davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Wilmington morning star., 1947-10-10
TREND OF STAPLE PRICES


NEW YORK, Oct. 9-The As
ISOLATED Press weighted whole
sale price index of IS commodl-
ties today advanced to 194.48.
Previous day 1928, week ago
1896, month ago 194.99, year
ago 1866.
1947 1916 1915 1914
High 1851 1922 1921 108.73
Low 1874 5 1902 107.90 106.03
(1926 average equals 1907
When deer shed their antlers,
squirrels and porcupines soon
eat them away.
The Wilmington morning star., 1947-10-10

CHARLOTTE SPOTS
CHARLOTTE, Oct. 8 -N9-
Spot cotton closed $500.
In Scotland, hamburger is call
ed minced steak.
The Wilmington morning star., 1947-10-10
NEW ORLEANS COTTON

NEW ORLEANS, Oct. 9-(P-
Cotton futures declined here to-
day under long realizing and
heavy hedge selling. Closing
prices were barely steady, IS
cents to $3.50 a bale lower.
Open High Low Close
Oct. 1882. 05I31.5 81. sob off 80
Dec. 31.72I 3l.o1l3l.ool ol.o4 OIL ~
Mch 31.92 32.01l 3l.o0l 3l.1O OIL 40
May 31.96! 3z.l0I 3l.11! 3l.n oil ~ ~
Jly BIAS 31.59I 81. 10 31.1S Ioff 10
Bid.
The Wilmington morning star., 1947-10-10

BOND AVERAGES
Compiled by Fhe Associated Press
% 10 10 10 10
The Wilmington morning star., 1947-02-14
MERCHANTS DRAFT
SCHEDULE
Thursday Selected For
Early Closing During
Summer Months

Retail merchants in the city will
observe the half-holiday during the
summer months, May through
September, on Thursday this year
rather than Wednesday, J. H, Cars
we'll, president of the Retail Mer-
chants association, announced
yesterday following q meeting OF
that group.
The same full holidays as were
obsel ed last year will be marked
this year. They are Monday, April
7, Easter Monday; Friday, July
4, independence Day; Monday.
September l, Labor Day; Thurs
day, November 27, Thanksgiving
Thursday and Friday, Dec. Is, 26,
Christmas; and Thursday, Jan. /,
New Years Day.
The recommendations were
made by a committee COM
posed of G. H. Hunt, Jr.,
w. B. Berry, C. L. Harris, r. T.
Berman and Louis Shrier.
The only exceptions will be
Thursday July 3 and September 4.
The stores will be closed at l pm.
on the other Thursdays. Carswell
pointed out that this closing would
not be followed by the grocers,
however, since they will continue
their regular Wednesday half-holi-
days.
The Wilmington morning star., 1947-02-14
PRESIDENT SOLID
FOR LILIENTHAL
Chief Executive Pledges
Unyiefding Support To
Acc Nominee

WASHINGTON, Feb. 10 - Pr
President Truman pledged his I'M
yielding support today to David E.
Lilienthal. his choice for chairman
of the atomic energy commission,
and branded cries Of communism
against Lilienthal as completely
! unfounded."
Mr.. Truman made It plain to =
news conference that he does moi
intend to withdraw the nomina'
ton, saying that he consider:
Lilienthal fully and thoroughly
equipped and that he will stay with
him straight along.
The President permitted direct
quotation of the words absolute
ly unfounded" as his reply to sug.
gestions that Lilienthal had COM
munist leanings.
This had been charged by Sena.
tor Mcclellan (D-Tenn) who said in
senate hearings that Lilienthal, as
head of the Tennessee Valley au.
thority, a ''the No. l communist
in my state"
Mcclellan, longtime political
foe of Lilienthal, was asked about
Mr.. Truman's remarks anc
replied: 1.-THE record speaks for it
self. That's all I want to say now
White Against
Almost as Mr.. Truman wa.
speaking, Sen a e Republican
Leader White, of Maine, an
nounced against Lilienthal for tn
atomic post.
White said in a statement tina
he opposes him particularly "be
cause of his long hostility to iegis
lative limitations sought to be i'm
posed upon his dictatorial man
agement of IVA"
The White Truman declaration
pointed to a bitter battle when tn
Lilienthal nomination reaches tn
floor from the senate atomic com
mittee which is holding hearings
White vas the second high re
publican senate official to com,
out fatty against Lilienthal. Sena
tor Wherry (Neb), the party whip
urged rejection of his confirmation
several days ago.
In addition, friends Of Senate
Taft (R-Ohio), chairman of the re
publican policy committee, said h
has told them he would vote a
gainst Lilienthal.
Two other officials of the Senat,
Republican organization are mem
bers of the atomic energy com
mittee weighing Lilienthal's nomi
nation and have not announced
their stand on confirmation. The,
are President Pro Tempore Van
denberg (Mich) and Senator Mill!
kin (Colo), chairman of the re
publican conference.
The Wilmington morning star., 1947-02-14
SPECULATION RIFE
AS TO new CHIEF
Regulation Requires Cas-.
teens Successor To Be
Picked From Force

