davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Coconino sun., 1927-02-04
Killed Himself While Pooling With Old Cur
FRANK BAL. .ENSIFER SHOT
HIMSELF THROUGH HEART
AT HOME MONDAY NIGHT

Frank Balensifer, 33, battery
man at Ed Babbitt's garage,
accidentally shot and instantly
killed himself about 6:30 Mon
day evening while playing with
an old revolver. The accident
occurred at his home, North San
Francisco street and Cherry
avenue, the first house north of
the courthouse yard.
The affair sad6eneG all who knew
the young man and his relatives. He
was a son of Mrs. A. Maxemin of
this city by a former marriage and
many who did not know deceased or
his wife were deeply grieved through
their friendship for Professor and
Mrs. Maxennin.
There is no suspicion that B9len-
sifer's death was suicide. The coro-
ner's jury the next morning quickly
arrived at a verdict Of accidental
death.
About two months ago tourist
gave Mr.. Balensifer IA Smith 81
Wesson, old model Soon afterward,
while he was fooling with it one night,
Professor Maxemin advised him to
put it away, asking what he wanted a
gun like that for anyway He replied
that it might come in useful some
time when he went hunting.
Saturday Mr. Balensifer got leave
of absence from the garage for a day
and accompanied by his wife and her
little daughter drove to Tuba City,
where he had been called to do some
especial telephone repair work, He
took the gun along. Stopping at Chet
Munroe's ranch for a brief visit, he
and Munroe fooled with the gun. The
shells Balensifer had bought didn't fit,
though they were able with trouble to
fire a couple shots. Munroe advised
Balensifer to stop fooling with the
gun, that he was likely to get hurt
with it.
But the young mans interest as a
mechanic seems to have been aroused,
inducing him to keep working with
the weapon until he got it shooting
right He bought another box Of
shells Monday and took them home
with him that evening when he went
to dinner.
After dinner he worked for a short
time on his accounts. He had for sew
eral weeks been selling Bosch radios,
backed financially by George Babbitt,
and was Strengthening out their part
nership accounts. He mentioned to
his wife, who after clearing away
following dinner had come in from
the kitchen that they were getting
along fine in a money way. Then he
got the old gun and began trying to
fit the new shells. They wouldn't go
into the chambers. He got some of
the shells he'd used the day before,
showed one in, and playfully pointed
/ the gun at his wife and snapped it.
Mrs. Balensifer begged her husband
not to point the gun at her, nor to
snap it. He laughed, remarking that
he could count all right and could
snap it four times more before he
reached the she'll "See," he said, and
pointed the gun at himself, swapping
the trigger once, then again. The
second time, the fatal shot was fired,
entering his heart.
A look Of astonishment spread over
his face as he slumped back in the
Continued on page 81
The Coconino sun., 1927-02-04

delivery.
Burnett, however, changed his orig
inal purpose when he found he could
dig through the wall. just beside
where he dug, steel door shuts the
space in the north end of the corri-
dor, occupied by bath tub and toilet,
from the main west corridor. In the
day-time when the men were released
from their cells and allowed in this
corridor between the cells and the
outer walls, the grated door, which
swings toward the bath-tub, was left
open. Over. this door an old tarp had
been thrown, so that the hole was hid
den from view as long as the door was
open. All the plaster, mortar and
stone debris had been carefully
brushed up by Burnett and piled un-
der the cot in his cell.
The escape would have had to be
made in the daytime, as the prisoners
are locked in their cells nights. It is
believed Burnett and Hall would have
slipped through the wall Tuesday
morning but for the intervention Of
the other prisoners, one of whom it
| Is said was Sloan Burgen, awaiting
the results Of his appeal for new
trial. He was sentenced to life inn
prisonment for shooting Joe Cans to
death year or so ago because Cans
had been too attentive to Mrs. Bur-
gen. Burgen always has been mod
Ell prisoner.
Kingman few weeks ago for pass
The Coconino sun., 1927-02-04
0
3 LOTS OF PEOPLE SAW
0 GROUND HOG HERE
8 THFY-NOT IT--BIT

