The Jackson Sun from Jackson, Tennessee • 5

The Jackson Sun, Jackson, Friday, Sept. 12, 1986 nerou Couple raped her, woman testifies elp revitalise umaoe society By Julie Wright Sun reporter 4 Jt fi I i w'VjTi I JIM Life is shaping up at the Jackson-Madison County Humane Society. In early August, the society was nearly broke and considering closing its shelter on Riverside Drive by the year's end. Besides money problems, the shelter housed too many animals. The two people who worked there weren't enough to care for the animals and maintain the grounds properly, resulting in unattractive conditions.

Since then, several businesses and individuals have donated to the society. It's received about $1,000 enough to operate for a little more than a month. With other improvements made at the shelter, however, the managers say it'll be open another year and possibilly permanently. An interal fracas caused the former shelter manager, Annette Bayles, to resign in August. Mrs.

Bayles didn't want to talk about it, but the new managers said she left over their decision to kill several sick animals. It wasn't easy for them, either, say Fay Williamson and Natalie Groves, the new shelter managers. Williamson; Groves; Cindy Priddy, cruelty investigator; and Lou Lynch, society president, said that although they did not want to, the animals needed to be killed because they were sick or unadoptable. "If no one could ever adopt that dog because you can't get close to it, then you're taking up space I hate that word but you're taking up space when an animal that might have a chance to be adopted won't have," Groves said. The society has had a policy "of killing animals after they're at the shelter for a certain time, but it's never been used, Groves said.

Lately the staff has exercised a modified version of the policy. Twenty-one "very ill" animals were killed. Nine others killed were unadoptable either unruly or had been there for a long time and had little hope of finding a home. Some animals died of illness, Williams said. One puppy died of hookworm.

The refrigerator was filled with vaccine that the old manager hadn't administered, said Williamson. "That puppy need not have died." Basically, Williamson said, the problem was that they had a paid employee that they'd let "run rampant." They were scared to death to say anthing to her for fear she'd quit, Williamson said. Priddy, Lynch, Williamson and Groves daily clean the shelter grounds and care for the animals. "We'Ve had, in my opinion, a massive clean-up out here," said Williamson. Several make-shift, thrown-up-in-a-hurry pens were taken down.

Fewer animals live at the shelter, but the animals are healthier, she said. The animals have been dipped for fleas and local veterinarians have provided care. As excited as the new managers are about how far they've come, they have many goals yet to reach. A top priority is getting concrete donated, or money to buy concrete, for a dog kennel. They also need labor donated to install the concrete floor.

A fund established in the memory of Ray Brdnnan, called Katman because he loved cats, is bringing money for a cat trailer. More is needed, the staff said. Other goals are to work on public rela- By Norman Parish Sun reporter BOLIVAR During emotional testimony late Thursday afternoon, a 19-year-old Whiteville woman identified Jerry Peters and Evelyn Pirtle as the couple; who raped her at knifepoint last year. Peters, 35, and his girlfriend Pirtle, 20, both of Whiteville, are accused of raping the woman Aug. 25, 1985, in Rhodes Cemetery about 10 miles northwest of Hoik var.

"He laid on top of me and the woman told the Hardeman County Circuit Court jury of five men and seven women, before crying. The jury was expected to hear the defense present its case during the third day of the trial today. Peters' attorney is Miko Mosier of Henderson; Pirtle's attorney is Jim Sanderson of Bolivar. The defense has argued the woman, who is a school acquaintance of Pirtle, consented to intercourse and made up the rape story. The woman testified Thursday that Peters raped her three times that morning.

He held a knife close to her neck, forced her to take her clothes off and started touching her, the woman said. "He told her Pirtle) to start feeling on me," the woman said. She thought they were going out to a restaurant rather than the cemetery, the woman testified. "I asked Evelyn where we were going, and she told me to 'shut your damn After Peters raped her. he gave her a bag of marijuana, and Pirtle later took her home, the woman said.

