Wisconsin State Journal from Madison, Wisconsin • 25

3C Wisconsin State Journal Wednesday, May 5, 1993 WISCONSIN State editor: David Stoeffler, 252-6117 ACROSS THE STATE Co-workers aided stalked wife for weeks 'I could not understand why this man was not locked up and treated. I know that others out there were afraid of him. He has been off the deep end for two years at Sue Cornell rJ TCKX Church marks century The Gesu Church on the Marquette University campus is a Milwaukee landmark. The church, shown in this 1949 photograph, is marking its centennial this month. The school's founder, the Rev.

Stanislaus Lalumiere, designed the church in the Gothic style. Associated Press By Robert Imrie Associated Press For weeks, co-workers at a mental hospital tried to protect quiet, hard-working nursing assistant Teresa Bender from her estranged husband, who had been charged with physically and verbally abusing her. "Teresa knew that he had problems and yet she still married him," former colleague Sue Cornell said Tuesday. "He has been off the deep end for two years at least." Hours after expiration of a court order keeping Virgil Bender, 34, away from his 28-year-old wife, he fatally shot her and two of her protectors including Cornell's son in a shotgun ambush at an Oshkosh apartment. He then apparently killed himself.

"I could not understand why this man was not locked up and treated. I know that others out there were afraid of him," said Cornell, whose 27-year-old son, Robert, was killed, along with Glen Lohry, 40. Neighbors reported hearing gunshots at about 5 a.m. Monday at Teresa Bender's apartment in Oshkosh. Investigators were uncertain whether Cornell and Lohry arrived there after being summoned or had spent the night to protect the woman, said Oshkosh Police Sgt.

Scott Kronenwetter. The two men and the woman were each shot twice, Kronenwetter said. "Where two bodies were found indicates they were trying to get out." Teresa Bender, Cornell and Lohry worked at the mental hospi tal as nursing assistants, helping 250 patients with a variety of daily chores, said director Stanley York. Tom Werner, director of Winnebago County's family court counseling, said that short of going "underground" to avoid her husband, Teresa Bender did all the right Helbach resigns as minority leader By Patricia Simms Wisconsin State Journal Senate Minority Leader David Helbach Tuesday resigned his leadership position, voicing his desire to work on issues, not procedure. But Helbach, D-Stevens Point, denied reports he was leaving the Senate for a position in the private sector.

"I'm staying in this job," he said. "I've been offered a bunch of things, and I've turned them down. "My No. 1 priority is the people of central Wisconsin and their needs. "I've spent the last 2Va years dealing with process and administration and campaigns," Helbach said.

"I want to get back into issues and taking care of my district, which is my forte." Helbach said likely candidates to replace him are state Sens. Chuck Chvala and Fred Risser, both of Madison. Also mentioned as likely prospects are state Sens. Rod Moen of Whitehall and Brian Burke of Milwaukee. The Democratic caucus will probably select a new leader next week, Helbach said.

Helbach had been complaining privately he was unable to make appointments to Senate committees and the budget-writing Joint Finance Committee. Those appointments were approved by a committee of senior Democrats in the Senate, and Helbach reportedly felt that had weakened his leadership position. Particularly offensive to Helbach was the reappointment by the Democrats' Committee on Committees of Sen. Gary George, Milwaukee, to Joint Finance. That appointment bumped Sen.

Robert Jauch, Poplar, who has been a strong supporter of Helbach's. Helbach has been rumored as a likely candidate to oppose Republican governor Tommy Thompson's reelection bid in 1994. This move would give Helbach more time to pursue a campaign. Helbach, however, said he wanted to be concerned "less with process and more with issues like education and campaign reform." 24 beat filing deadline for 3 Assembly seats What's Racket BROOKS Ex-postmaster gets probation in theft A former Brooks postmaster convicted of postal theft has been placed on five years of probation and ordered to repay $1,954. Penny L.

Reichoff, 30, of Brooks was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb in Madison. Reichoff had pleaded guilty to taking proceeds from money order and stamp sales between May 30 and Aug. 13, 1992. She had been postmaster since 1990 at Brooks in Adams County.

