SURPRISE VALLEY RECORD, CEDARVILLE, MODOC COUNTY, CAL
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 1935
$150 OR 75 DAYS IS SENTENCE METED OUT
NO MONEY TO PAY FINE, SO WILL SPEND NEXT 2 ½ MONTHS IN COUNTY JAIL
Kenneth McKenzie, who was brought before Judge Kennedy last Friday evening,
plead guilty to a J. W. Stiner. Without any hesitation or even a quiver in
the voice, the Judge executed his first sentence; that of a fine of $150 or
75 days in the county jail. Having no money to pay the fine a commitment was
prepared and McKenzie, who came from Nebraska, is spending the next two
months and a half as a trustee in the county Bastille. McKenzie was charged
with stealing $17, in the complaint.
FORMER SURPRISE RESIDENT PASSES
James A. Seyferth, 64, cousin of Mrs. Even Gaustad of this place passed away
June 27th at his home at Kirby, Oregon. His wife and one daughter, Mrs.
Sophia Bunch, survive him. Years ago, he was a resident of this place being
associated with Joe Sigler in the blacksmith business. (1:2)
Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Quick and 3 month old son, Gary, arrived last night from
Chowchillia on a visit to Mrs. Quick’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur W.
Stiner. Arthur says he’ll have his grandson out in the hayfield within the
next few weeks.
STILL CONFINED TO HOSPITAL IN REDDING
County Clerk, Bob Smith and Harry G. Ward, supervisor of district No. 1, are
still confined to the hospital in Redding, convalescing from the injuries
sustained in an auto accident recently near Cottonwood. Both are reported to
be on the mend and it is hoped that they will be able to return to their
respective homes within a short time.
DIVORCE SUIT FILED
Although the papers had been taken out by the attorney’s, we nevertheless
found posted on the civil Docket in the county clerk’s office in Alturas,
the suit of Frances Kober vs. Carl Kober in a divorce action. Mrs. Kober
sued on the grounds of cruelty.
NEW PINE CREEK NOTES
Quite an excitement was caused here when word reached the State Line Town of
the shocking accident last Friday near Alturas, when five men lost their
lives in a collision of two trucks. Jimmie Moore of New Pine Creek was
riding on the truck from which the five men were killed. Lester Vernon, the
driver of the truck is also well known here.
Mrs. Retta McKemy, of Oakland, California, sister of Mrs. James Vincent, her
daughter and husband, Mr. and Mrs. John Cooper and their two sons, Wayne and
Dean, are visitors at the Vincent home here.
Grandma Mary Smith, who has been ill for many months’, is still very ill at
her daughter’s home, Mrs. Sam Porter. Grandma is in her eighties and is one
of Goose Lake Valley’s grand old lady pioneers.
LIGHT SENTENCE GIVEN SMITH AND McCRARY
Wallace McCrary and Harvey Smith, who figured in the rustling case, in which
John J. Wiley was sentenced from one to ten years in San Quentin, got a
comparatively light sentences by turning States’ evidence. Each was
sentenced last weekend to serve 120 days in the county jail and five years
probation.
2 RATTLESNAKES MEET DEATH AT TRUCK WRECK
At the scene of the tragedy where the five men were swept to their deaths
from the body of the Cline Porter truck Friday, was a strange sight Friday
night. Debris was scattered all over the highway. Blood was everywhere. Two
rattlesnakes were found dead in the accumulated wreckage.
How they happened to be there will always remain a mystery. Whether they
were attracted by the odor of blood and came there to be killed by
spectators, had they happened to be passing the scene at the moment of the
impact, will perhaps never be known.
CORONER’S JURY FIXES NO BLAME FOR 5 DEATHS (Headline)
BOTH TRUCK DRIVERS ARE EXONERATED OF ANY BLAME: NO CHARGES WILL BE PREFERRED
ALTURAS – A coroner’s jury Monday night returned a verdict finding that the
five persons who died in the crash of two automobile trucks met their deaths
simply as a result of that crash.
