Brownsville herald. [volume], June 23, 1929, Page TWO, Image 2

About Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current

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Two Border Officers
Face Trial Monday
For Man’s Murder
LAREDO, Tex., June 22.—{/F— i
The mystery which has shrouded
the slaying of Harry Williams, 24,
Laredo and Indiana newspaper j
man, whose decomposed body was
found in the Rio Grande one \
month after his disappearance
from here Jan. 19. last, will be
come a matter of court considera
tion Monday when the trial of two
peace officers charged with the
killing gets under way.
Tomas Hernandez, 31. motor
cycle officer, and Raymond J. West,
deputy constable, will take the
principal roles in the concluding
chapters of the mystery which sent
federal, state, county and private
agency officers scouring the bor
der in one of the most extensive
manhunts ever known to south
Texas.
The two indicted by a Webb
county grand jury for the murder
have said nothing since their ar
rest and subsequent release under
$3,000 bond. Robert Lee Bobbitt,
former speaker of the lower house
of the Texas legislature and now
district attorney, has remained
equally as non-committal on the
course the prosecution will take In
the trial
Body Thrown in River
The indictments charged the of
ficers with striking Williams over
the head with a blunt instrument.
--
•
of choking him and then tossing
his body into the river which marks
the division between the United |
States and Mexico. It was believed j
from that indication that the
prosecution would maintain ' Wil- 1
liams was slam while the officers |
were attempting to make an arrest
and that, startled by their act,
they threw' the body into the river.
For a month after the disappear
ance. the Williams case took its
place alongside other national mys
teries A likeable youth suddenly
was swallowed by the borderland
to w hich he had come in quest of
new ideas for writing. He last was
seen about 1 o'clock in the morning.
He had started to his room in a
hotel from a rooming house four
blocks away. The fact that he
never reached that room nor was
seen enreute presented an almost
insoluble question to investigating
officers.
Through newspaper requests the
federal government turned loose
the entire border patrol, custom
and Immigration officers in the
hunt. Circulars were sent as far
as Mexico City. California officers
aided in the search w’hen Texas
officers tried to follow up abduc
tion clews. Searching parties
combed the river sector, spurred on
by reward offers. When the body
finally was found, searchers had to
cut their way through tangled
brush to the river bank near where
It floated.
No Water in Longs
The question of where was Wil
liams turned to who killed Williams
when physicians declared absence
of water in the lungs indicated he
was slain and flung into the river.
For weeks a grand Jury waded
through hazy evidence, weeding out
theory after theory, grappling for
a tenable lead. The Indictment of
the two officers came as a com
plete surprise.
District Attorney Bobbitt will
have aiding him in the prosecu
tion Galloway Calhoun, first as
stetat attorney general, and Wil- {
11am Neblett, assistant district at- i
tomev. Three Laredo law firms
will defend the Indicted officers
The trial will be held in 49th dis
trict court, presided over by Dis
trict Judge J. F. Mullally, veteran
judge of the border.
Williams' body Is buried on the
border where he came to seek
knowledge of the customs and lan
guage of the Mexicans. His moth
er. of Muncie. Ind, could not af
ford to have th» body returned to
his former home.
Whether the border will continue
to hold the secret of his death or
I give it up in the courtroom tests
' mony remains a matter of specula
I tion. to be disclosed only as the
I lawyers place their version of the
| untold story before the district
! court.
NEW HIGHWAY
CELEBRATED
I
Lozano District Outing Re
joices Over Good Roads
In Area
tSnecial to The Herald >
SAN BENITO. June 22—Five
hundred people, residents of most
parts of Cameron county, gathered
at Loaano, rear here. Friday night
in ob*ervanre of the opening of the
new paved highway loop in the
Browne tract.
The celebration was an open air
affair, with farmers of the section
in charge, principal talks being
made by County Judge Oscar C.
Dancy of Brownsville, who stressed
the benefits of roads, and told of
the county’s road paving program:
and Commissioner A. V. Logan of
the San Benito precinct, who spoke
Of the precinct paving program and
the benefits of community work.
A J. Carr%ntcr of Rio Hondo pre
sided at the gathering, at which
a basket lunch was enjoyed, the
ladies selling refreshments later in
the evening. A dance was staged
to music of a radio, the hookup be
ing made by the Ward-King Elec
tric companv of San Benito.
