Mexico Ledger from Mexico, Missouri • Page 1

I Mexico Ledger PAGES Viet Issue To Stir WASHINGTON (AP) The over further aid to South Vietnam is expected to intensify this week as Congress faces renewed pressures to vote more money for a country whose military position deteriorated dramatically during the 10- day congressional recess. Before the recess, the Democratic majorities in the House and Senate went on record against further U.S. funds for South Vietnam and Cambodia. Since then, both countries have suffered major setbacks against advancing Communist-led troops. Both South Vietnam President Thieu and Tran Kim Phuong, the South Vietamese ambassador to the United States, have said Congress will be responsible for the country's fall if more funds are not approved.

Defense Secretary James R. Schlesinger, speaking Sunday on CBS' "Face the Nation," avoided placing all the responsibility on Congress for failing to approve more aid. Schlesinger said Congress cannot be blamed for the performance of South Vietnamese troops. But he continued: "In addition, there are Enemy Shells SAIGON, South Vietnam (AP) Communist-led forces shelled at least 10 district capitals in the rice-rich Mekong Delta today and also hit the area near South Vietnam's largest fuel depot six miles southeast of Saigon. Operation Baby Lift, a massive international evacuation of children, ended on a largescale basis with the last of about 1,700 Vietnamese orphans flying to new homes abroad.

Two U.S. Air Force many, other factors that contributed to this partial collapse, and undoubtedly amongst those factors is a decline of aid of approximately 70 per Schlesinger also made these points: -The United State should continue to support the Saigon government if it "is able to mobilize the will to fight." -South Vietnam will lose if the United States doesn't provide more aid. And he said he doubted that South Vietnam could survive in the long run without substantial U.S. military aid for many years to come. Meanwhile, Sen.

Henry 'M. Jackson, an announced presidential candidate; demanded that Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger reveal any secret American promises to the South Vietnamese government. George Ball, undersecretary of state in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations, said Sunday the situation in South Vietnam is "irredeemable" and that it would be "a great mistake to try to interfere any more in that unhappy country." Delta Capitals planes headed toward the United States carrying more than 200 children. Officials said the airlift had reached the scheduled quota approved earlier by the Saigon government.

"The large operation has ended," one South Vietnamese official said. "From now on the orphans will leave in smaller The Viet Cong assailed the airlift. accusing the U.S. and (Continued on Page 5) CENTRALIA AUTO SALVAGE burned late yesterday on Highway 22 west of Mexico and authorities believe burglars started the fire. Although the main building, above, was destroyed, a nearby building, from which lumber is being removed, below, was saved.

(Ledger Photo by Richard Vance.) Big Rush Airlifts Of Orphans Ended By GINNY PITT Associated Press Writer Some 1,700 children had been airlifted out of Southeast Asia to the United States and other nations before Operation Baby Lift ended on a largescale basis today. A Saigon official said from now on the children will leave in smaller groups. Diplomatic and government officials said the airlift had reached the scheduled quota approved earlier by the South Vietnamese government. They said all the children who have been evacuated were already in the adoption process, and the airlift only speeded up the paper work and the orphans' departure. Dr.

Phan Quang Dan, deputy premier for social welfare, said, "'The large operation has ended. From now on, the orphans will leave in smaller groups." On Sunday, two flights carrying a total of 135 children landed at Travis Air Force Base in California and one flight carring 407 youngsters landed at Seattle. And two other planes left Saigon today with a total of more than 200 orphans, bringing the unofficial tally of evacuated orphans to 1,700. Some of the children arriving in California and Seattle on Sunday were then flown on to Chicago, New York and other points. Nations including the United States, Australia, Canada and Great Britain began airlifts five days ago, flying infants as young as 21 days old across thousands of miles to safety and, in some cases, to hospitals for much needed medical treatment.

Many of the children have been hospitalized for treatment of malnutrition, dehydration, chicken pox and other ailments. Some have died during the lengthy and crowded flights. But most of the daughters and sons of parents who either abandoned them or were killed in the fighting between the South Vietnamese and Communist-led forces are destined to new parents, many of whom have been waiting years for their arrival. "All those clothes will be too small now," said Charles. Bloom of White Bear Lake, who brought to the Minneapolis airport a new outfit for their 3-year-old adopted son.

Bloom, like most other ex(Continued on Page 5) Green To Award Scholarship The A.P. Green Refractories Co. announced today plans for awarding its annual four-year scholarship to an outstanding senior at Mexico High School, according to Harry M. Stover, president. The scholarship will be open to young men and women applicants for the second straight year.

