jouDay w'K ) aUs Rain today, Manchester, Conn. mild Saturday Friday, Dec. 24, 1982 — See page 21 ®ainrl|fatpr ral& Single copy 25<p ■sf*!'; J ^ g Retail ' i sales ready m± so-so By Richard Cody Herald Reporter NEW YORK (UPI) — Store VERNON - Edward F. Boyle, the owners say it looks like a alleged killer of a Columbia woman semimerry Christmas, as last whose strangled body was left in a minute shoppers boost sales figures river in Coventry in 1980, was found that seemed disastrous a few weeks Thursday to be psychologically able ago. to stand trial. "Santa Claus and the G rinclkare The trial begin Jan. 4 in Tolland fighting to a standstill,” said one County Superior Court. stock analyst who has followed the Boyle, 22, a former Bissel Street, so-so sales charts of the season. Manchester, resident, successfully The Christmas season accounts passed a psychological competency for as much as 25 percent of annual test, and'Thursday Judge Eugene T. sales and 50 percent of profits for Kelly ruled that Boyle could take the .JjFfy some retailers. Many w ere un­ rigors of a trial, based on the test. nerved when a winter heat wave Boyle is facing the charges of visited much of the country early in felony murder, attempted first- December and shoppers stayed degree sexual assault and the com­ home in droves. mission of third-degree sexual ■‘When it’s 70 degrees you don’t assault. The charges stem from a find people thinking Christmas,” May 31, 19^, incident when Louisa said a spokesman for J.C. Penney M. Scott, 20, was strangled to death Co., the nation’s third-largest retail during an attempted rape, police ■■'34; chain. said. 4 Disappointing early December Her body was discovered the next sales, however, are becoming as day in three feet of water in the much a Christmas tradition as Skungamaug R iver in Coventry. Herald photo by Tarquinio eggnog. Boyle is at present serving a six- The United States has become a to 12-year prison term for raping a nation of last-minute shoppers over m iddle-ag^ Manchester woman the Spreading Christmas cheer the last decade or two, and stores summer of 1980. He is hlso facing a i« begtnnh% '|o get used tef last- charges regarding Sevan msae npas , Whit Haatlnga <left> of Mancheater'" Elks Post 1893 and iu a lor needy Manchester larrtiniaa ihttrn car Thursday, th * car was ^IWIHlaiwa; eaaartnal shsaana nnniamni la» tha-tiawlmtss n pi ,iOin—wr-fe ■ ■■>i»msfca»'al«lerh-waa M ealwd— r minute rescuss_for their profit that Happened ii) MancMstar that ., margins. summer. Conference of Churches, load 12 Christmas baskets destined were on another mission somewhere north of here. The habit of postponing Christmas He is currently being held at the shopping has been an “ accelerating Whiting Forensic Institute for psy­ trend over the last 15 years," said chological observations. This place Students labor for statue .John Cohn, executive vice president is the state’s maximum security of Independent Retailers Syndicate. health facility. “ 1 don't see why that should In court TTiursday, Dr. John F. change " Fitzgerald, a chief psychiatric But this year's pickup in sales was social worker and overseer of a gradual increase, not a great sur­ Boyle’s competency exam, said State says 'Merry Christmas' ge. most retailers said. There may Boyle had trouble remembering in­ be sighs of relief, but no cheering in cidents and displayed nervous the street. tendencies when asked certain By Dennis C. Mllewski provided a "H oliday Hotline” so the Archbishop John F. Whealon of Connecticut. “ But there is a K mart, the second-largest . questions during the test. elderly could call friends and family Hartford mused about a possible Ijrofound and needed message in retailer, said it had seen "a trend However, Fitzgerald said this will United Press International long distance. relationship between Christmas and another visitor from outer space ... toward a mild improvement, begin­ not interfere wiUi Boyle’s ability to Gov. William O’Neill wished lor Gov. William O’Neill, and his the unexpected landing of a lesus Christ." ning last weekend," and projected a stand trial. ’The report also states “ peace and good w ill,” school wife, Nikki, sent their annual Christ- meteorite that came crashing "modest improvement over last that Boyle may have a "m ental children in Bridgeport collected nas card to the state in a message through the roof of a home in Whealon devoted much of his an­ December, " with sales up 2 to 3 per­ condition.” nual Christmas message to the quarters to save the Statue of Liber­ of holiday greetings. Wethersfield last month. cent. Boyle sat through the testimony ty and