The Hutchinson News from Hutchinson, Kansas • Page 1

Today's Weather Chillier THE HUTCHINSON NEWS-HERALP VOL. LXX1 NO. 256 I Loved Says Welsh In Denying He Killed Sister Kansas City Placed on the witness stand In an unexpected defense move, George W. Welsh, charged with murder, denied Friday he killed his sister, Miss Leila lAdcle Welsh, slain and mutilated two years ago. "I did not murder my sister.

I loved her," he told the Jury, The courtroom was tensely silent as Welsh took the stand upon direction of John Barker, chief defense attorney, "George, turn and face the Jury," Barker said. Welsh calmly surveyed the 12 men In the Jury box, "Did you kill your sister?" asked Barker, "No," the young man said firmly. "I loved her." Miss Welsh, then 24, was found' dead in her bed at the Welsh HUTCHINSON, KANSAS, KRipAY, APRIL 16, 1943 home Sunday morning March 0, 1041. Retraces Movement! Welsh testified that on that Saturday he went to work in the morning, returned home for lunch and remained in the house during the afternoon, leaving about 4 p. m.

to show some real estate to a couple. He was In the real estate business. "After supper, March 8. did you leave home that night?" asked Barker. Welsh replied negatively, adding "I went into the front room and lay down on the davenport." "Do you remember when Richard Funk (Miss Welsh' escort that night) came?" "1 don't think I even remember him being there." Asked If he recalled return of Miss Welsh and Funk later that night he said: "I remember hearing the door open and after Leila came in I remember her going past me and saying something." "After that, what did she do?" "She went on toward her bedroom door." "Did you see her again that night?" "No." Left At 8:30 A.M.

He said he slept all night on the davenport and left the house about 8:30 or a little later Sunday morning. "Why did you sleep on the couch?" "I had a habit of doing that. After eating I would lie down there and was Just too plain lazy to get up and go to bed." Under Barker's questioning Welsh related that he had a o'clock appointment Sunday morning to show a house, saw the prospect, relumed him to his home and went on to visit another house which was up for sale and found there a note addressed to him and written on the card of his uncle. Edgar Fleming, directing him to return home at once, which he did. There, he said, he saw his mother, aunt and a family friend leaving the house, that he jollied them and at their request entered a car and drove to his unclo's house.

Hears Of Kllllnr On arriving at his uncle's home, he said, he was told what had happened. "1 almost collapsed." Later he went to the Welsh home, he said, and talked with policemen, including Lear B. Reed, then police chief. Subsequently, he said, he went to the police station and did not leave until about 2 o'clock Monday. While there he was shown a window sill taken from his sister's room, told that it bore his fingerprints and was asked if he had climbed through the window.

"I said I remembered climbing in the window. I said the last time 1 could remember was in the summer before, in 1940." "Did Reed ask you about the window?" "Yes, and I told him the same thing, and ho asked me if I had been near the window since that time. I told him I had sat in the window and threw cigaret butts out through the open window." "That was when you were talking to your sister?" "Yes." Attorney General Examines Roy McKittrick, Missouri attorney general, cross-examined Welsh at length on the subject of sleeping on the davenport, drawing from Welsh assertions he had not (Pago 10, Column 2, Please) The Weather Kansas: Scattered light showers In south portion this afternoon and evening; cooler tonight and Saturday forenoon. Blustery is a good one-word description for the weather. Jt was wind and dust-raising Thursday afternoon, still breezy Friday.

Hutchinson Weather (U.S. Report) High temperature Thursday 79 degrees, low Friday 51, at 2:15 p.m. 65. Year ago 79, low 56, moisture .09. MuiUcliml Airport 'fcmlxrulurei (By OAA Communications station) YeilenUy: 2:30 61 3:30 77! 3:30 SB 4:30 791 4:30 SO 5:30 771 6:30 60 6:30 S3 7:30 8:30 0:30 10:30 11:30 Today! 12:30 1:30 781 7:30 S3 691 8:30 66 661 9:30 62 64110:30 60 6(1 63 p.m 69 62 1:30 67 62 3:30 61 Cocktail Hour OT-A second Walking Papers Camp Wheeler, Ga.

newly commissioned lieutenant got his army career off to a good walking start. Ordered to the 18th battalion, he erroneously reported to the 10th, just in time to accompany a platoon on a 19-mlle hike. Returning from the hike, he discovered his error, and promptly the next day was transferred to his correct outfit. He arrived Just In time to get in on a 15-mllo hike. Talking Letters Mexico City (fP) new phono-postal service is being set up by the communications ministry.

