Stephenville Empire-Tribune (Stephenville, Tex.), Vol. 82, No. 22, Ed. 1 Friday, May 30, 1952 Page: 1 of 14
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BSH
El
:
m
icia
together to
Open City Park
onday Night, June 2
The City Park and all of It#
facilities will b« officially opened
Monday night, June 2. The three
service clubs in Stephenville, Lions,
Rotary and Kiwania, in coopera-
tipn with the City Recreational
Board, have arranged for a county-
wide community get-together for
the opening.
Plans are for a picnic supper
with everybody, bringing their own
lunch for their family or group.
Arrangements have been made for
tallies and other facilities foi the
pienie supper.
Starting time la 4k80 Monday
night and every family In the coun-
ty la invited. First on the program
will be the playing of ”Amenca’’
by the High School Band and the
Pledge of Allegiance to the flag,
followed by the picnic supper.
S win mint Contests
J. W, Clement*, a member of.tjui
city council, will outline the sum-
mer recreational program apd in-
troduce guests. At 7:30 ttyere will
be three events going on. In a
swimming contest for school chil-
dren, the winner of the boys and
girls contest will receive a season
ticket to the city swimming pool.
Robert Hall, bead of the recrea-
tional program, will be in charge
of the swimming contest. Miss
tioual director, will hold folk
dances and games in the recrea-
tional building.
Op the baseball diamond the
Lions and Ktwanians will play a
“grudge” softball game with the
Rotary Club taking on the win-
ners. ’ ■'
There will be fun. for all the
family, games, picnic and con-
tests, and ifs all free. Everybody
IS invited. ™ .: J‘
'BOSQUE BREAKS BANKS—Scene taken Friday night following the 10-Inch deluge in Sie
phenvtlle as the rampaging Bosque River flowed under the E. Washington Street Bridge. Both
thread! and meat approaches of the blrdge structure were damaged by the flobd water and
traffic waa cloned for three hour* aa the rising river mad heavy downpour made traffic un-
.<»■— by rn.r >
s-
ftl;
‘Cowb^eip
Corral Stock
Frebdby Fire |v;v
BIRMINGHAM, Ala., May 29
special detail of cowboy
an early today corraled
1,000 head- d;’|W
sent bawling through the
by a Stockyard fire.,
uniformed- Tangs
the night herding
cattle, hogs and dogiea down the
afrenues of this industr
toward the pens Of the Armour
Co., which waa swept by flames
lsat night. * ’ . _<* « <
l la a radio-controlled roundup,
Armour trucks met tRe ap-
proaching animals and company
cowhands roped them and hauled
them aboard.
111 TeH the
World . oo
By Rafaa F. Higga
111 ...............—
i
go often we have thought about
the benefits we receive from
the schools. That foes for the
public schools as well as It does
for Tarleton State College. Jf the
pay roll of the local system could
be known to aU tha people of this
city it would be quit# revealing.
The staff, incidentally, Involves,
more than 70 people. Some of them
receive far better than average
compensation in the way of sala-
ries. Goodness knows they should
because fbr long years they work-
ed, for a mere pittance. Now, on-
der the terms of the Gilmer Aiken
law, these men and women teach-
ers are beginning to get their just
dues for tha good work they ate
now doing and ha'
ES ELSE
That we must i
have always done,
and all angles we get
efits from the schools,
must not ever forget. If
and when the time ever arrives
that anything comet up to mar the
Operation of our public school sys-
tem and our churches then it will
be a good time to be hunting a
new frontier. And In that thinking
the pity is that there are ho new
to pass. Rat |
nricrinal £/ktlir
getting back
fEmpite-dfribune ::
__T_■■ ■ !-- ■
STEPHENVILLE. ERATH COUNTY. TEXAS. FRIDAY, MAY 80. 1962 ^ *. FOURTH
MY 3 0*2
*r. •*,»,’ t' ^
ERATH COUNTY
’ftlhlES • CATTLE
t TOP'IN PRODUCTION OF
DIVERSIFIED CROPS
FOURTEEN PAGES. Vol. 82 No. 22
te Rests in Cogdell Murder Cose
TESTIMONY REVEALS DEFENDANT
WORRIED OVER TOUNt DAUODTED
By BILL POTTER
The sordid allegations of gambling, drinking and sex were
woven into the background of the Duke Cogdell murder trial
attorneys began a ;*rade of their witnesses before the jury.
