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■VOLUME XCIV - NUMBER
Riege gVows: Doffer Walk Off Won’t Close Plant
By TOM KIRWAN
Riegel Textile Corp, officials
vowed this week that its warp
doffing operations will continue
in force despite a walk out of
some 31 doffers last week and
denied rumors that Riegel’s entire
workforce of 2,500 Trion
employees could be laid off if the
walk out continues.
The work stoppage began
Thursday morning when several
doffers on the first shift walked
off the job, angry that company
officials refused to talk to them as
a group about complaints stemm
ing from new policies which the
protesting doffers say translate
into more work for less pay.
H. L. Peek, Riegel vice presi
dent of manufacturing over the
Grey Mill, said Riegel’s manage
ment had agreed Thursday morn
ing to talk to doffers individually
but could see little that could be
accomplished by talking to the
doffers as a group. He added that
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Bloodhound Waits At Scene
A bloodhound waits patiently near the roadside park
where a convict made his unsuccessful attempt to
escape a work detail Friday.
Escapee Is Quickly
Recaptured Friday
Area law enforcement officers quickly rounded up an escaped con
vict Friday on the Chattooga County-Floyd County line.
Officials said Ricky Lee Rogers, serving a 15-year prison term at
Walker County Correctional Institute on an armed robbery conviction,
was found about a mile away from a roadside park where he fled from a
work detail.
Officials said Rogers, 23, was one of eight uniformed prisoners who
had eaten lunch at the park around noon. After lunch, as the detail
began cleaning and sprucing up the area, Rogers told the single, armed
guard he wanted to go to the bathroom. “He took some toilet paper,
went into the woods, and never came back,” the guard said.
The manhunt drew over a dozen cars from area law enforcement
agencies, including officers from Floyd, Chattooga and Walker coun
ties as well as Georgia State Patrol troopers and a Georgia Bureau of
Investigation agent.
The search of the area was confined to the roads in the area of
Storey Lumber Company. Officials were sure the escapee was hiding in
the woods, but a search of the rugged, forest area was not begun im
mediately because authorities feared they would “destroy” the scent of
the trail of the convict. As a helicopter hovered overhead, officers
quickly sealed off the area and set up makeshift roadblocks.
Around 3:30 p.m. two trucks—each carrying a bloodhound from
Walker County Correctional Institute—arrived on the scene. Soon one
of the dogs lead his handler to an old grist mill on Armuchee Creek
where the escapee was found hiding. In all, the bloodhound search
lasted less than 30 minutes.
Harry McGinnis
The U. S. Savings Bond Pro
gram has announced it will soon
present an award of appreciation
to Mrs. Edythe McGinnis of Sum
merville on behalf of her late hus
band, Harry, recognizing his
many years of service as Chat
tooga County Volunteer Chair
man for U. S. Savings Bonds.
A Treasury Silver Medallion
and an Appreciation Certificate
will be presented to Mrs. McGin
nis for her husband's 35 years of
distinguished service as county
chairman, according to a
spokesman for the program.
“Your husband not only
rendered an invaluable service to
his government,’’ Bond Program
Area Manager Miles A. Bohning
commented to Mrs. McGinnis,
“but to his fellow citizens of Chat
tooga County in encouraging all
to ‘Take Additional Stock in
^ummerutlle News
management was ready Thursday |
morning to talk with the doffers
individually about their com
plaints and believed that the
threatened walk off had been
averted with that offer.
After the group of first shift
doffers walked off the job. they
were followed by groups of dof
fers on the second and third
shifts. Apparently less than half
of the firm's doffers participated
in the protest. In all there are 69
warp doffing positions on the
three shifts.
Despite a picket line being
organized across from the Riegel
plant Friday, there were some in
dications that the protest had
lost some of its steam over the
weekend. Peek said Tuesday that
14 of the estimated 31 doffers in
volved in the walkout had return
ed to work.
Company officials told the
protesting doffers Saturday that
anyone who did not return to
America’ by investing in U. S.
Savings Bonds."
McGinnis, a well-known
businessman, began his phar
maceutical business with his
father in 1932. Following his
father’s death, McGinnis con
tinued in the business until his
son, Eugene, joined him in 1975,
thus carrying the business into
its third generation of the family.
McGinnis became semi-retired in
1975.
