Van Zandt News (Wills Point, Tex.), Vol. 2, No. 31, Ed. 1 Sunday, January 8, 1984 Page: 1 of 12
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Family argument
results in death
BEN WHEELER - A Ben
Wheeler woman died of a gunshot
wound Thursday night, and her
sister was arrested in connection
with the case.
According to Sergeant Jim
Vanderhoof of the Van Zandt Coun-
ty Sheriffs Department. Joni Lynn
Easley Simpson, 23, was pronounced
dead after arrival at Lakeland
Medical Center in Athens.
Justice of the Peace W. L. "Chili"
Campbell arraigned Patsy Jill Easley
Harris, 26, of Ben Wheeler on a
charge of murder Thursday night,
but according to the sheriff s depart-
ment, the investigation will pro-
bably result in the charge being
changed to involuntary manslaugh-
ter.
Bond was set at $10,000, and Mrs.
Harris was released the same even-
ing after posting bond.
Mrs. Harris called the sheriffs
department and reported the inci-
dent at 6:10 p.m., minutes after it
happened, Vanderhoof said.
According to Vanderhoof and
Chief Deputy Wayne Miller, the
shooting occurred at the Harris
residence. Mrs. Harris was at home
with her little boy, when Mrs. Simp-
son and two men came to pick up a
mattress at the house. The men
stayed in the pickup.
Because of some previous family
problems, Mrs. Harris was ap-
parently afraid to let Mrs. Simpson
in and asked her to wait and get the
mattress after her husband, Danny
Harris, arrived home from work, the
sheriffs spokesmen said.
Mrs. Simpson came in the door
anyway, and an argument ensued,
the deputies reported. Mrs. Harris
apparently took a 22-caliber rifle
from the closet to scare Mrs. Simp-
son, they said. A scuffle followed,
during which Mrs. Harris swung the
gun to hit Mrs. Simpson in the side,
and the gun discharged, they said.
Mrs. Harris was in hysterics when
she called the sheriffs department,
Vanderhoof said, but after he calm-
ed her down, she told him what had
happened.
The two men in the pickup came
in the house when they heard the
shot, the deputies said. They trans-
ported Mrs. Simpson to the hospital
in Athens.
"It appears it was self-defense and
that the gun went off accidently,"
Vanderhoof said.
Mrs. Simpson was pronounced
dead by Henderson County Justice
of the Peace Venita Lucas, who also
ordered an autopsy.
At press time Friday, the autopsy
was not yet complete.
Vanderhoof, Miller, Deputy Bob-
by Patterson and Sheriff Travis
Shafer conducted the investigation.
Henderson County Deputy Mike
Burton assisted them in Henderson
County.
1984 looks good
Van Zandt County merchants are
expecting the general upturn in the
nation's economy to be reflected in
county sales, as optimism is the wat-
chword.
"I think it's going to be as good or
better than 1983," James Berry,
manager of Perry’s in Wills Point.
"Lots of people are buying more
now."
He noted that area residents did
not seem to be as "price-conscious"
as they were in the early days of
1983. He credited media reports
pointing to better economical condi-
tions as a factor in the upswing.
“If people want it, they will buy
it," Berry said.
“I am optimistic about 1984,"
Monteen Lewis, manager of The
Smart Shop in Grand Saline, said.
"We had good Christmas and after-
Christmas sales," she pointed out.
One reason that she thought 1984
would be a good year was “because
it's an election year. The economy is
looking up.”
People are accepting the fact that
items are more expensive, because
they are looking for quality, Ms.
Lewis noted.
Raymond Pruitt, manager ofj. B.
White’s in Canton, noted that shop
pers were still price-conscious, "but
not as much as they were in '83." He
added that he expected 1984 to be a
good year. “I think everything in the
store will sell,” he said.
Armittion Kinney, owner of Kin-
ney’s in Edgewood, noted that items
will sell well in 1984 "because of bet-
ter prices and a wider selection."
People are more interested in quali-
ty for their money now, he added.
