Oar Aim: ?
A Bettor Murphy
A Finer County
VOL 53 ? NO. 3S
THE LEADING WEEKLY NEWSPAPER IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. COVERING
?
rimst
Dedicated
e
I O Ocr ViCC
For Progress
A LARGE AND POTENTIALLY RICH TERRITORY
MURPHY. NORTH CAROLINA
THURSDAY. APRIL II. IMt
5c COPY? 4150 PER YKAH
3 JAILED FOR 32 FOREST FIRES
RAY BARTON HELD
FOR U. S. COURT
IN DICKEY FIGHT
pi i \u:tL \/?_i
VIIMI 5^U TV iui T 1UICI1VC
In Attempting To
Obstruct Draft
Ray Ba: lull. TV A worker and ?
crack baseball player was held for
the Federal Court Mr nday a.' a re
fill of his fist fighi with W S. !
fSllm"? Dickey over the drafting
of Ray's brother. Hurley
Tin' hearing w.is held beft.r' Fred j
Bates, U. S Commissioner, ai;er a;
warrant had been sworn out by Bur- '
Kin Biltler. FBI agent from Ashe- j
vllle. Barton was arrested by O. C.
Turner. U. S. Marshal from Bryson
City, jnd was released undei $500
bond. His case will be heard by
JudKe Webb in Bryson City, on May
25.
The warrant charges that Barton
"on or about the 16th day oi March,
1942, by the use of violence, to-wit:
assault upon W S. Dickey. Chairman
of the Selective Service Board of
Cherokee County, did by said assault
attempt to knowingly and hindered
and interferred with administration
of the Selective Service Act, and by
said force and violence knowingly
try to prevent the said W. S. Dickey.
Chairman of the Local Board of
Cherokee County from placing the
brother of the defendant in the ar
my, in violation of Section 311 of
the Selective Service Training Act
of 1941."
Tho law prescribes a possible pen
alty of five years in the penitentiary,
or a tine of $10,000. or both. No on?
here believes, however, that any
such severe sentence will be imposed,
even if Barton is convicted. There
are no witnesses who can testify at
at first hand knowledge, as to why
?the fight started. Press Gentry sep
arated the belligerents, but says he
neither he?; a nor saw anything to
show whai they were fighting about.
W. S. Dickey testifying against
Barton, said the latter approached
iiim and criticized him for putting
Harley in the draft "when he was
needed by his mother," Dickey said
-ie tried to explain matters, but that
Barton refused to be satisfied, and
that words finally led to blows.
Barton did not take the stand.
o
''Ready For Japs Soon"
Says Soldier's Letter;
Wants Girl To Write
Here's a letter from Dee Coleman,
son of County Jailer P&tton Cole
man. now with the 33rd Armored
Engineer Battalion at Camp Polk,
Louisiana. We believe his letter will
interest you? especially if you are
b certain girl ? as it did us. He
?writes:
Dear Mr. Olmsted: ? I read your
paper every week, even though rny
eyes are full of sand. It's nice to get
the home news, and I sure get it
that way.
"I have learned lots in our good
?rmy, and one day before long I'll
be in shape to face those dirty Japs
3 want to be with them Just like that
drunk duck was with Frank Craw
ford?fighting mad.
DEE vOLBMAN.
33rd. Armd. Eng Bn..
Camp Polk. La
"P. 8 ?I could travel much faster
" my girl would write x> me. Maybe
^he has her another man. Maybe
B?t- n so. he can't keep her ? be
tf he Is young, hell so on be
'?'th me. and if he Is old he east
U*e long.
"So. maybe I don't have so much
*o ?on7 about after all"
"Secret Police" Force
70 Strong, Appointed
To Serve In Murphy
Tukc it easy. Mister, that fellow
standing next to you may be one of
Murphy's new 'secret police."
Whirh ic r,^j tiiat seventy tie- i
pendable IIS are being commis- j
siolU'd &>. special policemen to serve j
under Chief Johnson when and if I
m ed >d Their appointment is part I
of the civilian cietcn.i' Ff.-up li is,
not anticipafd that the -services ot I
these men will be needed, but they !
are b>'inK appointed "just in ease " i
The names of the men are beln? I
kept secret. Each is Riven a special
card, signed by the Mayor, giving the
bearer full police authority to act
whenever and wherever needed Such
an officer can arrest you for dis
orderly conduct, or for any othei
breach of the peace.
The cards they carry will be their
only emblems of authority. They
will wear no uniform, no badges, and
wilt have no regular hours of duty.
All will serve without pay
PLACES CHOSEN
FOR REGISTERING
MEN OF 45-65
Selections Made So As
To Call For As Little
Travel As Possible
About sixteen hundred residents of
Chrokee County between the ages of
45 and 65 are effected to register for
possible war service next Monday.
April 27.
