PTL Founder May Face Dismissal from Church Associated Press “We Do Not Believe There Is Any Evidence of Blackmail,” the Rev
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in Generations - page 11 VOL. XXI, NO. 114 FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 1987 the independent student newspaper serving Notre Dame and Saint M an ’s PTL founder may face dismissal from church Associated Press “We do not believe there is any evidence of blackmail,” the Rev. G. FORT MILL, S.C. - The PTL’s new Raymond Carlson, general superin leaders said Thursday that Jim Bakker tendent of the Assemblies of God, said and his wife would stay on the payroll in a statement at a news conference at but must not be active in the ministry, church headquarters in Springfield, while Bakker’s church said he might Mo. face dismissal for “moral failure’’ in a “To the contrary, the evidence seems sexual liaison seven years ago. to indicate that effort and money have “The body of Christ is too valuable been expended to cover moral failure. to be a party to bickering and conflict,” We are deeply sorry to have to say this. the Rev. Jerry Falwell said after the We grieve for the impact all this has new PTL board held its first meeting had upon the entire Christian commu in an attempt to restore harmony after nity.” the tumultuous disclosures of recent Carlson said evidence gathered by days. “We are determined that Satan the presbyters will be sent to the North will not have a field day.” Carolina Presbytery, which has juris Falwell said the board had agreed to diction over the South Carolina-based an independent audit of PTL’s finances PTL. and also would consider taking out a “The complete procedure must and $50 million loan from an unidentified will be followed to determine whether source in Great Britain to consolidate resignation or dismissal is in order,” its debts. Carlson said. Meanwhile, the woman with whom Bakker has offered his resignation to Bakker had the encounter told the Assemblies of God, his 2-million- reporters she was “deeply concerned” member Pentecostal denomination, that churchgoers everywhere should but no action has been taken. understand the current scandal “has The new PTL board agreed at its no reflection upon the Lord.” meeting in Fort Mill, S.C., to have a “I don’t want people under the im-^ committee independently audit PTL’s pression this goes on everywhere. It finances and determine whether any does not go on everywhere,” Jessica criminal acts were involved in the „ Hahn said outside her West Babylon, ieged blackmail scheme. N.Y., home. A financial statement distributed by Earlier Thursday, a newspaper re Falwell showed PTL assets of $172 mil ported that PTL lawyers had agreed lion and total current liabilities of $42.1 two years ago to pay Ms. Hahn and her million. Other long-term debt was listed representatives $265,000, far more than at $28.2 million. the $115,000 initially reported. The $50 million loan would con The Observer/Susan Coene Bakker resigned as head of the tele solidate the ministry’s short-term debts Color provided by Anheuser-Busch. Inc. vision ministry last week, saying he into a long-term obligation, he said. On the ball had been blackmailed over the liaison “In the last 12 weeks, particularly the Two students in the center of the during a sunny afternoon on the quad. and that there was a “diabolical plot” Memorial enjoy a peaceful moment to take over the 500,000-member PTL. see PREACHER, page 6 Probe continues investigation Judge elected as new of Philly ‘cellar of horrors’ Judicial Coordinator Associated Press of the house. Brown was Ms. Thomas said she had By ROB HENNIG tions if the council were behind charged with murdering two eaten nothing but dog food, Copy Editor me, but that, of course, would PHILADELPHIA - A man women. dog biscuits and water since come only after several discus accused of keeping half-naked The survivors, ages 18 to 24, Heidnik lured her to his house Brendan Judge, co-chairman sions with the new administra women chained in his secret spoke of torture and rape, of three days before Christmas of the Keenan Judicial Board, tion,” Judge said / cellar of horrors for torture, a skeletal head in a cooking with a flashy car and offers was unanimously elected Judi Cintron, however, voiced op rape and killing, and of stock pot and a human rib cage in of money for clothes and res cial Coordinator for the next position to running elections. “I piling human limbs in a an oven, of two women who taurants. academic year. don’t feel J-Council should have freezer was ordered held died in captivity, one She said she slept in the dirt to