The Des Moines Register from Des Moines, Iowa • Page 3

iMom, Mar. 18, 1985 3A REGISTER PHOTO BV DA VIO PETERSON (owan slain in Chicago church lot imtr- 1 riini milium moi, -i imuniiii mr' Krihrnmrntammummmmmmmm Phyllis Hoghes, lay minister and lawyer from Manchester, gestures in prayer at retreat Hitchhiker thumbs ride with teen-agers in trouble Stray rifle shot skips off pond, hits fisherman By TOM ALEX By TOM ALEX A man fishing at a farm pond near Columbia in Marion County was struck in the chest Sunday by a bullet By TOM ALEX and CAROL PITTS ftcQtstvr Staff Writan A history prof essor at Northwestern College in Orange City who was "com-, mitted to justice and peace" was shot and killed Sunday in the parking lot of a south-side Chicago church. Ronald Nelson, 50, was gunned! down in his car after his family attended services at Roseland Christian Ministry Center, where the Rev. Tony Van Zanten is pastor. Also in the car and witnesses to the slaying were Nelson's wife, Mary; their son, Roger, 25; Roger's fiancee; Donna Van Zanten, wife of the church minister, and her son Kent 17- "He died in his wife's lap," said Don Lindskoog, professor of psychology at; Northwestern College and a close, friend of Nelson's.

Chicago police said the Nelsons and Van Zantens were in the car discuss-' ing dinner plans when a gunman walk-: ed up and demanded money. Chicago police Sgt John Manos said the gunman told Nelson, "I don't think you're giving me all the money," and shot him in the side. "He was pronounced dead at the Roseland Hospital nearby." "All of them handed over their wallets and purses," said Manos, but the robber apparently was not satisfied, The slaying stunned residents of Orange City. "We're pretty numb here. We're grieving around here," Jerry Sittser, a chaplain at Northwestern College, said Sunday night "A lot of tears have been shed tonight." Nelson "was a man devoted to truth.

A man consumed by the cause of peace and justice. He was a victim of the thing be was committed to change," said Sittser. "He was a fine and honorable man. He had a true and pure heart. He sought truth with an open mind and full heart He had a deep and abiding Christian faith." Ronald and Mary Nelson went to Chicago for the weekend to meet their son's fiancee, whose first name is Sandy, and the pastors and members of the inner-city church where Roger Nelson was an intern last year, said the Rev.

Emmett Harrison, youth pastor at the church. Roger Nelson is completing his seminary work in Michigan. "Ron was proud of his son being committed to the inner city," said Sittser. "He did it as an intern, and he planned to return" to such a church. "It's all so ironic." Authorities said the shooting occurred about 2 p.m.

Sunday as the Nelsons were leaving the church. Chicago police said they have assigned nine detectives to the case. "When I got there Mr. Nelson was slumped over in his automobile, apparently unconscious," Harrison said. "The gunman ran away after the shooting." Police described the suspect as a black man about 30 years old, 6 feet 1 inch tall, weighing about 170 pounds, with a medium complexion and a light beard.

Lindskoog said Nelson has been at Northwestern since the early 1970s- Rsfltstw Staff WrUw A hitchhiker from Des Moines hit a snag just south of Osceola Sunday when two Iowa State Patrol troopers stopped the car in which he was riding. Robert Lee Shephard, 35, who was on his way to Oklahoma, was innocent of any wrongdoing and was allowed to continue thumbing his way south. But the two teen-agers in the car were in trouble. The 16-year-old driver was wanted in Minnesota for driving his grandfather's car without permission, and a 17-year-old passenger was wanted on a Texas warrant for drug-related charges, officials said. And there was the matter of failing 9U DES MOINES that skipped across the water, authorities said.

