December 14, 1960 (10 pages)

pe ‘ Serving the communities of Nevada i North San Juan, North icago City, Grass Valley, Red Dog, You Bet, Town Talk, Park, Wolf, Christmas Hill, Hill, Seilor as “Volume 35 No. 50 tk 10 Cents a Copy. : eRe moc ‘ork, +4 Hill, it City, Wi Flat, * "THE PAPER WITH THE PICTURES" Nevada City, Wednesday, December 14, 1960 Published Weekiy sremetare Billboard Restriction Gets eur Nalional Hotel Annex Fire Backing Of Local Leaders Pe mm ge ee ee ee fy So a station manager, and Rich Plans to establish an ord inance regulating the conwell be restricted as to size,/ ard Walker of Donner Lake. Commission Chairman struction of billboards along. number, and type. Distinguishing between legitimate Charles -Litton urged all Nevada County roads got a . boost Monday evening when loca] advertising and large who attended and other incivic leaders from throughsigns plugging out-of-county , terested parties to send in At least half of the ground floor of the National Hotel Annex will be boarded up to await the day of destruction for the future Nevada City freeway. Its future fate already sealed by the recent city vote endorsing a downtown freeway route, the Annex suffer ed a destructive fire Saturday noon. Nevada City firemen, aided by a standby unit from Grass Valley, were able to hold fire damageto the lowet floor. Prentiss Portraits had a loss estimated at $3000 exclusive of damage to the building which is owned by the State of California as a part of the freeway right of way: Operators of the photo, studio for only one month, E. L. Abrahamson Jr. and Robert Wyckoff immediately began looking for a new site at which to conduct business. Damage to the Mathis-Osborn-Woods studio was mainly from smoke and water. Residents and businessmen in Nevada City helped take establishments such as specific suggestions for ordiReno casinos, Knee said he ; nance controls to’ the comwould hate to see the latter , mission as soon as possible, type “spread between here . So that in “drafting the ordiand Grass Valley.” nance we can take into acGrass Valley Mayor Arcount the true needs and nold Thorsen expressed desires of the people of the similar views, saying he county.” was afraid of “too many Litton said the commissigns when the new highsion would like to recomWay comes in.” mend an ordinance to the out the county appeared be fore the planning commis sion to discuss the proposal. All except one seemed to feél some kind of ordinance should be enacted. The one opposing voice was that of Richard Joseph} owner of the Gateway Motel and Gateway Shepping Center, near Truckee. Typical of the opinions ' Others favoring some kind board of supervisors within expressed was that of Richof control that would at the ‘a month. Commissioner Cecil Edard Knee, who spoke as a same time protect local busiprivate. businessman and as ness interests were Albert mundgs' of Truckee responda member of the Nevada Miller of the Rough and ed to the protests of Joseph City Chamber of Commerce. Ready Chamber of Comby pointing out he had While emphasizing that a merce; Albert Johnson, repcounted 116 road signs bebusinessman has every right resenting the Nevada City tween the California state to advertise his establishPlanning Commission and line and Reno. He suggested ment with road signs. Knee the Sierra Club; Elza Kilthat without controls “that . said it is “undesirable” to roy of the Nevada City, is an indication of what we Planning Commission; Tom might be in for in Nevada have too many signs,’ He said road signs might ' Yost, Nevada City service County. And I don’t remember what’s on those signs.” Joseph retorted that signs do not do damage to. the scenery. “There are millions and millions of acres of land Trailer Court Rehearing Granted ff. The County Planning Commission Monday night to look at up here,” he said. Tahoe Monday night that his “‘basic National Forest right as a citizen” was,.thus Supervisor Henry. Branagh voted to grant a “re-hearnot being protected. ing” to landowners protesting the installation trailer court on of clarified forest service road It was pointed out, howsign’ policy for the commis: a ever, that the usual route sion. Noting that most of Combie of appeal through the courts Route 20 between Nevada was open to the landowners. City’ and Emigrant Gap However, the rehearing was Road near Higgins Corners. The motion to grant the NUGGET PHOTO..The interior of Prentiss Portrait Studio shows what little art work from the studio to remains. Only the charred wood, the mangled metal