The Mexia Weekly Herald (Mexia, Tex.), Vol. 43, No. 52, Ed. 1 Friday, December 26, 1941 Page: 1 of 8
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ALL THE KI-STONE NEWS
FOR ALL OF
THE R1-ST0NE PEOPLE
VOL. thill.
PHIL KARNER GENERAL INSURAXOE
The Mexia Weekly Herald
PUBLISHED IN—BY—AND FOR THE CITIZENS OF THE RICH HI-STONE EMPIRE
MEXIA, TEXAS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 26, 1941
WHAT DO YOU LIKE
IN THE HERALD?
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DROP I S A CARD SO WE
MAY BETTER PLEASE YOU.
I
U.S.-British War Council Meets To<fcy
Jap Subs Sink One Tanker, Attack Another, Last Night
HHnGmYr-" "" - *
Four Boatloads Of
Survivors Land On
California Coast
FRANCISCO, Dec. 23. (UP)—Japanese submar-
ines i. iythe Union oil tanker Montebello and shelled the
I /-KirffFi Vtanker Larry Doheny in new attacks on U. S.
shipping off the California coast during the night, Twelfth
Naval District headquarters announced today.
The Navy announcement said four boatloads of sur-
V vivors from the Montebello have been landed "on the coast."
Today's attacks by enemy sub-«s>
marines were the fifth and sixth
off the Pacific coast siiifce last
Thursday. American patrol bomb-
er>■ have dropped depth bombs at
the scene of two of the attack*
but the navy has not announced
whether they took effect.
The Doheny, apparently at-
tacked by the same submarine that
sank the Monlebello, was able to
roach port. The navy said the Do-
heny was attacked only by gun-
firp.
Additionally "loud detonations"
were reported off Santa Cruz. An
unverified report said the Stand-
ard Oil tanker H. M. Torey, shell-
ed yesterday morning, had been
attacked a second time while pro-
ceeding to its destination.
Heavy gunfire and loud deton-
Htions were heard off the central
California coast between 3 a. m.
nnd 5:30 a. lit. Shortly afterward
the twelfth naval district announc-
ed the attack on the Doheny but
Raid the Doheny had reached port.
Several hours later four boa1-
r, '1^ of survivors landed on the
then came the announco-
° that the Montebello had been
stink. " —
Thirteen survivors from the
,Montebello were taken ashore at
CayUcos by the Stantiard Oil pilot
boat Alma.
Six survivors rowed ashore at
San Simeon.
Survivors told sheriff's deputies
their lifeboats had been fired upon
by the submarine after they ab-
andoned the tanker. None was in-
jured, the sheriff's office said.
The attack on the Montebello
nnd Doheny was heard for miles up
a.id down the coast. Residents re-
ported they heard gunfire, then a
loud explosion followed by two
others, indicating torpedoes may
have struck the Montebello.
Miss Donnell Is
Reported Improving
Mi*s Helen Glover Donnell, who
tmdarwent a major operation at a
locjV/ hospital several days ago is
reported improving. Miss Donneil,
j n student of the University of
'i'exas. is the daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. G. P. Donnell.
*
A town is moved into the city
class when its population reaches
linOO, according to the Census Bu-
Insurance records show that
pir.ee 1022 there has been a re-
duction of three to five pounds in
th:' average weight o fwomen.
J. J. Reddoch
Dies after Being
Struck by Auto
Unavoidable Ac-
cident Happened
on Waco Highway
J. J. Reddoch. -14. was fatally in-
jured shortly before 2 o'clock this
afternoon when he jvas struck by
a passing automobile on the new
Waco highway one mile west of
Mexia.
The accident occurred near the
A. P. Wilkins place. Reddoch had
been standing beside a parked au-
tomobile, talking to another man.
He started to walk around the car,
and when he stepped out into tha
road, he was hit by a passing cat.
C. L. Ripley, driver of the car,
did not see Reddoch in time to
avoid hitting him, he said.
A. B. "Boss" McKenzie, Mexia
chief of poiice. who investigated
I he accident, said it was unavoid-
able.
Reddoch was rushed to a local
hospitnl, but died within a few
minutes after his arrival.
Reddoch, a resident of Pt. En-
terprise, had been an employee of
the Pure Oil Company since 1022.
He is survived by his wife and
three children.
Funeral services were not an-
nounced, pending arrival of Mrs.
Keddoch from Louisiana, where
she was visiting.
