Logansport Pharos-Tribune from Logansport, Indiana • Page 1

THE WEATHER INDIANA; Fair and cold tonight. Lows to 15 above. Light snow possibly developing late Friday. Highs in the upper teens north to lower 30s south. Founded in 1844 Vol.

138, No. 29 Logansport, Indiana, Thursday, February 4,1982 Weather Woes Gloria A rural Logansport teen escaped serious center line of. the highway. His auto collided with injury Thursday when his auto collided with a semi on U.S. 35N.

Steven R. Todd, 17, Rt. 1, driver of the car, told police snow and ice splashed on his windshield by a passing truck impaired his vision, causing him to cross the the semi driven by Rudolf C. Winter, 58, North Jua'son. Todd was treated for chest pains at Memorial Hospital and released.

Winter was not injured. Storm Sweeps State; Peru Calls Emergency Staff and UPI Reports A mighty winter storm blasted through Indiana Wednesday, dumping heavy snow on the weather-worn state. A snow emergency was in effect in Peru for 16 hours Wednesday and this morn ing. Peru Police Chief Carey Dawalt said the emergency was called because of slick roads and near zero visibility caused by heavy snowfall and high winds. He said all streets were closed except for emergency vehicles.

He had announced that any other motorists would be arrested, but added no arrests were made. He said several automobiles were towed away, however. State highways in the Logansport area are generally passable Thursday following another round of adverse weather. The measurement at the Wastewater Treatment Plant showed only Ity inches were in the 24-hour period ending at 7 a.m. Thursday.

However, other unofficial reports showed larger amounts falling. County roads drifted shut again Wednesday afternoon as the winds picked up and pushed the snow around again. City, county and slate crews continued their assault on the heavily covered roads Thursday. CITY SNOW PLAN Mayor Jone Wilson said the city's new snow removal program had to take a back seat Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning because crews were busy clearing driving lanes again. Wilson said the snow removal program will continue with parking banned on the north and east sides of the streets on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and banned on the south and west sides of the streets on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Wilson said residents should have their vehicles moved by 7 a.m. each morning, and that once the snow plows have cleared off the snow next to the curbing it is alright for residents to move their cars back to their side of the street. Wilson said the city has run into a problem with people "who do not know which side of the street on which they live." She said homes with even numbered street addresses are on the north and east sides and those with odd numbered street addresses are on the south and west. The city has ordered a new truck and snow plow assist in the clearing of the streets. The truck was purchased from Mike Anderson CMC for 516,000, and the equipment it will need will boost the total price to $21,155.

Wilson said the city is also testing a large snow blower, and may attempt to work out a lease agreement for its use. Wilson was authorized by the city council and Board of Public Works and Safety to purchase two new dump trucks for the street department when it was learned that only the two new trucks purchased last year are in good working condition. The ice jams in the Wabash River have pushed the river level up to 8.69 feet, and it is rising, according to officials at the Logansport Wastewater Treatment plant. The river got to nearly 10 feet last week because of ice in the river. Travel was difficult, if not impossible, and many events were postponed throughout the area.

Motels and hotels also were doing a brisk business. By this morning, the National Weather Service had lifted its various warnings and advisories, but roads remained hazardous over virtually all of Indiana. The forecast said there was a chance of light snow returning to Indiana by Friday afternoon and continuing Saturday. Temperatures should be in the teens and 20s for highs the next i'ew days, although some readings in the far south may edge into the lower 30s. Lows will be in the single digits and teens.

However, lows could slip below zero in northern Indiana early Saturday and Sunday. By late Wednesday night, the worst of the storm appeared to jbc over. Winter 'storm 1 for northeast and central parts of the state were canceled. Travelers advisories, however, remained -in effect for northwest and southeast sections. Members of Ball State University's baseball and track teams escaped injury Wednesday- afternoon when they fled the university's field sports-building at Muncie just seconds before heavy snow collapsed the roof.

Ball State baseball coach Robert Rickel said his players finishing practice when he heard the building start to "grumble and groan." He yelled at the players and members of the track team to get out of the building. "The roof fell in about 7 or 10 seconds after I yelled," he said. The quonset shaped building, constructed in 1964, was considered a "total loss." Part of the tunnel connecting 'the building to the university gymnasium and swimming pool also collapsed. Muncie had received more than 8 inches of fresh snow Wednesday. Snow tapered off to flurries in southern and central Indiana lute Wednesday after up to 8 inches was reported on the ground.

