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SERVING THE CHAIN'O REGION SINCE 1878" 1 t»»t «• * i < ; *§ Volume 89 -- No. 4S -- 3 Sections McHENRY, ILLINOIS. THURSDAY, MARCH 19,1964 24 PAGES -- !0c PER At Hold-Up Man Who Sure and it's a poor St. Patrick's Day when a good Irishman doesn't "take in" an unsuspecting friend, With a .1oke. Bill Dumalski, Main street businessman, called early Tuesday to see if we could give him the exact time that "So I Hear" was going to dump the green dye in the Fox river. We were sure it was. something new in connection with the river polution campaign until he mentioned that the West Side barber, Jim A4c Andrews, an Irishman through-and-thfough, had told him this w&i $n annual custom. How many people stood on the ! banks of Fox waltiig lor th$ big event, we'll probably never know! We lost a long time' neighbor and friend, Lester Bacon; this week. Very often < we have thought how well suited he was for; his unpopular work as assessor -- possessed as he was With a calm disposition and a friendly manner. It may be a long time before we elect a successor who has his ability to make more friends thian enemies in a most unrewardirig task. When our first withholding under the new tax cut was ex» plained two weeks ago, We tould only wonder why someone hadn't spoken up in protest over something which has left fi good many people "in the dark" about what actually Is happening. We decided to'watt end see. ~ , The Voice ; the People column in recentChfcago ffcibtffteCeditfcm j broi^jpt. the protest we knew was inevitable.' ' ; • We understand »tliat with the •tart of 196$,/the 4 per cent reduction In wltliljioiding will become effective, as promised. However, in the meahtime, few seem to be aware that oaly half that figure is allowable in 1964, and if the entire 4 per cent is returned through pay checks over the balance of the year, there are goitig to be some mighty unhappy people on April 15, 1965. That 2 per cent can add Up to a sizeable figure which must be paid to Uncle Sam when next year's income tax deadline rolls around. We'll be mighty surprised It this doesn't provoke some political repercussions in an election year. Mayor Donald P. Doherty, left, and Charles R. "Chuck" Peterson, who heads the Rotary-sponsored Easter Seal fund drive tag day in McHenry next Saturday, are shown with the huge bunny used as a symbol of the annual campaign. COUNCIL VOTES TO BUILD BAND SHELL IN PARK The City Council went on record Monday night to pro ceed with construction of a band shell in the city park this coming summer. This is a project that has been on the fire for some time, but required study of plans and estimated cost. Models of different designs were looked over and an estimated cost of $3,500 determined. The structure will be constructed with the idea of also providing a shelter for persons enjoying picnics or outings in the park. The council also voted to continue spraying trees for the prevention of Dutch Elm disease. Considering the great loss of trees in many cities, it is felt that prevention has proved beneficial in' McHenry.' A resolution was passed covering agreement between the city and the G & N.W. Ry. company to permit extension of sanitary sewer main from the westerly terminus of Maple avenue to the Industrial area.1 Engineering Information is being' secured this week on a request to extend the water main to- the McHenry Country Club. With the advent of spring only a few days away, it is in teresting to sit back and re call all the predictions that were made. We are reminded that almost all amateur weather prognasticators -- those who go by pheasant tracks, fisb habits, bear skins and woolly bear caterpillars--generally have failed so far in their predictions for the 1963-64 winter. , If any one of them looked at it from the standpoint of one month, however, he could clajim 100 per cent accuracy. ' The Lake county fish expert Indicated last fall that since fish in Lake Michigan Were diving deeper at that time, it foretold a frigid winter. Mother Nature fooled him by startihg with the warmest October in the Weather Bureau's ninetytwo years of record keeping. Others observed that furbearing animals had less fur than normal last fall and interpreted this as a sign that the winter would be warm. December was the coldest December on record.' November was hot and then cold, but averaged warmer than normal. This was good for the pelt predictors but bad for the fish forecasters. January was the warmest since 1944 and in sharp contrast with last January, and the twenty-third in particular. That date in 1963 had a high of 5 degrees below zero, a low of 18 degrees below, and an average of minus 15. This year balmy breezes blew on that date, with a high of 96 and a low of 39 for an average of 45. We have obtained no record as to whether or not anyone checked on the density of the fur or depth of fish either day McHenry Rotary club members are busy with preparations for their annual tag day which, benefits the Easter Seal campaign. The day Will be Saturday, March 21, when! Rotary