Marzee Preston, owner of
Preston's Family Clothing in Van,
noted that the first week in January
had been good, and added that she
expected that to continue. “I’m an
optimist at heart,” she explained,
because her store is older and get-
ting more established. “I believe
everything will sell well," she said.
Turrall physician Dr. Mamerto Jos* approoched th* Edgewood City
Council Tuesday about starting a proctic* in the city's clinic, but no
agreement was reached. (Photo by Kerry Yancey)
it
' . ' ' ' , - , ♦
A round bale makes a pretty good lookout, and a pretty good meal,
for these sheep on the DeWitt Deen ranch just north of Wills Point on
FM 2475. The sheep sometimes eat out a cavity in the round bale and
look like black-faced rabbits poking their heads out of the ground.
Cities still working on weather woes
Despite the arrival of warmer
weather in Van Zandt County, cities
around the county are still strug-
gling to complete repairs after two
weeks of sub-freezing weather.
The major problems reported
around the county Wednesday con-
By Kerry Yancey
Ed. note: The following article is
the first in a series about the
American system of justice. The ar-
ticles feature national information
researched by U. S. News and
World Report, along with commen-
tary from Van Zandt County District
Attorney Tommy Wallace.
The American system of justice is
complex, often confusing and
sometimes even contradictory. So,
misconceptions about the way it
works flourish among the public, as
average citizens usually don't think
about the judicial system in this
country unless they ha”e direct con-
tact with it.
cemed water meters, as meters that
froze during the cold spell are just
now thawing out.
The only city reporting that their
crews had caught up on repairs was
Van. after city workers spent most of
the New Year's weekend at work.
The Van Zandt News presents
the first part of a quiz about the
judicial system. The second portion
will appear in the January 15 issue of
The News See how many questions
you can answer.
In the last 20 years, the rate of
reported violent crime has: (a)
doubled, (b) almost tripled, (c)
more than quadrupled.
The answer is (c). In Van Zandt
County, violent crime declined in
1983, compared to last year, District
Attorney Tommy Wallace noted.
“In August last year, we had 12 per-
sons in jail charged with aggravated
robbery— robbery with a firearm.
Now, we have only one person in jail
“We haven't had any calls today
(Wednesday) and we had only a few
calls yesterday,” Van City Hall
spokesman Goldie Hollowell said.
The city suffered nine major water
line breaks, but all had been
repaired. “We haven't had that
with that charge, and his crime was
not committed with a firearm,” he
noted. Violent crime usually runs in
cycles, as do other types of crime, he
added.
By far, the most common felony
crime in Van Zandt County is
burglary, Wallace said. "We have
just about as many committed in the
daytime as we do at night," he
noted.
The average Van Zandt burglary
suspect is a young white male, aged
17 to 25, with "a large percentage
involving a drug related need for
money,” Wallace said. While the
county “definitely gets its share of
(Continued on Page 8A)
many meters out," she noted.
In Grand Saline, where cold
weather knocked out the number
three city water well, repairs are
continuing, according to City Sec
retary Chad Grant.
"We got the well back in service
yesterday (Tuesday),” Grant repor
ted, "but we're not sure about the
flow meter." Both the flow meter
and the pressure gauge were dam
aged by ice, he said The pressure
gauge has already been replaced,
but water officials were waiting to
see if the flow meter (a very ex-
pensive item) was ruined or not.
“We can govern the flow with the
pressure gauge, but we re not sure if
the meter will be accurate." Grant
said. If the gauge is no longer ac-
curate, it will have to be replaced,
he said.
“Were just glad that the cold
didn't affect the well itself,” Grant
noted. "The pump and motor don't
seem to be damaged."
The city also suffered the same
rash of broken lines as other cities
around the area, but most were
smaller lines that were not buried
deeply, Grant said. "The frost line
(Continued on Page 8A)
American justice system quiz checks
knowledge of law and order in Texas
E'wood council, Terrell doctor "miss
communications" on city clinic rent
By Kerry Yancey
A deal between the Edgewood
City Council and a Terrell physician
on the establishment of a practice in
the city-owned medical clinic ap-
parently will fall through, due to
“missed communications.”
