On April 13, 1925, Harry Chamberlain was a secret witness for the defense. Mark Collins had already been tried in the press and found guilty. Though never convicted in a court of law, he was viewed by nearly everyone as a cold-blooded murderer and possibly a serial killer. Harry’s testimony sent shock waves through the Salt Lake Valley and beyond.

News reports of Salt Lake County Sheriff Harries’ investigation had convinced everyone that Mark Collins was certainly guilty of the brutal murder of C. H. McQuown.

The testimony of defense Attorney Edward R. Callister’s key witness, Harry Chamberlain, turned the case upside down. Collins fate was now in the hands of the twelve jurors.

Saturday, October 11, Murder on Nineteenth East

In 1924, Harry Chamberlain, age 33, a bank teller at Walker Brothers Bank, and his wife Annie 28, lived in their home at 1431 South, 10th East with their son and daughter, Ernest 8 and Lois 5.

Saturday was Movie Night at Emerson Ward. On October 11th, Harry and Annie Chamberlain went to the silent pictures. Harry was the program coordinator, so he made sure everything was running smoothly. He then walked home to prepare for a family outing in City Creek Canyon. Annie stayed and watched the picture show.

When Harry got near his residence he saw a man in a Buick roadster parked in the front of his house. This seemed a bit unusual. When Annie returned after the movie, the automobile was still there but the driver had left.

Sunday, October 12, Morning headlines

The Sunday morning headline of the Salt Lake Telegram was hard to miss: “SALT LAKE SALESMAN MURDERED BY BANDIT”. It happened on 19th East near 17th South in the remote edge of town, only a mile away from the Chamberlain home.

“C. H. McQuown, a salesman for lumber company is shot to death in cold blood”, the paper continued.  McQuown was riding slowly along Nineteenth East with his traveling companion Miss Rhoda Turner 33. A man stepped out of the shadows and flagged them down. The gunman ordered them to get out of the car. They quickly complied. Shots rang out and McQuown fell to the ground.¹

McQuown 54 was a salesman for Boise-Payette Lumber company, and former mayor of Buhl Idaho. He stayed regularly at the Newhouse hotel since January, 1923 where Miss Tanner works as a mail clerk. McQuown often invited Miss Tanner to motor with him and their course led to the east bench near where she lived.¹

The couple traveled east on 17th South and then turned north on to Nineteenth East, an unpaved road not much traveled. They past the lone cottonwood tree about 300 yards north, and had just negotiated a U-turn when the attack occurred.¹

In view that the couple had traveled to this location several times before, it is the general belief that the bandit was aware of their movements and laid in wait for them. M. J. Tanner, brother of the woman, said the couple had been to that location previous to Saturday.¹

Motive of robbery is suspected

Miss Tanner reported that her pocket book was taken containing about $30. However, the bandit left a gold watch and considerable change in the pockets of McQuown. The bandit ordered Miss Tanner to search his clothing for valuables. She objected and was immediately struck unconscious with the pistol.¹

When she partially regained consciousness, the car was gone. She ran to the nearest house for help. Two neighbors ran to the scene where the victim lay murdered under the large cottonwood tree. The murderer escaped in McQuown’s Buick Roadster bearing licence plate number Utah 14-038.¹

Sunday morning paper describes vehicle in front of Harry’s home

Harry Chamberlain was stunned when he realized that the description of the stolen machine described in the morning news, was a perfect match to the vehicle now sitting outside in front of his home!

Mark Collins arrested for the murder at 9 pm

The Sunday morning paper reported that Mark Collins 21, a transient form California, was arrested by Sheriff Ben R. Harries. He and his wife Mary 20, were camping in a wooden garage about 200 yards from the murder scene. The behavior of Collin’s wife raised suspicion which led them to the camp. There they found bullets of the same caliber as shells found at the crime scene. Saturday evening, Collins returned to their camp from Salt Lake on the 15th East streetcar. Collins claimed he was looking for work in the City. When he arrived at about 9 pm he was arrested.¹

The sheriff did not interrogate Collins closely Saturday night. His first priority was that every available deputy join in the all-night hunt for the missing weapon, the stolen automobile and its occupant. If the automobile is not found, it means the murderer has escaped the area and the wall of circumstantial evidence against Collins will crumble.¹

Miss Tanner, suffering from shock and scalp abrasions, gave a clear story of the tragedy but could not describe the murderer.¹

As Harry Chamberlain read the paper, he realized that when he saw the occupant in the murder car it was exactly 9:10 pm. Also, he knew it wasn’t Collins. According to the Salt Lake Telegram, Collins was arrested at about 9 pm. Harry got a good look at the man in the car. If the man he saw last night was the killer, Harry was the only one who could identify him. This was not a pleasant thought knowing that he was still on the loose in the neighborhood.

Monday, October 13: “We have the right man,” Sheriff says

Harry became more and more uneasy as he read the startling new developments in the  Monday paper. According to the Monday evening Telegram, the evidence against Collins continued to grow. The sheriff was certain he had the right man.

An inner headline of the Monday evening Telegram was: “WOMAN ADMITS HUSBAND OWNED TRAGEDY PISTOL.” The weapon in a holster and cartridge belt with four loaded magazines were found on Monday in an orchard at Twelfth East and Harrison Avenue. According to the report, after close questioning by the sheriff, Mary Collins admitted it was her husbands weapon.²

However, Mark Collins, who had not been told of his wife’s admission, denied it was his .45 caliber pistol.  He claimed he no longer owned his .45 automatic weapon and that his had his initials. The one he owned previously, he said, was in California. The sheriff took the cartridge belt and slipped it around Collins. It seemed to fit perfectly.²

After the .45 automatic was found, Sheriff Harries and Chief Deputy Ayland placed Collins in their car and drove him to Salt Lake. They wanted to trace where he claimed he had been on Saturday. Collins was confused about some of the streets he walked but sure he had been to the City and County Building. The last land mark he remembered, before boarding the Fifteenth East street car, was Liberty Park.²

Mrs. Collins Story

Mrs. Collins told investigators that she and her husband arrived in Salt Lake on Friday and on their first night, they camped underneath the cottonwood tree on Nineteenth East. However, cold and snow on Saturday caused them to seek shelter in a garage building 200 yards from the tree.²

She told investigators that they started from Chico, California about a month ago, stopping at Sacramento and Stockton to visit relatives. They were on the way to Granger, Wyoming where Mark’s brother had died recently.²

They only had a few dollars when they arrived in Salt Lake and most of that was spent for food. Mark is a laborer and has worked with engineering parties. Some surveying implements were found in their automobile which they used to come from California.²

Officers also found a complete first aid kit including surgical instruments, a .3030 caliber rifle and a .44 caliber revolver, and various license plates in their vehicle. They also found a number of .45 caliber cartridges.²

In spite of the incriminating evidence, Collins still denies he had a 45-automatic in his possession during the last 12 months.²

The Sheriff’s theory

The automobile that the slayer escaped in, the machine being driven by McQuown, was found at about 1440 Tenth East street. The sheriff believes Collins left the murder scene immediately after the crime and drove the car down Seventeenth South, possibly to Eleven East, and then to where the car was found on Tenth East. They timed the trip. It took seven minutes.²

Apparently, officer Thomas Dee, who also resided on Tenth East, was one of those called to the scene. The newspaper reported that when he “left his residence on Tenth East street at about 7:40, the time of the murder, no car stood there. When Dee returned at 9 o’clock the Buick roadster was standing there with the engine cold and the headlights burning.”²

So the sheriff concludes that Collins dashed from the roadster and fled east on Harrison Avenue to Twelfth East where he flung the cartridge belt, holster and revolver into the field. He then raced to Thirteen East turned north and ran about another five blocks to Ninth South. There he boarded the Fifteenth East street car.²

Motorman Andrew D. Dewey identified Collins. He remembers Collins boarding his car and tendering exact change. This was at 8:10 pm about one half hour after the murder.  The street car traveled south on Fifteenth East and Collins disembarked near Seventeenth South.²

Map of south-east Salt Lake City

Finger prints on steering wheel

Deputy Sheriff Samuel Goldstein found finger prints on the steering wheel and on other places in the car. He photographed and recorded several distinct prints. They will be compared with Collins’ fingers late this afternoon.²

“You placed that there to frame me”

Saturday night, a few minutes after Collins was arrested, handcuffed an placed in the rear seat of the Sheriff’s vehicle, Deputy George Knepp saw the edge of a $10 bill protruding between the curtain and the body of the car. Closer examination revealed two $10 bills. When confronted, Collins and his wife both charged the officers with “framing them”. This incident was revealed to the press on Sunday.²

Later developments tend to reveal the bandit took McQuown’s money, but did not take Miss Tanner’s money as first supposed. Twenty-six dollars in currency in the same denomination that Tanner possessed were found at the murder scene on the ground. A gold watch and diamond stick pin on McQuowns body were not disturbed.²

Trouble in California

In further developments, the Salt Lake Sheriff’s office received information that Collins was wanted by police in Chico, California. When confronted, Collins declared he had been in trouble in California but claimed he was innocent. Someone brought him a car to repair which he subsequently found to be stolen. He admitted he was arrested and taken from Chico to Oakland for trial where he was exonerated.

However, the latest information from Chico appears to be a new charge, “highway robbery.”²

Tuesday, October 14, Inquest: Tanner could not positively identify Collins

Rhoda Tanner, friend of C. H. McQuown, testified Tuesday at a coroner’s inquest. She appeared weak and her head was wrapped in bandages. When they brought Mark Collins into the room, she fainted.³

She told Justice of the Peace George E. Parkin and the jurors she had “a faint recollection her assailant wore a brown overcoat” However, she could not positively identify the suspect as the man who killed her friend and then knocked her unconscious.⁴

She said that about $26 in currency was taken from her purse, but didn’t know how much if any was taken from the body of McQuown.⁴

Sheriff Harries, who conducted the investigation, then took the stand. He described the scene and circumstances surrounding the arrest of Mark and Mary Collins. He told the court that Mary Collins rushed from their shanty to the murder scene shouting hysterically. She was emphatic in the belief that the person killed was her husband. Her actions aroused the deputies suspicion. The sheriff arrested her.⁴

Shortly after, Mark Collins came, presumably, to see what the trouble was. They then detained him also. According to the newspaper article, Collins was arrested at about 9 o’clock Saturday night, an hour and a quarter after the fatal shooting. A short time later, while seated in the sheriff’s office at the county jail, Collins was asked if he knew anything about the murder.