Gary Shives of Melcher was taken ColumbU Iowa farmers cool anger, bitterness at church retreats By SHERRY RICCHIARDI Mritter Mall Writer STRAWBERRY POINT, IA, It was farmers' rally of a different sort. There were no protest signs, slogans or miniature crosses. There was more talk of forgiveness than of foreclosures and cash flow. The fanners, many still in denim jackets and work boots from morning chores, marched to a church altar here and set afire slips of paper on which they had written the names of people perceived to be "adversaries." Maybe it was a banker who refused a loan, an auctioneer who sifted through treasured belongings, a neighbor who gossiped behind their backs. Maybe it was an implement dealer who left them humiliated when he demanded cash.

i One by one, the flaming papers were deposited in a foil-wrapped coffee can. i Some of the men and their wives wiped tears from their eyes, others held hands And prayed as the smoke coiled toward the heavens. The ceremony, designed to stem the tide of bitterness, began with a chorus of Amazing Grace." "This is an attempt to delve into the spiritual dimensions of suffering and loss (hat many Iowa farmers are experiencing today," said the Rev. Norm White, rural life director for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dubuque. Turn to Prayer Many of those present Tuesday at St Mary's Catholic Church in Strawberry Point already had turned to political protests and rallies.

They already had peti-; tioned congressmen and begged lenders for another chance. Now, at a one-day religious retreat, they turned to prayer. "Burning those papers is symbolic of throwing the fear, guilt, bitterness and anger over their shoulders," White explained. "It's a way of forgiving people they feel are coming down hardest on them. It's a kind of reconciliation." White stood at the pulpit stroking an autoharp and preaching to the audience of 60 who sat in the pews before him.

"The dying has taken place, now we must have a resurrection," he told them. "We must sow the seeds of healing. We must find a way to renew our Joy in living." In the past 12 months, 15 such retreats have taken place in the Archdiocese of Dubuque, drawing about 1,500 participants, White said. They have been held in recreation centers, town halls, schools and churches. One set for Friday in Jesup will be held in a bank.

Retreats have been held in Fillmore, where a record 125 attended. They have been held in towns like New Vienna, Belmond, Winthrop, Tama and Oxford Junction. Others are set this spring for West Union, Osage and Cresco. Search for Ray of Hope "We've been having around one a week because the need is so great," White said. "In the morning, wa talk about the acnes, pains and agony.

In the afternoon, we move to a message of spiritual renewal These people don't come to gripe all day. They come searching for a ray of hope." Last week's retreat was sponsored by St. Mary's parish and the Stannont Ministerial Association. Among those present Tuesday were Linda and Jim Markham of Holy Cross, named Iowa's most promising young farmers in 1976. Today, the Markhams are in debt and locked in a legal battle to keep their land.

The banquets and laudatory speeches are bittersweet memories, Linda Markham said. "I've taken the plaques off the wall and hidden them in a drawer," she said. "I really can't stand to look at them after all we've lost, after all we've been through. But, I won't throw them away. Maybe we can look at them again someday when all the hurt goes away." The Markhams, like hundreds of other Iowa farmers, were trapped by low prices for the crops they produced and the high interest rates for the money they borrowed to expand their farming operation.

"We were told we over-expanded, and we are guilty of that in a sense," Jim Markham told the audience during the afternoon session. "Then again, I had partners in what I did: Somebody lent me the money, somebody advised me to go ahead." Out in the Open He added: "When this first hit, people shied away from me. I'd walk into a cafe in town and it would get real quiet I felt they were talking about me. At least it's out in the open now." His wife talked of the depression, anger and tears: "I felt so alone. I felt no one understood I couldn't do my housework.

I slept a lot I lost 25 pounds in five weeks. Nothing mattered any more I felt the world would be better off without me. I wondered what good could come of such despair." She added: "But we are coping together. We felt a need to become spiritually, politically and emotionally involved." Also attending was Betty Meisgeier whose husband, Kenneth, hanged himself from the rafters of a machine shed on July 31 the deadline the bank had set for a decision regarding his ballooning debts. "Kenneth felt all alone in this.

The lenders made him feel like a failure. The farm management specialists said, 'We'll help But they advised us to sell," said Meisgeier, who lives on a dairy and hog farm northeast of Arlington. Her son, Brian, added: "My dad was a quiet man who never wanted trouble. He put the farm up for sale to get mom away from the stress. She was crying every day.

Once he said to me, 'I wish I could We lost 32 head of cattle to a disease, the milk production was cut in half. Everything was piling up; everybody was threatening to sue. "At first I was bitter. But, you can't live that way. It tears you apart," Brian Meisgeier said.

