The Mercedes Enterprise (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 49, No. 31, Ed. 1 Thursday, July 30, 1964 Page: 1 of 8
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CITY
The Merce
nterprise
Volume XLIX — NO. 31
Second Class Postage Paid At Mercedes, Texas
Mercedes, Texas, 78$7Q; Thursday, July 30, 1964
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MEMBERS OF THE COLT Little League team included,
front row, left to right, Steve Freeman, bat boy; Mike Irby,
Mark Savarino, Jimmy Greenwood, Simon Gomez, Robert
Gonzales, Raymond Perez, Danny Savarino; back row,
—Enterprise Staff Photo
Manager Tom Freeman; George Metzger, Jim Wade, Raul
Cisneros, Art Cowden, Joe Ricke, Roy Cisneros, Joe
Rodriguez and the assistant manager, Tiny Perez.
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WHITE SOX TEAM MEMBERS included, front row, left to
right, Rike Terry, Jacinto Gonzales, Joe Salinas, Javier
Galvan and Richard Santa Ana, bat boy; back row, Manager
—Enterprise Staff Photo
A. D. Moyer, Emilio Flores, Jesse Howell, Brad Jones,
Alberto Cano and Martin Quintanilla.
Probe Of Border Officer Injury,
Mexican Killing At River Continues
Investigation was continu-
ing this week into the wound-
ing of the Mercedes Border
Patrol station chief and the
fatal shooting of a Mexican
national near Progreso last
Friday night.
Darwin Earle, 55, Senior
Patrol Inspector, was
seriously wounded in what
apparently was a gunbattle.
He is recuperating in Knapp
Memorial Methodist Hospi-
tal.
The dead man was identi-
fied as Cosme Cuellar, 43,
whom police said has a long
record of law violations in
the Valley. He was found in
a dry irrigation ditch some
distance from where the
shooting is believed to have
taken placed. His cowboy
boots had been removed and
placed under his head. A
small packet of marijuana
with a smear of blood was
found nearby. His hands were
crossed over his stomach
with a small calibre pistol.
Several bullets had entered
his body, but it was not im-
mediately determined who
fired the bullets from that
gun. Bullets from Earle’s
gun also were found in the
body but these were of a
different calibre.
Patrolman Earle spent 35
minutes crawling to his jeep
to radio for help after the
shooting.
Justice of the Peace Jack
Verser of Weslaco is
conducting an inquest but is
awaiting results of ballistics
tests being made by the FBI
before making a decision on
just which shots were fatal.
It is believed the dead
man was trying to enter the
u* S« illegally. He ap-
parently had two companions
but he was the only one who
fired when approached by the
border patrolman.
Exact order of events after
that are vague, officers say.
Meanwhile, Patrolman
Earle received a telegram
of commedation from Ray-
mond Farrell in Washing-
ton, commissioner of the
U. S. Immigration service.
“Your devotion to duty is
commendable and in keeping
with the long tradition of the
border patrol,"'it read.
Best wishes were extended
for a speedy recovery.
Earle has been in the bord-
er patrol 23 years, all in
Border service.
COLTS FINISH
IN FIRST PLACE
The Colts, sponsored by
the First National Bank of
Mercedes came ou1- of a game
Monday night in first place
in the major little leagues.
The Colts played the White
Soxs sponsored by Salinas
Food Store on Monday.
Second and third places
will be decided in games
scheduled for Wednesday and
Thursday nights.
The Colts remained un-
defeated during the entire
season.
COTTON FESTIVAL SET
The annual cotton festi-
val of Our Lady of Mercy
Catholic Church will be held
this Sunday at the parish
hall. Serving of a barbecue
beef supper will begin at
5:30 p.m. Each plate will
cost $1.25 and take-out-or-
ders are available. A Tes-
tival will follow in the yard
of the parish hall.
PEMELTON WINS FIRST
Billy Pemelton won first
place in the Amateur Athle-
tic Association Track Meet
in Abilene Saturday. He
vaulted to a height of 15
feet 9 inches. Pemelton will
compete in the final Olympic
trials in Los Angeles in
September.
4-H CLUB SETS
CAR AND DOG
WASH PROJECT
The Mercedes 4-H Club
named a committee at their
meeting Monday night to
make plans for a car and dog
wash to be held as a fund-
raising project of the club.
Tentative plans were made
for the event to be held in
August.
Following the opening of
the meeting by Ralph
Cintron, president, Richard
Wells and Ray Dillon, the
new home demonstration
agent, Minnie Valdez, was
introduced.
Reports were given by Dil-
lon, Kay Jones, Sharon
Jones, Lois Herzog, Wells
and Cintron. Plans were
made for a recreation party
Aug. 10 and election of new
officers was set for the Aug.
24 meeting.
County favorite candidates
were named. They are senior
girl, Lee Wells; senior boy,
Ralph Cintron; junior girl,
Stephanie Dollery and junior
boy, Scott Sparrow.
Mercedes 4-H’ersarenow
in the process of acquiring
a new adult leader and new
members in accordance w ith
the theme of the state 4-H,
“Each One Get One.”
