JULY 27-AUGUST 2, 1997 THE DETROIT VOL. 2 NO. 37 75 CENTS S unday Io u r n a l CONTINUING THE STRUGGLE FOR JUSTICE AND CONTRACTS ©TDSJ A SUNDAY JOURNAL EXCLUSIVE stated to MxfS". CRANCER she JOSEPHINE (Mrs. HOFFA) how sorry she was akcnXZ Hr. HOFFA'a i disappearance. Mrs. CRANCER was stunned by this telephone call JOSEPHINE PROVENZANO stated that her father was out in the yard Hi S i3 THE O H t / H o r s gardening so Mrs. CRANCER asked JOSEPHINE to give TONY PRO a message, "We want our father ba c k " . JOSEPHINE indicated she UJILL. R lF C /y ir p&nAHD AsH/Ll/a}) je message to her father. THE HCFFA FILES Suppressed FBI documents reveal a flurry of leads and new layers of intrigue By Michael Betzold down every possible lead in their Journal Staff Writer effort to find out what happened © Copyright 1997 Detroit Sunday Journal to Hoffa. Just the number of pages Secret FBI files on Jimmy demonstrates how extensive the Hoffa’s disappearance, long sup­investigation was: The files seen pressed by the federal govern­by the Journal total 1,704 pages - ment, have turned up 22 yearsand they cover only the first five after the legendary Teamsters months of the investigation. Many leader was reported missing. Andthousands of other pages also they show why investigatorsexist. never have been able to crack theYet, despite the massive federal case. investigation documented by The files, discovered in a filingthese files and a months-long cabinet and viewed by The Detroitgrand jury hearing, no one has Sunday Journal, show that FBIever been prosecuted for Hoffa’s investigators were confounded abductionby and apparent murder. a lack of witnesses and hard evi­Several of the principal suspects dence even as they battled a bliz­are dead, and those still alive zard of denials and alibis. haven’t divulged any new infor­ They also reveal that in the firstmation. Officially the FBI’s case few weeks after his July 1975 dis­on Hoffa is still open, but no sig­ appearance, investigators came tonificant leads have developed in believe that Hoffa, possiblymany years. preparing to regain control of theThere is no smoking gun in country’s largest labor union, wasthese Hoffa files, found in a Detroit recreational facility. They killed by the mob. Photograph by TONY SPINA / From the Tony Spina Collection in the Archives of Labor and Urban Affairs, Wayne State University The secret Hoffa files show how don’t reveal what happened to the massive the FBI investigation waslegendary labor leader, who was On the morning of July 30,1975, Jimmy Hoffa took time to be photographed. When he left the and how doggedly agents tracked See HOFFA, Page 4 house around 2 p.m., he was in “a good mood but yet uneasy," his wife told FBI agents. PAGE 2 THE DETROIT SUNDAY JOURNAL JULY 27, 1997 SIDING ★ ROOFING ★GUTTERS tUNDAY. lOURNAL Longtime UAW activist dies ★ ALUMINUM SIDING & TRIM ★ STORM WINDOWS & DOORS The Detroit Sunday Journal is By Christopher M. Singer Local 208 of the UAW. Local 208 even­ ★ ALUMINUM AWNINGS published weekly by Detroit Journal Staff Writer ★ REPLACEMENT WINDOWS tually had 11,000 members, and Mr. Sunday Journal Inc., 450 W. Hodges Eugene Mason, the first Mason became its first president. Fort, 2nd floor Detroit, Ml African-American president of a During World War II, Mr. Mason McGUNCH & SONS 48226. Mail Subscription price United Auto Workers local, died July was given the U.S. government’s “Three Generations of is $15 for three months, $30 for 12 at his home in Detroit. Patriot Award for leading his union Dependable Service’’ six months (no refunds). Call He was 89. through the war without a strike. West (313) 964-5655 to subscribe or Services were held Friday at Word Following his retirement, he 278-2777 for more information. of Faith International Christian remained active in community and East POSTMASTER: Send address Center. Burial was at Detroit civil rights groups. As recently as a 776-8912 changes to: The Detroit Sunday Memorial Park in Warren. week before his death, he took part in Journal, 450 W. Fort, 2nd floor The cause of Mr. Mason’s death is a demonstration over a casino gam­ 22400 under investigation by Detroit police.bling issue. W. WARREN Detroit, Ml 48226. Detroit, Michigan Circulation/Postal Born in Talbotton, Ga., on Aug. 1, He was a member of St. Galillee 1907, Mr. Mason attended Morris Baptist Church in Detroit. He married