HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1969-01-16, Page 1Ten cars in one • pileup
form crash total over $20,000
Few injuries
Price Per Copy 15 Cents EXETER, ONTARIO, JANUARY 16, 1969 Ninety-fourth Year
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Polzen trial goes to Toronto;
sentence Gloor this Monday
FUN IN THE SNOW — The heavy snowfall of recent weeks has
provided the proper conditions for children inclined to frolic in the
white stuff. Above, Steve Horn is taking a roll while sister Cindy
prepares for her trip down a big bank. T-A photo
Usborne to continue
desirable services
THE WAY TO TRAVEL Snowmobiles proved to be the best mode of transportation for persons
wishing to travel -on Usbotne Township roads, Sunday afternoon, Above, a group of snowmobile
enthusiasts are giving a hand to a motorist that became bogged down. T-A photo
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uncture found
in mean's chest
The death of a Parkhill man, who was attempting to
get a car out of a snowbank on Highway 81 near Grand
Bend, ' Friday, is still under investigation by Ontario
Provincial Police from the Exeter detachment.
It wes believed at first that Wilmer Dwayne
Lagerwerf, 21, had suffered a heart attack, but a post
mortem at Stratford hospital determined a puncture hole in
the man's chest.
Police are not releasing further information until their
investigation has been completed.
The incident occurred during Friday's storm and
Lagerwerf was one of several people at the scene.
After he slumped into the ditch, he was placed in one
of the cars at the scene and Provincial Police were called,
along with the Coroner, Dr. J. C. Goddard, Hensel!.
He is survived by his mother, Mrs. Margaret
Lagerwerf, Parkhill, sisters, Mrs. John (Helen) Drury,
McGillivray Township, Mrs, Gerald (Jean)Christman, Leroy,
New York, Mrs. Harold (Anna) Dellow, London Township,
Francis, McGillivray Township and brothers Murray,
Parkhill and Larry, Stephen Township.
The funeral service was held on Tuesday from M. Box
and Son Funeral Home, Parkhill with Rev. H. E. J.
Moorehouse of Parkhill United Church in charge.
The pallbearers were Michael O'Leary, Gary
Sheppard, Harold Elson, John Campbell, Erwin Eagleson
and Brian Reid.
Pd
Road work discussed
by Hay township
NEW RAP APPOINTMENTS --RAP, the committee that administers the recreation, arena and parks
activities in Exeter held its first meeting of the year, Monday. Above, newly appointed chairman Gord
Baynham is shown going over the agenda with the newest members of the organization, Tom MacMillan
and Bob Pooley. MacMillan, a member of the 1969 council was chairman of the RAP committee a few
years ago. T-A photo
Officials at Grand Bend
expect governing change
and .damage was estimated at
$1,400.
Drivers involved were Vivan
Cooper, Kippen, and James E.
Ramer, RR 3 Zurich. The
accident occurred on Highway
84 west of Zurich,
The only other accident of
the week took place last
Wednesday on Highway 4 north
of Exeter, involving cars
operated by David B. Brisay, RR
4 Clinton, and Ray D. Walden,
RR 1. Kincardine,
Constable Glassford listed
damage at $100.
During the past week the
local detachment officers laid six
charges under the Highway
Traffic Act and issued warnings
to another 11 drivers.
The need for continued
cooperation to provide desirable
services to Usborne township
reatpayers was stressed by Reeve
Roy A. Westcott and all
members of council at last
week's inaugaral meeting.
Westcott also noted a steady
progress in most areas of
municipal activity hi Usborne.
In addition to Reeve
Westcott, councillors Lloyd
Ferguson, Lloyd Smith, Walter
McBride and William Morley
subscribed to the affirmation of
office for a two-year term before
clerk Harry Strang.
Rev. S.E, Lewis, minister of
James Street United Church,
Exeter was in charge of opening
devotions.
Council was advised that it
had not been possible to clear up
the deficiency in the low tender
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Area drivers continued to be
plagued by severe storms and
• hazardous driving conditions last
week and five accidents resulted
in property damage of over
$8,000.
In the past three weeks
property damage in area
accidents reached a total of
almost $21,000 and several
people were injured, mostly of a
minor nature,
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At the first meeting of Hay
township council held last week
considerable discussion took
place regrading work to be done
on township roads this year.
Road Superintendent Karl
Haberer told council he felt two
of the worst sections of road are
21/2 miles south of Blake, and a
mile and a quarter north of
Dashwood, all on the Bronson
Line.