Legal Counseling At the evening session, legal counseling was provided. So was information on how to organize farm protests. Many of those present wore green and white buttons that read, "Save the Family Farm." Amid the prayers and hymns, there was talk of crop loans, cash subsidies and plunging land prices. And there were fearful predictions of giant corporations taking control of Iowa's farmland. "These farmers have had self-esteem sapped from them," said Phyllis Hughes, a lay minister and lawyer from Manchester who organized the retreats.

fThey've been told they were greedy and this is all their fault "But they had plenty of bad advice from farming experts," she added. "They were told farming is big business. They were urged to expand. I've had desper ate fanners knock on my door at 3 a.m. I receive at least a dozen calls a day from worried people." to pay for gasoline at the Osceola Casey's store.

Shortly after Osceola police put a bulletin out on the theft of gasoline about 10:30 a.m. Sunday, troopers Kirk Lundgren and George Thompson spotted the southbound Chevrolet on Interstate 35 about four miles south of Osceola. They stopped the vehicle a couple of miles farther south, and the two teen-agers gave up without resistance. Shephard also was taken to Osceola for questioning and was released. The two teen-agers were being held Sunday afternoon at the Clarke County Jail.

Osceola Police Lt. Robert Grune took charge of the case. Thompson said Shephard either had landed a job in Oklahoma or was looking for work there. Shephard could not be reached for comment on Sunday as he most likely was on the interstate system south of Iowa a few hours behind schedule. Police enforce ban on off-track hotting services Thieves take wheel from Criner van Iowa State Football Coach Jim Criner found his GMC van minus a wheel and tire at the Des Moines International Airpon when he returned from an out-of-town trip Sunday night, authorities said.

Criner had parked the van in an airport lot Thursday and upon returning about 10 p.m. Sunday the coach discovered thieves had removed the right front tire and a customized wheel, police said. Criner put a spare tire and wheel on the vehicle and called police. The value of the stolen items had not been determined Sunday night, investigators said. to Knoxville Community Hospital and then was transferred by helicopter to Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines.

A hospital spokeswoman said Sunday night Shives was in fair condition. The teen-ager who pulled the trigger on the rifle was not aware of fishermen in the area, investigators said. Marion County Sheriff Marvin Van Haaf ten said the shooting was accidental and the 18-year-old who fired the shot, Don Witzenburg of Knoxville, "feels very bad about Shives, 33, was hit in the right side of the chest about 3 p.m. Sunday while fishing with his cousin, Brian Shives, 32, at a pond at the Donald DeMoss farm. The men were on opposite sides of the pond at the time of the accident Van Haaf ten said Witzenburg "was just out shooting and apparently he decided to shoot" in the direction of the pond.

'The sun was quite bright, he told us, and I'm sure it would have been glaring off the water at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. And fishermen do stand very still while they're fishing. "His story makes sense," Van Haaf-ten said. "It was a very unfortunate accident" Van Haaf ten said no weapons charges were filed Sunday, but the case remains under investigation. "Witzenburg was very responsible after it happened," Van Haaften said.

"He rushed right over there and got with them to see what he could do." Brian Shives drove his cousin to the Knoxville hospital, where Gary Shives was treated before he was flown to Des Moines. Buena Vista gives preps early chance at college Th RtfMMr'i towt Hws Sarvte STORM LAKE, IA. A cooperative educational program for talented and gifted high school juniors and seniors has been established by local school systems and Buena Vista College here. Sandra Madsen, associate dean at the college, said, "The students will be able to test their ability to handle college-level work." OMAHA, NEB. (AP) Police will begin enforcing a ban on off-track betting messenger services today as a re-suit of a judge's decision not to block a 1984 state law that says the services are illegal, Assistant City Prosecutor Richard Jones said, Douglas County District Judge John Clark on Friday declined to issue a temporary injunction against city and state officials that would have prevented them from enforcing the off-track betting messenger service law.

The injunction had been sought by lawyers for individual bettors and about 20 messenger services. also said two temporary restraining orders he granted Feb. 21 at the request of lawyers for individual bettors and about 20 messenger services will be dissolved today. Richard Bruckner and Anthony Troia, who represent individual bettors and messenger services, filed suit last month against state Attorney General Robert Spire, Douglas County Attorney Donald Knowles, Douglas County Sheriff Richard Roth and Omaha Police Chief Robert Wadman. The lawsuits asked that the state law banning off-track betting be declared unconstitutional In his ruling, Clark said, "The Nebraska Supreme Court has ruled that activities such as that of the plaintiffs are so intertwined with gambling that the Legislature may properly determine, and has determined, that such activities constitute a danger to the morals or general welfare of the people and thus may be prohibited." Deafening Kiss delights sellout crowd at Vets By BOB SHAW REGISTER PHOTO BV LARRY E.

