Springfield Leader and Press from Springfield, Missouri • 11

Death notices2B Music competitions5B Weather8B The News-Leader Sunaay, April 20, 1986 Section 'aqletors has harsh words for Democrats at dinner Senator: Party has little meaning for most members Lack of recognition won't slow hopeful Gephardt still thinks of presidency, says Carter, Hart began as unknowns By Robert Edwards The News-Leader Early in his political career, U.S. Rep. Richard Gephardt of St. Louis learned just how tough it is for a politician to get people to recognize his name. It was 1973, and he had been a member of the St, Louis Board of Aldermen for two years.

The name of this "young t. A I I I I turk, an up-and-coming star in St. Louis politics, was included in a poll. The result showed that only 9 percent of those surveyed city-wide knew who he was. He was known by less than 30 percent in his own south side ward.

"That was a real day of political education for Dick Gephardt," he said Saturday. He discovered what he probably should have known. "People are not like us politicians sitting around thinking 24 hours" a day about politics," he By Robert Edwards Tha Newt-Leader U.S. Sen. Thomas F.

Eagleton slapped a Greene County Jackson Day dinner audience with a harsh assessment of the state of the Democratic Party. However, in his final Jackson Day speech as senator Saturday night in Springfield, Eagletbn ended on an upbeat, idealistic note, reciting a litany of his beliefs about what the party should stand for. Eagleton, 56, is retiring from the Senate at the end of this year. He was honored at the annual Greene County political banquet for his 30 years of public service in Missouri, including the last 18 years as senator. "The Democratic Party has lost its way." Eagletori said in the prepared text of his speech.

a party we don't mean much to the people at large, especially young people." "'Happy Days are Here Again' may turn on the geriatric crowd, but it doesn't do a damn thing for an 18-year-old, who will, by the way, be voting for the next 60 or 70 years," he said. "So we've got to go back to being a party rather than a clearinghouse for our own variety of special interests." Lamenting the effect of the "Me Generation" on politics, Eagleton criticized the party's practice in recent years of forcing candidates to adhere 100 percent to the wishes of four key interest groups labor, blacks, the National Organization for. Women and Hispanics. "Each constituency demands absolute perfection, total adherence to each part and subpart of its ever- Please 6ee DEMOSPago 7B ri. 3 1 are thinking about Richard Gephardt everything else but politics." Gephardt told that story at anew? conference during the Jackson Day Democratic rally.

He was responding to reporters' questions about his possible bid for president in 1988. He said he would not decide in 1986 to seek the Democratic nomination for president He prefers to focus on helping Democrats get elected to office this year, he said. He also has to win re-election to his 3rd District House seat, where he has opposition. Still, he said he will continue exploring the presidential race, even though he figures his name recognition nationwide may be only 2 percent. Others, including Gary Hart and Jimmy Carter, started in about the same position, he Please see GEPHARDTPage 2B i I i Staff photo Jerry Henkel cratic Party Chairman Bill Lloyd, Sherrill Lloyd, ttfrn Woods and Lt.

Gov. Harriett Woods. Eagleton. who is retiring from the Senate, assessed the state of the party. Sen.

Thomas Eagleton addresses the annual Jackson Day audience Saturday night at University Plaza. Also at the head table were (left to right) Greene County Demo ufialo fire chief fears job controversy not entirely doused By Lorraine Kee Montre New-Leador BUFFALO Buffalo Fire Chief Roy Barclay was on duty Thursday but had time for a caller. No, you're not interrupting anything, Barclay said. He said he wasn't too busy these days. And he doesn't particularly care whether his boss, the Buffalo Board of Aldermen, objects.

"They can't firt me," he said, laughing. Barclay at the eye of two months of turmoil in Buffalo apparently already is out of a job as of May 1. His departure will be an anniversary of a sort Seven years ago next month he was elected the town's fire chief. The Buffalo Board of Aldermen essentially gave him his walking papers last month when they recommended be move within city limits. Barclay, who lives eight miles north of Buffa lo, has refused to comply with their order.