Speculation as to who will sue
coed Charles H. Casteen as CHIEF
of the Wilmington police depart.
ment was rampant yesterday but
officials responsible for the selec-
ton refused to give any hint as
to who might be under considera-
ton for the position.
Casteen requested Wednesday
that he be retired from the force
after more than % years service,
with bad health given as the rea-
son for the move.
Figuring prominently in the
speculation as possible choices for
the post are lieutenants T. B.
Hughes, o. V. Thompson and Coy
Etheridge as well as Sgt. P. j.
Parrish. The Civil Service Com
mission act specified that the posi-
ton shall be filled from among the
members of the force but it is
understood that a move is under
way to have the present law
changed il order that candidates
outside the department might be
considered.
City Manager J. r. Benson yes
terday pointed to commission
regulations which require that an
a%ppointee be selected by the city
council and the city manager with
the. choice to be submitted to- the
civil service commission for ap-
prevail or disapproval.
If the selection is turned down,
then another name must be sub
mitted and on down the line until
the position is filled.
The Wilmington morning star., 1947-02-14
Along The Cape Fear

cid not see eye to eye as to the
relative merits of the Stamp Act.
No less a person than Governor
William Tryon, a crafty gent nc
doubt, did not put too much stock
in the political motive for the duel
TRYON'S VERSION = AS a mat
ter of fact. Governor Tryon sus'
pected that a woman was the
cause of it all.
In his report to the Board Of
Trade in London, Tryon brought
out these interesting facts:
1t was a brutal affair, in which
Simpson not only broke White
bursts thigh with his shot, bu'
then took the pains to bash II
his opponents head with the but
of the pistol. Such a blow was
delivered as to break not only
Whitehurst's head but also the
butt and pan of the weapon.
But Simpson. himself did no
come oft of the encounter IN any
too good a shape, as he was .sho'
in the shoulder. The bullet from
| Whitehurst' S pistol entered Simp
sons right shoulder from the real
with the ball coming out under the
arm.
s.
ON THE STAND - When Wit
Confined on Page Three, Col. 8
The Wilmington morning star., 1947-02-14
HUSBAND FREED
AFTER INQUEST
French Tells Last Known
Events In Life OF
Coast Victim

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 13.-(P1-
The last known events in the life
of Jeanne French, 40, whose
broken body was found in a field
last Monday, told at an in
quest today by her grief-stricken
husband.
A coroner's jury declared her
death a homicide with the admoni-
ton to police to s every effort
to bring the slayer to justice.
Frank F. French, At, ex-marine
sergeant major with a record of 81
years in the service, wept briefly
before he took the witness stand
and related their last night to-
gether, the night before her body,
marked with an obscene lipstick
message and signed "B. D. was
found.
French, now an aircraft worker
had been held on a suspicion Of
murder booking but & lie detecto1
test and other evidence substan-
tiated his declarations of inno-
cence and he was ordered re-
leased after the inquest. However
Detective E. V. Burns said he
would be turned over to probation
authorities on a previous intoxica-
ton charger
He told thu coroner's jury that
he went to his 'wife's house Sunday
evening. He said Mrs. French,
former film bit player, aviatrix
and nurse, had been drinking and
that he tried to leave.
IHox,4;nuod nn Paua Three Col ~
The Wilmington morning star., 1947-02-14
RATTLE ROYAL

