The Mail-Journal, Volume 9, Number 20, Milford, Kosciusko County, 14 June 1972 — Page 1

w U itfv Ms’ •=' The 457-3666 Z J ffi of THE MILFORD MAIL (£rt. 1888) and THE SYRACUSE - WAWASEE JOURNAL (£rt. 1907)

OLUME 9

Jirst Degree Murder Indictment . Rocks Syracuse-New Paris Aren

■ The selection of a grand jury ■ began this morning in Elkhart to ■ consider evidence in the death of Ax New Pans man, in what apto be a most bizarre case that has rocked the Syracuse and New Paris communities Being held in the Elkhart county jail since late last Thursday evening is Shirley Rock, 24, in the death of hor husband, possibly from poisoning. Mrs. Rock, who gave herself up voluntarily to Elkhart county authorities near midnight Thursday, was employed in the of the Northern Indiana Service Company in for the past six years and was well known in the Syracuse community. Dies Unexpectedly She is being held on first degree rhurder charges in the death of her late husband, David Eugent Rock, 26, of New Paris. Rock, who died unexpectedly on May 25 at the Elkhart hospital, was thought to be the victim of arsenic poisoning, according to laboratory tests released by Elkhart county chief deputy oroaecutor Michael Cosentino Xhe had been in the hospital for three days prior to his death He had been scheduled for a tonsillectomy on May 1, but surgery was postponed due to his poor condition. ■>x. While no motive was attributed is charges placed against Mrs Rock, she reportedly has signed a Statement for Elkhart county authorities. Mrs Rock had taken her younger sister to a performance in South Bend Thursday evening, and upon returning home was told Elkhart county police were ■Stacking for her It was then that turned herself in. Bom in Goshen June 22, 1945. the son of Eugene and Harriet (Neff) Rock of New Paris, the deceased graduated from New Paris high school in 1953. Married la 1967 After his marriage on July 22, 1967, Rock went into the army and following his discharge he was employed in the cost department office at Keene Machine. Icn., Middlebury. He was employed before that at the CTS Corp . Elkhart

11 '-. •- r . ■•<. • •.' ■•. && .. WORK ON PICKWICK BLOCK — Demolition of the remains of the well |u»own Pickwick Block in uptown Syracuse began Tuesday to make way for a restoration of the business area. The remaining brick wails facing Main and Huntington streets fell under the gaping mouth of the huge crane's bucket. The block burned out on January 1. IWI. and subsequently the coiner was purchased by the uewly formed Syracuse Community Development Corp, which raised 155.000 for a restoration program. The group is seeking tenants for the new building.

Rock, who was described as a good worker in the Keene office, complained of being ill and was absent from work for a week. He returned on a Monday, saying he felt better, but was advised to return home and rest until he felt better Rock reportedly consulted a physician and was under treatment for his illness, which was not considered serious at the time Several weeks passed and Rock was unable to work. His condition worsened and he was admitted to Elkhart hospital on Monday, May 22. and he died on May 25. He was a member of the American Legion Post in Middlebury , the New Paris Jaycees and the Union Center Church of the Brethren Mrs Rock was active in church affairs, taught Sunday school in the Union Center Church of the Brethren and was director of the children's and young adultsi choirs Mrs Rock graduated from New Paris high school in 1965. and from Carter Secretarial School and was employed at Martin’s Feed Mills at New Paris before joining Northern Indiana Public Service Co. They’ had no children. Judge Rules In Annexation Case A motion for summary judgment filed in Kosciusko circuit court at Warsaw was overruled . last Thursday by Judge Gene B Lee regarding the town's proposed annexation at Syracuse of several adjacent areas to the town. Remonstrators in another area lying to the south and west, including The Weatherhead Company, withdrew a petition and agreed to the annexation earlier if the town board of trustees would not put the annexation into effect until March of 1973 A hearing was held for this area in May and agreed upon The primary reason for the Thursday case was to determine whether proceedings were continuing on the proposed annexation of the other two proposed areas.

