The Mail-Journal, Volume 21, Number 38, Milford, Kosciusko County, 3 October 1984 — Page 1

457-3666 VB 30< Consolidation o/THE MILFORD MAIL (Est. 18881 and THE SYRACUSE-WAWASEE JOURNAL /£«». 1907)

VOLUME 21

Engage New York psychic as —

Real motive for Syracuse murder eludes police

By MARK WEINSTEIN Police officials attempting to determine the motive in the slaying of 55-year-old Barbara Hulley have used several different methods in an attempt to crack the case. None of the methods has paid off as hoped. They have tried good oldfashioned police work, but that has failed to produce any solid leads so far. They brought in a psychic to assist in the case. That opened some eyes, but hardly anything more. Now. a detective from Indianapolis has arrived in Syracuse and officials are hoping he will be able to shed some light on the crime. Police continue to be stymied in the case as no motive has been detected, although Syracuse police officer William Selvey stated that the burglary motive has not been totally dismissed. "We still are looking for the purse.” said Selvey, ‘‘Because the purse is missing, it is a possibility the motive was robbery.” Potential Murder Weapon Police officials are also trying to confirm that the murder weapon has been found Syracuse Police Chief Warren Swartz and Kosciusko County Detective Tom Kitch discovered a knife in the Syracuse Cemetery Monday. Oct. 1. The knife is presently being tested in an area laboratory to determine if it is the actual , murder weapon However, no fin- ? Whodunit? After 11 days this is the question that continues to plague local, county and state police.

I H M li ■R233MI <s> EBj i * . ’ ■ DISTRICT AWARDS - Awards for 1N344 dob year were presented at Lions District 25-G Banner Night Saturday at Northfield High School. Region IV honors were won by North Webster. Pictured above is Bill Metcalf, holding the North Webster Club award; District Governor Jim Cameron of Urbana; and Earl Roberts, holding his secretary’s award. During Saturday night’s festivities the district governor’s home club banner was passed from the club of Immediate Past District Governor Jerry Martin of Osceola to the home club of the present district governor. Urbanna. . Speaker for the event was Past International Director William Schooler of Munster. L- ~ ■ ’ '

LOOKING FOR PURSE — Syracuse Police Officer William Selvey and Kosciusko County Sheriff Al Rovenstine are shown with a purse which is identical to the one belonging to Barbara Hulley. Mrs. Halley’s purse, containing around SSO and credit cards, has been missing since her murder on September 21. Police officials are urging everyone to watch for the missing purse. (Photo by Mark Weinstein)

dings have been released. i “We have found several knives since the murder,” said Swartz. “We still don’t know if we’ve found the weapon yet.” Psychic In Town Law officers working the case continue to praise Phil Jordan, the psychic who came to town last week. According to Swartz and Selvey, Jordan provided officials with some interesting information that has opened a few leads. Jordan, a resident of Candor, N.Y., has assisted in many homicide investigations around the country. He was teaching a clinic in South Bend when area officials contacted him. He flew into Nappanee where Swartz picked him up and drove him to Syracuse. After arriving, he was escorted to the site of the murder and to other places where Mrs. Hulley frequently visited. In an effort to solve the puzzling murder Jordan reconstructed the crime. Since Jordan left town, investigators have invited John Layton, an Indianapolis homicide detective, to assist in the case. Layton was to be in town for a

day, or two. Since his arrival, he has asked special permission from his superiors in the state capital to remain on the case. Selvey noted that Layton will remain in Syracuse for as long as he is permitted by his department. No other details concerning the investigation have been released. Murder Details The murder victim was found by her son, John Hulley, Sunday, Sept. 23, in her westside apartment. She died around 9:30 p.m Friday, Sept. 21, of multiple incised wounds to her neck, according to reports provided by Gary Eastlund, Kosciusko County Coroner. Noted as a hard worker, Mrs. Hulley was employed at the Syracuse Rubber Company. She « served as an inspector, while working at the plant for 13 years. “I know she was a hard worker,” said Marjorie Shopoff, a daughter of the victim. “She was well liked and a good friend to everyone.” Prior to her death, she was seen at Lil’s Anchor Bar and South Shore Golf Club. Incidentally, it was an official from

