The Courier-News from Bridgewater, New Jersey • Page 21

TheGouner-Neuus Obituaries C-3 PoliceFire C-2 Religion C-4 it rnvr ah I Slaving sospeot toed to 8ft death By DAVID P. WILLIS Courier-News Staff Writer "He has kind of inferred that he was helping somebody else" when he confessed. But that "somebody else" was not the one who committed the crime, Hodgson said. So far, police have found no connection between Collier and Fautenberry. Hodgson said Fautenberry's name never came up when Collier was questioned about Combs' death after his arrest for a string of tavern burglaries.

Collier knew details about the Combs killing when he was questioned. His confession, along with other circumstances that linked him to the death, backed up the conviction, Hodgson said. Fautenberry could have been a logger in the area at the time of the Combs killing but that is under investigation, Hodgson said. Fautenberry is in a Juneau, Alaska, prison in lieu of $3 million bail after he was arrested last month and charged in the stabbing death of Jefferson Diffee, 45, a silver- and gold-mine worker whom he met at a bar. He also has been charged in two other deaths: Christine Guthrie, 32, of Portland.

Police said she met Fautenberry at a party in February and accompanied him to the West Coast. Joseph Daron who was shot dead Feb. 17 along U.S. Highway 52 in Ohio. Police believe that he picked up Fautenberry, who was hitchhiking.

Fautenberry also is suspected in the death of Donald Nutley, 47, of Waco, Texas, who last was seen in November at a Troutdale, truck stop. Hunterdon County Prosecutor Sharon Ran-savage yesterday announced that she and Chief Investigator Nicholas Susalis will meet with prosecutors and investigators from Alaska, Ohio and Oregon in Portland April 26 and 27. The Associated Press contributed to this report. sentence in the Oregon State Penitentiary after he pleaded guilty to manslaughter in Combs' death. Combs was stabbed in the throat, Roseburg police Lt.

John Hodgson said. His body was found in blackberry bushes near a transient camp along Interstate 5, which runs from Canada to Mexico. Last week, Portland police gave information to Roseburg police that linked Fautenberry to Combs' death, Roseburg and Portland police said. Portland Police Sgt. Derrick Foxworth would not say how investigators there connected the two cases.

Hodgson said Collier took back his confession that he killed Combs. The lieutenant, who worked on the case, said he did not know why Combs recanted. "That is something that he is probably going to have to come up with the answer on," Hodgson said. Oregon police have linked a man suspected in five killings throughout the country, including one at a Hunterdon County truck stop, to a 1984 death for which another man is in prison. Former Portland, trucker John J.

Fau-tenberry, 27, has been charged with murder and robbery in the shooting death of trucker Gary Farmer, 26, of Springfield, at the Pilot Truck Stop off Interstate 78 in Blooms-bury. Farmer was found dead in his 18-wheeler Feb. 5, four days after police say he shot by Fautenberry. Now police in Roseburg, have reopened an investigation into the death of Richard F. Combs, 25, a transient whose body was found in Roseburg in September 1984.

Michael T. Collier, 28, is serving a 30-year Civil disobedience considered if city ignores cop controversy Plainfield vigil marks Santana Hannah's death i AY Salaam Ismial, an adviser to the Hannah family, urged marchers to attend a city-sponsored public forum on police brutality tonight and said he will present six demands to Mayor Harold Mitchell. If they are not answered by Tuesday, he said, "We will move to the second stage of civil disobedience. I will be on the phone to get other folks to come into Ismial said he is asking U.S. Attorney General Dick Thornburgh to in- See RALLY on Page C-2 death was considered suicide by a grand jury and "police murder" by family members.

Hannah was arrested on charges of breaking into parking meters on West Second Street the day before his death. He also was facing a possible year in prison on drug charges. Police said he was found hanged by his sweat pants the afternoon of April 10. A grand jury subsequently found that his death was suicide. The family has filed a civil rights complaint with the FBI regarding the death.

By BERNICE PAGLIA Courier-News Staff Writer PLAINFIELD Marchers who remembered Santana Hannah last night should consider civil disobedience if their demands are not met, a rally organizer said last night. About 55 people joined in a candlelight vigil for the 19-year-old who was found hanged in the city's jail April 10, 1990. A young cousin led the march with a photo of Hannah, whose 0 1 -M 1 Bellcore plan stirs concern in Piscataway By GARY S. BLOG Courier-News Staff Writer mi 'I Jt 1 1. TOM PERRY Courier-News columnist Requests for charity get varied responses Some shoppers smile and seem happy when they see Dick Zylman collecting food items.

