Murder confession ties to rejected lover in Bel Air slaying
John A. Crocker, 31, a former houseboy, confessed after 14 hours of questioning to beating stabbing and strangling Norma McCauley a 33 year old divorcee and mother of three at her Bel Air mansion. He reenacted the crime describing how he hid, confronted her after a party, and killed her with a knife and a scarf knot before taking money and returning home. He was arrested at his apartment after a neighbor identified him as a suitor who had threatened her.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Los Angeles
John A. Crocker
Norma McCauley
Bel-Air
Crocker
McCauloey
Sgt
Jack Hooper
Norma
Crooker
McCauley
Boy Shoots Jailer and Flees Cell
A 16-year-old boy escaped a North Side police station after shooting and seriously wounding Officer Albert Ti. Brown at Shakespeare Ave station lockup. The youth, Ronald Charles Dean, was jailed for auto tampering and petty theft and was the sole prisoner in custody. Police say Dean took Brown’s revolver, shot him, then fled. Dean had been wanted for parole violation from the state training school for boys.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Chicago
North Side
Albert Ti, Brown
Shakespeare Ave
Ronald Charles Dean
Witn
Brown
Thomas Lyons
Uniform Police
Dean
State Drives to Curb Auto Deaths Through Public Safety Crusade
Sacramento officials unveil a year around plan to reduce California highway deaths after a deadly Fourth of July weekend. Gov Knight’s Traffic Safety Committee targets public opinion in a campaign to curb fatalities, noting California’s high share of national vehicle travel and alarming early 1955 death totals.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Sacramento
California
Goodwin J. Knight
Traffic Safety Committee
New York
Minais
Highway Patrol
Bernard R. Coldwell
National Safety Coun
Caldwell
Doomed Danish captain sails to world cruise
Pi-Asker Kure, a 63-foot ketch skipper from Denmark, sets westward to circle the globe amid doctors warning of his likely early death. Accompanied by Richard Newick and a cocker spaniel, he aims for five years at sea rather than a landbound life, insisting his love is the sea. His wife and four children back home understand.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Cowes
Isle of Wight
Pi—Asker Kure
Atlantic
Svendborg
Denmark
Richard Newick
Eureka
Calif
U.S
Columbus
Uni
Kure
President backs Wenzell in Dixon-Yates row
President Eisenhower defended Adolph Wenzell's role in the Dixon-Yates private power plan ahead of a Senate hearing. He said Wenzell was proper and signaled possible contract cancellation if legal barriers to Memphis building its own plant are found. FBI involvement in Memphis power plans draws ire from Kefauver and others.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Washington
Elsenhaiver
Adolph E. Wenzell
Dixon-Yates
Senate Judiciary Sub
Wenzell
Tennessee Valley Authority
TVA
Memphi
Sen
Kefeuver
D-Tean
Werzell
First Boston Corp
Budget Bureau
FBI
Eisenhower
Memphis
Dixon-Yates Power
Kefauver
Ews
Dixon- Yates
Eisenhower vows good faith at Geneva talks and more
President Eisenhower said the United States will negotiate in good faith at the Big Four Geneva talks and warned the Russians against assuming American weakness. He hopes for a hopeful attitude at mid July, noted disarmament progress may be limited to selecting channels, and emphasized an acceptable armaments inspection system. He sidestepped a clear second term question, criticized transit strikes delaying government work, and commented on desegregation.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Washington
Eisenhower
United States
Geneva
Wikita
Khrushchev
Soviet Union
Jas
Sen. Jankers
R-Vi
Ceanital Transit Co
Emplro
Stay of execution granted for Caryl Chessman
Supreme Court Justice Tom Clark granted a stay of execution for Caryl Chessman the sex offender and author scheduled to die July 15 at San Quentin. The order keeps the death date on hold while the court reviews his appeal likely this fall. Chessman has dodged death through legal maneuvers and authored Cell 3455 Death Row with another book Trial by Ordeal due this month.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Washington P
Supreme Court
Tom Clark
Caryl Chessman
San Quentin
Calif
Mm Chessman
Chessman
Death Row
Girl Electrocuted by Dairy Store Freezer
An inquest ordered today into the death of Sharon Kirn a year old girl who was electrocuted Tuesday after opening a self serve freezer in a dairy store. Mrs Gertrude Kirby a clerk at the dairy store testified she saw the girl approach the freezer and fall backward.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Wtt
Sharon Kirn
Sharon
Gertrude Kirby
T the Dairy Store
Mrs. Irby
Fiery Death Ends Boys War Games
A fiery blast during boys war games killed 13 year old Jimmy Waltley, with his 10 year old brother Michael stating he kicked a gasoline can in a shed containing gasoline, kerosene, paint thinner, and paint as ammo. Firemen found two fireworks caps they presume started the fire.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Jimmy Waltley
Jimmy
Michael
Jimnny
Ship Schedules and Ocean Tides Featured Across Pages
A note lists where to find sections in the paper, including Beach Combing, Bridge, Classifieds, Comics, Crossword, Editorial, Financial, Obituaries, Radio and TV, Shipping Table, Sports, Theaters, Tides and Temperatures, Wilson, Women, and Your World across pages A-2, A-16, A-18, A-19, B-2, B-4, B-5, B-6, B-7, B-8, B-10 to B-15, and B-19.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Boyle
Wilson
Patchy Night and Morning Clouds Linger with Fog
Patchy night and morning low clouds and fog reduce visibility with little change in temperatures across the region. Moisture remains nearby as residents brace for limited sunshine and similar morning conditions tomorrow.
