The Mail-Journal, Volume 7, Number 11, Milford, Kosciusko County, 15 April 1970 — Page 1

SYRACUSE ANNEXATION- Pro And Con

JOE SHEWMON. GOP candidate for Turkey Creek township trustee—NO— "lt is my conviction that the annexation plan is the brainchild of a rather small group of self-appointed, and annointed, amateur ecologists and civic planners that do not even represent a consensus within their own organization."

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VOLUME 7

kk \ J J j I&. PRESENTS ISO® CHECK — Gordon Brubaker, second from left, cashier of the First National Bank of Milford, is shown presenting a ISO® check to C. J. Myers, president of the Milford Area Des rlopmenl Council (MAD) at the group s meeting Monday night. From left are Paul Brembeck. vice president of MAD. Brubaker. Myers, and Willis Ault, also associated with the First National Bank.

MAD Receives SSOO Check From Ist National Bank

The Milford Area Development Council (MAD) has an additional SSOO m its coffers this week, thanks to the First National Bank of Milford. The SSOO check was presented at the group's Monday night meeting at the Masonic lodge by

Given 15-25 Year Term For November 6 Dewart Lake Murder

e Jeffrey Wayne McComsey. 21. Lancaster. Pa, entered a plea of guilty to a second-degree murder charge last week in Kosciusko superior court McComsey had been indicted on January 20 by a six-man grand jury for first degree murder in the strangulation slaying of Mrs. Lillie .May Ritchie. 29. a Dewart Lake divorcee, on November 6 of last sear The young man appeared before judge Allan A. Rasor Thursday and through his court-appointed attorney Philip J. Harris, requested and was granted permission to enter a plea of guilty to second degree murder When judge Rasor asked him. “Is this your wish?” McComsey replied it was. Judge Rasor . then deferred sentencing until Friday to allow completion of a pre-commitment investigation by probation officer Paul J. Grimme. 15-25 Years On Friday McComsey and his parents. Mr. and Mrs. Samuel McComsey of r 2 Holtwood. Pa., sat emotionless in the court room as judge Rasor sentenced the contessed murderer to an indeterminate term of from 15 to 25 years at the Indiana state prison. At the sentencing attorney Harris asked that the lesser 15-25 year sentence be imposed rather than a sentence of life tn prison. Prosecuting attorney R. Steven Hearn of Syracuse made no objection to the lesser charge on Thursday. He stated Friday the penalties fixed for first degree murder are death in the electric chair or life in prison. Penalties fixed for second degree

newspaper S action Indiana state lADrary IndianapoliSy Ind* 46204

BILL COBVRN, Wawasee Village retail hardware dealer — YES— "I am for annexation because I realize what it costs to maintain pumps, septic tanks and for trash collection, plus the cost of power bills. I feel annexation will save me money. It’s silly to fight annexation. It just doesn’t make sense to be against it.”

Consolidation of THE MILFORD MAIL (Est. 1888) and THE SYRACUSE - WAWASEE JOURNAL (Est. 1907)

Gordon Brubaker, cashier of the bank. He read a letter by the bank’s president William E. Hadley, stating the bank very much wanted to be a part of the Milford community’s efforts to better their lot. To Meet At Fire Station

GARETH R. MEEK. 211 South Lake Street—NO— “l don’t feel the time is right! There are many projects that need completing here in Syracuse before attempting this most difficult, expensive and unpopular decision. Let’s finish the job here and then sit down and talk it over again.”

There were 21 present at the Monday night meeting. It was voted to hold future meetings at the meeting rooms of the Milford fire station Willis Ault was directed by president C. J. Myers to pursue On Page 8. Sec. 1)

murder are also life in prison or 15-25 years. He noted that since a person could become eligible for parole at about the same time under either sentence. he had no objections to the one the judge imposed. Mr. Hearn also pointed out no one had been put th death in Indiana for a number of years. The nearly nude body of Lillie Mae Ritchie was discovered in her home at Dewart Lake on Sunday. Nov. 9. 1969. by neighbors who had been bothered for days by her radio playing steadily at full blast. They forced the door open and found the body on the bed with a sheet knotted tightly around her neck Investigation showed the only thing missing was the victim’s 1967 gray Pontiac Firebird. Soon the investigation centered around the search for the vehicle. It was found in Tiffin, Ohio, on December 11. The car had been spotted in that city the day after Mrs. Ritchie’s reported death. The victim had been divorced for two years. Her former husband resides in Arizona. She came to the area from Chicago in 1968 and had resided with her sister near Millersburg prior to moving to Dewart Lake on October 31. 1969 She was employed at Regent Homes in Syracuse. Follow ing an appeal from police who had found a vehicle belonging to a Gary Dale Rose abandoned in Goshen, two residents from lhat town told officers of driving a man to the vicinity of the Ritchie home on the night of November 5. An all-points bulletin was put out fpr Ross who was described as a casual acquaintance of the victim

