The La Crosse Tribune from La Crosse, Wisconsin • Page 1

Where To Find It ................4 Financial i ..................5 Classified Ads Comics, Horoscope Editorials Ann Landers Obituaries Crosse Cribune "We strive to find the truth and fearlessly print FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1977 Weather Mostly clear tonight, low 40, winds becoming southeast at five to 15 miles an hour. Saturday, increasing cloudiness, continued mild, high 66 Details on Page 2. Ex-mayor is suspect in embezzlement By DONALD W. AFFOLTER Of the Tribune Staff Former La Crosse Mayor W. Peter Gilbertson will face charges in the alleged embezzling of $50,000 from his former employer, Torrance Casting Fabricating.

Inc. Dist. Atty. Michael Mulroy said a complaint formally charging Gilbertson was being prepared today, but that neither Gilbertson nor his lawyer, Philip G. Arneson, had been apprised of the charge.

Mulroy declined to disclose the charge until then. An alleged irregularity in the books at Torrance, 3131 Commerce was discovered during a routine audit of the books started in August, according to La Crosse Tribune sources. The FBI had been called to investigate the case, but notified Mulroy about the alleged zlement and withdrew from the case since no problems with bank funds were found, the sources said. Mulroy notified La Crosse detectives Oct. 18, the detectives conducted their investigation and turned over their report to Mulroy Wednesday Mulroy and Arneson have been conferring during the week Arneson was expected to talk to Mulroy again today but was out of the city.

Gilbertson served two terms as mayor from 1971-1975 before he was defeated by the present mayor. Patrick Zielke After his defeat. Gilbertson had a financial interest in the Kings and Queens tavern, 211 Pearl and operated the Golden Garter bar at 123 3rd St In January 1976, Torrance Casting hired Gilbertson as its accountant. Gilbertson had known William W. Peter Gilbertson A Torrance, vice president-secretary of the company, when both were in the La Crosse Jaycees.

and had appointed Torrance to the Board of Park Commissioners while mayor. Before his election as mayor. Gilbertson had not held public office. A relative unknown in 1971, he defeated then-Mayor Warren Loveland and resigned as an accountant with the La Crosse accounting firm of Hawkins, Ash and Baptie Co. Gilbertson easily won re-election in 1973 by a 3-to-l margin As mayor.

Gilbertson often clashed with the 21-member La Crosse Common Council, and later said the Council was the cause of many of his problems as mayor. He had backed an administrative mayoral assistant, an urban affairs committee, and more people-oriented city committees. Last year Gilbertson ran for state Senate as a Republican, but lost in the primary to County Supervisor Douglas Farmer, who lost to then State Rep Paul Offner in the general election. Dick Riniker of the Tribune Rubble means progress, not trouble Dust flies as the crane brings down the 86-year- old former St. Francis Hospital Chapel at 11th and Market Streets.

But not what It might seem the chapel was moved last spring to make way for a $14-million St. Francis expansion and will be housed in a new structure to be built west of the present main entrance, off 10th Street. The old artifacts have been preserved. Heavy Moving Co. has the demolition pact.

