Springfield Leader and Press from Springfield, Missouri • 1

-m SPEINGF MY v-jj a ii too xo VOL. XXXV () lX'i Second Class Piwtaee Paid at Mo. ioj w.iw ith iUi Sun. Nei Lear SPRINGFIELD, THURSDAY EVENING, DEC. 21, 1987 FIFTY-TWO PAGES Published by Spntiififld Newspap.l1, Ine pai'y Esrast Sub.

til Boouviila, fijuingntld. Mo. M0l. to a. 7n A I A 11 11 Li cJ 5i PR Three Dead at Potosi, Willow Springs Hard Hit r- i tor CD 0 fi i ca (oreaaoes jDMicerivjiissoiiM 5 1 niiiS Ji LBJ, Thieu Dispel Peace Idea Conflict Eye Informal Talk With Cong Potosi, the city hall was heavily court at Potosi, and Jess Haggard and his wife, Hester, both wymote ir8s By THOMAS K.

HARVEY POTOSI, Mo. (AP)-A tornado whipped through business and residential areas of Potosi before dawn today, leaving injury and thousands of dollars of destruction in its wake. The highway patrol reported three dead as a result of the storm and the Washington County civil defense said it has counted 39 injured. At least 18 of the injured were treated at Washington County hospital in Potosi, then transferred to Bonne Terre because there was no electric power in Potosi. Ten business establishments and 20 homes in Potosi were heavily damaged and another dozen homes received some damage.

Just north of Potosi, two trailers were ripped apart and six others were damaged. At least 10 homes north of the mining town also were damaged. In the area of East Main St. in fice said it damaged outbuildings and trees, but there were no injuries. Twisters also hit a number of other nearby areas during the night, including Hermann, Bixby and Wiilow Springs, and Jerseyville, 111.

Five hours after the storm hit Potosi, the Highway Patrol reported a damage-causing twister in the Poynor area in Ripley County, also in southeast Missouri. Loes in the area were WILLOW SPRINGS (Special) The wrath of a midnight tor nado in northwest Howell Coun-1 ty will be felt here for many days. The storm dipped down lnV) Willow Springs about midnight Wednesday without advance warning, tossing houses, trees and outbuildings around like toys; and a drenching rain in its wake compounded the trouble. An estimated 15 to 20 homes were either destroyed or badly damaged by the funnel-cloud, numerous barns were destroyed, trees and utility hues were "down all over the place," However, there was one 'blessing," according to observ ers: No one was killed, aitnougn several persons were Injured, and treated by Dr. Frank Smith.

According to Jac Zimmerman, editor of the Willow Springs "It was raining this morning so hard you couldn't even get out The storm came through between 11 or 11:30 p.m. last night and went from Business Route U. S. 63 up along Holloway Drive, just south of the city limits. The storm moved southwest to northeast." There were eight homes dam aged on Holloway Drive, Zim merman said.

One mobile home was tipped on its side and there were numerous homes with roofs partially torn off, with bro Ticister Hits damaged and the Arkansas and Missouri Power and Light Co. building and Jarvis A and store were demolished. Also damaged were the Washington County welfare office, Carmilio Inusrance a laundry, a drug store, two doctors' offices, and the Washington County library, all in a shopping center. Dead were identified as Julia Hunter, 9, who lived in a trailer -sr -c: A Atsocialrd Vteu Wirephotft Thomson." Asked if he considered Wash kansky's death "negated the experiment" Barnard replied, "Firstly, I would not consider it an experiment it was a treat ment for a sick patient. "The problem of infection was loaded against the surgical team," he said.

Washkansky had an infected leg and diabetes. See HEART, Page 8 Copter Drops to Navajos First Medicine, Food for The Arkansas-Missouri Light and Power Company building in Potosi was demolished by a tornado that struck Potosi, in east Missdarl, wtrly today. The twister whipped across East Main Street, damaging homes and businesses. about 65, who lived two miles northeast of Potosi on rural route E. Mrs.

