The Des Moines Register from Des Moines, Iowa • Page 3

Feb. 1, 1978 DES MOINES REGISTER 3A COURTHOUSE RESTORATION USDA's Foreman calls truce with pork producers REGISTER PHOTO BY BOB NANDELL X- TESTIMONY ON ALLEGED PHONE EAVESDROPPING By PAULLEAVITT Rraistar Stall WrHw A New York engineer and computer programmer who has charged that a nationwide telephone eavesdropping system is being operated in Iowa testified before a federal grand jury here Tuesday. U.S. Attorney Roxanne Conlin refused to comment about the testimony of John Draper, whose development of a system to avoid being billed for long distance telephone calls earned him the nickname "Captain Crunch." In unrelated action, the grand jury returned an undisclosed number of indictments. The only indictments that were released Tuesday involve persons already in custody.

Eugene Alan Hitner, 26, was indicted on a charge of mailing a threatening communication in connection with an alleged plot to extort $10,000 from the president of a Monroe bank. Arthur R. Vander Ploeg, the alleged victim, received two letters in October instructing him to leave the money at a specified location. The drop was made but the money was not picked up, authorities said. Hitner was arrested at his home in Newton after the FBI laboratory in Washington, D.

identified fingerprints on the letters as being Hitner's, court records say. Also indicted Tuesday was David Duane Beedle, 24, who is accused of armed bank robbery in connection with the Dec. 8 holdup of the St. Charles branch of the Farmers and Merchants State Bank of Winterset. A lone gunman got away with $3,614 at gunpoint during the robbery.

Beedle was arrested the next day after an all-night stakeout of his car and apartment by FBI agents. The car had been spotted by a Des Moines police officer. Beedle, of 808 Bancroft is being held in lieu of $25,000 bond. David Michael Cooper, 28, of Tampa, was indicted on a charge of kidnapping in connection with the Jan. 25 abduction of a cab driver in Springfield, 111.

Cooper is alleged to have put a knife to the throat of Lester E. Hawlett, 58, of Springfield, and ordered him to "get me out of this state." Cooper freed Hawlett in a rural area near Burlington, federal court records say. He was arrested while hitchiking later that morning along Iowa Highway 34 near Osceola, authorities said. Nude dancers clothes on By BUD APPLEBY and PAULLEAVITT RetfsMr Staff WrINrs Tavern owners in Council Bluffs and Des Moines fought separate court battles Tuesday in attempts to overturn the state's new ban on nude dancing in liquor establishments. In both cases, those in the courtrooms saw a film or video tape of a buxom young woman peeling off her clothes as she danced and later, during testimony, saw the dancer in person but not in the flesh.

Iowa Attorney General Richard Turner, arguing in Polk County District Court, introduced two pasties into evidence and later declined a dancer's invitation to a special performance just for him at the Cave Lounge north of Des Moines. "Now my experience as attorney general is complete," Turner said after the hearing. "I've offered a pair of pasties into evidence." In another exchange after the hearing, Turner told dancer Lillian Dattola of Omaha, that he has never seen her perform. She invited him to "come in there tonight and I'll do a special show just for you." "I think I'd rather go to the Drake University basketball game," Turner replied. The first test of the state's new law governing nudity in taverns got off to an upbeat start in Council Bluffs as District Judge J.

L. Larson watched a video tape of a young woman climbing out of a red-lined coffin and peeling off her clothes. No Live Performance There had been speculation that at least one dancer would perform her act in court, but attorneys for Ron Bergeron, operator of the Bittersweet Lounge and the Lusty Lady Lounge, showed the video tapes and one movie film instead. The two video tapes were made at the Bittersweet last week by WOWT television station of Omaha. They showed two acts performed by the featured dancer at the club.

