The Morning Call from Allentown, Pennsylvania • 3

SECOND SUNDAY CALL-CHRONICLE WEATHER EDITORIALOP ED TELEVISION SECTION APRIL 15, 1979 1 o) Terror follows unsolved murder had a visitor. Holly said she'd call back in a little while. She never did. What happened in the stately Branagan home from that point on is still a puzzle, perhaps known only by Holly's mystery guest. All that police know is that Holly called her father's office at 4 45 to confirm that he had left for Atlantic City.

And, at 5 20, the grandfather clock in the hallway stopped, its pendulum lying broken on the floor. When Holly's friend arrived for their dinner appointment at about 6 p.m., there By MARK FINEMAN Of the Call-Chronicle At 2:45 on a sunny spring afternoon last month. Holly Branagan got off the yellow Freedom High School bus at Pine fop Circle for the last time in her life. The 17-year-old senior walked the half-block home and up the long driveway that leads to the sleek multilevel glass-and-shingle house her parents built in the mid-1960s on a wooded bluff in the suburban Bethlehem neighorhood. Her father wasn't home he was away on business in Atlantic City.

Her brother was at a friend's house fixing a car. Her mother had died two years ago. Holly was alone. She went upstairs to change clothes, then came down to the kitchen. She fixed a plate of Jello and got a soda.

She returned to her bedroom. She spent the waning hours of the afternoon chatting on the phone with her high school girl friends. It was during one of those calls at 4 30 that afternoon about an hour and a half girl friend was to come to take her for dinner at the local Pizza Hut that the Branagan's front doorbell rang. Holly told her friend to hold on someone was at the door. Her girl friend overheard Holly tell the visitor she was on the phone.

Holly picked up an extension phone downstairs. She told her friend she lifter'' IP You've got to understand nothing like this has ever happened here. And not knowing what really happened makes it even worse 99 Insurance costs burying slate industry By MARCIA COYLE Call-Chronicle Harrisburg Bureau The quiet, plain streets of this small Northampton County borough belie the intense struggle for survival of a century-old industry. Pen Argyl, with a population of about 3.700, is within Pennsylvania's slate belt, an area about eight miles wide and 30 miles long. The area bears that rather neat but unsentimental bureaucratic label, "economically depressed.

"Somehow, the label seemed unfair to the area, and particularly to Pen Argyl, when the first hint of spring drew friendly residents to a cheerful luncheonette boasting the best homemade chili and noodle soup around. But the area has witnessed difficult times. In recent years, two major industries have left in search of better economic climates. And now one of the state's oldest industries slate quarrying is threatening to close, the victim of skyrocketing workers' compensation rates, say its spokesmen. The slate industry 's struggle has been fought on paper and in hearing rooms in Philadelphia and Harrisburg.

The industry's struggle to survive represents a conflict in which the needs of the worker and the employer sometimes clash in a system once designed to help both thrive. Jack Dally is almost synonymous with slate and Pen Argyl. Dally, deliberate and soft-spoken, is president of Anthony Dally Sons, a slate quarrying and fabricating firm. He has been mayor of Pen Argyl for 13 years. The Dally firm, first owned by Jack Daily's father, has been operating since 1948.

Before 1948. the Jackson-Bangor Slate Co. owned the quarry operation, dating to 1885. Dallv. along with the Stoddard Slate Penn Big Bed Slate and Williams and Sons Slate Tile have appealed to State Insurance Commissioner Harvey Bartle for relief from what they call "preposterous was no answer at the front door.

At that momment. Holly Branagan. a quiet but popular alto in the senior choir, lay face down on the linoleum tile in the Branagan kitchen with more than 18 stab wounds in her body and an U-inch kitchen knife in her back. She bled to death, the See TERROR Page B16 Earl Steinmetz and Michael Copone take break See INSURANCE PageB2i Silverware is part of puzzle who are the owners Finding burglary victims also a difficult task By MARK FtNEMAN Of the Call-Chronicle Joe Kohana and Helen Mayberry won first prize in the Starlite Ballroom's jitterbug contest Feb. 6, 1956.

Who cares? Well, aside from Joe and Helen, the Philadelphia Police Department does. So do police investigators throughout the Lehigh Valley. Joe and Helen's first-prize medallion is just one of several tiny pieces of a $50,000 puzzle now facing law-enforcement agencies throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania. Philadelphia police stumbled onto the purloined puzzle in an April 3 raid at a row home in the city's Kensington and Allegheny neighborhood, a district reputed to be a haven for professional burglars and thieves. Inside that home, the department's major investigations squad found a cache of jewelry, TV sets, cameras, coins and silverware all apparently taken in dozens of home burglaries throughout the Lehigh Valley and elsewhere in the state during the past several years.

But who owns the property? That's the puzzle. Lt. Anthony Pace, head of the major investigations unit, said at first his men had no clues at all. Then they began to trace some of the items. One led to the Lehigh Valley.

There was a small token on a gold charm bracelet police recovered that was inscribed "Larry Reimert. It was from Western Electric. The department contacted Western Electric officials, who checked and found that Reimert still works for the company. He lives in South Whitehall Township, the company said. South Whitehall police checked, and, sure enough, Reimert's home had been See VICTIMS Page B2 Photography by JOHN SIMlTZ Anthony Albanose controls a cable Top pickers in Pick 'em Derby Ruth E.

Frick dies, was civic leader Mrs. Ruth E. Frick. a pioneer in the Woman's Club of Allentown and the Red Cross and Girl Scout movements in Lehigh County, died yesterday at St. Luke's Hospital.

