SURPRISE VALLEY RECORD - CEDARVILLE, MODOC COUNTY, CAL NOVEMBER 2, 1932 SERIOUS OPERATION ON NECK PREFORMED LAST SUNDAY MORNING A serious neck operation was performed last Sunday afternoon, which required the skill and united efforts of Tom Knight, Ray Abrams, Lauren Adams, Prof. Tandy and several others to complete the job. The object of the operation was placed in the center of Hawkins’ Garage workshop with a great tank of clean water beside it and then the operation took place. Prof. Tandy suggested one way while John Hawkins suggested another and then after some controversy, a wool string was carefully wrapped around its neck. Poor thing! We know it must have felt terrible, but nevertheless, it had to be done. A quantity of gas was then poured n the wool string and John stood with a box of matches in his hand. Just imagine how you would feel with a string saturated with gas, tied around your neck and a fellow standing by ready to apply the match. It was a perilous moment and we all felt sorry for it, but it had to be done. Then the striking of the match was heard and John goes forward with lighted match – and then it was afire. We could almost realize how painful and hot it was, then up jumps Tom Knight (he must have felt sorry for it) and dumps it head first into the tank of water, - and "crack" – off comes the neck and the "gruesome" task was finished. Well, folks, laying all jokes aside, it was a delicate operation, for Ray Abrams has a number of gold fish, for which he had to have a large glass bowl for them this winter and the only suitable receptacle he could find was a five-gallon acid jug from the Hawkins’ Garage and hence the removal of the neck was necessary. It was the only jug of this size he could find in town and its neck had to come off in order to allow an opening for the fish to be placed in it. WALKER G. ROBINSON PASSED AWAY LAST FRIDAY Walker G. Robinson aged 74, passed away at the U. C. Hospital at Berkeley, last Friday, following an operation for the amputation of his leg. Mr. Robinson has been ill for sometime. His funeral was held from the M. E. Church here this morning at 10:30, services were conducted by the pastor, Rev. Virgil A. Vinyard, assisted by the choir. His obituary will appear in next week’s issue. The record, along with a host of warm friends, extends heartfelt sympathy to the bereaved family. (1:4) MONROE PAYS LIFE PENALTY FOR SLAYING Last Friday, Oct. 28th, Billy Monroe, 30-year out law was hanged for the murder of Stacy Baccala, Plumas County Deputy Sheriff, in Lassen County. Shortly before he was led to the gallows, he buckled his artificial leg, which had been taken from him after he admitted using it as a hiding place for a razor blade, with which he attempted suicide Wednesday. Previously, in the Lassen County jail, he took nearly a dozen saw blades from the leg and gave them to the sheriff. His feeble attempt to end his life after his father, Earl Monroe, visited him, was the only evidence of nervousness or fear he displayed while in prison. The gashes he inflicted on his throat and wrist were superficial. KILLED PLUMAS OFFICER Monroe shot and killed Baccala last June 16th, when the deputy overtook him and his father near Milford after a robbery at Greenville. As Baccala ordered them from their car, the younger Monroe shot him with a rifle, then emptied the contents of two pistols into the prostrate of the officer’s body. The son was arrested a short time later and his father was apprehended in Reno. Billy was convicted of the killing and sentenced to death. The elder Monroe was convicted of manslaughter and is serving a ten-year sentence in the prison. BODY TO STANFORD Upon learning that he would hang, Monroe willed his body to the Stanford University for scientific purposes. Attorney General, U. S. Webb, however, informed Warden James B. Holohan it was illegal for a person to direct the disposition of his body to others than those entitled by law to receive it. Since Monroe’s father is in prison and cannot claim the body, the youth’s sister, of Reno, declared she would order the body given to the university. (2:3) GUANO VALLEY MAN ARRESTED Maynard Shadden, young resident of Guano Valley, was arrested a week ago by sheriff Priday and deputy sheriff Carroll on a charge of stealing a quantity of steel traps from Raymond Powell on or about September 1st. He was brought to Lakeview and in the circuit court he plead guilty, was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment and then paroled. The officers recovered 332 traps. Four were found at