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Page 10 — Griffin Daily News Thursday, January 16,1975 Justice Dept, ponders probe of ‘slush fund’ CHARLOTTE (UPI) - The U.S. Justice Department will determine if a probe will be conducted into an alleged “political slush fund” at South ern Bell Telephone Co., U.S. Attorney Keith Snyder said Wednesday. John J. Ryan, former vice HOME FURNISHING SALE ESdjffl BUNKHOUSE! A B fil I _ I* 1 - \ luoiow / Here’s real bunk-bed econo- ▼_-*»« ®j a a X Ji X Ajs my! Good-looking, well built Q /Isftft ft V v cIS bunks at a budget-pleasing / '' ' price. Crafted of selected JF hardwoods and veneers with i X A S w fjrZ' © warm buckwheat color h£ G y jrWy —-- ——jt finish. $69 Jx Jfffn . cMJUIs y c. Kids will welcome these Bunk your kids in this handsome cannon ball style set ... bunks. Mom will like the quality constructed of selected hardwoods and veneers with clean styling and sensible mellow buckwheat stained finish. Ladder and guardrail, price tag. 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Gracious 42” table extends for ■ K company . . . mate's chairs have shaped seats and handy finger grips. ■ Jr Tkun W a Yr " r Ly \ BS\ | / / ><A w / I V H * i \\ y 1/ WE CARRY OUR OWN FURNITURE ACCOUNTS ./ufniturQjro. president and general manager of the firm’s North Carolina operations, told the Charlotte Observer in a copyrighted story Wednesday that prior to his dismissal in 1973, he adminis tered a slush fund designed to funnel contributions to political candidates. Mecklenburg County District Attorney Peter Gilchrist said Wednesday he has no plans to investigate the alleged fund. “Until more comes to my attention I don’t plan to investigate,” said Gilchrist, noting that such political contributions would be mis- 124 N. Hill St. Phone 227-3525 demeanors and are not subject to prosecution in North Caroli na after a two-year period. Snyder, contacted at his Asheville office, said he was not certain what if any federal statutes had been violated. But he said payment of illegal contributions by corporations generally are subject to a five year statute of limitations. He said he had directed his staff to forward copies of the story to his superiors in Washington and they would determine if any action is warranted. Ryan said he has retained legal counsel and anticipates filing a sl2 million civil suit against Southern Bell because of his dismissal. Ryan told the Observer he collected funds from various department heads and funneled them to various political candidates of both parties. Ryan said about SIO,OOO was paid into the fund annually and the money was obtained by Southern Bell employes being given hefty pay hikes with a portion of the additional money being kicked back into the fund. The Observer said existence of a political slush fund was confirmed Tuesday by retired Southern Bell assistant vice president John Cooper and anonymous sources within the company. B. Franklin Skinner, Ryan’s successor, had told the Observ er that because of the possible legal action against the firm he would make no comment on Ryan’s allegations. Judson Palmer, a public relations officials with Southern Bell, said Wednesday to his knowledge no such fund has ever existed within the com pany. “We do encourage our employes to participate on a personal basis in support of either the party or candidate of their choice,” said Palmer. “We do recognize that on their own they can get involved in political activity.” When Ryan left the firm in September 1973, it was an nounced that he would retire after 27 years service rather than accept a transfer to Atlanta. But Ryan told the Observer he was fired from his $64,000 a year job after Southern Bell officials from Atlanta conduct ed an investigation. He said his subordinates were interroraged and cross-ex amined, and the officials delved into his personal life without affording him an opportunity to be present for the questioning or to question their findings. ,“I think the time has come for a civil suit which will bring out the truth,” he told the Observer. “And for the sake of my family and for my sons, I have every expectation that insofar as possible, this wrong will be righted by a court of law.” Two face losing chairs WASHINGTON (UPI) - Two j veteran House members battled ( today to retain their powerful committee chairmanships in what many observers agreed , was a losing fight. , The 24-member Democratic , Steering and Policy Committee, , in an apparently unprecedented action, voted Wednesday to reject the nomination of Reps. Wayne Hays of Ohio as chairman