British Deny
Carrier Sinking
BERLIN, Dec. 23 —(U.R)-(Of-
ficial radio broadcast recorded by
(U.R))—Three direct torpedo hits
from a German U-boat sank a
British aircraft carrier in the At-
lantic, the official news agency
said today, extending yesterday's
claim of the high command. The
ugency alleged that the carrier
had been enroute to Singapore.
LONDON, Dec. 23 -(U.R)—Brit-
ish sources said today that no Brit-(
iah aircraft carrier has been at-
tacked by a Nazi submarine, and
denied the claim of the German
high command that a British car-
rier has been torpedoed and sunk.
The Argentine dwarf frog runs;
it does not jump or hop.
i'TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO'."'.
To All Our Friends
Throughout the
Bi-Stone Empire ...
We Wish for You a
Very Merry Christmas
May the New Year bring you Health and Pros-
perity. And may we have (he pleasure of serv-
ing you again as we have in (he past. Come to
see us often.
Kendrick&H
664
ooooc*. ooooooooor*?oooooooooo' - fy
Japs Land on
Wake; Defenders
Hold on Luzon
Great Battle
Raging North
of Manila
WASHINGTON, Dec. 23. (U.R)—
Japanese forces have effected a
landing at Wake Island in the
Mid-Pacific, but American de-
fending forces have scored initial
successes in the big battle of the
Philippines, official advices said
today.
The Navy disclosed the Wake
landing in communique No. 16,
which said that several enemy
planes were shot down when the
garrison beat off a strong air at-
tack the afternoon of Dec. 22
(Wake time). The landing was ef-
fected Dec. 23.
The oommunique contained no
reference to the fate of the hero-
ic marine defenders of the tiny
island stepping-stone or whether
they were successful in prevent-
ing the invaders from overrun-
ning the island.
The Navy communique followed
by only a few hours one from the
War department which told of a
great battle raging about 150
miles north of Manila. Japanese
landing operations at Luzon, Phil-
ir.pine Island on which Manila is
located, are continuing "supported
by increasing numbers of bombing
and attack planes."
The Marine garrison's defense
of Wake against repeated bomb-
ing attacks has been the object
of widespread praise. Observers
predict that the defense of the is-
land—hundreds of miles from any
other U. S. base and apparently
beyond the reach of succor—will
go down in history.
The garrison was credited with
having destroyed a Japanese light
cruiser and destroyer during the
lirst four attacks, which were re-
ported in navy communique No. 2,
issued Dec. 11.
Today's communique said of
Wake:
"Wake island sustained another
strong air attack in the afternoon
of the 22nd. Several enemy planes
wore shot down. An enemy force
effected a landing on Wake the
morning of the 23rd."
Japanese claims of having seized
a large number of U. S. merchant
vessels were described by the com-
munique as "without foundation "
It said the only ship known to
have been seized was the S. S.
President Harrison, captured off
the China coast.
*
Biggest Battle
Of Malaya Is
Imminent
SINGAPORE, Dec. 23. (U.R)—
Disratchcs from the front indicat-
ed today that the biggest battle
of the Malaya campaign was im-
minent , along the east-west Brit-
ish Empire line, 300 miles north
of Singapore.
Non-essential civilians were ev-
acuating the vicinity of Ipoh in
the western area for Kuala Lam-
pur, 100 miles to the south,
though it was said there was no
mass evacuation.
A Malaya command communi-
que reported the front generally
quiet.
It reported gome fighting yes-
terday and said Japanese planes
were active. Three Japanese
planes -were believed to have been
shot down during the day and
the loss of three British planes
was admitted. Six Japanees planes
were damaged in a British raid on
a Japanese-held air port.
Singapore had its first air raid
alert in a week during the night.
Innumerable searchlights criss-
crossed the sky, to star filled as
to seem moonlit.
Antiaircraft guns were seen to
be trained on one point but no en-
emy planes were seen and no
bombs dropped. Many British
fighter planes were in action.
Reports from the front said the
Japanese were not bombing the
Ipoh area to any extent, appar-
ently hoping to capture It inta ■_(
Churchill Arrives at White House
Prime Minister Winston Church ill, left, arrives at south entrance
of the White House accompanied by President Roosevelt and Capt.
John Beardall, Naval Aide, (N£A Telephoto)
Wortham Man Dies
Another Hurt, In
Fall From Derrick
Two men were injured, one
fatally, late Monday afternoon
when they fell from an oil der-
rick under construction two miles
southwest of Wortham.
