Evening Herald from Shenandoah, Pennsylvania • Page 1

PENNA. STATE I FRAHY titWtiPAPCft SECTION fUiUM Tiii. EDUCATION ROOM 1601 HARMISBUKG, PA. 17 126 THE WEATHER Showers likely tonight, low in 50s. Thursday variable cloudiness, high in 60s.

Schuylkill County's Liveliest leading Daily 1875 1975 RINGTOWN BOULEVARD SHENANDOAH, PA. TELEPHONE 462 2777 9th and MARKET STR EETS, ASHLAND, PA. TELEPHONE 87S-1 184 34 WEST MARKET STREET, MAHANOY CITY, TELEPHONE 773-1011 ST. CLAIR POTTSVILLE AREA ciwri TOPY- 15r CALL TOLL FREE 429 1508 SINGLE COPY. I5C 100th Year As A Daily No.

243 WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1975 chool Board hikes salaries 1934 hex murder trial is approved progress ni A i By MOLLY ALTON The strike goes on. Negotiations held last night from 8 to midnight in the high school library brought no signs of a settlement between the Shenandoah Valley School Board and Education Association. SVEA President Michael Wardigo stated today that the teacher's association last night offered three different money proposals to the board, all of which were rejected. Wardigo added that no counter proposals were offered. The School Board is sticking to its previous offer of Sept.

26. Under this proposal, each teacher would receive a $1200 to $1400 raise over two years, depending on the cost of living factor. According to the School Board, approximately one- third of the teachers could receive between $13,850 and $14,450 during the second year of the contract. In addition, teachers would receive ten sick days and two personal days a year, improved Blue Cross-Blue Shield, a dental program, and life insurance. The teachers had rejected this proposal on the basis that the proposed salary schedule was unfair; that the dental plan included only employees while other school districts included teachers' families in their dental program; no income protection clause was included; and the final year increment amounted to only $300 while other school districts could receive up to $1200.

Wardigo reported that the teachers had offered to open school today, on the grounds Doings Suspect shot John Monaghan, 23, of 34 W. Centre Mahanoy City, was wounded by borough police at 1:40 a.m. today in an apparent attempt to rob the Troyanoski Electric Store at 306 W. Centre St. Police discovered Monaghan in the building when they investigated the ringing of a burglar alarm.

Leaping from the second story at the rear, Monaghan failed to heed a warning shot and was pursued on foot. A second shot hit him in the lower left leg and he was taken into custody on South A St. between Market and Pine. He was taken to Locust Mountain Hospital in the community ambulance and treated. Monaghan was cited for burglary, criminal mischief and resisting arrest, and lodged overnight in the local jail.

TV loot found A number of television sets taken by thieves Monday night from the Kaczmarczyk Radio-TV warehouse, 215 W. Centre Mahanoy City, were recovered Tuesday afternoon by Patrolman John Lewis who spotted them in a wooded area adjacent to the old Mahanoy City Gas Company works on W. Vine St. Entry to- the warehouse, located at the rear of the store, gained through a door. Salaries hiked A salary schedule adopted for administrators and supervisory personnel at Tuesday's meeting of the Mahanoy Area School Board follows: Senior high principal, $19,000, an increase of $730; intermediate principal, $18,150, increase of $650; elementary principal, $18,500, increase of $670; business supervisor, $16,000, increase of $500.

Salaries of the three principals includes summer school programs and four weeks vacation. Intermediate Principal James Rhoades commented his salary in comparison to others was the lowest in the county. Director James Thompson said salary bases were arrived at according to state averages. Anthony Pompei said he was concerned about the increases, but voted for them. Other salaries set were supervisor of transportation, supervisor of maintenance, $8,400, and assistant supervisor of maintenance, $8,000.

