St. Louis Post-Dispatch from St. Louis, Missouri • Page 15

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH III I IT NEWS ANALYSIS: Presidential campaign ad war EDITORIAL: Republicans have a very selective LETTERS: Democrats make misleading claims obituaries 38 llWllSE. is already getting personal 13B view of states' rights 14B about taxes, spending and crime 15B 16B if nM ISREGION 11 SECTION MAY 25, 1996 espite Country Living Vg. "twit -m Aww. 4 h.

r- Karen ElshoutPost-Dispatch ABOVE: Max, the Bengal tiger, floats placidly in the Big Cat Country pool. The Zoo will celebrate Big Cat Country's 20th Anniversary on Monday. RIGHT: A jaguar patrols its territory in Big Cat Country at the St. Louis Zoo. Celebrating 20 Years Of Zoo Purr-sonalities jv A over, spilling the water.

The animal paid no attention to the crowd watching from the walkway above the open, wooded enclosure. Before Big Cat Country was built, cats and people were eye to eye in the old Lion House, constructed in 1915. There, the animals were kept in concrete cages, with rusty bars separating them from the public. "That was state of the art when it was built," said Steve Bircher, curator of mammals and the man in. charge of carnivores.

"Believe it or not, some people still tell us they liked the old display better." Big Cat Country has open yards with shrubs, pools, rocks and a 22-foot waterfall. Cats that climb trees are in enclosures covered with a wire tent; cats that don't climb are in open exhibits. The year it opened, Big Cat Country won the Best Exhibit award from the American Association of Zoos and Aquariums, and Bircher said it has been used as a model by several other zoos building outdoor exhibits for big cats. See ZOO, Page 2 By Patricia Corrigan Of the Post-Dispatch Staff If you've ever dreamed of publicly serenading African lions or snow leopards or even a Siberian tiger, you'll have your chance on Monday, when the St. Louis Zoo celebrates the 20th anniversary of Big Cat Country.

The party, from 1 to 3 p.m., will be held amid the big cats that live in the lVfc-acre enclosure on the southeastern edge of the Zoo. After everybody sings "Happy Birthday," Zoo director Charlie Hoessle will make brief remarks, keepers will talk at 2 and 3 p.m., and visitors may have whiskers painted on their faces for free. Birthday cake and pink lemonade will be available for $2. The big cats may or may not take notice of the festivities. Earlier this week, adults and children alike watched as the black jaguar repeatedly dipped a metal bucket his favorite toy into the pool in the yard, dragged the half-filled bucket up on the bank and knocked it His Pleas, Killer Gets Life Term He Blamed Prosecutor And Grandfather's Past By William C.Lhotka Of the Post-Dispatch Staff Claiming he is an innocent man, Lawrence T.

Callanan blamed his murder conviction on the sins of his grandfather and a zealous prosecutor. Neither Callanan's allegations nor an appeal by his mother, Harriett Ojile, swayed St. Louis County Circuit Judge Emmett M. O'Brien Friday. Refusing to grant a new trial, O'Brien sentenced Callanan, 21, to life in prison without parole.

On April 4, a jury convicted Callanan of first-degree murder in the fatal shooting of John M. Schuh, 24, of Spanish Lake. After attending a party in the 1700 block of Bent Twig Lane during the Fourth of July weekend last year, Callanan shot Schuh four times. The dead man was found lying on the porch. Callanan fled.

Callanan alleged that authorities treated him differently because he is the grandson of the late Lawrence "Larry" Callanan who ran Pipefitters Local 562 from World War II until his death in 1971. Under his control, the union was often the target of federal investigations, political scandals and allegations of ties to organized crime. Lawrence Callanan said he had been targeted by police and prosecutors because of "events that took place before I was born." As his father watched from a wheelchair in the front row, Lawrence Callanan accused prosecutor Dan Diemer of being "out of control." Diemer had "slandered my father, Tom Callanan, who has never been convicted of a crime and was himself the victim of a horrible crime," Lawrence Callanan said. Tonti Callanan is a former business representative of Local 562. His legs were blown off in a car explosion in Spanish Lake in 1973 in what authorities alleged was a power struggle for control of the union after the senior Callanan's death.

Prosecuting Attorney Robert P. McCulloch described Diemer Friday as "intense as all my prosecutors are. "The evidence was clear, convincing and overwhelming as to his guilt," McCulloch said. "Mr. Callanan is heading for the spot where he belongs." Aldermen Votel2-4 To Scold Newspaper Post-Dispatch Editorial Criticized Catholic Leader By Carolyn Tuft Of the Post-Dispatch Staff A St.