The state had surprisingly rested its case against Cogdell
at 2:40 Wednesday afternoon after bringing only eight wit-
nesses to the stand to substantiate their charge of murder
against the defendant.
Final state’s witness, Jimmy
Davidson of Hurksbay, under the
questioning of District Attorney
Sam Cleveland, revealed for the
first time that the gun with which
Cogdell killed his wife and at-
tempted to kill his 14-year-old
daughter, Betty, belonged to him.
Davidsoq said he had left the gun
with the defendant as collateral
for a $26 loan.
The defense counsel immediately
took up the cross-examination of
Davidson w.\- the charge that
Cogdell had told th? witness "he
didn’t want the gun” but the one
who had borrowed the money “left
it with him.”
Questions Mental Condition
—Sam Russell co-attorney
W. J. Oxford for the defendant,
questioned Davidson on the mental
condition of Cogdell at the time he
had ldft the gun with him “the
last week in January.” The Huck-
abay witness said “be seemed
pretty upset” and that "he was
disturbed because his daughter had
stolen the car the morning before
and they (the police) had found
her in the car with three men
about ft o’clock the next morning;**
Davidson related how Cogdell
told him he “bought a television
set to keep her home but she had
not looked at. it 15 minutes.” The
witness said that Cogdell had cried
while talking to him about his 14*
year-oU daughter and that the de-
fendant “was sober” during the j the bedroom, the pistol oh the
visit. ... other bed.
Officers Testify | Scott Reid of the Trewitt Fun-
Before the state so suddenly er«l Home had earlier testified
rested in It direct examination, the how he found the wounded daugh-
district attorney had placed Texas tor in her own bedroom. Two ex-
Ranger George Roach on the stand I pert* f'«m the Department of Pub-
fore the Wednesday noon receas 1 "c Safety in Austin, J .D. Chastain
to diagram the Cogdell house plans
AS he found them the oixht of Jan-
uary 31, 1962. Sheriff R. E. George
took the stand after the lunch hour
to describe his version of arriving
at the house after the shooting and
his finding Mrs. Cogdell dead,
Duke lying on one of the beds in
and Fred Reimer, gave expert test-
imony on chemistry, toxicology
and haP]stics c.f ‘S« alleged death
gun and the bullets purportedly
fired from the 22 calibre semi-
automatic pistol.
Starling on Stand
J. H. (Jim) Starling waa the
PHONE COMPANY
THREE-FOOT WATER—Mr. and Mr*. Cap Stewart sur-
vey the damage to their home following Friday’s torrential
rain and accompanying high water of the Bosque which swept
through their.hogte on S. GraHai*. Mra. Stewart la pointing
to the wa^er line on the wall to the side of the bedstead. The
Stewart’s, with other families in the southeast section of, Ste-
phenvllte, lest most bf their household belongings aa the river
invaded their homes.
Most Flood Damage
Has Been Repaired
Rainfall recorded at the Farm-
ers First National Rank Wed-
nesday measured .89 of an inch.
By BUD HIGGS
Stephenville atarted picking up
the pieces after Friday’s record
rainfall and flood along the Bos-
que River. Monday moat of the
damage had been repaired.
Four emergency crews of the
Santa Fe Railroad were repairing
two washed-out bridges and three-
fourths milea of track that were
washed out by toe , waters of
Green Creek between Stephenville
and Dublin. The work was com-
pleted Monday afternoon and train
service
communities where steel structures
were washed out.
It is too early to estimate crop
damage around Stephenville and
down the Bosque Valley, officials
said. Major damage was to grain
cropa along the Boaque and the
Bosque watershed. Some of the
grain waa ready for harvesting
and was a complete loss. The flood
also-caused considerable livestock
loss and damage to terraces and
stock tanka.
The Stephenville golf course,
which waa covered with water, waa
no worse for the wear other than
the loss Of some foot bridges. All
greens were in fairly good abape.
The only damage to the greens
Wjw* layer of silt o& jqme of
Qwm. ■
Three Families Ask Aid
The Erath County Red Cross
ttee reported three
Tfc
The Gutf States Telephone Co.
waa Jnat catching up with a back-
log of long distance calls Saturday
morning. Soma of the calls were
made at 6:00 Friday night. Art
Anderson, manager of the Steph-
enville plant, stated that the Bell
ltftes between Dublin and Stephen-
ville urere out and a deluge of calls
from elsewhere were coming thru
iviRe exchange.
