The Mail-Journal, Volume 19, Number 29, Milford, Kosciusko County, 4 August 1982 — Page 1

Recapture first escapee from new jail — Examine circumstances of jail break

By GARY LEWIS North Webster residents found themselves in the middle of a manhunt last week when several area police departments joined in on the search for William Ray Wheatley. Wheatley, 22, became the first person to escape from the jail section of Kosciusko County’s new $7 million justice building when he managed to slip out of his detoxification cell, crawl down the hallway and through a screened window in the booking department during the early morning hours of July 28. Wheatley was wanted for escape from a correctional institution in Virginia. Wheatley managed to avoid about 50 officers on foot, K-9 dog units and an air search for 16 hours before he was finally captured by a resident helping with traffic control at the intersection of SR 13 and CR 800 N, about two miles north of town. Robert A. Richards, 40, r 1 Leesburg, was helping with traffic along the road when he captured Wheatley at approximately 6:20 p.m. as he saw him coming out of a cornfield. Jail Flaws Blamed Two flaws in the design of the jail assisted in Wheatley’s escape, according to Kosciusko County Sheriff Al Rovenstine and jailer Forrest Bouse — the jailer on duty at the time of the escape. The window in the booking department, which is located down the hall from the two specially-designed detoxification cells, was just a regular window, said Rovenstine. “We have discussed this with the architect at the time of construction,” he said. ‘‘We did not like the window; we never have. It is the only place that there is a route out of this jail without going through solid steel doors someplace,” said Rovenstine.

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Phones: 658-4111 & 457-3666

VOLUME 19

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COUNTY FAIR OPENS — The Koscfpsko County Fair was officially opened Monday evening by this bevy of beauties.'Fair Board President Emra Stookey, Warsaw May or Mike Hodges and Slate Fair President Robert E. McKee of Lafayette. The fair will run through Saturday night with a variety of activities for young and old alike. From left are "Miss Mentone." Ginger Waddie; "Miss Atwood." Tracy Barber;

'Reporter' mailed Friday to area homes

The Lakeland Community School's annual publication Reporter was mailed on Friday to homes in the school corporation The Reporter issues an invitation to all to attend the open house at the Milford Elementary

August temperature 71.2° Goshen College weather observer Lores Steury reports this week on what we might expect weather-wise for the month of August. Steury said that July 27 is the wannest day of the summer with an average of 75.1 degrees. The average falls quite a bit by August 1, with a 71.7 degree average; August SI has an average of 69.9 degrees. The average temperature for the entire month of 71.2 degrees. The wannest August on record at the college was in 19*7 with 78 degrees, while the coolest occurred in 1927 with degrees. The warmest August day came in 1934 when the mercury climbed to 106 degrees on the 9th. A cool 37 degrees was recorded three times: August 28, 1925; August 29, 1965; and August 30.1946. Steury reported that the precipitation average for the month I is 3.18 inches. The most rain in one month came three years ago I with 11.68 inches. The least monthly rainfall was .91 inches in I 1969 The most rain to fall on one day was 4.35 inches back in 1 ? _ .AjSl • I

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Consolidation of THE MILFORD MAIL (Est. 1888) and THE SYRACUSE - WAWASEE JOURNAL (Est. 1907)

and Junior High Schools on Sunday, Aug 8, and gives information on the opening of the corporation's several schools. Persons who did not receive a copy of this paper are urged to contact the school corporation office at Syracuse

The architect, Bob Cain of Cain and Associates, Kalamazoo, Mich., left the window in the design for looks despite protests from the staff. The specially designed glass-enclosed cell that Wheatley was placed in is located directly across from the dispatcher’s office. Rovenstine said Wheatley was placed there because he is a known escape risk and because he had previously hurt himself. “We put him in the de-tox cell because we could monitor him,” said Rovenstine. However, the dispatcher on duty at the time of the escape, Ed Brown, could not see into the bottom half of the cell when he was sitting in the dispatcher’s room. This may have allowed Wheatley to open the door and crawl out undetected, said Bouse. It wasn’t a very busy night when Wheatley made his escape at about 2:25 a.m. that Wednesday. Brown was busy with paperwork in the dispatcher’s office. The jailer, Bouse, was on the other side of the building when Wheatley made good his escape attempt. Wheatley tore off the front cover of a Bible and used the “creditcard” trick to jimmie the lock of his cell door. Later, Rovenstine reported the door to the cell was not properly double-locked. The door locks automatically when it is closed but a key is required to lock the dead-bolt. Rovenstine said he did not know who was responsible for returning Wheatley to his cell that last time before the escape. “What a lot of people don’t realize is that a prisoner has 24 hours to sit there and think about what they are going to do, while we don’t. “They sit there and observe our people day-in and day-out. They I (Continued on page 2)

