Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • Page 1

Be troi PAY NO MORE Covering Detroit With Detroit's Best Newspapermen VOL NO. 21 TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1955 CIRC. 100,000 72 The Complete IV Programs See Page 6 rails Flames' 38-14 FOWBS am, '9 Elise 100 Feev Cleveland Keeps Pro Grid Title By ROBERT MADIGAN and JOHN GALLAGHER (Timet Unit) 'A spectacular three-alarm fire Monday destroyed the huge Edgewater Park ar LOS ANGELES The Cleveland Browns, for the cade building and part of the roller-coaster structure. second year in a row, are world professional football Flames shot as high at 10(5 feet and a towering column of champions. Just as in 1954, when they swamped the Detroit Lions, 56- black smoke was visible 10 miles away.

10, the Browns Monday had no TRAFFIC DETOURED The blaze attracted thousands trouble in crushing the Los Angeles Rams, 38-14, before a record-breaking crowd of 87,695 in of spectators and jammed W. V-'r1 I 1 vS 4 lit A the National Football League's Seven Mile Road traffic. Police finally detoured all traffic from title game. GRAHAM BRILLIANT Quarterback Otto Graham, Seven Mile between Telegraph and Lahser. who early in the season came out of "retirement," shared honors with the Browns' defen Cecil Wagner, who with his brother Milton owns the park estimated damage at $200,009.

He said equipment for the various rides and park concessions was stored In the arcade, sive linebackers as Cleveland copped the laurels for the third time since joining the NFL. Graham, scored two touch which is 500 by 100 feet downs and passed for two more in what he said was "definitely An Editorial The Detroiter Reporter today starts its fourth week of publication. It is a good time to review how this newspaper happened to be born, and to state again our aims. The Reporter was started up a few hours after most Detroit newspapermen were laid off as a result of a strike of stereotypers against the management of Detroit's three regular daily newspapers. The Reporter is backed by two labor organizations.

One is the Detroit Allied Printing Trades Council. This organization includes the unions engaged in newspaper "back shop" operation printers, pressmen, mailers, and many others, including the stereo-' typers themselves. The other organization is the Detroit Newspaper Guild. This union includes business office workers, reporters, desk men, artists, photographers, ad salesmen and other nonmechanical department workers on the staffs of The Detroit Free Press and The Detroit Times. The Guild also includes maintenance department workers at The Detroit News.

The Council has been long an affiliate of the American Federation of Labor. The Guild for years has been an affiliate of the Congress of Industrial Organizations. Since the recent merger, of course, both the Council and the Guild are members of the combined AFL-CIO labor family. But this newspaper is not intended as a soap box for the newspaper unions. This newspaper really does not belong to us at all.

The Reporter belongs to Detroit. It was established to bring Detroit the news of the day, at a time when no other metropolitan newspaper was available for that purpose. We have been doing this for more than three weeks. We have "covered" the newspaper strike just as if it were any other important story. We have attempted to give the managements of the newspapers closed by the strike the same fairness that we attempt to give to ourselves.

We are following events at Common Council, and Recorder's Court, and the police station, so the public will know how its business is being conducted. We publish the weather forecasts, and television and radio schedules. We even have a crossword puzzle in this issue, In response to many pleas. We also are a market place. In order to live, business must advertise.

(Continued on Page 2)' my last football game." Meantime, the Browns' de fensive wizards, who led the league In all departments In Lt Glenn Bennett, of the arson squad, said the fire may have been the work of an arsonist. YOUTH RUNS AWAY A youth about 18, hatless and wearing blue jeans and a dark jacket, was seen running from the vicinity of the arcade Just the regular season, again con Teacher Held in tinued their brilliance, parti-cularly in pass Interceptions. They stole six Los Angeles Road Toll Expected To Top 550 aerials, one under the record, to before the fire broke A set up three of the Browns' touchdowns, and their one field goal. Shooting youth of similar description has been seen at the scene of four minor arson fires in the north Except In first downs, It was Thoto by Donald Strong, Timet Unit Sandra home for Christmas. Her mother, Mrs.

Merlin Grimes, pinning a Brownie Scout pin on Sandra Gail Grimes, 6, who went home from the hospital for Christmas. Sandra, stricken with a malignancy, was made an honorary Brownie Scout, At right are Sandra's sisters', Wylene, 10, and Beverly, 4. Sandra Visited Twice; by Santa BY AL LAXDY (Times Unit) Petite and lovable Sandra Gail Grimes has two distinctions among the thousands of Detroit boys and girls A Detroit school teacher all Cleveland. The Rams made 17 to the Browns' 16. west area in the last six months, Lt.

Bennett said. Tuesday faced a charge of fel By AL KAUFMAN I (Times Unit) The nation's staggering holi The Browns totaled 337 yards, onious assualt for turning an with Graham completing 14 East Detroit neighborhood passes to account for 211 yards, cnristmas Eve party Into a Los Angeles posted an even 300 shooting gallery with a guest day toll on the highways, having soared to 500 by late Monday, promised to top the National Safety Council's predic Monday's fire was the Moon within IS months to hit the park, which is at W. Seven Mile and Berg Roads. On Oct. 4, 1954, the park's dance hall burned down and two persons perished.