Helen Irvin, former civil defense worker in Washington County, said it hit the east end of Potosi, a town of 3,000 75 miles southwest of St. Louis. It destroyed all but one building in a shipping center and wrecked four homes on Lilac Drive, she said. An electric clock at Civil De fense Headquarters in Potosi stopped at 1:17 a.m. Two homes were reported de stroyed at Rover, south and east of Willow Springs at about the same time, The Hunter girl's parents.

Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Hunter and two other Hunter children, Joyce, 6, and Kim, 5, were injured and taken to the Washington County Hospital. Another tornado touched down six miles south of Gainesville in Ozark County southwest of Potosi near the Arkansas line about midnight. The sheriff's of- To Vietnam oiiriiey CDf Hope By BOB HOPE BANGKOK Well, we made it, halfway, at least, and with a sigh of relief.

I don't care who you are, or bow many miles you've got under your seat belt, after you've traveled 9000 miles over the water, it feels good to get your toes back on the good earth. It was a pooped group of pi geons that hit the pad early this morning. But first, I met with our project officer, CoL Red Beasley, and with Johnny Paw- lek and Sil Caranchini, our advice men. They filled me in on the top secret plans and sched ules involving quick flights, cop ter hops, new bases, old bases, hospital visits, and a mess of de tails, left tnem still poring oVer the itinerary for a quick walk through the streets of Bangkok. It was 4 a.m., dark, pleasantly cool, not much traffic, just a few pedicabs toting the last of the rest-and-reCuperation guys from See HOPE, Page 8 Cavein Traps 18 In Aqueduct Tunnel Calif, (AP) A cave-in trapped 18 construction workers in -an aqueduct tunnel on the Feather River Project today.

The sheriff's office said the men had sufficient air, water and fights and were in no immediate, danger. Deputies said workmen had begun digging an escape tunnel. SNOW snow ends toniffM. Temperature will fall throughout tonight with a cold wave tonigM. Headings oy tomorrow mornmi pould.

be as Hw as 10 to above zero. Some oartial clearing of skies is expected Friday, out a wiu oe conunuea ceia wun the high only in the 20s. Snow was upreading rapidly toward the Ozark from the west and northwest with snow throughout mach of eastern Kansas and through nortnwestern Missouri. ac comoanving the snow is much colder and it had its sources in we norinerivjujgn Flams wtiere (jut oanK, recoraea za below zero early today and Great Falls, was below nero. HOT'RLT TEMPERATURES 12 Midnight 2 a a 1 a.m.

60 9 a.m 2 a 59 10 a.m. 3 a 60 il a.m. 4 a fil 17 Noon 5 a.m ....58 1 p.m. 6 a.m 54 2 p.m. 7 a 43 3 p.m ken windows or carports ripped from the sides.

At least one of the homes, that of Mr. and Mrs, Elmer Kentch, was destroyed. Mr. and Mrs. Kentch, who are semi-rclired, were jolted when a large oak tree fell against their house, a two-story frame and one of the oldest houses in Willow Springs.

A pickup truck was lifted from the carport at the home of 3. P. Cowgur, on Holloway Drive, and slammed against the side of the house. "The RE A power in the rural area was off as late as noon," Zimmerman said, "and city crews were out helping to re- store the juice. The local radio station was knocked off the air and police closed Holloway Drive for two hours until workmen could go in and get rid of the hotlines." The large screen at the Willow Springs Drive-In Theater was ripped to pieces and "parts of it were all over town," observers said.

Preliminary investigation of the damaged area indicated the tornado ripped a swath some eight to 10 miles long, about a mile wide. There is also the possibility that other areas of the county were damaged and that such reports will be forthcoming later in the 'day, according to authorities. 20,000 shrub growth burns too fast Pilots again expected good flying weather throughout the day with the forecast calling only for a few snow flurries. Navajo officials were more optimistic in their battle to stave off Starvation and illness among tribal members, struck by the severe storms that dumped up to 40 inches over See INDIAN'S, Page 8 TODAY'S CHUCKLE ST. PETEBSBURG, Fla.

