The Hopkins County Echo (Sulphur Springs, Tex.), Vol. 105, No. 49, Ed. 1 Friday, December 5, 1980 Page: 1 of 4
four pages : ill. ; page 26 x 17 in. Digitized from 35 mm. microfilm.View a full description of this newspaper.
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VOl. 1T)5—NO. 49.
SULPHUR SPRINGS, TEXAS, FRIDAY. DECEMBER 5.1980.
4 PAGES 15 CENTS PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY
St. Nick arrives
The highlight of the annual Chamber of Commerce Sing-Song on
the square Tuesday night was the arrival of that jolly ol' elf,
Santa Claus, who made a quick swing through town before
heading north to his workshop to finish getting ready for
Christmas. While in town he was chauffered around by the fire
department and stopped long enough to talk to several boys and
girls about their gift lists.
-Stiff Photo
Con games, pigeons and holidays
Rip-off season's here
‘“Tis the season to be jolly — and to
beware,” says Police Chief Delbert
Harrell, "beware of those who are after
your money and possessions.”
Harrell says that every year about this
time, the number of frauds, burglaries and
thefts increase as those with less than good
scruples begin to pay for their Christmas
through the efforts of others.
“Your average con-man may not be a
man at all and if they looked suspicious,
they wouldn’t be in business too long,”
Harrell says.
Con artists come in all sizes, shapes with
a million different schemes to get your
money.
“Probably the best way to keep from
letting one of these guys get your money is
to be suspicious all the time,” Harrell said.
"Don’t ever believe that you’re going to
get something for nothing, be wary of high-
pressure sales effots and take your time.
Think about the deal before you give up
your money.”
Other precautions to take, according to
the local chief, include:
—Get all agreements in writing and
insist that the agreements are in plain
English and not in ‘legalese’ that only a
lawyer would understand.
-Read all contracts and agreements
before signing and have a lawyer inspect
any concerning major expenditures of
money.
—“One of the best things to do is to
compare the services, prices and credit
offers before you agree to a deal. If you
can, ask for local area references and then
check them out,” Harrell said.
The chief suggested that sometimes
information can be obtained by calling the
Chamber of Commerce.
Ed Phelps, executive director of the
chamber, said that files are kept when
complaints are received on a business
enterprise.
However, he said, “We’re not in the
better bureau business but when someone
calls us and asks about a particular
business, we tell them if we’ve had com-
plaints on the business or not.”
Harrell says the most common rip-off is
the ‘pigeon drop’.
“We’ve already had several even before
the Christmas season got underway,” he
said.
In a ‘pigeon drop’ a sum of money is
usually “found” and then you are asked to
share in the find.
"Of course you have to put up some
money and once you hand it over, it’s
gone,” Harrell said.
The “bank examiner” con has also been
tried in Sulphur Springs according to
Harrell.
In that con, the well-dressed artist shows
up and teUs you that he is trying to catch
some dishonest employees at a local bank.
You are asked to take your money out of
the bank to trap the'dishonest banker and
then your money is gone again.
“If you find that you’ve been conned, be
sure to call the Police Department or the
Sheriff’s Department as soon as possible.
“The embarrassment of being taken is
overriden by allowing us to catch the
criminals - if we get the word quick
enough,” Harrell said, “but the longer you
wait, the harder it is to catch them.”
The chief says that if you recognize a con
game being operated before you get taken,
call lawmen immediately. That will allow
the con artists to be caught in the act.
“That will save your money as well as
that of others,” Harrell said.
Area woman
dies in crash
BAIRD — A Route 1, Lone Oak woman
was killed and two Dallas residents were
injured in a three-car accident Sunday
afternoon.
According to DPS Trooper David Mayes,
the accident occurred about 3 p.m. Sunday
about two miles east of Biard on 1-20 in
Callahan County.
Damage was reported to be so complete
to the fatality vehicle that the year model
of the Oldsmobile is still unknown.