Maybe they feel he's doing them a favor by making it easier to contribute to the Food Bank Network of Somerset County. He does that by volunteering to set up temporary food drops at local supermarkets. "Many people compliment me," Zylman said. "There are a lot of people who want to give, but they forget or they're too busy." A tall, soft-spoken gentleman with a neatly trimmed white beard, Zylman was a Wisconsin state trooper years ago. Today, at 67, he's a retired associate research professor from Rutgers University and a man with a gentle and unobtrusive demeanor.

Since he's not the pushy sort, many shoppers blow right past him. There are others, though, who will go out of their way to give to the food bank. "There's this one little old lady, bless her soul, she comes in a threadbare coat and hand-knit hat and puts something in the box every time," he said. "I'd say she can afford that less than some people." Zylman has been standing in Somerset County supermarkets to collect food since last fall. Before that he and his wife, Connie, had been volunteers at the food pantry in Somerville.

There, they saw how difficult it was to keep enough food on hand. One of the problems that food banks encounter is the uneven flow of generosity. People seem more willing to give around Thanksgiving and Christmas. The rest of the year, donations can be spotty. Zylman's more aggressive approach in charity's off-season really makes sense.

About 1 in 10 people, Zylman said, will make some kind of contribution. Some will ask what's needed. Last week, it was peanut butter and powdered milk, for example. "Usually, I come back with 16 to 20 boxes," Zylman said, adding that he makes that haul in 3 to 4 hours. "He's almost single-handedly keeping us in food," Food Bank Director Marie Scannell said.

While he won't get specific, Zylman said there are some store managers that forbid him from collecting food at their supermarkets. The good news is that there are just as many stores that will allow him in. His favorite places include the Foodtown in Raritan Borough, the in Warren and the Shop-Rite in Bernardsville. When asked about trends in giving, Zylman said it's impossible to generalize based on what he's seen. He did say, however, that mothers with small children seem to be the most frequent and eager contributors, but he also gets sizable contributions from young construction workers.

"You know, I was thinking that young, office-type women were the least likely to give," he said. "Then this young, office-type woman comes up and puts $15 in my hand and there goes the stereotype." the central utility plan, said Facilities Manager Henry Troy. Several residents said they felt that 5,575 proposed parking spaces were not enough to accommodate the more than 6,500 employees who will work at the facility. Township regulations require almost 7,000 spaces. Many residents laughed derisively at traffic engineer Michael Marris' statement that the poor traffic conditions that exist now on Interstate 287, Hoes Lane and Centennial Avenue will be improved after the project completed by widening the roads and adding new traffic equipment.

Bellcore will only be allowed to use Kingsbridge Road, Skiles Avenue and Hoes Lane, said board attorney Chris Nelson. In addition, board member Camille Fernicola proposed at the outset of the hearing to confirm that it was not Bellcore's intent to use any of the minor residential roads for access and for the board to condone any such The project will be divided into three phases, which will be implemented as needed, Troy said. The first phase will include building part of the spine, the 2-story building, three of the six 3-story buildings, and the retention basin. The project will total 415,000 square feet of office space plus support space. 'WT.

PISCATAWAY Traffic, parking and the water-retention basin were the main concerns of some of the more than 100 residents who filled Municipal Court last night to hear Bellcore's 10-year master plan for development of its property on Hoes Lane. The company, which handles research and development for the seven Bell Telephone operating companies, is seeking preliminary Planning Board approval of its site plan. The plan will be aired again on May 1 for the public's reaction to the proposal. Bellcore's plans for the software development facility will include two 2-story parking decks, six 3-story buildings, a 3-story spine to connect the entire complex, and a 2-story building to be connected to the front building. There are also plans for a water-retention basin in the rear of the complex to deal with water drainage from rain storms.

Bellcore presented revised plans to the board last night designed to take into account objections raised by board members and residents at a meeting last month. Among the changes were reducing the height of the parking structure from three stories to two and removing 1 4 Courier-News photo by David Bergeland From left, Venus, Uriah and Alvin Hannah, along with friends and supporters, place candles and flowers around a photo of Santana Hannah, who died last year while in custody of the Plainfield Police. Uriah read a poem as part of the tribute. Two mayors opt against new terms as filing deadline nears CAMPAIGN '91 -p if II I tion from decay. Renovation of the station, which is on the National register of Historic Places, is about two-thirds complete, she said.

