The El Reno Daily Tribune (El Reno, Okla.), Vol. 64, No. 19, Ed. 1 Tuesday, March 22, 1955 Page: 1 of 6
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The El Reno Daily Tribune
ingle Copy Five Cents
U's President
s Invited To
xplain Curbs
Senate Probers Also
To Ix>ok Into Prison
Furniture for Parks
OKLAHOMA CITY. March 22—UP I
Three University of Oklahoma
ficials and two from the state
nitentiary at McAlester will ap-
ar tomorrow before a senate in-1
stigating committee.
Dr. George L. Cross, university
esident, told the committee by
iephone that he wiU meet with
e committee at tomorrow’s ses-
n. With him will be one mem-
r of the university board of
gents and the school’s registrar.
Committee members instructed
oss that they want the registrar's
cords of how many out-of-state
'dents are attending the univer-
y and whether they are paying
ition. Senators who yesterday
igrily denounced the university’s
der restricting freshman enrol-
ent to 2,500 next fall said they
nt state students to be given
iority.
The special investigating com
ittee. headed by Senator Kirksey
x of McAlester, said the OU in-
liry will start Wednesday at Nor
an.
Nix said the committee will find
■t why the enrolment restrictions
nnot be made against out-of-
ate students, rather than Okla-
>ma residents.
Tuition Duos Quostionod
cnator Herbert Hope (Democrat-
uls Valley), chairman of the ap-
opriations committee, charged
the senate floor that 164 non-
:lahoma students at the univer-
y are not paying out-of state
ition.
Nix said University President
sorge L: Cross and members of
e OU board of regents will be
ked to justify the restriction
der which may eliminate up to
ZZ highschool graduates who
nt to enter the university.
Cross has said that freshman
rolees will be taken on a first
me, first served basis, and the
*ss will be limited to 2,500 be
use of a limited budget.
Sots Tax Savings
The study of possibilities for
ing prison labor to construct
miture for lodges was ordered
ter Senator Paul Ballinger (Dem-
rat-Holdenville) said the taxpay-
s could be saved $250,000.
The state planning and resources
ard is planning to buy furniture
r new lodges at Lake Texoma,
uartz Mountain, Sequoyah and
jman Nose state parks. The
-ges will be be ready for the
56 tourist season.
“I think we ought to see if the
nitentiary can handle this as-
onment,” Ballinger said. "We
n put some idle men to work.”
Nix said the penitentiary has "a
cd furniture factory” and could
rn out the goods required by the
dges.
(U.PJ MEANS UNITED PRESS
El Reno, Oklahoma, Tuesday, March 22, 1955
UP) MEANS ASSOCIATED PRE8S
Vol. 64, No. 19
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SCHOOL PATRONS BY-PASS POLLS—Election officials in the annual school tax and
board election today found magazines and newspapers a convenient means of passing the
time while they waited for the hundreds of eligible voters who didn’t appear. This scene at
precinct 4-C in Rose Witcher school was duplicated throughout the district. Mrs Henry
Behne judge; Mrs. Opal Shackelford, clerk; and Mrs. J. S. Cormack, inspector had signed
only 18 voters at 10:15 a m., but they hoped more would appear in the afternoon when
streets were more suitable for travel.
Jtus Airman
Charged With
kape, Robbery
:ALTUS, March 22 —UP—An 18-
ar-old airman, arrested on the
e of his shipment overseas, was
arged today with robbing two
tus families during the past
onth and raping the two house-
ves during a night of terror.
Jackson county authorities said
e suspect, Kenneth Brown, was
rested at Parks airforce base,
lif., late last night. He is held
the stockade.
Ivan Gates, state crime bureau
;ent, and sheriff's deputies left
is morning to return Brown for
ial.
The rapes were kept secret by
ficers until today when they an-
mneed the gunman had been
-ntified as a former Altus high-
hool student from a yearbook
cture.
Brown is accused of robbing
■onard Robinson of $45 the night
Feb. 26, binding him and then
ping his 36-year-old wife in an-
ier room in their tourist court
artment.
The young airman is also ac-
sed of robbing J. Todd Little the
;ht of March 14, raping Mrs.
ttle, a 49-ycar-old grandmother,
d robbing another man who
me to the home to visit,
rown is accused of robbing a
arby service station of $117 im-
rdiately after fleeing the Little
sidence.
