% THE CHOWAN HERALD 'M
__Published In The Most Beautiful Little City On The North Carolina Coast
Volume ill No. 41,___Edenton, North Carolina, Thursday, October 23, 1986_Single Copies 25 Cents
On Consolidating Power
Gov. Jim Martin’s actions dur
ing the past few weeks have tend
ed to lend some credence to the
Democrats’ charge that he is
motivated by a deep-seated
hunger for power.
Whatever the motivation, he
has not hesitated to use the
prestige of his office in pursuit of
political goals that are so purely
partisan as to raise questions
about their appropriateness.
A few weeks ago we were sur
prised, as were a great many
other North Carolinians, to be
asked to accept a call from the
governor, who then came on with
a short statement before turning
us over to Senator Jim Broyhill,
whose message was purely a fund
raising pitch. We hung on until he
reached that part about his fears
of “going back to double-digit in
flation and high interest rates.’’
Then we hung up because we are
more worried about going for
ward to the second Reagan reces
sion, bigger deficits and high in
terest payments.
During the years, we have
received calls from governors
since the days of Kerr Scott, but
this was the first time we had ever
been asked to listen to a taped
political pitch which, to us at
least, was below the dignity of the
governor’s office.
Not only does the governor want
his own senator in the nation’s
capitol, he wants his own
legislators in the General
Assembly. We get about the state
a lot and almost everywhere we
go we hear television commer
cials on behalf of his otfn
legislative candidates whom he
says he needs to keep the
legislature from “stripping me of
my authority.” He leaves the im
pression that, without veto power,
he stands naked before the
Democratic vultures in the
General Assembly.
The truth is that the Governor
of North Carolina is not only
among the highest paid but the
most powerful in the nation. We do
not fault him for wanting more
Republicans in the legislature to
support the common good; but
when his pitch is based on the
need to protect his authority, he is
creating a false issue.
Given his man in Washington
and his men in Raleigh, what else
would a power-hungry governor
want? Why, of course, his people
on the bench. And here is where
Continued On Page 4
Christmas Parade
Schedule Noted
iristmas Season,
is Frank Cox of
its Christmas Season.
Mike is Frank Cox of
BIGGER, BETTER, BEST!
The Edenton-Chowan Chamber of
Commerce is proud to announce
that the Christmas Parade this
year has its first Chairman.
Trooper Mike McArthur, N.C.
State Highway Patrol Officer, has
agreed to chair the parade for this
year. In what promises to be the
best attended parade with the
most entries, Edenton will kick off
Helping
Peoples
Bank, who is successfully gather
ing commitments from area
bands. At this time, at least five
bands will be participating in the
extravaganza. Float competition
is expected to be keen this year as
some challenges take place. The
parade is scheduled for Wednes
day, December 3, at 4:00 p.m.
Cooperation from many of the
Civic Clubs, as well as a tremen
dous amount of enthusiasm and
t from Chairman McArthur
t staff promises to
on Broad
1986’s BEST—Edenton police officer Louis C. Brothers is shown with his wife as he receives the Chowan
County Law Enforcement of The Year Award from Asst. Dist. Attorney Frank Parrish.
Brickhouse Confesses Killing His Wife
A Chowan County woman was
found dead in her mobile home
early Friday by law enforcement
officers. Responding to the early
morning call were Chowan Coun
ty Sheriff Glen Perry and
Deputies Joseph Byrum and
Wayne Rice who found the body of
Debra Lynn Modlin Brickhouse,
32, in a bath tub full of water at
her home at Rt. 1, Box 247, Tyner
in the Cannon’s Ferry area.
Perry said that an autopsy
report listed the cause of death as
strangulation. He said that no
signs of a beating were evident.
He said that Isiah Brickhouse, 33,
the victim’s husband is being held
without bond on a charge of first
degree murder.
The SBI crime lab from Green
ville and SBI agent Michael
Thomas from Elizabeth City were
called in to aid in the
investigation. . ...
T fie sheriff arrived at the scene
at 1:45 a.m. and said that his best
estimate of the time of the murder
Chaffin Hears
Court Cases
was around 1:15 a.m.
Perry said that his investigation
showed that the couple’s three
children were in another room at
the time o£ the attack. The oldest
child apparently heard a commo
tion, waited until his father had
left, then roused the other children
and took them to a neighbor’s
home from where authorities
were called.