She was 93. Mrs. Frick was the wife of the late John Arthur Frick and resided at 555 Spring Bethlehem, and Pocono Lake Preserve. She was a great-granddaughter of Asa Packer, industrialist and founder of Lehigh University, and a niece of the late Francis B. Sayre, American public of sr-rf t- served three years as president of the Pennsylvania State Federation of Women's Clubs.

Her participation in Red Cross activities began in 1917 when she helped establish the Lehigh County chapter. As the unit's first secretary, she organized its motor service and served for a term as information chairman. Mrs. Frick's active support continued into her later years. In 1967, she helped the chapter celebrate its 50th anniversary by cutting a "birthday" cake and recalling highlights in its history.

She was the last living member of the original board. Mrs. Frick entered scouting at the urging of her younger daughter, Ruth. "I was never a Girl Scout myself." she once recalled, "for which I am sorry." Early in their marriage, which eventualy spanned more than 60 years, Mr. and Mrs.

Frick met Juliette Low, the founder of Girl Scouting, at a New Year's Eve party in Savannah, Ga. The national movement began four years later in 1912. When Lehigh Valley troops became organized in a council in the early 1930s, the Frick home was the hub of activities. "The day camp was in the meadow across the road from the house," Mrs. Frick explained several years ago.

"But that was when the council was young and the area here was more open. In those days, Mrs. Frick knew each Girl Scout personally, and they called her "Marmee. And in 1976, Lehigh Valley Girl Scouts honored her by naming a multipurpose lodge at Camp Mosey Wood. Lake Harmony, after her, Marmee Lodge.

In 1932, she served as chairman of the Allentown Community Committee forerunner of the Lehigh County Girl Scout Council. The following year, the council was chartered and Mrs. Frick was named its first commissioner. Now it is called the Great Valley Council. She was instrumental in establishing the camp.

She later served as chairman of the field committee and vice president of the National Girl Scout Council and regional member of its board. In 1960, she was cited by the Lehigh County Council for her pioneering work as its first commissioner. In 1967, at 81 she was named Golden Age Mother of the Year by the Pennsylvania State Federation of Women's Clubs. The same the Academy Award but An Unmarried but I didn't see The Deer Hunter' until alter I sent in my ballot." Grubb told the Call-Chronicle last week. "1 try to get to the movies as often as possible." Grubb.

who lives with his parents, will use his prizes to entertain them. Asked what he plans to order for his dinner at the Salisbury Township restaurant. Grubb replied with relish in his voice. "Lobster. I love it and it's expensive." Friend, when informed of his good luck, exclaimed, "great, just what I need two free movie tickets! Noting a tinge of sarcasm, a reporter hesitated.

Then Friend laughingly revealed, "I'm the manager of the Boyd Theatre in Bethlehem. I really don't need free movie tickets." But Friend was grateful and said. "I'll probably let my sister use them." Gangwer served in Vietnam in the Marines. He's not a great movie buff and based his seven correct predictions "on what I read in Newsweek. Asked what movie he would see with his free tickets, he answered, "probably 'An Unmarried Woman'." "I just don't believe it." Manasseri declared when told he was a winner.

"I'm an actor. I've been in several movies and now I'm a hairdresser I'm not terribly lucky at entering contests." "This is the first time I've ever won By RANDALL MURRAY Of the Call-Chronicle What do a 19-year-old high school student, a movie theater manager, a Vietnam veteran, an actor-hairdresser, a twotime winner and a lady who never won anything before have in common? They 're all winners in the Second Annual Sunday Call-Chronicle Oscar Pick'em Derby. The judges worked through the 473 entries which came in for the popular Oscar contest, tabulated each one and came up with the following lucky list Carey Grubb, 310 S. 17th Allentown, winner of the top prize of dinner at the Ambassador Restaurant and free movie tickets. Robert Friend.

814 Carlton Bethlehem, a pair of movie tickets. James Gangwer, Route 1. Minnich Road, Allentown. movie tickets. Chuck Manasseri, 933 A S.

Broadway, Wind movie tickets. Mrs. Kenneth Masters. Center Valley R.l, movie tickets. Andrew Weiss.

27 S. Muhlenberg Allentown, movie tickets. Grubb, a student at Allen High School, took top honors with his record of eight correct answers in the 11 categories from the Academy Awards. His tally tied with second-place winner Robert Friend, but in a random drawing. Grubb 's ballot was chosen for the top spot.

"I've seen all of the movies nominated for ficial and diplomat. Born Aug. 23, 1885, she was the daughter of the late Robert P. and Ruth M. Sayre Linderman of Bethlehem.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday in the Cathedral Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem, where she was a member. Interment will be in Nisky Hill Cemetery, Bethlehem. There will be no calling hours. Mrs.

Frick's interest in women's activities began in 1915 when she joined the suffragette movement. That year after Pennsylvani-ans rejected an amendment to the state Constitution to give women the vote she and her friends decided to form a club to encourage women's participation in civic matters. Shortly after it was organized, the Woman's Club of Allentown advocated a public farmers' market and the city set up facilities for one. The club bought milk for needy schoolchildren, urged preservation of city landmarks and did patriotic service during two world wars, particularly at Camp Crane, training camp for the U.S. Ambulance Corps in World War I.

Mrs. Frick was the club's second president, 1920-23. She later See PICK 'EM Page B2' See RUTH FRICK Page B2.