Study Gas, Fuel Oil Bids For Schools

The Lakeland school board received gas and fuel oil bids for Wawasee high school and the Milford and North Webster schools last night, and are taking them under consideration. They were as follows: Gas. Wawasee * high school — Christner Oil Co.. 21.25 c; Gulf Oil Co., 20.16 c; American Oil Co., 20.73 c; and Gast Fuel & Service. 21.8 c. Gas for North Webster and Milford schools — Christner Oil Co., 22.75 c; American Oil Co., 22.2 c; and Gast Fuel & Service, 27.1 c for North Webster, and 26.6 c for Milford Fbr fuel oil Christner Oil Co., 11.76 c; Gulf Oil Co., 12.17 c; Gladieux Refinery. 11.84 c; American Oil Co., 11.65 c (1 per cent 10 day discount); Gast Fuel & Service, 12.4 c. Teacher Retire* The board accepted the resignation of Mrs. Arnold (Gladys) Culver, a North Webster second grade teacher who has taught in the same classroom for 36 years. And the following list of new teachers were hired for the 197273 year: Leroy Rapp. Syracuse junior high, guidance, social studies, P.E.; David Huston, Syracuse junior high, band; Dixie Pryor, * North Webster, 2d grade; Laurel Graham. North Webster, kindergarten; and Beth Jarman, Syracuse elementary, special education. A list of 28 high school textbooks were adopted for a fiveyear period for the high school, and two books were on the list for elementary school approval for a similar period. The board authorized its president and-or superintendent to sign an agreement with the Bremen schools to add this school to its special education co-op agreement. A lease-rental agreement change was noted by school board attorney Robert Reed, which in no way affects payments

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 14, 1972

the board must make to retire its building indebtedness. Approve Payments The board approved certificates of payment to the Lakeland School Construction Co., Inc., in the amount of $88,791.40, and approval of payments of certificates of payments for Lakeland Community School Corp., in the amount of $17,335.50. A list of six change orders on work being done at the Milford, North Webster and Syracuse schools were approved. Four were additions amounting to $2,393.34, and two were deductions amounting to $420.90. A Language Problem Board member Bill Little reported on a meeting he and superintendent Arnold had with five members of the MexicanAmerican community where concern was raised about the language difficulty of MexicanAmerican youngsters in grades K through 4. The group said they hoped to recommend a qualified teacher to serve as an aid in these grades who had a thorough knowledge of the Spanish language and of the cultural background of these youngsters. Mr. Arnold said he and Mr. Naab were looking into the possibility of state funding for such a program. Approval was granted for additional summer personnel : Eric Cobum and Dale Dockter. Syracuse, and James DeLay, strings. Attending the meeting were Jerry Helvey, Floyd Baker, Bill Little and Dr Robert Craig. Hospital Fund Reaches 85% Volunteers for the Kosciusko County Hospital Founders’ Fund have raised 85 per cent of their objective with $1,268,400 in pledges reported, announced Robert D. Maish, campaign general chairman. The campaign, to seek $1.5 million in local support, is to help finance the construction of a new 113-bed not-for-profit community hospital in Kosciusko county. Chairman Maish, convinced that the successful conclusion of this fund-raising program is imminent, has invited all campaign volunteers and their spouses to an achievement celebration to be held at Tippecanoe Lake Country club on Tuesday, June 20. Maish said, “All of our volunteers are increasing their efforts during this final week to go the last step toward our minimum goal. I am confident that our efforts will push us past our objective by next Tuesday." Maish reported that the divisions have made the following progress: initial gifts headed by George H. Lenke, Jr., $263,870; primary gifts chaired by Raymond W. Monteith, $837,681; major gifts headed by Eugene E. Paul. $78,187; special gifts under the leadership of Robert G. Myers, $45,520; area gifts headed by Robert F. Steele, $15,121; and inplant gifts cochaired by James Benzenberg. Stanley Stokes, and Paul Tait. $28,021.