Louis alderman came within three votes Friday of getting a resolution adopted chastising the Post-Dispatch for criticizing the Catholic Church. The resolution before the Board of Aldermen said the newspaper has "selectively portrayed Catholics in a negative light." The vote was 12-4 with four aldermen voting present. Resolutions must get 15 votes to be adopted. Alderman Stephen J. Pnnwpv n.8th Ward introduced the measure Conway after the Post-Dispatch published an editorial Tuesday that questioned whether Monsi-gnor Joseph Naumann, vicar general of the St.

Louis Archdiocese, had overstepped the bounds of a tax-exempt religious institution. Monsignor Naumann had discouraged Catholic schools in Webster Groves from allowing their pupils to see President Bill Clinton when he spoke May 17 at Webster Groves High School. Conway said the editorial was just one of many attacks by the newspaper. "Unfortunately, the Post-Dispatch is contributing to hate and intolerance of Catholics," Conway said. "What I'm saying is the Post can do it, but we should not embrace it or be silent when it happens." Editorial page editor Edward Higgins, who wrote the editorial, said Friday that the newspaper's editorial stance has supported the Catholic Church in its efforts to improve social and economic justice.

"Where we part is on issues of birth control and abortion, but that does not make RESOLUTION, Page 3 1 Curators OK MU's Black Center manent edifices that separate us on the basis of a group into which we were born," he said. Malaika B. Home, the board's vice president and only black member, said the center would be "for everybody" and symbol-, ize "a turning point" in race relations on the campus. Plans call for construction to start next November and for the center to open in December 1997. The curators also voted to seek a consultant to help chart the future of the university's hospitals and clinics in Columbia.

Campus officials asked for time because of the cost, estimated at $1.1 million then. The new building will include meeting space, a computer laboratory and offices for black organizations. The center also will offer programs such as a black culture week, film series and art exhibits. The building is larger than first envisioned and, said Columbia Chancellor Charles A. Kiesler, "designed for much broader use." Other minority groups will use it, too, he said.

Of the nine curators, John C. "Woody" Cozad cast the lone opposing vote. "It is inconsistent for us to erect buildings, per By Susan C. Thomson Of the Post-Dispatch Staff KANSAS CITY The University of Missouri is moving ahead with a new black culture center on the Columbia campus. The university's Board of Curators, meeting on the Kansas City campus Friday, approved a rough design for an one-story building estimated to cost about $2 million.

It will replace an old brick house, less than one-third that size and in disrepair, that serves as the center now. Minority students on the campus began pressing for a new center two years ago. 1 1 1 1 Retiree, 70, Killed In Crash Was 'Crazy About Flying' By Joe Holleman Of the Post-Dispatch Staff Dr. Donald E. Callahan had a 40-year love affair with flying and went out almost every week.

He was' flying his Beechcraft Bonanza when it developed problems Thursday and crashed into trees lining a hayfield. Callahan was killed. "He was crazy about flying, he really loved it," said his wife, Sarah Callahan. Callahan, 70, was a retired radiologist from Creve Coeur. He was trying to land in the hayfield in southeastern Franklin County, between Loncdell and St.

Clair, near Huff and Burlage roads. Callahan's plane took off from Spirit of St. Louis Airport in Chesterfield. Family members said Callahan would normally fly for one or two hours, then return to Spirit. Callahan, of the 700 block of Champeix Lane, retired as a radiologist in 1984 from Christian Hospitals.

Earlier in his career, he had worked as a radiologist in Jefferson City, Lincoln Coun-' ty and Belleville. He was a past president of the Greater St. Louis Radiological Society. He served two stints in the U.S. Navy, the first at the end of World War II as a member of the Navy's underwater demolition team, the second in Korea with a medical unit.

He earned his medical degree in 1950 from the St. Louis University School of Medicine. Visitation will be from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday at Collier's Funeral Home, 3400 North Lindbergh Boulevard, Bridgeton. A funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m.

Tuesday at St. Lawrence The Martyr Catholic Church, 4335 Dupage Avenue in Bridgeton. In addition to his wife, Dr. Callahan's survivors include two daughters, Nancy Brennan of Seattle and Amy Hummel of Denver; seven sons, Timothy Callahan of Severna Park, Daniel Callahan of Martinez, Kevin Callahan of Chicago, Christopher Callahan of Indianapolis, Allen Callahan of Atlanta, Lawrence Callahan of St. Louis and Ted Callahan of San Jose, one sister, Eleanor O'Keefe of Washington; and 13 grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Wings of Hope Inc. in Chesterfield. The charitable organization can be. reached by callii4537-1302. I if.

i 1 7 i ft- Scott DinePost-Dispatch Going Fishing Shaun Richardson (left) and James Hill, both 11, follow Dennis Cook of the state Conservation Department at Forest Park Friday. They were at a preview for the Mayor's Family Fishing Fair set for June 8 in Forest, Carondelet and Fairground parks. From 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., breakfast, fishing rods and bait will be provided. 1.