The Akron Beacon Journal from Akron, Ohio • Page 4

A16 Akron Beacon journal Thursday, March 24, 1977 Akron's elderly also know fear The widow who lives alone in a neighborhood with a changing racial composition fits the profile of Akron's highest-risk crime victim, according to officials of Akron's Victim Assistance Program. But once victimized, the widow has a lot in common with other elderly crime victims, officials added. The tendency, they said, is for the elderly victims to retreat in fear behind the locked doors of their homes. "A lot of them are locked in," said the Rev. A.

Robert Denton, who founded the assistance program three years ago. "They are just living in terror." THE PROGRAM is set up to provide legal assistance, food, counseling and emergency medical aid to crime victims old and young. Mr. Denton said that the number of crimes involving the elderly dropped 15 percent last year. But he cautioned that the lower figure doesn't necessarily mean crimes against the elderly have dropped that much.

He said there is a good chance the elderly have become more fearful of reporting crimes. The Akron Police Department does not isolate crimes against the elderly in its statistics. Of the 169 cases of crimes against the elderly the victim assistance program officials handled last year, 78 involved purse snatch-ings and 64 others some form of robbery. More than half involved women who live alone. David B.

Miller, administrator of the program, said the city's worst crime areas for the elderly are the West Side, North Hill and downtown. MILLER said he constantly finds that elderly people who live in a high-crime area refuse to move out because they may have lived there most of their lives. If they refuse to leave, "their only choice is to lock themselves in," Miller said. Miller said he has noticed that persons who have been traumatized by crime often lose contact with neighbors and no longer take adequate care of themselves. In many cases, they also no longer go shop-, ping or to church, he said.

Mr. Denton said he suspects that an increasing number of elderly who have never been victimized also live in terror. Those are the people who rarely receive any counseling, Mr. Denton said, and, in the words of American writer Henry David Thoreau, "live the lives of quiet desperation." -t I VSi If At I I You can see kids pick victims' Continued from page A-l or listen to stories about life in gentler days. Their unassigned duties include contacting relatives, stopping mail delivery, freezing bank accounts and taking victims to and from court.

"Most are so amazed anyone takes an interest," Keegan says. "We still get Christmas cards from people we've visited." THEY ENTER the hospital room of 79-year-old Sarah (she doesn't want her real name used), whose spine was broken by three burglars she surprised in her apartment. Gaffney and Keegan take her fingerprints to compare with those they lifted in the apartment. Lying there large, pale and fragile, she tells them she had two rolls of pennies in her little bank. Did they break her Japanese vases: Was there a tin of papers from her cedar chest? She sobs and asks, "Oh, why don't they leave us alone? We don't have much longer to live.

I've been in that apartment 40 years. But I can't go back now. But where can I go? When you're old, nobody wants you." There's nothing much to say. They think they've got good prints of the attackers. "We think we'll get someone," says Gaffney.

Sarah says, "They should do to them what they Aid to me." ON THE WAY out, the officers shake their heads. Gaffney mentions his own mother. He wants her to move out of her neighborhood, but, like many old people, she's very independent. Back in the taxi, Keegan says, "This beating will change that woman's life, all her patterns and her outlook. If it happened to us, we would get over it.

She won't. "And, you know," says Gaffney, "There's really nothing we can do for her. It's done. We just hope we catch someone and prevent this from happening again." THEY ESTIMATE that each person they arrest is responsible for 60 crimes against old people a year. "They're addicted to old people.

Not hubcaps, not liquor stores. Just old people," says Keegan. "They're hoping to hit a pot of gold." And, say the officers, most are remorseless. They go to court, get slapped on the wrists, get out and do it again. The taxi rumbles past blocks of rubble and gutted tenements, blocks of housing developments.

"Look. It's no wonder," says Gaffmey, pointing to one high-rise. That one building housed eight kids who committed crimes against old people who later died of injuries. THEY HEAD toward another hospital, another old lady, Lottie. "I'd really like to get the guy who did this one," Keegan says.

Lottie, who also is afraid to have her real name in print, has no family, just a cousin in New Jersey. They're visiting her to say her mail will be held at the posi office and to give her a little company. She's 88, a tiny, outraged mass of bruises. Her nose is broken, her eyes are blackened, her neck is purple, her hands are wounded. She was pushed into her apartment when she opened the door.

She was beaten with her own walking cane. She was tied to a steam pipe. "HE KEPT beating me and asking, 'Where is the money? Where is the money?" I told him I didn't have any, just the $5 in my pockets. But he thought there was more," she said. "Oh, why did he have to break my nose? Now I'll look like a prize fighter.

I don't care how old I am, I don't want to have a broken nose. "I hope you get him." She keeps pounding a fist into her palm. "I know I can identify him. Please get him." Keegan and Gaffney leave, sickened, despite all the years of bruises and beatings they've seen. They get back into the taxi.

Another case. Another o.d lady. Another mugging. Fafa ire Two women were killed and 32 persons injured Wednesday when fire broke out in a downtown Louisville, apartment building. As flames and smoke engulfed the five-story structure, 42 occupants were rescued by police and firemen or managed to escape down the back stairs.