Santa Claus stuffed stockings "There is a common thread that "crushing” problem of unemploy­ J.C. Penney projected gains with his head lowered at times. He ment. he said is worse than for the needy as Connecticut runs through all our feelings — the ".So far as 1 can judge, there is no “ pretty much in line with wore civilian clothes, and was not ushered in the start of the Christmas desire for peace and good w ill,” the special meaning. ” said Whealon, statistics show and more troubling November's 2.9 percent.” shackled at the ankles as he was in holiday season. governor wrote. head of the Catholic Church in in "human costs" than dollars. "When Christmas is over the buils prior proceedings. ’The Yuletide spirit has its limits, won't be able to claim the economy Despite objections from Public however, and state police warned is surging and the bears won’t be Defender Vincent Giedraitis, and a troopers will be out in force on state able to say it ’s in the tanks,” bitter exchange of words, Kelly highways this weekend when the predicted Stuart Robbins, who ordered the trial to start Jan. 4. National Weather Service predicts tracks retail sales trends for Paine Giedraitis argued that that doesn’t Massachusetts ends Webber. rain, and not snow, through Satur­ a allow enough time to prepare for day. Robbins said he expects to see trial. ’Thousands of harried shoppers total December sales up 6 to 7 per­ Boyle was arrested in March. crowded shops and department cent from the same month a year stores Thursday and Friday as they ago — "much like November, which rushed to buy last-minute gifts and ban on Sunday sales was decent. Not great, but decent.” take advantage of 11th hour sates. Many retailers said business has Yule may One exhausted check-out clerk at been particularly strong in the Northeast, and weak in some the Caldor store in Wallingford BOSTON (U PI) - Gov. Edward J. “ a day to pause" gives people a business and individuals." spoke for colleagues everywhere King signed into laiw Thursday a bill chance to be with their familes and The measure was opposed by the Midwest and Sunbelt markets. when she was overheard to say, eliminating the 200;-year-old ban on attend church. King told a news con­ Homan Catholic Archdiocese of Penney, a major retailer in Mexican “ I’m dead on my feet,’’ but Sunday retail sales.'piting the poten­ ference it was the additional jobs Boston, the Massachusetts Council border areas, said sales in that not be region continue to be hurt by the recovered enough to add a weary, tial for more jobs and the need to factor that prompted him to sign the of Churches and the Lord’s Day plummeting peso. "Merry Christmas.” halt the flow, of money into legislation. League of New England, all conten­ Sears, the nation's largest The Statue, of Liberty is on the bordering states. The law goes into effect March 23, ding that passage of the bill into law retailer, said the season is “ turning Christmas list of Bridgeport school The decision to sign the measure with the first Sunday affected would undermine family and out to be a good durables Christmas so white children, who want to say "thank was "one of the most difficult 1 have March 27. It allows all retail es­ religious life. as we anticipated,” with strong you to America,” for making sure had to make,” King said. tablishments, except liquor stores, King, a devout Roman Catholic. ' sales increases in major appliances an arsonist did not steal Christmas While noting he feels strongly that to operate after noon on Sundays. met with backers and opponents by burning down the city's holiday Under the law’s stipulations, .Vlonday. He said he believes it is im­ including microwave ovens, By United Press International washers, lUyers and refrigerators. village. employees are given the option of portant "thai iunday morning will, A snow storm that moved out of ' In what President Reagan calM working or taking that day off. even under the new law, remain free New York ’Thursday dropped up to ' the “ most inspiring Christmas Those deciding to work in stores for that pause in the daily rush." three inches of fresh snow on parts jstory” he has heard in years, more Grinch employing more than seven people While noting he will not work on of Connecticut, but forecasters said than 200 volunteers worked around- will be paid at U'2 times their .Sunday, he said " it is up to each one an expected change In the weather, the-clock to reopen the landmark regular wages. of us decide how we spend our Inside could dash hopes for a white Christ­ Christmas Village just five days Rep. Timothy A. Bassett. D-Lynn, tim e” mas. after a fire Dec.