Talks at standstill on Heights sewers These old Herald photos show the house in Ringtown Valley were the famous hex murder took place on the night of March 17, 1934, when Mrs. Susan Mummey, 64, was shot to death. The house, located two miles norttr of Ringtown near the road to' Zion '-Grove, is owned today by John Hysock of Brownsville, who purchased the farm property last year. At top is the suspect, Albert Yashinsky, then 24, of Shenandoah, 'talking at the county prison with his girl friend, Selena Bernsteil of Robinsons Patch. Yashinsky allegedly confessed the slaying, stating Mrs.

Mummey had a hex on him. BY JOHN PAUL The North Schuylkill School Board last night voted 5-3 to increase salaries about $500 a year for the administrative staff. The new salaries include: Superintendent Dr. Robert Zelechoski Assistant Superintendent James Hoy Principals Stanley Rakowsky, Paul Wolfgang and Stephen Starkey Reading Supervisor Carl Pyzowski, and Secretary-Business Manager Jean Baglin $15,500. Board member Weller Hunsinger said he found the salary increases confusing and asked the issue be tabled for further study.

Director John Fields, chairman of the meet and discuss committee, said in comparison to other school districts in the county "it seems we pay an awful lot for administrative salaries." Board member Betty Kull questioned how the board could give the teachers a 14 percent increase and the service personnel a 9 percent hike while giving the administration a three percent increase. Fields responded that last year the administrators received almost double the increase given teachers. Superintendent Zelechoski said the district needs a master plan to deal with administrative salary increases to eliminate the bickering year after year. George Williams, Clarence Tilmont, Edward Derr, Thomas Malloy and Fields voted against a motion to table the matter, and the same directors then voted to approve the increases. Voting against the salary hikes were Margaret Boyle, Betty Kull and President Richard Nicholls.

Weller Hunsinger abstained. Pennsylvania Power and Light Company has informed the district that the new junior-senior high school was designed before there was such a thing as an energy crisis, and suggested extra insulation to conserve energy at the all-electric building. The building architect, G.S.G.S.&D. of Clarks Summit, says it would take thirty years to realize any savings from the suggestion. Fields figures the cost of the additional insulation to be about Dr.

Zelechoski said some areas of the building would be relatively easy to insulate and others would be difficult because of air ducts. The architect reportedly told the authority Monday the heat plant in the building won't be needed until the outside temperature drops below 40 because the heat given off by the "human dynamos" will be circulated. Among the suggestions by were to replace the mercury lights with high pressure sodium lights which give twice the amount of lumens per watt. also noted that all-electric schools such as North Schuylkill have found it economical to close the swimming pool during December, January and February because of the great expense of heating the water in the winter. New fighting in Lebanon BEIRUT, Lebanon (UPI) Fullscale fighting broke out in the suburbs of Beirut today between Christians and Moslems, dimming hopes for a settlement to the current round of civil warfare that is now in its fourth week.

Sniper bullets blazed in the streets and mortar shells pounded a Palestinian refugee camp, reportedly killing at least two persons during the night. Police sources said 21 persons were killed Tuesday, raising the toll in the latest round of fighting to about 530 dead and 1,200 wounded. Arab foreign minister held an emergency meeting in Cairo today to try to resolve the Lebanese fighting but their ef forts were dealt a blow when Libya announced it was joining Syria and the Palestine Liberation Organization in boycotting the meeting. Albert Yashinsky, 64, the Shenandoah man sent to a hospital for the criminally insane 41 years ago after the widely publicized "hex murder" in Ringtown Valley, has been adjudged sane enough to return to Schuylkill County Court for trial. He was acused of killing Mrs.

Susan Mummey, 64, at her home along a dirt road between Gerhart's Dairy and the Shenandoah Fish and Game Club, two miles north of Ringtown, on the night of Saturday, March 17, 1934. At a hearing in Schuylkill Court before Judge James Curran, Dr. Norwood Lowry of Wernersville Mental Hospital, where Yashinsky was transferred from Fairview Hospital two weeks ago, testified that the accused is competent to stand trial. However, Dr. Lowry said if the trial does not take place for several months he would like to continue examining Yashinsky, although he sees no reason to change his opinion.