BLACK RIVER FALLS, Wis Douglas district attorney is going to be prosecuted for stopping speeders on Interstate Highway 94 in Jackson County Jackson County Dist Atty Thomas Lister said in a written statement today that he will charge the Douglas official, Raymond Payne, for making traffic stops outside of his county But Lister said he will not charge Payne with misconduct in office pr in connection with a weapon 357 magnum that was found in his possession Payne was arrested at about 5 Saturday after the Wisconsin State Patrol received a complaint from a motorist that he had been stopped by an unmarked car near Black River Falls Payne admitted stopping the car and said he warned the driver of the dangers of speeding He identified himself to the state patrol as both the district attorney and a Douglas County deputy sheriff Troopers who arrested him found the 357 mag- Charges MELROSE, Wis Complaints against a Melrose marshal facing a termination hearing were made public Thursday And Eric Stutz, Black River Falls, lawyer for the Village of Melrose, said a public hearing on the charges will be at 7:30 p.m. next Thursday in the village hall The hearing will have a bearing on the career of Beryle Hale, 36, Melrose marshal for 7Mi years Until this week, Hale had been saying heard rumors, but no specific complaints, that some residents are unhappy with his work Gilbert Lubcke, a Black River Falls lawyer representing Hale, said he received a list of four allegations from Stutz Wednesday, and that he and Hale had gone over the list. Three of the four involve specific incidents, while the fourth is based on complaints made by the Jackson County Law Enforcement Committee, Lubcke said. The first reason involves an incident during the 1977 Labor Day weekend in which a driver lost control of his car, which struck a home in Melrose The owner was out of town at the time, and Hale allegedly called the owner's brother to notify him of the damage The owner returned home and contacted Hale. The owner alleges that Hale used and abusive language" and indicated his insurance claim for the damage to the home was large" and that he (Hale) would take legal action to block the claim, if necessary The second complaint alleges Hale stopped a vehicle with no license plates and a faulty muffler The driver claimed to have purchased the car from a car salesman representing a Melrose against marshal are told dealer Hale allegedly advised him the muffler was illegal, and issued a warning ticket The driver said Hale used and profane language" and told the driver the salesman had sold him illegal car" and he (Hale) would do whatever necessary to the place down." The third complaint was based on general objections lodged with the Jackson County Law Enforcement Committee One alleges Hale drove in an erratic manner and at excessive speeds during the forest fires in Jackson County in the spring of 1977 The other contends Hale used an abusive manner while issuing traffic tickets not specified in the allegation.

The fourth reason given by the village involves another Labor Day incident this year Hale is alleged to have halted a driver for failing to stop at a stop sign. According to the allegation, the driver admitted his error and apologized, but Hale "became abusive and unnecessarily The driver also alleges that a disinterested person who witnessed the incident and came over to talk to Hale became the object of Hale's alleged abuse Lubcke did not identify the drivers or others involved in the incidents. And he said he and Hale were reserving further statements on the charges until the hearing list given to us by Mr Stutz is only to help us prepare our side of the story," he said The situation came to light earlier this month when Hale was notified by the Melrose Village Board to appear at a hearing to consider the termination of his employment At that time he said he thought he was being criticized on them too hard He said the for doing his job too well people" were com- He said residents my plaining about how he does his attitude is bad and I come down job num The first report of the National Crime Information Center about the 357 magnum was that it was stolen from the New York City Police Department But Lister said the New York department has been in responding to inquiries about the weapon The depart- Clinics plan to By JOHN ELLENBECKER Of the Tribune Staff To utilize" their services, two La Crosse medical clinics announced today that they plan to merge. In the merger, Skemp-Grandview Clinic, 815 S. 10th and La Crosse Clinic, 212 S.

11th will become the Skemp-Grandview-La Crosse Clinic The merger become final until an intent to merge is approved by the Internal Revenue Service, said Dr. Donald Comin, president of Skemp-Grandview That will take three to six months, Comin estimated. The reason for the merger is to give utilization of personnel, medical services and facilities." He said Skemp-Grandview, La Crosse, and the three Skemp- Grandview satellite clinics will continue to be operated as separate entities, but under one board and administration Comin said the merger has been considered for four years with the idea to retain the personal-type service of a small clinic and at the same time keep the availability of specialists for the best primary and secondary care, and the efficiency of a central administration. Comin said this also would eliminate administrative duplication. Dr Walter Vallejo, president of La Crosse Clinic, stressed that the merger will Dr.

Donald Comin have no significant effect on patients seeing their regular physicians at either clinic. "The patient who has been seeing a certain doctor for 20 years will keep on seeing the same doctor We aim to keep the personal kind of relationship that small clinics enjoy with their patients," he said Comin said there are no plans at present for a physical merger of the two clinic buildings in La Crosse Vallejo said a board of directors and officers will be elected to govern the new corporation, but that no staff reductions are planned Julius Wetsch, administrator of Skemp-Grandview Clinic, will be administrator of the new corporation LeRoy Gagermeier, manager of the La Crosse Clinic. Dr Walter J. Vallejo will become associate administrator Sue Fyda. present assistant administrator of Skemp-Grandview.

