Newspaper Page Text
Macon man, 37, faces
murder, kidnap charges
COLUMBUS, Ga. (UPI) - A
37-year-old Macon man was to
face a hearing today on murder
and kidnap charges in an
alleged crime spree that
resulted in the deaths of two
men and the kidnaping of a
Columbus woman.
Ronald Spivey spent Wednes
day night in the Muscogee
County jail following his return
to Georgia from Roanoke, Ala.,
where he was captured early
Tuesday.
A 2 p.m. hearing was
scheduled on murder and
Ford ponders amnesty decision
VAIL, Colo. (UPI) - Presi
dent Ford pondered today
decisions on an amnesty for
Vietnam draft evaders and
deserters, lifting federal control
on gasoline prices and raising
the pay of congressmen, federal
judges and government ex
ecutives.
Ford faced those and other
decisions on the 12th day of a
two-week skiing vacation. The
President told reporters at the
foot of Vail’s 10-acre skiing
mountain Wednesday, when
asked if the amnesty decision
would come within a week or
so, “I think that’s a fair time
span.”
Ford said he did not believe
he would have reconsidered the
amnesty program if Mrs. Janie
Hart, whose husband, Sen.
Philip Hart, died on the day
Committee investigating
alleged kickbacks
ATLANTA (UPI) - State
Rep. Billy McKinney, D-
Atlanta, said Wednesday that
Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid
Transit Authority may have
only a fraction the sl7 million
in minority-owned business
contracts it claims to have.
Postal Service
asked to explain
its slowness
ST. LOUIS (UPI) - Sen.
Thomas Eagleton wants a step
by-step explanation from U.S.
Postal Service head Benjamin
Bailar as to why it took 11 days
for a letter the senator mailed
to travel from Kansas City to
Washington.
Eagleton said Wednesday he
mailed the letter the night of
Dec. 17 addressed to the Army
Corps of Engineers office in
Washington and the letter was
received the morning of Dec.
28.
“With all due regard for the
special problems your service
has during the Christmas
holidays, I believe 11 days for
delivery of a first-class letter is
excessive and evidence of a
serious breakdown in the
system,” the Missouri Demo
crat said.
“Because this situation is
typical of the problems my
constituents complain of, I
would like to have the service’s
explanation — step-by-step —of
what happened to my letter
that it took 11 days to arrive at
its destination,” Eagleton said.
Eagleton requested the expla
nation in a hand-delivered
letter to Bailar.
Andre j
Franzia The 1 Russian Brut
H. Marchant World ( German Sekt
Tay l or Famous! Clicquot
Mumm’s Don | Paul Masson
Great C. Brothers
Western
Champagne \.
/ For The 1
l Holidays
\ At I
\ /
8 W<m Skoffc
\ West Solomon St. at N.
I Next To Parkwood J
kidnap charges with other
charges expected later.
When Spivey was captured,
police freed Mary Jane David
son, whom he allegedly abduct
ed from a Columbus bar and
held hostage. The 34-year-old
woman was unharmed.
Spivey waived extadition and
was returned to Macon late
Tuesday night before his
transfer here Wednesday.
The suspect allegedly shot
and killed Charles Cook, 32, of
Macon in the lobby of a Macon
hotel over a gambling dispute
after Christmas, had not asked
him to.
“She made a specific request
as the widow of a dear friend of
mine and at her request I
thought it would be appropriate
to do so,” Ford said.
He said his decision on
whether to grant the amnesty
would follow his judgment of its
effect on military morale,
public opinion and “equity” to
21,000 Americans who cleared
their Vietam records by per
forming “alternative service”
under his 1974 clemency pro
gram.
He said it was a good
program. “I regret that many,
many more did not par
ticipate,” he said.
Asked about lifting gasoline
controls, Ford said, “it is
highly likely.” Aides have
At the hearing of a joint
legislative committee investi
gating alleged kickbacks at
MARTA, McKinney said black
legislators policing “joint ven
tures “estimate only $1 million
(of the sl7 million) went to
black-owned businesses.
“The way it works is, a
million-dollar contract goes to
white firm X; SIOO,OOO of it is
shown as being subcontracted
to black contractor Y — but Y
is not really a contractor,” said
McKinney.
“He’s just on paper — Y
takes about $5,000 for lending
his name, and the other $95,000
never gets into the black
community.”
Sen. Julian Bond, D-Atlanta,
said the federal General Ac
counting Office is investigating
widespread use of “dummy
corporations” in many federal
projects.
“A contractor sets up a
dummy corporation, headed by
a black figurehead, then pays
off the black figurehead,” said
Bond. “It seems to be a
widespread phenomenon.”
The allegations of kickbacks
against MARTA were first
made by Rep. Hosea Williams,
D-Atlanta, who did not attend
the hearing. He has refused to
identify who is involved in the
alleged kickback scheme.
The MARTA Overview Com
mittee began its investigation
by asking the authority to
provide a list of its contractors.
Rep. Hugh Jordan, D-Stone
Mountain, and Rep. John Greer
of Atlanta, who succeeds
Jordan next month as MARTOC
chairman, said the list will
allow them to determine if
black contractors are really
“fronts” for white businesses.
