The Van Nuys News from Van Nuys, California • Page 1

TODAYS VALLEY WEATHER lots of San is expected today, wiii high of 72. diminishing winds, increasing clouds in afua BOOX. smog. (She Va News CENTRAL VALLEY EDITION 146 PAGES AND VALLEY GREEN SHEET Established wn VOL 53--No. 122 Kc.

McS Acefress: P-O- 310 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1964 HOME DS.tVtRy CARRIES--tic Phone 786-7111 lOc Per Gopy Kidnap, Free Mrs. Leon Ames Wist Valley Leaders Maintaining Struggle With 'Growing Pains' Associated Chambers Seek United Action to Solve Area's Problems By HA1G KEROPIAN Leaders of some 15 communities affiliated with! the West Valley Associated Chambers of Commerce have voiced their desire for united areawide action i this year toward the acquisition of vitally needed; is improvements a transportation, expansion of West Valley Administra-l aive Center in a and! 'elimination of half-day ses-l rsions in local schools. i They called for committee i assignments and the coordi-j of programs to help ex-j these projects, which! iihey claim are essential toj West Yailev's future in-i Border Parleys onjSaSSi rcial and Payment That Will! Their views were 1 emsors Aim Blow at Health Merger ACTOR TELLS HIS 4-HOUR EAL COVERED BY GUN Nab Suspect, Wife in Fast Police Net Praises Spouse for Keeping Nerve While intruder Repeated Threats to Kill Her By RON KIEDfiR "I've played these rales, but I've never had thisi happen in real life--I always played him (the kidnap-fagencj- owner Leon Ames er." This is the way Leon Ames summed up his four-hvas released a hour ordeal in front of. a cocked gua while a a after being Hostage Unharmed; Ransom Is $50,000 The wife of actor-auto jbandit wailed for $50.000 to be delivered. i Meeting the press in the living room of his hill- forced to accompany a i young gunman home later yesterday, Ames seemed fuilv re-jwho had robbed her hus- as he showed his lacerated, black and bluejband of $50,000.

wrists, which had been tied with tape. The long-time character actor lauded the be- ihavior of his wife, who was the kidnaper's target and who repeatedly was threatened by the gunman. Thought He Was Kidding Ames described the sequence of events as follows: "I had gotten up early because I had a dentist appointment. The dentist probably still does not know Ames and his wife Christine had been held prisoners for several hours in their home at 12245 Viewcresi Road, Studio City, after the gunman had forced his way in when Ames answered an early- morning knock on the door. Police arrested Lynn Waxne- Benner.

21-year-old mechanic why I did not show up. of La Mirada, and Ms wife "Mom (Mi's. Ames) and I xvere having coffee al Patricia Louise Benner 25. as jlittle after when the doorbell rang. '1 opened the door and this young fellow pointed co Ulc $50 000 was re LAST--Mr.

and Mrs. Leon Ames relax after being held ja gun at me and said, 'Back up. This is a siickup and gun point fpr four hours by man who Mrs. Ames from a kidnaping. Don.t try anything.

Either way I'm dead. Go Direct to Cities County i the first membership of Associated Chambers in an effort to set up the organization's objec- dealt a new blow to health: Uves and goals for 19SL consolidation as they or-! Calls for Views i dered negotiations on con-j Clarence Violette. tracts to allow -Associated Chambers, into cities which run 6 home; motions with as she describes incident. She was taken, as hostage aftervS30 CpQ ransom waspaicL Woman said suspect lifted gun surroiuided-car 7 "but put weapon down when she said, "Please rinn'fr. dn thai" don't do that.

Tbe News pboto VALUES, AMPLE PARKING own health units. The actionjdiscuss the group's Dollar Days Star! Today in Van Nuys Three big money-saving value days are in store 'Maa' Sunny Skies In This Area Winds of Tuesday and Wednesday are expected to diminish today, according to the vreatherman, who also Williams, my partner, and when I told him I did not have that kind of money he told me to call Williams. "He allowed Mrs. Ames to telephone Williams, who still was at his home in Encino. She told him to was taken by the threa super- COU rse visors who favor city sub- think in terms of sidles ana the absence of jibe- West Vallev," he said.

two others who strongly ad-hwat- for one com vocate merger or health serv-j CTQod for ices into a single a communities." for San Fernando Valley residents as downtown Van Sor sunny sMes mostof jcome over right away, that it important department James Ross president of jNuys stores open their doors to celebrate 4muversarv' Told to Negotiate the Canoga Park Chamber Days today through However. Supervisors 3ur-i Commerce, said the sale" event of the veari ton Cliace. Kenneth Hahn andjof i a a streets to and merchants are i chairman Warren 51. a the West Valley's back prices in an all out ef-j "This is the fi lruslsUie JI By- this time Supervisors Ross said must all work of Commerce. Ernest E.

Debs and Frank G.j 10 611181 to 3Olve 5t Bonelli will have returned! Charles Morrison, retiring from a conference of countyiP re siaent of officials in Honolulu. "Chamber of Specifically, the Supervisors approved a motion directing the Wirmetka 9:30 to 9 Commerce, saidi piag convenience streets are needed to get em- ployes in and out of the in- County Counsel Harold Kennedy. t-y L. S. Hollinger and health of-j ficer Kenneth Sutherland loJ areas.

Seek-additional land stores wealth in. the 'Valleyjnual be built through indus- Hfgh temperatures today be from 67 to 72, follow- ing an overnight low of 33 degrees. Later today the Weather Bureau expects cloud formations to begin increasing in the los Angeles area. Gusty -winds, strong at times, also wfll hit beaches, mountains and desert areas today. In a turnabout situation, heaviest Tvinds on SCnesday were recorded in downtown Los Angeles where 45 mph nando a Business fadings were taken.