“No, I don’t. I had nothing to do with it,” he answered, “and I hope you don’t get him.”⁴

Collins yielded little information, only that they traveled from Stockton, California to Salt Lake in leisurely stages.⁵ Then on the advice of his counsel, J. H. Bailey, he maintained his right to remain silent.⁶

Embarrassment for the sheriff’s department

In Mary Collins’ testimony, she brought up the incident of the two ten dollar bills a deputy noticed between the curtain and the body of the car after the Collins were arrested and placed in back seat of the sheriff’s car. They both cried foul and said they were being “framed.”

The court recalled Sheriff Harries to the stand to answer the charges. When asked where the money might have came from the sheriff replied: “I know it doesn’t belong to the sheriff or any deputies, they don’t have that much.”

His answer seemed to satisfy the court and proceedings continued. Perhaps it could have been taken more seriously.

It is doubtful the handcuffed suspects could have placed it there. Anyway, Collins would have to be very stupid to return to scene of the crime with the stolen cash. Also, they should have searched him when arrested. I believe it was simply a stupid stunt by someone in the sheriff’s department. Today, 2020, the whole case might have been thrown out of court for such a thing.

However, the sheriff’s reply under oath was completely true. The sheriff or deputies likely would not be carrying $20 which would be about $300 today, (2020). The sheriff did not answer where he thought the money came from. He only replied that it did not belong to the sheriff or deputies. At least twenty-six dollars was picked up off the ground at the crime scene. The money likely belonged to Rhoda Tanner.

Wednesday, October 15, First degree murder charged

On Wednesday, the county attorney filed complaint against Mark and Mary Collins for the killing of C. H. McQuown. The charge is murder in the first degree, the penalty for which is execution by hanging or shooting.⁵

When read the complaint, Mary Collins bordered on hysterics. Her husband, on the other hand, showed little emotion. “He carried himself with the same jaunty attitude, and to all outward appearances, was little affected.”⁶

While Mark Collins is believed to have committed the crime single handed, Mrs Collins is alleged to have known of her husband’s actions, and therefore alleged to be a party to the crime.⁶

Incriminating evidence from Oregon leads to speculation

Just when it seemed the mountain of circumstantial evidence against Mark Collins couldn’t get any higher, another pile came in from Oregon. The automobile they used to come from California to Utah was stolen. The car, identified by engine number, was stolen from Klamath Falls, Oregon on the night of September 27. The California secretary of state’s office notified Sheriff Harries that the license plates on Collins car were stolen from a vehicle in Sacramento, California two weeks to a month ago.⁵

Another telegram from Oregon, authorities said that Mark Collin’s sister, Mrs. C. D. O’Day and her husband mysteriously disappeared from Ashland, Oregon about a month ago. The automobile was taken from near-by Klamath Falls about the same time. This strange coincidence led to speculation which was reported in the media, “Could it be that Collins murdered his sister and her husband?“⁵

When told by his counsel that officers had information that his car was stolen, Collins emphatically denied it. He declared he had another machine which he had turned in for the automobile in question. Collins further said he had a bill of sale.⁵

Thursday, October 16, Possible blood stains

Red stains found in the lining of Mark Collins shoe and on overalls found among their possessions will be examined by a lab to test for blood. The overalls are of a smaller size which would fit Mrs Collins. She is 5′ 4″ while her husband is over 6 foot tall. The lab will also test blood found on the barrel of the 45 automatic. It is believed Miss Tanner was struck with this part of the pistol.⁶

East by north-west

Collins and his wife are alleged to have fled from Chico immediately after a hold-up there.  It is Captain Ayland’s opinion that the couple went north to Klamath Falls and Ashland, Oregon before traveling east to Salt Lake.⁶

Constable S. A. Light of Chico, California is ready to come to Salt Lake at any time to testify as to the reputation of Collins and the alleged robbery on August 31. Constable Light said the automobile they left from Chico with was a 1913 or 1915 light delivery truck with a box on the rear end.⁶

The machine seized when they were arrested in Salt Lake was a touring car with the back of the front seat removable enabling a bed to be made in the car. At about the time the touring vehicle was taken from Klamath Falls, Collins’ sister and brother-in-law disappeared from Ashland.⁶

Collins denied they went to Oregon on their way from California.⁶

Captain Ayland is waiting for more information from Klamath Falls, Ashland, Stockton and Chico regarding Collins and the stolen auto.⁶

Friday, October 17, Harry Chamberlain, witness for the defense

As the grandson of Harry Chamberlain, I can only speculate on his state of mind as he consumed the daily news. It must have been surreal.

He knew what he saw last Saturday evening. His mind captured a clear image of the man seated in the Buick roadster in front of his house. The automobile belonged to C. H. McQuown, the unfortunate man who, at that time, lay murdered a mile away. The exact time was 9:10 pm.

His mind couldn’t comprehend how on earth what he saw connected to what he read in the newspaper every day for the last seven days. The latest headline was no comfort: CRIME PARTNER LINKS COLLINS IN COAST JOB. Leslie Meredith told a California grand jury that he and Mark Collins held up three pedestrians in Chico on August 31.⁷

Nevertheless, Harry Chamberlain knew what he saw, and that the man he saw in the car on October 11 was not Mark Collins.

How did he get into this situation? And why? Harry certainly must have contemplated these questions. He was a witness for the defense. A secret witness for the defense of a man who had already been tried in the press and found guilty. Mark Collins, though never convicted of anything in a court of law, was viewed by nearly everyone as a cold-blooded murderer and possibly a serial killer.

Some in Salt Lake viewed a court trial as a mere inconvenience and threatened violence: “Word has reached Collins in his cell that a secret organization of Salt Lake would met him punishment if he escaped in court.”⁵

Harry hoped and prayed that if Mark Collins was guilty of the murder of C. H. McQuown that he would plead guilty and thus avoid an excruciatingly painful trial.

Saturday, October 18, Arraignment: Mark Collins pleads, “Not guilty!”

A gasp was heard in the little court room as Mark Collins defiantly shouted, “Not guilty!” The tall, youthful man’s vigorous reply to Judge Noel S. Pratt’s plea request shocked attendants and the few spectators who had gathered within the court room. “He spit the fire of his heart into those words.” wrote journalist Walter King.  His answer seemed to stun the court for moments afterwards.

Judge Pratt then turned to his 20-year-old wife, Mary Collins, and asked, “What do you plead, guilty or not guilty”. “Not guilty,” she replied. Though the volume was missing, her eyes flashed as she glared directly at the Judge.

Judge Pratt set the date of October 28 for the preliminary hearing, and adjourned the court.⁸

Thursday, October 23, Mark Collins’ parents visit him in jail

A visit by his parents to the jail on October 22, raised Mark Collins’ spirits. Collins is the only occupant in the first floor, north tier of the jail. The inmates refer to this as “First North”. He was thoroughly happy as his mother and father, Mr. and Mrs. J. D Collins, came down the long corridor to his dreary cell. His face brightened as he hugged and kissed his mother through the half inch bars.

If there is one person in the world who believes Mark is totally innocent, it is his mother. “Mark has always been a good boy and we have never heard of him being in trouble before,” she said.⁹

She did defuse one rumor of which she had first hand knowledge. Mark’s sister, who purportedly disappeared from Ashland, Oregon was safe and sound in California. Newspaper stories had speculated that Mark might be complicit in her mysterious disappearance. “I have three daughters, two of them are in California and the other is with us here”, she told Mrs J. H. Bailey wife of the prisoner’s council.⁹

Since their visit, Mark continually sings and hums as he reads in his cell, and speaks amiably with the guards.⁷  Mr and Mrs Collins gave every indication they were determined to help their son to the extent of their financial ability.⁹

Mary Collins is in the hospital ward. Officers express the belief that she was from a good family. It was learned that her uncle by the name of Girinelli of Stockton was opposed to her marriage to Mark Collins in April, 1923. Since the wedding, she has not been on good terms with her relatives.⁷

Thursday, October 30, Preliminary Hearing begins

The preliminary hearing scheduled for the 28th was postponed to Thursday, October 30. Mark Collins’ parents selected attorney Edward R. Callister to defend their son. Therefore, assistant county attorney Norvel E. Callister, in charge of prosecution, withdrew from the case. They are brothers.¹⁰

Collins’ mother collapses

It was a different Mark Collins that faced Judge Pratt this morning, as the attitude of defiance shown one week ago is missing.  Mary Collins smiled brightly at her husband as she entered the courtroom. They had not seen each other since their arraignment October 18.¹¹

Sheriff Ben Harries came to the stand. Mark listened intently to his testimony.  As Sheriff Harries was telling about the purported admission of Mary Collins that her husband owned the murder weapon, Mrs J. D. Collins collapsed in the spectators’ section of the courtroom.¹¹ Perhaps Mark’s mother had not been following the Salt Lake news papers.

What should be surprising are the words of Mary Collins which were now reported for the first time by the press. The sheriff gave her exact quote under oath. She said: “My God, where did you find it. He said he got rid of it in California”.¹¹

This is much less than an admission of positive identification. If Mary actually was surprised to see the .45 automatic, it means her husband told her that he got rid of it in California and that she had not seen the weapon since they left for Utah. This is exactly what Collins told the sheriff. Her comment only means it looks like the one she thought was in California.

Friday, October 31, Muddy footprints, clean shoes

Deputy Sheriff T. A. Callicott responded to questions about his observation of footprints near the murder scene. The grueling cross examination kept the hundred spectators in a keyed state of interest in Friday’s session.¹² Foot prints purported to correspond to Mark Collins boots were found from the garage along the Emigration creek trail and back.¹¹

When Callicott said that Collins shoes did not carry any unusual amount of mud as might be expected following a rain, E. R. Callister fired another question at the deputy. “What is the difference in condition when seen on Collins’ feet to them now in exhibit?” he asked.

The officer said they have less mud on them now.

When asked if the mud had been scraped of or removed in some manner by the department, the exasperated officer admitted that the shoes were not muddy then and they are not muddy now.¹²

Saturday November 1, Leslie Meredith cannot positively identify weapon

Leslie Meredith, 20, was brought from California to testify in the Collins case. He had confessed to Butte County authorities in California that he and Mark Collins held up three citizens in Chico on August 31. He also said that Collins had carried a .45 automatic.

