The Mail-Journal, Volume 15, Number 14, Milford, Kosciusko County, 26 April 1978 — Page 1

For state representative —

fl HL ' THAMES L. MAUZY

The ?

Phones: 658-4111 & 457-3666

VOLUME 15

- * |wUm I ImOmSI - HLiLmjHHV/ iHKMf m H ' rJ ‘ TUESDAY ACCIDENT SCENE

Five injured in 3-car crash

Several persons were injured in a three-vehicle accident Tuesday morning, April 25, at the intersection of US 6 and CR 29, one and one-half miles north of Syracuse, at 8:15 a.m. Vicky L. Nyikos, 713 North Huntington Street, Syracuse, is being held for observation at Goshen Hospital for head trauma and multiple lacerations. She was the driver of a car owned by

What's in the news... Election Tuesday, few contests Pagel CROP auction set for this week end Community Corner... 7 'My name ees Jose . . . my teecher call me Joe .. Page 16

Petition denied for relief / Case has particular in David Rock murder / '<>“/interest

Last Friday, Elkhart Superior Court Judge Charles Hughes denied a petition for postconviction relief by Shirley Rock, 29, former resident of New Paris and former Syracuse employee. The judge has received almost 100 complimentary letters regarding Mrs. l Rock, some requesting she be paroled or be given clemency. Mrs. Rock was convicted in 1972 of poisoning her husband David and is serving a life sentence for second degree murder. The petition claims Mrs. Rock’s guilty plea was not made knowingly intelligently or voluntarily, as she was under the influence of medication, when arraigned on the charge. Insufficient evidence in the case is

PHILLIP J. ROY

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

Grace Bible Church. 71570 CR 35 Syracuse. Two passengers in her car, Max J. Beer, seven, box 157 Milford, and Shannon E. Childs, r • 1 box 125 F Milford, were treated and released. Beer suffered a laceration to the lower chin while Childs received a contusion to the nose and upper lip. Occupants of another vehicle, J. Michael Manges, 32, r 2 box 437A Syracuse, and his wife.

also contended in order to prove a crime was committed. Stating it is uncontitutional to sentence Mrs. Rock to a life sentence, on the second degree murder charge and that she was not given credit for time served in jail before her sentencing, the petition continues. Misconduct is also claimed on the prosecutor, who told the court there would be little difference between incarceration in jail and rehabilitation, if the sentence was 15 to 25 years or life in prison. The judge ruled Mrs. Rock was aware of her plea and the consequences. He referred to several cases where life sentences for second degree murder were not unconstitutional and the court was not infotmed of Mrs. Rock being medicated and the defense

Deborah S. Manges, 28, were also treated and released. Manges suffered head trauma and contusion to the lower left leg while Mrs. Manges received fractured ribs and head trauma. The mishap occurred as John A. Hiatt, r 2 box 455 Westfield, driver of the third vehicle, failed to observe the Nyikos operated car and pulled out in front of her onto US 6. He swerved to the right but was hit, causing him to swerve into the Manges car. Damage was set at S6OO to the Hiatt car, S4OO to the Nyikos driven car and $2,500 to the Manges auto. State and Syracuse police investigated. Slips off road Douglas L. Ringler, 23, r 1 box 406 K Syracuse, was traveling east on the Elkhart-Kosciusko County Line at 11:50 a m. April 23, when he was distracted. His car slipped off the road and knocked over a speed sign bending the post. Damage to his car was SIOO. Damage to the Syracuse sign was $lO.

did not produce evidence nor by the defendant’s conduct was it evident she was impaired. The application of credit for time served in jail was in compliance with state law. The indictment and guilty plea meet requirements to object that insufficient evidence was produced. Mrs. Rock pleaded guilty to the lesser offense of second degree murder and was sentenced to life imprisonment after she pled not guilty by reason of insanity to a first degree murder charge. Most Letters Complimentary The judge said most of the letters are complimentary of Mrs. Rock, but many of the writers have misinterpreted the petition she filed. All the petition could do was return her to

Election contests only on GOP side of ballot With the May primary set for next Tuesday, the only contests are on the Republican ticket, with no contests being fought on the Democratic ballot. The major contest is for the joint state representative from Fulton and Kosciusko Counties, the 17th district. Incumbent Thames L. Mauzy, 1025 Country Club Lane, Warsaw, is seeking his seventh term in the legislature. Challenging Mauzy for the Republican nomination is Phillip J. Roy, 1203 East Market Street, Warsaw. The winner will face Democrat Gerald A. Romine of Mentone on the November ballot. Mauzy has served on some 10 committees during his (Continued on page 2)

