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Spalding fair stays
As the Southeastern Fair died in
Atlanta after 60 years, the Spalding
County Fair which the Kiwanis Club
sponsors made plans for its 1976
production.
Ronnie Massey, president of the club,
said the organization was going ahead
Don’t count
them out yet
NORTHGLENN, Colo. (UPI) - A
Christinas project to provide toys for
children, food and clothing to four
needy families has suffered a $225
setback, but isn’t being counted out yet.
Earlier this week, a thief walked out
of a 24-hour restaurant with $225
collected for four needy families in the
area. The money was in a milk can near
the cashier stand.
“We’re very disappointed,” assistant
restaurant manager Plavir Massir said
Tuesday. “But we’re determined to see
this thing through.”
He said another milk can was
donated and chained to the wall to
prevent another theft.
Judy Crandall, who was on duty when
the theft occurred early Monday
morning, said restaurant workers
donated $75, a trucking firm gave
another $75 and customers chipped in
coins and bills.
She said the employes learned of the
four needy families, which have a total
of 17 children, through the principal of a
nearby school. The workers hoped to
provide warm clothing, food and at
least one toy each for the children.
Black market
WASHINGTON (UPI) - The U.S.
Children’s Bureau has begun a study of
blade market babies and other adoption
abuses in five dties.
“The selling of babies is barbaric and
the need to eliminate such activity is
urgent,” said adoption specialist
Ursula Gallagher in a report explaining
the study.
She dted press and congressional
reports that infants have been bought
and sold for fees up to $25,000 in recent
years. She recalled that Senate hear
ings in the 1950 s and 1960 s disclosed
abuses including placement of children
for high fees without concern for the
biological mother, qualifications of the
They overcame flying fear
ABOARD JET CLIPPER
NORTHERN EAGLE (UPI) — A
planeload of worried passengers made
a lazy loop over central Georgia
Tuesday, ending a seven-week course
designed to teach people to overcome
the fear of flying.
“I just grew up with some false
fears,” Betty Bradford, an Atlanta
housewife who never flew before, said
as she looked at white cloud tops 19,000
feet over Macon. “I had no idea it would
be so smooth.”
Only two of the 87, mostly middle
aged “students” in Capt. Truman
GRIFFIN
DAILY^NEWS
Griffin, Ga., 30223, Wednesday Afternoon, December 17, 1975
with plans for the fair.
He said there had been inklings that
the Atlanta fair might close but that
these did not have any effect on the
Griffin fair.
Proceeds from the fair here go to
support many of the community ser
vices programs, Massey pointed out.
In Atlanta, the Southeastern fell
victim to that city’s “sophistication.”
The 60-year-old fair apparently came
to an end Tuesday when the Atlanta
Chamber of Commerce decided to end
its long-standing operation of the fair
because of declining revenues and
attendance.
“I can understand their position,
although it’s disheartening and
depressing,” said fair General
Manager Buddy Weber. “I’ll be leaving
shortly, I would say. Dadgumit.
“We did the best we could. Evidently
Atlanta has too much of a sophisticated
audience.”
The chamber said it would turn over
operation of the Atlanta Fair and
Exposition Center to the city of Atlanta.
The diamber said at present there are
no plans to resume the fair, which
reached a yearly deficit of SIOO,OOO in
1974.
Ironically, the 1975 fair made about
$50,000, Weber said, but he said this was
“not big enough to carry us over into
next year.”
He said the change in the 1975 fair to
emphasize educational exhibits and cut
down on livestock, plus the involvement
of community groups, was beginning to
“give us stability in the community. We
didn’t live long enough to expand that.”
Jule Sugarman, Atlanta’s chief
‘Selling babies barbaric.....need to eliminate’
would-be parents or the safety and
welfare of the child.
“It appears that history is repeating
itself, probably in view of the
imbalance between ‘supply and
demand’ of babies," her report said.
The report, in the new issue of
Children Today, a publication of the
Department of Health, Education and
Welfare, said five cities were chosen for
the study because of large volumes of
adoptions: New York, Philadelphia,
Miami, Los Angeles and Des Moines,
lowa.