It was the dramatic moment of the hearing, as Leslie Meredith walked into the court room the crowd “strained their necks” to watch Collins reaction. Meredith nodded as they saw each other for the first time since August 31. Collins acknowledged the nod.¹³

In October, Sheriff Harries carried the weapon and a picture of Mark Collins to the jail in Oroville, California to show to Meredith. According to Sheriff Harries, Meredith identified the picture as Mark Collins and the gun as the one owned by Collins. This was the headline of the Salt Lake Telegram on October 23: “PISTOL FOUND AT SCENE OF MCQUOWN MURDER OWNED BY COLLINS, PAL DECLARED”¹⁰

On the witness stand Saturday morning, however, Meredith could not positively identify the weapon. He said there were no distinguishing marks to positively prove that the weapon found on Harrison Avenue was the same piece Collins carried in California. “I know it was similar, but I cannot say it is the same automatic,” Meredith replied.¹³

Monday, November 3, Mary Collins exonerated

On motion of E. R. Callister, counsel for the defense, the court dismissed the charge of murder in the first degree against Mrs. Mark Collins in connection to the hold up and murder of C. H. McQuown. Therefore, Judge Noel S. Pratt ordered the defendant released from custody.¹⁴

Callister moved to dismiss the case against Mrs. Collins on the ground that the state failed to present evidence of any nature which could connect her with the crime.¹⁴

Army .45 automatic admitted as evidence

The state offered in evidence the army automatic, the cartridge belt and holster, the clips and cartridges found in the vicinity of the crime.

The defense resisted their introduction on the ground there had been no evidence to positively connect the gun or any other of the exhibits as actual property of the defendant, or as the weapons used in the killing.

The court overruled the objection and held that there was probable cause to believe that the exhibits figured in the crime. Therefore, they admitted these as evidence.¹⁴

At the end of the day, Paul Huish, the school boy who found the .45 automatic and holster, took the stand and testified of their finding.¹⁴ The state then rested its case.

My commentary on the news coverage and the evidence

The preliminary hearing proceedings tell us what real evidence the prosecution has to work with.  Journalist Walter King and the Salt Lake Telegram gave us an excellent detailed account of the sheriff’s investigation as it progressed from day to day. However, much of this information was based on speculation, wishful thinking and spin toward the sheriff department’s point of view.

We can now look back to see that many of these leads have crumbled before our eyes. This is the reason we should not judge anyone based news reports.

What were results of finger prints and blood stain tests?

Remember the finger prints on the steering wheel of McQuown’s roadster?

Deputy Goldstein photographed and recorded several distinct prints on the steering wheel and on other items found in the vehicle. These were compared to those of the suspect.² This lead was never mentioned again. In other words, the finger prints did not match those of Mark Collins.

Remember the red stains on the lining of Collins shoes and on some overalls?

They sent the shoes and overalls to the lab to test them for blood stains.⁶ Again, the test results were never mentioned. Apparently, they were not relevant to the case.

What really happened in Oregon?

It was discovered that the vehicle that Mark and Mary Collins drove to Utah was stolen in Klamath Falls, Oregon. Coincidentally, Mark Collins sister, Mrs. C. D. O’Day and her husband mysteriously disappeared from Ashland, Oregon at about the same time.⁶

It therefore seemed obvious that Collins traveled to Oregon and stole the car before coming to Utah. Speculation followed that Collins was involved in a crime spree in Oregon which perhaps included the demise and disappearance of his sister and brother-in-law.⁶

Collins vigorously denied he stole the car. He said he traded in his truck for a touring car that they could sleep in. He further stated that he had a bill of sale to prove it.⁵ He insisted that they did not go to Oregon, but left Stockton and Sacramento, California and came directly to Utah.⁶

Collins was right!

When Mrs J. D. Collins, Mark Collins mother, came to Utah she assured everyone that she had three daughters and that they were all well and living in California.⁹

As for the car alleged to have been stolen in Klamath Falls. Information sent to the sheriff’s office revealed that the car had been purchased, but not paid for, in California. The buyer took it to Oregon. This person was charged with embezzlement. The car was returned to California where Collins traded in his truck for it. This also explains why the vehicle had license plates issued for a car in Sacramento.¹⁰

What was the precise time of the murder?

The exact time of the murder is very important. A firm time of the crime has not yet been established in the court proceedings.

On Monday October 13, the Salt Lake Telegram reported that the murder happened at 7:40 pm on October 11. The .45 automatic and cartridge belt was found on Monday in an orchard on Harrison Avenue. At that time the sheriff expressed his theory that Collins left the murder scene immediately after the crime and drove the car to where the car was found on Tenth East. They timed the trip which took seven minutes.²

The rest of the sheriff’s conjecture comes from the following information:

“Thomas Dee, police automotive officer, left his residence on Tenth East street at about 7:40, the time of the murder, no car stood there. When Dee returned at 9 o’clock the Buick roadster was standing there with the engine cold and the headlights burning.”²

So the sheriff concludes that Collins then dashed from the roadster, fled east on Harrison Avenue where he flung the cartridge belt, holster and pistol into an orchard. He then ran north on Thirteen East to Ninth South where he boarded the south bound 15th East street car. Collins was identified entering the streetcar at 8:10 pm approximately a half hour after the slaying.

The Buick roadster was not found until Sunday morning

Interesting theory. Unfortunately, some of the basis for the sheriff’s supposition appears to be fabricated.

Remember, every available officer was to join in the all-night hunt for the stolen automobile. However, as of 1:30 am Sunday morning the roadster had not yet been located. Are we to believe that Officer Dee, who apparently was part of the investigation, was checking the temperature of the stolen car at 9 pm Saturday night?

Deputy Sheriff A. S. Nicholls discovered the abandoned automobile on Sunday morning .¹³

Could Collins catch the street car by 8:10 pm?

The sheriff’s calculation gives Collins one-half hour to leave the crime scene and then catch the street car at 13th E. and 9th S. This is possible, but it would be difficult.

It took seven minutes, by the sheriff’s calculation, to drive the car from the scene of the crime to 10th East. That leaves Collins 23 minutes to catch the street car 1.2 miles away. Collins is a stranger in Salt Lake, so he doesn’t know where his streetcar stop is, or how to get there. So he runs blindly off into the dark until he finds the street car that will take him south down 15th East.

Motorman Andrew Dewey identified Collins who boarded his car at 8:10 pm and paid in exact change.

Collins arrived in Salt Lake on Friday. They told the sheriff that he was looking for work in Salt Lake on Saturday. The Sheriff took him to Salt Lake so he could show them where he had been. The streets he traveled were very confusing to him, which may be understandable. However, he did remember Liberty Park just before catching the 15th East street car. This is interesting, since his streetcar stop was 6 blocks straight down 9th South from Liberty Park.

The exact time of murder not established

The Salt Lake Telegram on October 13, reported the time of the crime as 7:40 pm. It is a time that will work with Sheriff Harries theory. However, it is only a news report and may not be the official time. The importance of the precise time of the crime seems to be underestimated.

Several times in the media coverage, the time of the crime is implied by comparison with the time of the arrest. The arrest has been consistently reported happening about 9 pm. A literal interpretation of these time comparisons would make the time of the crime between 5 and 20 minutes later than 7:40 pm. For example, the following news report was from the preliminary hearing: “Sheriff Harries testified as to arresting them at the scene of the murder about 9 o’clock an hour after the slaying.“.¹¹

Twenty minutes make a huge difference. If this report is accurate, and the testimony of the sheriff is true and literal, the time of the crime was about 8 pm. If the murder happened at 8 pm, Mark Collins would be about to board his streetcar and could not be the man who killed C. H. McQuown.

Monday, April 6 Trial opens, Mark Collins to face jury

The case against Mark Collins will go before Judge W. M. McCrea. District Attorney E. A. Rogers and Deputy Attorney S. G. Clawson represent the state. Attorneys E. R Callister and Verne McCullough are representing Mark Collins .¹⁵

Mr. and Mrs. J. D. Collins, father and mother of the accused man are present in court. They came from their home in California to be with their son during his trial.

State must prove murder case “beyond a reasonable doubt”

Jury selection for the Collins case is a slow process and was not complete until Wednesday morning. In questioning prospective jurors, counsel for the defense is stressing the provision of the law which requires the state in murder cases to prove “beyond a reasonable doubt” before a jury can return a verdict of guilty.¹⁶

On Wednesday, April 8, District Attorney Rogers gave the Opening Statement describing the crime and the evidence the state had against Collins.

Defense attorney Callister cross examines Sheriff officers

On Thursday, April 9, Deputy Sheriff Joseph Turnbow was cross examined about his testimony of when he found the gun in the alfalfa field. Defense tried to show the pistol was not in operating condition when found.¹⁷

Deputy Sheriff George Knepp testified to finding about $46 in money… “scattered along the road” near the crime scene. Deputy G. W. Carlisle testified of finding two $10 bills hidden in the car near Collins, and of Collins’ claim that they were placed there by Knepp to “frame” him.¹⁷

Deputy Sheriff’s Caldicot, Harries and Carlisle testified to finding the body of McQuown soon after he was killed. Then of the arrival at the scene of Mrs. Collins, “hatless and shoeless”, and soon thereafter, the arrival of Mark Collins.¹⁷

Sheriff Harries was recalled to the witness stand where he spent practically all Friday morning.  Defense attorney Callister questioned the sheriff regarding his testimony of the footprints, and of  fitting those tracks to Collins’ shoes. The defense attorney alleged there was variances between the sheriff’s present testimony and that given at the preliminary hearing.¹⁸

Collins may face Robbery charges in California

J. A. Light, deputy sheriff at Chico came to Salt Lake to watch the trial. He was prepared to arrest  Collins and extradite him to California should he be acquitted. Collins is alleged to have committed  a robbery in Chico on August 31, 1924.¹⁷

Jury visits murder scene

The jury spent Saturday morning at the scene of the murder. Miss Rhoda Tanner described the attack. McQuown asked if he might drive her home from the Newhouse hotel where she worked as a mail clerk. At the crime location, she said that a man commanded them to stop and get out on the east side of the car, but she got out on the west side. She started around the rear of the car when she heard a shot and McQuown fell in the road. She could not identify the holdup man but said he wore a loose fitting brown overcoat and a cap and that he was a little taller than Deputy Sheriff Carlisle.¹⁹

Expert testifies gun gave slugs bore markings

On Monday, April 13 state witness and expert gunsmith William H. Main testified that bore markings on four bullets test fired from the .45 caliber pistol in question matched the markings on the bullet found buried in the ground at the murder site. Defense council disputed the authenticity of such findings.²⁰

State rests its case

The state summed up its case on Tuesday that Collins committed the crime, showing that: 1- Fresh footprints leading to the murder scene were made by shoes Collins was wearing. 2- They found sixty-four .45 caliber bullets in Collins’ camp. 3- Collins appeared on site of the murder, his wet legs indicated he had been running. 4- Mrs Collins appeared at the scene weeping thinking her husband was dead. 5- Collins had a .45 caliber pistol in his possession several weeks before the murder.²¹

Verne McCullough, Assisting the defense answered Mr. Clawson. He said that the state’s testimony and argument was a group of facts interspersed with imagination.²¹

Defense springs a surprise

“The trial took a surprise turn Monday afternoon when Defense Council E. R. Callister did not place Collins on the witness stand to testify in his own defense. The defense rested its case after the testimony of Harry Chamberlain Jr., bank teller, 1431 South Tenth East, and J. D. Collins of Chico California.”