(AP) Mayor Don Jones, taken for a ride by a young Missouri gambler in October, finally has paid his debt. Jones said he lost a poker game wager of 16,000 match- sticks to 8-year-old Patrick Egan, son of Florissant, Mayor James Egan, during a World Series trip to St. Louis. Jones later forgot about th I.O.U. but a letter week from the boy said, in essence, "Where are my matchsticks?" The.

mayor learned matches cannot be sent through the mail, so he bought 16,000 toothpicks, about a $5 vahie. and shipped them this week. "He's a real cute, kid and ho taught me never to play poker again with a young Irishman," Jones said. Leader and Pmt Slslf VaM By HOWARD GRAVES WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) Medical cases and food drops were priority missions today as helicopters reached farther out over the snow-choked Navajo Heart Transfer Reservation to help thousands of Indians.

put at $75,000. At Potosi, residents said the storm struck first in the Crest-wood subdivision, whipped down hill and through the Main St. area, then apparently left the ground as it was deflected by a railroad embankment. Damage was reported over a four block area. The home, owned by Coach Donald Strange of Potosi High School was lifted from its foun leaving only the floor and rug.

Strange's wife was in jured, but the others In the house escaped with only cuts. Among the homes demolished was one belonging to Paul J. Richeson, manager of the Arkansas and Missouri Power and LightCo. "There was absolutely no warning that the tornado was approaching," Mrs. Richeson said.

"My little boy woke me up and said, 'Please let me sleen with daddy, it's stormingf" she related. She said when she got up she neard a noise and woke her husband. "1 said we'd better get to the basement," Mrs. Richeson re called, but the tornado hit be fore they could get downstairs. Our windows were breaking wnen we nit the kitchen and the door frame around the Hnor leading to the basement beat us down there." The home of Mr.

and Mrs. Lowell McFarland also was demolished. He is co-publisher of the Potosi Independent Jour-See TWISTERS, Page 8 Gifts Denied Yank POWs WASHINGTON (AP) North Vietnam has curtly returned 231 Christmas packages sent by wives and parents to American fighting men held prisoner by Hanoi, the Pentagon announced Daniel Z. Henkin, a member of the Defense Department's Prisoner of War Policy Com mittee, told newsmen the 231 packages reached North Viet-. nam through international post al channels, and were returned the same way bearing the "curt 'refused by the postal service of ftorth Vietnam'." 'The persistent refusal of the Hanoi 'government to deliver Christmas parcels is another shocking manifestation of callous disregard for the rights of prisoners of war under the Gen eva Convention," Henkin said.

Henkin noted the same thing happened last year. "If there had been hopes that the Hanoi regime would act with humanitarian consideration for the prisoners of war it holds and for their loved ones at this holiday season, these hopes have been said. In one group of 37 returned packages, Henkin said, two had missing items, including cigarettes, tobacco, gum, and candy. was done "by them or by us," Henkin replied: "I don't know." He said scores of other pack-" ages have been sent to North Vietnam by American families of war prisoners and that it appears now they are likely to be returned by Hanoi. Not Death Cause By DAVID J.

PAIXE CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) Prof. Christian N. Barnard said today the death of the world's first ffntinnc By FRANK CORMIER CANBERRA, Australia (AP) President Nguyen Van Thieu of South Vietnam met here tonight with President Johnson and publicly agreed that Johnson's latest suggestions for promoting peace in Vietnam "were fully consistent" with the policy of nis governmentr: Johnson and Thieu issued a joint statement following a working dinner which sought to dispel any idea the two leaders were in conflict over possible informal talks with representatives of the Viet Cong's National Liberation Front. The joint statement said Thieu "reaffirmed willingness to discuss relevant matters with" any individuals now associated with the so-called National Liberation Front, while making it clear that his government could not regard the front as an independent organization in any sense." Johnson, in a taped television interview in Washington Tuesday, said "I have said that I think the war can be stopped in a matter of days if President Thieu's suggestion that he informally talk with members of the NLF are carried out, and if they would agree to What they lave already agreed to in the 1954 accords and 1962 accords, and other points I mentioned like one-man, one-vote under the present constitutional government." Thieu was interpreted as taking a countercourse to Johnson's in the remarks he made on Ms departure from Saigon for Australia, where the two leaders have joined others to attend memoral rites Friday for Prime Minister Harold E. Holt, lost in See LBJ, Page 8 fx pr- A fc i -aT W-t -AnotliM Press Wlrephoto SUSPECT Thomas E.

