Ledger-Enquirer from Columbus, Georgia • 3

Columbus inquirer GEORGIA TODAY Annual Birthday Gift Confirmed by Talmadge ATLANTA (AP) Sen Herman friends have raised money for an in vit atioii only birth day parly for him for the past 32 years and have given the Georgia Democrat the cash left over afterlaying for food liquor and enter the office has confirmed Rogers Wade ad ministrative assistant in Washington called the annual par ty to celebrate the Aug 9 birthday a strictly thing been doing that since longer Ilian most of us have been around" Wade said awfully hard buying him a present What to you give to 'the person who has everything?" Word of the annual party which last year cost about $10000 and was attended by about 400 persons came amid reports that the Senate Select Committee on Ethics would review published i eports last weekend quoting Talmadge as say ing he accepts small amounts of money to cover out of pocket ex penses Sen Adlai Stevenson Ill chairman of the ethics committee said Tuesday no formal complaint against 'Talmadge had been filed and added that the acceptance of cash gifts does not necessarily violate Senate rules 1 However he said "The code prohibits the acceptance of gifts aggregating in excess of $100 from a person who has a direcl interest in legislation If funds were receiv ed for the purpose of defraying of ficial expenses the new rule against unofficial office accounts would be violated effective April 2 1977" jmIH Sen Herman Taimatlge Talmadge was quoted last weekend in an interview with The Washington Star as saying "Wherever I go (in Georgia) peo ple entertain me lodge me give me small amounts of money My out of pocket expenses come from donations friends give me $5 a $10 bill sometimes $15 of' $20 They come up and say they know I have a lol of expenses back in Washington and they want to help me" On Wednesday Talmadge issued a statement from his office in Washington saying he sent a letter to Stevenson on Wednesday re questing a review of the reports of the small cash gifts you no doubt are aware re cent press reports question the long standing practice of some ol mv friends in Georgia making to me small personal cash gifts valv ing approimalely from $5 to Htr letter said The let (er further said these gifts over many years rarely it ever have aggregated more than $25 in any week My use of these unsolicited gestures of friendship and affection has been solelv to help defray my day to day inciden tal Talmadge said he would have no lurther comment pending the Senate committee review Meanwhile John Maloot an Atlanta lawyer who said he coor dinates the annual birthday party lor 'Talmadge said planning for this year's party which is to be held Aug 29 in Atlanta to celebiat" the 64th birthday was not yet complete However Wade said tickets are slated to cost $25 for men and $15 for their companions The event is a money making proposition" he said The hotel us $1250 for food and service and then enter tainment really very little money left We usually give him that as a birthday present after the evening by invitation added Maloof just friends who want to give him a birthday party" office and Maloof declined to say exactly how much cash the senator receives as a birth day gift Wadi said the party is arranged strictly by supporters have nothing to do with it" he said a lawyer say no impropriety to it But un der the Watergate syndrome it probably is not good politics It can be made to sound like anything you want it to" Electric lagpole I zi WHb WMV' qbI Hgq hKi B' rOBLJJQiI LukommnhHI BBBBBMB HHBBBBH A Mr a' 6 A MMM wply vwWMHBBIBMIBHMi Staff Photos by Whit Perry inancial Statement Readied By Christopher Bonner Enquirer Washington Bureau WASHING TON In the wake of a disclosure that Sen Herman Talmadge routinely accepts cash gifts of $5 and from friends a spokesman said Wednesday that tlie Georgia millionaire will release a detailed financial statement by the end of I he week This statement spokesman Dan Murphy said will show heavy liabilities It is not intended to ex plain why Talmadge accepted the gifts he said The Senate Ethics Committee said it will look into these gifts the week of June I to see whether Senate rules were breached Talmadge wrote the committee Wednesday requesting consideration" of his case People have given tfie senator small amounts of cash over the vears as an expression of affection or friendship Muiphy said not because Talmadge needed the money The public financial disclosure statement Talmadge submitted last week under Senate rules showed assets ol between $1875020 and $1080000 The only liability listed was a loan on his Washington apartment reported as between $50000 mid $100000 Troup School Bids to Open By Eleanor Orr Enquirer Correspondent LAGRANGE Ga Bids for construction of a modern addition to Troup Area Technical Vocational jSchool will opened June 15 Harold Wynn direc tor has announced The facility will add about 30000 square feet almost doubling the space of the school Total cost is estimated at $1297000 including construction equipment architectural fees and contingencies The money is being provided by the State Depart ment of Education Expansion will enable the school to increase enroll ment from 300 to 450 students as well as add courses in cosmetology auto body repair marine technology small engine repair ray technology and electro mechanical technology The school now offers couises in 12 areas of study The addition will contain a student center and snack bar book store administrative office con ference room media center and faculty work room A multi purpose lab is being designed to accom modate a variety of training programs for new and existing industries in the area A savings and loan company in LaGrange is the proud possessor of one of a space age miracle an electronic flagpole Whenever Old Glory is in danger of getting wet the flag attendant (Below) simply pushes a but ton in her office and the flag is automatically lowered and tucked into a storage compartment inside the pole pl ii 11 Jkl 4 Jimmy Timmons Timmons Seeks Re Election By Amelia Barksdale Enquirer Correspondent BLAKELY Ga Jimmy Hodge 'Tim mons 11th District senator announced Wednesday he will seek a third term in the Georgia Senate Timmons is a member of the Agriculture Education and Natural Resources committees and served as chairman of the vocational technical education subcommittee