Daily Egyptian for 8/26/11

'(

)ULGD\ $XJXVW CITY

THE GRIND

Marion woman illustrates struggles of a friend’s disease

'DLO\ (J\SWLDQ

See what Carbondale has to offer in the Weekend Walkthrough

3$*(

6LQFH

ZZZ GDLO\HJ\SWLDQ FRP

3$*(

9ROXPH ,VVXH SDJHV

Noose returned

to rightful owner TARA KULASH Daily Egyptian

After a five-year battle, a piece of history sits on a Mount Vernon lawyer’s desk.

Benton native Rebecca Cocke said she hired Lane Harvey to help her get back her family possession — the noose used in the last Illinois hanging.

Cocke said her grandfather, Sheriff James Pritchard, was responsible for the 1928 arrest, incarceration and execution of Charlie Birger, one of southern Illinois’ most notorious gang leaders during Prohibition.

Cocke’s mother, Mary Glover, gave the rope to Benton’s Historic Jail Museum on loan in 1996 when she began to show signs of Alzheimer’s, Cocke said. When Cocke asked Bob Rea, owner of the museum, for the rope back, he told her he needed proof that it was hers, she said.

Cocke said lawyers in the area wouldn’t pick up her case, so she went to Harvey. “Mr. Harvey didn’t charge me a penny,� she said. “He said, ‘All I want is a picture with the rope.' I said, ‘You can have as many as you want!’� “When she told me what this was about, there was no way I wasn’t going to do it,� Harvey said. “I’m fascinated by the history of this event.�

LYNNETTE OOSTMEYER | DAILY EGYPTIAN

After spending five years on the Charlie Birger hangman’s noose case, Lane Harvey, a Mount Vernon lawyer, sits at his desk with the noose in his possession. The noose was used in the last public hanging in Illinois.

Please see NOOSE | 8

New university structure gives first-year students fresh start Saluki First Year 101: life lessons for freshmen JACQUELINE MUHAMMAD Daily Egyptian As a class for first-year students began, the instructor asked his students why they were in the class, the university and the universe.

Kenneth Stikkers, a professor of philosophy, tells the students that these questions could give them a sense of purpose and empowerment.

Beginning in the fall of 2012 Saluki First Year: 101 Foundations of Inquiry courses will be part of the University Core Curriculum and a requirement for all freshmen.

Comprised of the basics from the traditional University 101 course — an optional interdisciplinary course — each college will have a different version of the course that will be tailored to their specific programs. The course is intended to transition firstyear students to college life and understand what to expect in their college career.

The course will not only provide the usual lessons on study skills and time management, but

´-X¡W XLI GLSMGI [I LEZI XS GSRXIQTPEXI XLI UYIWXMSRW ERH MX¡W [LEX QEOIW YW LYQER ;I LEZI XS XLMRO EFSYX [LEX [I EVI HSMRK MR SVHIV XS HIXIVQMRI [LIVI [I EVI KSMRK 0IX ]SYV [LSPI GSPPIKI IHYGEXMSR FI XLI STTSVXYRMX] XS XLMRO EFSYX XLIWI UYIWXMSRW ¾ (V /IRRIXL 7XMOOIVW TVSJIWWSV SJ TLMPSWSTL] ERH %JVMGERE WXYHMIW PHOTO BY STEVE MATZKER, DESIGN BY LAUREN LEONE | DAILY EGYPTIAN

Kenneth Stikkers, a philosophy professor, listens to a Saluki First Year student respond to Stikkers’ questions about life Thursday at the Wham Building. Saluki First Year, which replaced University 101, is a requirement for incoming freshmen to help orient them to university life. Stikkers, who helped initiate the program, said many students are first-generation freshmen. also on the learning objectives of the Saluki First Year program.

According to the Saluki First Year web site, the program is designed to bring together programs and services related to first-year students and help improve their time at SIUC. Stikkers said when he learned about the course he thought it was a great opportunity for SIUC to be more successful with orienting new students to the university. “These courses can help solve the ongoing problem of freshmen getting acclimated to university life,� Stikkers said.

Mark Amos, director of Saluki First Year, said the courses will provide a foundation of knowledge that students can not only carry throughout their entire college careers but also in their personal lives. “We want to emphasize the transference of knowledge by keeping the co-curricular tightly married to the curricular. We not only have things going on in similar classes, but we’ve got things going on outside the classroom,� Amos said.

Please see UNIVERSITY | 4

University college model designed to increase student retention SARAH SCHNEIDER Daily Egyptian In an effort to increase the retention rate and student success, Southern Illinois University Carbondale implemented the University College Model this academic year.

Mark Amos, director of Saluki First Year, said the model was constructed to pull together units and services on campus that enhance students’ success and offer support during their first year.

Chancellor Rita Cheng implemented the program with the restructure of the Division of Student Affairs in December. It was approved by the SIU Board of Trustees executive board Feb. 14 and was ratified by the entire board April 14.

The university puts Saluki First Year, Core Curriculum, University Honors, Learning Support Services, New Student Programs, Career Services, Premajor Advisement, the Center for Academic Success, First Scholars and Student Support Services all under one organizational structure,

Amos said. “I don’t think that we can afford any longer to expect that we can have great outcomes from volunteer collaboration across campus,�

Cheng said. “We felt we needed to make sure people were in the same organizational structure so there is an accountability established, we can have data to track students better and we can pay attention to the goals of learning and student success.�

The 2009 retention rate for freshmen, according to Institutional Research and Studies, was 68.9 percent – meaning over 30 percent did not return for sophomore year.

