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UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN, LAWRENCE, KANSAS
DECEMBER 6,1945
Here's The News From Your Home Town in Kansas
Schoeppel Conducts Investigation of Body Shipment
Topcka. (UP)—Gov. Andrew Shoepel said today that he was conducting an investigation "through Washington sources" into the shipment of an unclothed, mutilated body of a 23-year-old former merchant seaman from a Washington hospital to a Wichita mortuary.
According to photostatic proofs and letters in the governor's possession, the youth was admitted to St. Elizabeth's hospital in Washington in the fall of 1944 as a mental case.
The elder Sanborn went to Washington to return his son to Wichita, but was told by hospital authorities that if his son left the hospital he would lose all his government benefits for further medical care and his insurance.
Sanhorn left his son in the hospital and returned to Wichita, where he was notified last month that his son had died.
The Kansas governor said his investigation resulted from letters he had received from Guy F. Sanborn, Wichita barber and father of the merchant seaman, Rodney M. Sanborn.
According to papers from the Downing funeral home in Wichita, Schoeppel said, the youth's body arrived several days later. It was unclothed and funeral home attendants said there were a "number of miscellaneous incisions on the head."
Sanborn said he had no information as to the cause of his son's death.
Schoepel said Sanborn told him in a letter that when he asked St. Elizabeth's authorities to explain the cause of his son's death, they told him that his son died as the result of an accident.
They allegedly told Sanborn they could not reveal the type of accident because it was a military secret.
Wichita Eagle Gets Cut In Newsprint Quota
Wichita. (UP) — The civilian production administration announced today that it has issued a suspension order against the Wichita Eagle for over-use of newsprint quotas in the last half of 1943, all of 1944 and the first quarter of 1945.
The order will require the paper to reduce its use of newspaper by nearly 32 tons in the last quarter of 1945 and by about 691-2 tons during each quarter of 1946.
State Farmers Enjoy Fine Harvest
Elkhart (UP)—Despite a dry fall which stunted the plant, southwest Kansas farmers are enjoying a harvest much more profitable than expected with 1,000,000 bushels of kafir and milo maize reported in Morton county alone.
W. W. White, county farm agent,
said this year's crop was about half
the size of the one in 1944 but did
well under adverse conditions.
Broom corn also was bringing in good income to southwestern Kansas farmers. From one quarter section broom corn was sold for $6,833, compared with $2,400 from the same land a year ago.
Rain still was needed badly in southwestern Kansas but the deep subsolsoil moisture was keeping the wheat in good shape for pasture and great herds of sheep and cattle were making fine progress.
Arkansas City. (UP) — Mayor Harry Long was appointed temporary Chamber of Commerce manager today after a successor can be elected to office of the late W.F. Walken.
Long to Head C. of C.
Humboldt Youth Wins National 4-H Contest
Humboldt, (UP)—Kenneth Merle Wolf, was one of four national 4-H club winners in the 24th annual International Harvester field crops contest, it was revealed today.
The youth will be awarded a college scholarship, on a radio network broadcast Sunday.
21-Year-Old Queried On Bank Robberies
Parsons. (UP) — FBI agents and local police today were questioning Ollie Ray, Jr., 21, in connection with the robberies of banks at Hepler and Stark last week.
Witty said more than 300 dollars was found on Ray's person and more than 800 dollars wrapped up in sacks was found in the car Ray was driving.
Ray, recently released from Oklahoma state penitentiary, was identified as the robber by five customers and officials of the two banks, Lyle Witty, Parsons police chief, said.
Ray was captured in Parsons yesterday after two city policemen spotted and pursued him for 10 blocks. He offered no resistance although a revolver was found in the glove compartment of the captured car.
The car in which Ray was captured was reported stolen in an armed robbery in Joplin, Mo., Capt. John Leutert of the Kansas highway patrol said.
Hospital Employees Go to School in Topeka
Topeka. (UP) — Winter General hospital employees started to "classes" under the supervisory eye of Veterans Administration officials today.
