SURPRISE VALLEY RECORD, CEDARVILLE, MODOC COUNTY, CAL WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 1935 $150 OR 75 DAYS IS SENTENCE METED OUT NO MONEY TO PAY FINE, SO WILL SPEND NEXT 2 ½ MONTHS IN COUNTY JAIL Kenneth McKenzie, who was brought before Judge Kennedy last Friday evening, plead guilty to a J. W. Stiner. Without any hesitation or even a quiver in the voice, the Judge executed his first sentence; that of a fine of $150 or 75 days in the county jail. Having no money to pay the fine a commitment was prepared and McKenzie, who came from Nebraska, is spending the next two months and a half as a trustee in the county Bastille. McKenzie was charged with stealing $17, in the complaint. FORMER SURPRISE RESIDENT PASSES James A. Seyferth, 64, cousin of Mrs. Even Gaustad of this place passed away June 27th at his home at Kirby, Oregon. His wife and one daughter, Mrs. Sophia Bunch, survive him. Years ago, he was a resident of this place being associated with Joe Sigler in the blacksmith business. (1:2) Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Quick and 3 month old son, Gary, arrived last night from Chowchillia on a visit to Mrs. Quick’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur W. Stiner. Arthur says he’ll have his grandson out in the hayfield within the next few weeks. STILL CONFINED TO HOSPITAL IN REDDING County Clerk, Bob Smith and Harry G. Ward, supervisor of district No. 1, are still confined to the hospital in Redding, convalescing from the injuries sustained in an auto accident recently near Cottonwood. Both are reported to be on the mend and it is hoped that they will be able to return to their respective homes within a short time. DIVORCE SUIT FILED Although the papers had been taken out by the attorney’s, we nevertheless found posted on the civil Docket in the county clerk’s office in Alturas, the suit of Frances Kober vs. Carl Kober in a divorce action. Mrs. Kober sued on the grounds of cruelty. NEW PINE CREEK NOTES Quite an excitement was caused here when word reached the State Line Town of the shocking accident last Friday near Alturas, when five men lost their lives in a collision of two trucks. Jimmie Moore of New Pine Creek was riding on the truck from which the five men were killed. Lester Vernon, the driver of the truck is also well known here. Mrs. Retta McKemy, of Oakland, California, sister of Mrs. James Vincent, her daughter and husband, Mr. and Mrs. John Cooper and their two sons, Wayne and Dean, are visitors at the Vincent home here. Grandma Mary Smith, who has been ill for many months’, is still very ill at her daughter’s home, Mrs. Sam Porter. Grandma is in her eighties and is one of Goose Lake Valley’s grand old lady pioneers. LIGHT SENTENCE GIVEN SMITH AND McCRARY Wallace McCrary and Harvey Smith, who figured in the rustling case, in which John J. Wiley was sentenced from one to ten years in San Quentin, got a comparatively light sentences by turning States’ evidence. Each was sentenced last weekend to serve 120 days in the county jail and five years probation. 2 RATTLESNAKES MEET DEATH AT TRUCK WRECK At the scene of the tragedy where the five men were swept to their deaths from the body of the Cline Porter truck Friday, was a strange sight Friday night. Debris was scattered all over the highway. Blood was everywhere. Two rattlesnakes were found dead in the accumulated wreckage. How they happened to be there will always remain a mystery. Whether they were attracted by the odor of blood and came there to be killed by spectators, had they happened to be passing the scene at the moment of the impact, will perhaps never be known. CORONER’S JURY FIXES NO BLAME FOR 5 DEATHS (Headline) BOTH TRUCK DRIVERS ARE EXONERATED OF ANY BLAME: NO CHARGES WILL BE PREFERRED ALTURAS – A coroner’s jury Monday night returned a verdict finding that the five persons who died in the crash of two automobile trucks met their deaths simply as a result of that crash. No blame was fixed by the coroner’s jury and veteran court attaches assert that there was no opportunity to place a responsibility. Lester Vernon and Don Gray, the two truck drivers declined to testify, on the ground they might incriminate