SIU President Glenn Poshard said one of the reasons Cheng is chancellor is because she increased student enrollment by 10,000 during her term as provost and vice chancellor for Academic Affairs at the University of WisconsinMilwaukee. “She had that background and knowledge, and the foremost goal I established for her when she came down here was to reform the enrollment management process here according to ... her best judgment,� he said.

Cheng said many people were moved to different positions because there was not enough money for new staffing.

Please see COLLEGE | 4

2

Daily Egyptian

Elements

Friday, August 26, 2011

Gus Bode says:

“Need a job that will provide you with great

experience?”

The DE is looking for: Graphic designers, press room technicians and copy editors.

The DE also needs a web administrator with basic web programming skills.

Come to Room 1247 of the Communications Building for an application!

The Weather Channel® 5 day weather forecast for Carbondale, IL: Today

Saturday

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

85° 61°

88° 61°

80° 59°

81° 59°

87° 63°

0% chance of

0% chance of

0% chance of

30% chance of

0% chance of

precipitation

precipitation

precipitation

precipitation

precipitation

About Us The Daily Egyptian is published by the students of Southern Illinois University Carbondale 50 weeks per year, with an average daily circulation of 20,000. Fall and spring semester editions run Monday through Friday. Summer editions run Tuesday through Thursday. All intersession editions will run on Wednesdays.

Spring break and Thanksgiving editions are distributed on Mondays of the pertaining weeks. Free copies are distributed in the Carbondale, Murphysboro and Carterville communities. The Daily Egyptian online publication can be found at www.dailyegyptian.com.

Mission Statement The Daily Egyptian, the student-run newspaper of Southern Illinois University Carbondale, is committed to being a trusted source of news, information, commentary and public discourse, while helping readers understand the issues affecting their lives.

Copyright Information © 2011 Daily Egyptian. All rights reserved. All content is property of the Daily Egyptian and may not be reproduced or transmitted without consent. The Daily Egyptian is a member of the Illinois College Press Association, Associated Collegiate Press and College Media Advisers Inc.

Publishing Information The Daily Egyptian is published by the students of Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Offices are in the Communications Building, Room 1259, at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL 62901. Bill Freivogel, fiscal officer.

News

Friday, August 26, 2011

Daily Egyptian

3

Photobook creates disease awareness TARA KULASH Daily Egyptian When Tonya Lindsey witnessed the affects Lou Gehrig’s disease had on her best friend, she composed a photobook to give hope.

“That night it just kind of hit me like a ton of bricks,” said Lindsey, an amateur photographer and SIUC alumna from Marion. “I felt helpless and I didn’t know what to do for her.”

In an effort to give back to Patty Gowdy, Lindsey’s best friend, Lindsey e-mailed her photos everyday. Lindsey said she later looked through the e-mails and decided they needed to be shared. She then put the photos together in a book and will hold a book signing Saturday at Blue Sky Vineyard.

“I wanted other people to see Patty’s courage and the grace with which she lives with the disease,” Lindsey said.

Gowdy was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, better known as Lou Gehrig’s disease in October 2004—six days before her forty-fourth birthday.

“It was crushing,” Gowdy said. “It’s pretty much a death sentence. The doctors tell you to get your things in order and sit back and see what happens.”

Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that attacks nerve cells and pathways in the brain and spinal cord, according to the ALS Association’s web site. When these cells die, voluntary muscle control and movement dies with them, the site states. Patients in the later stages of the disease are totally paralyzed, but their mind remains sharp and alert. Most people diagnosed with ALS have a life expectancy of two to five years.

Gowdy said her first thought was, “Will I live to be 50?”

Not only did she reach her 50th year, Gowdy is entering her seventh year with the disease in October. She said she believes attitude contributes to the progression of any kind of health issue.

She said the support she’s received has helped to slow down the disease.

Gowdy said she now depends on a 24/7 caregiver.

Lindsey said when Gowdy came from Evansville, Ind., to visit her in Marion in 2008, she noticed her friend was beginning to lose some of her physical abilities. She said Gowdy needed help to walk and eat.

The book, titled Perspectives: A Story of Friendship, contains photos of animals, plants and landscapes with Gowdy’s deemed titles and selected email messages sent back and forth between the two.

Gowdy said the book came as a complete surprise to her. For $30 each,

$3 of the proceeds will go to the ALS Foundation. Lindsey also matted some of the photographs to sell for $10 to $15.

She said $5 of those proceeds will also go toward fighting the disease.

“There is no way I could put into words what she has done for me,” Gowdy said. “I’m not able to do much of anything. I can use a mouse, but I can’t type. I use voice recognition. But now each day I know I have something I have to get done. It’s kind of like my purpose in a way.”

She said she hopes the book will help to educate others about the disease.

Lou Gehrig’s disease is a rare condition. In fact, the ALSA site states an average of 15 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with it every day. Annually, Lou Gehrig’s disease is responsible for two deaths per 100,000 people in America, according to the web site.

The diagnosis has helped Gowdy

become more patient, she said.

“I used to think I was really good at not taking things for granted, but that’s not true,” she said. “I don’t sweat the small stuff anymore.”

Gowdy said it would be too hard to pick her favorite photo or title in the book, but she especially loves the ones of animals. She said some of the images hit a deeper spot for her because they remind her of her father, who died in 2007.