of arc lights can be seen this week ina photo studio that last week was snapping the happy faces of local children looking forward toChristmas. Parents were looking forward to pictures---for. keeping and for. giving to family and friends. Christmas still looks bright to the youngsters who sat for photos, but parents will have to try passes through national forest land, and that 18 per contingent on an opinion by rehearing was made by the district attorney that Weston W. Brunker, who cent of Highway 40 between such an action would be Stated that although he Blue Tent and Truckee is legal. would probably have voted in forest land, he said that A month ago, the commiswith the majority (he was forest service billboard pol sion granted a permit to! not present at the original icy conforms to county polJames J. Sloan after an ex-. hearing) he felt that the icies only if the counties tensive hearing in which’ landowners might have adhave “higher standards than Sloan agreed to conform to ditional evidence and arguours. We feel we have a a long list of limitations obligation to retain attracments to present. and controls. He was supported by tive natural conditions along However, the landowners, Melva Hillier, John Looser, the roads.” The Forest Servled by rancher Daniel O. Carlos McGuire, and Charles ice, he said, allows commerNewton, found' that a quirk Kitts. Opposing the motion cial establishments ‘within in the ordinances did not were Robert Graham, Cecil its area two small approach allow them the right of apEdmunds, and Chairman signs and one 32 square peal to the board of superfoot entrance sign. Charles Litton. visors. Newton claimed again. Alpha Hardware, across Broad Street, for safe keep. ing. Among those seen helping were Downey Clinch and Bill” Briggs of Alpha and District Attorney Harold Berliner. Although MOW has moved All negatives and prints of the studio were lost in the fire. NUGGET Photo by: Prentiss‘ Studio back into the studio, rumors persist that Osborn and Woods are seeking another store. If they should move, the state Division of Highways will likely board up that side of the Annex also. Rooms above the Annex are still occupied, although some smoke damage was in evidence there, too. Murder? ‘I Don’t Know’, Fitzgerald Answers Nevada County’s first murder trial in almost -a decade broke wide open where he was apprehended _With the boarding up of ‘the Annex, another of Nev ada City's historical sights will become less sightly. Speed Zone of in her presence, she cried: at Fitzgerald’s borrowed car the time of the killing, bitterly and said, “Of course! Monday in the most. dranot. We had just been mar’ The three men had left matic courtroom day since ried the day before.” a San Francisco bar en route the Santo-Perkins affair’ of In his brief cross-examto Reno. They stopped at 1953. ination, defense . attorney Truckee and from there The day began with acRovert Fugazi asked the drove to the death scene. cused murderer Stanley witness if she had become A key ‘to the defense of William Fitzgerald, alias fond of Fitzgerald. “ExFitzgerala8 against the William Boyd, alias Ralph tremely fond,” she — said. charge of murder for rob being. asked immediately by District Attorney Harold Berliner: “Did. you kill George Bonn?” “I don’t know,” Fitzgerald said, sticking to his story that he was unconscious! when seven shots left his gun and entered. the body of the murdered man on Aug. 3 in a lonely. spot north of Truckee. Fitzgerald underwent several hours of gruelling, vir tually uninterrupted, grilling. ' No sooner had he finished) ' than the district attorney; brought in Mrs. Yvonne Schuman, whom Fitzgerald had married after the kill-) ‘ing near Truckee. Her. appearance stunned the courtroom and brought the first signs of emotion from. Fitzgerald as he The 35 mile perhour speed limit on the Grass Valley-Colfax Highway near Union Hill, about two miles southeast of Grass Valley, has been extended northwesterly in the direction of m Grass Valley about .3 mile, state highway officials an‘nounced today at the Marys‘ville district office. The extension was made in order to include a reversing’ curve as well’ as. the intersecticn of East Empire “Don’t: ask me what hap-! bery was the implied homopened that night. I couldn’t sexual relationship between tell you if my life =a bor, the victim and Young. The defense established rible nightmare to .me., I} that the whiskey consumed just don’t. know. . . I just) by Fitzgerald and Bonn don’t know.” . came from the luggage of Berliner