The Mail-Journal, Volume 21, Number 19, Milford, Kosciusko County, 23 May 1984 — Page 58

the MAIL-JOURNAL - Wed., May 23,1984

14

Old State Police pros provide a touch of nostalgia —

Ligonier still laments loss of Indiana State Police Posts

By BEN SMITH Staff Writer Ligonier’s original state police post building will be torn down to make way for a new dental office, the building’s owner. Dr. Bruce

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KEEPER-OF-THE-FLAME — Ligonier public librarian Jerry Nesbitt has microfilmed many newspaper accounts of various historical happenings at the city's Indiana State Police post until its closure in August, 1982. (Photo by Ben Smith) /

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LIGONIER TROOPERS — Indiana State Police Post No. Two posed for a group picture around 1938. Syracuse resident David Milbourn stands front row center; Robert Clevenger of Syracuse, recently deceased, is in the third row on the far right; Fred Leeson (partially hidden) is in the top row to the immediate right of the man with the white hat; Sam Patton, a Ligonier resident, stands next to Fred; and Clayton Clutter, longtime Mentone resident, is in the top row fifth from left. (Photo courtesv of David Milbourn)

BOGER Public Auction SYRACUSE From stoplight in Syracuse south on St Rd 13 to stoplight in Wawasee Heights S R 1 3 & Pickwick Rd I east on Pickwick Road to Kale Island. Watch for Sholtey s Auction Service sighs Monday, May 28, 1984 Starting at 10:00 A.M. ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES 4 210 White toy tractor in bo* Metal lawn chairs 2 1 35 White toy tractor m box Antique fishing reel Bavaria china pcs (from Wolfberg Coleman single mantel lanterns Estate in Wakarusa) (brass base) Wooden fishing lures f Wooden duck decoy Bamboo fishing pole I R R flashlight paille liberty Twin outboard motor Wicker baby basket Old military gas cans ! HOUSEHOLD • BOOKS - BICYCLES Westinghouse electro coOk stove (coypright 1 9601 Westinghouse electric dishwasher National Geographic magazines Table lamps 26' Bicycle Electric wall heater with fan Child s bicycle Electric can opener i Ben Franklin wood stove Electric toaster End tables Many other electric appliances Rocking chair 6 qt ice cream freezer Other Misc & Household not seen Canning jars, pints & quarts by auctioneer World Book Encyclopedia Complete GUNS - RELOADING MACHINE - DECOYS - ETC. W C Scott & Sons 12 ga double operated) barrel'Rabbit Ear ' muzzle loader Marksman BB gun (English made, in goocj original Mec. "250” reloader for 2K" .& condition) 3”. 1 2 ga shells & 10 ga. shells Stevens 12 ga single shot, Pat Reloading power & shot scales Aug 13. 1913 Misc. ammunition Remington Arms Co 12 cija single Approx 1 doz. Johnson folding, shot, side safety goose decoys J C Higgens, bolt action, 16 ga . Approx. 1 doz goose silhouette full choke ; decoys Ithatha Model-M49 lever Action 22 Approx 2 doz. Mallard duck decoys cal. rifle •_ Approx 3 cases clay pigeons Crossman air rifle Approx 6 full size, float type, goose Crossman "130” pellet gun lair decoys CAMPER - BOATS - FISHING EQPT. - CAMPING EQPT. 1978 Vega fold-down whl. camper Light duty fishing poles sleeps 6. furnace. 2 way refng , Fishing reels cook stove Martin outboard motor 2 7 ft. twin aluminum pontoon boat LP gas Coleman lantern w/40 hp Johnson motor OMC 6 gal. gas cans (apprc*. 4) 14 ft. fiberglass fishing boat Mercury 6 gal. gas can 2 ice fishing boxes 12 volt Mercury trolling motor 18' fiberglass extension pole Tip Up fishing poles \ Coho fishing poles Tackle box i MISCELLANEOUS Electric lawn mower Other gas cans Other lawn moter Many, many useful and desirable Van bucket seats items too numerous to mention Pair rear-view mirrors (fender mt.) Terms: Cash No* Responsible for Accidents Lunch Served r Mr. & Mrs. Jerry Boger, Owners Auctioneer. Jim Sholtey | Foraker, IN Phone 831 2203

Dragoo told The Mail-Journal last week. He cited the high cost of restoring the structure as the reason, but gave no timetable as to when the historic landmark will fall. The former ISP post has recently

been a residential dwelling. It sits atop a hill on a triangle, flanked by U.S. 33 and Cavin Street on Ligonier’s south side. In addition to this melancholy development, The Mail-Journal also learned the tall radio tower

