Banner Graphic, Volume 13, Number 120, Greencastle, Putnam County, 27 January 1983 — Page 1

Inmate abducts local woman after escaping

Fellow inmate tells court Burton claimed murders

By BECKY IGO Banner-Graphic Area News Editor A defense witness for Coy Hubbard, charged with the murders of two Putnam County men in 1977, said the state’s key witness, Kenneth Burton, told him he did the handgun slayings, while both were serving time at the Indiana Reformatory at Pendleton. Larry Parks, now an inmate at the Indiana State Prison at Michigan City, told jurors in Putnam Circuit Court Wednesday he had known Burton since 1967. “I met him at the Pendleton Reformatory.” Parks testified, “when we were in the same cell block at Pendleton in 1979.” PARKS CALLED BURTON “one of the biggest drug dealers of marijuana in the Reformatory.” The Michigan City inmate recalled one particular day when Burton had an ounce of marijuana in his possession at Pendleton. According to Pa-ks, Burton asked him to stand guard and “make sure no officers” appeared while Burton smoked the marijuana in his cell. “Burton started talking how he was going to get out and rob a dope man with a lot of money,” Parks said of the conversation. Parks related he advised Burton to turn his energies to better things because doing such an act would only lead to additional prison terms.

Clock date

Master clockmaker Michael Partington of Indianapolis has set high noon Sunday as the symbolic debut for the new Putnam County Courthouse clock. And to mark the occasion, the Putnam County Board of Realtors, ramrods behind the civic project, have scheduled a noon ceremony on the courthouse lawn. The clock, to be located on the south side of the courthouse, will be unveiled during the public ceremony. IMMEDIATELY AFTER the clock unveiling, the Realtors will hold an open house until 3 p.m. at Taylor’s Patio on the south side of the square. The public is invited to partake of free refreshments. Partington and two helpers are scheduled to arrive in Greencastle at 6 a m. Sunday to hoist the seven-foot-

The sun also rises Fair and continued cold overnight. Low in the upper teens. Increasing cloudiness and warmer Friday. High Friday around 40. Indiana Extended Forecast There is a chance of rain south, and rain or snow north on Saturday. Mostly sunny Sunday followed by increasing clouds on Monday. A warming trend is expected with the highs Saturday in the 30s to low 40s. Temperatures will increase into the 40s by Monday with low 50s in the extreme south. The lows will be in the mid 20s to mid 30s Saturday, warming mostly into the 30s by Monday morning. Abby A 5 Bridge AlO Calendar A 5 Classifieds AIO.AII Comics A 6 Crossword AlO Heloise A 4 Horoscope All Obituaries Al 2 People A 6 Sports A7,A8,A9 TV A 6 Worry Clinic AlO

Banner Graphic Putnam County, Thursday, January 27, 1983, Vol. 13 No. 120 20 Cents

“But he (Burton) told me he had too many years right now,” Parks added. “Then he said he had killed a couple of guys over marijuana once. A lot of guys brag in jail about what they've done on the streets, but he did not go into detail.” UPON QUESTIONING by defense attorney Chris Carisch of Indianapolis, Parks noted Burton never mentioned Hubbard’s name when he told of the killings. Neither did he mention a location where the killings were to have occurred. Prior to Carisch’s questioning, Parks related his criminal past. He said he has been an inmate at Michigan City for six years, following a conviction at Anderson for first-degree burglary. Parks’ record also shows convictions as a minor for first-degree burglary and timed served as an adult for armed robbery. Following serving time at Michigan City, Parks said he is to be transferred to a federal prison where he will serve time for distributing drugs to a federal agent Through questioning, attorney Carisch did show that Parks was attempting to rehabilitate himself via a leather goods business he is operating while serving his sentence. Advertising his leather business out of Country Journal magazine. Parks said he is selling handmade goods in seven states, making an income of $7,500 last year. DURING CROSS-EXAM, Putnam Coun-

with destiny: High noon Sunday

diameter clock into place. “The plan is to have it operational by noon,” Realtor Sue Birdsell told the Ban-ner-Graphic. PARTINGTON WAS IN Greencastle the last two Sundays, readying the wiring, chimes and amplifiers for this Sunday’s big event. He originally had hoped to be done Jan. 25. “It’s all wired and ready to go,” Mrs. Birdsell said, noting that Partington labored from 10 a.m. to nearly 8 p.m. last Sunday. Part of the difficulty arose when he drilled into the courthouse wall and the drill bit got too hot. When he withdrew the drill from the hole, the bit stayed in. The floodlights that will illuminate the dial from the balcony below the clock were wired Sunday and Monday as well, leaving