WEDNESDAY. OCTOBER 3.1984

South Shore who contacted Mrs. Shopoff concerning the whereabouts of Mrs. Hulley. Mrs. Hulley failed to show up for a Sunday morning golf game at the local club and that prompted Mrs. Shopoff and her brother, John Hulley, to check out their mother’s residence. Hulley crawled through a window and discovered his mother just inside the door. She had been dead for at least one day. “She golfed all the time,” said Mrs. Shopoff. “She was seen golfing from the first part of spring to the end of fall. She loved to golf.” The aftermath of the death of Mrs. Hulley has continued to remain throughout this small community. Townspeople continue to talk about the crime and try to help law officials in solving it. The victim was described to be a very nice person without an enemy in the world. “She was a very loving mother and grandmother,” said Mrs. Shopoff. “She was a giving person and a good friend to everyone. We miss her terribly.” Work to meet utility needs Edmund A Schroer, chairman and chief executive officer of Northern Indiana Public Service, said Monday, Oct. 1, that NIPSCO is willing to and will continue to work with eight municipal wholesale customers in meeting their future electric energy requirements. The eight NIPSCO municipal customers are Argos, Bremen, Brookston, Chalmers, Etna Green, Kingsford Heights, Walkerton and Winamac. The towns have exercised the three-year notification clause in their current contracts and alerted NIPSCO of their intention to review all sources of purchased power and to determine by October 1, 1987, their best source of power. Representatives of the communities have stated that NIPSCO will be one of the power sources considered, Schroer said. “We do not know precisely what the power rates of the possible alternative power suppliers will be in 1987,” Schroer said. “However, we expect NIPSCO rates to moderate in both absolute and relative levels with the winding down of our construction program. The current commitment not to increase base retail rates prior to June of 1988 makes that position dear."

I Wawasee band to march I lin Peach Bowl Festival I Big News for the Wawasee High School band! The I ■ 12-member band and 12 adult chaperones have been invited I ■ to participate in the All-American Peach Bowl FestivaLat ■ ■ Atlanta, Ga , December 28-31, according to director Dave I I Blackwell. The announcement came this week from the All I ■ American Festivals headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah. The band will compete with 12 other high school bands I ■ from across the U.S. for gold, silver and bronze awards at the I I nationally-recognized band festival. The band will take part I I in the Peach Bowl Parade in Downtown Atlanta the morning I I of the football game at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium on I I December 31. The 15 bands, about 2,000-member strong, will combine ■ I their musical skills in a pre-Peach Bowl football game mass H I band extravaganza as part of the three-day festival. The I B local band members will be guests of the Peach Bowl to M I watch the nationally televised football game. The band and chaperones are scheduled to leave I I Syracuse on Friday. Dec. 28, by bus for Atlanta.

Open house at Scout Cabin set for Friday

An open house is being planned to show off the newly renovated and remodeled Scout Cabin on Henry Street in Syracuse. The public is invited to attend the affair from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday to inspect the premises and to meet members of the Scout Cabin Committee, according to Robert Westfall who is serving as curW chairman of that committee. Westfall has stated that new windows and doors have been installed, with R-ll insulation in the

$75,000 damage —

Investigation continues as to cause of Syracuse fire

Officials of the Syracuse Fire Department and the State Fire Marshal’s office continue their investigation in the suspicious fire Friday evening at 11:26 at an apartment building on West Main Street, Syracuse. Damage was estimated at $75,000. The apartment building, owned by Mike Buss, New Paris, is located at 113 West Main Street, Syracuse, and is known as the “Old McClintic Building.” John Kreider, state fire marshal, was immediately called to the scene since the building had been the target of two arson attempts within the past six weeks. The fire started outside the rear apartment of Jack Dean on the main level. It has been reported Kreider found evidence that an accelerant had been used to start the fire and that tests will be conducted to determine what was used. Fire damage to the structure was limited to the back end of the building with extensive smoke and water damage to the five apartments. Smoke Detected Syracuse Police Officer Robert Houser detected the odor of smoke while patrolling the uptown district Friday evening and notified the fire department. Fire Chief Joe Anderson and First Assistant Chief Larry Weaver went with Houser to check the business where the smoke was detected. While checking other Fall meeting at Syracuse The fall council meeting of the Kosciusko County Federation of Women’s Clubs will be on Tuesday, Oct 9, from 4-5:30 p.m., in the Syracuse Church of the Brethren, 215 West Main St., Syracuse. / Mrs. John McFarland, county president, urges all club presidents, county officers, department and special committee chairwomen to attend. Those who cannot attend should send a representative.

