The News Journal from Wilmington, Delaware • Page 43

Evsning Journal, Wilmington, Del. Friday, December 3, 1971 43 Me Saw the Other Side of Life the Pecos Jail IS mm By BOB GREENE Chicago Sun-Times News Service CHICAGO There is this kid namqd John who grew up tLh the rich suburb of Glencoe. His father is a wealthy doctor with offices downtown and in the suburbs. Like a lot of rich kids, John wanted to see the other side of life in this rnnn- try, and three years ago he hit The way John tells it, he was hitching on a highway about 160 miles east of El Paso at dusk on a Saturday night. "I saw this car stop, and I started running toward it.

I thought it was stopping to give me a ride." Not exactly. It was two Texas highway patrolmen. "They asked me if I knew it was against the law to hitch, and I said no, I didn't realize that. Most places they give you a warning. In Idaho these cops gave me a ride to a better spot to hitch once.

But these guys in Texas weren't all that friendly." What they did was give John a ride to the jailhouse in Pecos. "They took me up to this 20 by 20 cell with 16 other guys in it," he said. "I said 'Hey, aren't you going to book prisoner named Elior. He was supposed to give me the haircut. "He actually wasn't too bad a guy.

The jailers forced him to do it. I asked him what I could do, since I liked my hair the way it was. He said the police would kick the hell out of me and rip my beard out with pliers and all that if I fought. So you know, when it comes down to a situation like that I guess they can violate my civil liberties all they want if the alternative is getting kicked to death." John's hair and beard went that afternoon, and that night he slept in the felons' cell. "There were 48 men in that cell," he said.

"I counted them. All but 16 sleeping on mattresses on the floor. Some of them had been there for months." me or give me a hearing or One of the cops at the jail said, 'Well, we don't like to disturb any of the judges on a Saturday night. And tomorrow's Sunday, and one judge has been feeling sick and the other doesn't like to come in on Sundays. So we'll get you a judge by John began to figure that three days in jail might be a little stiff for a hitching violation, but he quit feeling sorry for himself when he talked to four other young men in the cell.

They had been traveling in separate pairs and had been arrested for hitching. One pair had never met the other before the arrests. After they were put in the Pecos jail, the police found some marijuana in one of the kids' knapsack. AH four of them and make sure everything was i there. "He got very annoyed and said 'Look it, take your pack and get.

out of here and if I hear any more from you you're going right back up to that So I left. I mean, there's 127 ways they can you for vagrancy alone, and I wasn't going to risk it." The money was intact. John got on a bus and came home; to Glencoe, his three-year trip I over. "I'm off the road for good," he said. "I keep thinking about some of those other guys in the cell.

What if you got busted for something worse than hitching? What if they got you for possession or something. When you realize that you're actually behind bars in Pecos, you begin to think that you're at the end of the world." were immediately charged with possession, and given $10,030 bond each. "Then there was this other guy," John said, "just back from Vietnam. They found three seeds on the floorboard of his car and got him convicted for possession. He's been in that jail for 10 and a half months waiting on an appeal." John slept on a mattress on the floor of the cell on Saturday night, watching local drunks being escorted in.

The next morning he was taken over to the other cell, the cell where most of the felons are kept. The jailer said it was time for a haircut. "MY hair was pretty freaky, you know, shoulder-length," John said. "I had a full beard, too. They gave me to the tank boss, a 280-pound the road.

He didn't sleep much that night. "I kept thinking that when I came for my hearing in the morning, they'd say that they found some grass or something in my pack, and I'd end up there forever. I kept imagining all these horrible things that they could come up with. I already felt like I was born in that jail." But on Monday morning they pronounced him guilty of hitching, fined him $15, said the fine had already been paid at the rate of five bucks per day served in jail, and invited him to leave Pecos. He thought that sounded nice.

He went to pick up his knapsack from the jailer. "I had about $300 in savings bonds hidden in that sack," John said. "I didn't trust those guys. So I asked the main cop if I could go through the pack NOW he is back in Glencoe, largely because a few weeks ago he found himself in a jail cell in Pecos, Tex. "I'd always been kind of curious about what it would be like to experience jail," John said the other day.

"But I'd never been in Texas before. Man, you wouldn't believe it. I'm not curious any more." John's Been in Fiery Furnace ger exercises at the beginning. Sly Jumps 5 Notches To Top Columbia Features Sly And The Family Stone really took a big jump this week from number five right into the number one position. Looks like Three Dog Night has another hit on the way with "Old Fashioned Love Song.

