The Daily Journal from Fergus Falls, Minnesota • Page 2

Housing contractor bound over Consumer for trial in kidnaping episode MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (AP) Housing contractor James W. Johnson, 39, sat quietly and without expression as he was bound over for trial in U. S. District Court Tuesday in the abduction of a bank president's wife.

Johnson, Lakeville, and two other men are accused of violating the Hobbs Act in the abduction, for $200,000 ransom, of Eunice Kronholm. The Hobbs Act prohibits ex- tortion from a business en- gaged in interstate commerce. Some of the testimony at the preliminary hearing Tuesday dealt with whether the law was applicable, and whether the ransom was paid by the Dro- vers State bank in South St. Paul or by its president, Gun- nar Kronholm. U.

S. Magistrate J. Earl Cudd found probable cause that the law had been violated and that the government had sufficient evidence indicating Johnson was involved. It 'was brought out for the first time that the abductors first demanded $400,000 ran- som. Mrs.

Kronholm fled March 18 from a suburban house where she was held after $200,000 ransom had been paid. The FBI has said all but $80 of the ransom has been re- covered. FBI Agent Richard Donovan told the hearing he substituted for Kronholm, wearing the banker's hat and coat, in mov- ing from one location to another while following telephoned instructions. Donovan said he took a call about 6 p. m.

March 17 at a pay phone in the Hub Shopping Center parking lot. Donovan said he represented himself as Kronholm and was told, "We want $400,000 for your wife." Donovan said he couldn't ob- tain that much and the caller told him, "Get it from the bank. They'll get it for you." The caller told him to "go see what friends you've got." la his next contact an hour later, the caller asked, "What did you find out about the mon- Donovan said he told the man, "I have the money in my hand, but I could only get $200,000." He said he wanted his wife released immediately but (First Publication KOTICEOFHEAKINa OK LOCAL IMPROVEMENT Tht City of ElMibctn. MTnneiori, Iwtbv gim noltce mil a public will be held at Fire Hall In the City of ElliMxm on AwM at o'clock P.M. me purpose of conlMerfttg a proposed local Improvement consisting ol a proposed water supply and diitrfeution system tor Itie city.

The estimated cost of the said system by MaWfy Engineering and Associates in the fusibility reports by said engineers II a SMBO gallon elevated tank system or S133.W7.00 lor a hydro- pneumatic rank system. The area proposed to be Assessed is all benefited properly lying within the ccr. poratt limits ol me City cl Eliiabeth. Feaiftililyreportsdated January Uand February 77. mi, by MateHy EngineerFng and Associates, inc.

are on tile wii.i me City Clerk. BY ORDER OF THE CITY COUNCIL, CITY OF ELIZABETH. MINNESOTA Dated: March 197J Euger.e Wilde Cily Clerk City ol Eliiaseiri, Minnesota (Firlt Publication March 57, 19741 Permit MN W3W97. Applicaikxi No.i MN W2S09J. A I A A I A ELIMINATION SYSTEM INPBES) PERMIT A (Section 10).

Federal Water Pclluikxi Control Act. AS AMENDED) JOINT PUBLIC NOTICE Proposed NPOES Permit o.3cnarge into Navigable Walers. U.S. En vironmental Proleclion Agency, Region Permit BrarKh, 1 North Wacv.er Drive, Qiicacjo, III rxiis 3I2353-13J4 Join! Public Notice No JJM0215. Name ana Addrovof Acolicanl: Tfte Citvcl veroas.

Minnesota Minnesota Polulion Conlrol Agency. 1935 Cour.ly ROM 97. Rosevllle, S5113. Joint Public Notice Issued on: March 27. 1974.

Name and AtMress of Facil Discharge Occurs: Tr.e minicipal viastewater treatment facility vergas. Receiving Water: NOTICE: The above named applicant has acclitd for an NPOES Permit roiMcharge designated receiving water and requested State Certification ol saKj discharge. 7te pet mil will be issued ty either the Environmental protection Agency or omer NPDES issu'i9 ajthor.ty ap pilcarvl is a municipality tnat cpera'es a wastewarer treatment lacility The wastev.a:er, nhich consists of wrw: domestic and municipal it discharged at one location into trve un- named lake pernvt aurhw-res the applicant toe treafed effluent inJo ihe Harervar during early spring and late tail (to the maximum practicable extent) lor the period specif-ed. proposed exp.rat«o dare far this permit April 30. IJ77 ar which time renewal will te required On me aasis ol stall rev.e* and application ol aDpKas'e s'arxsards a-x: resulaNons.ff-e onil iarr.n s'rj-or of the S.