Since the 1953 inauguration of the scholarship, which started as a $3,000 award, more than $77,800 has been awarded to help Mexico High School graduates meet college expenses. The scholarship, now valued at $4,000, will be presented at the Awards Assembly at the end of the school year. Last year's winner was Craig Allen Barnes, now completing his freshman year at the University of Missouri at Rolla, majoring in mechanical engineering. Other past winners still receiving scholarship funds from the A.P. Green scholarship are: Randall Higbee, a sophomore at the University of Missouri at THUNDERSTORMS Mexico, Monday, April 7, 1975 Phone 581-1111-121st Year No.

82-Fifteen Cents Burglars' Torch Fires Business A fire believed started by its pumper and crew in charge burglars using an acetylene of Chief Lloyd Evans, and was torch to try to break into a safe just about to exhaust its at Centralia Auto Salvage supply of water when the destroyed the main building of Centralia fire department the business Sunday, causing engine directed by Chief an estimated loss of nearly Burton Knowles arrived. It $50,000. began pumping from a nearby Ray Kable, partner with his pond, through the Little Dixie brother Roy in the business, engine and hose. The Mexico located on Highway 22 a mile water tank was also disand three-quarters west of patched. Route and three and a The main garage building quarter miles east of the and office were destroyed, and Boone County line, said there the heat scorched one side of was no insurance coverage at another building.

But the two all. He estimated $25,000 loss fire departments were able to in contents, $20,000 in the save it from serious damage. building, and $2000 loss to a It contained a large amount of customer's car. lumber meant for an adThe fire was discovered at ditional building, which almost 6:30 p.m. Sunday by volunteers removed to a neighbors.

The Little Dixie (Continued on Page 5) Fire Protection District sent Set On Epperson Charges April 15 circuit court for trial. Epperson, who had a growth home north of Mexico Friday, was clean-shaven for the arraignment. Judge James E. Heim read the complaint, charging Epperson with first degree murder in the deaths of his wife, Fern, 25, his son Richard Lee, 6, and his daughter, DeAnn, 4, "on or about March 24." Then the judge asked Epperson if he understood the charges and he responded readily "Yes, I do." Prosecuting Attorney Thomas I. Osborne recommended that bond be set at $150,000, and with the defense attorney making no objection, the court set the bond at that amount.

The defendant's parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Epperson, a brother Ralph, and a sister, were with him at the hearing on triple murder charges is scheduled for Russell Lee E.pperson County Magistrate Court on April 15.

set at a formal and brief arraignment held Saturday afternoon. The to the 24-year-old mechanic and bond was set at $150,000. not being made, he was returned to the Audrain County Jail where he has he surrendered to Sheriff Arthur Riley Friday afternoon. David V. Bear III of Columbia, requested the preliminary hearing, and it court for April 15.

Formal arraignment procedure confronts a defendant and is followed by the hearing at which the state presents evidence from can determine whether or not the defendant should be bound over to the Didn't Use LBJ Name -Jacobsen Says WASHINGTON (AP) Jake Jacobsen, star witness in the John Connally bribery trial, today denied under cross-examination that he had ever offered to give prosecutors evidence against former President Lyndon B. Johnson. Connally's chief defense lawyer, Edward Bennett Williams, sought to draw from Jacobsen an admission that he had made such an offer to lawyers for the U.S. Department of Justice in 1972 while under investigation on charges by the Federal Home Loan Bank Board that he had taken large kickbacks or loans. But Jacobsen denied that he had invoked Johnson's name in such a manner.

Williams dropped the matter without any elaboration and went on with his cross-examination of Jacobsen, who testified last week that he had given former Treasury Secretary Connally two $5,000 payments as illegal gifts for helping dairymen get an increase. in government milk price supports. A large crowd of would-be spectators jammed the hallways outside the courtroom of Chief U.S. District Judge George L. Hart as the bribery trial entered its fourth day today.

The spectators had come in the expectation that today's session, in the famed criminal attorney Williams got his first chance to shake the credibility of Jacobsen, would be a high point in the trial. Jacobsen, one-time lawyer' for the Associated Milk. Producers says Connally asked for money for his efforts to convince the Nixon ad-: ministration to raise milk: prices. Connally took two. $5,000 gifts and then conspired in a vain attempt to cover up.

the payment when investigators closed in, ac-: cording to Jacobsen. But Williams, defending Connally, says Jacobsen is only lying to save his neck. Williams says Jacobsen actually embezzled the $10,000 from the milk producers' group. Ford Rejects Forecasts Of Depression, Disintegration DEO come 14:19 administer payment of the award during the four years of college. The student may attend any accredited college or university of his own choosing, Mr.

Waggett stated. The committee will review the record of each applicant and interview such students, teachers, and other persons, as it deems necessary to make its final decision. In making the selection, the committee will be guided by scholarship, student activities, leadership, character, financial need, ambition, aptitude for college work, and eligibility for other college scholarships. Preference will be given to students pursuing a major in science, business administration, or an education major in these fields. The scholarship is to continue during the normal fouryear college course, at $1,000 per year, subject to the student maintaining a satisfactory scholastic average and meeting the other requirements of the college and the award.

