Western Carolina University WCU University of North Carolina Asheville UNCA

Southern Appalachian Digital Collections

Western Carolina University (21) View all
University of North Carolina Asheville (6) View all
WCU - Western Carolina University Publications

Western Carolinian Volume 43 Number 17

items 1 of 12 items
  • wcu_publications-8361.jpg
Copyright Download
wcu_publications-8361.jpg

Western Carolinian Volume 43 Number 17

HL_WesternCarolinian_1978-01-19_Vol43_No17_01
Item 2 - Western Carolinian Volume 43 Number 17
wcu_publications-8362.jpg

Western Carolinian Volume 43 Number 17

HL_WesternCarolinian_1978-01-19_Vol43_No17_02
Item 3 - Western Carolinian Volume 43 Number 17
wcu_publications-8363.jpg

Western Carolinian Volume 43 Number 17

HL_WesternCarolinian_1978-01-19_Vol43_No17_03
Item 4 - Western Carolinian Volume 43 Number 17
wcu_publications-8364.jpg

Western Carolinian Volume 43 Number 17

HL_WesternCarolinian_1978-01-19_Vol43_No17_04
Item 5 - Western Carolinian Volume 43 Number 17
wcu_publications-8365.jpg

Western Carolinian Volume 43 Number 17

HL_WesternCarolinian_1978-01-19_Vol43_No17_05
Item 6 - Western Carolinian Volume 43 Number 17
wcu_publications-8366.jpg

Western Carolinian Volume 43 Number 17

HL_WesternCarolinian_1978-01-19_Vol43_No17_06
Item 7 - Western Carolinian Volume 43 Number 17
wcu_publications-8367.jpg

Western Carolinian Volume 43 Number 17

HL_WesternCarolinian_1978-01-19_Vol43_No17_07
Item 8 - Western Carolinian Volume 43 Number 17
wcu_publications-8368.jpg

Western Carolinian Volume 43 Number 17

HL_WesternCarolinian_1978-01-19_Vol43_No17_08
Item 9 - Western Carolinian Volume 43 Number 17
wcu_publications-8369.jpg

Western Carolinian Volume 43 Number 17

HL_WesternCarolinian_1978-01-19_Vol43_No17_09
Item 10 - Western Carolinian Volume 43 Number 17
wcu_publications-8370.jpg

Western Carolinian Volume 43 Number 17

HL_WesternCarolinian_1978-01-19_Vol43_No17_10
Item 11 - Western Carolinian Volume 43 Number 17
wcu_publications-8371.jpg

Western Carolinian Volume 43 Number 17

HL_WesternCarolinian_1978-01-19_Vol43_No17_11
Item 12 - Western Carolinian Volume 43 Number 17
wcu_publications-8372.jpg

Western Carolinian Volume 43 Number 17

HL_WesternCarolinian_1978-01-19_Vol43_No17_12
Item
?

Item’s are ‘child’ level descriptions to ‘parent’ objects, (e.g. one page of a whole book).

