Ilion High School - Class of 1965

Herkimer Evening Telegram - March 30, 1965

Pryor To Call Special Parley On Teenagers

Article 4

Pryor To Call Special Parley On Teenagers

A special meeting of Mohawk Valley mayors and police officials will be called, at a date not yet decided, to discuss reports of "teen - age suicide clubs, thrill clubs and other valley," Mayor John E. Pryor said today.

Pryor, who is president of the Mohawk Valley Mayors Conference, which includes representatives from Herkimer, Mohawk, Ilion, Frankfort, Little Falls, Dolgeville, Middleville, Newport and Poland, apparently referring to repeated broadcasts yesterday over a radio station about "sex" and "suicide" clubs in Herkimer and Ilion, said "these rumors have been blown up way out of proportion."

The cancellation of two teenage dances, one in Herkimer, one in Ilion Saturday night to present what police in each village called "possible rumbles," and the discovery of an Ilion youth found hanging by the wrists where he was apparently tied by other youths in a concession truck Wednesday, as reported at the time exclusively in The Telegram, have caused widespread rumors in the valley area.

The Ilion youth, according to Ilion Police Chief Maurice U. Goldin, who had earlier referred to the incident as "a prank type thing", was tied by several youths with rope, his left shoe and sock removed, his hands hung over the brace of the trailer ceiling, Goldin said later.

It was reported the youth had been taken to a hospital, but official confirmation could not be obtained. The youth was found, it is reported, by a passerby.

While Ilion police discount reports of a "suicide club" among boys which gained considerable circulation following death of an Ilion student in his family garage from monoxide poisoning, they admit there have been problems about fights during teenage dances.

A West Winfield youth, for example, was badly beaten Saturday night at a dance at Ilion High School, sponsored by the Ilion Teachers Association as part of the group's annual scholarship fund raising campaign.

While this dance was held, the other Ilion dance set for the same night was canceled by police.

Police said the youth was prompted to fight by an Ilion teen-ager, who was backed by several friends. Full details of this brawl, as in the case of the boy found hanging in the trailer, were not revealed by police.

Ilion Mayor John B. Morris supported Chief Goldin's statement that "people are letting rumors take over without getting the facts." The mayor said there were no facts concerning reports of such area clubs.

Mayor Morris said, "I think the teen-age problems should be explored more deeply by the law forces. I hate to see a majority of kids hurt because of actions of a minority group. I would not like to see a curfew until we try more ideas of law enforcement."