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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 13, 1980)
Page 6 THE BATTALION MONDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1960 National Racial tension in Oklahoma Oil tanker burns in Cull C United Press International IDABEL, Okla. — A black man was shot to death and his companion and a white police offic er were wounded Sunday in a gunfight sparked by accusations of arson in a city torn earher this year by racial tensions, officers said. The Highway Patrol said Idabel Police Chief Hobby Denison requested stepped-up assistance from state troopers, although the city of 7,000 nestled in the wooded hills of southeastern Okla homa was reported quiet several hours after the shootings. Gunfire erupted when three white police offic ers attempted to arrest two black men who had exchanged shots with another black man during an argument over the burning of a building. One of the black men, identified as Billy Richards, 28, of Idabel, died in a Texarkana, Ark., hospital about four hours after the shootings. Richards’ companion, Willie Warhop, 26, also was hospitalized in Texarkana and was described as stable after undergoing surgery. Officer Roy Choate, about 55, was admitted to McCurtain County Memorial Hospital in Idabel for observation and was listed in good condition. Choate’s wound was less serious because he wore a protective vest, officials said. Police officials who asked not to be named said several anonymous phone calls threatening the lives of the officers involved in the shooting had been received at the police station. The officers spent most of the day being ques tioned by Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigating agent Steve Smith, who said several more agents were en route to the town. Other high-ranking police officials said officers from the Highway Patrol and local police force were avoiding “colored town,” in hopes of avoid ing racial confrontation. “We’re staying out of there,” one official said. “If they see me and four or five other officers, it’s just going to cause more trouble.” Police said any racial confrontatin would mostly likely occur after sunset. Dozens of officers from three law enforcement agencies were on standby alert from 5 p.m. Sunday to 5 a.m. today. Near the scene of the shooting, residents of the predominately black area spent a normal Sunday. Some were talking with neighbors, young men played basketball and children rode their bicy cles. Religious music could be heard coming from a church next door to the restaurant. A Highway Patrol spokesman said Warhop owned a disco that burned last week and he and Richards went to General Lee’s Bar-B-Q on Idabel’s predominantly black west side and ac cused the establishment’s owner. General Lee Diamond, 50, of burning Warhop’s disco. The three men exchanged several shots, police were called and Choate and two other officers responded, the patrol said. “Warhop and Richards were advised they were under arrest and a gun battle occurred,” the spokesman said. Names of the other two officers involved were not released. It was not determined who fired the shots that killed Richards and wounded Warhop and Choate. Mayor Rex Helms later issued a statement that 15 shots were fired. He said Warhop fired three shots at Choate, Choate fired three shots at Warhop, Richards fired three shots at another officer who fired once at him, and the third officer fired five shots at Warhop and Richards. Helms said Warhop was struck by four bullets, Richards by two and Choate by one. Helms said the gunfight involving the officers began as Choate followed Warhop out of the res taurant. “Warhop pulled a .357 Magnum pistol and fired pointblank into the chest of the officer be hind him,” Helms said. “The wounded officer pulled his revolver and returned fire.” He said Richards pulled a pistol after the initial gunfire. United Press International NEW ORLEANS — A oil tanker carrying a crew of 32 and an esti mated 14.4 million gallons of crude oil caught fire Sunday and burned for several hours in the Gulf of Mexico off the Louisiana coast, the Coast Guard reported. The fire, which started in the en gine room of the 761-foot M.T. Sea Royal, apparently was quickly con trolled or extinguished, Coast Guard spokesman Doug Bandos said. S ati _ a broken glass door at a store in west Idabel, attempted to inves tigate and were fired upon as they and the owner approached the front of the store. He said the owner and officers left, returned later and found that a shotgun, a .38-caliber revolver and several boxes of ammunition had been taken. The crew remained aboard. Coast Guard planes flew to assist the tank er, which was “dead in the water” about 200 miles due south of New Orleans. The ship had been en route to Gal veston, Texas, with a cargo of heavy Bunker C grade oil, Bandos said. A 438-foot tanker, the M.V. Espoir, was diverted to the Sea Royal and three Coast Guard cutters were also dispatched. A Coast Guard C-131 from Florida circled the vessel. Bandos said the fire was reported about noon (CDT) and the Coast Guard lost communications with