Gowdy will attend the book signing Saturday. She said the trip will be tough since she’s in a wheelchair, but she wants to be there to support her friend and the hard work she put in to self-publish it.

“It’s a really cool book because of the story behind it,” Lindsey said. “We’ve all faced our trials in life, but just when you think you can do nothing to help someone, there’s always something. We want to give people hope.”

50 percent improved medical care and advances (3 or more years) 20 percent improved medical care and advances (5 or more years)

ALS Lou Gehrig’s Disease

average lifespan (3-5 years)

2

4

10 percent (more than 10 years)

6

8

Life expectancy after ALS diagnosis

10 JIM ECKLUND | DAILY EGYPTIAN

4

Daily Egyptian

News COLLEGE CONTINUED FROM

1

“The front offices for the students shouldn’t change,” she said. “It is the back end and organizational structure and the accountability that needs to be strengthened.”

Amos said few were physically moved to other offices, but some units have been administratively

Friday, August 26, 2011 relocated. He said units that reported to the former provost, Student Affairs and enrollment management now report to different areas.

The new Student Services building, which will house most of the offices under University College, is supposed to be finished in spring 2014, he said.

Amos said the directors of the

units under the college work to determine the goals of the model.

“We are trying to centralize programs on campus not only so we can be efficient, but so we can make it more widely available and make it successful for our students,” he said.

Sarah Schneider can be reached at sschneider@dailyegyptian.com or 536-3311 ext. 255.

University College Model

INFORMATION PROVIDED BY OFFICE OF SALUKI FIRST YEAR

UNIVERSITY CONTINUED FROM

1

Last year the College of Liberal Arts picked up the course and designed three courses to accommodate their student population, including a section for fine arts, humanities and social sciences.

David DiLalla, associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts, said the idea of the Saluki First Year course is to embed the skills students need into the courses they are interested in for their major.

“Last year we had a course in the English department and had great feedback from the students who enjoyed being able to learn course content in the context of something they are quite interested in,” he said. “There will

be multiple courses in multiple departments with the idea being that students can take advantage of courses they are interested in and also get academic success skills at the same time.”

Starting next fall, all of the Saluki First Year courses will be changed to UCOO 101 and will be distinguished through the colleges.

Stikkers said he plans course content to stimulate students’ minds and get them to think critically.

He said he has to challenge the students to expand their way of thinking. This will get them to realize that without asking themselves questions they run the risk of losing themselves.

“It’s the choice we have to contemplate the questions and it’s what makes us human. We have to

think about what we are doing in order to determine where we are going,” Stikkers said. “Let your whole college education be the opportunity to think about these questions.”

While most students hesitated to respond to Stikkers’ questions, Dan Kresheck, a freshman from Rockford studying English, responded. He said he believes it is necessary to ask these questions in order for students to stay motivated as they navigate the college experience.

“I like this type of class, and the questions he asked got me to thinking about how I can be successful,” Kresheck said.

Jacqueline Muhammad can be reached at jmuhammad@dailyegyptian.com or 536-3311 ext. 259.

2SLQLRQ

(GLWRULDO %RDUG Leah Stover Editor-in-Chief

Eric Ginnard Opinion Editor

Pat Sutphin Photo Editor

Kathleen Hector Managing Editor

Sarah Schneider Campus Editor

Tara Kulash City Editor

Lauren Leone Design Chief

Cory Downer Sports Editor

Brendan Smith Grind Editor A&E Editor

Editorial Policy Our Word is the consensus of the Daily Egyptian Editorial Board on local, national and global issues affecting the Southern Illinois University community. Viewpoints expressed in columns and letters to the editor do not necessarily reflect those of the Daily Egyptian.

)ULGD\ $XJXVW Ăƒ ZZZ GDLO\HJ\SWLDQ FRP

GUEST COLUMN

You’re not Reagan you’re Hoover JONATHAN BEAN SIUC professor of history This column originally appeared in the August 24 issue of the Washington Times.

White House officials for some time have been drawing comparisons between the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, and the 40th, Ronald Reagan. A truer comparison would be President Obama and Herbert Hoover.

For the past year, I have been researching how the housing bubble of the 1920s contributed to the Great Depression. My study has involved reading numerous articles and speeches by and about Hoover, first as commerce secretary (192128), then as president (1929-1933).

The parallels with our current president are astounding.

Hoover and Mr. Obama were both considered extraordinarily intelligent by their supporters.

Hoover, a graduate of Stanford University, was a successful mining engineer who traveled the world until he returned to the United States during World War I. After the war, he organized relief efforts that saved millions from starvation

across postwar Europe. A journalist described Hoover as a progressive who “dreams of social justice.�

Franklin D. Roosevelt, then assistant secretary of the Navy, wanted Hoover to run for president in 1920, as a Democrat. FDR considered Hoover “a wonder ‌ I wish we could make him President of the United States. There couldn’t be a better one.â€?

But Hoover was a Republican and became commerce secretary and “undersecretary of all other departments,� in the words of one contemporary, under Presidents Warren G. Harding and Calvin Coolidge.

With his broad portfolio, Hoover became a gadfly, lecturing trade associations on how to eliminate “waste.� He encouraged young FDR to take the helm of the American Construction Council - the umbrella trade association for construction.

Roosevelt thought Hoover's “scientific� approach to business was better than competitive capitalism.

