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The Leading Weekly Newspaper in Western North Carolina, Serving a large and Potentially Rich Territory in this state
VOLUME XXXVIII. NUMBER 51.
MURPHY, NORTH CAROLINA FRIDAY. JULY 2uth. 1927.
5c COPY? $1.50 PER YEAS
THIEVES VISIT
MURPHY FIRST
OF THIS WEEK
About $200 taken from Payne & j
Wof ford's Safe Also tried to
Steal Car
Thiovps visiting Murphy Monday
ajgfct entered the store of Payne &
Wofford near the lower Valley Riv
er bridge and pot away with about
two hundred dollars in money and
other valuables. The building was
enttered through a window by prying
up the window and breaking the lock.
The money was taken from the safe,
the thief or thieves succeeding in
stumbling on or guessing the combi
nation of the lock. This loss was not
discovered until Tuesday morning
when the store was opened. Officers
fiare been unable to obtain any clue
to the identity of the guilty party or
parties.
Early in the night of Monday a
thief was flushed from the E. C.
Moore repair garage located on
Peach tree Street. Shortly after ten
o'clock an unusual noise aroused
Attorney F. O. Christopher, who liv
ed near by. He sent word to town ,
and officers were soon at the build-)
inir and stationed at all places at
wh?ch the thief was thought likely to
emerge from the building. However
when the presence of the officers was
discovered, the thief leaped through
one of the high wir?u s at the rear
to the ravine about twenty feet be
low and slipped down toward the riv- j
er across Patterson field. Officers j
followed up the trail but was unable
to find the tf :"t*.
Upon examination of the interior
of the building, it was found that the
would-be-thief was trying to make
away with the new Buick Sedan of
Mi>s Luu morgan of Canton, who had
it stored for the night in the Moore
garage. In trying to turn the car.
it had been run into the wall or an
other car. It was thought that this
was the noise that aroused Mr. Chris
topher. The car was only slightly
damaged by this collision. Entrance
to the sedan was made by forcing the
lock on the door. The transmission
had not been locked. Two ascetylenc
torches and some tools were found
piled up in the floor as though the
thief intended taking them when he
left with the car. The engine .of the
car was warm as though it had been
allowed to warm up before the start
so that there might not be any dif
ficulty from poor ignition in making
the get-away. The thief gained en
trance tc the building by forcing the
lock on the door. It is reported that
some small children saw him enter
the building about eight thirty.
About nine thirty a red liirht was
seen burning in the back of the
garage. Apparently, then, the thief
was in no hurry to get away with
the booty.
MUSICAL COMEDY
AT AUDITORIUM
FRIDAY NIGHT
"Rosetime" To Be Presented By
Loca'l Talent ? A Wayne P
Sewell Production
"Uosetime," a three act musical
comedy, is to be presented July 29th,
(Friday night) at the Murphy school
auditorium. This comedy includes in
its cast and chorus Murphy's most tal
ented and attractive young people,
a"d is being sponsored by the Ep
*'?rth League.
"Rosetime" is being directed by
Miss Dudley Kay Hackney of the
Wayne P. Sewell Lyceum and Pro
ducing Company, of Atlanta. Miss
Hackney was a student of Grace Jean
Salle and has studied at Brenau Col
She gives assurances that the
chorus girls are the only needed ad
DATES OF FAIR
ANNOUNCED BY
ASSOCIATION
October 12th, 13th, 14th and 15th
Set as Dates ? Catalogue To
Be Printed Soon
At n mating of the Executive
Committee of the Cherokee County
Fair Association a few days ago the
dates for the fair this fall were fixed,
plans formulated for advertising and
promoting the fair and for piinting
and distributing the catalogue. The
dates set were October 12. 13, 14 and
15. This is just a day earlier than
the fair began last year and as in
the case last year, just follows the
Cherokee Indian Fair at Yellow Hill.
While some think these dates a
little early, still the weather is too
uncertain the latter part of Septem
ber and to have it early in Septem
ber would be a little early for the
farmers and probably too hot for
everybody. Fine weather usually
prevails during October in this sec
tion and it is thought that these
dates will be ideal.
