The State from Columbia, South Carolina • 20

2B Wednesday, August 28, 1991 The State Columbia, S.C. Former cop goes on trial in ex-wife's strangling By JOHN ALLARD An autopsy showed the killer Staff Writer strangled Connie Gilliam, 41, in her A Newberry County jury is ex- home at 2014 Eleanor St. pected to hear testimony today about Harold Gilliam had been a law the mysterious and violent death of enforcement officer in Newberry for Connie Rollins Gilliam in her bed- 19 years, including a stint as a Newroom last November. berry County sheriff's investigator. Gilliam's ex-husband, Harold, 43, Connie Gilliam was assistant to 8th is standing trial for murder in her Circuit Family Court Judge John M.

killing. Harold Gilliam was a Lees- Rucker. ville police officer when he was ar- The trial is expected to shed light rested Nov. 16, 1990. on Connie Gilliam's death because po- Colleges From 1B have to sacrifice basic education to balance future budgets unless more money is forthcoming from the Legislature.

Based on a funding distribution formula that uses regional data on what is spent for higher education, the state's 33 public colleges will receive about 75 cents on the dollar in the school year ahead. While Sheheen's staff has toyed with advocating the politically volatile recommendation of "enrollment goals" during the past year, Morris is the first administrator to step forward in support of such a policy. Morris also said "the Commission on Higher Education needs to attach more importance to its role as an advocate rather than a role that has principally been one of keeper of the gate." Because public funds are distributed based on enrollment, Morris said restrictions he supports should apply to every college. He noted, however, an enrollment cap should Spiders From 1B cases reported in 1983. In 1988, there were 24 and last year, there were 27 cases, Schuman said.

Thirty-five percent of those bitten by a black widow spider required hospitalization, while 6 percent of those bitten by a brown recluse were hospitalized. Some private physicians have also seen increases in brown recluse spider bites. "It doesn't surprise me at all," said Dr. Richard Dobson, an MUSC professor of dermatology, who said the state hardly ever saw brown recluse spiders a decade ago. Generally found in the Ohio and Tennessee valleys, the spiders are spread through packing boxes and trucks, he said.

"We have an extremely mobile population now," Dobson said. "And since these creatures love to live in boxes, it doesn't surprise me to find out they're moving rapidly around the But the bites from these normally non-aggressive spiders are danger- Hunts From 1B Fisheries. The hunts were patterned after the popular "Hooked on Fishing, Not on Drugs" program conducted in recent years throughout South Carolina and other states, Conrad said. The slogan "Shoot for the Future Don't Use Drugs" was twisted in the news media into "Shoot Doves Not Drugs." That latter saying did not originate with the wildlife department, he said. Conrad charged that protesting the dove shoots is the animal rights group's first step toward trying to stop all hunting in the state.

"Parris Boyd's stated goal is 'to ensure that animals are not eaten, worn or experimented Conrad said. "If the animal rightists have their way, all medical research involving animals will end, and we will all become vegetarians," he said. Supporting the hunts is Bob Bailey of Columbia, president of the recently organized South Carolina Sportsman's Coalition. "South Carolina has a rich hunting heritage," said Bailey, whose organization includes more than 30 hunting groups representing 40,000 be a last option. Sheheen said he is skeptical Morris' proposal will be embraced.

"It is a very serious and dramatic policy change and everybody ought to have an opportunity to debate it," including lawmakers, Sheheen said. Sheheen said at least four arguments will be used to undermine Morris' proposal. The state higher education plan's primary goal is to increase "the college going rate." "How are you going to increase the college going rate if you close entrance at all points?" Sheheen said. colleges have agreed to support general "enrollment goals" some would define as enrollment limits. With those in place, the technical.

college system would be an alternative place for potential students to enroll. Four-year colleges have minimum admission standards; the technical colleges don't. That makes technical colleges an option. Enrollment limits would likely inhibit blacks from going to college. In South Carolina, Sheheen said, technical colleges tend to be minorities' "first institution of choice for firstgeneration college students." ous, all doctors said.

"It's a wicked bite, one that would bring you to the doctor fairly quickly," said Dr. Roy Nickles, a MUSC associate clinical professor and private physician. Once bitten, the victim should notice a small blister surrounded by redness within the first eight hours. Within a week, sometimes within days, the central portion of the bite will become very dark and look eaten away, Nickles said. That will continue quickly, if not treated, with the bite expanding from the size of a marble to the size of a golf ball, eating through the skin.

There have been some extreme cases recorded, Schuman and Nickles said. A Lowcountry woman, for example, had to have her arm amputated because of the gangrene caused from a brown recluse spider bite. A carpenter bitten as he reached into his mailbox required plastic surgery after his finger split open from the swelling. A Charleston doctor, bitten while in his yard, required skin grafts on his hand because the bite caused the skin to deteriorate down to the tendons. Doctors treat the bites with Dapsone, the same drug used to treat leprosy.

hunters and other sportsmen. "It's very important that we carry on this heritage with our youth. If you hunt with your son, you don't have to go out and hunt for him." Boyd said protests might also be held at some of the dove-hunt sites. A wildlife department spokesman said wildlife biologists and conservation officers already assigned to the shoots will try to talk with any demonstrators at the hunts. "We have two constituencies here, and we are trying to work with both of them," said William K.

