Two Victims Of Cult Bombing Tape
Recorded Suicidal Intentions at Motel
mCHATS WORTH, Calif., iff) —
Tape recordings discovered near
the dynamited wreckage of the
Fountain of the World Monastery
point to two former cult members
as the bombers, police say.
Nine persons, possibly 10, were
killed in Wednesday’s earth-jar
v ring explosion. The two dyna
miters are believed to have shared
the fate of their victims.
Detectives said the blast appar
ently was touched off by Ralph
Muller, 33, and Peter Kamenoff,
42, both of Joshua Tree, Calif.
Tape recordings made by the
pair the night before the dyna
miting indicate they were angry
at the leader of the cult, Krishna
Venta, and wanted to “bring him
to iustice,” officers said.
The tapes, an hourlong recital
of grievances against Krishna and
the cult, also were described as
farewell messages and detectives
believe the men deliberately blew
themselves up.
Venta, a barefooted, self-styled
mystic, five of hs flock and two
children were. killed in the ex
plosion. One and perhaps two
other bodies have also been re
covered. The violent explosion and
the fire that followed ^pade iden
tification nearly impossible.
Muller nd Kamenoff were seen
in an argument with Venta about
an hour before the blast.
Muller once confided to a friend ]
that it was his ambition to depose
Venta and set up a cult of his |
own to replace the Fountain of
the World.
The suicidal nature of the
bombing was underscored by the
fact the triggering device had to
be manually operated, presumably
by one of the men who carried
the dynamite into the building in
a zippered bag.
The tape recordings were found
in Muller’s pickup truck, parked
near the cult’s 29-acre colony in
Box Canyon, about 30 miles north
west of Los Angeles.
After listening to them, officers'
pieced together this story:
Muller and Kameioff left their
desert home in Joshua Tree —
about 115 miles east of Los An
geles — picked up 20 sticks of
dynamite and electric primers
~
and drove to the cult area.
They registered at a motel in
nearby Tarzana, set up their re
corder and taped their last words.
Officers said Kamenoff blamed
Venta for separating him from
his wife and child by persuading
her to stay in the cult’s Homer,
Alaska, colony.
Both men were construction
workers.
The surviving members of the
Fountain of the World citft say
they will keep it going. Venta, a
former shipyard worker named
Francis Pencovic, founded it in
1948, proclaiming himself “the
Messiah.” He said it was open to
anyone who “lived the ten com
mandments.” It has about 100
members.
Venta’s wife, known as Mother
Ruth, flew home from the cult's
Alaska Colony to help reorganize
the group. Before boarding a
plane in Anchorage she told news
men her husband will be resur
rected.
FIRST FOR 1959 —
ALBUQUERJUE, N. M„ UR —
The Post Office got this letter to
Santa: “Will you give me a new
bike, and if you can’t find a new
bike I will take an old one. If
your elves are too busy this year,
will you please make me the first
one on your list next year.”
NOME SANITARY
SERVICE
Phone Main 1
P.O. Bex 558
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WINTER SCHEDULE
Douglas DC-3 and Super C-46
Fairbanks to Nome (via Kotzebue)
Each Monday, Wednesday & Friday — Fit. 311
Leave Fairbanks 9:00 a.M. Arrive Hughes
Leave Hughes Arrive Kotzebue 10:35 ami.
Leave Kotzebue 11:15 a.m. Arrive Nome 12:2S p.m.
Nome to Fairbanks (Direct)
Each Monday, Wednesday & Friday — Fit. 312
Leave Nome 1:25 p.m. Arrive Galena
Leave Galena Arrive Tanana
Leave Tanana Arrive Fairbanks 5:25 p.m.
Fairbanks to Nome (Direct)
Each Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday — Fit. 311
Leave Fairbanks 9:00 a.m. Arrive Tanana
Leave Tanana Arrive Galena
Leave Galena Arrive Nome 11:00 ami.
Nome to Fairbanks (via Kotzebue)
Each Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday — Fit. 312
Leave Nome 12:00 p.m. Arrive Kotzebue 1:10 p.m.
Leave Kotzebue 1:50 p.m. Arrive Hughes
Leave Hughes Arrive Fairbanks 5:25 p.m.
All Times are Alaska Standard and Bering Standard Time
Phone: Wien Alaska Airlines . Station Mgr. |
main* “ First In Alaska” P'‘" W'“h
San Francisco
Feels Heavy
Earth Tremor
SAN FRANCISCO, UP) — An
earthquake jolted San Francisco
and a radius of up to 50 miles
early yesterday, but damage ap
pered to be minor. Broken dishes
and a cracked wall or two — but
no injuries were reported.