o The grounding not only saw 9
o his shadow Wednesday, the End, Q
o but a lot of Flagstaff people saw 6
o the grounding. G
O This latter part was unusual Q
o Most always the grounding q
o sees his shadow in Flagstaff, be- .
o cause the sun most always shines 9
o here.
0 Nor does the fact that he sees c
o his shadow have its usual result; 9
q because it takes more than a c
O. grounding to make US have bad G
o weather.
o DR.. M. G. Fronske was the first c
o man to drop into the Pay N TAX {
o it grocery Wednesday morning to G
o see the grounding. Ray Simp- c
0 son, manager of the ]. G. Penney {
o store next door, invited the doc {
o tor in.
o The next privileged person was c
o John @. Thomas, city superin- {
o tendent of schools. Both he and c
o DR.. Fronske entered with enthus- c
o iastic curiosity. The grounding G
o was in charge of Jack Mitchell G
o of the meat department.
o It was plate of pork sausage. 6
o 6
Q o o o o 0 o 0 c
The Coconino sun., 1927-02-04
CLARKDALE SMOTHERED
LOCAL HIGH SATURDAY
BASKET GAMES THIS WEEK

Flagstaff High basketball team lost
its game with Clarkdale last Satur-
day by the one-sided score of 51-21.
The locals were completely off and
Clarkdale outplayed them In every
department of the game.
The playing of Captain TWitty and
Jones, Clarkdale's centery and for
ward. was the outstanding feature.
Between them they accounted for IA
of their teams points. Flagstaff s
defense was weak and allowed the OPP
posing forwards many easy shots
from under the basket. Cameron was
the only Flagstaff player who played
consistently, making IA points. The
local team staged rally in the final
minutes of the game but the 30-point
lead which Clarkdale had rolled up
was too much to overcome.
This week Flagstaff meets Jeronaa
and Prescott on Thursday and Friday
nights. Both of these teams are
strong and the fans should witness
some good basketball The locals
haven't q chance of winning if they
play like they did against Clarkdale
Practices this week have been hard
and snappy and the team seems to
have forgotten all its bad basketball
and is out to redeem itself for the
poor showing Of Saturday. Every
member of the team was off last week
and in these games should be going
his best.
A preliminary will be played eacl
evening, the freshmen meeting ths
college training school on Thursday
and the second team playing the col
| lege high school team on Friday
These ought to be interesting game:
and will give some line on future
high school material.
The Coconino sun., 1927-02-04
Hearing in Attorneys
Claim for S2O2,OOO
Fee Goes to Prescott

Hearing in Attorney Francis D.
CRADLES claim for attorneys fees for
his work in connection with having
Lowell observatory of this city placed
under the trusteeship of Guy Lowell
the Boston and New York architect
was transferred last week by Judge
Richard Lamson from Flagstaff to
Prescott for the taking of further tes-
timony.
It was stated in The Sun last week
that Mr.. Cradle claims as his fee
S180.00O. 1t has later developed.
however, that his claim is for $780,
600. He bases his estimate on the
value Of his services on the alleged
value Of the property transferred to
the trustees care-$1, $4,000, assert.
ing that it is reasonable to ask that
he be allowed 121a per cent on that
valuation as his fee.
It is stated that there was stipu-
lation between Mr.. Cradle and Guy
Lowell that the former was to be al
lowed a fee of 100000, but that Mr.
Cradle when that stipulation was
made understood that it was to be
paid at once.
It is reported that in a former
claim for fee, made year or so ago
the court was willing to allow S37 900
but that Mr.. Cradle refused to accept
that amount.
The Coconino sun., 1927-02-04

them with every conceivable mishap
if they do come. It's given the local
committee lot to do to provide that
all the mishaps come true.
OF course, there'll be feed, in the
evening. Probably it'll be the first
square feed most Of the pore fellers
have had IN a long time, at least since
they joined the Fourth Estate. But
orders have been given to have only
plain, wholesome fodder. We can't
afford to have none Of them sick to
their stummicks on our hands.
Wish they could stay longer than
one day, but wotinell would the rest
of the state do without 'em
The Coconino sun., 1927-02-04
WINTER SPORTS PROGRAM
DELAYED BY NEED TO
INCORPORATE c. OF c

