Asheville Citizen-Times from Asheville, North Carolina • Page 13

i Vji'Vv- i. 1 vi THE ASHEVILLE CITIZEN Local News State News Wednesday. 1984 Section Two, Page 13 Troopeirl Convinced He Spotted Convicts I lights or siren as advised by his superiors, she said. The trooper followed the Thunderbird, which was "straddling lanes of traffic" for a couple of miles, but lost it when his patrol car engine quit working, Hull said. Lawmen In Laurens, Greenville and Cherokee counties in South Carolina and Polk County in North Carolina were alerted of the sighting, but didn't spot the Thunderbird, Hull said.

The Thunderbird is believed to have traveled onto nearby Interstate 26 where it was lost to authorities, she said. "We checked east- and westbound (1-20) but we did not see the car again," HuU said. Kennemer is certain the occupants of the new Thunderbird were the escapees because they turned and looked at him when he gave pursuit, she said. He was unable to obtain the Thunderbird dealer tag number because another car blocked his view, she said. derer, was serving two life sentences; Mays, Imprisoned as a habitual criminal, faced a life sentence; and Prentice, an armed robber, was in for 30 years.

Kennemer'a sighting could not be substan- tiated, said Jim Murray, FBI special agent In charge of the case. "As of. now, there has been no known sighting that could be verified since they left Spartanburg July It," the date the trio is suspected of robbing 140,000 from a Citizens and Southern branch bank, Murray said. "We're checking out every possible sighting." Kennemer was on routine patrol at midday Monday when he spotted a dark blue 1084 Ford Thunderbird with South Carolina dealer plates traveling south on 1-86. The occupants appeared suspicious and Kennemer said he recognized them as the fugitives, Hull said.

Kennemer, who was traveling north, crossed the median and gave pursuit without By KATHY SCRUGGS Tn-County Burasu Although an FBI spokesmtn said a reported sighting of three escaped Tennessee convicts near Spartanburg, Monday by a South Carolina Highway Patrol officer was "unsubstantiated," trooper who gave chase to the suspects said he is convinced they were the fugitives. Trooper D.B. Kennemer. followed the con' victs for a "couple of miles," but lost them when the engine on his cruiser exploded, said Connie Hull, a patrol dispatcher in Spartanburg. Kennemer "is convinced" the men he saw driving southbound on 1-SS were escaped convicts Michael Anthony Hartsock, 28, Lehman Mays, 41, and William Prentice, 29.

The three men have been at large since a July 1 breakout at Turney Correctional Institute In Only, Tenn. Hartsock, a double mur Patrolman in Henderson and Buncombe counties were alerted Monday to the possible sighting, but did not search for the car, officials there said. Hartsock, Mays and Prentice face federal charges issued in the July 16 bank robbery and stale charges issued in the kidnapping and armed robbery of two Inman, S.C., men afterward. Since the prison break, the men have been linked with an interstate crime spree that includes a string of auto thefts. Officials haven't accused the escapees of any deaths or injuries, although three searchers died in a helicopter crash the day after the escape.

Hartsock, of Appalachia, has red hair and hazel eyes, is 5-foot-9 and weighs 140 pounds. Prenlice, of Johnson City, has black hair, blue eyes, weighs 165 pounds and is S-foot-11. Mays, of Dallas, has brown hair and hazel eyes, is 5-foot-ll and weighs 162 pounds. Bob Terrell Ethnic Yariety Forms. Restaurant WAYNESVILLE Bring together a German, a South American, a Spaniard, a fellow who sings in seven languages and a Cantonese (from Canton, N.C.) and you have a fine new French restaurant called Drugs And Guns Turn Up Missing 6 Jurors -Selected In Brevard herlff A.J.

Peterson Sri Isold Tuesday trial 17 bags of marijuana, seven bags of suspected cocaine, eight handguns and a 35mm camera disappeared sometime between 1:45 p.m. Nov. 16 and 4 p.m. Nov. 17, 1983.