/ BATTLE ROYAL Yesterday
we. gently raised the question as
to how could one determine where
history ends and fiction begins,
citing the famous Simpson-White-
hurst duel here in the 1760's as an
example:
You'll recall that reputable his
tcrians all fail to agree on who
killed who, the fate of the survi-
vor, the date of the duel, and as
a matter of fact whether the en-
counter took place il Wilmington
or New Bern. The cause OF the
two officers of the good ship Viper
engaging in the duel and the mo
tive of the presiding judge in kill
ing himself following the sub
sequent court trial of Simpson or
Whitehurst still remain enigmas.
TAKE YOUR CHOICE Most
history books contend that The bat
tie to the death between Captain
Alexander Simpson and Lieutenant
Thor.as Whiteaurst resulted from
the gentlemen's part;sansnip for
the colonists Or the British.
Tempers were running high in
those days and war with the moth
er country Vas practically q
foregone concrlsion.
So our leading historians &C
credit tho duel IN tho fact that the
fellow officers aboard the Viper
The Wilmington morning star., 1947-02-14
CARTIER TO HEAD =.
SPEAKERS BUREAU
Group VIII Aid During Red
Cross Fund Raising
Campaign

Walter j. Cartier was yesterday
appointed chairman of the speak
es bureau to aid in the forthcom-
ing Red Cross campaign. APP
pointment was made by J. H.
Carswell and N. A. Avera, CO.
chalrmen of the drive.
The organization of the bureau
Is now underway, Cartier reports,
and speakers are being enlisted to
deliver addresses to civic or
carnations, all public gatherings,
and other organizations. Radio
talks will also be made in the
interest of the drive
Inc program of speeches will
get underway tomorrow when Mrs.
lda =. Speiden, executive secre-
lafy OF the Wilmington chapter OF
lne American Red Cross, adj
dresses members of the Exchange
eluo on the work of the local chap
ter.
among those who will make ad-
afesSes during the campaign are
Aioert E. Gibson and Gardner E.
Greer.
cartier is associated with the
carolina Printing and Stamp
sOmpany and is secretary of the
south Eastern North Carolina
beaches association.
The Wilmington morning star., 1947-02-14
'SITD0WN STRIKE
CLOSES C0LLlERY
Hard Coal Miners Stay Un-
derground In Effort To
Collect Wages

LANSFORD, Pa, Feb. 13.-W.g-
A sitdown strike by 10 hard coal
miners 800 feet below the surface
gained the sympathy of 1,200 fel-
low workers today, closing the
Lansford colliery of the LehlgE
Coal and Navigation CO..
The general mine committee Oh
the Panther Valley was scheduled
to discuss the situation tonight,
with indications the stoppage
would spread to 5000 miners in the
area.
The strikers remained in the
cold, damp recess of the mine
after work last night to protest pay
deductions for quitting work early
Known as consideration miners
They are paid a flat daily rate fol
developing new work.
They claim unfavorable con-
ditions, such as heat, smoke and
dust, would imperil their health il
they put in a full, seven-hour day.
Continued on Page Three, Col. ~
The Wilmington morning star., 1947-02-14
AZALEA FESTIVAL
PLANNED FOR '4S
Celebration Voted At Meet.
ing OF Civic Club Mem
bers Last Night

The. decision to stage an Azalea
festival in Wilmington during the
spring of 1913 was voted at Q
meeting Of local civic organization
and city and county representatives
in the Woodrow Wilson hut last
night.
Approximately so persons were
in attendance at last nights SEES
sion, at which Hugh Morton, local
real estate man, was chosen to
head an organization to be charged
with the elaborate arrangements
for the proposed spring celebra-
ton. Selected as secretary Of the
group to handle the details of the
festival was Miss Verna Sheppard,
with DR.. W. Houston Moore named
as honorary chairman.
The meeting was called by DR.,
Moore, a longtime advocate of the
pageant idea. He called for a large
celebration to be held in Green
field Park and on the lake. with a
water carnival to be included in
the program and to be viewed from
a large amphithea alter to be con-
structed on the shore of the lake.
DR.. Moore compared Wilmington
with Charleston in the way OF
scenic beauty and called attention
to the fact that the South Caro-
lima city is this year resuming its
annual Azalea festival.
I Gordon Doran advised the as
sembly that he had conferred with
the director Of the Charleston cele-
bration and had been informed that
officials of the pageant there would
gladly cooperate with local rep
resentatives in laying plans for
the occasion here. 1t was then
voted that delegates from the To-
cal festival organization be sent to
Charleston to confer with officials
there in formulating plans for the
Wilmington festival.
A meeting of delegates and al
ternates from clubs throughout
the country is expected TO be call
ed soon to further formulate plans
for the first celebration next year.
The Wilmington morning star., 1947-02-14
Plane
Crashes With
Eight :
- s Worst Winter In
-alf-C Century Takes Its
Toll OF Life
CITIES ISOLATED
Coal Shortage Spreads To
Continent; 100 Die Of
Cold In Berlin
CITIES ISOLATED