No blame was fixed by the coroner’s jury and veteran court attaches assert
that there was no opportunity to place a responsibility. Lester Vernon and
Don Gray, the two truck drivers declined to testify, on the ground they
might incriminate themselves.
Dr. Walter E. Coppedge, the county physician described the injuries, which
resulted in the deaths of the five men, Clarence Chance, Harold M. Allred,
Alfred Jackson Asher, Roscoe William Conklin and Wesley E. Polander. The men
were all badly mutilated, Dr. Coppedge asserted and death in each case was
instantaneous.
Captain William H. Smith, state traffic officer, described the shambles at
the scene of the accident. He asserted that he measured the two trucks; the
meat truck from Redding, which belonged to J. Morosoli, measured 96 inches
across and the other truck, which belonged to Cline Porter, measured 92
inches. Captain Smith stated there were no clearance lights on the Porter
truck.
John S. MacVeagh, the carpenter from Alturas, who was riding in the middle
of the front seat of the Porter truck, which was used to transport employees
of the Peninsula Paving Company to and from work, stated that they saw the
truck approaching about 100 years away: that as they passed on the narrow
culvert, he heard a sharp report, that when Vernon straightened out the
machine, he stopped to see if anyone was hurt; that one of the employees on
the rear of the truck called out that several of the men had been knocked
off by the impact; that when the men from the truck reached the scene of the
accident, the roadside was littered with debris and dead men.
Ed Mackey also testified. He asserted that he did not know the speed of
either machine.
The coroner’s jury was composed of Ray Hards, foreman, J. C. Jarman, J. J.
Gloster, Rev. Philip Schwabenland, Mrs. J. Ralph Laird, Mrs. Edna Pomeroy
and George Fordyce.
The shocking tragedy, which darkened the lives of Modoc County struck with
dramatic suddenness Friday night. Of the crew of 12 men, employed 37.8 miles
from Alturas on the Canby-Perez highway, five men were swept to their deaths
when the two trucks collided 5.2 miles out of Alturas on the roadside by the
John Cummings ranch.
Funeral services were conducted for Allred Monday morning. The rest of the
victims were laid to rest Sunday, Asher and Chance in Alturas and Polander
in Lake City and Conklin in Cedarville. (1:6)
FUNERAL FOR ROSCOE WILLIAM CONKLIN
A large crowd of people attended the funeral of Roscoe William Conklin, son
of Mr. and Mrs. John Conklin, of the Cottonwood District, one of the victims
of the truck wreck, was held from the M. E. Church Sunday afternoon, Rev.
Vinyard, the pastor, spoke words of comfort to the bereaved family in their
hour of unspeakable grief; the choir rendered several selections.
John Ballard of Alturas directed the funeral and the remains were interred
in the Cedarville cemetery.(1:6)
RECITAL OF TRADEGY HOLDS AUDIENCE
Robert Allenwood and Arch Johnstone, of this place, who luckily escaped
death in a truck collision last Friday night, near Alturas, held several
attentive audiences in awe last Sunday morning, when they explained a
detailed account of the wreck in which 5 men were killed and they narrowly
escaped the same fate.
FORT BIDWELL HIGHLIGHTS
Mrs. Wanda Maxwell and small son who has been visiting at the home of her
aunt, Mrs. Joe Conlan for the past 2-weeks, departed for her home in Oregon
last Wednesday.
The deepest sympathy of the community at Fort Bidwell is extended to the
bereaved families, who lost their dear ones in the terrible truck tragedy,
which occurred near Alturas last Friday evening.
CARD OF THANKS
To all the friends whose sympathy and services were so kindly tendered in
our time of bereavement, we desire to express our sincere thanks and
appreciation; we are grateful for the many and beautiful floral offering,
silent tributes of love and respect to our loved one.
Mrs. Minnie Polander
Miss Gertrude Polander
Mr. and Mrs. C. F. Fransway and family
Mr. and Mrs. Grover Wimer and family
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Vaughn and family
Mrs. Fannie Bowers was called to Gridley last week on account of the
critical illness of her niece.
5 KILLED IN TRUCK WRECK
ALTURAS – August 2nd – Five men were killed and seven escaped injury when
the CCC refrigerator truck collided with the Peninsula Paving Company Labor
truck five and two-tenths miles west of Alturas.