The Oldsmobile, driven by Laura K.
Morris, 51, of Route 1, Lone Oak was
westbound on 1-20 according to Mayes,
when it “hit the brakes and swerved into
the inside lane" striking a 1975 Chrysler
driven by Rocky Dean Hogan of Odessa.
The two vehicles went into the median
where Hogan got his car stopped.
Mayes said that the Oldsmobile then
went into the eastbound lane where it
collided head-on with a 1977 Chevrolet
driven by Henry Boring, 49, of Dallas.
The Boring vehicle overturned.
Ms. Morris was pronounced dead at the
scene of the accident by Justice of the
Peace Bob Curtis.
Boring and his wife, Jo Boring, 45, were
taken to Hendricks Medical Center in
Abilene.
mp
Command post makes for long hours
DPS Highway Patrol Sgt. Rick Smith coordinates placement of units while Com-
munications Sgt. Pat McWilliams takes care of radio duty at the Command Post
(CP) in the Wood County Sheriff's Department Sunday morning. The CP was
established to coordinate the efforts of over ISO lawmen from 11 counties searching
for three men who escaped from the jail after shooting a deputy.
-St*H Phot*
Holiday light
deadline set
Deadline for entries in the
Christmas Lighting and Decoration
contest has been extended until
Monday, Dec. 8, according to the
sponsoring Hopkins County Chamber
of Commerce.
Judges, operating in secrecy, will
visit entries on the evenings of Dec.
15-16. First place trophies and runner-
up certificates will be awarded for the
two top decorated spots in three
classifications - any commercial
establishment in Hopkins County; a
Sulphur Springs residence; and a
rural residence outside the city limits
but within the county.
Additionally, the Harrison W. Grays
award will be presented.
Prospective entrants should contact
the county chamber of commerce at
885-6515, giving their address or
directions to the residence or com-
mercial property entered.
Third escapee caught
QUITMAN — The last of three escapees
from the Wood County Jail was captured
near Mineola about 5:45 p.m. Tuesday
after an open field and adjacent wooded
area was surrounded by lawmen.
Willie James Morrison, 20, is accused of
shooting Wood County Deputy Bill Wan-
sley about 10:15 p.m. Saturday when
Morrison, Ed Morrow, 17, and 29-year-old
Gary Justin Blalock escaped from the jail
after breaking out a small glass window in
the visitor’s booth.
p.m. by Mineola Policeman Steve Dunklin.
Dunklin was watching the house of
Blalock’s mother-in-law when the escapee
tried to sneak up to the house to see his
wife.
Morrison’s capture came after a deer
hunter on an elevated deer stand spotted
him as he crossed a field about three miles
west of Mineola.
The three overpowered Dispatcher
Maxine Whittaker and while going through
her purse, they found a .38 caliber snub-
nose revolver with which Morrison
reportedly shot Wansley.
Wansley had been booking a prisoner
and had locked up his pistol.
Wood County Sheriff Bill Edd Jones had
all available units converge on the area
and after a search of just over an hour,
DPS Trooper Roger Lough found the final
escapee.
Over 150 lawmen from 11 counties
converged on the scene Saturday night and
DPS Trooper Mike Crump captured
Morrow about 11:45 p.m. when he was
found hiding in a culvert about three
blocks north of the jail.
Blalock was captured Monday at 6:36
“He was tired, but still trying to escape
when Lough spotted him,” Jones said.
Lough reported that he found Morrison
after he saw a herd of mules staring at a
wooded area where the final escapee was
hiding.
Jones said that Morrison was clad only
in blue jeans and a pair of socks.
Morrison told officers that he had hidden
the pistol and then surrendered to the
trooper when confronted.
He was taken before Justice of the Peace
Fred Weatherford who set bond at $75,000
on a charge of aggravated assault on a
police officer.
The officers Wednesday morning were
searching the area where Morrison was
caught in an attempt to locate the missing
handgun.