McGinnis was an elder of the
Summerville Presbyterian
Church, chairman of the Summer
ville Housing Authority, a
charter member of the
Summerville-Trion Rotary Club,
and a former chairman of the
Hospital Authority. He was a
member of the Georgia Phar
maceutical Association and the
National Association of Retail
SUMMERVILLE, CHATTOOGA COUNTY, GEORGIA 30747, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1979
‘We cannot allow
the actions of a dozen
or so persons to
perhaps affect the job
security of over 2,500
Riegel employees,’
—H.L. Peek.
work by Tuesday morning would
be permanently replaced, Peek
said. The officials continued to en
courage the strikers to re-apply
for their jobs, however.
Peek denied protestors’
charges that the new pay
policies—in which doffers are paid
by the number of frames doffed
instead of by the hank—has
Man Is Found Murdered
On Roadside In Subligna
By PAM PURCELL
A Rome man was found shot
to death Monday night on the
side of the road in Subligna. A
Summerville man has been ar
rested and charged with the
murder.
The dead man was identified
as Billy Gene Gentry, 45, of
Route 5, Alabama Road, Rome.
His body was discovered by a
couple passing by shortly before
dark Monday. According to
pathology reports received by
Coroner Earle Rainwater,
Gentry's death was estimated to
have occurred after midnight
Sunday.
Authorities arrested Henry
John “Fuzz” Fowler, 44, of Route
4, Summerville Wednesday in
connection with the slaying. He
remained lodged in the county jail
Wednesday afternoon under a
$25,000 bond.
Authorities said they arrested
Fowler based on evidence and
witnesses who put him with Gen
try between 1 and 2 a.m. Monday,
just prior to the shooting. One in
vestigator said Fowler’s “contact
with the murder weapon” lead to
his arrest. The investigator, GBI
agent Lewis Evans, declined to
elaborate.
Gentry had been shot three
times in the right side, Coroner
Rainwater said. The bullets went
through Gentry’s chest area with
one bullet exiting through the left
side, one through the back and
one remaining in the body. Gen
try was found lying on his right
side with his face down, reports
said. The body had powder marks
on it indicating he was shot at
close range, said reports. The
gun's model and type were not
revealed.
Gentry was found on the far
side of a guard rail in a grassy
area. He was not wearing a shirt
or shoes. His shirt and shoes,
An Important
Notice To
Our Subscribers
Subscribers should check
their address label on this
week’s issue of The Summer
ville News.
If the numbers are
“8-79,” this will be the last
issue you will receive unless
you renew by next Wednes
day.
The price for one year in
Chattooga County is $6.70.
Prices for subscriptions out
of-the-county will be provid
ed upon requesting by call
ing 857-2494.
To Be Honored
Druggists. McGinnis also served
as Mayor of Summerville from
January 1944 until January 1946,
during this time terms were for
only two years.
The bond program has an
nounced that Henry S. Watson,
president of the Farmers and
Merchants Bank in Summerville,
has accepted the position of
volunteer bonds chairman for the
county replacing McGinnis.
In announcing Watson’s ap
pointment, Honorary Chairman
of the Board and Director Grant
G. Simmons Jr. remarked that
"his wide business experience and
active participation in communi
ty affairs will be most valuable in
his volunteer position as Chat
tooga County Chairman, especial
ly in these times when the Sav
ings Bonds Program takes on in
creasing importance in helping to
resulted in more work for less
pay. He explained that’lß months
ago company officials became
concerned that the Riegel warp
doffing operations were allowing
too much personal on-the-job
time for warp doffers, which was
not cost efficient. The
changeover, he said, resulted in
less personal time allowances on
the-job, but he said doffers who
work diligently would be working
more for more pay.
Floyd Davenport Jr., one of
the protesting doffers, said Fri
day his group would be willing to
return to work under the new pay
system "if it will average out to
what we were making before.”
"We feel that the rate system
is a fair and reasonable one,”
Peek said in an open letter
printed in yesterday’s issue of the
Trion Facts, the company
newspaper. “It is based upon
industry-wide averages and
verified by an independent, out-
however, were found placed neat
ly on the opposite side of the
guard rail near the road, said
reports.
No identification or billfold
was found on Gentry’s body. His
pockets, reports said, contained a
$1 bill, some change, a knife and
some keys. Gentry was found
clutching his watch in his hand
with the band between the
knuckle and first joint, reports
said.
Law enforcement officers
! found Gentry’s 1973 Chevrolet
Caprice some 1,500 feet beyond
his body heading north, but on
the southbound side of the road.