Area students in Caribbean Two Koscuisko County students are currently living in the Caribbean country of Haiti this summer as part of the Goshen College Study-Service Trimester (SST) program. Amy Vanlaningham, daughter of Hazel and Helen Vanlaningham. r 1 Milford, has been in Haiti for nearly one month. She is a 1976 graduate of Wawasee High School and a nursing major at Goshen Marie Saner, daughter of Fred and Willodene Saner, r 2 Silver Lake, is also in Haiti. She is a 1982 graduate of Warsaw Community High School and a sophomore nursing major at Goshen. Students on SST spend a total of 14 weeks living in the host country. For the first seven weeks, each student lives with a host family while studying language and culture through field trips, lectures and interaction with family members. The students then disperseto other host families in separate parts of the country to work in areas such as teaching, health care, agriculture and community development. Since the SST program began in 1967, almost 4,000 students have lived, worked and studied in Jamaica. Belize, Costa Rica. Nicaragua. El Salvador. Haiti. Guadeloupe. Honduras, Poland, the Republic of Korea, East and West Germany and the People’s Republic of China. Currently. SSTers are living in Belize, Haiti, Costa Rica and Honduras. The students left Goshen April 26 and will return July 19. Membership drive underway North Webster-Tippecanoe Township Chamber of Commerce membership committee is working on a membership drive to gain support from past members and obtain new members. Chuck Lawrence, president, commented that the membership committee has made contact with some of the members from last year concerning dues and that other businesses will be contacted in the near future for membership. If anyone is interested in becoming a member of the chamber, he or she should contact Lawrence, Joan Rhodes or Nadine Gooding.

located at the now-abandoned “newer” post near the junction of U.S. 6 and U.S. 33 will also be torn down and carted away. Captain John Siegel, commander of the ISP post at Fort Wayne, who also served at Ligonier, confirmed a news tip about the tower last week. He refused to say, however, if the adjacent pistol range — still used by the state police — and the land it sits on will be sold. For nearly two years Ligonier residents have, with varying degree, lamented the loss of their Indiana State Police post to Bremen. For nearly 50 years — from 1934 to 1982 — Posts No. 2 and 21 had elevated this small town of 3,000 to a special prominence in the eyes of most of its people — the post running second to the now defunct Ligonier Red Raiders basketball team. Over the years people in the community delighted in the fact an ISP post was in “their” town. A post nearby made it easier to file accident reports and register complaints. Above all, residents say, the presence of the post made the town a safer place in which te live. “Os course the area crooks were used to the post,” says Ligonier Mayor Grover (“Pat”) Patrick. “But ill-intentioned strangers, I’m sure, thought twice before causing trouble because they weren’t sure what would happen.” Ligonier resident Fred Leeson, a retired trooper and insurance agent, remembers he and other young men applied for work with the newly-organized state police in order to find work during the Great Depression. “I joined up in 1936,” says Leeson. “Things were a lot different then, of course. We rotated the janitorial duties — something that would be unheard of now.” Syracuse resident David Milbourn joined up in 1937. Like Leeson, he put in his 20 years then went into another field. The ISP didn’t pay much money, Milbourn remembers. “I told them at the outset I’d only put in 20 years because, after that, I’d have to go out and make a living,” he says with a chuckle. “Later I worked in the personnel field for 18 years.” During those halcyon, yet Dillinger-dusted days, a number of young area men besides Leeson and Milbourn donned uniforms to ride out in search of car thieves, bootleggers and other smarmy denizens of the northern Indiana bogs. It was a good job for a single man, for clothing and shelter were provided. Robert Clevenger, Syracuse, recently deceased, served out of the Ligonier posts, as did Mentone resident, Clayton Clutter. Sam Patton, still a Ligonier resident, worked out of Posts 2 and 21 and so did Paul Beverforden. Beverforden went on to work in public affairs for the ISP. Mrs. Emma Smith, a Ligonier resident, lived next to the house on the triangle when it was the Conservation dub sponsors barbecue Turkey Creek Conservation Club is sponsoring its annual Port-a-Pit Chicken Barbecue on Saturday, May 26. Carry-outs only will be available from 11 a.m. until 6p.m. Serving sites will be located in Syracuse, Cromwell and at the old Wawasee Fish Hatchery. All funds raised will help with the purchase of 1,000 fingerling walleye to be stocked in Lake Wawasee in August or September.

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FORMER ISP DETECTIVE OFFICER — David Milbourn of Syracuse says John Dillinger’s brother and sister-in-law both worked for the Indiana State Police at one time or another. Neither were officers, however. (Photo by Ben Smith)