Few Faithful
Patrons Cast
School Votes
TCIL RENO school patrons follow-
ed their usual "let George do
attitude today in their annual
school board and school tax de-
cisions.
A check with district precinct
polls showed little interest in the
election this morning, but it was
hoped that continued warm wea-
ther and clear streets would
bring out more voters during the
afternoon.
The handful of faithful follow-
of school issues will elect
three board members from
field of four candidates, in addi-
tion to making a decision on the
annual 15-mill general fund tax
and the five-mill building fund
levy.
Asking reelection to the board
of education are Dr. C. Riley
Strong, Rupert Fogg and Morris
Hurst, while Mrs. Tice Wagner,
jr.. is a candidate for the first
time.
pAUL R. TAYLOR. El Reno
* school superintendent, said
this morning he anticipated “pos
sibly 400” votes in the citywide
election. He said the schools, as
usual, had attempted to create
interest in the voting, but judging
from this morning's turnout, the
interest chilled with the weather.
Similar elections were being
conducted today in other county
schools.
Response to today's tax and
school board elections is appar-
ently running true to form with
others of the past. Like one early
voter commented, "We probably
had more people to attend the
Oklahoma City regional basket-
ball tournament than will take
time to vote today.
If anybody is interested, there’s
still time to vote. Polls are open
at all elementary schools and
will remain open until 7
66 Die in Crash Of
U.S. Transport Plane
• HONOLULU, March 22—i.T)—A U. S. navy transport plane
with 66 aboard crashed into a Hawaii mountain early today
and the navy announced there were no survivors.
The huge plane crashed and exploded into flame inside the
Laulualei naval ammunition depot on the west coats of Oahu
29 miles from Honolulu.
At the time of the crash there was a low overcast and it
was raining heavily.
AP Correspondent Roy Essoyan said from the naval depot
the plane crashed about halfway up the side of the mountain
Essoyan said the wreckage still was glowing about three
reather
State Forecast
Fair and rising temperatures to-
ht. Wednesday, increasing cloud-
ss and warmer with moderate
thwesterly winds. Lows tonight
to 25 north to 25 to 30 south
hs Wednesday 40 southeast
ging up to 60 northwest.
Kiwanis Club
Circus Ticket
Sales Delayed
El Reno Kiwanians were await-
ing arrival of tickets for their April
20 circus today before beginning
advance sales for the attraction.
R. H. Bourne, club president,
said tickets were expected to be
here by today, but the circus re-
presentative apparently was delay-
ed by snow. ,
Meanwhile, the club president
said, the organization has extended
its offer of a free admission to the
afternoon performance to all county
ward school children. Previously
the free admission offer had been
made only to “under-privileged
and deserving children."
The circus, to be presented in two
performances, will be staged in the
new Thunderbird Coliseum.
Advance ticket sales will be
made to El Reno business firms by
wives of El Reno Kiwanians.
Insanity Plea
Supported In
Rape-Slaying
PANAMA CITY, Fla., March 22
-<*>— Attorneys for George Lowell
Everett, 20, today filed a bill of
particulars supporting Everett’s
plea of innocent by reason of in-
sanity in the slaying of Mrs. Lou
Ellen Jones, former El Reno, Okla.,
highschool student.
The document alleges Everett
was insane at the time Mrs. Jones
was slain “and the nature of the
insanity as nearly as the defend-
ant knows, is dementia praecox.”
Also filed was a list of witnesses
to be used in Everett's defense.
They include his mother, Mrs. Eula
Ferrell, Columbus, Ga.; another
relative, Mrs. Elizabeth R. Sloop,
Dothan, Ala., and a Columbus ju-
venile worker.
A hearing has been set for April
14 on a request for a delay in
Everett’s trial, now set for May 23.
Medium Atom
Bomb Tested
LAS VEGAS, Nev., March 22—1#
—A medium size atomic device
was exploded on the Nevada desert
today and an hour and a half later
this gambling resort for the first
time saw a radioactive cloud pass
directly overhead.
MeCarran field, the airport for
civilian planes was closed from
7:26 to 8:36 a m. as a precaution-
ary measure. Planes were barred
from taking off or landing and the
civil aeronautics administration
warned craft away from the area.
