RFK assassination
Content
THE CHRONICLE-TELEGRAM
Elyria, Ohio
Pounded July 24,1829
225 Bast Avenue
v
* THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 1968
56 PAGES
Final Edition
PHONES: ELYRIA 3233321 — LORAIN 244-6395
Ten Cents
Kennedy dies
By WALTER R. MEARS
and
JOSEPH E.MOHBAT
LOS ANGELES (AP) Sen. Robert F. K e n n e d y ,
felled like his President brother by an assasin's" b u l l e t ,
died early today.
His mourning family prepared to take his body home
to New York, across the nation Kennedy had hoped to
led as president.
And on Saturday, the senator is to be buried in Arlington National Cemetery, at the
hillside plot which is the resting place of his brother, the
late John F. Kennedy.
Robert Kennedy, 42, never
regained consciousness, never showed signs on recovery
after a savage burst of revolver fire sent a bullet plunging
into his brain — at the pinnacle of his own campaign for
the White House.
KENNEDY, HIS P R E G NANT wife, Ethel at his bedside, died at 1:44 a.m, PDT,
(4:44 a.m. EOT) little more
than 24 hours after the assault
at the Ambassador Hotel.
Kennedy's body was to be
flown from Los Angeles to
New York later today on a jet
airplane provided by t h e
White House. It was to arrive
in New York at 5:30 p.m.
Pierre Salinger, former presidential press secretary, said
the body would lie in state Friday at St. Patrick's Cathedral
in New York City from 8 a.m.
to 10 p.m.
A Requeim Mass will be
held there Saturday morning.
Salinger said Kennedy would
Sirhan's diary: kill
RFK before June 5
By RICHARD E. MEYER.
Associated Press Writer
LOS ANGELES — His name
is Sirhan Bishara Sirhan.
Police say he is a cool,
close-mouthed Jordanian who
fired a bullet from close range
into the brain of Sen. Robert
Kennedy. *
Mayor Samuel W. Yorty
says Sirhan apparently wrote
in a 9-by-12 inch notebook
about "the necessity to assassinate Sen. Kennedy before
June 5,1968."
Many — neighbors, former
employers and the authorities
— say he hates Jews.
HE HURT his head in a fall
last year, says his mother.
"All I know is he is a nice
kid," says one of his four
brothers.
A district attorney's investigator revealed today he was
told Sirhan had been jailed by
Pasadena police last Decem-
ber.
Asst. Dist Atty. William L.
Ritzi said a grand jury would
be asked to return an indictment charging Sirb.an with
Kennedy's murder.
Pasadena officers said they
had a "red flag" file on Sirhan, but they could not confirm if he had been formally
arrested. Watch Commander
Russell Stone said the file was
in possession of detectives and
not immediately available for
inspection. He said the red
flag on the file was to indicate
Sirhan had been booked previously.
Stone said the file dated
from March 1961 when Sirhan
reported a bicycle stolen. He
complained in 1963 he was the
victim of a disturbance.
In 1962 andlast March, Stone
said, Sirhan was a suspect in
disturbance of the peace
cases.
The record says Sirhan is 24
years old, 5-feet-5, weighs
about 120 p o u n d s , has a
swarthy complexion and wiry
hair. He has been an excercise boy at a race track, wanted to be a jockey and worked
in a health food store.
Weather
Worm
Sunny, warm today and tomorrow high today in 80s.
Clear and mfld tonight, low in
•pper Sts and Ms.
Sunset tonight 8:58 p.m.*
Sunrise tomorrow, 5:53.
Details on page 19.
AT METER GOLDBERG'S SUPERMARKET — Double your
money back guarantee on Black
Angus Beef. Chuck Steaks, 38c
}t>, Open TJjuri. and Frt. untU 9.
Is, W SVAPER-fi IC H i V E ^
Relates news pictures
pages 3,8,18,20,38
at Hyannis Port, Mass. Mrs.
Kennedy — who had campaigned for Robert in the
presidential primaries — went
to mass at St. Francis Javier
Church.
Mrs. Knnedy had talked by
telephone with Sen. Edward
M. Kennedy, D-Mass., the
family' s lone surviving son,
who was at Robert's bedside
Where
;•
I
to
I
too.
Salinger said three of Kennedy's 10 children were in an
adjacent room and saw then:
at the end.
father before lie died.
Kennedy was surrounded by
Pale and haggard, Frank
members of bis family when Mankiewicz, Kennedy's press
he died.
secretary, announced t h e
Salinger said Ethel, the wid- death to newsmen.
ow, "is bearing up very well."
"Sen. Robert Francis Ken-
nedy died at 1:44 a.m. today,"
he began.
