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Newspaper
Raleigh Register
Location
Beckley, West Virginia, United States of America
Date
Oct 19, 1955
Page
1
A tractor-trailer out of control on Big Savage Mountain crashed into a parked loaded rig and a car, killing five people from Frostburg and a Pennsylvania driver. Witnesses describe a fiery, explosive wreck as power lines and debris blocked the road and delayed emergency responders.
London reports Princess Margaret plans top level talks at Lambeth Palace with Archbishop Geoffrey Fisher and other church leaders about her hoped marriage to divorced RAF captain Peter Townsend. Townsend not invited to dinner. the royal party and bishops attend a pre dinner dedication at the palace chapel. Public and press debate over church rules looms as Margaret returns to Allanbay estate after services with Queen Mother Elizabeth.
Chicago and county police pressed a wide investigation into the murder of three boys Robert Peterson 14 John Schuessler 13 and Anton Jr 11 whose naked bodies were found in Robinson Woods near the city line. Autopsy showed death 36 to 40 hours earlier with no sexual assault. Authorities sought a madman or older youths gang as possible culprits.
Charleston reports a deadly start to the West Virginia hunting season for squirrel, turkey, and grouse with seven fatalities. Among the dead are D. M. Stamper of Bluefield, secretary treasurer of UMW District 29, who died of a heart attack after a hunting trip. James Matthew Moyer, a 75 year old farmer near Elkins, shot while hunting with grandsons. Glen Beavers of Bartley killed by a heart attack while hunting near home. Raymond McNeely, 68, of Whitesville, who bled to death after being shot accidentally by a nephew during a search in Boone County. Bruce Hudson, 15, of Smith Creek, Kanawha County, who bled to death after a thigh wound from a misfired gun. former Elizabeth mayor Charles Fought, 53, found dead from a heart attack in Wirt County. Harold Monroe Lee, 13, of Gallipolis Ferry, the season's first casualty, shot while retrieving a loaded gun.
A 25 year old window washer, held since yesterday in Morgantown, is to take a lie detector test in the murder of Mrs Susan Holden, a 52 year old WVU English instructor found stabbed. Sheriff Johnson said two state police CID troopers will administer the test. He had been questioned about a prior robbery and released. investigators also spoke with his grandmother who did housework for the victim.
A large police operation in Philadelphia with 250 officers from local, state, and federal agencies resulted in 100 people arrested for narcotics involvement. Six accused individuals were women, while twenty others are held for further questioning and investigation.
In Ronceverte West Virginia Mrs Lula Peck aged 80 died in a fire that destroyed her home last night Fire Chief Roy Morris said the blaze started when Mrs Peck used too much kerosene to light a coal stove A daughter and three sons survive the victim
Directors and Beckley Chamber of Commerce board members will hold their regular monthly meeting at noon Thursday in the Beckley Hotel private dining room.
In a 5-2 decision the Florida Supreme Court postponed desegregation at the University of Florida until officials can prove the all-white school can safely admit Negro students without harmful effects.
A campaign circulates Oct 18 petition forms seeking to retain Cpl. Leslie P. Mullins as head of the Wyoming County State Police detachment. The forms urge no discipline for Mullins after claims he beat an armless drun k man, with a Oct 24 mailing deadline to A. D. Burcham in Mullens. Capt. Walker says investigation favors discipline. Mullins is on leave until Oct 25.
President Eisenhower, in a wheelchair, meets with Secretary Dulles to discuss the acid test of Soviet sincerity and U.S. preparation for the Big Four foreign ministers parley opening in Geneva on October 27. Dulles flew in from Washington for another hospital conference. a Fitzsimons bulletin notes the President had a nine hour sleep and is progressing satisfactorily without complications.
New York and St Louis businessman Patrick Paddy Keough struck out on The $64,000 Question. He won a $5,000 Cadillac consolation prize, becoming the first contestant to miss a prize level above $8,000 in 20 weeks on the CBS show.