Several details need attending to be-
fore the winter sports program of
Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce can
be launched.
While there is little likelihood Of
serious accident on the big and novel
toboggan slide recently built on the
east slope of Observatory hill, some
individuals carelessness might lead to
his getting hurt, and until arrange
ments can be made to relieve the city
and the members of the Chamber of
Commerce from financial responsible
ity in any suit that might be brought
for personal injury the opening of the
slide will be held up.
Liability insurance was sought.
None of the companies, however, will
take Arizona insurance, having with
drawn from competition with the re-
Gently created industrial commission
Of this state. Lloyd's of England at
first consented to insure, but later re-
fused.
The formalities to be gone through
with are two. First the Chamber OF
Commerce will be Incorporated. Then
that part of the land on which the
slide rests that belongs to the city
will be bought by the Chamber OF
Commerce at a nominal price. The
rest of the land belongs to the y. 5
government, which cannot be made 2
defendant.
These two matters attended to, tht
slide will be opened. Should any sui
! for personal injury then be filed
neither the city nor the members q
| the Chamber of Commerce can bs
named as defendants. The Chamber
Of Commerce, as corporation, woule
| be the sole defendant and judgment
would have to be satisfied with seiz
ure Of the slide.
The Coconino sun., 1927-02-04
Charles COfer Died
Last Friday Night

Death from flu-pneumonia Friday
night called Charles L. Cofer, until
two weeks before a healthy, strong
man in the prime Of life. A devoted
father and husband, frankly straight
forward in expressing his high
principled views, his loss is keenly
felt by his friends.
He took cold and remained at home
on the Saturday two weeks previous
and stayed in until Wednesday, when
he appeared at Rabbits meat
market, Of which he recently had
been given charge. A relapse soon
followed, pneumonia developed, and
he steadily grew weaker until last
Friday evening, when the end came
at 6:40.
Funeral services were held Sunday
afternoon from Flagstaff Under
taking parlors. Rev. Fl. F. Softley
conducted the services. There were
many beautiful floral offerings.
Following the service Mrs. Cofer
and Mrs. d. E. Hart left with the
body for Portland, Ore, where
interment took place.
Besides his wife and daughters,
Agatha aged Is, and Donnabell, s.,
there remain his aged father and
mother, Mr.. and Mrs. T. j. Cofer;
his sister, Mrs Elmer Hart of this
city and three brothers Fred il.
Cofer Of Portland, William j, Cofer
Of Silverton, Ore, and Rev. Ed. Cofer
of Grass Valley, Calf
Charles Lafayette Cofer was born
in Joplin, Mo-. July 8, 1888. Tn 1905
he moved to Portland, Ore, where he
made his home until coming to Flag
staff in May, 1925. He married Mrs.
Mary Moore, February II, 1913 and
adopted her daughter Agatha as his
own. Since coming to Flagstaff he
had been with Rabbits in charge Of
the meat department, part of which
time he was at Kingman where they
went for Mrs. Cofer's health. He
was q member of the Elks lodge Of
Portland.
The Coconino sun., 1927-02-04
If You See a Strange
Swell, It's One of 'E1n!
BASKETBALL STARS MOTHER
DIED WEDNESDAY, MIAMI