Reichoff's lawyer, Margaret Danielson, asked that restitution be reduced because Reichoff has three children, receives Aid to Families With Dependent Children and works part time as a home nursing aide for $5.50 per hour. LADYSMITH 17 of 23 wrestlers drop search charges Seventeen of 23 criminal charges against a Ladysmith police officer who allegedly strip-searched high school wrestlers were dropped Tuesday. Special prosecutor Jeffrey Koh-ler said 17 of the 23 wrestlers involved asked that their names be withdrawn from the case. Officer Fred Hennekens, 46, made his initial appearance Tuesday in Rusk County Circuit Court on the six remaining counts of violation of the state's strip search statute. The remaining six wrestlers and their parents will be contacted to see if they wish to continue with the criminal charges, Kohler said.

Hennekens was called to the high school Jan. 29 after a citizen told school officials $40 had been taken from his wallet in the locker room. Wrestlers were suspected because they had access to the locker room and pool area. Team members told investigators they were ordered to lift their shirts and pull down their pants and underwear. The missing money was not found.

MADISON Ceci to retire from high court Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Louis Ceci, named to the high court in 1982 by then-Gov. Lee S. Dreyfus, announced Tuesday he is retiring later this year. Stephanie Smith, press secretary to Gov. Tommy Thompson, said Ceci planned to step down from the seven-member court at the start of its 1993-94 term Sept.

4. Ceci, 65, rural Brookfield, won a full 10-year term in 1984. The retirement will give Thompson the opportunity to name a second member of the Supreme Court. He appointed former Circuit Judge Jon Wilcox to the court in 1992. MILWAUKEE 2nd man convicted in killing of 4 teens A Chicago man on Tuesday became the second defendant convicted in the execution-style killings of four teen-agers at a Milwaukee drug house.

Emmett Ezra White, 22, showed no emotion as the jury returned guilty verdicts after five hours of deliberation on four counts of being party to first-degree intentional homicide and another of being party to attempted murder. Elliott L. House, 19, Milwaukee, was convicted on the same charges last month and is awaiting sentencing. Circuit Judge Janine Geske said she would sentence White Friday. Still awaiting trial are two other defendants, Joseph Young, 19, and Eddie Shumaker, 17, both of the Chicago area.

Witnesses testified White wielded an AK-47 assault rifle in the Dec. 19 shooting that killed Frank Cook, 17; Patricia Simmons, 13; Ayshia Lewis, 13; and Kizzy Renee Holt, 14; and wounded James Ware, 19. Parks boss arrested on sex act charge A Milwaukee County official who allegedly offered to pay an undercover police officer $15 to perform a sex act has been arrested and had his Corvette seized, court documents said. An affidavit signed by the officer said William G. Tietjen, who was named acting parks director last month, was arrested Thursday night in a near West Side neighborhood after he stopped his 1979 Corvette and solicited the officer to perform a sex act for money.

Tietjen declined to comment on the arrest. nil win MrvfcM things and still a tragedy occurred. Virgil Bender worked at the hospital for four years before he was fired in January 1992 in a "medical termination," York said. He said confidentiality laws prevented him from disclosing details. Bender, a large man with experi ence as a boxer, met his wife while working at the hospital and mar ried her six months ago, the second marriage for both, York said.

Teresa Bender filed for divorce Friday after being separated from him for several weeks, according to court records. Virgil Bender was charged with battery after a fight at the couple's home April 13 and had been ar rested Thursday for disorderly con duct for shouting profanities at his wife, said Joe Paulus, Winnebago County district attorney. A friend posted $150 to free Bender from jail on the second charge and he was ordered to have no contact with his wife for 72 hours, "the typical cooling-off peri od," the prosecutor said. "The cops did their part and ar rested him when they had to and we prosecuted him for the battery," Paulus said. "But you never know when someone is going to go off the deep end and commit a crime like this." Fred Poquette and Wayne Laufen-berg, all of Eau Claire.

Democrats filing for the seat were Louis Hebert Jr. of Chippewa Falls, David Plombon of Stanley and Charles Barlow of Eau Claire. Seeking the nomination for 14th Assembly District vacated by Rosenzweig were five GOP candidates, all of Wauwatosa: Michael Steinha-fel, Susan Fisher, Scott Walker, Mary Jo Pague, and Barbara Kraetsch. Chris Ament, Wauwatosa, was the only Democrat filing in the 14th District. Two Libertarians entered the race: Steven Deibert, Milwaukee, and Larry Boger, Wauwatosa.

In the 79th District, four Democrats entered the race for the seat vacated by Wineke: Jerome Landmark of Mount Horeb, Glenn Reynolds of Verona, Peter Melone of McFarland, and Jeanie Sieling of Fitchburg. Republicans filing for the 79th District were Greg LaFond of Mid-dleton, Linda Mclsaac of Oregon and Richard Skindrud of Mount Horeb. Philip E. Mielke, Fitchburg, a Libertarian, rounded out the list. mother filed a court action to voluntarily terminate the couple's parental rights.