No definite decision on road
work will be made until council
has an opprotunity to inspect
• them in the spring.
Salary increases, averaging
approximately six per cent in
most cases were given to
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REV. G. A. ANDERSON
New rector
has arrived
The new rector, Rev. George
A. Anderson, of Trivitt Anglican
church, Exeter and St. Paul's,
Hensall is no stranger to this part
of Western Ontario.
Rev. Anderson and his wife
Kay, both natives of Ireland
came to Canada in 1953 and
lived in Dashwood for two years
where he was manager of the W.
• E. Reid Grain and Bean
Elevators at Dashwood and
Thedford,
The new rector was ordained
in 1962 after receiving his
theological training at Huron
College, London and has served
congregations at Gorrie,
• Fordwich, London and
Chatham. During the 2nd World
War, Rev. Anderson was a
member of the RAF and flew
with bomber command as a
radio operator.
During his military service,
Rev. Anderson rose to the rank
• of Plight-Lieutenant and was
awarded the Distinguished
Flying Cross.
While living in Gorrie, he was
a member of the Royal Canadian
Legion branch at Fordwich, At
Thedford before joining the
ministry, Rev. Anderson served
• on the school board and
participated in many activities of
the community,
At Dashwood, lefts. Anderson
became well known for her
readings which she gave at
various church functions while
her husband was a member of
* the Huronia male choir,
The Anderson's have two
children, Kenneth presently
taking post graduate work at the
University of Windsor and Joan,
employed at the head office of
Union Gas in Chatham as a
clerk-typist.
The most serious accident of
the past week occurred on
friday when 10 cars piled up on
Highway 4 about two miles
south of Exeter at 8:40 a.m..
The crash came during the
height of Friday's severe storm
when drifting and snow made
visibility almost nil,
Many of those involved were
area residents on their way to
work at London, isucan,
township employees. Other rates
of pay were set as follows:
tractor and man $4 per hour,
deputy returning officers, $14,
poll clerks, $12, plus mileage in
both cases; rent of a polling
booth, $10.
In connection with inspection
of municipal drains, members of
council will act as inspectors,
with each councillor being
responsible for a certain area of
the township.
The following appointments
were made: stock valuator, Bert
Klopp; pound keepers, R. Ingam,
Laird Jacobe, Leonard Erb,
Edwin . Regier, Claire Geiger,
Melvin Gingerich, Harold
Deichert; fence viewers, Lloyd
Walper, Lorne Chapman, Arnold
— Please turn to page 3
New owner
at local store
A Canadian Tire Corporation
policy of moving top dealers
into bigger stores has resulted in
a change of management at the
Exeter store.
Ken Shaw, who had been
owner of the local store for the
past two and a half years has
transferred to the downtown
Kingston store and has been
succeeded by Ross Bygrave.
Mr. Bygrave, a native of
Brantford, has been owner of
the store at Mount Forest for
the past 14 months.
Prior to that he was
vice-president of Stenocord Co.
Ltd.
A native of World War II, in
which he served five years as an
instrument technician in
Monkton, N,B., Mr. Bygrave is
married and has one son, Ken, a
geologist with Texaco
Explorations in Western Canada.
Mr. and Mrs. Bygrave have
purchased the Shaw residence at
302 Pryde Boulevard and expect
to be moving in within the next
few days.
Dashwood Industries and
Centralia College of Agricultural
Technology.
The pileup took place in
rapid succession and only two
persons were injured.
The following drivers were
involved: Russell N. Tiernan,
Exeter; Paul T, Turnbull, Grand
Bend; Charles Horrell, Exeter;
Alvin L, Lobb, Clinton; Ronald
T. Horn, Exeter; Douglas
Jamieson, Exeter; Mrs. Jim.
Hyde, Hensall; Howard J.
Klumpp, Dashwood; Donald A,
McArthur, Exeter; and
Jacqueline C. Carlon, Clinton.
Oddly enough, despite the
fact she was the driver of the last
car in the pileup, Mrs. Dorion
and her passenger, Angela
Dorian, were the only people
injured.
Mrs. Dorian suffered a
bruised right knee and Angela
suffered a bump on the head.
The crash was investigated by
Constable D. A, Mason.
Traffic on Highway 4 was
halted by police until the care
had been towed away.
Later in the afternoon, three
cars were involved in an accident
on Highway 83 west of
Dashwood, involving cars
operated by Shirley Dawe, RR 2
Grand Bend, which stopped in a
snow bank and was struck in the
rear by a car driven by Roy L.