Vietnam veteran walking to keep fight alive for MlA's

By BARBARA CARHART Banner-Graphic Staff Writer Today is the anniversary of the Paris Peace Accord which formally ended United States involvement in the Vietnam War. But for Vietnam veterans like Vron Mishler, the fight has only just begun. At age 32, Mishler has left home so that 2,494 veterans may someday return. The Elkhart resident arrived in Greencastle Tuesday afternoon to explain why. “I JUST WANTED TO make people aware that there’s still 2,494 people over there,” Mishler said, describing his “Walk for Peace,” and “that some of those men are still alive.” Mishler’s Walk for Peace began Jan. 15 from his Elkhart home. At a rate of 20 miles a day, the veteran has completed 200 miles thus far. After walking a total of 2,400 miles to his destination in Ocean Side, Calif., he expects to return to Indianapolis in time to request a moment of silence at the Indianapolis 500 for those MlA’s (missing in action) and POW’s (Prisoner of War) fighting a battle of their own in Southeast Asia. Inspired by talking to the families of many MlA’s and POW’s at the dedication of the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington Nov. 10, Mishler said he came away with too many questions and too few answers. “WE WANT TO KNOW why all the MlA’s and POW’s haven’t been accounted

By BARBARACARHART Banner-Graphic Staff Writer PUTNAM VILLE-An Indiana State Farm inmate who escaped from the Putnamville facility Wednesday afternoon and kidnapped a rural Greencastle woman at gunpoint is still at large and reportedly destined for New Castle where he lived prior to his incarceration. His victim, Mary Jo Kellum, 42, Route 2, Box 662, Greencastle, escaped and has been apparently returned unharmed to her home. ROBERT L. CORRELL, 38, was discovered missing from the Farm at approximately 2:50 p.m. Wednesday. The

ty Prosecutor Del Brewer asked Parks how he felt about Burton. “Ever since I’ve known him, he’s been constantly doing something wrong,” Parks answered. “He’d (Burton) say, ‘lf I have to kill somebody to do it (crime), I will.’ That’s what I mean when I say he talks or acts crazy,” Parks told jurors and ap« proximately 30 spectators at the trial. Defense attorney Carisch, and cocounsel Stephen Pierson of Greencastle, also called Hubbard’s sister, Freda, to the stand. Her testimony revealed Coy and his former wife, Margaret, were at his brother's home in Greenfield on July 23, 1977. celebrating Freda’s birthday. THE TESTIMONY OF Hubbard’s sister was upheld by a deposition, allowed as evidence, made by Margaret Hubbard. The former Mrs. Hubbard has since moved to California and could not return to Putnam County for the trial The deposition, read by Carisch. Pierson and Brewer, affirmed Coy and she had attended a birthday party for Freda Hubbard on July 23, 1977. Her testimony also showed that she and Hubbard had stayed home the day of the Putnam County murders. That particular day, July 24, 1977, was a Sunday. And on Sundays, Margaret Hubbard related, she and Coy always stayed home, calling them “family days." Col. 3. back page, this section

placement of the clock as the final chapter of a 79-year-old saga. THE STORY BEGAN actually with the original courthouse plans, which included the spot for the clock on the upper south side. Funds ran out, however, and the clock was never ordered. The Realtors began a drive to fund purchase and placement of a courthouse clock last summer and are within a couple hundred dollars of a $4,710 goal. All donors who contributed SIOO or more will be honored by having their names on a plaque to be placed in the courthouse lobby. They include: First Citizens Bank, VFW Fathers Auxiliary, Jefferson Township Extension Club, Greencastle Elks Lodge, VFW Post 1550 and Auxiliary, TriCounty Bank, Leon Snyder, Central

for,” he offered. “That was part of the peace agreement. All POW’s were supposed to be returned and all MlA’s accounted for. They haven’t done that.” The fact that the government hasn’t monitored the POW-MIA stipulation in the peace pact, Mishler explained, may revert back to the fact that the Vietnam War and those that fought it did not receive the support from the country as previous wars had. “We came home individually,” said Mishler, who served from 1969 in the First Infantry and American Division. “We did one year and we were shipped back. It wasn’t a total victory.” Mishler said what the soldier found when he came home was a divided country - a country torn by a war they couldn’t identify with. “THE COUNTRY WAS divided,” he explained. “There was this hippie-peace thing.” Mishler, who admitted to joining in the protest movement upon his return, said in retrospect the internal conflicts had an adverse effect on people still serving. “It split them (the American people) -- there were some hawks and some doves,” he offered. “The biggest thing they wanted was to bring the boys home, yet as far as I am concerned, they haven't done that.” SPONSORED BY THE League of Families and supported in part by various American Legions (including Greencastle

