The Daily Journal from Franklin, Indiana • Page 1

mm 15- Vol.U,No..l77 Franklin Greenwood, Indiana, Wednesday, February 20, 1974 TO r-nrv -t ,1,1 Political filings to begin Youngest JP in history mm wm of state? II V-t By TOM CIRIGLIANO jMraal Staff Writer The Johnson county clerk's office will be "under siege" for the next three weeks by an "army'; of residents who will be filing their declarations of candidacy in the upcoming May 7 primary election. Thursday is the first day a declaration of candidacy can be fUed with the clerk of the Circuit Court for a county office or with the secretary of state for a legislative, congressional or judicial office (including prosecuting attorney). Candidates for delegate to state convention and for precinct committeeman may also file on that date. Eighteen candidates have Smblicly announced their ntentions of entering the Area high $choot batketball coachet look over United Preu International wire copy, carrying newt of the tectional pairlngn. The coaehei, from left, are Tom Cummingi, Greenwood; Mike Hendenoh.

Decatur Central; Tom Jonet, Center Grove; Max Perry, Whiteland; Dick llarmening, ranklin; and Steve Hollenheck, Edinburg. (Daily Journal photo) Hoosier Hysteria around the corner -1 Km Marc L. Griffin review ttate code book "3y TERRY ANDERSON underpowered Greenwood at 7 p.m. The second game on March 1 will pit the winner of the Decatur Central-Whiteland contest against the winner of the Center Grove-Indian Creek contest at 8:30 p.m. The Franklin sectional championship game will be played at 8:15 p.m., Saturday, March 2.

Edinburg, which competes in the Columbus sectional, drew a first-round "bye" and will oppose Southwestern (Shelby county) in the 7 p.m. game on Friday, March 1. An Edinburg triumph in the Friday night game would throw the Lancers into the title game on the following night. Edinburg won the Columbus sectional in 1973. The winner of the Franklin sectional will play the winner of the Shelbyville sectional in the Columbus regional.

Winners of the Martinsville sectional and Columbus sectional will oppose each other at Columbus, too. All regional games in the tournament this year will be played on Saturday, March 2. The Columbus regional champion will compete against the Indianapolis regional winner in the Indianapolis semi-state on March 9. The Indianapolis semi-state also features (Continued on back page, col. 4) By AL STTLLEY Journal News Editor The telephone at The Daily Journal rang around 7:20 this morning.

The voice on the other end inquired, "Who did Indian Creek draw in the sectional?" It was the first of a flock of calls received on what is now known as the day of "basketball roulette" the day that the sectional pairings are drawn in Indianapolis. It's the first official act by the Indiana High School Athletic Association that tells basketball fans in Hoosierland that "Hoosier Hysteria" is just around the corner. Head coaches representing the teams involved in the Franklin Sectional began assembling at The Daily Journal around 7 a.m. in anticipation of the sectional drawings. The pairings pit Decatur Central of Marion county against Whiteland in the 7 p.m.

sectional opener at the Franklin high school gymnasium on February 27. The second game finds 1972 Indianapolis semi-state finalist Center Grove going against underdog Indian Creek. There are no games scheduled in the six-team sectional Thursday, February 28. But on the following night, sectional favorite and 1973 Indiana state basketball tourney finalist Franklin meets primary for party nominations. On the local scene, voters will elect a seven-member county council, second district county commissioner, auditor, clerk, assessor and recorder, which are all now Republican-held offices.

Formal announcements of candidacy for county council seats have been made by third district incumbent Lee A. Moore of Union township, and incumbent Ray Hendricks, councilman-at-large from Bargersville. There have been no Democrat announcements for the council race. Republican incumbent Norman McMiilin (Needham township) is the only announced candidate for the coimlensation granted for his services. Always interested in government, Griffin said that as soon as he finished high school he began researching possible positions that he might bold at his age.

The only requirements that he faced were being a registered voter and not being a certified lawyer. The Indiana State Legislature is scheduled to abolish the office of Justice of the Peace in their next session, but there is also a move to save the position. If the office were dissolved, Griffin believes that the high cost of legal fees might make some small claims not feasible. City Judge Jim B. Dils of Greenwood observed that the appointment of Griffin might "take some of the load off the city courts, and serve as a forum for small claims." Griffin, who won't be 18 until May 25, will run in the Republican primary on May 7 for the elected position of Justice of the Peace.