The woman, Shelly Perez of Fort Walton Beach, was subpoenaed by County Atty. David Richter, who sought to show that the only reason people go to Bergeron's two lounges is to see naked women. Perez, who said she once won a Miss Nude International Contest, said she has drawn large crowds at places where she was not permitted to be nude. But under questioning by Richter, she conceded, "They want to see my show, but they want to see the whole package." Perez, who uses the stage name of Leigh Sharon, also testified that she is paid $1,500 a week for doing three shows nightly at the club. Bergeron testified that before the new law went into effect, he grossed between $1,000 and $1,500 a day from the two lounges.

After Jan. 1 and before he obtained the injunction, he said he grossed only about $200 a day. Richter later said he could conceive of Perez's act being considered artistic, but he said that is not the case for the 12 to 20 other dancers who perform at the club. The performances include an amateur dance contest, which, I appear with to argue ban Bergeron testified, was once won by a 73-year-old woman. Unconstitutional William G.

Line, a Fremont, attorney representing Bergeron, told the court that the law is unconstitutional because among other things it bans nudity in such public places as bars, taverns and nightclubs, but permits it in other places, such 'as theaters, concert halls, museums and art centers. That is true, he said, even though some of those other places have liquor licenses. Larson, who issued an injunction on Jan. 5 to stop enforcement of the law at the Bittersweet and the Lusty Lady Lounge, said he hopes to reach a decision within two weeks. It also will be at least two weeks before Polk County District Judge Theodore Miller rules in the other lawsuit challenging the new law.

That suit was brought by James D. Cave and Robert B. Coverdale, partners in the Cave Lounge; Doris Hardenbrook, operator of the Body Shop Lounge, and Rod McBlain, operator of the Lounge. The tavern operators in Des Moines testified their business dropped 60 to 70 percent when the new law became effective Jan. 1.

They also presented a film of Dattola performing, four dances in various degrees of nudity. During one of her dances, Dattola placed a beer can under one of her breasts and, without holding the can with her hands, tilted her body and poured the beer into a glass. "I thought you were using stick-um," Turner told Dattola after the hearing. Dattola replied that Turner was wrong, she just has good muscle control that comes from "twirling tassles." Turner and his assistant, George Murray, said they had a difficult time determining if the woman was wearing pasties. Turner said he was.

not making snide remarks to Murray during the film but was "trying to find out if he could see any pasties My eyes are not very good." Dattola, who dances at the Cave Lounge, testified that having to wear pasties on her nipples hurts her because "the glue and tape we have to put our pasties on with irritates my skin." "The question here is whether you're being oppressed in your right of expression," Turner said. Dattola replied, "I just can't do a show with the restrictions of the new law. The idea of a nude dancer is to please the audience." She said that wearing pasties is "revolting to the audience. They feel they're not getting their dollar's worth." Dattola also said the pasties are "uncomfortable and cause a rash" because "they are put on with a real high-powered adhesive." Turner replied, "Then its a physical thing It's not that you can't express yourself equally well with a G-string and pasties." i'iti jk Shop- Carol Foreman, undersecretary for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, speaks to the Iowa Pork Producers at a meeting Tuesday in Des Moines.

"In government," she said, "everyone rum around trying to clean up yesterday's mess and no one stops to think what will happen the day after tomorrow." MAY FALL SHORT By ELIZABETH BALLANTINE RMfstw Stiff Wrlttr The Polk County Courthouse may not be preserved in a grand style for lis tuture residents. James Sarcone, county budget director, said Tuesday that state law will permit the county to spend only $500,000 in revenue sharing funds to remodel the building after county oitices move to the remodeled old Post Office at Second Avenue and Walnut Street. Completion date on the Post Office remodeling is set for Nov. 20. County officials said they have been receiving inquiries from persons in those departments who want to know when they will be moving in, so the supervisors met Tuesday to discuss the issue.

"If you want to restore the building to previous grandeur, you have to think in terms of a bond issue and possible revenue sharing Sarcone said. "You're kidding yourself if you think you want to, or even can, return it to original grandeur," said Supervi sor Tom Whitney. "You couldn't even get the materials." He said he favored another county plan that would restore the original rotunda area; would remove the temporary office space used by the county assessor, treasurer and attorney; and would modernize other offices. Juvenile and municipal courts and the Office of the Friend of the Court, plus the civil division of the county attorneys office, are scheduled to share the building with the present district courts after county elected officials move out. Polk County District Court Ad ministrator Frank Leonhardt said previous plans had called for a restoration of at least two courtrooms, even if much of the remainder of the building is modernized.

