The Signal from Santa Clarita, California • 1

sins THE NEWHALL SIGNAL And SAUGUS ENTERPRISE $2.50 per year (local) 10c per Covering Castaic, Val Verde, Honby, Solemint, Forrest Park, Agua Dulce and all the Canyons Ancient rites of Gypsy folk mark funeral of leader ENTIRE CAMP DECAMPS At dawn yesterday (Wednesday) morning with flood waters largely receded, the nine families comprising the Oasis camp, group in which Mr. Stevens died, pulled up stakes and departed. Saugus citizens said they first headed north, but soon turned around and moved in the opposite direction. family and his people exerted (Turn to 4, Please) ENSIGN GENE KELLY SHOT DOWN IN KOREA- DIES IN CRASH Ensign Gene Kelly, from a snapshot taken ting his training days. Ancient funeral rites of an ancient race marked the death and burial last week of George Will Stevens, a leader and family head of the Gypsy colony at Saugus.

His passing Friday morning at Community Hospital was. marked by the custom known to other races as "keening" or mourning. Following his death he lay in state in a special funeral tent at the colony, during which time a "wake" was held. The actual funeral services were marked by the rites of the Catholic Church and the immemorial customs of the Gypsy folk. The deceased came to the Saugus colony two months ago from Chicago, where he was a folk leader and a business man especially versed.

in the arts of furniture making. During his short stay here he had 1 proved to be a true father to his people, and was loved and venerated to a degree not often seen in other NO EXPENSE SPARED The funeral arrangements were carried out with no regard for expense. The occasion was graced by the presence of George Stanley, one of the most notable fig. ures in the Romany world. The funeral which carried the casket down to Union Station was, one of expensive automobiles.

In every way, the members of his family and his people exerted SIGNAL PHOTO Murder suspect Casey Edwards (L) undergoes Booking by Deputies D. F. Kohlstedt (R) and Allen Greer (C). Object in Edwards' hands is a pair of khaki pants he was wearing over clothes. themselves to do him honor, after the fashion of their forefathers for countless generations back.

The Stevens family lived in an elaborate and costly trailer house in the colony. It was in these quarters that Mr. Stevens was stricken by a severe heart attack about 8 o'clock Friday morning. Mrs. Stevens called a friend, Manuel Gilk, for assistance.

Dr. Field was summoned from Community Hospital: He at once saw the serious condition of the patient and caused him to be transported to the hospital in the Ensign Raymond Gene Kelly, and Mrs. Earl Kelly, Placeritos Ranch, Newhall, killed in action in Korea last Wednesday, January 9. His parents were notified the following day. His Navy plane, on a mission, ran into heavy antiaircraft fire, was shot out of control, crashed to the earth and exploded.

His parents believe he was flying a single engine prop driven bomber at the time. Gene, as he was known locally, was born in Pasadena, September 13, 1928. He attended Newhall Grammar School and was graduated from San Fernando High School in 1946. He took two years of college, one at St. Mary's and one at Loyola, under the Navy V5 program.

He started pre-flight school July 25, 1948, at Pensacola, Florida, received his wings August 2, 1950, and was commissioned an Ensign in the flying branch of the U.S. Navy at San Diego on August 25 of the same year, soon after the Korean war broke out. He was assigned to the carrier USS Essex, and left for active duty July 7, 1951. Gene was quite reticent about his work as a Navy airman, and his parents heard very little about his service, although they knew he was in the thick of things. Requiem Masses were said Friday by Rev.

Joshua Kennedy, and on Saturday and Monday by Rev. Paul Kelly, eldest brother of the deceased. He is survived by his seven brothers. and three sisters. copy Murder suspect nabbed walking out of Newhallwife gives tip to law Casey John Edwards, 37, former oil field worker, was arrested at 2 p.m.

yesterday (Wednesday) under suspicion of the murder of Opal Long here early Tuesday morning. Edwards' whereabouts were "tipped off" to the officers by his wife, Macie Edwards, who phoned in that she had seen him cross San Fernando Road near the Placerita crossing. Deputies D. F. Kohlstedt and Allen Greer nabbed Edwards shortly afterwards, walking north on the tracks.

He "clammed up" after arrest and would explain or admit (When arrested he was dry, clean shaven, carried a brown paper bag containing a pound of lunch meat and a loaf bread. In his pocket was a 30 caliber Luger automatic pistol, fully loaded, cocked, and with safety off; and 29 rounds of extra ammunition. Also $90.53 in currency and silver. Officers believe the gun is the only definite evidence that will connect Edwards with the murder. A spent Luger cartridge was found under the victim's body.

