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DEVOTED TO THE BOLDING OF A BETTER NOME AND THE SECOND DIVISION.
NOME IS THE STRATEGIC WORLD FLIGHT AIR BASE—ESPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR COMMERCIAL AND MILITARY AVIATION _
= THE NOME DAILY NUGGET
VOLUME 36, No 36. NOME, ALASKA, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1935^ _ Per,^opy Ten Gents
Case Probably go to Jury in Morning
_ • ___ __
ARMY NEEDS PRESENTED CONGRESS TODAY
Dirigible Macon Suffers Casualties-Forced to Land Sea
PROSECUTION BEGAN
ARGUMENT TO JURY
TAKE MOST OF DAY
(By The Associated Press)
- FLEMINGTON, Feb. 12—Prosecutor Wilentz went be
fore the jury this morning to ask for the first death verdict
which he has ever requested. The State has already claim
ed it proved that Bruno Hauptmann was conclusively guilty.
The jury still had, ringing in their ears, the summation
of defense attorney Reilly who argued that Hauptmann was
innocent and asked for a verdict of acquittal at the end of
' his four hour address, which left Hauptmann in tears.
It was reported that if he is acquitted of kidnapping and
killing, he will fight attempts to take him back to the Bronx
to face extortion charges. Rosecrans is said to have ex
pressed the opinion that his client could not be extradited
because he was not a fugitive from justice.
The jury in the present case, can do one of four things,
unless Justice Trenchard instructs them otherwise. If he
is convicted it will be with the mandatory death penalty or
with a recommendation of life imprisonment; or acquit
him, or disagree.
In the event of a disagreement the customary proceed
ure is to conduct a new trial.
Wilentz estimated that his closing argument would re
quire all of this morning and part of the afternoon. The
case wil^ probably go to the jury tomorrow, as the judge
will take an hour to instruct the jury, and he does not want
to starfci$ it is too late after Wilentz finishes tbday.
Hauptmann said that he was not afraid of what Wilentz
will say. “I do not believe he can make lies of the truth,
which Reilly has told,” he said. He thanked Reilly yester
day after he had finished. A lack of funds might prevent
the defense carrying the case to a higher court in case of
conviction.
fr- _
FLEMINGTON, Feb. 12—Wilentz began his argument
with a request to the court that he might have the right to
proceed without demonstration from the defendant and his
wife, which the judge granted, Wilentz impressing on the
court that he be perfectly understood.
Answering Reilly’s use of the Biblical text: “Judge
not lest ye be judged:” Wilentz said: “He that killeth any
other man shall surely be put to death.” He asked for a
conviction of murder in the first degree, as his opening
remarks.
House Kills
Six Hour Bill
Other Activities
(By The Associated Press)
JUNEAU, Feb. 12—The House late
yesterday afternoon killed the Wal
ker six hour underground bill by a
vote of 9 to 7. Those supporting
the bill were Representatives Wal
ker, Baronovich and Green of the
First division! Lyng and Chamber
lain of the Second division; McCutch
eon and Murray of the Third divi
sion.
This action followed practically
all-day efforts to amend the three
labor measures, with an aim of tak
ing out some of their teeth.
The two other bills, the abolition
of contract labor $*d the eight hour
six day weak bills were continued
for debate. Three new proposals
were introduced yesterday—Nordale
introduced a memorial asking Con
gress to establish an aeronautical
base in Alaska: Lingo and Green
introduced jointly a bill for the
establishment of a territorial indus
trial accident commission. Patter
son introduced a bill for a radio
station to be operated by the terri
tory for the broadcasting of territor
ial affairs.
The senate, by a vote of 3 to 5
killed the house resolution propos
ing that five hundred dollars be tak
en from the treasury to defray the
expenses of a trip by the lawmakers
to the Pioneers Home. It was arg
ued in the senate last week, that
legislators making the trip should
pay their own expenses
NOTICE
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Brother Nearly
Kills His Sister
With A Hammer
(By The Associated Press)
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 12—Eight
year-old Helen Katherine Williams is
near death today, her head and face
brutally beaten with a hammer, and
her twenty-one year-old brother
William is in jail reading detective
stories after confessing to the crime.
The police said he beat the girl
to put her out of the way so that
he might have a new^ dog. The dog
he'had was killed by an auto. When
he wanted to get another, his moth
er said that dogs made Helen ner
vous.
In his confession he said he thought
that if he got Helen out of the way
he might have another dog.
—■ . ... —
City Council
Busy Session
Last Evening
At the council meeting held last
night, considerable discussion re
garding affairs of city business took
place.
All councilmen were present. The
minutes of the preceding meeting
were read and approved. A com
munication from the Nome School
Board called attention of the city
council to the possibilities of a pro
posed site for the new school build
ing, on the former location of the
Pioneer Igloo building, stating that
the purchase of that ground and ad
joining lots might possibly be had
for a very reasonable amount. The
communication also listed numerous
advantages such as drainage, central
location both for students and the
public, and etc., over the tentative
site now in mind at B street and|
Third avenue.
An application from W. W. Laws,
of Vancouver, Washington, was re
ceived for the position of Fire Chief
at Nome. Recommendations accom
panied the application, which upon
motion was tabled until the call for
applications was published, some
time in April.
All claims against the city, approv
ed by the Finance Committee were,
upon motion, duly passed, ordered
paid. The Health and Sanitation
Committee reported that a trail had
been staked on the Bering Sea ice
for the use of those depositing gar
bage and refuse. As soon as possi
ble a notice will be published, the
committee reported, advising penal
ties and fines, to be imposed on any
one dumping refuse or garbage on!
the beach inside of the staked trail, j
A report was made to the city that
several vacant houses were being!
entered by children who evidently
had been smoking, thus presenting
a fire hazard. The matter was tak-j
Dirigible Macon
Sends SOS Call
Later—Message said Macon
suffered casualties, will land
water, abandon ship. Details
in tomorrow’s Nugget.