"Miss Etna Green,” Robin Bules; Mayer Hodges; 1981 County Fair Queen Susan Kruger of Pierceton; Slate Fair President McKee; County Fair President Stookey; Stale Fair Queen Ellen Turner of Indianapolis; "Miss Claypool,” Lori Patterson; “Miss Warsaw HI." Jenny Davis; "Miss Warsaw II." Jennifer Holbrook: "Miss Warsaw I." Laurie Howard; "Miss Leesburg." Chris Miller: and "Miss Silver Lake." Tracy Hayes. < Photo by Arch Baumgartner)

County Lakes council sends letters to army engineers

By GARY LEWIS Recent investigations into alleged violations of wetlands in Kosciusko County has prompted the newly-formed Kosciusko County Lakes Preservation and Development Council to send letters to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regarding the group’s position on what should be done. The Corps recently conducted an aerial reconnaissance mission and later a field investigation which resulted in five area residents being notified that they may be improperly using wetlands. The council was instructed to assist the Corps of Engineers by submitting a letter giving their proposal of what should be done. The landowners were also invited to provide any information which might assist the Corps in making a decision. Since the organization was

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 4,1982

established about a year ago, property owner associations representing 19 lakes have joined the group, said Dr. James Bohlin. chairman of the council. Bohlin. working with the Indiana Wildlife Federation and other conservation groups, are beginning to take up issues which affect county lakes Those efforts inchide participation in the recent investigation and more farreaching goals such as a state wetlands use law. "We would like to see Indiana come up with a comprehensive wetlands law patterned after the federal law," said Bohlin. Bohlin also said he is concerned with the present direction of the Indiana Departmem of Natural Resources. He said be would like to see a seperate department setup for conservation and another

for parks and recreation. Bohlin, director-at-large for the Indiana Wildlife Federation, says he is a conservationist more than an environmentalist. "I realize we have to have progress for the future," said Bohlin, "but you don’t have to destroy everything.” Bohlin said be is critical of the Reagan administration policies regarding conservation but praises Reagan’s Attorney General for his strong actions against violators. Other goals the group has in mind, said Bohlin, involve an investigation of possible hazardous waste sites in the county; a public education program; and a county-wide water testing program. ■ The organization is set-up so that each lake has a certain (Continued on page 2)

"fli 'fl CONCERNED SHERIFF — Kosdnsko County Sheriff Abn Rovenstine is seen here along SR 13 v north of North Webster, discussing pbns to capture escaped prisoner William Ray Wheatley bst < Wednesday afternoon. : R Surrounding Rovenstine are Kosciusko County Deputies Jerry Moser, Dave Curtis, Ron Robinson (holding photos of Wheatley). Burdell Blackburn and Dick Monk. (Photo by Doug Walker)

$3,378,743 price tag — Open house Sunday at Milford schools

By GAIL WIDMOYER An open house for the new Milford Junior High and Elementary School addition will be held on Sunday, Aug. 8, from 1 until 4 p.m. Visitors are free to browse through the additions during the designated times. An estimated total of $3,378,743 will be spent on the new building and addition with an expanded student capacity of 400 making the total capacity for the two structures between 750 and 800 students.

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Has champ borrow a second year Bobi Stookey, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Martin Stookey of Milford, has for the second year in a row exhibited the grand champion barrow at the Kosciusko County Fair. The animal will be sold at the 4-H auction which is slated to begin at 3 p.m. on Thursday.

The 18 additional classrooms are 900 square feet each as compared to an average of 600 to 800 square feet in the old building. The increased size makes the rooms “up to code” according to Don H. Arnold, siqjerintendent of schools. Three fifth grade and one special education classrooms account for the elementary addition. These along with 14 classrooms and the new gymnasium in the junior high building equal 59,660 total square feet of new construction. Only two major items were not

I Chili cook off events given J

The second annual chili cookoff, sponsored by the Syracuse Lions Club, will be held Saturday, Aug. 14, in the Syracuse Rubber Co. parking lot. The following schedule of events has been announced: 10:00 a.m. — all cooks meet in the parking lot 11:00 — cooking begins; egg drop contest 11:30 — music provided by The Outlaws 12:00 p.m. — tomahawk and knife throwing exhibition by the

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in the buildings as of Monday, Aug. 2, but the blackboards and teacher’s desks are slated to arrive sometime Wednesday or Thursday and will hopefully be in place by Sunday. Everett I. Brown Co. is the project architect and construction managers with Doug McCoy as project manager and Jack Sullivan, field representative. Itemized brochures will be available at the open house along with refreshments supplied by Bertha Moneyheffer, cafeteria manager.

Stone’s Trace Regulators 12:30 p.m. — square dance, Robert Duesler, Ligonier. Old Timers music. 1:00 — magic act by Matt Kalita of Michigan City 2:00 —chili judging 2:3o—public chili tasting 3:00 — escape act by Matt Kalita; chili winners announced All proceeds from the cook-off will be donated to the Kidney Foundation.