98th Year-Number 39
Louisburg. N. C.. Tuesday, July 4. 1967 (Six Pages Today)
Ten Cents
New Deputy
Franklin Sheriff William T. Dement Is shown above, left, congratulating his new deputy,
Leroy Terrlll as the Hayesvllle Township resident assumed his new duties here Monday.
Terrlll, 45, of Rt. 3 Loulsburg, Is a farmer and a former Military Policeman In World
War1 n. He was sworn In last week by Clerk of Court Ralph Knott. He fills the post of an
additional deputy authorized for the department by the General Assembly and the Board
of County Commissioners earlier this year.
Commissioners Give Tax
Collector Vote Of Confidence
The Board of County Com
missioners, meeting here
Monday In regular session
heard Deputy Tax Collector
W. J. (Buddy) Debnam ex
plain, In detail his methods
of tax collections and settle
ment procedures. Each mem
ber of the Board when polled
by Chairman E. M. (Buck)
Sykes said they were
completely satisfied with the
procedures and Debnam was,
In effect, given a clean bill.
Questions had arisen about
some of the Collector's me
thods and had been brought
to the attention of the Board
In a meeting last Wednesday.
One complaint concerned the
practice of cashing checks
made payable to Franklin
County and depositing funds
to the Collector's personal
account. The Board found
nothing wrong with the proce
dure following Debnam' s ex
planation that he had had se
veral checks returned for In
sufficient funds and had to
settle the accounts from his
own money.
Debnam told the Board he
would welcome an audit by
anyone at anytime. The Board
said no audit was necessary,
pointing out that the year
end audit was coming up any
way.
The question of renewal of
the Collector's contract which
expired last Friday was avert
ed when Debnam said his pri
vate business was such that
he would prefer not to continue
to collect dellquent taxes for
the county. This is accord
ing to unconfirmed but reliable
reports.
In other actions, the Board
made official what had been
agreed to earlier, and re
corded In the minutes the
purchase of the Griffin Motor
Co. building on Court Street
from the Allen estate at a
price of $18,000 subject to
a title check by the county
attorney. No Immediate plans
were announced for the build
ing although speculation has
It that It may later be used
as a Jail.
The Board, showing an un
usual display of generosity,
made gifts of funds to the
local Civil Defense depart
ment. Defense Chief George
Champion and State Trooper
W. S. Etherldge, CD Instruc
tor, appeared before the Board
and requested $253.00 as the
county's share of a state
federal training program for
local law enforcement of
ficers. The Board approved
the request.
Members of the County
Men's Softball League came
before the Board and request
ed assistance In defraying the
expense of lighting the field
for games. The original re
quest of $100 was upped when
See COMMISSIONERS Page 6
Only Minor Accidents Reported As
Area Pauses To
Observe July 4th
As the Franklin County area
Joins others throughout the
state and country today In
celebration of the birth of
the nation, the outlook
promises to be one of peace
and quiet locally. No formal
celebration has been planned
although the American Legion
Post is expected to perform
the Bells For Freedom cere
monies at 2 p.m. today. The
practice began here last year
when Miss Tucker Meyer, a
High School student, suggested
It In letters to the newspaper
and to local officials.
Thus far the long holiday
weekend has brought forth only
reports of minor accidents
with no serious injuries re
corded.
Last Friday morning, Vin
cent Oorsey, w/m/19 escaped
Injury when the State Highway
Commission truck he wu
driving was hit by an Atlantic
Railroad pulpwood train at
the NC 98 crossing near Bunn.
Williamson Named
To Jury Commission
Resident Judge of the Su
perior Court of the Ninth Ju
dicial District Hamilton Hob
good has announced the ap
pointment of B. N. William
son, Jr. of Frankllnton to
the Franklin County Jury
Commission. The text of
Judge Hobgood's announce
ment follows:
I take pleasure In announc
ing the appointment of Mr.
B. N. Williamson, Jr. of
Frankllnton, as a member of
the Franklin County Jury
Commission for the next two
Middle Belt Opening
Expected On Sept. 7
Thursday, September 7, 1*
the date tentatively set for the
opening of the flue-cured
tobacco auction on the Hender
son Market. Suggested dates
for four of the five belts
were offered by the Flue
Cured Tobacco Marketing
Committee at a meeting In
Raleigh last Thursday.