Griffin hopes to begin his term in office as soon as his commission arrives from the governor's office. It will expire Dec. 31, 1974. Perhaps he will be elected to a full term. Perhaps that will be another first for the youngest incumbent to win an election -in Indiana history.

Joanul Staff Writer Marc L. Griffin, 4070 Sunshine Way, Greenwood, made history Tuesday. It probably won't shake the foundations of any well established buildings, but it could have an effect on the city -courts of Greenwood, and will certainly change his life. Griffin was appointed Justice of the Peace for White River township Tuesday by the Johnson County Commissioners. He is the first J.P.

for White River township, but even more surprising, he is, as far as records indicate', the youngest Justice of the Peace in the state's history. He is 17 years old. Although some eyebrows might be raised at Griffin's young age, a spokesman from the Indiana Attorney General's office said there is no apparent age requirement for the office. Also, Griffin points out, he had requested state lawyers to research the subject and they found no reason why he shouldn't serve. A first year prelaw student at Indiana university, Griffin's duties will cover most civil actions, and range from hearing traffic violators to performing weddings.

His fee, as stated by law, will be six dollars four dollars for the township, two for himself. It is the only I Franklin i Decatur Cent. I March p.m. I Commission second district county commissioner. Incumbent county auditor Mrs.

June Wood (R-Needham township) is also the only announced candidate for her present office. Democrat Dan Cundiff of Franklin, a former Democrat county treasurer primary candidate, is seeking his party's nomination for the office of county clerk. Republican incumbent Frances Melton has yet to announce her candidacy. Charles R. (Bill) Combest (R-New Whiteland) will be seeking the county assessor's office.

Incumbent county assessor Donald E. Sutton (R-New Whiteland) has not announced hiscandidacy at this time, Primary voters will also nominate candidates for sheriff and prosecuting attorney this year. The GOP 1974 Sectional Champs I Feb. 27 7 p.m. Whiteland A Arson suspect case sent to grand jury approves rezoning I A March 1 8:30 p.m.

1 Center Grove i Feb. 27 8:30 p.m. I More details on pages 10, 11. David James Roberts, 30, Indianapolis, a suspect in the January 20 arson fire of the Bill Patrick residence in New Whiteland, was bound over to Johnson Circuit Court for grand jury proceedings Tuesday, by Greenwood City Court Judge Jim B. Dils.

Roberts, who is charged with first degree murder (death resulting from arson) in connection with the death of one-year-old Hiedi Patrick, appeared again in the Greenwood court Tuesday night. jlndiap Creek Franklin Sectional Pairings (Continued on back page, col. 3) sskssssssssssss 4 Pool group presents, petition The Patrick child died as a result of smoke inhalation during an early morning fire which gutted the interior of the residence at 851 Princeton -drive, according to a coroner's report. -Hiedi's parents, Mr. and FBI agent predicts release By SUSAN ATKINSON Journal Staff Writer The Greenwood Community School Mrs.

Bill E. Patrick, were Board accepted petitions Tuesday They are asking that they be paid for the extra half hour from last August until it was instituted in January. According to a spokeswoman for the group, Mrs. Edna Perkins, "Each year it (driving the bus) gets rougher and schedules get tighter." The drivers added that they are not paid for time spent in such endeavors as scrapping ice, gasing up the buses or any disciplinary action, needed. The board decided to table further discussion of the bus drivers' request until (Continued on back page, col.

3) known as "the swimming pool committee for Greenwood high school." The board took the petitions under advisement. Bus drivers Nine women bus drivers attended Tuesday's meeting to ask for hck pay from August 1973 through January. The board in January increased the hours the drivers were paid from four to four 'and one-half hours to allow for "warm up" time for the buses. The drivers state, however, that their actual driving time is four and one-half hours daily not including warm up time. Containing over 400 signatures urging a swimming pool for the Greenwood high 'school.