HIDEOUT IS MYSTERY Edwards' capture raises several questions. Where was he from Tuesday morning until Wednesday afternoon? How did he keep dry during the biggest storm of the season? Where did he get his eating supplies? Who sheltered him? Local officers were hopeful that Central Homicide Squad, which took Edwards downtown shortly after his arrest, would be able to get some answers to these questions. The local boys, although they made the arrest, have little authority to pursue the investigation. All day Tuesday, after the alleged murder, Mrs. Edwards and got police protection, on the supposition that she, and not Mrs.

was the object of Edwards' homicidal hate. Tuesday evening she expected the arrival of a brother to escort her north to his home. The brother came, but she did not go with him, and left the sheltering guard of the police after the brother departed. Valley drenched by old time rain storms- 9.42 inches fall in five days 3 SIGNAL: TOWER Gardner NOMAN OF THE YEAR Each. January, soon after New Day, it has been the cus tom -of The Towerman to name some "Man of the Year" for Soledad Township.

The Signal Tower Man of the Year is never the man who made the most money -or bought the longest wheel base car, or gave the biggest social clam bake. No, the Man of the Year must have performed some notable public service -in some way, he must have contributed to the general welfare. For 1950 it was Young Bill Bonelli- -for the way he fit the dumping of garbage in our fair valley. The year before it was Hank Dreher, for smiting the rock and bringing forth water unto parched, arid Newhall. For 1951, seventeen days of continuous meditation and prayer.

have produced no nomination. Maybe you can think of some. body. If so drop The Towerman a tuppeny postcard, and you will get your name published free. Otherwise this is a bye year.

Onions and gaclic, said the old- vaudebille wheeze, build you up physically, but tear you down socially. The County Farm Bureau says don't be too hasty to condemn an over-fragrant egg either. The hen may have been eating onions or garlic. LAZINESS LOVES COMPANY The Signal family has gotten so used to getting fouled up on all sorts of angles that it has sort of resigned itself to a state of permanent inefficiency. When we do something wrong, or overlook some shining oppor: tunity, or just let things go hang from sheer indifference or shiftlessness, when one of these lapses occurs we just fell ourselves we are only a little one hoss country weekly, and nobody can expect us to be up on our toes all the time like a big city daily.

Quite a consolation to discover that the big city dailies also. slip a small cog once in a while. The huge L.A. Examiner, frinstance. Last week a big, handsome, high powered reporter "came into the Signal office: and researched on local gold and oil history said the Examiner was going to publish a big Newhall feature.

We asked local Examiner man Paul Dyck if he had, been notified. He had not. Sure enough, Monday morning the Examiner came out with a wonderful big spread on how Newhall was reaping a' Golden Harvest. from Oil, Cattle, Farms and Movies. The pictures were swell, Spruce -street, Placeritos Lot, a vineyard on a hill, the Newhall Ranch cattle feeding pens, 'a couple of oilfield men on the tanks, the plaque at the Oak of the Golden Dream- -a magnifi: cent full page.

The edition sold like hot cakes -only they didn't send Paul any enough Examiners to supply the demand, And if the Signal had not tipped him in advance, Paul would have been surprised in his own territory. Signal Reporter Clara Baldwin reports that when the water in Soledad Canyon got too deep for her husband's gum boots, he quite calmly took off his pants to wade the wash. THE TOWERMAN -NS Caught in Placerita Another flood victim was Gene Linnens, who lives in Placerita Canyon. Saturday evening he tried to cross the wash in his new Studebaker. The rushing waters whipped the car around until the back wheels went off the ford.

The car stalled with its hood fac. ing up and slanting out of the water. Linnens stuck to his seat with the water up to the door windows, until neighbors could hook on with a truck and drag him out. They found the Studie engine was still running. This is not the Grand Canyon of the Colorado.

It is the grand canyon of 16th street, Newhall, where most of the flood waters of the great Tuesday storm escaped into Wiley creek. Looking into the depth are Gale Michael (R) and Barbara Sitzman (L). More storm pictures next week. -0- Soaked and sodden, Soledad Township arose from a bed of mud Wednesday morning to find that nine and one-' half inches of rain in five days had made an awful mess, but cost no lives, or any major losses. Heaviest fall came Tuesday and Tuesday night, when 3.94 inches descended in 24, hours.

