Mexico Ledger du lieu suivant : Mexico, Missouri • Page 1

16 PAGES WARMER FRIDAY Old Street Names Back Mexico, Thursday, April 581-111l-i21st Year No. 79-Fifteen Cents The Mexico Planning and Zoning Commission has changed its recommendation to the city council for names to be given streets in the newly annexed eastern area of Mexico. After learning from area residents that some of the streets had unofficial names, not on the plat maps, the commission voted to change four of the nine recommended names for streets. "If these names are what the residents have always called their streets, then I think we should change our recommendation," Larry Huffman, commission member, said. The recommended name changes are: Franklin Street: The first east-west street off Route JJ, counting form Highway 54 on the north.

The commission had previously recommended Chariton Street as its name. Rivers Drive: The second east-west street off Route JJ. Meramec Street was the previous recommendation. Sannebeck Drive: The street running south off Highway 54 near the Friendship Baptist Church. Osage Street was the previous recommendation.

Onie Street: The street which runs north from Franklin Street, between Route JJ and Sannebeck Drive. Current Street was the previous recommendation. Gilbert Patrick, acting city manager, said the engineering department had checked with residents of the area to see if the streets had any popularly used names. The check turned up nothing, "but evidently we checked with the wrong people," Mr. Patrick said.

He suggested that the commission change its recommended names for the four streets and thanked the residents who had contacted the city about the street names. The commission had recommended at last month's meeting that the streets be named after Missouri rivers. In other business Tuesday, the commission approved the first plat of the subdivision, which will be located off a cul-de-sac, Dogwood Drive, south of the Boulevard. The first section to be developed by Kevin Farnen and Marlin Fisher will have eight lots. The commission tabled a request from Gene Forsee that Carson Avenue be vacated by the city.

The short dirt street is located in the middle of a block bounded by Robison on the north, Western on the east, Whitley on the south and Wade on the west. The commission tabled the request to allow time for the city engineering department to contact other property owners along the street for their opening of the street closing. Toss Of Coin Settles Race Enemy Troops Mass 50 Miles From Saigon SATClflN SnlltVl Vietnam tn mntrn Art Campbell is the third new member of the Vandiver Village board. The tie between him and James Hpdgkins for third place in the balloting was settled as provided by law, by lottery. In this case the form was tossing a coin.

Mrs. J. W. Callison, village clerk, said the coin was cast in the presence of the two candidates, both eligible under the law to serve, and the three iudees of the election. MADE MEDICAL Thompson, 11 weeks old, is pictured with his mother, Pearlene Thompson, 721 S.

Muldrow St after being brought home this week from the University Medical Center in Columbia where he made medical history on March 21. A new procedure using an ice bath to stop blood circulation during open heart surgery gave the child a second chance at life. He had less than a 50 percent chance of surviving to the age of one year before the operation (Ledaer Photo by Richard Vance) SAIGON, South Vietnam (AP) Military officials today issued snoot-to-kill orders to prevent protests and disturbances in Saigon as up to 50,000 Communist-led forces massed 40 to 50 miles to the northwest and northeast of the capital. Saigon's 10 p.m.-5 a.m. curfew was extended to 9 p.m.-6 a.m.

Despite the orders, the Roman Catholic archbishop of Saigon, Nguyen Van Binh, called for the resignation of President Nguyen Van Thieu, joining growing demands that Thieu step down in the wake of battlefield losses that have cost South Vietnam three- quarters of its territory. Police broke up a demonstration of about 200 people demanding Thieu's resignation, but no shots were fired. Opposition to Thieu is growing daily in Saigon, and law and order is threatened by armed military stragglers from the central and northern provinces who are slipping into the city without reporting to the army. As a result, the local military commander today forbade mass assemblies, demonstrations and the carrying of weapons without a permit. "Local authorities have orders to shoot and kill on the spot those violators who try to resist or flee," a com- munique said.

No movement of North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops toward the capital was immediately detected, but since Communist-led forces control many of the roads around Saigon, an assault on it could be mounted quickly once the Communist command decided to move. The South Vietnamese army, which lost half of its 13 divisions in the debacle that cost it the northern and central parts of the country, concentrated forces in Tay Ninh Province to the northwest of Saigon and in Long Khanh Province to the northeast. The government has about 50,000 men in the Saigon area, including three divisions and milita forces, and three more divisions southwest of the capital in the Mekong Delta. There is fear that if North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces move to attack Saigon, panic will break out as it did in other fallen cities, where deserting soldiers trampled over refugees to flee. In some cases it was more panic and fear that lost the cities than a major attack.