C. C. "Bill" Patterson, 26, of
Wortham, died in a Mexia hos-
pital at 8:20 p. m. Monday from
injuries received in the fall. The
other man, L. L. Young, also of
Wortham, is in a hospital suffer-
ing from severe bruises about the
body, but attending physicians
said he probably would recover.
Both men were rushed to a Mexia
hospital immediately after the ac-
cident occurred.
The accident occured at about
3:30 p. m. Monday. The men, who
were employed by Robert Bryant,
contractor, were constructing a
derrick on the Mallard lease, two
miles southwest of Wortham, to "be
used by the Silver Pine Oil Com-
pany. They were working from a
scaffold 62 feet from the ground
when a catline became fouled,
sending the traveling block crash-
ing into the scaffold before it
coudl be stopped.
Both men fell the entire dis-
tance.
Patterson, a native of Wortham,
is the son of Mr. and Mrs. W. H.
Patterson. Ho is married and has
two children.
Young also is a native of Wor-
tham. He is married and has one
child.
Funeral services orf Patterson
were held from the Baptist church
in Wortham Tuesday afternoon at
4 o'clock, with the Rev. J. R. Webb
officiating, assisted by the Rev. W.
V. Bane.
Interment was in the Wortham
cemetery with Burleson funeral
home in charge of arrangements.
T. G. Neason
Dies Monday
At Thornton
THORNTON, Dec. 23 <Spl.)~
T. G. Neason, prominent farmer,
died at his home near here Mon-
day morning at 4:00 o'clock fal-
lowing a lengthy illness.
He is survived by his wife; three
children, A. D. Neason Rnd J. T.
Neason of Thornton and Mm.
Charlie Nabors of Cameron; and a
stepdaughter, Miss Charlie Ntason
of Thornton. Eight grandchildren
also survive.
Funeral services were heM
T —•tiny i f( r'r * n at i o'clock
Defenders of
Hong Kong Still
Standing Fast
LONDON, Dec. 23 (U.R)—Canad-
ian, British and Indian troops of
the Hong Kong garrison stood fast
today against overwhelming Jap-
anese odds while Chinese troops to
the west fought toward them in an
attempt at rescue.
Military authorities here held no
hope that the intrepid men of the
garrison, aided now by civilians,
could fight off indefinitely an en-
tire Japanese army attacking day
and night by land, air and sea.
A Singapore communique said
that tfie Chinese, fighting thiir
way toward Hong Kong from the
west, had thrust their advanced
elements to Tamshui and Sham-
chung, 10 and 27 miles respectively
from the island, and that guer-
rilla fighting was reported to have
broken out only 14 miles away
"rom the island.
Although authorities were le-
conciled to the loss of a naval base
which had been an empire out-
post for a century, it was inti-
mated that a British counterat-
tack would be organized to retake
the colony.
"Our recapture of Hong Kong
is essential to our future plans in
the western Pacific," an informant
said.
She'd Better Not
Try This on Hitler
CHICAGO, Dec. 23 —(U.R)—Rose
Hoffman, 40, German-born dish-
washer, was held on .disorderly
conduct charges today for alleg-
edly shouting curses at neWsreel
pictures of President Roosevelt
signing a declaration of wnr
against her native country.
Complaints against her were
signed by Mrs. Margaret Wash-
ington and Mri. Mary Levine, who
wore seated beside Miss Hoffman.
The women said she bad cursed
the president and shouted, "down
with Roosevelt,"
Miss Hoffman denied she had
cursed the president, bi.t admitted
she had shouted objections to ap-
plause for Mr. Roosevelt.
"I was sick of war news ar<(
went to the movie to forgeU"
■aid. "I wrs born in Git WW* V M
"w n n ei'ixon. 1 v.an'
i •• to in i •> wai*"
Hitler May Strike
on New Front in
Desperate Gamble
Reports Indicate
Nazi Leader Is
Having Trouble
LONDON, Dec. 23 — (U.R)— Indi-
cations multiplied today that Adolf
Hitler may be embarking on a
desperate gamble in an attempt
to make up for his losses in Rus-
sia.
At the moment when President
Roosevelt and Prime Minister
Winston Churchill were discussing
allied strategy in Washington,
when Britain arid Russia were dis-
cussing policy at Moscow and in-
ter-allied delegates were discuss-
ing problems of grand strategy at
Chungking, the Chinese tempor-
ary capital, there came indications
from all over Europe that Hitler
might strike on a new front in de-
fiance of the best brains of the
German high command.
