Pilot Woman Abducted,
Murder Suspect Hunted
Oops !
A construction company truck Is shown above where It
stopped after havln( traveled down the Incline from Franklin
Memorial Hospital striking the rear side of the Perry
Meddars Clinic building here. It is believed that the vehicle
rolled unattended Into the building sometime Saturday night.
Damage to the building and the truck was light.
Jaycees Endorse
Times' Road Efforts
The Louis burg Jaycees have
announced their support of
efforts to get road Improve
ments In Franklin County. In
a letter to Times' Editor Clint.
Fuller, the local service or
ganization said, "As a civic
club, we are dedicated to the
growth of Franklin County and
we cannot grow very much
without a good road system.
We feel that you may be the
candle that will serve to Illu
minate the entire County on
our road needs and the spark
that will motivate our people
to positive action."
The letter referred to
Fuller's grltlngs as "your
courageous campaign to Im
prove the highway system of
Franklin County.'* .
The Loulsburg organization
Joins the Frankllnton Town
ship Chamber of Commerce,
Frankllnton Lions Club and
the Bunn Lions Club as public
supporters of the road effort.
For the past nine weeks, The
Franklin Times has printed
front page editorials and pic
tures pointing out the condi
tions of county primary high
ways. The articles have shown
the county has fallen short of
collecting what The Times
says Is "Its fair share" of
road Improvements over the
past thirty year period.
There has been no public
statement by State Highway
officials either on the articles
or what, If anything, they In
tend to do about local road
conditions.
Fuller expressed his appre
ciation to the Jaycees for their
endorsement and stated, "The
Loulsburg Jaycees and the
A Lot Of
Lost Eggs
Dean Farms of Loulsburg
reports the loss of bdwNn
97500 and $8,000 as s result
of an accident last Friday
afternoon involving one of
their trucks on N. C. SB west
o t Lou 1-1 burg.
Two Dean employees, a
driver and passenger received
Injuries described as not
serious when the vehicle over
turned after colliding with a
car driven by H. O. Jones,
Routs 2, Frankllnton.
Joe Jordan, N/m/lS, driver
of the truck, was pinned be
neath the vehicle for a short
whlls and John Bden,N/m/IS,
was thrown from the truck.
Both men received first aid
from the Loulsburg Rescue
Service and were taken to
Franklin Memorial Hospital.
Jones was not Injured.
Loaded at the time, the
accident destroyed 171 cases
of eggs or a total of (,1(0
ens. Harris Spencer, man
ager of the firm, reported the
loss In eggs was around ft, 000
and the truck, which he de
scribed as a total loss, was
placed between $((00 and
M.0OO He Stated the loss was
partially covered by In
surance. He also reported the
Injured men were "doing al
right" this morning.
other progressive county or
ganizations who have Indicated
their support of efforts to get
road Improvements shows that
our people are Interested In
this situation. U we are to gain
attention of State officials, we
must have the overwhelming
support of these organizations
and others. We will continue
our efforts and we hope that
others will Join In them."
County Gets
$32,273 In
Intangible Tax
County Accountant Lee Mur
ray disclosed Monday that the
county has received a check
for $32,273.02 as Its part of
the State Intan(lble taxes.
In an accompanying letter,
Allen Paschal, Director of the
Intangible Tax Division cited
G. S. 105-213 as the law under
which the funds were to be
distributed to the counties and
G. S. 105-213 under which the
money was to be used locally.
This section of state law re
quires the money to be dis
tributed In accordance with
the tax rate for each budgeted
department.
The Franklin |County
will be distributed as follows,
according to Murray: General
Purposes, $3,259.87; County
Accountant's office , $32S.M;
Welfare, 98,810.19; Farm
Agent's office, 91, M8.42; Vet
eran's Service Officer,
$181.37; Health, $1,829.79;
Debt Service, $1,448.42;
Schools, Current Expense,
$8,193.19; Schools, Capital
Outlay, $7,822.98; Hospital,
$1,829.79; Industrial Develop
ment, $881.91; Revaluation,
$818.51 and Courthouse re
pair*, $328.98.
This year's amount tope that
of 1984-88 by $42,042.99. The
check In 1984-85 was for
$28,030.01.
Negro Accused Of
" Killing Three Persons
A 39-year-old Negro, reported to have
murdered at least three people In a wave
of crime extending from Alabama to
Smlthfleld, N. C. Is being sought In con
nection with the abduction of a Pilot white
woman. The incident took place late Tues
day afternoon, August 2, Just south of Pilot
on Highway 39.