A film on wildlife was
shown before the meeting
was adjourned.
HIGHWAY PAVING,
URBAN RENEWAL
WORK FINISHED
Two major projects have
been completed in the Mer-
cedes area.
Paving of the last 10 blocks
in the first Urban Renewal
project has been finished.
And the last gap in paving
of the expressway between
Mercedes and Harlingen was
completed recently.
The thoroughfare now is
open from just West of the
overpass at the West edge
of Harlingen into Merce-
des.
The lanes are completed
from Mercedes West, but
they are not open because
signal lights still have not
been installed at Vermont
and Texas Avenues.
EDWARD J. HAUFF
FUNERAL RITES
HELD SUNDAY
Funeral services were
held Sunday for Edward J.
Hauff, who died Saturday in
Knapp Memorial Methodist
Hospital, Weslaco.
He had been ill for some
time, suffering a heart attack
in June.
A familiar figure in Mer-
cedes, he had been a resi-
dent since 1928 when he
came here and entered the
plumbing business. He was
born Feb, 22, 1886, incom-
ing, N. Y.
He was a charter mem-
ber of the Elks Lodge and
was a member of the Epis-
copal church.
Graveside services were
held at 2 p.m. Sunday at
Elio? ^ Grove Cemetery. The
Rev. William L,ange of the
local Episcopal church offi-
ciated. Stotler Mortuary was
in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Hauff is survived by
his wife, Mrs. Maude Hauff;
a son, Donald Hauff of
Brownsville, and a daughter,
Mrs. Genevieve Weyer of
League City, Texas.
Also surviving are two
grandchildren, Kathrineand
Michael Hauff of Browns-
ville.
Out of town relatives at-
tending the funeral included
nephews, John Barnes of Mc-
Allen and Mr. and Mrs. Har-
ley Guy Barnes and family
of Amarillo.
Management Closes
State Theatre Here
The State Theatre in Mer-
cedes has been closed, Mrs.
W. H. Dunbar announced this
week.
She said the workload was
too heavy for her and Mr.
Dunbar to operate two
theatres. She said they own
their home in Weslaco and
plan to continue living there
and operating the Ritz in
Weslaco.
They hope to find someone
to take it over and re-open,
she said.
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—Enterprise Staff Photo
NEW POLICE CHIEF for Mercedes starting Saturday will
be R, G. “Tiny” Perez, above. He was appointed at the
regular city commission meeting Monday night. He has
been a sheriff’s deputy for this area.
Public Hearing On City Budget
For Next Year Slated Saturday
Public hearing on the pro-
posed city budget for the next
fiscal year will be held at
10 a.m. Saturday in the City
Hall.-
Commissioners tenta-
tively already have agreed
on a budget which can be
met by setting a tax rate
5 cents lower than the pre-
sent rate.
However, the budget has
not been adopted and won’t
be until after the public hear-
ing.
Total expenditures are ex-
pected to rise some $10,000
next year, but this will more
than be offset by an increase
of valuations by $202,280.
A complete outline of var-
ious city departments, some
raised, some lowered, was
published in last week’s En-
terprise.
“The commission has put
considerable study into the
new budget,’’ Mayor John
W. Bowe said.
He added that if adopted
as presented, it will be a
balanced budget.
Commissioners encour-
aged towns people to attend •
Local Bales Ginned
Exceed 1,000 Mark
A total of 1,279 bales of
cotton had been baled in Mer-
cedes up until Wednesday
at noon. Mercedes Coop Gin
had baled 743 and Ross Gin,
536.
Concerning ' the Valley
totals, the Valley Farm Bu-
reau second weekly gin re-
port showed a total of 33,344
bales ginned during the past
week to bring the season total
to 53,351 bales.
At the same time in 1963,
69,022 bales had been pro-
cessed and in 1962, 200,656
bales had been ginned. Gin-
ning total for Hidalgo County
as of Monday was 11,265
bales.
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® MYF TO SELL PAPERS ®
Members of the Methodist Youth Fellow-
ship have taken on the project of selling
subscriptions to The Mercedes Enterprise
for the remainder of the summer vacation.
James Farris, president, said the group
desires to raise money to help furnish the
new fellowship hall and for other projects.
The MYF will receive a substantial
commission on each new or renewal subscrip-
tion to The Enterprise.'
Rates hpve not been increased for the
past several years:
In Valley
1 year $3
2 years $5
Out of Valley
1 year $4
2 years $7
“We will appreciate persons subscribing
through us. The cost to the subscriber is
the same,** officers of the MYF said.
<£> 99999999999 9 99999999999 €>
the hearing if interested in
the city’s business for the
next fiscal year.
LIONS BEGIN PUNS
FOR SCIENCE FAIR
Plans for the Science Fair
set for Aug. 19 were
discussed at the Lions Club
meeting Wednesday at noon
at El Sombrero. Invitations
have been extended to the
Kiwanis and Rotary Clubs of
Mercedes and to the Weslaco
Lions Club.
The speaker for the
luncheon was Jack Frost,
new superintendent of Wes-
laco School.