After the woman's testimony, Sanderson cross-examined the woman nearly four hours, repeatedly asking her to give details about the incident, particularly the time. The woman repeatedly told Sanderson she did not know the time because she did not have a watch on. During testimony Thursday evening, Chief Deputy David Smith said Pirtle told him during questioning that she forced the woman to have oral sex with her. In an earlier motion hearing, Pirtle denied making the statements. Sun photo by Gary Hairlson Cindy Priddy, cruelty investigator, helps other staff members care for the cats and dogs at the Jackson-Madison County Humane Society shelter on Riverside Drive.

The shelter has about 27 dogs, 12 puppies and 20 cats who need good homes. Adopt a pet on Saturday Saturday is Adopt-a-pet Day at the Jackson-Madison County Humane Society. It's a telephone exchange service that places dogs and cats in new homes. The society will either supply a request with an animal from its shelter, or match up a person with someone who has a pet to give away. To request a pet or put one up for adoption, call the shelter at 522-5366 between 9 a.m.

and noon on Saturday. Do not bring animals to the shelter at 797 Riverside Drive. the adults are hopeless," Groves said. The shelter also has needs: Puppy chow, kitten chow and canned cat food. Dependable, animal lovers to help with care and investigate adoptions.

Men are especially needed. "By golly, we are going to make this place a good place," Groves said. tions, and to send out only spayed and neutered animals. Priddy will have time and encouragement to pursue cruelty cases, she said. The society wants to start humane education to teach children the value of animals.

"The kids in this vicinity are the hope for this community because spirit rises as farm meeting begins Fighting By Tim Tanton Sun business reporter Farmers include loans, prices on agenda By Tim Tanton Sun business reporter to displaced farmers and small business owners. The government should adopt policies to encourage reopening rural businesses and repopulatmg rural communities. Farm prices Prices on commodities should be increased to enable farmers to recoup production costs and get a fair return. Prices should be indexed to the government's parity formula, so that they rise and fall with costs. Land ownership and control To protect the family farmer, anti-corporate ownership laws must be strengthened and other efforts must be made to control foreign, absentee and non-farm corporate ownership.

Foreign trade Agreements should be made with other countries to achieve fair trade. Import quotas should be set to ensure that unsold stocks in the United States are not increased. Credit A temporary moratorium should be placed on farm foreclosures until prices return to profitable levels. Action should be taken to help rural banks stay afloat and keep family farmers on their land. Tax policies Tax reform efforts should include the elimination of all incentives to non-farm investors.

Conservation Programs that force farmers to increase production should be abolished, and producers, should get enough back on their crops and livestock to be able to improve conservation. The remaining areas of concern educating the public about farming and developing follow-up action to the congress were added Thursday and not covered in the draft of resolutions. The resolutions are being refined today, and final voting on them will be Saturday, the last day of the convention. From there, they will be presented to lawmakers for possible action. ST.

LOUIS Higher prices for farm goods, better loan rates, and protection from inequitable foreign competition are at the top of the list of farmer concerns. The delegates to the United Farmer and Rancher Congress here will spend today and Saturday trying to reach a consensus on those concerns. They already have a head start with a draft of resolutions gathered from preconvention meetings around the country. The farmers and ranchers will address, with some of the proposed resolutions: Food quality and safety The preliminary draft of resolutions calls for the government to expand food assistance to ensure no one goes hungry. Food retailers shouldn't be allowed to raise food prices beyond any actual increase in the cost of the agricultural products.

Rural economic development Unemployment compensation should be made ST. LOUIS Sixteen years of farming could wither in the field for Johnny Porch if government farm policies are not changed soon. Porch, a Brownsville cotton farmer, saw three of his neighbors file for bankruptcy last year and others voluntarily liquidate their farms. The number is growing yearly, he said. Porch has come to the United Farmer and Rancher Congress here as one of 15 to 17 delegates from Tennessee.