The premium list this year will in
clude a number of items not in that
of previous years. The total list, will
run aiound a thousand dollars. Not
only residents of Cherokee, but also
ot all adjoining counties are entitled
to exhibit at this fair and compete
for the premiums on the same foot
ing as people living in Cherokee.
This is done not only because the
four or five counties surrounding
Cherokee are a unit geographically
and economically, but also that the
Cher kec County Fair might be de
veloped into a regional fair of pio
portions far beyond the usual county
fair.
Quite a bit of interest has already
beer. manifested in the fair for this j
fall, and officers, expressed the be
lief that it would exceed any pre
vious fair held in this section not only
in attendance but in variety of ex
hibits.
dition to her beautiful costumes and
good music.
The plot of the comedy is the story
cf a country girl, Rose Perkins, play
ed by Juanita Evans, who leaves her
sweetheart, Jerry Hunter, played by
Morris Gentry, to join the movies in
Hollywood.
After having become a successful
star in a failing company, Rose be
comes discontented ? halfway wishes
she could go back to the rose covered
cottage where she had told Jerry
goodbye three years before.
J. Dillingham Jones, the director
of the film company, tells Rose that j
their company is on the rocks and !
asks her to marry him. Upon her re
fusal and statement that she will
seek fame in another company, Jones
leads her the contract signed so long
before which bound her to him. Just
! as she realizes that she must give in
to the now hateful Jones, Jerry him
self .v&lks in with open arms and
what a Jerry. He has become a mil
lionaire, yet he still loves Rose and
wants to take her back with him.
Rose still wants fame in the movies
will she strive for that or go back
with Jerry?
Friday ni^ht this plot will play
itself to a happy finish at the school
auditorium.
The chorus girls include Polly Da
vis, Martha Mayfield, Lois Howard,
Frances Dickson, Kathleen Axley,
Lois Hill, Blanche Logan, Haze4
House, Bessie Hampton, Hazel Hor/
ard, and Dorothy Heighway.
The regular meeting night of the
Joe Miller Elkins Post of the Ameri
can Legion has been changed to Tues
day night at 7 :00 o'clock, at the li
brary building. Officers urge all
members to bear this in mind and
be present at the meeting next Tues
day night for the purpose of formu
lating plans for the Labor Day cele
bration on the first Monday in Sep
tember. Several new members are
expected to join at the next meeting.
STATE OKAYS
NEW ROUTE TO
TENNESSEE
Official Sanction and Notification Is
Received From Chairman Of
State Commission
Official approval was giveii ilit*
state adoption of the Hot House
Route to Tennessee from Murphy
the latter part of last week when
a letter from Chairman Page ?*1' the !
I State Highway Commission. along !
? with a copy of the minutes of the
recent meeting covering the r?*solu- ,
tion adopting the Hothouse Route !
was received by Attorney Don With
< rspoon in response to a letter ad
dressed to Mr. Page asking for this I
| information.
At a recent meeting of the Mut
| ph.v Lien's Club, Mr. Stikeleather,
| being present, stated that the min
| utes of the last meeting of the High
way Commission contained t ?i<* reso- j
lilt ion.
Considerable- pressure has been i
| brought to bear upon tin ( ount\ |
Commissioners since the announce
j ent sometime ago in ptegb dispatch- ;
es that the road had been adopted.
I and they felt that some official no- i
j tice should be given them 1 efo-e the
| money was turned over, and a great |
j majority of the people of the county j
held the same opinion.
The letters exchanged between
Mr. \\ itiierspoon and < hairinan I
Page, together with cop\ of tin* res
oiution, follow:
Mr. Witherspoon's Letter
Murphy, N. C., .Itilv 12. li?27
Htm. Frank Page, Chairman
State Highway Commission,
Raleigh, N. C. |
Dear Mr. Page:
At the last meetinu of the Board
j of Commissioners of Cherokee Couii
i ty, I was requested, as attorney for
j the Board, to inform you that tin
county is ready to turn over to the
State Highway Commission the sum
of fifty thousand dollars to aid in
construction of a state highway from
the town of Murphy to the Tennessee
state line, whenever they receive noti
fication from the State Highway
Commission that the road has been
adopted as :i portion of the stale
highway system. My in formation i- j
that this has been done, but the Hoard
wishes a copy of the minutUs oi tii<* j
Commission to this effect, so that
they may h::v._? u record of what ha>
been done. Th* Board nas on hand
a sufficient a-nount of cash and bonds j
for which a sale is avai'able to v>lac ?
this fund at the disposal of the Com- j
mission whenever they State Hi^h- j
way Commission so desire ;.
