davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Imperial Valley press., 1939-12-25
Peace, Security Aim, King George Tells
Britain in Christmas Message

The king refrained from con-
demning Germany, Russian or any
other country by name but he said
"it is the tragedy of this time
that there are powerful countries
whose whole direction and policy
are based on aggression and the
suppression OF all we hold dear for
mankind"
The king pictured the empire s
unity in resisting this aggression.
asserting that such unity in aim
and effort has never been seen
in the world before"
AS in most of the kings speeches.
this one contained a strong note
OF piety. He depicted the empire
as fighting for Christian civiliza-
ton against wickedness and urged
his peoples to keep the teachings
of Christ in mind when we are
making the peace for which all
men pray"
Imperial Valley press., 1939-12-25
Groon1-to.Be
Kills Parents,
Takes Own Life

PRINCETON, Ill, Dec. 25. (UP)
Ernest Burglund. 80, a groom
to-be. went berserk last night as
his family was preparing to at
tend a Christmas party, shot and
killed his parents, seriously hurt
his brother, then committed su-
icide.
Sheriff Clifford Thompson said
Berglund had gone temporarily in
sane because of despondsncy over
illness. He said that after Berg
'und killed his father, John, a
Well-to-do farmer, and his mother,
he drove to the home of his bro
ther, John, jr., and called him to
the door.
AS the two walked toward the
automobile, Thompson said Ernest
turned suddenly and shot his bro
ther in the arm and side. Then he
got into the automobile and shot
himself in the abdomen.
Imperial Valley press., 1939-12-25
Court Denies
Fathers Demand

Ell PASO. Tex, 25. UP)-CriS-
tina Peschard, 16-year-old Mexican
girlwh ose father scared her face
with a blowtorch, will not have to
live with him if she does not wish
to, District Judge Ballard Coldwell
said today.
Paul Peschard recently was re-
leased from Jail after serving nine
months for burning his daughter.
Cristina alleged that he had threat
ened to harm her unless she left
friends with whom she has lived
since Peschard turned the blow
torch on her face because she had
not told him of extra money she
made while working at the Fort
Bliss laundry.
Judge 'Coldwell ordered a hearing
Jan. to investigate the threats.
Imperial Valley press., 1939-12-25
Two Die in Train
Boiler Explosion

CHOCTAW, Okla, Dec. 25. (UP)
The engineer and fireman of a
Rock Island freight train were
killed today in a boiler explosion
which literally blew the engine to
pieces. The accident occurred two
miles east Of here.
The dead were Ollie l.. Hender-
son, the engineer, and Walter A
Grove, the fireman. Three other
crew members of the three car
freight escaped injury by falling
to the floor of the caboose.
The blast left only the engine
wheels on the tracks. The bodies
of Henderson and Grove were found
many feet away.
The accident occurred on the
main line of the road A wrecking
crew was dispatched from Ell Reno
to clear the tracks for regularly
scheduled trains,
Imperial Valley press., 1939-12-25
Holiday
Deaths
Mount
Traffic Accidents
Take He eaviest
Toll State
BY UNITED PRESS

At least ~ persons were
dead in California today in
auto accidents and violence
of the Christmas weekend.
Wet pavements around Salinas
caused nine accidents, one of them
killing Roman Curameng, 80, Sole
dad ranch worker, whose car crash
ed into a power pole.
Mrs. Delphena Thompson, rs, was
killed at Santa Cruz when she was
run down by Donald Walters, 18,
who was not held.
Charles Devencenzi, 40 San Fran
cisco, was struck down by an auto
mobile driven by Pete Barkas, who
was held on a citation of negligent
homicide.
A motorcycle crashed into a re-
tanning wall at the Alameda county
courthouse in Oakland, killing the
rider, Jack Arntzen.
An automobile collision on the
Niles-Decoto highway took the life
of Edwin Fisk, 20, Berkeley.
Louis Gonzalves, Al, Alameda, and
Henry Smith, 85, died in Alameda
county hospital after being run
down by automobiles.
Walter Fitzmaurice, 10, San Fran
cisco, was killed by hit-run driver.
John Bucholz, Sc, Oakland, was kill
ed when he repeatedly stepped from
behind a parked car in front of an
automobileM anuel Carvalho, 26,
Oakland, run down by bus Friday,
died in Alameda county hospital.
Peter Olmsted, As, Carmel Valley
was killed when his automobile skid
ded off the Carmel Valley road into
a creek bed Edward F. Hughes, AZ
Pittsburgh, was struck down on the
Pittsburgh highway.
Charles Cain, 81, Berkeley, was
struck by an automobile and killed
Southern California had three fat
alities. Louise Jones, Is, was killed
when a car struck a tree at Tor
Continued on Page 6; Col. y
Imperial Valley press., 1939-12-25

