European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - November 17, 1973, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 28 d the stars and stripes saturday november 17, 1973 modest hero apartment House resident catches babies thrown to him from blazing building by John Brewer los Angeles a Elias Gonzalez did t see himself As a hero. I did t even have any clothes on he said suddenly blushing. Clad in his underwear the 19-year-old Kitchen worker caught four babies dropped to him by their terror stricken mothers As flames streaked through the second and third floors of the Stratford apartments thursday night and Early Fri Day. Officials said dozens of persons including nine children died and scores were injured. Gonzalez said he was awakened by the smell of smoke. He raced along the first floor hallway pounding on the doors. He led a Friend Gustavo Gomez 19, from the smoke choked third floor by having him hold onto a Sheet strip. As firefighters arrived he was catching rep. Chisholm under Federal investigation Washington not rep. Shirley Chisholm the Brooklyn Democrat who in 1972 became the first woman to seek the presidential nomination of a major party is the target of Federal investigations into three areas of alleged wrongdoing Law enforcement sources said thursday. They re just fishing expeditions mrs. Chisholm said when asked about the investigations. It s because of who i am in America she has told political colleagues How Ever that she was fearful of a Federal indictment. Mrs. Chisholm declined to say what Agency was investigating her but it was believed to be an administrative Agency rather than the Justice department. Other people also Are being investigated mrs. Chisholm said referring to Public servants whom she declined to name. The Central investigation the new York times Learned involves possible misuse of a $23,000 surplus in mrs. Chisholm s con Gressional Campaign. The surplus was Dis covered by Federal auditors last july eight months after election Day mrs. Chisholm . Chisholm said that the Campaign surplus was merely temporary and existed because All of the Bills had not been paid. Since then she said the Bills have come in and the surplus has been wiped out. It was not a professional Campaign operation she said. I m still paying my husband said to me Shirley keep your Mouth shut " mrs. Chisholm said. Conrad Chisholm is his wife s principal adviser As an unpaid aide. I Don t want to talk about it she continued. I expected it. People Are fishing for Shirley i knew was that there was a fire and everyone had to get out he said. Then i had to catch the out of their Heads the mothers they were out of their Heads said Vince Alva who fled the building with his wife and son. They did t know what to do. Then they heard him shouting and dropped their babies to the mothers jumped too. All four sur Vived. But others did t survive jumps. We had several infant and Mother moralities because of jumping said Battal Ion chief Gene Schmitz. Alva saw a woman drop her baby safely to his son Jorge 15, then jump herself. She died instantly when her head hit the did a hell of a Job said one fireman speaking of saw this Guy catching babies Lead ing old people out of the smoke said fire Man Dave Roberts. Then he helped us get persons Down off our ladders. He is a real red Cross found lodging for Gonza Lez Gomez and a third Man in a hotel two blocks away. The Only thing the Guadalajara Mexico native had was the pants thin jacket and tight fitting shoes someone had Given else i had got burned he said. Shot through the roof fire capt. Walt Wilmington said that by the time the first three fire companies arrived at the apartment building the fire had spread to All floors. And by the time our firemen got their Hose lines up the flames had shot through the roof he said. He said More than 50 persons were res cued from the flaming building by firemen who guided residents Down ladders and fire escapes. Others had already leaped from the Structure officials said. Fire chief Raymond Hill said Many of the bodies were found on the top floors of the 40-year-old building. Sheet draped bodies lined a sidewalk outside after being pulled from the ruins. This is the largest loss of life in a fire in los Angeles history said Wilmington. He said the worst previous fire occurred in a hotel in 1970. He said it killed 19 persons and injured 30. Eyewitnesses reported that six to 12 per sons jumped out of upper Story windows. Salavadore Abdo 24, who escaped with his wife and two daughters said he saw one Man jump. He was lying on the grass just lying los Angeles fire fighters on ladders Battle a Blaze in an apartment House. The loss of life was believed the largest in City history. A Nixon open to All questions editors told Orlando Fla. A four Hundred editors were told Friday that they will be Able to ask president Nixon any questions they wish when he appears Here saturday at the annual meeting of the associated press managing editors association. Ape president John c. Quinn said Nixon will dispense with opening remarks and get right to the questions of the . And Canadian editors attending the ape convention at Disney world. Quinn a vice president of Gannett news papers said he had the Assurance of presidential press Secretary Ronald l. Ziegler that Nixon will not limit the questions or his answers. Nixon planned to Fly to Orlando from the Florida White House at key Biscayne for the ape appearance. Bob Haiman managing editor of the St. Petersburg times said Nixon s decision to submit to questions from editors appears to be an Effort to sidestep the Washington press corps. Teddy Kennedy s son has Bone cancer will lose leg Washington up Edward m. Kennedy jr., 12, oldest son of John f. Ken Nedy s Only surviving brother has Bone cancer in the right leg and will undergo amputation above the knee saturday. Sen. Edward m. Kennedy s office said Friday the operation would be performed at Georgetown University medical Center in Washington. The boy apparently was told about his affliction Friday morning. Both the senator and his wife have been at their son s bedside almost continuously since he was taken to the Hospital tuesday and malignancy was discovered in his ail ing leg. His Mother Cut Short a european trip to be with him. The Kennedy have two other children Kara 13, and Patrick Joseph 6. The operation will take place five Days before the Kennedy family and the nation observe the 10th anniversary of the assassination of president Kennedy in Dallas one of a Long series of tragedies that have plagued the Kennedy. Related Story on pages Young Edward Kennedy was Only 2 at the time of president Kennedy s assassination but he was old enough to mourn with the rest of the family the assassination of his Uncle sen. Robert f. Kennedy in 1968. The latter s oldest daughter Kath Leen 22, was scheduled to be married sat urday. In response to questions Dick Drayne Kennedy s press Secretary said the growth is in the lower right leg and in Lay Man s terms can be described As Bone can cer. A formal statement issued by Drayne said Edward m. Kennedy jr., sen. Ken Nedy s 12-year-old son entered George town University Hospital tuesday for diagnostic tests. The tests have revealed a malignant growth on the lower right leg. Surgery for removal of the growth is scheduled for the very near responding to questions Drayne said the amputation would be above the knee. Young Kennedy s Grandfather Joseph built a Fortune on personal toughness in both business and politics creating a competitive dynasty that has been scarred by tragedy in the last two generations. John f. Kennedy and Robert were assassinated. Joseph Kennedyjr. Was killed in world War ii. One Kennedy daughter severely retarded is living in a Convent. Edward Kennedy seriously injured his Back in an air plane crash in 1964, and was re elected to the Senate from a Hospital bed in 1969, the presidential Hopes of the third Kennedy brother were tarnished when a car driven by the senator plunged off a crude wooden Bridge on Chappaquiddick Island off Martha s Vineyard and a passenger Mary to Kopechne drowned. The same problems have followed the Kennedy children. Patrick president Kennedy s third child died shortly after birth. Joseph Ken Nedy Iii Robert s son was driving a four wheel drive vehicle that overturned last summer and a passenger was seriously injured. Sixteen year old Robert Kennedyjr. Was arrested in 1971 for Possession of mar Ijuana along with Eunice Kennedy Shriner s son Robert. While Robert or. Was ski ing in Chile last summer he was fired upon by a Border guard