Fifty local phones were out of
commission during Friday, but
were back In working order Satur-
day afternoon. ? *
Extra Operators Added
During the heavy rains that fell
In Stephenville Friday there were
only three outside circuits open out
of Stephenville. The regular oper-
ators were rein foreejj by two ex Irk*
operators to help handle the
emergency
~ COGDELL CASE C0UN8EL-Duke Cogdell, charged with munftrof hiK wTfe. <al ex-
treme left) seen at the counsel table during questioning of prospective jurors prior to
actual testimony in the case got underway Wednesday morning. At the counsel table in the
Stephenville district court room with Cogdell, left right, are seen W. J. (Billy) Oxford and
former Conressntgn Sam Ruaaell. defense attorneys District Attorney Sam Cleveland. Dis-
trict Judge Ernest Belcher is on the bench aa the trial, now in its fourth day. continues
(Photo By Potter.) T . /
Sgt. Dan Evans Jr. Is Awarded
laHor Hefoisin In Korea
member of the U. S. Marine Corps,
was recently awarded the Bronze
Star Medal fpr heroism while in
action in Korea November 16,
1961. Sgt. Evans formerly lived
here with hia parents and is the
nephew of Mrs. Lee Williams of
this city with whom he spent last
week on a visit. He is being dis-
charged from the Marine Corps
after serving nine years
fl Anderson said that the Hico and
[Hamilton exchanges were both in
good shape and no damage re-
ported.
Anderson wanted to thank Radio
Station KSTV for the announce-
ment aakifig people not to make
any unnecessary calls and the pub-
lic for cooperating by not making
any calls.
Special praise for Miss Elaine
Huffman, operator in the local
exchange, for coming to work dur-
ing the worst part of the rain.
Miss Huffman waa due at work at
3:00 Friday afternoon and called
a cab. The cab didn’t arrive and,
at 3:30 Mias Huffman walked
some 12 blocks to work.
Utilities Normal
Arlie Brown, manager of the
Southwest Natural Gas Co. report-
ed thot no lines were out in Ste-
phenville, Dublin or De Leon.
AH lines of the Texas Power A
Light Co. in Stephenville and
Dublin are back in service after a
30-minute tout-off Friday.
Zane Carter New
Commander of
Legion Pott 240
Zane Carter la the oommander-
elect of the Turnbow-Hlgge Post,
American Legion. He was elected
Thursday, May 22, at the annual
election and business meeting.
Installation of the »ew officers
has been slated for the night of
June 12,-J. Louis Evan, retiring
post commander saiq Friday morn-
ing. 1 ' j
Other officers sleeted for the new
term of office were: Olln Cameron,
first vice post commander; Chas,
Riggins, second vice post comman-
Olivar Holcomb, third vice
Melvin Coley, ad
Hedrick, fi-
Mackey, ser-
Hlggs, Jr,
.
The citation awarding the medal
reads in part:
"For heroic achievement in con-
nection with operations against the
enemy while serving with a Marine
Infantry company in Korea on
16th .of November 1961. A rifle
squad leader, Stogesut Evans was
leading his men as part of a pla-
toon patrol tnto enemy territory,
when the platoon waa brought un-
der heavy enemy automatic weap-
ons and moidar fire. He immedi-
ately deployed his squad and en-
gaged the enemy with fire to
cover the withdrawal of the re-
mainder of the patrol, which waa
exposed to fire from higher
ground. Upon learning that a
critically wounded man still lay
in an exposed position, he un-
hestitatingly dashed to the spot
where the wounded Marine lay and
carried, him-to a covered position.
He then exposed himself further
to aid inj removing three other
severely wounded comrades. Hia
initiative, courage and unselfish-
ness were largely responsible for
the safety of several fellow Mav
rines. Sergeant Evans’ heric ac-
tions were in keeping with the
highest traditions of the United
States Naval Service.”
Parking Law
Violators Pay —
$270 In Fines
Tl>e drive against parking viola-
tions in the meter zones or Steph-
enville is continuing with city pol-
ice officers busy writing tickets
for offenders.
