The Kokomo Tribune du lieu suivant : Kokomo, Indiana • Page 5

May 9, 1979 Kokomo (Ind.) Tribune 5 Wednesday, May 9, 1979 Kokomc Tipton winners, precinct by precinct voting tabulations Eugene Ritz mayor James Dclph mayor Margaret Davis clerk-treasurer John McNcal clerk-treasurer Joe O'Banion city judge Charles Day council district 1 John Holbrook council district 2 William Hawkins council district 3 Eugene Guffey council district 4 Ervin Fratus Council district 4 Clyde Worsham Council district 4 Roy Thompson council at-large Tipton Republican primary Tipton Democrats Pet. 1 2 3 4 Total Mayor Delph 62 48 107 80 297 Koors 23 29 32 24 108 Clerk treasurer McNeal 59 54 102 79 294 Council Bitner 65 65 3 Guffey 84 84 Council 4 Fratus 90 90 Council-at-large Carey 6 15 25 19 65 Copas 21 25 31 33 110 Hunter 9 8 23 16 56 Wesner 47 36 66 32 181 Pet. 1 2 3 4 Total Ebert 38 37 21 33 Mayor Ritz 108 132 75 89 129 404 Clerk Treasurer Davis 107 130 72 94 403 City Judge O'Banion 121 142 82 101 446 1 Day 104 104 Council 2 3 Holbrook Hawkins 134 134 88 88 4 Pore 51 51 Council at-large Worsham 64 64 McCullough Thompson 42 49 32 34 157 94 110 61 85 350 Nicholas Wesner council at-large 'Long live the Mayor Hatcher supporters shout GARY, Ind. (AP) Mayor Richard G. Hatcher, making what was supposed to be a tough fight look easy, is virtually assured of a fourth term in the office that brought him to national prominence as a black leader and ambassador for the nation's ailing cities.

Hatcher, 45, who first captured city hall a dozen years ago when he upset the white-dominated organization, defeated fellow black and former aide Jesse E. Bell 55, in Tuesday's Democratic primary election. Like the primary four years ago when Hatcher defeated Dozier Allen for the nomination, Bell was billed as the mayor's toughest opponent yet. In May 1975, Hatcher easily defeated Allen, also a former political ally and fellow black. Hatcher's margin of victory Tuesday was about 8,000 votes.

With all of the 155 precincts reporting, unofficial results showed Hatcher polled 24,832 votes to Bell's 16,463, a 60-40 percent margin. Five other Democratic candidates received less than 600 votes each. The primary victory was considered tantamount to election, even though Hatcher will face token Republican opposition in November. Registered Democrats outnumber Republicans 30-1 in this steel mill city. The last time a Republican was elected mayor here was 1938.

Hatcher's fall opponent will be William Robert Borman, the second cousin of astronaut Frank Borman, who polled only 429 votes to capture his party's nomination. The other two GOP candidates were Thaddeus Romanowski with 151 votes and August Hecker, 121. "I want to thank the beautiful people of Gary, Indiana, for having faith," Hatcher told the jubilant crowd which packed the city council chamber to hear his victory statement. As he strode down the corridor from his office to announce his victory, Hatcher was flanked by supporters who rang bells and shouted "Long live the king." Bell had frequently referred to Hatcher during the campaign as "King Richard," accusing him of arrogance. Bell, a purchasing agent with the Gary school system, conceded the election with about 70 percent of the Hatcher wins GARY, Ind.

Gpry Mayor Richard G. Hatcher (left) smiles just before addressing well-wishers at city hall Tuesday night after defeating former vote tabulated, blaming a low turnout for his defeat. The returns showed that about 43 percent of Gary's approximately 90,000 registered voters went to the polls. Election officials said that was about four percent below normal. "We couldn't pick up where we wanted to.

The ones (precincts) I saw that were expected to turn out the vote just didn't get out," said Bell, who had served as Hatcher's administrative assistant and as Gary city controller. He left the Hatcher administration eight years ago. Bell said his strategy involved winning big in outlying areas with substantial white populations and then carrying 40 percent of the black vote. But he said those who complained most bitterly about Hatcher were the ones who failed to vote. In his victory statement, Hatcher took several swipes at the Gary Post-Tribune, the city's only daily newspaper, which had endorsed Bell in a front-page editorial on Monday.

"I want to say to the Post-Tri- bune, you picked your mayor yesterday and the people of Gary picked theirs today," the mayor said. The campaign between Bell and Hatcher was marked with bitterness and personal attacks. Bell accused Hatcher of presiding over the decline of Gary, a black- majority city of 175,000 in the shadow of Chicago. Hatcher countered by accusing Bell of being a failure. Then the mayor announced federal approval for several major projects, including a new civic center and a new- complex for the elderly.

He also imported Vice President F. Mondale for a fund-raising dinner a week before the election. Mondale praised Hatcher as a respected national spokesman for blacks and the nation's mayors and reminded voters that Hatcher had turned down an offer to become special assistant to President Carter so he could remain as their mayor. Hatcher aide Leland Jones said no other mayor in the city's history has served four consecutive terms. Banker tried to find Roberts before fire campaign aide Jesse E.

Bell Jr. (right) for the democratic mayor nomination. Hatcher seeks his fourth term as mayor of the steel city. (AP photo) NASHVILLE, Ind. (AP) A policeman and a banker tried tq find Nashville businessman Clarence Roberts a few hours before a fire in which he reportedly died, a state trooper testified Tuesday.

Trooper Lonnie Summers said he escorted a representative of the Monroe County State Bank in Bioomington to Roberts' home about four hours before the fire was discovered eight years ago. They intended to accuse Roberts of signing the name of one of his brothers to receive a loan estimated to be $7,500, Summers said. He said they could not find Roberts. Summers testifed Tuesday in the trial of a suit by Roberts' wife and four sons to have him declared dead and to collect $1.2 million in life insurance. They contend he was killed in a garage fire.

The insurance companies contend Roberts has been seen alive since the fire. Roberts' brother, Carson, 56, testified Tuesday in Brown Circuit Court Clarance had been a very troubled man with a changed personality the year before the fire. He said his brother's financial problems were leapfrogging in size and complexity as creditors worn court judgments against him until he was forced to sell his half of the lumber company the brothers owned. A deposition was read into the court record from William F. Mitchell, a private investigator hired by one of the insurance companies to search for Roberts.

It said persons he interviewed were a men at Mentone, a former employee of Roberts' grain elevators, and a New Mexico man. Mitchell said they told him of having seen Roberts since the fire..