The American people were equally enamored. Despite signs of an economic slowdown, especially in housing, voters in 1928 elected the “brainy idealist� president.

For his part, Hoover promised

W

hile Mr. Obama can’t match Hoover’s pre-presidential record, he shares the same cast of mind. Both men can be characterized, impolitely perhaps, as know-it-alls.

Is it any wonder that their presidential wizardry failed to impress business?

particular issue than my policy directors.�

Wall Street Journal columnist Bret Stephens writes: “How many times have we heard it said that Mr. Obama is the smartest president ever? Even when he’s criticized, his failures are usually chalked up to his supposed brilliance. Liberals say he’s too cerebral for the Beltway.�

Mr. Stephens cautioned: “Socrates taught that wisdom begins in the recognition of how little we know.�

Many Americans share the attitude of those disillusioned with Hoover.

In 1931, Americans recalled how they had felt three years prior.

Hoover had seemed so wonderful.

He had promised to end poverty.

He had seemed so smart. But by 1931, people said he beat them down if they were in business, and his speeches sounded robotic.

Perhaps, someday, the Hall of Presidents at Disney World, with its androids motioning stiffly to the audience, will add a new exhibit: Mr. Obama’s teleprompter, now the butt of jokes on the president’s manifest failings.

We all know Hoover’s legacy. It’s starting to look like “deja vu all over again.�

a “triumph over poverty.� When the economy tanked, he increased government spending, cut taxes, bailed out businesses “too big to fail,� and proposed a massive infrastructure bank to employ men in shovel-ready jobs.

Contemporaries called this stimulus package “priming the pump.�

Yet unemployment soared, and the GOP lost control of the House of Representatives in 1930.

Hoover blamed his woes on the international economic situation and his political opponents. Sound familiar?

While Mr. Obama can’t match Hoover's pre-presidential record, he shares the same cast of mind.

Both men can be characterized, impolitely perhaps, as know-italls. Is it any wonder that their presidential wizardry failed to impress business?

Outlook magazine, then one of the pre-eminent journals of news

and opinion, asked a banker why so many businessmen opposed Hoover's candidacy. The banker said his firm “has many textile manufacturers as clients ‌ but nobody in the bank would presume to tell our customers how to make rayon.â€?

Yet Hoover was “confident that he knows more about finance than financiers, more about industry than industrialists, and more about agriculture than agriculturists. He is so sure of his judgment in these fields that he wants to impress it on others. He is very seldom willing to take advice. Since he knows more than any advisers could, why should he?�

Flash forward to today.

Mr. Obama also considers himself a brainiac: “I think I’m a better speechwriter than my speechwriters,�

Mr. Obama reportedly told an aide in 2008. “I know more about policies on any

wrongheaded and breathtakingly condescending. What its about, as any faculty member worth his or her salt has always known, is providing the student with THE OPPORTUNITY to be successful through means of diligent class preparation, availability to students, fair and challenging evaluation and keeping up one’s own scholarly commitment to

one’s field.

This is not a wheel that needs reinventing, and to suggest otherwise is to ignore the ongoing efforts of hundreds of SIUC faculty and staff who do their work here with professional pride and dedicated effort. Sad to say, shoveling $1.5 million out the door to a Chicago public relations firm in return for yet another new

logo and “branding� adds insult to injury and has nothing to do with the substantive identity of SIUC. In a time of severe fiscal exigency, this decision suggests that it's the upper administration that doesn't ‘get it.’

public in 2009 from the Climate Research Institute in England indicated their attempts to “hide the decline� of global temperature readings on land, AND using different multipliers to JACK UP global temperature readings on the ocean.

So why should I be surprised?

Some of the man-made global warming alarmists were in a frenzy in the 1970s over an impending ICE AGE. They seem to speak out of both sides of their mouths.

Man-made global warming, indeed. This is nuts, and is science fiction at its best.

So what’s next? I’m kind of expecting the distribution of carbon emission masks, and I REALLY want to see who will volunteer to put the masks on Bengal tigers.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Cheng and upper administration still don’t “get it�

Dear Editor,

In a recent story about student move-in day at the university, Chancellor Rita Cheng was quoted as follows: “I think there’s a renewed spirit on campus. ... I think that everyone is starting to get it, that it’s about the student being successful.�

There are several things wrong with this statement.

First, it’s hard to credit her

observation of “a renewed spirit� in the context of pervasive unrest on campus among faculty, staff and students (especially graduate students) that has been widely reported most notably in the Carbondale Times.

Second, her thought that “everyone is starting to get it, that it’s about the student being successful� is both

Charles Fanning Former SIUC professor of english and history

Man-made global warming questionable at best Dear Editor,

Recently, I read a report which concluded the reason global temperature hasn’t increased in the last several years is that China is burning more coal, and their carbon emissions are blocking the efforts of the sun’s rays, thus cooling the global

temperature.

Say what? It wasn’t that long ago I heard REPEATEDLY that man-made global warming was BECAUSE OF carbon emissions, like the burning of coal.

Environmentalists can’t have it both ways, or can they?

Sure they can, E-mails made

Stanley Tucker SIUC alumnus, 1974

Submissions

Notice

Letters and guest columns must be submitted with author’s contact information, preferably via e-mail.

Phone numbers are required to verify authorship, but will not be published. Letters are limited to 400 words and columns to 500 words. Students must include year and major. Faculty must include rank and department. Others include hometown. Submissions should be sent to Opinion@dailyegyptian.com.