(3 if is 5 VJ a SINGLES "Family Affair" -Slv And Tht Family Stone "Theme From Hayej By AL RUDIS Chicago Sun -Times News Service Elton John has gone through the irery furnace and emerged with nary an eyebrow singed. After all the gaps of ecstasy and the (inevitable) squawks of doom, he comes up with Madman Across the Water, which is a magnificent album. Some liked his first album, Elton John, better than his second. Tumbleweed Connection and Madman does resemble the first more in its greater use of Paul Buckmaster's masterful orchestral arrangements. After one taste of Buckmaster, all those sirupy strings of the pats ooze right out of your mind.

But Buckmaster is just one member of Elton's power-packed lineup. There's producer Gus Dudgeon and engineers Robin Gable and Ken Scott on the sound end. On the packaging end, it's another beautiful creation of David "Baby I'm A Want things on Retch. One is a heavy-fold number, if you can imagine such a thing, called "The Battle of Everymore," which features Sandy Denny on inaudible background vocal and some Mandolin (Hello, Rod Stewart). The next number, "Stairway to Heaven," starts as an acoustic folk number, but the boys couldn't take it by the third verse and finally explode like the Hin-denburg.

All but one of the rest are the usual heavy numbers. "When the Levee Breaks," has a fine riff and some inler-e i instrumental work among the hysterics. AFTER you've finished listening to Chicago at Carnegie Hall you'll have a true sense of accomplishment, as if you'd just completed "War and Peace" or swum the English Channel. What does it all mean, this quadruple-record, double-tape set of 3 hours, 2 minutes and 15 seconds? Among other things, it means about three minutes of tuning up and fin- (Like Carole King, Lesley writes terrific songs but shouldn't sing them. Even "Love Song," which is a soft, tender thing and seemingly perfect for female voice was done better by Elton.

The sidemen on Sing Children Sing are excellent, and so are the arrangements. This is an album for groups and singers to steal smash hits from. Are you listening Three Dog Night? SANTANA had no writing on the front or back of their latest album, but at least inside they identified themselves. Going them one futher is a new Album with no writing either outside or inside. For convenience, I'll call it Retch (AtlanticAmpex Tapes).

Actually, the record company has slyly put a sticker on the cellophane wrapper identifying the group as Led Zeppelin, but even on the sleeve inside, where there is some printing, no album title is offered. There are some interesting "Hav You Seen 1 Tramps and Thieves" Cnr I. "Got To Be There" Jackson "Old Fashioned Lovi Song" Three Dog Night I. 'Las Crana SL "Rock Steady" Arilha Franklin 10. John Lennon before the group is even announced.

It also means all but one number have appeared on the first three "Chicago albums, if you don't include two introductory bits that shouldn't be included anyway. There are some nice things, mostly in the playing on Volume IV, but also parts of "Fa cy Colors" and "South Caroli-fornia Purples" on Volume 1, "Beginnings" on Volume II and "Mother," "Lovedown' and "I Don't Want Your Money" on Volume III. There are also posters, booket and fancy-looking box. The new number, a swipe at the President, isn't bad, and the album will be a good buy when they discount it to $7.95. EARTH, Wind and Fire goes Chicago one better by mixing soul with the Jazz and Rock.

Their second album, The Need of Love again displays some unusual music that might be" called avant garde were it not so melodic and cntracing. The nine-member group mixes excellent jazzy instrumen-tals with harmony singing and chanting, some bigband sounds and some free-form parts as well as solio soul beats. It all works beautifully," and while the elements of Earth, Wind and Fire aren't-new, this mixture of them is a unique sound. Larkham, who also did Turn-fa 1 Connection. And Steve Brownt who is listed as co-ordinator, must deserve some credit, too.

OF course, there's got to be something to produce and package, and Madman has six outstanding songs by Elton and Bernie Taupin, plus three that aren't bad. Performing ALBUMS 1. J'Ssntana" Santana "Teaser And The Flrecat" "-Cet Stevens; Haye qrU. "There's a iot Going On" Sly And The Family Stone 5. "Tapestry" Carole King The first album of Curved HAir had a unique but at times e'an uneven pace.

"Curved Air Second Album" has got them i all together with an offering well worth the listening. Also, spin Seals Crofts' "Year of tops for this un-' usual dub. l. If you're hooked on "Sesame. or your kid brother or sister is, "Sesame Street 2" book and record album will please while Jim Kwes-kin, co-starring May Lyman rTand the Lyman' Family, offers -i nostalgia in a good package, "Jim Kweskin's America." 1 lgssrr- 2llt 2 mf Tennis Sneak(ers) she Mill write to the Features Editor of the Evening Journal.

