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Newspaper
Decatur Daily
Location
Decatur, Alabama, United States of America
Date
Dec 10, 1944
Page
1
Increasing cloudiness with occasional rain in the northwest, colder in extreme northwest. Highs near 53 and lows around 38. Local visits and hospital notes from Decatur and Hartselle include residents and servicemen and church announcements.
Lee Shafer a 51 year old shipyard employee was found slain in the West Wilson Avenue area shortly after leaving his home for work. He sustained multiple skull fractures and gunshot wounds, with police noting a fatal arterial bleed from a leg wound. The death appears linked to a street assault and robbery. a missing money motive is suggested by the missing lunch basket and hat near the scene.
Chief Whitmire through The Daily appeals to a motorist who passed the scene shortly after seven o clock Sankey morning to contact police. He says the driver may have seen something that could provide a clue in the case of the killing and slugging.
Shipyard workers at the Ingalls yard opened a reward fund for information leading to the identification of Lee Shafer's killer. A spokesman said subscriptions were flowing in fast and the total would likely reach several hundreds of dollars.
A robber shot a man near the Shafer residence while fleeing with several men seen running west on Church Street. The victim had habitually invested large sums in war bonds and reportedly refused some action before the incident. A neighbor across the street provided the only early clue, unable to identify the assailants due to darkness and fog.
A produce truck crashed off a highway near Athens leaving Otis Har grove, 3, of Athens route 4 dead and Charles Reemeere seriously injured. State troopers W C Gienn and Sam Sullivan investigated the crash as the truck toppled into a ditch.
Soviet forces under Malinovsky reach the Danube north of Budapest and cut the Budapest Bratislava Vienna rail line. They push toward Austria with distances to Bratislava and Vienna shrinking while other units advance southwest to near Lake Balaton. Budapest falls to a military dictatorship as Ferenc Szalasi's government flees toward Sopron.
Organizers open the census office on Johnston Street in Decatur to cover seven counties. Maynard Layman leads District 1 with C L Kaufman Ath ens as assistant and Wanda Harris as clerk. About 100 enumerators will be needed. census starts January 8, 1945, with confidential farm data used for postwar planning.
Seaman Joel Cooper plans wedlock with a Hollywood figure though details remain unconfirmed. He is due to report back to duty as the year ends.
American forces in Leyte's Ormoc corridor press the Japanese despite heavy rains. Yanks clear paratroops from Leyte East coast airfields and seize a field battery and large ammunition dumps. Tokyo reports air raids on Tokyo and the inland sea near Kobe as fighting widens across the Pacific and in China’s Kweichow province.
War bond drive pushes Morgan Lawrence Limestone and Cullman counties to meet quotas. Limestone reports $500,900.38 raised toward $568,000 goal while other counties show mixed progress. An all soldier stage show Gullible's Travels will tour Friday night December 15 at Riverside high school with bond purchases determining admission and seating.
Birmingham dispatch reports Dr. Henry W. Bromiey of the Citizens League of Kentucky charging liquor is distributed to every Army camp with no county option law able to prevent it. Dr. Senter and others counter that brewers and tavern owners maintain full control and a steady stream of liquor remains available near camps.
Owing to paper shortages The oe Daily asks the public accept the following circulation policy for the month December renewals only No new subscribers can be accepted Check your expiration date on your paper If you let your subscription expire it will be treated as a new subscription ARMED FORCES We will continue to accept new subscrib ers
The Chamber reports accommodations exhausted and hotels full as 40 new applications arrived Saturday morning. A few responses came to Friday’s plea in The Daily for help locating housing, but applications surpassed listings and the problem worsened.
Five year old Patsy Pitt daughter of Dr and Mrs C R Pitt of 638 Jackson Street won Le Club Entre Meres sponsored bond selling contest for youngsters under ten in Morgan County. She earned the most credit points based on bond maturity values and will receive an autographed 8 by 10 photograph from the U S Secretary of Treasury. The event aided war bond sales totaling 34657 dollars and featured a Christmas tree display at Belk Hudson's window.
Decatur will host two OPA meetings Monday at 2 PM in central churches. Sam J. Watkins and Andrew W. Smith will speak on women's roles in price control and fair distribution of essentials. Ministers will chair sessions at First Presbyterian and Central Methodist churches.
Dr. Andrews a longtime health official and former Alabama Medical Association president died after a long illness at his Montgomery home. He served under five Alabama governors and led city health efforts during the yellow fever and smallpox epidemics of 1897 98. Survived by his widow three sons and other relatives.
In Washington on December 9, Francis Biddle addressed a Senate committee hearing, speaking with restraint as he responded to questions and avoided engaging with reporters at the press table.
ELAS forces reportedly surrender to government amid ongoing clashes in Athens with British troops present. Mediators led by Dimitri Lambrakis push for a national government under Themistokles Sophoulis with Papandreou’s participation. British Scobie reports progress despite rebel activity including a bridge demolition in Piraeus.
An EAM ELAS spokesman in Athens denies Churchill charges that the group sought to seize power and terrorize the countryside. He says the fight will continue until Premier Pandreou resigns, noting ELAS could have acted immediately after liberation if seeking control.
U S third army divisions pierced the Maginot line near Aachen and advanced toward Saarland. The 26th division crossed last month and pressed east of the Saar while the 35th linked at Sarreguemines and moved toward Neunkirchen. Heavy fighting reported along the front as forces push toward Saarbrucken and Dillingen with other U S units advancing northwest of Saarlautern.
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