Collections to Tuesday, since
the drive started, totaled $270,
City Secretary Rex Cates reported,
with $12 of this amount received
Tuesday morning.
Stores Not to
Close Friday
Free Swimming
To Be Offered
At City Pool
Persons wishing to register for l
the free swimming lessons at the |
City Park pool during the summer j
months are requested to be at the
pool Monday morning, June 2, ■
Robert Hall, director of the
city’s summer recreation program,
announced that registrations will
be accepted from persons 8 years
of age and over.
Lessons will begin Tuesday,
June 3.
Further detailed announcements
will be made concerning swimming
lessons for children under 8 years
of age. __________
NEW SINCLAIR
STATION OPENS
flrat witness called by the defense
counsel and he testified before the
jury of the “congenial and happy”
relationship he observed between
Cogdell uniy the wife with whom he
is charged with murdering.
He unfolded a story on direct ex-
amination of his teaching at Tarle-
ton for five and a half years and
how, after the Cogdell affair, he
“resigned his job before 1 lost it.”
Starling was one of the six men
described by state’s first witness
Wednesday morning — Georgm
Heath—as playing cards in the
garage at Cogdell’s home ..on
about 2:30 until 6 p.m. on tie af-
teroon of the family shooting.
Starling said ha had known the
defendant for about four year,
had played cards with him for
about three years up to the night
of Jan. 31 when the tragedy occurr-
ed. On further direct questioning
by the counsel for defense, the wit-
ness related how “several times"
during the months of Ootoher, No-
vember, December, and January,
Cogdell had discussed with him his
concern and worry "over Betty
Duke.” He testified' how Cogdell
had told him of a constant deluge
qf“telephone calls to the Cogdell
home from air cadet students at
Tarleton College seeking dates
with Betty. __________ _____
Searched for Daughter
The defense witness related that
on two occasions he drove around
the city with Cogdell after mid-
night searching for the 14-year-old
daughter. On one occasion Starling
told the jury how he had driven the
father to the city hall and while
he (Starling) sat in the car out-
side the city hall the police prowl
car drove up with Cogdell’s daugh-
ter. Enron te home, the witness
said that Cogdell plead “with
t Betty to give up her bad ways”
! and after arriving at the home on
| West Frey St. the defendant told
j him, “She's driving me crazy.”
j The state, on cross examination
of the witness, brought out the
testimony that after tha shooting
Cogdell telephoned him to say,
“Jim, come up here quick. I’ve just
killed my wife.” The district at-
torney questioned Starling at
length on his three years’ gambl-
ing. .sio*st**isni with Cogdell «#4
knowing of drinking on the prem-
ises, and the daughter being about
the place, said, “And you never
once advised him to me-rd his own
conduct when he was seeking your
advice on what to do about his
daughter.”
Lost Money at I’oker
Starting told how he was at the
j home of the defendant on the af-
ternoon of the shooting and_said
j that Cogdell told him his daughter
| had been gone from home since the
See No. 1—Page 7
Stephenville places of busi-
ness will not be closed Friday,
Memorial Day, W. J. Wisdom,
secretary-manager of the Cham-
ber of Commerce, said Tuesday.
Principal raason for Stephen-
ville! not taking the holdiday.
Wisdom said, ia that nearby
towna are not closing.
Graduating Tarleton
Senior Flood Victim
Jack Harrell, 19-year-old son of
Mr. and Mrs. Page Harrell of Dub-
lin, was to be among the gradu-
ates of the class of ‘52, Tarleton
State College, Sunday night.
Instead, his body was laid to
rest at the Dublin Cemetery after
funeral .services were conducted
from the funeral home owned and
operated by his parents.
Young Harrell was the victim of
Friday's heavy rains and the swol-
len waters of Cow Creek between
Dublin and DeLeon. *
Hia body was recovered at 7
a.m. Saturday morning.
' Services Held Sunday
Funeral services were held
foe 2)20 p.m. Sunday afternoon.
Hia body was brought to.the Ste-
phenville Funeral Home for prep-
aration. , ■
The Dublin youth is a grandson
of the l«W Jack Moss of Stephen-
ville and his maternal grandmoth-
er, Mra. Jenny Most, still resides
ode hl« parents;
Jimmy; paternal grand-
parents, Mr. and Mrs. T. P. Har-
rell of Dublin; two great aunts,
Mrs. Roy Garhen of Marlin and
Mrs. Humo Graves of Fort Worth;
a great uncle, Horton Phelps of
Stephenville, and his great grand-
mother, Mrs. J. M. Jackson of
Stephenville.