The defendant’s father testified that his son had a .45 caliber Colt automatic last summer, but denied the gun on exhibit belonged to Mark. He said his sons’ gun was new and had his initials M. C. carved in the handle. The gun found after the murder did not have initials in the handle.²¹

Large crowd gathers Wednesday morning to wait for the verdict

The case went to the jury on Tuesday at  5:45 o’clock. After almost six hours of deliberation, Judge McCrea called a halt and sent the jurors to their hotel with the bailiffs.

A large crowd of curious onlookers gathered in the court room early Wednesday morning to wait for the verdict.²² According to hearsay, the jury stood six and six after the first ballot on Tuesday. It remained that way until it was dismissed.

Judge McCrea discharged the hopelessly deadlocked jury Wednesday afternoon at 4:45.²³

“The jury is thought to have paid considerable attention to the testimony of Harry Chamberlain, defense witness, who said that he saw a man sitting in McQuown’s car in front of Chamberlain’s home after the defendant had been taken into custody.”²³

Monday, June 8, 1925 Jury selection begins for second trail

Jury selection began on Monday, June 8. Judge McCrea’s court obtained a full panel of jurors just before noon Wednesday. The jury consists of thirteen men for the first time in the history of murder trials in Utah. A new state law provides for an alternate juror.²⁴

Exercise of peremptory challenges came rapidly Tuesday depleting the venire. The work of filling vacant places in the jury box resumed early Wednesday morning.²⁴

Discrepancies between the two trials examined

Sheriff Benjamin R. Harries was on the witness stand all Thursday morning. Attorney E. R.  Callister for the defense endeavored to show discrepancies between details related by the sheriff in the first trial and those made in direct examination in this trial.²⁵

McQuown’s widow spectator at trial

Mrs. McQuown arrived from her home in Idaho Thursday night and was a spectator in court on Friday. Deputy Sheriff Joseph Turnbow was on the stand most of Friday morning identifying the gun found in a field.²⁶

Court rules out all testimony of bullet expert

A big blow to the state’s case came when the court ruled out all testimony of William F. Main gunsmith. The state relied on his expertise to prove the bullets which killed McQuown came from the army automatic, found nearby in a field, that the state contends was owned by Mark Collins.

The objection raised by defense was based on the contention that the opinions of Main were drawn from mere optical examination of the bullets, and not on any scientific tests or microscopic examination. After losing this important point, the state rested its case and court recessed until Monday.²⁷

Forensic ballistics

The first major case involving forensic ballistics was in 1929, four years later. In the Saint Valentine’s Day massacre, exact weapons were identified by examination of the bullets and cartridge cases recovered from the site. They used a new invention of two microscopes connected by an optical bridge. This solved the challenges of simultaneous comparison. In 1932, the FBI established a forensic ballistic laboratory where the first fire arm identification professional was trained.²⁸

Harry Chamberlain takes witness stand

Harry Chamberlain was on the witness stand most of Monday morning. He testified and answered questions on what he saw on the night of murder of C. H. McQuown on October 11, 1924. Chamberlain an employee of Walker Brothers Bank, is a witness for the defense.²⁹

As he walked home from Movie night at Emerson Ward he saw the Buick roadster standing in front of his place. The exact time was 9:10 pm. Chamberlain declared that he could plainly see a man inside the car.²⁹

“Look at Mark Collins, the defendant, and tell the court, is he the man you saw?”

“No”, Chamberlain answered, “Collins was not the man.”

Chamberlain noted the appearance of the man in the car. He said he was stockily built and wore a black fedora shaped hat. When shown Collins light sombrero, Chamberlain said that was not the hat worn by the man inside the car.²⁹

Chamberlain important to the defense

The state contends that the slayer of McQuown drove the victim’s machine to 1431 Tenth East street, then walked over one mile to where he caught the Fifteenth East streetcar. Collins then returned to his camp and to the scene of the crime where the sheriff arrested him at 9:20 pm.²⁹

The defense, by Chamberlain’s testimony, is seeking to show that it was not Collins, but some other man who killed McQuown. This other man then drove the car to Chamberlain’s place. It would be impossible for the man seen in McQuown’s car at Tenth East at 9:10 to have gotten back to the crime scene by 9:20, the time Collins was arrested there by the sheriff.²⁹

Confirmation of Harry Chamberlain’s testimony

Mrs. Chamberlain testified that her husband left the picture show about 9 o’clock (and walked about two blocks home). And that she also saw the roadster in front of her place when she returned home at 11 pm.²⁹

Mrs. J. L. Korns, 1428 Tenth East street, testified to seeing the roadster driven up in front of the Chamberlain place at about ten minutes to 9 o’clock.²⁹

Closing arguments

District Attorney E. A Rogers argued the case for the state. He stressed the fact that Mrs. Collins, claimed her husband went to town to look for work. A few minutes after the sheriff arrived at the scene, Mrs Collins came hatless and shoeless, and hysterical believing the man lying on the road was her husband. He pointed out that the murder location was in the opposite direction from Collins’ camp than was town.³⁰

Defense Attorney Verne McCullough charged that the state deliberately avoided certain parts of testimony favorable to the defendant, introducing only damaging portions. He declared that the evidence showed that Collins was on the Fifteenth East car at 8:30 and therefore could not be near the McQuown car which witnesses said was driven up in front of Harry Chamberlain’s house on Tenth East about that time.³⁰

The missing witness

The Salt Lake Telegram on October 13 reported that Officer Dee saw the McQuown’s roadster in on Tenth East at 9 pm “standing there with the engine cold and the headlights burning.” He also said, according to the report, that “about 7:40, the time of the murder, no car stood there.”²

I said earlier that I thought this statement was fabricated since the missing car was not actually discovered by police until Sunday morning. The officer certainly should have recognized the stolen car when he was checking the engine temperature at 9 pm Saturday.

I believe the above information was given to the media to enhance Sheriff Harries theory. That is that Collins drove McQuown’s car to Tenth East, then abandoned it. He then ran 1.2 miles to catch at streetcar. The motorman identified Collins boarding at 8:10 pm. If the time of the murder was a few minutes later than 7:40 pm, this would be impossible.

There is no report of Officer Dee testifying about this matter in the preliminary hearing, or in either trial. This strengthens my belief that this would not hold up in court, and the statement was fabricated, which may also include the time of the murder and the time of the arrest. There is no court record available to establish that the actual time of the crime was 7:40 pm.

Every news story reported the arrest time to be about 9 pm. However, in testimonies during the second trial, it turns out the arrest happened at 9:20 pm. I also believe the time of the crime could be much later than 7:40 pm.

A warrant for Collins arrest for the Chico robbery

Mark Collins, his wife, mother and father were sitting in the courtroom late Tuesday afternoon. They were anxiously awaiting word from the jury room. Sheriff Harries asked permission of the court to remove Collins to the jail for a few minutes. He wanted to avoid a possible scene in the courtroom.³¹

During the first trial of Collins, a California officer sat in the courtroom daily with a warrant in his pocket. He was prepared to arrest Collins for charges of highway robbery in Chico California, should he be acquitted. This time, to avoid the expense of maintaining an officer in Utah, California authorities forwarded an indictment and warrant for the arrest of Collins to Sheriff Harries.³¹

Apparently, Sheriff Harries could see the writing on the wall. He arrested Collins on the California charges while the jury was still deliberating in the jury room of the city and county building .

Collins acquitted of murder charge

The jury brought in and read the verdict at 5:55 pm Tuesday after 2 hrs and 45 minutes of deliberation.³²

“Not guilty.”

Mark Collins learned that he must go back to California to face a robbery charge just a few minutes before he learned that the jury had freed him of the charge of first-degree murder.

He was not free. Nevertheless, an expense paid trip to California seemed much better than the alternative.

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Next chapter,  Chapter 26- The Early Life of Ernest M. Chamberlain

To see other stories click here:  Table of Contents. 

Thank you, Dennis Chamberlain

© Copyright Dennis D. Chamberlain, The Chamberlain Story, 2020. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the written content of this site without express and written permission from the author and owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that credit is given to Dennis D. Chamberlain and direction to  www.thechamberlainstory.com.

References:

1-The Salt Lake Telegram, Sunday morning October 12, 1924
2-Walter King, The Salt Lake Telegram, Monday evening, October 13, 1924
3- The Ogden Standard Examiner, Tuesday evening, October 14, 1924
4 -Walter, King, The Salt Lake Telegram, Tuesday evening, October 14, 1924
5- Abid., Wednesday evening, October 15, 1924
6- Walter King, Salt Lake Telegram, Thursday evening, October 16, 1924
7- Salt Lake Telegram, Friday evening, October 17, 1924
8- Walter King, Salt Lake Telegram, Saturday evening, October 18, 1924
9- Abid., Thursday evening, October 23, 1924
10- Salt Lake Telegram, Thursday evening, October 23, 1924
11- Walter King, Salt Lake Telegram, Thursday evening, October 30, 1924
12- Abid., Friday evening, October 31, 1924
13- Abid., Saturday evening, November 1, 1924
14- Salt Lake Telegram, Monday evening, November 3, 1924
15- Abid., Monday evening, April 6, 1925
16- Abid., Tuesday evening, April 7, 1925
17- Abid., Thursday evening, April 9, 1925
18- Abid., Friday evening, April 10, 1925
19- Abid., Saturday evening, April 11, 1925
20- Abid., Monday evening, April 13, 1925
21- Abid., Tuesday evening, April 14, 1925
22- Abid., Wednesday evening, April 15, 1925
23- Salt Lake Telegram, Thursday evening, April 16, 1925
24- Abid., Wednesday evening, June 10, 1925
25- Abid., Thursday evening, June 11, 1925
26- Abid., Friday evening, June 12, 1925
27- Abid., Saturday evening, June 13, 1925
28- The History of Forensic Ballistics, Incognito Forensic Foundation, iffab.org
29- Salt Lake Telegram, Monday evening, June 15, 1925
30- Abid., Tuesday evening, June 16, 1925
31- Abid., Wednesday evening, June 17, 1925
32- The Ogden Standard-Examiner, Wednesday evening, June 17, 1925

My father, Lt. Ernest M. Chamberlain, left for Fort Lewis, Washington on December 31, 1941. He was training as an officer in the US Army 76th Field Artillery Brigade. My mother, Agnes Fay Barney Chamberlain, and my brother Martin left the York Apartments at 7th East, 3rd South on January 30, 1942. They moved to her parent’s home at 2657 Alden Street, Salt Lake City, Utah. Dennis Chamberlain (aka me) became part of The Chamberlain Story later this year.