Employed by the Calhoun County Board of Education as administrative assistant to the superintendent Timmons represents Georgians in Seminole Slewart Miller Early Clay Quitman Randolph Webster Calhoun and Chat tahoochee counties He is a graduate of Damascus High School Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College the University of Georgia and Auburn University He taught vocational agriculture at Bainbridge High School for four years and has served as principal of Damascus Elementary and Arlington Elementary Schools Timmons has served as president ot the Arlington Lions Club president of the Second District Elementary Association and president of the Calhoun County' unit Georgia Association of Educators He is also a past president of the Abraham Baldwin Alumni Associa tion at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tilton A member of the irst Baptist Church of Blakely Timmons is married to the former Mary Jane Hutchins of Blakely had many controversial issues during the recent Timmons saiil 1 have tried my best to con tinue my fight to provide relief for the ad valorem taxpayer quality education and fiscal responsibility in state government If re elected I will continue to represent and serve as vour voice on matters of concern that directly effect the well be ing of the people of the 11th Senatorial District" Meriwether County Jury Orders Death Sentence for Davis By John Dagley Enquirer Staff Writer i GREENVILLE Ga A jury sentenced reddie Davis 20 to death Wednesday for murder after hearing damaging testimony against him from a previously convicted co defendant Eddie Spraggtns who was sentenced to death in Meriwether County Superior Court Monday testified Wednesday that Davis was his accomplice when he killed Mrs Trances Coe 56 on Jan 30 1977 I burn gonna burn with declared Spraggins who testified Monday that he had nothing to do with the Manchester death but said Wednesday he killed her because told me to" Both Davis and Spraggins 31 were convicted of killing and raping Mrs Coe in trials last year They were sentenced to death then by juries but the Georgia Supreme Court ordered new sentencing trials because it said Judge Joseph Jackson im properly instructed jurors on sentencing Judge Jackson sentenced Davis Wednesday to die in the electric chair June 14 between the hours of 10 am and 2 pm The jury of seven men and five women deliberated for one hour and 25 minutes before deciding in fvor of the death penalty Earlier in the dav jurors had heard a great deal of evidence presented the original trial Spraggins' testimony however came as a surprise District Attorney Bill Lee had announced before lunch that thT prosecution would rest its case After lunch Lee asked Io allow another state witness to be heard Defense attorney Ted Schumacher of Columbus objected to Spraggins testifying after Lee had an nounced the prosecution would rest its case Judge Jackson overruled the object! Spraggins testified he and Davis had been drinking and taking drugs on the night of Jan 30 1977 and that Davis who lived across the street from Mrs Coe suggested they rob her Spraggins said the purported robbery attempt fail ed because Davis could not find any money in the house and that Davis told him "one of us has got to kill this woman because she knows both of us Testifying that he want to kill her Spraggms said he relented and did anyway at Davis' insistence "He's the one that said kill her" testifiedSpraggins Spraggins did not explain how he and Davis overlooked a purse with $865 in it lying on Mrs kitchen counter Nor could he explain how Mrs Coe was stabbed and slashed 19 times and disemboweled didn't stab her but three he insisted she got the rest of it 1 Spi aggins' resentment toward Davis was apparent when he called him an who and "crumbled up like a soda cracker and told them (of ficers) everything they wanted to Balkcom Seeks ull Term BLAKELY Ga Ralph Balkcom representative of the 140th House District Wednesday announced his can didacy for election to the Georgia House Balkcom has served in the House since December 1977 when Rep Mobley Howell of Blakely resigned to accept an appointment io the Georgia Pardon and Parole Board by Gov George Busbee Balkcom has farmed in Early County more than 30 years He is'president of the Blakely Rotary Club and has been elected president of the Georgia Soil and Water District Supervisors beginning in July A former president of the Blakely Early County Chqmber of Commerce he is serving on the irst State Bank ot Blakely Bond of Directors Balkcom is in the farming business with his sons Ronnie and Wayne raising peanuts cotton corn and cattle He is a member of Colomukee Baptist Church where he has served as a deacon for 20 years and is teaching the Young Adults Sunday School Class He is married to the former Evelvn Medlin of Milledgeville and they have two suns and a grandson In the House Balkcom serves on the Agriculture Journals and Bank and Banking committees Amelia Barksdale Ralph Balkcom 23 Likely to Die on Highways ATLANTA (AP) Twentv trree persons will die on Georgia roads and 413 will be injured during the 78 hour Memorial Day weekend a Georgia State Patrol spokesman said Wednesday Bill Wilson said a total of 1121 traffic accidents are expected to occur in the state between 6 pm ri day and midnight Monday Much heavier traffic is forecast for the period Wilson said because is the holiday that traditionally launches the vacation season" This death and injury prediction compares with last 22 fatalities 371 injuries and 1061 accidents also during a 78 hour Memorial Day weekend Wilson said state patrolman will be on the road and making a special plea to operators of citizen band radios to report dangerous drivers" he said Wilson said heaviest enforcement will be during the first and last hours of the holiday period since the time when there is the greatest chance of accidents occurring" In addition to ground forces he said the patrol will use helicopters and fixed wing aircraft to spot traffic violators and the traditional help of the Civil Air Patrol for surveillance purposes Wilson said state troopers will cooperate in a special operation at the lorida Tennessee and South Carolina borders in an effort to keep motorists from speeding It will be called Operation CARE for combined accident reduction effort we'll be teaming with adjoining states for heavy concentration".