themselves. Dr. Walter E. Coppedge, the county physician described the injuries, which resulted in the deaths of the five men, Clarence Chance, Harold M. Allred, Alfred Jackson Asher, Roscoe William Conklin and Wesley E. Polander. The men were all badly mutilated, Dr. Coppedge asserted and death in each case was instantaneous. Captain William H. Smith, state traffic officer, described the shambles at the scene of the accident. He asserted that he measured the two trucks; the meat truck from Redding, which belonged to J. Morosoli, measured 96 inches across and the other truck, which belonged to Cline Porter, measured 92 inches. Captain Smith stated there were no clearance lights on the Porter truck. John S. MacVeagh, the carpenter from Alturas, who was riding in the middle of the front seat of the Porter truck, which was used to transport employees of the Peninsula Paving Company to and from work, stated that they saw the truck approaching about 100 years away: that as they passed on the narrow culvert, he heard a sharp report, that when Vernon straightened out the machine, he stopped to see if anyone was hurt; that one of the employees on the rear of the truck called out that several of the men had been knocked off by the impact; that when the men from the truck reached the scene of the accident, the roadside was littered with debris and dead men. Ed Mackey also testified. He asserted that he did not know the speed of either machine. The coroner’s jury was composed of Ray Hards, foreman, J. C. Jarman, J. J. Gloster, Rev. Philip Schwabenland, Mrs. J. Ralph Laird, Mrs. Edna Pomeroy and George Fordyce. The shocking tragedy, which darkened the lives of Modoc County struck with dramatic suddenness Friday night. Of the crew of 12 men, employed 37.8 miles from Alturas on the Canby-Perez highway, five men were swept to their deaths when the two trucks collided 5.2 miles out of Alturas on the roadside by the John Cummings ranch. Funeral services were conducted for Allred Monday morning. The rest of the victims were laid to rest Sunday, Asher and Chance in Alturas and Polander in Lake City and Conklin in Cedarville. (1:6) FUNERAL FOR ROSCOE WILLIAM CONKLIN A large crowd of people attended the funeral of Roscoe William Conklin, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Conklin, of the Cottonwood District, one of the victims of the truck wreck, was held from the M. E. Church Sunday afternoon, Rev. Vinyard, the pastor, spoke words of comfort to the bereaved family in their hour of unspeakable grief; the choir rendered several selections. John Ballard of Alturas directed the funeral and the remains were interred in the Cedarville cemetery.(1:6) RECITAL OF TRADEGY HOLDS AUDIENCE Robert Allenwood and Arch Johnstone, of this place, who luckily escaped death in a truck collision last Friday night, near Alturas, held several attentive audiences in awe last Sunday morning, when they explained a detailed account of the wreck in which 5 men were killed and they narrowly escaped the same fate. FORT BIDWELL HIGHLIGHTS Mrs. Wanda Maxwell and small son who has been visiting at the home of her aunt, Mrs. Joe Conlan for the past 2-weeks, departed for her home in Oregon last Wednesday. The deepest sympathy of the community at Fort Bidwell is extended to the bereaved families, who lost their dear ones in the terrible truck tragedy, which occurred near Alturas last Friday evening. CARD OF THANKS To all the friends whose sympathy and services were so kindly tendered in our time of bereavement, we desire to express our sincere thanks and appreciation; we are grateful for the many and beautiful floral offering, silent tributes of love and respect to our loved one. Mrs. Minnie Polander Miss Gertrude Polander Mr. and Mrs. C. F. Fransway and family Mr. and Mrs. Grover Wimer and family Mr. and Mrs. Charles Vaughn and family Mrs. Fannie Bowers was called to Gridley last week on account of the critical illness of her niece. 