The Tennessean from Nashville, Tennessee • Page 6

Srieedville Cult -It r-i Leader Charged In Prison Escape SNEEDVILLE, Tenn. (AP) A Pennsylvania prison escapee who leads a religious cult of about 30 immediate followers is in jail on federal charges of unlawful flight, officials said yesterday. The FBI said George E. Feigley, 39, will be held at the Washington County Jail in Jonesboro, until Pennsylvania officials arrange to pick him up. THE FBI AND Sheriff Doug Seal of Hancock County arrested Feigley last Friday on a 40-acre farm near Sneedville.

Seal said Feigley and 15 persons with him intended to buy the farm and had made a down payment. FBI agent Harold C. Swanson said Feigley escaped from the Rockview Correctional Institute at Rockview, in July 1976. He was serving a 10-20 year term there for indecent assault and corrupting the morals of a minor, Swanson said. Seal said Feigley and follower James Lee Gilbert, 22, also escaped last September from a jail in Grafton, W.Va.

Gilbert and a woman identified as Vivian Stersta, 21, of Harrisburg, were arrested Saturday when sheriff's deputies returned to the Hancock County farm, the sheriff said. GILBERT WAS returned to West Virginia on Sunday to face escape and armed robbery charges, Seal said. Miss Stersta was held yesterday in the Morristown City Jail, pending her return to Harrisburg, where she is wanted on a felony charge of unlawful use of an automobile, the sheriff said. "This Gilbert told us that Feigley had the power to destroy us all if he wanted to," Seal said. "He practiced mindcontrol through hypnosis and they sacrificed things to him, nothing major, just things like going without food for a week." The sheriff quoted Gilbert as saying that Feigley was the founder and leader of a religion called Neo-American and said he had about 600 followers across the nation.

SEAL SAID FEIGLEY offered ho resistance when he was arrested; some of his followers cried when police took him away. The sheriff said about five children, ages 6 months to 12 years, and 10 adults lived on the farm with Feigley. He said police were told that another 15 members of the cult were on their way to the farm when Feigley was arrested. yyyr: rJ lyK-hst for Big Race Three students from the Tennessee School for the Blind practice a few sprints for the upcoming national blind athletics competition to be held I next month in Seattle. From left are Kim Atkins.

Thursday 3EE TENNESSEAJN Blind School Team Asks $3,000 More Page 17 For National Meet Bankers' Tractor Theft HARTSVILLE, new trial date of March 5 was set yesterday for Hartsville banker William Dalton and his son, Rhea, who were indicted in November for allegedly receiving and concealing a stolen tractor. Tennessee Bureau of Criminal Identification Agent Don Clark of Carthage, the state's chief witness, was hospitalized in Nashville Jan. 29, the original trial date set for the case. THE NEW TRIAL date was set on agreement by defense attorney Jack Lowery of Lebanon, Criminal Court Judge Ernest Pellegrin of Gallatin, and District Attorney General Arzo Carson of Jamestown. Pellegrin and Carson were specially appointed for the trial after Judge Robert Bradshaw and Attorney General Tommy Thompson, Trial Set for they should and he wrote them a check," Lowery said.

THE TRACTOR, reported stolen from a Hendersonville farm shortly before the was discovered on the Daltons' farm near here last spring at the height of a massive multi-state investigation into farm equipment thefts. Lowery has maintained that charges the Daltons attempted to conceal stolen property will not hold up because the tractor was used mison or the medicine," Mrs. Wat- son added. "Things like this don't always happen all at once. Getting Ready tribute and do more than just sit around." Runner Pat Hampton, like most of the team, is totally blind.

"I am eager to fly on an airplane," she said, showing off a new pair of running shoes her grandmother sent her just for the upcoming contest. "I have never competed like this before and I am really nervous," she admitted. The track behind the school where the team has worked out each afternoon and on Saturdays, is equipped with strings between each lane so runners like Miss Hampton can stay on the track. THE OTHER events are also modified only slightly for blind contenders. "One of our former students is now running with the track team at Middle Tennessee State University," Adkisson said.

"After one meet, a guy that he ran against and beat came over to him and said, 'I can't believe that you are That made him feel pretty good. "The theme of the national contest is 'Ability not Disability' and I think that kind of sums up how we like to think of the athletes and how we want them to think of themselves." "There is no age limit for people who are interested in competeing," Adkisson said. "Last year one of the gold medals was won by a 48-year-old man." Interested persons can reach Adkisson at 741-4427. Gay said his office will be conducting its own investigation into the possibility that the child's injuries resulted from mistreatment, but said no charges have been filed. "YOU HAVE to be very careful in cases of this nature," Gay said.

Russell said after yesterday's hearing that he will be "taking depositions from physicians and so forth for the next several weeks" on behalf of the department. "This case is different from other cases because there are no eyewitnesses to tell us what happened," the attorney said. TAMMY WAS hospitalized about two weeks ago after sustaining abdominal injuries, including a perforated intestine, and bruises on her arms and legs, according to Human Services spokesman Warren Causey. She was listed yesterday in satisfactory condition at the Nashville hospital and has been taken out of its intensive care unit. By ADELL CROWE The grueling hours of training are almost over now and the only thing standing between 14 blind athletes and their chance to compete at the national championships is $3,000.

"The kids have set goals for themselves and worked hard so they would be good enough to compete," said David Adkisson, coach of the team from the Tennessee School for the Blind. BUT NOW that the National Championships for the Association for Blind Athletes is less than a month away, the 12 students, two former students and two coaches find they have only half of the $6,000 needed to make the week-long trip to Seattle, Wash. Adkisson has reason to have high hopes for this year's squad. Last year's 13-member team brought back 21 medals, 15 of which were gold. "We have had such good teams in the past that it would be a shame not to participate this year," he said.