Lack of nearby fire hydrants yards, netting 230 In the first half. and police officers as targets, Jeremiah J. Doyle, 32, of The Rams only major thrust tion of 550 traffic deaths. 22771 Saxony, East Detroit, in the final half resulted from Fires and other accidents took fired 10 shots, wounding one an interference penalty against an additional 100 lives. man the hand in the violent the Browns, which enabled Los handicapped firemen, so they who waited so impatiently all year long for that day of Texas led the nation with 47 dead from highway crashes and days Christmas.

aftermath of an argument which started at the party next Angeles to gain 45 yards and paved the way for a futile last-minute touchdown. chopped holes in the Ice covering the Rouge River, which borders one corner of the park, 26 dead from other causes. Of one, Sandra Gail Is well and her husband themselves received an unexpected "Christ door to his house. Michigan was holding a slim THEFTS PAY OFF East Detroit Police Detective and drew water with pumpers. mas present" when the doctors edge on second place in the aware that Santa Claus brought her presents not once, mind you, but twice this Christ told them they could "take San Intercepted passes marked the first half with the Browns Clayton Aulwes said Doyle was incoherent after being arrested SPOTS SMOKE The fire was discovered at dra Gail home for Christmas.

mas. grim highway race with 41 deaths. California reported 37 fatalities; Iowa, 36, and Illinois, 35. and could not explain the out She received palliative X-ray Of the second distinction, burst of violence. therapy to make her more com 1:30 p.m.

by Thomas Valley, 33, of 19458 Berg, who saw smoke picking off five to a pair for the Rams. All the scoring resulted from the thievery. Sandra Gail is very much in the fortable, and Thursday, when A teacher at Detroit's Jack Michigan State Police, start dark. And, certainly there is they bundled Sandra Gail into ing a count at 12:01 a.m. Friday, had a list of 41 auto deaths by The Browns had an early the family car there was barely son Intermediate School and a reserve lieutenant in the Army Counter Intelligence Corps coming from the arcade while he was walking his dog In a field adjoining the park.

no one to argue with those who are agreed that it should be thus! march halted on the Ram 20 room for all the toys and the late Monday, most killed in half dozen dolls and even the Six Family Perish in Fire with a hobby of target shoot single car accidents. when Ed Hughes of the Rams snatched an Otto Graham pass The raging blaze was brought under control in an hour but it portable television set which Seven of these, killed In De ing, Doyle was subdued by two in the end zone. sympathetic "strangers" had troit accidents, brought the to Detroit patrolmen. was another 45 minutes before DAYS ARE LBIITED For three weeks ago her parents, Mr. and Mrs.

Cecil Grimes, received the shocking news from doctors at Memorial Hos tal for 1955 to 221 killed inW fire was put out. PEACEMAKER HURT sent her. HAPPY REUNION Later in the period Ken Konz stole a Lps Angeles toss by Norm Van Brocklin on Cleve Aulwes said Doyle stormed FLAMES LEAP The arcade, which is set up 231 last year. HIT RUNNER HELD pital in Van Dyke, that Sandra out of the party, followed by his wife. A few minutes later Then followed the happy reunion at home with her two sisters, Wylene, 9, and Beverly, GAYLORD A hysterical father, his feet cut to ribbons by a barefoot dash through the snow for help, grieved over the fire deaths of his wife and five children One Detroiter, Stanley Skiba, on tall stilts, Is in the north Gail is suffering from an incurable malignancy and her land's 24.

Two passes, one to Lavelli, another to Brewster, plus a gallop around right end by she returned and warned that west corner of the park and the 4 (who know, only that "sister 71, of 4109 Junction, died Christmas Day of injuries suf in a hospital bed here Monday, her husband had gotten a pistol. chances of living to celebrate her sixth birthday in January is and, finally, sitting up and watching while the Christ fered when he was struck by a are "remote." Casimer KuzewsM, 35, of hit-run driver. The driver, roller-coaster tracks pass near it. Flames from the burning building jumped to the roller coaster structure, which at that mas tree was being trimmed. 13668 Hendrickson, Warren follow 'him from the blazing house.

"But she must have got confused," Soper cried. "When I Of course, Sandra Gail was Fred Morrison, moved the Browns to the Ram 25. There Lou Groza kicked a 25-yard field goal to put the Browns ahead, 3-0, with only three minutes left in the first period. Township, went to the Doyle traced by his license number, was apprehended. He is Darle Watson Persinger, 27, of 3827 fast asleep when Santa visited her Christmas Eve for the sec home to act as a peacemaker point rises to 90 feet Approximately 200 feet of the track was burned.

got outside she was no longer while Mrs. Doyle called the The family of Warren Soper, 48, was burned to death when their Otsego County farm home was turned into a funeral pyre early Monday. Dead are Mrs. Gladys Soper, 36; and the children, Elaine, 13; Marlyn, 12; Lome, 10; Owen, 3, and Dale, 2. TRIES TO GET HELP Twenty-ninth.

ond time in two weeks. It isn't too difficult, therefore, to understand why these December days have been a living nightmare for the parents who have sought to bottle up their grief and at the same time appear cheerful in the presence of their other two children. police. there." CALLS FIBEMEX When Soper reached the near Kuzewski was wounded In The roof and walls of the arcade collapsed, but no firemen Early In the second, the Rams took over on their own Included among the accidents were three involving trains and cars in which six persons were killed. the hand trying, to WTest the were injured.

