Fairris Confesses Before Death in Slain Detective Case
Dallas youth Harbie Franklin Fairris Jr., 22, executed last week for slaying Oklahoma City detective Bennie F. Cravatt, privately admitted to two individuals shortly before his execution that he fired the fatal shot in the July 16, 1954 supermarket robbery. He maintained to the end he did not fire the shot, with a minister and Paul Smith, a Fort Worth pastor and funeral director, receiving his confessions.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
McAlester
Cla
Harbie Franklin Fairris Jr
Dallas
Oklahoma City
Fairris
Bennie F. Cravatt
Fairis
Paul Smith
Fort Worth
Funeral Home
Minister Denies Making Statement
The Rev. Paul Smith denied on Thursday that he said Harbie Franklin Fairris confessed killing an Oklahoma City detective before his Jan. 18 execution at the McAlester Prison. Smith said he has no statement to make and that he told no one of such a confession.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Dallas
Paul Smith
Harbie Franklin Fairris
Oklahoma City
McAlester
Okla
Smith
Confession Reported From Oklahoma Death Row Inmate
Less than an hour before the electric chair execution at Oklahoma State Penitentiary Fairris summoned editor Howard Cowan and said he had made a statement to Smith to publish after the death. Smith confirmed the talk but refused, fearing the family’s objection. He later relayed the confession to Rev Harold Morgan who spent Fairris final hour with him. Fairris later told Smith the confession was the truth, and Catholic Father Don Kanaly had baptized him earlier. Dan Vinson also said Fairris admitted firing the Cravatt killing.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Oklahoma State Penitentiary
Fairris
Howard Cowan
McAlester News-Capital
Smith
Harold Morgan
Oklahoma City
Fabris
Morgan
Don Kanaly
Calumet
Kanaly
Dan Vinson
Cravatt
Vinson
Fort Sill wage board workers get 210000 annual raise
Fort Sill wage board employees will receive a little over 210000 dollars in annual pay raises starting February 12, averaging 10 cents per hour for about 1100 workers and 13.38 cents per hour for 143 supervisors. The boosts reflect a 5.6 percent and 5.52 percent increase, with Tinker and Vance bases also granting hikes. Quartermaster laundry workers are unaffected.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Fort Sill
Public Information Office
Wage Board
Army-Air Force
Tinker Air Force Base
Vance Air Force Base
Quartermaster Laundry
Truman Praises Ike Decision Not To Run In 1948
Truman writes in Life magazine memoirs that he told Eisenhower in 1948 he believed he had good judgment to decline a presidential bid. He recalls questioning Ike about plans, noting he would not add to his splendid career and could harm his reputation by entering politics. He also discusses pressure from Zionist leaders and his stance as an American first, guiding Israel’s creation.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Washington
Harry S. Truman
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Life Magazine
Eisenhower
Army
Truman
Rayburn
D-Tex
White House
Israel
Lawton Teens Shine In Smile of the Year Contest
Rosemary Allen 13 and Donald Mathes competed in the district Smile of the Year contest after Lawton dentists screened over 1,400 junior high students. Rosemary won first in the girl’s division and advances to the February finals in Oklahoma City. winners receive engraved wrist watches.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Rosemary Allen
W. J. Allen
South
Oklahoma
Oklahoma City
Central
Pauls Valley
Carl Schow
Donald Mathes
Harvey Mathes
Arlington
Allen Groce
Duncan
Groce
Lawton
Rosemary
Donald
Ardmore
Blanchard
Chickasha
Comanche
el Reno
Healdton
Lindsay
Marietta
Marlow
Minco
Purcell
Sulphur
Temple
Walters
Wynnewood
Yukon
Dental Health
Election Ends Church Meeting at Oklahoma Diocese Convention
The 19th annual Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma convention in St. Andrew's Church Lawton closed with election of diocesan officers and appointment of other officials. More than 200 delegates attended as Bishop Chilton Powell highlighted 1955 gains including 1000 confirmations, new parish houses in 15 parishes, and clergy staff expansion.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Episcopal Diocese of
Oklahoma
St. Andrew’s Church
Lawton
Builders For Christ
Russell T. Rauscher
Edward Eckel
Tulsa
Epistler
Edwin Morton
Ardmore
Chilton Powell
D.D
Oklahoma City
Shirley Sanchez
Harry Robinson
Holdenville
Bob Roy Rhody
Alva
Powell
L. G. Foster
Ponca City
Sam Noble
Boyd Gunning
Norman
A. F. Porta
el Reno
City Carrier Wins National Postal Honor
George A. Conway a 43 year old Lawton postal carrier received national recognition from the U S Post Office department for a mail handling speed up idea. Postmaster Bennie Stephens presented Conway with a certificate from Postmaster General Arthur E Summerfield and a check after his plan saves Lawton post office hundreds of dollars annually. The scheme speeds relay between the office and carriers enabling faster mail delivery in Lawton. Conway who has worked at the post office since 1942 aside from three years in the U S Army Air Forces in WWII lives at 2711 A with his wife and two sons Shannon and Vance. He commented it’s the only time he ever won anything and noted the benefit as new carriers handle routes. His route is between First and 1th on A, B and Gore. This is the Lawton post office’s first national recognition for a suggestion.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