The Daily Egyptian is a “designated public forum.� Student editors have the authority to make all content decisions without censorship or advance approval.

We reserve the right to not publish any letter or guest column.

6

Daily Egyptian

Friday, August 26, 2011

D A I LY E G Y P T I A N . C O M Ã F R I D AY , A U G U S T 2 6 , 2 0 1 1 Ã 7 BRENDAN SMITH Daily Egyptian FRIDAY Lost in the Trees/Black Fortys Album Release Party at Hangar 9 - The Black Fortys invade Hangar 9 in celebration of the band’s new album, “Voodoo Moon,” which drops today. The band will open for folk singer/songwriters Lost in the Trees.

Nikko Smith at Copper Dragon - Singer/songwriter

Nikko Smith, a former “American Idol” contestant, will perform in Carbondale. Smith was the ninth-place contestant on the reality TV contest.

Kid Tiger at the Main Street Friday Night Fair - Every Friday night until the last week in October, Carbondale Main Street has its Friday Night Fair.

The free event kicks off the weekend with music, food, crafts and activities.

Little Feat at DuQuoin State Fair

- The American classic rock band will take the stage in the Combined Veteran’s Tent free of charge. The group will perform classic hits, “Dixie Chicken,” “Sailin’ Shoe” and “Let it Roll.”

SATURDAY Dan Vapid and the Cheats, Dan Sentighty, Copyrights Album Release Party at Hangar 9 - Viva la anarchy. The rebellious lineup takes over Hangar for an all-out punk-rock showcase.

Funky Butt Brass Band at Tres Hombres - The self-dubbed “N’Awlins rhythm” returns to Carbondale with their signature sound of the Big Easy.

African Harp and Storytelling at Yellow Moon Cafe Artist Morikeba Kouyate brings his one- man performance to southern Illinois before returning to his home of Senegal. The showcase will feature harp music, songs and stories rooted deep in oral

folklore and African tradition.

SUNDAY Bolokada Conde, Morikeba Kouyate and SWIADE at Carbondale Unitarian Fellowship - West African drummer Bolokada Conde and musician and storyteller Morikeba Kouyate take the stage with SIWADE (Southern Illinois West African Drumming Ensemble). The event will include a performance, potluck and Q&A with Bolokada.

8

News

Daily Egyptian

NOOSE CONTINUED FROM

Friday, August 26, 2011

1

Harvey said the case began in 2006, and in 2008 the judge ruled the museum had no rights to the rope based on a letter Cocke found that both Rea and her mother signed.

It stated, “Should … a formal request be made by the children of James and Nona Pritchard … the noose will be returned.”

Rea said when Glover gave him the noose, no one knew if the museum would be successful. He said the letter also stated, “Should the museum cease to exist … the noose will be returned.”

Rea said this could be interpreted that the family wanted the rope back if the museum fell through, which it did not.

“The question was, who owned the noose?” Rea said. “We knew we didn’t. We weren’t even aware of what success we’d have. There are many descendents of the Pritchard family, and ... perhaps it belonged to the county, so we asked the court to help determine the ownership of the noose.”

Rea said Harvey is a good friend of his and he respected the lawyer’s stance. He said he is just happy to know who the owner is and that the Birger story is still dynamic today, bringing thousands of visitors to the museum annually.

Shortly before this ruling, Harvey said Cocke’s cousin, Scott Pritchard, entered the case to claim the rope.

Cocke said her cousin claimed Glover did not have the rope the whole time, and was passed from her to other siblings. The judge ruled this out as well, Cocke said, and the rope was given to Harvey on Aug. 18.

Harvey said Birger’s gang fought with the Shelton gang to control most of southern Illinois — violently and recklessly enough to put Al Capone’s Chicago gang to shame.

When the Shelton gang kept a liquor truck at West City Mayor Joe Adams’ garage, Birger wanted the truck, Harvey said, but Adams would not give it to him. He said Birger hired two men to shoot Adams, and when the two were caught, they ratted Birger out.

When Pritchard went to arrest Birger, he found Birger lying in bed with his gun, Cocke said.

“My grandpa said, ‘Come on,

On April 19, 1928, the town of Benton witnessed the last public hanging in Illinois. Charlie Birger, a notorious southern Illinois gangster, was hanged for the murder of Joe Adams. “Birger

PROVIDED PHOTO

Pictured is Charlie Birger before his April 19, 1928, execution in Benton. After five years of legal battle, the noose has been removed from the Franklin County

Historical Jail Museum and returned to Rebecca Cocke, the granddaughter of former Franklin County Sheriff Jim Pritchard, the lawman who oversaw Birger’s execution.

Charlie. You’re going with me,’” Cocke said. “Charlie said, ‘Only if I can take my gun,’ and my grandpa said, ‘Sure.’”

Cocke said Pritchard took him to jail and Birger was convicted.

“The whole thing was just sort

of bizarre, and in the course of it all Birger’s lawyers tried to say he was insane,” Harvey said.

A trial was held a week before the April 19 hanging, and he said it took the jury about five minutes to decide

LYNNETTE OOSTMEYER | DAILY EGYPTIAN

specifically requested that the hood be black instead of white because he didn’t want to be affiliated with the Klan,” said Rebecca Cocke, the granddaughter of Sheriff James Prichard.