By TONY BROWN Citizen Correspondent 'j BREVARD A tedious jury selection will push the opening of testimony to Thursday at the earliest in the-retrial of two Ohio men charged with first-degree murder in the 1978 shooting death of a Waynesville security guard. 1 The first real progress was made in jury selection at 2:10 p.m. Tuesday, when six jurors were seated after more than Vi days of scrutiny of several hundred candidates by attorneys. Even if the jury selection for the trial of Mitchell John Pakulski and -Elliott Rowe III is completed Wednesday, a second' jury for the trial of two other suspects In the slaying of Willard Setzer must be selected before testimony may be heard in the first trial District Attorney Marcellus Buchanan of Sylva has said he will seek the death penalty in the trial of Pakulski and Rowe. The men, both of Toledo, Ohtojj are being retried after a Madison County jury failed to reach a unanimous decision when they were first tried in May.

Floyd Rufus Fie of Maggie Valley and Steve Harvtrson of Waynesville will be tried on first-degree murder charges for the first time in the Setzer slaying after the first trial is completed. By BOB SCOTT Western Bureau ROBBINSVILLE Drugs and guns thrown away by spectators as they fled a raid on a Graham County dogfight in October 1983 are missing from the evidence room of the Graham County Sheriffs Department. Sheriff A.J. Peterson said Tuesday that 17 bags of marijuana, seven bags of suspected cocaine, eight handguns and a 35mm camera disappeared sometime between 1:45 p.m. Nov.

16 and 4 p.m. Nov. 17, 1983. The contraband disappeared the day after 38 out-of-state spectators forfeited (250 cash bonds and 29 spectators were fined 8200 plus costs in district court after pleading guilty to aiding and abetting a dogfight. Peterson said Ihe department had no dispatchers at that time and the one deputy on duly was on patrol.

Dispatchers recently were hired to provide around-the-clock coverage in the sheriff's department. Peterson said he did not know the value of the drugs, but said each gun was worth "at least 100." The box containing from the dogfight -trophies, bite sticks, brass knuckles, liquor and scales had been moved aside to get at the box containing the drugs and guns. The dogfighl evidence was not bothered and was turned over to Clerk of Court O.W. Hooper on Jan. S.

Peterson, who discovered the items were missing, said he immediately notified State Bureau of Investigation agents and District Attorney Marcellus Buchanan. Peterson said two locks secured ff'U fi -1 i $Kr A the evidence room door. Whomever entered the room likely had a key or picked the locks, he said, adding that there was no sign of a forced entry. "This was an old evidence room with old locks. It's a question in my mind why they got this and left the dogfight evidence behind.

They weren't concerned with the dogfight as much as they were the street value of the drugs," he said. Peterson said officials had planned to use the contraband to attempt to file extra charges in the case. It is not known what connection the theft might have to the dogfight arrests, he said. There is now another evidence room with four new locks in service, Peterson said. Employees of the sheriffs office took and passed polygraph tests.

There have been no arrests in the case and the investigation is Staff maMBuMAUOLMOSMBLE NATURE'S SENTINELS One of the most common slants in the Blue Ridge Mountains during the summer Is the toadstool which resembles a small sentinel on the forest floor. The non-edible toadstool most often pops up after spring and summer storms, of A separate Madison County jury jn May convicted a third resident of whlcn there tove 0 orUlge Western Nortn CaroUna this Toledo, Donna Rowe Porietis, of year- first-degree murder in the case. Su Town Ban 0n Son's Golf Angers Father Run micucii with council Monday night in a special session. Staff Writer "The French Quarter" at the Country Club of Waynesville. The restaurant: it only five, weeks old, open only on Friday and Saturday, and reservations are required.

Service is limited to 50 people each evening, no tables are reset, dinner begins at 8:30 and the last reservations are made for around The idea of establishing such a restaurant belonged to Reimar Steff-en, the German, general manager of the country club. He came here 10 years ago from Haiti. He learned cooking al hotel school in 'Germany and has worked for some of the finest resort companies. Trying to put the restaurant to-. gelher with local talent, Steften realized there was a missing link.

'That was Hector," he said, "our maitre d'. He works in Boca Raton in the winter. He came in here one day looking for summer work. I suggested he go to Grove Park Inn or somewhere like that, and he said no, that he wanted something quieter. He had worked with Jose, an excellent Spanish waiter, in Florida, and I hired both of them for The French Quarter." The fellow who sings in seven languages is Charlie Johnson, an AsheviUe minister who plays the ac-corrtian and sings soothing songs in Scottish, Irish, French, German, Italian, English and Spanish.

"I heard him at The Market Place in AsheviUe," Reimar said "He was just right rthbilimost restaurants miss a little music. Charlie Uoesn't overdo if: he does it just right. When he sings al your table, he sings just to you, yet everyone enjoys it." And the. Cantonese is Ken Har-' din of an excellent chef who. works in Lake Wales in the winter.