Body Found Saturday
Harrell’s body was found after
an all-night search. Tjie body had
washed downstream some four
miles from where his car had been
swept off the Cow Creek bridge.
The body was found on the creek
at the J. T. Hancock farm, four
miles south of Dublin.
The Dublin youth wae driving to
DeLeon with Joe Donald Havis,
19, when his ear drowned oot in
a low spot on highway 6, six miles
northwest Of Dublin. Havis escaped
and perched in a tree. The flash
flood hit the ear while Harrell was
stitt sitting in the front seat g*d
washed R downstream. The trag-
edy is reported to have occurred
"between S and 6 p.m. Friday.
Formal opening of the new
Abernathy & Son Service Station,
340 W. Washington, is beitig held
Thursday through Saturday of this
week.
The station, handling Sinclair
gasoline, oil and other lubricants
together with the various other
Sinclair products, was recently
completed and opened for busi-
ness early this mpnth. A formal
opening, scheduled for the first
of May, was postponed because of
uncertainties*flue to refinery work-
ers strike.
Came Here I.ast Year
M. F. Abernathy and hia son,
Mark, student at Tarleton State
College, ore operators of the mod-
ern service station. Mr. Abernathy,
a native of Erath County, has
operated service stations in South
Texas for the past 18 years. He
moved to Stephenville one year
ago.
Opening days of the business
are featured by awarding of
valuable prises at mid-afternoon
Saturday. Included are a set of
four auto tires, General Eieetric
food mixer, gas camp stove, port-
able ice chest, electric percolator,
travel iron, electric roaster and an
electric clock.
In addition to these attendance
prises, souvenirs of balloons, can-
dy, lighter fluid and household
oil will be presented those visiting
the station.
ERATH GETS
TOP HONORS AT
DEMO SESSION
Erath County won signal honor*
| at the State Democratic Conven-
| tion held in San Antonio. Rufus
Higgs was named a delegate ba-
the national convention that will
he held in Chicago in July. Rusaell
Whatley of Mineral Wells is the
alternate. John Womble, Abilene,
was the other delegate from the
17th congressional district and
Mrs. John Perry, Sweetwater, is
the other alternate.
The Erath County delegation to
the state convention was headed by
Joseph Chandler, member of the
State Democratic Executive Com-
mittee. Others in the group were
Henry Clark, COTWI-flrandon, Cal-
vin Hazelwood, Homer Stephen.
Messrs. Allison, Keith and Mathis
from the Dublin area.
The Erath contingent carried
with it Instructions from the
county convention to vote as a
unit and “uninstructed.” They
voted with the Shivers program.
Wright Morrow, former Erath .
County lawyer but living in Hous-
ton for many years, was unani-
mously indorsed for national com-
mitteeman. Later he was given the
same unanimous vote by all dele-
gations from Texss.
The Comanche County delegates,
seated directly in front of those
from Erath County, did not go
with the Shivers program and
walked off the convention floor to
a rump meeting that was headed
by Messrs. Fagan Diekaon, Cofer
and Maury Maverick. A large ma-
jority of the delegates—96 per-
cent—voted with Governor Shivers.
]
'a
VK8TERN UNION OFFICE OPEN
The Western Union Telegraph
office opened again Monday after-
noon after a 62 day strike bf West-
ern Union opperstors. Mrs. Ruth
Brown, 'flKBliifer of the local of-
fice has returned from Dallas to
take charge of the Ideal office.
Dates Set for
TSC Summer T«Z
Schooi Sign-up
Registration for the first six
weeks of summer school at Tarle-
ton Bute College will he held all
day Monday, June 9.
' The spring semester ends May
31. Final examinations wlQ^mH
from Mar >,/' ,
-.JjtL
m
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Potter, Bill. Stephenville Empire-Tribune (Stephenville, Tex.), Vol. 82, No. 22, Ed. 1 Friday, May 30, 1952, newspaper, May 30, 1952; Stephenville, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1135154/m1/1/: accessed June 22, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Dublin Public Library.