The Tennessean from Nashville, Tennessee • Page 1

3 SUNDAY Apartment hunting Rentals still scarce, will cost more. Chart of '93 and '94 rates by area. On 4G. Flush in stylo The good, the bad and the wacky in bathroom design i O-far-Rupp TODAY'S I (-ow-v I TODAY'S HIGH: rA LOW: 40 26 Complete weather forecast on 8B COmm Commodore shooting? Kentucky coach off Vl'H jF A guide to what you shouldn't be wearing this year RickPltino NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE A GANNETT NEWSPAPER 22 11 sections ft Copyright 1995 Second Class postage paid in Nashville, TN Main' mm flillto 211 Tarafasy is St irapa Women believed caller was a friend until it was too late By BRAD SCHMITT Staff Writer He calls after midnight, whispering to the groggy women who answer. "What are you doing?" "What do you mean, who is this? Who would be calling at this hour?" "That's right, it's me." Many women hang up.

But others stay on, chatting with the smooth voice they believe is their boyfriend or a love interest Police say it belongs to the "Fantasy Man," a Bordeaux businessman detectives say has been tricking women for years. He's had phone sex with some. He's persuaded others to masturbate in front of their windows. Fantasy Man has talked at least three others into undressing, leaving their doors unlocked and getting into bed blindfolded, police say. Then he walks in and has sex with them.

The Fantasy Man calls it making wishes come true, but police agree with some women who've reported it as rape. The key to an investigation now under way is whether the acts were consensual sex or rape by fraud. Did Fantasy Man intentionally make women believe that he was their boyfriend or a man they were dating? The women say yes, he deceived them. Fantasy Man, identified as Raymond Mitchell III, 45, of 6151 Homeland Drive, who is married and a father of two, says he's never told women that he was someone else, only that he was their "fantasy man." Mitchell would not talk to The Tennes-sean for this story. Mitchell's lawyer, C.

Edward Fowlkes, also declined to talk about the investiga- tion, issuing only a three-sentence statement saying his client has cooperated with police and that: "It is our understanding that this investigation is ongoing and apparently involves what purports to be consensual acts by the alleged participants." Mitchell has told police that he has been calling women and trying to talk them into sex acts since the 1970s. Sex abuse detectives first became aware of Mitchell's activities in 1989 when one of Mitchell's female coworkers charged that he tried to pull a sex scam on her. Connie Vaupel, 31, who then worked at A-Plus Communications with Mitchell, INSIDE 26-year-old student tells how she was fooled, on 10A. A closer look at the law, on 10A. said he called her late at night and let her believe he was a man whom Vaupel had dated the week earlier.

But Vaupel stopped the encounter before any sex took place. She watched Mitchell drive up and get out of the car, and she recognized him as Mitchell in- Turn to PAGE 10A, Column 4 State emters birapist years TP it if i Christian men begin to reach out Finding selves with help from each other By RAY WADDLE Religion News Editor The men's movement is coming to town this week the Christian variety and it may have saved Blaine Batts' life. The "crap of life" was piling up on Batts faster than he could hover above it, he said. A daughter was hit by a bus. A son was given a diagnosis of attention disorder.

He himself was in long-simmering turmoil about whether to follow a dream of being a drummer or stick to his responsible day job. Then, eight months ago, he started meeting early each Saturday morning with four other 40-some-thing guys. They hear each other out, shore each other up, and hold each other accountable in the name of Jesus Christ. "There are issues you might not want to discuss with your wife immediately," said Batts, 47, who has been married 20 years and is the father of three. "I get my head straight with four men I can trust.

I can dump on them instead of my wife, and then go home and be a better husband and father. It's been tremendously Turn to PAGE 4A, Column 5 Governor asks unity, continuity By LARRY DAUCHTREY Staff Writer Don Sundquist took the helm of a state headed toward its 200th birthday yesterday with an appeal for unity and continuity in a time of political change. As Tennessee's political establishment and hundreds of citizens looked on, Sundquist became the state's 47th governor at 10:25 a.m. in a Legislative Plaza ceremony draped with tradition and pageantry. "My mission will be to break down the barriers that separate Tennesseans from one another and to raise the standard of living for all our people.