T H E N HE ANSWERED
questions. What was the specific cause of death?
Mankiewicz looked up num-
bly.
"The gunfire attack," he
said. He said "the bullet that
went into the head near the
right ear" was the fatal shot.
It entered Kennedy's brain.
Surgeons operated for 3 hours
and 40 minutes to remove all
but a fragment in a vain attempt to save the senator's
life.
But Kennedy never rallied.
"It was not a question os nil
sinking," Mankiewicz said,
"but of not rising. He needed
a rally and steady improvement in his condition, and that
did not develop."
SALINGER ANNOUNCED.
the body was to be taken from
Los Angeles between 10 and U
a.m. PDT. He said the family,
friends and some staff members were to be aboard.
Turn to page 4, col. 1
An editorial
Vofe FOR school levy tomorrow I
Elyria voters will make a very important
decision tomorrow.
They will decide whether Elyria children
will get a top quality education, by today's standards, or one that is below top quality. We say
"by today's standards" because some opponents
of the 6-mill levy seem to be judging school
needs by the standards of their own school
years, possibly a generation ago.
Those standards may have been adequate
for those days, but the young people in school
now must be prepared to compete in a world
that is and will be different in many ways. Education is more important today than ever before. It will be even more important in coming
years.
We have studied the arguments for and
against passage of the levy. The weight of the
evidence is strongly on the side of passage. We
are thoroughly convinced Elyria schools need
this money to continue quality education for the
community's children.
We strongly recommend: Vote FOR the
levy. The need is urgent.
Meister creditors given
little full payment hope
be burried late Saturday in
Arlington, across the Potomac
R i v e r from Washington,
where an eternal flame flickHE WAS UNDER maximum race track. "When there was ers in memory of John Ken- Tiy"T£EX)RGE KUEBLEK
security guard in a hospital trouble between Jordan and nedy, slain four years and
CLEVELAND — A forecloward at the Los Angeles Coun- Israel, he would become in- seven months ago.
sure action on his home, a
ty Central jail, charged with flamed."
number of judgment liens and
six counts of assault with inIN PREPARATION for Ken- insufficient c a p i t a l were
tent to commit murder.
WITH PERMISSION from nedy's last journey, a post
He is to appear at 8:30 Sirhan's family, police re- mortem was under way at among the reasons Herbert H.
a.m. Monday for a prelimi- covered two notebooks from Good Samaritan Hospital in Meister said here yesterday
he filed a voluntary petition in
nary
downtown
Los
Angeles.
bankruptcy
on May 7.
h e a r i n g before Municipal his room. They contain 18 to
President Johnson the man
T
h
e
51-year-old
bankrupt
20 pages of handwriting. Some who succeeded President KenJudge Joan Klein.
E
l
y
r
i
a
real
estate
broker
Sirhan's index finger was in Arabic, most in English.
nedy, issued a proclamation made his statement at a first
In a notation entered either calling for a national day of meeting of creditors in federal
broken and his left ankle
sprained in a tussle that ended May 17 or 18, the mayor said, mourning for the senator next bankruptcy court.
in his capture, seconds after Sirhan apparently wrote "a Sunday.
A small federal courtroom
Kennedy was shot early yes- direct reference to the necessGov. Ronald Reagan de- was packed with more than 40
terday.
clared a state of mourning in persons, including apparently
Turn to page 4, col. 1
California, for the p e r i o d a number of creditors, for the
Sirhan has talked to police,
through the senator's funeral.
one-hour session which began
but not about Kennedy or the
As Kennedy died, the man at 3 p.m.
shooting. Officers said he was
accused of shooting him was
advised of his rights, but
under heavy guard at a downALTHOUGH THE session,
didn't want an attorney. He
town prison hospital, held in presided over by referee Wilrefused to give officers his
$250,000 bail for a court ap- liam J. O'Neill, was for the
name.
pearance w h i c h had been purpose of hearing creditors
scheduled Monday.
ask questions of the bankrupt,
"IT'S NICE to remain inno
creditor personally submitcommunicado,"
Inspector
SIRHAN BISHARA SIRHAN ted a question to be asked of
Pete Hagen quoted him as
was accused of wielding the Meister.
saying.
' ••••
*: .22-caliber revolver which cut
They heard Cleveland attorHe "may have been inney
Theodore R. Spilka, who
down
Kennedy
and
wounded
WELLINGTON
A
man
flamed" by Kennedy's call for
represents
federal receiver
five
other
people
early
yesterwho
lived
like
an
Indian,
a
tyU.S. jets for Israel during a
Maurice
M.