But Whitney was skeptical that even a minimal remodeling job, including mechanical and exterior work, would take less than ten years at the rate of 500,000 annually. Brannan, who is hoping to pass a bond issue next fall for a new county jail, said he definitely would oppose a bond issue for restoring the court house. Leonhardt accused Brannan of wanting to "skimp on the building." "That's exactly right," said Brannan. "I am not in favor of plush quarters larger than your living rooms for the judges. The supervisors will vote next week whether to request special state legislation that would enable them to spend more than $500,000 in revenue sharing or other federal funds for courthouse restoration.

Manslaughter case goes to grand jury Tht RmMIWs tewa Ntws Sarvlct SIOUX CITY, IA. Michael McCauley, .22, of Sioux City was bound over to a Woodbury County grand jury Tuesday on a charge of manslaughter. McCauley is charged with the death of 2-year-old Marsha Little George. She was the daughter of his fiancee, whom he married a short time after his arrest. McCaulev orieinallv had been charged with murder, but that charge was reduced last week.

Leach to sponsor tax clinics U. S. Representative James Leach said Tuesday he will sponsor a series of three tax clinics for First District residents. The Republican said the clinics will be held Feb. 17 from 7 to 9 p.m.

at the Holiday Inn in Little Amana; Feb. 18 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Washington Public Library, and Feb. 18 from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Fort Madison Holiday Inn.

Freight care derail, block lines near Stanwood TM RMisMft MM Nw Sttvtct STANWOOD, IA. About 30 cars of a North Western Railway freight train derailed two miles east of this Cedar County town Tuesday, blocking two of the railroad's main lines. No injuries were reported. The derailment occurred about 1 p.m. A spokesman for the railroad in Clinton said a crane was en route to the scene, Tuesday afternoon.

He said the cause of the crash was unknown. Ammunition headed for campus war? ISTANBUL, TURKEY (AP) Authorities ordered the arrests of five Turkish seamen Tuesday after seizing ammunition worth about $1 million 'from their fishing trawler. There were reports the ammunition was intended for use in the campus war between rightist and leftist students that has claimed 53 lives this month alone. By CLAUDIA WATERLOO Regiitir Agribusiness Writer Carol Foreman, the undersecretarj of agriculture whose name ha: become almost synonymous with tht "Ban Bacon" scare, came to Dei Moines Tuesday to make peace Witt Iowa pork producers. "I'm sure talking with you wil make it easier to get along with yoi than it has been before," said Dar Reynolds of Milo, president of the Iowa Pork Producers Association.

Larry Lee, representing the National Pork Producers Association said he was "heartened" by the two-hour meeting. "Too often we sit out here in tht country and think of the USDA as the bad buys," he said. "Unfortunately, sometimes we'll have to be the bad Foreman said, "because the law gives us the job of regulating, as well as promoting, your products." Not only pork producers, but nine out of ten Iowa farmers think the USDA favors consumers over farmers when their interests conflict, a recent Iowa Poll showed. And more than half of the non-farmers responding to the same poll believe the USDA is in large part pro-consumer. Issues Challenge Foreman challenged any of the pork producers at the meeting to take on the proDiem oi a poienuai uan on nitrites, the preservative used in cured meat products including bacon.

"If any of you sat in my joo, you wouldn't be able to stop it (the ban) from haDDenine." she said. "Now, let's try to work this thing out on a reasonable basis. "1 mnld stand here as the last ad ministration did and do nothing about nitrite and get sued in court ana lose the case, in which case nitrites would be banned Foreman said. ShP added that as lone as nitrosa- mines, which form from nitrites when bacon is cooked, are known to oe cancer causers, they will be banned. "However, we can avoid that court case by getting nitrosamines out of the product and reducing the nitrite level tn a nnint where it's still there for taste, flavor and botulism protec tion, she said.