H BYRON CONNOLLY, president. Syracuse town board—YES—“The only way the town will ever grow is through annexation. Other towns are doing it, and we will have to annex to grow. Regardless of my personal feelings, we have to grow in spite of ourselves. I can't see that it will overburden anyone.”

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 1970

Vicious Vandalism In Two Syracuse Homes Friday Reported By Police Two Syracuse area homes on r 4 were heavily damaged Friday night by vandals The exact amount of damage has not been set but is expected to run several thousand dollars. The destruction was first discovered at the Henry Kilmer home at Oakwood Park when the returned home shortly after 9 in the evening. Entrance was gained by oteaking in through the back door of the home and the only thing thought to be missing was two bottles of soda pop. Caps to the bottles were dropped on the kitchen floor. New drapes were torn from one side of each window and slashed. Furniture was also slashed as were mattresses on the beds and bedding. Clothes were taken from closets and strewn about the floor. A large potted plant was dumped atop various items on the floor, the pot broken and broken glass from pictures scattered about. The incident took place between the hours of 6 and 9 and as the sheriff’s department investigated, a call came for the break-in at the Charles Harris property near Macy’s at the south edge of Syracuse. A neighbor. Steve Bartow, upon hearing sounds from outside between 9:30 and 10. went to investigate. After talking with two youths in the road, he shined his light in the direction of buildings, thus discovering a door on the back porch of the Harris house standing open. Bartow phoned Harris and upon investigation discovered the vandalism. much the same as in the Kilmer home. Investigation continues.

Moonlite Madness Sale Friday Nite

Plans are being completed for the Uptown Businessmen’s Association annual Moonlight Madness sale from 9 until midnight Friday night, April 17. Many shoppers are expected for the bargains in various stores and door prizes to be given by most businesses. Ads in this issue of the paper list many reductions.

JEFFREY W. McCOMSEY

BILL BRAMMER. Wawasee Village furniture retailer—NO— “I can’t afford SSOO extra taxes a year that annexation will cost me. They haven’t been telling us the truth about what the extended sewer system will cost. If it cost $60,000 to run sewer and water to G*W Pizza. $250,000 won’t complete the job they are talking about.”

BOY SCOUT TROOP 28 TO CAMP OUT Boy scout troop 28 at Syracuse will take part in a campout on April 17, 18 and 19 at Camp Gus Grissom south of Syracuse. This event is planned for achievement for the youths. Jim Cox is scoutmaster for the group of 30.

< <<o w 1 1 ,’K STEVEN HEARN, > chairman chamber of commerce annexation committee—YES— “l think the areas we plan to annex are a social and economic part of the town and the people affected enjoy privileges and to a certain extent are governed by the town of Syracuse, without actually having a voice in the affairs of the town.”

Aatronauts In Peril — The Whole World Is Waiting And Watching

The whole world is waiting, watching and praying for the crew of Apollo 13 as its crippled spaceship heads toward earth and a landing Friday in the Pacific ocean. A successful burn was made last night at- 9:40 of the engine of the moon lander which has become the trio’s “life boat in space” as it takes over for the crippled mother ship. The maneuver will enable the crew to return to earth some 10 hours earlier than would have been possible had they stayed on course. It also changed their landing site from the Indian to the Pacific ocean. Astronauts on board are James A. Lovell. Jr., Fred W. Haise. Jr., and Jack L. Swigert. New problems arose after last night’s burn as warning lights showed astronauts the carbon dioxide levels in the craft were on the rise. On a normal flight the lithium hydroxide canisters aboard the spaceship cleans the air of the deadly’’ gas. However, the canisters in the command ship are not in operation and those in the lunar lander are not capable of handling the load for both. As we go to press the crew of Apollo 13 is trying to “rig up some way to use the lithium hydroxide canister” which may be linked