Shadden’s place and had been worked over. An additional two dozen had been cached were unearthed and the rest of the number were on his trap line. – Examiner SURPRISE RANCHES CHANGE HANDS By deeds recorded recently in the County Recorder, T. H. Ballard’s office, R. M. Miller and wife transferred the old Miller property above Lake City, owned by them to Gherald Wilson and his wife, Gheraldine Wilson, consisting 341 and ¼ acres and the Millers acquired from the Samuel B. Strief, the old Joshua Strief property owned by Robert Niles immediately joining Lake City on the south, one of the oldest and finest ranches in Surprise Valley as is also the property sold by Miller to the Wilsons. – Plaindealer Mrs. McElwain, resident of Joseph Creek, passed away at that place, last week after a brief illness. Her funeral was held Monday afternoon. (8:4) Miss Gay Delmas, of this place and Mrs. Charles Decious of Fort Bidwell, accompanied by Ferdinand Delmas and Ray Adams left Monday morning to be at the bedside of Mrs. Delmas, their mother in San Jose. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Norman Frakes in south Warner Valley was destroyed by fire early last Friday morning and the house and all of its contents were a total loss. The dwelling was a two-story, six-room house, located some seven miles south of Adel at the former post office of Warner Lake. The cause of the fire could not be determined. – Examiner LEGAL TRANSFERS Decree of Distribution: Estate of Marguerite Rinehart, to William E. Rinehart, Harry E. Rinehart, Marion W. Rinehart, Effie M. Sizer and Grace l. Beebe, to each 1/5 interest in Cedarville property. Cecil, young son of Somer Beeson of Davis Creek is at the Alturas hospital recovering from an abscessed appendix operation. Dr. M. R. Kennedy and Dr. John R. Stile were the physicians. ELOPED Tom Buel and Lavene Vaughn, of Fort Bidwell, stole a march on their friends and were married, we are informed. We did not get any information as to when and where the ceremony was performed. Johnnie Laxague is confined to his bed this week on account of a wrenched knee. CELEBRATES 21ST WEDDING ANNIVERSARY Mr. and Mrs. J. P. Seminario celebrated their twenty-first wedding anniversary yesterday at the French Hotel here. They were married in Carson City, Nevada, on November 1st, 1911, shortly after coming from their native country, Spain. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9TH, 1932 DEER WRECKS CAR ON CEDAR CANYON ROAD A unique accident which might have been attended with fatal consequences, but fortunately was not, occurred in the Cedar Canyon about four miles west of town last night when Mr. and Mrs. Charles Akins, of Alturas, while enroute to Cedarville, drove their car into a small herd of deer and ran over the side of the grade. Akins, who was apparently traveling down the grade with his car in second gear, rounded a turn and met the deer, which were blinded by the car lights. One of the animals ran straight into the on-coming machine putting out one of the headlights and during the collision the auto, an Oakland touring carm careened over the side of the grade and plunged down the steep bank, turning over twice and lodging against a large boulder. Akins suffered a severely wrenched shoulder and both he and his wife were shaken and bruised, but neither seriously. GRAND JURY IS SELECTED According to an announcement by John Sharp, Sheriff of Modoc County, the names of 30 Modoc County citizens have been drawn from the grand jury box in the Courthouse by County Clerk, L. S. Smith and these persons were officially notified to appear in the Courthouse at Alturas at 10 o’clock, Monday morning, November 14th. Those whose names have been drawn as prospective grand jurors and who are expected to appear in the Modoc County Superior Court on November 14, follow: Mrs. Frances Carpenter, Lloyd B. Laver, Rufus Ward, Leo F. Mulkey, Charles E. Cummins, C. W. Mapes, Mrs. Nettie B. Harris, Frank D. Harbert, Lee Heryford, Walter F. Lorenzen, George M. Clark, J. B. Kelley, V. F. Christensen, Mrs. Mabel E. Perry, R. J. Graham, Jr.; Alfred t. Coffman, Mark A. Livingston, Mrs. Thelma Tillotson, W. T. Withers, Lawrence J. Fee. Mrs. Ira D. Ash, Mrs. Bertha Harris, Mark Belli, William T. Gould, Frank Powers, Arthur Criss, C. F. Fulcher, R. E, Snyder, P. S. Dorris, W. A. Odbert. Glenn Hill, our colored wood-saw operator, took his equipment to Nubieber last Friday, where he will harvest the wood crop for the residents in that section for the next two-weeks. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16TH, 1932 JUDGE WESTERVELT RE-OPENS CASES; DECISION ON FINE CUTS MEETS WITH FAVOR JAURENA TO PAY $50.00 REMAINDER TO BE SUSPENDED Davis BROS. UNABLE TO PAY DEER FINE; MAGISTRATE FORCED TO SENTENCE Two cases were re-opened in the local court last Friday before Justice of the Peace, J. H. Westervelt. C. H. and Ed Davis, were arrested in November, 1931, by Game Warden A. A. Jordan, for possessing deer meat out of season, were hailed before the local court and after they plead guilty, were fined $25.00 a piece and given six-months in which to pay the fine. This was later extended. The men testified, upon their appearance in court last Friday, that they were still unable to pay the fine and the court was left no alternative but to sentence them to serve out the fines in the County Jail. Constable Cavin delivered the two men at Alturas Monday. In the other case to reappear before the court, Valentin Jaurena, Pool Hall operator of this place, had been fined $200.00 last spring for liquor possession and given time in which to pay. The raid, which was conducted by Federal Agent J. H. Burns, it later became known, was made in a more forceful than legal manner and the seizure of the "evidence" of approximately ¾ of a pint of jackass was netted as the result of a search of Jaurena’s premises without the benefit of a search warrant. The rather unconstitutional aspects of the raid caused local public sentiment to favor the defendant, with the result that several prominent citizens sought leniency for Jaurena. In consideration of all the circumstances of the case, Judge Westervelt, last Friday morning, suspended $150.00 of the fine and gave Jaurena until December 1 to pay the remaining $50.00. OBITUARY OF W. G. ROBINSON Walker G. Robinson was born in Cato, Wisconsin, September 1, 1858. When about seven, his folks moved to Garden City, Minn., and two years later to Alexandra, Minn., where he lived until grown to manhood. As a young man he took up a homestead in North Dakota and followed the occupation of farming. In 1890, he was united in marriage to Miss Alice Carpenter, of North Dakota. In 1909, he came to Surprise Valley with his family and has resided here since then until the time of his death, October 28, 1932. In 1919, he was appointed as caretaker of the Cedarville cemetery, which work he has performed faithfully and well and many friends will ever hold his memory dear for the many kindly acts he has extended when they were bereft of a loved one; also for the service rendered in keeping the "Silent City" so neat and attractive by caring for the shrubs, flowers and trees. He is survived by his widow, one daughter, Miss Doris, of San Jose and one son, Warren C. Robinson, of Cedarville; also three brothers and two sisters, who reside elsewhere and a host of warm friends, who extend heartfelt sympathy to the bereaved family. His funeral was held November 2, from the M. E. Church here, Rev. Virgil A. Vinyard officiating and the remains were tenderly laid to rest in the Cedarville cemetery. "When the curtains of life draw together, And deep silence enshrouds the soul, When the last act is finally recorded In mem’ries more precious than gold, There’s a silence of triumph that lingers To soothe the aching heart, For the life was that of a conqueror Who acted well his part." (1:1) The many friends of Mrs. Jennie S. baker, of this place regret to hear that she is confined to St. Mary’s Hospital in Reno undergoing treatment for her eyes. SURPRISE PIONEER IS LAID TO REST Mrs. Frances Delmas, who was stricken with paralysis Sunday, October 30 and passed away at her San Jose home Monday, November 7, was laid to rest in the Cedarville Cemetery last Friday, November 11, with funeral services conducted by Father O’Driscoll of Alturas. Mrs. Delmas was born Frances Caney, in Paris, France, March 9, 1849 and came to America at an early age, where she met and became the bride of J. B. Delmas. Mr. and Mrs. Delmas were early pioneers in Surprise, coming to this community about a half-century ago. A short time after the death of her husband, Mrs. Delmas moved to San Jose and made her home in 1909, where she lived the remainder of her days. The decedent is survived by the following children: Miss Gay Delmas, Louis and Ferdinand Delmas of Cedarville; Mrs. Charles Decious of Fort Bidwell; Andrew Delmas and Mrs. J. V. Herman of Reno. (1:5) WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1932 MAN HELD IN MURDER CASE With only meager clues for the officers to work on at the time of finding of a decomposed body of a stranger, about