Gen. Frederick Weyand, U.S. Army chief of staff, met again with Thieu and prepared to return Saturday to the United States to report to President Ford on his one- week fact-finding mission. No details were given. The Viet Cong renewed its offer of peace negotiations if Saigon got rid of Thieu and formed a new government.

But despite the opposition to him that was mounting in the capital itself, the president gave no indication that he might quit or that he was even listening to his opponents. In Cambodia, a Khmer Rouge night attack backed by heavy artillery fire drove hundreds of government troops into retreat northwest of Phnom Penh and increased the threat of shelling attacks on the city. The insurgents' shells destroyed two more T28 light bombers and damaged two civilian planes at the Phnom Penh airport, but the American airlift of rice, ammunition and petroleum continued. The U.S. government was marking time.

Defense Secretary James R. Schlesinger said the Ford administration's aid policy would be reviewed when Gen. Fred C. Weyand, the U.S. Army chief or staff, returns to Washington from Saigon this weekend.

Allies Need Not Fear, Ford Says SAN DIEGO, Calif. (AP) Speaking of serious and dramatic setbacks in Southeast Asia, President Ford said today that despite events in Vietnam, "no allies or time- tested friends of the United States should worry or fear that our commitments to them will not be honored." In an address prepared for a White House-sponsored conference here on energy and the economy, Ford said, "The current confusion and changing situation in Southeast Asia" should not undermine the faith of allies in the United States. "We stand ready to support ourselves and defend our allies as surely as we always have," the President said. In these "sad and troubled times," he said, "what is essential now is that we keep our nerve and our essential unity as a powerful but peace- loving nation." Ford said he "would not be frank and honest with you if I were to ignore the serious setbacks we have suffered in recent weeks in our quest for peace in the Middle East and, more recently and more dramatically, in Southeast Asia." Board Sets Deadline On Coach Applicants The comment was his first publicly on the deteriorating South Vietnam situation since the Asian country began losing large land masses in the last two weeks. The President continued: "Even as I speak, the dimensions of human catastrophe in Southeast Asia All Americans are shocked and saddened and wondering what we can do." Ford said the United States will take all possible humanitarian measures to help Vietnamese refugees and provide for the safety of all Americans in South Vietnam.

He added that he will ask Congress next week "for a firm American commitment to humanitarian assistance for the helpless victims North Vietnamese aggression The President also made an appeal for support of his defense spending program, declaring that "only the strong are free." Ford said: "I reject the prophets of doom who see nothing but depression at home and despair abroad. I will reject any advice to pull. (Continued on Page 5) White House Tape On Milk Prices Played For Jury In Connally Trial Mexico School District's newly constituted board turned to hiring a new basketball coach last night, and set April 16 as deadline on applications. The present coach, Bob Ligon, has announced his resignation as coach and biology teacher. The board turned to retiring board member and president Dr.

Frank Sutton, for advice on the method for hiring the coach. He suggested that if more than four or five men apply they should be screened by the athletic committee. Supt. Don Palmer said he anticipates 40 to 50 applications. He said he already is receiving inquiries, one from Kansas.

He suggested the deadline to try to avoid broken contracts with the person chosen. He said teaching duties also would have to be correlated with the coaching duties. The board agreed to the deadline and authorized the athletic committee to screen applicants to about five to present to the board. Applications will be received from anyone interested. Dr.

Tom Hodges resigned as the board's representative on the committee, and James DuBus volunteered and was appointed to serve. The board had earlier certified the results of the election and Dr. Sutton had sworn in the newly elected members, Mrs. Howard R. Copeland and Mrs.

Ed Hodge. Dr. Leonard Davis Is New Board President Mrs. Copeland nominated Dr. Leonard Davis as new president and Dr.

Davis nominated Dr. Hodges. Dr. Davis was elected on a 4 to 2 vote. Randall Weber was elected as vice-president and Mrs.

Copeland was re-elected as treasurer. Mrs. M. G. Hobelman was appointed as secretary of the board.

