The Clarksdale Press Register from Clarksdale, Mississippi • 2

Tuesday Afternoon, August 7, 1984 Continued from Page One Sheriff's deputies sand investigators with the state health department went to the Murphy residence Monday, but Nichols said they didn't find any unusual pesticides or other chemicals. The only thing we found were some regular household mosquito and fly insecticide." he said A poison expert from the health department's main office in Jackson. was scheduled to visit the Murphy residence today. Nichols said he doubted that nearby, have caused agricultural the spraying poisoning. "The only thing around the house is soybean fields, and they Inmates claim murders SAN FRANCISCO (AP) Two prisoners have claimed responsibility for killing 18 teenage girls, and police said the statements were being investigated for links to the Green River killings in Washington and Oregon, a newspaper reported today.

In an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, Robert Matthias, 25. was quoted as saying he killed and possibly. more" women. In a separate interview, inmate Richard Carbone. 32.

said he killed two Soviet carrier Soviet carrier This computer -enhanced satellite photo made available in London Tuesday by Jane's Defence Weekly, shows the Soviet Union's new nuclear aircraft carrier under construction at the Nikolaiev 444 yard on the Black Sea. The vessel, expected to be named "The Kremlin," is being built in two sections the bow section, 264 meters long is under the shipyard's giant gantry cranes, while the smaller stern section, 73 meters in length, is on a slipway alongside. --AP Laserphoto THE CLARKSDALE PRESS REGISTER don't spray them unless things get really bad." he said. "We've never had anything like this Nichols said. "Some of these people who work on cropdusters come down with a little poisoning, but that's expected.

He said he had spoken with a neighbor and babysitter, Emma Williams, who lives about 200 feet away from the Murphys, to see if she could recall any recent spraying in the area. assumption that she was poisoned. "The preliminary findings are consistent with acute poisoning of the type that was suspected," he sid. Kent said it will be several days, however, before lab tests pinpoint the chemical involved. "It's known that it's what is called an organic phosphate, which is either a bug spray or some type of agricultural spray," he said.

"Tasked Ms. Williams, but she Kent said the youngsters had women alone and helped Mat- doesn't remember any crop- been sick for four or five days thias kill nine others. duster," he said. before they were brought to Le Matthias described his vie- Embrey said that Ms. Bonheur.

tims as street "hustlers" and Williams has dogs, cats. Ann Moore, executive director said he suspected that his chickens and other, animals of the Tunica County Hospital, mother had worked pro- roaming her yard "as healthy as said the children were brought stitute while he was a child. healthy can be, which helped to her emergency room SaturBob Keppel of the Green River further rule out any nearby day afternoon suffering from Task Force refused to comment poisonous sites. "If there were "flu-like on the the investigation into the poisons outside, there's a good Doctors at the Tunica hospital men's assertions. But he said chance the animals would have soon realized the children were King County.

police been sick." he said. suffering from chemical exDetective Paul Smith was being Kent said early reports from posure." she said, and the sent to San Francisco to inter- an autopsy performed on the youngsters were rushed to Memview the inmates today. dead child's body supported the phis, about 40 miles to the north. Floyd found guilty of robbery By DAVID J. GLENN Staff Writer Defense attorneys' attempts to convince a Circuit Court jury their client was the victim of mistaken identity failed Monday when the jury found Michael Floyd.

23. formerly of Springfield, guilty of armed, robbery. The jury had the option of sentencing Floyd, who had a long arrest record, to as much as life in prison, but could not agree on a penalty. Elzv Smith ordered a pre sentencing investigation. Floyd was convicted of robbing the Super Saver convenience store at DeSoto and Highway U.S.

61 on Dec. 17. 1983. He was charged with entering the store about 10:30 p.m. with a gun and threatening the clerk he would kill him if he didn't give him all the money.

Local man held in hi -run Bolivar County authorities are holding a Clarksdale man on a manslaughter charge in connection with a hit-and-run in Shelby this spring. Milers Lafayette Cook 18, of 1622 Smith St. was arrested in a joint effort with the Clarksdale Police Department, the Shelby Police Department and the Bolivar County Sheriff's Department. He is being held on a $25.000 bond in the Bolivar County Jail for a May 16 hit-an-run in which Johnny Clark. 84, of Shelby was killed.

Bolivar County sheriff's investigator John Prescott made the arrest. Clark died after he was struck by what witnesses described as a gold, two-door 1970 Chevrolet Impala. The victim had been walking near the north end of Shelby on Highway U.S. 61 when he was hit. Shelby Police Chief Nathaniel Flowers said witnesses identified a gold Impala they saw driving away from the scene.

The suspects evaded Bolivar County roadblocks that night and police relayed a statewide report of the incident to law enforcement offices. The case is scheduled to go before the county's grand jury in November. Employees nab two suspects Fred's Dollar Store employees held two men suspected of stealing money from the store Monday afternoon for Clarksdale police officers. The two were arrested on grand larceny charges after questioning by police. Store employees called police about 1 p.m.

to tell them they were detaining two men in the store for the theft of $208. The money was taken from a checkout stand, Fred's personnel told police. After an investigation, police arrested Larry James Clark, 21, of 213 Adams and Tyree Campbell, 25, of 51312 Mississippi. Police Chief Charles Oakes said $89 was seized from Clark and $125 was taken from Campbell as evidence. During a first appearance hearing Monday night, Justice Court Judge Kenneth Bush placed the men under bonds of $10.000 each.