The doctor testified that Yashinsky's memory is in tact except that he is evasive when asked about witchcraft, and Yashinsky still believes, as he did in 1934, that witches exist, but this is a very narrow facet of his life and he is normal otherwise. Yashinsky took the stand and denied he discussed witchcraft in his talks with Dr. Lowry. He said he does not believe in witches and hex signs anymore. Attorney William Kren-cewicz of Shenandoah said that in his discussion with Yashinsky to prepare a defense for him, the suspect appeared to be 99 and 44-100 per cent sane.

The case attracted newspaper attention all over the nation when Yashinsky was arrested and confessed four days after the 1934 murder. He told county detectives Louis Buono and Bryan Wentz in his confession that he fired a shot through a window of the home and struck Mrs. Mummey as she and a semi-invalid niece, Tavilla Mummey, 28, were bent over tending to an ailing foot of a Jacob Rice, 61. The suspect was traced through his car which a couple saw parked along the one-lane vinding road P' Mummey house. Mrs.

Mum-; mey had been a widow for 20 years, her husband Henry having been killed in a powder factory blast at Ferndale. Yashinsky, who was then 24 and lived at 215 East Lloyd street, said that Mrs. Mummey had put a hex on him nine years i before when his family lived near her and she blamed him for allowing her cows to escape from a field. The suspect stated that Mrs. Mummey had evil power over studies becomes quite serious when school funding is jeopardized by an action of this kind," he said.

Friedberg was instructed to review the suit which was filed Oct. 10 by Peter Gutsie and George Walker of Mahanoy City. Dr. Winkler reported that a letter from the Dept. of Environmental Resources stated the West End Stadium site for a new K-5, 9-12 school complex is safe, according to an evaluation made of recent deep core borings.

The DER report revealed borings did not encounter any mined areas or open voids. The site has been stabilized and any future subsidence in the area would be very slight, he said. A letter from C. M. O'Connell, DER deputy, stated the department has approved the site and the board may proceed with building plans.

Plans for the new school will be reviewed with the administration on Oct. 16, and the architect will review working plans with the teaching staff of K-12 on Oct. 17. The board will review work drawings with the architect on Oct. 20.

Supt. Winkler said he is awaiting final approval of development plans from the that negotiations would go nonstop until an agreement was reached. The School Board rejected this offer. The board also reiterated their refusal to allow binding arbitration, stating they wanted no part of it. Wardigo added that negotiators for SVEA returned to the session at midnight for the board's proposal.

The board answered that it had -none and walked out of the session. School Board President Joseph Whalen was unavailable for comment today. However, Supt. Henry Zale reported that the School Board intends to stand on its previous offer. No further negotiation sessions have been scheduled.

already purchased land in Crestmont and was refused a permit for that reason. Sewage Authority chairman Frank Tragus asked if the absence of a permit could stop any actual building, and what action could be taken should a party without a permit. Toole answered that penalties and fines exist, the township being allowed to stop any building constructed without a permit. Tragus urged that any written agreement state in clear language that the township would take over any roads and sewer systems, which would be first placed on the value of the land and then given to the township for maintenance. At present, sewage system in the Altamont area drains into Frackville and the borough is paid rental for the use of the system.

When the wastewater sewage project is completed, an interceptor will be run into this section with a line running down to Gilberton and on to Gordon where the treatment plant is to be built. At that time Altamont will no longer be responsible for rental to Frackville. A motion approved joining of the state Association of Municipal Authorities when the West Mahanoy Township Authority becomes an active authority. Frank Tragus urged this action, stating that valuable information is available from the Association, including insurance for any authority or governing body, such as the township supervisors. Solicitor Toole reported that action in Harrisburg with the PUC, taken by Heights property owners, is still pending.

rammed Masini ordered a departmental inquiry. "It was a simple accident," a Secret Service agent at the scene said. But at Hartford's Bradley International Airport, while four policemen shielded -the dented right side of the limousine from photographers, a Hartford police official rubbed his hands and faced his President. "Mr. President, I'm sorry.