members wilir* be scattered throughout the business districts presenting attractive Easter lily tags in exchange for contributions. Each of the last four years, the club has topped its previous collection, and this year members hope to go over the $600 mark. Chairman of the tag day is Charles R. "Chuck" Peterson, assisted by Co-Chairmen Dan Justen and Larry Lund. In McHenry county, the Easter Seal therapy center has an outstanding reputation, for, the quality of services available to county residents. In addition to providing physical therapy to local crippled children and adults, the free loan of available equipment is maintained, and summer clinics have performed many needed services. Many Services During 1963, the county society provided direct service to 148 crippled children and 147 handicapped adults of the county. Their condition resulted from accidents, strokes, birth defects and such cripplers as cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, arthritis, multiple sclerosis and others, as well as speech orders. In addition to the primary service of direct aid, two cents out of every dollar are used by the1 Easter Seal Research Foundation in attempting to find new methods of assisting the handicapped. For forty-three years nationally, the Easter Seal society has been concerned with the individual who has a crippling condition today, although for him, the cures and preventions will probably come too late. It is for this reason that the society has been so interested in providing a direct service to the individual as compared with working primarily in the areas of research- ^ HOLD YOUTHS AWAmNGCMt Ciif Police Arteil Monday Traffic ViofeSlc "PYGMALION" TO BE PRESENTED BY SENIOR CLASS (Continued on Page 8) Rehearsals are under way for the arinual senior play at McHenry high school, which will be presented on the evenings of April 10 and 11. The cast for "Pygmalion" includes Steve Harris as Prof, Higgins and Pam Von Obstfelder as Eliza Doolittle; also Glenn Davis, Steve Schweikert, Mike Noonan, Fred .Cooper, Craig Cone, Leslie Decker, Helen Koffski, Elayne Godina, Pam Parker, Chrys Levesque, Melody Losch and Sharon Hoffman. Support the Easter Seal drive. Two youths were held in county jail at Woodstock Oh Monday, awaiting formal charges of auto theft. Since that time they have been released to Round Lake authorities.. Their names were withheld because they are juveniles. It w&s at 1:55 o'clock Monday morning that Sgt. John Weichmann of the city police stopped a car going through a sign, west-bound at the intersection of Rt. 120 and Front street. Upon questioning, he found that of the five occupants, three had obtained rides from the driver after their car broke down. The driver himself was 16 years old, without a driver's license and using the license of a friend, 17, one of the passengers in the car. All were taken to the police station, where the driver was charged with violations of the state curfew and the state traffic code. Upon extensive questioning, he and his companion admitted that they had stolen the car on Sunday night from a driveway in Round Lake Park. The auto was found to have been owned by Rockenbach Chevrolet Sales in Grayslake. The three who had obtained rides in the car were absolved of any knowledge of the theft and released. Officer Kenneth Espey assisted Sgt. Weichmann in making the arrest. STUDENT NAMED AMONG SELECT WILSON FELLOWS Jaan Laane of 2917 Bay View Lane, McHenry, is among four teen University of Illinois seniors who have been designated Wood row Wilson Fellows for first year graduate study next fall. Jaan is a chemistry major. A Woodrow Wilson Fellow is granted full tuition and fees for the first year at the graduate school of. his choice as well as a stipend of $1,800 and dependency allowances. Fellows are asked to seriously consider careers in college teaching. Candidates are nominated by faculty members and screened by regional and national selection committees. Winners in this year's competition were chosen from over 11,000 college seniors, representing 904 colleges and universities in the United States and Cannda, PAPER SECTION PRINTED GREEN AS EASTER SPECIAL Plaindealer readers will note for the second time within recent weeks, a special six-page section in attractive color. This week, in observance of the Eas ter season, newS and advertising in the one portion of this issue is being printed on green paper. The innovation was made for the first time when the Leap Year Big Nine sale was held. This section, like the previous one, is being sponsored by the retail merchants of the Cham ber of Commerce. CITY CONTRIBUTES $678 TO ANNUAL RED CROSS WEBBER LOSES LIFE AS AR ROLLS OYER Accident Occurs Near Spring Grove Monday Evening Almond F. Webber, a 35- year-old Spring Grove man, lost his life in a one-car accident which occurred about 7:30 Monday evening, March 16, on the Wilmot-Johnsburg blacktop road, about a mile south of Rt 173. '.State police said Webber evidently lost control^ of his vehicle, and the driver, who was riding alone, was thrown out as the car rolled