Kokomo received 7 inches of new snow and Washington and Petersburg had 6 inches. Southern parts of the state received about four inches. Snow emergencies were declared at Muncie and Anderson as mayors of those cities told citizens to stay off the roads if at all possible. Indianapolis Mayor William Hudnut canceled a level two general weather emergency late Wednesday. Commissioner Long To Seek Re-election Joe Long, Galveston, retired Southeastern business teacher and coach, has filed for re-election as county commissioner on the Republican ticket.

In seeking re-election Long said he has devoted more time to the commissioner job than anyone ever has done in the past, going almost daily to the office set up for the commissioners on the fourth floor of the County Government Building. He said that added responsibilities are moving the commissioner's job toward a fuJHime requirement. said he believes it is as important to spend money wisely as it is to save money, and the county is now in good financial condition. He said that the county last year opened a. new Cass Station bridge and built nine new culvert bridges, with four more to be built this summer.

He said the highway department has been improved with the purchase of new trucks and tractors, that Memorial Home has been renovated, and the plan commission updated. Long, who served as a master sergeant of infantry in Europe in World War II. has a master's degree in education from I. U. He is a member of the Church of the Brethren, past president of the Galveston Lions Club and the Logansport Toastmasters Club, and a member of the Walton Legion post, Phi Delta Kappa honorary education fraternity, and the Association of Indiana Counties.

His wife, Ruby, is a retired librarian. They have a daughter, Deena, South Haven, and FBI Began Probe Of Houses In 78 BY DAVID MARONE Staff Writer Testimony in the trial of former Logansport Police Chief Pat Rozzi was delayed Thursday morning. Special FBI Agent Walter Valentine was scheduled to continue his testimony today following a delayed opening of the trial. A juror was excused at 10 a.m. Thursday when she informed Cass Superior Court Judge Mark Y.

Brown that her husband became ill during the night and must be taken to Indianapolis for medical treatment. Brown excused the juror and seated one of the two alternate jurors which were previously selected. Conferences between Prosecutor Thomas Kragh and Defense Counsel Kelly Leeman further delayed the continuation of Valentine's testimony Thursday morning. Valentine, a 16-year FBI veteran, was the first and only witness called Wednesday as Kragh began presenting his case against Rozzi. Valentine told the jury Rozzi visited a house of prostitution on a regular basis, and quoted a madam as saying she gave Rozzi payoffs.

The FBI agent gave jurors a step-by-step account of an investigation that led to raids Oct. 3, 1980. on three houses of prostitution in Logansport. Valentine, special agent in charge of the FBI office in Lafayette, told jurors he initiated and directed the investigation. He said it included surveillance by FBI agents, telephone wiretaps and secretly- taped conversations.

Valentine said the investigation also involved interviews with Rosella "Sherry" Ball, former madam of a house of prostitution at 622 E. Wabash Ave. Valentine quoted Ball as saying she gave Rozzi payoffs ranging from $200 to $1.000. Valentine, responding to questions by Kragh, said the investigation was initiated in 1978. Valentine said it stemmed from an FBI directive that ordered agents to concentrate on white-collar crime and corruption.

Valentine said he knew prostitution existed in Logansport. He said he opened an investigation because Valentine the possibility of corruption existed. Valentine said he has been aware of prostitution in Logansport since 1967. He said he used one of the madams as an informant prior to the investigation. He estimated he visited the houses 10 times a year to secure information.

Valentine said he took no official action against either the madam or the prostitutes during those visits because he observed no acts that violated federal laws. He said his investigation opened in July of 1978 after the directive was issued to agents. He said the investigation was initially put. on "the back burner" because of other FBI business. Valentine said he came to Logansport in July of 1979 to begin working on the case.

The FBI agent said he placed the so-called prostitution "line" under surveillance, utilizing agents from Indianapolis. He said the surveillance was designed to check the license numbers of vehicles stopping at the houses. Valentine indicated the houses were watched daily for about a month. He said that when agents learned Rozzi visited Ball's house on Tuesdays, they began limiting the surveillance to those days. Valentine, responding to questions by Kelly Leeman.

said the FBI learned of Rozzi's visits from an informant. Despite protests by Leeman, Valentine was not required to identify the informant. Continued On Page 3 Agenf Outlines Investigation Bribe Money Collected; Conversations Taped BY DAVID MARONEY Staff Writer A Logansport madam paid more than $20,000 in bribes to stay in business in 1980, according to testimony in court Wednesday. The money was collected by Logansport Police Chief Richard Jackson, then turned over to FBI agents investigating prostitution and corruption. The information was presented Wednesday by FBI agent Walter Valentine, who initiated and directed the investigation into prostitution in Logansport.