Ernest and Fay Chamberlain wrote to each other almost every day during World War 2. Fay saved every personal letter, card or announcement she ever received. She therefore preserved the story of a family in war time 1942, who desperately wanted to be together until the inevitable phone call.

When that call will come, no one knows.

 

Ernest as Officer of the Guard, February 1942

The stories of Ernest Chamberlain as Officer of the Guard tell us a lot about him. He was very serious about his work and put his whole heart into every project in which he was involved. Nevertheless, things didn’t always go as planned.

Ernest graduated from the Officer training course on Sunday, February 15, 1942 and returned to Field Artillery 183rd headquarters. The next morning, February 16 the 76th Brigade was ordered to perform guard duty for all of Fort Lewis.¹

Two groups of guards, each with two officers, had a tour of 48 hours on duty and 48 hours off. Ernest’s partner officer was called away, so Ernest did double duty as both Officer of the Day and Officer of the Guard. He was in charge of about 160 sentries.²

After each shift, Ernest inspected all 18 posts. Some of his observations bothered him so he called for a meeting with his guards after their first 48 hour tour.

We were at war and a west coast military base was very vulnerable. Guard duty was not merely a training exercise, they were actually defending the fort against possible attack. Ernest stressed the importance of doing what’s necessary in event of emergency.

One post was especially vulnerable to sabotage. The water tanks, on a hill were surrounded by trees and dense foliage. “On that post after dark,” Ernest instructed his men, “do not march around that fence like a tin soldier! Be innovative and vary your routine. If I see and challenge you before you challenge me you are not walking your post in a military manner. And if I leave your post without being challenged you will have plenty of explaining to do”.¹

Ernest didn’t realize what he was creating.

The next night was cold and dark. As Ernest conducted his inspections, he came to the post he hated most, the water tower. The thought of guards with little experience and live ammunition added to his anxiety. His jeep slowly ascended the narrow winding dirt road toward the tower.  Suddenly, from the the darkness behind them cracked the command, “HALT!”²

The driver slammed on the brakes. Ernest hurled toward the windshield. They stopped the motor and shut off the lights as the guard commanded. Ernest got out of the jeep. “I shook my leg to see if anything would fall out of my pants”, he wrote.²  They then marched along the road as instructed. Suddenly, from the bushes ahead, a light flashed into their faces.

Lt. Chamberlain was now identified.

The guard then stepped out of the bushes and came to “Present Arms” as a salute to the officer. The young guard looked like a boy scout, no bigger than his rifle with its attached bayonet. Now that Lt. Chamberlain was identified another guard fifteen yards ahead emerged from the shadows. “They certainly had me covered”, Ernest wrote.²

On later inspections, Ernest left the jeep and walked up the trail to try to surprise them. Invariably, as he walked along the fence, a guard with a rifle almost in his back would shout the challenge, “HALT!” It was in a different place each time.¹  “I was right proud of my boys”, Ernest wrote, “but so help me it was a real thriller diller.”²

Later, one guard told Ernest that everyone wanted that post “so they could scare the hell out of Lt. Chamberlain.¹

Chamberlain’s guards during an air alert and black out

During the 48 hour guard duty tour of February 25th and 26th Ernest inspected every post two or three times. By 11 pm of the second 24 hours Ernest was exhausted. He returned and told the Sergeant of the Guard not to wake him for anything but an emergency.¹

At 8:00 am someone shook him awake. “The Post Headquarters Adjutant wants to see you in his office immediately”, said the sergeant. “Did you know there was an air alert and blackout last night?” the sergeant asked as they rushed toward the jeep.

“I heard some sirens but quickly fell back to sleep”, Ernest replied.¹

Ernest arrived at headquarters and entered the office of the Adjutant, Major Garver.³

Major Garver: “Lt. Chamberlain, did you know there was an air alert last night?”¹

Lt. Chamberlain: “Yes sir.”

Major Garver: “Was it your guards who were guarding the Officer Family Barracks?”

Lt. Chamberlain: “Yes sir”.

Major Garver: I have received numerous complaints about the action of your guards. After the sirens sounded the guards pounded on each door with the butt of their rifle and shouted “Come out immediately or I’ll come in after you”. They didn’t give them time to dress but rushed them out in their night clothes. When everyone was out they herded them to the 3rd Division Parade Ground and forced them to lay on the grass in spread eagle position! What do you have to say about that?¹

“Spread eagle on the Parade Ground?”, Ernest gasped. “That does seem rather excessive.” He grasped and groped for words. Finally he said, “Well sir, I am only thankful that I am here to account for this possible over action rather than a lack of action with a lot of dead people in a bombed out barracks.”¹

The Major stared straight ahead without expression or comment. He  then continued: “Last night were the guards at the warehouse under you?“¹

Lt. Chamberlain: “Yes sir”.

Major Garver: I had two calls, one from Union Pacific Railroad and one from the Engineers Union. They claimed that when one of their engines crossed the Olympia-Tacoma highway and slowly entered the warehouse area, a guard stood in front of it and flagged it to a halt.^1,4

The guard said, “This is a black out, turn out your head light”. The engineer refused. The guard said, “Either shut it off or I’ll shoot it out”. The engineer continued to stall. The guard marched around to the front and raised his rifle. The engineer hit the switch in time to save the light. The train remained there until the “All Clear Signal”.^1,4

The engineer was very unhappy. The train was late and not allowed to move without its light. Also the railroad cars were blocking the highway and traffic was backed up half way to Tacoma on one side and half way to Olympia on the other. Lt. Chamberlain, what do you say about that?^1,4

A very nervous Lt. Chamberlain: “Well sir, I do not know of any instructions we have received pertaining to trains. However, our instructions pertaining to vehicles were that all vehicle lights other than cat-eyes were to be turned out during black outs”.¹

When Ernest was dismissed, he felt sure he would soon be released as Officer of the Guard. Nevertheless, as he walked out of the office he believed he heard the major chuckle.¹

He was not released. In fact, he never heard any more on the subject.¹

The World in March 1942

The world was not a very inviting place in March 1942. Nevertheless, I had been invited and was on my way. Gratefully, my destination was the USA, and to loving parents Ernest and Fay Chamberlain, and to the peaceful home of my grandparents, Archie and Livonia Barney.

In March 1942 the world was a mess and our freedom was in serious peril. The Imperial Empire of Japan scored a major victory in the naval battle of Java Sea. The Allies lost 5 ships and 2300 sailors while Japan lost 36 sailors. Japan attacked and occupied the towns of Salamaua and Lae and secured airbases on the northeast coast of New Guinea. After victory in Borneo they were well on their to way to occupy all of Dutch East India, (Indonesia). They surrounded the Philippines. General Douglass MacArthur narrowly escaped with his family and staff. In Australia he declared, “I shall return.”

A German submarine near Cuba torpedoed and sank the USS Texan an American Cargo Ship. At Riga, in Nazi occupied Latvia, 3740 men, women and children (Jews, Gypsies and those who opposed the occupation) were taken into the nearby woods and shot.⁵

This was the state of the world when I arrived.

The day I was born

On the morning in 1942 Fay Chamberlain opened the trap door in the bathroom floor and dumped the laundry through the hole. It fell into a basket on the floor in the basement. “At nine am”, she wrote in a letter to her husband, “the pains started and were every ten minutes apart. I went down and did the washing without telling anyone about them.”⁶

The washing machine hummed a soothing rhythm as the clothing swished back and forth. She took the clothes out of the water, placed them piece by piece through the ringer, then pinned them on the line to dry.

In her letter she continued: “By 11:00 the pains were quit hard and I decided I might as well tell them and get it over with.“⁶ Fay did not like to be the center of attention, especially during times of distress. Therefore, she always understated her pain and discomfort. “The pain got pretty good and I called the Doctor. He said ‘Go to the hospital Immediately!'”⁶

She then took a bath and “leisurely packed” her things.⁶ She didn’t want to get to the hospital too soon and have to stay overnight without Ernest there. Her pains were now 4 minutes apart.

Her father was at work. Archie Barney recorded in his journal: “At about 1 pm Fay called me from home, asked if I could take her to the hospital.”⁷

Archie came home and got her and Livonia and they where on their way. There was one minor detour. Fay had to stop at the Bank in downtown Salt Lake to get money to pay the hospital. “So Dad took me to the bank to get the money. Wasn’t I crazy? I could have had it on Main Street! I hadn’t told them how hard they were and Mom and Dad figured there was plenty of time. We got to the hospital at 2:30”⁶

Archie and Livonia were unaware they were carrying a ticking time bomb. Fay preferred they were not present for the main event. So she told them everything was fine and sent them into town to run their errands. “Just as they left the room the water broke.”⁶ She called the nurse at 3:10 and at 3:15 she was in the delivery room.

The nurse gave her ether to be sure the doctor could get there in time. “The doctor got there and I remember vaguely, him calling Fay Fay trying to bring me back to this world enough to bring the baby.”⁶ This she did and the baby, (Dennis Dean Chamberlain), was born at 4:02 pm.

“Mom was sure mad when she got back… She was happy it was over but mad at me for sending her away.”⁶ Archie wrote with a hint of disgust: “Fay told us to take our time not hurry. The baby boy was born between 3:30 and 4:00 pm while Livonia and I were at Z.C.M.I.”⁷

Choosing a name

Mother chose the name Dennis Dean and had to name me before Dad’s letter with his approval arrived. Grandma Livonia suggested the name Lewis as in Fort Lewis.

Mother and Dad both very badly wanted a daughter.⁸ Dad was heading his letters, “Dearest Fay, Martin and Fayette.” Mother said Fayette sounded like she had swallowed something. Mom liked Judith or Susan but Dad didn’t like those names. They both liked Sandra Lynne shortened to Lin because of length of Chamberlain.

The Description

Me: Well, I turned out to be a boy, and this is the one time in my life that I was very happy to disappoint my parents.