NULATO, Alaska, Dec. 25. (UP)
The bodies of Hans MiroW, op-
orator Of Mirow air service at Nome,
and Pete Bystedt, his mechanic,
were brought out by dogsled today
from Kaltag, on the Yukon river,
where their plane crashed as they
searched for a missing airliner on
the frozen arctic tundra
The plane which carried Mirow
and Bystedt to their deaths was
found yesterday, nose down in the
snow, its wings crumpled forward
by the impact that apparently
killed both men instantly.
Civil aeronautics inspector Charles
R. Burnett sighted the wreck from
the air and a dog sledge carrying
rescuers found the bodies inside.
The four persons Mirow and
Bystedt we're trying TO find we're
'afe, and Fred Chambers, pilot Of
Imperial Valley press., 1939-12-25
Retain Old Institutions, Olson Urges
In Christmas Greetings to State

Changes and events move SO
fast that the old landmarks have
become blurred, until we find it
difficult to distinguish readily be-
tween right and wrong, truth and
falsehood, wisdom and folly, good
and evil, necessity and conven-
ience."
The governor contrasted the sim
plicity of the old fashioned Christ
mas to the present-day CONNER
cialized holidays. He urged that
Christmas be kept as a childs
holiday because "the world of to-
morrow will be managed by the
children of today, and their man.
agement can be no better than the
training we bequeath them"
Imperial Valley press., 1939-12-25
Searching Parties Use DoqsIeds TO
Recover Bodies of Crash Victims

the first missing plane, had Joined
the search for them.
Mirow and Bvstedt took off last
Wednesday looking for one of Mi
rows planes which was grounded
35 miles from here. Apparently
they were flying close to the ground,
searching for the wreck, when they
crashed.
The occupants of the first misz-
ing plane, who we're rescued Fri
day, were none the worse for their
experience. Chambers was flying
one of the five planes searching
for Mirow and Bystedt. Mrs. Will
lam Jefford and her 15-months-old
son went on TO Fairbanks to join her
husband for Christmas. The fouth
occupant, Joe Walsh, jr., said they
had been confident of rescue, but
were nearly out of food when they
were found.
Imperial Valley press., 1939-12-25
CharityFeatures
States Finest
Christmas Day
BY UNITED PRESS

