Newspapers / The Chowan Herald (Edenton, … / Feb. 1, 1990, edition 1 / Page 1
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& THE CHOWAN HERALD PubSshed In The Most Beautiful Little City On The North CaroSna Coast Volume LVI • No. 5 Edentnn. North Carolina, Thursday. February 1,1990 Single Copies 25 Cents Already I All-American We are happy to see that Edenton is seeking to have it self designated an All-Ame rica City. That can be a long, tedious process, requiring sustained effort, unflagging enthusiasm and a pretty even balance of faith and hope. £ Sometimes applications have to be resubmitted year after year before attracting the attention of the National Civic League, sponsor of the award. We, of course, do not know at this stage how this endeavor will come out; but, for our part, Edenton is already an All £ America City. That should not disparage the efforts of Mayor John Dowd's 18-member commit tee. In fact, it should raise their confidence in what they are trying to do. What are some of the things that make this town on .Queen Anne's Creek a suit ®able candidate for All America status? Let us cite a few: Edenton is a civilized community in the finest sense of the word, where civility reigns among the races and courtesy among the classes. It did not wait until under the ^stricture of some court order to give its minority citizens a fair shake at the ballot box, but moved on its own to establish voting districts that offered them an equal opportunity to send their candidates to posi tions on the town board and administrative staff. 4 Edenton is a town with a long history and a proud her itage, having supported an organized society for almost three centuries. Once the state capital, its citizens were protesting onerous taxation before the people of Boston were dumping tea into the ^iarbor. Continued On Page 8 Town Forum Scheduled RALEIGH ~ Gov. Jim Martin wilf hold a town meeting in Windsor on Mon day, February 12, as a part of his continuing effort to hold forums for North Carolina citizens. The meeting will begin at 7 £>.m. in the superior court room at the Bertie County Courthouse. The town meet ing format allows citizens to discuss any topic they wish with Governor Martin, who will moderate the public dis cussion. "The town meeting allows #forth Carolinians to talk to their governor and to voice their concents without travel ing to Raleigh,” Governor Martin said. "Not only does this allow me to answer their questions directly, it gives me the chance to have a better un derstanding of their concerns 0fod to hear their suggestions for possible solutions." The town meeting in Windsor is the 33rd in‘a se ries the governor began in 1985. Ah interpreter for deaf :itizens will be present at the meeting. Jury Deliberation Halted In Murder vTrial By JACK GROVE - The murder trial of Claude Augustus Felton has pro gressed must faster than ei ther prosecutors or defense counsels expected. Assistant District Attorney Nancy Lamb said that the speedy se lection of a jury last week was part of the reason. Both sides also expected the proceedings to be slowed by the necessity of having sign lan guage interpretation for Fel ton who can neither hear or speak. The interpreters how ever, skillfully kept up with the court. They asked for something to be repeated only a few times. After the case went to the jury Tuesday afternoon, de fense attorney Bill Culpepper said of them, ’They’re amaz ing." District Attorney H.P. Williams readily agreed with him. Twelve jurors and three alternates were selected by Wednesday of last week. The state then began a parade of witnesses and presented 57 exhibits to prove its case that ■ MURDER TRIAL-Defense attorney Samuel Dixon reaches for information provided by SBI agent Dwight Ransome as Dixon's co-counsel Bill Culpepper makes notes. On trial for a double murder is Claude A. Felton (behind Culpepper). This is one of the first pictures ever taken in a Chowan courtroom. (Photo courtesy of The Daily Advance, media photo pool representative.) More Candidates File Candidates continued to file in local races this week with only days to go before the deadline. Last opportunities will be tomorrow and until noon Monday. Emmett E. Winbome toss ed his hat in the ring Monday for Seat Two, District One, county commission board. Carlton NixonTiad previously filed for the seat. It will be the only seat available this year in the district. Yesterday, Leon Nixon joined the competition for the same seat. All three filed as Signs Will Be Posted New regulatory signs will be posted in downtown Eden ton, possibly by next week. With downtown on-street parking often in short supply, some drivers, spotting park ing on the opposite side of the street, swing left across Broad St to claim the spot. This practice has caused accidents and near-acci dents, resulting in citizen complaints to Town Manager Anne-Marie Kelly. In checking with Police Chief C.H. Williams, Ms. Kelly learned that a new or dinance would not be neces sary. A no-left turn ordi nance has been in effect for years. But due to a lack of posted signs, it was not en forced. Prison inmates made the soon-to-be erected signs. When asked about the new traffic signal on Virginia Road at Chowan Crossing Shopping Center, Ms. Kelly said that the Department of Transportation (DOT), at the town's request, conducted a study to determine the need and placement of the light. The light regulates traffic at the southern entrance to the shopping center. She said it would be up to DOT to ascer tain the need for another light at the northern entrance. The present light was in stalled two weeks ago. Democrats and will battle for the position in the May pri maries. Until yesterday, incum bent Republican Sheriff Fred Spruill had no competition for his badge. That changed as E.C. Toppin entered the race as a Democrat. Toppin stated, "I have filed for the office for many rea sons, the main three being: I want to be Sheriff of Chowan Continued On Page 8 Felton bludgeoned and stab bed Sarah Ann Jones to death and shot to death her 11 year old daughter, Falinda. Clinical pathologist Dr. Page Hudson testified that Mrs. Jones was stabbed nine times and that death was al most instantaneous from a stab would the the base of the aorta. He said that she also suffered a skull fracture