Mrs. Roy Field Dies At 81; Rites Tuesday Mrs. Roy (Addie) Field, 81, of 520 Hisey well known Mexicoan who for more than 40 years was one of Mexico most sought-after baby sitters, died Sunday at 2:40 a.m. at Audrain Medical Center where she had been a patient three months. Mrs.

Field was the former Addie Estes, born Oct. 3, 1893, in Callaway County, a daughter of Elliott Estes and Susie Stuart Estes. She was married Jan. 30, 1914, to Roy R. Field, one of several children of John and Lizzie French Field, members of a pioneer Audrain family.

He died Oct. 24, 1959. Mrs. Field celebrated her 80th birthday in 1973 with an open house, at which all eight of her children including three sets of twins, visited her at one time in 14 years. She is survived by all eight, John H.

(Buck) Field of Layton, Utah, twins, Roy Jr. and Robert, both of Mexico; twins Merrit Field of Cloverdale, and Mrs. Richard (Marian) Grasser of Kenosha, twins, Mrs. Lebbius (Sue) Ball and Mrs. Lou Modory of Mexico and Mrs.

Mary Knoedler of Mexico; 17 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren; a brother, Thomas Estes of Columbia; and two sisters Mrs. Kathryn Jones of Van Horn, Texas, and Mrs. Duke Stuart of Perry, Two sisters and her parents preceded her in death. Her mother, the late Mrs. Susie Blondin, lived to be 92.

Besides a career of babysitting which spanned two generations, Mrs. Field much of her time to sewing, crocheting, and piecing quilts. She was a member of the Love Street Christian Church, and a charter member of the Never-Grow-Old Club of Benton City. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Arnold Funeral Home, conducted by Jim Randall, Love Street Christian Church minister, assisted by E.G.

Garrett. Burial will be in Elmwood Cemetery. The family will receive friends after 7 tonight at the funeral home. Hearing Murder A preliminary in the Audrain The date was charge was read With the bond been held since His attorney, was set by the with the charge, which the court Tourists Stay On In Sunny Florida MIAMI (AP) Tourism officials say Northern tourists who usually return home after Easter aren't leaving sunny Florida this year and officials believe their peak business will-. continue through summer.

"This is the first time in 23 years that people have stayed on after Easter. All this sunshine is just like a magnet holding them down here into April," said Miami-area motel owner Rhea Gladwin, who termed business "just a miracle." Today's Smile One scientist to another as glamorous girl walks by: "Now there's an arrangement of molecules for Irish Digest. PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (AP) President Ford, rejecting forecasts of "depression at home and disintegration abroad" said today he sees cooperative and development throughout the world. "My vision is one of peace," Ford said in the text of an address to the National Association of Broadcasters' meeting in Las Vegas.

The text was made public before the President wound up a nineday Easter holiday in Palm Springs and headed East. While acknowledging "it is true that we have suffered setbacks at home and abroad," Ford declared: 'America will not give in to self-doubt nor paralysis of will power. Americans will not dismantle the defense of the United States. And we certainly will not adopt such a naive vision of the world that we dismantle our essential intelligence-gathering agencies. I can assure you that other superpowers are increasing not decreasing their capacities." Ford made no direct reference to current inquiries into activities of the Central Intelligence Agency but, by indirection, he has increasingly defended the CIA and other intelligence units in recent public speeches.

The President, who canvassed the economic scene and threw a few brickbats at Congress as well as discussing the nation's role in the world, said in his text: "There are some who see nothing but a grim future of depression at home and disintegration abroad. I reject that scenario. My vision is one of growth and of development worldwide through increasing interdependence of nations of the world. "My vision is one of peace. And my vision of Americans is of a people who will retain their self-respect and self-dependence so that this vision can emerge." The President referred directly to setbacks in South Vietnam only in discussing Columbia; Stephen Moore, a junior at the University of Missouri at Columbia; and Bruce Copeland, a senior at the University of Illinois.

Applications are available now at the high school counselor's office. They must be returned by Friday, April 25. The applicant must be a graduating member of the senior class of Mexico High School, possess good health, and have approval of parents. The applicant also must be a resident of Mexico or vicinity and enrolled in Mexico High School during his or her entire senior year. Making the selection will be a committee of three appointed by Mr.

Stover. Committee members are John R. Cline, president of Commerce Bank of Mexico; Davis H. Hart, director of Mexico Area Vocation Technical School; and William S. Hilton, personnel manager of the Green company.

John W. Waggett, manager of employee services, is administrator and trustee of the scholarship fund and will beard when he surrendered himself at his parents' farm military and intelligence (Continued on Page 5) dAl ON WAY INTO COURT- -Russell Lee Magistrate Court for arraignment on murder Epperson, on his way to the Audrain charges, is in custody of Deputy Sheriff Tom Cline. (Ledger Photo by Richard Vance).