Miss Gallagher, who recently retired
from the Children’s Bureau, said the
study will look at “laws and practices
“Slim” Cummings’ flight-fear course
backed out of the flight, which began
and ended at Atlanta’s airport. Two
others flew petrified, gulping pint
bottles of champagne beer-style,
drinking from the bottle with one hand
and squeezing the arm rest with the
other.
“This has got to be the most
exhilarating moment of my life — it’s
beautiful, beautiful,” said Margaret
Cooper, who said she makes dozens of
flights each year “but never without
tranquilizers or a couple of drinks” for
the nerves.
“It’s like Alcoholics Anonymous —
administrative officer, said, “We
haven’t really thought about trying to
operate the fair on our own. Nobody has
actively recommended it.”
He said Hope Moore, Atlanta’s
commissioner of parks, libraries and
cultural affairs, felt “Atlanta isn’t
interested in a fair at this point.”
The fair board, whose sole
stockholder is the chamber, has
announced it intends to study possible
future uses of the Lakewood Park
facilities where the fair was held and
will present its findings to the city for
consideration.
“I honestly can’t say whether we’d
recommend the land be sold,” said
Norman White, chairman of the fair
board. “A lot of it is in the flood plain.”
The board said the more than 130
acres of land and several large exhibit
halls still will be available for
equipment shows and other events that
need large exhibit space.
“A person of taste Is one who,
when he acts ill-bred, knows it.”
that make it possible for black market
placements to flourish” with a view to
making changes to discourage them.
Her report also said:
— The estimated number of children
in need of adoption, whether legally
free or not, is about 100,000. Some
children who need adoption are not free
because of legal complications, but
should be, she explained in a telephone
interview.
— The Children’s Bureau, an HEW
agency, has awarded a series of grants
aimed at “termination of parental
rights in all instances where the
parents are clearly unable or unwilling
to care for” children, and focusing on a
you’re not free of your fears
forevermore,” she said. “You take it a
day at a time, or a trip at a time. We’ve
learned to let the courageous part of
ourselves overcome the fearful part.”
Cummings, a 29-year veteran flying
for Pan American Airways, holds a
psychology degree and has conducted
the Monday night fear-of-flying courses
in Miami and Houston. For the
“graduation” flight, Pan Am provided
a Boeing 707, three pilots and four
stewardesses chosen for their en
(Continued on page 23.)
Business booming at blind factory
Vol. 103 No. 298
Weather
COLDER
ESTIMATED HIGH TODAY 48, low
today 42, high yesterday 64, low
yesterday 50, total rainfall .68 of an
inch. High tomorrow near 40, low
tonight in 20s.
Pay hikes
in county
to be asked
Local legislation to be introduced at
the 1976 General Assembly session
would raise the salaries of five county
officials and the travel allowance of the
county commissioners.
A Spalding County grand jury
recommended raises averaging about
20 percent.
They would be as follows:
Tax commissioner from $13,200 to
$15,840.
Coroner from $1,728 to $2,073.
Sheriff from $15,000 to SIB,OOO.
Probate Court, formerly Ordinary,
from $11,400 to $13,680.
Clerk of Court from $12,000 to $14,400.
The travel allowance for the Spalding
Commissioners would be increased
from SSO per month to SIOO per month.
Their salaries would remain the
same. They are: chairman, $5,760; and
commissioners $5,040.
child’s right to have a permanent home.
One bureau project in Oregon has
resulted in the freeing of 150 children
for adoption in less than two years.
— Many so-called unaccompanied
Vietnamese children, brought to this
country by persons other than their pa
rents, may never be legally adoptable.
— Several court rulings intended to
assure the rights of unwed fathers
“have delayed adoptive placement for
many children, cost social agencies
thousands of dollars in the search for
disinterested unwed fathers, required
prolonged retention of children in foster
care and caused disappointment to
many prospective parents.”
■Lt 4 ■ - IHNHBi M
Eighty-five fearsome flyers boarded a flight to nowhere and got this cockpit
eye view during the final class of a course to help them overcome their fears
of flying. One of the students, Sharon Applebaum (1), a travel agent, gets a
look at the sights from 20,000 In the air. (UPI)
See picture essay on page 11
gjg
Bank settlement
is in the works
NOTE: The Parker interpleader
hearings are civil and not criminal in
nature. Their purpose is to establish
priority of claims made against the
estate of the deceased man. Testimony
involving various firms and individuals
other than Parker and his business
transactions with them has shown no
wrongdoing on their part. As president
of the bank, he dealt personally with
dozens of its customers.