He turns out French dishes of quality from the kitchen. Reimar hired several students from the cooking school at Asheville-Buncombe Tech, some to help in the kitchen, some to' help at the tables. He hopes to work out something with A-B Tech to use students on weekends. this, winter when Hector, Jose and Hardin return to Florida. 's.

None Better In Paris 'French Quarter is in the taproom at the club, where luncheon is served 16 a melting pot mixture of club members, hotel guests and townspeople. It takes about two hours on Friday afternoon to convert the tap room to The French Quarter. Latlcework Is placed around the walls, sealing off the bar and the cash register from the dining room. A-lohg taWe on which various foods' are displayed runs down the center of the room, and the windows on one side are covered -with fabric. Greenery abounds.

When the waiters begin to move and Johnson cranks up his accordian, anyone can vision himself in the heart of Gay Paree. The at-, mosphere is great The food is excellent. I had lob- ster bisque flavored with cognac and Vivian had French onion soup. We shared a Caesar salad for two, mixed by Jose at our table. Then Vivian en- joyed scampi and I had the steak au poivTB.

lt was prime sirloin sauteed at the table with pink, green and black peppercorns, flambed at table Willi cognacj -Jf i'rices range around (15 for the main course, $3 to $4 for soups salads, horn d'oeuvres and desserts. The; menu Includes le coq au vln rouge (spring chicken simmered slowly in' red wine sauce), poached live Maine Chateaubriand beernaigy. broiled Frenched lamb, chops, veal Oscar, smoked Scottish, escargots, cherries crepes Reimar has fresh seafood flown' In from; around the world. Caviar conies from, Russia, lobster from the coastof Maine, smoked salmon from the Scottish seas. AU beef is shipped in fresh and aged here.

Fresh vegetables ate selected daily at local markets. rolls and desserts are baked dally in the kitchea The wine, list Is happily split be-twenCaHlomia, and France, with a btt otriMhttrfspRMlied In. The Frencg Quarter Is treat, and the food Is superb. We ate none better In Paris month ago. The restaurant Ik a delightful addition to ex-MUent dining in Western North Carolina.

a The board will make a decision on the matter at Its regular meeting Aug. 6, according to Black Mountain Mayor Tom Sobol. Stafford said his son is an avid golfer who has brought his score down from a 92 to 56 on nine holes. Stafford said his son played under his super Jerry Stafford isn't old enough to play at Black Mountain Golf Course-despite the fact he has swung a golf club since he was 4 years old. And his father Is willing to take on the town council unless the golf course relaxes its minimum age reniiirpment.

Since then, Ihe Staffords have played occasionally at AsheviUe Municipal Golf Course where young Stafford is allowed to play free. Stafford said Municipal is inconvenient to his Swannanoa home, while Black Mountain Is a five-minute drive away. "We have had the age restriction at the course (Black Mountain) for as long as I can remember and I've been on the council for 15 years," Sobol said. The mayor said he hopes the issue can be settled out of court, but added that the recreation commission and golf advisory committee have recommended maintaining the age restriction. vision seven or eight times at Black Mountain Jerry Marrord or Lytie Cove Koad said course, but was prohibited from playing at the Tuesday that he may file a discrimination suit in course two years ago.

federal court unless Black Mountain councilmen "He can't set foot on the course unless he is 9 reconsider an age requirement that bars his 6-- years old," according to Ms. Arrowood. "We polled year-old son from playing at the course. Course the other courses in the area and there is no age rules say players must be 9 years or older. limit.

There are restrictions, of course, with par-Stafford and his attorney Beth Arrowood met enlal guidance, but no age limit." perior Court Judge Robert M. Burroughs of Charlotte sentenced her to 150 to 300 years in prison. She has ap-; pealed. After Buchanan completed his selection Tuesday morning of 12 potential jurors, Pakulski's attorney, Fred Moody of Bryson City, dis-missed four of them -and Rowe's -counsel, Russell McLean of Waynesville, dismissed two more. That left a partial jury of four women and two men.

Burroughs sent the six jurors home with instructions to call the Transylvania County clerk of court's tffice twice daily to check on the beginning of the testimony. The judge excused eight potential jurors Tuesday because they opposed the death penalty. Buchanan dismissed a number of other jurors because they said they had formed opinions about the case from news -accounts and because they, "had problems" with hearing testimony by an accomplice granted immunity. A sixth suspect in the case, David Hugh Chambers of Haywood County, was granted immunity for his testimony against the others. Setzer, 58, was found dead in the office of a Waynesville physician on Sept.