over. He was tdken to McHenry hospital, where he died at 8:56 p.m. A coroner's jury was sworn in at the George R. Justen & Son funeral home in McHenry Tuesday morning and the inquest continued. At the time of the crash, his wife was attending the wake of a friend in Fox Lake. Electronics Supervisor The family had resided in the Spring Grove area for about three years and made their home on Golf View road. Webber was employed as an elec tronics supervisor for the International Register company at Spring Grove. Prior to moving to Spring Grove the family lived in Lakemoor. He was a native of Chicago, where he was born July 31, 1 * 2 8 . . . . . . . Besides his wife, Irene, he is survived by two children, Barbara Ellen, 10, and Alan Floyd, 14, pupils in Lotus school, Spring Grove; and his parents, Leon and Lucille Rush Webber. " The body was taken to the Hamsher funeral home in Fox Lake, where there is visitation after 7 o'clock Wednesday evening. A funeral Mass will be sung at 10 o'clock Thursday morning at St. Peter's church, Spring Grove, with interment in the church cemetery. THEFT AT L&H TELEVISION SET AT ABOUT $2,000 Portable television sets valued at about $2,000 were stolen from the L&H Television and Appliance company at 814 N. Front street, McHenry, sometime late Sunday or early Monday morning. It was the second large theft at the store in the last year and a half. Discovery of the loss was made by the owner, Peter Lieser, when he opened the store about 8:40 Monday morning. Entry had been made by breaking a rear door. In addition to the sets taken, others were damaged as the intruders evidently hurried to get away with as many sets as possible. John Behrendt, the 71-year-old Lilymoor man who courageously recovered an estimated $3,500 from a bank thief early Monday morning,, admitted in an interview with a Plaindealer re? porter that for awhile he was "a little afraid."-^- MANY FIRES IN AREA LEAD TO With only one week remaining in the 1964 Red Cross fund drive, returns show $3,091 received in the county, according to County Chairman Ralph Burnett. Of this figure, McHenry has contributed, to date, $687. O t h e r c o l l e c t i o n s i n c l u d e Woodstock, leading with $978; Crystal Lake, $415; Harvard, $255 and Marengo, $235. The drive will continue through March, according to Burnett. The county goal is $24,000. LIQUOR CHARGE Sixto Noriega of McHenry pleaded guilty to possession of alcholic liquor in a motor vehicle when he appeared before Judge James H. Cooney in Circuit court last Friday. He was fined $30 and costs. Listed among petit jurors selected for trials beginning March 16 in the Circuit court are Lois L. Weber, Audrey Koczer and Fremont Backhaus of McHenry and Wilma Shirra of Wonder Lake. 10 Damage To Labemoor Home On Friday Afternoon With the numerous grass and rubbish fires which have kept firemen in three companies busy throughout the past week, the trustees of the McHenry Township Fire district announce strict enforcement of the ordinance pertaining to such fires. Violations will bring heavy . penalties, effective March 19. Most serious of the recent fires locally was one which occurred at the home of Shirley Rom; at 104 Riverside Drive, Lakemoor, about 4 o'clock Friday afternodn. A grass fire in the front of the home extended toward the house and resulted in about $800 damage to the structure. Members of Company I and II were called to extinguish the flames. On Wednesday afternoon, Company I was called to the Ernest Zimny home at 4913 Shore Drive, Lakeland Park, when the motor on a dryer started to burn. Lumber Burns Ram Construction on Bay road reported that a rubbish burner was blown over by the wind and a pile of lumber nearby caught afire. The fire occurred about 3 o'clock Sunday afternoon and was answered by Members of Company II. Other conflagrations included at least ten grass fires in Oakhurst, Fritzsche's Estates, Lakeland Park, Cooney Heights, McCullom Lake, Holiday Hills, Cherry Valley and in the city of McHenry. JAYCEES SIGN SEVENTY-FIVE NEW VOTERS The voter registration drive conducted by the McHenry Jaycees at the McHenry bank on March 14 was highly successful, according to Alan Freund, chairman. Approximately seventy- five new registrations were handled, as well as thirteen changes of address. Mr. Freund said the results were most gratifying and could be related to a more direct interest which appears to be present in this year's election. McHENRY WOMAN WINS IN CREATIVE WRITING CONTEST A&sesse? Dies At Age SS . Lester R. Bacon, McHenry township assessor for ten years, died last Friday evening, March 13, in Downey Veterans hospital, where he had LESTER R. BACON been a patient for fifteen months. r He was a resident of 3706. W. John street for more than twenty-five years, and was a lifelong resident of McHenry. Mr. Bacon had become known throughout the area (Continued on Page 8) A 16-year-old McHenry high school sophomore was injured near her home in Lakeland Park last Thursday night, and south of here another pedestrian was fatally injured over the weekend. He was identified