The Springfield News-Leader from Springfield, Missouri • Page 8

8A Sunday. September 11, 1988 FROM PAGE ONE The News-Leader MORNING EYE-OPENER AuroraPetitioners seek reinvestigation of 1986 killing 1 Maples remains convinced of her grandson's innocence. She says he was home with her and his mother when Martz was killed. "We just know Johnny is inno-, cent," she said. "He's written notes and letters to us saying, 'Grandma, you know I wouldn't do something silly like Wilson is not the only person who has been writing letters about the Martz murder.

Browhfield and another Kansas inmate began writing letters in February to Missouri authorities claiming Brownfield was responsible for the killing. In a June 25 letter to Gov. John Ashcroft, Brownfield states: committed a crime in your state in the early part of 1986. "Since then I have been imprisoned in Kansas on another charge and have learned that an innocent boy has been arrested and convicted of the crime I committed." Brownfield, 32, is serving a life, sentence for aiding and abetting a Pittsburg, murder that occurred about two weeks after the Martz killing. His letter continues, "Sir, this boy didn't commit any crime.

Myself and another party did and neither of us has ever heard of this boy prior to me checking into this." Those letters brought the situation to the attention of Lawrence MwfmTv Sam Butcher, left, signs a Precious Moments object for Martin Zalinsky of Springfield. Approximately 700 people came to South Oaks Center to meet the artist Saturday. FROM PAGE 1A unsuccessful robbery. "I think justice needs to be done," explained Rosemary Peterson, a lifelong Aurora resident who was familiar with Wilson and Martz. "I don't feel that Johnny did it." However, the authorities aren't convinced of Brownfield's honesty.

Lawrence County Sheriff David Ta-tum earlier described Brownfield's confession as part of an "elaborate escape plot." But the sheriff acknowledged his department is continuing to investigate the situation. "If Johnny Wilson didn't do it, we're going to work as hard and as diligently as we can to get whoever did it," Tatum said. Meanwhile, Peterson and other residents began circulating their petitions Saturday. They characterized their effort as a "citizens' request" for Circuit Judge William H. Pinnell to impanel a grand jury to re-examine the Martz murder.

"Pauline Martz was a wonderful person," said one petitioner who requested her name not be used. "For the wrong person to go to jail for it just adds to the injustice." Warren Ormsby, a driving force behind the petition effort, said a grand jury is needed because one of the people he thinks killed Martz remains at large. "It's a very dangerous situation," he said. Ormsby said he expects to gather about 10,000 signatures supporting the call for a grand jury investigation from the county's 29,000 residents. The complicated series of events that led to the petition drive began the night Martz was killed a fire that destroyed the home where she lived alone.

Someone apparently entered Martz's home between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Autopsy results showed she was struck in the chest and forehead with a blunt instrument. The intruder ransacked the house before setting it ablaze with a flammable liquid. The fire was reported shortly after 8 p.m.

About 45 minutes later, Martz's body bound and gagged with duct tape was pulled from the remains of her home. The killing stunned the commu- MomentsHundreds visit artist Johnny Lee Wilson Pleaded guilty to murder nity of 6,500. Martz had been a familiar figure in town driving a classic powder blue Corvette, donning colorful hats and donating flowers to Aurora High School's agriculture classes. On April 18, 1986, authorities charged Wilson with the killing. His arrest shocked townspeople almost as much as the murder.

Teachers, employers and friends described Wilson as quiet, conscientious and hard-working. On April 30, 1987 a month before his trial was set to start in Jasper County Circuit Court Wilson withdrew his plea of innocent by reason of mental disease or defect and pleaded guilty to first-degree murder. Wilson told Judge L. Thomas El-liston he entered the plea to avoid the death penalty. Elliston sentenced him to life in prison, the only other alternative for a first-degree murder conviction in Missouri.

Despite his confession to authorities, Wilson now says he didn't kill Martz. He has a new attorney who has filed a motion for a new trial. Wilson's grandmother, Nellie Maples, was friends with Pauline Martz. The two women frequently played cards together. It was through this friendship that Wilson knew Martz.