and Undersheriff of Young. Although only a Frank Gallino escorted her! drinker of orange juice and from the room. gin, Young carried the The third major witness whiskey for his “friends” if of the day was Robert they should happen to visit Smithson, who escaped from: him at his hotel room, he on it. . . . It’s been a hor the Nevada County jail ‘in said. : Street. Warning signs will also be posted to indicate the elongated S-curve, Enforcement of the additional reduced speed zone Donation Day Parade Tuesday In Grass Valley clenched his fist until : it Fitzgerald. the murder, hit on the head was white; covered his face In his cross-exaraination,. with a bottle by Bonn. He mas at ll a.m. Tuesday. Children will parade in with his hand, and closed Berliner elicited from) claims to have no knowlhis eyes. Smithson testimony which edge of any shots being Grass Valley in the annual Dressed in a purple dress! contradicted Fitzgerald's, infired except earlier during affair that gathers food for and purple hat with a pur-' cluding the statement that target practice. ple satin ribbon, a fur stole Fitzgerald had tied the feet Fitzgerald claims his atand dark glasses, Mrs. Schuof a Yuba’ County woman. tack by Bonn resulted from SDA Welfare Dept. man sobbed as she related the two of them had robbed Fitzgerald’s refusal “to have that Fitzgerald had told her during the time of the esa party” with the two men. will Close he had “cancer of the cape. Earlier, Fitzgerald had Testimony, therefore, brain,“ that he was a widdenied taking such action. would leave the impression The Seventh Day Advene ower, and that she had Smithson also admitted he that one man was wounded known him on’y as “Mr. _ had a previous felony conand played dead, and that tist Welfare department will Ralph Johnson.” ~ the second was unconscious Janz 9. When asked whether she when the third man in the tempting to. pick up her husband in Portland, Ore., will become effective upon installation of signs, probably about Dec. 26, qf October with Fitzgerald and The conflict in testimony three juveniles. Called by: is most marked when it: the defense, Smithson said centers on the death scene he had seen Milton Young, and events that took place who had aecompanied Fitzros rep ain prior to Bonn’s gerald and Bonn: on the death, ‘ { fatal afternoon, “hopping Young says he was shot across” ‘the sheriff’s office first by Fitzgerald and some days previous to “played .dead” ini fear of Young’s appearance in the’ his life. As a result he did courtroom, where from a' not see Fitzgerald fire the wheelchair he reported he, shots that killed Bonn. Donation Day in Grass the needy. was partially paralyzed as Fitzgerald says he was Valley will give Led bythe music ofa impetuto s a result of being shot by). unconscious at the time of the final week before Christ‘marching band, the Do ¥ Johnson, taking the stand for cross-examination and group . Studio Boarded Any person needing invited to call Mrs. Jefferson at’ 273-4914, or . Mrs. Johinson at 265-2772. — nation Day parade will start at Hennessy School and follow the same route as last year---Auburn Street to Main, Main Street to Mill, Mill Street to Neal, Neal Street to Auburn and then to the collection of food at the Veterans Memorial Building. Plans call for the Muleteers to participate in the parade, Mrs, Leonard Prisk Jr. isin charge of the Donation Day. Freeway The Nevada City:council Monday night thanked all who took part in a special private freeway elections. The council! urged fast collection this year. Meanwhile, Grass Valley merchants Will open eve nings Friday night and all next week. Nevada City Dec, 7 Max. Min. R 48 21 bees S46 4. Dec. 9 Dee.10 54 24 «48 8. ened Dec, i 46 26 .23 28 oan Dec. 8 Dec. 12 6 Wl Dec. 13 51 og merchants will be open Sat Rainfall to date: urday night and Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights This year 12, 92 Last year. 5.07 . next week. _. Grass Valley aDec. 7° =54 96 visits from the children in Dec. 8 58 34. both cities during these final Santa Claus is availablé for days prior to Christmas. Christmas shopping, still state action in bringing the freeway into the city, and spotty in Nevada City, has notified the state that local picked up monentum in Grass residents favored the down-. Valley, with merchants in town ‘route in the recent both cities forecasting record election, Nevada City record sales during the final © week, Dec. 9 52 28 Dec. 10. 51 Dec. 12 Dec.13 55 34 58 33 28 Dec. 1 ° 47 31 Rainfall to date; — This Year Last Year C3 *