Mr. Treadway. Mr. Hood and
several other residents of the sec
tion talked.
Sinclair’s Term
Cut One Month By
New Court Verdict
WASHINGTON. June 22.—UP—
The nine months Harry F. Sin
clair was sentenced to serve in Jail
was cut short by one month tod$y.
the District, of Columbia supreme
court permitting the two sentences
imposed on the millionaire oil man
to run concurrently.
Chief Justice McCoy, imposing
contempt sentence on Sinclair for
jury shadowing In the Fall-Sinclair
oil conspiracy trial, failed to order
that the six month term begin at
the expiration in late July, of the
three month sentence Sinclair now
is serving for refusing to answer
questions asked by a senate com
mittee.
-
Out ’o Doors
Summer time is vacation time!
/ When you are planning your vaca- ;
tion and think of fishing and camp
needs—come to Cloetta Hardware
and you will find just what you
need in all kinds of camping equip
ment and fishing supplies. \
! Fish Tackle Camp Needs
Hooks Lanterns
Lines Wall Tents
I Flies Cooking Kits
I * Baits Camp Cots
I Nets Stoves
I Poles Auto Tents
I For The Cotton Season
I As the cotton picking Picki g k
season approaches,
you think of supplies Scale Beams
for this harvest time . . Water Kegs
• I Wc have al] Soods ne~ Wagon Covers
eessarv, sacks, scales, ... .. . _
I . camp goods, etc. Wall and Auto Tents
CLOETTA
I HARDWARE CO. I
“Everything in Hardware**
1226 Elizabeth Street
** —
Attendance
Is Broken
Campo Di
The second week of Campo Del.
Arroyo opened June 17 with 51
girls registered, the largest num
ber yet to come for one week. The
girls are enjoying the stunts, swim
ming, baseball and many othe* i
activities offered. The following j
program was given open house
night. Thursday, June 20.
; Camp songs.
> . Cabin stunt.
Dance, Josephine Harpst, San
i Benito.
Reading. “Miss Angelina John
son." Rowena Humphries, McAl
| lcn.
Song. Maty Virginia. Daisy 21
[ len. and Frances Polk. Pharr.
Pyramid.
Reading. Maxine Callis, Pharr.
Tap dance, Joyce Holdridgc,
1 Pharr.
Piano solo. Jackie Roe. Alamo.
Reading. Hermoine Strong. San
Juan.
Dance. Mary An ice Brush, Har
lingen.
j Song. Polk sisters.
Reading. Ninnle Lee Strong. San
Juan.
Pyramid.
I ■■■— - ——- ii. ■ . ii ii„
I _ |
Blood Transfer
From Dead Girl
To Man Effected
■
CLUJ. Rumania. June 22.—<7Pt
—Transfusion of blood from a
dead person to one on the point
of death was accomplished here
yesterday, effecting what is be
lieved to be the first success
ful operation of its kind.
The doctors at a local hospital
joined the arm of a girl. Rosa
Jancu. at the moment she had
died of injuries sustained in an
automobile accident, to the arm
of a man. George Morar. who
had stabbed himself in his breast
and lost most of his bicod.
Morar, considered as dying, it
is now' believed will recover.
STOMACH WILL
BE ANALYZED
Specie! Grand Jury Tc
Probe Poisoning Of
Young Wife
BOSTON. Tex . June 22—T
Ocie Nix. 22. was hidden in an un -
determined Texas jail today wh*T'
the stomach of the 17-ycar-old v.i:'
he is alleged to have poisoned v -
on its way to Austin for anaivs:
A special session of the grand Jtn
has been called fov Monday to in
vestlgate the charges against H
said to have made a statement,
i The viscera of a do? at the Hi
’ home, found dead the morning aft
! er Mrs. Nix died in convulsions, als
went to Austin. When neighbors
! found the dog dead and swollen they
1 opened its stomach and claimed tc
■ have found portions of a sandwich
An Investigation was begun. Mrs
Nix's body was disinterred at nigh*
at the lonely Rock Creek cemetery
| south of New Boston and an au
I topsy was performed.