Although every registrant will be J
given a serial number, there will be !
no draft lottery. Neither is it at all
probable that any of the men ever
be calle dinto the army. It is more
than likely, however, that some will
be called to various duties in con
nection with the war.
The number will depend on their
qualifications. It is to learn who
can fill what job that the registra
tion is being made.
Every effort has been made by th?
County Draft Board to enable the J
men to register with as little diffi- 1
culty as possible. Registration places i
will be established all over the Coun
ty. so that no one need travel far
Pull information about any trouble
some details will be supplied at the
registration places.
As a further convenience, the
Draft Board has arranged to take
registration from Thursday on. atj
both Draft Board headquarters, in
the Adams Building. Murphy, and in
the Court house.
Those who are ill. who have work
(Continued oil back pace)
Sugar Registration
Dates, Places, Set:
Rationing Follows
General orders for registration of
merchants and householders for the
rationing of sugar have been issued
from Washington, applying to all
sections.
Wholesalers and retailers must
register at the nearest elementary
?choothous? May 4, 5. 6 and 7. The
latest maximum being considered is
one pound per person per week. TTil*
however, is not FINAL.
Failure to register means you will
not get a rationing card ? which. In
turn, means that you will not be
able to buy any sugar.
raaborato precautions are being
set up to prevent theft and subse
quent "bootlegging"
CORONER'S POST
IS GOING BEGGING:
PAY TOO SMALL
Crane Neglects To File
For Clerk Of Court:
Candidates Listed
Candidal** ui oolli pit: lies have
filed for the primaries as regards
most of the County offices, but there
are some cases wlieie. apparently no
body wants the posts.
Also, the Democrats will not con
test for thr Commlsstonirship foi
the lowe rend of the County and no
Republicans will seek election to the
County Boara of Education.
Only two candidates have filed for
the post of Constable, these two be
ing Jerry Jenkins, a Democrat of
Beavcrdam. and Ed Dotson. also a
Democrat, of Notla.
Only one candidate in the entlrj
lounty filed for Justice of the Peace.
He is U. S. O. Phillips. Republican,
of Beaverdom. W. L. Oarrtn filed
for Justicc of the Peace from Hot
House, but withdrew.
Every township ill the County is
entitled to a Justice of the Peace
and a Constable. If necessary the
vacant constable jobs can be filled
by appointment by the County Com
missioners.
Nobody at all filed for the office
of County Coroner. Dr. Harry
Miller, present incumbent, says he
does not ?sst the pest, and other
physicians have said the same tiling.
It was pointed out that the Coroner
is allowed a maximum fee of only
$10, regardless of how far he has i<j
travel, or how long it takes. Even
if he holds an inquest which takes
up an entire extra day. he cannot
get more than $10. It might easily
happen, it was pointed out. that
deputy sheriffs, summoning witnesses
fo ra ninquest. would it' 'I more than
the Coroner.
It is probable that this post too,
will have to be filled by appointment
by the County Commissioners. The
Coroner need not be a physician ?
but if a doctor has to be called on a
case .there proUftbly will be a charge
for professional services, in addition
to the Coroner's fee.
The maximum fee used to be $25,
but was cut down by the present
Board.
As predicted in these columns last
week. Charlie Crane, of Andrews,
who was nominated at the Republi
can convention for Clerk of the
Court, deciced not to run. and failed
Continued on back Pare
I ?n
Rehearing Is Planned
In Barton Draft Case
While Ray Burton, widely known
athlete from Marble was being held
for Federal Court because of an al
leged fight with W. S. Dickey over
the drafting of his brother. Harley.
papers in the case of the latter were
returned to the local Draft Board
from Raleigh with the recommenda
tion that a new hearing be held
Harley seeks deferement on the
grounds that his motheT is depend
ent on him for support. Placed in
Placed in Class I -A he was ordered
to camp several weeks ago. He lost
an appeal, and then took the matter
up with Raleigh, and all the papers
in the case were ordered s?nt there
for study
The Draft Board is planning to
have a hearing in the near future,
when Harley will b" allowed to tes
tify and to present witnesses. Mean
white, he is working for the TVA.
WANT ADS PAY
One Confesses After
Loss of Over $ 1 4,000
Not Counting Tim oer
Joe Kay Will Head
"Mixed Ticket" In
Murphy Elections
, Leaders of both the political par
| ties got together in Murphy Thurs
day and airi'i'd upon a mixed ticket,
in the coming 'own elections head
? ed by Joe Ray. foi Mayor.
Half formulated plans to enter
i wo tickets, drawn on strict party
lines, are believed to have been
. blocked The mixed tick' t is said
, to have just one platform A Bet
ter Murphy "
Leaders pointed out that a knock
down and drag-out political battle
\ which would be certain tc follow if
two tickets were entered, would be
costly, would engender much bad
feeling and finally would bring
about a result that was not bused on
merit but only on who had the most
money to spend. Such a condition
would te bad for the whole town.