the ship. But about 3:45 p.m., the Coast Guard Rescue Coordination Center in New Orleans received word that the fire appeared out. “They haven’t entered the engine room yet, but they believe the fire is out,” said Bandos. “They’re going to wait a little before they go in there. “They won’t know for sure until our cutter the Steadfast gets on scene.” Bandos said the engine room was sealed to cut off oxygen for the fire and filled with carbon dioxide, a fire fighting chemical. In another mishap in theCs; crew members from then submersible oil rig Ocean! escaped in survival capsule!; Saturday after a fire broke outt engine room. That fire wasi quickly controlled without inja The Ocean King was locateds 50 miles southeast of Corpus C!p, Texas. Bandos said the Sea Royalm lieved carrying 57,000 tons ol roughly the equivalent of U< lion gallons. NE1 find th ally ill hire, e write, »puter. Will sary to ate a s order t of sciei Arth researc Califor Tankers that are full are safe;: partially full or empty tanken cause the danger of explosion is 5 nished due to a lack of oxygens, holds. Helms said he did not know whether there was any connection between the shootings and the burglary. “Due to the fact that the Idabel police officers were involved, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation was requested to assume full control of the investigation of the shooting incident,” Helms said. The Highway Patrol sent five officers to Idabel to remain on call. Sick man unaware of illness ce, say: come a of this “We able to don’t 1 them,” The change nic ma institu viduals United Press International LOS ANGELES — Richard Hu ber is somewhere on Skid Row, no different from the thousands that fre quent the missions and street cor ners, except this transient has a rare blood disease that could kill him in two weeks and he doesn’t know it. Doctors and administrators at the downtown White Memorial Medical Center put out an urgent appeal Saturday for help in finding Huber, 33, a “fit-looking” white male who walked into the emergency room last Sunday complaining of fever. Huber was examined and released DEC. 13 GRE THERE’S STILL TIME TO PREMRE. Call Days Evenings & Weekends Edacatitml Center TEST MtEPMMTIOH SPECIALISTS SINCE 193* GRE CLASS SCHEDULED TO BEGIN OCTOBER 14. NOW IS THE TIME TO CALL & REGISTER 696-3196 707 Texas Ave. C- 301 College Station 77840 In Dallas: 11617 N. Central Thanks bo you, ib works. Tor all oF us. Unibed Vttay TREASURE HUNTER... Are you one? Then come to HAPPY COTTAGE GIFT SHOPPE for treasures like these: • Accessories • Silk Flowers For Dorm Rooms • Stuffed Animals And Apartments • Plus Much, Much More | 822-9393 809 E. 29th (3 Blocks East of City Nat'l Bank) Bryan • Music Boxes • Miniatures • Fashion Jewelry PLANT SALE BARGAINS GALORE! Exotic Ferns Large Weeping Fig Trees Hanging Baskets Bushy Colorful Pot Plants TOMORROW 8:00 to 4:00 at Rudder Fountain on the promise that he leturair in a few days for the test resik Hospital spokesman Tom Ek said Huber, originally fromS Carohna, is suffering from sub bacterial endocarditis, a bklO(i , ease that attacks the heart wkt “This disease is often fatal ifu ated, ” said Dr. Brian Johnston medical center. “If this man if get medical treatment, he c« dead within two weeks." When doctors realized then condition two days after emergency room visit, Elstroii a telegram was sent to the hole!: her listed as his address, but if checked out without leaving t warding address. “We got a call Friday Union Rescue Mission s&mgtk had been staying there hut 1 gone,” Elstrom said. “TW| sent people out on the streetkt for him.” A record of a California in license listed a San Fraud address. “We contacted the police bull just suggested we contact: media,” Elstrom said. “Theywef very much help.” Huber was described as ah:-, foot-1, weighing approximate!) pounds, with prematurely thiiu brown hair. At the hospital, be wearing a plaid shirt and blue do jacket and jeans, graduates BUILD YOUR FUTURE ON THE NEEDS OF OUR NATION It’s fast becoming cliche to link career opportunities to our nation’s energy needs. Still, the fact remains that we must work harder, faster, and more carefully today to recover the basic products that will give our people heat, light, shelter and mobility. Reed Rock Bit Company is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of oilfield drilling bits. We’ve been hiring graduates like you for a long time now. We know how to help you make the most of your education, and we know how to reward you for a job well done. \ We’d like to talk with students who are preparing to graduate with Mechanical Engineering degrees and are interested in our industry. We can offer you opportunities inTechnical Services Engineering, Field Engineering, Project Work, Research Engineering, or Product Design Engineering. Our representative, Gregg T. Fisher will be on your campus on Friday Oct. 17. If you’d like to arrange for an interview, simply talk with your placement counselor between now and our visit. If you would like to get in touch with us directly, contact Gregg T. 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