An opening date for the Old
Belt of North Carolina and
Virginia was left open, pend
ing further study, in view of
demand by growers In that
area for an earlier start of
the selling season.
All dates must be referred
to belt warehouse associations
for approval, except In the
Georgia -Florida belt, where
final decision will be made
by the Georgia Tobacco Ad
visory Commission and the
Georgia commissioner of
agriculture.
Tentative dates for Georgia
Florida were given as July
26 or 27; for the South Car
olina-Border North Carolina
Belt August 2 or 3, and East
ern North Carolina August
24.
The Middle Belt date Is sub
stantially the same as last
year, when sales began on
Thursday, September 8.
Rotary Installation
Official* of the Loulsburg Rotary Club pos* above at Installation of new officers here last
Thursday night. Pictured, left to right, are: Dennis R. (Rocky) Saunders, outfolr* president;
Ed Plttman, newly installed prexy and John R. Davis, reelected secretary-treasurer. A1
Goodwin, elected vice-president was not present at th* meetlnf .
years. Franklin County la
fortunate in obtaining the ser
vices of such a capable and
dedicated citizen for this very
responsible service.
The Clerk of Superior Court
and the County Commission
ers are also required to ap
point one each to the three
member Franklin County Jury
Commission.
It will be the responsibility
of this Commission to prepare
the list of Jurors who will be
subject to call for Jury duty
for the next two years. This
list will be prepared from tax
lists, voter registration, and
other sources.
All residents of the County
who are over twenty-one years
of age, who have not served
on the jury during the preced
ing two years and who are
See JURY Page 6
Hit By Train
Dorsey reportedly said that
his brakes failed. The truck
was heavily damaged. Dorsey
was brought to the local hos
pital by Bunn Police Chief
Tom Powell.
Unconfirmed reports tell of
two single car accidents on
Saturday. One car overturned
near the Loulsburg fire tower
Just off NC 561 east of town.
The unidentified Negro driver
was unhurt , according to re
ports. Another unconfirmed
report says that a lone occu
pant of a car which overturned
on US-1 near Frankllnton was
also uninjured.
Sunday afternoon, an over
turned 1954 Plymouth was dis
covered on a rural dirt road
Times Receives
Congratulations
To The Editor: ?
It was mighty pleasant reading that you won the top
award of the National Newspaper Association; however,
I wasn't surprised as I have long known you publish
one of the best newspapers anywhere.
I think it especially fitting that you were recognized
for community service. Certainly, you have excelled
at this and I want to add my congratulations to those of
the people of your fine community. Keep up the good
work!
Sincerely,
Congressman L. H. Fountain
Washington, D. C.
(See Other Letters Page 4)
Pittman Installed As
Rotary President
Ed Plttman, manager of Gay
Products plant here, was In
stalled as the new President
of the Loulsburg Rotary Club
In ceremonies last Thursday
night. Rotarlan Hill Yar
borough was In charge of the
installation. John Davis, ASCS
office manager, was renamed
secretary-treasurer and A1
Goodwin, absent from the
meeting, was named Vice Pre
sident.
Rotarlan Bill Benton gave a
brief talk on a recent visit to
the largest Rotary Club and the
place where Rotary began,
Chicago. He told of talking
with former Governor Luther
Hodges, who is presently Pre
sident of Rotary International.
He said the club has 700 mem
bers.
The club recognised Clint
Fuller, a guest ofCapt. James
Brown, and The Franklin
Times tor having recently re
ceived a national newspaper
award for community service.
Following the meeting, Dr.
Cary Jones Perry led the
group on a tour of the new
facilities at Franklin Me
morial Hospital. Dr. Perry
explained the many advantages
?oon to be realized by the
recent renovations and addi
tion* to the local facility.
Rotarlan John Davis announ
ced to the club that he, as
secretary had written a letter
to the Loulsburg Garden Club
commending the organisation
on the "tremendous" Job It
had done with the planters now
beautifying the streets of
Loulsburg. '
(No. 1754) a cut-off from NC
39 to the Five Points area
near Bunn. By the time a
reporter and a State Trooper
arrived, there was no one in
sight. The car was heavily
damaged.