Last week's free record winner was Lori Guyer, a junior at Concord High School. Our took this unoak picture at a tennis court at the University of Delaware. The sporty miss ran win a free ri'rord at the downtown Wilmington Dry Goods if What's Happening This Collector's Nuts on Sheets Black Gold Phillis Whealley Astounded Boston Intellectuals fit- By MARILYN MATHER You too can sleep with Charlie Brown or Snoopy, for that matter, if you want to be that way. They come on bed sheets. With Lucy and Patty and Linus and Violet and In 1775, upon her return to America, she sent a poem to George Washington who replied to her letter and invited the former slave to visit with him.

Despite her lame and the unusually easy life she lived as the property of another human being, Phillis Wheatley faced 'many problems during her lifetime. Her adult life was a tragic one and her marriage to John Peters, which produced three children, lasted only five years. Two of her children died because of poverty and in the winter of 1784, she died on the same day as her youngest child. "UHURU NA VMOJA" "FREEDOM AND UNITY" (Compiled by Jay Harris) You re not excited? Then you're not an addict like I am. Me? I can't resist.

Give me a January or August white sale and I go absolutely nuts. Pure nuts. It all started back in the fall of '63 I discovered sheets." Good old functional bed sheets. I don't mean that until then I had been similar quirk of taste and wanted identical ones with none to be found on the market.) I hate to admit it, but after five years of sleeping in stripes I wasn't desolate over parting with them. And besides, it meant I could had to in fact start acquiring some more.

First came a set in shades of pink and orange sort of scrolley entwined with grapevines, I think. I'd admired the pattern for years' in blues and greens, but settled for these. Also settled for a flat sheet instead of a fitted one for the bottom. Fitteds were not available at this sale. One has to understand that emotion overcame logic in this kind of collecting game.

Compromise, too, played an important role. I then went on to a pink, orange and two shades of green set (compromise: Giving up permanent press) and then these cool executive stripes in gray and white and pink and white (compromising on the colors). Then I got into a famous designer kick. And then got off it and into loud, strong color. Flowered sheets of greens, blues, orange, yellow, pinks, white and black.

Harlequin patterns of green, aqua, turquiose, blue and purple. I have somewhat refined the collecting now that I am confident that every August and January brings another white sale with more delights. I don't compromise so easily any more. Only fitted bottom sheets, and I demand Mansion Noiv Auditorium them are as fine a bunch of studio musicians as you'll find anywhere, led by guitarist Calab Quaye. Missing from most cuts, however, are Elton's regular bass man and drummer, Dee Murray and Nigal Olsson.

Their replacements are more than adequate. Elton was reached the point where his composing style (and Bernie's lyrics) are an established sound. You can hear one of their songs and instantly recognize it as coming from them, like you do a Dylan song or a Joni Mitchell song. That doesn't mean that they are all alike. Just that they are connected by a common feeling and approach.

El ton's style has both antecedents and imitations, like Dylan's and Mitchell's, but in every case, the real thing is recognizable. All of Side One is solid John-Taupin. "Tiny Dancer" and "Razor Face" are new goodies. And the title number's a devastating look at insanity. This number is sensitive and just the instrumental work in the middle is almost worth the whole album.

The best number on Side Two is "Holiday a rocker with Mandolin (hello, Rod Stewart) and a fine jam at the end. "Goodbye," a short closing fragment, is also fine. "Indian Sunset" may prove offensive to some, but while it's one Englishman's sereo-typed, idealized version of a shameful side of American history, Bernie Taupin can't be haulted for his intense feeling for the story, and Elton delivers the lyrics powerfully. "Rotten Peaches" and "All-the Nasties" round off the album, both of them pleasant though unexceptional. Madman Across the Water is a watershed for Elton John.

With all the ballyhoo over, he's shown that he's definitely no flash. ONE of Elton's helpers on the album, and the author of the beautiful "Love Song" on Tumbleweek Connection, is Lesley Duncan, who has her own first album out now, Sing Children Sing. Not to know is bad; faot to wish to know is worse. L. African Proverb Phillis Wheatley (1753 1784) Sunday will mark the 187th anniversary of the death of Phillis Wheatley, one of the first black poets in the United Egtales.

Born in Senegal, East Afri-l-'ca, she was taken from her homeland by slave traders as a young child. When she was eight-years old she found her-! self on an auction block in Boston. In the slave market that day in 1761 was John Wheatley, a Boston tailor, who was shnp-f ping for a companion for his ii wife. He purchased the young from Senegal and brought Jier home to his wife. Wheatley and her daughter, Mary, were fond of Vthe slave eirl who thev named Phillis.