sidewalls. This, plus paneling, plumbing and electrical work, all made possible by community donations plus a matching grant in the amount of $7,500 from the Kosciusko County United Way. Chairman Westfall had profuse praise For the public’s generous support in this community-wide effort to upgrade this worthy and popular public facility- . A sloppy joe dinner is being served by members of the board for a small per person donation.

businesses and waiting for store owners to arrive, the flames and smoke broke through the building. Firemen were quickly dispatched to the scene, as was the ambulance. Chief Anderson stated there were occupants in all of the apartments, however, no one was injured. Firemen remained at the scene for 2*6 hours. Those living in the apartments included Darcy and Audrey Dean in apartment one; Jack Dean, Mark Dean, Lynn Clark, Deanna and Shane Paulson and Greg Simms, in apartment two; Timothy and Earl Stafford,

■ V.W-35C 3F.X tfeyK | , ‘ y SUSPICIOUS ORIGIN — A fire hl an apartment building at 113 West Main Street. Syracuse, caused S7S.SOS damage on Friday evening. Sept, a, and b still under investigation by officials. Syracuse Fire Chief Joe Anderson stated the fire b of a suspicious origin and was started just outside the apartment of Jack Dean, which b located in the rear of the first floor. AH occupants of the apartments were able taeceapr unharmri.

In Elkhart court —

Jack Mason answers non-compliance charge

By DEB PATTERSON 'John C. (“Jack”) Mason and Mary Mason, Syracuse, appeared in Elkhart Circuit Court, Goshen, with their attorney, Charles Davis, Nappanee, Tuesday afternoon on a charge of non-compliance of a court order. The charge was filed by the Department of Natural Resources dealing with a court battle which started in September 1977 in the dredging of a shoreline near Ogden Island, Lake Wawasee. Special Judge Mary E. Davis indicated during open court yesterday that she would rule Mason was not in contempt of court as the DNR had petitioned for, according to Mason and his attorney Charles Davis. The DNR had inspected and approved the 250-yard pile of organic peat and muck located on Mason’s property to be used as replacement material. Mason stated this* is the original material and amount taken in the dredging. The DNR is responsible according to Mrs. Davis, to located, within Kosciusko County, accepSRbjfe.naaterial for the remainder •of the 1,000 cubic foot ordered to be replaced. The DNR is also responsible for meeting the requirements of the Army Corps of Engineer for any material placed into the lake, according to the

apartment three; Edgar and Dale Plegbon, apartment four; and Brian Stouder and Farien Gans in apartment 5. The apartment building is remembered as the location for the McClintic Insurance Agency with office space available. Prior to the completion of the Lakeland School Corporation Administration office and the high school, the building housed several offices of school corporation officials. The building was later remodeled from its brick structure to siding and made into an apartment complex.

NUMBER 38

special judge. Mason has 90 days to put the material back into the shoreline areas. His attorney stated the material will be replaced possibly within the next several weeks. “I’m very impressed by the judge,” commented Mason, adding he felt the court system should have more women judges of her caliber, “she is very fair and went by the evidence.” Davis commented he was very satisfied with the hearing also. Tuesday’s hearing stems from the September 29, 1982, court decision in which Special Judge Mary E. Davis ruled that 1,000 cubic yards of peat or muck be replaced into Lake Wawasee by Mason. The decree also stated the material to be added to the lake bed should be located by the DNR within 30 days of the entry of this order. Complete restoration by Mason was then to be made within 90 days from the time he was informed by the DNR of the location of the acceptable material. Mason commented it was not himself in non-compliance, but the DNR, adding he has never been contacted as to where he could get the peat or muck. However, Mason said earlier he would follow the order passed down by the judge. “If she orders me to jail, I’ll go,” adding he’ll put the peat or muck back, but the DNR has to comply also. The case, which Mason calls bureaucratic harrassment, started in September 1977 when Carl Eisfelder, wetland’s biologist with the DNR, observed Jack Hamman operating a drag line for Mason on the shoreline of his property on Venetian Island. The case has since been handled by five judges and gone through numerous motions by both the plaintiffs and the defendants. r The case was originally filed in Kosciusko Circuit Court under Judge Gene B Lee. A change of venue request by Mason on October 1,1977, transferred the case to Elkhart Circuit Court with Judge David P. Redding. Judge Redding was preceded on the case by Judge Gene B. Duffin, who then disqualified himself from the case. ] The Indiana Supreme Court appointed South Bend Attorney'Myron J. Hack in 1980. He heard the case. (Continued on page 2)