The Cincinnati Enquirer from Cincinnati, Ohio • Page 22

THE CINCINNATI ENQUIRER Tuesday, April 19, 1977 be Deaths Most Here Ready Virgil P. McGriff To Curb Energy Virgil P. McGriff, 67, Kenwood, died Sunday at Christ Hospital. He was a roofer for Harry F. Fahnle Co.

for 24 years. He was a past vice president and trustee of the United Slate, Tile Composition Roofers, Damp and Waterproof Workers AFL-CIO, past master of the Linwood Lodge No. 567 past president of the First Masonic District Officers Association, a member of the Scottish Rite, the "Hanselmann Commandery Knights Templar, Syrian Shrine, Valley Star Junior Order and an honorary member of the Wayfarer Degree Team. Mr. McGriff is survived by his wife, Ruby Young McGriff.

Elden A. Good Funeral Home is in charge. Henry G. Motz Henry G. Motz, 83, 6927 Bramble Madisonville, died Saturday at Woodside Nursing Home.

He was a retired stock and bonds salesman. Mr. Motz1 is survived by his wife, four sisters, Mrs. Marcella Feldman, Mrs. Helen Cramer, Mrs.

Minnie Muench and Mrs. Bernadette Schneider, and five grandchildren. Nurre Brothers Funeral Home is in charge. By JIM GREENFIELD Enquirer Reporter Most Greater Cincinnatians contacted by The Enquirer Monday said believe President Carter's contention that we are facing a serious energy crisis, and they are willing to make the personal sacrifices the President requested to combat it. But if Carter proposes higher gasoline taxes and a penalty tax on gas-guzzling autos when he unveils his specific energy conservation plans to Congress Wednesday night, he will not receive a favorable response from some residents here.

MORE THAN half the people contacted by The Enquirer did not even watch the President's speech. But among those who did, three of every four agreed with Carter about the gravity of the energy situation. But William Kramer of 15 Tower Place, Ft. Mitchell, did not believe the energy crisis is serious. "If we would have used coal from the very beginning the way it was supposed to be, we wouldn't have this problem with oil," Kramer said.

He blames environmentalists 22 Prosecution Witnesses Laud Defendant Gary Neville -By DENNIS CUSICK Enquirer Reporter It could have been a retirement dinner instead of a criminal trial Monday, so nice were the tion witnesses to the defendant, former Cincinnati police captain Gary Neville. The 22 witnesses who testified Monday (20 of them police officers) included men Neville had supervised, his former colleagues and an Hearings Set For Officials In Police Case Pretrial conferences were set Monday for four top Cincinnati civilian and police officials accused by an officer of arranging Civil Service examinations to his disadvantage. Most of the conferences were scheduled before judges, a procedure described by a spokesman in the Hamilton County Court assignment commissioner's office as "highly unusu- Jerry Jung, attorney for the four defendants in court Monday, declined to explain why he separated the pretrial hearings. Specialist Donald Tomblin of District Two filed the charges March 18 against Safety Director Richard Castellini, City Personnel Director William Clark, Police Lt. Col.

Stanley Grothaus and Capt. Jeffrey Butler. THOSE DEFENDANTS pleaded innocent Monday at arraignment before Judge Robert Blackmore. A fifth defendant, Carl V. Goodin, former police chief, had entered a written plea of innocence.

He is the only one so far to have requested a jury trial; no date has been set for the trial. Tomblin has claimed the list he headed for promotion to sergeant expired because of deliberate delays in administering promotional examinations for a captain and an assistant chief. Castellini's pretrial conferences include one at 1 p.m. Friday before Judge Donald Schott on a charge of dereliction of duty and using a city car which doesn't bear a city coat of arms and equipment number. Another conference for a similar count is to be 12:30 p.m.

April 29 be-fore Judge Maurice Niehaus. A third conference on another dereliction of duty charge is to be 8:30 a.m. May 6 before Judge John Ranz. Pretrial hearings for Clark will be 12:30 p.m. April 25 before Judge Thomas Crush on a charge of dereliction of duty, and 8:40 a.m.

the next day before Judge John O'Connor on a second similar count. GOODIN'S HEARING on a charge of complicity will be noon Wednesday before Judge William McClain, who also will preside at pretrial hearings for Grothaus and Butler on a like charge at 8:30 a.m. April 25. The assignment commissioner's office spokesman said that after the pretrial hearings the city prosecutor could make a motion to rejoin all the cases for trial. No Agreement Reached Between WLWT, Union Negotiators for WLWT and the union on strike against the compa-ny met Monday with a federal mediator, reached no agreement and scheduled another meeting for Thursday.

