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1IIA the examiner Friday March 30 1979 MAX HAINES 1979 Toronto Sun Syndicate ioouliii hlllnt Waning of wizard While Herman Billik hungout his shingle in Chicago the residents of the Bohemian section of the Windy City sat up and took notice The sign of West 19th Street proclaimed for all the world to see The Great Billik Card Reader and Seer To the super superstitious Bohemians the Great Billik was obviously man whose powers were to be respected and at the same time feared Besides Bikkiks services at 25 cents sitting were reasonable enough even for 1904 Martin Vzral also lived on West 19th Street He had lov ing wife and seven happy healthy children Martin had worked hard over the years and had built up small but pro sperous milk business Eventually Martin Vzral heard rumors that his neighbor Billik was truly powerful wizard Word of cure here and curse there was all that was needed to convince the superstitious Vzral that Billik was man who possessed exceptional gifts Billik bided his time Then he made his first overture to Martin He walked into the milk depot and froze in front of Martin Vzral As if in trance out of his mouth came words which could not be understood Martin stood transfixed Then as suddenly as the trance had started it appeared to be over As if making speech Billik pronounced You have an enemy see him He is trying to destroy you Lousy feeling Hearing such strong words coming from someone whom he felt was an honest to goodness wizard greatly distressed Martin Actually he felt morethan distressed He felt lousy Billik besides being really cool wizard was also keen student of human nature Without another word he walked out of the milk depot and left the frightened Martin standing there trembling Days passed and no further pro nouncements emanated from the wizard Meanwhile Martin gravitated from state of worry to terror and near panic From which direction would disaster strike Would it be mysterious illness which would sweep through his family Would his milk business be gobbled up by his competitors whose business was located just down the street Would disaster strike from some as yet unknown source Billik figured correctly that the time was ripe to again visit Martin Vzral The terrified Martin pleaded for help He swore to Billik that his business competitor must be the culprit who was out to get him Was there anything Billik the powerful wizard could do to save him and his family Why certainly replied the wizard The cunning rascal had chosen and cultivated his victim perfectly From secret bags and valises came strange and powerful powders and potions Together they were brought to boil and carried down the street in bucket to Martins competitors front door The whole mess was dumped on the doorstep There now you have nothing more to fear My spell Will cancel any curse or hold your enemy may have over you Hillik assured the grateful Martin and his family Beside himelf with relief Martin insisted that Billik ac cept some small token of his gratitude Hillik pretended to be above such worldly considerations Finally at Martins insistence Billik let $20 bill be pressed into his hand POWER AND lNFLLENH During the ensuing months the entire Vzral family came under the power and influence of Billik Billik seduced Vzrals wife Martins sons worked hard and turned over their pay to the wizard Slowly but surely Martin was con vinced that he and his entire family could be struck dead by Billik at any time Martin withdrew his hard earned life sav ings from the bank and turned the whole amount over to llillik The female members of the family served and bowed to the great one who was by now almost permanent guest in their home Profits from the milk company were turned over to the wizard each month Billik in his visdom saw fit to send three of Martins daughters out to work as domestics More money flowed in to the magic man The dire circumstances under which Martin Vzral and his family were living became evident They were now poor Billik was rich Billik dressed well and purchased car riage and team in short he was living the life of retired gentleman Realizing that even the most successful wimrds must prepare for rainy day Billik had Mrs Vzral insure the lives of four of her daughters and her husband or amounts ranging from $105 to $2000 For year the