  • The^^rfestern Carolinian THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 1978 Vol. XLIII, No. 17 CULLOWHEE, N.C. Murderer in critical condition Music Secretary shot Mrs. Elizabeth Rose Wood, 42, was shot and killed as she stepped from her car in the parking lot behind Hoey auditorium about 8:30 Monday morning. Police have charged 21-year old Robert Lee Mathis in the slaying. Mrs. Wood, a secretary in the WCU music department, had arrived for work Monday when Mathis, who had driven to the area earlier and was waiting for her, opened fire, striking Mrs. Wood five times in the back and arm. Witnesses reported Mathis then sped away while others came to Mrs. Wood's aid. She was pronounced dead on arrival at C.J. Harris hospital at 9:20 a.m. Mathis apparently drove to the Community Services Center in Sylva where he is a custodial employee, and at about 8:45 called the WCU Traffice and Security- office. He told the secretary there what he had done and inquired into Mrs. Wood's condition. After the call, he pat ailed up and down the halls of the Center waving his .22 caliber rifle with telescopic sights, shouting about the incident toother employees. Authorities were notified from the WCU Traffic and Security office. N.C. State Highway Patrol, and Jackson County Sheriff's office. While officers were enroute to the Center, Mathis climbed through a hatch to the roof of the building and locked it behind him. Traffic and Security officer Dave Bennett and Director Pritchard Smith arrived at the Center as Mathis exchanged gunfire with a Jackson County Sheriff's deputy. Mathis also fired at Highway Patrolman James L. Cru/an. who did not return fire, but cleared others from the area. Smith said that he talked to Malhis, still on the roof of the building, and calmed him down sufficiently to talk lo his father, Elbert Mathis. a custodian at WCU. "I was the only one outside the building and 1 just kept talking to him until he calmed down," Smith said. Nearly an hour after he climbed to the roof, Mathis surrendered to Smith, his father, and Sheriff Fred Holcombe without resistance. During the shooting. Mathis apparently shot himself in the left side, but remained conscious. Mathis, also charged with assaulting law officers, underwent surgery at C..I. Harris hospital Monday and again Tuesday, and is still in critical condition. As soon as he is able, he will be transferred to Dorthea Dix hospital in Raleigh for psychiatric examination. The shooting may have been the tragic result of a lover's quarrel, Mrs. Wood possibly having attempted lo ward off a relationship with Mathis. Mrs. Wood had worked for WCU's music department since Mav 6, 1977 and was ihe mother of five children. Her husband, Bobby Joe Wood, has been a custodian here since lasl August, The Wood and Mathis families arc neighbors in the North Fork area of Sylva. Mrs. Wood's body has been flown to Miami, Fla. for burial. Community Services Center in Sylva, where Robert Mathis held police at bay for nearly an hour after murdering a WCU secretary. Mathis is in critical JIM GOLDSTON PHOTO condition at C.J. Harris hospital following the Monday- morning incident in which he apparently shot himself with his .22 caliber rifle. Resignations Cates, Lagano among five senate resignations by EDDIE YANDLE Senate Reporter Several resignations marked the first student senate meeting of the new year Monday night because of changes in residence or academic reasons. Five resignations were heard before the senate Monday including those of Sen. Pro-Tern Phil Cates, and Senators Al Lagano, Tom Lafferty, Nancy Ruffner and Linda Street. Sen. Cates, a representative from Harrill Hall, was required to resign because of the decision to move off campus. Even before his resignation had been read, Cates was nominated by President Patrick Murphy for his Presidential Assistant. Wanda Nelson requested that rules be suspended so former Sen. Cates could "get to work" by voting him into office immediately. The motion carried unanimously, making Cates the new Presidential Assistant. A surprise was given to the senate when Sen. Al Lagano's resignation was read. Sen. Lagano's decision was termed a great loss by many senators, Vice-President Gary Brown saying, "We have lost a great leader in the senate this year. I hate to see him go..." before reading Sen. Lagano's letter of resignation. In his letter, Sen. Lagano recalled some of his past experiences over the last year-and-a-half. saying, "...I have argued, complained, debated, offered amendments, opposed, supported—and believe it or not— remained silent on many issues..." Sen. Lagano also recalled some of the former leaders in the senate who had made impressions on him and how they too had their careers "come to an end for various reasons." Lagano also surprised the senate by saying he would not seek an executive office in the spring. Lagano was considered a prime candidate for either vice-president or president. Sen. Lagano resigned for academic reasons, saying that his work load is too heavy. Senators Lafferty, Ruffner and Street resigned v . , , Turn to page 4, please. Inside today... Richard Petty driving backwards at Charlotte Motor Speedway while drunk? So was Buddy Baker and others. See page 3 for NCHP Sgt. Stiles' report on DUI. J.S. Bach's music featured at Western as some of the finest musicians in America assemble here for a week-long Baroque Art Festival. See page 3. "You're from the Western Carolinian? Sure, buddy... You want to know what?!" See this week's centerspread to find out what Peggy, among others, had to say about the semester system. DREW CLARK PHOTO
Object
?

Object’s are ‘parent’ level descriptions to ‘children’ items, (e.g. a book with pages).

Related items

Part of Collection

Western Carolina University Publications

The Western Carolinian is Western Carolina University’s student-run newspaper. The paper was published as the Cullowhee Yodel from 1924 to 1931 before changing its name to The Western Carolin...

View collection Read introduction
panzoom image
wcu_publications-8361.jpg