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), representing engineers, photographers, editors and prop directors, struck the station April 4 over jurisdiction and wages. The station has continued to operate using supervisory and other personnel. More than 50 union members were involved in the strike. who oppose the burning of highsulfur coal. We need environmental protection, Kramer said, "but we still have to be practical.

People are freezing to death when it's 25 below." "I just don't think there is (a crisis)," agreed Ralph Tate of 23 U.S. Grant Lane, West Chester. "There probably is an energy shortage, but I don't think it's that serious." MR. CARTER'S approach to the problem, emphasizing personal sacrifice to bring about conservation of energy, won the approval of most residents contacted. Again, three persons in four said they would be willing to make personal sacrifices.

Kramer, who is unwilling to sacrifice in this case, decided Mr. Carter's plan is "all political. He's holding certain items over the Conin order to get his own situation approved." Ben L. Johnson of 6989 Gammwell Drive, Mt. Washington, who worked for an oil company for 10 years, would be opposed if Mr.

Carter suggests higher gasoline taxes and a penalty tax on gas-guzzlers. "I don't feel like the solution should a tax, a negative," he said. "The government caused the crisis and should not profit by it." He said government regulation of the oil industry was responsible for the crisis. THREE PEOPLE in four said they don't want to pay more for gas, and more than half didn't like the idea of taxing big cars. "I don't think those cars belong on the road anymore," said Mrs.

Donald Schwaller River Cincinnati. "There's a lot of heavy traffic on the road, and you need a big, powerful car." "I can't see taxing people because they can afford a bigger car," said Mrs. H.R. Decker of 3550 Edwards Cincinnati. If those taxes are enacted Congress, "I'd stop driving," Sam Margolis of 7826 Newbedford Cincinnati.

Mrs. Richard Hardesty of Sherman Ft. Thomas, offered her solution: "I think I'll buy horse." RENU Force Seizes 106 Pots Of 'Pot' Two young men were arrested and 106 marijuana plants were seized in a raid of a Roselawn apartment early Monday by members of the Regional Enforcement Narcotics Unit, officers said. Stephen Lee Banks, 20, and Delbert Wayne Wilkey, 19, each charged with cultivation of a controlled substance, were granted a continuance of arraignment to May 3 by Hamilton County Criminal Court Judge Robert Blackmore. Shotgun Shatters Night's Quiet, Car Window THE REV.

Willie Lee Porter, 2319 Concord, views the bullet hole in his car window left by would-be robber toting a revolver Monday night. The incident occurred about 10:30 p.m. in the parking lot of the Kroger store, 2520 Gilbert Peebles Corner. The would-be robber ordered the Rev. Mr.

Porter to turn over his money, but when he made a move, the suspect fled, he said. The Rev. Mr. Porter said the suspect turned as he ran through the lot and fired a shot into the car window. Police Monday night were seeking a male black in his 20s, 5 feet 11 inches, 140 pounds and armed with a revolver.

Container Admitted Evidence Goes Down Drain by said By DENNIS CUSICK Enquirer Reporter 195 Prosecution Exhibit No. 13 in the voluntary manslaughter trial of a Chester Jimmy Swain is a small bottle, empty except for a label which identifies it. The bottle was brought to court Monday morning by Spec. Ralph Gramke, a Cincinnati policeman assigned to the Hamilton County Coroner's Office as a firearms expert. Gramke got the bottle from Deputy Coroner Paul Jolly, who had placed in it two shotgun pellets extracted from the body of Jimmy Abrams during an autopsy last November.

IN HIS haste to get to the Hamilton County Courthouse to testify Monday morning, Gramke dropped the bottle as he crossed Main Street. The lid popped off and the pellets "rolled into the gutter," Gramke testified. Hence, an empty bottle, about Soul Food It's Greens, Ribs, Chops, Pigs Feet, Black-Eyed Peas at Alex's Honey Cooking House -Enquirer (Bob Lynn) Photo Food Is Just One Attraction proprietor and diner William Jones exchange pleasantries -Enquirer (Tom Hubbard) Photo officer who said Neville was his first partner. BESIDES THEIR agreement that Neville was a "fine police officer," the witnesses' testimony had one thing in common: none of them received money from Neville to pay informants, although District Three records indicate that they did. Neville's trial on a felony charge of theft in office entered its third week Monday in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court.

Sgt. Paul Guthrie, the field commander of Regional Enforcement Narcotics Unit (RENU), testified he received no help at all from Neville in arresting two people for possession of marijuana and paraphernalia September 1, 1974, contrary to the district's records. LATER, A former RENU agent, Robert Weldinger, said he arrested two men January 22, 1975, for possessing a pound of marijuana because of a tip from an informant paid with federal money. District records introduced in the trial indicate that money paid to an informant from local funds led to the arrest. cross- -examination, Weidinger agreed that Neville had an excellent "network of informants" and was responsible for the largest seizure of LSD (a potato chip can full of hallucinogenic tablets) made by RENU to that date.

the size of a shot glass, was entered into evidence. "I'll go look for them (the pellets) if you like," Gramke offered. No one pursued the matter. IN OPENING statements Monday, Swain's attorney conceded the 21-year-old was holding the 12- guage shotgun when it fired at 2 a.m. November 7, fatally wounding Abrams.

