News stories from Thursday October 4, 1973
Summaries of the stories the major media outlets considered to be of particular importance on this date:
- The government reported that wholesale prices dropped 1.8% overall in September; wholesale food prices declined 6%, but milk prices jumped at the retail level. [CBS]
- Security remains tight around the Baltimore grand jury which is probing evidence against Vice President Spiro Agnew regarding kickback allegations. Today the jury heard more witnesses in the Agnew inquiry, and issued an indictment of Dale Anderson, Agnew's successor as Baltimore County executive. [CBS]
- The Watergate committee heard from two political saboteurs today. "Dirty tricks" specialist Donald Segretti's agent Douglas Kelly related some campaign tactics, including having a nude woman parade in front of Muskie headquarters. Kelly said that he regrets the part he played in the 1972 Republican campaign.
But another Segretti agent, Robert Benz, was not remorseful for his actions. Benz stated that the actions taken against Democrats were simply tit for tat. Senator Sam Ervin quickly challenged Benz's statement. Benz noted that Richard Nixon has been investigated by the news media more than any other president, and he reminded the committee of the Democrats' election scandals in 1960.
CBS will broadcast a special summary of today's hearing at midnight tonight.
[CBS] - The ACLU urged Congress to begin impeachment proceedings against President Nixon. [CBS]
- A conference committee approved the bill to limit the president's powers to make war. President Nixon will veto the legislation. [CBS]
- American student-journalist Frank Teruggi was shot to death in the wake of the military takeover in Chile; junta officials deny that Teruggi was shot by the military. Teruggi's roommate, David Hathaway, agreed to be interviewed in Seattle. Hathaway recalled his and Teruggi's arrest and the last time he saw his roommate; Teruggi was taken away and never returned to the prison cell. The circumstances surrounding Teruggi's death remain unknown, though he may have discovered U.S. complicity in the coup and was executed for that reason. [CBS]
- Israeli officials stated that the planned shutdown of an Austrian transit station won't have much effect on the number of Soviet Jews emigrating to Israel. [CBS]
- Police in Boston are searching for the black gang which was responsible for burning Evelyn Wagler to death. Liquor store owner Fred Courtney was interviewed; he helped Wagler after she ran into his store aflame. Boston Mayor Kevin White has offered a reward for witnesses to the atrocity, but fear of retaliation may be keeping people from contacting the police. Police commissioner Robert di Grazia said he believes that the gang got the idea from a TV movie.
Mrs. Wagler's estranged husband expressed horror over her death in an interview with the Chicago Daily News. He blamed the American social system for the incident. Since Mrs. Wagler was killed, three more attacks by black groups against whites in the Boston area have occurred.
[CBS] - Commentary by Eric Sevareid: Judge Hoffman's decision to allow Spiro Agnew's lawyers to subpoena anyone to get at the bottom of news leaks presents interesting opinions regarding the age-old conflict between the media and the judicial system. Agnew is fighting news leaks now, and fears their effect on the outcome of the allegations against him. But the same media will make Agnew a hero if he is completely exonerated of the charges. [CBS]
- The Senate passed a bill providing billions of dollars for the Department of Health, Education and Welfare and labor programs. [CBS]
- The home heating oil shortage has hit Bend, Oregon. The new mandatory allocation plan from the Nixon administration has come too late for people here. Independent oil dealer Bob McAllister said that oil companies have no oil for residents' tanks. Questioned about the effects of the shortage in the nighttime, McAllister stated that temperatures at night get down to 25 degrees, with no heat at all for the aged and sick. [CBS]
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Stock Market Report
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 955.90 (-8.65, -0.90%)
Arms Index is the ratio of volume per declining issue to volume per advancing issue; a figure below 1.0 is bullish. | |||||||||||||||
| Market Index Trends | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | DJIA | S&P | Volume* |
| October 3, 1973 | 964.55 | 108.78 | 22.04 |
| October 2, 1973 | 956.80 | 108.79 | 20.77 |
| October 1, 1973 | 948.83 | 108.21 | 15.83 |
| September 28, 1973 | 947.10 | 108.43 | 16.30 |
| September 27, 1973 | 953.27 | 109.08 | 23.66 |
| September 26, 1973 | 949.50 | 108.83 | 21.13 |
| September 25, 1973 | 940.55 | 108.05 | 21.53 |
| September 24, 1973 | 936.71 | 107.36 | 19.49 |
| September 21, 1973 | 927.90 | 107.20 | 23.76 |
| September 20, 1973 | 920.53 | 106.76 | 25.96 |