A telegram received Wednesday by
The Sun from Jake Bracker, manag-
er of Flagstaff Teachers college ath-
letics, who is with the basketball
team in their invasion of New Mex
leo and Texas, said that one of the
teams stars, Cy Schlansky, had just
received a telegram announcing the
death OF his mother at Miami. Schlan-
sky left as soon as he could get a
train arriving in Flagstaff shortly
after noon yesterday and leaving an
hour later for his home. The team
was greatly weakened by Schlansky's 5
absence, but had only three more
games to play, one that night against
Montezuma college, East Las Vegas,
N NJ, and the others against Las
Cruces and Ell Paso.
The Coconino sun., 1927-02-04
PENCIL PUSHERS WILL HOLD
CONVENTIONAL CONVENTION
IN FLAGSTAFF ON SUNDAY
-

from Kingman, Williams, Prescott,
Jerome, Winslow and Holbrook, and
mayhap others from other points, The
Suns staff of nine will be fiery and
untamed. The visitors have either got
to behave or make up their minds to
misbehave. They can take their
choice.
The business meeting will be in the
afternoon at Hotel Monte Vista. Dur
ing the forenoon, along with the sec
retaries of the chambers of COM
merce of the state, who meet here
Saturday and Sunday, the press dig
nitaries will be escorted to the Cliff
Dwellings and maybe one or two 9TH
er places Dame Nature left pictur
esquely awry when she stopped living
The Coconino sun., 1927-02-04
NeIU Petrified Forest
on Tuba City ROad

What could appropriately be named
the Sunset Petrified forest was re-
Gently uncovered by Jess Smith of
Shekayah Ranch, Tuba City, during
the construction of the new road
from Cameron to Tuba City. The
road branches off to the left soon
after leaving the river and the forest
is reached after about eight or ten
miles and extends away from the
road as far as one can see. Many
small pieces Of the petrified wood
and few large ones were found on
the sides of small knobs which have
been washed away from the sandy
desert. G. j. Babbitt made recent
exploratory trip through the forest
accompanied by his brother, E. j.
Babbitt of Cincinnati and Joe Bab-
bitt and H. v. Watson. They brought
home exquisite samples of wood
which are highly colored and Of diff
ferent combinations of tints and tex
lures from those of the well known
forests east Of here.
The Coconino sun., 1927-02-04
NACKARD ON VACATION
CLOSES STORE IN ABSENCE

k. J. Nackard and sons Fred, Phil
lip and Victor, and County Supervisor
JOS. j. Waldhaus left Sunday for
Phoenix where Mr. Waldhaus deliv-
cred to Mr.. Nackard new Stude-
baker sedan. Mrs. Nackard had word
from her husband on Wednesday that
he and the boys had started in the
new car for two weeks trip, plan
ming to stop at Yuma and Imperial
Valley points and finish their vaca-
tion in southern California. The New
York store Is closed but will be
opened upon the return of its owner,
unless he sells it while on the coast.
The Coconino sun., 1927-02-04
LITTLE SCHOOL BOY DIED

After d three months illness Ray
rnond, the 11-year-old son Of Jesus
Ramirez, section hand here for many
years, died Tuesday evening of rheu-
matism Of the heart. He was d thir 1
grade pupil in Brannen school and his
playmates will miss him. Their many
friends sympathize deeply with the
family iii their bereavement.
The Coconino sun., 1927-02-04
% o O O 3 o o 0 0 o 0 O 0 (
you CAN GIVE EN-
EVERY RATTLE BUT
THE DEATH RATTLE

, John Winchell Of Webber Bros.
J. garage was called upon to replace
!, a broken windshield for tourist
, Ford last Sunday. When he heard I
} how it was broken he marveled
J that the whole car was not COM
) pletc wreck and the driver a dead
) man. The tourist, whose lights
) failed him just as he reached the
, first bridge this side Of Winona,
) drove off the bridge, landed right
) side up in the bottom of the can
) yon and, being headed the right
) direction, drove up the stream un-
) til he came to a place in the bank
) where he could drive out, none
) the worse for his experience and
) with a stronger confidence than
) ever in the superiority of his
. make of car.
) o o o 0 D 0 O o 0 Q Q 0 o Q o
The Coconino sun., 1927-02-04

from harm. The rest of the state will
assuredly hold US responsible for
their safety during the all-too-brief
interval they will be here.
They are the members of the State
Press club.
Now that he knows, the gentle read
er will fully agree with the statement
in the opening paragraph.
The boys viii be entertained during
The Coconino sun., 1927-02-04

