
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, March 14, 1991                   TAG: 9103140435
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-3   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: By Associated Press
DATELINE: NORFOLK                                LENGTH: Short

TRIAL SET MAY 21 FOR THREE ACCUSED IN BOMBING ATTEMPT/

Three men charged with trying to blow up 2 million gallons of a toxic chemical to collect insurance pleaded innocent Wednesday before a federal magistrate, who set a trial date of May 21.

Charles Edward Gresham, 57, an Ellicott City, Md., businessman, and two co-defendants entered pleas and asked for a jury trial during the brief hearing before Magistrate William Prince.

Gresham, Joseph Wayne Openshaw, 36, of St. Johns, Ariz., and Cecil Howard Ross, 31, of Glendale, Ariz., were indicted Tuesday by a federal grand jury in the attempted bombing of a chemical storage tank that had been leased by Gresham to hold a sodium sulfide solution he was trying to sell.

Federal investigators said Gresham, whose company treated and disposed of hazardous waste, was unable to find anyone to take the chemical off his hands.

by CNB