residence of Mrs. Will Jackson. It was Mrs. Jackson who rented the house to the ISP, who used it until the new, larger headquarters was built in 1943 near the U.f>.6 - U.S. 33 junction. “They used to store their motorcycles in our carriage house,” says Mrs. Smith. “My husband, Carl and I used to watch them bring in the bootleggers. We could see them being fingerprinted through the big windows.” That original building’s present owner, Dr. Bruce Dragoo, a Ligonier dentist, told The MailJournal last week he’d initially planned to fix up the place and use it for his offices. “But, when I found out how much it would cost to do that, I decided to tear it down and put a new, more functional building in its place,” says Dragoo. The ISP had been signed into existance in 1933 by then-Indiana Governor Paul McNutt. A communications center of sorts was set up in Columbia City that year; however, the Ligonier post, along with several others in the northeastern part of the state came into being within a year. Other posts were set up around Indiana as well during this period. When the new post was completed and dedicated at Ligonier in 1943, it was believed it would operate, if not forever, then forever and a day. No one considered the possibility ISP reorganization plans and Indiana politics would intervene. The beginning ot the end actually began in the mid-70s, when reports surfaced that a reorganization plan was being considered which would kill the Ligonier post. Kendallville was mentioned as an alternate location. This plan fell by the wayside, however, and a consolidation of the Ligonier and South Bend posts into a new post at Bremen occurred. The bad news came just four years after some $70,000 of taxpayer’s money had been spent to remodel the Ligonier facility. The development was not a welcome one for Elbert Roe, then the state representative from Ligonier. >’ Roe circulated a petition in his district, coming up with over 6,000 signatures from people who worried about the loss of ISP protection. ISP officials, including superintendent John Shettle, tried to assuage the residents, but the fact the new post was to be built in Bremen, former Governor Otis Bowen’s home town, added insult to injury, even among many Republicans. John Siegel, then commander of the Ligonier post, carefully explained to anyone who asked that there would be just as many troopers patrolling the district and response time would be roughly the same. Former Noble County Sheriff John Stoner, then in office, disagreed sharply with Siegel. Stoner maintaining police protection would be sorely compromised by the post closing. Stoner accused the ISP of gradually pulling troopers away from the post so as to leave only a small detatchment in place at the end. He showed this reporter what he claimed were ISP duty rosters to prove his point. Siegel, when confronted about the rosters, blew his top. He denied such a pullout plan existed, said the movements were part of regular rotations and wondered very loudly how it was possible the sheriff came by state police documents. The feud faded with time’s passage, but doubts and bad feelings about Bowen and the way the

affair was handled continued on the part of many. Dr. Bowen, when questioned in 1982 on whether he or persons acting in his behalf had used influence to obtain the Bremen plumb, would say only he was glad the new post was put in Bremen; however, “the decision was a state police decision and not a political one.” Next question. ISP Sgt. Joe Baker, a Bristol resident, worked out of the second Ligonier post and now is at Bremen. He says the difference in the two facilities is striking. “It’s like trading in an Edsel for a Cadillac,” says Baker. “Over here (at Bremen) you don’t have the leaky water pipeg, leaking roof — stuff like that.” But hadn’t the Ligonier post been remodeled less than a decade ago? And $70,000 spent? “Yes, but when they did it, they put in carpet and things of that nature,” adds Baker with a laugh.

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MAYOR REGRETS — Ligonier mayor Grover (“Pat”) Patrick, shown in front of Ligonier's original Indiana State Police Post building, says strangers who might have caused trouble in town thought twice before causing mischief due to the presence of an ISP post and the uniformed troopers who were seen on the streets every day. (Photo by Ben Smith)

Gage Brothers receive bid

Gage Brothers, Albion, was awarded the street paving bid in a special meeting of North Webster Town Board Wednesday evening. May 16, at 5 p.m. Gage Brothers submitted a bid of $42,020 for all seven projects. In other business clerk-treasurer Eve Payne swore in two special duty police officers. The board will meet in a regular session Wednesday, June 13, at 7 p.m. in the town hall. Older than old A 5 million-year-old fossil bone fragment of a humanlike creature, which scientists said is 1 million years older than the previous oldest known ancestor of mankind, has been discovered in a remote region of northern Kenya.

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Ironically, the sun was shining that late August day in 1982 when Siegel and some off-duty troopers arrived for the last time at the post at Ligonier. They loaded some last odds and ends into Siegel’s pickup and drove off towards Bremen. The moving vans had been there earlier in the week. As Siegel pulled out of the circular drive with all that was left, he must have reflected hard. After all, a whole era had just ended. Nearly a year later, the former post building was sold to Rome City businessman Harry Holsinger. Holsinger, together with Ligonier grocer Don Stover, had hoped to entice doctors or other professionals to buy the building, but to date no one’s been interested. Holsinger, in turn, put the place up for sale or last year. He says he wanted the ground, really, more than the building.

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“It’s in excellent 'repair though,” Holsinger said late last week. “I’ve been working with the Forum group out of Fort Wayne (an independent company which places medical centers in Indiana communities), and they’re continuing to work on it.” After a pause, Holsinger admitted he’d much rather “see it developed rather than sold.” Holsinger had a supermarket next to the post some years back. So Ligonier, like most Indiana towns, now survives without an in-house ISP force. Ligonier Police Chief Robert Durham, in an earlier interview, said he was confident things wouldn’t go to the dogs once the move was made. Most residents questioned last week say things are about the same, with crime maybe just a tad worse since the shutdown. “Times change,” says Leeson. “The world changes and there’s just not too much anyone can do about it.”