as Henry Mielke, 75, of Fox River Grove. The local girl was Patricia J. Gilbertsen,, daughter of Mr. and Mrs? Chester Gilbertsen of N. Knoll avenue, Lakeland Park, who suffered bruises and abrasions when struck by a car driven by Harold E. Krug of 1701 Knoll avenue. Patricia was walking with two friends about 8:45 when the accident occurred on Home avenue in Lakeland Park. The other girls, who escaped injury, were Judy Hildebrandt, 11, of 2431 S. Highwood road, and Patricia Henneber, 11, of 1717 N. Knoll avenue. Attempts To Stop Krug told sheriff's deputies that he failed to see the three girls who were walking abreast, until the car was almost upon them. Deputies said that skid marks at the scene verified his (Continued on Page 8) CHECK VEHICLE TAGS tylcHenry police will start checking on 1964 city vehicle tags starting April 1. Mrs. A. J. Wirtz of 3611 W. Maple avenue, McHenry, has been announced as third place winner in a state-wide creative writing contest open to all members of the Illinois Federated Woman's clubs. There were forty-one entries from throughout the state, and Mrs. Wirtz was the only winner frdfti McHenry county". She has received a certificate of award for an excellent essay under the pen name of Antionette,. entitled "Look To Thyself". Well known in the community, Mrs. Wirtz is treasurer of the library board and a member of the Great Books Discussion club. For twenty-eight years she has been an active member of the Woman's club, dating back to the time when it was known as the Mother's club. YOUNG MUSICIANS RATE SUPERIOR IM COMPETITION McHenry high school" music students enjoyed one of their most successful years in state competition last Saturday when they participated in the annual spring contest, this year held at Evergreen Park. Competing with thousands from other high schools of similar size, two soloists and four ensembles emerged with the highest ratings given in their v a r i o u s c l a s s i f i c a t i o n s . The ratings of six vocal soloists and ensembles had still not been received on Wednesday. The soloists were Sue Marchi, flutist, and Gary O'Day, tenor. (Continued nn Page 8) v J Pretty, nine-year-old Mary Ann Rodenkirch, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Rodenkirch of 603 N. Green street, is taking on responsibilities as a good citizen at an early age. In recent months, she made about 250 book marks out of felt, attractively decorated them and presented them to the public library. Money realized through their sale has been placed in the fund to construct an addition to the present library. Behrendt, a guard at the Prospect Plaza State bahk' fif Mount Prospect, fired three shots at. the fleeing thief, a sales executive for an oil com*- pany. and with an order to stop^ before he was hurt, brought Richard A. Moss, 33, of Roseil© JOHN BEHRENPT to his knees on the streeE Behrendt then approached Moss, put qn handcuffs and led him back to the bank/ when! police were notified. ;, § The Lilymoor man, a retire^ tool and die maker, served an extra on the McHenry dt; police force for three half years. He is also a deputy sheriff and a member of ituik Fox Valley Police Reserves. has been employed in his pre$» ent position for about six months. \ Behrendt told of arriving for work about 8:10 Monday monfc, ing through a rear door opened for him by the cashier, Don A. Prehn of Algonquin. A few minutes later, when Behrendt went to the front of the .bank, he found Prehn with a man who appeared to be delivering "a package. The latter ordered Behrendt to put down his jjun; but thinking he was joking*, the local man said, "If I tirice it out, I'm going to use it.^' Prehn assured Behrendt^the intruder was in earnest find urged him to put down the gun. At this point Moss ordered both men into the vault and asked the cashier ta give1 him the money. When Prehn was unable to open the boxes bec a u s e he had no k e y s , Mpss p u t : one box under each arm, told t he two men not to move- for fifteen seconds and added that he would close the vault door but not lock it. . . When Behrendt opened tfie door to see if he had left,-Moss threatened him and the guard returned to the vault but watched proceedings through a crack. He noticed that Moss had not taken his .38 revolver from the chair, and when thd thief ran from the building, Behrendt grabbed the weapon and followed. Fortunately, there were femf people on the street. Behrencft fired into the air about 300 feejt and when Moss failed to stop* he fired again and ordered hint to give up if he didn't want td be hurt. * Moss, described as a $14,000- a-year executive with Sun C Co., was said to have been beti* vily in debt. He Is married and t h e f a t h e r of two c h i l d r e n , \ RECOVER STOLEN H •' I n • % } A car belonging taLeo'ICinlfi of McCullom Lake road was taken from in front of JSfc Mary's church on Tuesday <«V6* ning while the family the church. ApparanUy^WM stolen only to take a at 11:07 the same night^l recovered the car on Lane in Cooney Heighfj?/ ! * Watqh for Kaotcr next week'# rttiJmtetitoiv , J r "• •> ^'5^1