U. S. Post Office Department
George A. Conway
Lawton
Bennie Stephens
Conway
Arthur E. Summerfield
Washington, D. C
Stephens
U. S. Air Force
Africa
Italy
Shannon
Vance
Post Office
Gore
Post Office Community Chest Fund
Eisenhower urges Congress to fund health research and care
President Eisenhower asked Congress to vote 126.5 million dollars for basic medical research to unlock cancer mysteries and fight leading killers. He outlined a five point program to boost resources, build facilities, address health personnel shortages, strengthen services, and consider health insurance pooling. The speech highlighted Salk polio vaccine progress and federal matching funds for indigent care.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Washington
Eisenhower
Congress
Ero
Youth Slays Chicago Cop in Nightclub Shooting
In Chicago a 19 year old Negro youth killed veteran officer Lyons Kelleher during a Boulevard Hotel raid at 11 15 pm. The killer escaped as another officer fired. Two teens surrendered for a fatal stabbing the previous night. The mayor convened an emergency meeting to curb violence amid wolf pack attacks on teachers and pedestrians.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Chicago
Lyons Kelleher
South Side
Richard J. Daley
Kelleher
William Derrig
Boulevard Colonial Room
Boulevard Hotel
Drew Revelver Derrig
Robert Hoffman
Richard Fernandez
Hoffman
William MecNeff
Cherry Freed After Murder Charge Dismissed
B C Lovie Cherry, 27, Lawton, was freed after a preliminary hearing dismissed the murder charge in Bennie Williams death. Peace Justice Woodrow Giles ruled there was no evidence of a crime, accepting defense demurrer to state witnesses accounts that Cherry acted in self defense during an early morning confrontation at a Negro hotel. Williams allegedly threatened Collier. a shot in the hallway followed, with testimony naming Taylor and Mrs Henry among those present.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
B. C
Lovie) Cherry
Lawton
Bennie Williams
Woodrow Giles
Giles
Cherry
Williams
Washington
Walter William Taylor
Taylor
Jackie Collier
Collier
Cherry Taylor
Helen Henry
First Mobile Home To Roll From City Plant Next Week
The Town and Country Manufacturing Co plans the first mobile home roll from its city plant next week. Construction nears completion with Monday eyed for finish. equipment layout to finish with metal arrivals today or Friday. Four buildings nearly complete, doors due Friday, and paving to finish by weather permitting. About 140 to 150 workers expected by year end.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Town and Country Manufacturing Company
Joe Cummings
Cummings
House
Court Upholds Careys Term
The Oklahoma Criminal Court of Appeals affirmed a six year penitentiary sentence for E. P. Chic Carney Lawton gambler in a district court trial, ruling testimony supported the gambling house conviction and ordering the term served. The court also upheld J B Jacksons conviction as house man at the Jamboree, but reduced his sentence to six months with a $1,000 fine.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
E. P
Chic) Carney
Lawton
State Criminal Court of Appeals
J. B. Jackson
City Drizzle Wets Ground
A light drizzle covered Lawton with overcast skies and a 45 degree high. Lows ranged from 25 to 32 across the state as a weak storm dissipated and warmer air cleared highways of snow and ice.
Eisenhower weighs Bulganin plea for Geneva spirit revival
President Eisenhower and top aides studied a personal letter from Soviet Premier Bulganin urging renewed East West talks to ease global tension. The note reportedly calls for European security talks, German unity, disarmament, and lowering barriers, with possible negotiations by correspondence rather than a new summit.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Washington
Eisenhower
Nikolai Bulganin
Geneva
Bulganin
White House
United Press
United States
Russia
Great Britain
France
Tragedy at Vance Air Force Base Plane Crash
A training aircraft from Vance Air Force Base crashed five miles west and one north of Wanankomis Oklahoma, killing its three occupants. Names of the dead were withheld pending next of kin notification. An investigating team from Vance was at the scene with no details released.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Enid
Okla
Vance Air Force Base
Vance Public Information Office
Wanukomis
Vance
Taylor Warns Against Expecting Short War
General Maxwell D. Taylor told the Overseas Press Club that assuming a brief war would be tragic and that relying on atomic air power for a fast end is misguided. He stressed Army forces will be needed abroad regardless of war length and noted ongoing missions to counter small wars and limit aggression near Communist states.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
New York
Maxwell D. Taylor
Army
Overseas Press Club
Taylor
Weather Forecast for Area Cloudy With Light Rain
Cloudy with occasional rain or drizzle this afternoon and tonight. Friday partly cloudy and cooler. High near 45 today with a low around 25 to 30, high near 40 Friday, low around 32. Local 11 am reading was 40, yesterday high 51.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Lawton
Weather Bureau
Oklahoma
Associated Press
Guymon
Oklahoma City
Hobart
McAlester
Altus
Fort Sill
Also Mentioned on This Page
Ike
Ihe
City Smile
Dan Crumley
Scions Nation
American Medical Assn
Bill Kristal
Jim Adams
Joe Mendelson
Los Angeles
California
Carey
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