The Dackins industry faces a Mar. 16 deadline to show it. can produce bacon without the nitrosamine hazard. The USDA then will consider all the evidence for and against the use of nitrites. Paul Oueck of the Pork Producers Association blamed the emotion surrounding the "bacon ban" contro- were stranded in Indiana during last week's blizzard.

Officials spent several hours Monday trying to rent or borrow the 13 cowboy hats, but were unsuccessful. As a last resort, it was decided the dancers would wear black and gold cowboy hats worn by University of Iowa football fans. Since their cowboy boots and trousers also were missing, the company cowboys danced "Rodeo" in their own jeans and regular ballet shoes. Following the Joffrey's appearance here. tonight, the company moves to Ames for its next performances.

versy on misleading USDA information. Foreman countered by placing the blame on industry publications and the news media. Foreman said the biggest problem with the nitrite situation, as with government in general, is that hindsight, and not foresight, has been the rule. "In government, everyone runs around trying to clean up yesterday's mess and no one stops to think what will happen the day after tomorrow, she said. The problem has arisen, too, with sulfa residues and traces of other feed additives in pork products, she said.

"If we were to disprove these things tomorrow, we have serious problems adjusting, Foreman said "What we can do is to work with you, making adjustments gradually to soften the impact of these rulings." Foreman said that unless consumers and farmers, both, see her department as an ally, there's no assurance that the Department of Agriculture will be in existence 50 years from now. I "There will be no support for a ca binet-level department representing just 5 percent of the population," (farmer population), she said. Her aim, she said, is to broaden the department's constituency. "I think we're probably past the point where my presence just my presence in the Department of Agriculture throws you people in a frenzy," said Foreman, the former head of the Consumers Federation of America. "The day will come when you producers realize that my being in the Department of Agriculture is not the worst disaster that ever befell you," she said, "but that realization may not come until my successor is named." Clark's Guest Foreman came to Iowa at the invitation of Iowa Senator Dick Clark and toured the Wilson Foods Corp.

hog slaughter plant in Des Moines before meeting with members of the National Cattlemen's Association and the pork producers. On other topics, she said: As long as sulfa residues in slaughter animals can be kept down, an outright ban will be avoided. The emphasis will be on improving information to the livestock farmer, perhaps enlisting the aid of extension veterinarians in this capacity. A new study will be done on consumer reaction to a poultry product called "turkey bam." If it appears that a "significant" number of consumers are being misled and think the product contains pork, the "ham" label will come off, Foreman said. A voluntary nutritional labeling program, under consideration since 1972, will be introduced "soon" for meat products.

The use in animals of drugs also used to treat humans "will be a continuing problem," Foreman predicted. She told the pork producers, "I think you're going to lose" the sub-therapeutic use of penicillin and tetracyclic Efforts will accelerate, beginning with the proposed meat grading laws, to break up the "fraternity" of corrupt meat graders who are suspected of having infiltrated the meat industry, especially on the West Coast The labeling of meat imports will be pursued. "I'd like to see it happen," Foreman said, 'but there are lots of people between us and reality." On Thursday, February 2nd, at the Valley West Signature Shop you can experience the new cruise and spring collection by CALVIN KLEIN Ballet cowboys' hat dance: It carried the Iowa band Join us for informal modeling from II a.m. to 4 p.m. and see what Calvin has planned for your sunny seasons! Picture yourself in his easy-living sportswear, and elegant spring fashions.

Signature Shop first level. By JERALD HETH Rtffisftr Staff WrtHr IOWA CITY, IA. Nope. The Joffrey Ballet didn't dance "Rodeo" in University of Iowa cowboy hats Tuesday night. The dancers used regular cowboy hats some coming from local citizens and others coming from a Des Moines theatrical shop and arriving on a bus Tuesday morning.

Several yards of elastic were sewn inside the hats so they would stay on during the performance at Hancher Auditorium. The hat problem, one of many to confront the Joffrey here, came about when the company's supply trucks miK Brandeis we care about you.