17," 1978. He was shot once through the head with Ms own revolver and was draped in an American flag. Police said he ap- parenlly had Interrupted a burglary. SBI Ends Graham Fire Investigation -v entering the courtroom during the secret inquiry that began Monday a felony and was freed on a $5,000 surety appearance bond. Williams, a former deputy sheriff, is accused of stealing gasoline from the town gas pump.

Peterson said Lovin and Williams were arrested after the SBI conducted an investigation into larcenies and fires in the county. Peterson declined to be more specific, but added there may be additional charges and arrests. Lovin, 36, chief of Roboinsville's five-man police force, was arrested Monday by SBI agents and charged with two counts of violating the state's Private Protection Service Act and four counts of violating gambling laws. He was freed on a $10,000 surety appearance bond. Also arrested Monday was Rob-binsville police officer Kent Anthony Williams, 27.

of Tapoco. Williams was charged with larceny by employee By BOB SCOTT Western Bureau ROBBINSVILLE A two-day investigation into a series of fires In Graham County ended here Tuesday when Stale Bureau of Investigation agents and an assistant attorney general turned the Graham County Courtroom back over to county officials. Resident Superior Court Judge James U. Downs of Franklin issued an order July 16 barring anyone from morning. Sheriff AJ.

Peterson declined to say what information was gathered from the investigation, and said the results will be turned over to District Attorney Marcellus Buchanan. One of the fires under investigation involved a house on Circle Street owned by Police Chief Lyonel Charles Lovln that burned at 3 a.m. on Dec, II, 1983. One Killed, One Hurt In One-Truck Accident lasers Reveal Final Governor's Race Costs Tom GUmore and retired Greensboro teacher Robert Hannon also filed final spending reports with the elections board. The reports covered the period from mid-June through mid-July, for which the only two candidates still in contention Ed-misten and Republican U.S.

Rep. Jim Martin were not required to report spending and. contributions. One of Knox's contributors during the period was his brother Charles, who along with Eddie Knox's wife Frances stunned Democrats by endorsing GOP Sen. Jesse Helms' re-election after the runoff.

Charles Knox contributed $2,066. Knox also raised several thousand dollars during fund-raisers. The Associated Press RALEIGH Former Charlotte Mayor Eddie Knox and former Commerce Secretary D.M. "Lauch" Faircloth both spent over $2 million On their unsuccessful campaigns for governor, reports filed with, the State Board of Elections show, i In final reports, Knox, who finished In the May 8 primary and lost to Attorney General Rufus Edmlsttn in the June runoff, reported spending and raising $1,924,762.77. Faircloth, a wealthy Clinton businessman who finished a distant third on May 8, reported spending $2,100,546.39 and contributions totaling $1,171,605.70.

l.t Gov. Jimmy Green, ItwurMce Commissioner John Ingram, former state Rep. truck may have overturned several times before it hit level ground 200 feet beneath the road, Bonanno said. Bruce crawled back to the road, where he was spotted by a passing motorist Bonanno said. Two park maintenance workers who drove by radioed for an ambulance.

Bruce, "who was a passenger in the vehicle, was rushed to Memorial Mission Hospital. Meece was declared dead at the scene. "We don't know if they were sightseeing and drove off the road or what" said Bonanno, who was investigating a report that the truck may have been reported driving improperly earlier in the day. The incident marked the fourth auto fatality In 1984 on the Parkway. "Four fatalities and; it's not August yet that's not good," Bonanno said.

By PAUL CLARK Staff Writer One person was killed and another injured Tuesday when a truck careened 200 feet down an embankment of the Blue Ridge Parkway In Haywood County. Briscoe Glenn Meecc, 38, of Route 2 Bre- vard, died while rescue workers were carrying him from the 4 p.m. accident near Mllepost 411 PLsgah Inn and Wagon Road Cap. tayton Dean Bruce, 46, of Hollycrest Manor, Brevard, was taken to Memorial Mission llos- pltal where he was treated and released Tuesday night The cause of the wreck had not been determined, but Assistant Chief Ranger Tony Bonanno said evidence indicated the two "just drove off the side of the mountain." The pickup.