The Cameron Herald and Centinel (Cameron, Tex.), Vol. 88, No. 10, Ed. 1 Thursday, July 3, 1947 Page: 1 of 10

                                
Whe Cameron Hrralii
since 1860
and CENTINEL
VOLUME NUMBER 88
CAMERON, MILAM COUNTY, TEXAS, THURSDAY, JULY 3, 1947
NUMBER 10
STORY OF GRAYBACK
IS PARTLY REVEALED
THE SUBMARINE GRA YBACK
THE SUBMARINE TENDER SPERRY
Submarine Hero
JAMES RAY DODSON, JR.
Coxswain
HERE HEED ATTENTION
The Grand Jury for the May term
of District court will be reconvened
on Thursday, July 10 it was announc-
ed early Friday at the court house.
County Attorney Morrison said
that a sufficient number of cases are
pending here to warrant the session
of the jury.
It was pointed out that during the
war the legislature changed the law
concerning the calling of a grand
jury. Before the change it wfas
necessary for the grand jury to be
called for the first day of each term.
Since the change the grand jury may
be called at any time during the term
when in the opinion of the prosecut-
ing attorney, the call is waiyanted.
KIRK BROS' 10 m
NEW FEED S10RE HERE
Kirk Bros, new feed store will be
opened on Saturday, July 5 it was
announced by Eugene Kirk one of the
partners in the firm.
Jesse Kirk, Jr., and brother Eu-
gene have built their new building
located on Highway 77. The new
business for Cameron will be known
as Kirk Brothers and they will sell
seed and feed, specializing in the
Bed Chain brands.
The new store wnll be headquarters
for the Kirk Truck Lines also. The
building of modern metal design with
concrete foundation end floors is
located at 1501 North Travis.
This is the latest of the new busi-
ness firms to open up in the city.
Mrs. Ida Mae Hunter, of San An-
tonio, is here on a visit with her sis-
ter, Mrs. India Stidham. Mrs. Hun-
ter was reared in Cameron and lived
here a number of years before she
and. her husband went to live in San
Antonio, and many old time friends
will be pleased to welcome her visit.
President Harry S. Truman has
forwarded to James R. Dodson of
Cameron an official memorial to
Janies Ray Dodson, Coxswain, United
States Navy, who lost his life in the
East China Sea in Feb. 26, 1944
while on duty with the submarine,
Grayback. Here is the President’s
message:
“In grateful memory of James Ray
Dodson who died in the service of
his country at sea, Pacific area, at-
tached U.S.S. Grayback, 12 January
1946, (presumed). He stands in the
upbroken line of patriots who have
dared to die that freedom might live,
and grow and increase its blessings.
Freedom lives and through it, he li^es
—in a way that humbles the un-
dertakings of most men.
HARRY S. TRUMAN,
President fo the United States
of America.
The submarine Grayback was sunk
in the East China Sea on February
26, 1944 shortly before the war with
Japan ended. James Ray was at one
time aboard the submarine tender,
Sperry but it was on the Grayback
that he saw most of his service in
the war zone. The submarine was
sunk by a direct hit from a Jap
carrier plane. It had completed its
10th patrol into enemy waters and
made a record which may not have
been equaled by any other undersea
craft.
Dodson was several times decorat-
ed, among them the Purple Heart,
Submarine Combat Patrol Insignia,
Navy Bar of the Navy Unit Commen-
dation, the Presidential Citation and
some ten or more other official cita-
tions for the various patrols of his
ship.
Late in 1946 Mr. Dodson received
the posthumous citation of his son,
James Ray, of the Submarine Com-
bat Insignia, and with it the first
brief history of the submarine, not-
ing that the Garyback on a war
Patrol in the restricted and heavily
patrolled enemy waters, had failed
to return. Although no details were
available the submarine was able to
report a number of successful at-
tacks during the patrol. “As this
was in keeping with her distinguished
record,” said the report, "established
since the first days of the war, it
is believed that the Grayback was
conducting her usual bold and ag-
ressive tactics up until the time she ]
was reported missing.”
The citation reads as follows: “As
Coxswain of the U.S.S. Grayback,
James Ray Dodson’s performance of
duty materially contributed to the
success of this vessel against the
enemy. The Commander Submarine
Force, Pacific Fleet forward this
commendation in recognition of his
splendid performance of duty which
tvas in keeping with the highest
traditions of the naval service.”