Weltman, say of
day
as
the
senator
and
his
phoid
epidemic
and
the
fair
televised campaign debate
their
chances
in getting a resupporters
celebrated
victory
are
all
part
of
Wellington's
Saturday night, said a New
turn from their loans to Meisin
the
California
presidential
heritage
page
36
York committee on Ameriter:
primary.
can-Arab relations.
"I wouldn't count on too
The Los Angeles sheriff's
SPENCER
—
Black
River
"He was violently pro-Joroffice refused to say whether much "
School
superintendent
takes
dan and anti-Israel," said
Spilka said the receiver,
Sirhan had been advised that
John Shear, who worked with job with Cloverleaf Schools Kennedy was dead.
who was also elected trustee
page
16
Sirhan at Hollywood Park
Sirhan, a Jordanian who at the creditor's court meethae
living in Pasadena, ing, would "try for every nickBetter Health
24 was been
described
those who el we can get."
Comics
54, 55 knew him as a by
U.S. curtails flights
man inflamed
Deaths, Births
30 over the hostilities between
IN HIS petition Meister
25 his native state and Israel. A claimed $718,224 in debts and
TOKYO (AP) - The U. S.Elyria Municipal Court
4 f o r m e r employer said he $85,650 in assets.
military today informed the Finance, Stocks
4 might have been enraged by
Japanese government it would Produce, Livestock
R e f e r e e O'Neill empha40,41, 42, 43,44 Kennedy's past words of sup- sized that Meister's bankruptsuspend all but "absolutely Sports
23 port for Israel.
necessary" night flights from Suburban Calendar
cy petition was a personal one
34
the Itazuke Air Base, near Fu- Television
and only involved his compa35
kuoka, while it awaits the re- Theater
KENNEDY'S M O T H E R , nies to the extent he may
22 Mrs. Rose Kennedy, was told have some assets in them
sults of an investigation
into Wellington
14, 15 of the death of her son by a which could be distributed to
the crash of a fighterjbomber Women
Your Birthday . .
25 niece, Ann Gargan. She was the creditors.
from Itazuke Sunday night.
^
MRS. JOHN F. KENNEDY,
widow of the assassinated
President, was in her brother-in-law's room when he
died.
Two of Kennedy's sisters,
Mrs. Stephen Smith and Mrs.
Patricia Lawford, were there,
turn
Assassination fe/f around the world
At the first hearing May 24
the court learned Meister had
a 50-50 interest in H & J Development Co.
Spilka yesterday said that
additional assets may be realized with the sale of Etc J Development Co. l a n d from
which Meister's share would
be collected for distribution to
creditors after other costs
were paid.
MEISTER TOLD the court
that an offer had been received to purchase his 922
Elywood Dr. home for $55,000.
If the offer is consumated,
part of the money, after two
mortgages and taxes are paid,
will be collected as part of the
assest to be distributed to
creditors, the trustee's attorney told the standing room audience in the court.
Spilka also explained that a
"great number of judgement
liens" filed in the Lorain
County Common Pleas Court
against Meister would be "set
aside as far as the trustee is
concerned."
At the opening of the meeting Meister was questioned by
creditors' trustee Weltman
with a series of questions explained to the audience by referee O'Neill as a routine part
of a bankruptcy proceeding.
the home," Meister answered.
Meister at first said he
could not recall issuing any
financial statement until Weltm a n further widened the
breadth of his question to include any type of financial
statement to anyone or institution.
Meister thefl said he had issued a financial statement to
Mr. Rinaldi. But he said he
was not sure of the date the
financial statement was issued.
Rinaldi is Frank P. Rinaldi,
the Cincinnati businessman
who claims Meister showed
him an allegedly fraudulent
statement to obtain a loan.
Lorain County Prosecutor
Paul J. Mikus started an inquiry from Rinaldi's complaint. On May 29 Mikus
brought the investigation to
the L o r a i n County Grand
Jury. Rinaldi appeared before
the grand jury to tell about his
financial dealings with Meister.
had received an extension to
June 15 to pay his 1967 income
taxes.
The meeting was adjourned
to 10 a.m. June 26, at which
time the questioning of Meister is scheduled to resume.
THE JUNE 26 date was set
by the referee and Meister's
attorney, G. L. Severs, explained E l y r i a accountant
Floyd Wooldridge needed more
time to work on the books of
Meister's companies. Wooldridge is expected to be called to the court for the next
meeting of the creditors.
Referee O'Neill said that
written proof of claim would
have to be filed with the court
within six months of the bankruptcy petition filing date if
creditors wanted to be considered for a dividend on any
uncovered assets.