Isiah Brickhouse, an employee
of Reed Oil Co. in Hertford, was
picked up for questioning at a
residence in Perquimans County
by Sheriff Perry, Perquimans
Sheriff Julian Broughton and
agent Thomas at 7 a.m. Friday.
Perry said that Brickhouse has
confessed to the crime.
WRECKED AUTOS—The mangled remains of two cars involved in
a weekend collision on the Albemarle Sound Bridge are shown above.
The 1987 Toyota (left) driven by 23-year-old Lori Peale Ross, was struck
by a 1980 Chevrolet Citation (right), whose driver, Howard T. Smith,
has been charged in connection with the accident. One passenger in
the Peale car was killed instantly, and several others sustained severe
head and internal injuries.
Brothers Honored
I
A large crowd of about 250 turn
ed out last Thursday evening for
the sixteenth annual Chowan
County Law Enforcement Of
ficers Appreciation Banquet 1
hosted by the Edward G. Bond
Post 40 of the American Legion.
Special guests included N.C. At- '
torney General Lacy Thornburg,
N.C. State Auditor Ed Renfro, and i
the State Commander of the
American Legion, Sherman
Lillard.
The highlight of the evening was
the presentation of the Chowan
County Law Enforcement Officer
of the Year. Officer Louis C.
Brothers of the Edenton Police
Dept, was this year’s honoree.
Assist. District Attorney Frank 1
Parrish made some observations
concerning Brothers while leading
up to his presentation of the
award. “When I look at past reci
pients and this recipient tonight,
I think of excellence. He has a
record of achievement and perfor
mance. He has contributed both to
the life of the community and law
enforcement.”
Saying that Brothers had well
prepared cases in court, the ADA
said that the recipient has "made
some of us prosecutors look
good.”
Parrish described Brothers as a
native of Chowan County, a hus- 1
band and father, with a
background in sports, having
roacnea uaseuan ana iooiuan. ne
s a 1972 graduate of John A.
Jolmes High School, a U.S.
Marine Corps veteran and the
•ecipient of the 1984 Optimist
ifouth Award. He concluded, “He
s one of the most capable that I
mow.”
Edenton Mayor John Dowd
jresented Post 40 a plaque on
jehalf of the town. On it were in
scribed all of the winners of the
aw enforcement officer of the
/ear honorees. Dowd told the
:rowd, “The opinion I’ve formed
>ver the years is that you law en
orcement officers help, protect,
■ducate and enforce the law.
fhank you for the risks that you
;ndure.”
Chowan County Sheriff Glen
3erry introduced the state
iignitaries present, the local law
mforcement agencies, nine area
sheriffs, the Highway Patrol, SBI,
FBI, N.C. Enforcement Div. for
licenses and Theft, N.C. Wildlife
’omm„ N.C. Fisheries Comm.,
\dult Probation and Parole,
\.L.E., Juvenile Probation of
icers. Also, Dist. Attornies, Coun
y Clerk’s and Register of Deeds,
Magistrates, Judges and County
Commissioners present.
The featured speaker was
Robert A. Tart, National Ex
;cutive Committeeman of the
American Legion. Tart said, “The
Continued On Page 4
Chowan District Court was in
session October 14 with the
Honorable John T. Chaffin
presiding over the criminal
calendar.
R. Merle Alwine was found guil
ty of driving 68 in a 55 mph zone.
He was fined $35 and cost of court.
Gregory Scott Halbrook, found
guilty of driving 67 in a 55 mph
zone, was fined $35 and cost of
court.
Eric V. Byrum, found guilty of
driving 64 in a 55 mph zone, he was
fined $10 and cost of court.
Thomas Adolph Holley, found
guilty of driving 66 in a 55 mph
zone, was fined $35 and cost of
court.
In probable cause hearings for
Titus Hosea Wynn, charged with
two counts of forgery, a waiver of
probable cause was issued and the
Case was bound over to Superior
Court.
State took dismissal in the case
of Robert Wayne Shiver, charged
with transporting spiritious
liquor.