LONDON, Feb. 13-tP-Britain's
worst winter in half a century
claimed the lives of eight men to-
day in the flaming wreckage OF an
Raj bomber carrying parachute
packed food for a snowbound Stat
fordshire village.
The Halifax bomber crashed two
miles from Butterton where vii
layers had marked sooty crosses
on snowdrifts as the place for the
dropping of the first food supplies
in 10 days of complete isolation.
The planes had taken off in freez-
ing and low visibility conditions.
Shortly before the crash the pilot
radioed that conditions were
worse than yesterday" when the
flight was cancelled.
The bodies of the five crewmen,
two press photographers, and a
glider regiment soldier were
strewn over a snowy moor.
Sixteen similar flights awaiting
clearing skies were called off at
once by the Air ministry in a day
which brought renewed freezing
temperatures throughout Britain
and little hope of immediate re-
lief. London's highest mark was
81 degrees and temperatures drop
ped lower in rural areas.
The fuel shortage gripping
Britain hit the continent too.
Amsterdam was BACKED out be-
cause of low fuel stocks. Theaters,
dance. halls and other amusement
places were cut off from coal sup
plies, civil service buildings were
ordered closed on Saturdays and
private enterprises were asked to
do likewise.
Belgium reported coal deliveries
a month behind schedule.
The big Fiat automotive works
at Turin, Italy, shut down for lack
of electric power, leaving 10000
Italians jobless.
In CZechOSloVakla clVlllan V0lun-
teers we're called to clear eight
foot snow drifts and free 1000
coal cars on the Ostrava-Prerov
line.
At Hamburg, Germany, power
service was cut to two hours a
day. The bulk OF Germany's in
dustries were shut down. FATAL
ties from cold in Berlin rose to 1870
since December.
Rain and sudden temperature
dip covered Paris streets with
dangerous ice.
POWER CRISIS END
NOT YET SIGHTED
LONDON, Feb. 13-(R-Dwind-
fCou, 1~ Dn~1 HlH1n Tel AZ
The Wilmington morning star., 1947-02-14
Present 107-Year-Old Edi-
flee Would Be Turned
Into Art Gallery

RALEIGH, Feb. Is - up - A
new state capitol, with the present
107-year-old structure being turn,
ed into a state ait gallery and
hall of history, was recommend
ed to the governor and legislature
today by a special commission
that studied the matter for two
years.
The report was submitted short
ly before the big money commit
tees, finance and appropriations,
took up requests for support of 8
proposed good health program
and chain store taxes.
Principal legislative attention
was focused on those committees
particularly appropriations, whic!
considered the highly publicizec
health program calling for the
expenditure of about $48, 000, 00(
over the next five years.
Rep. U. B. Blalock Of Ansor
headed the capitol commission
which also said that a suitable
flfeproof storage building for the
numerous files of our various state
departments should be construct
ed Immediately.
Storage Needed :
"This must be. done to provide
sufficient fireproof storage TO:
present needs, as well as for an
ticipating needs for the immediate
future. The building should be sc
designed and constructed that ad'
ditional space could be provided
later by additions to same wher
the need for greater storage space
Continued on Page Three, Col. II
The Wilmington morning star., 1947-02-14
SO To Bed

No one knows for certain
who started st. Valentines
Day, but since love is as old
as Eve, the first Valentine in
history was probably a heart
shaped rock carved by a pre-
historic cave man and tossed
with tender solicitude at his
"cave girl"
The idea has been passed
down for ages and many a
young, and old, woman has
been wooed by written mes
sages. Today many a Valen-
tine will be delivered, comics
will take their place with the
more beauteous.
And to those who fail to re-
ceive one, even a comic. Just
be thankful that you will not
be forced to dodge = replica Of
the first Valentine.
The Wilmington morning star., 1947-02-14
Opposes Rent Hike

