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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

History for Chron

Two members of the military stationed in Spokane were sentenced to 20 years in prison after they were convicted of robbery for holding up a local motel owner.

Dale H. Burley, 19, who was a veteran of the Korean War, and Billy R. Henderson, 18, pleaded guilty to the robbery, in which a Canadian guest was shot in the foot.

Spokane County Prosecutor Hugh Evans said the men stole $87 during the heist and Henderson admitting shooting a victim in the foot.

Evans told Superior Court Judge Raymond F. Kelly that the suspects said they decided to commit the robbery because they needed money after a night of drinking at a state line tavern.

After fog forced their plane to divert from Seattle, a Northwest Orient Airlines Stratocruiser landed at Geiger Field to deliver two newsmen who had been held captive by China for the past 18 months.

Richard Applegate, an NBC Far East correspondent, and International News Service writer Donald Dixon both landed in Spokane and were greeted by waiting family.

The two men were taken captive outside of Hong Kong after traveling there for some vacation when they were approached by a Chinses gun boat.