Beckley attorneys for the Beckley Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and lodge manager Roland Phillips prepare a court filing in Raleigh County for the return of six slot machines seized in the January 29 raid. The effort follows Judge Harry L. McCreery’s ruling quashing the Grand Jury indictment, with police awaiting a court order to return the machines.
Civil Aeronautics Administration investigators probed a fatal crash in North Hollywood that killed millionaire Joel W. Thorne his 18 year old bride Sheryll Camille Preston a 2 month old christened baby and a 6 year old boy among the loss in a fiery two apartment explosion. A 6 year old boy died later in hospital from burns and residents recalled the plane buzzed the area at rooftop height before plunging. Thorne had taken off from Lockheed Air Terminal bound for Las Vegas on an instrument flight plan 12 minutes before the crash.
Georgia Attorney General Eugene Cook alleged the NAACP pursues subversion in its civil rights drive and urged January legislative action to ban the organization in the state. Cook claimed a Communist inspired doctrine drives racial integration and warned the NAACP fronts threaten Georgia’s peace and government. NAACP officials rejected the charges as a Southern plot to defy federal desegregation orders.
Tarzana California actor John Hodiak 41 collapsed at home after waking to go to work and died of a heart attack. He starred in Bell for Adano Life Boat The Caine Mutiny and was divorced from actress Anne Baxter. His last projects included Threshold of Space and Life Boat.
Beckley Jr High is the county’s sole junior high with higher September enrollment than a year ago. Overall high school enrollment stands at 7,195, below the 7,308 from the prior year, while elementary enrollment rose by 546. The 1954-55 term shows 16,176 students versus 15,630 currently. High schools with gains include Byrd Prillerman, Marsh Fork, Richmond, Shady Spring, Stratton and Trap Hill. elementary gains appear at many schools such as Acord, Amigo, Beav er, Bragg, Central Citysville, Cob lins, Cranberry, Crow, Dillion Creek, Dunbar, East Beckley, East Park, Egeria, Fairdale, Farley Hill, Firco, Firco Negro, Fitzpatrick, Glen Leigh, Glen White Negro, Grand View, Harper Heights, Harvey, Lester Negro, Maxwell Hill, McKinley, Met alton, Midway, Mills Branch, Morton Reaves Negro, Pemberton Negro, Piney Oaks, Piney View, Properity, Richmond Falls, Shiloh, Sprague, Sprague Negro, Spruce, Star, Sylvia, Tilden, Trail and Victor.
Wilbur D. Cox, former Beckley resident and long time Appalachian Electric Power Co. foreman, died Thursday in Melbourne Florida at 3:30 PM after ill health led to retirement in 1951. He was survived by a brother T D Cox of Beckley and two sisters Mrs Luther Lilly of Wickham and Mrs Henry Bowling of Beckley. Funeral services are set for 2 PM Thursday in Melbourne.
William E. James a Piney View resident pleaded guilty in Raleigh County Criminal Court to unlawful wounding after a May 17 stabbing that followed the shooting of Dolph Williamson. Judge Harry L. McCreery scheduled sentencing for 10 a.m. Monday. James remains on bond. The charge carries one to five years, or 12 months in county jail, while the related maiming charge carries two to 10 years in state prison.
Judge Norman Knapp proposes pre-trial conferences to streamline Raleigh County Circuit Court practice. The move aims to shorten trials, clarify issues, and reduce docket size during the November term. A jurors handbook was also presented for approval and distribution to jurors. Beckley attorney G Berk Lynch reported on a recent State Bar meeting in Wheeling.
Weather notes for West Virginia show cloudy cool nights with light frost likely low 32 to 38. Thursday expected fair and warmer in the afternoon. Beckley reports yesterday high and tonight low around 42 F with today’s conditions unclear. Oak Hill yesterday high about 4 and low around 7 with light rain total near 0.12 inches. Rivers at Bellepoint and Bluestone, Greenbrier, Bluestone, and New rivers below normal but clear. Bluestone Reservoir at normal stage and clear.
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