Mother to my father: “How do you like the idea of having another son?“⁶

Me: She knows the answer to that question, but I am sure she will come to my defense.

Mother continues: “It seemed so funny for awhile. He is so different from Martin, that he seemed like someone else’s baby.”⁶

Me: No Mother! Don’t try the “He was switched at birth” line.

Mother: “It has taken sometime to get used to him. He looks like you in miniature. His nose, mouth and chin is just like yours.”⁶

Me: That’s better, Mom. A little flattery can’t hurt.

Mother: “I don’t know what his eyes are like. I’ve only seen them open once. They are very dark. I believe they will be brown. That would be nice as Martin has such pretty blue ones. His hair is one inch long and curls on top. It is now dark, but looks as though it would go light like Martin’s did. He is still red as a beet, so I can’t tell you of his complexion.”⁶

Me: OK, Mom that’s good! Let’s quit while we are ahead.

Mother: “Oh yes- he has dimples too. He’s so fat he’s just darling!”⁶

Me: Oh geez.

Two packages from Dad

Dad sent two packages with implicit instruction that they were not to be opened until the occasion of my birth and Martin’s second birthday on March 20. Dad was bemoaning the fact that he would not be there to see Martin open his special gift. Mother was still in the hospital on 20th when she wrote: “Gee, darling, you have nothing on me. I don’t get to see Martin on his second birthday either”.⁶ They both had to see Martin open his gift through photographs. His gift was a little Army uniform.

Mother got to open her gift four days earlier. It was a small, silver round music box with a powder puff under the lid. The nurses always played it when they came in her room to tend to her. Mother loved it and was thrilled Dad sent it to her.

She missed Dad a lot especially at visitor hour. Her only consolation was that all other young mothers were in the same situation. Mother was good at hiding her emotions. However, after the birth she exposed her feelings while under anesthesia: In her letter to Ernest she wrote: “Mother tells me I cried my heart out for you while I was coming out of ether. I guess that is what I had been storing up. I don’t allow such goings on when I’m conscious.”⁶

Long hospital stays for child birth were customary at this time. On March 26 Fay’s father Archie picked her up and took her home. On the 28th, my grandfather Harry Chamberlain visited the Barneys and, for the first time, had a good look at the baby. “He is so thrilled with Dennis… and very heartily agrees with us that he looks like you.” Fay wrote to Ernest.

The First Reunion, May 1, 1942

Four months of separation was hard on them. Ernest was lonely, especially on weekends. He wished Fay was there so he could take her to the occasional big dance party in town for the officers. Fay and Ernest didn’t drink alcohol, but at least Ernest could have some social interaction with the men he worked with everyday.

Unfortunately, these parties were not stag. It was rationalized that under the circumstances wives would realize what the men were going through and not mind if there husbands enjoyed an evening with some innocent female companionship. Ernest chose to stay on base. “Their evenings may start OK, Ernest wrote, but when they last so long, (some got back as late as 6:15 am) its not so innocent”.⁹

As soon as Dr. Anderson gave Fay the OK to travel, she could move to Washington. Ernest and Fay both realized the complications. Fay would leave the comfort of family and friends and often would only have the company of her two small children. Ernest may only get off the base once or twice a week. He could be in the country for a year, or he may be called to leave tomorrow. No one knew for sure, perhaps not even the Generals.

On April 8 Fay wrote: “I’m getting anxious and excited about coming up now. I am frightened every time the phone rings and it is for Mrs. E. M. Chamberlain. I’m afraid you are calling to say good bye. I don’t think I could stand it if I didn’t get to see you and have you see your sons before they grow up too much. If we could just be near you for a while. If they will leave you in the country we will be by you where ever it is.”¹⁰

Ernest wrote on April 12: “Let’s throw caution to the winds… If we gamble and I see you for but a moment, no money was ever spent better.”¹¹

The Blessing

Fay suggested that May 4 may be a good day for her to come after their baby was blessed on Sunday May 3. It was customary at the time, in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to bless babies at Fast and Testimony meeting on the first Sunday of the month. A group of men of the Melchizedek Priesthood hold the child. One of the group pronounces upon the child its name and gives a blessing.

Ernest was quite adamant that if any arrangements for the blessing had been made, he would change them. “I’m planning on naming Dennis if it is possible… The blessing and naming of a child is a father’s privilege, almost a duty, and one I will be very slow to relinquish.”¹¹

On May 1 my granddad Barney took Mother, Martin and Me to the airport. For Martin and me, the flight to Seattle was our first plane ride. We left Salt Lake City at 4 pm. Seven hours later, at 11 pm, a plane from San Francisco to Salt Lake crashed north of Ensign Peak killing all 17 aboard.¹²

Fay’s old boy friend and former fiance, Andy Anderson was on the same flight as Fay. He very kindly helped Fay get her children off the plane. Andy was the son of the family doctor.^13,14

When we met Dad at the Seattle airport he was on crutches. He had injured his ankle while running an obstacle course.

Ernest found a vacancy at Holly Auto Court on the main highway about two miles east of central Olympia Washington, and about 15 miles southwest of Fort Lewis. It had three rooms for $45 a month. Ernest would take a bus between Fort Lewis and the motor court, as neither Fay nor Ernest had a car.

After making arrangements with the Bishop of the local ward, Dad gave me my blessing at the Holly Auto Court. My grandparents Harry and Annie Chamberlain came up for a visit in May 1942. So, they may have been present at the time of the blessing.

Long Days for Fay, May 22, 1942

On May 22, after three weeks together, Ernest had to leave Fay and the boys in the motor court for about three weeks. On the 25th Fay wrote: “These have been the longest three days. I don’t know what the next two weeks will be like. Maybe if the sun would shine it would help, huh?”¹⁴ Fay noted that it rains whenever she puts the clothes on the line and soaks them.

Fay was plenty busy but her routine was the about same every day: “Arise and dress- dress Martin- get breakfast, Martin and I eat- do dishes- bathe baby- nurse baby- wash diapers and etc.- bathe Martin and put him and Dennis in bed for a nap- while asleep I do ironing, scrubbing, cleaning or what not- get lunch- kids awaken- Martin and I eat- nurse Dennis- do lunch dishes- take shower and get cleaned up- put kids in buggy and go to store- come home tired and start supper and look for  you– because it is 7:00- Martin and I eat- do dishes- rub Dennis and get him ready for night- goes to bed- Martin and I pick up toys- undress Martin- prayers- Martin’s in bed- try to write some letters- Still haven’t written to everyone I promised.“¹⁴

One evening, Fay went on a hot date with her “latest boy friend- Martin.” It was a picture show double feature “Blondie” and “Remember Pearl Harbor.” It was Martin’s first movie and he loved it. He sat through the entire show without moving. Martin liked the war movie best. They ate candy and afterwards they had ice cream. A neighbor, Mrs. Mary Rivisto took care of Dennis.

Martin’s big boil

On June 8 Fay worried about Martin’s ear which had an infected insect bite on the top edge. “It  looks like a huge boil. It has been there for a week and gets bigger every day. Today it is worse than ever. I was hoping you would come home. I don’t know what to do about it and I am so tied down alone.”¹⁴

She was hoping for and expecting Ernest’s return on the 7th and had a special Sunday dinner prepared. “We had a delicious late dinner, steak with onion and tomato sauce, the trimmings, and strawberry short cake.” She told him to let her know when he was actually coming and to send her a menu. “We will have it ready for you and we’ll celebrate when you finally get here. It had better be the 15th as I can’t take it much longer”¹⁴

Captain Werlie, a doctor and resident at Holly Auto Court, helped Fay treat Martin’s ear.¹⁴

New Orders

Ernest returned on about June 15th, so the family was together again. They were in Olympia for their fourth wedding anniversary on June 29 and on Fay’s birthday on July 11. They later moved to Yakima for a while.¹⁵

While in Yakima, Ernest received orders to take a Communications Course at Fort Sill in Lawton, Oklahoma. He was to arrive “not earlier nor later than 29 Aug 1942”. The course would terminate in about three months. “Upon completion of this TD (temporary duty) they will return to (Fort Lewis) their proper station.”¹⁶

The Chamberlain family left Yakima, Washington and arrived in Salt Lake City between August 17th and the 24th. This may be the time Ernest’s father drove up and brought them back to Salt Lake. Apparently they stayed a few days with Annie and Harry Chamberlain in their Salt Lake home.¹⁵

Fort Sill, Oklahoma August 29, 1942

Ernest left Salt Lake heading for Fort Sill on August, 28. His train was late and he just barely made his connection in Denver. On the Zepher from Denver a bunch of Boy Scouts got on at some small town. Therefore, Ernest didn’t get any sleep until 4 am. He arrived at Quanah, Texas at 5am. This connection was also late. He ate breakfast there and got on the train to Lawton, Oklahoma at 10 am. “How I got (to Fort Sill) on time is still a miracle but I made it”, he wrote.¹⁷

He studied hard on his courses, and the tests for electricity, map reading, telephone, radio and secret codes were fairly easy for him. However, Morse Code not so much. They told them this code would be easy for those with musical ability. The Chamberlains were gifted in musical talent. Unfortunately, Ernest was not present when they were giving out this gift, “When all the dits and dahs start coming at me I darn near go nuts”, he wrote.¹⁷

Their first car, September 19, 1942

Ernest missed his family and was counting the days until they would be together. They wanted to get together as soon as possible. However, this would be expensive and was not without problems. Martin needed to have his to tonsils out in Salt Lake and then recover. Also, Ernest wanted to buy their first car. This might solve some problems, but cash would be tight for a while.

Ernest heard about a car in Lawton that sounded pretty good. It was 1941 Plymouth 2 door sedan, 15,000 miles with five practically new tires.  But it was $1000. On Saturday, September 19, 1942 at 0700 hours it was raining, “pouring down like the overflow at the top of a dam”. Therefore, the army cancelled the scheduled classes. Ernest jumped in his roommates car and drove to town. After looking at several cars, he chose the Plymouth. It had nice seat covers and a radio and the dealer lowered the price to $925. On October 9 Ernest finally squeezed $20 out of the budget for the auto insurance so he could take the car off the dealer’s lot.¹⁷

Fay was excited about the car and wanted to see pictures and know more about it. Hopefully, she could meet Ernest in Oklahoma and come back with him. “When am I coming to see you?” she asked in mid October. However, this dream was fading. The car down payment, insurance and $50 monthly payments caused them to reconsidered their plans to get together.