In his bankruptcy petition
Meister reported owing 104
creditors $687,224 in unsecured
personal loans. He further
claimed that the amount was
about $100,000 less than rep or ted. "All of the loan
amounts are being disputed.
During the unraveling of the
Meister bankruptcy story, the
bankrupt real estate broker
has been reported as securing
loans for a promise of an interst return varying from six
per cent a year to as much as
twice the principal amount in
six months.
THE JURY ASKED Mikus
to continue his investigation.
At the meeting yesterday,
very little additional information was given by or asked of
Meister.
Two Elyria attorneys who
said they represented creditors each asked a routine
WEARING A DARK brown question.
Meister said that his 1966 insuit and a rose-tan tie, Meister spoke matter of factly come taxes were paid and he
from the stand and at tunes
was told by O'Neill to speak
louder so those persons standing in the back of the courtroom could hear his answers.
"Did you make money or
lose money?" Weltman asked
of his business dealings. Meister said that he lost money in
some cases and made some in
LORAIN — Homicide by ve- their friend, James Cupples,
others.
"What real estate do you hicle, first degree, was the 19, home to Vermilion after
own?" Weltman asked "Just charge filed yesterday against Miss Smith's graduation party
John Rusnak, 21, following the when the crash occurred. Cupdeath of Army Spec. 4 Jeffrey pies and Miss Smith were
Smith, 19, in a head-on colli- treated at St. Joseph Hospital
sion,
and released.
Rusnak, who lives at the AnSmith, a Vietnam veteran
tlers Hotel, was eastbound in
stationed
at Fort C a r s o n ,
the 1100 block of West Erie
Colo.,
was
on leave at the
Avenue yesterday when his
car crashed into the small home of his parents, Mr. and
sports car which Smith was
E u g e n e Smith, 1262
with grief and horror at the driving, Lorain police report- Mrs.
Michigan Ave.
death of Sen. Robert F. Ken- ed.
Smith's death was the city's
nedy and its disappointment
Smith and his 17-year old f o u r t h traffic fatality this
in the concern for the United sister Shelley were taking year.
States.
People for whom the Kennedy name m e a n t America
wept. In Dublin, Maty Ryan,
a nurse, and a cousin of the
s e n a t o r , broke down and
sobbed bitterly.
In Saigon, 2nd Lt. Lawrence
Patch of Topeka, Kan., said:
Polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. tomorrow
"It was a horrible tragedy.
for
voting
on the 6-mill operating levy proposed by the ElyBut it has more meaning for
ria
School
District
in a special election.
us serving over here than for
Voters in the district will go to their regular precinct
those back in the States."
polling places to cast their ballots.
Torn to page 4, col. 3
Driver is charged
in Gl crash death
Sunday proclaimed day of mourning
By THE ASSOC. PRESS
President Johnson led the
nation in mourning today as
Americans great and small
reacted in grief and sorrow to
the tragic assassination of
Sen. Robert F. Kennedy.
The President, saying Kennedy had never abandoned
faith in America although he
knew far more than his share
of personal tragedy, called for
the nation to observe a national day of mourning Sunday.
In a proclamation issued
upon learning of Kennedy's
death today, the President directed that American flags on
all federal buildings be flown
at half-staff until Kennedy's statement in New York that
burial,
Kennedy's death "is a terrible
tragedy b o t h for a family
VICE PRESIDENT Hubert and a nation which have
H. Humphrey, expressed a known _ too many such trage"profound personal loss' at dies in recent times."
Kennedy's death and called on
Nixon said, "Sen Kennedy
all Americans to recommit
themselves to the principles of was a man of tremendous enhumanity and individual jus- ergy and vitality. He was one
tice.
of the great popular leaders in
"May our nation find the American history. Our deepest
strength, the faith, and the sympathies go out to the famiwisdom to dispel the forces of ly of Sen. Kennedy in this
irrational hate among us and hour of grief."
to replace them with tthe love
Gov. Nelson A. Rockefeller
of man and God," Humphrey of New York said the death of
said.
Kennedy was "an unspeakable
Former Vice President Ri- tragedy and a terrible loss to
chard M. Nixon said in a the nation,'
ROCKEFELLER
p r oclaimed "the day of burial as
a day of mourning in this
state."
A state of mourning for California was declared by Gov
Ronald Reagan.
"I have directed that the period extend through the senator's funeral and that all flags
in California be flown at half
mast," be said.
"My sympatliies go out to
Mrs. Kennedy and the sneator's children as well as his
parents and other members of
his family. Prayers of all
Americans are with them."
THE WORLD reacted today
Po// fiours tomorrow;
6:30 o.m. to 6;30 p.m.