Mrs. Wheatley and Mary taught young Phillis to speak and write English. A child of superior intellect, TPhillis Wheatley mastered the English language quickly and after several years had read most of the classic poets, such as Horace and Virgil. DURING her years of intensive reading she concentrated heavily on the Bible and the writings of Alexander Pope who died about ten years before she arrived in America. The strong influence of Pope on Phillis Wheatley's later writings is evident and her writings reflect Pope's poetic style.

In the' mid-to late 1760's, Phillis Wheatley astounded the intellectual community of Boston, and later the international community, with her poetic talents. When she was 13 she wrote "To the University of Cambridge in New one of the first of her well known poetic verses. Her reputation advanced when she translated a poem from the Latin text of Ovid. In 1768 she wrote "To the King's Most Excellent Majesty" and came back the next TnK of Rev. Dr.

Sewall'one of her better known occasional verses. In 1770, the first of many poems by Phillis Wheatley was published. The title of the was "A Poem by Phillis, a Nogro Girl, on the. Death of Reverend George Whitfield." In 1773 her first collection of poetry was published. The collection included material already published as well as new material.

The work was published under the title "Poems on Various Subjects." THE collection was published in London a year after her freedom was secured from the Wheatley's. She went to London for reasons of health. In the project with Baker and the colonel is Lord Harlech, former British ambassador to Washington. Ace Trucking Co. At U.

of D. Sunday The Ace Trucking Company improvisational comedy troupe will appear at the University of Delaware's Carpenter Sports Building Sunday night at 8. The five-man comedy group, regulars on the Tom Jones television program last year, has also appeared frequently with Johnny Carson, on the Mike Douglas show, and on the Ed Sullivan program. Tickets to the Ace Trucking Company performance are on sale at the Student Center at the University for $2. At the door on the night of the performance, tickets will be $2.50.

The group's performance at the university is under the sponsorship of the Student Government Association's activities committee. CANTERBURY, England UP A 400-year-old mansion near Canterbury is about to become the noisiest stately home in England. Charlton Park, a 16th century manor with a 100-acre garden, is being turned into a pOp milijiC A hCl lull A. Owner Michael Underwood, an army colonel who likes music, said he is planning to install camping grounds, mobile lavatories, restaurants, medical teams and a day-and-night movie house. "The kids should get a fair idea," British movie actor Stanley Baker, a member of the business group behind the told a news conference last week.

Baker said youths at a dozen previous pop rallies in Britain had to put up with poor i i and high prices, but Charlton Park will be a permanent and comfortable festival site. sleeping without them on bare mattress. But all of a sudden on that beautiful morning I was really into sheets. I started collecting them. Not just any old sheet sheets, but the great ones.

No longer for me these stark hospital whites and insipid pastels. I started collecting (although I don't think I raiU.J l-nr. t- Vlt. and white striped sheets, glaring out from stacks of pale flowers. Calling out to me, they were, just begging to be taken home.

So I did. My next venture, almost a year later, found me buying that same loud pattern in triplicate for my college bunk. Only the bunk's odd width required a plain simple white fitted bottom sheet, which did much to diminish the power of the bold beautiful stripes. Collecting was slow during the lean college years though I did manage to acquire a couple of plain black percale pillow cases. (I know black seems be reserved for satin sheets, but satin sheets always struck me as being, well tacky and besides, I slide out of bed too easily.) But then the collecting bug hit almost with a vengeance.

I graduated and started to work. With a nice, easy-to-fit standard double bed. And a couple of simple white sheets donated by my mother. (The beautiful first loved black and whites i donated to my brother who had expressed a I have a problem, though, I'm going to have to give up collecting soon. For a while, at least.

A long while. Eight sets of sheets for one bed will keep me comfortable for years. Except that just the other day I saw those Peanuts sheets. I wanted them. I had to have1 them.

Only pure out-and-out discrimination, it seems the department store stocked them solely in twin size. Double-bedded me I had to settle for a lone Snoopy pillow case. So I comforted myself with a set of wild "Botanical Zoo' sheets. Fantastic with jungles and plants and wild animals all over. They're really much more my style.

Much more And besides, I can get Peanuts gang on towels. I never really got into towels before Except for this one set of beautiful deep blue and green executive stripes. You don't have to worry about towel size and you can forget about permanant pressure. Just the other day, in fact, I saw these beautiful animal towels hippopatami, owls, walri Now there's a thought.