Phonograph records of messages will be made at the larger postoffices for 14 cents each. By paying regular postage, the client may have the records sent anywhere he wishes. They Don't Get It, Rigby. Idaho Hubert Burton made the mistake of trying to explain snow to New Guinea natives, he wrote to Rigby friends. "I wasted half an hour; they thought' I was talking about rain.

"1 got a picture with some snow in it. They began to understand, but still couldn't see why it was cold. "I quit." Fowl Parndise Redwood City, Calif. Seven chickens survived as fire swept a garage adjoining their coop. Their owner, Mrs.

John W. Foster 1 wanted to reward them for heroic conduct under fire, she said. So she turned them loose for a field day in her victory garden, Hot Music Topcka (IP) heard of torch songs? Well, write your own headline for this: A juke box gave out with a hot number in a Topeka tavern early Friday. Before firemen got the blaze out, damage estimated at $250 had occurred. One Horse Is A Parade In Capital Oklahoman's Fight To Save Booze Is Being Handicapped Washington UP) Oklahoma's box-car crusader is back in the capital time on horseback.

Dubbing himself a "second Paul Revere," Ernest C. Albright, who once campaigned for congress by a box-car trip to Washington and another time rounded war veterans up to ride the rods to the capital in the bonus' drive, now is out to save some 200,000 pints of contraband liquor from destruction, For Oklahoma Is to Albright's Indignation and its laws provide that all illicit liquor seized by officers of the law must be "forthwith destroyed." Could Be Utilized And that, says the antl-prohibi lion advocate of Oklahoma City, is a shame when it could be turned over the medical corps of the military services for wartime use. At least, he says, the alcohol it contains could be used in the "manufacture of rubber and explosives and other essentials of war." But the Oklahoma legislature failed to heed his fervent pleas, so lie dropped his campaign for mayor of Oklahoma City and came to Washington. One Horse A Parade As may be deducted from the foregoing, the one-time newspaper publisher and erstwhile secretary to William (Alfalfa Bill) Murray is not 1 averse to pi)bllc notice when he dons his crusading clothes, This time, he dressed like jiistorlcal pictures of Paul Revere and planned to straddlo his the name of "Prince of canter down Pennsylvania avenue to the White House to petition the president, But one horse is a parade on the avenue and parades around the White House are out for the duration. He next planned a gallop up the avenue to the eapitol to tackle his congressmen but.that was ruled out, too, Seven Held As Saboteurs In Ship Yard Greed For More Money Led Men To Do Faulty Work Washington J.

Edgar Hoover, FBI director, announced Friday the arrest of seven men, formerly employed as welders, on charges of sabotaging Liberty ships being built at the Bethlc- hem-Fairfield (Md.) shipyards. Hoover said the men "have admitted performing faulty welding in order to finish their work in a hurry and earn more money." He added that there was no evidence of "any Axis direction or sympathies on the part of the welders." Another Bethlehem Fairfield welder arrested on a similar charge several weeks ago, was convicted of sabotage Thursday in BoUlniors'j federal court, he was George Arnold Steele, 20, for mcrly of Franklin Furnace, O. Sentence was deferred until April 19. He listed these defendants to bo arraigned Friday: Herman Schercr, 26, a native of New Ashby Burk- holdcr, 28, a native of Buchanan, Hiram Thomas Via, 22, born at Basic City, Farrell Houston Smith, 29, born at Catawba, N. Leonard Lucas, 23, of Lancaster, S.

who will be arraigned at Baltimore; Harley Brasttis Miller, 22, arrested at Lexington, N. and Wilfred James Gossman, 24, arrested at Zanesvilic, Ohio. "Many of the improper welds were in vital parts of the ships," the head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation said, "and were only discernible through the use of Xray. The full extent of the damage is not yet known; however, many structurally weak ships would have gone to sea if the defective welding had not been discovered." Hoover said the workers were charged with using what is" known as "bridge welding" and "slugging." He said that in the former method the workman welds only the outside edges between steel plates leaving air space in the center, so that instead of completely fused plates there is only a veneer, with result that the weld will break under certain strains. He described "slugging" as laying welding wire between the two plates, to be welded and melting only the lop of it Into a veneer, leaving the inside unfused and structurally weak.