The jolt hit at 1:52 a.m., and
triggered a flood of calls from
startled residents to newspapers
and police and radio stations.
“It was a fairly strong shake
and probably centered southwest
of Daly City (a southern suburb
of San Francisco),” said Dr. Don
Tocher, University of California
seismologist who was awakened
by the temblor and hurried to
his laboratory at Berkeley across
the bay.
Buildings shook for several sec
onds in downtown San Francisco
with the rolling motion of the
quake.
Dr. Tocher said his instruments
recorded the shock for about six
minutes. He thought it was prob
ably an aftershock of a heavy
earthquake centered on the San
Andreas fault under Daly City
March 22, 1956. That quake caused j
widespread damage and that was j
the fault that caused San Fran-;
cisco’s 1906 disaster.
Minor jolts have hit the area!
the past two mornings. They
caused no damage but roused
sleepers.
WHO WANTS SECONDS . . .
ANN ARBOR, Mich., OP) — Uni
versity of Michigan coeds staged
a food strike at Mosher Hall this
week in protest over meals. They
listed 11 complaints. Ten charged
greasy food, unpopular dishes and
poor food preparation. The 11th
protested lack of second helpings.
At the stroke of Midnight, the
rare, priceless Gold Nugget will
be given away.
Alcorn Pleads
For More GOP
Partisanship
HONOLULU, iff) — Republican
National Chairman Meade Alcorn
yesterday coupled a plea for more
GOP partisanship with a predic
tion that Hawaii almost certainly
will attain statehood next year.
Alcorn said this in a speech
prepared for a conference of Re
publican leaders from 11 western
states, Alaska and Hawaii. ,
Many party officials, Yn scnalyz
ing the GOP defeats in Novem
ber, feel Republicans are not par
tisan enough, he said.
?‘One of the things most urgent
ly needed today is a return to
party pride and party voting,” the
Republican chief said.
“The common interests and be
liefs that make us Republicans are
certainly broad enough to attract
to our ranks millions of indepen
dents and discerning Democrats.
“Too often, perhaps, we fail to
tell them clearly what our aims
and purposes are.”
Alaska, also represented at yes
terday’s conference, is expected to
be proclaimed the nation’s 49th
State early in January.
SUBSCRIBE TO THE NUGGET
A-F Academy
Will Accept
3 From Alaska
WASHINGTON, OP) — State
hood will increase Alaska’s en
tries to the Air Force Academy
from one ai year to three.
The dividend was disclosed
wfth an Air Force announcement
that incoming Senator Ernest
Gruening and Representative
Ralph J. Rivers each will be en
titled to nominate 11 Alaska
youths to take competitive en
trance examinations for admis
sion to the Colorado Springs aca
demy in June.
Senator E. L. Bartlett also will
be entitled to 11 neminations, but
already has named the bulk of
his choices for the coming year in
his role as Territorial Delegate.
The Air Force announcement
emphasized the need for quick ac
tion by Gruening and Rivers, say
ing their nominations must be
made by January 31. It urged in
terested Alaskan youths to advise
the two members promptly.
Actual entrance to the Academy
will be based upon the results of
competitive examinations given in
Alaska to each of the three groups
of nominees.
To be eligible, a youth must be
between 17 and 21 years of age,
unmarried and possess a high
school diploma by June, 1959.
While each of the Alaska mem
bers may nominate 11 candidates,
only one nominee of each mem
ber will be selected for admission.
Fine Job Printing At The Nugget.
Suggestions For The Early Holiday Shopper:
FOR HER FOR HIM
Hansen Gloves M^lers ' “oves
Wool or Silk Scarves j V»»1^ i,C c *
Blouses - Skirts Tie "d,Ha"ky Sfts
Slips - Handbags Wo01 P,aid. SP°rt SWrts
Costume Jewelry TT . aJama*
Holeproof Sox
FOR THEM FOR THE
Towel Sets KIDDIES
Embroidered - — Sleds - Pedal Cars
Pillow Cases Toy Trucks - Planes
Pastel Dish Towels Cruisers
Guest Towels /' fillflTf] Q Doll Dishes - Carriages
Bedspreads - Quilts V'W'r VvVW 0 Stuffed Toys
Sheet and Case Sets FAMILY STORE Games - Novelties
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