The keys were not in the car, and
blood stains were found on the
driver's side and door. The left
front tire on the car was flat. The
car’s ashtray was found lying on
the floorboard on the driver’s side
with the contents of ashes and
cigarette butts scattered on the
floor.
Officers said they believe Gen
try was shot while driving before
losing control of his vehicle and
running into the guard rail
repeatedly. The car was then
stopped some 635 feet from where
it first ran into the guard rail, of
ficers believe, and Gentry was
removed from the car by his
assailant and put on the far side
of the guard rail. The assailant
then started to drive the car off,
Bloodmobile Coming
The American Red Cross
Bloodmobile will be in Summer
ville Friday at the Summerville
Recreation Center and county
residents are urged to participate
in the program, said Billy M.
Gilbert, blood drive chairperson.
The hours of the community
wide drive are from 12:30 p.m. un
til 5:30 p.m. and 75 pints of
donated blood are needed to make
it a successful drive, Gilbert add
ed.
Gilbert said, “The blood sup
plies are now below normal
operating level, and the Red
Cross is depending on this drive
to help meet hospital needs
throughout the region."
The American Red Cross
Blood Service in the Atlanta
Region must collect 750 units of
volunteer donated blood each
weekday to meet the needs of 115
hospitals in 64 Georgia counties.
All blood types, according to
Gilbert, are needed and almost
everyone who is healthy, between
the ages of 17 and 65, and weighs
at least 110 pounds is eligible to
donate.
keep our nation economically
strong and secure.”
As Chattooga County Chair
man, Watson will work with other
community leaders in a year
round awareness program to en
courage increased purchases of
(J. S. Savings Bonds through the
Payroll Savings Plan and through
local financial institutions
throughout the county—such as
Bond-A-Month and over the
counter purchases.
Watson is active in the Chat
tooga County Chamber of Com
merce where he is President. He is
also on the Board of Directors for
the Chattooga County Library.
He graduated from Berry College
in Rome.
Watson was born in
Wrightsville and has resided in
Summerville for the past three
years.
side engineering firm which has
particular experience in textiles.
We do not intend to return to our
former system."
Riegel’s management moved
quickly to fill its vacancies in the
warp doffing operation following
the work stoppage. A combina
tion of experienced management
employees, former retired doffers,
trainees and some new doffers
were pressed into action, Peek
said. In recent days the employ
ment office has stayed busy hir
ing replacements, he noted.
No production loss came
about resulting from the work
stoppage, Peek noted.
“We cannot allow the actions
of a dozen or so persons to
perhaps affect the job security of
over 2,500 Riegel employees,”
Peek said in the open letter. “In
order to continue to operate our
plant, we have hired a number of
permanent replacements into the
jobs of warp doffers.”
officers believe, but found it had a
flat tire and left it at the intersec
tion of the Subligna-LaFayette
Road and the Narrows Road,
some distance from the body.
The incident is still under in
vestigation by sheriff’s depart
ment deputies and the Georgia
Bureau of Investigation. Officers
said they believe more arrests will
follow later.
No possible motive was reveal
ed by law enforcement officers.
Funeral services were schedul
ed to be held for Gentry today at
Erwin-Petitt Funeral Home at 2
p.m.
Survivors include his wife,
Mrs. Nancy Gentry of Rome; one
daughter, Alisa Gentry of Rome;
« ; on, Richard Dale Gentry of
’ Rome; his mother, Mrs. Daisy
Walker Gentry of Trion; five
sisters, Mrs. Julia Howell, Mrs.
Doris Bryan, Mrs. Edna
Reynolds, Mrs. Patty Rhinehart,
all of Trion, and Mrs. Jane
Tothrow of Summerville; one
brother, Claude “Bo Bo" Gentry
of Summerville; and nieces and
nephews.
LODGE TO MEET
Trion Lodge No. 160 F&AM
will meet Saturday night at 7:30.
All members and master
masons are invited to attend.
The entire five-step donation
process from registration
through canteen refreshments
usually takes less than an hour,
said Gilbert.
Businesses, groups or in
dividuals interested in par
ticipating in this blood drive can
call Gilbert at 734-7311 for more
information.
German Student Is Kicker For CHS
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Indians' New Kicker
Norbert Heigl, an exchange student from Germany, is
a place kicker for the Chattooga Indians this season.
Amazingly Heigl had never touched a football up until
some three weeks ago. He is living with the O. G.
Morehead family in Summerville during his year in
America.