The investigation resulted In the arrests of 20 people in a raid Oct. 30, 1980, at three houses on East Wabash Avenue, A grand jury later indicted three men in connection with these operations. Valentine offered the information when he testified in the trial of Pat Rozzi, a former Logansport police and one of the three men indicted. Valentine's comments came when he traced the progress of the investigation. He said he contacted Chief Jackson on Feb.

19, 1980, about six months after FBI agents began their investigation. Valentine said Jackson agreed to assist the FBI in the investigation. Valentine then set up a series of meetings between Jackson and Rosella "Sherry" Ball, madam of a house of prostitution at 622 E. Wabash Ave. Valentine said a hidden tape recorder was taped to the police chief's body before the first meeting with Ball.

Jackson also carried another device that transmitted conversations. Jackson was directed to go to Ball's house to see if she would offer payoffs, Valentine said. The police chief also was instructed to find out how many houses were in operation, how many prostitutes were working and who was running the houses. Valentine, said Jackson was directed not to ask for payoffs. The FBI agent said, however, Jackson was directed to shut down the house if Ball didn't offer a payoff.

Valentine said Jackson made contact with ball in March of 1980. Valentine said this meeting was "like the first round of a heavyweight boxing sparred a lot." Valentine, who listened to the conversations in his car, said Ball offered no payoffs and Jackson ordered the house closed. Valentine said Ball complied with the order, sent her prostitutes away and closed the house. Valentine said that Ball later called Jackson and said "she had to see him." Jackson went back to Ball's house, still carrying the tape recorder and the transmitter, Valentine said. Ball placed money in Jackson's hand during the second meeting and told him to return a few days later for more money, the FBI agent said.

Valentine said that Ball, after putting money in Jackson's hand, asked, "Can I bring my babies back?" Ball was told she could re-open. Valentine said at this point Ball agreed to pay $100 a week for each prostitute working. Valentine said this represented a payoff for Bali's house and for the house of another madam. There were eight girls working in the two houses, and the payoffs totaled $800 a week. These weekly payments continued until October of 1980, Valentine said.

Valentine said Jackson accepted the cash payments, then turned the money over to the FBI. Valentine indicated all subsequent meetings between Jackson and Ball also were recorded. Valentine-indicated the payoffs totaled about $23,000. The payments stopped when the houses were raided on Oct. 3,1980.

Both Jackson and Bail are scheduled to testify in the trial. Ball was arrested on five felony charges in the Oct. 3 raid. She later reached a plea-bargain agreement with Prosecutor Tom Kragh and pleaded guilty to one count of promoting prostitution. She received a suspended sentence in return for testimony.

Sondra Knutson Files Candidacy For Judge Joe Long Attorney Sondra C. Knutson, Rt. 2, Logansport, has filed her declaration of candidacy for Cass Circuit Court Judge on the Republican ticket with the Secretary of State. She is the first candidate t6 file for the six-year judicial position. A former school teacher, Mrs.

Knutson received her Juris Doctor degree from, Valparaiso University in 1974 and has had her law office here at 400 North Street since then. A native of Kansas, she came to Cass County at the age of 4 and was three sons, Dennis, business teacher graduated from Washington and coach at Carroll High School; Township High Schoolin 1954. Dr. Alan Long, Homewbod, and The former Sondra Jones, she Dr. Evan Long, Merrillville.

received a Bachelor of Science degree from Ball State University in 1958 and a Master of Arts degree from the same.university in 1962. She has taught English and history at the high school and junior high levels and elementary reading jn Kokomo, Muncie, Fort Wayne, and the Southeastern School corporation. Her husband, George, is a teacher at Thompson Elementary School in the Southern School Corporation. They have three childrern, Paul, 19; David, 18; and Andrea, 14. Mrs.

Knutson is a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, the Altrusa Club, and the State and County Bar Associations. Sondra Knutson.