1966-09-20-sr-p21-tolstoy-drug-hearing
September 20, 1966 Spokesman-Review Page 21:
Court Appearance Slated fro Dope Case Defendents
Superior Court appearances were scheduled today for 16 persons charged in Lincoln County with possession and dispensing of narcotics.
Prosecuting Attorney Willard A. Zellmer said the 10 men and six women were slated to appear this afternoon before Judge Richard J. Ennis in Lincoln County Superior Court at Davenport to hear a reading of the charges against them and to be advised of their rights. He said he filed an information directly to Superior Court yesterday, without waiting for a Justice Court preliminary hearing. However, a preliminary hearing was held in Justice Court yesterday and the 16 were bound over for trial in Lincoln County Superior Court.
New Count Filed
Zellmer said an additional charge of dispensing narcotics (marijuana) was lodged against the 16 yesterday in the Superior Court filing of information. The original complaint after their arrest Saturday afternoon charged them only with being in possession of narcotics.
The 16 were arrested during a raid on what authorities called a pacifist colony at the so-called Tolstoy Peace Farm 6 to 7 miles northeast of Davenport.
About two bushels of growing marijuana plants found on the farm were confiscated as evidence, Sheriff James E. Attwood said.
The two officials said there was no evidence the farm was linked with a narcotics supply ring. Zellmer said the charge of dispensing narcotics referred to passing marijuana among themselves.
Officials said none of those arrested offered more than “passive resistance” and that most did not appear to be residents of the Tolstoy Peace Farm but persons who came and went with some regularity.
“The officers said many of those jailed were uncooperative in giving information about their identities and two of the men still were not identified early today, They said they had what they believed were the first and last names of one—Richard Reed —and the first name of another —Allan — “but we don’t know which is which and they won't tell,” said Zellmer.
One of the 16, identified as Jonathan B. Tocrtellot, 19, has bonded out. Bonds on all 16 were set at $2,000 each.
Information on ages and addresses of those for whom they had names also was scanty, authorities said.
The 16 were arrested on warrants after a search warrant was used Saturday afternoon by the sheriff and five of his deputies, Sheriff Atwood said.
Russell G. Goodman, chief criminal deputy sheriff, said the raid was made on a tip by an informant, whose name could not be disclosed at this time.
Buses Used
He said those arrested at the farm were loaded into school buses to be taken to the Lincoln County Jail, and were charged in Justice Court later Saturday.
“The people from the farm have always had a good credit rating here in Davenport,” said Zellmer, “and we have had no trouble to speak of with them in the past. In two years, I think, we have only pursued one bad check case out there.
“However, the community has felt a bit of embarrassment on occasion when one of the pacifists from the farm gave the Davenport address when he was demonstrating against something around the country.”
Picketing Recalled
He noted that demonstrators who identified themselves as being from the Tolstoy Peace Farm had picketed in Spokane, at the Washington State Prison and in Washington, D.C., in the past.
Newspaper files show that three demonstrators who claimed they were from the colony in April of last year picketed the Internal Revenue Service here, urging people not to pay income tax that would be used for military purposes. And five who said they were from the Tolstoy Peace Farm in July of 1965 marched in front of the Spokane Selective Service office with signs protesting the President’s proposal to increase the draft call.
One of those arrested Saturday, Huw Williams, identified by officers as the leader of the colony, participated in a peace march in Washington, D.C., in 1962 and was arrested along with others on a charge of disorderly conduct, The charge later was dismissed.
Living Described
Sheriff Atwood said life on the farm appeared to be a “communal type of living with one large family house and a number of little cabins and tents surrounding it.”
He said the large house had bunks of a sort for 10 to 12 persons, three or more to a room. He said the “means of support isn’t obvious at the farm, although there is some garden stuff and a cow.”
The sheriff said most of the men wore long hair and beards, Three young children also were taken from the farm and were turned over to a relative of one of the persons taken into custody, Sheriff Atwood said.
Names Listed
Goodman gave the names of those arrested, as booked in jail, as: Huw Williams, 24, Davenport; his wife, Mrs, Sylvia Williams, 24, Davenport; Jose Fuentes, 30, Davenport; his wife, Mrs. Sandy Fuentes, Davenport; Thomas M. Hall, 23; his wife, Mrs, Catherine Manfredi Hall; Andrea Carlson; Laura McGrath; Susan W, A Long, 29, San Francisco; Sean Flannery, 33; Thomas Ordway; Richard Henry Teiguin, 35; Jonathan B. Tourtellot, 19; Walter F. Engelbrecht, 43; Sarasota, Fla. and the two men who had not as yet given any information on their identity.