pe ‘ Serving the communities of Nevada i North San Juan, North icago City, Grass Valley, Red Dog, You Bet, Town Talk, Park, Wolf, Christmas Hill, Hill, Seilor as “Volume 35 No. 50 tk 10 Cents a Copy. : eRe moc ‘ork, +4 Hill, it City, Wi Flat, * "THE PAPER WITH THE PICTURES" Nevada City, Wednesday, December 14, 1960 Published Weekiy sremetare Billboard Restriction Gets eur Nalional Hotel Annex Fire Backing Of Local Leaders Pe mm ge ee ee ee fy So a station manager, and Rich Plans to establish an ord inance regulating the conwell be restricted as to size,/ ard Walker of Donner Lake. Commission Chairman struction of billboards along. number, and type. Distinguishing between legitimate Charles -Litton urged all Nevada County roads got a . boost Monday evening when loca] advertising and large who attended and other incivic leaders from throughsigns plugging out-of-county , terested parties to send in At least half of the ground floor of the National Hotel Annex will be boarded up to await the day of destruction for the future Nevada City freeway. Its future fate already sealed by the recent city vote endorsing a downtown freeway route, the Annex suffer ed a destructive fire Saturday noon. Nevada City firemen, aided by a standby unit from Grass Valley, were able to hold fire damageto the lowet floor. Prentiss Portraits had a loss estimated at $3000 exclusive of damage to the building which is owned by the State of California as a part of the freeway right of way: Operators of the photo, studio for only one month, E. L. Abrahamson Jr. and Robert Wyckoff immediately began looking for a new site at which to conduct business. Damage to the Mathis-Osborn-Woods studio was mainly from smoke and water. Residents and businessmen in Nevada City helped take establishments such as specific suggestions for ordiReno casinos, Knee said he ; nance controls to’ the comwould hate to see the latter , mission as soon as possible, type “spread between here . So that in “drafting the ordiand Grass Valley.” nance we can take into acGrass Valley Mayor Arcount the true needs and nold Thorsen expressed desires of the people of the similar views, saying he county.” was afraid of “too many Litton said the commissigns when the new highsion would like to recomWay comes in.” mend an ordinance to the out the county appeared be fore the planning commis sion to discuss the proposal. All except one seemed to feél some kind of ordinance should be enacted. The one opposing voice was that of Richard Joseph} owner of the Gateway Motel and Gateway Shepping Center, near Truckee. Typical of the opinions ' Others favoring some kind board of supervisors within expressed was that of Richof control that would at the ‘a month. Commissioner Cecil Edard Knee, who spoke as a same time protect local busiprivate. businessman and as ness interests were Albert mundgs' of Truckee responda member of the Nevada Miller of the Rough and ed to the protests of Joseph City Chamber of Commerce. Ready Chamber of Comby pointing out he had While emphasizing that a merce; Albert Johnson, repcounted 116 road signs bebusinessman has every right resenting the Nevada City tween the California state to advertise his establishPlanning Commission and line and Reno. He suggested ment with road signs. Knee the Sierra Club; Elza Kilthat without controls “that . said it is “undesirable” to roy of the Nevada City, is an indication of what we Planning Commission; Tom might be in for in Nevada have too many signs,’ He said road signs might ' Yost, Nevada City service County. And I don’t remember what’s on those signs.” Joseph retorted that signs do not do damage to. the scenery. “There are millions and millions of acres of land Trailer Court Rehearing Granted ff.. The County Planning Commission Monday night to look at up here,” he said. Tahoe Monday night that his “‘basic National Forest right as a citizen” was,.thus Supervisor Henry. Branagh voted to grant a “re-hearnot being protected. ing” to landowners protesting the installation trailer court on of clarified forest service road It was pointed out, howsign’ policy for the commis: a ever, that the usual route sion. Noting that most of Combie of appeal through the courts Route 20 between Nevada was open to the landowners. City’ and Emigrant Gap However, the rehearing was Road near Higgins Corners. The motion to grant the NUGGET PHOTO...The interior of Prentiss Portrait Studio shows what little art work from the studio to remains. Only the charred wood, the mangled metal of arc lights