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Newspaper
Decatur Daily
Location
Decatur, Alabama, United States of America
Date
May 02, 1955
Page
1
The fragmentary text provides no clear event or names to summarize into a coherent news item. It appears as garbled OCR with scattered words and no identifiable people, places, organizations, dates, or actions.
Common and Mrs Kyle Taylor of 1822 15th Ave SE report their three-and-a-half year old daughter Dianne has recovered well after a Vanderbilt Hospital stay. A Railroad Retirement Board representative will visit the Alabama Employment Service office Wednesday from 9 am to 3 pm. Franklin County law enforcement reported 23 weekend arrests including public drunkenness, liquor violations, DWI, and murder. Community notices list church guild and club meetings for Tuesday and tonight's student recital at Flint School, plus Clever Crafts Club gathering.
Talie De Morgan county drives at the kickoff meeting in City Electric auditorium at 7 30 p m to raise 2500 toward a 150 000 state fund drive. Funds support 16000 for national research and training and 10000 for state level research with further allocations noted.
Judge Newton Powell denied probation to George Hughston who pleaded guilty to six counts of embezzlement and two counts of grand larceny involving more than $19 000 from Tennessee Valley Cooperative Inc as the Morgan County Grand Jury indicted him. The theft occurred between July 1953 and June 1954 while he was a department manager.
In Vienna U S Ambassador Llewellyn E. Thompson Jr. said the conference should be short and successful with good will. Russian leaders indicate desire to end occupation. if talks progress, foreign ministers may meet soon and 69,000 troops could depart within 90 days after ratification, possibly by fall.
In Athens Limestone County three Killen youths led officers on a wild chase Saturday night reaching speeds of 90 mph. Richard William Davis 25 faces DWI no license and resisting arrest. Passengers Donald A. White 20 and Glenn Leon Thornton 24 charged with public drunkenness.
City issued $664,492 in building permits for 47 houses a parish house at St John s Episcopal Church and remodeling of two stores. Through April 1955 permits reached $1.3 million about $300 000 short of 1954 record. Construction started on 123 houses this year about half of 1954 s 253 total.
The Tennessee River at Keller Memorial Bridge fell 10 feet in 24 hours to 21.65 feet with a sea level reading of 555.95. Yesterday’s high reached 85 at 4:30 pm and the low was 59 at 3 am. Today’s morning temperature was 70. Forecast calls for fair weather with a low near 53 tonight and a high around Tuesday.
A puzzle column notes a potential prize of 125 dollars for Bonanzagram, with no claim checks yet. If no one submits by 5 p.m. today, the latest Bonanzagram will be worth 125 dollars, and readers await tomorrow’s update on a possible winner.
Premier Ngo Dinh Diem resumes the offensive against Bien Xuyen and Bao Dai’s faction as government forces push through Cho Lon and Nhi Thien Duong Bridge. Mortar fire accompanies the advance after a quiet period, with Gen Le Van Vien’s HQ falling to government troops.
A government sponsored advisory committee, chaired by Dr. Chester S. Keefer, examined a voluntary plan to allocate Salk polio vaccine as demand grows. The panel aims to set priorities for scarce doses when released for general use, with Rep. Celler pressing for federal controls amid reports of a second polio death among Idaho schoolchildren.
In Lawrence County a 30 year old man is held on first degree murder charges for a Sunday afternoon shooting near the Pippen place that killed Willie Wiley Johnson, 27, a tractor driver. Horace Bates confessed to the crime, saying it stemmed from family trouble, and authorities recovered a 22 caliber pistol, though the weapon remained unrecovered at press time. Johnson lived near the scene and Sheriff Smith said the victim was struck three times as the incident occurred outside Luther Owen's house. Johnson’s father obtained the warrant for Bates this morning.
ATLANTA and Washington see no immediate talks as rail and telephone workers remain on strike. The L and N trestle fire near Birmingham harms main line but traffic continues. Negotiations paused with government mediation offering a neutral referee as union spokesman Leighty warns of renewed actions.
