In Lubbock Show
ROPY — Fisher county boys
will have two entries in the
Lubbock livestock show Mon-
day, Tuesday and Wednesday,
according to T. H. Roensch,
county agent. Charles Holla-
baugh will show his calf
which took third in the junior
division at Odessa, a John B.
Stribling bred calf. A. J. Jar-
nagin will show a fine wool
Rambouillet lamb.
The Fisher entries went to
Lubbock with the five- calves Oct. 21, 1891, to
entered by Nolan county boys.
County Agent T. H. Roensch
expects to attend the show at
least one day.
NO MORE BONSrSBS
FOR GMC HEA1>
NEW YORK — (UP) —Al-
fred Sloan. Jr.. chairman of
General Motors Corporation, an-
nounced he would accept no
more bonuses. His new policy
will apply for 1937, and he will
take no bonus for that year,
he said. His bonus in 1936 was
$411,161. His salary was
SI50,000. Bonuses for 1937 will
total 813,908,809, the annual re-
port revealed today.
o —
County Terracing
Teams Score High
Two Nolan county terracing
teams scored among the first
six in the San Angelo Area
land quickly identified himself s Two contests, and will go to
as one who believed in the su-: the state meet in College Sta-
premacy of the law over the! tion April 18. Roscoe's voca-
"six-gun," which, prior to hisjtidnal agricultural team wate
coming had luled this teiritorv.; second with 2.149 points and
Elected County Attorney j Divide fourth with 1 995.''
At the conclusion of his ap-! Roscoe's team, coar hed by
pointive term, he ran for the J c. Hattox, is composed of
office u, county attorney and pat Windham, Rav Whittine-
was re-elected. At the conclu-i — -
sion of his elective term, he nev-1
er again ran for a political of-1
fice, but was appointed a special
district court judge and later |
was appointed county surveyor
Judge Ragland had been a
member of the Masonic lodge
in Sweetwater for more than 50
years, and a life member for
many years. He was a Shriner,
Knight Templar and 32nd de-
gree Mason and an Elk.
Coming to Sweetwater, when
| this territory was still consid-
| ered a part of Indian country,
! as a young attorney, Judge Rag-
WASHINGTON
The United States must continue
to maintain a fleet at least 60
per cent more powerful than
the Japanese navy so long as
the tense political situation in
the Pacific and far East remains
unchanged, the state department
declared today in a broad state-
ment of policy to the senate nav-
al affairs committee.
The statement, released by
Committee Chairman David I
Walsh, D., Mass., said that re-
(UP) —ed as to permit agreement upon
some other basis."
The state department's posi-
tion, outlined at Walsh's request,
came on the eve of the senate
naval affairs committee's hear-
ings on President Roosevelt's
$1,121,000,000 navy expansion
bill, which would give the Unit-
ed States the most powerful
fleet afloat.
Pointing out that Japan has
refused to give any assurances
that she would be bound by any
gardless of future relations be-; restrictions upon naval construc-
tween the United States and the tion, the state department said
Philippine commonwealth, it
is in the interest of national se-
curity to continue naval super-
iority over Japan.
"Quite irrespective of what
may be the future disposition
of the Philippine islands," it
said, "it is believed to he in the
interest of the security of the
United States to adhere to the
principle of the 5-5-3 ratio un-
less the political situation in the
the United States must build her
national defense accordingly.
The statement, approved by
Secretary of State Cordell Hull
who notified the world last
Thursday that the United States
must abandon restrictions of the
1936 London naval treaty, said
this government would welcome
an agreement to reduce naval
arms, but added that a world
disarmament conference would
Pacific shall have been so alter-1 not bo timely at present.
Western Fisher
Co. to Get Play
ROTAN — Activity in western i Bol'n 1,1 Georgia
Judge Ragland was married
Miss Luella
Maddox. daughter of Mrs. T. C.
Rea. Mrs. Ragland died in De-
cember, 1929.
To them were born four child-
ren. all of whom survive. They
are two sons, Carl and Preston
of Sweetwater, and two daugh-
ters, Mrs. Don Clayton, San
Antonio, and Mrs. Landon Me-
Collister, Austin.
ton and Joe Windham. Divide,
coached by R. R. Petty, is
made up of W. A. Hawkins, D.
Boyd and Thomas Kinerd.
Eden boys placed first with
2.318 points of a possible 2,700.
Other nearby teams entered
were from Colorado, West-
brook and Wingate. Nolan
county entries were hampered
because boys who formed the
teams also were competitors
in the Interscholascic League
track and field meet here Sat-
urdav.
Fisher county involves an oil
lease block of approximately 30,
000 acres, joining the John B.
Stribling block on the west and
extending to the Fisher-Scurry
counties border. Ownership of
this acreage has shifted recently,
and now is reported held by Joe
Weaver of the States Oil com-
pany of Eastland, and C. M. Cald-
well of Abilene.
It is current rumor among oil
men that the States Oil company
plans a ' test in the area soon.
The Tidewater company held a
shooting contract on the original
area owned by Caldwell last
fall. Then Weaver acquired ad-
ditional holdings to the north.
Five sections were leased from
Dr. R. J. Davenport of Sylvester.
Recently, it is reported, Weaver
took a lease on the remainder of
the Davenport acreage. The Dav-
enport area is comprised of 19 '2
sections.
Hopper Scourge
R. A. Ragland was born in i _
Harrisonville, Troupe county. T*- D- C,,., 1 .. 1
Ga., Sept. 23, 1858. While he was 1 J 0 1)0 V -0111 HUtted
an infant, his parents moved to • rir.,,v . ..
Drew county, Arkansas, at the' x Indications of
outbreak of the Civil War. His ! gl'assh°!)per invasif>n in Fisher
father, Dr. W. P. Ragland, join- i Tu"y'iaR mouved County Agent
ed the Souths ranks and serv Koensch and the county
ed in the capacity of a captain I('u'tural conservation com-
during the duration of the! nllttfe to map plans for pre-
conflict. He was in the cavalry, mention of the threatened irtes-
but later was assigned to the! ^'rst appearance is beav-
medical and surgical depart- j 'est 'n Sylvester area, Roe-
ments. j nsch reports.
At the close of the war. Judge; The county agent and the
Ragland's mother, Mrs. Mary 1 committee, composed of T. P.
Amanda Ragland. died, and the j ^'eves of Roby, chairman, Derap
father, with his son and a : K'arney of Sweetwater Route A,
daughter, removed to llogans-1 ' ■ x Hemphill of Ramlln Route'
ville, Ga.. near where the fam- :!ml Hargroves of Rotan,
ily had formerly lived. After at seek negotiations to con-
tending school for a short time, vene with the Nolan county
always a private institution be- committee formed Friday, in the
cause there was no public school storage and distribution ol pot-
system, Judge Ragland moved -on-mixed bran to combat the
See RAGLAND fage C> hoppers.
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Sweetwater Reporter (Sweetwater, Tex.), Vol. 40, No. 316, Ed. 1 Monday, April 4, 1938, newspaper, April 4, 1938; Sweetwater, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth290327/m1/1/?rotate=90: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Sweetwater/Nolan County City-County Library.