A preliminary hearing is expected Wednesday. Go cart driver injured in mishap A 16-year-old go cart rider was injured when she ran into a moving car on the 500-block of Lincoln Place late Monday afternoon. Yolanda Miles of 501 Grant was taken by ambulance to Northwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center, where she was treated for a fractured left leg and multiple cuts. She was then transferred to Baptist Hospital Central in Memphis. Doctors were concerned about possible internal injuries, said NWMRMC spokesman Diane Local and State News TWIGS to meet tonight The Mississippi Delta Chapter of TWIGS (Together We Initiate Growth), local I support group for LeBonheur Children's Medical Center in Memphis, will meet tonight at 7 p.m.

at St. Paul's United Methodsit Church. A nursery will be provided. Agency volunteers to meet Volunteers representing several service agencies throughout Clarksdale and Coahoma County will meet for the second time Thursday at 3 p.m. at the Chancery Court Room.

These different volunteer agencies are coming together and sharing like experiences and work habits in order to better understand the workings of the agencies and to give the individual agencies new ideas to work with in their particular volunteer groups. of the volunteer groups involved are RSVP, Youth Court, Laubach Literacy Society, etc. Kate Hughey, in charge of the Coahoma County Youth Court Volunteer Program, says the pooling of ideas from the various agencies resembles the former Interagency Council which was active several years ago, but has since been defunct. "It is not a meeting of all the volunteers of the different groups," warned Hughey, "but it is those people in charge of the various volunteer groups being represented in the meeting." Hughey said the first meeting in July was very successful and that the majority of the feedback from that meeting was to schedule another such meeting for the sharing of ideas and work habits. FCC order hearing WASHINGTON (AP) The Federal Communications Commission has ordered the start of hearings to compare the qualifications of two applicants competing for the right to build a new commercial TV station on UHF Channel 44 in Greenville, Miss.

The FCC said Monday that the two are Delta Telecasters, and Chester Smith. Marijuana plants seized LEAKESVILLE (AP) Authorities seized marijuana growing in five areas of Greene County this past weekend, according to the state Bureau of Narcotics. The haul included 279 marijuana plants growing as high as 14 feet tall about three miles west of Leakesville, said a bureau spokesman. Officials from the bureau and I the Greene County Sheriff's office joined in the seizure, acting on a tip from an informant, but made no arrests. Chief justice recovering JACKSON (AP) Neville Patterson, chief justice of the Mississippi Supreme Court, was reported "recovering well" today following surgery at a Jackson hospital.

Officials said Patterson, 68, of Monticello had entered the hospital last week for gall bladder surgery and "he is doing well." There was no indication when Patterson, a member of the high court since January, 1964, would be released from the hospital. Exactly how much money was taken was not determined, but manager Anthony Collier testified that store records showed $504.79 was missing the next day, and said that routine shortages 7 never exceeded about $18. Defense attorney Ricky Lewis motioned Judge Smith to direct a not -guilty verdict because the prosecution "has failed to prove any money was Smith denied the motion. Prosecutor Laurence Mellen focused on the clerk's testimony that he was certain of the identity of the robber. Clarksdale police officers testified the clerk made three separate identifications of Floyd.

They said he gave them a verbal description which produced a composite-sketch resembling Floyd, that he quickly picked out Floyd's photograph among five photos of possible suspects, and that he chose Floyd in a -station line-up. The clerk also identified Floyd in the courtroom as the one who pointed the gun at him. Lewis and Tom Ross another defense attorney, repeatedly asked the clerk if there was any possibility he could be mistaken. The clerk indicated there was always the possibility of mistake, but he said Floyd had be the robber, "or he's got a twin brother. Lewis and Ross asked their client to show the jury a scar on his head from a childhood injury.

The attorneys stressed in closing arguments that clerk had never mentioned the scar in his description to police. "That's what you're really going to Medical Center Admissions Visits to patients in the Medical Center are restricted to the hours between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. or 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.

every day including Sunday. August 6 Steve Bailey, City William Busby, Tutwiler Flozie Taylor, City Catherine E. Petty, City Johnnie Applewhite, Glendoram Albert Guinn Topper, Lyon Joyce Ann Foster, Marks Angela Mason, Jonestown Marcus Johnson, City Maude Smith May, City Flora Gregg, Marks Lillie W. Hall, City Lia Barron, City Austin A. Bruce, City Ruth Moser, City Josie McComb, Darling Lawrence Gray, City Minnie L.