Big plans for Thanksgiving and Christmas

The trip from Oklahoma to Fort Lewis was about 2400 miles and they only had $35 saved. They needed $100 more for food, hotels and misc. Even a trip to meet Ernest half way, like in Denver, would add to the expense. “The money alone is not important, Ernest wrote, but the fact that to get to Fort Lewis will probably take all or more than we can save up and after we get there it will be December. I want this Christmas, if we are still able to be together, the best we have ever had”.¹⁷

In one of the many times they expressed their love and longing to be together Ernest wrote:. “I’m glad you think of me a lot because I am always thinking of you too. Thirty-seven and a half days before I leave here. So often lately I have laid awake for hours at a time thinking of you and the boys. It is going to be wonderful to be together”.¹⁷

If he can get some leave time after his courses finish, Ernest will be in Salt Lake City for Thanksgiving. He suggested some things to do while there. “First go to the temple, one evening meal at your folks, Thanksgiving dinner at my folks, Thanksgiving dance at the U of U or Old mill (if there is a dance). Besides these, I have and idea for the first night”.¹⁷

The big day finally arrived and on Friday November 20, Ernest packed up, took half his stuff to the railroad station, and loaded it on the train. He graduated from the army Communications Course that evening.

The next morning he went to the ration board to get a little extra gas. He then pointed “Lena” (the car) toward home and he was on his way. He bade goodbye to old Fort Sill with dreams of being with his family on Thanksgiving Day. And, then on to his “proper station” Fort Lewis. Together with his little family, he was looking forward to December in Washington and “the best Christmas they ever had”.¹⁷

Salt Lake City, August 29, 1942

The day after Ernest left Salt Lake for Fort Sill, tragedy struck the Barney-Adams family. Norma Miller died in the hospital in Salt Lake. She had had an operation two weeks previous and then returned to the hospital. She was the nine-month-old baby daughter of Livonia Adams Barney’s sister Jessie Adams Miller and her husband Ross Miller who lived in Tremonton, Utah.¹⁵

Jessie and Ross came down from Tremonton that day, (Aug 29) while Archie Barney made arrangements with the board of health. Livonia rode with the Miller family on the return ride to Tremonton. Archie took little Norma in his car. They arrived quite late. The funeral, two days later, was on Aug 31. Livonia stayed for a few days after to give comfort to her sister.

Archie left for Salt Lake early the next morning and arrived at 9 am. He found the family at home well and happy. Granddad Archie Barney took Martin to work with him where he enjoyed learning and talking on the Dictaphone.

On September 9, Livonia came home from Tremonton, and they had a fine birthday dinner for her. Livonia’s gifts were a Bird Cage from the children, a Canary from Mrs. Thomas, a fountain pen from Archie and an apron from Mrs. Smith and Patsy.

September 10, Fay, Livonia and Martin went to Utah Woolen Mills to buy baby blankets. Livonia was ill and nervous after coming back from Tremonton.

The checking account

September 26 in the evening, eight people packed into Archie’s Ford to go for a little ride. There were three children and five adults, Livonia, Fay, Martin, Dennis, Patsy, Mrs. Smith, Ellen and Archie. Archie drove up Parley’s Canyon and down Emigration. “The autumn colors were beautiful indeed”.¹⁵

Ernest sent Fay a beautiful winter coat which thrilled her. However, the weather was so nice this General Conference weekend that she could not yet wear it. She said she would wear it when she came to meet him. Unfortunately this dream was fading as expenses for the new car took all their savings.¹⁸

On October 9 Fay wasn’t happy to hear they were low on money. Fay joked that she had 4 cents. Her biggest concern was they were both writing checks on the same bank account. Coordination was done in letters to each other. “I already paid a few bills before I knew. Will they put me in the can?” Fay wrote.

Also, Dennis was growing out of all of his clothes and did not yet fit Martin’s old ones. And Martin needed an operation to remove his tonsils in Salt Lake before they could get together. Ernest kept reminding her to take care of this. Fay, however, may have been reluctant since her niece had just died following surgery.¹⁸

Dean, Dan and Don, October 9, 1942

Fay’s younger brother Dean Barney had two close buddies, Dan and Don. They were a pack of adventure loving seventeen-year-olds. Dean’s mother Livonia had gone again to Tremonton to visit her sister Jessie. “Its a good thing she did”, Fay wrote. “Dean, Dan and Don decided to stay out of school yesterday. They said they were going to hitch hike to Tremonton.”¹⁸

Fay, however, suspected they had bigger plans. “Anyway they didn’t come home last night and haven’t yet. Their folks are getting worried about them. I suppose they will be home soon if they are not in California or Washington or somewhere.”¹⁸

This drama left Ernest hanging for weeks. He finally wrote and asked what happened to Dean, Dan and Don. On October 22, Fay wrote: “Oh yes, Dean and the boys came home the next night. They had been sleeping in a haystack.”¹⁸

Dean’s dreams of adventure will soon come true, as Ernest and Fay’s hopes and careful plans crumble and blow away like dust in the wind.

Martin’s tonsillectomy, October 21, 1942

Martin had his tonsillectomy on October 21. And on October 23 he was well enough to go to Grandma Annie Chamberlain’s birthday celebration. Lois, Harvey and Sharon were there and everyone had a good time.

On Saturday October 24, the family went to the zoo. They wanted to show Martin the animals. Fay hoped he wouldn’t be scared of the monkeys this time. “We just left the zoo”, Fay wrote, “You should have seen Martin’s eyes. They were just popping. He enjoyed it”.¹⁸

Martin’s surgery and quick recovery opened the way for the family to move together to Washington.

Thanksgiving in Salt Lake, November, 26, 1942

Ernest had been granted ten days leave beginning November 22 and was due at Fort Lewis on December 2.¹⁹ He arrived in Salt Lake City about the 23rd and was again united with his family. His hopes for their time together went well, at least his plans for Thanksgiving Day onNovember 26. His father, Harry Chamberlain wrote to Ernest, “We had a dandy Thanksgiving together”.²⁰

 

 

The drive to Olympia Washington, November 29. 1942

When it was time to leave for Washington, they loaded Fay’s sewing machine and supplies into the car. She was an excellent seamstress and liked to modify her own clothes and make clothes for the children. She was delighted that she would have something she enjoyed doing when Ernest was away.¹³

Ernest, Fay, Martin and Dennis got into their new Plymouth and headed north through Idaho. They visited and stayed with Fay’s relatives along the way. Dated photos indicate they visited Bill and Eva Williams Nichols and Aunt Nettie (Jeanetta) Adams Williams and Uncle George Williams on November 29.

When they arrived in Olympia, they found a motel along the highway near Fort Lewis. They decorated it and fixed it up the way they liked it. Fay was happy about her new home and sewing set up.

(The letters and his orders indicate Ernest checked in at Fort Lewis on December 2. However, it is unclear where Ernest was and what he did the next few days.)

A surprise move to Yakima, December 8, 1942

On Tuesday, December 8, Fay drove Ernest to Fort Lewis.  When Ernest checked in they told him his unit was in the process of transferring to the Yakima Firing Range. This was quite a surprise and quite upsetting for both Ernest and Fay because his family could not go with him. He would be away for about three weeks. Fay, Martin and Dennis left Ernest at the fort and drove back to the motel.

The next morning Ernest was frantically writing to Fay, trying to explain to her his incredible experiences of the last 24 hours. He knew she was upset. “Here is my story”, he wrote at 3 am, “I haven’t really had any sleep since I last saw you”.²¹

When Fay took him to Fort Lewis, Ernest learned that most of his unit had already gone to Yakima. They told him to hurry and get on a kitchen truck which was leaving in a few minutes.¹³ Apparently, Fay knew he was on his way to Yakima because in his letter he began his story: “We finally managed to leave at 9:20 am.”²¹

Ernest wrote to her to explain why he did not call her sooner. The 180 mile trip around Mt. Rainier to Yakima normally took three or four hours. However, not this time. Ernest wrote: “For a long time it rained heavily, then it snowed. Traveling got very slow. When we were about to the summit we were delayed two hours while a big gasoline trailer was righted up and could be removed from blocking the road. After trudging along we arrived at Yakima at 9:30 pm”.²¹

It gets worse

When Ernest got to Yakima, he walked into the adjutant’s tent to report in. The adjutant looked at him and said, “Aren’t you at Fort Sill?”²¹

Obviously not.

“I just came from Fort Sill. I finished my course there and returned to my permanent station”, Ernest replied.¹³

“We sent your orders to Fort Sill, didn’t you get our telegram?” They told Ernest that he is suppose to take another three month course at Fort Sill since he is already there. “School starts tomorrow morning, November 9, the soonest you can possibly get there is the 10th. You need to be on the next train to Fort Sill!”^13,21

Poor Ernest was a day late and $60.00 dollars short, for he had no money to buy his train ticket. “Finally, miracle of miracles, I found a fellow that would take my check for $60.00.” he wrote.²¹

Ernest felt sick. It would have been just as easy to make the trip to Ft. Sill as Ft. Lewis.

They called a driver to take Ernest to the railroad station as fast as possible. However, it was late and they had to wake up a driver and tell him to get ready.²¹

When they got to the train station Ernest found that Union Pacific, which had the most direct route, had just left the station. He then checked Northern Pacific. NP would give him a grand tour of the country. Nevertheless, it will still get to Oklahoma before the next UP. He bought his tickets on NP.²¹

What else can go wrong?

Suddenly it dawned on Ernest that it was after 10 o’clock and Fay was back in the motel in Olympia, and that he was about to board a train heading for Oklahoma. Not only that, he didn’t know the phone number of the motel. He looked through the phone directory. There was no listing for Hi Way Motor Court or the manager’s name Rowe.^13,21

In desperation Ernest called the Switchboard in Olympia Washington. At that time all telephone service was conducted by live operators. He got connected to a switchboard operator. She was very patient and accommodating and connected him with the Highway Patrol. They read Ernest a long list of motels that are along the highway between the fort and Olympia. None of them sounded familiar.^13,22

Ernest got the same operator back and she graciously began calling each of the motels along the highway to see if they had a Mrs. Chamberlain registered there. Finally, one manager told her that the Hi Way Motor Court might be listed under the name “Gibson”. And it was.²¹ The motel name had been recently changed.^13,21

He called the number and the manager, Mr. Rowe answered. He confirmed that Mrs. Chamberlain was indeed registered there.^13,21

Where is Fay?