During the business meet-
ing, with Milton Hild
presiding in the absence of
the president, Dub Lauder,
the membership drive was
discussed.
POLICE
REPORT
Police investigated the
following cases during the
week: one accident, two dis-
turbances, five miscel-
laneous calls, three dog
calls, three prowler calls
and one theft from an auto-
motive vehicle.
The police also investi-
gated one drowning, a case
of aggravated assault and
they provided one funeral
escort.
R. 6. "liny" Perez io Take Over
As Mercedes Police Chief Saturday
R. G. “Tiny” Perez was
named chief of police for
Mercedes at the regular city
commission meeting Monday
night. He will assume his new
duties Saturday.
The appointment came
after Ernest Onderdonk, ac-
ting chief, submitted his
resignation. Onderdonk was
named acting chief after
Chief Claudio Castaneda re-
signed last year to accept a
similar post in Mission. It
was understood Onderdonk
would join the county
sheriff’s highway patrol, a
post now held by Tom Free-
man also of Mercedes. Free-
man was scheduled to move
up into the sheriff’s inves-
tigative division to the spot
left vacant by Perez in ac-
cepting the Mercedes job.
Mayor John Bowe said On-
derdonk’s resignation Was
accepted with regret. Action
was unanimous in appoint-
ing Perez to the job.
His salary was set at$475
per month plus car allo-
wance.
Perez, 40, has had 19
years law enforcement ex-
perience. He served with the
Raymondville Police De-
partment and later was the
first sergeant to be in-
stalled in the Weslaco de-
partment. he is a war
veteran, having served in
the Pacific theatre as a mili-
tary policeman.
Chief Perez has been a
resident of Mercedes the
past six years and has been
with the sheriff’s department
the same period.
He is a native of Cotulla
and has lived in the Valley
since 1933. He is married
and has four children. He
is a member of the Catholic
Church.
He has attended the Tex-
as Department of Public
REHEARSALS SET
FOR MHS BAND
The Mercedes High School
band will begin summer re-
hearsals Monday, Aug. 3, at
6:30 p.m., according to A vie
Teltschik, band director.
Sessions will be held each
Monday and Thursday until
the beginning of school.
Section drills are sche-
duled as follows:
Coronets, Monday; clari-
nets, Tuesday; flutes and
French horns, Wednesday;
lower brass, Thursday; and
saxophones, Friday.
CIVIC CENTER SCHEDULE
Friday, 31-Teen Dance, fea-
turing the Vikings and the
Ark-Kays.
Safety special criminal in-
vestigation schuol, the
South-West Seminar in Okla-
homa and Texas, and Camp
Waldeman for juvenile work.
“He has a reputation for
being one of the Valley’s
top investigators,’’ Mayor
Bowe said,
Knights Hold
Installation
Ceremonies
1 he Knights of Columbus
of Mercedes held their
installation of officers July
23 at the parish hall of
Our Lady of Mercy Church.
Installing officers were
the district deputy, Herman
Henry of Weslaco, and his
assistant, Mario Salinas,
Weslaco. Installed as grand
knight was Ramiro Aldape;
deputy grand knight, Gilberto
Martinez; recorder, Hei-
berto Solis; treasurer, Ra-
mon Lopez; financial sec-
retary, Ruben Cantu; chan-
cellor, Jimmy Fernandez;
advocate, Raymundo Her-
nandez; inside guard, Juan
Solis'; and outside guard, Joe
Martinez. Trustees are Gene
O’Shea, Ricardo Gomez and
Rigoberto Salinas, out-going
grand knight.
Following the installation
a reception was held in the
parish hall.
American Legion
Delegation Attends
San Antonio Meet
L. C. King, Commander
of Mercedes American Le-
gion J. A. Garcia, Post 172,
Marvin Roberts, command-
er-elect; Woody Tullis and
W. W. Holmes all attended
the American Legion con-
vention in San Antonio Friday
through Sunday.
Dewey Compton, Farm Di-
rector, of radio station
KTRH, Houston, delivered
the principal address of the
convention. Gary Priour of
Kerrville, winner of the
American Legion Boys State
contest gave a talk on the
United States Constitution.
Boys State Governor, Robert
W. Shepard of Harlingen,
told the convention what the
American Legion program
of Boys State meant to him
and to the boys attending.
El Paso was chosen as the
site of the 1965 convention.
Sail
:
THERE’S
—Enterprise Staff Photo
to keep youngsters interested and busy.
NOTHING LIKE A SOLID TOY ____^ ___________________ ______-j.
eady-made machines don’t stand up so well, so Howard Roman made a toy tractor
similar to the Minneapolis-Moline tractor he sells. It is complete with lax;ge rear
w eels, cushioned seat with back, steering wheel, etc. Safe even for the youngest,
it has an electric motor powered by an ordinary automobile battery and has its own
SPdDi A(*miring their new toy are the Roman children, David, Paul, Linda
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Harvey, J. Edwin. The Mercedes Enterprise (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 49, No. 31, Ed. 1 Thursday, July 30, 1964, newspaper, July 30, 1964; Mercedes, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1091742/m1/1/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Dr. Hector P. Garcia Memorial Library.