Morrow was awaiting trial on charges of
forgery and Blalock on multiple charges of
issuance of a bad check and theft by check.
Morrison had been convicted of forgery
and assessed a five-year sentence in the
Texas Department of Corrections on a
charge of forgery. He was to have been,
transported to TDC on Monday.
Sheriff Jones told The News-Telegram
Sunday that Morrow and Blalock,
“probably wouldn’t have gone to the pen
before this.”
Wansley is reported to be in good con-
dition in the Wood County General
Hospital in Quitman.
A Wood County Sheriff’s Department
spokesperson said Wednesday morning, “I
talked to him (Morrison) this morning and
he said he was glad to be back in the jail.
He said his feet sure were sore.”
Commission okays zoning change
Public airs pros, cons
on major mall project
Over 40 persons appeared at the Sulphur
Springs City Commission meeting
Tuesday night to either speak for or
against re-zoning plans involving the
building of a potential mall-type shopping
center at the corner of Mockingbird Lane
and Shannon Road.
At the conclusion of the session,
however, the council voted to approve the
new zone request for a 39-acre tract ten-
tatively earmarked for the shopping mall
- yet the action did not clear the way for
development to begin.
A complete plat of the project must be
submitted to the planning and zoning
board, be approved after a public hearing,
then finally approved by the city com-
mission.
The council pointed out that an adjoining
piece of property which might also be
involved in the shopping mall must be
brought before the zoning commission and
other governmental agencies and a plat
must be filed for the project as a whole.
Ordinance No. 839 had been passed on
first reading and was on its second and
final reading with the required public
hearing to re-zone property belonging to
Joe Williamson and Joe Gober from Local
Business to General Business at that
location.
Gober had earlier told the Planning and
Zoning Commission at their first hearing
and subsequent public hearing that a large
development company had taken an option
on the property to build a mall, described
as being one of the largest in this part of
Texas.
There was no objection to the proposal to
rezone the property at either session or at
the City Commission’s first hearing of the
ordinance.
However, at the public hearing, area
residents appeared to protest not only the
re-zoning of the Gober-Williamson
property but also another tract that is
being considered as part of the shopping
complex which was not before the com-
mission.
The Gober-Williamson property is at the
comer of Shannon Road and Mockingbird
Lane and extends back south to in front of
Bowie School.
Larry Maroney is currently represen-
ting the Brown Estate property that begins
at that point and extends back farther
south.
However, that property has not gone
before the Planning and Zoning Com-
mission for a zoning change.
Attorney Ray Johnson, representing
Mrs. Greer (Dorothy) Orton, told the
commissioners that Mrs. Orton “is con-
cerned about the commercialization that
would affect her and the neighborhood and
the safety of Mockingbird Lane.”
He said that the re-zoning would enhance
the risk to the neighborhood but that Mrs.
Orton was not opposed to the Gober-
Williamson property being rezoned if a
restriction could be included that would
require that there be no more than one
entrance or exit on Mockingbird Lane.
Johnson said that Mrs. Orton objected to
the “bigger picture” concerning sub-
sequent property being included in the
shopping complex plans.
Jackie Blount told the commissioners,
“I live there because it is a nice, quiet
neighborhood. It would be unthinkable to
put a shopping center near a school.”
He said he agreed with Johnson’s
suggestion.
Roger Plummer said that he hoped there
would be no entrance on Mockingbird Lane
at all, but instead that traffic from the
center should use Shannon Road instead.
“It’s a safety angle here more than
neighborhood values,” he told the com-
missioners.
Pat Johnson told the commission that
there were water pressure problems on the
south side of the Interstate resulting in a
possible fire danger due to low water
pressure. “The city will have to consider
the utility problem,” she said.
Randall Maddox said that he lived near
the proposed complex and that for growth,
“I don’t feel that the traffic is a problem.
It’s going to happen. We’re going to have
commercial development all along the
Interstate.”