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 1978

Milford man appointed to county ABC post

Rudolph Sierk, r 2 Milford, has I been appointed to the Kosciusko County Alcoholic Beverage Board, to succeed Mrs. Frank (Virginia) Putt of Syracuse. He will serve a one-year term. Sierk was appointed to the ABC by vote of the members of the Kosciusko County Council last Thursday night. Councilman Carl Latta nominated the Milford man but that motion died without a second. A motion by Larry Teghtmeyer, councilman, to nominate Mrs. Putt to a third term expired without a second. Latta’s nomination was voiced r7 . t again after Ronald Sharp, another council member, arrived at the meeting. Sharp seconded

Home voting places for Tuesday's election

The following buildings have been named by the board of commissioners of Kosciusko County as voting places for the general election scheduled for next Tuesday: Tippecanoe Twp. First precinct - Camelot Hall, Counting House Bank building, North Webster Second precinct — Fire Station, North Webster Third precinct — Barbee Lake Conservation Club building Fourth precinct — Palace of Sports, Counting House Bank building, North Webster Turkey Creek Twp. First precinct — Saint Andrew’s United Methodist Church north of Syracuse Second precinct — Lakeland Youth Center, Wawasee Village Third precinct — Syracuse Scout Cabin Fourth precinct - Syracuse Junior High School Fifth precinct - Saint Martin de Porres Church, SR 13 south of Syracuse Sixth precinct - Turkey Creek Conservation Club on road 13A

the motion. Teghtmeyer made another motion nominating Mrs. Putt, which was seconded by council member Keith Horn. These actions resulted in a split vote, with Sierk endorsed by Latta, Sharp and Eldred Metzger, council president. The nomination of Mrs. Putt was approved by Horn and Teghtmeyer. Thomas Anglin, council member, abstained from voting. Absent was the seventh member of the board, Norman DeGood. Lacking one vote of appointing Sierk to the ABC, Horn later withdrew his original er: dorsement of Mrs Putt and voted for Sierd.

Van Buren Twp. First precinct — Masonic building, Main Street, Milford Second precinct — Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Main Street, Milford Third precinct — Fire station, Main Street, Milford Plain Twp. First precinct — Oswego Community Center Second precinct — Leesburg town hall Third precinct ' — National Guard armory Fourth precinct — Chapman Lakes Conservation Club house Jefferson Twp. First precinct — South Elementary School. Nappanee Second precinct — Island Chapel United Methodist Church annex BICYCLE RECOVERED Police recovered a three-speed bicycle Friday in the northwest corner of Papakeechie Lake at the Wawasee Fish Hatchery. The owner of the bike, which was discovered by Cliff Shreve, r 3 Syracuse, has not yet been found.

Elkhart County to another trial, if an error in arraignment and sentencing procedures was determined. Writers of the letters are from all over the United States, and state while in prison Mrs. Rock has been making good use of her time. She has earned 16 hours credit from Indiana University, with “A” grades; served as secretary to the assistant superintendent of the prison, secretary in the state house office of Gov. Bowens ombudsman and lectured to 200 IU journalism students. For Mrs. Rock to be eligible for clemency she has to serve 10 years in prison and the decree would have to be made by the governor, parole would be determined by a parole board.

For county s heriff —

C. ALAN ROVENSTINE

Firefighters attend IUPU fire school Members of the Milford Volunteer Fire Department attended the two-day fire school on April 22 and 23 at Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis. The school is sponsored by the Indiana Fire Instructors’ Association. Attending from Milford were chief Bill Leemon, Harry Doty, Charles Berkeypile and Jim Amsden.