WASHINGTON, Feb. 10. -(P9-
The American Federation of La
Dor through its President William
Green, today opposed any change
in present rent controls until June
80, 1948.
To grant any blanket rent in.
crease now, Green told a senate
banking subcommittee in a letter.
would have an extremely disturb.
ing effect on wages and present
real threat to industrial peace"
The Wilmington morning star., 1947-02-14
M0RCANTHAU WILL
RETURN DIARY"
ANY Portions Oh 90O-Vol:
ume Collection Needed,
Will Go Back

WASHINGTON. Feb. IL. -U.H
Former Secretary of the Treasury
Henry Morgenthau, Jr., has
agreed to return to the treasury
any materials from his contro.
versial 90O-volume diary that
may be needed for the depart
ment's official records, Secretary
of the Treasury John w. Snyder
announced tonight.
Morgenthau said in a letter to
Snyder, however, that he did not
believe any official papels or
records were included in his
personal file. Thel he told Snyder:
Nevertheless, | will welcome
having you or your representative
go over them and will gladly re-
turn any papers which are OF
fetal"
Snyder several weeks ago asked
Morgenthau to return the diary,
and he said then that he under
stood it to include the only copies
Of the transcripts of a great many
official telephone conversations
and of countless official confer
ences held in Morgenthau's office
during his years as treasury head
TIE Examine Diary
In releasing Morgenthau's letter
tonight, Snyder said the diary
would be examined to find what
material would be needed for o.
fetal records, but that the depart
ment considers other material tic
be personal" to Morgenthau.
"It is the view of the department
that memoranda prepared by Mr.
| Morgenthau to aid his recollectlor
of what may have transpired al
meetings and conferences il which
he was a participant are not o
such a character as to come within
the purview of what the depart
ment considers to be public
property" he said.
Morgenthau emphasized that ne
income he may derive from his
writings based on the diary Woule
be for his personal profit" In
stead, it will 60 to a foundation
for world peace of which MRS
Franklin D. Roosevelt, is presl
dent he said.
The Wilmington morning star., 1947-02-14
FIREMAN ADMITS
KILLING SOLDIER
Confession May Release
Hickory Man Now Serv-
Ing Life Term

rpEsNO. CALF, Feb. 13.--H')
breaking a 32-month silence, a
old locomotive fireman
in custody today after volun-
.r;1v telling officers that he had
'.ii,od 4 soldier in 1914, and that
arotber man was serving a life
earn1 IN prison for the crime.
notoctiye Sgt. S. G. Wind said
otbo Charles Stockdale, Fresno,
surrendered yesterday and related
the story.
FIJI agents are investigating the
tory which, if proved, would free
tormer Army Pvt. A. B. Richie.
hickory. N. c., who is serving a
rfo sentence at Leavenworth.
Kas for the killing of Cpl. Pete
nafusco, Uniontown, Pa, neal
Camp Phillips, salina, Kas., in
June, 1914.
Richie, originally condemned to
death by an Army courtmartial,
was given a Presidential com
mutation to life Imprisonment.
stockdale was booked for failure
.o nrossess a draft card pending
investigation .
Dumped Body
Wind said Stockdale related that
yp killing occurred after a drunk
or argument and that when he be-
loved Defusco was dead he took
between 81, 500 and 81, 900 from the
bodv. and dumped it into a field,
then he returned to barracks.
stockdale said his conscience
never bothered him when he learn
ed Richie had been convicted be
cause II didn't know the guy"
1T was just one of those things
Wind quoted Stockdale. Il stole
ieep from the camp motor poo
and drove it out of the camr
and bought a fifth of whisky. J
got a little tanked up and drove
back into the camp and picked
I'D this soldier Defusco.) When
offered him a drink he said sure.
We drove around and found {
place where we wouldn't be both
cred.
81 don't remember every
thing that happened but we got tt
arguing. He didn't like the brand
of whiskey I'd bought so 1 hit him
We'll, then he seemed to bt
dead"
Suspect Worried
Wind said Stockdale appeared
worried, asking What do vol
think they will give me?" aftel
repeating his story of the killing.
In Hickory. Attorney John c
stroupe, who represented Richie il
successfully appealing from tn
death sentence, said he would ash
President Truman for a full par
don for his client.
Richie did not testify at his
courtmartial. He was arrested a
Pittsburgh after accompanying
Defusco's body to Uniontown. FB-
agents testified Richie then hat
s1,065 although he had only $1S(
Continued on Page Three, Col. 8