Monday night. A bystander was
wounded in the incident.
Spivey then allegedly robbed
a nearby bar and drove to
Columbus, where police said he
shot and killed off duty police
officer Billy Watson, 41, at
another bar.
Police said two other patrons
of the bar were wounded before
Spivey forced Miss Davidson,
an employe of the establish
ment, to accompany him to
Alabama, where he was cap
tured after a high-speed chase
five hours later.
recommended he abolish feder
al controls before he leaves
office.
A White House spokesman
said removal of the controls
would not effect gas pump
prices immediately, since the
fuel is currently being sold at
less than the permitted limit.
Asked about the pay raises,
recommended by a presidential
advisory commission earlier
this month, the President did
not indicate to reporters wheth
er he would grant them.
He left open the possibility he
would let Jimmy Carter make
the decision on taking office
next month.
Ford later told reporters that
earlier Wednesday he approved
a return of American financial
contributions to UNESCO, the
U.N. economic, social and
Greer said U.S. Attorney
John Stokes has assigned some
assistant district attorneys to
investigate for any misuse of
federal transportation funds by
MARTA contractors.
The committee adjourned to
give both sides time to gather
specific evidence.
Police chiefs
sentence
suspended
SPOKANE, Wash. (UPI) -
The former police chief of Deer
Park in eastern Washington
won’t spend time in jail after
all.
William Hopper had been
sentenced to 30 days in jail as a
condition of one years probation
after he admitted stealing a
chainsaw while on duty.
But in an appearance in
Spokane County Superior Court,
Hopper’s request for a suspend
ed sentence was granted after
Judge Willard Roe was told
Hopper had secured a job in
the lumber industry and would
lose it if forced to go to jail.
Hopper was to begin his
sentence next week.
■■■
news
Hotel management
ATLANTA (UPI) — A Cleveland, Ohio firm,
specializing in problem hotels, has signed a one-year
contract to manage the 27-story luxury hotel at Colony
Square, it was announced Wednesday.
Stanley E. Cox and Associates will assume
management of the 500-room hotel when the Fairmont Co.
of San Francisco leaves the building on Jan. 8, Joseph
Cushman, president of the financially troubled Colony
Square Development Co., said.
Fairmont, which has lost money on the hotel this year,
announced recently it was pulling out of Colony Square,
partly because of publicity surrounding the develop
ment’s bankruptcy.
Eastern mechanics
ATLANTA (UPI) — Claiming they are virtually out
numbered by non-mechanics in the International
Association of Machinists, a group of Easten Airlines
mechanics has filed suit in U. S. District Court here.
The suit asked that the National Mediation Board be
ordered to intervene in the union dispute. The NMB has so
far declined to enter controversy.
The plaintiffs, 12 mechanics who claim they represent
the majority of mechanics working at Eastern’s 33
stations across the nation, said in the suit that mechanics
are outvoted by other employes at all but the Miami
headquarters.
, fP ■ •VT
1 % w ■ w
k J¥ i J. v 1
v J '*■' ■ * I x
Ronald Keith Spivey (r) was taken from Macon to
Columbus by police officers yesterday. Spivey is accused
of killing one person in a Macon shooting and killing a
Columbus police officer. (UPI)
cultural body. The United
States had withheld funds due
to the group’s action against
Israeli participation.
Ford’s decision sent some $97
million to UNESCO, $42 million
in funds withheld earlier and
the rest for future spending.
The United States is the
major contributor to UNESCO
and the withholding, while
UNESCO-Israeli relations were
repaired, dented the organiza
tion’s activity.
Wednesday morning Ford
performed on the slopes for
press cameras. On a similar
“press day” a year ago, the
President — an accomplished
skier — took a tumble on the
snow.
Afterward he exhausted three
skiing members of the press
who tried to keep up with him
on the mountain trails.
Some dollars
worth more
WASHINGTON (UPI) -
Check that bill you’re about to
spend. It may be worth more
than you think — maybe $49
more.
The Treasury Department is
cracking down on a rash of
errors in the printing of dollars
which have led to misprints
prized by collectors.
Kenneth DeHart, deputy di
rector of the Bureau of
Engraving and Printing, said
Wednesday faulty dollars have
been found in various places
around the country.
“We are tightening up on our
quality control,” DeHart said.
In the past, the accuracy of
the printing presses has been
examined by controllers on a
spot check basis, he said.
Additional inspectors will be
hired.
He said human error as well
as mechanical mistakes were
responsible for allowing the
misprints to reach the public.
In some cases, the serial
number, treasury seal and
district seal was printed on the
wrong side of the bill. In other
cases, they were printed upside
down.
“We can only assume there
are a few more out there,"
DeHart said.
Collectors estimate the mis
prints have pushed value of the
bills to between SSO and S6O.
To dance
night away
MINNEAPOLIS (UPI) -
Square dancer Tillie Guelsow
who is over 70 and her
husband, Ray, of Sauk Centre
will be among 52 Minnesota
couples who plan to dance the
night away at President-elect
Jimmy Carter’s inauguration.
