DePaulia (DePaul University, Chicago, IL), 1986-10-17

              Volume 65 Number 5 By Mike O'Connor Managing Editor Security and student affairs officials are reluctant to talk about an on-going investigation of an incident that occured two weeks ago in front of Clifton Hall. THE PRIVACY ACT OF 1975 prevents university officials from revealing the name of the alleged attacker. Chicago police were called to the scene after a report of a man stabbed at 2312 N. Clifton Friday Oct. 3, at 2:30am. According to the report on file at the 18th District police headquarters, Salvaore Fortino of Palos Heights was stabbed in the chest by a resident of the hall. Police closed the case when Fortino refused to identify the attacker.The matter was then placed in the hands of university officials. The police report indicates that a knife was used in the attack, but no weapon was found. Fortino was taken to Grant Hospital, but according to police, he refused treatment. Witnesses to the incident that were questioned, however, say that the wound was one that would have required medical attention.Because of the on-going nature of the investigation, no university officials would agree to speak on the matter. However, it was learned that the alleged attacker is no longer in the residence hall. Rev. Funds returned to Fed AETNA BANK (LINCOLN, Fullerton, and Halsted) and Lake View Trust & Savings (3201 N. Ashland) were cited in the article as the institutions that are judging the stamped money "unfit" and sending it and other mutilated money to the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago to be destroyed. The Fed, according to the article, is putting the money back into circulation.The stamping, which began on Sept. 1, is being done to show the economic strength of the gay/ lesbian community, said Marge Summit, owner of the His/Hers bar and co-originator of the stamping concept. Frank Kellas, owner of the Gold Coast Bar, is the other cooriginator."This is only at a grass-roots level," said Summit. "We have no one spokesperson for the movement."Summit also claims that over 400 stamps have been sold to individuals and institution?. The ac-. tual stamp is approximately threefourths of an inch wide and onefourth of an inch tall. Bills are stamped to the left of the picture and usally appear in red ink. JOEL HARRIS, PRESIDENT of Aetna Bank, stated that it is that bank's policy to take out of circulation all money that is written on. "We are not making a moral or ethical judgement, but a practical Thomas Croak, C.M., associate vice president of student affairs, said he couldn't comment on the students involved in the incident, including the student accused of the attack. However, he did state that the non-students involved have been prohibited from DePaul buildings because of their behavior "before, during, and after the incident." The narrative of the police report states that the victim was "...extremely uncooperative and abusive." CROAK SAID THAT THE RESident students involved would be dealt with through standard judicial procedures of the Residence Life Office, but he would not elaborate on what specific proceedings would take place. "That could be through the J-Board [the residence hall council judicial board] or through the resident director," he said, I don't know. All I can say is that the non-residents involved were taken care of through my office." Croak also confirmed that there was some ques- Marked money no good at local banks By Amy Buczko Chief Reporter Two Lincoln Park banks are attempting to curb the circulation of currency stamped with the "gay $" symbol. According to an article in the Oct. 11 issue of the Chicago Sun Times, the gay/lesbian community is responsible for this circulation. one," Harris said. "Our customers object to and are offended by the money. They won't take it." Only a small percentage of such stamped money is coming into or going out of Aetna Bank, according to Harris. OFFICIALS AT LAKE VIEW Trust & Savings were unavailable for comment. The Sun Times article states that officials at other area banks say they do not separate gay-stamped money nor are they aware of recieving any. When money deemed "mutilated" reaches the Fed it is put through a functional test to determine whether it is unfit for further circulation. The money first goes through a large scale, visual inspection and then through a machine that mechanically determines if the money is too thin or too soiled, according to Suzanne Heffner, communications manager at the Fed. "WE'RE LOOKING MORE FOR the overall condition of the money," Heffner said. "We're not asking them to look for money that's written on, but money that won't hold up in a transaction." The stamped money has been circulating on the DePaul Lincoln Park campus, according to Chris Lavizzo, bookstore cashier and recreational assistant. "I have no problem with the bank's policy," said Laura Schmit, one of the many DePaul students with an account at Aetna Bank. "If they gave me the marked money, I'd give it back and ask for clean money." Summit, who attributes the bank's actions to homophobia and fear of contacting AIDS, says the stamping of bills will definitely continue. The DePaulia Questions remain in Clifton incident tion as to what type of injury was inflicted. "We're not denying that someone was injured," he said, we're just questioning whether it was a stabbing, legally it is battery.Three persons witnessed the incident, including a DePaul security officer who reported the incident to police. "We're not denying someone was injured. We're just questioning whether it was a stabbing..." -Rev. Thomas Croak One witness was Fortino's companion, a Clifton Hall resident, who asked not to be identified. Neither Fortino nor the other witness are DePaul students. According to the witness who resides in Clifton Hall, the alleged attacker confessed to a university official a few days afterthe incident occured. But the alleged attacker, according to the witness, stated that he used a key, not a knife. "THERE WAS DEFINITELY A knife," said the witness. "Four of us saw the knife. I saw the wound, it needed treatment. Sam[Fortino] didn't get it taken care of. I don't know why he didn't, but I saw the wound a week later and it was open and in need of stiches." Fortino's companion described the wound as about a three-inch gash in the area of the victim's rib cage. Because the victim refused treatment, and since no weapon was found, the witness stated that the burden of proof was now on her, to dispute the alleged attacker's .statement that a key was used to inflict the injury. In order to obtain that proof, the witness said that Fortino must obtain medical attention, and a doctor must determine that the wound is one caused by a knife. It is still unclear what prompted the attack. According to the witness, she and two companions were waiting outside for her roommate when the attack occurred. "HE [THE ALLEGED OFFENder] may haveyelleddownfrom upstairs at us, but there was no argument. No one yelled back at him." The alleged offender confronted the group at the doorway, where according to the witness, "he flashed the knife and told us that we couldn't come inside. My The third annual "Party with the Profs," sponsored by the Political Science Association, was held Oct. 3. Here Dr. Patrick Callahan talks with students attending the event. Photo/Vanessa Brechling, Photo editor October 17, 1986 friends couldn't believe what was happening. Sam said something like, 'Right, you're going to stab us.' Afterthat there was some pushing. I don't know'who started it, but he he just stabbed Sam in the chest. He threatened us right away," she said. "The knife was pulled before there was even an argument." Policc reports indicate that Fortino was intoxicated at the time of the altercation. The witness said that the desk assistant called security as soon as she saw the knife, but made no attempt to prevent the attacker from reentering the hall. "She wasn't about to try and stop him," she said. The police report states that witnesses were asked to identify a suspect in the building, but refused to do so. "THE POLICE WANTED ME to go up and identify him to his face," said the Clifton resident."! wasn't going to do that, because I didn't know what he would do. David [Sorghan, the other witness, according to the police report] went up to the room, but he couldn't say if that was the guy." The witness said that she thought the Residence Life Office was handling the situation fine, but other officials were pressuring her. "We've been come down upon hard by others, not students," she said.