Chastain, director of the wildlife department's Division of Law Enforcement and Boating. "Both groups love nature. Some like to hunt and some don't. We will try to recognize the rights of both groups and deal with it as peacefully and equitably as we can." 14K CHARMS $10 JEWELRY 2909 Platt Springs Rd. 7350 Two Notch Rd.

3102 Broad River Rd. Harbison Irmo 56584-63 CASH NOW! FIXED RATES AS LOW AS 10.75% Low fixed rates to 30 yrs. Loan 30 15 10 Application taken by phone Amount Year Year Year Slow credit plans available 15,000 140.10 168.14 204.51 No Rural out of pocket loans expense property 25,000 233.37 280.24 340.85 loan to value and No broker fees 50,000 455.74 560.47 681.69 Tax deductible Interest Rates subject to change Home Improvement loans. Origination fees would change effective APR 11.34% FIRST CAPITAL MORTGAGE CORPORATION 111 EXECUTIVE CENTER DRIVE ENOREE BUILDING STE 210 COLUMBIA, S.C. 750-9026 50885-62 lice have released little information about the killing.

After Harold Gilliam was arrested, Newberry Police Chief Andrew Shealy said only that Connie Gilliam's body was found in a bedroom in her home about 6:15 p.m. Nov. 15. He said she had been dead for "some time." Investigators went to Connie Gilliam's home after someone telephoned 911 and said Connie Gilliam needed assistance, Shealy said. He declined to discuss what the caller said during the 911 call.

Shealy also declined to comment on how Connie Gilliam died, why they believe her ex-husband would kill her and whether the couple had a history of violent arguments. Harold Gilliam made a verbal statement to investigators but denied any involvement in the killing. He was suspended as a Leesville police officer after being arrested. Gilliam was fired by the Batesburg Police Department in May 1990. His hiring by Leesville on June 6, 1990, created a controversy that led to the cancellation of a longtime contract to house people arrested by Leesville police in the Batesburg jail.

That forced Leesville police to transport accused criminals to the Lexington County Jail. Boat wreck survivor hopes TV solves mystery of missing crew The Associated Press ing men are safe, despite the time filmed episode, with actors porSAVANNAH that has elapsed since the sinking, traying the three missing men. The Nathan NeeSmith was the only and he believes the Coast Guard segment was filmed off Wilmingknown survivor when a 34-foot gave up its search too quickly. He ton Island, east of Savannah. fishing boat sank in the Atlantic said his sister and others have re- On April 11, 1990, the four men Ocean 16 months ago.

Now, he's ceived suspicious telephone calls left a McIntosh County pier for Tihoping a television show can do from people who spoke no English. ger's Ledge, an uncharted fishing what the U.S. Coast Guard could "They spoke Billy Joe's name. reef off Edisto Beach, S.C. On April not: solve the mystery of his three They were foreign people.

I'm real- 15, the boat sank about 50 miles missing companions. ly hoping that maybe they (the offshore. The cause of the sinking A crew from "Unsolved Mys- missing men) are hostages in a for- is unknown. teries" was in Savannah last week eign country or in a work camp or Almost 100 hours after the boat to film a segment about the something," he said. "Maybe they started taking on water, a private 1990 sinking of the "Casey Nicole." were picked up by a cargo vessel found NeeSmith in the AtTheir visit was prompted by a call "Unsolved Mysteries" producer lantic Ocean, 20 miles off Hilton three months ago from NeeSmith, Tim Rogan said he can't predict Head Island, S.C.

He was clinging a Darien resident. whether the show will help Nees- to a small fiberglass engine cover. NeeSmith said he hopes the mith find his companions, although The last time NeeSmith saw his show can help find his brother, Bil- about a third of the show's seg- three companions, they were hangly Joe Neesmith; his nephew, Keith ments do bring results. ing onto a rubber raft. Wilkes; and his friend, Franklin The show will be broadcast on NeeSmith, formerly a commerBrantley.

NBC Christmas night. cial fisherman, is now a machinist He is convinced the three miss- NeeSmith played himself in the because he's afraid of water. Flooded families to return BOWMAN All 25 Bowman families forced from their homes Sunday because of flooding should be able to return by today, Capt. C.C. Clark of the Bowman Police Department said.

Some yards had up to 4 feet of standing water after up to 8 inches of rain fell Sunday. But the waters had receded to less than a foot by Tuesday afternoon, Clark said. Still, he advised residents not to allow pets or children to play in the remaining floodwater. "We are concerned they could be exposed to septic-tank runoff or mosquitoes," he said. Residents whose private wells were flooded were warned not to drink from them until the water is tested.

Sample bottles can be picked up at the Bowman Town Hall this morning, said John Smith, Orangeburg County's emergency preparedness director. The bottles also can be picked up at the Edisto Health District office in Orangeburg. Smith also said that any well water should be boiled before anyone drinks it. Meanwhile, the state Department of Health and Environmental Control expects to know by this afternoon whether flooding contaminated the town's water system. SISSY GET ONE FREE When you IVA (up to $4.10 value) buy either MANUFACTURER COUPON EXPIRES SEPTEMBER 15, 1991 Kellogg's.

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