Very respectfully yours,
1). W ?TH KRSPOON.
Mr. Page's Letter
Raleigh, N. C., July 18, 11127.
Spbject: Cherokee County finance.
Mr. D. Withcrspoon, Attorney,
Murphy, N. C.
Dear Mr. Witherspoon:
I have your letter of July 12th.
I am herewith sending: you copy
of resolution passed by the State
Highway Commission in regard to
taking over certain roads in Chero
kee County. You will notice that
this resolution is made conditional
upon the County making available
$50,000.00 for expenditure on this
project.
I will be glad to have notice of the
deposit of this amount of money to
the credit of the State Highway Com
mission so that we can make our
plans toward taking over this road.
Yours very truly,
FRANK PAGE, Chairman
State Highway Commission.
(Dictated but not read.
Copy from Commission Meeting May
18th and 19th, 1927
Cherokee County ? Murphy to
Tennessee State line near Ducktown.
"Commissioner Stikeleather mov
ed that a road be added to the sys
em, in Cherokee County, between
Murphy and the Tennessee State line,
NORVELL HAS
BIG COLLECTION
RELICS COINS
j Murphy Lawyer Hat Perfect Speci
mens of Indian Carvings ? Has
Spanish Coin Made in 1796
Mr. E. S. Xorveii, prominent Ivliir
; pb> lawyer, has what is believed to
j be the largest and one of the most
complete collections of Indian relics
in this section, which has been col
lected over a period of theirty or more :
years. Among Mr. Norvell's collec
I tion will he found many perfect pieces
[ of fine Indian carving, ami he has a |
I collection r.f ancient coins that are
j second to none in this section.
J The collection contains about a
j thousand spears and arrow heads he
I sides a number of hoes, battle axes,
j scalping knives, mortars and pestles,
I pipes of many kinds, mugs, bowls etc.
1 II ?? has parts of a stone pot hearing
| the totem mark showing that it be
I longed to a certain Indian, chief. He
i also has a number of stones used by j
I ? he Indians in playing various games.
| and some of the stones lie doesn't j
know anything about.
Il?- has an unusually fine collection
of pipes. ? f various sizes and designs. |
Two ?.r three peace pipt - are perfect i
| specimens. One has the heads of two ,
cat engraved on the stem ends, an
other shows a man's head, and an- I
other has Indian faces engraved up
on it in such a manner that each
smoker sits facing a head, and each
one is engraved in such minute tie- j
tail and pt rfectness that they are dis
' tiir rui-hiiMc as different Indians and
, pcihans belonging to different tribes.
Hit free are all linked together with
a chain. One pipe is in the form of
a dove, and another has engraved on
it. the likeness of a yonnp; In/linn hrsv*
slipping up behind a squaw, as though
to frighten her. One of the chiefs'
pipes has an alligator engraved on
the stem, with a row of feathers on
the end from the smoker.
Among Mr. Norvell's collection
will also be found a number of breast
plates used in ceremonial services,
numerous beads of different sizes
and scones, and a disc made of iron
ore. He has a number of large mor
tars that require considerable
j strength to lift. The Indians used
pestles to grind or pound corn etc,
in these vessels, and judging from the
appearance of the method it was slow
and cumbersome work. A rare piece
of the collection is a petrified rattle
| snake rattler containing thirteen rat
! ties.
Old Coins
Mr. Xorvcll's collection of rare old
coins is interesting, among them be
i ing a Spanish silver dollar dated 1 796;
a United States of America penny,
the size of a half dollar dated 1819;
an Knglish half penny dated 1815; a
j Cornish penny the size of a .silver
| dollar, dated 1811; U. S. $2.50 gold
piece dated 1838; a ten cent piece
dated 180.'*; and several American
two and a half and three cent pieces.