It is believed that the ticket, as
now planned, will meet with the ap
proval of a large majority of the
voters. It is not expected that any
other candidates will file.
Running with Joe Ray will be the
following candidates for the Town
Board
Noah Lovingood. E. C. Moore, E.
1 L. Shields, Jim Franklin. Tom Axley
land Dr. Bryan W Whitfield
t
Fifteen Gals. Of "Corn"
I Bring Federal Action
Against Dewey Fain
* .
When Dewey Pain, a gentl'man of
color, ran away from Police Chief
Prod Johnson Tuesday nieh; h'
made a big mistake. Instead of br
inir tried here. Dewey will now hav"
to bo to Bryson City with hi-, fate
in the hands of the Federal Court.
Chief Johnson found a cache of
15 gallons of alleged corn liquor at
Dewey's home The chief says of
course he doesn't know, because he
lacks experience and everything :
but he "believes" the liquor was
made from sugar.
A U. S. Marshal happened to bo
in town and took out a Federal war
rant.
Dewey sent word to the Chief that
he would come in and surrender as
soon as he could find somebody will- :
ing to go his bond.
I State Will Celebrate
Birthday Next Week
The State of North Carolina will
celebrate its 150th birthday with five
days of festivities in Raleigh, start
ing Sunday and ending Thursday.
April 30.
Special church services on Sunday
will be addressed by the Rev. Dr.
George W Truett. famed Baptist
pastor. Monday will be home-com
ing day. marked by an art exhibit
and a patriotic concert b7 the North
Carolina Symphony orchestra. Tues
day there will be a huge parade.
On Wednesday Kay Kyser and his
orchestra will give matinee and ev- i
ening shows, and Thursday will be
Education Day, with a double head- j
cr baseball game between teams
from Duke. Wake Forest, The Uni
versity of North Carolina, and North
Carolina State in 'he afternoon.
2 Qraiiaiii Buys iieid
One Escapes: U.S. Plans
Trials For Sabotage;
Three nr n air under arrest and a
fourth is being sought for deliber
ately starting 3.'. tires in Graham.
Swain and Cherokee Counties: all
on tin same day. April t>. Twenty
three fives were set in Gjaliain, five
in Swain and four in Cherokee. One
of tin men has confessed
In addition, two Orahani County
buys were arrested April 7 after cull
fesslng to deliberately starting on1
fire each on private property in the
Yellow Creek section
The men involved are all from
Hiawassee. Ga.. and all were employ
ed by the TV A .it Pontana They
are: James H. Martin, aired 1H; Wil
liam A Barnes. 19. Hugh Plott. 35
and Knox Hilton, 20
The last named escaped The
other three will be tried in the Fed
eral Couri convening in Brysoi: City
May 25 with possible penalties of
two years in the penitentiary, or a
fine of $5,000. or both.
Meanwhile a ?'"tailed report on the
case has been sent to the U. S. At
torney General, in Washington,
seeking to try the men on charges
ol ;abotag> Such charges carry
possible sentences ol 30 years each
in the pen.
The two Graham County boys are
Leonard Turpin. aged 15 and Coyt.
Anderson. 15 Each signed a con
fession. They were caught by For
ester Charles Melchior shortly after
| the fires started, and were forced
I to help fight the blazes before be
ins taken to Robbinsville
I The only explanation the boys
made was that they "wanted to see
'( m burn " Because of their youth
they cannot be tried in Federal
Court, and their case is now being
studied to determine the proper ac
tion.
The flames ravaged 5.086 acres of
U. S. Forest lands and more than
1.000 acre sol private lands Those
in Graham County were bet-wen the
Lone Oak Church and Cheoali
Gorge. Those in Swain County were
between the Nantahala River and
Deal's Gap Cherokee County fires
were set between Murphy and
Warne.
Asked why no fires were started
between Murphy and Robbinsville.
Martin is quoted as saying that
there was so much traffic that
there was so much traffic that there
npro no (rood places to get one start -
'?d."
Forester Melchior said the fires
i cost the Government a cash loss of
! at least $5,000 in fighting them, not
counting the loss of timber. They
also cost the Nantahala Power Co.,
a cash loss of $5,000 Other cosh
losses, Melchior said, would bring
the total to more than $14,000. Tt
has not yet been figured how much
timber was destroyed.
In addition to causing a huge loss
to farmers who were forced to aban
don their work to fight the flame*. ?
pole of the Nantahala Company was
burned down at Brook* Gap, which
resulted in the burning out ?f a
L $4,000 transformer As a mult.
Robbinsville. Top ton. Andrews and
other communities on the lhw mr
without power for sever hour*.
Fortunately the cut-off puwei
came during the day. NeverUMta*.
all work on U-e Aquone project <H