Matt Weinstock

Feb. 12, 1958

As you may have read, L. Ewing Scott, convicted wife slayer, was moved from one County Jail cell to another because he was getting too chummy with the prisoner next door, Caryl Chessman, convicted bandit under sentence of death.

Naturally, the reporters covering the Scott case became curious about the nature of their chitchat.

Checking disclosed that, among other things, Chessman was trying to persuade Scott to write a book, presumably about HIS experiences.

Actually, Scott, like Chessman, is more or less of an author, having financed, if not written a little number.

Only point in all this is that reporters suddenly realized they'd stumbled upon a milestone. As reporter Carter Barber put it, "It was the first literary tea ever held in the County Jail."

WHEN THE newly elected president of the California Newspaper Publishers Assn., Bert Abrahams of Bellflower, entered the Coronado Hotel dining room a few nights ago, he received a standing ovation.

A moment later, when Gov. Knight and his lady entered, everyone stood up again.

When the applause died down, the emcee announced the invocation would be given. Again, everyone stood.

However, Moten Holt, [this name is nearly illegible--lrh] Riverdale, Calif., publisher, who has a hearing defect, was overheard muttering, "Who in hell are we standing up for this time?"

A STEADY STREAM of taxpayers come into the city clerk's office to report the sale of their properties so the new owners may be billed for such improvements as lighting, sewers or paving.

A middle-aged woman completed this procedure the other day and the clerk said, "Thank you for coming in. I presume you are Mrs. X., the old owner?"

"I am not the OLD owner, if you please," she said, icily. "I am the PREVIOUS owner."

A WHILE BACK the big thing was to scale Mt. Everest first.

Recently it was a race between two teams to reach a rendezvous in the Antarctic. Sputniks and outer space need not be mentioned.

Now the contest is on to find the Abominable Snowman.

A dispatch from Katmandu, Nepal, states an expedition sponsored by Texas oilman Tom Slick will start the trek into the Himalayas today in an effort to beat a Russian search party.

This is only a voice in a blizzard but I keep wondering why they don't leave the Abominable Snowman alone. Why invade his privacy? If he wants to remain aloof and abominable, I say let him.

AS HE WALKED past a finance company, Eugene Dean, South Bay builder, saw a sign in the window, "For Sale--Freezer."

A man of impulse, Dean went in and said, "I notice your getting rid of your freezer. Does that mean the end of cold cash?"

AT RANDOM--At a very social event at a fancy Beverly Hills hotel a few nights ago a lady's petticoat dropped off while she was dancing with a partner. She stepped out of it and kept on dancing. That's the way Beverly Hillbillies handle embarrassing matters. Not like the fellow who told a colleague in a Spring Street office the other day after a party, "I want to apologize. I forgot to say goodbye to your wife last night." The colleague, a bachelor, is baffled.... ABC-TV has received more than 700 letters protesting the ruling of a committee of judges that Judge Evelle Younger's appearance on "Traffic Court" is unethical, pointing out the program's educational merits. A retired judge will likely succeed Judge Younger after March 7 ... Anyone else hear the commercial for "guided" cough medicine, which goes directly to the affected spot? My, my.