Birger wasn’t insane.

Cocke said shortly after Birger was charged, his gang planned to kidnap her mother, who was two at the time, for revenge.

“My grandpa called and told my grandmother, ‘Get Mary in the house,’ and she no sooner got her in the house when the gang drove by slowly,” Cocke said.

Harvey said Phil Hanna, the executioner, conducted over 70 hangings, including Birger’s, which was the last legal one in Illinois, and also the last public hanging in the U.S., which happened in Owensboro, Ky., in 1938. Hanna never charged a penny for any of the hangings, Harvey said.

Harvey said Hanna came into the profession after he saw a botched hanging in White County.

“So instead of the prisoner dying rather swiftly and painlessly, he essentially strangled at the end of the rope,” he said. “Hanna determined that shouldn’t happen, so he educated himself on the conduct of all this.”

Harvey said Hanna used his own trapdoor and rope and supervised the construction of the gallows. Hanna would put the rope on the person’s neck and make sure it was adjusted, but would not pull the trapdoor, Harvey said.

Cocke said before the hanging, Birger shook hands with everyone but her grandfather. She said Birger must have felt tricked by Pritchard for allowing him to take his gun to jail.

Harvey said after the hanging Hanna gave the rope to Pritchard, who held it from 1928-1959, when he gave it to Cocke’s mother, his daughter.

Now that Cocke has rights to the noose, she said she does not know what she wants to do with it yet.

“It might end up in display,” Harvey said. “But I assure you if it does, it’ll wind up with the terms a whole lot tighter than in the past so we won’t have to do this again.”

Tara Kulash can be reached at tkulash@dailyegyptian.com or 536-3311 ext. 273.

Friday, August 26, 2011

Classifieds

Daily Egyptian

9

10 Daily Egyptian

Study Break

&URVVZRUG 7+( 'DLO\ &RPPXWHU 3X]]OH

'2:1 79¡V /LQNOHWWHU

Horoscopes

By Nancy Black and Stephanie Clement Today’s Birthday —This is a year for healthy trends. Remodeling looks good; how about a vegetable garden? You could grow vertically, or even on the roof. There’s nothing better than eating fresh picked food that you raised yourself. Communications and logistics ease as things start to flow.

Aries (March 21-April 19) — Today is an 8 —There are so many ways to tell someone you love them: with words, gestures or symbols. Your audience is receptive, so get creative and play.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Today is a 7 —A barrier dissolves at home. Banking matters take a turn for the better. Confusion diminishes, and the path ahead is clear. Old friends offer great ideas.

Gemini (May 21-June 21) — Today is a 9 —There’s so much to learn, and you’re focused.

Mercury goes direct later today: Agreements move forward and groups compromise. Send off the paperwork for increased funding.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is a 7 — Fine-tune your home. Clean something while you contemplate your next move. Things lighten up, especially around money and travel.

Complete a remodel.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — Today is an 8 — Great results come from being with people today, so schedule meetings, connect via correspondence and get together with friends. Interaction eases markedly, which aids productivity.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Today is an 8— Give thanks for what you have and for what you don’t have. Whatever degree of health is yours, be grateful: for breathing, eating and simple pleasures.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is an 8 — It’s adventure time! Have you considered taking a trip to an unknown place? It’s possible with a computer, or simply by closing your eyes. Sometimes an airplane is nice.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Today is a 7— It’ll be easier to advance for a while. Wealth increases as things go smoothly. Productive brainstorming is possible. Someone finds you fascinating.

Cancer (June 22-July 22) — Today is an 8 —You could be tempted to spend impulsively.

Review the budget for the big picture. Project completion gets facilitated and lifts off.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Today is an 8—Bring your partnerships to the next level through honesty. Celebrate the possibilities of the future, and reminisce about the past.

Group membership pays off.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is a 9 — You’ve got power: physical, mental and emotional.

Use yours to move up a level. Creative efforts bear fruit, and travel’s easier now. Push boldly forward. Let others help.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Today is a 6 — It’s time to get busy. Start gathering the nectar that will provide for you and your hive throughout the cold winter months. Bring in the harvest, and celebrate with a big dinner.

THAT SCRAMBLED WORD GAME

by David L. Hoyt and Jeff Knurek

Unscramble these four Jumbles, one letter to each square, to form four ordinary words.

7KXUVGD\¡V 3X]]OH 6ROYHG

BB WKH ZD\ EH D SLRQHHU &RPSHWHQW &ORWKLQJ :RUULHV /D\HU RI VRG 6KDGH RI EHLJH $FWXDO H[LVWLQJ RI D 5XVVLDQ UXEOH BB VWHSKHQ OLNH D WLHG VFRUH %RRNLVK IHOORZ %XUGHQ 7DNHV ZLOOLQJO\ 1RW GLIILFXOW ´$ URVH E\ BB RWKHU QDPH ¾ $FWRU BB $OEHUW *HW HGXFDWHG 6KRW FDUHIXOO\ 5HOLDEOH 7DON XS SOXJ $VLQLQH 6KRUW OHWWHUV 6KUHG FKHGGDU )HQFH RSHQLQJ &HUHPRQLDO JDUPHQW

