Looking Back to 1953: Bartender arraigned for murder, Templeton gets swimming pool
This look back at Paso Robles history comes from local newspapers in the Paso Robles Area Historical Society collection. News for this column is selected with the assistance of Research Director Jan Cannon. Newspaper photography by GiGi Green.
Excerpts from the Thursday, September 3, 1953 Paso Robles Journal
Bartender arraigned for murder
Admits performing fatal operation
Christian C. “Tommy” Thomas, Paso Robles bartender charged with performing an abortion that resulted in the death of a San Francisco divorcee, was arraigned for murder, yesterday afternoon, in the district justice court.
Advised of his legal rights, Thomas requested a court-appointed counsel and, at the suggestion of his attorney, James Madden (named by the court) waived a preliminary hearing. William Jensen, deputy district attorney, consented to the waiver, and a superior court hearing was scheduled for Monday, September 14, when Justice Judge Roy Fanning held the defendant “to answer to a charge of murder”
Unable to meet the ten-thousand-dollar bail set yesterday, Thomas will remain in the San Luis Obispo County jail until the September 14 hearing when he will be allowed to enter a plea.
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“This Thomas is a very strange person,” District Attorney Herbert Grundell commented Wednesday, following the arraignment proceedings. “He has told us the whole story—admitted everything—yet he seems a bit bewildered by what has happened.
“In statements made in our office he revealed that he has performed many similar operations, but, in his own words, this is his ‘first slip’.”
Thomas confessed shortly after his arrest early Wednesday morning, that he had performed the illegal operation on Virginia Grider, thirty-year-old San Franciscan at “about 2 a.m. Tuesday,” which, allegedly caused the patient’s death. Mrs. Grider was pronounced dead at the King City hospital several hours after she had gone to Thomas’s home at 3110 Spring Street, for the abortion “apparently performed in the bedroom of the defendant’s bachelor quarters.”
Darrell O. Grider, ex-husband of the dead woman, remained in custody today as investigators questioned him concerning the trip he made from San Francisco with his former wife. Grider told the police he had driven Mrs. Grider to Paso Robles, waited in an all-night restaurant while the abortion was being performed, and met her on Spring Street several hours later to return her to the northern city. According to Grider, “obviously in a state of shock,” Mrs. Grider lost consciousness as they drove through San Miguel. He continued the drive north to King City where a patrolman directed him to the hospital. Grider, arrested when his companion was pronounced dead, revealed the abortion attempt.
Board approves Templeton plans for swim pool
The San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors appropriated $35,535 for the construction of a swimming pool in the Templeton Park, during their budget meeting last Friday.
The pool will be placed in the southwest corner of the park, according to Al Wilholt. It will be built to minimum state educational standards and will be 35 by 75 feet, according to the plans which were approved by the board late Friday night.
Wilholt said this morning that the pool will be built with county funds, but “certain finishing touches” will be paid for by the citizens of the Templeton area. The pool will be leased to the Templeton School District for a ten-year period, and all maintenance and caretaking will be taken on by the school district, according to present plans.
“The idea of a swimming pool in Templeton is not a new one,” Wilholt reported. “The plans were drawn up in 1950, but lack of money stalled the project.”
According to the plans, the pool will have a maximum depth of 11 feet and a 3-meter diving board will be installed.
“I understand that alternate bids will be sent out sometime within the next few weeks,” Wilholt said. “One set of bids will be released for the poured concrete, while the second set will be sent to firms using the gunite method.”
Read previous Looking Back articles
- Looking Back to 1959: County reduces taxes, local cigarette vendor on probation
- Looking Back to August 1935: Bond issues fail, fire dangers homes
- Looking Back to 1936: Rural fire losses reported, school opens Sept. 10
- Looking Back to July 1930: Burglars blow big steel safe at Mercantile
- Looking Back to 1940: Youthful 14-year-old charged with murder
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