Survivors said that the projecting bodies of the trucks caught as they
endeavored to pass on a culvert near the John O. Cummings ranch.
THOSE KILLED WERE:
Clarence Chance, 37
Harold M. Allred, 35
Alfred Jackson Asher, 37
Roscoe William Conklin, 21
Wesley E. Polander, 50
In the same truck were Robert Allenwood and Arch Johnstone of Cedarville,
James Moore, Ed Mackey, John MacVeagh of Alturas and George Lingan of Willow
Ranch and the driver, Lester Vernon of Lake City.
Harold Morgan and Charles Cartnell, both of Alturas, who had been bass
fishing on Pit River came up around the turn behind the construction truck,
when they saw the blue lights jump up. The next instant their lights flashed
onto the other side of the road and they saw a string of men along the
highway seemingly badly mutilated. Running over to the scene, they found the
other passengers examining the bodies. They then found that 3 had been
killed instantly and that two were badly hurt, including Roscoe Conklin of
Cedarville, who was still breathing at the time. Morgan then rushed to a
telephone on the outskirts of Alturas and telephoned Coroner J. F. Kerr and
County physician and surgeon, Dr. W. E. Coppedge.
Harold Allred owns and operates the Service Station on the outskirts of
Alturas, on the Cedarville – Alturas highway.
Jack Asher was unmarried, but leaves a host of relatives to mourn his
untimely passing.
Wesley Polander is a pioneer resident of Surprise Valley, who is well known
and liked by all.
Roscoe Conklin is the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. John Conklin of this place.
He also leaves to mourn his passing two brothers and two sisters. (2:3)
LAKE CITY NEWS NOTES
WESLEY POLANDER KILLED IN AUTO ACCIDENT
Our community has been deeply shocked and saddened by the horrible accident
west of Alturas Friday evening, whi9ch took from us our respected neighbor
and friend, Wesley Polander.
To tell how, our hearts ache and lives are saddened by the tragic ending of
this friend is impossible.
An all around good friend, neighbor and pal; always a cheery smile and wave
of the hand when passing. A joke and pleasant repartee when stopping for a
social chat, he surely will be sadly missed by his friends.
It is an old saying "everyone has his enemies" Wes had his, but they were
few, very few here, and Friends, they were legions. Few can say anything but
good of Wes Polander. Like Abou Ben Adam, he loved his fellowmen and his
many, many acts of kindness since we have known him shows that.
His funeral was held from the Seventh Day Adventist Church here Monday
afternoon, by a minister from Oakland. Singers came from Alturas to sing his
last lullaby. Pallbearers were members of the I.O.O.F. Lodge at Cedarville.
He being an honored member of that lodge.
The casket was covered with beautiful flowers. The church was crowded with
friends and lots of people remained outside as standing room was at a
premium.
He leaves to mourn his passing two daughters, Mrs. Chester Fransway and Miss
Gertrude Polander of Winnemucca, Nevada; and three sisters, Mrs. Charles
Vaughn, Mrs. Oliver Cramton and Mrs. Grover Wimer of Lake City, two
grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
To all we extend our deepest sympathy.
"Farewell old friend and brother,
May the path on which you trod;
Bring you to that bright hereafter,
To that beautiful home of God." (4:2)
Lake City experienced a thrill Friday A. M. when word came, the ranch house
of M. M. Quirk, north of Lake City, was on fire. Everyone that could started
at breakneck speed to be turned back at the Ernie Wimer home. Fire out. A
fire started in woodpile near the house, but Myron, Cecil Heard and Bruce
Steward, Sr., were able to get it under control before reaching the house.
Myron told friends and neighbors they were too late but sure glad to see
them. He is very, very grateful to friends for their help and such kindness
will never be forgotten.
Born in Alturas, cal., July 31, 1935, to Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Jones, a son,
7-1/2 pounds.
~~~~~~
Billie C. & Anita 'Jean' Reynolds
Family Researcher of "The Last Frontier"
Modoc County, California
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