Elyria, Ohio
Pounded July 24,1829
225 Bast Avenue
v
* THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 1968
56 PAGES
Final Edition
PHONES: ELYRIA 3233321 — LORAIN 244-6395
Ten Cents
Kennedy dies
By WALTER R. MEARS
and
JOSEPH E.MOHBAT
LOS ANGELES (AP) Sen. Robert F. K e n n e d y ,
felled like his President brother by an assasin's" b u l l e t ,
died early today.
His mourning family prepared to take his body home
to New York, across the nation Kennedy had hoped to
led as president.
And on Saturday, the senator is to be buried in Arlington National Cemetery, at the
hillside plot which is the resting place of his brother, the
late John F. Kennedy.
Robert Kennedy, 42, never
regained consciousness, never showed signs on recovery
after a savage burst of revolver fire sent a bullet plunging
into his brain — at the pinnacle of his own campaign for
the White House.
KENNEDY, HIS P R E G NANT wife, Ethel at his bedside, died at 1:44 a.m, PDT,
(4:44 a.m. EOT) little more
than 24 hours after the assault
at the Ambassador Hotel.
Kennedy's body was to be
flown from Los Angeles to
New York later today on a jet
airplane provided by t h e
White House. It was to arrive
in New York at 5:30 p.m.
Pierre Salinger, former presidential press secretary, said
the body would lie in state Friday at St. Patrick's Cathedral
in New York City from 8 a.m.
to 10 p.m.
A Requeim Mass will be
held there Saturday morning.
Salinger said Kennedy would
Sirhan's diary: kill
RFK before June 5
By RICHARD E. MEYER.
Associated Press Writer
LOS ANGELES — His name
is Sirhan Bishara Sirhan.
Police say he is a cool,
close-mouthed Jordanian who
fired a bullet from close range
into the brain of Sen. Robert
Kennedy. *
Mayor Samuel W. Yorty
says Sirhan apparently wrote
in a 9-by-12 inch notebook
about "the necessity to assassinate Sen. Kennedy before
June 5,1968."
Many — neighbors, former
employers and the authorities
— say he hates Jews.
HE HURT his head in a fall
last year, says his mother.
"All I know is he is a nice
kid," says one of his four
brothers.
A district attorney's investigator revealed today he was
told Sirhan had been jailed by
Pasadena police last Decem-
ber.
Asst. Dist Atty. William L.
Ritzi said a grand jury would
be asked to return an indictment charging Sirb.an with
Kennedy's murder.
Pasadena officers said they
had a "red flag" file on Sirhan, but they could not confirm if he had been formally
arrested. Watch Commander
Russell Stone said the file was
in possession of detectives and
not immediately available for
inspection. He said the red
flag on the file was to indicate
Sirhan had been booked previously.
Stone said the file dated
from March 1961 when Sirhan
reported a bicycle stolen. He
complained in 1963 he was the
victim of a disturbance.
In 1962 andlast March, Stone
said, Sirhan was a suspect in
disturbance of the peace
cases.
The record says Sirhan is 24
years old, 5-feet-5, weighs
about 120 p o u n d s , has a
swarthy complexion and wiry
hair. He has been an excercise boy at a race track, wanted to be a jockey and worked
in a health food store.
Weather
Worm
Sunny, warm today and tomorrow high today in 80s.
Clear and mfld tonight, low in
•pper Sts and Ms.
Sunset tonight 8:58 p.m.*
Sunrise tomorrow, 5:53.
Details on page 19.
AT METER GOLDBERG'S SUPERMARKET — Double your
money back guarantee on Black
Angus Beef. Chuck Steaks, 38c
}t>, Open TJjuri. and Frt. untU 9.
Is, W SVAPER-fi IC H i V E ^
Relates news pictures
pages 3,8,18,20,38
at Hyannis Port, Mass. Mrs.
Kennedy — who had campaigned for Robert in the
presidential primaries — went
to mass at St. Francis Javier
Church.
Mrs. Knnedy had talked by
telephone with Sen. Edward
M. Kennedy, D-Mass., the
family' s lone surviving son,
who was at Robert's bedside
Where
;•
I
to
I
too.
Salinger said three of Kennedy's 10 children were in an
adjacent room and saw then:
at the end.
father before lie died.
Kennedy was surrounded by
Pale and haggard, Frank
members of bis family when Mankiewicz, Kennedy's press
he died.
secretary, announced t h e
Salinger said Ethel, the wid- death to newsmen.
ow, "is bearing up very well."
"Sen. Robert Francis Ken-
nedy died at 1:44 a.m. today,"
he began.