Further details were gained from
an issue of “The Sub” published in
(turn to page four)
APPEAl ID TEXAS COURI
Dr. W. R. Newton, prominent cen- j
trul Texas surgeon and owner of the j
Newton Clinic in Cameron, lost his ;
appeal for a new hearing before j
the Court of Criminal Appeals at 1
Austin Saturday.
Dr. Newton was convicted at Tulia I
late in 1946 and given it two year j
prison term on a charge of assault j
und attempt to murder in connection 1
with the wounding of Dr. Roy Hunt J
of Littlefield on May 22, 1942.
The case was tried three times, !
first at Olton in Lamb county, where
he was convicted and given a 7 year
sentence. The case was reversed and
remanded because of inadmissable
evidence. It was transfered to Hale
county and tried in Plainview in Oc-
tober 1945 and the jury could not
agree and was dismissed. In Septem-
ber of 1946 the case was moved to
Swisher county and tried at Tulia
and Dr. Newton was found guilty by
a jury and given 2 years.
An appeal was again taken and the
Court of Criminal Appeals in an
opinion written by Judge Graves, af-
firmed the case. The court held that
while it was confronted with a dil-
ema in the preponderance of testi-
mony that Dr. Newton was seen at
a time and under circumstances when
it could not have been possible for
him to have been in Littlefield on
night of the offense, it was the res-
ponsibility of the Jury at Tulia to
weigh the evidence.
Attorneys for Dr. Newton asked for
a re-hearing and the ease was argued
by Dan Moody, former Governor and
Austin attorney, two weeks ago. On
Saturday the court denied the plea
for a re-hearing' and the case had
ended after more than 5 years in the
courts.
The mandate from the court will
be sent to the sheriff, Hugh White
at Tulia in Swisher county, for ser-
vice. Some 4 to 5 days are required
to process the mandate. Court pro-
ceedings require that a warrant shall
be issued and the convicted person
delivered to prison.
Unless the Board of Pardons should
recommend a pardon and the Gover-
nor approve it, Dr. Newton will go
to Huntsville to serve his sentence.
He would be eligible for a pardon
at any time and although should he
serve the full time required, time off
for good record and behavior would
reduce the sentence to a matter of a
few months.
Dr. Newton was in Dallas Satur-
day and Sunday and was not expect-
ed back in Cameron until early this
week.
P0AGE PLEADS FOR DAM
CITY TO CLOSE JULY 4
FOOD CROP WASTE HEAVY
'»LITHE RIVER IS
E1
UNI
WOULD SOLVE WASTE
Heavy losses are occuring in pro-
duce from the food farms of Milam
county because there are no means
by which these crops can be preserved
and sold.
The Herald has been asked to call
attention to the great need in this
county for a canning industry. To
accomplish the aims of such an in-
dustry, local people are going to be
called upon to finance it, or to mani-
fest such interest as may assure the
successful operation of the plant.
In the past limited efforts have
been made and the results have been
commensurate with those efforts—
timid and fruitless.
Since this area is turning rapidly
to the production of food crops for
which it is so well acclimated the
need for such an industry grows with
production. In its relation to our agri-
cultural economy now the canning
plant is as essential as was the cot-
ton gin in the old days,
A good example of what is meant
here can be seen from the current
grading and marketing of the tomato
crop. Tons of as fine commercial to-
matoes as can be. produced anywhere
are rejects to the extent of destruc-
tion prices simply because they do
not meet dimension.; required as they
Cameron will be closed on Friday,
July 4th in annual observance of
American Independence Day.
Up to noon Wednesday 106 busi-
ness houses and professional men in
the city had listed their names with
the Chamber of Commerce for the
published notice of the closing.
Camerorf as usual is planning no
official celebration. Most of the
people will go elsewhere. Certain
of the business houses that are nec-
essarily obliged to remain open will
observe Sunday hours or remain in
business through the day.
Under the sponsorship of the
Chamber of Commerce the closing
movement is more thorough this year
than usual.
Old Style Planter
Placed on Inhibition
By Niley Smith Here
An old planter manufactured by
David Bradle works at Racine, Wis-
consin. in 1877, is on display at The
Herald.