Joe Ardis told the commission that he
owned 20 acres in the area and plans to
build first class residences in the area.
“I feel it (the complex) would be an
asset for home development. The traffic
problems are something that can be
worked put,” he said.
“When you start putting restrictions on
property, you tie the hands of the people
that want to develop the property,” said
Gene Orwosky. “You’re taking away from
the city, the commissioners and the Police
Department by telling them where stop
signs and entrances should be. We’re here
to re-zone a piece of property and that’s
what we need to do.”
Gerald Thomas told the commission that
if the zoning change was approved, it
would be another example of spot zoning
and he disapproved.
“I have faith... that whatever problems
arise, I think the city can take care of
them,” said Joe Dan Kennedy, “I wish the
city would re-zone the property.”
Commission Chairman Lewis Helm told
those present that before a shopping
center of any type could be built, the ad-
joining property would have to go before
the Planning and Zoning Commission for
approval and the subsequently before the
commission for approval of any re-zoning.
He reminded those present that ad-
ditionally, a plat showing the plans of the
complex would also have to go through the
same process including studies by the
Planning and Zoning Commission, city
staff and Police Department before being
approved.
As there was no further discussion,
Helm than called for a motion and Com-
missioner Gerald Bowers moved that the
rezoning of the 39-acre tract be changed
from Local Business to General Business
and it was unanimously approved by the
commission.
A second public hearing was called on
property in the 1000 block of Gilmer, also
belonging to Gober, to be changed from
Local Business to General Business.
No one wished to speak on the item and it
to was unanimously approved by the
commissioners.
Mrs. Johnson then commented, “That
would be an ideal location for a shopping
center.”
The rest of the agenda moved quickly as
commissioner called for a public hearing
to be held on a pool table permit for the
Bright Star Club in Shannon Square and
approved transfer of pool table permits for
Dean Wilemon and Mrs. Freida Nordin
following public hearings where no one
appeared.
In its final action, the commission ap-
proved an ordinance increasing the rates
on water and sewer taps.
Public Works Director Bill Farler said
that the increases were necessary only to
recoup the costs to the city.
An executive session was held to discuss
land acquisition for a new sanitary land fill
and a personnel matter, but there was no
action taken at its conclusion.
Foundation laid for city voting
With the water bond issue and the
electing of a president out of the way,
Sulphur Springs residents can now take a
deep breath, enjoy the holidays - and then
start planning on voting in January for
three city commissioners.
The terms of Commission Chairman
Lewis Helm and Commissioners Gerald
Bowers and Dee Mabe are expiring.
Helm and Mabe both said Monday that
they were undecided on whether they
would run for re-election while Bowers
commented that he was “not planning to
run for re-election — at this time."
Potential candidates have until Dec. 17
to file for the election.
Absentee voting will begin on Dec. 28
and continue through Jan. 13,1961 with the
actual election to be held on Jan. 17,1981.
To qualify as a candidate for the City
Commission, the requirements are that
the person must be a citizen of the United
States; a resident of Texas for the past 12
months and a resident of the City of
Sulphur Springs for the past six months;
and be a qualified voter.
All candidates must designate a cam-
paign manager and must keep records of
all gifts or loans received as well as ex-
penditures made in connection with the
campaign for public office.
Sworn statements of those campaign
incomes or expenditures must be made
between Dec. 8 and Dec. 17, between Jan. 7
and Jan. 9 and the final statement not later
than Feb. 17,1981.
Persons elected as city commissioners
serve two-year terms with the commission
chairman (ex officio mayor) and the
mayor pro tern elected annually from the
new commission which takes office on
April 1.
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Keys, Clarke & Woosley, Joe. The Hopkins County Echo (Sulphur Springs, Tex.), Vol. 105, No. 49, Ed. 1 Friday, December 5, 1980, newspaper, December 5, 1980; Sulphur Springs, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth781061/m1/1/: accessed June 30, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Hopkins County Genealogical Society.