(By The Associated Press)
SAN FIANCISCO, Feb. 12—The
naval radio station reported receiv
ing a distress call from the Dirigible
Macon at five fifteen PM today, de
claring that the big ship was falling.
Her position was reported as three
miles off Point Sur and about one
hundred and ten miles from San
Francisco. The next message "from
the Macon was a single word “wait.”
Believed That
Ethiopia Will
Not Use Force
—
(By The Associated Press)
Rome, Feb. 12, — Thirty thousand
Ethiopian troops are massing on the
Italian Somaliland frontier, in the
vicinity of Ualual, said the govern
ment spokesman here, as mobiliz
ation continued ip Italy.
England is lending her good offices
in attempts to smooth out the di
fficulties. It is believed that Eth
iopia will hot attempt to settle the
question by force.
en up with the chief of police and
the cabins are to be boarded up.
The matter of the purchase of a
certain lot or part of a lot to be
used upon which to build part of the
fire station and city hall,, came be
fore the council, and the committee
which has been investigating, was
ordered to again approach Mrs. E.
G. Davis regarding the purchase of
some of her property adjoining the
North Pole Bakery.
A report on comparative costs on
caterpillar and horse team equip
ment for the fire station was turned
in by Gouncilman Polet, and the j
council decided to retain the report
as data to be used in the near future
regarding any motion to be brought
up for a change in equipment. Mr
Polet was further instructed to se
cure additional information fromi
other fire departments who are us
ing caterpillars, in addition to con
tacting the manufacturers regarding
prices and efficiency of operation.
The request of City Clerk M. J.
Walsh for an additional week leave
of absence was granted.
The matter of investigating the
proposed new school site referred to
by the Nome School Board was plac
ed in the hands of a special commit
tee consisting of Councilmen Polet,
Sather and Balsiger.
No further business coming be
fore tjie meeting, the council ad
journed to meet again February 25,
in regular session. j
at
ASSERTS ALASKA
IS VULNERABLE TO
JAPANESE ATTACK
i
(By The Associated Press)
WASHINGTON. Feb. 12—The army proposal for the
creation of six more powerful air bases, was coupled before
the House Committee Monday, with assertions that Alaska
was vulnerable to Japanese attack. &
The Army program was presented by Brigadier Gen
eral C. E. Kilbourne, Assistant, Chief of Staff, who explained
that one base was to be in Alaska and the others were to
protect continental United States, and the Canal Zone.
Previously Representative Wilcox of Florida had told
the committee “One thing we have to fear in the event of •
war with any Oriental country would be the seizure of Al
aska.” He added that the nation must be aware: “that
Japan is entirely without minerals, while Alaska is'a verit
able storehouse of them.”
Almost at the same time, the House Patents Committee
held thdt William Mitchell, retired Brigadier General, and
former Assistant Chief of the Army Air Corps, had asserted
“Our problem is the Pacific. If Japan reached Alaska
she could reach New York. She wouldn’t pay any atten
tion to Hawaii; she would go directly to New York, and
would take only about twenty hours.”
Illustrating from a map, Rep. Wilcox said that Alaska
was nearer Japan than the United States. “Recently we
had a demonstration of the fact that some nations, one in
particular, does not care to be bound by arms agreements,”
said Wilcox.
Japan, in December, denounced the Washington Naval
Limitations Treaty. The Army program calls for a base in
Alaska, location not yet designated, one in the canal zone,
and four in the United States.
Mitchell’s testimony before the Patent Office urged that
a direct registration of all patents be made into a pool with
the patent office. He contended that said pooling of pat
ents by aircraft manufacturers would diminish competition
and subordinate aviation development to profit.
P A A PLANE
BURNS UP
AT AIRPORT
The Fairchild plane of the Pacific
Alaska Airways, which arrived
Nome yesterday with the U. S. Mail
from Fairbanks, Pilot Jerry Jones,
and mechanic Fred Milligan, was
destroyed by fire this morning,
which originated from, an unknown
cause.
The plane was on the new landing
field being warmed up by mechanic
Milligan who was the only one there
preparatory to taking off on the re
turn flight to Fairbanks. Machinicj
Milligan stated that the first he
knew was that the fire started on
top of the motor.
He immediately grabbed the firej
extinguishers which are always at
hand when warming up a ship, and
drained them on the Are which was
spreading fast under a stiff breeze.
However, he could not extinguish
the flames and was forced to give up
the attempt. Several things were
.1
rescued from the inside of the plane
and Milligan had to leave because of
the danger of the gas tanks explod
ing. One tank exploded, hurling
parts of the plane in various direc
tions.
The plane is a complete loss. One
wing was broken off the plane while
the other still remained bolted in
place. Agent Bassett, Pilot Jones
and Milligan have been busy all
day removing parts from the plane
which they believe can be used
again.
It is understood that a report was
wired to the office in Fairbanks and
to send another plane to complete
the scheduled mail run out of Nome.
This is the first disastrous fire to
occur to any planes on the Nome
field, and is very unfortunate. No
reason could be given as to how the
fire started, and its origin is abso
lutely unknown.
Later—Pilot Harry Blunt arrived
4:30 p.m. today with another PAA
plane and will return to Fairbanks
tomorrow morning, carrying the
mail and Pilot Jones and Mechan
ician Milligan.
The Nome Dally Nugget la prepur
ed to do your Job printing.