of Administration Committee and Wright Patman of Texas for the Banking Committee. Only a vote in the caucus of all 291 House Democrats today to reject Rep. Frank Thompson of New Jersey as chairman of Administration and Henry PHONE 227-1331 For the most fashionable and elegant frames in this area - See Snell’s Opticians Snell’s Opticians YOUR EYEWEAR SAVING CENTER “Locally Owned and Operated” 208 S. 12th St Griffin, Ga. 227-1331 A ’ i I I w. a I nL- BL* Ilw Em s ’ : y F ?: " .. . | 1 ‘ ■ '' .'M I MM I Georgian Phil Campbell (c) dropped in at the food science building at the Georgia Experiment Station to see the latest developments in that field. Pictured with him were (1-r) Dr. A. L. Shewfelt, director of the department; Bill H " k B-x jfc r 1 ■r jai Zell at work ATLANTA—With a sea of senators before him, Lt. Gov. Zell Miller takes his place at the podium, marking his first appearance as President of the Georgia Senate since he was sworn into office. (UPI) Reuss of Wisconsin for Banking could keep the hopes of Hays and Patman alive. The vote of 13-11 to deny Hays the nomination for the committee he has headed for the past four years took Speaker Carl Albert, chairman of the steering committee, and the rest of the leadership by surprise. Patman, dean of the House with 46 years, 10 of them as Banking Committee chairman, went down 13-11 on the first ballot. Hays and Patman immediate ly launched telephone and letter writing campaigns to fellow Democrats urging rejection of Thompson and Reuss in the Secretary visits station caucus. Thompson sent out his own “dear colleague” letter stating he would accept the chairmanship and asking caucus support. LEWIS HORTON’S w A Capri AtfzW Restaurant North Expressway at LaPrade Road SERVES THE BEST SEAFOODS - STEAKS - CHICKEN - CHOPS LUNCH AND DINNER I Open Dai,y CFBvrn I 6 AM -' lO PM - I Plan A Party Or Club Meeting At BUFFET STYLE I Capri - Reserve Our Dining Room Kent, at the Cherokee County ASC office, Roy Inman, Griffin City Manager; Mr. Campbell, Reid Childers, Spalding County Commissioner; and Dr. Guy Woodroof, Kiwanis Club president. Mr. Campbell came to Griffin yesterday to talk to the Kiwanis Club. georgia news Philadelphia man held SANDERSVILLE, Ga. (UPI) — Joseph Ulysses Lewis, 34, of Philadelphia, was arrested here Wednesday night on a warrant charging him with fleeing prosecution in the murder of five men. The FBI said Lewis was taken into custody at an undisclosed location by FBI agents and local, county and Calhoun County aid ATLANTA, Ga. (UPI) — Panama City and rural Calhoun County suffered more than $1 million of insured damage during the tornadoes and high winds that swept through west Florida into southwest Georgia Sunday, the Insurance Informa tion Institute reported today. The American Insurance As sociation’s property claim ser- Crash kills pilot ATLANTA (UPI) - A single engine private plane crashed Wednesday evening in a field just after taking off from suburban Peachtree-DeKalb airport, killing the pilot and injuring a passenger. DeKalb County police said Donald Roscoe McDaniels of Atlanta was killed and Ronald Garman of suburban Chamblee was seriously injured. Man shot to death COMMERCE, Ga. (UPI) - The owner of the Commerce Bus Depot was found shot to death in the depot Friday and police launched a two-county search for four male suspects. Joe Gillespie, 52, who also operated a record shop in the depot and was reportedly known to often carry large state officers. He was trans ferred to the Bibb County jail in Macon for a hearing before U. S. Magistrate John Hancock today. Lewis was charged with gunning down five men in a card game in north Phila delphia about two weeks ago. It was not known what Lewis was doing in this east-central Georgia town. vices vice president W. D. Swift put the preliminary insured loss at >1.5 million. That included damage to dwellings, mobile homes, commercial buildings and their contents and au tomobiles. The tornadoes and winds also hit Bainbridge, Camilla, Sylv ester and Pelham, Ga. The Federal Aviation Ad ministration said the Piper Tri- Pacer took off about 5:15 p.m. and then went down suddenly. There was no report from the pilot before the crash, an FAA spokesman said. DeKalb County police said the plane burst into flames on impact and a fire fighting unit was sent to the scene. amounts of money, was shot once in the head, authorities said. His wallet, a large wallet which he strapped to his belt, was found with the strap cut and emptied of money. State and local authorities searched with bloodhounds in wooded areas of Madison and