Nearby Nellis airforce base call-
ed in 30 planes that were out on
various training missions, not con-
nected with today's test, as a
safety measure. A radiation safety
team was to check the planes for
any sign of radioactivity, although
a spokesman said there is little
chance any will be found.
It was the first time since the
government began testing atomic
weapons in Nevada in 1951 that a
cloud has passed over Las Vegas.
hours after the crash, which
came at 2 a m. (7 a m. CST).
The plane carried 57 passengers
and a crew of 9, the navy report-
ed.
The big transport took off from
Hickam field here late yesterday
and was a 4 hours and 26 minutes
eastbound when it turned back, the
navy said.
The navy in San Francisco said
the plane turned back on a flight
to the mainland because of radio
trouble.
The transport, a four-engine RD6,
was loaded to its capacity. All
aboard mere military personnel
and dependents except for two
civilians.
It was bound for Travis airforce
base, 50 miles northeast of San
Francisco.
William Joest, a resident of the
area, said he heard the plane pass
over his house "too low for com-
fort.” Then came the crash.
Police Officer Philo Owen, five
miles from the scene, described the
crash as “one big explosion like a
thunderclap." He reported the
whole sky was red for more than
two hours.
McAlester Doctor, 34
Admits Slaying Wife,
Three Small Children
32 Boy Scouts
Receive Awards
Honor Court Held
For District Croup
Thirty-two El Reno boys receiv-
ed awards at a Boy Scout court
of honor as 54 persons gathered
Monday night for ceremonies in
Etta Dale junior highschool.
Walter P. Marsh, El Reno high-
school principal, served as master
of ceremonies for* the court of hon-
or, while Guy Quirl, Oklahoma
City, scout executive, spoke on the
scouting program.
Roy Mitchell, district chairman
for the Chisholm trail district, pre-
sented second class awards to five
boys, Ranny Grady, Lynn Conner
and Lloyd Fouts, of troop 370 at
the First Christian church, and to
Arden Van Zante and Andrew Von
Werder of troop 388 at Wesley
Methodist church.
Several Promoted
J. C. McNaught, Scoutmaster of
troop 388, presented first class
awards to three of his troop mem-
bers, Bob Myers, David Willse.v
and Stuart Garrison, while Theo
Seiket, scoutmaster for troop 370
presented the Star rank to Jerry
Van Zante of the same troop, and
Jim Barber, scoutmaster for troop
394 at Sacred Heart church, pre-
sented merit badges to a group of
boys representing two city troops.
Boys receiving the merit badges
are Jerry Van Zante of troop 370,
for swimming, music and book-
binding; Larry Dirickson, troop
370, for bookbinding; David Will-
sey, of troop 388, for cooking; By-
ron McNaught, troop 388, electric-
ity: Larry Anderson, troop 388,
citizenship in the home; Lance
Ward, troop 388, for lifesaving and
swimming: Tom Zachary, troop
388, for farm and home layout,
chemistry, safety, fireman'ship,
bird study and weather.
Get Service Awards
Paul G. Myers, neighborhood
commissioner and assistant scout-
master of troop 388, was recognized
for home repairs, public speaking
and signaling.
A group of boys from troop 370
were presented service awards.
One-year awards went to Wayne
Abies, Mike Conner, Donald Corn,
Lloyd Foutz, Eddie O’Bleness,
Jack Mosher; Mike Stockton, Bob-
by Gardner,. Malcolm Ronspiez
and Ranny Grady; two-year
awards went to Larry Dirickson,
Gale Johnson, Buddy Miles and
George Mosher; a three-year
award went to Lynn Conner and
a four-year service award went to
Jerry Van Zante.
The session opened with Bobby
Jones, Andrew Von Werder and
Jerry Van Zante presenting the
colors, Andrew Von Werder lead-
ing the Pledge of Allegiance and
Jerry Van Zante leading in a reci-
tation of the Boy Scout oath.
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Murder Charge Filed; Family
Found Dead in Burning Home;
No Motive Found in Slayings
McALESTER, March 22—(/I*)—County Attorney James
Whyte today announced Dr. Ben T. Galbraith, prominent
34-year-old physician, had confessed killing his wife and
three children and gave as the motive "he just wasn't
happy."