Environmefi'al Protect an Agency or isst r-g a. --nor proposes to a 'or tre diso-arje suiiect a certan effiuent cone t.ors T-e STa'e. rr. c' a'l a tc- a -c i of Tre Fecera! Arer Pv CDriroi Act. as S's-t necessarr -s ve-- et "-t yv teres'ec Chicego.

s'sTA itfnt pLti-c next to and on menrs rtian SOca.T issued be cor! rr.uJat.or of Environrrental other NPDES I a defermir-at'On! a The exp'caticn ct period. Cop es cf a-o cb lections r-be "et 'ofT-e State. The accr.ca^cr.. trcooseo permit incfud'ng proposed efftuer.t special conciit-ons. recevec and ether documents are ava iat far inspection and may be cop at a cost ol 20 cents per page at tj-e En vironmental Protection Aqer.cy at anytime between 9 3 0 a 3 30 rr.

Monday through Friday Cop es Jo-'nt Public No'-ce are at no charge at the address shown above for tt-e designated S'ate agency and n-e Enviror.men'ai Protection Agency Pieaie bring the to tNe atten'Kjn ol persons whom you knew would be termed in this rrafter Tre the caller said, "It's too early." The following day, Donovan said, he was told to go to a telephone booth in suburban Richfield and look for a note in the St. Paul telephone directo- ry. He said he found the note, written by Mrs. Kronholm. It urged Kronholm to cooperate with the abductors, not to con- tact the police or FBI, and to do as the abductors demand.

The note detailed a complex route to be followed. It involved visiting several bars for 20 min- utes at a time, with the money in the trunk of the Kronholm car and the key in the lock. The last -stop was to be at a pay phone. The call received there directed him to still another phone. There he was told to go to a turn-around place at a hamburger cafe and leave the money.

Donovan said he complied. Under questioning by John- son's lawyer, Ronald Mesh- besher, Donovan said the serial numbers on the money were recorded and he understood the bills bad been dusted with a powder visible under ultra violet light. Kronholm testified that his bank obtained a $200,000 loan from First National Bank of Minneapolis to pay the ransom. He also said he and his wife had vacationed abroad for two weeks before the abduction and that a friend who stayed at the Kronholm home became alarmed one night when a car without lights entered the driveway, the occupants "seemingly observing." Another man accused in the abduction, Frederick Helberg 43, was to have a prelimi- nary hearing today. Johnson's nephew, Gary Hodgman, 31, is also accused and his prelimi- nary hearing will be April 2.

An FBI affidavit has said the three men plotted the kidnaping in a tavern only a few hours before the abduction. Mrs. Kronholm was abducted March 15 near her Hugo, home and got away 3A days later when she walked out of the house where she was held and the man guarding her didn't stop her. Meshbesher asked that John- son's bail be reduced to $10,000. The attorney noted that no oth- er persons now were sought in the abduction.

Thor Anderson, assistant U. S. district argued that the bail should be continued at $100,000. He said the penalty involved "makes the likelihood of running very substantial." Mrs. Politeske services Friday Mrs.

Frances Politeske, 79, Parkers Prairie Route 2, died this morning at Parkers Prairie District Hospital. Services will be held Friday at 11 a.m. at the Sacred Heart Church, Urbank, with the Rev. Karel P.ecpvnik officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

She was born Nov. 10,1894, in Leaf Valley Township, Douglas County, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Lambertz. She married Frank Politeske Oct.

21, 1913, in Millerville. In 1936 they moved to Effington Township where they farmed. They purchased a farm there in 1W5. Her husband died in 1955. Surviving are four daughters, Mrs.

Peter (Theresa Ann) Klimek, St. Paul; Mrs. Thomas (Mildred) Haus, Mantador, N.D.; Mrs. Engelberth (Delphine) Schlauderoff, New Prague; Mrs. Louis C.