The board issued contracts to 83 tenure teachers and 109 non-tenure teachers. As its final act of the short special meeting, the board voted to prepare a resolution of thanks and appreciation to Dr. Sutton for his 12 years of service on the board, and to spread the resolution on the minutes. The report of the election canvass showed write-in votes for Dr. Sutton, Jim Inlow, John Tsikalas, Mrs.

Velda Ogar, James R. Young, James V. Worstell, Dr. Ben Jolly, David Buie, Don Fuller, Kermit Head and Mrs. Pete Ekern.

WASHINGTON (AP) Prosecutors in the John Connally bribery trial played a White House tape today showing the former treasury secretary pushed hard to get President Nixon to raise milk price supports in 1971. Connally is accused of illegally taking two gifts of $5,000 apiece from a big dairy cooperative, Associated Milk Producers in return for his help in getting milk prices increased. Connelly's lawyer, Edward Bennett Williams, told the jury Wednesday that the government's star witness, Jake Jacobsen, is a liar and a thief who actually embezzled the $10,000 for himself and then falsely accused Connally of taking it. The tape played by the prosecution today was released in transcript by the House Judiciary Committee last year during its impeachment inquiry. It records the voices of President Nixon, Connally and six other presidential advisers at an Oval Office meeting the afternoon of March 23, 1971, when Nixon decided to raise price supports for the coming year.

Connally dominated the early part of the meeting, telling Nixon he should overrule the Agriculture Department, which had announced that milk prices would be frozen. Connally said politics and pressure from Congress dictated a price hike. "I'm not trying to talk about it or discuss at any great length the economics of it, but as far as politics is concerned looking to 1972, it appears very clear to me that you're going to have to move strong in the Midwest," the tape shows Connally told the President. "These dairymen are organized; they're adamant; they're militant," Connally said. "And they, they're amassing an enormous amount of money that they're going to put into political activities very frankly." Connally urged Nixon to raise milk prices for 1971 and to get the dairymen not to press for any new increase in 1972.

He told Nixon that his Democratic friends in Congress were about to pass a law that would raise milk prices anyway, and that (Continued on Fage 5) Americans Opening Arms To Orphans By JEFFREY MILLS Associated Press Writer Americans in unprecedented numbers are opening their arms to orphans of the Vietnam war. A State Department official who coordinates intercountry adoptions reported 200 calls Wednesday from Americans offering to adopt Vietnamese orphans. "Normally we have five a day," he said. "Our phone hasn't stopped ringing," said John McCarthy, chief relief specialist for the U.S. Catholic Conference.

He said his organization received 200 to 300 calls from around the country, with most callers wanting to adopt or Teachers Reappointed For Coming Year The school board reappointed the following teachers jvho have tenure and cannot be dismissed except for cause: Mrs. Mayme Abell, Mrs. Dorothy Atkins, Miss Betty Baker, Quentin Bakke; Mrs. Dora Barnes, David Bell, Miss lola Bradley, Mrs. Jerene Clibourn, Miss Margaret Cole, George Craddock, Mrs.

Ann Dawkins, Paul Day, Mrs. Edna DeVault, Mrs. Ava Donovan, Darrlel Douglas, Mrs. Madean DuBus, Mrs. Maurine Anthony Clark Straube Mr.

and Mrs. Michael D. Straube, 826 N. Jefferson are the parents of a seven pound four ounce son born at 7:48 a.m. Wednesday at the Audrain Medical Center.

He has been named Anthony Clark. The Straubes have another son, Shannon. Grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Lyle Hodgson and Mrs.

Bennett Clark Straube. Mrs. Straube operates the Home Maid Shop and Mr. Straube is a carpenter. Duffy, Mrs.

Opal Forman, Mrs. Emogene Fox, Edward Fuhrer, Mrs. Jean Fulkes, Miss Linda Galloway, Joseph Gardner, Mrs. Josephine Glover, Bob Gooch, Miss Anna M. Griffin, Mrs.

Viola Halpin, Mrs. Mary Harris, Mrs. Telitha Harvey, Ray Heaton, Mrs. Meda Holtman, Mrs. Kathleen Houf, Mrs.

Betty Jaeger, James Kropf, Mrs. Margery Lesar, Mrs. Irma Logan, Mrs. Lillian Long, Mrs. Martha Lue, Mrs.

