Banner Graphic, Volume 12, Number 45, Greencastle, Putnam County, 29 October 1981 — Page 1

Tip led police to murder suspect here

By BECKYIGO Banner-Graphic Area News Editor A tip from an observant neighbor led to the apprehension of 18-year-old William Minnick, Avenue F, Greencastle, now charged with murder in the death of Martha Payne, 9 S. Locust St., Greencastle. Mrs. Payne, 24, was killed sometime Monday afternoon, found by her husband, James, as he returned from work at Lone Star Industries just before 5 p.m. Monday. POLICE HAVE YET TO reveal a motive in the slaying, opting not to comment when questioned about a possible sexual assault, pending autopsy results. Minnick is said to have been an acquaintance of the Paynes. “We don’t think it was a close friendship,” Putnam County Prosecutor Del Brewer said Tuesday. With the arrest of Minnick, Brewer commented, “I hope this eases the fears and concerns the people of Greencastle are having.” BREWER SAID FROM ALL indications, there was nothing discovered in Mrs. Payne’s past which would prompt such a brutal attack. “She was a very fine, young person.” At a probable cause hearing held Tuesday in Putnam Circuit Court, State Police Investigator Jack Hanlon reported police arrived at the murder scene shortly after 5 p.m. Monday. “I was guided to the bedroom of the home and saw a female subject, identified as Martha Payne, lying face down with her left arm underneath her head. There was a stab wound in the upper part of the back. We (police) took photographs and contacted the coroner. “AFTER THE CORONER pronounced her dead,’’ Hanlon continued, “I rolled her over on her back to see if there was anything on her face. She bled profusely from the mouth and nose and had a cut on her right arm. “There was an 8-10 inch large kitchen knife on the other side of the bed by a wastebasket,” the investigator recalled. “It had blood on the handle and the blade. We won’t know until the autopsy is done, but there could have been a blow to the head.” Hanlon noted witnesses reported Mrs. Payne was seen leaving her home around noon Monday. She was last seen alive at a Greencastle beauty salon, leaving the

Lone Star layoff seen after Jan. 1

By LARRY GIBBS Banner-Graphic Publisher A marked reduction in demand for cement likely will result in a layoff of employees sometime after Jan. 1 at the Lone Star Industries plant south of Greencastle. THE ANTICIPATED cutback in production was confirmed Wednesday by plant manager Richard Murray, who said the duration of the layoff and the number of workers affected are yet to be determined. “Business conditions are to the point that a curtailment of operations appears to a virtual certainty sometime after the first of the year,” Murray said. “We would like to think something will happen with the market so that we won’t have to do that. Realistically, though, it appears likely. “We didn’t want to be secretive with our employees, so we have advised them of layoff possibilities in order to prepare them for what may happen,” he added. “As far as the exact time 01 duration of a layoff is concerned, we simply can’t tell yet.” MURRAY CITED a depressed construction market as the reason cement demand is low. Normally -- even during winter months - demand is sufficient to permit shipment of cement already in storage while production is scaled back. But the general state of the economy and its effects on construction have resulted in less activity and a corresponding drop in cement orders.

Mild, child Clear and cool overnight, with low in the low 40s. Mostly sunny and mild Thursday. High in the mid to upper 60s. Indiana Extended Outlook Friday through Sunday: Mild Friday and Saturday, cooling on Sunday. A chance for rain over the weekend. Lows in the 40s

Banner Graphic Putnam County, Thursday, October 29, 1981, Vol. 12 No. 46 ★ 20 Cents

Services for Mrs. Payne slated Friday at Brazil

Services will be held Friday for Martha R. Payne, 24,9 S. Locust St., Greencastle. She was born on Sept. 9, 1957 at El Dorado, Ark., the daughter of Robert S. and Eleanor (Hill) Rushing. MRS. PAYNE WAS graduated with a B.S. degree in marketing from Indiana University in 1980. She was a member of the Assembly of God Church, Greencastle. Mrs. Payne was a former employee of DePauw University. Survivors include her husband,

establishment at approximately 2:20 p.m. Monday. AUTHORITIES BROUGHT Minnick to the Greencastle Police station at 5 a.m. Tuesday for questioning. Hanlon then revealed information obtained from the suspect during the probable cause hearing. “Minnick stated he saw Mrs. Payne, who he had known prior, coming down the road from the Marathon station,” Hanlon said. Minnick, driving northbound on Locust Street, parked his vehicle in the southbound lane of the street by the Greencastle Junior High, the front of the car facing East Walnut, he testified. “Minnick said he met Mrs. Payne on the porch and went inside the house. He stated he stayed in the house from 30 to 50 minutes. He said they were in the front room looking at the walls to see if they needed painting or plastering. ” HANLON SAID MINNICK also told police he had picked up an extension cord inside the home because it had caused Mrs. Payne to stumble. Referring to the condition of Mrs. Payne’s lifeless body, the investigator pointed out, “There may have been a small cord or rubber-type piece of coatedtype cloth which was wrapped around her neck and wrist.” Hanlon said that information could hot