I'm so sorry," he said. Ford put his right hand on the shoulder of the police official, whose chin had sank nearly to his chest. "Don't worry about it," Ford said, smiling, and. inquired, about the condition of those in the other car. At a Hartford police station, off icersquestioned and released James Salamites, 19, of Meri-den, driver of the other car.

They gave him a blood test to determine alcoholic content. By MOLLY DALTON Negotiations remain at a standstill between the West Mahanoy Township Sewage Authority and the Shenandoah Heights Sewer Company concerning acquisition of the Heights sewer system. Attorney Hugh Dougherty, counsel lor the Township Authority, advised the board by letter last night that no reply has been received from Attorney Charles Frank of the sewage company concerning the authority's offer of $20,000 to purchase the system. Attorney Dougherty stated that he wrote to Attorney Frank on July 23 and September 10 but had no response. Sewage Authority Solicitor Frank Toole Jr.

advised that county court upheld three of five objections issued by the sewer company, and he expressed gratification that judge James Curran, who took over the case following the death of Judge Walesky, has acted promptly. Attorney Toole added that the West Mahanoy Supervisors would file new condemnation proceedings today (Wednesday) as the party seeking to acquire the sewer system. Previously the sewage authority had filed the condemnation petition but Judge Curran ruled that the Authority could not legally pledge township tax money to acquire the sewers. However, under the township code, the supervisors can take the same action, which is what the West Mahanoy Supervisors have done. The solicitor also stated that should the condemnation be allowed the township will take oyer ownership of the system, paying the costs to the Heights Sewer Company and the him and every night a gigantic black cat with green eyes came to him, and he would feel hands on his shoulders and pins sticking in his side.

The evil eyes upset him so much, he said, that he forgot to recite the phrase he used to fight the hex: "God the father, God the Holy Ghost." Yashinsky saiJ lie went powwow practioners and was advised to say the word "Abracadabra" to fight the hex. He added that physicians told him to take cold baths for his nerves but "I knew you couldn't kill the devil with cold water." The suspect said he heard a voice from the sky say "shool that woman" and he decided to do it. Describing the night ol the slaying, he said "Susie was in cahoots with the devil. I was outside the house for a half hour fighting them" until he finally overcame the spell. After the fatal shot was fired, he fired another warning shot to discourage others in the house from pursuing him, and as he made his way to his car a mile distance he felt sore all over as if something were it was the hex departing.

Mrs. Mummey's body lay on the floor from 9 p.m. Saturday until after dawn Sunday as her niece and the boarder crouched in on the floor, afraid to move lest they also be shot. Yashinsky was examined after the slaying by Dr. Walter Bowers, superintendent of the Schuylkill County Hospital for Mental Diseases, who pronounced the suspect insane from the mental illness dementia praecox.

Greater Shenandoah Realty Company. Price of purchase will include only the value of the present piping in the ground. Responsibility for the system will begin on the date the resolution is filed, not when the Authority first began proceedings in 1973. The township will not be liable for any sewage treatment charges Concerning the Crestmont Development in Altamont, where 105 homes are scheduled for building, Solicitor Toole reported that he intended to meet with Atty. Wilbur Rubright, solicitor for the project, at which time Toole will secure a written agreement that each step taken by the developers of Crestmont must be approved by the township supervisors.

Walter Barlow urged that the agreement include a statement that the cost of any sewage system be added to the value of the land and anyone pur-chnsing the Isnd b'ng inrtp responsible for th system, so as to avoid a situation such as that existing in the Heights development. The solicitor assured Barlow that such steps would be taken. He added that the Heights situation was the result of laws being less stringent 50 years ago, allowing the land developer a free hand in building. Toole added that he expected full cooperation from the Crestmont developers. Leonard Tragus, secretary-treasurer for the township supervisors, reported that it is the supervisors intention to keep on top of the situation in Crestmont, avoiding anything similar to the Heights situation.