CSAFR Š2011 Tribune Media Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

MUAES ATRTWH

F 7ULEXQH 0HGLD 6HUYLFHV ,QF $OO 5LJKWV 5HVHUYHG

BB DSSURSULDWH FRQVLGHULQJ ILW 3DLG DWKOHWH 6NLQQ\ 3DVVp (PEUDFH $OORFDWHV &UDZOLQJ EXJV 1RQFKDODQW

´2WKHOOR¾ YLOODLQ $FWRU 6KDULI &DSLWRO URRI IHDWXUH RIWHQ $UGRU SDVVLRQ 0RQWUHDO :RUOG¡V )DLU ´7KH /RQH 6WDU 6WDWH¾ DEEU

DUPITN

Sign Up for the IAFLOFCI (OFFICIAL) Jumble Facebook fan club

$&5266 &KLFNHQ BB NLQJ ´ OLYHG KDSSLO\ HYHU BB ¾ &DVLQR JDPH &RXQWU\ VLQJHU BB 0F(QWLUH &HDVH ILUH +HDWLQJ FKDPEHU %DWK SRZGHU BB FRWWD SDWLR SRW PDWHULDO /LPD¡V QDWLRQ 0LVOHDGLQJ 6SOLW BB IUD\HG KDLU WLSV $OO BB OLVWHQLQJ )RQG GX BB :, *R E\ DV WLPH 5HHNLQJ *RG 'LVQH\ GRJ 1HLWKHU WKLV BB WKDW :DWHU EDUULHUV 7UHDVXUH KROG GHDU )DFWV ILJXUHV :UDWK BB IRXU VPDOO IURVWHG FDNH 5HOLJLRXV EHOLHI %DFNHG VXSSRUWHG &ROE\ RU JRXGD ´7KDQNV D BB ¾ ,QMXUH VHULRXVO\ &DXVH RI D SHSWLF XOFHU 8SGDWH $UN EXLOGHU 2YHUGUDPDWL]H 7HOOHU¡V FDOO 2OG 5RPDQ UREH 1DPH BB PDNH DFFXVDWLRQV 6WDUH RSHQPRXWKHG -RE RSHQLQJ /RFN RI KDLU &XUHG VDOPRQ

E\ -DFTXHOLQH ( 0DWKHZV

Friday, August 26, 2011

Now arrange the circled letters to form the surprise answer, as suggested by the above cartoon.

Your answer here: Tuesday’s Yesterday’s Answers

(Answers tomorrow) Jumbles: WALTZ FLASH WINERY PARADE Answer: Despite what they look like, curtains in Jumble cartoons are this — ALWAYS DRAWN

YESTERDAY’S ANSWERS

Level: 1

2

3

4

Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold boarders) contains every digit 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit www.sudoku.org.uk.

Sports

Friday, August 26, 2011

GOLF CONTINUED FROM

12

“Our practices are very compact now,” Matthews said. “I like the fact that she wants focus on putting, which will help lower our scores immensely.”

Senior Jennifer Bernhardt said she seems to be on the same page as her teammate.

“We have been practicing chipping and pitching a lot,” Bernhardt said. “We work on it

VOLLEYBALL CONTINUED FROM

12

SIU swept Miss. State in three sets, which put the Bulldogs in a tailspin where they went 4-18 over the last two and a half months of the season. SIU didn’t fare much better after the meeting, when they went 5-12 in conference and finished in eighth place, three games behind Illinois State for the sixth and final spot in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.

This is the third season since the athletic department granted women’s volleyball summer scholarships, and the effect has been very noticeable on the team.

The Salukis went 9-1 to start the 2010 campaign and started 2009 with a record 11-0 streak.

“We’re ready, and I think we’ve accomplished some great things this summer,” Winkeler said. “It will finally be great to line up with somebody else across the net and get ready to go.”

until we get it right.”

Mihelich began to play golf her freshman year of high school to get involved, and she had never played before. After she practiced for some time she decided to s eek out formal training from a female coach.

She said it was then that she had a realization.

“There were not any women golf teachers; they were nowhere to be found,” Mihelich said. “I knew at that point that I didn’t only play Winkeler said the team hasn’t seen much of its two Saturday opponents, UT Martin and Southeastern Louisiana. UT Martin hired new head coach Julia Noe in the offseason, so Winkeler said she expects them to look different even though Noe has only been with the the university for a few weeks.

SIU plays the Skyhawks at 4:30 p.m. Saturday in Starkville. after their 10:30 a.m. matchup against Braghini’s old squad, which she said she has been excited about for the last few weeks. Her former teammates, who she still keeps in touch with, don’t seem too enthusiastic though.

“I’ve kept up with them over Facebook every now and then, but I have absolutely no idea how they feel about playing me,” Braghini said. “I haven’t been talking to them recently and I’m pretty sure it’s because we’re playing them.

But we’re excited to get out there, and we think we’ll kick some serious rear end.”

golf, I wanted to coach as well.”

Mihelich, who had several family members attend SIU, said she wanted to be more than just a golf player and instructor.

“I wanted to be a role model for girls who wanted to play golf and be a role model for women in general,” Mihelich said. “I wanted to break barriers and give women resources that just were not there.”

Although she knew she wanted to teach golf, Mihelich said she had not really thought about being a head coach at the collegiate level until a Chicago State University position opened and needed to be filled.

When Diana Daugherty retired after 25 seasons as the head coach for the women’s golf program, Mihelich interviewed and recieved the job Aug. 5.

Mihelich said she knows it will take hard work to fill the shoes of a coach who has been a staple in the SIU athletic program for a quarter of a century.

