The Pantagraph from Bloomington, Illinois • Page 2

A2 THE PANTAGRAPH, WEDNESDAY, DEC. 16, 1981 Sumner ruling oppecal hinfe mm kg tmm m.w.n a-n -mmmihi Ira 1 mrrnJ Vi zh eti 2 mttJmtammammmmmmmtammmmmmmmmmam'mmmaaBmmmmmmmmmmmm Pantagraph pftoloMARC FEATHERLY Firefighters spent three hours battling a blaze early Tuesday that destroyed a downtown Farmer City business. Fire guts Farmer City appliance store By BERNIE SCHOENBURG 'Pantograph staff An assistant attorney general said Tuesday the state" may appeal an Illinois Court of Claims decision to grant $51,508 to the estate of a woman who was killed by Jessie Sumner while he was on parole. The court, in a decision handed down last week, agreed with Rae Ann Schneider's family that Sumner's parole officer actedt wrongly by not trying to get Sumner back in prison because of indications he was acting violently. The court, in an eight-page opinion, stated that there was no indication that the parole officer, Robert Drucker, then of Piper City, tried to revoke Sumner's parole "so that he could not continue his acts of violence on people or property.

"It would be difficult to find a case that could show more proof that the state, through it's agent (Drucker) had knowledge of the habits of the parolee and that these habits were dangerous to the society at large." Miss Schneider, 20, was one of three women Sumner was convicted of killing in late 1972 and early 1973. Her body was found in August 1973 in a shallow grave in Sumner's ga- rage in Stanford. Authorities said she was killed by Sumner Dec. 22, 1973. He was found guilty of hitting her with a blunt object.

Sumner was on parole at the time for a voluntary manslaughter conviction. He had pleaded guilty to the charge, reduced from a murder charge, as an admission that he killed a man in Danville by slitting his throat with a razor in 1963. Sumner is serving two concurrent 100- to 200-year terms and one 50- to 100-year term at Menard Correctional Center for convictions of murdering the women. Assistant Attorney General William Webber, who argued against a state award to Miss Schneider's family, said Tuesday that the story wasn't as one-sided as it might seem. While the court decision was very critical of Drucker, he said, it was not a clear-cut case, and Drucker was doing what he thought best.

After being parolled in January 1972, he said, Sumner got a job, was married, and was working on furthering his education. He had also appeared before a student audience at Bloomington High School. He said the parole officer, who had an advanced degree in his field, "obviously didn't want to disrupt this man's life. How do you know this man was out killing girls? He (Drucker) didn't, or he would have had the man behind bars." Concerning the parole officer, Webber sajd, "The worst picture is painted by the decision." He said the violent tendencies noted by the claims court included anonymous letters, an unproven charge of criminal damage to property, and reports Sumner was beating his wife, something Webber said is not uncommon. However, there were more serious charges leveled at Drucker's performance.

Former McLean County Sheriff John King alleged in 1973 that Drucker interceded on Sumner's behalf after Sumner was charged with a misdemeanor in the xall of 1972; that he gave Sumner pre-signed travel vouchers that allowed Sumner to travel wherever he wished; and that Drucker betrayed King's confidence after King informed him about the murder investigations involving Sumner. The Court of Claims is a three-judge panel that has exclusive power to hear and determine certain claims against the state. An appeal of a Court of Claims decision amounts to asking for a re-hearing before the same panel, according to Webber, and cases are not appealable to other state courts, such as the Supreme Court. The National Bank of Blooming-ton, as administrator of Miss Schneider's estate, filed suit in the Court of Claims after a similar suit filed earlier in McLean County Circuit Court was dismissed. The Court of Claims suit asked $120,000 in damages, plus funeral expenses.

ing. In other action The board also: Approved a 1981 tax levy of $855,000. Approved a senior class trip to the World's Fair in Knoxville, beginning May 12. Voted to offer a contract to Rita Wise as half-time learning disabilities teacher. Street.

There was a concern that the beauty salon would catch fire because there was no fire wall between the buildings. But firefighers said they were able to contain the blaze to the appliance business, which was owned by Joel Copley. Copley said Tuesday he did not know whether he would attempt to rebuild his business, which had been at the Green Street location two years. It was the second major fire in the downtown Farmer City area in less than six months. A July 28 fire gutted a fabric shop and heavily damaged two adjoining buildings.

A short in an electronic calculator located in the fabric shop ignited that fire, which was ruled accidental. number of liquid propane gas tanks inside the building to explode. The blasts tore through the roof as firefighters arrived, reports state. The heat from the blaze blew out the large pane glass windows of the appliance firm and the Clip 'N Curl beauty salon located next door, sending broken glass into the street. One firefighter was reported standing in front of one of the windows when they shattered, but he was not injured.

The salon received minor water and smoke damage, according to reports. The fire was no threat to the rest of the downtown area because of the appliance firm's location off Main were destroyed along with the building. The structure, more than 50 years old according to one firefighter, was valued at about $25,000. No injuries were reported. Milt Batson, an inspector with the state fire marshal's office, said Tuesday the fire probably began after an electrical system overloaded.