"We will not allow our progress to be Impeded by divisions of race, religion, geography, political partisanship or anything else," the new governor declared. Sundquist joined in near-universal acclaim for outgoing Gov. Ned McWherter, who said he's returning to his West Tennessee roots comfortable that Tennessee is no longer "always at the back of the line." Military cannons rattled skyscraper windows and routed downtown pigeons in the traditional 19-gun salute to a peaceful transition of power. Gloves muffled the applause in windy 30-degree weather, but not the air of harmony prevailing as the new Republican governor faced an entrenched Democratic legislature. Sundquist, 58, a six-term congressman and business executive who has lived in Shelbyville and Memphis, has pledged to continue the core programs advanced by McWherter in education, health care, economic development and crime.

He's promised to dive into the management of a $13 billion budget and 45,000 employees early tomorrow morning after a weekend of I Turn to PAGE 4A, Column 5 O.J. coverage Ready or not America, opening statements come tomorrow in the murder trial of O.J. Simpson. Week in review, on 8A. "World News Extra" will pro- Kats Barry Staff Martha.

In front is 7-year-old Ashley Manson, daughter of Ruth Johnson, commissioner of the Revenue Department. Gov. Don Sundquist greets the parade as it comes up Deaderick Street after his swearing-in ceremony. With him is his wife, -ww 1 1 i a Button maker didn't give a 'D' each week for Saturday subscribers to Tha Tan- r- tJ' -1 nessean. jjLtjZmiw I Depend- MiiiTiifciMlr- I happens at THE NEW REGIME Proud family gathers for ceremony, on 2A.

Blanton a quiet presence at inauguration, on 2A. Text of new governor's remarks, on 2A. First first lady in eight years looks forward to life in Nashville, on 1D. Coming tomorrow: New state health Commissioner Fredia Wadley talks about her new role. "Historic Inauguration.

January 21st, 1995. Governor Don SunquisL" There had to be at least one glitch in the day of speeches, parades, dances and ball. Byrd Warlick of Asheville, N.C., who was selling the buttons for his local Disabled American Veterans chapter, said they came from a Washington button maker. He said no slight was intended. There may be a bright side to the mistake, though.

The buttons, which went for two for $5, may turn out to be collectors' items. Associated Press Everything was perfect Well, almost everything. The Oak Ridge Boys were in perfect harmony for the national anthem. The howitzers' salute went off without a hitch. So did Gov.

Don Sundquist's speech. Sure it was cold and overcast, but everything else was going right for the new governor the one whose name was misspelled on the inaugural button being worn by hundreds yesterday morning. The red and yellow buttons read: the trial, "World News Extra" will provide two to four pages recapping the week's news, plus the latest analyses of trial strategies. Saturday home delivery subscribers may subscribe to "World News Extra" for 50 cents a week by calling 242-NEWS between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

weekdays. Commemorative buttons misspell Sundquist's last name. CONTENTS PRO FOOTBALL One week more! That's how much PERSPECTIVE Young people have the power to DAYBREAK hype we'll be facing leading up to Super Bowl XXIX next Sunday for the NFL cham ran CONSUMERS SO yOU feel ripped off? But the amount isn't worth the money and time Involved in hiring a lawyer and taking the other person to court? Consumers have a new source of help. The Better Business Bureau of NashvilleMiddle Tennessee and the Nashville Bar Association are starting an Alternate Dispute Resolution program to help work out disputes over purchases of goods or services. Some cases will be handled for free, and fees charged for others will be a fraction of what it would cost to hire a lawyer.

Ori 1E. pionship between the heavily favored San 4 4 House of 3G Living 1-6F Local 1-8B Showcase Nat'lNews 8-13A 1-6D Real Estate 4G Scoreboard 13C Sports 1-14C Stocks 6-7E Travel 1-6J Wish List 3B World News 4-7A remake their lives. That was the message the Rev. Jesse Jackson brought to town last week in the wake of a string of violence that left several Nashville youth dead. We've excerpted a number of Jackson's always powerful words, beginning Arts Showcase Baskeball 6-10C Books Showcase 1-8E Classified.

1-32H Crossword 2F Dear Abby 2F Deaths Editorials 4D Fashion 3F Football 4-5C Home 1-3G Horoscope 2F Francisco 49ers and i LOCAL NEWS Colleges are starting to recognize the needs of students who battle the brakes and traffic hassles as well as the books. At Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, about 85 of students commute to classes; at TSU, 75 are commuters. On 1B. the San Diego Char gers (TV: 5 p.m., Channel 2). A lot of the goings-on the week before are silly and irrelevant, but as GNS columnist Mark Woods says, "Isn't it fun'" On 4C.

6n 1D. V- JACKSON.