The Franklin Times learned Monday that
Mrs. Bufer Abrams, operator of a florist
business in Pilot was forced by a Negro
man, Identified a* Henry
Smith, to drive to Selma, N.C.
Mrs. Abrams was not harmed
and the Negro got out of her
car at the Intersection of U.S.
301 and N. C. St near Selma.
Smith la wanted In connection
with the July 22 murder of
Willie Fowler, 52-year-old
Selma Negro near an open
air market In Smlthfleld.
Smith also allegedly
severely cut Fowler's wife.
The Fowler woman and
Smith's estranged wife are
reported to be twin lister*.
Smith had alao killed a pre
vious husband of the Fowler
woman, according to Smith
field Chief of Police Jack
Ray.
Bbth murders took place In
Johnston County, according to
the Chief. The first reportedly
occurred some time ago on
Brodgen Road near Smlthfleld.
Smith was also charged with
murder In Montgomery, Ala
bama and was eztradlcted
from North Carolina to stand
trial. Because of the length of
time which had expired and the
unavalllMltty of witnesses, he
was found not guilty because
of Insufficient evidence.
According to Informed
sources, Mrs. Abrama had
aeen a picture of Smith on
television just prior to taking
a Negro maid home on the day
of the abduction. When return
ing along a dirt road to N. C.
39 and while stopped tor on
coming traffic, Smith Jumped
Into the back seat of the car
Mrs. Abrams was driving. The
car was on loan from a Zebu
Ion garage while Mrs . Abrams
automobile was being re
paired.
Smith Is reported to have
told Mrs. Abrams, "If you do
like 1 tell you, 1 won't hurt
you" and Instructed her to
drive "toward Selma." He
spoke twice more, once when
Mrs. Abrams slowed down
near a rural store to Issue
his previous wsrnlng and again
when he ordered her to stop
the car near Selma.
Smith was wearing gloves
and pulled Mra. Abrama hair
when ordering her to do as he
told her. Smith lost his left
arm between the elbow and
shoulder In s shooting affray
several years ago, according
to reports.
He hss s record In Central
Prison In Raleigh and was out
on $600 bond, having appealed
a Recorder's Court In Zebulon
sentence of six months tor
assaulting Q B. Fowler, a
Negro cellmate In the Zebulon
jail. The Incident took place on
May 28 and Smith was tried,
according to Zebulon Police
records on June S, 1968.
Mrs. Abrams and her family
have lived In tear since the
abduction that Smith might
return to harm hen. Johnston
County Sheriff Raford Oliver
said he wanted help In cap
turing Smith. Sheriff Oliver,
Chief Ray and Zebulon and
Wendell city police are
searching for the suspect.
Franklin County Sheriffs ?
Department was called at the
time of the abduction but It
was later learned that the
crime occurred In Johnston
County.
Zebulon Police Officer W. H.
Perry said he believed that
Smith had killed two persons
In Alabama, decapitating one.
A number of wild rumors have
grown out of the Incident, due
in part to a certain amount of
secrecy which was thought to
be In the Interest of Mrs.
Abrams' safety. However,
when the Incident became
widely talked In the commu
nity, The Franklin Times In
vestigated and discovered
what has proved to be an
amazing story of a dangerous
criminal at large.
The Incident had not been
previously reported In any of
the area newspapers, and
Smtthfleld Chief Jack Ray
said he was unaware of the
abduction of Mrs. Abrams al
though his department was
looking for Smith on the mur
der charges. Johnston Sheriff
Oliver, aware of the abduction
was not familiar with \he
Zebulon charges against
Smith. Sheriff Oliver, how
ever, did hold Smith for
Alabama authorities about 18
months ago.
Smith's home address Is
listed as near Wilson Mills.
He reportedly moved there on
Sunday, July 17, four days be
fore he Is accused of mur
dering Fowler. He reportedly
attacked Fowler while the vic
tim was sitting In his car In
front of an open air market.
Mrs. Fowler Jumped from the
car and ran toward the store.
She stumbled and fell and
Smith allegedly Jumped on top
of her and cut her with a knife
saying that he was going to find
See MURDER page 4
OEO Official Defends
Warren Poverty Head
A Wuhlncton official has
defended a Warren County
Nefro parole# who 1* em
ployed aa Bualnaaa Manager
of the Franklln-Warren
Vanca antl-pcnrerty program! .
Fred rorbaa, public Infor
mation aaalatant to 8ld
Woolnar, Middle Atlantic re
flonal director of tha Office
Economic Opportunity, aald
In reply to lnqulrlaa by Con
(reaaman L. H. Fountain, "We
hare an audit of tha organi
zation^ booka up to Aufuat 1
and they are In perfect order."