Robert Wayne Shiver, found
guilty of DWI, was sentenced to 90
days in Chowan County jail,
suspended 2 years, fined $125 and
cost of court. He is also not to
operate a motor vehicle in North
Carolina for 60 days, is to perform
48 hours of community service
and is not to possess or consume
any alcoholic beverage for 2
years.
Carl Mayo Cay ton, Jr., found
guilty of affray, was fined $25 and
cost of court.
Tony Stevens Stokely, found
guilty of affray, was fined $25 and ■
cost of court. I
York Odell Hayes, found guilty
of DWI and improper passing,
was sentenced to 6 months in
Chowan County jail on the first
charge and was fined $25 on the
second.
\
Sound Bridge Collision Causes Single Fatality
By REBECCA BUNCH
A head-on collision at 6:40 p.m.
on Friday, October 17 left a
Washington County law enforce
ment officer dead and several
others seriously injured.
Sixty-year-old chief deputy
James Walter Peale of Creswell
was killed instantly when the 1987
Toyota in which he was a pas
senger was struck by a 1980
Chevrolet Citation driven by
Howard Thomas Smith of Route 1,
Roper.
The accident occurred about
seven miles south of Edenton on
N.C. 32, about a mile north of the
draw on the Albemarle Sound
Bridge.
Lori Peale Ross, 23, driver of
the ’87 Toyota, sustained a broken
arm and internal injuries. Two
other passengers in the Peale
vehicle—Regina Annette Peale, 19
and Crystal Lynn Peale, age
7—were left with severe internal
and head injuries. Both were com
atose when transported to Chowan
Hospital following the crash. All
those in the Peale car were wear
ing seatbelts; Smith was not using
one.
All three girls have since been
transferred to Pitt Memorial
Hospital in Greenville. Regina
Peale, the most seriously injured
of the three, was transported to
Greenville via Life Flight, while
Lori P. Ross and Crystal Lynn
Peale were taken to Pitt by
ambulance.
Howard T. Smith received a
broken ankle as well as cuts and
bruises. He was treated and
released from Chowan Hospital on
Saturday. Smith had remained
trapped in his car for abfAit one
hour following the accident, while
rescue personnel worked to' free
him.
Chowan County Deputy Joe
Byrum held up traffic on the
Chowan side of the Albemarle
Sound Bridge. Traffic on the
bridge was halted for about 2'->
hours.
According to N.C. State Trooper
Mike McArthur, warrants have
been issued charging Smith with
driving while impaired, driving
left of the center line, and misde
meanor death by motor vehicle.
McArthur said that Smith was
driving in excess of 55 miles per
hour at the time of the collision,
while the Peale vehicle had
slowed to 20 miles per hour in an
attempt to avoid the accident.
The impact of the wreck
Knocked tne Peale car oack aDoui
38 feet on impact. Crystal Lynn
Peale was thrown out of the car
and landed on the road 14 feet
away. McArthur credits a nurse
who happened to be driving by the
accident site and stopped to offer
her assistance with keeping
Crystal Peale alive. “Unfor
tunately, in all the confusion, I did
not get a chance to get the
woman’s name and personally
thank her for helping until other
medical personnel arrived on the
scene.” he said. “I really would
like a chance to talk with her, and
hope that she will get in touch with
me.”
Local resident Buddy Sawyer
was anuiiier wnu Muppeu lu ucc 11
he could help. McArthur said that
Sawyer remained on the scene for
about three hours, assisting in
removal of the victims and with
site clean-up. He said he was very
grateful for the help given by Mr.
Sawyer, Edenton Chowan Rescue
Squad members and many others.
At the present time, any
witnesses who may have seen the
accident are being sought by the
investigating officers—Trooper
Mike McArthur of Edenton,
Trooper D.C. Garris of Hertford,
and Sgt. W.C. Hinson of Elizabeth
City. Anyone having information
about the collision is asked to con
Continued On Page 4
DEMOCRATIC CARAVAN VISITS COUNTY—Congressman Walter B. Jones led a group of Democratic
candidates who visited Chowan County this week. Following a luncheonette Carolina Room in Gaslight
Square, the group met with local Democrats at the county courthouse. Pktufod above (left to right) are:
Judge James Exxum, local businessiftan George Alma Byrum, County Democratic Party chairman Charlie
Shaw, Congressman Jones, and Bill Hodges, District Democratic Party chairman. (Staff Photo by Gail
Basnight)