a mile from here last week, Sheriff W. W. Sublett has worked persistently on the case until now the suspected murderer is behind the bars in the County Jail at Redding, held on a murder charge signed Wednesday, November 16, by District Attorney Ross. It appears fro the evidence, as related by Charles Burns, aged trapper of this place, as told by him to Sheriff Sublett, that the dead man, whose name was James Scott Evans, with a police record, was murdered by his companion, James G. Mattingly, with whom he had been camping for sometime. Burns related that he had chatted with them both on various occasions. A woman, Mrs. Carmen Randolph, was with them at the time and place described by the trapper, in his story to Sheriff Sublett, but the woman, who is held as a material witness, denied ever seeing Evans, the murdered man. The identity of the murdered man was furnished by finger prints of the dead man from the State Bureau of Criminal Identification, who informed Sheriff Sublett that the dead man was named James Scott Evans, with a police record. Burns submitted evidence that the murder was probably committed one mile east of Fall River Mills on land used as a dumping grounds for rubbish. – Fall River Tidings (1:2) PHEASANT FLIES INTO CAR WINDSHIELD While returning from a trip to the lower end of the valley last Thursday morning, Fred Ash and Will Monroe of Fort Bidwell were driving north toward Cedarville a few miles south of here when a large Chinese Pheasant, flushed from the side of the road, flew into the windshield of the car. The bird hit with such force that he was almost instantly killed. Born to Mr. and Mrs. Jake Garrison, last Sunday morning, November 20, at Cedarville, a baby daughter. Born to Mr. and Mrs. Frances (Frogs) Ballard, Sunday, November 20, at Alturas, twin-daughters. Mrs. Ballard is the former Miss Josephine Arabolad. ALTURAS MAN IN CITY HOSPITAL CONDITION IS GRAVE Walter Brown, genial, well-known proprietor of "Brown’s Coffee Shop," in Alturas, has been seriously ill for the past two weeks in the Lane Hospital in San Francisco, latest reports indicating his condition as being very serious. The Alturas restaurant man, who is suffering from a lingering ailment, was taken to the city hospital on November 9, where he was subjected to treatment, several blood transfusions being necessary to save the stricken man’s life. According to the latest available reports, Mr. Brown will be returned to his Alturas home the early part of the week. His condition is still regarded as grave. CAR RUNS OFF GRADE NEAR FORT BIDWELL AND BURNS His car out of control as what is believed to have been the result of a broken steering knuckle, Frank Harden plunged over the grade on Neasham Hill, this side of Fort Bidwell, early Sunday evening, the automobile turning over and landing up-side down, where it caught on fire and burned up, its driver escaping death by a narrow margin; sustaining minor bruises and a severe shaking up. Harden, who is from Alturas, was enroute home from Fort Bidwell and the accident occurred about six-miles this side of that town. The car, a Buick six-cylinder coupe, was completely consumed by the flames, which are believed to have been caused by the ignition of gasoline from a broken gas line by the hot motor. It is believed that the car was partially covered by insurance. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1932 FLAMES DESTROY WAREHOUSE OF FORT BIDWELL STORE A. C. LOWELL COMPANY SUFFERS $4,000 DAMAGE Believed to have started from faulty wiring on the Delco Lighting plant, fire broke out in a small engine shop near the warehouse of the A. C. Lowell, Inc., the hardware and grocery store, conducted by C. G. lowell, in Fort Bidwell, last Monday evening and the flames spread into the warehouse, wood shed and two other out houses entirely destroying them and causing an estimated damage to the firm of $4,000. The conflagration, which started about 5 o’clock in the evening burned up approximately $1,000 worth of merchandise housed in the warehouse and would have spread to other buildings if a large number of volunteer firefighters had not appeared on the scene and controlled the flames. According to reports, some of the merchandise was saved by the volunteer firefighters. The entire loss is partially covered by insurance. Messrs. A. Olson and L. E. McKenny of Portland, who arrived here November 15, to remodel the home of Harry Rinehart, finished their work yesterday and left this morning for Lakeview. The Rinehart home was completely modernized with stucco on the