Neighbors said Nix r-as worhlnc
j in a field when they heard hts wif»
screaming at 6:30 a m. Tuesdnv
: They rushed to the house and foun
the woman in convulsions and t*:r
fivp-months-old baby crying. Mrs
Nix died shortly afterward.
Officers said they had learned
Mrs. Nix was insured for $1,400 N!:<
, denied the insurance had anything
to do with her death.
La Feria Drainage
Improvements Aim
To Prevent Floods
(Special to The Herald)
LA FERIA. June 22—Improve
ments which will prevent the recur
rence of flooded conditions such a
occurred during heavy rains recent
ly are now being made on La Ferip
streets, sj&d extensive grading and
paving repairs is being planned by
the city commission.
Paved streets damaged in the re
cent flood have been thoroughly re
paired, and all streets which are not
paved have either been graded or
will b in the near future. J. A. Rai
mond, city clerk, is supervising the
work. Total cost has not been as
certained.
The city has also reached an
agreement with the directors of the
La Feria Water district for the
drainage of thes tretch of land north
of town, sot hat water from that
territory will no longer be drained
into the city.
SHARYLAND $12,000
CANAL IS COMPLETED
MISSION. June 22—Construction
work on the R os sow canal in Shary
land. was completed Wednesday aft
ernoon. giving this district another
4000 feet of up-to-date canal.
The canal is lined with granite
which eliminates possibilities of
seepage. It was built by Crom and
Linberg, of McAllen, at a cost of
$12,000.
■..mi. .. '■ —
AFFIRM LIFE SENTENCE
OKLAHOMA CITY. June 22.-H/P>
—A life sentence imposed upon
Walter M. Yeager, former president1
of the Venture Oil company of New
York, for the slaying of E. A. Craig, I
Tulsa drilling contractor, was af
firmed today by the state criminal j
court of appeals, although evidence
against Yeager was only circum
stantial.
ACTRESS DEAD
NEW YORK. June News
of the death In Parts of Edna Mc
Cauley. known a generation ago as
"the prettiest actress on Broad
way," was received by friends to
day, ij
' Record
at Girls
d Arroyo
Dance, Dorothy Ingram, HarLn
gen.
Cabin stunt.
Pyramid.
List of week’s campers: Louise ■
Yoder, Marjorie Washington,'
Brownsville: Carolyn Cramer, Faye I
Wilson, Claire Collier. Edinbiag; I
Mary Margaret Sutnhen, Goldie i
FrancLs La Duke. Weslaco: Dor- ;
rthy Horn, Lucile Wiley, Rowena
Humphreys, Ann Hummer, Edith
Robinson, Florine Sidwell. Mary
Ann Wharton. McAllen; Mary J
McClendon. Dorothy Ingram. Dor
othy Brown, Mary Kathryn Middle
ten. Mary Anice Bush. Jean Mc
Clendon. Francis Peak, Hassie
Browning Foster. Carolyn Foote.
Lois Chaudoin. Barbara Bosma.
Harlingen: Hermaine Strong. Nin
nie Lee Strong. San Juan: Bettv
Jane Traux, Evelyn Martel. Donna:
Doris Sails. Betty Howze. Murlea
Brisco*. Jackie Johnson, Merce
ries: Juanita Rushing. Martha Lou
Davis, Rio Hondo; Ruth Manning.
Lancv Harris. Sarita Gilbert. Jose
rhine Harpst. San Benito; Kvle
Browder. Point Isabel: Francis
Swallow. Louise Barrit. Jackie Roe.
Alamo: Francis. Marv Virginia and
Daisy Ellen Palk. Pearl Staler.
Janice and Maxine Callis. Gladys
and Joyce Holdridge. Pharr.
Valley Yacht Party
Reported Visi ting
In Mexican Cities
A recent issue of El Mundo. a
Tampico daily reports the visit of ,
the A1 Parker-B. H. Dunlap vacht- I
mg party to that port. The party :
which includes Harrv Miller. Rob
ert Snow. J. W. McMun, and J. W :
McMun. Jr., is making a tour of the
ports of Mexico in the yacht, “Gulf
Breeze.”