T H E N HE ANSWERED
questions. What was the specific cause of death?
Mankiewicz looked up num-
bly.
"The gunfire attack," he
said. He said "the bullet that
went into the head near the
right ear" was the fatal shot.
It entered Kennedy's brain.
Surgeons operated for 3 hours
and 40 minutes to remove all
but a fragment in a vain attempt to save the senator's
life.
But Kennedy never rallied.
"It was not a question os nil
sinking," Mankiewicz said,
"but of not rising. He needed
a rally and steady improvement in his condition, and that
did not develop."
SALINGER ANNOUNCED.
the body was to be taken from
Los Angeles between 10 and U
a.m. PDT. He said the family,
friends and some staff members were to be aboard.
Turn to page 4, col. 1
An editorial
Vofe FOR school levy tomorrow I
Elyria voters will make a very important
decision tomorrow.
They will decide whether Elyria children
will get a top quality education, by today's standards, or one that is below top quality. We say
"by today's standards" because some opponents
of the 6-mill levy seem to be judging school
needs by the standards of their own school
years, possibly a generation ago.
Those standards may have been adequate
for those days, but the young people in school
now must be prepared to compete in a world
that is and will be different in many ways. Education is more important today than ever before. It will be even more important in coming
years.
We have studied the arguments for and
against passage of the levy. The weight of the
evidence is strongly on the side of passage. We
are thoroughly convinced Elyria schools need
this money to continue quality education for the
community's children.
We strongly recommend: Vote FOR the
levy. The need is urgent.
Meister creditors given
little full payment hope
be burried late Saturday in
Arlington, across the Potomac
R i v e r from Washington,
where an eternal flame flickHE WAS UNDER maximum race track. "When there was ers in memory of John Ken- Tiy"T£EX)RGE KUEBLEK
security guard in a hospital trouble between Jordan and nedy, slain four years and
CLEVELAND — A forecloward at the Los Angeles Coun- Israel, he would become in- seven months ago.
sure action on his home, a
ty Central jail, charged with flamed."
number of judgment liens and
six counts of assault with inIN PREPARATION for Ken- insufficient c a p i t a l were
tent to commit murder.
WITH PERMISSION from nedy's last journey, a post
He is to appear at 8:30 Sirhan's family, police re- mortem was under way at among the reasons Herbert H.
a.m. Monday for a prelimi- covered two notebooks from Good Samaritan Hospital in Meister said here yesterday
he filed a voluntary petition in
nary
downtown
Los
Angeles.
bankruptcy
on May 7.
h e a r i n g before Municipal his room. They contain 18 to
President Johnson the man
T
h
e
51-year-old
bankrupt
20 pages of handwriting. Some who succeeded President KenJudge Joan Klein.
E
l
y
r
i
a
real
estate
broker
Sirhan's index finger was in Arabic, most in English.
nedy, issued a proclamation made his statement at a first
In a notation entered either calling for a national day of meeting of creditors in federal
broken and his left ankle
sprained in a tussle that ended May 17 or 18, the mayor said, mourning for the senator next bankruptcy court.
in his capture, seconds after Sirhan apparently wrote "a Sunday.
A small federal courtroom
Kennedy was shot early yes- direct reference to the necessGov. Ronald Reagan de- was packed with more than 40
terday.
clared a state of mourning in persons, including apparently
Turn to page 4, col. 1
California, for the p e r i o d a number of creditors, for the
Sirhan has talked to police,
through the senator's funeral.
one-hour session which began
but not about Kennedy or the
As Kennedy died, the man at 3 p.m.
shooting. Officers said he was
accused of shooting him was
advised of his rights, but
under heavy guard at a downALTHOUGH THE session,
didn't want an attorney. He
town prison hospital, held in presided over by referee Wilrefused to give officers his
$250,000 bail for a court ap- liam J. O'Neill, was for the
name.
pearance w h i c h had been purpose of hearing creditors
scheduled Monday.
ask questions of the bankrupt,
"IT'S NICE to remain inno
creditor personally submitcommunicado,"
Inspector
SIRHAN BISHARA SIRHAN ted a question to be asked of
Pete Hagen quoted him as
was accused of wielding the Meister.
saying.
' ••••
*: .22-caliber revolver which cut
They heard Cleveland attorHe "may have been inney
Theodore R. Spilka, who
down
Kennedy
and
wounded
WELLINGTON
A
man
flamed" by Kennedy's call for
represents
federal receiver
five
other
people
early
yesterwho
lived
like
an
Indian,
a
tyU.S. jets for Israel during a
Maurice
M.