Listed as missing was a security guard who lived in a basement apartment. He was last seen assisting people from the burning building. The cause of the blaze was under investigation. No damage estimate was available. (JP) Defeat of picket bill seen labor setback Come to our party! Saturday, March 26 at 1 p.m.

Children's World. Second Floor, Downtown only Continued from page A-l the industry's "ability to produce housing at a price affordable to the average consumer." AFL-CIO lobbyist Kenneth Young said conservatives and business united against the bill "and it just became a rallying point to beat labor. And they did." Young said he didn't think the vote would affect the rest of labor's legislative agenda. Although Thompson expressed doubts about labor's chances of repealing Section 14B of the Taft-Hartley Act which allows states to pass right-to-work laws he predicted labor's campaign for a higher minimum wage would not be affected. During an eight-hour floor debate, Thompson and the Democrats gave ground repeatedly in attempts to attract liberal Republicans and keep southern Democrats.

IILS MAIN adversary. Rep. John Ashbrook (R-Ohio), said, "I guess the members felt the opposition at home. They clearly didn't want to walk the plank on this one." The AFL-CIO had been optimistic of winning its 25-year fight to give construction unions the same rights enjoyed by other unions to picket an entire job site. The defeat was especially bitter for labor in the aftermath and bizarre sequence of events 15 months ago.

Ford's labor secretary, John T. Dunlop, helped Congress write the bill and Ford helped push it through Congress. But Ford, who was then girding for his primary battle with Ronald Reagan, turned around and vetoed it. Dunlop resigned and Ford lost most labor support in the election. Ohioans' votes on picket bill WASHINGTON (JP) Here is how the Ohio delegation voted as the House rejected, 217-205, a bill broadening the picketing power of construction workers.

A yes vote is a vote for the bill. Republicans: John M. Ashbrook, no; Clarence J. Brown, no; Samuel L. Devine, no; Willis D.

Gradison no; Tennyson Guyer, no; William E. Harsha, no; Thomas N. Kindness, no; Delbert L. Latta, no; Clarence E. Miller, no; Ralph S.

Regula, no; J. William Stanton, no; Charles W. Whalen yes; Chalmers P. Wy-lie, no. Democrats: Douglas Applegate, yes; Thomas L.

Ashley, yes; Charles J. Carney, yes; Thomas A. Luken, yes; Ronald M. Mottl, yes; Mary Rose Oakar, yes; Donald J. Pease, yes; John F.

Seiberling, yes; Louis Stokes, yes; Charles A. Vanik, yes. You'll see lots of darling Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy clothes and accessories for children in our fashion show. The show will feature fashions for toddlers, little boys and girls and girls 7-14. Party treats will be served, and fun gifts will be given to the kids.Jike Raggedy Ann and Andy puppets and balloons.

Willie and Nobbie the clowns will be here to add to the excitement. From 12 to 3, have your picture taken with Raggedy Ann. That's right! An instant photo for just $1. Don't miss it, kids! We can't wait! Too pretty1 for job, she sues police chief Cs VV -if v-v 'r- A 9 1 RAGGEDY ANN ti "if' few Our 100th anniversary year FREEPORT, N. Y.

(JP) When Mary Ann Graupner told the police chief she wanted to be a police officer, he reportedly told her she ought to be in pictures. As a result of Chief Anthony Elar's alleged advice, Miss Graupner has filed a sex discrimination suit. Miss Graupner, a 23-year-old secretary for the Nassau County Police Department, took the written test in 1974 for a job as a police officer in this Long Island village. BUB SAID she passed the physical and agility tests last January, rose to the top of the eligibility list and was called for an interview with Elar last month. "He said he had no choice but not to select me," Miss Graupner said.

"He told me I was too pretty to be a cop, that I should be in the movies." MLSS GRAITNKK says the chief tried to get her to withdraw her Search ends WILMINGTON, N. C. LP) The Coast Guard suspended its search for additional survivors from the Panamanian tanker Claude Conway which broke up Sunday 120 miles southeast of the North Carolina coast. That left the final death toll at 12. 1 AND RAGGEDY ANDY Lovable rag dolls by Knickerbocker Toys The original Raggedv Ann and Raggedy Andy, America's folk dolls that have been loved for years.

Button eyes, painted-on smiles, colorful costumes. Raggedy Ann: 25 12.50. Raggedy Andy: $9. Colorful by Butterfly Originals Raggedy Ann cotton pajama bag with vinyl backing, $3. Cotton shoe bag with vinyl backing and a bright Raggedy Ann and Andy design, $8.

Children's World (D.146-258) all stores. Characters 1977 The Bobbs-Morrill Inc. Mary Ann Graupner application. When she refused, he told her he would not select her. She then told Elar she would sue.

"Good luck," she quoted him as saying. "It will be qn their conscience, not mine." Elar then hired two men below her on the list, according to Miss Graupner's lawyer, Katherine Levi-tan of the New York Civil Liberties Union. "This is a case of blatant sex discrimination and we are filing to bring pressure on public agencies to comply with the law," Mrs. Lev-Itan said. Elar could not be reached for comment..