The mother wanted the child adopted, but the father objected and the action was canceled. The mother, though, waited about five weeks, and filed an action to involuntarily terminate the father's parental rights. She testified the child was conceived by sexual assault, and her doctor agreed. The father wasn't told about the proceeding under a state law that says fathers aren't entitled to be notified if a doctor says a child was conceived by sexual assault. Judge Koehn, without testimony from the father, ruled the father hadn't tried to care for the child and terminated his parental rights.

Koehn then refused to let the father testify and challenge the decision after the father learned about the secret action. But the appeals court said the father can challenge the termination if he shows he tried to parent the child and the mother can't prove by clear and convincing evidence she was raped. SMASHING CANCER American Cancer Society's Associated Press Twenty-four candidates filed with the state Election Board before Tuesday's deadline for special elections June 29 to fill three Wisconsin Assembly seats. If all the candidates have the necessary 200 valid signatures, pri maries will be June 1 in each of the districts for the elections called by Gov. Tommy Thompson.

The vacancies were created by the April 6 elections of three for mer state representatives to the state Senate: Republicans David Zien of Eau Claire and Peggy Rose-nzweig of Wauwatosa, and Democrat Joe Wineke of Verona. The election of Zien and Rose-nzweig to the Senate gave the GOP a 17-16 advantage in that house. With three vacancies, Assembly Democrats hold a 51-45 advantage in the 99-seat chamber. Five Republicans filed in each of the Assembly Districts vacated by Zien and Rosenzweig. In Zein's old 68th Assembly District, candidates filing for the GOP nomination were Maynard Hopkins of Chippewa Falls, Paul Pettis of Cadott, and Howard Ludwingson, Dinner, Dance May 7, 1993 Cherokee Country Club 6:00 pm $40.00 Donation per person All The About? Auction Northwest Airlines PCServices Physicians Plus ProVideo Robb Gregg Sever Graphic Design St.

Peter's Church Straus Printing Co. Techline Furniture Tiziani Golf Car Corporation University of Wisconsin Athletic Department Valley Bank Virchow Krause and Co. Walgenmeyers Carpet and Tile Westgate Mall Merchants Wisconsin Cheeseman Wisconsin Physicians Service Insurance Corporation WMGN, Magic 98 WMTV, Channel 15 Court: Father has right to prove his side of story Limited Reservations available through Thursday, Nay 6th at 4:30 pm. For more Information call 833-4555. Sharing the commitment Qrateful tfianks is extended to those who have supported the 1993 American Cancer Society Dinner, Dance, Auction and Raffle with goods and services: Guenoc Hooper Construction Huelster Advertising Hyperion Inglenook Interiors by Wendie J.

P. Lee Communications Ken's Meats Deli Kennedy-Hahn MacNeil Purnell Madison Fireplace Madison Lighting Madison Magazine Madison Metro Security Service, Inc. Madison Newspapers Marshall Erdman Associates Mautz Paint Co. Midland Builders Midwest Express Mike Hammond Mortenson, Matzelle Meldrum, Inc. Accurate Business Service Amanda the Panda Big Mountain Enterprizes Bouchaine Brunsell Lumber and Millwork Capitol Paint Wallpaper Carol Bluhm Associates Cherokee Country Club Colombia Coyle Carpets CUNA and Affiliates D.L.

Witter Printing Danford Jewelers Dean Foundation Delaneys Econo Print East Estancia Events Plus Frank Liquor Co. Gary's Art Frame General Beverage Sales Co. By Cary Segall Wisconsin State Journal A Kewaunee County father was illegally stripped of his parental rights after his former girlfriend claimed their daughter was conceived by rape, the 3rd District Court of Appeals decided Tuesday. The court said fathers who have attempted to care for a child should be allowed to challenge claims a child was conceived by sexual assault. In overruling Kewaunee County Circuit Judge John Koehn, the court said a Luxemburg father was entitled to prove he had tried to be a parent to his daughter and hadn't forced his longtime girlfriend to have sex.

The father was 19 and the mother 16 in the fall of 1991 when they conceived a child born in July 1992. The couple had dated for more than three years and had sex numerous times, according to court records. The father said he offered to share custody and support the child, but 12 day-after the girl's birth the AMERICAN CANCER Wisconsin State Journal The Capital Times 3WVt I I.