Burkholdcr had received $2,100 in salary and bonuses since January 21, Hoover said. He asserted that Gossman had admitted "slugging" 150 inches of weld on April 6 antt 188 inches on April 8. Generally, the men will be arraigned at the federal district court nearest the point of arrest. Red Bombers Step Activity Germans Hit At Home And At The Front By Eddy Gllmore Moscow Red army is throwing a mounting force into the bombing of German military objectives and cities, the latest feat of Russian fliers being announced as a raid on a German airdrome on the Leningrad front where 13 German planes were destroyed on the ground, The noon communique told of the exploits of a band of Russian fliers who bombed and strafed the German airfield, setting fires to buildings in the area as well The raid came on the heels of a Russian long-range attack on Kocnigsberg, the third bombing of that East Prussia city, and an assault on Danzig, the first one this year. Stories of the raids were given wide display in the Soviet press along with accounts of the Allied bombings from the west.

German communique broadcast by the Berlin radio and recorded by the Associated Press asserted that the German airforce destroyed 60 Russian planes yes terday with the loss of only two German craft. It said that in land fighting Russian attacks in the Kuban area had been dispersed with heavy losses to the Soviet troops. German light naval forces operating off the Caucasian coast sank a Russian coastal ship, it was declared.) In land fighting, Soviet troops struggled ahead in the Kuban area of the Caucasus, capturing another German stronghold and dominating the position In the face of fierce counterattacks by large numbers of German reserves. The Danzig raid was made on the port's warehouses, ship building yards, chemical plants and machine tool factories as well as other Industrial objectives, It was announced. TIRED LITTLE NOMAD A sergeant keeps things oulct for tired Roger Micnc.

3, found wandering In Chicago. Congressmen WouhMttend Food Parleys Senate Committee Makes Demand Of State Department Washington Congress ed today to send its own observers' to the International Food conference scheduled to begin at Hot Springs, May 18 with a de-j mand from the senate Agriculture committee that some of its members be permitted to attend. Senator Aiken (R-Vt.) said the committee unanimously had approved a motion instructing Chairman Smith (D-SC) to confer with State department officials and attempt. to arrange for the members to attend all sessions. Smith is ill and committee -attaches delivered the message to the Stale department.

Aiken told reporters it was the consensus of the committee it ought to have first hand information on the discussions, since it seems likely that newspaper reporters are going to be marred from all except the perfunctory opening and closing sessions and denied contact with delegates. 'As people interested in agriculture, we want to know what is going on," Aiken said. "We don't want to be caught cold on a lot of commitments for American agriculture without knowing what they are." "Also," he continued, "we don't want oilier nations to get the im prcssion that congress is going to approve just anything that might be decided at this conference. As representatives of the people we have a right to know what commitments are in prospect." While some members were reported urging that the senate Foreign Relations committee take similar action, Chairman Connally (D-Tox.) said that as far as ho was concerned he was not interested in sending observers. If committee members went, he in- 1 dicated, it would be only in response to an official invitation.

There was no hint that any such invitation would be forthcoming but Connally said that arrangements had been made for Dean Acheson, assistant secretary of state, to explain plans for the conference at a joint session of the foreign relations and agriculture committees Monday afternoon. Acheson also is expected to appear before the house foreign affairs and agriculture committees. Meanwhile, Senator Ferguson (R-Mich.) said he would seek early consideration by the foreign relations committee of his resolution which would provide for news coverage of all conference sessions by representatives of the three major press services and for the attendance of five Democratic and there Republican legislators, Takes Bonds As Alimony San Francisco, Calif. Lucille Ellison obtained a divorce from Herbert agreed to accept a $25 war bond each month in lieu of alimony, Sabotage In Albania Jerusalem Albanian circles reported today that a violent out break of sabotage had forced the Italians to abandon operations in the rich chrome mines in southern Albania. Kansan One Of 11 Killed In A Crash Fort Myers, Fla.

army fliers were killed 'late yesterday when a twin-engined advanced training plane crashed at Buckingham field near here, public relations officers announced Friday. The dead and next of kin included: Pvt. Jock M. Quails, 25, Gunnery student, son of Mrs. Sadie Quails of 502 Washington street, Galena, Kansas.