Mr. Norvell also has a medallion of
William Pitt, the reverse side of
which is an inscription giving his
name, who he was and what he was.
He has quite a collection, but only
a few of the oldest are listed here.
Mr. Norvell's collection is quite
valuable and complete. He has been
gathering Indian relics and coins for
| over thirty years, and says that every
once in awhile he manages to add
something to it. He has had the
spears and arrow heads mounted, and
they present an attractive exhibit
when displuayed, as well as an inter
esting study in Indian history.
a distance of 22.05 miles, under Res
olution No. 1, as follows:
" 'That, upon recommendation of
the District Commissioner, a propos
ed road will be added to the state1
highway system, between given
termini, by a vote of the majority of
the Commissioners.' "
This resolution carried.
LAST SERVICE
HELD IN OLD
BAPTIST CHURCH
Plans Completed for Entering New
Building Sunday ? Evening Ser
vice to Be C-'ven Over to Special
Musica'i Program
The mid-week prayer service Wed
I nesday night was the last service to
be held in tin* old Baptist church, as
plans have been completed by the
Baptists for entering the new build
ing on next Sunday morning. Noth
ing unusual attended the service, and
the crowd was the usual faithful few.
The furnishing, benches, etc., will
be removed today. The teachers and
officers of the Sunday School hold
an officers council in the new build
ing Thursday night t:> complete a few
minor details of the plans for enter
ing.
The entrance to the new church
building will he marked by an effort
of the Sunday school to have four
hundred present at 9:4b Sunday
morning, and a special program for
this service has been prepared. The
pastor. Rev. T .L. Sasser will preach
at the 1 1 o'clock hour, but no special
sermon has been prepared, he stated.
The evening service will be given
over entirely to a special musical pro
gram which has been prepared, and
since the church is to begin a series
of evangelistic services lasting over a
period of two or more weeks, as has
been the custom for many years, the
other churches of the town will join
the Baptist at the evening services,
Sunday niyht. A large number of
people from the outlying sections are
also expected to attend -tile 7T?/rviee?
of the day.
baptist history
(Continued from last week)
The movement to erect the new
building was begun by the Baptists
in 1921 when Rev. W. N. Cook was
pastor. The lot was bought for
$4,000.00 and Mr. Cook succeeded
in raising a little over two thousand
dollars, $2300.00 to be exact. He
then accepted a call to Gastonia, and
the building project remained at a
standstill for about a year.
Rev. T. L. Sasser, the present pas
tor, came to the church the latter
part of April, 1923. The member
ship of ihe church at this time was
; only 162. The task of paying for a
I four thousand dollar lot and ereciin^
I a fifty thousand dollar building from
| a membership so small as this present
ed a tremendous task, but Mr. Sasser
J went about the thing in a bustiie&s>
j like way and his faith in the people
and the task before him has certr.in
I ly borne fruit manyfold.
Shortly after assuming his pasior
ial duties, Mr. Sasser sponsored
directed a religious census of the
, town in co-operation with the other
denominations. This census was mi
en one Sunday afternoon including
the city limits of Murphy and ouily
l ing districts, in about three hours,
I and its results revealed that the Bap
tist* and those of Baptist persuasion
within the bounds of the church wen
nine hundred strong. This census
and the potential field it revealed
gave encouragement to the church as
I' well as greater impetus to the new
building movement.
Funds sufficient to pay off the in
debtedness due on the lot were n
raised, and a building committee a. -
.pointed. The committee secured
" plans and specifications of a numb? :?
'of church buildings, and it was foi.nd
that the iot was rather small to ac
I comodate a building of the type best
| suited to the needs of the denon ill
ation. As a consequence, twenty ?. ? ;
more frontage was purchased a
cost of two thousand dollar-, m.>,
the lot cost a total of $6,000.00.
Actual construction was bc^rut. *<>*
* the. church building in the sum* net
I of 1926, and the progress of the
Jin the face of seemingly unsurmoont
1 able obstacles, as some have expre s? t
lit, has een almost miraculous. T<
| (Continued on page 6)