“Basically, we’ve done everything in our power to avoid this,” Murray said' referring to possible layoffs. “W -1 have run at a reduced production »ate since May of 1980. Unfortunately, as the market has gotten worse, the situation has caught up with us. We could have run full force all along and had to face a layoff situation months ago. “Competitors in our market area already have had layoffs,” he noted. “We feel somewhat fortunate that we’ve not had to consider it until this point. We are hopeful that a change in the market will enable us to avoid layoffs, but we’re looking at the situation today realistically. That’s why we’ve advised our employees of the likelihood of curtailment after the first of the year.” THERE ARE 106 employees on the cement plant’s wage roll, but Murray emphasized it is not possible to determine how many would be involved in a layoff if one occurs. The general state of the economy was cited Wednesday in an announcement that RCA’s Video Disc and color television manufacturing plant in Bloomington will lay off approximately 400 people indefinitely effective Nov. 6. The 400 are among a total work force of 4,100 at the plant, one of Monroe County’s largest employers. Last week, General Electric Company’s refrigerator plant at Bloomington suspended production for two weeks until Nov. 9, laying off 200 workers.

Abby A 5 Calendar A 4 Classifieds 86,87 Comics A 7 Crossword B 6 Farm B 8 Heloise A 5 Horoscope B 7 Obituaries A 8 People A 6 Sports 81,82,83,84,85 TV A 7

James D.; her mother, Eleanor Royer, Blytheville, Ark.; a sister, Sharon Powell, Austin, Tex.; a halfsister, Stephanie Russell, a halfbrother, Benjamin Russell, and grandparents, Alex and Martha Hill, all of Blytheville, Ark. SERVICES ARE scheduled at 10 a.m. Friday at the Miller Memorial Chapel, Brazil, with Rev. Philip Applegate officiating. Burial will follow later at Blytheville, Ark. *' Friends may call 4-9 p.m. Thursday at the Miller Memorial Chapel, Brazil.

be confirmed until the autopsy was completed. As of Wednesday morning, the autopsy had not transpired as authorities sought services of a pathologist. POLICE ASKED MINNICK Monday during questioning if he had touched anything in the house which would have left fingerprints. “He advised he had picked up a cord and was in the kitchen,” Hanlon said. When police arrived at the scene, Hanlon said they had no idea how long Mrs. Payne had been dead. “Was there painting going on inside the house?” Putnam County Prosecutor Brewer asked. “THE RESIDENCE WAS under remodeling,” Hanlon answered. “The front room had no furniture and the house was cluttered. The husband said they had just remodeled the bedroom and the kitchen.” According to Hanlon, grease marks were discovered on Mrs. Payne’s ankles. “On the left and right ankle, it looked as if there were grease marks of either a thumb or fingerprint marks. “Minnick’s hands were the type of hands that looked as if you had been working in grease. He had washed them, but there appeared to be grease under the nails and on his hands.” Col. 5, back page, this section

City may join lawsuit after approval of Brentfield Court

By ERIC BERNSEE Banner-Graphic Managing Editor The Greencastle City Council Tuesday night approved a street, and in doing so may have made itself a co-defendant in a two-year-old lawsuit. It took a tie-breaking vote from Mayor Jane Harlan to provide city approval for the street, known as Brentfield Court in the Sherwood Addition developed by Jerry Masten. THE STREET HAS BEEN the subject of a suit by Sherwood Christian Church, which alleges that it was never a legal street since it is only 36-feet wide rather than the 50 feet required by city ordinance. The suit also alleges drainage and traffic problems because of the width. Attorney Robert Lowe, representing the Sherwood delegation, asked that the Council not consider approval of the street, noting the pending litigation and the remonstrances made before the City Plan Commission by his clients. Mayor Harlan had requested, however, that the Council take some action on approving or disapproving the street because Greencastle Community School Cor-

SANDY AULER Paralegal makes point

56 1 ft W/Bkg

Bill M innick (R) led by M id Vaughan, Jim Baugh, Jim Hendrich of Sheriff's Dept.

Minnick sullen in court

By LARRY GIBBS Banner-Graphic Publisher Arraignment of a Greencastle teen-ager on a charge of murder was continued for 24 hours in Putnam Circuit Court Wednesday to provide time for the defendant to talk to an attorney. BILL MINNICK) 18, appeared in court to hear Judge William C. Vaughn 111 read information charging him with the stabbing death of Martha Russell Payne, 24, Monday at her 9 S. Locust St. residence in Greencastle. The one-paragraph charge was signed by Indiana State Police Investigator Jack Hanlon. Appearing sullen, but otherwise

poration buses have begun picking up the 10 school children who live on the 188-foot section of street in question. “I KNOW THE SCHOOL buses are going on it now,” she said, “but I want it in the minutes that the Council approves or disapproves of the street. I want a recommendation from the Council for the protection of the school children.” City attorney Jerald Calbert reminded the Council and audience members that the City Hall meeting room was “not a court of law” and that the Council had the right to act on the street without being influenced by the litigation involved. “I don’t want to be the scapegoat in this and get in between an argument between two parties,” Councilman Lloyd Ellis said in making a motion to not accept the street. “The school buses are going up there and the mail is being delivered. It seems to be it’s like trying to stop a fight between a man and his wife.” COUNCILMAN JOE MILES seconded Ellis’ motion to disapprove the street. Larry Taylor, who resides on Brentfield Court, abstained, while Karen Ambler and John Stevens cast their votes for approval.

