REMEMBER WHEN?

50 Years Ago

March 7-10, 1972

Citizen awareness had once again aided law enforcement officers in breaking a case in Fayette County; this one involved a second theft of tractors from Kleiber Ford Tractor Co. A Columbus man and two of his cousins from San Antonio were being held in the Fayette County Jail. Each had been charged with two counts of theft in Judge A.V. Smith’s justice of the peace court, along with two counts of theft and one of burglary in connection with stealing two tractors, a pickup truck and a trailer the prior week. The case was broken by a Cleveland, Texas, Red Arrow Freight Lines truck driver, who observed a tractorloading operation going on in the highway ditch near Franklin Nursery about 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday. When he stopped at Longhorn Restaurant, he happened to meet Mr. Kleiber, who had stopped for a coffee after working late. When the truck driver described what he had seen, Mr. Kleiber rushed back to his place but the subjects were already gone and so were new Ford 3000 and Ford 2000 tractors. In the meantime, the truck driver called the sheriff, who alerted his deputies via the radio. An areawide law enforcement “pick up and search” order was issued for any vehicle transporting tractors. Several hours later, officers of all descriptions converged on a long wheelbase truck loaded with two Ford tractors, one hanging precariously off the back, on Interstate 10 this side of Sealy. The driver and passenger were placed in custody there until Fayette County Sheriff T.J. Flournoy and his deputies could get to the scene. One officer drove the 1971 Dodge truck and its load back to La Grange.

Funeral services were held for: Ernest Bader, 84, of Nelsonville; Arthur T. Koepke, 66, of Ellinger; Joe A. Dirba, 90, of Ellinger; Miss Gladys Gest, 58, of La Grange; Mrs. Emilie Wenkhous, 88, formerly of La Grange; Mrs. Minnie Boehnke, 82, of Muldoon; Conrad E. Schnaubelt, 71, of La Grange; Robert Wesley Norsworthy, 75, of La Grange;

Only one incumbent was a candidate for reelection to the Schulenburg school board in the April 1 election, but eight candidates were vying for three places. John Ginn was the incumbent candidate. Others in the race were: Dr. Noman DeRuiter, Johnnie Valcher, Calvin Schuetze, Harrell Rightmer, W.A. Farek Jr., F.T. Muras and Charles A. Eilers Jr., the latter an 18-year-old Schulenburg High School senior.

In his monthly report, Sheriff T. J. Flournoy said in district court on Jan. 4, one prisoner received 10 years in the pen and three others were out on five years’ probation. That night, there was a bad accident at Buckner’s Creek bridge where two young people were killed and one man was hospitalized. Another one was jailed for DWI. On Jan. 18, the sheriff’s department arrested two in conjunction with the burglary of Watzlavick Drug Store in Schulenburg. That same day, one subject was jailed for disorderly conduct, a mental patient was taken to the Austin State Hospital and a trip was made to Smithville on an investigation. On Jan. 26, the sheriff sent a deputy to Houston to fetch a prisoner and a stolen car was recovered near Ellinger. That’s the same day that Jack Dyer’s Drug Store was burglarized.

Private Ray A. Pietsch completed eight weeks of U.S. Army basic training at Fort Polk, Louisiana. Ray’s parents were Mr. and Mrs. Anton C. Pietsch of La Grange.

Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Moerbe of La Grange were presented with a plaque for outstanding sales achievement by seed company Northrup, King & Co. Mr. Moerbe represented this area at the Texas-Oklahoma regional dealer advisory meeting in Dallas.

Henry Frerichs was feted three days before his 90th birthday at a celebration on Sunday, March 5 at the Hermann Sons Lodge Hall in Rutersville. Friends and relatives attended from La Grange, Houston, Winedale, Rutersville, Giddings, Ellinger and Austin.

La Grange Motor Co. advertised a price reduction of $212 on the 1972 Ford Explorer pickup in its showroom. The truck, limestone green with a white top and special trim and foam seats, had bright front bumper guards, bright drip moldings, mag-type wheels, ammeter and oil pressure gauges, vacuum booster brakes, AM radio, tinted glass, extra cooline radiator, 1,475 lb. rear springs and G78x15 whitewall tires. The list price was $3,295.00.

After a dog bit Schulenburg city mail carrier Nolan Bruns on the leg, he received precautionary medical attention. The stray, whose owner was unknown, was picked up later the same day by Schulenburg Police Officer Stoner. The dog was taken to Dr. Syler for observation because of the possibility of rabies.

Two clutch base hits in the last of the ninth and hitless relief hurling by southpawing Bubba Riehs were combined by Paul Hoelscher’s La Grange Leopards at Fair Park for a 2-1 victory over the talented Navasota Rattlers. The win was the third straight for the Leps against nary a setback, setting the stage for La Grange’s clash with Class 4A Bryan at the A&M Consolidated tournament on Friday.

In observance of her 96th birthday, Miss Selma Klatt, one of La Grange’s oldest citizens, entertained friends and family at her home from 2:30 to 6:30 o’clock on Tuesday. The party was planned and arranged by Miss Klatt’s companion, Miss Josephine Bartling.

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