Cold weather and warm
hearts today keynoted Cali
fornia's Christmas of 1889.
From the Dixie camps to
Alcatraz, Christmas charity made
life little better to live. There was
snow in the mountains and frosts
in the valley throughout the state,
with all-winter low temperatures.
On the other side of the book,
the toll of violent DEATH mostly on
the streets and highways, was
mounting hourly.
Business firms reported the Christ
mas trade had shown a brisk i'm
provement, and Christmas bonuses
were more plentiful.
Gov. Culbert L. Olson bade his
state merry Christmas last night.
At Sacramento the governor joined
state workers in big Christmas
party for 5000 underprivileged chill
dren at the state fairgrounds Thou
sands of toys, books and sacks of
candy were distributed from a huge
Christmas tree.
Many cities sponsored might OF
light" in contrast to the wartime
blackouts of Europe Community
trees and dinners were held in every
city and town.
The church, as always. was the
keystone of Christmas observance.
Special programs and services were
held in every church. Salvation
Army chapters fed hungry men
from the skidrows.
In the government camps for
migratory workers in the Sen Joa-
quin valleys, the dust bowl refu-
gees gathered around trees pro-
vided oy the U. S. Forestry Ser
vice. The Farmersville party was
set for 1850 persons.
Even on Alcatraz island, the
grim rock in San Francisco bay,
there was baseball movies and a
turkey dinner However. candy,
cakes. fruit and other delicacies
are listed as "contraband" on pri-
son regulations and many of the
Christmas boxes for the convicts
were confiscated
WCdly pOob OIllCc tIllplOyto WClC
finishing their nuge task of de-
livering the states gifts. At Sac
ramento the post office was so
swamped it hal to draft % Ma
tional Guard trucks and three ice
wagons.
Temperatures throughout the
state dropped sharply. Parts of the
Sierra NevadaS had a white Christ
mas and there was snow for holi-
day skiers in the higher attitudes.
Frost was predicted in the San
Francisco bay area. northern Cali
fornia, Sacramento, Santa Clara,
Salinas and San Joaquin valleys
; and in southern California. A
weekend storm brought much
needed rain to some agricultural
areas There was five inches of
new snow at Donner summit, Nor
den and Soda Springs
Imperial Valley press., 1939-12-25

'Ol d ouuCcIl dIOtCk Ill bIlC cal ~
hours of Sunday morning by a Ne
gro armed with a razor.
AS it was, Coppenger suffered a
deep cash a half inch below his
heart, but officers said another
blow probably would have been fatal
if it had not been DETECTED by the
pencil.
The cafe proprietor was reported
resting quietly at the Holtville hos
pital and his physician said he
would recover unless complications
appeared.
Joe Mitchell, barber shop porter,
was held in the county Jail Mon
clay in connection with the stabbing.
He was arrested shortly after Cop
penger was injured.
I'D like to use this razor on all
you cops!" Mitchell was quoted as
saying when a Holtville officer
found him crouching in a vacant
building. Mitchell apparently ran
to the building to hiGe Immediately
after the affray
Pending questioning Coppenger,
officers we're at a loss to explain
the attack. 1t happened a few min
uteS after the restaurant man had
closed up for the night. Officers
said it might have been mistaken
identity, or the sequel to an argu
ment inside the cafe.
Imperial Valley press., 1939-12-25

row were nurJ. MISS beTTeIId sui
fered several broken ribs and Mrs.
Withrow cuts and bruises.
The terse report of Sergeant Cliff
Reed of the highway patrol was
car out of control.
The machine appeared to have
been travelling rapidly as it ap-
preached Eighth street from the
east toward the old Date school.
Marks on the gravel highway show
ed that the car skidded l65 feet
straight ahead, then slid partly
sideways for another 1875 feet be-
fore bouncing over canal. The
machine left the ground and bounc-
ed, then turned over. Sergeant Reed
said the car rolled over at least once,
probably several times and may
have spun end over end.
Campbell was thrown from the
car. He never regained conscious
ness. Billy Carr and his son Jack,
who live nearby, took Campbell to
the county hospital where he died
soon afterwards. The girls were TAX
en- to the Ell Centre hospital.
Sergeant Reed said neither girl
could add much to the mystery of
how the accident happened. The trio
was returning from Mexicali and
were noted when they crossed the
border.
Campbell's death raised the years
traffic fatality toll to 43 as compar-
ed to % on the same date one year
ago.
Imperial Valley press., 1939-12-25

SACRAMENTO, Cal. Dec. 25.
(UP)-Dropping his usual Sunday
night political talk. Gov. Culbert
L. Olson last night broadcast his
Christmas greetings to California
and told it's citizens to hang onto
the Old institutions which in
spire, exalt and reinvigorate,
"In a world of such rapidly
changing events" the governor
said, I'VE should adhere more firm
ly to those of our institutions which
remain the same.
1.-The rate of change is so rapid
and becoming even more rapid that
there should be little wonder at
the confusion prevailing among the
citizens of the old generation.
Imperial Valley press., 1939-12-25