Harry and Ann Landwehr, St.
Cloud, are organizing the trip
for the Square Dancers Federa
tion of Minnesota, Inc.
Landwehr said Mrs. Guelsow
is the oldest member to go on
the trip.
“My wife and I wrote a letter
Nov. 11 congratulating Carter
on his election and said it
would be nice if square dancing
were included in inaugural
activities,” Landwehr said.
Landwehr said he got a letter
of thanks from Carter, saying
Mrs. Carter and the president
elect “enjoyed square dancing
for many years,” and informed
him the letter would be sent on
to the inaugural staff.
AFTER-
/ m - |*|| AS
13th MONTH SALE SME
SI Group - Sizes 36 to 52 MM A—
— s Cfl 9s
A SUITS *“ JO
Denims ■ Double knits and wovens ■ Regular to 95.00
V MEN'S — S OQ 9S
gnu „ njj
3 Piece Styles With Vest - Other 2 Pant Styles
1 Group
i ' Men s Sleeveless
20 SUITS - PANTS SWEATERS
h SHIRTS - JACKETS LEISURE
__ SHIRTS
50 % 20* Mp 9B
JACKETS- *ll
CIIIEATEDO Mens Co,or * d .A
LEWS JEANS 2slC
DINGO BOOTS PRESS p/uRS S? I?
me 20*"’ LEWS JEANS »u2O«
■ ■.—■■■ Sizes 28 to 38
Use Your Collins Charge Account or Bank Cards
Page 7
Teenage girl swims
Strait of Magellan
PUNTA ARENAS, Chile
(UPI) — California teen-ager
Lynne Cox has become the first
person to swim across the
treacherous Strait of Magellan,
the windswept icy passage
connecting two oceans at the
southern tip of South America.
Miss Cox, 19, a student at the
University of California at
Santa Barbara and a veteran
distance swimmer, took one
hour, one minute and 29
seconds to cross the 2.6 mile
strait Wednesday from the
island of Tierra del Fuego to
the South American mainland.
She emerged from the 44-
degree water “completely
healthy and wearing a smile of
happiness,” one witness said.
Miss Cox, of Los Alamitos,
Calif., arrived Dec. 23 in this
southern Chile city, only 700
miles north of Antarctica,
accompanied by her trainer,
John Sonnichsen.
“I had been told that the
waters here were freezing”, she
said. “It’s not so much. The
waters are a little cold, but that
doesn’t scare a swimmer.”
Miss Cox, who has made two
transits across the English
Channel, originally planned to
swim the strait Tuesday, but
delayed the trip because of high
winds.
Conditions had improved
Wednesday when she dived into
the strait at Point Mendez, the
southern terminus of the 2.6-
mile-wide part of the strait
known as the Primera Angus
tura (first narrows), but the
weather deteriorated rapidly as
she swam.
At the halfway mark, the
wind picked up and rain lashed
— Griffin Daily News Thursday, December 30,1976
the icy waters. But she needed
no help from the motor boat
that led the way, the rubber
raft that trailed her carrying
navy frogmen and a doctor, or
the small Chilean navy ship,
Elicra, standing by to offer
additional help if necessary.
When she stepped onto the
South American mainland at
Punta Delgada, she was greet
ed by a horde of reporters and
well-wishers.
The Strait of Magellan,
McGovern opens
Democratic rift
WASHINGTON (UPI) - In
the first public Democratic rift
since the Nov. 2 election, Sen.
George McGovern says Jimmy
Carter’s new cabinet could
have been put together, for the
most part, by Richard Nixon.
He said the Cabinet repre
sents no real break with the
past and signals “business as
usual.”
McGovern, the 1972 Demo
cratic presidential candidate
and a leader of the party’s
liberal wing, was asked in a
CBS radio interview whether
that was good or bad.
“Well, maybe it’s inevitable,”
McGovern said. “It’s been
going on for a long period of
time. Members of the cabinet,
whether in Democratic or
Republican administrations,
have been selected, pretty
much, from the same group of
individuals.”
winding for some 400 miles
through the Barren Islands and
headland connecting the Atlan
tic and Pacific Oceans at South
America’s southern tip, was
discovered in 1519 by Spanish
explorer Ferdinand Magellan
during the first expedition to
sail around the world.
Powerful ocean currents, high
winds and sudden, drastic
changes in the weather have
made the straits a feared
region for mariners.
He added: “I had thought
that in view of impact of
Watergate, in view of the
disillusionment over Vietnam,
and in view of the nature of
Gov. Carter’s own bid for the
presidency, that perhaps this
time we would see a more
definite change in the composi
tion of the cabinet.
“But this is the kind of a
cabinet that could have been
picked by Nelson Rockefeller or
Lyndon Johnson or, for the
most part, Richard Nixon,” he
said.
Better oil
British Petroleum has de
veloped a new engine oil,
VF7, which, by reducing fric
tion in moving parts, saves
gas, cuts exhaust pollution
and makes starting easier.