Robinson, Dashwood, who was
then struck by a car driven by
Andrew C. Anderson of
Dashwood.
A passenger in the Anderson
car, Judy Anderson, suffered a
cut lip.
Constable W. G. Glassford
investigated and listed damage at
$625 in the crash which
occurred during the storm.
There were two accidents on
Saturday, the first of a minor
nature, when a car operated by
Charles E. Regier, RR 3 Zurich,
backed into a parked car owned
by Robert Westlake, Zurich.
Damage was listed at $50 by
Constable Mason. The accident
took place on Highway 84 in
Zurich.
The other crash was also
investigated by Constable Mason
Area people
save money
Although last week's storm
created large snow removal bills,
it saved some area residents
money — temporarily at least.
Judge Glenn Hays, Q.C., and
other court officials were unable
to travel to Exeter from
Goderich for Friday's sitting of
Provincial Court and most
matters were set over until
January 31.
Doug Wedlake, the area's new
Justice of the Peace, presided
and took guilty pleas from a
number of persons, but no
penalties were handed out.
One of the, cases was the first
charge laid again'st an area
snowmobile driver. Robert
Dobson, Exeter, faces a careless
driving charge, following an
incident in Hensall on January
14 when a large window at the
Bonthron Furniture store was
smashed by a snowmobile.
Faces long stay
while leg mends
While Christmas is usually an
exciting time for youngsters, it
didn't quite turn out that way
for Peter Case, RR 3 Exeter.
Peter slipped on some ice at
his home and was taken to St.
Joseph's Hospital in London,
where he is expected to be a
patient for six to 12 weeks.
The son of Mr. and Mrs.
Donald Case, Peter will spend six
weeks in traction and another
six weeks with a body cast.
He is a grade five student at
Usborne Central School.
on the Carroll Drain and in view
of the notification that the
ARDA grant to municipal drains
would be discontinued on
December 31, the contract had
been let to Leonard Otto of
Stratford, the next lowest
tender.
Road Superintendent William
Routly was instructed to call
tenders for the construction of
the Ellerington bridge as soon as
the plans and tender forms are
received from the engineer,
Council heartily endorsed a
Huron County Federation of
Agriculture resolution asking
that the ARDA grant on drains
that were petitioned, accepted
by local municipalities and
forwarded to the engineer for
examination and report before
December 31, but not
contracted be allowed.
No changes were made in
appointments or the salaries of
the Reeve, Councillors,
clerk-treasurer and road
superintendent. The tile drainage
inspector will receive $2 per
hour, the hall custodian $200
per year, tractor and machine
operators $1.80 per hour and
day labour $1.60 per hour. The
last mentioned salaries are up
slightly from last year.
industry heads
to be speakers
The annual meeting of the
Exeter Board of Trade will be
held at the R. E. Pooley branch
Legion Hall, Wednesday,
The evening will start off
with a banquet at 7:00 p.m. and
the members will have as their
guests some of the management
of the new industries at
Centralia Industrial Park.
A representative of each firm
has been invited to give a brief
resume of his company's
operations at Centralia, as to the
nature of the product produced,
Markets, number of employees
and other interesting
information,
Anyone wishing tickets arid
who has not been contacted by a
member of the executive may
secure one at The
Times-Advocate. Tickets will be
on sale until Monday noon and
wives are invited.
Kenneth Gloor, 19, Centralia,
was convicted in Ontario
Supreme Court in Goderich,
Tuesday, of being an accessory
after the fact in the February 9
slaying of a Crediton woman,
Gwendolyn Pfaff.
He had originally been
charged with non-capital murder
along with Joseph Polzen, 33, of
RR 1 Exeter, but the charge was
reduced following Gloor's
preliminary hearing in May.
Mr. Justice Patrick Hartt of
Toronto will pronounce
sentence Monday after reviewing
a psychiatric report on Gloor.
Counsel for Polzen, Dennis
O'Connor, Toronto, requested a
change of venue for his client's
murder trial from Huron to
Toronto. Mr. Justice Hartt
concurred.
The date for the trial will be
established by the chief justice
of Ontario Supreme Court.
While the change of location
for the trial came as a surprise to
most,' it was probably welcomed
by Huron county residents who
were prospective jurors, in view
of the adverse publicity which
befell jurors in the last Huron
murder trial of Steven Truscott.
Mr. O'Connor cited the
presence of newsmen in the
courtroom and publicity already
given the case as one of the main
reasons for moving the trial to
Toronto.