Moreover, when the board threatened to fire Barclay because he refused to move, 10 of the department's 11 volunteer firefighters resigned in protest. Now, Barclay and a makeshift crew of "volunteers must battle anyfires that break out. On Thursday, he leaned back In his desk chair and casually puffed at a cigarette. His leisurely demeanor belied the smoldering controversy. However, his worried blue eyes were a giveaway: the controversy may not be over yet.

Barclay is considering legal action against the city after consulting two attorneys. And he's praying that no fires break out in this Dallas County community of 2,000 residents. So far, no fire calls have come in. "1 hope I don't have to go out on any calls," he said. "I'm scared someone is going to lose their lives over were," the mayor said.

"Politics weren't relevant in our discussion." The debate on the matter continues to surface now and then in Buffalo. Some rumors circulated that the firefighters might set a fire to prove a point, Barclay said. That's nonsense, he added. Daryl Patterson, a spokesman for the departed firefighters, wrote a letter last week to a local newspaper on the issue. He still comes around the fire department.

"1 like to visit with him," Patterson said of Barclay. "And besides, it's a public building. They can't keep us out." "Some of them still come around," Barclay said. "Seven years of friendship are awful hard to drive by and not stop." But it will be Barclay who will respond to fires now. And he could arrive there alone.

The city has provided a list of the trip in half the time, he said. Barclay isn't sure the board has the interest of Buffalo residents at heart. For example, it made no effort to prevent the volunteers from resigning en masse, lie said. The recent dispute with city hall has made Barclay cynical, but he said he's not bitter. "I'm just disappointed in the coun cil for not providing adequate fire protection for the city's people," Barclay said.

"It seems like they're trying to tear it down," he said. Politics played a part in his departure, Barclay claimed. He and the firefighters opposed the election of a local resident to an elected office, he said. Now, he added, that individual is on the board. The member could not be reached for comment.

However, Johnson denied the charge. "I don't know what their politics about 14 volunteers and also asked for help from area departments. But the help is too far away and only one or two of the volunteers has fire training, Barclay said. In the case of a fire, there's no guarantee any will show up unless he figures out how to contact them, he said. "There's more to fighting a fire than squirting water on it," he said.

Barclay dreads the sound of the fire alarms a continuous shrill ring of the telephone and clanging of fire-house bell. Fortunately it has sounded only once in a little over a week. And then, his services weren't required. The embattled Barclay said he'a been lucky. "It's been surprising," he said.

"But it seems like these things come in bunches. You go along and nothing, and then all of a sudden there's something." it." The board and Barclay do share one concern providing adequate fire protection for the city of Buffalo. That concern, for example, led the board to enforce a 1984 city residency ordinance. "That's the primary reason," Mayor Howard Johnson said. The board wanted Barclay to arrive at fire scenes as quickly as possible, Johnson said, adding that they be-lieved the chief could do that better if he lived in town.

The board had no qualms about his job performance, he said. But Barclay doesn't believe his residence has affected his ability to serve. The trip from his home near Louis-burg takes about 12 minutes when he drives his daughter to school in Buffalo, Barclay said, When he's rushing to a fire with his blue lights and siren blaring he can make i i run mum in )mi mH 1 i tm Wi. Brutal killing leaves Aurorans in disbelief Widow was 5th Ozarks woman slain in year Christian youths flock to Branson, Theme park sponsors fellowship weekend By Patricia Fennewald The Nawt-laadef AURORA Pauline Martz rarely burned house lights after dark. Most nights, the 79 year-old widow preferred to settle in front of he television, watching a baseball game or perhaps an old movie in the solitude of her dark Aurora home.

