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Ex-Emporian Was Sniper; 'Hated Whites'EMPORIA, Kan. (AP) — Mark J. Essex’s hometown minister says the young black identified -as a sniper killed in New Orleans hated whites. But the local police chief says there’s no evidence here that Essex was connected with militant racial groups.The Rev. W. A. Chambers, pastor of St. James Baptist Church who baptized Essex, says “be always got along fine as a boy. But something happened When he went into the Navy.”When Esaex left, the Navy nearly three years ago after serving 13 months he came home “hating white folks,’’ V.heRev. Mr. Chambers added.Essex, 23, was identified as the young sniper killed by police Sunday in the bizarre New Orleans hotel shooting spree which left six other persons dead and 17 injured.Authorities in New Orleans are not certain whetlier Essex acted alone or if more than one sniper was involved.New Orleans authorities also said:— Badlisdos prove a .44 magnum carbine found next to Essex’ body was the same weapon that killed a young police cadet and wounded a policeman in New Orleans on New vear’s Eve.— Police “have evidence that would lead to both conclusions” — that Essex was the only sniper on the roof of the Downtown Howard Johnson’s hotel, and that one or more fellow snipers were with (him and escaped.Merle Hayes, the police chief in this city of 19,000, said Tuesday that “we have no evidence to support” speculation that Essex was associated with militant groups.John Collier, one of Essex’ friends who went with him to New Orleans about six months ago, agreed. Asked if Essex was a giember of the BlackMuslims, Collier said:“No. I know he wasn't associated with them. He didn’t believe in them.”Collier said he returned to Kansas City, but Essex found a job and remained in New Orleans.Chief Hayes said Essex had only two minor traffic violations on his record in Emporia. He had another speeding violation in Pittsburg, where he attended Kansas State Teachers College for one semester before entering the Navy.The Rev. Mr. Chambers, speaking from a Topeka hospital where he is a patient, said he tried to work with Essex onhas new-found hatred for whites when he returned home from the Navy.The Rev. Mr. Chambers saidl “His mother tried to talk to him, too, but he just wouldn’t listen. He just hated white folks.”The Essex family — the parents, a daughter and three other sons — were repoi ted in se-culsiion.The minister’s wife raid Essex. “came home from the Navy and he couldn’t keep a job. He couldn’t stand taking orders from white people.”Essex enlisted in the Navy heac Jan- 13, 1969. A Navyspokesman in Washington said he was given a general discharge for unsuitability Feb. 10, 1970. “A discharge of this type,” the spokesman said, involves “character and behavior disorders.”Chief Hayes said the family had “reacted like any family would in a similar situation. Of course they were shocked and I think the community has a responsibility to help them recover from this.”Friends describe the youth's father as a hard worker all his life — much of that as a foreman at Fanestil Packing Co., where his son worked twits for brief periods.
Newspaper Details
Garden City Telegram
Garden City, Kansas, US
Wed, Jan 10, 1973
Page 20
Full Page
Clipped by
Salina P.
KS, USA 17 Jul 2023
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Garden City Telegram