New Castle man had been working as a mechanic on a detail in the blacksmith shop prior to line-up call. At 3:25 p.m., he was officially reported missing to the state police, according to Indiana State Farm Supt. Donald Hudkins. Prior to taking Mrs. Kellum hostage, Correll reportedly broke into the Bob Blue residence on U S. 40, changed clothing and stole a shotgun, according to Hudkins. Blue was not home at the time. At approximately 1:30 p.m., Correll, who had been serving a six-year sentence for robbery (class C felony) and 10 years for burglary (Class B felony), kicked in the door of the Kellum residence, and ordered

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KENNY BURTON Says Hubbard killed pair

National Bank, First National Bank of Cloverdale. Greencastle Moose Lodge, Greencastle Federal Savings and Loan, Roy Sutherlin, DePauw University, Dr. F.R. Dettloff, G.E. Ogles, Mrs. Grafton Longden. France Stone Co., Mr. and Mrs. Harley Hedge, Black Lumber Co., Edna Poor, Golden Circle Club. American Legion Auxiliary. Blanche Ketchum. Mr. and Mrs. Ross Allee, Donna Eppelheisner, D & K Beetles, Sherm’s Realty and the Putnam County Homebuilders Association. Donations were also received for SIOO or more in memory of P.G. Evans (by Bob Evans), Lola Vaughan (by family members), Gail Allee (by family members), son (Mr. and Mrs. Birdsell), father and son (Elbe Ziegelman).

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Post No. 58), Mishler began his trek across seven states with another message: Most of the men who served in Vietnam, served with honor. “The war was not honorable to the American people,” he explained, “but we fought with honor.” The absence of a hero’s welcome home, Mishler said, left a scar on those who fought. “We have the honor of having fought,” the father of two daughters explained, “but when we came back that was taken away from us. It left a shell of a man

the victim to accompany him to Indianapolis in Kellum’s 1982 brown Ford Escort. CORRELL THEN REPORTEDLY or dered Kellum to purchase gasoline at a Shell Station located at the intersection of 40th Street and Lafayette Road, Indianapolis, using her credit card. He later ordered Kellum to drive to the McDonald’s parking lot in the 7200 block of Pendleton Pike, where she was placed in the vehicle’s trunk, state police officials said. Correll apparently then drove to the James M Prater residence, 7210 Picton Drive, Indianapolis, where he requested additional clothes, a license plate and asked Prater whether he wanted to buy the

Pizza, target practice after killings: Burton

By BECKY IGO Banner-Graphic Area News Editor After robbing and firing 18 shots evenly into the bodies of two Putnam County men on July 24,1977, Kenny Burton, 35. and Coy Hubbard, 32, drove to Martinsville, Burton testified Wednesday. Arriving at the home of Burton’s sister and brother-in-law, they separated. Hubbard went target shooting with Burton’s brother-in-law at a river near the Martinsville couple’s home. Burton, meanwhile, left with another individual to pick up a pizza. SUCH WAS THE STORY told Wednesday in Putnam Circuit Court by the state’s key witness, Burton, a selfdescribed “close friend’’ of Hubbard’s. Burton told jurors how it was Hubbard who shot-at point-blank range-Daniel Hassler and Raymond Atkins. He said they also robbed the two 20-year-old Putnam County men of $1,450 in cash. Putnam County Prosecutor Del Brewer, who concluded the state’s case Wednesday, requested Burton tell the court of his criminal background. Burton noted he had first been arrested at the age of 15 for first-degree burglary on Dec. 30,1962. From there. Burton detailed a criminal past, enumerating sentences he served for burglary, assault, battery with the intent to kill, armed robbery and drug-related crimes. He is currently serving a 20-vear sentence on two counts of delivering marijuana and one count of delivering cocaine. That time is being served at the Indiana State Farm at Putnamville. “You’re not representing yourself as an ideal citizen then?” Brewer questioned. “No,” Burton responded. RECALLING THE EVENTS of July 24. 1977, Burton said he and his girlfriend. Darlene, were residing at Hubbard’s home in Indianapolis. Also residing there were Hubbard’s former wife, Margaret, his two daughters, Darlene’s four children and Paul Heady. Burton said Heady had stolen money from Atkins during a “bogus marijuana deal.” He added Atkins came to Hubbard's home “complaining” and making “semithreats" about Heady’s action. Shortly after the theft. Heady left for California, Burton told the court. It was Hubbard, according to Burton, who informed him that Atkins often carried several thousand dollars on his person. Atkins was the assistant manager of the Cinema 40 drive-in located at the in-

