Newspaper Page Text
David Dupree Mclntyre Thousands I < Ex-Falcon
Kappas ‘Man goes out mourn I Greg Brezina
of the Year’ with class Count Basie I preaches at Paine
Page 3 Page 1 Page 1 I Page 5
Stye Augusta Neum-2teuteuj
VOLUME 13 NUMBER 54
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ED McINTYRE resigns as his mother, Rev. F« cS <* M.
Mclntyre goes out with class
When Mayor Edward M. Mcln
tyre entered the City Council
Chambers last Thursday morning
to announce his resignation, he
was met with a standing ovation
from the crowd that squeezed in
side.
He entered from his adjoining
office accompanied by his wife, his
Hundreds mourn Count Basie
NEW YORK Sarah Vaughn,
Billy Eckstine, Quincy Jones and
Cab Calloway were just a few of
the more than 2,000 who packed
into Abyssinian Baptist Church at
132 W. 138th St. in Harlem Mon
day to pay their last respects to the
man simply called the “Count.”
Another 1,500 crowded the
streets outside in hopes of getting a
glimpse of the solid oak casket
housing the final remains of
musician/composer/arranger
William “Count” Basie who died
last week in a Hollywood, Fla.,
hospital. He was 79.
Dr. Samuel D. Proctor, minister
at Abyssinian and former
classmate of Basie band member
Billy Taylor, delivered the eulogy.
Solos were performed by band
members Dennis Roland, Carmen
Bradford and Joe Williams.
Speaking at the services, old
friend Cab Calloway, obviously at
a loss for words said, ‘Tv e been
hidee-hidee-hoing for so long now
but I’ve never been put in such a
spot.”
Calloway recalled the first time
he met the Count in 1928 and said
he once told Basie he was going to
mother, and his attorney.
He read a brief letter of
resignation then answered
questions from the press.
The letter read: “Please accept
this letter as my resignation as
mayor of Augusta, effective im
mediately.
“I hereby offer my assistance in
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Count Basie
New York and become a hit and he
(Calloway) wanted him to come
and play piano for him but John
Hammond beat him to it.
“The service was beautiful,”
said Dee Askew, secretary to
Williard Alexander, Basie’s per
sonal agent.
“It was not solemn or sad or
anything. It was touching. Just
beautiful. I can’t describe it.”
Basie had been hospitalized sin
ce March 27. He had been un-
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Charles Devaney was appointed mayor pro tern on Friday.
any way to facilitate an orderly
transition for my successor. I have
made this decision based upon
what I believe to be in the best in
terest of this city. I wish that the
city will continue to enjoy the suc
cess it so richly deservesd.”
As he answered reporters
questions he was twice interrupted
dergoing treatment for an ulcer but
doctors later discovered he had
pancreatic cancer.
Born William Basie on Aug. 21,
1904, in Red Bank, N.J., the
Count’s musical career began at an
early age when his mother taught
him to play the piano.
By the time he was 13, he had
formed his own band playing at
school dances.
He went to New York in 1922
where he met Fats Waller who
taught him to play the pipe organ.
Basie’s early days were spent on
the nightclub circuit traveling
across the country with his big
band.
His first big hit was “One
O’clock Jump.”
Basie was labeled a kind man
who knew how to handle his
musicians.
“Basie was sweet and kind,”
said Askew. “Those are the best
words that can describe him. In all
the time I’ve dealt with him, I
never heard him raise his voice. He
was a very mild mannered, very
even tempered, loving man,” she
May 12,1984
with applause.
Once when he was asked what he
was proudest of, and he answered,
“I am proud of everything that 1
have done for this city.”
He was interrupted again when
he said that he was disappointed
added.
Upon learning of Basie’s death
last week, singer Joe Williams
lamented, “We have just lost a
national treasure but the happiness
that his music gave us will live.”
Basie’s wife, Catherine, who
traveled with him extensively in
later years, died last year.
The Count was buried in a
private ceremony at Long Island’s
Pine Lawn Cemetery.
He is survived by one daughter,
Diane; two adopted sons, Aaron
Woodward and Lamont Gilmore;
two adopted daughters, Rosemary
Matthews and Olivia Hassell and a
sister-in-law, Carrie Morgan.
In lieu of flowers, the family
requested that contributions be
made in the name of William
“Count” Basie to Central State
University in Wilberforce, Ohio,
or the National Alliance of
Business Youth Motivation Task
Force, 1015 15th St., N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20005.
According to Askew, Central
State will buil a wing to house the
memorabilia of Count Basie.
from the Los Angeles Sentinel
Less than 75 percent Advertising
Willie Mays vows
to work for
DeVaney’s defeat
If Second Ward City Coun
cilman Willie Mays has anything to
say about it, Mayor Pro Tern
Charles DeVaney will never
become mayor.
Referring to City Attorney Ken
Daniel’s opinion that DeVaney
should keep his First Ward seat on
Council, Mays said, “Regardless
of what the mayor pro tern says
about the city charter or what the
city attorney’s interpretation may
be, they have been wrong before.
His decision does leave the first
ward without representation.
“Mayor pro tern is a political
springboard for him. He
gerrymandered the committee ap
pointments so he could have a seat
if he loses the mayor’s race and I
sure as hell intend to see that he
does.”
Three of the four Blacks on
council did not vote for him to
become mayor pro tern. They sim
ply voted “present”.
DeVaney further drew Mays’ ire
when he decided to keep his First
Ward seat on council while serving
with the verdict; and again when
he left the room.
He was convicted last Saturday
of three counts of extortion in
connection with federal charges
that he attempted to receive kick
backs for favorable consideratin of
developers interested in acquiring
city-owned riverfront property.
Julian Bond
Julian Bond
to speak
State Sen. Julian Bond will be
the speaker at a fundraising
banquet for State Rep. George
Brown on May 12.
The banquet will be held at the
Augusta Hilton Convention Cen
ter.
For ticket information, call
Ronnie Brown at 278-0282 or John
Hardy at 724-0146.
Tickets will be on sale at the
door for S2O.
as mayor pro tern.
Things got worse when DeVaney
announced his new committee ap
pointments. Mays, who was vice
chairman of the Finance Commit
tee, was not elevated to chairman.
Penland Mayson was named
chairman.
DeVaney admitted that “Quite
frankly...you have to consider who
voted “present” and who S'oted
“yes.” You have to go with the
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Willie Mays
people who showed confidence in
you.”
Dr. I.E. Washington, the only
Black council member to vote for
DeVaney was named chairman of
the Transit Committee. He is the
only Black DeVaney named to
chair a committee by DeVaney.
Mays noted that when former
Fourth Ward Councilman Joseph
C. Jones resigned his post, a
replacement was immediately ap
pointed. “What’s good for the
Fourth Ward is good for the Fir
st,” he said. “He (DeVaney) wants
a hole to crawl back into if he loses
the mayor’s race. That’s what the
whole thing boils down to. That
ward is 60 percent Black and
should be filled with a Black per
son. This (DeVaney’s action) is a
way of getting around that.”
DeVaney said that he’s trying to
be “as fair as I can be.”
The (city) code and charter are
very clear. They say that the mayor
pro tern will be a member of coun
cil and not mayor.
“I don’t think any ward is going
to get less representation if the
mayor (who is a member or each
committee) is from their ward.”
DeVaney disagreed that a Black
should be appointed from the First
Ward. No Black has ever represen
ted the First Ward.
see DeVaney page 2