“There is a lot of expectation, given her legacy and what she has done for the program,” Mihelich said. “She set the bar really high, and I know it will be hard work, but I am excited.”

Mihelich’s connection to SIU certainly helped in the transition and now she is ready to get to work.

“There is nowhere I’d rather be,” Mihelich said.

Kevin Taylor can be reaced at ktaylor@dailyegyptian.com or at 536-3311 ext. 259.

Daily Egyptian

11

ISAAC SMITH | DAILY EGYPTIAN

Women’s golf coach Alexis Mihelich, left, observes senior golfer Jennifer Bernhardt as she works through putting drills Wednesday at Hickory Ridge Golf Course. Mihelich stepped in as head women’s golf coach Aug. 5 to replace Diane Daugherty, who retired in July after 25 years with the university. Mihelich said it has been her dream to coach golf since she was in high school. She said she wanted other female players to be able to work with a female coach, which is an opportunity she did not have when she started to play.

6SRUWV

6DOXNL ,QVLGHU 6WXGHQWV GLVSXWH WHQVLRQ %HDUV YV 3DFNHUV RSHQLQJ JDPH

Ăƒ )ULGD\ $XJXVW

WWW.DAILYEGYPTIAN.COM

ZZZ GDLO\HJ\SWLDQ FRP

.

CrossFit So Ill builds strength

Eat, sleep, play ball

'

Volleyball team preps for opener

h

+

JOE RAGUSA Daily Egyptian Alexis Braghini has circled Saturday on her calender for a while now, and not just because it’s her first match with the Salukis.

Junior middle blocker Braghini played her freshman year at Southeastern Louisiana, a game SIU plays in game two of the Mississippi State Maroon Invitational. “I went down there[freshman year] and absolutely loved the campus, loved the girls, and at the time I loved the coach,� Braghini said.

Braghini transferred to Parkland College in her hometown of Champaign after one year with Southeastern Louisiana, which she said burned her out on volleyball. “I essentially had no time as a freshman. We’d go to class to practice for two hours, then watch film or have team meetings. I just slept, ate and played volleyball,� Braghini said. “I actually have time now to meet people, talk to people and have a life outside of volleyball.�

However, Braghini said she will be focused solely on the game Friday and Saturday when the Salukis play two teams they swept last season in UT Martin and Mississippi State. “We played very well against [Miss.

State] last year and they’re losing two of their starters, but they have everybody else back,� head coach Brenda Winkeler said after Wednesday’s scrimmage. “This first match we really don’t have film to go on, but we know a few things we can work on against them.�

Winkeler said the size difference between SIU and Miss. State on the front line will be vital to their success when they take on the Bulldogs at 7 p.m. in Starkville, Miss. “You’ll see we usually line up at the top of the conference at 6’2, 6’3 all the way across,� Winkeler said. “They have some smaller players at pin positions that, we feel hitting-wise, can get over their blocks.�

Some of that height sat out of Wednesday’s scrimmage as sophomore outside hitter Jessica Whitehead rested her sore knees. With the long weekend ahead, Winkeler said she wanted to keep her rising star healthy and rested so she’ll be ready to go.

Assistant coach Peter Chang said there might be some bitterness between the two since their meeting last season.

Both SIU and Miss. State went into the Sept. 10 matchup last year on hot streaks, with SIU starting the season 5-1 and Miss. State riding a perfect 7-0 record.

Please see VOLLEYBALL | 11

o

t

o LYNNETTE OOSTMEYER | DAILY EGYPTIAN

Nate Simpkins, a graduate student from Herrin in sports studies, trains Thursday at CrossFit So Ill on the Carbondale Strip. According to the company’s Web site, CrossFit So Ill provides a high-intensity workout focused on building strength and endurance. “It’s about blending your strength training with your cardio in short, intense workouts,� said

trainer Emma Moburg-Jones. “It provides the best results, hands down.� To cater to the idea of total body conditioning in one workout, she said, the training methods differ each day. “It changed my life. I dropped 25 pounds in four months and gained strength in all my muscle groups,� said Simpkins, who trains there five to six days a week.

New coach takes novel approach KEVIN TAYLOR Daily Egyptian After taking the head coach position at Chicago State University in 2007, Alexis Mihelich turned a consistently poor program into a serious contender in tournament play.

Mihelich helped win three events during the 2011 season, and her team earned a thirdplace finish in the Great West Conference. She said she hopes to get the Salukis back on top.

Mihelich said her expectations are high, and she has more in mind than just winning the Missouri Valley Conference at the end of April. “My vision is not only to win the Missouri Valley Conference, but make regional appearances as well,� Mihelich said. “It will take a lot of dedication.�

In order for her players to truly have a chance to contend for the MVC title this year, Mihelich said her players will need to improve their short game. “The team that wins championships is the team that putts

ISAAC SMITH | DAILY EGYPTIAN

Women’s golf coach Alexis Mihelich, left, goes over a video of senior golfer Meg Gilley’s chipping swing on her cell phone Wednesday at Hickory Ridge Golf Course. Mihelich said developments the best,â€? Mihelich said. “At this level, everyone can drive the ball ‌ it comes to who’s better on the greens.â€?

in technology have significantly helped players develop their skills at younger ages. Mihelich said the ability to record a golf swing and get instant feedback has been incredibly helpful as a coach.

Senior Alisha Matthews said she understands what Mihelich expects this year after only two practices.

Please see GOLF | 11

e