McALESTER, March 22—OP)—Dr. Ben T. Galbraith, 34-
year-old prominent McAlester physician, today admitted he
killed his wife and three children and told authorities “I want
to die as quickly as possible.
A charge of murder has been filed here against Galbraith
in his wife's death.
Galbraith, returned here early today from Henderson,
Ienn., where he was arrested yesterday, made his confession
to County Attorney James Whyte.
The bodies of his wife and three children were found in
the burning home Thursday morning while Galbraith said he
was irt Norman, Okla.
However, in his confession, the socially prominent physi-
cian said he went to McAlester in the midle of the night, slew
his family and then set the house afire.
Galbraith previously had maintained his innocence
However, under questioning, he told Whyte:
I killed them and I m sorry. I want to die as quickly as
possible. I hope the law will
grant me that privilege.’’
Galbraith said he awoke at 1:30
a.m. in his motel room at Norman,
which is 110 miles northwest of
McAlester, a city of 18,000 in south
eastern Oklahoma.
On* Child Gagg*d
He said he decided to go back
home and kill his wife but added
he didn't think about his children
at the time.
Officers discovered the body of
Mrs. Mary Katherine Galbraith,
35, on the floor near her bed. She
had suffered a head wound. The
children, Frank, 7; Jere, 5, and
Sarah Ann, 4, also were found dead
in the house. Part of a shirt was
found in Jerc's mouth, used as a
gag.
The physician said before he left
the motel, he gave himself two in-
jections, one a sedative and one a
stimulant.
He said he arrived in McAlester
at about 4 a m. Thursday and when
he got home, he hit his wife in the
head with a vermouth bottle.
Injected Poison
Galbraith told Whyte he then
gave each one of his children an
injection of morphine but it didn't
take effect quickly enough and he
got an insecticide and gave each
one of them an injection of it.
“Jere started screaming and I
stuffed the shirt down his throat,”
he said.
In his confession, Galbraith told
how he then went down into the
basement “and got everything J
could to start a fire.”
He said he carried kerosene, tur-
pentine, paint thinner and oil up-
stairs and poured them over the
house. He then ignited the inflam-
mable liquids and left again for
Norman.
Attempts Suicide
Galbraith barely escaped death
while being taken in a car from
Henderson to Memphis to board a
train after his arrest. Without
warning he opened the car door
and leaped into the path of another
auto. The driver of the second ve-
hicle swerved to the shoulder and
stopped with Galbraith's head rest-
ing on the pavement between the
wheels. He suffered a severe scalp
wound and abrasions on the face,
arms and legs. While waiting for
medical aid, Galbraith suddenly
jumped under the steering wheel
and tried to start the ear and drive
away, but the keys were grabbed
in time to stop him.
Galbraith said later he intended
to crash the machine into a bridge
abutment.
Bubble Bath?
Better Use
Softer Soap
TJ'L RENO residents who are
particular about how well
their home laundry docs its job,
or who are sensitive to changes
in the quality of water, are go-
ing to have mighty rough soap-
ing for the next few days.
The city water supply is going
to be considerably harder for a
short time, due to one of the
city’s annual spring cleanup
chores.
The work is at the city soften-
ing plant, which is expected to be
out of action for four or five
days while workmen go over
equipment to remove rock-like
sediment and corrosion.
City Manager C. A. Bentley,
in issuing the unpleasant news,
pointed out that the work, while
inconvenient, is highly important.
Sediment must be scaled off
the mixing vat at the softening
plant and also from a rotary
mixer, which Bentley described
as “something like a big egg
beater, but slower.”
While use of extra-hard water
during the next several days will
bring its usual flood of troubles,
Bentley pointed out that unless
the vital maintenance work is
done, corrosion eventually would
eat up metal fixtures.
In addition the increasing bur-
den on the mixer would burn out
motors and end with the entire
plant out of commission and the
city “a huge repair bill” on its
hands.
Small Farmers
Fight Off Curbs
Cotton Cutbacks Hit
55,000, Survey Shows
WASHINGTON, March 22 -IW-
An estimated 55,000 tenants an
sharecroppers will be forced ol
farms this year as a result of th
government-ordered cutback in col
ton plantings, an agriculture dc
partment survey revealed today.