without honor and pride. It’s been a hard struggle for the Vietnam vet.” BESIDES RETURNING to a divided nation, Mishler said the soldiers faced high unemployment, delayed stress, effects of Agent Orange and at times drug and alcohol problems they could not handle alone. Mishler said when he came home there were no detoxification centers. Veterans “were put out on the streets” with some battling drug and alcohol habits begun while in combat. “In Vietnam, we had the best drugs in

stolen shotgun, police reported. While at the residence, Mrs. Kellum escaped from the trunk and ran to the American Inn, 7262 Pendleton Pike, where she contacted the Lawrence Police Department. THERE WERE REPORTS that Correll had threatened to kill his wife, who apparently still resides in New Castle, and any police officials who tried to apprehend him. Correll began his incarceration at the Indiana State Farm in June 1982 after he received the concurrent sentence in Henry County Circuit Court on May 20, 1982 for the burglary and robbery convictions.

tersection of U.S. 231 and 40 in Putnam County. BURTON SAID HE AND Hubbard decided to rob Atkins, leaving to complete the act around noon on July 24,1977. Burton and Hubbard drove to Putnam County in Hubbard’s car, described as a black 1969 Chevelle. First arriving at the home of Atkins’ father, just south of the U.S. 231-40 intersection, the two men left briefly. They drove to the Stuckey’s Restaurant at 1-70 and U.S. 231, then returned to the Atkins home. Walking to the door, Burton said they noticed two people inside the home. “One was asleep on the couch and one was asleep on the floor by the couch,” he told the seven-woman, five-man jury. HEARING BURTON and Hubbard, one of the men inside the house came to the door to let them inside. “Coy had apparently talked to them about some kind of (drug) deal and about bringing heroin down,” Burton said. “They were supposed to have the cash “Coy walked around the house to see if there was anyone else inside They (Hassler and Atkins) asked us where the drugs were. Coy said we dropped the drugs down the road to make sure it wasn’t some kind of a setup.” Burton told jurors Hubbard was carrying a .22 caliber revolver, having it placed inside a brown paper bag. Meanwhile, Burton said he was carrying a 9 mm high-power automatic. AFTER BURTON BRIEFLY left the living room, he returned to find Hubbard had drawn his gun. “Atkins said. What’s the deal? What’s this?’ or something like that,” Burton said. “Coy said this was a robbery and to lie down on the floor. ” According to Burton. Hassler complied with Hubbard's request, but Atkins refused. After being asked three times by Hubbard to get down on the floor, Atkins did, but only after being struck by Burton. Obtaining an extension cord from a fan in the room, Hassler and Atkins tied their hands behind their backs. “One tied the one’s hands and the other the other’s hands.” Bur ton testified. BURTON SAID HE WENT through the home to find cash and valuables, before returning to the living room. He then took billfolds out of each man’s back pocket. “Atkins had about $1,350 in cash on him and Hassler had about SIOO. I guess they Col. 3, back page, this section

Vietnam veteran Vron Mishler (front and center) poses with Greencastle American Legion Post 58 members before continuing his walk. Local members are (front, from left): John Carrol, Francis P. O'Brien, Mishler, Post commander Frank Brewster, Dick Andis; back, Wayne Marks, Robert Holum, Kenneth Phillips, David Pelfrey and Bill Bode. (Photo by David Gjesvold).

the world,” Mishler, who admits to spending time in outreach centers in both Fort Wayne and South Bend, explained. “Some of the drugs were provided by the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency).” Mishler said he has overcome and is still overcoming his Vietnam-related problems. “I just seemed to reach a point where I said ‘Okay, I had enough,” Mishler offered. But despite overcoming many hurdles, Mishler recognizes that Vietnam veterans Col. 1, back page, this section