Brown College with the goal of becom­ Cleora Neal in 1928. The couple was ing a physician, but he ran out ofdivorced. Michigan's Foremost Lab or, Workers' Compensation funds and instead came to Detroit to He is survived by his daughter and and Personal Injury Law Firm since 1927 find work. son-in-law, Ruby and Ernest J. King of A 23-year employee of Bohn Detroit; five grandchildren; eight Sachs, Waldman, O’Hare, Helveston, Aluminum-Brass Corp., Mr. Mason great-grandchildren, and eight great- Bogas & McIntosh, P.C. organized the workers there to form great-grandchildren. Detroit, Mt. Clemens, Pontiac, Flint and Lansing (313) 965-3464 community calendar Self-defense for women $12.50 for adults, $11.50 for ages Martial arts instructor Jaye 62 and up and $6.25 for ages 5- A savings account with Spiro will conduct a workshop on 12. Children under 5 are admit­ self-defense techniques for women ted free. Call 313-271-1620. money market rates. Guaranteed. 15 and older from 10 to 4 Parenting class Saturday at the Oakland Oakwood Healthcare System Community College Orchard Community-Focused Health Ridge Campus, 27055 Orchard MNB APY Promotion Network will conduct IBC Rate Guarantee Lake Road near 1-696, Farmington a class for the parents of teens on as of 7/28/97 as of 7/ 28/97 j Q mgg^Qf, exceec[ j^C s Money Hills. Fee is $40. Preregistration is the “Challenges of Alcohol and C Fund Report Averages™-All advised. Call 248-471-7602. Other Drugs,” 7-8 p.m. 5. 02°° Taxable 30-day Simple Yield. Balances $25,000 and over Belle Isle benefit Wednesday at Oakwood Healthcare Center-Westland, To be no more than l/4°/obelow The Belle Isle Botanical Society 2345 Merriman, Westland. Fee is . % ° IBCs Money Fun Report will host a 1997 Summer Soiree 5- 477 Averages™-All Taxable 30-day $5. Preregistra-tion required. Call Balances below $25,000 8 p.m. Saturday at the Anna Simple Yield. 800-543-9355. Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory on Belle Isle Park. A barbecue din­ Open house Our RatePLUS™ Savings account gives you guaran­ ner will be served, and the Silver The Wayne County teed money-market rates and easy daily access Strings Dulcimer Society will per­ Neighborhood Legal Services form. Tickets are $50, and funds Suburban Law Center, 3715 W. to your money. PLUS...much, much more. raised will be used to repair win­ Jefferson, Ecorse, has scheduled Call 1 -800-CALL-MNB today. dows broken during a 1994 hail­ an open house from 11 to 4 storm that have gone unrepaired. Wednesday. Call 313-843-3869. Call 313-852-4064. Roots Member FDIC Travel show Michigan National Bank’s RatePLUS Savings pays a variable interest rate that is subject to change. A llrM lP . n i P f l r i Jim Jackson will discuss the minimum deposit of $1,000 is required to open a RatePLUS Savings account. Fees could reduce» t . • ™ | Ann Swartout will deliver a “Study of Genealogy” from 6 p.m. earnings on the account. IBC is published inWall the S treet Journal™ weekly. !★ ! 9 1 1 0 1 1 3 1 slide lecture called “Arctic to 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Troy Adventure in Norway” from 9:30 Public Library, 500 W. Big Beaver to 11 a.m. Wednesday at the at 1-75. Call 248-524-3538. Detroit Main Library, 5201 DAILY 3 DAILY 4 Book talk C H I G A N Woodward, in the Detroit Cultural 7/25 Midday:3-2-2 Eve: 4-0-2 7/25 Midday: 9-0-6-0 Eve: 1-2-2-9 Center. Admission is free. Call Readers in grades 4-6 will dis­ 7/24 Midday:8 - 8-0 Eve: 2-8-2 7/24 Midday: 0-8-8-6 Eve: 8-6-3-8 313-833-5686. cuss “The Real Thief’ by William 7/23 Midday:8-5-6 Eve: 6-1-9 7/23 Midday: 2-9-1-4 Eve: 2-3-0-5 African-American history Steig at 11 a.m. Friday at 7/22 Midday:0-4-6 Eve: 8-2-1 7/22 Midday: 9-9-9-7 Eve: 4-0-0-3 Baldwin Public Library, 300 W. M M A R Y 7/21 Midday:1-7-8 Eve: 9-3-4 7/21 Midday: 4-3-8-1 Eve:7-5-3-8 The contributions of African Merrill, in downtown Americans throughout U.S. histo­ Birmingham. Call 248-647-1700. 7/19 Midday:8- 8-0 Eve: 2-8-2 7/19 Midday: 0-8-8-6 Eve: 8-6-3-8 ry will be taught through re­ CASH 5 MICHIGAN KEN0 enactments, music, food and an Prayer time 7/25 6 15 17 20 37 7/25 2 7 814 20 22 24 30 3132 36 appearance by the Buffalo Bethesda Christian Church’s 7/24 21 32 3537 38 4347 50 58 59 6875 70 76 77 79 Soldiers cavalry unit from 9 a.m. annual “Summer Prayer 7/23 7 18 20 21 34 12 23 24 27 28 7/22 8 10 33 36 37 7/24 7 8 9 10 11 19 to 5 p.m.