The board also heard a request for retroactive pay back to August from a group of school bus drivers in the corporation as they met Tuesday night in administrative offices on Smith Valley road. The petitions, presented to the board by Thomas McClain. came from a group found dead in the family room of the residence. The cause of their deaths has been officially listed as an Indiana Reformatory parolee, is charged by the Johnson county prosecutor's office with setting the fire in the residence, During the course of a "probable cause" hearing in night, new evidence was David Jamas Roberts Greenwood City Court last By DONN FRY Journal Staff Writer A controversial rezoning application was approved Tuesday night by the Johnson County Plan Commission, but the group later turned down a preliminary plat offered by developers 'seeking to subdivide the disputed area. The decision affects approximately 153 acres on the east side of Center Line road in the Park Forest area, southwest of Whiteland.

The land lies on both sides of County Road 400 North, the dividing line between Pleasant and Franklin townships. When the issue first came up in the plan commission meeting in December, it was. revealed that the property, owned by Williams of contains two separate zoning classifications residential (RS-1) in Franklin township and agricultural in Pleasant township. Gibraltar Homes, a Greenwood firm, is seeking to develop 261 homes on the -tract. They were told in January that the owners of the property must petition for rezoning of the Pleasant township portion before the commission would consider a preliminary plat of the subdivision.

The commission approved the petition of Williams of Whiteland and sent their recommendation for RS-1 zoning on the Pleasant township acreage to the Johnson County Commissioners. The commissioners must give final, approval to all zoning reclassifications. Although the recommendation for rezoning seemed to favor the Gibraltar Homes project, the plan, commission rejected the preliminary plat submitted later in the meeting by the developers. The commission's action was supported by a number of remonstrators, all current residents of Park Forest, who argued against the lot size in presented by Indiana State Police investigator Lt. Robert i 41 X.

$fi U-s- fv i'-M' farm I v-: i-V 1 iff SAN FRANCISCO (UPI) -The FBI agent in charge of the Patricia Hearst kidnaping investigation says he has a "seat of the pants feeling" that the girl will be freed today, her 20th birthday. The remark, by FBI agent Charles W. Bates, came hours after Miss Hearst's father, Randolph A. Hearst, unveiled details of a sweeping "People in Need" project 100,000 needy people free for a year in response to a demand from the terrorist Symbionese Liberation Army, which kidnaped the granddaughter of publishing empire founder William Randolph Hearst 16 days ago. "I have a seat of the pants feeling that Patty Hearst might come home tomorrow," Bates said Tuesday night after visiting the Hearst mansion in suburban Hillsborough.

Bates, who heads the 125-man FBI investigating force, did not elaborate. After two days of meetings with several groups named by the kidnapers to act as overseers of the $2 million food program, Hearst announced a plan to be overseen by militant radicals and directed by a Washington state expert on private welfare programs. The details of the plan came on the deadline day set byjthe SLA for unveiling of a food program as a "gesture of good Allen, allegedly unking Roberts to the rental of a gasoline can which police say was found in the Patrick residence. Allen said in testimony before the court that a February 6 investigation revealed Roberts allegedly rented a gasoline vcan from an Indianapolis service station on January 19 the day before the fire was discovered Allen further testified that a gasoline can found in a charred front room of the Patrick residence matched the description of the rented can. Roberts was represented by two Indianapolis attorneys, Elliot Lavin and Forrest Bowman, who had requested the probable cause hearing.

It was revealed at the hearing that Patrick Chavis III, an Indianapolis attorney who represented Roberts at an earlier hearing, was no longer representing the 30-year-old arson suspect. Motions by the two attorneys to dismiss charges against Roberts and to "set a reasonable bond" were both denied by Judge Dils. County prosecutor Joe Van Valer said that the Roberts' case should come before a county grand jury early next month. Following the proceedings. Tuesday, Roberts was returned to the Marion county jail where he is being held without bond.

Board accepts petitions for pool Weather: 38s. Highs to upper 40s. low to mid Thursday mid The Greenwood school board accepted petitions Tuesday night from a group urging development of a swimming pool for Greenwood high school. Shown looking over the petitions, which reportedly 'contained over 400 Sutton and board president Warren Beville. Standing, from are: Clifford Antcliff, attorney for the school corporation; board member Dick Norman; and superintendent Dr.

Earl (Daily Journal photo) By United Press International Fail' and mild today and tonight. Cloudy with chance of rain Thursday. Highs today low to mid 40s. Lows tonight Precipitation probability percentage 50 Thursday. (Continued on back cage, col.

4) signatures, are (seated from left) board member Richard.