can be seen this week ina photo studio that last week was snapping the happy faces of local children looking forward toChristmas. Parents were looking forward to pictures---for. keeping and for. giving to family and friends. Christmas still looks bright to the youngsters who sat for photos, but parents will have to try passes through national forest land, and that 18 per contingent on an opinion by rehearing was made by the district attorney that Weston W. Brunker, who cent of Highway 40 between such an action would be Stated that although he Blue Tent and Truckee is legal. would probably have voted in forest land, he said that A month ago, the commiswith the majority (he was forest service billboard pol sion granted a permit to! not present at the original icy conforms to county polJames J. Sloan after an ex-. hearing) he felt that the icies only if the counties tensive hearing in which’ landowners might have adhave “higher standards than Sloan agreed to conform to ditional evidence and arguours. We feel we have a a long list of limitations obligation to retain attracments to present. and controls. He was supported by tive natural conditions along However, the landowners, Melva Hillier, John Looser, the roads.” The Forest Servled by rancher Daniel O. Carlos McGuire, and Charles ice, he said, allows commerNewton, found' that a quirk Kitts. Opposing the motion cial establishments ‘within in the ordinances did not were Robert Graham, Cecil its area two small approach allow them the right of apEdmunds, and Chairman signs and one 32 square peal to the board of superfoot entrance sign. Charles Litton. visors. Newton claimed again. Alpha Hardware, across Broad Street, for safe keep. ing. Among those seen helping were Downey Clinch and Bill” Briggs of Alpha and District Attorney Harold Berliner. Although MOW has moved All negatives and prints of the studio were lost in the fire. NUGGET Photo by: Prentiss‘ Studio back into the studio, rumors persist that Osborn and Woods are seeking another store. If they should move, the state Division of Highways will likely board up that side of the Annex also. Rooms above the Annex are still occupied, although some smoke damage was in evidence there, too. Murder? ‘I Don’t Know’, Fitzgerald Answers Nevada County’s first murder trial in almost -a decade broke wide open where he was apprehended _With the boarding up of ‘the Annex, another of Nev ada City's historical sights will become less sightly. Speed Zone of in her presence, she cried: at Fitzgerald’s borrowed car the time of the killing, bitterly and said, “Of course! Monday in the most. dranot. We had just been mar’ The three men had left matic courtroom day since ried the day before.” a San Francisco bar en route the Santo-Perkins affair’ of In his brief cross-examto Reno. They stopped at 1953. ination, defense . attorney Truckee and from there The day began with acRovert Fugazi asked the drove to the death scene. cused murderer Stanley witness if she had become A key ‘to the defense of William Fitzgerald, alias fond of Fitzgerald. “ExFitzgerala8 against the William Boyd, alias Ralph tremely fond,” she — said. charge of murder for rob

being. asked immediately by District Attorney Harold Berliner: “Did. you kill George Bonn?” “I don’t know,” Fitzgerald said, sticking to his story that he was unconscious! when seven shots left his gun and entered. the body of the murdered man on Aug. 3 in a lonely. spot north of Truckee. Fitzgerald underwent several hours of gruelling, vir tually uninterrupted, grilling. ' No sooner had he finished) ' than the district attorney; brought in Mrs. Yvonne Schuman, whom Fitzgerald had married after the kill-) ‘ing near Truckee. Her. appearance stunned the courtroom and brought the first signs of emotion from. Fitzgerald as he The 35 mile perhour speed limit on the Grass Valley-Colfax Highway near Union Hill, about two miles southeast of Grass Valley, has been extended northwesterly in the direction of m Grass Valley about .3 mile, state highway officials an‘nounced today at the Marys‘ville district office. The extension was made in order to include a reversing’ curve as well’ as. the intersecticn of East Empire “Don’t: ask me what hap-! bery was the implied homopened that night. I couldn’t sexual relationship between tell you if my life =a bor, the victim and Young. The defense established rible nightmare to .me., I} that the whiskey consumed just don’t. know. . . I just) by Fitzgerald and Bonn don’t know.” . came from the luggage of Berliner and