Rose was found in Ashdown. Ark . however, officers learned upon questioning him he had not been in Indiana They also learned he had lost his personal identification papers in the summer of 1969 while working in Idaho. Police then began to assume that the man they were looking for had found Rose’s papers and had assumed his identity. Car Found Then, on December 11. the car was found. Shortly thereafter, on December 14. while police were still investigating the vehicle and its connection in the woman's death and the disappearance of her murderer, police in Stark, Fla., advised officials in Indiana they’ were holding a man with Rose’s papers. He was soon identified as Jeffrey McComsey. He had tried to pass a bad check in Florida. Indiana officials went to Florida and McComsey was returned here and held in the Kosciusko county jail. Jeffrey Wayne McComsey is the second oldest in a family of five children. He left school while a freshman in high school, however, he completed the equivalent of a high school education while in the navy. He enlisted shortly after his 17th birthday. During his four years in the navy he went AWOL several times. He left the navy without permission on May 16.1969, while facing a second court martial charge for being absent without leave at Treasurer Island. Calif. McComsey arrived in the Kosciusko-Elkhart county area in October of 1969 and was«w orking on a

DOROTHY (Mrs. Dee) STIVER, r 4 Syracuse—NO—“l can’t see how extra taxes will give the town of Syracuse enough extra revenues to take care of the extra maintenance problems this will involve. I don’t want the town to grow. If it grew and had a lot of industry, it would spoil the area.”

with tape and a stocking to the air system. And. at this time men at mission control are fighting to bring the astronauts back to earth safely and the prayers of the free world are with them. ■■ — — - € CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO MEET THURSDAY Members of the SyracuseWawasee Chamber of Commerce will meet Thursday, April 16, at the Pickwick Lounge for their monthly meeting. The meeting will begin at 12 noon and will end at 1:30. Committee reports will be given and a discussion will be held on the industrial fair proposed for this coming summer. Clean up. fix up. paint up week will also be discussed. WINDOW BROKEN AT MILFORD MOTORS Richard Casto reported to Milford police at 7:35 p.m. Sunday, that someone had set on the hood of a truck at his car lot and kicked the windshield until it cracked. Damages were estimated at SIOO to the window' which must be replaced.

farm in the Millersburg area wherf he became acquainted with Mrs. Ritchie. Confession In his confession he told officers he had had mechanical troubles with his car and had abandoned it in Goshen. He then obtained a ride to Dewart Lake where he called on Mrs. Ritchie, whom he had helped move five days earlier. He related they had talked and she agreed to drive him to Goshen in her car. He continued that as Mrs. Ritchie bent over at the door to put on her shoes he strangled her with a cloth from the table. His confession relates he carriedher to the bed and undressed her to “make it look like a sex crime.” He then knotted a sheet around the already dead woman's neck. After driving back to Goshen he checked out of his hotel and drove to Tiffin, Ohio. While in Tiffin on November 6 he read the newspapers and listened to the radio to see if there was any mention of the murder. He abandoned the car in Tiffin and took a bus to Jackson, Ky., where he visited his sister. His next stop was his home in Lancaster. He didn't stay long, however, because he heard police were going to pick him up as a deserter from the navy. He returned to’Kentucky and then went to Florida. In his confession he failed to give a reason for the crime other than he needed Mrs. Ritchie's car. He denied any sexual molestation of the victim. Police expected to take McComsey to the state prison at Michigan City early this week.

JOHN R. WALKER, chamber president—YES— “There are 3 ways for a town to develop: 1. remain at a standstill, 2. regress, or 3. move up the ladder or progress which is the aim of every individual in his personal life, same as ap organization, r believe annexation spells progress for Syracuse.”

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NUMBER 11

SB,OOO Worth Os Liquid Acid Lost At Gulf Milford police chief Don Drake reports his department is investigating the cause of a broken pipe at the Gulf. Chemical Company on north James street in that town. The broken pipe allowed more than 40 ton of liquid acid to lead from the tank with an estimated loss set at SB,OOO. Chief Drake stated the lead was discovered by plant manager Ben Kaiser when he reported to work at 7 a.m. Friday morning. The pipe was broken sometime between 8 p.m. Thursday and the time Kaiser went to work, on Friday. Farewell Party Sunday Mr. and Mrs. Emory Guy of Syracuse were guests of honor Sunday for a farewell party by the Good Cheer class of the Syracuse Church of the Brethren. A carry-in dinner was held at noon at the church followed by a social time. A gift was presented to the Guys from the 27 in attendance.