Vzrals lived in poverty with the assurance that everything would somehow work out Billik just kept dropping by for cash and to spin few tales of horrible deaths to unbelievers This kept the Vzrals trembling until he dropped around again Well you can only push man so far One day in the mildest manner possible Martin hinted that he thought he should be allowed to keep bit more of his companys pro lils The wizard was bit to be tied How dare the ungrateful Martin hold out on him He who had slaved over hot cauldron day and night to keep evil spirits away from Mar tins door Such insolence had to be punished So strong was llilliks hold over Mrs Vzral that he wasable to talk her into giving her husband white powder in his food to bring him bat to his subservient self Mrs Vzral complied and hubby tic in April l905 an insurance company turned over $2000 to the grieving widow She in turn passed it along to Billik in an untypical act of generosity he allowed her to keep $100 for funeral expenses fince Billik got the hang of the arsenic business he speed ed up production Mary brought in $800 Tillie $620 Rose 5300 and Ella 3105 And so father and his four daughters were dead within period of two years at the hands of madman it is amazing to relate that no one became suspicious over the rash of deaths Operating through the widow Billik sold the milk business for $2000 He then took little vacation in Niagara Falls While resting it occurred to him that the widow was threat He decided to kill her ltack he travelled to Chicago where he led huge stew laced Wllh arsenic to Mrs Vzral She quietly passed away and was buried Rumors spred Only after Mrs Vzrals death did rumors spread throughout the community Some say resident of the area overheard servant discussing the series of deaths in the Viral family The woman mentioned it to cop on the beat who in turn reported it to his precinct captain it was as sim ple as that The bodies were exhumed and found to be laced with arsenic The wizard was arrested and charged Wlih murder lie was convicted and sentenced to death Strange are the ways of as mere mortals great hue and cry was put up to save liilliks life Why such despicable man should receive public sympathy have been unable to uncover at this late date but we do know that public prayer meetings to have his sentence commuted were held in 1008 Unbelievably one of those attending these prayer meetings to save Billiks life was Jerry Vzral one of the sur viving Vzral sons bviously the public meetings and prvers worked in January 1009 Billiks sentence was commuted to life imprisonment After serving only eight years in prison he was parolled in January 1917 Presumably Billik retired from the wizard business as he has never been heard of again Television battles to save Pennsylvania Dutch dialect 800 in NEWS HOLLYWOOD SQUARES DEFINITION OE POLKA DOT DOOR 630 NBC NEWS MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW CBS NEWS ADC NEWS NEWS In PARTY GAME JEREMY 645 HATTYTOWN TALES 655 ID WRITE ONI 700 DATING GAME CHlPo thursdaygtvgf 930 CARTER COUNTRY ma of cum Roys conotnnt bullying Mayor Toddy tokoo up tho on of oolidofonoo ond ondo upin hilarious with tho chiol SOAP Tho wedding of Corinne loto and Timothy Flotoky who hon given up tho priooth end is disrupted in shocking monnor by tho grooms mother 1000 THE DUKE Robort Conrod stars as Duko Romney onceranked middleweight boxor whouo loan to youngor fightor com Vincoo him to hang up his gloves and become invooti ator Jomod in Progress DALLAS Bobby think he hoohittho iockpot in LooVogoo when he runs into Gary hio mining brothor ond Lucyo father and con Yincoohlm to roturntothoiomily ranch in Texas at two on opioodo 80 mina DOCT5RS PRIVATE LIVES dramtic oorio about tho poroonol and profu nionol iivoo of two iomouo hoon ourgoono and tho crlaoo they toco in and outside at tho hospi TOM AND JERRV AND tAIStartJohnGovinEdNoloonPromioro60 FRIENDS MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW TIC TAc DOUGH ANGIE NEWLYWED GAME DR WHO GONG SHOW PRICE Is RIGHT 730 HOCKEY Boston Brulno vo Buttlo NEWLYWED GAME DANCE FEVER FAMILY FEUD STARS ICE Guooto Loolio Robin aon Cothy Loo Irwin Corol Plxloy and Brian Notho Lonco and Joonno Shinklo Sandra 8°51 BEAUTY CONTEST IE THE SHAKESPEARE PLAYS Mouuro lor Mouuro Shokoopooroo dork comody Oi oodoction and docoit ot tho court or Vionno