Delaware County Daily Times from Chester, Pennsylvania • Page 1

Week's stock report-Pages 12, 13 Delaware County HOME DELIVERY 90 CENTS Saturday, July 23,1977 PUBLISHED IN PRIMOS, UPPER DARBY TOWNSHIP. 19018 PRICE 15 CENTS capsule Beautiful, balmy Another beautiful and balmy day with more of the same in store for tomorrow. High today in the low to mid 80s, low tonight around 60. For further details''see page 2. 'I Greek Festival Sunday Another of the series of ethnic festivals presented as part of the Rose Tree Summer Festival will focus on the Greek culture Sunday. The day long program of singing, dancing, foods and craft exhibits will be open to the public without change. Program for the day begins with an outdoor church'service from 11 a.m. to noon. Following this will be three hours devoted to Greek style games and special activities. Arts and crafts will be on display and foods will be available. Cultural programs including singing and dancing are scheduled at 3 and 7 p.m. Following the evening program will be dancing for all to live music, with the public invited to take part in Greek dancing. The Greek Festiival, which has been successfully presented during the last two summers, is CCH sponsored by Delaware County and the Greek- American community of the county. Strike goes on The strike by Teamsters Local 77 against Delaware County continues with no new talks scheduled. The county and the union representing 88 workers at the county's three incinerators began July 1 when the Teamsters' contract expired. The two sides have met just once since then to try to resolve their differences. State mediator Robert Houck, responsible for calling the talks, said Friday that neither side has asked for another bargaining session. Cab responds quickly Driver Alexander Zukowski of Bell Cap in Chester beat both police and the ambulance service in responding to a call from a heart attack victim Friday night. The victim's family called all three services. When Zukowski got there first he took the woman to Crozer-Chester in his cab. Honda whizzing bye? Honda Motor Co. of Japan announced Friday it is planning to purchase land for its motorcycle plant in the Great Lakes area. Efforts have been made to have the Honda plant established in Delaware County. MAmuse. IfBridge Church Classified Comics if Crossword Deaths i 17 Editorials 25 Horoscope 7 Outlook 19-23 Sports 24-25 Stocks 25 TV 4 Weather 6 24 8,18 15-17 12,13 24 2 Venable case goes to jury after 5 days No handicap Ben Pearlman, who is blind and is president of Chester Lions Club, spends some of his spare time on the golf course. Story and other photos, Page 3. PHILADELPHIA -I The trial of former Delaware County Housing Authority Chairman G. Venable went to jury Friday afternoon after closing arguments by the defense and prosecution on the fifth day of the trial. Venable, who also represented Nether Providence and Middletown on the former Republican Board of Supervisors (War Board), is charged with three counts of extortion and two counts of perjury before the grand jury in connection with alleged payoffs to architect Joseph B. Baldino. BALDING testified earlier in the week that he made three $500 payoffs to Venable in order to secure work on the rehabilitation projects of the Fairground Homes, Chester Township and Calcon Hook Homes, Darby Township. John J. Lynch, a former'busi- ness associate of Baldino's, testified Thursday that he was at a luncheon meeting with the other two men when Baldino stated he was "going to the men's room to give Venable money." Lynch could not recall whether the luncheon took place in 1973 or 1974. However, he gave the location of the meeting as the Red Coach Grill, City Philadelphia. IN HIS closing argument, defense attorney Jeffrey Miller stressed inconsistencies in the testimony of 'both Baldino and Lynch. Miller said the orginal indictment listed May 24, 1973, as the date of the first payoff. He then charged that Baldino changed the date to May 25 by the time of the trial because pretrial testimony proved that Venable was in Easton the day before. Miller also challenged Lynch's testimony on the grounds of communication between Miller But what happened to the body? Girl's murder described By TRISHA COFIELL Dally Staff Writer TINICUM Robert Thomas Nauss, former Warlock member of Aston, was ordered held for court by Magistrate Anthony Truscello, for the murder of Elizabeth Ann Lande, one of six women who mysteriously disappeared or were murdered in the last six years. However, no evidence was presented by Asst. District Attorney James Del Bello concerning the body of the alleged victim during the preliminary hearing on Friday. is accused of hanging "Liz" Lande, daughter of Frank and Frances Lande of 7651, Overbrook Philadelphia, on Dec. 13, 1971 in an apartment over a garage at 1364 Chester Pike, Folcroft, where he was living at the time. Nauss, 25, now lives with his wife and son at 303 Marianville Road. WILLIAM STANTON, who lived in the house at 1364 Chester Pike at the time of the alleged murder, testified that Nauss came to his home and woke him up early Dec. 13. Nauss asked Stanton to come to the apartment garage with him. Stanton said he walked up the apartment steps and saw a woman, hanging by the neck from a rope. He identified the body as that of "Liz," confirming the identity with a picture of Elizabeth during the hearing. "She was nude and she was all looked terrible;" Stanton said. He testified that Nauss was standing behind the body with "a grin on his said he could not repeat Nauss' exact words, but he recalled Nauss said something like, "See what I done? Look at what I She won't bother me no more." STANTON SAID he returned to his apartment, frightened. Three hours later, at about 6 a.m., he said Nauss came to him and asked for his help. Stanton said he refused to help Nauss, but Nauss threatened him, saying he knew some people and something might happen to Stanton's home or his wife. "I was shook up," Stanton said. He testified he went out to the garage where the body-was on the floor, wrapped in a sheet. The two men put the body in the trunk of the car and Stanton drove the Bail reduced to $750,000 MEDIA COURTHOUSE Delaware County Judge Howard F. Reed Jr. Friday reduced bail for Robert Thomas Nauss 25, of Aston, from $1 million to $750,000. The $1 million bail was sent earlier Friday by District Justice Anthony Truscello after a preliminary hearing on the murder charge. Asst. Dist. Atty. James DelBello maintained that Nauss was a danger to the community, accused of "every major felony the law provides for." Nauss is in Delaware County Prison, Thornbury. car toward