St. Louis Post-Dispatch from St. Louis, Missouri • Page 26

'v MAY 1 8 2000 postnet.comnews Hi) B2 ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH METRO THURSDAY, MAY 18, 2000 Law Order Attorney savs JEFFERSON COUNTY ex-treasurer of Brooklyn admitted theft Woman, 24, is killed in early morning accident Prayer vigil is planned for tonight at the scene of an unsolved killing i 4 17) 'VI A. iv. -'J u. Sandra Summers, 24, of Dittmer was killed Wednesday when she lost control of her pickup on ai rural highway south of Cedar Hill, authorities reported.

The Highway Patrol said Summers was headed north on Route WW shortly after 5 am when 1999 Ford Ranger left the road and overturned. She1 was thrown from the vehicle. Summers was hot wearing a seat belt, the patrol said Jail time will be sought in pig abuse Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney Robert G. Wilkins said Wednesday that he will seek jail litime for twe teen-agers from Bamhart suspected "of releasing a pair of drunken potbellied pigs into Windsor High School in Imperial and of killing a 'third pig that would not cooperate. Sheriffs Lt.

Mark Tulgetske said the pigs were put in the school sometime after 11 p.m. May 10. School officials found one of the animals locked in a school elevator and another roaming the thalls early the next morning. Tulgetske said the incident, initially believed to jhave been a senior prank, now appears to have been an act of retaliation against the school. He jjsaid police arrested a 19-year-old suspect who re-cently had dropped out of Windsor after he was jtold he did not have enough credits to graduate.

A 17-year-old boy.from the school also was questioned. t- Wilkins said he plans to charge them with burglary and animal abuse, but no charges have sbeen filed yet Police said the boys got the pigs after answer-Jing an advertisement in a local newspaper offering the animals free to a good home. Authorities said the teens took the pigs to a party in Bamhart, gave the animals alcohol and Sthen led the animals to the school 5 When one of the pigs refused to budge, authorities said, the teens clubbed it to death with a (crowbar. The pig's carcass was found on a railroad track near Kimmswick. I "These kids are going to jail, if I've got any-i'thing to say about it," Wilkins said.

"You dont take somebody's family pet, take it to a party, get it drunk, then beat it to death because you can't "get it to move." 4 By Michael Shaw Of the Post-Dispatch Frankie J. Banks, former Brooklyn treasurer, admitted to the village attorney that she stole from village funds, the attorney said Wednesday. But her alleged admission didn't approach the $100,000 she is accused of stealing from Brooklyn over the past four years. Glen Carbon lawyer Charles Douglas, who has represented Brooklyn since 1998, said that in the conversation, about two months ago, Banks said she took about $800 from the village over eight years. Douglas said her admission was one reason Banks was discharged as village treasurer this month.

"I don't care if it's $100,000 or $5, as far as I'm concerned, it's not proper," he said. Reached Wednesday, Banks said, "I don't know anything about (the conversation)," and declined to comment on her legal situation. A warrant will be issued for her arrest, but Banks said she had not been contacted by law enforcement late Wednesday. Federal agents seized village records last year, but the U.S. attorney's office and FBI have not said how much further the investigation will go.

Board members also want to remove Mayor Ruby Cook, who they believe is also a target of the federal investigation, said board member Nathaniel O'Bannon, one of three who voted to remove Cook. Douglas is still waiting for advice from St. Clair County State's Attorney Robert B. Haida on removing Cook and said board members would likely appoint one of their own as her replacement if the removal is approved. Wednesday was a confusing day for Banks, after what the U.S.

attorney's office characterized as a minor foul-up. An office press release was issued a day early on Tuesday saying she had been indicted on four counts of theft obtained by fraud. But the indictment didnt become official and her, case wasn't filed until Wednesday, when the indictment was read before a federal magistrate. U.S. Attorney Charles Grace said such a mistake hadn't happened since he was appointed in 1993, and that it would not obstruct the prosecution of the case.

"We have put in place further measures to ensure this doesn't happen again," Grace said. ROBERT COHEN POST-DISPATCH Stacey Webb mourns at the grave in Calvary Cemetery of her slain sister, Cara Davenport, on May 4 what would have been Davenport's 19th birthday. Family members have started a reward fund to help get information in the unsolved case. I 1 I I By Bill Bryan Of the Post-Dispatch Sharon Webb marked her daughter's 19th birthday recently by visiting her grave in Calvary Cemetery, a sadly common trip for parents of murdered children. Her daughter, Cara Davenport, was shot to death in Hillsdale on March 26 while seated in a parked car with three other young people in front of 6152 Greer Avenue.

Two men were wounded and herself to graveside visits. She has organized a reward fund of $3,000 to buy information that she hopes will solve the case. Families Advocating Safe Streets is planning a prayer vigil for 7 p.m. tonight in front of 6152 Greer. The murder received little attention in the news media, something else that irks Webb.