Nada Lynch, William Maloney, Gerald McFarland, John McMickle, David Medley, Mrs. Jean Mollet, Miss Marilyn Morrow, John Mulyar, Robert Murta, Mrs. Judy Nix, Mrs. Sylvia Ollis, Mrs. Ruth M.

Olson, Mrs. Madolyn Perry, Gene Potter, Mrs. Sue Priest, Miss Esperanza Quesada, Kenneth Randolph, Miss Virginia Rash, Mrs. Margaret Recob, Mrs. Ann Replogle, Mrs.

Anita Riley, Lester Runnels, Mrs. Lois Runnels, Mrs. Elinor Russell, Howard Russell, Mrs. Nancy Hyker, Mrs. Kureath Schoeppel, Art Seals, Mrs.

Martha Smallwood, Mrs. Winifred Sparks, Mrs. Marvyda Stephens, Mrs. Lucille Stowers, James Stubblefield, Mrs. Sharon Sweitzer, Mrs.

Alice Tolson, Mrs. Evelyn Tompson, John Tsikalas, Mrs. Loretta Tsikalas, James Valentik, Gerald Valet, Mrs. Jane Webster, Ron Whittaker, John Wilier, Mrs. Ellen Wilson, Mrs.

Laura Worstell. Reaching tenure with this contract are Mr. Day, Mr. Douglas, Miss Marilyn Morrow, Mrs. Ann Replogle, and Mrs.

Tsikalas. Non-tenure teachers appointments for next year: Mrs. Georgia Adams, James Badaracco, Mrs. Sandra Balsamo, Mrs. Jaclyn Barnett, Carl Biggs, Miss Mary Bjork, Mrs.

Brenda Bos well, (Continued on Page 5) Today's Smile The best thing 'about the good old days was that we were help Vietnamese children. "We had big responses from the American public when the Hungarians and Czechs and Cubans had their crises, but this has been the biggest response in my 30 years' experience," he said. The calls came as 55 Vietnamese orphan children were flown to the United States and federal officials planned to bring another 2,000 in the next few days. Adoption agencies have found suitable parents for these children. However, there are thousands of other children available for adoption if they can be brought out of the country, the State Department said.

The State Department was studying refugee evacuation proposals. Referring to American offers to help refugees, Vernon Lyon, a member of the State Department's international disaster relief center, said, "The response has been greater than any we've ever received. People are calling in with all sorts of ideas. They watch pictures on television, see a hell of a mess and they want to help." Parents who have arranged to adopt South Vietnamese orphans are being urged to stay at home and persons wanting to help refugees were urged to make their donations in cash rather than goods. No list of the orphans or their adopting parents was immediately available.

"It's getting so confusing. Everybody's calling us and some adoptive parents have already left for California," said Deanna Carnie, assistant director of Friends for All Children, an adoption agency in Colorado making arrangements for the children on the World Airways flight that landed today at Oakland International Airport. The children will first be given medical treatment and parents will be notified when and where they should meet the children, Mrs. Carnie said. Americans wishing to help in the relief, relocation and rehabilitation effort for Vietnam refugees can do so by donating cash to private agencies that are on the scene, the State Department said.

Ambassador to Vietnam Graham Martin said, "While we are reluctant to refuse any help offered, in-kind contributions such as blankets and clothing pose real problems as to their usefulness and their transport. US Warrant For Epperson Sought ORATORICAL Spehr (center) was winner of the first place trophy in the Optimist oratorical contest for boys last night. He will now enter the contest from which a winner will compete for a $500 scholarship in the district competition. At left is Bill Baker, runner-up and at right is Tom Spurrier, third place winner. For story see Page 2 (ledger Photo by Richard Vance) Prosecuting Attorney Thomas I.

Osborne has written the U.S. district attorney for a federal warrant against Russell Epperson charging unlawful night to avoid prosecution, and Mexico Public Safety Department Chief Don Bolli said merchants are beginning to respond to requests that checks Epperson or his slain wife had written be turned over to authorities. Epperson was charged yesterday on three counts of first degree murder of his wife, Fern, son Richard, and daughter, DeAnn. Chief Bolli renewed his request that anyone having information that might be pertinent to Epperson's whereabouts notify officers. Last night, around 10:07, police received report that someone had heard shots and had seen Epperson in the railroad track area near the Norfolk and Western Station and Hoxsey Hotel.

Police investigated but their logs show they found nothing. Officers believe Epperson has left this area, but they will continue to follow up on all local reports..