The season total rose to 16.58 inches. That is four or five inches over "normal" for a whole season, and two and one-half times the total rain for last season. Newhall was without train service for about 12 hours as washouts north of Palmdale and San Fernando made tracks unsafe. U.S. 99 was closed in Weldon canyon Wednesday morning by mud and slides in the construction zone, and all traffic routed through Newhall: Only school to close was.

Sulphur Springs. Other schools reported about a third of their enrollment absent through: storm conditions. And finally, the town of Newhall discovered it had a storm drainage problem of major proportions, caused by the street regrading operations of the past three years. -Next day she spotted her ex-husband trying to walk out of Newhall, and called the law. ARRIVED ON BUS The tragedy began uncoiling its dark length.

Monday- evening. when Edwards arrived in Newhall on a bus, called at the Newhall Cafe where Mrs. Edwards works. He insisted on talking to her, although she was very, much frightened of him, and he left only under urging by cafe employees. At one a.m.

Mrs. Edwards got the cafe cook to escort her to the home of Mrs. Long. The two women went into the kitchen for post midnight snack. While they were eating they.

heard a noise at the kitchen window. Mrs. Long suspected the identity of the intruder, and told Mrs. Edwards to get her coat and purse and hide in the shower bath cabinet. Mrs.

Edwards did so. Mrs. Long also called out to her (Turn to Page 4, Please) Louis Ziegler claimed by death Louis Andrew Ziegler, one off Newhall's old timers, passed away here Monday. He was 69 years old. Born April 15, 1882, in Buffalo, N.

he came to Newhall shortly after the turn of the century. In 1918 he was married to Miss Florence M. Powell, daughter of the late Judge John F. Powell, who was a prominent figure in the early days of the community. The Zieglers lived at the old Powell place at 811 Chestnut street until April 1, 1926, when they moved to Culver City.

In they returned to Newhall where they remained until Mr. Ziegler's death. The deceased took employment with the Associated Oil Company in 1927 and served faithfully until his retirement in 1948. Of affable and friendly nature, he had a host of friends in the area. Funeral services were to take place today (Thursday) at 2 p.m.

at Grandview Memorial Park Chapel in Burbank, with interment to follow in, the cemetery of the same name. He leaves to mourn, his wife, Mrs. Florence Ziegler, and brothers and sisters living in Buffalo. Unveil new Chevvie here Sat. Smart, new styling and improved performance add leather trim.

Increased comfort through new engine further distinction to the 1952 Chevrolet Bel Air. In mounts and modified shock absorbers and more reappearance, the latest models are marked- by vivid sponsive operation through carburetor changes are two-tone color combinations and luxurious interiors advances incorporated in alk, new Chevrolets. Opthat make use of fine fabrics and harmonizing tional Powerglide will carry an automatic choke. 16TH, STREET DROWNED Newhall east of the tracks had no. trouble, as all streets drain east to the wash.

Spruce street and Railroad avenue drain north into the wash at the railroad bridge. But all of the rest of Newhall drains north on Newhall avenue. The 12-hour torrent of storm waters turned the corner at 16th and buried that short street in mud, silt and sand. Wildwood Canyon which wanders north westward across Happy Valley, jumped its banks and went 'cross country tc Apple street where it turned northward toward Wiley Creek. Homes on both 16th and Apple streets suffered severely from mud.

WASHES RUN STRONGLY All creeks and canyon washes ran furiously. Not only did the main Placerita wash brim its banks, but a secondary wash running along the foot of the hills on the north side stopped. up its culvert under the S.P. tracks, and weakened the roadbed. No downpour like that of Saturday has been experienced since the season of 1940-41.

It would be impossible to list all of the stranded and drowned out cars of the week. Road work in progress at the junction of the Bouquet and Dry Canyon roads became rain soaked and nearly isolated Santa Clarita Village. and shovels were in record demand. S.P. TRACKS SILENT The last train through Newhall was No.

55, northbound at 7:40 a.m. Wednesday. Thereafter the rails were dead until evening when The Lark, re-routed from the Coast, went through. Rumors that the Railroad Canyon tunnel had washed out proved unfounded. The line up Soledad Canyon, heretofore a weak link in time of heavy storm; held firmly.

As far as could be learned there were no (Turn to Page 4, Please) THE WEATHER Jan. 10 Jan. 11 Jan. 12 Jan. 13 Jan.

14 Jan. 15 Jan. 16 Jan. 17 Lo Hi Pop. 66 0.00 31 57 0.00 47 54 1.70 46 60 1.51 42 55 0.03 48 2.24 53 64 3.94 46.