The Edgewood council met with
Dr. Mamerto Jose Tuesday night,
but it became apparent during the
meeting that “he was expecting
more than we could offer," Mayor
Robert Eaton noted.
Dr. Jose, speaking halting English
with a strong accent, indicated that
he would expect the city to sup
plement the income of the clinic un
til the new practice is self
supporting. "When a doctor is new
in a place, he needs some main
tenance. Usually, once the clinic
gets going, then he’s on his own."
Councilman Eli McPherson said,
"There’s no way we can do that. All
we’ve got is a building and an X-ray
machine. The last situation we had
didn't pay off...basically, all we
have is a building to rent."
Councilman Mark Mallory poin
ted out that any business venture in
volved “some assumption of risk,"
and pointed out that the city "is not
in that kind of financial shape.”
McPherson noted that the city
would not see any benefits other
than having a doctor in town, and
Mallory added, “We're looking for a
person that wants to start a business
as a doctor and rent a building, not
to operate a clinic as a city service."
Later, the council met in closed
session to discuss possible financial
arrangements with Dr. Jose, but
Eaton said Thursday morning that
the council "has no intent of sub
sidizing anyone’s salary. We just
can't afford it."
Eaton noted, “I think that a
communication breakdown between
(Dr. Jose) and the council was really
apparent...I expect to meet with
him Monday (January 9), but I don't
forsee him taking it."
If the Terrell physician does not
agree to setting up in the Edgewood
clinic without a salary supplement,
the city will still be stuck with an
empty building and a $455 a month
note on the building. "We're going
to have to get that rent," Eaton
noted.
After Dr. Jose left, the council
turned to water problems and the
city lake. Water Superintendent
Jackie King and Eaton brought out
plans to the water spillway intake
structure on the lake, explaining
how six-inch-thick ice twisted and
eventually cracked the intake struc-
ture, allowing water to escape.
Eaton noted that some work still
remained on fixing the intake struc-
ture, mostly due to the fact that
when new concrete was poured to
add stability to the structure, the
concrete completely plugged the in
take. Eaton explained that crews
were removing part of the concrete
to open the intake for water flow.
Calling out experts December 29,
1983, to work on the problem will
cost the city dearly, Eaton admitted,
and King estimated that the spillway
problem would end up costing the
city as much as $30,000.
Eaton said that the city may be
able to get emergency funding help
from the state, but he added, "we
may have to get into a low-interest
loan."
The mayor and the other council
members praised the actions of
Edgewood city residents, along with
the fire department and ambulance
service members, who spent two
nights at the city lake during the
emergency.
King noted that the city was still
getting complaints on muddy-
looking water, but he pointed out
that the city’s water treatment plant
"doesn't work good in that kind of
weather," adding that it would be
four or five davs before the water
cleared. It was safe to drink,
though, he said.
In other business, the council:
- approved charging all users of the
city sanitary landfill after King
noted that out-of town users were
filling the landfill. The present rates
($1 for cars. $2 for pickup loads. $5
for truck loads and $15 for non
burnable trasK' •’ere retained, but
could be chan later to conform
with rates chat bv other cities in
the county. 4
— heard from Fire Chief Melvin
Davis that the city's 1955 pumper
will be considered out of date by the
state in 1985. A new pumper would
cost about $52,000, but Davis noted
that the city's key rate on insurance
would drop when the new city water
distribution system is completed.
With that drop, it may not be
necessary for the city „o get a new
pumper truck to maintain a good
key rate, Davis said However, a rise
in the key rate may mean $10 to $15
a month rise in household insurance
(Continued on Page 8A)
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Van Zandt News (Wills Point, Tex.), Vol. 2, No. 31, Ed. 1 Sunday, January 8, 1984, newspaper, January 8, 1984; Wills Point, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth991400/m1/1/: accessed July 6, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Van Zandt County Library.