Elderly cautioned to be wary of all strangers

By BARBARA CARHART Banner-Graphic Staff Writer “Elderly people have to network to prevent crime,” Sandy Auler, paralegal with Legal Services of Terre Haute, said Tuesday. Ms. Aider's comments came at a crime prevention seminar for elderly persons held at the Senior Center. Mrs. Auler joined Greencastle Police Chief Sonny Wood and Putnam County Prosecutor Del Brewer in a discussion on how to prevent crimes which have made victims of 40 million elderly people in the country. THE POLICE CHIEF suggested that the greatest potential for crime is strangers coming to the door and added that a neighborhood crime watch is probably “the best prevention to these types of crimes.” The police chief suggested that it was “neigh-

displaying no outward sign of emotion, Minnick stared at the table in front of him and responded, “Yeah,” when Judge Vaughn asked if he understood his rights and had seen a copy of the information against him. Minnick was not handcuffed, but was accompanied into the courtroom by chief deputy sheriff Jim Hendrich. Several other law enforcement officers also were present. IN RESPONSE TO Vaughn’s questions, Minnick said that he is 18 and that his date of birth was Aug. 21,1963. He also said he had dropped out of high school in the ninth grade, but had received a GED diploma.

That left it 2-2 and gave the mayor the first chance in her two-year reign to decide an issue. The same vote was recorded on a motion to approve the street. “Our contention,” attorney Lowe said, “is that the street never should have been opened in the first place. The land was purchased from Sherwood Christian Church with certain stipulations which were never met.” MASTEN ARGUED THAT he had received preliminary plat approval from the plan commission, while city engineer Cliff Norton noted that the city has a letter on file from the plan commission which indicates Masten’s development conformed with stipulations of a 1960 ordinance. With the vote over and city approval extended, Council attorney Calbert commented that the litigation is still pending between Sherwood Christian and the developer, Masten. “If your evidence supports your claim, the developer will still have to pay the piper whether the city has accepted the street or not,” he said. “But by approving it, you drag yourself (the city) into the litigation,” Lowe Col. 5, back page, this section

bors looking out for each other” that helped police apprehend a suspect in the Martha Payne murder. Speaking on crimes such as fraud, Wood said the best prevention is checking a business out with the police or Chamber of Commerce before buying a product of service. He added that fraud is difficult to prosecute at times because “people are afraid to admit that they have been had.” More often then not, elderly are victims of their own fear. Brewer said would-be con artists prey on the elderly and dwell on their sense of fear. He recalled a time an elderly woman paid S4OO to have her chimney cleaned. The pitch was that if she didn’t have her chimney cleaned, it would blow up. TO PREVENT SUCH deception, Brewer Col. 1, back page, this section

Vaughn assigned attorney Stephen Pierson as pauper counsel, but said Pierson could withdraw if Minnick’s family retains private counsel. Minnick indicated to Vaughn that his family was getting an attorney and prosecuting attorney Del Brewer said that attorney, who he did not identify, was expected to be here Wednesday afternoon. Minnick’s only question was to ask if his attorney could see him at the jail. Vaughn said that he could. MINNICK, 1011 AVENUE F, was ordered held at the jail without bond, pending formal arraignment at 9 a.m. Thursday.

Burning desires are quenched Bum, baby, burn. Greencastle city residents may burn all the leaves they wish, Mayor Jane Harlan says, as long as they comply with stipulations of a new city ordinance. THE MAYOR SAID that although wording of a new ordinance is confusing on when it is in effect, the city’s intention is to allow leaf burning until residents are otherwise notified. The ordinance reads: “This leafburning ordinance shall be in effect by order of the mayor and only during the time specified by the mayor and after due notice has been given to the public by newspaper and radio announcements at least 24 hours before going into effect.” However, Mayor Harlan said the ordinance was supposed to be n effect upon publication. NONETHELESS. IT’S time to burn those dried leaves as long as the following rules are observed: •All burning shall be done during the period 10 a m. to 5 p.m. •All burning must be supervised by an adult until the fire is completely out. •No burning shall be done closer than 20 feet to any building or within 50 feet of any stored flammable material. ♦NO BURNING SHALL be done within two feet of a surfaced street or in any manner that damages the dedicated public right-of-way. •No burning shall be done on “windy days.” •No leaves shall be raked into the streets (that can cause clogging of the storm sewers). ANY VIOLATION OF those above stipulations may result in a $25 fine. Meanwhile, the Greencastle Street Department is picking up leaves that have been bagged. Residents are warned about putting bagged leaves out at the curb too early, however, as Halloween pranksters have been splitting the plastic bags and scattering the leaves