Independent from Long Beach, California • 1

AGED L. B. MAN KILLS WIFE AND HIMSELF Friends In Deed LONG BEACH INDEPENDENT 6-9641 Morning, April 222 PHONE Long Beach, Friday 8, 1949 VOL. 11 5 Cents "FREE MAN" AGAIN- -Robert A. Norton, 30, right, merchant marine wartime hero who once spent 30 days on a life raft, was jailed here Monday night on a routine charge, His Prisoners Aid Vet, Victim of 'Bum Rap' Prisoners in the Long Beach city jail contributed $10 from their scanty funds Thursday night to pay the fine of a fellow-prisoner and war hero they were convinced got a "bum rap." Robert A.

Norton, 30, who sells newspapers at Ocean and American, was released at 7 p. m. after prisoner trusties, who had pieced together Norton's story in the three days he. was jailed, paid the balance of his $25-or-five-days penalty. Norton served with the merchant marine during the war.

In the invasion of Milne Bay, New Guinea, he was slugged on the chin by a Jap rifle butt. His ship, a the Spa S. Holbrock, was sunk and Norton spent 30 days on a life raft, squeezing fish for moisture to drink, and living on the raw fish he could catch with his hands. He has a speech impediment, and is extremely nervous. He was at 9:45 p.

m. Monday at his newspaper stand corner, on a charge of disorderly conduct. That, Bob said Thursday night, needs some explaining: "I was standing on the corner with my papers," he said slowly, "and I was feeling mighty lone- some. I got feeling lonesomer and lonesomer and nobody would talk to me. "This girl came down the street.

I seen her go by every night, night after night, and she looked like she was friendly, and she might speak to me." Bob says he touched her arm and asked: 2 "Aren't you going to speak to me he The girl kept on walking. When (Continued on Page 2) Job Problem Given Priority SALEM, Ore. (INS, Development of new jobs in the West was given No. 1 priority Thursday at the Pacific Coast Board of Intergovernmental Relations meeting at Salem. Governors of Washington, Oregon and California attended the session.

Importance of employment was brought- up by the coast's great population since the war, with California's the greatest in the nation numerically and Oregon with the highest percentage gain. About Race Tracks (Editorial) Lobbyists are scrambling over the streets and corridors of the capitol building at Sacramento. The particular scramble that has things popping is the various measures affecting horse racing. Or maybe we should be more specific and say horse race gambling. Some bills are introduced for nuisance value.

By nuisance value we mean some assemblyman or senator or several combined introduce a bill they never expect to have passed or even voted on by the whole membership. But the bill is so obnoxious to some big interests that those big interests will pay off to (Continued on Page 30), Tragedy In a Cemetery An aged man and woman found shot to death Thursday night in a Sacramento cemetery have been tentatively identified as a destitute Long Beach couple, police reported. They are believed to be Thomas Solomon, 83, and his wife, Kate 70, formerly of the El Capitan Hotel, 233 American who left Long Beach a week ago, ostensibly heading back to Texas with $70, to seek help from relatives. Solomon--who had threatened previously to take his life because of his age and financial worriestold friends here last week, Det. Insp.

F. P. Welch said, that Los Angeles County had dropped -the couple from its relief rolls. Sacramento police said evidence indicated the man had shot the woman to death and then killed himself. A pistol was found near the bodies.

Northern authorities said they traced a locker key found on the man's body to the Greyhound Bus Depot in Sacramento and found a suitcase containing a marriage license made out to Tom Solomon and Kate B. Angus in Dallas County, Texas, dated November 11, 1914. A hotel clerk said the couple had registered under the name of Mr. and Mrs. Guy Durham, Long Beach.

Norris C. Birchfield, 3134 Theresa told Long Beach police Thursday night that he was a long-time friend of the Solomons, and 1 had offered to loan them money last week. His offer of fellow prisoners, convinced paid off his fine Thursday. Harland Deck, above, check Features Index Amusements 36-37 Comics 12, 44 Crossword 42 Dorothy Dix 23 Drew Pearson- -80 Radio Log 38 Ray Tucker 30 Sports Stargazer 42 Television Log 20 Town Meeting 30 We, the Women Fear Kiddies On Derelict Craft NEW YORK-IN9, The coast guard early today launched an intensive aerial search for a derelict schooner on which two small children are believed to be drifting east of Charleston, S. C.

The derelict was spotted in rough seas 70 miles from the coast by the tanker Richard J. Cleveland. The description fitted that of the "Keewatin" on which Mr. and Mrs. Donald Parrot and two small children left Nassau, B.

W. for Morehead City, N. Mar. 25. Hadley Parrot, brother of the Keewatin's brother owner, told the coast.

made a practice of locking his two children, years and 6 months old, respectively, in the cabin during rough weather "in case the parents were washed overboard," which it was feared may have happened. HST to Ask Additional Funds WASHINGTON- -(INS, President Truman declared Thursday he would ask congress to supply funds for the rearmament of Western Europe separate from the $42 billion budget he submitted last January. At the same time, the Chief Executive again called for a $4 billion tax increase to prevent the government from going in the red in the 1950 fiscal year. (Independent Photo by Fred Wilson) Norton deserved a "break." Police officers John Skelton and Norton out of jail. Flying Saucer Data Restricted WASHINGTON (INS) The air force Thursday disclosed that secrecy restrictions have been clamped on certain incidents connected with the mysterious "flying saucers" seen in the skies last year.

At the same time, AF admitted it is impossible to "deny categorically" that the weird objects originated in the Soviet Union or some other foreign nation, An AF statement declared some incidents linked with the "flying saucers" "still are unexplained." A spokesman said some of the "inexplicable" incidents have been placed in the "classified" category, denied to all persons except au thorized military personnel." The statement was issued as the AF continued to receive arising out of a Walter broadcast. The radio commentator said that the "saucers" came from Russia. Fence Catches Fire A fence in the rear of an unoccupied home at 3121 Corto PI. caught afire at -9 p. m.

Thursday, reported. Firemen extinguished the blaze after only minor damage. aid was refused, Birchfield said, after Solomon decided, instead, to take his wife to. Texas, where relatives might assist them. Welch said friends of the couple here reported Solomon had long been distressed because of his age and frailty, and that loss of county assistance may have prompted the -suicide act.

The bodies were discovered by Mr. and Mrs. Otis G. Sadler who were taking an evening walk in the cemetery. Oregon House Votes Pension Bill SALEM, The house Thursday approved a $55 million public welfare program by a vote of 36 to 22.

As passed by the house, the welfare bill provides $50 minimum monthly old-age pensions, but only if sufficient funds are available. The state will pay $26 million of. the the federal govern. ment $20 million and the counties $9 million. The welfare bill, last piece of major house.

legislation, now goes to the senate. Weather Mostly sunny today and Saturday, but with local night and morning low clouds. Not much change In temperature, with high near 73 today. Two Young Gunmen Stick Up Driver Two youthful bandits held up a city bus at the "end of the Willow St. and Easy at 10:10 p.

m. Thursday, police reported. Driver of the bus, Austin E. Aeiker, 40, of 1759 Stanton then drove his bus several miles to the police station downtown to give details of the accident, the police report showed. He told police two young stickup men were waiting for his bus, that one entered, simulating al gun in his coat pocket, and said: "This is a stickup." The second bandit, outside, then said: "Let's beat it, here comes someone." The first youth grabbed the driver's change box and the pair fled.

Loss included $10.50 worth of tokens, sun glasses, transfer punch and papers; total value about $43.50. After calling the bus company to tell of the loss, the driver then piloted his vehicle to the station..