frlday, October 12, 1979
lincoln nebraska vol. 103 no. 34
ling
lish instructors sa
y DN reports false
Dy Michael Zangari
English instructors Maria M. Lemon and Linnea John
son have released a nine -page rebuttal to charges published
in the Daily Nebraskan that two men were excluded from
a Women's poetry class on Aug. 29. tn it they maintain
that the Daily Nebraskan's "assertions were in error and
misleading, and that in fact, all allegations were false."
Lemon demanded the paper print a retraction of the
stories and apologize to Johnson (the poetry class Instruc
tor) for the damage she said Was done to her professional
reputation.
Daily Nebraskan Editor In Chief Amy Lenzen said the
paper will stand firmly behind its reporters.
"We believe they accurately conveyed what they were
told. The Daily Nebraskan made no allegations, we simply
transmitted the news." Lenzen said that at this point the
paper has no intention of issuing an apology or retraction.
Lemon maintains that with the exception of one
woman "not one of the Witnesses interviewed by Daily
Nebraskan reporters and others corroborates the Daily
Nebraskan's reports."
Lenzen said besides the woman in question, Wordie
Wright, orte of the men whd was in the class, told the
reporter there was a vote. When asked by the repdrter
how the vote originated, Johnson said it "ardse out of the
class," Lenzen said.
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Big i?ec? in o;a
Photd by Mark Billingsley
"Gedrgesh cafe in 3426 Wt Broadway in Council
BlufTsj Idwat is evidence that Big Red spirit does
not quit at the Nebraska bdrd6r. Gedrge Pappas
owner and former Lincdln resident, said he is
anxidus td htdve back td Uhcdlrt, Fdr rrtdre turn '
td page 10.
No temporary tickets given
Gate crashers caught in many poses
By Rich Jurgens
Gate crashers ndt only come in all ages at UNL football
games, but the ways bf getting or trying to get into the
games alsd differ.
Capt. Rdri Lundy of the UNL police said that mdst of
those trying to get into football games without paying are
young children. Most of the youths try td get into the
games by climbing the fences. .
Lundy said youths climb the fences because they can t
afford, or are unable to get tickets. He mentioned that it
"one time children were given kndthdle seats underneath
the stadium on the north and south sides for a dollar.
Hdwever this was nd Idnger ddne.
Students also try climbing the fence after selling their
ticket and then deciding they want to gd to the game,
Lundy said.
Another trick used td get intd the game for free is
cartymgisuppdsedmdney'bag. . .
According to Lundy people whd wdrk with conces-
n
OK
Extra lie: 13NL rraternliy pledges help With
therapy
Comics and bpes: Stort k $?ve traders on ised
- goods V . . . a. k . ; . . . . . :. . v . .v v$t 14
lie's Predictions: tee says Huskers by 40 ,k . . Page i 8
sions outside the gates are allowed in for free through
special gates. Sometimes people will say they Were selling
cdncessidrts and try td get in by carrying a rttdrtey bag.
Lundy said some students and adults try getting intd
. games by hanging underneath concession trucks. Conces
sion trucks are allowed in thrdugh special gates and some
beople allow themselves td be dragged in order to get in.
Hdwever, dfllcers hdW visually inspect incdming trucks.
Mdst gate crashers are escorted out and told that they
tan get intd the stadium after the third quarter, Lundy
said.
Yet, there are instances where arrests have been made
as a result of personal injuries.
Some people try getting into the games free while in
line With ticket holders, Lundy said. The non-ticket
holder will wait until he gets Up to the ticket-taker and
then force his Way in. tie said some ticket-takers have
been hurt With this type orate-crashing.
Officers now are stationed behind the ticket-taker and
an arrest will be made if someone is hurt.