The estimate was given by th
department last month in secre
testimony before a house appro
priations subcommittee. The testi
mony was published today by thi
subcommittee.
Increase Debate Started
The disclosure came a few hour:
before the senate planned to opei
debate on a bill to increase thi:
year's national cotton planting al
lotment by 258,625 acres.
The house already has approvec
legislation increasing the allot
ments for farmers by 543,234 acres
Before debate began, Sen. Clintoi
P. Anderson (Democrat-New Mex
ico) raised the possibility of a flooi
fight if southwestern states are no
given greater cotton acreage allot
ments.
Herd on "Little Man”
The legislation was introduced bj
cotton state legislators after thi
agriculture department, alread]
burdened with a large cotton sur
plus, cut acreage allotments bach
to 18.113,208 acres for the 1955 ero|
year.
The cotton state senators hhvi
complained that the cutback—mori
than 3,000,000 acres from last yeai
—has worked hardships on farm
ers, particularly the small ones.
Anderson complained, however
that the senate bill gives too muci
additional acreage to the southen
—or "rain belt”—cotton growing
states, and not enough to the south-
western states.
rs
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*▼ '
DRIVER POSTS BOND
George Richey, 17, of 1401 West
Foreman, has posted $5 bond in
police court on a charge of failing
to yield right-of-way, police traffic
records showed today.
VALUABLE LITTLE HANDFUL—El Reno and Canadian county livestock has gained its share of ribbons
in state and national show rings, but usually the champion animals are steers or lambs weighing from
100 to 1,000 pounds. Latest blue-ribbon winner, however, is no bigger than the handful of ribbons and
trophies he won at the International Chinchilla “Show of Champions" held Sunday in Oklahoma City.
This young male chinchilla, owned by Mrs. Dora Warren, above, of 311 South Evans, won second in his
class in the International after taking the junior state championship and several more ribbons.
Rock Island Plans
Signal at Crossing
A safety signal light is to be in-
stalled by the Rock Island rail-
road at the intersection of the com-
pany’s tracks and Watts street, as
an added protection for El Reno
drivers.
City Manager C. A. Bentley said
he was notified today of railroad
plans in a letter from H. G, Den-
nis, division superintendent, which
said authority had been received
to install a flashing light type of
signal at the intersection.
Dennis said work to instal the
signal will begin as soon as ma-
terials arrive.
Fires Follow
Chill Weathei
Into El Reno
El Reno firemen began and on
ed the first day of spring by b;
tling fires in scattered portions
the city as winter staged a bri
but effective comeback.
The day’s activities, which stai
ed with discovery of an uniden
fied man’s body in burning shi
in the 500 block on North Bickfor
about 1:30 a.m., ended with a bla
in a home at 1419 South Dil
shortly before 11 p.m.
The blaze in a house owned I
Kenneth Cordray and rented I
Wayne Sands, apparently starti
in a box of clothing believed
have been ignited from a wati
tank, fire department records sai
The fire burned through the floi
of the house.
Another fire early in the d:
caused heavy damage in the att
of a house at 307 South Mitchel
owned by H. G. Carmichael. T1
blaze was believed to have starti
in a flue from a hot water tank.
Later in the day a wall in
house at 820 North Miles receive
minor damage in a blaze whil
spread from a flue. The house
owned by F. H. Palmer and rent*
to Follie Smith, records in the fii
department said.
Snow Fades
From State
A bright sun today began th
ing Oklahoma out of the d
freeze into which the state \
plunged by the bitter cold wi
which heralded the arrival
spring.
Snow up to six inches deep,
generally measuring only two
three inches, blanketed the st
from Ponca City on the northi
border well into the southern p
[of the state.
A six-inch snow was reported
the ground at Cushing. Pawhu:
had 4V4 inches, Perry and Rais
4. Three inches fell at Tul
Miami, Oklahoma City and an ii
was reported at Muskogee a
Stilwell. Strong north winds pi
snow in drifts a foot deep.
Actual precipitation, mostly fr
snow, ranged up to .92 of an inc
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Dyer, Ray J. The El Reno Daily Tribune (El Reno, Okla.), Vol. 64, No. 19, Ed. 1 Tuesday, March 22, 1955, newspaper, March 22, 1955; El Reno, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc921115/m1/1/: accessed April 23, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.