Kuran said she hopes to see the end of two lengthy battles before her Dec. 31 retirement. One, dubbed the "Fanwood case," produced legislation saying developers could not tear down houses to create vacant land on which to build affordable housing. The borough is awaiting one more ruling from an administrative law judge in the protracted case with the Council on Affordable Housing. "We're 'fully developed with six houses per acre," she said, "Their figure of 87 (affordable housing units) is still fantasy." Kuran would also like to see estab- See FILE on Page C-2 The Courier-News staff Time is running out for anyone interested in municipal, county and legislative seats in the June primary.

At 4 p.m. today, all interested candidates must have filed to run in the primary, which will be held June 4. Yesterday, two veteran mayors, Pat Kuran of Fanwood and John Gib-ney of Dunellen, announced they will not seek re-election. In a statement read at last night's Borough Council meeting, Kuran said she has been plagued with serious health problems since she injured her back a few years ago. Kuran has served four years as a councilwoman and eight years as mayor.

Before the meeting, Kuran, reflecting on her years as mayor, said the borough had "held the line on taxes" ix.1 during her tenure. "We had the lowest dollar increase in Union County last year," she said. Services were maintained as well, she said, noting the borough is one of the few municipalities that still offers residents a cleanup program. Quipping, "I'm cheap," she said she has always tried to get volunteers and donations to get things done in the borough. Local organizations get $250 for staffing the borough's acclaimed recycling center, where residents bring their own recyclables, saving on pickup costs.

With federal, state and local funds and private donations, Kuran said the borough saved its Victorian train sta John Gibney Dunellen mayor Pat Kuran Fanwood mayor I I i 1 Wright at center stage in courtroom drama At the supermarkets, he will hand shoppers a small piece of paper, which explains his presence and the role of the Food Bank Network. Hit! b'1 He passes these out with the hope that shoppers will leave a canned good or other non-perishable item with him. It is while passing out the slips of paper that Zylman usually hears comments, both good and bad. The negative comments illustrate how many miserable and ungrateful people there are in the world. "They should go to work for a liv ing like I do, someone said to Zyl man recently.

Another person snarled, "They tempted to show the jury that these so-called "employees" have exaggerated his participation in the ring in exchange for lighter prison sentences. It has been difficult. Co-defendants such as Fred Dick-erson, 25, of New Brunswick and Ernest Earvin, 25, of Franklin testified that they sold up to $70,000 worth of cocaine a week and turned all the money over to their boss, "Ike," as Wright is called. There are more than 10,000 pages worth of evidence, 130 wiretap tapes, numerous photos, and thousands of cocaine vials, some empty and some filled. So far, more than 100 items have been put into evidence or marked for identification from both sides.

When asked how he knew that Wright was the group leader, Earvin, whose nickname is Beaver, responded, "He said, 'This is He took all the money. He brought all the product. He told us what to do. How much more can you do?" See TRIAL on Page C-2 By MARY ROMANO Courier-News Staff Writer SOMERVILLE The cast of characters includes Beaver, Chill Will, Ike, Sunshine. But this is no Saturday morning cartoon.

The setting is Superior Court in Somerville and the show for the past two weeks has been a major cocaine-distribution trial. And it's deadly serious to both sides. Isaac Wright is a 29-year-old Edison man defending himself against charges that he headed a $20 million cocaine ring, employing several people to package and sell thousands of vials of cocaine on the streets of New Brunswick and Franklin until a group of 12 were arrested in July 1989. "I'm confident so far," Wright said on Tuesday. "I feel good about the jury." He's up against old friends who have pleaded guilty to drug offenses and have agreed to testify against him.

He has tried to bring out discrepancies in their testimony and has at should put them (the needy) all on a boat and leave them off in the middle of the ocean." The sad thing is that some of the people making the disparaging re 0 jfa-jfa marks "look like they could buy the I ye i if f. i in store, Zylman said. He is not deterred by the caustic remarks. 1 I i ft! "I feel sorry for them," he said of the sourpusses. They have never learned to give." Courier-Newt photo by Dean Curtis Isaac Wright right, who is acting as his own attorney in a drug trial in Superior Court in Somerville, cross examines Roberto Alexander.

If they had, it might be easier for them to smile..