; If someone loses their ticket, Lundy refers them td the
ticket office,
Jean Walcott, student ticket manager, said nd tempor
ary tickets are given for lost tickets because Of the large
number of lost tickets reported. She said the ticket office
does take all the information needed td try and get the
ticket back, and will notify the person who lost the ticket
if it fa found. . v -
Tickets are confiscated for Various reasons. Walcott
laid 67 student tickets were taken away during the Utah
'game. 29 during the Penn State game, and 22 during the
New Mexico. State game.- .
Lemon said comments by all three were distorted, and
that it remained a charge presented by one person.
"Basic standards of investigative reporting say that
allegations made by one party about a wrdng supposedly
done to another party do not provide sufficient evidence
fdr the printing of such allegations. The story on Sept. 27
should not have been printed until all potential Witnesses
had been interviewed. '
"As a university newspaper, the purpose of which
should be to guard student rights and academic freedom,
the Daily Nebraskan is responsible for knowing the stan
dard procedures outlined in the bylaws for investigations
into either allegations or charges against instructors "
Lemon said.
"When allegations are made, the supposedly wronged
party is contacted td see if charges are to be made. If no
charges are made, the matter is cldsed. Since Wdrdie
Wright did Hdt Wish to press any charges, John Robinson
(head of the English department) could not, and should
not investigate further."
Randy Essex, news editor, said that, at all times the
paper was interested in printing the truth, and that "it is
difficult to repdrt when key sources (i.e., Robinson and
Johnson) refuse to comment.'
"After the initial story is printed , it is our policy to wait
one full day for the sdurces td respond before we make
editorial comment Without any such action in Ms. John
son's behalf, we had ho reason to believe that the article
was in error,' Lenien said, "Anything which is written
and is not disputed takes bn the aura of. truth.
Lemon says that one student Pat kovandd, called
Lenzen the day after the story had tun, and continued td
call every day after until Lenzen tdld her ndt td call any
more,, and that the paper was working bn the story.
Rovanda is a class member Who, according td Lemon, ob
jected td the initial coverage. ,
Lenzen say) this is Mtrue. "I think the first calls came
ffPA theekendvjhfey coft.
eiMed the cdverage bf lhe story in the paif:"
A letter" signed by tiki members describing the" events
in question appears on page fbur of tddays paper alang
with excerpts frdm Lemon and JdhnsdttY rebuttal.
Editor Vnoti: Due to the nature bf charges leveled
against the Daily Nebraskan, the Daily Nebraskan om
budsman will act as a repdrter in matters cdncerning the
charges.
He is ndt a member bf the editorial staff, and is not
subject tb editorial policy.
Simants unhappy
withwife-witness
By Val Swinton
A former girlfriend df Erwirt Charles Simants described
him as a man obsessed with fears and as a person who
thdught very little df himself.
Simants, 33, is standing trial in Lancaster County
District Cdurt for the murders of six members of a Suther
land family. He is also accused of sexually assaulting three
of them.
, James Henry Reilie,66 his 57-year-old wife Audrey
Marie Kellie, their son David and his two children, ages 5
and 7 were found shot in the head in the Kellie home on
Oct. 18 19?5k Simants was living next door to them in
Sutherland when they were murdered.
This is the second trial for Simants. the first murder
trial, held in Ndrth Platte, was overturned by the Nebras
ka Supreme Court, because a Lincoln County sheriff con
tacted sequestered jurors during the trial.
Defense attomies have maintained that while Simants
committed the murders and sexual assaults, he was insane
at the time. ...
Hazel Wing of Omaha, lived with Simants from May
through September 1968 in a North Platte rooming
house
ilE DIDNT have any self-confidence; Wing said,
e had low self-esteem. He didnt fee! like he was the
man he wanted to beH
Although Simants thought little of himself, Wing
testified, he adored his baby daughter, who had been lit
ing with Simants wife. Wing said the couple had been
separated for some time when Wing hwved in with him.
"He stayed married because he wanted td set his
laughter Wing tdld the jury.
tle really loved his daughter; she said. He was really
fcpset she had to be the way she was. v
The girt was bom with birth defects and died i short
time alter Wing and Simants broke tip.
Continued on Pamela