Spy-chala, 38, sits in a police car after his arrest in Los Angeles last night as a suspect in the slaying yesterday of a California Highway Patrol officer. LOS ANGELES (AP) -A man who said he wanted to die in a gun battle with police was in the prison -ward of a hospital today suspected of killing a highway patrolman. Thomas E. Spychala, 38, of Maywood, was arrested in a drug store in Lomita, about 12 miles south of Los Angeles. Police said be had taken arsenic from the druggist at gunpoint and swallowed it.

His stomach whs later pumped and he was reported in satisfactory condition. Highway patrol motorcycle officer Merle died in a hospital' Wednesday after he was shot twice in the chest, twice in the back and once in the leg. Spychala's arrest ended a daylong search that started Dele heart transplant patient left no evidence that heart transferals should be discontinued. Pilots, said they were trying to reach Navajos at the western limits of the reservation along the Colorado River near1 Grand Canyon National Park. "This area has not been touch ed" by rescue operations after the past week's snow storms, Navajo Police Lt.

Herman P. Tsosie said. "There are an estimated 17,000 to 20,000 people in thafarea." He said the only long-range military helicopter on the reser vation had been kept busy elsewhere and today's mission would be the first to Uw western edge of the reservation. Tsosie said there was a grow ing heating fuel problem on the desert along the southern border of the reservation. He said there are few trees there and the Where It Js Junior Editors Polly's Pointers Ann Landers Society Amusement Editorial Sports Local news Page 5 Page fi Page 10 Pages 16-17 Page 24 Page 26 Pages 27-28 Pages 35-52 Teen-Talk Page 38 Santa Claus Page 46 Christmas Story Page 46 Comics Page 47 Astro-Guide Page 47 Deaths, Page 48 THE WEATHERMAN SAYS: TODAY'S BISTSTORY, OTSEGO, Mich.

(AP) Air Force Sgt. William Schearer doesn't mind hanging his heart on his sleeve, especially when it's Christmas. He's stationed at Phu-Cat Airbase in Vietnam and his wife and son are in this small western Michigan community. When Schearer's wife opened today's edition of the weekly Otsego Union newspaper, she saw this advertisement. "To my loving wife, Peggy, and son, Brian.

During this very special and joyous holiday season, my thoughts for you spanned the many thousands of miles that separate us. "This year as a special gift, I give you a heart filled with love, a gift to last through the years. May God bless you and keep you safe for A very Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year. "All my love, Bill." Arkansas Crash Claims Six Lives HOPE, Ark. (AP) An II-linois couple and four members of a Texas family were killed as two cars collided in the rain today near the cfest of a hill on U.S.

67. State police identified the dead as Dr. O.JRitz, 51, of Jacksonville, 13., his wife, Dorothy, 49; Robert Timbrook, 39, of Chester, his "wife, Carrie, 35, and two of their children, Tim, 13, and Billie Jean, 5. Two other Timbrook children, Carrie, 6, and Lynn, 12, were hospitalized in serious condition. when one of his neighbors told police Spychala had stolen his car and was armed with five guns and looking for police 'j Andrews had stopped the car allegedly stolen by Spychala, and was killed in an exchange of gunfire.

Lt James Hamilton of the sheriff's department said Spychala drove to Lomita in the stolen ear, then mired it in a sand and grave! pit. Getting out of the car, Spychala accosted John Brown, 18, of Lomita, with a rifle and took him hostage, Hamilton said. He forced Lindon Chandler, the pit operator, to drive him and the youth to the drug store. Spychala and Brown entered the store, Hamilton said. Chandler telephoned sheriff's officers.