New Jersey with Nauss in the passenger seat, He said they drove across the Walt Whitman bridge, down the White Horse Pike and buried the body along a dirt road off the main highway. IN HIS CROSS examination of Stanton, defense attorney Malcolm Berkowitz asked Stanton what "inducements" he received to testify, possibly in connection with previous charges. Del Bello objected to this question and Judge Truscello sustained it. Berkowitz also commented that it was "incredible" that Stanton waited from Dec. 13, 1971 to July 1977 to come forward. Stanton testified that the first time he was questioned by police was July 2,1977. In his final statement, Berkowitz said a. criminal homicide requires proof that someone has been murdered and there is no evidence here, because there is no body. "They don't have the body or you would have heard evidence of that, "he said. DEL BELLO made no comment on the body, or whether they found anything at the spot Stanton said they buried the body. Berkowitz also asked Frank Lande, the first witness, "Do you know in your own personal knowledge, that your daughter is deceased?" Lande said, "No." A Philadelphia Daily News story printed Wednesday said that Nauss is alleged to have removed the teeth and cut the hands off the body so it could never be identified. Delaware County District Attorney Frank Hazel did not verify this report. He said there "are a lot of stories going around and they did not come from this office." He made no comment on the body or what was found in New Jersey. He also said that in a preliminary hearing, the district attorney only need prove that a crime was committed and the person is involved. DURING THE hearing, Lande testified he was away at the time of the alleged murder. He and his wife left for a cruise out of New York on Dec. 11 and returned Dec. 18. He said Elizabeth was home the day they left and was preparing for exams the following week at the Philadelphia Community College where she was a student. When the Landes returned, he said there was no sign that she had been at home the entire week. He called friends, neighbors, relatives and notified the police. Lande also testified that it was not in character for his daughter to leave without telling her parents her whereabouts. and the Marriot owners of the Red Grill. A letter from Marriot stated the restuarant was closed Oct. 2, 1972 through March 19, 1973, and, when it reopened, no luncheon was served since the restaurant did not start its day until 4 p.m. "I TOTALLY reject Lynch's testimony. He took the Fifth Amendment in the courtroom," Miller said, referring to Lynch's refusal to answer a question about whether he had engaged in any illegal activities with Baldino. Miller also. cited Venable's standing in the community and the array of character witnesses who spoke in his behalf. "If you are going to convict a man like Edward Venable, a man of exemplary the testimony of Joseph Baldino, you need corroboration. Where are the other witnesses?" Miller asked. "Joseph Baldino has pointed the finger at him (Venable). Joseph Baldino who has everything to gain," Miller said. THE ATTORNEY was referring to immunity granted to Baldino, who has admitted being involved in payoffs in Bucks, Philadelphia and Delaware counties. In his 40-minute rebuttal, Richard Beckler of the U.S. Justice Department, the prosecuting attorney, told the jury that the exact (Jate and place was unimportant, as long as they believed the payoff occurred. Beckler cited Baldino's notes and diaries as corroboration of the alleged incidents and also said the fact that no other architect appeared before the Housing Authority or submitted a bid as further proof." Beckler also said that while Housing Authority members were called as government witnesses "it was like pulling teeth" to get them to answer questions. "IF THERE was nothing wrong, why can't they talk about it (the housing authority)? If there was nothing wrong, why can't they talk about the hiring of an architect?" he asked. Beckler agreed with Miller that it came down to the issue of the credibility of the Baldino's' testimony. He added that because" he admitted making other payoffs, that did not preclude the believability about the alleged- payoffs to Venable. Venable did not take the stand. Minister deplores sex case CHESTER The Rev. Johnnie Monroe, president of Chester's NAACP, said Friday he believes the city police officers allegedly responsible for the May 26 sexual assault on a male prisoner should be "prosecuted "to the full extent of the law and dropped permanently from the department's rolls." "We are very concerned about what happened," Mr. Monroe said. "The men who are supposed to be upholding the law seem to be the ones breaking the law. It's a sad day, indeed, when people cannot be arrested without being assaulted. We (the NAACP) mean to see it doesn't happen again." REV. MONROE said he would hope as a result of the alleged assault that church, service and social groups in the city would band together to watchdog police activities. He suggested the establishment of a civilian police review board should also be considered. On Thursday, Patrolmen David Coulter, 34, of the 2600 block Bethel Road and Earl Thomas, 36, of the 200 block Lloyd Street, were suspended from duty after their arrests on sodomy and other charges arising from an alleged jailhouse assault on Anthony Lee Cannon, 23, a reputed male prostitute and female impersonator. Coulter and Thomas are currently free on $2,500 bond each pending preliminary hearings at 9:30 a.m. July 28, before District Justice of the Peace Vincent J. Cirilli. CANNON, currently an inmate at Delaware County Prison, Thornbury, was being held in Chester on a prostitution charge at the time of the alleged attack. Meanwhile, city police and investigators from the Delaware County Criminal Investigation Division (CID) are continuing to probe unrelated allegations filed earlier this week by a woman who claims she too was sexually assaulted while she was jailed here. Alluding to the alleged assault against the woman prisoner, Rev. Monroe said he is concerned there are no women currently serving on the police force. He said at the least there should be around-the-clock police matrons on duty. AT THE same time, he scored the district court for imposing what he termed "such low bail 1 on Coulter and Thomas. "Public officials should be forced to post the same amount of bail as private citizens," he said. "I have a lot of respect for Chief (William) Hoopes and some of the officers I know," Mr. Monroe said. "It's sad," he added, "that an incident such as this makes the good men look bad."