Laughter, tears teach students to confront life The Associated Press ANN ARBOR, Mich. Jack Matson's first class assignment will be to have his University of Michigan Business School students laugh as ridiculously as they can. Later, they will confront humiliation. Then, when things go wrong in later life, Matson said, "They'll understand those are natural, normal sensations and by knowing that, they'll be more confident to forge ahead." Matson, a University of Houston engineering professor, is on loan to the business school for the 1988-89 academic year. His "Failure 101" course was selected from among 158 competitors for the Zell-Lau-rie Fellowship visiting professorship, intended to develop courses to foster entrepreneurship.

It is based on a series of "hurdle-jumping exercises" that confront students with repeated failures. Matson, 46, said the idea sprang from unusual events in his own life. At 40, he was hit in the head by a bolt of lightning while playing tennis, and that freed him from a "straitjacketed" academic life, he said. "There was nothing wrong with me physically, but psychologically I still felt dead," he said. He decided he was having a midlife crisis and began exploring his creativity.

"I started to feel that success is somewhat predicated on a nest of failures. That's how we learn. If we really want to succeed, we have to take risks," he said. 3802 Satin Smooth Bali with underwire. Reg.

18.00 Kli- FROM PAGE 1A He represents the traditional outlook in so many things," Van Sta-vern said. Georgia Ott of Ozark carried the figurine "Praise the Lord Anyhow." It shows a dog eating ice cream dropped by a boy. "I've been collecting for a long time. This is the first time I've seen him. It's a great day," Ott said.

Butcher was brought to Springfield by the Unique Gift Shoppe. Beth Peeples, the store's manager, gave Butcher the idea for the figurine "Feed My Sheep," which depicts a child feeding a lamb with a baby bottle. "I've stood in lines and he's always the same," Peeples said. "He has a just wonderful down-home quality that appeals to collectors." Butcher, once accurately described as "carefree, religious, prone to absent-mindedness, sincere, and jokingly self-effacing," spoke briefly to the crowd Satur For The Fuller Figure 19.00, sale $12.99 county ana otner law enrorcement authorities. Since they received the.

first letter, Tatum said his investigators have been to Kansas six times to interview both men. However, Tatum said the investigation has been slowed by several factors, including other crimes in the county and Brownfield's refusal to take a polygraph test about his confession. "We're going to pursue this matter," the sheriff said. "If we come across evidence that says Johnny Wilson isn't guilty and someone else is, we're going to pursue that avenue." What's for dinner? Wednesday's Ozarks Accent 0 TV I ml John WallThe News-Leader day. "I really appreciate being here and seeing so many collectors.

It really means a lot to me," he said. Butcher announced that the Precious Moments Chapel will be completed in late spring. The two-story building dominates a 10-acre site next to the artist's home. The chapel includes Biblical scenes peopled by Butcher's angelic figures. There is a painting on the ceiling.

Many of the people who will undoubtedly visit the chapel practiced creative use of children and grandchildren Saturday. Butcher limited autographs to one figurine per person. Several adults were accompanied by one or more youngsters, each with a figurine. Loma Robinson of Reeds Spring carried the figurine "Blessed Are They That Overcome." It shows a boy on crutches approaching a finish line. 1620 Bali Go-Lightly Underwire.

Reg. 15.50-17.50, sale $10.99 3780 Bali Sexy Maxi Underwire. Orig. 17.50-19.50, sale $10.99 8500 Bnli Something Else Brief, Reg. 6.00-7.00.

sale 12.99 0 in FALL SALE 1 25H(ft A mmm vil mmmm 2620 Snow-Flake Underwire. Orig. 17.00-19.00, sale $10.99 INTIMATE APPAREL CLUB The purchase of a parity or bra will qualify toward a free bonus. After the purchase of 12 pant ies or 6 bras you will receive a bonus panty or bra of equal value free. SHOP SUNDAY P.M.

Dillard's 1860 Bali Self-Indulgence Underwire. Reg. 17.00-18.00, sale $4 1.99 i.