NEIBERGALL r' 1 III ill rr- 1 Milter SMI Writer If volume were musical talent, Kiss would be the Beatles. But it ain't, and Kiss ain't Yet the band that broke its first eardrums in unforgettable black-and-white monster costumes 11 years ago still performs all functions of rock 'n' roll showmanship superbly. Sigh. If they would only do someone else's songs. That is not too say the show at Vets Auditorium Sunday wasn't spectacular.

Without the legendary face makeup, and without two original band members, the four heavy-metal gladiators thundered and roared to the delight of a sellout crowd, thirsty for rock n' roll after a long, dry winter without any Des Moines concerts. "They're hellish, man," said Erick Reints, a Johnston High School senior. "Too loud? No, it's not loud enough." Gene Simmons, the bassist with the tongue the size of a banana, was decked out in what looked like studded dog collars and pieces of car bumpers. Paul Stanley, guitarist-vocalist, came with about 50 yards of ribbons tied to his pants and arms. The relative newcomers were less conspicuous Eric Carr, who replaced drummer Peter Criss in 1979, and Mark St.

John, who replaced lead guitarist Vinnie Vincent recently. The theatrics consistently upstaged the music. In "Heaven's on Fire," their best all-round musical effort of the night twin 10-foot bursts of flame shot up, giving heat that warmed startled faces SO feet away. There was the venerable 12-foot "Kiss" insignia in light There was an elevator tucked behind the drum set. And there were lights, more than 400 in the independently moving superstructures above the stage.

There were fireworks. The band scampered up into the lights like pi- RE V-I-E-W rates on ship's riggings at one point, playing rock all the way. And Kiss is indeed loud. Standing in the main floor northeast men's rest" room, the volume is about right, al: though still louder than anyone could play a stereo at home. But for a band that brags about how loud it is souvenir shirts say, "If it's too loud, you're too old" Kiss really doesn't use volume well.

From the first note to the final shriek, the volume is consistently deafening. Other heavy-metal masters, such as Led Zeppelin, vary the volume and pace of songs to maximize the effect of the passages that need to be loud enough to knock heads off. But what a show. Incredibly, Vets Auditorium was transformed into a decadent rock hall that only 24 hours before featured the wholesomeness of the Iowa girls basketball finals, a masterpiece of the janitorial arts. "God, we had a crew of 18 men working all night, and the Kiss people came in at 8 this morning," said Roger Newton, manager of the auditorium.

"The same crew is coming back at 3 this morning to get ready for the boys finals basketball practice at 9 a.m." 1', But clearly, Des Moines fans got' their money's worth. Lori Butler, 19-year-old Kiss fan from Indianola, "I like them. They are sexy. And they are not just out to make money. They" like to rock." So Kiss doesn't have to be the Beatles.

It is still a good time. Birthday victim dies of gunshot By TOM SUK RtgUtar Staff Wrttar Curly McGruder, 23, of 1165 Tenth St, died early Sunday after suffering a gunshot wound to the head while attending his birthday party at about 9 p.m. Saturday, authorities said. Witnesses at the party said McGruder found a gun on the dining-room table at 1901 Washington Ave. They reported McGruder said, "Hey, man, look at this," placed the gun to his head and pulled the trigger.

"It was loaded," police Sgt. Richard Jones said. The gun apparently had been placed on the table by the host of the party, whom police would not identify because he is a witness, authorities said. McGruder was taken to Broadlawns Medical Center, where be died at 2:50 a.m., Polk County Medical Examiner R.C. Wooters said.

An autopsy conducted by the state medical examiner, Dr. Thomas Bennett, revealed the fatal shot "was a near contact wound" indicating the barrel of the weapon was very close to the victim's head at the time it was fired, Wooters said. i 'ii" inn ii Jf Krisly Kielly, 2, blows bubbles with her mother, Liz Kielly. They live in Baxter..