From the Files of the Kosciusko County Historical Society

Editor’s note: This is a retrospective article that runs a few times a month on InkFreeNews.

Nov. 22, 1974 – The Local Government Tax Control Board granted a property tax collection increase of about $256,000 to the city of Warsaw Thursday and helped the city avert a layoff of 14 new employees.

Calling the Warsaw delegation “the largest and best prepared we have ever heard,” the tax control board defrosted the city’s previously frozen property tax levy of $823,342 and iced it again at $1,079,302.

This is the first time in the city’s history that its property tax levy has been more than a million dollars.

Nov. 28, 1969 – A bitter, decade-long community hospital administrative-medical staff controversy took what appeared another step toward an amicable settlement today.

Five members of the Kosciusko Community Hospital board, including its president, Lawrence Castaldi, were accorded directorships on the hospital’s Samuel C. Murphy Memorial Foundation.

The five seats granted KCH representation constitute one-third of the 15-man foundation board membership.

In further conciliatory measures, Castaldi and a second KCH board member, Robert D. Maish, were voted permanent seats on the Murphy Memorial Foundation.

Nov. 27, 1968 – Federal, state and local law enforcement officers are combing northern Indiana and adjoining states for two thugs who held a young Atwood bank official and his family hostage late Tuesday while robbing the Atwood branch of the Etna Bank of approximately $4,500.

Larry Hoffer and his family were accosted at their home on Hoffman Lake about 8:45 p.m. All six members of the family were bound and gagged by the two armed robbers who appeared at the home as Hoffer and his two sons arrived there after attending a Boy Scout meeting.

Hoffer was forced to drive his auto to the bank accompanied by the two thieves and his eldest son, Brett, age 9.

While Hoffer and the one bandit went into the bank, the other stayed in the car with the son, holding him at gunpoint.

After the money was taken from tellers’ drawers and a walk-in combination safe, the four drove back to the Hoffer home, where Hoffer and Brett were tied up with a sweeper cord while the burglars left the scene.

– Compiled by InkFreeNews Reporter Lasca Randels