Ha added, "Char lea Cheek
haa done an excellent Job ao
far." Cheek la a parolee from
two life aentencea plua t aan
tanca of thirty yaars, ill con
nsctad with first r*? bur
Clary chargss. HI* lithw,
R#r. Q. K. ChMk, haads tlx
Racraatlon Council of Mam*
orlal ItocrMtlon Forast In
War ran County, the organlta
tlon which la handling marly
1200,000 In Maral funds In
tha Haad Start and lklghtor
hood Youth antl-povarty pro
grams.
Tha flrat dlacloaura of
Chaak*s prison raoord was
road* two waaks ago by Ra
il lc* talarlalon station,
WRAL.
A Haad Start program balng
conducted in tha (ormar
Maplrrllls Elamantary School
In Franklin County la the only
project In this county under the
direction of the Cheeks.
Franklin, \knce, and Warren
county commissioners have
formed a three-county orga
nisation which Is expected to
administer federal funds In the
future. tf
"We looked all over tor a
man to do that Job. Cheek had
a rood record In prison. He
was Interested, and we five
Mm the chance. He has paid
his debt to society, and ao far
he has proved our filth la
him," Forbes said. -We hope
the people down there are
See OCO page 4
End Of Argument Over A Trip< ~1
Loulsburg Police Chief William Dement Is shown above, right center, Inspecting the
murder weapon, with which Willie Lee Jacobs, n/m/46, was killed early Sunday morning on
Railroad Street. Jacobs' body lies where he fell In the street. Police Officer Ned Lloyd,
left of Dement, views the body and off-duty Police Officer Earl Tharrlngton, left of Lloyd
talks with a spectator, Herbert Leonard. Floyd Williams, n/m/2?, Is being held accused of
the fatal shooting ?Staff Photo by Clint Fuller.
One Killed, One Wounded
In Sunday Shootings ,
A 46-ye?r-old Loulaburg
Negro was killed Instantly
Sunday morning around 9 a.m.
when he was shot with a .32
caliber automatic pistol on
Railroad Street here. A 20
year-old Negro was acciden
tally wounded In the leg with
a shotgun blast while riding
In a car near Ingleslde late
Sunday afternoon In the second
shooting of the day.
Floyd Williams, N/m/2S of
Louis burg Is being held In
Franklin County jail In con
nection with the fatal shooting
of Willie Lee Jacobs at the
Williams home early Sunday
morning. According to re
ports, Jacobs was visiting
Williams when an argument
started over which of the men
would drive to Duke Hospital
to get a frlend and bring him
home.
Jacobs reportedly went to his
automobile, parked in the
street, and got a shotgun from
beneath the rear seat. As he
rounded the vehicle heading
toward Williams, the younger
Nsgro fired twice dropping
Jacobs beside the carT Ac
cording to Gbroner James
Edwards, one bullet hit Ja
cobs In the upper right chest,
puncturing the heart. '
Williams then walked to the
Loulaburg Police station and
surrendered to Fireman Gray
Moon, who called Police Of
ficer Ned Lloyd. The Louls
burg Rescue Service was
alerted, but Jacobs was dead
when the Rescuers arrived.
In the second shooting, Hu
bert Williams, N/m/20, was
shot In the leg while riding
In a car containing seven Ne
gro men. The gun accidentally
fired, according to witness
reports, when Freddie Perry
Boxscore
RALEIGH - The Motor Ve
hicles Department's summary
of traffic deaths through 10KX)
&.m. Monday, August 18:
KILLED TO DATE ?M
KILLED TO DATE
LAST YEAR 888
attempted to see U It was
loaded Ncrcharges have been
made In the Incident, accord
lng I to Deputy Sheriff Dave
Batten. Both men are from
Route 3, Loulsburg.
Guardsmen
Return
Members of the 5?h Rocket
Battalion from Loulsburg,
Youngsvllle and Zebulon re
turned Sunday from a two
week training encampment at
Ft. SU1, Oklahoma. The men
arrived by plane at the
Raleigh-Durham Airport late
Sunday afternoon, one plane
landing around 6:30 p.m. and
the second shortly after 7 p.m.
Two Guardsmen remained at
Ft Sill, hospitalized following
a Jeep accident last Tuesday
afternoon. Lt. William Nagle
of Loulsburg and SFC Sam
Strother of Frankllnton are
expected to remain In the base
hospital at the giant mid
western artillery bese for at
least two more weeks.
Nagle suffered several
broken rib* and a broken
shoulder, plus severe head
and facial lacerations.