Niley Smith, plantation owner,
brought the planter to The Herald
on request from the publisher. The
planter is one of some dozen now
run through the grading mill, l'ink:    „|.ure.f jn the implement sheds at the
DR. W. R. NEWTON
A 30-day reprieve was granted Dr.
W. R. Newton Tuesday by Governor
Beauford Jester because of the neces-
sity of caring for patients now await-
ing major surgery at the Newton
Memorial Hospital in Cameron.
The governor granted the reprieve
on recommendation of the Board of
Pardons. The stay of sentence in a 2
year conviction came as an emergency
and on the day that the mandate
from the court of criminal appeals
had been mailed to the sheriff at
Tulia.
Dr. Newton was convicted and
given two years at Tulia late in 1946
in connection with the 1942 wound-
ing of Dr. Roy Hunt of Littlefield
who said Newton had shot him. Dr.
Hunt survived the shooting.
In granting the 30-day reprieve the
Governor said that Dr. Newton has
some 12 or 15 patients who have been
scheduled for major surgery, “one
of whom is said to be in critical con-
dition and has received six or seven
blood transfusions preparatory to a
necessary major operation.”
and ripe tomatoes are lost because
highly perishable whereas if a pro-
cessing plant, even    though only
large enough to consume local pro-
duction, the profits from these farms
would rise to make    this country
richer in total income.
In recent years the old black eye
pea has become one of the most
sought after food products in the
south. It is being canned on a large
scale in the north and east and com-
manding a good price.
A local canning plant is the answer
to the need to preserve food from
waste and to save the profits from
our farms. Now that these crops are
maturing the loss is most impres-
sive and of course regrettable.
Business men who have an interest
in this community could serve* it well
hy calling a meeting, underwriting
the cost by stock or cash, and get on
with a good investment in community
progress.
John A. Smith farm at Brnnchville.
In the collection of obsolete imple-
ments at the farm Mr. Smith has
other valued relics of the old days
when horses and mules were used
exclusively to work the broad acres
amassed by the late John A. Smith,
pioneer planter and landowner of the
Brazos and Little River bottoms.
The late John A. Smith, father of
Niley Smith, purchased this planter
in 1877 and others of similar make
and they were in use on his farms
until the early forties. Niley Smith
now owns the old home place at
Branchville.
The old planter has a wood frame
and the seed capacity is a wood box
and inside a spindle exciter to jceep
the seed in constant flow. The mech-
anism of the planter is operated by
a chain drive on cog wheels on the
right side. Good stands were always
possible when these planters were
used because of their efficiency and
simplicity.
Mr. Smith has been most generous
in presenting this old vintage im-
plement for exhibition and expressed
concern that a place should be main-
tained to preserve these historic ef-
fects from the past.
Presbyterian Sunday
School Adopts Orphan,
Ronald James Boatner
The Presbyterian Sunday School in
Cameron has adopted Ronald James
Boatner who will be eleven years old
on July 19.
Rev. FI. O. Harrell, minister at the
church here, in the current issue of
the church paper which he publishes
by memograph, says that the of-
ferings of the Sunday School on the A local branch of the Save 4 lie
first Sunday of the month have been Child Federation has been organized
sent to the Orphans home at Itasca in Cameron.
By adopting Ronald James Boat The meeting was held Monday of
ner, says Mr. Harrell, the Sunday j last week at the court house. Mrs.
School and the church will feel a Julia Hillman of Bryan who repre-
sents the Brazos area was here to
WASHINGTON, July 1 — Rep.
Poage (D-Tex) told the house today
more water goes down the Little Riv-
er of Texus at its peak than is going
down the flooding Missouri.
He said congress has underesti-
mated the importance of flood con-
trol in Texas.
He spoke in behalf of funds for the
Brazos river development, including
the $33,149,700 Whitney dam for
which the house appropriations com-
mittee recommended $4,625,000 for the
fiscal year beginning today.
This dam was among southern
dams for which Rep. Dondero (R-
Mich), chairman of the house public
works committee, had asked the ap-
propriations committee to withhold
funds, Rep. Kerr (L)-NC) said.
Consideration of the appropriation
bill for Army civil function continues
tomorrow in the house.