Undersheriff of Young. Although only a Frank Gallino escorted her! drinker of orange juice and from the room. gin, Young carried the The third major witness whiskey for his “friends” if of the day was Robert they should happen to visit Smithson, who escaped from: him at his hotel room, he on it. . . . It’s been a hor the Nevada County jail ‘in said. : Street. Warning signs will also be posted to indicate the elongated S-curve, Enforcement of the additional reduced speed zone Donation Day Parade Tuesday In Grass Valley clenched his fist until : it Fitzgerald. the murder, hit on the head was white; covered his face In his cross-exaraination,. with a bottle by Bonn. He mas at ll a.m. Tuesday. Children will parade in with his hand, and closed Berliner elicited from) claims to have no knowlhis eyes. Smithson testimony which edge of any shots being Grass Valley in the annual Dressed in a purple dress! contradicted Fitzgerald's, infired except earlier during affair that gathers food for and purple hat with a pur-' cluding the statement that target practice. ple satin ribbon, a fur stole Fitzgerald had tied the feet Fitzgerald claims his atand dark glasses, Mrs. Schuof a Yuba’ County woman. tack by Bonn resulted from SDA Welfare Dept. man sobbed as she related the two of them had robbed Fitzgerald’s refusal “to have that Fitzgerald had told her during the time of the esa party” with the two men. will Close he had “cancer of the cape. Earlier, Fitzgerald had Testimony, therefore, brain,“ that he was a widdenied taking such action. would leave the impression The Seventh Day Advene ower, and that she had Smithson also admitted he that one man was wounded known him on’y as “Mr. _ had a previous felony conand played dead, and that tist Welfare department will Ralph Johnson.” ~ the second was unconscious Janz 9. When asked whether she when the third man in the tempting to. pick up her husband in Portland, Ore., will become effective upon installation of signs, probably about Dec. 26, qf October with Fitzgerald and The conflict in testimony three juveniles. Called by: is most marked when it: the defense, Smithson said centers on the death scene he had seen Milton Young, and events that took place who had aecompanied Fitzros rep ain prior to Bonn’s gerald and Bonn: on the death, ‘ { fatal afternoon, “hopping Young says he was shot across” ‘the sheriff’s office first by Fitzgerald and some days previous to “played .dead” ini fear of Young’s appearance in the’ his life. As a result he did courtroom, where from a' not see Fitzgerald fire the wheelchair he reported he, shots that killed Bonn. Donation Day in Grass the needy. was partially paralyzed as Fitzgerald says he was Valley will give Led bythe music ofa impetuto s a result of being shot by). unconscious at the time of the final week before Christ‘marching band, the Do ¥ Johnson, taking the stand for cross-examination and group . Studio Boarded Any person needing invited to call Mrs. Jefferson at’ 273-4914, or . Mrs. Johinson at 265-2772. — nation Day parade will start at Hennessy School and follow the same route as last year---Auburn Street to Main, Main Street to Mill, Mill Street to Neal, Neal Street to Auburn and then to the collection of food at the Veterans Memorial Building. Plans call for the Muleteers to participate in the parade, Mrs, Leonard Prisk Jr. isin charge of the Donation Day. Freeway The Nevada City:council Monday night thanked all who took part in a special private freeway elections. The council! urged fast collection this year. Meanwhile, Grass Valley merchants Will open eve nings Friday night and all next week. Nevada City Dec, 7 Max. Min. R 48 21 bees S46 4.. Dec. 9 Dee.10 54 24 «48 8. ened Dec, i 46 26 .23 28 oan Dec. 8 Dec. 12 6 Wl Dec. 13 51 og merchants will be open Sat Rainfall to date: urday night and Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights This year 12, 92 Last year. 5.07 . next week. _. Grass Valley aDec. 7° =54 96 visits from the children in Dec. 8 58 34. both cities during these final Santa Claus is availablé for days prior to Christmas. Christmas shopping, still state action in bringing the freeway into the city, and spotty in Nevada City, has notified the state that local picked up monentum in Grass residents favored the down-. Valley, with merchants in town ‘route in the recent both cities forecasting record election, Nevada City record sales during the final © week, Dec. 9 52 28 Dec. 10. 51 Dec. 12 Dec.13 55 34 58 33 28 Dec. 1 ° 47 31 Rainfall to date; — This Year Last Year C3 *