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VOLUME 15
NEW BERN, N. C. 28560, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1972
NUMBER 34
Political candidates aren’t
the only folks who have their
problems when that great
American instihition, the battle
of the ballots, brings on fr«izied
activity over a period of
months.
Naturallv vote seekers,
grinning like possums, get n
trifle weary. However, they a.
least escape headaches such an
one that befell Owen G. Dumi
Company here during Governor
Kerr Scott’s administratiim.
Without advance notice, Uk
New Bern firm had to prim
1,800,000 baUots for the State
during a single weekend. That’s
a lot of work, even for a plant as
well equipp^ as Dunn’s hap
pens to be.
The rush order was oc
casioned by the death oi
Associate Justice A. A. F.
Seawell of the North Carolina
Supreme Court the previous
Saturday, and subsequent
developments.
When Seawell passed away,
Governor Scott conferred with
Attorney General Harry
MacMullan, and was told that
under the circumstances it
would be necessary to hold an
election to determine a suc
cessor.
The following Thursday night
Scott pulled a major surprise by
appointing a Wilmington at
torney, Murray James to serve
on the Supreme Court until the
General Election on November
7th.
The Governor made it quite
clear to the State Democratic
Committee that he wanted his
appointee to be nominated by
the Committee. Open opposition .
devdoped from the moment the
appointment was announced.
Meanwhile, the local firm,
responsible for printing all
State ballots, with a tremendous
iob to do and time running out,
had no choice. It must wait until
Friday morning’s meeting of
the Committee, at which session
the nominee would be picked.
When the gathering con
vened, Scott’s appdntM was
nominated by Hargrove
Bellamy of Wilmington. Anti-
Scott forces present^ the name
of former Judge Jeff Johnson of
Clinton.
The Committee voted, but
before the result was deter
mined, James arose and with
drew bis name. He said it was in
the interest of Party harmony.
Johnson became the
Democratic nominee, a definite
slap in the face for Governor
Scott.
Johnson’s nmnination took
care of half the problem at
Owen G. Dunn’s, but still
missing was a Republican
nominee to complete the ballot.
The Republican Party an
nounced during Friday morning
it was reedy to name its
nominee.
But, when the noon deadline
rolled around. Party officials
asked for an extension of time.
Needless to say, this threw the
New Bern print^ into a tizzy,
but there was nothing to do but
wait some more.
Minutes dragged, as Dunn’s
employees listened for the
telephone call that would finally
get things going. It came at 2:30
(Continued on pa|e 8)
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A PIGEON CAN STRETCH IF HE’S HUNGRY
ENOUGH.
—Photo by Billy Benners.