Conodion Koto Notiigan ployo tho hor olno loobollo whoo virtue Io impontiod by tho mouth Angola hro 30 min BOB NEWHART SHOW 800 BARNEY MILLER THE CHISHOLMS of Chioholmo horooo Io otolon in lllinoio by Lootor Hockott chorming achomor who hoo romoncod oidor doughlor Bonnie SUD Tho two older brothoro Will and Gideon ndo oitor him whilothorootolthotomilypuohon 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Dog horOin omugglor In hopes of Cloring thonomo of no logo potom Ago thon tho Govornor ot HowIi Guolt olnr torio Princgoi hrs CANA iAN EXPRESS BARNEY MILLER LIVE IT UP ea TEAM SHOWDOWN WEARNASY JONES LESMALADIESPRDFESSION NELLES Avoc Io participation du doctour AlbortNontoldoMicholChortroridotdoComillo wiiEws UPDATE NEws 100 BARETTA 100 Bill NEWS cac NEWS CTV NEWS PROGRAM UNANNOUNCED MOVIE COMEDY Top kapl 1w 120 NEWS 1127 NEWS 130 THE TONIGHT SHOWHoI Johnny Coroon Guoot Short Kothorino Crumbloy 90 ces LATE MOVIE MASH ca Pottor Howkoyo BJ ond Moior Burno no all roturnlngtromomodicolcontoronco withRndor at tho whool whon thoy roolizo that they are hopoloooly loot MCCLOUD Throo Guns For Now York Storo Donnio Woovor JD Con MOVIE DRAMAi Ono or Aircraft lo Mlooing irMi STREET TALK QUESTION PERIOD 145 LIFE AT STAKE Houoton WovoGot Probiom Soon ottor tho blootott oi Apollo ono of tho opococrolto oxygon tonko blow up and ito crow oi throo unproporod tor tho un procodontod tochnicol tolluro and trovolling at 0000mlioo on hour fightotobringtho croftbock to oonh co mino 1150 MOVIE MYSTERY Tho Movlo Murdoror ioro 1200 II MOVIE ADVENTURE an Ioor VIEHORRORPVI Count Vor oVom lroioro 1210 OMOVIEROMANCEDRAMA Tho Atfoir 1974 100 TOMORROW 130 on PTL CLUBTALK AND VARIETY 145 MOVIE HORROR Dr Jokle and Slotgroigdo 1972 In MEDICAL CENTER 300 In MARcus WELBY MD 400 in BEWITCHED Ryerson troupe open annual drama festival SAULT STE MARIE nt li re The Sault Ste Marie Workshop opened the annual Quonta Regional Drama Festi val on Tuesday With success ful and flowing performance of leahouse of the August Moon Adjudicator Sandy Black theatre director at Torontos liyerson lolytechnical lnr stitute complimented the group on its handling of the difficult drama which involves US Marine restoraion efforts CEN PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE BARRIE HELP in kaiiawa after the Second World War lilack said that despite some technical problems the produc tion flowed well and be con gratulated the work of director Jean Keatin and set designers Paul Nicholson and lack Tim lock The adjudicator also singled out Allan Hughes as aptain Fishy and huck Stevens in the role of the interpreter TRE EPHRATA Pa oene and Ernie Bechtels Pen nsylvania Dutch television talk show is only the latest step in their 25year battle to keep the dialect alive The TV show conducted en tirely in Pennsylvania Dutch starts every Wednesday with cheerful Gut owed good evening from Mrs Bechtel and then launches into 30 minutes of slapstick buflt foonery and earthy philosophy On Blauder mitem Buschgnibble un Minnie AP Schnauss which translates as Chat with Clodhopper and Snoopy Minnie the Bechtels conduct interviews with local quiltmakers artists and doc tors The show is broadcast on Ephratas cable TV channel CATV and is carried by cable systems in the Pennsylvanian communities of Lebanon Reading and Palmerton Bechtel stocky 56yearold barber and native Penn sylvania Dutchman says the language is as much part of Lancaster County as chicken corn soup and woodcarving Ill stop at nothing to ignite the flame WRITES IN DIALECT He has written 15 humorous plays and 500 poems in the dialect turns out weekly col umn for the local newspaper is cohost for weekly radio pro gram and tutors students in his home it all started in elementary school in Bechtels home town of Reinnolds when teacher scrubbed his mouth with lye soap until his tongue bled to discourage use of the language The ordeal didnt change thing The Bechtels are part of growing effort by professors museums and just plain folk to preserve the language Developed by descendents of Swiss and German immigrants who came to the area more than 200 years ago Penn sylvania Dutch is the principal language of the Amish and the Old Order Mennonites FOR FREE INFORMATION PHONE 281881 Anydoylromaam 8pm Noip with Unomploymont lnouronco probloms Hoip with Wolloro probloms Protouicnol and Conlidontiol AJmMAAMA