Confessions Before Jury Stale? Wins Argument In Lower 13 Trial Albany, Ore. a bitter argument in the absence of the jury, Los Angeles police stalemonts quoting Robert E. Lee Folkes, Negro dining car cook, as admitting he slew Martha Virginia James, were admitted in evidence in the "lower 13" murder In the face of strong opposition by Defense Attorney Loroy Lomax, who charged the admissions were obtained after the Negro had been given liquor and after use of "third degree" methods by Los Angeles police, Circuit Judge L. G. Lewclling ruled the statements were admissible.

"Within the meaning of the law and in the light of evidence, these purported admissions appear to have been made voluntarily, and for thai reason should be admitted," he said. First Outside Bond Reports Are Received Three Communities Have Campaign Well Under Way First reports from etitside Hutchinson in Reno county's 2Mi million dollar war bond drive have arrived and were released Friday by R. L. Guldner, rural chairman. Nickcrson produced $19,782.85 the first three days of the campaign, Pretty Prairie and Albion township $10,438 and Hnven and Haven township $11,282.50.

Reports have not been received from other small cities and townships. The three sums increased bond sales for all the country to $875,703.80. Hutchinston's score to Reno County Standing In War Bond Sales April quota Sales to date 675,703.60 Needed to fill quota. 951,296.40 "(Not including $1,000,000 to bo bought by banks). Beat Our Quota! We will if we can.

We can if we will. Pastor Into Army Albany, N. Y. IIP) Pastor, 29-year-old Saratoga Springs heavyweight who twice fought World's Champion Joe Louis, was Inducted into the army today. date in the big April second war loan campaign is $625,222.25.

Will S. Thompson is city chairman. Buy In Stores The place to buy bonds big be in your stores, dry goods, grocery and elsewhere. The big booth at First'and Main, closed because of chilly, windy weather, will be going full blast all day Saturday, Mrs. Joseph Goodpaster, women's chief, announced.

And nearly every store along Main is installing some kind of booth, with several novel decorative schemes seen. Every possibly agency is being pressed into the war loan campaign, to bo sure every citizen is reached. Invite Churches To Invest Letters are being sent to churches, asking if they have any rpare as building funds, it is pointed out, the money might well be earning interest, because it is not likely any church can build anything until after the war. Lodges are also being asked to subscribe and one, Elks club, has already voted to buy $2,000 bonds, Secy. Charles.Gray reports.

In rural areas the AiAA committeemen ancl Farm members are cooperating in handling bonds, in a program organized by Charles Hornbaker, Castleton, and Otto F. Linschcid, Arlington. In small cities, the banks are taking care of the bond business, but bank officials are doing more than waiting for the bond buyers to come in. Guldner announces they arc going out into their communities in active campaigns. Norman Condition Satisfactory London UP) Norman, governor of the Bank of England, who underwent a major operation Wednesday, spent a Comfortable night and his condition was described as fairly satisfactory today.

Winning War First By Byron Price Director, Office of Censorship (Written for The Associated Press and The News) The first thing any of us should be thinking about today is the winning of the war. If your extra dollars hasten victory by even a fraction of a second, they will be well spenl. The second thing we should bo thinking about is security after (he war Is won. A.war bond is your government's promise to help you in the uncertain years of readjustment after the victory. It is a promise to pay interest.

You serve your country and yourself by buying war bonds. Bombers On Trail Of Big Jap Convoy Three Of Ships Crippled During Friday Attack By The Associated Press With a pledge of greater aerial! reinforcements, Gen. Douglas MacArthur's warplanes pressed homcj the attack on a nine-ship Japanese convoy off northern Newj Guinea Friday, after crippling three vessels in the opening assault and pounding other enemy targets across a wide expanse of the South Seas battle arc. Spotted at dusk Thursday off the base at Wewak, the enemy convoy consisted of six merchant vessels, a light cruiser and two other warships. In swift waves, U.