The fire was discovered about 4 a.m. by a Farmer City police officer on routine patrol. Firefighters manning seven trucks from the Farmer City, LeRoy, and Northern Piatt fire departments responded. They weren't able to enter the building, according to reports, because of the heat, which caused a By MARK PICKERING Pantagraph Staff FARMER CITY The second major fire in downtown Farmer City within five months destroyed an appliance business and partially damaged another building early Tuesday. The four brick walls of Appliance Alley Gas located just off the square at 414 W.

Green were all that was standing after firefighters from three area departments spent more than eight hours at the scene, including about three hours fighting the blaze. The building's contents, estimated at $40,000, including refrigerators, microwave ovens, washers and dryers and other large appliances, Makeup of UFEA remains unresolved Stiffer screening asked for Saybrook program Some are currently members if they choose to be," he said. Holccomb will have to resolve the third objection. In addition to 18 administrators UFEA had already excluded, Unit 5 officials submitted a list of 24 positions they think should be kept out of the bargaining unit. The list included positions such as directors of athletics, special education, music education, instructional materials centers; vocational and reading coordinators; and nine department heads.

Positions that require a confidential relationship with the employer, such as administrative assistant, liaison teacher, dean of students, dean of girls and school psychologist, also should be ineligible for the bargaining unit, according to to parts of the UFEA petition. Holcomb expects to issue a decision in the case before Christmas, or at the latest, before Jan 1. An election would be set within 30 days of -that decision. Two objections were resolved quickly. UFEA President Gary Luallen agreed to amend the petition to include the proper name and correct address of the school district, and that teachers employed by Mackinaw Valley Special Education Association, who teach in Unit 5, should be included in the bargaining unit.

That includes about 40 teachers. "It was not our intent to exclude these people. It was a false assumption on my part. Some have been members of UFEA in the past. Scruffy Venue change granted in Pontiac robbery trial SAYBROOK (PNS) Because of problems with a student, applicants for Saybrook-Arrowsmith's vocational education program may be screened more closely.

-Although better screening was suggested, the board took no action Monday night. The Board of Education learned that one student has been late catching the bus, has been irregular in attendance and has not shown a good attitude toward the program. 'The board will meet with the stu-. dent Jan. 11.

I Board members said it costs about $800 per student per year for tuition and; about $1,200 per student per year for transportation to Blooming-' ton," where the program is con-; ducted. I 'Eight of the nine students enrolled in the program ride the bus. The other provides his own transporta-; Jion. Students in the program spend half of each day in school and half I in Bloomington for vocational train The Pantagraph WAOTEED Boots, Alias Old Shoes Unit 5. UFEA excluded only building principals, assistant principals and central office administrative personnel in its petition.

"Our main criteria is that if they meet regularly with students and if their primary purpose is to improve education, then they should be identified as teachers and should be in the bargaining unit," said Luallen. "Those people who hold positions as coordinators, directors and department heads are certified as classroom teachers and hold tenure as classroom teachers. Their assignment to other posititions is tentative and could be changed at any time. "I find this hearing amusing," he added. "It has been Unit 5 policy not to recognize us for bargaining, but I find us sitting here bargaining for who we have in." Son.

11-4 STORE, RIC. By JACKIE DETWEILER Pantograph staff Only the makeup of the proposed bargaining unit is left to be resolved in Unit Five Education Association's bid to be elected bargaining agent for teachers. Two of Unit 5's objections tqf the UFEA election petition were cleared up at a hearing Tuesday the first in McLean County under rules established to comply with a new state collective bargaining law. Under that law, which took effect Dec. 1, teachers are allowed to elect a bargaining agent, but school boards aren't required to negotiate with the union.

Tuesday's hearing, conducted by McLean-DeWitt Regional Superintendent R. Bruce Holcomb, was required because Unit 5 objections attempt to force her to reveal the combination of the store's safe. She denied knowing it, and the safe was not robbed. She was not seriously injured. Stahl and Michael Patrick Murphy, 27, also of LeRoy, have pleaded innocent to taking $800 from a cash register in the robbery.

Stahl was convicted of possession of the drugs LSD and phenobarbital and sentenced to 2-6 years in prison in 1973. He has not lived in Livingston County since, Assistant State's Attorney Donald Bernardi said. Stahl's Bloomington lawyer, Steve Skelton, presented three affidavits contending that a fair trial was not possible in the county, as well as three news stories which he said might prejudice jurors. Caisley ruled that pretrial publicity was not excessive, and said both the defense xand prosecution affidavits were not persuasive. Pantagraph Pal oil.

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1 At By DON THOMPSON Pantagraph Pontiac bureau PONTIAC Jerry Alan Stahl, charged with hitting an Eisner Agency cashier on the head with a shotgun barrel during an armed robbery, will stand trial in another county. Circuit Judge William Caisley ruled Monday that Stahl's "repeated acts of criminal misconduct have established a reputation for criminal activity which would make it difficult for the defendant to obtain a fair trial in Livingston County." Caisley has not named a site for the trial. Stahl, 30, LeRoy, formerly of Bloomington and Pontiac, is charged with the Aug. 14 armed robbery of the Eisner Agency grocery store, 903 E. Howard St.

Melinda McFarland, 20, a store employee, was threatened with death during 'he robbery and hit on the head with a shotgun barrel in an The Daily Reg U.S. USPS Publlthad Monday! through Saturdays by Evtrgratn Communication, 301 W. Waihlngton Bloomington, III. 41701. TaltplMM AM Deartmnti, (30t) IN-MU NEWSROOM Ant.

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