outside and plaster within. Paul McAfee arrived here last Saturday from Los Angeles for a two weeks’ visit with his aunt, Mrs. Jane Wallace. FORT BIDWELL HIGH SCHOOL GIRL IS SUDDENLY STRICKEN SUNDAY MORNING PASSES AWAY AT HOME AFTER DANCE; CAUSE OF DEATH IS UNKNOWN Physicians Puzzled Over Death of Kathryn Peterson; Examination Reveals Nothing; Analysis To Be Made; Buried Yesterday Suddenly stricken after returning to her home from a dance early last Sunday morning, Miss Kathryn Peterson, 18-year-old high school girl of Fort Bidwell, called her mother, complained of pains all over her body and passed away before a hurriedly summoned physician could arrive. An autopsy performed later in the day by Dr. P. W. McKenney of Alturas and Dr. Jewett of the Reservation Hospital at Fort Bidwell revealed no indications as to the cause of the girls’ death. The examination proved the girl to be in a healthy condition and offered no clues to the puzzled physicians, who sent stomach contents and blood samples to city laboratories for analysis. Miss Peterson, who was a senior in the Fort Bidwell branch of the Surprise Valley Union High School, attended the dance at Fort Bidwell last Saturday night, apparently enjoying good health at the time and having a good time. She returned to her home after the dance about 4 a.m. Sunday morning, retired and apparently slept peacefully until 6 o’clock, when she called her mother and complained of pains all over her body. A messenger was immediately dispatched for Dr. Jewett at the Reservation Hospital but the stricken girl expired before he could reach her bedside. Funeral services were held at the home yesterday afternoon and interment was made in the Fort Bidwell cemetery, Rev. Scwabenland of the Alturas Baptist Church officiating. The decedent, who was born and reared at Fort Bidwell, is survived by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. jack Peterson, six sisters and two brothers: Esther, Mary Lee, Betty, Elbert and Granville Peterson, Mrs. Mitchell Santiago, all of Fort Bidwell, Mrs. Foster Winnship of Grimes and another married sister in Oakland, whose name was not learned. (1:3-4 Headline) SURPRISE VALLEY MAN SUCCUMBS TO STRANGE MALADY AFTER LONG ILLNESS Tom Smith, 52, life-long resident of Surprise Valley, passed away at his home near Cedarville, at 5 o’clock yesterday morning after a three weeks’ serious illness, which culminated a two-year period during which he had been in poor health. Funeral services will be held in Cedarville tomorrow afternoon at 2 o’clock and interment will take place in the Cedarville cemetery, Rev. V. A. Vinyard officiating. The direct cause of his death was due to an ailment, which was diagnosed by Dr. m. R. Kennedy, attending physician, as Agranucystic Angina, a rare form of anemia, differing from the conventional form in that the ravages of the disease resulted in the destruction of the white corpuscles of the blood rather than the re corpuscles, which is the case of the latter malady. Mr. Smith suffered infection of the oral cavity and tonsils about two years ago and as a result of the consequent weakening of his system, the fatal anemia set in three weeks ago. Tom Smith was born and reared in Surprise Valley and spent his entire life here. His wife, Mrs. Blanche Smith, is the sole survivor. (1:3-4) DEATH TAKES ONE OF BALLARD TWINS Living a brief life span of but 8 days, one of the twin baby daughters born to Mr. and Mrs. Francis Ballard, Sunday, November 20, was claimed by death last Monday, November 28. Funeral services were held Tuesday from the Alturas Catholic church and in the interment was made in the Alturas cemetery, Father O’Driscoll officiating. The surviving twin daughter is reported to be doing nicely at the home of her young parents. (1:5) Dick Wilcox, formerly well-known in this county, is reported to have dropped dead on the streets of Lakeview from heart failure sometime during the weekend. (4:4) A party composed of Mr. and Mrs. Alec Ash and son, Mr. and Mrs. William Rinehart and family, of Vya, Nev., and Mrs. Martin Espil, motored below for a brief thanksgiving visit last Thursday, returning Sunday evening. Mr. and Mrs. Ash visited Mr. Ash’s parents in Chico; the Rinehart’s visited Mrs. Rinehart’s mother, Mrs. Rebecca Prewitt, at Roseville and Mrs. Espil visited her two daughters, Marie at Berkeley and Janie at San Francisco. ~~~~~~ Billie C. & Anita 'Jean' Reynolds Modoc County, California "The Last Frontier" www.rh2o.com/modoc --- Our outgoing mail is checked by avast! AntiVirus. Avast! Is Free To Home Users.