Poago said he hoped congress soon
could grant money for the Miller
springs dam on the Leon river, tribu-
tary of the Brazos. He said no speci-
fic sum was allotted this dam but
army engineers expect to ullot plan-
ning funds for it from general ap-
propriations of this bill.
CROP M W
EXHAUSTION HERE
Movement of tomatoes to the mar-
kets woes slowed down some by re-
cent rains but the crop is far from
exhausted.
Up to Friday Foster Produce Com-
pany had shipped some 35 car loads
counting over 20 cars by Sunta Fe
and others trucked out from the plat-
forms.
These shipments do not take into
account truckings to the markets by
farmers and producers generally. On
the whole the 1947 crop of tomatoes
has been very profitable.
At Milano 61 cars have been ship-
ped and according to Hinton H.
Pruett these shipments have brought
farmers in that area $180,000. The
tomatoe shipping area extends to
Falls county where shipments have
been heavy at Rosebud, Lott, Chil-
ton, Travis and Marlin.
Mr. F’oster is now handling canta-
loupes. The water melon crop is not
sufficiently mature to start a whole-
sale movement.
The melon acreage is about usual
in size and recent rains have been
very beneficial. Diversified farming
is gaining in volume in this area and
the sandy lands to the east are com-
ing more and more into profitable
production.
more personal interest in the mat-
ter of contributing to the school.
R. P. Williams And
Wife Leave To-Day
For Ix>ng Vacation
| Mr. and Mrs. R. P. Williams left
“The request for the 30-day emer- j Cameron shortly after noon on Wed-
gency reprieve was also for the pur- nesday for a months vacation trip    ^
pose of permitting Dr. Newson to | to the far west and northwest.
assist rn the organization. Miss
Gladys Pierce was temporary chair-
man.
Meetings each fourth Tuesday in
the month will be held and member-
ship is open to ail who wish to mani-
fest interest in needy children. A
clothing store is to be opened here.
Children in need are able to buy
very low prices.
Miss Pierce and Mrs. Leona G.
White were appointed to the member-
ship committee.
The committee to arrange for the
clotheing center is comprised of Chas.
get his medical practice in such con- j Their first stop will be in Brown-
dition that his patients may secure    wood where they will spend the night
adaquate attention else where, as    with relatives and from there they
well as to arrange bis personal af-    will head for California to visit with
fairs before entering upon his sen- j their son for a few days before pre-
tence,” the governor commented. : ceeding to Montana where they will
m m_ visit relatives.
Mr. and Mrs. George R. Nunn from While away they plan to see Yel-
Califomia, the former Miss Lillian    lowstone National Park in Wyoming.
Thach, and Mrs. Robert Hines and    Years ago Mr. Williams whose piumb-
sons of Houston, sisters of Mrs. A.    ing business here is in the hands of    Ward    of    Rogers,    left    for    their    vaca-j appeals.
A. Ondrej of Cameron. They are also    trusted employes for a month, once    tion    to    Detroit    and    Canada    this
APPEAL 10 BE TAKEN
BT MON MERE
Lee Johnson who was under indict-
ment for assault with intent to mur-
der Dick Baggett, with malice afore-
thought, was tried Monday and Tues-
day, and found guilty by a jury in
District Court and his punishment
fixed at 3 years in penitentiary.
On Thursday a motion of Johnson
for a new trial was overruled by
Judge John Watson, and Johnson
excepted to the action of the court
and gave notice of appeal to the
court of criminal appeals at Austin.
He was released from custody of
sheriff upon entering into a recog-
nizance and the sum of $2500.00 fix-
ed by the court. His assurities are
Judge Dan Tyson.
M. Hicks, Mrs. W. O. Triggs and M- M- Chambers, Ben Kennon, D. P.
Smith, Coy Arledge and E B. Camp.
The court gave Johnson 60 days
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Lippman and ^ from date of recognizance in which
daughter, .Suzanne, acocmpanied by to file statement of facts, and bills
Mrs. Lippman’s brother, Durrell of acception in the court of criminal
visiting Mrs. R. J. Griffin of Route lived near Yellowstone but never
4 Cameron.    i took time off to see it.
week end. They plan
visit.
an extended Bruce Jennings of Caldwell made
ja business trip to Cameron Friday.