Ernest told Mr. Rowe he needed to talk to Mrs. Chamberlain. So, Mr. Rowe went and knocked on the door. He came back to the phone and told Ernest: “Mrs. Chamberlain is not home. The car is there, but the newspaper has not been taken in.“²¹

Ernest said: “Please give her a message as soon as you see her. Tell her I am on my way to Fort Sill and won’t return.” He then rushed off to catch the train.¹³

As he boarded the train his mind was whirling. “Where is Fay?” He worried about all the possibilities. “Had she gotten back from the post OK? Was he sure her car was there? If that was our car, why wasn’t she home?”²¹

Billings Montana, December 9, 1942

The Northern Pacific train pulled in to Billings Montana at about 3 am. It was an hour and a half behind schedule, so he missed his connection with the train to Kansas City. The next train would not leave for seven hours crushing his hope of arriving at Fort Sill on the 10th.²¹

He went to the Canteen near the station and immediately started writing to Fay. He quickly wrote a note on a post card and mailed it before the morning pick-up. The card was post marked “Billings Mont. 5 AM Dec 9, 1942”. The post card note read:

“Dearest Fay – I certainly have felt punk today worrying about you and thinking of how I messed up X-mas. Write me by airmail what you plan to do. Will send you complete letter soon as possible. Love, Ernest”.

He then composed a six page letter with the woeful details of his day. The letter bore the same post mark except for the time, which was 5 PM.

Since he missed the connection to Kansas City, he boarded the next train to Lincoln, Nebraska. The train finally left Billings, Montana and chugged its way to Lincoln where he missed his connection again.²⁴

Meanwhile at Hi Way Motor Court

The manger told Fay the message from Ernest the next morning. Last night she was exhausted and didn’t wake up when the manger knocked on the door. The paper on the porch was some free advertisements which she ignored.²²

When she got the message she felt angry and abandoned. “I don’t know whether I’m more homesick, lonesome or plain scared, but the combination leaves my quite ill”, she wrote.²³

Fay spent that afternoon at the rationing board to see if she can get gas. And tomorrow she has to go to the fort to get authorization from some Colonel. “I’m using up all my gas trying to get more gas. If I do get the gas how will I get home?²³

Fay had very little driving experience and driving alone with two small children was not an option.

Her mind was full of questions: How much money is in the checking account? Should she stay here? or go to Salt Lake? or go to Fort Sill? And how would she get there? Should she take a train and store the car in Washington? Would Ernest ever return to Fort Lewis?²³

Me: At this time, however, I really was not concerned about mother’s problems, as I had problems of my own.

Mother: “Martin is well and Dennis still has a sore bottom”.²³

Dennis saves the day

Fay was much happier when she wrote to Ernest the next day, December 11.

“Dearest Ernest. Hello again. How did you like the scorcher you received previous? I hope this one will not be quite as bad. Anyway I was happy to receive your card and am looking forward to the letter. Hope it is soon.”²³

Me: I don’t want to brag, but think I deserve some credit here for her change in mood.

Mother: “He is so cute. Dennis has learned to pat-a-cake well since you left. He sits there patting with his face beaming and really throws his hands up when he throws it in the oven. He knows just when to do it too”.²³

Me: All I have to do is pour on the charm, it works every time.

Mother: “If the baby just wasn’t so small this would all be much simpler and an easier matter.”²³

Me: Oh rats.

Dean Barney to the rescue, December 14, 1942

Fay called her folks in Salt Lake City. The long distance call was $3.00 (about $44 in 2020) which included a 20% phone tax. “Isn’t that terrible”, she wrote. However, she was pleasantly surprised that her call went through so quickly. It took only 45 minutes.²³

She told her family her sad story and her brother Dean said, “I will come up.”¹³

After her call, Fay drove to the fort to get a letter of introduction from Colonel Ericsson for the gas rationing board. “He was very nice to me” she wrote. Ordinarily she would have to come back for the letter after he had time. But instead he immediately dictated the letter to his secretary and gave it to her. He told her she wouldn’t have any more trouble getting gas for the trip to Salt Lake City.²³

Fay thought they would have to wait until payday on the 15th to have the money to buy Dean’s train ticket to Olympia. However, someone hurried things along. Dean got excused from school on the 14th and on the 15th, Dean and our family were in Seattle. They sent a postcard to Ernest:

“Hello again- Here we are in Seattle. What are we doing here? Tell you later. Dean and Howard are with us and are having a good time. Love- Fay Martin & Dennis”. (Howard Williams is Fay and Dean’s first cousin, also in the service in Washington)

Fay, Martin and Dennis were now on their way back to the home of Archie and Livonia Barney. And Dean was driving their new car and having the marvelous adventure of his dreams.

Ernest was at his wits end and mad at the world by December 16. This was the day he received Fay’s self described “scorcher.” He flunked his first test that day, but he was especially frustrated with the many futile attempts and hours he had spent trying to contact Fay. Also, the mail back and forth took so long that the situation would change. For example, by the time Ernest was upset and responding to her letter of December 10, Fay was at home in Salt Lake and the crisis was over.

Christmas Day, December 25, 1942

Plans can change fast when there is a war going on and you are in the service of your country. Only a month ago Ernest was leaving this post and well on his way to fulfilling his dream of “the best Christmas ever”. Now he is back at Fort Sill.

On December 16, he wrote a second letter to Fay in which he said, “Sorry I sent the last letter”. He told her he was trying so hard to get things straightened out so he could be with her and the boys for Christmas. He was counting on watching Martin open his presents on Christmas morning.²⁴

Fay was also very disappointed that their plans for Christmas didn’t work out:  “Every time I think of how we all have to be separated, I just wilt inside. We try so hard to be together and have what family life we can. Dennis was just beginning again to love his Dad and Martin misses you so much”.²³

Ernest and Fay are making plans to get together again after the first of the year. The housing at Fort Sill was worse than Fort Lewis, but Ernest would see what he could find.

The ever present urgency was always there as rumors abound. Ernest told Fay about a rumor that was going around Fort Lewis. It must of had some credibility for Ernest wrote: “Be sure you burn the rest of this letter when you read it, and don’t mention it to anyone.”²⁴

The letter, reconstructed from the ashes, continues:

“But here is the deal at present. They are pulling all the ropes they know, it is rumored, to get us out of here and over seas as soon as possible for the (1943) spring offensive. My orders if you notice is different from usual it doesn’t specify where we will return to. Most fellows I talk to don’t think we will even finish the course. We are one of the old outfits which have so far remained over here.”²⁴

Ernest also noted that this may just be “so much bull.”

While disappointed they would not be together for Christmas, they also recognized their blessings. “I am happy knowing you are at least near and not “over there”, Fay wrote.²³

Fay, Martin and Dennis spent a wonderful Christmas with Granddad and Grandma Barney. While Ernest went to a movie, “The Black Swan”, one which they had hoped to see together.

On Christmas Eve, Ernest wrote to Fay the following note expressing gratitude and hope for the future.

Here I am really not so far away, and above all whether I am far or near I have been granted the privilege of having three beautiful hearts tucked away safely in my bosom. And soon, God granting, I can have them all so very near to me. When the war is all over and Christmas comes around again that star on top the tree will really look like the Star of Bethlehem and truly shine out “Peace on earth, good will to men”. Then we can make up for what we miss now. Love Ernest. December 24, 1942.²⁴

To be continued…. 1943 to 1948

Chapter 30- Dennis Chamberlain, Family and Memories During World War II

Acknowledgments:

Thanks to Deanna Chamberlain Grant for publishing “Selected Journals of Archie Fay Barney” and DVD with the photos to make this information available. And to Lyle Brent Chamberlain for his 1984 interview with Fay and Ernest Chamberlain on DVD. And of course to Archie F. Barney, Ernest M. Chamberlain and Fay Barney Chamberlain for writing down and preserving this information.

© Copyright Dennis D. Chamberlain, The Chamberlain Story, 2020. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the written content of this site without express and written permission from the author and owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that credit is given to Dennis D. Chamberlain and direction to  www.thechamberlainstory.com.

References:

1- Ernest Chamberlain, “World War II, Ordered to Active Duty – Guard Duty”, unpublished autobiography

2- Ernest M. Chamberlain, Letter to his wife Fay Barney Chamberlain, written March 22, 1942

3- Ernest Chamberlain, unpublished autobiography. The name of Adjutant Officer is not mentioned. However, Major Garver was the name of the IX Corp Adjutant Officer in January, 1942  Ernest wrote about.

4- Fay Barney Chamberlain, Letter to her husband Ernest M. Chamberlain, March 9, 1942

5- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_1942

6- Fay Barney Chamberlain, Letter to husband Ernest M. Chamberlain, March 17, 19 & 20, 1942.

7- Archie F. Barney, Journal entry for March 16, 1942.

8- Ernest M. Chamberlain, Letter to his wife Fay Barney Chamberlain, written Feb. 18, 1942

9- Ernest M. Chamberlain, Letter to his wife Fay Barney Chamberlain, Feb. 26, 1942

10- Fay Barney Chamberlain, Letter to her husband Ernest M. Chamberlain, written April 8, 1942

11- Ernest M. Chamberlain, Letter to his wife Fay Barney Chamberlain, written April 12, 1942

12- Archie F. Barney, Journal entry for May 1, 1942

13- Ernest & Fay Chamberlain Personal Histories, Recorded 25 June 1984 in England by Lyle Brent Chamberlain.

14- Fay Barney Chamberlain, Letters to Ernest M. Chamberlain, April 25 through May, 1942

15- Archie F. Barney, Journal entries for August 17- October 2, 1942

16- Orders from Headquarters IX Army Corps, Fort Lewis, Wash, 17 Aug 1942

17- Ernest M. Chamberlain, Letters to Salt Lake from Fort Sill, Aug 29- Nov 18, 1942

18- Fay Barney Chamberlain, Letters to Ernest M. Chamberlain, October 6-21, 1942

19- Special Orders, HQ 76th Field Artillery Brigade, Yakama, Washington, November 9, 1942

20- Harry Ellis Chamberlain, Letter to E. M. Chamberlain, Dec. 14, 1942

21- Ernest M. Chamberlain, Letter to Mrs. E. M. Chamberlain, Hi-Way Motor Court (Located on Highway between Ft Lewis and Olympia), Olympia Washington. Postmark: Billings Mont. Dec 9, 1942 5 PM

22- Ernest Martin Chamberlain, Jr. Ernest Chamberlain’s Early Army Years, written November, 2001.

23- Fay Barney Chamberlain, Letters to Ernest M. Chamberlain, December 10 & 11 & 20, 1942

24- Ernest M. Chamberlain, Letters to his wife from Fort Sill, December 13-26, 1942