Officers said Spychala pointed a gun at pharmacist Bill Lew and said, "I've already killed one man today and I don't want to kill anyone else but myself." He forced Lew to give him a one-ounce jar of ant poison containing arsenic, police said. Then he swallowed the poison, followed by two swallows from a half pint of whisky. Lew said Spychal became ill and made no attempt to resist Came the Delne- Barnard, who performed the heart transplant of Louis Wash-kansky Dec. 3, said a post-mortem produced no clinical evidence that rejection played a part in the patient's death. "As soon as the occasion arises he will do the next heart transplant," Barnard told a news conference itess than eight hours after Washkansky, 53, died in Groote Schuur Hospital.

Earlier Washkansky's anesthetist reported that the transplanted heart worked well until the very end and that the post mortem indicated the patient died of a severe localized in fection of tne lungs. Dr. Marthinus C. Botha, a pathologist, also said at this stage there is no clear evidence that rejection played a part in the outcome of the operation Barnard and Botha appeared at the news conference with cardiologist Prof. Velva Schrire, pathologist R.J.G.

Thomson and cardiologist Dr. A. Forder. A statement issued to the press shortly before the news conference said: "Clinically the -ese-ef -dea th-was respira tory-l failure due -bjlateral pneu monia. This was confirmed at post-mortem by J.

'Stu 9 17... JuJL Will Dies at 64 BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) Stuart Erwin, whose screen portrayal of, a bumbl ing but lovable father made his face familiar in American households, died today of a heart attack at his Beverly Hills home. He was 64. Police were summoned to the Erwin home at 2:30 a.m.

by Er. win's wife, actress June Collyer. She told officers Erwin had gotten out of bed when she heard a thump and found him unconscious on the bathroom floor. Firemen worked over Erwin in an effort to revive him but received no response. His doc tor, Richard H.

Watts, pro nounced him dead at the scene. He said Erwin had a history of heart trouble. There were lakes all over Springfield today as a result of an overnight deluge that swamped the area with up to three inches of rainfall. This was the scene at mid-morning at Cherry Street and Barnes Lane, typical of low-lying intersections throughout the city. (Another picture, and story, on PAGE 32).

Cold wave and hazardous driving warning. Occasional light rain turning to snow today, with hazardous driving conditions developing and snow accumulation of one to 3 inches before ending tonight. Temperatures falling today to a low of 10 to 15. Cold wave tonight. Partial clearing and cold Friday.

High Friday in the 20s. Precipitation probabilities, 100 percent today, 40 percent tonight, 20 percent Friday. Br KAY NELSON Rains visited mas of the Outrks last nlttht. accompanied by thunderstorms. Most ot the area recorded moderate to heavy rajna.

However, In the Joplin area, the rain was extremely light. Remits up to early today showed 2 laches at Crane, with even heavier amounts approaching 3 inches southwest of Crane. Aurora had 2.20, Republic 2, and at the Springfield Weather Bureau, there was a fall of 1.91 Inches, with reports of from IVr to nearly 3 inches in the city causing some flooding In low places. To the northwest. Ash Grove cauiht .79, and to the south and east, West Plains had 1.21, Taneycomo Dam 1.30, and Lebanon 1.27.

A strong winter storra helped set off these showers and thunderstorms. There were scattered reports of strong winds snd some hail in southwestern Missouri during the night. Hleb winds or a tornado struck at Willow Springs with some damage houses. High winds also were reported at rlmistofl and licking. By late morning, showers and thunderstorms were continuing southeastward, and were located south central Mis souri into northern Arkansas.

The line of showers and thunderstorm exieoaoa on Uirmicb Arkansas Into Following on the heels of the rain will be a change to much colder, and there will be a possible accumulation Of 1 to 3 Inches of snow In the Springfield area before the Gifts of Wise Men More Cosily Today NEW YORK (AP) -The price of frankincense and myrrh, still used in incense, has risen as Christmas approaches. Myrrh sells for 80 cents per pound and frankincense for 30 cents, up from 75 cents and 28 cents last May. The price of gold, the third gift brought by the Three Wise Men, is still $35 an ounce. It is 1 7 I mm YOU SAID ITI A man who tells nothing, or who tells all, will equally have nothing told him. LORD CHESTERFIELD DAYS TILL CHRISTMAS controlled by the U.S.

government. i when officers entered..