"The day after Cara was killed, the main story on the news was somebody from St. Louis adopting a baby from China. "That was more important than my daughter's death?" Webb asked. Davenport, a graduate of Hazelwood East High School, did volunteer work helping youngsters learn to read, her mother said. Webb is soliciting more donations to make the reward bigger in the hopes that it will entice more people to come forward.

Money can be sent to the Cara Davenport Reward Fund, P.O. Box 2612, Florissant, 63032. have recovered; another woman in the car was unhurt The killing is still unsolved. That gnaws at Webb, who lives in Florissant The two wounded men provided little information to police investigators, and the surviving woman hired a lawyer and refused to take a polygraph exam. "I need closure.

I need justice," said Webb, whose daughter would have celebrated her birthday May 4. But Webb is not limiting ST. LOUIS Man is charged with raping girl, 16 St 1 Jesse A. St. 29, was charged Tuesday night with abductinga schoolgirl, 16, and sexuality assaulting her in his car.

St. John, of the 1000 'block of North 16th Street, was charged with rape, kidnapping and sexual misconduct in the first degree. The victim wafwalking to Beaumont High School on Tuesday morning when she was grabbed by a man who forced her into his car near Vandeventerrtand Ashland avenues, police -said. The man allegedly raped the girl in his car in a nearby alley. The victim's girlfriend ran for help, and police (said they found the'car parked in an alley with St John and the victim still inside.

CORRECTIONS EDWARDSVILLE Woman is convicted of embezzlement i A judge in Edwardsville on Wednesday con-Hicted a woman from Troy, 111., of embezzling more than $141,000 from her former employer, an insurance agency in Madison, over four and a years. Associate Judge James Hackett found J. Bosworth guilty in a bench trial that be-igan Mondayj-ShG will be sentenced later. The local Type blood supply is critically short and that" the most serious of all blood shortages, said officials with the Red Cross Missouri-Illinois Blood Services Region. Several major auto accidents in the past few days have nearly depleted what was already a lower-than-normal supply.

Information on donating is available by calling 800-GIVE-LIFE. SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE New chief of staff starts next month Army Brig. Gen. Carlos D. "Butch" Pair, a reservist is being sent to Scott Air Force Base to fill the newly created position of chief of staff for the U.S.

Transportation Command. Pair will assume his new position June 19. He is deputy commander for mobilization for the Army's Military Traffic Management Command, based in Arlington, Va. quality of life in the metro area. Five counties in southwestern Illinois may vote for the sales tax increase, which is one-tenth of a cent to fund the Metro East Park and Recreation District.

Missouri voters will consider a similar proposal. The purpose of the park district to develop a system of interconnecting trails and linear parks for biking, walking and other recreational uses. The board also approved a deal to purchase the Florists' Mutual Insurance Building in downtown Edwardsville for $2,283,000. The county will renovate the building to use as a criminal courthouse. ST.

LOUIS AREA Type 0 blood donors are needed urgently Donors of Type blood are "desperately" needed, officials with the local chapter of the American Red Cross announced Wednesday. Meanwhile, the organization's board has elected Clarence Barksdale and James Buford its new co-chairmen. Barksdale is vice chairman of Washington University and Buford the president and chief executive officer of the Urban League of Metropolitan St Louis. They succeed W. Thomas Reeves, who had been chairman.

Reeves, who heads the Downtown Now organization, will continue on the Grand Center board. MADISON COUNTY Tax hike for park plan goes to voters Madison County voters will consider in November an increase in their sales taxes to fund the creation of a regional park district. County Board members voted Wednesday to put the measure on the ballot The project was initiated by organizers of St. Louis 2004, a group dedicated to improving the ST. LOUIS Police Board elects new president Edward M.

Roth was elected by his fellow commissioners on Wednesday as the new president of the St Louis Police Board. Roth, who had been vice president, replaces Wayman F. Smith III, who recently completed his term on the board. The Rev. Maurice J.

Nutt, a new board member, was elected vice president. Mark W. Smith remains the board's purchasing member, and Dr. Leslie F. Bond remains its treasurer.

ST. LOUIS Grand Center executive is picked Thomas Turner, director of finance and operations for Grand Center has been named interim chief executive officer to replace Ann Ru-witch, who recently announced her retirement Need In a picture caption for Sunday's story on motherhood, Julia Jones' age was incorrect She is 89 and has been a mother for 47 years. COMMUNITY House tour The Central West End Association will sponsor the 31st annual Central West End House and Garden Tour from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday on Westminster Place.

The tour is self-paced. Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door and $14 each for groups of 20 or more. Call 314-367-2220. IC1U Order previous editions of the Post-Dispatch by calling (800) 365-0820, ext. 8888.

(Subject to availability.) ST.10UIS POST-DISPATCH ki n.l i me line never oeiore; Every lighting fixture, every table lamp, and every floor lamp is on sole. Savings of 5 up to 50. Quantities on many items are limited and the sale ends Wednesday, May 31. rx-'-N I A fi I I 1 Monday Thursday 8 Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 11769 Manchester (Between Lindbergh and Hwy 270) 314-965-1000 Saturday Closed Sundays in consideration of employees and their families 1 Si 0.