Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
On this date ...
1941: A Wichita Falls teenager was charged with killing two traveling companions and placing their bodies on the train tracks four miles south of Clovis.
Officials at first believed J.V. Harden and Arthur William Hall had fallen from the tracks and been run over by the train.
Charles Alexander then told authorities that the dead men had been traveling with him and Jess Fuller, but went ahead without them when Alexander and Fuller decided to rest for the night.
Alexander, 15, theorized the dead men had decided to rest on the tracks and accidentally fell asleep.
Now Alexander was claiming Fuller, 18, knifed the victims and forced Alexander to help him place their bodies on the tracks, where they were mangled by a passing train.
Alexander claimed he initially lied to authorities because he was afraid Fuller would harm him.
Fuller had pleaded not guilty to the murder charges. Alexander was not charged in connection with the incident.
In September 1941, Fuller — who maintained his innocence throughout — was convicted of voluntary manslaughter in connection with Hall’s death and sentenced to five years in prison.
News reports did not explain why Fuller was not tried in connection with Harden’s death.
1949: A 3-year-old Grady girl was admitted to Clovis Memorial Hospital after drinking rat poison while playing at home. She was released from a physician’s care two days later.
1955: The annual all-veterans picnic was slated for the Eastern New Mexico University campus in Portales.
All veterans and their families were welcomed to the basket dinner.
Free melons and snow cones were served.
1956: Clovis Air Force Base officials were warning area residents that “several rockets have accidentally been lost in flight recently.”
The rockets, also described as bombs and explosive materials, were believed to be south of the base, officials said.
“Items of this nature may be extremely dangerous ... and should not be handled under any circumstances,” the Clovis News-Journal warned.
1957: The Clovis Municipal Board of Education’s August meeting lasted until midnight.
In addition to the routine every-month business, the Clovis News-Journal reported the board:
• extended the lease of Johnnie’s Drive-In through Sept. 1, 1957.
• awarded the bread bid for the cafeteria to Meads Bakery
• awarded the milk bid to Campbell’s Dairy
• approved insurance on the new Gattis Junior High School -- $214,500 on the building and $21,500 on its contents
1960: Four Clovis men were fined $50 each, plus court costs, after pleading guilty to illegal possession of mourning doves.
Dove season was still two weeks away from its beginning. The men were found with two doves in their possession.
1965: Melrose was expecting 325 students to register for the 1965-66 school year. Superintendent Willard Moon said the number was down from about 350 the year before. Melrose employed 21 teachers in its system and had one new teacher — Wayne Moore, an instructor of physical education.
1968: Steve Graham led the Clovis Wildcats during their opening football practice.
Clovis’ coach said two-a-day drills would continue four more days in shorts before the team put on pads and began full-scale drills for a week at Cannon Air Force Base.
The season opener was scheduled Sept. 13 against Albuquerque Manzano.
1974: The 9th Judicial District Attorney’s Office had hired a part-time prosecutor to help with the case load.
DA Fred Hensley said Clovis attorney Robert Cochrane would work the equivalent of two days per week and be on call nights and weekends.
The DA’s other prosecutors were Assistant DA Bill Bonem and Richard Rowley II, who was called in for “special cases,” Hensley said.
1975: Texico had a new junior high school and multiple new administrators.
The school, still about a week away from completion, cost $275,000, the Clovis News-Journal reported.
New administrators included Superintendent James Pierce, and Principals James Harding, Kenneth Shaw and George Harrington.
Superintendent A.D. McDonald retired during the summer.
Pages Past is compiled by David Stevens and Betty Williamson. Contact:
