With those who cannot walk the chief beneficiaries, more than 400 Seminole area youngsters took part Saturday in the annual 20-mile March of Dimes Walkathon.

Officials said Saturday the undertaking will mean close to $4,500 for the March of Dimes.

Of the 435 or so who started the walk from the Municipal Building about 10 a.m. Saturday only about 20 per cent “pooped out before the finish, officials said. The 20-mile route was to the KWSH Radio studio east of Seminole along U.S. 270, and back to the Municipal building.

Thirteen year-old Bruce Cully, one of those who completed the journey, said near the end, “I’m tired.”

“I’ll do it again next year though,” he added.

Nearly all the walkers made it to the KWSH Radio studios but some began to tire on the return journey to Seminole.

The successful walkers who completed the 20-mile trip will be eligible to win a new bicycle in a drawing to be conducted later this month.

Other winners had not been determined by late afternoon Saturday as the last group of walkers approached the city limits on U.S. 270, but $25 savings bonds will be awarded to the walker with the most sponsors, and who earned the most money for the March of Dimes.

Sammy Berry, New Lima High School senior, finished the 20-mile round trip in the fastest time, and will be awarded a trophy. Another trophy will be given to the school from which the most walkers participated.

A third trophy will go to the oldest participant in the walk. Officials made plans during the afternoon Saturday to begin picking up the last walkers by bus because of possible threatening weather conditions, but that did not prove necessary.

The last group of walkers hit the city limits about 2:40 p.m., and joined many of the other participants for a good rest at the Municipal Building, where records on the number of miles completed by each walker were being tabulated State Sen. Bill Dawson of Seminole, co-chairman of the Walkathon, participated and had these words for a newsman during a pause along the walk route: “This is harder than getting a good bill passed in the Senate.” Dawson said the participants will raise an average of about$10 each for the March of Dimes, with the total raised to be between $4,000 and $4,500. A complete tabulation of the amount raised by the Walkathon will be made this week.

City police, auxiliary police officers, civil defense and highway patrol troopers patrolled the walk route during the event, warning motorists to be careful and cautioning walkers to watch for automobiles.

Volunteers manned rest stops at several points along the way, and a bus was available to take those who couldn’t continue back to Seminole.

Each walker was sponsored by a businessman or other person, who agreed to pay premiums for each mile the walker completed.

Proceeds will go to the March of Dimes’ fight against birth defects.

Co-chairman of the event along with Sen, Dawson was Bill Snell of Seminole. Marie Dawson served as chairwoman.

-oOo State Attorney General Larry Derryberry will send two of his chief assistants to Seminole County April 12 to advise a grand jury which will Investigate District Attorney Roy Powell, It was announced Saturday: Meanwhile, Powell told a Wewoka newspaper this week he will not let “political outs” use his office to get at “political ins” in Seminole County when asked about his plans to possibly prosecute the county commissioners.

District Judge Frank H. Seay also announced Friday that summons have been mailed to 120 persons instructing them to report to the district courtroom at Wewoka April 12 for possible duty as grand jurors.

The judge said the grand jury list will not be revealed to the public until 9 a.m. on April 12. “That way there will be no pressure on possible jurors, “ he said.

Bob McDonald, chief of the state criminal prosecution division of the attorney general’s office, and Paul Crow, chief of the federal criminal prosecution division of the attorney general’s office, will advise the Seminole County Grand Jury, The Producer was told.

McDonald said he and Crow both have prior experience at helping conduct grand juries. “I’ve handled several grand juries,” McDonald, who has been with the attorney general’s office since 1973, said. Crow has been on the attorney general’s staff since Derryberry took office.

McDonald said the grand jurors will determine “what course of investigation they want to take.” He said “any citizen will have a right to appear and request to be heard before the grand jury.”

Concerning allegations of law violations on the part of commissioners B. Max Dye of Konawa, Jim Whitt of Seminole and Clifford Ligon of Wewoka, Powell told the Wewoka Daily Times this week that “these are only allegations.”

Powell talked to the paper while holding a copy of a state audit conducted on the commissioners’ records which was released this week and revealed allegations of claim splitting to avoid bids, payment for material not delivered and purchases above the low-bid prices.

Also alleged were acts of deficit spending on the part of the commissioners. Dye has blamed the alleged irregularities on “clerical errors.” There’s no allegation anybody put any money in his pocket,” Powell told the Wewoka paper. “They are accused of administrative errors. I don’t know if there is anything criminal in them. You have to prove intent, and that’s up to the grand jury.” State Examiner and Inspector’s office investigators, who conducted the audit, said earlier they will deliver to Powell Tuesday their evidence supporting the allegations set out in the audit report which was released last Tuesday.

Powell told The Producer this week he may file felony charges against Dye, Whitt, Ligon, county assessor Paul Mathews and former assistant district attorney James Driscoll.

“There’s only one man who has been accused of putting any money in his pocket and that is James Driscoll,” Powell was quoted as saying in the Wewoka paper.

The controversial district attorney said he plans to take the audit information concerning Driscoll before the grand jury.

The audit alleged a former assistant district attorney (who Powell alleges is Driscoll) had 12 claims for $532.58 in milage payments allegedly received for travel expenses from his residence to work.

Powell reportedly has been bitter toward Driscoll since the Seminole attorney was one of two attorneys who represented Seminole County Sheriff Bill Merryfield in a $100,500 civil suit filed against the district attorney.