5 KILLED IN TRUCK WRECK ALTURAS – August 2nd – Five men were killed and seven escaped injury when the CCC refrigerator truck collided with the Peninsula Paving Company Labor truck five and two-tenths miles west of Alturas. Survivors said that the projecting bodies of the trucks caught as they endeavored to pass on a culvert near the John O. Cummings ranch. THOSE KILLED WERE: Clarence Chance, 37 Harold M. Allred, 35 Alfred Jackson Asher, 37 Roscoe William Conklin, 21 Wesley E. Polander, 50 In the same truck were Robert Allenwood and Arch Johnstone of Cedarville, James Moore, Ed Mackey, John MacVeagh of Alturas and George Lingan of Willow Ranch and the driver, Lester Vernon of Lake City. Harold Morgan and Charles Cartnell, both of Alturas, who had been bass fishing on Pit River came up around the turn behind the construction truck, when they saw the blue lights jump up. The next instant their lights flashed onto the other side of the road and they saw a string of men along the highway seemingly badly mutilated. Running over to the scene, they found the other passengers examining the bodies. They then found that 3 had been killed instantly and that two were badly hurt, including Roscoe Conklin of Cedarville, who was still breathing at the time. Morgan then rushed to a telephone on the outskirts of Alturas and telephoned Coroner J. F. Kerr and County physician and surgeon, Dr. W. E. Coppedge. Harold Allred owns and operates the Service Station on the outskirts of Alturas, on the Cedarville – Alturas highway. Jack Asher was unmarried, but leaves a host of relatives to mourn his untimely passing. Wesley Polander is a pioneer resident of Surprise Valley, who is well known and liked by all. Roscoe Conklin is the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. John Conklin of this place. He also leaves to mourn his passing two brothers and two sisters. (2:3) LAKE CITY NEWS NOTES WESLEY POLANDER KILLED IN AUTO ACCIDENT Our community has been deeply shocked and saddened by the horrible accident west of Alturas Friday evening, whi9ch took from us our respected neighbor and friend, Wesley Polander. To tell how, our hearts ache and lives are saddened by the tragic ending of this friend is impossible. An all around good friend, neighbor and pal; always a cheery smile and wave of the hand when passing. A joke and pleasant repartee when stopping for a social chat, he surely will be sadly missed by his friends. It is an old saying "everyone has his enemies" Wes had his, but they were few, very few here, and Friends, they were legions. Few can say anything but good of Wes Polander. Like Abou Ben Adam, he loved his fellowmen and his many, many acts of kindness since we have known him shows that. His funeral was held from the Seventh Day Adventist Church here Monday afternoon, by a minister from Oakland. Singers came from Alturas to sing his last lullaby. Pallbearers were members of the I.O.O.F. Lodge at Cedarville. He being an honored member of that lodge. The casket was covered with beautiful flowers. The church was crowded with friends and lots of people remained outside as standing room was at a premium. He leaves to mourn his passing two daughters, Mrs. Chester Fransway and Miss Gertrude Polander of Winnemucca, Nevada; and three sisters, Mrs. Charles Vaughn, Mrs. Oliver Cramton and Mrs. Grover Wimer of Lake City, two grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. To all we extend our deepest sympathy. "Farewell old friend and brother, May the path on which you trod; Bring you to that bright hereafter, To that beautiful home of God." (4:2) Lake City experienced a thrill Friday A. M. when word came, the ranch house of M. M. Quirk, north of Lake City, was on fire. Everyone that could started at breakneck speed to be turned back at the Ernie Wimer home. Fire out. A fire started in woodpile near the house, but Myron, Cecil Heard and Bruce Steward, Sr., were able to get it under control before reaching the house. Myron told friends and neighbors they were too late but sure glad to see them. He is very, very grateful to friends for their help and such kindness will never be forgotten. Born in Alturas, cal., July 31, 1935, to Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Jones, a son, 7-1/2 pounds. ~~~~~~ Billie C. & Anita 'Jean' Reynolds Family Researcher of "The Last Frontier" Modoc County, California --- Our outgoing mail is checked by ZoneAlarm AntiVirus.