They hope to reach a consensus on farm issues with 1,500 fellow delegates from farm communities around the country. This morning's speakers, actor Eddie Albert and Texas Agriculture Commissioner Jim criticized national farm policies, which they say are driving American farmers out of business. They called for more control over prices and government policies that would put them on a more even footing with competing corporate farm operations and foreign producers. Farmers "are going broke because of bad agricultural policies coming out of Washington, D.C.," Hightower said. Farmers have not had a good Republican president since Abraham Lincoln, he said.

Referring to policies instituted by Earl Butz, former head of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and more recent policies under President Ronald Reagan, Hightower said we "went from Butz to nuts in a single decade." "If these geniuses were any dumber, we'd have to water them twice a week," Hightower said. The prices farmers are getting for their crops today are no better than the return they got during the Great Depression, he said. For example, farmers made 6 cents a pound on cotton in 1932 and make 8 cents a pound today. Despite their dire straits, the farmers opened the congress Thursday night in Kiel Auditorium with an ers Thursday night, including the key speaker, the Rev.

Jesse Jackson, leader of the National Rainbow Coalition and sometime presidential candidate. Farmers are in a state of emergency and should demand that a moratorium be placed on farm fore closures, Jackson said. Family farms must be protected from large corporations that threaten to run them out of business, and the government must make it easier for farm-Please see FARM, Page 4B. optimism and fighting spirit that almost turned the event into a pep rally. Farmers should "raise less grain and more hell," one delegate told the convention.

Unity was a theme emphasized by several speak State complaint will mean check of home Jury deadlocked in assault trial nails crow out, it takes three or four of tion, the police report said. By Steve Visser Sun reporter report. Police arrested Edna Browder, a resident of Hicks' home, on a shoplifting charge Tuesday at the Dollar Store, 117 E. Lafayette St. It soon became apparent that Browder was mentally incapacitated and had wanted to buy a pair of shoes because she claimed her old shoes hurt her feet, the police report said.

The store declined to press charges. "The people in the store didn't know she had a mental problem so they called the police," Hicks said. Browder kept asking the police to trim her toenails, a request police deemed unusual. When they removed her shoes they found ingrown toenails, the police report said. Police then notified human services because of tft- woman's condi us to hold her down to cut them." She also said she wasn't aware of any investigation of her boarding home.

"DI1S just told me not to let it happen again," Hicks said. Her boarding home, which she has operated for 11 years, has eight residents and is state licensed. Each resident gives her $300 a month from their Social Security check. From that money Hicks is required to provide adequate food, housing, accessories and clothing and see that residents meet their medical needs. Her home is one of the operations that opened alter the deinstitutionalization of Western Menldi Health Institute in Bolivar.

Brown snid. "We've worked with Mrs. Hicks on a number of issues and we visit theie frequently," Brown said. "We've had some problems in the home over the past few years, but there has never been any legai action taken against her. so obviously the problems were minor." Hic ks brought Browder to Jackson lor a psychiatric appoint ment I licks said.

Browder then wandered off while Hicks was paying her utility bill. Hicks said. A human services worker warned her not to leave Browder alone again while in town and went with her to have the woman's toenails trimmed at the Jackson Clinic, Hicks said "They're so hard to cut because she doesn't mind," she said. "When her By Betty Mallett Sun reporter A Madison County Circuit Court jury deliberated until late Thursday evening and then again this morning, but it couldn't decide whether a Jackson man assaulted police in 1982. The jury cleared the man's father, Jackie Spears of an assault-and-battery charge during the second day of trial Thursday.

But the jury could not reach a decision about Jackie Spears Jr. Please see SPEARS, Page 4B. The Department of Human Services has lodged a complaint against Blanche Hicks, who runs a boarding home for the mentally ill on Adair Road. The complaint was filed with the West Tennessee Licensure Office for the Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation, said Phil Brown. West Tennessee coordinator for mental health facilities.

Neither Brown nor Sharon Carroll of the human services department in Jackson would say what the complaint concerned. Brown, however, said it would be investigated. The comfjaint stemmed from a police.