that could have been inflicted by a broken Pepsi bottle found at the scene. He said that death was quick also for Falinda who died from a .25 caliber pistol shot to the top of the head that traveled all the way through her brain. Forensic tests by the SBI lab tended to show that fibers found on the clothing that Fel ton wore the night of August 27-28, 1988 were identical to some of those taken from vic tims’ clothing. A bloody handprint on the wall near a window was also identified by the SBI lab as that of Felton, t The defense team brought in its own scientific experts. One was Haywood R. Star ling of Raleigh who was SBI Director for ten years before his retirement in 1984. Both men's credentials as "expert witnesses” were questioned by Williams who said that neither had had modern training in fingerprint, blood and fiber analysis. Starling testified that there was no identifiable finger print along with the bloody palm print on the wall and questioned if it was even blood. Williams on cross-ex amination caustically asked him, "Isn't it a fact that you don't know what you're talk ing about Mr. Starling?" Witnesses for both sides put Felton at several Hertford night spots on the night of Au gust 27 and the early morning hours <tf the 28th. Two prosecution witnesses placed him in Edenton from 3:30 to 4:10 a.m. Robin Flet cher testified that he talked with Felton on Fletcher's mother's front porch on Blade St. Hif mother, Geraldine Spivey, followed him to the stand to back up his testi mony. She said she was awakened by someone on the porch, went to the door and was told by Robin that Felton had been there looking for another of her sons. Throughout the question ing of witnesses as to Felton's whereabouts that fatal night, Culpepper continually chal lenged their memories as to exact or even approximate times. "In fact you don't re member exactly what time it was," he was heard to say re peatedly. One witness testified that she saw Felton many Sun days at the store where she worked and, prior to August 27,1988, he always had in his possession a small caliber pistol that she thought to be ei ther a .25 or .22 caliber and a knife in a sheath. The Sunday after the mur Continued On Page 8 Police Investigate Two Robberies Edenton Police were kept busy the first part of this week when two armed robberies oc curred. Authorities learned of the first on Sunday night at 10:40 when an S&R employee came to the 911 Central Communi cations office to report it. She said that she had left the store at 10:30 to make a routine nightly deposit at the Peoples Bank night depository box. She left her car and as she walked around the car's rear, she spotted two black males jogging toward her from the front. One was wearing a ski mask and the other a nylon stocking over his face. She thought that one was also car rying some kind of weapon. As she began running a way from them, she threw the bank bag down and then tripped over a curb and fell. One of the men grabbed the bag and they fled. An undis closed amount of money was taken. Investigating the incident are Capt. G.K. Bonner, Chief C.H. Williams, Sgt. Joe Nor man and Officers L.C. Broth ers, Don Harris, Linnard Bonner and Wayne Fore hand. The second robbery took place shortly after midnight on Tuesday morning at the Red Apple Market on No. Broad St. Police received the call at 24 minutes into the new day. Chief Williams said that a lone black male approached the clerk at the counter and ordered a pack of cigarettes. As she was reaching for them, she saw the man reach into his pocket and draw a gun. She gave him a handful of money from the register after he demanded, "Give me your money." As the thief was leaving with the gun in his left hand, it discharged into the side walk and police recovered the spent slug. Williams said that the clerk gave them an "excellent description” of the man and that they were able to track him as far as the swimming pool at the Coach House Inn. Another witness in the area reported seeing two men run ning to a car and driving away. The car's description was provided to police. Shortly afterward, using information from previous reports and the descriptions, officers went to 39 Davis Place where they arrested Antonio Mortinez Gonzales, 16, of Virginia Beach, Va. He was charged with the Red Apple robbery. The handgun was not recovered. While at the apartment, Continued On Page 8 Local Chamber Presents Awards The American Legion Building's main hall was filled to capacity Saturday night as Edenton-Chowan Chamber of Commerce mem bers dined on prime rib and danced to the music of DJ, Jack Revels. Speeches were purposely kept short, chamber officials said, at the annual banquet and dance. A highlight of the evening was the presentation of the John A. Mitchener, Jr. Business Person of the Year Award and the William P. (Spec) Jones Volunteer of the Year Award. The business award went to Tom Shepard who could not be present to accept the honor. His working career included the Edenton Peanut Mill, Jim bo's Jumbos, Blue Cross and a stint as Chowan Clerk of Su perior Court. He then became affiliated with Home Feed and Fertilizer which he re cently sold to W.S. Clark of Tarboro. Phil Tant, captain of the Edenton Rescue Squad unit, was selected for the volunteer award. Tant is an employee of the N.C. Soil Conservation Service and was a statewide winner of the SCS Perfor mance Award for 1988. Among his many volun teer efforts are: the Edenton Fire Dept.; rescue squad; evaluator for Eagle Scout safety and first aid badges; and assistant leader for Girl Scout Cadet Troop 796. The theme for the evening was "A Winter Wonderland" which was carried out with extensive and attractive dec orations. Three chamber presidents had places on the banquet program - past, pre sent and future. Jim Elliott, 1989 president, told the group, "It really doesn't seem like a year since I began my term. We've had a very successful year." He singled out the new COA Edenton Chowan Adult Edu Continued On Page 8 CHAMBER VOLUNTEER AWARD—toiil Tant received the Spec Jones Volunteer Award from Betz Ricks Saturday night at the annual chamber of commerce banquet and dance. Goal: 75 Pints Sponsored By: Edenton Jaycees
The Chowan Herald (Edenton, N.C.)
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