Two Long Beach Men Die in Separate Accidents
Two Long Beach residents died in separate traffic incidents today. Ralph W. Sundstrom 65 of 32 Esther Street was struck by a panel truck at Atlantic Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway and died at Seaside Hospital. Othel Stand Justice 88 of 3881 Gossamer Street died in Santa Ana Canyon near Riverside County when his car clipped another vehicle, crossed the center line and crashed into a mountain boulder, his body wedged inside and extrication took hours. Sundstrom’s death brings the year’s city total to 16 traffic fatalities. 27 deaths were recorded at the same point last year. The truck driver Norigan L. Sherwood 19 of 1847 East 63rd Street was cited for failure to yield to a pedestrian. Justice’s instant death occurred at the crash scene according to officers.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Ralph W. Sundstrom
E. Esther SL
Othel Stand Justice
Gossamer St
Sundstrom
Seesice Hospital
Atlantic Ave
Pacific Coast Hwy
Norgian L. Sherwood
E. 63Rd St
Paul N. Guest
Sundstram
Justice
Santa Ana Canyon
Riverside County
Baim
Long Beach
Daniel S. Johnston
Shice
Harbor City Bride Shoots Husband in Domestic Quarrel
In Harbor City the 69 year old bride shot her 75 year old husband in the neck after a quarrel. Mrs Lottie Chappell is held on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon. John Chappell is in Harbor General Hospital with a bullet wound. The shooting occurred in the couple’s bed room at the daughter’s home on Stone Avenue. Mrs Chappell said she retrieved the revolver from the daughter's room and fired. She reportedly said I did it. The couple married last April.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Harbor City
Zariy
Lottie Chappell
John Chappell
Harbor General Hospital
Convicts End Prison Rebellion After Releasing Nine Hostages
At Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla, 33 inmates began a violent revolt but released nine hostages, including Theodore Bezzerides, after negotiations led by Dr. Thomas Harris. Authorities described the standoff as tense with guards and National Guard on standby while prisoners' demands targeted prison conditions and discipline.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Walla Walla
Washington State Penitentiary
Theodore Bezzerides
Tie State
Thomas Harris
Walla Walla, Wash
Washington State
Weil
Lwor
Washington
Harris
Lael
Lawrence Delmore Jr
Frazier
Identifica
Richard Armstrong
Tacoma
National Guard
Asso
State Denies Bid to Curtail Bus Service
The State Public Utilities Commission denied Long Beach Motor Bus Co. in part, blocking cuts on 12 of 15 lines to fund three new Lakewood routes. Engineers dispute company losses and gains, while routes across Willow Street, Palo Verde, Studebaker, Walkerton, and Lakewood Boulevard underwent changes and extensions.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
State Public Utilities Commission
Long Beach Motor Bus Co
Lakewood
Commission
Exiel
jRoute
Lakewood Blvd
Willow Ist
Willow
Clas Ave
Bpring
Earthquake Toll Reported Over Thousand in Formosa
Taiao News reports a severe earthquake hit northwest China on May 31, claiming more than 1400 lives. Agency details and continued coverage on Page A-3.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Ching
Taipei
Formosa
China
Taiao News
Muggy Back East As Heat Wave Persists Across Regions
Heat and humidity linger from the Plains to the Atlantic Coast with 90s common, some 100s in the Southwest, and scattered showers offering brief relief. Record highs included Tucson 107 and Presidio 106, while Muscle Shoals and Omaha saw notable rainfalls.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Associated Preas
Plains
Atantic
Portland
Maine
Wisconsin
Mississippi River
Arizona
Tucson
Ariz
Presidio
Tex
Northwest
New Mexico
Texas
Muscle Shoals
Ala
Omaha
Charleston
W. Va
New England
Pacific Northwest
Also Mentioned on This Page
Killer
Boy
Jailer
John R. Crocker
Set
Jack Catch
IRS
Norma McCauley Slsin
the Bucks
Ike
Wen Lby
Wash
Clarence Shrag
L.B
Jim Frazie
Bride
This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!