/ Ii•t- ~. • f"J(..." ..-r .., 'F:uo 0 report cu/wIcLwn
Comelius claimed to ba\'e records
showing that 700 pounds of potatoes
were consumed in three days during
some unspecified time before he became
supervisor.
The rape conviction was brought to
light when an FBI rap sheet was located
during the sheriffs office inves·
tigation, based on numerous rumors
that county property had been given
away in exchange for sexual favors.
TilE SHERIFF'S office investigation
found no grounds to file charges
against Cornelius.
Cornelius' wife, Phyllis. told The 'I'ri·
bune she had taken a bus to Chicago,
rather than an airplane, as earlier reo
ported. and that her resignation to the
county was not effective until the beginning
of this week.
The Tribune earlier reported she resiW)
Cd, effective immediately, April 2.
"Newhouse said Cornelius' dismissal
\\as based solely on his failure to report
the rape conviction on his r"b
application, and not as the result 0 a
recent Tribune in\'estigation.
The Tribune learned that meal
records at the shelter during January
indicated the indigent residents of the
shelter would have had to cal six meals
per day in order to consume the
number of meals the shelter reportedly
served.
County shelter chief
C.W. Cornelius fired
:J "
N Tulsa Board of County CommISsioners
10day fired County Emergency
Shelter Supervisor Clarence W. (Chick)
Cornelius on the groWlds that he failed
to report a 1951 rape conviction on his
1973 job application.
Cornelius was asked by the cOinmis·
sion for his resignation, but he declined.
Commission Chairman Robert Newhouse
said Cornelius would be immediately
discharged.
The unanimous decision came during
a 45-minute closed-door session today
with Cornelius. his wife, and his boss.
Jack Loyd Helton. director of JIOCial
services for Tulsa COLmly.
COR".'1ELlUS FAILED to list on his
job application with the county that he
bad served a six-month prison term for
rape in Poughkeepsie, N. Y.
Cornelius told reporters outside the
meeting he planned to appeal hi~ dismissal
to the county personnel board,
Cornelius also said he planned legal
action against The Tulsa Tribune and
specifically a Tribune reporter 011 the
grounds of "character assassination."
When Cornelius came out of the
meeting, he immediately began talking
to rel?Orlers about the "stealing, loot·
ing, ripping off and miSCGnduct"' ill the
fonner emergcncy shelter administration.