Strother suffered Internal In
juries. Unofficial word from
some of the Guardsmen re
turning Indicated the condi
tion of the two men had
worsened since newsmenwere
briefed, on the accident last
Wednesday In Ft. Sill.
Nafle's wife and parents are
reported to be enroute to Law
ton, Olahoma where the base
Is located. Strother's brother,
William, Is also reported to
be traveling to see the Injured
men.
The Guardsmen drew praise
from regular Army evaluators
for their performance, with
particular praise coming for
the efficient firing of the XM
50 Honest John Rocket by the
Zebulon and Youngsvllle Fir
ing Sections.
A large group of families and
friends greeted the returning
men upon their arrival at
Ralelgh-lXrham Airport Sun
day afternoon.
Rep. Fountain Opposes
1966 Civil Rights Bill
Washington, D. C. - Rep. L.
H. Fountain (D. - 2nd District,
N. C.) took an active part In
opposing House passage of
additional "civil rights" le
gislation. Fountain spoke in
opposition to the proposed
Civil Rights Act of 1966 on
three separate occasions dur
ing House debate.
After stressing that he was
opposed to the pending bill
Shearon Heads
Air Patrol
Capt. Joe Shearon was named
Commander of the Franklin
County Squadron of the Civil
. Air Patrol In the organisa
tion's elections held here last
Thursday night at the airfield
west of Loutsburg.
Nine other officers for the
year were named along with
Shearon. They. are: Lt. Tal
madge Fuller, Executive Of- ?
fleer; Sm. James W. Payne,
Adjutant; Lt. Lorest Poy
thress, Testing Officer; Capt.
Llnwood Gupton, Deputy Com
mander; Lt. Dorsett Finch,
Iterations; Lt. Harlam Trog
don, Supply;Sm. Belmont Bir
nette, Transportation; Sm.
Peter Eggiman, Deputy Com
mander tor Chdets; and Jesse
Worley, Training.
Shearon announced that the
Squadron 1* In need of more
personnel to fill vscant posi
tions. Particularly, he stated,
the Squadron needs a Chaplain
and a Communications Of
ficer. He asked that anyone
Interested In becoming a Cadet
or a Senior member contact
him or the Adjutant. The group
meets every Thursday night
at 7:30 p.m.
because he believed It was
"111 part unconstitutional" as
well as "unwise and un
necessary," Fountain pointed
out that opposition to the bill
was Justified (or a number of
reasons entirely apart from
the objectionable nature of
some of Its provisions. Foun
tain told the House that the
complicated and potentially
far-reaching changes the bill
would make In existing law
were not? and could not have
been? adequately considered
by the Judiciary Committee
In the time available for
studying the bill. Fountain also
pointed out that the bill had
been considered almost ex
clusively on the basis of Its
alleged effectiveness In pro
moting civil rights, although
soma of Its provision! could
have serious and completely
unintended effects on matters
which do not even Involve civil
rights.
Fountain warned the House
of the dax" that any legis
lation It passed would be
subject to sbuse through "ar
bitrary and Ill-considered
actions byTederal officials,"
stating that Ms concern was
based to a considerable extent
on what had already happened
under the alleged authority of
Title VI of the ClvU Rights
Act of 1964. Fountain charged
that officials of the Depart
ment of Health, education and
Welfare had used Title VI of
the 1964 Act as a means of
See FOUNTAIN page 4
Middle Belt Opening -
Expected Early Sept.
Speculation lias tne Mioaie
Belt Tobacco markets open
ing In early September,
according to reporti. The
fixing of Wedneaday, August
24, as the opening date for
markets In Eastern North
Carolina puts the Middle ftlt
next In line.
The Middle Belt, of which
Loulsburg Is a part, usually
opens about two weeks after
the Eastern and If this custom
Is followed this year, this will
' place the opening around Sep
tember ( or 1. The Middle
Belt Board of Governors are
expected to meet soon to sat
the date.
There are ten markets In the
Middle Bblt. ? They are
Durham, Henderson, Oxford,
Warrenton, Loulshurg,
Fuquay-Varlna, Sanford,
Abardaan, Carthaga and
Ellarba.
TIm flua-curad crop In Mld
dla Belt araas haj raapondad
ramarkably, tobacco man lay,
to racant ralna which followed
tha long hot, dry July. Inter
mittent ahowara of lata haft
prorldad molatura tor growth
of tha crop which has tekanon
growth to auch an aztant that
what appaarad to ba a ahort
crop dua to tha drought has
now davalopad to tha point
whara normal, or naar
normal, yteld Is antlclpatad.
Tha harraat Is undar way la
tha bait and will accalarataas
tha crop maturaa and Is saady
tor curing.