Flying Fortresses pounced on the enemy with these results: an cargo ship left sinking; another floating lopsidedly, and a beached. Buoyed by War Secretary's promise of a constantly increasing flow of planes and other war supplies to the Southwest Pacific, Allied fliers reached out across the seas to blast three major Japanese air Rabaul and Gas- mata, New Britain, and Lae, Now raided enemy-occupied Trangan in the Aroe Islands, bomber coastal shipping off the Tanimbars and strafed a Japanese-held village on Timor island. In addition, swarms of A-20 attack planes swept low ever Japanese troops in the Mubo sector, below the enemy's big Salamaua base in New Guinea, bombing and strafing the invaders 11 times. Meanwhile. Allied headquarters disclosed that Japanese casualties in the New Guinea campaign up to April 1 totalled 38,000, mostly! killed, against 10,531 Allied casualties.

American casualties were listed as 2,175 killed or missing in action and 2,144 wounded. Imperial Tokyo headquarters, the fount of repealed myths, came up with a bclaled version of Wednesday's 100-plane Japanese attack on the Allied base at Milne Bay, in southeast Ifew Guinea, asserting that 11 Allied transports were sunk and 44 planes shot down. Twenty-Three Break Prison In Georgia Governor Aroused By Break Including Notorious Criminals Backed Into Coffin Corner, Rommel Forces Fight Back Reidsville, Ga. (IP) Twentythree prisoners, Including some of Georgia's most notorious convicts, broke out of the state penltenitary early Friday after overpowering three unarmed guards, dismantling the telephone switchboard and cutting off prison lights. Gov.

Ellis Arnall declared in Atlanta Vnc escape apparently "only could have been done cither through collaboration of guards or employes of the prison or by negligence" and offered a reward of $100 each for capture of the men dead or alive. Two Are Captured Several hours after the break, two of the fugitives were captured some 25 miles from the prison after a truck in which they were riding overturned, trying to speed into a country road. Warden H. R. DuVall said three of the prisoners jumped on Guards B.

G. Morrison, W. E. Overstreet, and N. M.

Spivey. locked them in cell, took the prison keys and unlocked the front gate. After taking the guards' keys they dismantled the prison telephone switchboard and pulled a switch which plunged the prison into darkness. Steal Car And Trucks They stole two prison trucks and a car belonging to Morrison and fled. The alarm was given a short time later, the Warden said, when a prisoner whom the warden believed may have been forced to leave the prison, appeared at the sheriff's office in Reidsville and surrendered.

The others abandoned Morrison's car near Coggstown, 14 miles northeast of Reidsville, and resumed their flight in another stolen car and the two trucks. The break was led, Warden DuVall said, by Forrest Turner, 30, who has escaped from Georgia prisons so many times that the records are confusing, and Leland Harvey, 34, who has escaped at least six times, and D. C. Black, 31, These three overpowered the guards, the warden added. Turner was serving long terms for larceny, robbery and ing.

Harvey was serving a three- to-five year term and an 8 to 10 year term for larceny and robbery, respectively. Black was doing a 5 to 10 year term for burglary. Soviet Railways Under Martial Law Moscow UP) railways of the Soviet union have been placed under martial law by a decree which provides that capital punishment may be meted out to anyone convicted of criminally Interfering with their operation. (The Moscow radio said In a broadcast recorded by the Soviet radio monitor in London last night that "a small undisciplined minority is disorganizing the railway transport so vital in wartime." The broadcast quoted the decree as saying "we can not allow this undisciplined minority to interrupl the continuous flow of supplies to the front and to hinder conscientious workers from fulfilling their duty to their coun-' Counter-Attacks Cain Nothing; Air Edge With Allies By Roger Greene Associated Press War Editor Allied headquarters announced Friday a series of violent all-day battles raged on the heights north of Medjez-El-Bab, 30 miles from Tunis, as the Germans lashed out in repeated but vain counterattacks to regain ground won by the British 1st army. Dispatches said British 1st army infantry.

had driven to within 15 miles of Tebourba, key road junction only 18 miles west of Tunis, in some of the fiercest fighting 'of the Tunisian campaign. British vanguards were now reported holding a mountain line within 25 to 30 miles of Tunis, the capital, but it was clear that the enemy still had strength for powerful counter blows. "All his attacks were eventu- aly beaten off and the high ground remains in our hands," a bulletin from Gen. Dwlght D. Eis- enhouc's headquarters declared.