Weltman, say of
day
as
the
senator
and
his
phoid
epidemic
and
the
fair
televised campaign debate
their
chances
in getting a resupporters
celebrated
victory
are
all
part
of
Wellington's
Saturday night, said a New
turn from their loans to Meisin
the
California
presidential
heritage
page
36
York committee on Ameriter:
primary.
can-Arab relations.
"I wouldn't count on too
The Los Angeles sheriff's
SPENCER
—
Black
River
"He was violently pro-Joroffice refused to say whether much "
School
superintendent
takes
dan and anti-Israel," said
Spilka said the receiver,
Sirhan had been advised that
John Shear, who worked with job with Cloverleaf Schools Kennedy was dead.
who was also elected trustee
page
16
Sirhan at Hollywood Park
Sirhan, a Jordanian who at the creditor's court meethae
living in Pasadena, ing, would "try for every nickBetter Health
24 was been
described
those who el we can get."
Comics
54, 55 knew him as a by
U.S. curtails flights
man inflamed
Deaths, Births
30 over the hostilities between
IN HIS petition Meister
25 his native state and Israel. A claimed $718,224 in debts and
TOKYO (AP) - The U. S.Elyria Municipal Court
4 f o r m e r employer said he $85,650 in assets.
military today informed the Finance, Stocks
4 might have been enraged by
Japanese government it would Produce, Livestock
R e f e r e e O'Neill empha40,41, 42, 43,44 Kennedy's past words of sup- sized that Meister's bankruptsuspend all but "absolutely Sports
23 port for Israel.
necessary" night flights from Suburban Calendar
cy petition was a personal one
34
the Itazuke Air Base, near Fu- Television
and only involved his compa35
kuoka, while it awaits the re- Theater
KENNEDY'S M O T H E R , nies to the extent he may
22 Mrs. Rose Kennedy, was told have some assets in them
sults of an investigation
into Wellington
14, 15 of the death of her son by a which could be distributed to
the crash of a fighterjbomber Women
Your Birthday . .
25 niece, Ann Gargan. She was the creditors.
from Itazuke Sunday night.
^
MRS. JOHN F. KENNEDY,
widow of the assassinated
President, was in her brother-in-law's room when he
died.
Two of Kennedy's sisters,
Mrs. Stephen Smith and Mrs.
Patricia Lawford, were there,
turn
Assassination fe/f around the world
At the first hearing May 24
the court learned Meister had
a 50-50 interest in H & J Development Co.
Spilka yesterday said that
additional assets may be realized with the sale of Etc J Development Co. l a n d from
which Meister's share would
be collected for distribution to
creditors after other costs
were paid.
MEISTER TOLD the court
that an offer had been received to purchase his 922
Elywood Dr. home for $55,000.
If the offer is consumated,
part of the money, after two
mortgages and taxes are paid,
will be collected as part of the
assest to be distributed to
creditors, the trustee's attorney told the standing room audience in the court.
Spilka also explained that a
"great number of judgement
liens" filed in the Lorain
County Common Pleas Court
against Meister would be "set
aside as far as the trustee is
concerned."
At the opening of the meeting Meister was questioned by
creditors' trustee Weltman
with a series of questions explained to the audience by referee O'Neill as a routine part
of a bankruptcy proceeding.
the home," Meister answered.
Meister at first said he
could not recall issuing any
financial statement until Weltm a n further widened the
breadth of his question to include any type of financial
statement to anyone or institution.
Meister thefl said he had issued a financial statement to
Mr. Rinaldi. But he said he
was not sure of the date the
financial statement was issued.
Rinaldi is Frank P. Rinaldi,
the Cincinnati businessman
who claims Meister showed
him an allegedly fraudulent
statement to obtain a loan.
Lorain County Prosecutor
Paul J. Mikus started an inquiry from Rinaldi's complaint. On May 29 Mikus
brought the investigation to
the L o r a i n County Grand
Jury. Rinaldi appeared before
the grand jury to tell about his
financial dealings with Meister.
had received an extension to
June 15 to pay his 1967 income
taxes.
The meeting was adjourned
to 10 a.m. June 26, at which
time the questioning of Meister is scheduled to resume.
THE JUNE 26 date was set
by the referee and Meister's
attorney, G. L. Severs, explained E l y r i a accountant
Floyd Wooldridge needed more
time to work on the books of
Meister's companies. Wooldridge is expected to be called to the court for the next
meeting of the creditors.
Referee O'Neill said that
written proof of claim would
have to be filed with the court
within six months of the bankruptcy petition filing date if
creditors wanted to be considered for a dividend on any
uncovered assets.