However, he disputed the prosecution's contention that Swain intended to fire the gun or kill Abrams. Abrams, a father and a former Marine, was a security guard at the King Kwik store, 977 Hawthorne Price Hill. The store is just across Warsaw Avenue from the apartment of Swain's estranged wife, Diann, 3100 Warsaw Ave. ABRAMS WAS shot to death as he the stairway leading to the second Swain apartment. After the shooting, Spec.

Norman Faulconer went to the apartment from District Three police By WILLIAM A. WEATHERS Enquirer Reporter Walk in Alex's Honey Cooking House on any given day and you likely will be greeted by the sound of soul music, the aroma of collard greens cooking and a big smile and hearty hello from Alex. "Hi, how are you doing Rev. Moore?" Alex said when he spotted one of his restaurant's regular customers. "Grace, I didn't get a chance to say much to you," he said almost apologetically as another of his regulars finished her meal and prepared to leave.

THE NAPKIN of a first-time customer fell from his lap to the floor. Within seconds Alex was there another. "Ninety percent of the people that come in here we know," said the 45-year-old restaurant owner. "We have a repeat crowd. The average customers come in here three times a week.

Some I see every day." Diners who frequent the restaurant at 3120 Reading Rd. select from a menu which includes smothered pork chops, barbecued spare ribs, pigs' feet, short ribs of beef, blackeyed peas, pinto beans, cabbage, mixed greens, northern beans and corn bread. A good meal for some soul food first Alex suggests short ribs, collard greens, macaroni and cheese and corn bread. "If they really want to get down, I'd say pigs' feet and pinto beans." ALEX, WHOSE real name is Jeronical Alexander Tyler, is the proprietor of one of the few authentic "soul food" restaurants in Greater Cincinnati. Alex's Honey Cooking House has no particular significance as the restaurant's name, except that it has a catchier ring to it than plain old Alex's Restaurant sounded so The atmosphere in the restaurant is as homey as the food.

The waitresses wear jeans, and the diners sport anything from threepiece suits to shorts and T-shirts. Operating a soul food restaurant is somewhat different from operating one of the fast-food restaurants that now are proliferating around the country, Alex said. "You have to be there to supervise," Alex said. "I'm here every day most of the time." With the prices he charges for meals (the average meal costs $3), station, about a block away. When he got there, Faulconer testified Monday, Chester Jimmy Swain was crying, holding his hands to his head and "saying, 'I shot him! I shot The prosecution's case continues today.

Decomposed Body Found On River Bank The badly decomposed body of an unidentified man was found on the bank of the Ohio River, about 10 feet from the water's edge at 3117 Southside Riverside, at 1 p.m. Monday, police reported. It was found by Mike Deltsch, 29, 4131 Francis Price Hill, who was going fishing, police said. The body was clad in blue jeans and black boots. Age, race or other distinguishing features could not be determined because of the advanced decomposition.

Greater Cincinnatians Alex said he can't afford a manager. He has to be there to see the fresh meat is purchased every day, that the correct portions are given out and that all the dishes are seasoned correctly, Alex said. ANYBODY CAN learn to cook a hamburger in a little while, he said. But "you can't take anyone out of the street and teach them to cook cabbage, greens, When I lose a cook I have a major problem." His present cook, however, is pretty reliable. "My mother does the cooking." One soul dish missing from Honey Cooking House's menu is chitterlings.

Alex said this dish has become so expensive, that a decentsized serving would be out of the price range of most of his customers. The same thing has happened to other soul food dishes, Alex said. "Soul food used to be considered cheap food." Now neck bones, oxtails, kidneys and livers cost a pretty penny, he said. "They used to give them away," the Bond Hill resident said of spare ribs. ALEX GOT his first professional cooking experience when he worked two years for bakery in his native Savannah, Ga.

Looking for better job opportunities, Alex and his wife, Columbia, headed north. They stopin New York and Michigan before settling in Cincinnati 24 years ago. He got a job as a cook in Cincinnati Milacron's cafeteria. When he quit to go into business for himself seven years ago he had risen to the position of executive chef -whose duties included preparing meals for Milacron's executives. HIS RESTAURANT "started as a chili-coney island house" with four employees.

With the addition of the soul food, business has increased so much that a wall was knocked out to expand the dining area. Alex now has 16 employees. Alex loves his work, despite its hectic pace. "This is my challenge. I like it.

I like the people.".