(Alvera) Heimerl, St. Paul; a son, Herbert, Parkers Prairie; Four sisters, Mrs. John K. (Barbara) Klimek, MillerviUe; Mrs. Math (Gertrude) Koep, St.

Cloud; Mrs. Math (Mathilda) Koep, EvansviUe; Mrs. Joseph (Mary) Koep, 12 grandchildren and two great- grandchildren. Visitation beginning Thurs- day afternoon at LaMere Funeral Home, Parkers Prairie. Marvin Oscarson, Wahpeton, dies Marvin Oscarson, rural Wah- peton, died at his farm home this morning.

He was 53. Services will be held at the Bethany Free Lutheran Church, rural Abercrombie, Saturday at 2 p.m. A son of Carl T. and Sophie Anne (Wold) Oscarson, he was bom in Abercrombie Township and lived there all his life as a farmer. He was a deacon of his church and served as a town- ship supervisor for 18 years.

Surviving are his wife, a Daughter, Yvonne, four brothers, Raymond, Rural Wahpeton; Urben, Henning; Donald, rural Fergus Falls, and Elder, Long Beach, two sisters, Mrs. Olaf (Florence) Wold, Abercrombie; Mrs. James (Mildred) Hodge, Clearwater, and his step- mother, Mrs. Oscarson, Fergus Falls. Arrangements by Vertin's of Waltpeton.

Meshbesher countered that the maximum prison term for Hobbs Act violation, 20 years, is no greater than for most fed- eral offenses. Cudd ordered the bail reduced to $50,000. Kronholm said he talked to an abductor by telephone only twice. The first time was when he was in conference with other bank officials and he was inter- rupted by a caller who insisted to the switchboard operator on talking to "Mr. G.

R. Kron- holm, president." "We have your wife," the caller said. "Get all the money you can and deliver it to the KronhoLm said the voice faded away and the caller hung up. Kronholm said it was unusual for a caller to ask for him as the man did. Most people calling him at the bank, he said, either ask for "Gunnar" or "Mr.

Kronholm." The second call was received the following day. He said his sister-in-law, Ruth Berg, re- ceived a call which she relayed, telling Kronholm to be at her home in 30 to 40 minutes. As he arrived, Kronholm testified, a call came for him. The caller told Kronholm. "We have She's frightened, but she's all right." Kronholm was told where to go for the next phone call and he asked the caller to confirm Mrs.

Kron- Petition delivered LONDON (AP) A petition with 60,000 signatures asking the British government to par- don ex-Beatle John Lennon from his 1968 conviction on a drug charge has been delivered to Prime Minister Harold Wil- son. Services held for Mrs. Anna Wachter Mrs. Anna Wachter, 88, Alexandria, died there Sunday. Services were held today at Zion Lutheran Church, Alexandria, with the Rev.

K. K. Hill officiating. Burial was in Kinkead Cemetery. She was born in Alexandria Feb.

8, 1886, a daughter of Frederich and'. Fiebranz. In 1910 she married Fred Wachter and they fanned in LaGrande Township, Douglas County. He died in 1949. Mrs.

Wachter lived at the Knute Nelson Memorial Home in Alexandria for the past two years. Surviving are one son, Milford, Alexandria; three daughters, Mrs. Myron (Dolores) Broschat, Fergus Falls; Mrs. Ray (Frances) Redichs, Alexandria; and Mrs. Kenneth (Gladys) Soderholm, Clovis, 13 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Louise Fiebranz and Mrs.

Marie Nack, both of Alexandria. Olaf Hendrickson services Friday Olaf Hendrickson, 75, Pelican Rapids Route 3, died Monday at Villa Maria Nursing Home, Fargo. Services will be held Friday at 2 p.m. at the Zion Lutheran Church, with the Rev. Lars Larsen officiating.

Burial will be in the church cemetery. He was born April 1,1898, in Dunn Township, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Ole Hentirickson. He married Delia Maegaard Jan.

5, 1965, in Pelican Rapids. A farmer, carpenter and painter, he also operated a woodcraft shop north of Pelican Rapids. Surviving are a brother, Jake, Pelican Rapids Route two sisters, Mrs. William (Petra) Pearson, Fargo; and Mrs. Enoch (Julia) Johnson, Minneapolis.