Crisp and sunshiny weather greet
ed Imperial Valley Monday as
Christmas came to the valleys more
than 10000 homes.
Frost failed to materialize Christ
mas eve except in a few scattered
regions. The low in El Centre was
43 degrees.
Celebration started at midnight
Christmas eve in Ell Centro with two
Imperial Valley press., 1939-12-25
NdtionoI Leaders Endorse
Roosevelt Peace Appeal

WASHINGTON, Dec. 25.
(UP) = Ranking officials
joined today with persons of
all degree in endorsing Presi-
dent Roosevelt's Christmas
wish that the spirit of peace soon
may cover the entire world.
Mr. Roosevelt last night voiced
the wish, in connection with light
ing OF a community Christmas tree
behind the White House, that peo-
Piles of noW-Warring nations may
read. learn and inwardly digest"
the "deathless words" of the SER
mon on the Mount.
Surrounded by members of his
family and secret service guards,
the president told a crowd of 800
who attended the ceremonies and
an uneStimated radio audience that
1889 began with dread of evil
things to come and it ends with
the horror of another war adding
its toll of anguish to a world al
ready bowed under the burden of
suffering laid upon it by mans in
humanity to man
In simultaneous letters to Pope
Plus XII, DR.. George A. Butterick,
president of the Federal Council of
the Churches of Christ in America,
and to Rabbi Cyrus Adler, president
of the Jewish Theological Seminary
Of America. Mr.. Roosevelt said that
when the time comes for reestab-
liSament of world peace it is of ut
most importance to humanity and
to religion that common ideals shall
have united expression.
when that happy day dawns.
great problems of practical import
will face us ALL" the letters said.
Millions of people of all races. all
nationalities and all religions may
seek new lives by migrations to
other lands or by reeStablishment of
old homes. Here, too, common ideals
call for parallel action.
q trust, therefore, that all church.
eS of the world which believe in a
common god will throw the great
weight of their influence into this
great cause"
Imperial Valley press., 1939-12-25

SANDRINGHAM Norfolk, Eng,
Dec. 25. CUP)-King George VI
today broadcast to the British en-
pire a Christmas message of peace,
but insisted that any peace must
be based on security from agg-
ression and on respect for the rights
of free peoples.
Sitting alone in the study of his
country estate here, the king voiced
the empires longing for peace, but
also its determination to fight on
until a Christian peace is assured.
A bearded shepherd of Cotswold
introduced the kings father. George
", who had his annual Christmas
broadcasts introduced the king TODAY
Broadcasting of the message began
at p. m. 90 a. m. e. S. IT, after
a program in which the mother
country and the dominions and
colonies and their fighting services
exchanged messages of greeting and
encouragement.
Imperial Valley press., 1939-12-25

tllleu Ml. anu Mis-. fCOy dGco, Odll
Francisco. They registered at the
hotel siX weeks ago
Firemen believed a cigarette caus-
ed the blaze.
Cortis Tibbetts. 55, sleeping four
rooms away, and Bernard High, %,
room clerk, tried to break down
the door of Yates room, but were
driven away by smoke and heat.
Tibbetts gave the alarm. The fire
was confined to Yates room on
the sixth floor. The Yates were
about 55.
Firemen were unable to enter
the room until the flames we're
controlled, and then had to use
oxygen tanks. They said the room
Imperial Valley press., 1939-12-25
CALEXICO BANKER
DIES IN ACCIDENT