Goff, City Nikeyia S. Lee, Courtland Lucille Mayfield, Rosedale Linda Ellington, Tunica Tishana R. Myles, City James Smith, Tallahatchie Ophelia Turner, City Dora Bell, Lyon notice about a person's face," Lewis told the jury. "Why didn't he (the clerk) mention it? Because it wasn't there, because the robber didn't have a scar, because the man who robbed the store was not Michael Floyd." Floyd testified he was on a "leave of absence" from his unspecified job in Springfield, and had been visiting relatives in Clarksdale. He said he couldn't remember what he was doing on Dec.

17, but "I honestly didn't rob the store." He acknowledged he had been convicted before of burglary, assault on an officer, contempt of court, and other charges in separate incidences since 1979. "Don't convict this man because he's made some mistakes in the past," Lewis urged the jury. the proof they (the prosecution) have is a glimpse (of the robber) by a man scared to death he was going to be shot. "To convict an innocent man is the worst crime of Mellen told the jury that "too many circumstances" pointed to Floyd as the robber. The jury deliberated about 30 minutes before returning its guilty verdict.

Obituary Mrs. Shannon rites Wednesday FRIARS POINT Mrs. Hazel Price Shannon, wife of Leverne A. Shannon, died Monday afternoon at Northest Mississippi Regional Medical Center. She was 64.

Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at National Funeral Chapel with burial in the Friars Point Cemetery. Conducting the service will be the Rev. Ray Earls, pastor of Friars Point United Methodist Church, assisted by the Rev. John Bowier, former pastor and now of Cleveland.

Mrs. Shannon was born Jan. 17, 1920, in Philadelphia, and moved to Friars Point as a child. She graduated from Friars Point High School in 1939. She was elected as Clerk of the Town of Friars Point and served in that capacity for 18 years, retiring when her health became impaired.

She was an active member of the Friars Point United Methodist Church and was a former Sunday School teacher. In addition to her husband. Mrs. Shannon is survived by four sons. A.C.

Shannon and Robert Shannon, both of Clarksdale, Joe Dean Shannon of Clearwater, and Allen L. Shannon of Southaven; a sister, Mrs. Lela Walters of Casper, a brother, Howard Price of Memphis, and nine grandchildren. Deputy's son sentenced JACKSON (AP) Henry Clayton Temple, 23-year-old son of a Hinds County deputy sheriff, was sentenced to a fiveyear prison term and fined $10,000 Monday on his conviction on a charge of conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Temple is a former sheriff's posse member and the son of Deputy Sheriff Owen Temple.

Circuit Judge William F. Coleman suspended five years of the sentence. Temple filed notice of appeal, asked for the court to pay for it, and asked that the sentence be deferred pending an appeal. Police testified he was arrested following an undercover operation. Winter-Cochran debate set JACKSON (AP) The state League of Women Voters announced today that former Gov.

William Winter will meet Sen. Thad Cochran, in televised debate on Oct. 27. The debate, which will be co-sponsored by the league and television station WLBT, will be held 10 days before the general election in which Winter, the Democratic nominee, challenges Cochran for the post the Republican now holds. The station said the program will be offered to stations in the northern part of the state and on the Gulf Coast to enhance coverage.

As the sponsors announced the date, Winter challenged Cochran to meet him in a series of televised debates across the state. Rankin to add to jail BRANDON (AP) Rankin County officials are considering a plan to add 27 cells to the county jail at an estimated cost of $238,680. The expansion would be accomplished by completing the third floor of the jail, the only one in the county. The plan under consideration by the Board of Supervisors would increase the number of cells from 43 70. Sheriff J.B.

Torrence said the expansion should cover the county's needs for several years to come. Rhodes dies in Batesville BATESVILLE (AP) Lloyd A. "Dusty" Rhodes, 64, a former assistant attorney general for Shelby County, is dead of a heart attack. Rhodes, retired in 1972, died at South Panola County Hospital here. A funeral mass will be celebrated Wednesday at St.

Paul Catholic Church in Memphis, with burial in Naional Cemetery. Rhodes served 17 years as an assistant attorney general. Calendar TUESDAY, AUGUST 7 7:30 p.m. Boards of mayor and aldermen will meet at various town halls in this area. 7:30 p.m.

The Shelby Lions Club will meet at Shelby Country Club. McGowan. She was listed in stable condition at the Memphis hospital this morning. According to the police accident report, Andrew Porter 30, of 425 Lincoln was driving his 1974 Buick north on Lincoln when the youth came off Roosevelt Avenue and turned onto Lincoln and headed south. The girl was weaving in the go cart on the wrong side of the road before she hit the front of the Buick at about 5 p.m., the report stated.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8 7 a.m. The Sunrise Lions Club will meet at the Ponderosa Restaurant. 12 noon The Clarksdale Exchange Club will meet at the Ponderosa Restaurant. 12 noon The Marks Rotary Club will meet at Wilson Lake Country Club. River stages Flood Stage 24-hour Stage Today Change Helena 44 14.4 0.3 Fall Ark City.

44 11.3 0.4 Fall Greenville 48 21.3 0.2 Fall Vicksburg 43 15.4 0.3 Fall Natchez 48 21.6 0.3 Fall Baton Rouge. 35 12.3 0.2 Fall New Orleans. 17 4.1 0.4 Fall.