The brains and intellect of Arizona
will be assembled in Flagstaff Sun
day.
We tremble to think what may hap
pen to the communities they repre-
The Coconino sun., 1927-02-04
Check Artist And Killer Were
Foiled In Attempt To Break
Jail By Fellow Prisoners

ing worthless checks here last fall.
He is about 40 years old. He waived
preliminary hearing, claiming he
wants to get Judge Fred Struckmeyer
of Phoenix to defend him. Hall, his
accomplice in the attempted break, is
awaiting trial at the next term of cir
cult court for his killing Of Peasants.
Dan Hogan repaired the damaged
wall.
The Coconino sun., 1927-02-04

Wong June wishes you aKong Hall
Sun Hee" which in his language
means Happy New Year. Wong is
regretting the fact that he can not
give his friends their usual present cf
Chinese lilies, but the y. S. govern
ment refused to permit them to enter
the states this year.
The Coconino sun., 1927-02-04

there. It is hoped automobiles will
be available so all may ride. If not,
those of the guests there isn't room
for can walk.
Andy has been sending special Illus
trated post cards all around the state
every day for the past two weeks urg-
ing the boys to come and threatening
The Coconino sun., 1927-02-04

their stay here by the local ornament
to the Fourth Estate, which, though
it may be so intangible that 1t can't
be willed or probated, still Is some
thing that you'd better watch out don't
climb your neck.
T. w. b. (ssAndy'') Anderson Of
Miami, president of the club, promises
q good-sized delegation from Phoenix
With him, from Miami, consultations
The Coconino sun., 1927-02-04

whit" Whitman, him which has
not only chambermaided for Pills.
berry's Industrial Congress but has
made a book of his ideas. He's get
tin more outa his system.
The Coconino sun., 1927-02-04

Colburn & Tenney, painters, paper
hangers and decorators, is the newest
firm in Flagstaff. They came from
San Bernardino last week to locate
here permanently and are now tenn
porarily located at 324 Railroad ave-
nue.
The Coconino sun., 1927-02-04

sent if any emergency arises during
their absence.
It is a solemn responsibility Flag
staff faces. Sunday--to preserve all
this gray and scintillant matter free
The Coconino sun., 1927-02-04

) 0 8 Q o 0 o o 0
Evening star., 1927-05-08
Poultry Farming Gains

classes now are being held in the
Herndon Hotel building.
Evening star., 1927-05-08
16 Battles I'm County.

Just how many battles and skir.
mishes were fought in Fairfax County
is somewhat questionable. Sixteen,
in addition to the opening skirmish
at the county seat. are officially listed.
OF them all, only the battle of
Chantilly, following the second Bull
Run. can be oepsidered of major i'm.
Evening star., 1927-09-20
PLAY down PRICES,
ADVERTISERS TOLD
A. ]. Bourbon Suggests New
Methods to Dry Goods
Statesmen.