Authorities began schooling "several hundred employees" preparatory to opening the psychiatric hospital, in which a thousand workers will be employed, authorities say, when the hospital is in full operation.
Is Anybody Single In Crawford County?
Girard. (UP)—The office of Probate Judge Robert W. Colborn here continues to be one of the busiest places in the courthouse these days.
The return of service men from the world battlefields has given a big boost to the marriage license business, with indications that 1945 may be a banner year in the number of licenses issued in Crawford county. Certificates issued here in October and November are exceeding the usual peak months of May and June.
Weds 50 Times Legally, Too
Kansas City, Kans. (UP) — Fifty times legally married without benefit of a divorce. That is the record of Thomas H. Finigan, Kansas City, Kan. lawyer.
As he prepared to step to the altar for the 50th time, he took the matter naturally with a feeling of achievement. He remarked that marriage is a wonderful institution if you don't let it get you down.
Tall and bespectacled, with a spruce moustache. Finigan specializes in proxy weddings. He has the role of proxy bridegroom polished off to the last nervous twitch before the "I do."
“And for the final realistic touch, the brides usually kiss me,” he says.
The proxy marriage procedure is simple but takes time. The woman tells the lawyer her intentions; he sends a power of attorney to the man in service. The serviceman acknowledges it in the presence of his commanding officer, according to Article of War 114, and returns it to the lawyer.
But Finigan isn't the only one who gets this attention. The 49-year-old lawyer's wife comes in for her share of the proxy marriages. She has had her "fling" playing English and Australian girls in ceremonies with American soldiers.
This new angle to his career developed in 1943 when, as president of the local bar association, he was asked about Kansas laws on proxy marriages by the Chicago Legal Aid bureau. Kansas is one of the few states which recognizes such marriages.
Since 1943 women from all parts of the country have sought Finigan's hand in proxy marriages.
Only Million To Go On State Bond Sales
The ceremony then takes place, usually before a probate judge, with Finigan acting as bridegroom. Some brides plan a second ceremony before a minister when their husbands return, but legally it isn't necessary.
Tonkea (UP)—Kansas war bond sales today totaled $68,600,000 out of the $70,000,000 quota according to reports from the war finance committee
Sales of series E war bonds totaled $18,100,000 out of the $29,000,000 quota.
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Five Athletes Hurt When Tire Blows Out
Emporia—Five Reading high school basketball players were taken to Emporia hospitals after an automobile accident west of Reading while the team was en route to Admire for its first game of the season.
I. F. Eberhardt, Reading superintendent, who was driving another car, said the automobile carrying the youths turned over several times after a tire blew out.
D. L. Whittington, who suffered a concussion, was listed as the most seriously injured. Others were George Bocquin, Max Van Sickle and Junior Mounkes. A fifth player, Robert Arnett, was released from the hospital yesterday morning.
Parsons Attorney Gets Airline Post
Washington. (UP) — Appointment of Lt. Stuart T. McAlister, former Kansas attorney who had been a pilot of Admiral King's flag plane, as legal assistant to the vice-president of Pennsylvania-Central Airlines, was announced by PCA officials.
Prior to entering the service McAlister practiced law in Parsons, where he was a law partner of the former governor of Kansas, Payne Rattner. He had also been city attorney of Parsons and a commissioner of the third district federal court. A graduate of Washburn college and Washburn Law school, McAlister is a member of Phi Alpha Delta and Pi Gamma Mu. He is also a member of the Kansas and Labette county bar associations.
Gray County Man Chosen
Wichita. (UP)-Ralph L. Wagner Cimarron farmer and secretary-treasurer of the National Farm Loan association in Gray county, was reelected for a three-year term on the board of directors of the Farm Credit Administration of Wichita, Fred R. Merrifield, FCA general agent, has announced today.
2-Year-Old Buried
Wellington. (UP) — Funeral services were held today for Billy Ray Byrne, 2-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Bruce Byrne, rural Wellington, who was fatally injured Monday while playing with a 22 rifle with his 4-year-old brother, James.
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