Every evidence of rapid pro-
gress toward co-ordination of al-
lied strategy was matched by
signs of a serious division in the
German high command.
It was reported in private and
reliable reports from Europe that
Vichy Prance had refused Ger-
man demands that it enter fully
the Axis front: today it was re-
ported here that Sweden had
three times within the last month
refused German demands for pass-
age of troops across Sweden to
Finland.
Zurich dispatches reported that
in addition to the dismissal of
fteld Marshal Walther Von
Brauchitseh, commander-in-chief
of the German army. Hitler has
dismissed Field Marshals Fedor
Von Bock, commanding the cen-
tral Russian front, and Gerd Von
Rundstedt, commanding the south-
ern front, and that Field Marshall
I'itter Von Leeb, commanding the
northern front, had offered his
resignation.
Three possibilities of German
offensive action were foreseen as
possible if Hitler desired to strike
—a thrust through Spain to
French North Africa, a thrust
through Turkey to the Russian
Caucasus ar.d a direct attack on
Great Britain.
Mrs. Killian
Is Buried at
Groesbeck
Mrs. Nova Killian, age 2f>, died
in a Marlin hospital Friday at 6:30
p. m. after a lengthy illness. She
is survived by her husband, Maur-
ice Killian; one son, Wollie Gene
Killian; her parents, Mr. and Mrs.
Albert Cherry of Groesbeck: one
sister, Doris Jean Cherry of
Groesbeck; both grandmothers,
Mrs. O. Thompson of Groesbeck
and Mrs. Julia Cherry of Kosse.
Funeral services were held at
the Glen wood Memorial Park
Cemetery Saturday at 2 p. m. with
Rev. B. F. Browning officiating.
Pall bearers were: Willard High-
tower. Tom Strickland, E. B.
Cherry, Bill Caldwell, Jack High-
tower, and Joe Schmid. Burial
was at the Glen wood Cemetery
with Connelly's in charge.
War Relief Fund
in Mexia Reaches
Total of $695.25
An additional $144.05 contribu-
ted Monday brought Mexia's Red
Cross War Relief Fun J total to
$695.25 Tuesday morning, Bin
Smith, Limestone county War Re-
lief chairman, revolted.
Committees have been assigned
io v rious sections of the city, and
are attempting to see every per-
son in Mexia. Contributions also
are being received at all banks in
Lite city and at the Red Cross
htvidquui tens on Commerce street.
Point E. iueuir.se has sent in
$14 to the ci.unty hi ad iu iters
u-re in the lit t report from othei
roirm rUle* ,,ir" M
Churchill and
Roosevelt To Be
At White House
n
.i i
S- en)
u
WASHINGTON, Dec. 23. (UP)—President Roosevelt
today called a meeting of the "United States-Great Britain
war council" in the White House cabinet room for 4 p. rii.',
CTS.
The meeting will mark the first formal gathering- of
the .joint council—so described by the White House—under
the direction of Mr. Roosevelt and British Prme Minister
Winston Churchill who arrived at the executive mansion
last night.
fi «. Others at the conference will
tommumty
Christmas Tree to
Be Held Wed.
The annual Community Christ-
inas tree will be held * the Nuss-
baum building, next door to the
Farmers State Bank, Wednesday,
December 24 at 6:00 p. m. Person"!
who desire to contribute toy-,
new or «old, are requested to send
them to the Nusshaum building
before (he stated hour. Santa
Clans will be on hand to distribute
the irifts.
Sponsors of the event include
the Mexia Lions Club, the. Rotary
Club and the Mexia Ministers As-
sociation.
Win. P. Collins,
Tehuacana,
Taken by Death
William P. Collins, 81, died at
his home in Tehuacana Monday at
noon. Mr. Collins had been ill for
quite some time.
Before coming to Tehuacana
seven years ago, Mr. Collins had
lived in Valley Mills. He is sur-
vived by his wife and several child-
ren.
Funeral services and interment
were conducted in Valley Mills
Tuesday afternoon.
*
British Destroy
54 More Axis
Planes in Libya
CAIRO. Dec. 23. (U.R)—British
communiques reported today that
Imperial columns now block the
Axis line of retreat on the Gulf
of Sirte, south of Benghazi, and
asserted Axis air power has suf-
fered a shattering blow with the
destruction of 54 planes in the air
and on the ground.
In addition to the «>4 destroyed,
the RAF said that it had been
established that 74 Axis aircraft
were found destroedy or damaged
nt the Dcrna airdrome.