do it,” Cintron said. without bond Thursday. electrocuted in a watery pit, at the bottom of the pit “Brandon has the advantage T don’t want to see the J- Only when a woman went one killed in a fall. wearing only a shirt, but said . that his J-board has been Council running the election as to police Wednesday, saying “He handcuffed me to a her captor occasionally enter active in his dorm,” current OBUD did. I think there needs she had escaped from the run pipe and said nothing would tained her and the others. Judicial Coordinator Maria to be a Committee established down row house in north happen to me if I “He’d take us upstairs and Cintron said. in student government, ’ ’ Philadelphia, did police begin cooperated,” said Lisa chain us to the bannister and “He’s done a lot of good work Cintron added. to suspect something foul was Thomas, 19, one of the women show us videos ... regular on the J-Council this year. He’ll in the cellar of Gary Heidnik, found in Heidnik’s basement. movies, like ‘Splash,’ ” Ms. be a good leader and get the Keenan Board Co-Chairman a 43-year-old licensed practi ‘“Just trust me,’ he said,” Thomas said. job done. Kevin Gleason said supervis cal nurse. Ms. Thomas told the Philadel Neighbors said they had “I think the momentum is ing elections would not be that Heidnik was arrested after phia Daily News from her complained of foul odors and going to make Judicial Council much of a new burden. “It’s not police went to the house and hospital room. “Then he took heard loud music coming far better next year,” Cintron that big of a job,” Gleason said. found three young women, the lid off a hole and two girls from Heidnik’s house. Police added. Cintron was chairwoman of naked from the waist down, came out.” said they had no record of the the committee that supervised chained in the basement. One of the three women was reports but were investigat Judge said he has several class officer elections after They also found 24 pounds of in stable condition Thursday ing. ideas for next year. Ombudsman withdrew from human limbs in a freezer and at Episcopal Hospital, where “It smelled terrible - like “I’d like to meet each rector governing elections. other body parts in the she was being treated for someone left a big piece of personally and discuss the role kitchen, police said. dehydration, malnutrition steak in the fire,” said Doris of the J-board in his dorm,” In other business, the Council By day’s end, police said and sexual abuse. Ms. Zibulka, 32, his next door Judge said. discussed the reaction of last they found the body of a wo Thomas, who spent the night neighbor. “ I called the police meeting’s rector presentation man in remote woods in south at the hospital, and another and an officer came over. The In addition, Judge indicated on the effective use of J-boards. ern New Jersey and arrested woman had been treated and music was playing and he would consider having Judi “ I got some really positive a second suspect, Cyril released, hospital spokesman cial Council run elections. “ I feedback from the rectors who Brown, a sometime occupant Anthony Cirillo said. see HORRORS, page 6 wouldn’t mind taking on elec did go,” Cintron said. The Observer Friday, March 27, 1987 - page 2 In Brief Letters to the Editor Notre Dame students Kathleen McKernan, Michelle Lyn LaRose, and Randall David Kron were named finalists in the Thomas R. Keating Scholarship show the humor in life Competition, sponsored by the School of Journalism at Indiana University, Purdue University at Indianapolis, I guess I have come to expect it. the Indianapolis Press Club and Sigma Delta Chi. Each In my position as Viewpoint Editor, I receive finalist is eligible for a $1000 scholarship. The winners will many letters each week. Some are serious, C hris m m be chosen based on previously entered feature stories and some are funny; some deal with politics, some M u rp h y the results of a writing contest. The contest, open to all deal with campus events. And most of these \ j sophomores and juniors attending college in Indiana, will letters appear everyday on the Viewpoint page. Viewpoint Editor be held April 4 in Indianapolis. - The Observer But, there’s also a story behind some of the letters that never make it to print. These are The LaFortune Student Center, renovated and the mysterious letters that rest in a file in the expanded at a cost of $5 million, will be dedicated Saturday back of my desk. Surprisingly, most letters that with a Mass, tours, a luncheon and a dedication dinner. comprise this collection are not from angry stu Guests of Notre Dame will be members of the LaFortune dents or teachers.