Other cities on the route are Vera
Cruz. Minatitlan. Puerto. Laguna
riel Carmen. Camneche. and Pro
greso. From Progreso thev plan to
go by land to Yucatan, then back
to Vera Cruz, and possibly to Mex
ico City. They plan to spend about
a month on the trip.
LEGISLATURE IN!
SHAPE TO ACT
Important Matters To Be
Acted On This Extra
•Session
AUSTIN, June 22—</T—Every
thing Is ship-shape with the legis
lature. With eight days to go. prac
tically all the important legislation
is in a favorable position for dis
position during this special session.
Conference com m i 11 e e s have
agreed to all appropriation bills ex
cept the educational and rural
school aid measures. The main
contention wiil come up over the ed
ucational bill, the senate measure
being virtually $5.000 000 in excess
of the house draft, but It is believed
the comparative tranquility will not
be disturbed and the membership
will continue its peaceful attitude.
Quieting Effect
Some believe tnat the bringing of
charges against J. T. Robison, land
commissioner, had a ‘quieting’ ef
fect on the heretofore rather rest
less legislature.
The house has sent the two chief
revenue producing bills — gasoline
tax and motor vehicle registration
fee measures—over to the senate.
The two bodies practically are
agreed on the creation of a com
mission to study the penitentiary
concentration proposal, there being
only minor details to be worked out.
The senate has the measure
strengthmg "blue sky" restrictions to
the house. The two bodies have en
tered into a raher practical swan
ping match if not a systematic
method of dispatching business.
Special Session Seen
It is a foregone conclusion there
will be a special session next fall or
winter to consider recommendations
of the prison centralization com
mittee. At this time, Governor
Moody is likely to resubmit his pro
posed regulation of public utilities,
in the meantime having gone out on
the stump to advocate his methoc.s
and to "arouse the people" to the
necessity of protecting th“ state's
interests, as he stated to the legis
lature in an address.
While he is on the stump he mav
decide to take up the income tax
as a substitute to the ad valorem
levy. He is not in favor of "more
taxes." some are predicting that
Governor Moody will become a can
didate for a third term, with the
chief issues regulation of public
utilities and adoption of an income
tax as a means of lifting the bur
den of taxation.
Considerable interest centers In
the senates attitude toward a four
cent gasoline tax. House advocates
of a three cent tax were outnum
bered. There is much talk of the
senate refusing to go as high as
four cnts. In fact, there is appre
hension that the bill may be lost for
this session because of disagreement
between the two houss over amend
ments the senate may attach.
The senate may decide to cut the
registration f*»es to 50 per cent, the
..
DECENDANT OF U. S.
PRESIDENT IS DEA
LOWELL. Mass., June 22 - 1 — \
John Quincy Adams, 81, a descend
ant of the sixth president of the
United State*, died at his home to
day. He had been a life-long res
ident of this city.
—
present schedule, the house having
slashed them only 30 per cent.
Stickers in the house for a three
cent gasoline tax would be willing
to compromise on a four cent gaso
line tax and a 50-per cent reduction
in registration fees, they indicated
.«»••«!
Every
Bank !:
| Has !|
Personality
:: ::
.33 A bank’s personality becomes evident in the way X
111 it serves its patrons. T
;; The Merchants’ National Bank believes most Z
people select a bank in the same way that they ;;
3 3 choose their friends — on the basis of personality ; ;
3 3 and reliability. «»
;; And so this 25-year-old institution is always ; 3
3; working to make its personality and reliability 3 3
3 3 even more attractive. 3 3
•! «>
I I < »
3 3 Capital and Surplus .. $500,000.00
13 3 ' 31
1 MERCHANTS
NATIONAL BANK
> 3 R. O W N S V I L. L.E --TEXAS. ;;
It
! DRIVE up the Beach to the SECOND Bath I
House on Brazos Island I
I Although this new and modern bath house is not com
pletely finished, (as it will be a week from today) the I
dressing rooms, fresh ^ster she were, eic* a<?w ■
Boca Chica Bath House is the ideal place to come for that
beach party. Plenty of shade for picnic parties. ,
8 Cold Drinks—Ice Cream '
I Managed by Mr. and Mrs. Bartlett j Mfi
B< tea Chica Beach Inc. I
EWING D. CLARK - - General Manager 1
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