Politics implied in dismissal
TOPEKA (UPI) — A Garden City man may have been fired from his state job because he failed to support Democratic Gov. Robert B. Docking in his 1968 bid for re-election.
Ladislado Hernandez, a 34-year-old Mexican American, was hired in September by the Docking-controlled State Highway Department as equal employment
opportunity officer. His job was terminated Oct. 31 while he was still on probation under state civil service.
C. A. Hallburg, department personnel director, said Tuesday the dismissal of Hernandez was "a management decision. The job required a lot of tact."
R. L. Peyton, assistant highway director, was asked why the man
was dismissed. He said "It was in an area that was quite sensitive, and he was not proving out."
Neither would comment on whether or not politics was involved.
A Hutchinson newspaper quoted Hernandez as stating Tuesday that he had learned the firing came about because of an inquiry by Duane West, Finney County Democratic chairman.
United Mexican American Voters of Kansas. He had urged that group to work for the election of Republican Rick Harman as governor in 1968.
Hernandez is state treasurer of
Docking writes
Docking said in the letter: "If there are complaints against any member of this administration, I want—and I demand—to be informed."
Frizzell told newsmen last Friday he was investigating five or six complaints involving "influence peddling" by appointees of the democratic governor. His statement was made after charges were filed Friday against Vincent L. Bogart, a former Docking appointee to the Kansas Board of Regents, for violation of the state conflict of interest law.
disagreed with Docking's education policies and also didn't feel he had done enough for minority groups.
Letter to Frizzell demands information
TOPEKA (UPI)—Gov. Robert B. Docking demanded in a letter to Attorney General Kent Frizzell today that he be fully informed on investigations Frizzell is making of Docking appointees.
Frizzell said that he would also cooperate with the governor, but any information given him would have to remain confidential, at least, while under investigation.
"I'm glad that Docking is concerned about possible influence peddling in his administration," Frizzell said.
The governor cited a section of the State Constitution which permits the state's chief executive to request information from any state official.
Docking also asked specifically for the names of any Kansas Bureau of Investigation agents who might be involved in the investigations. He said his office would cooperate fully in any investigation.
Devil's consort released
NEW CUMBERLAND, W. Va. (UPI)—A switch by nine came in time Tuesday to bring down the curtain on a witchcraft trial involving a horse trainer and his former neighbors.
Daminger had filed a $50,000 damage suit against 10 of his former neighbors on grounds that they had damaged his reputation and name by accusing him of
Nine neighbors of Frank Daminger, 33, a horse trainer at Waterford Park in Chester, W. Va., had a change of heart during the second day of the trial and apologized to him. They said in a statement that they did not believe Daminger was, "a warlock who had supernatural or evil powers."
Daminger accepted the apology and the trial ended before Hancock County Judge Ralph E. Pryor.
being a "warlock and Devil's consort."
The trial opened Monday after selection of a 12-man jury.
SAN FRANCISCO (UPI)—The buying power of California factory workers in March reached its lowest point in five years, according to figures released by the state government.
The average pay of factory workers in March was $141.71 a week, a 4.2 per cent increase over March, 1968, but because of higher taxes and inflation, the workers could buy less. Purchasing power for a worker with three dependents dropped 2.4 per cent during the year and 3.3 per cent for a single worker, the statistics showed.
TAXES HIT PAY BOOSTS
10 KANSAN Nov. 5 1969
The Saturn V rockets are assembled in New Orleans in what was a World War II tank factory.
"So far as my part in the matter is concerned, when I read of Mr. Hernandez' appointment in the paper, I did make an inquiry in Topeka as to how he had gotten a state job since he had fought the governor so hard in 1968," he was quoted as saying.
West told the newspaper he had inquired into Hernandez's employment.
Hernandez told the newspaper that he had supported Docking in his first term, but had worked against him in 1968. He said he
West said, however, he had no power to hire or fire any state employee.
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