He added that certain
evidence brought out at Gloor's
trial and preliminary hearing,
which were reported, could be
inadmissible at Poizen's trial.
Gloor, who had been free on
$10,000 bail, told the court on
Tuesday of the strangulation and
knife-slaying of Miss Pfaff,
adding, "I was scared out of my
wits."
At a preliminary hearing in
December, Gloor had reported
that he and Polzen drove around
Stephen Township with Miss
Pfaff for almost two hours
At the • inaugural meeting of
Grand Bend Council, Monday
afternoon, Reeve Orval
Wassmann said, "With the
imininenee of regional
government, I don't think we'll
be back again with this type of
opening festivities,"
Wassmann went on to say
that he expected some form of
regional rule by the time their
two year term expires, possibly a
form of amalgamation or a
set-up similar to the County
Boards of Education.
Clerk Murray A. DesJardins
echoed the same sentiments
when be told council he would
be looking for other
during the late afternoon of
February 9 before they finally
ended up at Morrison Dam.
During this time he said the
three had been laughing and
joking and said there had been
no altercations between Polzen
and the Pfaff woman.
Gloor said the two men got
out of the car to relieve
themselves and when they
returned Polzen got into the
driver's seat and Miss Pfaff was
sitting between the two of them.
Gloor said he was looking out
the side window of the car when
Miss Pfaff screamed and started
kicking him. When he looked,
CHIEF IS ON THE JOB -Ex-
eter's newly appointed Police
Chief, Edward J. Day officially
took over his new duties, Mon-
day to complete the four-man
local force. He served 15 years
on the London police depart-
ment and reached the rank of
detective. The Day family will
move to Exeter at the end of the
current school term. T-A photo
employment and reserved the
right to resign his position On 30
days if and when he secured
'other work.
Clerk DesJardins ascribed the
oath of office to Wassmann,
councillors Peter DeJong,
Douglas Martin, tan Coles and
Ivan Luther and Public Utility
Commissioners Lawrence Mason
and Robert Keyes.
Rev. Fr. John Graham of the
Forest and Grand send Roman
Catholic churches led in an
opening devotion period and
said "after bearing Reeve
Wassmann's opening statements,
maybe you could use a little
help from the Lord."
Polzen had his hands around her
neck.
"I was scared out of my
wits," he said, and then told of
helping Polzen put the woman's
body into the back seat of the
car and the two men started
back to Exeter.
However, one of the tires on
the Pfaff car went flat and they
put the woman's body into the
trunk before stopping at the
homes of Don Wilson and Hugh
Rundle to seek a tire jack.
They were unable to secure
the needed equipment and drove
to Exeter on the rim before
getting the tire changed.
Gloor said they then drove
west of Exeter on Huron St. and
dumped Miss Pfaff s body into a
watering trough about one mile
south-east of Dashwood.
It was snowing heavily at the
time and the men partly covered
the body with snow after
putting it into the trough.
They went a short distance
and them Polzen turned the car
around and returned to the
water trough.
Gloor said the man got out of
the car and went over to the
trough and returned in a matter
of minutes and wiped some
blood off a knife he had in his
hand.
The two men returned to
Exeter and picked up some beer
with Raymond Beavers and
Brian Jones and drank it while
driving through the area west of
Exeter.
Polzen and Gloor later went
to a party with two young
Exeter girls and spent some time
in the early part of the week at
the home of Philip Davis,
Dashwood.
The Pfaff car was left at the
Dashwood Hotel on Wednesday
after the Friday night slaying
and the two hitch-hiked to
Exeter, The two men split up at
the north end with Polzen saying
— Please turn to page 3
Wassmann had stated that,
1969 would be one of the most
difficult and busy years a Grand
Bend council had ever faced,
The reeve listed completion of
the water works program and
Main street resurfacing as well as
clarification of the agreement
with Ontario Provincial Police
officials on. village summer
policing as the important tasks
ahead.
While attending the Good
Roads eierfeOtiOn ix TOefolitie In
Fel:W(10y, Grand Bend officials
will be meeting with the
Attorney General's office
regarding policing.
Pleaae turn to page a
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TOBOGGANS GET LOTS OF USE— According to this picture,
Brenda Edwards will need some extra help in giving her passengers,
Dale Jones, Sheila Edwards and Kelly Jones a toboggan ride. Many
local youngsters were out for toboggan and sleigh rides Sunday
afternoon, following the heavy fall of snow.
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