The Royal Air Force, driving in
for a killing blow on German and
Italian aviation in Noi'th Africa,
reported that 1" enemy | lunes
have been shot down in air combat
and 37 more were dctsroyed on
the ground in a surprise raid on
an advance landing ground at
Jedabiva, 100 miles south of Bm-
gh zi.
(In London a military spokes-
mn i said it appeared that German
Gen. Edwin Rommel may be forc-
ed to stand and fight at Benghazi
instead of falling back toward Tri-
poli because of the British suc-
cess in cutting off his iine of re-
treat.)
The RAF lost only three plains
hi downing 17 of the enemy's, a
communique said.
In addition to cutting off re-
treating Germans and Italians, the
British rushed reinforcements t<>
positions covering Benghazi, cap-
ital of Cyrenaica. where pressure
on the A xis forces is increasing, a
•-tw;ue said.
Injunction ^earin?
Is Postponed
GROEi
he?. i'g
'sotji «!<
tn
if1
F"K. 1 ee. 22 The
on the contest of the
an set for this morning,
■ FturjV'l" Ki-'jv'* 77th
v
'i th? 11 of iVu year.
Propagandists
Get Tales Twisted
Bv UNITED PRESS
Axis propagandists turned their
talents today to the Washington
conference between Prime Minis*
ter Winston Churchill and Presi-
dent Roosevelt, but their lines
crossed in confusion somewhere
between Berlin and Tokyo.
Berlin radio reported that Mr.
Roosevelt had "ordered" Churchill
to report to him.
On the other hand, a Japane«c
broadcast said Britain had "order-
ed" the United States to recon-
struct its Hawaiian and Philippine
defenses, abandon the battle of the
Atlantic and send reinforcements
to Malaya.
Alibougli they differed about
who was issuing orders for the
democracies, it was apparent that
the Germans hoped to spread re-
sentment in Britain while the .1 no-
un os" sought similar result* n-
mong Americans.
The wo:
•.-A fish is
mcst unportn
tiry herring. V.-
I'tgfe . • nnd
v tiah.
For the United States — Sec-
! retary of War Henry L. Stimson,
Secretary of Navy Frank Kno*,
j Lieut. Gen. H. H. Arnold, Deputy
| Chief of Staff for Air; Gen. Geo,
C. Marshal, Army Chief of Staff;
Admiral Harold R. Stark, Chief of
Naval operations; A .miral Ernest
King, Commander-in- Chief of the
U. S. Fleit; and Harry Ho;kin3,
Lend-Lease aide to the President,
For Great Britain — Lord
Beaverbrook, Minister of Supply;
Admiial Sir Dudley Pounds, Air
Marshal Sir Lharles Portal; and
Gen. Sir John Dill, former British
Chief of Staff.
The council call was announced
by Stephen T. Eariy, Presidential
Press Secretary, who said:
"That group you might call the
United States-British war coun-
cil."
Groundwork for the initial full-
drc.ss meeting was framed by Mr.
Roosevelt and Churchill in an in-
formal conference that began after
the letter's arrival here last night
and continued until I a. m. ..today
in the President'a study.
The conference bey n auspici-
ously enough, with reports from
the Far East giving honors to
American and British forces in
fierce lighting with Japanese in
the Philippines and Hong Kong,
respectively.
On the production front, the
White house made public an agree-
ment between the United States
and C-tnada, wheb has the effect
of pooling the gigantic war pro-
duction machinery of this country
with the munitions factories of our
northern neighbor for the output
of ever increasing numbers of
tanks, planes shij.s, and guns.
The agreement wipes out exist-
ing tariff and tax barriers on inter-
change of vital war materials,
making it easier for the two neigh-
boring countries to streamline
their production for greater effici-
ency and output.
Canadian Prime Minister W. L.
McKenzie King, who is to par-
ticipate in the inter-alled talks
here, probably will delay his ar-
rival until after Christmas, it was
disclose! by officials at OttaW-a.
King has been invited to coine
here by Mr. Roosevelt.
Churchill arrived in Washing-
ton by air last night ofjt of a mist
of speculation nnd secrecy. He left
(Continued on page three.)
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Stewart, A. M. The Mexia Weekly Herald (Mexia, Tex.), Vol. 43, No. 52, Ed. 1 Friday, December 26, 1941, newspaper, December 26, 1941; Mexia, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth299740/m1/1/: accessed July 11, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Gibbs Memorial Library.