By the GRIFFIN DAILY NEWS
Interpleader proceedings concerning
the estate of C. T. Parker abruptly
adjourned yesterday afternoon with an
announcement by Atty. Jim Owen that
a settlement was in the making.
He said several of the parties had
gotten together during lunch and felt a
settlement could be negotiated.
“It should be perfected within two or
three weeks,” he said. He then moved
that a reasonable time be allowed to
work the matter out.
Special Master Charles Gowen ad
journed the proceedings until Jan. 19,
“in the hope that by that time, the
settlement will be in shape to be put in
final form,” he said.
Gowen stated he was happy over the
possibility.
“It’s always great to resolve dif
ferences without adjudication,” he
commented.
The adjournment ended seven days of
testimony concerning complicated
transactions in which the late bank
president allegedly embezzled almost
$1.7-million in funds from Commercial
Bank & Trust Co.
Bank losses, including interest, were
set at more than $2-million.
Mr. Gowen was appointed special
master by a federal court to hear the
evidence and make recommendations
to that court on the order of claims
against Parker’s estate, their size and
validity.
Parties filing claims were
represented at the hearings by their
attorneys who will continue to work
toward the proposed settlement.
Parker’s salary was some $40,000 per
year. The value of his estate has been
estimated to be around $2.8-million.
Claims against it total almost twice
that.
The defendants and claims, include:
Commercial Bank & Trust Co. for its
losses of $2,091,305; U. S. government
for taxes, $1,516,000; Continental In
surance Co., $1,020,000 (Continental is
the bonding company which had in
sured the bank against any dishonest
acts of its employes, but has refused to
pay off).
Arthur Forrer and Louis Goldstein,
DAYS TO
CHRISTMAS
$192,920, who claimed Parker had
promised to assume notes involving two
tracts of land the two men had en
dorsed; the Rev. E. P. Pruett,
$62,329.94, plus interest, on a bank loan
executed by Parker in Pruett’s favor.
Mrs. Carolyn Parker, widow of the
bank president, $125,000 for a year’s
support; Carol Ann Parker, $25,000 as a
legacy in her father’s will.
Mrs. Carrie M. Carter, his mother-in
law, as life beneficiary of trust in the
will; Robert C. Parker and David
Matthew Parker, grandchildren (also
included are any unborn grandchildren
who might later have claims).
Mrs. T. R. Smith of Concord, who
filed suit against the estate for $300,000
in connection with the sale of Concord
Banking Co. stock to Parker from her
late husband’s estate; and the State of
Georgia for income taxes to be
determined.
Plaintiffs are the First National Bank
of Atlanta, as successor co-executor to
Commercial Bank & Trust Co. under
Parker’s will, and his son, Robert A.
Parker, as co-executor under the will.
Yesterday morning, before the possi
bility of settlement arose, testimony
continued by G. J. Bruner, an indepen
dent bank examiner. His firm was
employed by the bank to investigate the
alleged embezzlements, to determine
how the losses were incurred and to
arrive at the amount of the losses.
In cross examination, Atty. Claude
Christopher, who represents the Rev.
E. P. Pruett, questioned Bruner about a
loan of $130,000 to Pruett on July 1,1971.
The Rev. Pruett went to the bank,
after being asked by the “trusted bank
president”, C. T. Parker, and borrowed
$130,000 in an unsecured loan, Mr.
Christopher contended.
Pruett then loaned Parker the
$130,000, under the same terms, and
received Parker’s note, Christopher
said.
According to Bruner, Parker used the
money to purchase 6,500 shares of
Lamar State Bank stock.
Parker had organized the Lamar
bank and solicited stock subscriptions
to it, Bruner continued.
The note to Pruett on Commercial
Bank and Trust Co. was to run for five
years with $2,605 as monthly payments.
At the time of Parker’s death, June 4,
1974,34 payments had been made. All of
them were allegedly made by Parker
with irregular transactions, using the
bank’s money, except two payments,
Bruner stated.
FGS Enterprises, Inc., a corporation
owned by Arthur Forrer, Louis Gold
stein and Parker also was discussed
(Continued on page 23.)