Tragus added that no building permits will be issued until a written agreement is reached. One party has limousine rear compartment with Ford and Beibel; not Hutch nor Ernest Luzania, his fellow agent in the right front seat. It was 39 days after one woman pointed a pistol at Ford in Sacramento and 22 days after a second woman fired and missed Ford with a second pistol in San Francisco in incidents that excited national concern over presidential security. And the Hartford Police Department admitted it had done wrong. No policeman had been guarding the intersection of Market and Talcott Streets.

Police Chief Hugo Masini said, "Apparently the driver had a green light and apparently nobody was blocking the intersection" to clear the way for the presidential motorcade taking Ford from a GOP fund-raising speech to the airport. tax challenge Ford limousine is Professor Holveck and his wonderful world of magic and circus revue will appear at Shenandoah Valley High School Auditorium on December 17 under auspices of the Rotary Club for the benefit of the Bicentennial Association. Rotarian Sam Schutawie, chairman of the promotion, said this is the same Professor Holveck known to nationwide television with his large cast of talented performers and many special effects such as sawing a woman in half. Board A suit against the Mahanoy Area School District contesting the validity of a $17.50 occupational tax was reviewed at Tuesday's meeting of the Board of Education. The suit claims the tax, enacted May 5, 1975, is unconstitutional and asks the court to keep the district from collecting the tax from retired persons, housewives and others not gainfully employed.

Also defendants are the six tax collectors in the district. Solicitor Calvin Friedberg said a decision by the county court may take several months, and the validity of the tax has been upheld in some courts while others have rejected it. "It's anyones guess as to what the court will decide in our case," said Friedberg. President Thomas Hricisak said the board has no right to exonerate anyone from taxes. He noted a bill is pending in the state legislature to exonerate persons not gainfully employed.

"If it becomes a law, we have no other course 6f action but to exonerate." Supt. Charles Winkler remarked: that the education program is predicated upon a tax plan for 1975-76 "It Dept. of Education. Approved was the hiring of Merlyn Jenkins, a registered surveyor, to make a 17'4 acre topographic survey west of the stadium at a cost of $985: A bill was received from Buchart Associates, architects for $77,800.50 for preliminary fees which constitute 25 per cent of six per cent of the estimated cost of the building which is $5486,700. Buchart agreed to accept payment in three installments: $25,933.33 in October, $25,933.33 in November, and $25,933.84 in January, 1976.

The Spruce Street School building was ordered advertised for sale. An offer had been made to Mahanoy City Borough to purchase the 100-year-old two-story brick structure, but no reply was received. Senior High Principal Richard Boyle reported four new courses added to the curriculum: World Culture, U.S. History, Advanced Chemistry and First Aid. He noted that some vo-tech students are taking typing, languages and business courses.

William Jones was reelected community recreation director at a salary of $1,100, and Paul Wertman was appointed assistant cross country coach at $300. Accepted was the resignation of Josephine Ryan, business education teacher, who has elected early retirement, Sept. .19, 1975. Fred Klock, president of the Educators thanked the board for its generous consideration to Miss Ryan. Maternity leave was granted to Mrs.

Annette Meade, elementary teacher, effective Nov. 26. The Teen Canteen budget total of $1,147 was okayed on recommendation of William Jones and Supt. Winkler. Supt.

Winkler was authorized to apply for $1,344.77 in TiUe IV federal funding when it becomes available, to purchase library book and related materials. Jean Laudeman was hired as library aide at $4,000. Applications for bus drivers will be received at the superintendent's office. Three more drivers are needed. Men or women applicants are welcome.

HARTFORD, Conn. (UPI) At the intersection which the police neglected to guard. President Ford spied the yellow automobile coming on collision course, braced himself and said, "Be careful!" Secret Service Agent Andrew Hutch, at the wheel of the $500,000 bulletproof limousine, swerved the steering wheel left but the 1967 yellow Buick crashed into the right front fender of Ford's car. "I landed on top of the President," said Frederick K. Beibel, Connecticut State Republican chairman and Ford's host.

Ford said he suffered no harm: "I feel great." Beibel injured his left hand. No one else suffered physical injury, not the six teen-agers four male and two female police found in the yellow car; not Rep. Stewart B. McKinney, the third man in the.