Picket Line At Riegel
A picket line went up Friday across from
Riegel made up of protesting warp dof
fers and supporters. By yesterday,
Police Chief Resigns;
Arlen Thomas Named
To Post Temporarily
Summerville Police Chief
Granville H. “Bud” Gilley resign
ed from the police force Friday
and Lt. Arlen Thomas has been
appointed to serve as acting chief.
Gilley, who served as chief for
20 months, said he resigned from
the department because of per
sonal and family reasons.
“I am glad to leave with
mutual agreement among the of
ficers, city officials and myself,”
said Gilley Friday after turning in
his uniforms and accessories. “I
sadly aepa^t this department. I
have had great support from the
men and what I have accomplish
ed during these past 20 months
wouldn’t have been possible
without them.”
Gilley became chief on Jan. 2,
1978, following the death of Chief
Clarence Starkey on Dec. 3, 1977.
Before being appointed as chief,
Gilley served on the department
as a patrolman.
Thomas was presented with
the chief’s badge during a brief
ceremony Friday at the police
department.
“I accept this appointment
with great pleasure," Thomas
said shortly after becoming chief.
“I hope to continue with the
policies and fine job done by Chief
Gilley. During the time I will
serve as chief I will try to perform
the duties to the best of my abili
ty. I will always be available to
discuss any problems concerning
the department with the citizens
of Summerville.”
Thomas has been with the
police department for almost six
years. He is a certified officer,
graduating from Georgia Police
Academy and a 40-hour intox-
(Continued On Page 3)
1 however, the group ot pickets had
dwindled to less than a dozen.
Ouch! That Hurts!
That’s what Arlen Thomas (R) seems to be saying as
outgoing Police Chief Bud Gilley pinned the chief's
badge on Thomas Friday. Thomas will be serving as
acting chief for 30 days until a permanent appointment
is made by Mayor Sewell Cash.
By PAM PURCELL
The Chattooga High School
Indians' place kicker can kick a
football 45 yards for a perfect
field goal. That may not be so
unusual, but consider this: the
player never touched a pigskin up
until some three weeks ago.
In fact, Norbert Heigl, a
16-year-old exchange student
from Taufkirchen, Germany, now
playing with CHS, had previously
only watched two football games,
both Super Bowls on television.
The story behind Heigl's first
contact with a football and how
he later became a kicker for the
Chattooga Indians is an unusual
one.
When the O. G. Morehead
family of 100 Melrose Lane in
Summerville learned they would
be having an exchange student
from Germany living with them
for the next year, Mrs. Peggy
Morehead wrote to him. She told
him about the area, its people, the
high school, and his new
“family."
When Heigl received the letter
he didn't quite understand the
part about him and his new fami
ly going to football games (and
his new “father” announcing the
plays); he thought it would be a
professional game. An American
exchange student who was stay
ing with Heigl for the summer ex
plained that he thought it would
only be a high school game. Heigl
joked with the American and
said, “I think I play in that
game." Ironically, the joke would
be true—almost.
Heigl arrived in Summerville
Thursday, Aug. 16. The following
day Mrs. Morehead contacted
PRICE 20c
Coach Ron Williams to check if
there was a track team or some
type sport Heigl could participate
in this fall, as he was very active
in sports in Germany. Heigl and
Mrs. Morehead went to the
stadium and talked with Coach
Williams the next day. Coach
Williams explained that the
school doesn't have a track team.
However, after learning Heigl
had been a soccer player for the
past five years, Coach Williams
asked him if he’d like to try out
for football. Heigl returned to the
stadium that night for the "fami
ly game"—a pre-season scrim
mage. Heigl got his first chance
to handle a football and kicked his
first field goal, a perfect 40-yard
try. After that the coach told him
he was on the team and would be
playing season opener on Aug. 24.
Heigl dressed out for the open
ing game against Lakeshore but
as luck would have it he was not
called in during the game, due to
the fact the team never got close
enough for a field goal. Heigl,
however, did play in last week's
game against Coosa.
“It was great. I was so sur
prised to play," commented Heigl
about the two games. "I really en
joyed it. I still can't believe I
played.”
Heigl, who lives near Munich,
is visiting the United States by
participating in the Youth For
Understanding Program. He will
live with the Moreheads for the
next 11 months.
“I want to learn the American
life style," said Heigl as he mun
ched on a local fast-food ham
burger. "I want to live as an
(Continued On Page 3)