That's why Martz's neighbor, Betty Bricker, grew worried when she saw light streaming from Martz's kitchen window shortly before 8 p.m. the night of April 13, There could be no good reason, Bricker thought at the time, for that light to be on. Indeed, Bricker says now, her instincts appear to have been correct. Little more than 30 minutes after Bricker spotted that unfamiliar kitchen light, Martz's home was filled with flames. When the flames were extinguished, authorities recovered the body of Pauline Martz bound, gagged and left for dead, The death stunned both the community and authorities, A popular woman who was well-known In Aurora for wearing colorful hats and driving a classic Corvette, Martz was the last person many would have expected to meet with such a violent end.

friends say. "She had lots of friends," fsays Donald Seneker, Lawrence County coroner who led the 25 member major case squad investigating her death. The squad arrested Johnny Ixe Wilson, 20, on Friday. Wilson has. been charged with first-degree murder and will be arraigned Monday.

PleaseJ.ee MURDERSPage 2B Comirion sense can stop crime, expert advises By Patricia Fennewald Tha Newa-Laader Although crimes targeting senior citizens often have more serious consequences than other crimes, older people are actually less likely to ba victimized than younger people. However, that doesn't mean that older people especially those who live alone shouldn't take steps to ensure their protection from criminals, says Mike Bataon, crime prevention coordinator for the Springfield Police Department "The No, 1 thing to realize li the fact that you can also be a victim. It Isn't always the other person," Bat-, son says. "If you realize that you could be victim, then you're mora likely to take appropriate action to help prevent a crime being committed against you." Some of the best ways to avoid being a crime victim are simple ones, Bat ion says. Lock all doors and windows.

As obvious as it sounds, more than 20 percent of all burglaries occur in homes where residents have neglected to lo up. Please fioe TIPSPag 2B By Terry Lemon Tha Nw-lodf KRANSON Dretwd In T-shirts with sayings like "Stamp Out the Devil," thousands of Christian youths arrived Saturday in Silver Dollar City. It was part of the theme park's twelfth annual Young Chrintians' Weekend. About 16,000 people most of them children and teen-agers from churches In Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkansas attended the first of the event. The weekend is designed for fun and fellowship among teen-agprs from all denominations.

It will conclude today. "It's a weekend in the park dedicated to building kids' relationship with Christ All of them will go away real encouraged with Chriit," said Joe White, one of the organizers of the event. Saturday's events included Christian bands and talks focusing on such topics as sex and personal relationships. A centerpiece of the day's activities wre two youth rallies, which featured Christian musician Michael W.Smith. Today's activities will Include a 9 a m.

worship service at the park. 'Similar activities geared to families will be conducted next weekend at the park. attendance Is any Indication, the youth weekend 'is becoming Increas- Start photoDan iyer er, 11. and Shane Letterman, 11, They attend Walnut Lawn Church of God In Springfield and were participating in Young Christians' Weekend at the theme park. Four youngstors wait Saturday to have their photograph made In an old-fashioned photo shop at Silver Dollar City.

The four are (left to right) Jeff Hawk, 1 3, Steven Hawk, 1 1 Justin Till- 7 cyminqer children and smiles from the adult. It rerehfed a pood review from 8 year -old James tldred of Springfield. "It win real crapy," James said. "I'm glad I came to thr." White said the variety of Christian event makes the weekend at Silver Dollar City unique among theme piirk. Some other park exploit the angle to make money, ha said.

son area for David Tate, who fled to the woods after killing Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper Jirnmie Line-gar, Canady aid. There wro few lingering worries left over this year as people stopped by the Valley Theatre, where the Calvary Baptist Chun Teen Choir from Joplin prewnted religious puppet howt. Trut Muppet like characters EroM giggles Of delight from the ingly popular. The event attracted several hundred youngstprs during its early years in the mld-70s, White t'lid. "It's grown like crazy," he said.

Saturday1! attendance surpawd last year's total of 15,700 people for the entire wekend, said Ray Canady, vice president for marketing at Silver Latt year's smaller number was at-ffibaid to the manhunt In the Bran i.