Enemy Stiffens The communique said French troops also met stiffening opposition in the region of the Djebel Sefsouf, on the southwest rim of the Tunis-Blzerte defense zone, but held fast and captured more prisoners. "On the 8th army front, patrol activity continues along the Enfi- daville line," the communique said. Field dispatches reported Gen. Sir Bernard L. Montgomery's 8th army was bringing up its big guns to blast through field Marshal Erwin Rommel's main defense bulwarks at Enfidavllle, 50 miles below Tunis.

A French communique, via Reuters, said Gen. Henri Giraud 's Ickes Favors Price Boost Has Recommended Oil Be Hiked 35 Cents Washington Petroleum Administrator Ickes has recommended, a general crude oil price increase averaging 35 cents a barrel, he told tho house small business committee Friday. The recommendation was sent to the Office of Price Administration April 7, but an QPA official testified that after its receipt lie told Price Administrator Prentiss Brown he thought It was a "pretty bad time" for such an increase. Brown also appeared before the committee, but did not testify on Ickes' recommendation, He did, however, tell the committee it was the "obligation' 'of his agency to Increase the price, of crude oil if such action was necessary for sue- French troops had captured over cessful prosecution of the war. 11,000 prisoners and killed nearly AXIS TUNISIAN POCKET forces still control northern Tunisia (shaded area) but are hourly being pushed hark as the British First army pushes' toward Matcur in a drive I 'oordlndated with that of French forces 30 miles west of Enfidavllle (arrow) and the British Eighth army at vllle (arrow.) 1,000 more in attacking the west- 1 ern flank.

Dalian headquarters said heavy artillery duels accompanied by "fierce fighting of a local character" erupted along tho front and belatedly acknowledged the capture of S'ousse. which fell to tho British 8th army last Monday. Dispatches from the Tunisian batUefrqnt said the final phase of the struggle was unmistakably at hand as British, American and French troops tightened their squeeze on Rommel's "coffin corner" and waves of Allied warplanes methodically blasted the remaining Axis air field. Officers at Allied headquarters sold thj-' enemy had lost more than 450 planes in combat alone since March 20, when the British 8th urmy opened its offensive against the Mareth line, and estimated 150 more Axis planes had been destroyed on the ground. If.

S. army air forces head quarters declared Rommel had suffered a crippling blow through destruction of the major supply port at Ferryvllle, near Bizerte, which was described as "vitally Important to the flow of Axis supplies Into North Africa." The entire Ferryvllle dock area was pictured as "devastated" by incessant bombing attacks. Missouri Spreads Over Farm Lands Rulo, Neb. Flood waters of the Missouri river, lashing out in final blow before leaving Nebraska, inundated hundreds of additional rich farm acres near here Friday and threatened to break a dike that is keeping the river from flowing into Big Lake in Missouri. The stage reached 20.03 feet this mornig, a new all-time high here.

More than 50 men worked feverishly on the Missouri side in an attempt to save the dike. Meanwhile at Omaha tho stage dropped to 15.85 and Meteorologist M. V. Robins predicted it would recede to 14 or 14.5 feet by tomorrow morning. Flood stage at Omaha is 10 feet.

Optical Supremacy Claimed For U.S. Philadelphia The United States for the first time in history is superior to Germany in the manufacture of critical military optical and height finders which largely determine whether a big gun will hit or miss, the army's Frankford arsenal announces. Col. John B. Rose, commanding officer, disclosed that Nazi equipment captured in North Africa and elsewhere has been studied by army technicians and found in almost every case to be inferior to newly improved American products.

Intercepted Letters PRENTISS BROWN PRICE ADMINISTRATOR WASHINGTON, D. C. Dear 'Prent: Ever realize the striking similarity between your job and King Canute's? Yours, HUTCH,.