TWO TRAINEES NOW FIREFIGHTERS Milford Fire Chief Bill Leemon has announced the promotion of two trainees to the status of firefighters on the Milford department. The men are Steve Miller and Ron Smith. The men attended classes on hazardous materials, fire department rights and responsibilities. essentials of building inspection and code enforcement, arson investigation, pump operation and hose layout and rural firefighting. The annual school is held in cooperation with the Indiana State Fire Marshal’s office. It provides professional training for nearly 1,200 volunteer firefighters across the state. Instructional staff includes government experts and industry representatives as well as professional firefighters. The state fire school provides an opportunity for many of the state’s firefighters to become, current on the latest firefighting techniques and the use of equipment. Car damaged by asphalt A Milford woman s car was damaged last Friday night while parked at a Little Barbee Lake residence. Kay Sorensen, Milford, reported her car window had been broken and scratches put on her car while parked at the Ed Campbell residence on Little Barbee Lake, CR 350 N, between 10 and 10:30 p.m. About $275 damage was done to the car. Jeffrey Bronsing, county patrolman, assisted by county reserve officer John Anglin believe the damage was done with chunks of broken asphalt. Kids to moke refreshments The Lakeland Day Care Center, located in the Calvary United Methodist Church, Syracuse, will be holding an open house May 2, from 8-12 in the morning and 3-6 in the afternoon. The open house is designed for the public to see what some of the children’s activities are. Refreshments will be served, prepared by the children. The community is invited to attend.

Be sure to vote Tuesday, May 2

' flt flflHflflfli GEORGE J. HARTTER

* ■JI BILLY G. COBURN Billy G. Coburn to head Lions at Syracuse Billy G. Coburn. Syracuse insurance agent, will be installed as the new Syracuse Lions Club president to serve for the new year, beginning July. He was elected at the club’s meeting at the Syracuse Case at last Wednesday night's regular meeting Other officers elected were as follows: First vice president — James C. Tranter Second vice president — Merl Smith Third vice president — David Ridings Secretary — Tim Yeager Treasurer — Jack Ridings Tail Twister — John A. Naab Lion Tamer — James Bauman Directors, one year — Joe Shewmon and Hugh Anglemyer. In other business, Dan Rop was accepted as a new member, and note was made of a zone social at 7 p.m. Friday, May 19. in the Shrine Building on the county fairgrounds at Warsaw. The club voted to hold ladies' night at Peddlers’ Village west of Goshen at 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 17. • Hear Travel Talk Lion Ralph Thornburg introduced Arch Baumgartner, a Milford Lions club member and alitor of The Hoosier Lion, a statewide club paper, who spoke and showed color slides on a trip he and Mrs. Baumgartner made in February through six South Asia countries, including India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran. The trip was sponsored by the National Newspaper Association and included press conferences with the President of India, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and the Civil Military Law Administrator of Pakistan. Boat, oars taken Stephan Bornman, r 2 Syracuse, reported the theft of a 14-foot aluminum craft boat with oars from the back yard of his residence to county police last week. The theft occurred sometime between 5 p.m. April 16 and 5 p.m. April 17.

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NUMBER 14

ROBERT BROOKS Robert Brooks to be Milford Lions president Milford Lions got a lesson in area history at their Monday night meeting when historian Waldo Adams of Leesburg appeared with an interesting dialogue of facts coQcerning the Milford community from the time of its founding "about 1835." Speaker Adams is vice president of the Kosciusko County Historical Society, president of the board of directors of the Federal Land Bank of Goshen He has been a teacher for 37 years, getting his beginning in a rural Jefferson township The meeting was held at the Milford United Methodist Church, and Lions dined on charcoal broiled steaks. Adams, who called his talk “A Piece of Bread," spoke of Little Turkey Prairie south of Milford and spoke abput the hard toil pioneers faced in opening up the Indiana frontier. "These men did a lot of work for a little food,” he said, adding, "You never saw a fat pioneer." He demonstrated how early settlers ground their corn for corn meal. Nominate Officers Lions nominated a new slate of officers for the new year, to be duly elected -at a later date, as follows: President — Robert Brooks First vice president — Gervas Schafer Second vice president — Elmer Sorensen Third vice president —Kerry Price Lion Tamer — Paul Reith Tail Twister — Dean Cousins Directors, one year — Alvin Schmucker and Doral McFarren Directors, two years — Everett Owens and James Wilson Secretary — Bruce Lamb Treasurer — David Siegfried. Other Business In other business, it was noted that the state Lions convention will be held at French Lick April 28, 29 and 30, and Lion Kerry Price urged Lions to get in their calendar sales as soon as possible. June 5 was set as a work day at the food stand at the Mermaid Festival grounds at North Webster. , . Guests at the Monday night meeting were Jack Maher and Jerry Curry