will retain the title in the new organization The merger proposal follows three which have taken place within the last 10 years. Skemp and Grandview clinics started as separate one-man operations, one 54 years ago and the other 28 years ago. La Crosse Clinic started as a two-man operation about 30 years ago The Skemp Clinic was started by the late Dr Archie Skemp in 1923 at 409 Main St Dr George Skemp joined his brother, Archie, in 1927, and in 1929 the clinic was moved to 312 State St. Following death. Dr Fred Skemp Sr.

came to the clin- acts in his capacity as a lawyer, he would be in violation of a law that says no deputy shall appear or practice as an attorney in any court. short. Mr Payne should forfeit his deputy credentials if he wishes to continue in his capacity as district attorney," Lister said. Payne said he made his decision not to prosecute Payne for misconduct in office because the Wisconsin Supreme Court has ruled that the potential have fair notice that the conduct he was contemplating was illegal and improper I receive any indication that Mr Payne knew that he was acting in excess of his authority, I will reconsider my charging Lister said Payne, who was released by Monroe County authorities Saturday at order, said of reaction to the incident: think it is an overreaction. If anybody had done it in my county, I probably would have pinned a medal on them.

had quite a few fatals up here Payne said he carries the gun because he has been threatened by persons he has prosecuted in Superior Economic slump seen as easing WASHINGTON The Commerce Department said today its index that gives clues about the future rose in September for the third straight month, a further sign the economy is coming out of its summer slowdown The increase in the index of leading indicators last month was three-tenths of 1 per cent. However, revised figures showed the August index rising 1 4 per cent, one of the largest monthly jumps in the past two years. The nation's economic growth had slowed in the third quarter after a strong performance in the first half of the year, but the new figures indicated some improvement ahead the fall. President Carter is waiting to see how the economy looks before deciding whether to cut taxes next year to stimulate the economy and create new jobs The department revised its August index from a rise of eight-tenths of 1 per cent to 14 per cent because of new figures showing big increases in net business formation This indicator includes businesses' phone installations and other signs of their willingness to expand. The August increase was the biggest since a 2 per cent increase in March and a series of 2 and 3 per cent increases in mid- 1975 at the end of the recession With a one-tenth increase in July, the total three-month increase is 18 per cent.

In the second quarter of the year, the index was unchanged Although the over-all September index rose, the increases were confined to four of the 10 indicators available They were changes in the money supply, orders for plants and equipment, changes in sensitive prices and liquid assets Causing a drag on the index were poor performances in the average work week, layoff rate, stock prices, new orders, delivery performance and building permits The September index stood at 132 4. meaning it is 32.4 per cent ahead of where it was in 1967 At the start of this year the index was 126.5 Julius Wetsch ic from Fountain City to join his brother, George Eventually Archie's sons, John, Sam and Chasles. and Archie's nephew. Joseph, joined he clinic. Others were recruited until it had grown to an eight-doctor group at the time of the merger with Grandview Clinic in 1969 Dr John Satory started the Grandview Clinic in 1949, with offices in the former Grandview Hospital Dr Paul Anderson joined Satory the same year, and was followed by Drs.

Robert Gilbert and Mark At the time of that merger, the Grandview Clinic also had eight doctors Skemp Clinic constructed a building at 10th and Winnebago Continued on next page ment indicated that the may not have been stolen," Lister said Lister said he has been told by the Douglas County undersheriff that Payne bought the weapon from a Douglas sheriff deputy for $200 transaction took place before a number of witnesses who state there was no indication whatsoever to Mr. Payne that the weapon may have been stolen." Lister said. understand that the matter of the gun has been referred to federal authorities for further investigation Payne had the authority to carry the weapon as a deputy, Lister said, and has violated no law with regard to the gun But Lister said he would prosecute Payne because a deputy sheriff for the purposes of traffic enforcement may act only within the limits of his own county Mr use of an emergency red light to stop motorists in Jackson County was illegal." Lister said, adding later, believe that Mr Payne used extremely poor judgment in making the traffic stop That charge carries a fine of from $25 to $200 for the first offense, Lister said, adding he would ask the state patrol to cite Payne Lister said he also would warn Payne that if he continues to merge What's Inside Changes welcome Proposed juvenile justice code is outlined and backed, with caution. Page 6. Energy plan may burn out Senate group wants to scuttle proposal by returning it to committee.

Page 7 A voice falls silent "Gentlemen, start your engines" be said by Motor Speedway figure who dies at 76 Page 9.