"But the other two tournaments we have attended were in Illinois which isn't a very far ride by bus and not so expensive." "WINNING JUST makes me feel good," said wrestler Henry Brown. "I'm glad that we get a chance to participate because it shows other people that blind people can con Parents Believe Child Received Healing Staff photo by Billy Easley Adriane Lewis, Albert McKinney and Feb. 22, 1979 both of Hartsville, withdrew. The local officials cited long-standing personal and financial ties with the prominent Dalton family. The elder Dalton, president of Citizens Bank here and chairman of the board of trustees for David Lipscomb College in Nashville, and his son are on leave of absence from the bank pending the outcome of the trial.

YESTERDAY, LOWERY confirmed reports that the elder Dalton purchased the allegedly stolen tractor in July 1977, by writing a check. "Rhea had arranged to buy the tractor but was going to be out of town," Lowery said. "When a call came that the tractor was delivered, William Dalton went out and asked who should be paid. "The people that delivered it said their three daughters had, the child's father explained. "He wasn't even able to pull him self up like other children his age, so we took him to the doctor to find out if anything was wrong," he said.

"At first they thought he might have an abnormal birth defect but they found the tumor. They said it covered half the area inside the brain. The doctors gave us no hope he would live." ALTHOUGH THE physicians said the tumor itself was inoperable, exploratory surgery was performed last month. "When they walked out of the operating room, they told us it was even worse than they thought," Watson said. "Each step along the way was like that.

It kept getting worse." It was in this frame of mind that the young couple drove to Nashville after hearing Miss Jamison a gospel singer turned evangelist who often appears on the nationally telecast program PTL CJub (People That Love) was to hold a faith healing service here. At that time, Watson said: "All we have now is the Lord." "WE HAVE BEEN Christians for four years," Mrs. Watson explained. "The Lord really changed our lives and this only reinforces our faith. "When we first were told about Brandon's cancer, it threw us for a loop.

When I'd walk into his room, I wouldn't know if he would be dead or alive. But God has taken all that fear away." Although the physician said Brandon's chance of living a normal healthy life is still doubtful, the Watsons said they have "no doubt whatsoever" their son will be healed. "I know that God's the one who has healed Brandon this far, whether he did it through Miss Ja March 5 frequently to scrape snow from the streets of Hartsville. And Lowery added yesterday that the payment by check is proof, he feels, that the elder Dalton did not know the tractor was stolen property. PRIOR TO THE first scheduled trial, local officials issued subpoen-aes for about 500 prospective jurors and served about 300 notices, hoping that the entire number would not be needed.

Word of the delay came only two days before the trial, leaving hundreds of persons to be notified that they need not appear. Both Daltons and Billy Wayne Anthony, also charged with possession of a stolen tractor, have remained free on bond since shortly after sealed indictments were returned by the Trousdale County Grand Jury. "But I do know Brandon will be completely well some day in God's due time." Staff photo by Dan Loftin State Granted Custody Of 2-Year-Old Child During Probe of Abuse By SUSAN THOMAS Miracles do happen at least in the eyes of a Virginia couple and their 18-month-old son. Last week, Mr. and Mrs.

Charles Watson came to Nashville to attend a religious service conducted by faith healer Vicki Jamison because doctors had told them their son, Brandon, was dying of brain cancer. But earlier this week the parents were told 70 of their son's cancer has disappeared. "I'M NOT SURPRISED," Mrs. Watson said in a telephone interview from her Richmond home; "I know Jesus heals through the Holy Spirit, and I know he is healing Brandon. "Now I don't know whether he was healed through Vicki Jamison or one of the many other people who have prayed for him.

But I do know Brandon will live, and that's the most important thing." Brandon's physician, Richmond radiologist Dr. John Dehner, confirmed "a considerable improvement" in the toddler's almost "hopeless" situation. "HIS CONDITION certainly does look better than it ever has," Dehner explained. "Of course some of the cancer is still there, but it generally looks better. "For the first time, we have started to think about what problems he might have if he survives all this.

We never thought we had to worry about that before." The physician was quick to point out that the child has been undergoing intensive cobalt radiation treatments for months, a treatment which "sometimes" brings positive results. THE FIRST SIGN that Brzndon "might have a problem" came just before Christmas last year when the Watsons realized their son wasn't progressing in areas such as speech and mobility as quickly as By GLEN PROSSER Tennessean State Correspondent COLUMBIA, Tenn. Juvenile Court Judge Taylor Rayburn yesterday approved a plan to place a Culleoka child in temporary custody of state officials when she is released from the hospital, i Officials said Tammy Cates, age 2, a possible victim of child abuse, is exepcted to be discharged from Vanderbilt Children's Hospital in two to three weeks. The court order gives the Human Services Department custody of the girl for 30 days after her release. "THIS WILL give the parents' attorney and myself time to prepare our cases for a final hearing on the (custody) petition's allegations," said William Russell an attorney for Human Services.

At the same time, Judge Rayburn allowed the parents, Ronald and Sharon Cates, to visit their daughter while she is hospitalized. The girl underwent abdominal surgery earlier this month. District Attorney General Bob I wio -A -s 5 I'M i tY'i mdM iih ftm ilii i run Skit ft- T1 They Feel Faith Paid Off Mr. and Mrs. Charles Watson of Richmond, talk with their 18-month-old son, Brandon, during a faith healing religious service here.

Since the service, the parents say their son, who doctors say has broin cancer, has greatly improved..