The i a Association y. nsnally among areas Helicopter Used, Too North Hollywood, detectives, alertel to the kidnap plot by the bank which supplied the ransom money, swarmed Into Uie "area before the $30,000 was paid in order to capture the suspect. Seven detective units--some 15 men covered the Valley residential area cars. For further protection a police helicopter overhead to watch any escape attempt. leaving the Ames with Mrs.

A as hostage, Ralph Williams, a partner of actor in two auto agencies, who had de- ivered the ransom money under threat of death to the when Ralph walked in and saw the gunman. HeUmeses. and Herbert F. "At first I thought he was, kidding. Mom was on the telephone and I called to her that someone was holding us up and planning a kidnaping.

Knew All About Us 'The young man said. "One false move and she's Ames) dead." Then I began to realize he wasn't kidding. "He said, want $50,000 in unmarked bills and I -want it in two "He seemed to know- all about us. He "knew Ralph "Sitting as a bystander, it really veiy funny Continued on Page 18 Mpst 'downtown stores will remain open tomorrow from In. VaHey Good seats are still avail-! able for the dinner Honoring! U.S.

Sen Strom Thurmond of Special Anniversary 30 1 1 Carolina Saturday, ac- by member jner chairman for the San Ter- negoiiate definite contracisjtryv Morrison saidr-'It con- with Long Aids 'Astis' in City i i Beach and Pasa-j ens all" of "We must remember this is not a Valley Chamber but a "West give the VaHey Associated Chambers This detailed figures on how much it would cost to pay these of Commerce group." First vice president John cities for contracting with thejMichelmore emphasized the which is Affair. For best selection and greatj savings everyone is Invited to! Jt oe helcl at 7 Pm i shop as early as possible. said Cultural Johnson. There's plenty of 1515 parking in Van Nuys overj bank 3000 spaces available. will find convenient parking near or ad- Continned on Page 18i Continaed on Page 18J Glenoafcs Buri will begin at! A reception 6:30 p.m.

Won on Write-in jacent to Van Nuys a i Sen. Thurmond, in his only hardest "hit, recorded 23 mph gnsts at the Bnrbank Weather Bureau station. Weather Bureau Station 15-B in Van Xnys yesterday recorded a high temperature reading of 72 and a low of 46. Continned on Page appearance in the jley, will speak on the and the crisis jine United States in maintain-iTwailfv ilSVC ffiP iing a balance between east! 1 51 I 3 IUI jand west in this organization. i As a member of the SenatelflH'Klin services committee he! ispeaks ivith authoritv as A an Fernando man iopponent of unilateral dis-iordered to jail for 20 jarmament and tells why furth-! 2 ft er appearing in Van Some Nervous Moments Are Suffered by Banker Banker J.

Perches had his ivife Christine hostage nervous few minutes yesterday when the life of one of his biggest depositors was jeopardized by a gunman. Perches, manager of Studio Citv branch of in their jiome. The 46-year-old bank manager had high praise for police officers who moved in quickly to capture the sus- the Bank of America, 32175 Ventura was middleman in pect, identified as 21-year-old Lynn Wayne Benner, after learning the Ameses were all efforts to raise $50,000 in. small, unmarked bills wanted' Perches said ne first be- by a young gunman who wasi came holding actor Leon Ames 61 involved when Ralph Continued on Page 18 Baumgarteker 50. a house guest at the Ames home, were locked in the trunk of a car in Uie actor's garage.

a a of Sky; Forest. is a rancher. Forces Way ITI House When Ames; answered the door shortly before a.m.," he was confronted by the bandit and covered with a revolver. The gunman followed Ames inside and ordered Mrs. Ames to call Williams and tell him to come to the actor's home.

In the meantime, Baumgar- teker, who had been asleep in another part of Uie house, Continned oa Page 18 JU.3C. can lead to disaster for; fc the United States. Held Many Offices The dynamic Senator, cois-! fsidered to be one of the fEiestuSO-day 3ty to misdemeanor run driving. David HaHman, of 150771 also received ail term that in the country, and was placed on' first elected to the Senate in three years probation. write-in campaign.

This wss diaries Judge Hughes ordered highest political office driver's license suspw tise fever to be attained through for six months. method. Ksliraan was involved in rie been Governor of traffic a i on Oro i Continned on Page 18 Grande St. on Dec. 5.

SOUNDS GOOD--Bill North, left, of Butler and Mike Carmichael of Kirks sing out news of anniversary Dollar Days sale in downtown Van Xuys stores today, tomorrow and Saturday. Big sales event is sponsored by Van Xuys Business and Professional Association. Special Dollar Day offering shoppers outstanding values can be found in today's issue of The Xews. TODAY'S Calender of E-14 Califoniic Hbtory A-16 OaaififJ Page S-4 Kantor on A-56 Msry Wise Page 8-58 Panorcme Ciff Page A-50 Radio Log Page C-3 SepiriVeds Pege A-46 Spsrts E-43 In Simi Volley A-24 INDEX Page A-53 Tempo C-3 T3ie Stamp Aibctn A-20 Vital Record Poge E-2 Women Page E-53 JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS Chorfcj Hoghej Poge B-15 i Mackrr PogeA-42 Oiire Vrafu Page B-3 Van PogeA-12 SUSPECT INTERVIEWED North Det Sgts. Doug Bentley, left, and Ted Gerber, center, confront suspect Lynn Wayne Benner with gloves, hat and coat reportedly used in robbery-kidnap of Mr.

and Mrs. Leon Ames of Studio City. Couple were held in their home yesterday until 350,000 turned over to suspect, who then took Mrs. Ames with him at gunpoint. Police arrested him minutes iater.

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