In his bankruptcy petition
Meister reported owing 104
creditors $687,224 in unsecured
personal loans. He further
claimed that the amount was
about $100,000 less than rep or ted. "All of the loan
amounts are being disputed.
During the unraveling of the
Meister bankruptcy story, the
bankrupt real estate broker
has been reported as securing
loans for a promise of an interst return varying from six
per cent a year to as much as
twice the principal amount in
six months.
THE JURY ASKED Mikus
to continue his investigation.
At the meeting yesterday,
very little additional information was given by or asked of
Meister.
Two Elyria attorneys who
said they represented creditors each asked a routine
WEARING A DARK brown question.
Meister said that his 1966 insuit and a rose-tan tie, Meister spoke matter of factly come taxes were paid and he
from the stand and at tunes
was told by O'Neill to speak
louder so those persons standing in the back of the courtroom could hear his answers.
"Did you make money or
lose money?" Weltman asked
of his business dealings. Meister said that he lost money in
some cases and made some in
LORAIN — Homicide by ve- their friend, James Cupples,
others.
"What real estate do you hicle, first degree, was the 19, home to Vermilion after
own?" Weltman asked "Just charge filed yesterday against Miss Smith's graduation party
John Rusnak, 21, following the when the crash occurred. Cupdeath of Army Spec. 4 Jeffrey pies and Miss Smith were
Smith, 19, in a head-on colli- treated at St. Joseph Hospital
sion,
and released.
Rusnak, who lives at the AnSmith, a Vietnam veteran
tlers Hotel, was eastbound in
stationed
at Fort C a r s o n ,
the 1100 block of West Erie
Colo.,
was
on leave at the
Avenue yesterday when his
car crashed into the small home of his parents, Mr. and
sports car which Smith was
E u g e n e Smith, 1262
with grief and horror at the driving, Lorain police report- Mrs.
Michigan Ave.
death of Sen. Robert F. Ken- ed.
Smith's death was the city's
nedy and its disappointment
Smith and his 17-year old f o u r t h traffic fatality this
in the concern for the United sister Shelley were taking year.
States.
People for whom the Kennedy name m e a n t America
wept. In Dublin, Maty Ryan,
a nurse, and a cousin of the
s e n a t o r , broke down and
sobbed bitterly.
In Saigon, 2nd Lt. Lawrence
Patch of Topeka, Kan., said:
Polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. tomorrow
"It was a horrible tragedy.
for
voting
on the 6-mill operating levy proposed by the ElyBut it has more meaning for
ria
School
District
in a special election.
us serving over here than for
Voters in the district will go to their regular precinct
those back in the States."
polling places to cast their ballots.
Torn to page 4, col. 3
Driver is charged
in Gl crash death
Sunday proclaimed day of mourning
By THE ASSOC. PRESS
President Johnson led the
nation in mourning today as
Americans great and small
reacted in grief and sorrow to
the tragic assassination of
Sen. Robert F. Kennedy.
The President, saying Kennedy had never abandoned
faith in America although he
knew far more than his share
of personal tragedy, called for
the nation to observe a national day of mourning Sunday.
In a proclamation issued
upon learning of Kennedy's
death today, the President directed that American flags on
all federal buildings be flown
at half-staff until Kennedy's statement in New York that
burial,
Kennedy's death "is a terrible
tragedy b o t h for a family
VICE PRESIDENT Hubert and a nation which have
H. Humphrey, expressed a known _ too many such trage"profound personal loss' at dies in recent times."
Kennedy's death and called on
Nixon said, "Sen Kennedy
all Americans to recommit
themselves to the principles of was a man of tremendous enhumanity and individual jus- ergy and vitality. He was one
tice.
of the great popular leaders in
"May our nation find the American history. Our deepest
strength, the faith, and the sympathies go out to the famiwisdom to dispel the forces of ly of Sen. Kennedy in this
irrational hate among us and hour of grief."
to replace them with tthe love
Gov. Nelson A. Rockefeller
of man and God," Humphrey of New York said the death of
said.
Kennedy was "an unspeakable
Former Vice President Ri- tragedy and a terrible loss to
chard M. Nixon said in a the nation,'
ROCKEFELLER
p r oclaimed "the day of burial as
a day of mourning in this
state."
A state of mourning for California was declared by Gov
Ronald Reagan.
"I have directed that the period extend through the senator's funeral and that all flags
in California be flown at half
mast," be said.
"My sympatliies go out to
Mrs. Kennedy and the sneator's children as well as his
parents and other members of
his family. Prayers of all
Americans are with them."
THE WORLD reacted today
Po// fiours tomorrow;
6:30 o.m. to 6;30 p.m.