TO DOUBLE PARKING AT WAWASEE SCHOOL Grading is underway on half of the 12-acre tract just north of Wawasee high school, for additional parking area. The land is owned by the school corporation. The tract being graded is 200 feet along the Syra-Web road, and 770 feet deep, doubling the present parking area which at the present time will accommodate about 250 cars. The area will not be blacktopped at the present time, so says Lakeland business manager Marion Lantz. MAD Hears BBQ Report Members of the Milford Area Development Council met Monday night and heard a report on the Memorial Day activities with a financial report on the chicken barbecue. It was noted that while not all tickets and money has been turned in on the barbecue approximately $350 profits should be realized. Because of small attendance at summer meetings it was decided to cancel the July and August meetings. Steering committees, however, will meet. Mrs. Darrell Orn reported on the two meetings held by the newly formed Senior Citizens of Milford. Several subjects were touched upon in informal discussions. Two Injured In Crash Near Syracuse Two area residents sustained injuries in a two-car crash about one mile south of Syracuse near Wawasee Bowl at 2:53 Tuesday afternoon C. D. Barnes, 78, Milford, is listed in fair condition at Goshen hospital with multiple rib fractures and Earl Money, Jr.. 55, r 4 Syracuse, was treated at the office of a Syracuse physician for severe contusions of the forehead and numerous body abrasions. Barnes was westbound on CR 1200 N. in a 1972 Ford, and failed to stop at the intersection of the county road and Indiana 13. His vehicle was struck broadside by a 1968 Chevrolet operated by Money who was northbound at the time. Damage was set at SI,OOO to the new Ford and the Money auto was a total loss. Indiana state trooper Larry Clodfelter investigated, assisted by Syracuse police. Bethany Extension Homemakers Meet Bethany Extension Homemakers club met Monday at the home of Mrs. Charles Cobb who was hostess. Assistant hostess was Mrs. Gordon Mellinger. A carry-in picnic dinner was served. President Mrs. Herbert Blue opened the meeting in the usual form. Mrs Virgil Dowty gave devotions. The song of the month was presented. Mrs. Harold Whitehead gave the project lesson on health and safety lesson on poison ivy of different types. Roll call was answered by 15 members who told the month and year of their marriage and the name of the minister who married them Mrs. Ralph Everest and Mrs. Oma Brown were honored for recent birthdays.

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Grand Opening At New Ralston Purina Plant

The new Ralston Purina plant, located a mile north of Milford along the B & O Railroad, will hold its grand opening Saturday, June 17, it was announced this week. A tour of the plant for the public will be held from 10 to 11:30 a.m., with a barbecue chicken lunch by invitation only at 11:00 a m. Officials of the company, several from headquarters at St. Louis, will be on hand to welcome visitors. A brief dedication program will be held, according to Larry Perkins, manager of the Milford, plant, and country music entertainment will be provided by members of the famous Purina Farm Show. Push Button Plant The Milford plant is one of the company’s most modern, referred to as a push button plant. Manufactured here will be a complete line of livestock and poultry feeds. >«The Milford plant has a capacity of 60,000 tons of feed annually. The Evansville, Ind., plant is similar to the Milford plant. Ralston Purina was founded in 1894 by William H. Danforth in St. Louis, and has grown into a world-wide organization with operations in South and Central American, Europe and Asia. The company had earnings of just under $2 billion in 1971. The company has coined the word ‘‘chow,*’ meaning its livestock and poultry feed business. It has 82 chow manufacturing plants in the United States, including the Lafayette, Rushville, Evansville and Milford plants in Indiana. More widely known is the company’s line of grocery products which includes pet foods. The company is in the restaurant business in a big way, and in other satellite businesses. Ralston Purina employs 35.000 people in all its operations.

V. PLANT MANAGER — The new Milford Ralston Purina plant observing its grand opening Saturday Is managed by Lawrence Perkins, a native of Vandalia. 111. He has been with the company 10 years, four at Vandalia, one at Evansville, and five at Richmond, Va. He and Mrs. (Linda) Perkins have a daughter Wanda, 14. Robert Hutchison is data manager and Jerry Carlson is traffic and buying manager of the new plant. Connie Geiger is receptionist and office secretary. Sustains Minor Injuries In Auto Mishap Simon W. Lilly. 28, r 1 North Webster, sustained a lip laceration early Sunday morning when his auto collided with a telephone pole and parked auto on Indiana 13, however declined treatment for the injury. Damage by deputy sheriff Ron Robinson was set at SBOO to his auto. $250 to the parked vehicle owned by Olive McDonald of r 4 Syracuse, and SSOO to the pole.

NUMBER 20

yard and tree where the mishap occurred. Lilly was booked at the county jail on a charge of driving while under the influence of intoxicating beverages, public intoxication, having no operator’s license, and fleeing an officer. 4 Fined The following persons were assessed fines and costs when they appeared before jp Milo Case recently: Kenneth Fifer, 29. r 2 Leesburg, $25 for speeding. Randy Goon, 17, r 2 Leesburg, S3O for speeding. •MISS MILFORD’ — Teresa Beer, 18, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Philip Beer of r 1 Milford has entered the “Queen of Lakes’* contest as “Miss Milford. ’’ A 1972 graduate of Wawasee high school, Teresa has brown hair and brown eyes. She is five foot, five inches tali and weighs 130 pounds. She is being sponsored by the Milford Lions club.