Advantages of ignoring or minimiz.
ing prices in advertising were stressed
by A. ]. Bourbon of Baltimore in an
address today before the seventh an.
nual convention Of the sales promo
ton division of the National Retail
Dry Goods Association at the Willard
Hotel. He declared that many times
the public responds more readily to
advertisements that reverse the usual
order and play down prices.
Frankness. he said, will often sell
goods that cannot be disposed of by
the usual methods Of cheap selling at
the end of the season. He cited the
example of an advertisement of his
company, O'Neill & Co, in which shoes
were described as mot the late styles
they have been In our stock for a
year or thereabouts--but they are
made of the best leathers,' etc.
Ideals, he declared, are out Of place
in an advertising organization, be.
cause store heads persist in listing
advertising and all it's works under
the obnoxious head of expense rather
than investment"
The place of the style expert in
large stores was outlined by Helen
Cornelius, associate editor of Harper S
Bazaar. She declared that there is
a very decided awakening in the re-
tail field to the Importance of authen.
tic fashion information and its prac-
tical use in the store"
Ralph Caplan, director Of publicity
of w. A. Wieboldt & Co. of Chicago.
outlined methods Of organization and
operation of advertising departments,
and Percival White. marketing coun.
selor of New York, described methods
Of trade analysis and learning the
tastes of customers. Edwin r. Dib-
rell Of r. II. Macy & Co., Inc. New
York. spoke on cart in Trade"
The keynote of the convention Is
Know your job" Sessions continue
through tomorrow.
Evening star., 1927-09-20
WALSH IS GROOMED
TO0FFSET SMITH
Montana Senator Deemed
Likely to Succeed McAdoo
as Party Dry Leader.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Senator Thomas J. Walsh of Mon.
tana is likely to be the successor OF
William G. McAdoo in charge of the
dry forces in the Democratic party.
Mr.. McAdoo's withdrawal, which left
his wing of the party leaderless. has
led to many suggestions, notable
omong which is one from Edwin r.
Meredith of Iowa, that the Montana
Senator's nomination would be an
answer to those who think the anti
Smith forces are affected by religious
prejudice.
In other words, if the Democratic
party is to prove to the Nation that
it is willing to nominate a Catholic,
Mr.. Meredith's query in effect, is,
why must a wet Catholic be chosen
instead Of a dry?"
Strategy Is Showing.
The strategy of the anti.Smith forces
is coming to the surface. They have
recognized that the New York gov
ernar is hard man to beat and that
the resentment against the religious
issue would help to win delegates for
him. To Offset this, the anti.Smith
groups may center on Senator Walsh.
The Montana Senator was popular
at the last Democratic national con.
vention and could have had the vice
presidential nomination by acclama.
ton. He led the fight on Teapot
Dome for his party in the Senate
and has been regarded as one Of the
outstanding lawyers of the American
Senate.
Is Good Campaigner.
Mr.. Walsh is a good campaigner
and so far as political ammunition is
concerned he has an opportunity con-
stantly in the Senate to start investi-
cations and prosecute them. This com.
ing session he hopes to secure the
adoption of a resolution to investi.
gate the interrelationship of public
Evening star., 1927-09-20

utility companies through holding cor
porations, and this will keep him in
the limelight, though the matter OF
Federal regulation of utilities Is hard
ly an acute issue as yet.
The idea of the anti-Smith element
Is that some one must be groomed
TO defeat the New York governor at
the next convention, and that Senator
Walsh is the most likely man. 1t
remains to be seen, however. how
effective this strategy will be, for Ger.
tain parts of the South are expected
to oppose Mr.. Walsh for the same
reasons that the New York gov.
ernor is opposed, though this is not
likely to be as pronounced as in the
case of wet candidate.
Grows More Interesting
The, effect Of the move may be, on
the other hand, to drive the prohibi.
ton issue out Of the party altogether,
for If ii becomes a contest between
wet and dry candidate there are
bound to be groups who will insist
that the issue be dropped and some
one named who will not make prohi.
bition an issue.
The friends of Gov. Smith will in.
slst that, apart from prohibition or any
other factor, he is entitled to the nom.
ination on the ground that he not only
has better political record than any
other candidate, but because of his
votegetting ability. 1t will be argued
that Senator Walsh. for instance,
could not carry New York State. To
this the antiSmith forces will make
answer that an Eastern candidate of
wet proclivities could not carry the
West and South and that a man who
can do this Is the one the Democrats
must seek in order to assure victory.
It's the same old story of a Demo.
cratic candidate who can carry pop.
ulous Eastern States as against one
who might win the West. But mean.
while the significant happening is
that Senator Walsh is being put up to
offset the growing strength of Gov.
Smith. The Democratic race every
day grows more interesting.
(Copyright 1877