Arrangements were made by the Johnson-Larson Funeral Home, Pelican Rapids. Mrs. David Johnson services Friday Mrs. David (Ida) Johnson, 89, Ashby, died Monday at the Elbow Lake Community Memorial Hospital. Services will be held Friday at 2 p.m.

at Christine Lake Lutheran Church with the Rev. Man-in Moll officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. She was born April 6,1884, in Douglas County, a daughter of John and Margaret Carlson. She married David E.

Johnson and they farmed in Lund Township, Douglas County. In 1968 they retired and moved into Ashby. Her husband died in 1969 and she had lived at the Pelican Lake Nursing Home for the past three years. Surviving is a son, Elmer, Ashby. Visitation Thursday afternoon and Friday morning al the Nilson Funeral Home, Ashby.

holm was with him. The banker asked the caller to inquire of Mrs. Kronholm what the couple did after they attended an op- era performance in Rome on their recent vacation. The caller relayed the answer the next day: "We went out for a pizza after attending the op- era." However, the message was given to Donovan, who from then on substituted- for Kronholm in all dealings with the abductors. Another witness, FBI Agent Bill Bentley, testified he saw Johnson pick up a telephone book March 17 the booth where the note was found de- tailing the ransom run.

He said Johnson's face had been in his view about 10 to 15 seconds and that the license plate on the car used was registered to Johnson. "While you were noting the license number, if someone else had entered the phone booth at the same time, you wouldn't have noticed it?" asked Mesh- besher. "That is correct," Bentley conceded. is filed ST. PAUL, Minn.

(AP)- Atty. Gen. Warren Spannaus said today he has filed suit against Northern and Sales, Minneapolis, for alleged violations of Minnesota's odometer and consumer fraud laws. The complaint, filed in Hen- nepin County District Court, al- leges that the firm misled buy- ers and prospective buyers re- garding the mileage of vehicles by altering odometers to reflect lower than actual mileage. Spannaus asked for a tem- porary injunction to halt the al- leged illegal practice and to re- quire the defendant to disclose actual mileages of vehicles to all prospective purchasers.

Filed under a 1973 law, the complaint also asks a civil pen- alty of $25,000. Northern and Sales, 2200 4th Ave. is engaged in the business of renting and selling hearses, ambulances and other motor vehicles. Some Republicans won't ask Nixon for campaign help WASHINGTON (AP) A majority of Republican sena- tors running for re-election this year say they don't plan to ask for campaign help from Presi- dent Nixon. Only one of 11, Sen.

Henry Bellmon of Oklahoma, says he has asked Nixon to campaign for him in 1974. Seven of 11 say they don't want Nixon to cam- paign for them. The GOP senators were ques- tioned in advance of tonight's fund-raising din- ner, at which Nixon will be the main speaker. Party officials predicted the affair would bring in between $600,000 and $700,000, about the same as the Democrats raised at their $500-a-plate fund-raiser last week and the lowest of any GOP dinner in memory. In the half-dozen years before 1973, when the Watergate scan- dal cut the GOP take to about $900,000, the annual Republican dinners brought in an average of million, reaching a record $3 million in 1969.

Despite their noticeable cool- ness to the idea of having the President campaign for him, most of the GOP senators said they plan to attend the dinner and don't see anything wrong with the idea of Nixon speaking. "I think it's great," said Sen. Peter H. Dominick, R-Colo. "He's still the head of our par- ty." However, the Colorado sena- Fergis Falls (Mi.) Icur'nal March 27,1974 2 tor said that, outside of an up- coming appearance by Vice President Gerald R.

Ford, he has no plans for outside speak- ers entering his re-election campaign. Most of the senators inter- viewed gave that policy as the reason they won't invite the President. Many Republicans have ex- pressed fears that Nixon's low standing in public opinion polls could jeopardize many GOP congressmen and senators this November. NOTICE SWING INTO SPRING AT WEST GARDEN CENTER 506 East Washington-- Fergus Falls BULK GARDEN SEEDS ONION SETS CERTIFIED SEED POTATOES CHEMICALS PLANTS PEATMOSS FREE USE OF SPREADERS WITH FERTILIZER 227 WEST LINCOLN PHONE 736-5611 FERGUS FALLS COMPLETE AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE CENTER 12.99 HYDRAULIC AUTO JACK I capa- city. 1-piece pump handle.

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