The Loulsburg Rescue Ser
vice answered three calls
within a 15- minute period
Saturday night, alt In the
Mineral Springs section of
town. Each was an Individual
call for help for minor ail
ments, according to reports.
The Town of Loulsburg
street crews were kept busy
Friday night as motorists con
tinued to knock over blazing
smudge pots along Main
Street. Two minor fires were
reported. One pot caught the
street on fire near the Inter
section of College and Main
around 7 p.m. and another
threatened to damage an Allen
Transfer Co. truck near the
Ernest Thomas residence on
North Main Street around 9
p.m. when the huge tractor
trailer hit a pot causing the
flames to catch a gas tank
See ACCIDENTS Page 6
Sykes Names Mental
Health Project Leaders
E. M. (Buck) Sykes, Chair
man of the County Commis
sioners Issued a prepared
statement here Monday con
cerning the new Mental Health
program and also announced
appointment of officials to
carry out the project.
Mr. Sykes pointed out that
Franklin County has been se
lected as a test area for a
Mental Health Program to be
sponsored by the University
of North Carolina. "The
Franklin County Commission
ers have enthusiastically ac
cepted the program."
The Chairman announced
that Dr. John W. Vassey has
been named Chairman and
Mrs. John W. Vassey Is Co
Chalrman. The Committee
named to assist Dr. and Mrs.
Vassey In organizing the pro
gram were announced as: Dr.
Carey J. Perry, E. M. Sykes,
Mrs. Louise Pulley, James
D. Speed, Rev. A. S. Tomlln
son, K. G. Weldon, Arthur
Hall, Mrs. Margaret Holmes
and Dr. R. L. Eagles.
" Before much progress can
be made, a survey must be
made to determine the needs
of the local people. A group
of IS have been trained as
interviewers to make the sur
vey. They will start In the
near future calling on selec
ted homes to ask some per
tinent questions. The success
of the program and the use
fulness to the citizenry Is
dependent upon the response
received to the questions, so
all people contacted are urged
to cooperate with the Inter
viewers in every way possible,
Mr. Sykes stated.
"It Is felt by the Com
missioners and other people
of the County to be a good
program and can bring help
to local people In an area of
need which , at present, is
neglected", he concluded.
JOHN HEDRICK
Franklinton
Man Gets
Legion Post
A World War II Navy ve
teran from Franklinton has
been elected Commander of
Division I, N. C. American
Legion, according to an an
nouncement from Bruce
Honeycutt, Franklinton Post
Commander.
John M. Hedrlck, an active ?+_
member of the local post for
the past 13 years, was named
last week In the annual Legion
convention held tn Raleigh.
Hedrlck' s Division consists
of five Districts embodying
25 counties In the state with
66 posts and a total of 4,810
Leglonalres. Hedrlcks has
served In a number of Post
52 Franklinton positions, In
cluding three terms as Com
mander and vice Commander.
He has also served as Com
mander of District 13.
Honeycutt said, "Through
John's leadership as Com
mander of the 13th District,
Franklinton Post 52 and Dis
trict 13 grew In membership
to an all-time high. For this
John received the National
Achievement Award from the
National Commander, Wil
liam R. Burke."
Leglonalres and their wives,
attending the 49th convention
Included: Honeycutt and his
wife, Douglas N. Hoyle, Post
Adjutant, Hedrlck and his wife,
Mr. and Mrs. Carl Gilliam,
Mr. and Mrs. Garland Gos
wlck and John L. Preddy. .
Honeycutt pointed out that
the convention next year will
be held in Charlotte.
Weather
Partly cloudy and cooler to
day and tonight and continued
mild Wednesday. Probability
of rain near zero. Low today,
60, high, 82.
Main Street Resurfaced
Paving craws can be seen busily at work bar* Monday afternoon in the Job at lanifn I at
Main Street. Traffic was baited and foot-travel was sticky for awhile. The project M
reached College Street early this moraine and Is to continue to the town limits north of the
hospital by tomorrow.