49 after a kick and Van Brock weapon away from Doyle est phone half a mile away, he summoned the Vanderbilt vol lin passed 11 yards to Quinlan But there was no doubt he had been there, for more than a dozen packages were under the tree when Sandra Gail whs carried into the living room from her bedroom by her father. And, some of the presents were for her, too. The wound required five In Monroe County, Donald Scalf, 21! his wife, Shirley, 19, Two weeks ago, when word unteer fire department. Firemen Soper, the sole survivor, Is stitches. of Sandra Gail's plight became and six more to Towler.

Then Don Paul of the Browns snatched Van Brocklin's next from Gaylord responded also. and their 11-month-old daughter, Sheree Jean, were killed in known and an emergency call But the basement of the Soper The arcade housed the -dodge 'em car rink as well as scores of amusement machines. The wooden bull din was built in 1926, when the park was opened. The burning arcade, which is to Santa resulted in his flying home was filled with firewood pass and without being touched However, the best "present" pre-Christmas visit to her hos stantly when Scalf drove his car into a Detroit-bound freight train. ran b3 yards lor tne game first touchdown.

of all, so far as Sandra Gail pital bedside with all the pres East Detroit Patrolmen Fred Zizelman and Ted Stevens arrived a few minutes later. Doyle stepped out on his porch as the police car pulled up and fired nine shots from a pistol, hitting the car once In a fender. and by the time firemen arrived, the walls of the house had collapsed, trapping the vic-time inside. was concerned, arrived a little ents she had written him lor. When Groza converted the In Jackson County, Mrs.

at the head of the midway, did Mrs. Grimes chose not to be later in the day. hospitalized for exposure, burns and badly lacerated feet, suffered when he dashed half a mile, barefoot and in his night clothes, to summon help. "His feet were literally shredded by the ice," said a State Police trooper. Hospital officials said he would recover.

Soper, a farmer, also is foreman for the Higgins Industries in Vanderbilt. Browns led, 10-0. (Continued on Page 2) Led by Troop Leaders, Mrs not endanger any other buildings'. The closest was the Fun RAMS REBOUND present "because I didn't want to break down and cry and Rose Kenney, of 18845 Albany, The Rams wasted no time get By late Monday only the bodies of Mrs. Soper and the three older children had been recovered from the still Zizelman and Stevens crawl and Mrs.

Allen Thomas, of 17457 spoil her precious, happy mo ting the touchdown back. They returned the kickoff to their Sends His Boss Poisoned Cake tiouse, wmcn is oi sione. Frank Sullivan, 59, park watchman who lives on the ed out of the car door away Filer, 16 members of Brownie ment But she was unable to control Troop No. 409 of the John D. from the house after radioing own 30.

"The bodies were burned be Don Waller bucked for 3 and TOKYO-rYukata Yamashita, her sobs at home when she was told how Sandra Gail's eyes lit grounds, said only 20 minutes before the fire started he had chased away some children who Pierce School, Sandra Gail is a kindergartner, marched into the tiny Grimes home 22, sent his boss a Christmas on the next play Van Brocklin Members of the family were asleep in upstairs bedrooms of yond recognition," a State Police officer said. "The only way up as each package was un ior neip. ihey charged the house and nabbed Doyle as he was leaving by the back door. In searching tiae Doyle home, they found an army carbine hit Quinlan in the clear and the present a fluffy, chocolate cake. at 18000 Buffalo.

wrapped and how she gave we knew they were the older Skeeter ran 67 yeards to pay- were starting to build a fire under the raised arcade. They were quickly joined by Santa a hug and a kiss and dirt. Les Richter converted, and youngsters was by their size." Cause of the fire was un their 17th member, Sandra's loud "Thank you, Santa, thank and two German army auto it was Cleveland 10, Los An The boss, his wife and two sons recovering in a hospital Monday. Yamashita Was in jaiL He said he poisoned the cake because his boss had scolded him. the two-story frame home when Soper was awakened by the smell of smoke.

He told State Police that he aroused his wife and she picked up th smaller children to sister, Wylene, whose Brownie you for everything." matic pistols. known, but police believe it The children had been ice skating on the Rouge River and were building the fir for warmth. uniform she had admired so PRESENTS GALORE started by an overheated stove Shortly after the kickoff the Mrs. Doyle could not explain in the dinir.2 room, Continued on Page 5) (Continued on Page 8) Then, last week, Mrs. Grimes her husband actions.

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