Governor James E. Folsom said he plans to ask the Alabama Legislature to pass a public seizure statute to take over and run strikebound utilities. He expressed hope that labor and management in the telephone and railroad strikes can find common ground, noting the damage to the region’s economy.
Union leaders accept a referee proposal but demand arbitration of all demands including health and welfare, threatening to keep the strike active. L&N insists the strike ends as arbitration begins and notes the emergency board plan as the arbiter. In Birmingham, strikers withdraw picket lines per court order.
Four people remained hospitalized in Hartselle after a tornado tore through southeast Lawrence and southwest Morgan counties. Among the injured are Alma Nails and her children Bobby and Frances, and Florence Elliott. Nails children and Elliott’s husband died from storm injuries. two others, Will and Mrs. Smith near Piney Grove, were killed. David Hogan and spouse released from hospital. Cullman Hospital reports two more storm injuries, the children of Marvin Smith, released last week.
The Board of Equalization in Morgan County completes review of all property valuations subject to ad valorem tax. Dr J T Burch tax assessor says valuations are open for public inspection at the courthouse. Protests may be filed in writing with Dr Burch between May 10 and May 20 ahead of a June 6 session.
The Alabama Legislature begins a summer-long session amid pressure over desegregation and a request to fund more than 150 million dollars to reform public schools. The Alabama Education Association cites 119,649 students this year, a 6 percent rise, and calls for 3,000 new classrooms and teachers in the past decade. School officials seek at least 150 million for construction and a $600 raise for teachers.
Montgomery witnesses from Birmingham and Montgomery defend L N railroad staff in public hearing. Alabama Public Service Commission probes 13 supervisory personnel alleged unqualified to operate trains.
Sterchi announces a long term lease for a modern store building at the old Sterchi site 307 09 Second Ave and an adjoining building at 311-13 Second Ave in Decatur. The enlarged store will double its width, joining with the former Buttrey’s building, which closed after a fire on March 28. The new location aims to be among the largest in Alabama once open in about four months.
Frank Santana a 17 year old known as Tarzan was charged with homicide in the Bronx killing of 15 year old William Blankenship Jr an honor student and football star Police say Santana mistook Blankenship for a rival gang member and fired a foreign made handgun after a confrontation Santana laughed as he was taken for fingerprinting and one girl shouted I love you Tarzan The shooting followed a feud between gangs over a jacket and insignia during a movie outing when Blankenship was struck down by a bullet
In Birmingham today both sides finished testimony in the Arch Ferrell murder trial. Judge J R McElroy will give the jury an oral charge as closing arguments conclude. The jury likely to begin deliberations this afternoon after Prosecutor Cecil Deason’s remarks.
In Birmingham the murder trial of ex prosecutor Arch Ferrell was interrupted when juror Murray F. Holsembeck fell ill and prompted a court recess. A doctor found no organic cause as Judge J Russell McElroy sent for medical help.
Chief Defense Attorney George Rogers avoided estimating plea length as Ferrell, the second of three ex-officials tried for the murder of crime fighter A. L. Patterson who was killed after winning the Democratic nomination for attorney general. The accused's wife testified he tried four long distance calls from home after Patterson's death news, while Ferrell claimed he was on another call at his office and did not see the jury.
The Associated Press reports six or more deaths over the weekend in Alabama from various causes. Willie Duncan of Tuscaloosa was recovered from the Warrior River after falling from a boat while fishing near Moundville. Clarence Casbeer, 35, of Ozark, died when his car hit a utility pole. Wyatt R. Phillips, 27, of Tarrant, died in a crash when a car left a curve and struck a tree. Thomas Williams, 25, was in critical condition. Jack Douglas Wilson, 12, of Huntsville, died when an old Army rifle discharged during play. John D Smithey, 82, near Huntsville, died from burns after attempting to start a kerosene fire. Buford Bell, 58, Mobile County, was killed in a weekend traffic accident as his nephew reported the child ran into the road.
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