Byron Dye, 26-year-old Calexico
Bank of America employe was dead
Monday and Harry w. Moss, Cal
exico attorney, and Don Alves, store
executive, injured as result of an
automobile accident that occurred
near Banning early Sunday morn
ing.
Moss was unconscious for hours
after the accident. Alves suffered
broken leg.
Further details were not available
IL El Centre.
Imperial Valley press., 1939-12-25

was completely charred.
Father John Sweeney of st.
Patrick's church, on Mission street
across from the hotel, was sum-
moned before his 6 a. m. mass to
pray over their bodies.
Guests said the fire was reported
about two hours after friends of
the Yates had bade them merry
Christmas" An unidentified Wo-
man reported hearing anguished
cries in the room before the alarm
was sounded.
Highs face was burned and his
hand was injured when he cracked
a door panel to the room before
forced to retreat.
Imperial Valley press., 1939-12-25
Irish Raiders
Steal Munitions

DUBLIN, Dec. 25. CUP)-Four
men were under arrest today after
large party of men, believed to
be members of the outlawed Irish
Republican army raided a mu-
ritions magazine of the Fire army
in Phoenix Park last Saturday
night.
A belated government announce
ment yesterday said the raidlng
party escaped with a large amount
of small arms and munitions and
that a park ranger was injured
seriously in a gun battle
Imperial Valley press., 1939-12-25
Negro Wounds
CaIipat Officer

BRAWLEY, DEC. 25-E. H. Thet-
ford, Calipatria police officer, was
recovering today from slashed
throat after an attack Saturday
night by negro armed with razor.
Thetford was policing the pea
PickerS' Ball" when Jim Beale, Los
Angeles Negro, drew the razor dur
ing a squabble with other dancers.
In the melee, the officer was stabbed
Beale was held in Jail pending
charges.
Imperial Valley press., 1939-12-25
keystone Cops at Sea-

keystone Cops at Sea-
Because this is about the fun
niest thing we ever read, we would
like to reprint it from the columns
of that splendid magazine, the New
Yorker. 1t may be a libel on the
u. S. Navy, but It's worth it.
"This week we're going to divulge
a naval secret, and be damned to
the consequences. During target
practice aboard an elderly united
states gunboat on duty in the China
Seas, the captain dispatched sea-
man to check the vessels cruising
speed. We're almost ashamed TO
tell you how it is done on this ship:
a man with a stopwatch stands in
the bow. throws an old box over
board, then runs like bunny back
to the stern, clocking the time it
takes to pass the box. Given the
ships length, you can compute her
speed. This isn't the modern way
of doing it, but it's the way this
particular captain did it on this
particular ship.
"Well, the time we're speaking OF,
the tar returned to the bridge and
sheepishly reported that he had
been unable to take the reading;
explained that most of the crew
were on deck watching target prac-
tice, and that he couldn't push his
way through fast enough to beat
the box to the stern. The captain,
a tasty old sea dog if ever there was
one, got red in the face and roared,
"I'll get through them, by God!
Get another box and follow me. "
(His lieutenants, of course, were
all busy at their gun stations)
Captain and sailor went to the
bow, where they dropped another
box. Then. with the captain rum
ming ahead, roaring and waving his
arms to clear the way, and the
sailor carrying the stopwatch, they
raced down the deck. They got
through all right until they reached
the ships galley. The cook, seeing
the captain running frantically
evidently pursued by a madman
allowed his superior TO run past the
galley door then leaned out and
Dashed the sailor with a skillet.
This is the kind of thing you don't
see in the neWsreels."
isn't that a peach? The only
thing wrong with the story is the
New Yorker neglected to quote what
the captain said to the cook after
wards.
Imperial Valley press., 1939-12-25
Western Front
Remains Quiet

BERLIN, Dec 25. up The
German high command In It's
Christmas communique today re-
ported that the dav was quiet
on the western front"
While German air activity on
Dec. "a was suspended. British
planes flew over Helgoland base"
tbs cc@muaials added.
Imperial Valley press., 1939-12-25
British Warships
Corner Nazi Boats

MEXICO CITY, Dec. 25. (UP)-
The newspaper, Universal, today
reported it had learned that several
British warships were standing by
in the Gulf of Mexico awaiting de-
parture from Tampico of two Ger
nan merchantmen.
Imperial Valley press., 1939-12-25
GARNER SPENDS QUIET
CHRISTMAS AT HOME

UVALDE, Tex, Dec. 25. (UP)-
John Nance Garner, vice-president
and candidate for the presidency
spent a quiet Christmas at his
southwest Texas home to-day.
Imperial Valley press., 1939-12-25
TO SEARCH FOR YOUTH

Imperial county officers were ask
ed Monday to hunt for Catalina
Roa, 23-year-old Calexico blonde,
missing three days. Her mother was
reported i'll IN Los Angeles.
Imperial Valley press., 1939-12-25
u AMBlINe
M EpORTER

timeA Dolls Head ~ .,o.
A little Christmas touch that
struck us to the funny bone hap
pened on Main street in front OF
Massey Horizons store window the
other day.
Several people, among them RR,
we're staring at doll display. The
dolls were large and punched with
their heads together. One little girl
hoped up and down and shrilled:
"Oh, I want that big boy doll
with the blue eyes!'
At that moment the "boy dolls"
head disengaged itself from the
cluster of other heads and appeared
to float out window at the back
of the display
The little girl, and RR too. were
properly amazed 1t was Massey,
peering at his stock!
RR went inside to see If there
would be sale, but the shock must
have been so great for the little
girl that she failed to press the
matter. Fancy finding Massey IN a
Christmas sock!
Imperial Valley press., 1939-12-25
Elderly Couple Trapped. Burned to
Death as Fire Breaks 0utin
San Francisco's Miner Hotel

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec 25. (UP)-Apparently trapped
in their by smoke elderly couple burned to
death today when fire broke out in the Miner hotel Fourth
and Mission streets The blaze drove $50 other guests
he street before it controlled The victims iden-
Imperial Valley press., 1939-12-25
Two Girls Hurt
AS Mochine Gets
Out Of Control
William Campbell. Oil CO. EmpIoye.
Thrown from Car as Machine
Swerves, Skids, Rolls 300 Feet

swervng, skdding, rolling automobile brought death
its driver Sunday afternoon and injuries to two passen-
gers between Heber and Ell Centro
William Campbell, %, Ell Centro oil company employe,
killed and Anna Mae Berrea and Mrs. D. W. With
Imperial Valley press., 1939-12-25
Pencil Defects
Thrust, Saves
|. v. Mans Life
HoItvie Cafe Proprietor Suffers Deep
Wound Below Heart in At+ackby
Negro Armed with Razor

A pencil gave B. F. (Slick) Coppenger of Holtvi
the dearest Christmas present receive Monday
his life.
If the pencil had not been thrust in a vest pocket Cop
penger quite possibly would not be alive to tell the story
Imperial Valley press., 1939-12-25
Lost And Found -

Lost And Found
Tom Henry read a Post-Press
want adj Then he re-read it and
re-read it again and each time his
face bore a graver expression. cThe
ad was about gentleman who was
looking for job and gave a de-
scription of himself. But Tom, for
some strange reason, must have
thought it was missing person
ad, because he blurted:
"How could a guy like that ever
get lost?"
Imperial Valley press., 1939-12-25

Canadian flyers and soldiers un-
dergo strenuous drills in Canada
these days as they prepare for a
possible transfer to the fighting
front in Europe. Top photo
shows Royal Canadian Air Force
planes at the Trenton, Canada,
airport. In lower photo we see
Canadian soldiers building a
sandbag trench-a job they may
soon be repeating under enemy
fire.
Imperial Valley press., 1939-12-25

Butter: Los Angeles 30isc; but
terfat, Imperial NsIiey fob. ranch.
grade A, 4Oi5c: manufacturing milk
3415c; route gathered cream 29c.
L. A. hay: U. S. No. | Sl6.50-1I.5O,
Z. S. No. 2 leafy S15.50-16: u. 5. No.
2 12.5O-13.50, Mpls May flax Si.971s.
Imperial Valley press., 1939-12-25

Cold weather and warm
hearts today keynoted Cali
fornia's Christmas of 1889.