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variable cloudiness and mod
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The
Published Every Tuesday & Thursday
Your Award Winning
Serving All Of Franklin County
bounty Newspaper
NO. 4
IN* THE NATION
IN
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Tel. Gy 6-3283
Ten Cents
Louisburg, N. C. Thursday, November 2, 1967
Twelve Pages -Today
98th Year-Number 74
Bank Bandits Still Free
______ _____ . ? -W- ~V T? III* 1 1 Mit?miHiMM >m?
Scene Near Seven Paths Where Hallowe'en Bandits Abandoned Car
Unfair Practices Claimed
Union files Objections *> Election
Objections to the conduct of the Octo
ber 12 elections at the Loulsburg
Sportswear plant have been filed by the
attorney for the Amalgamated Clothing
Workers Union of America with the
National Labor Relations Board. In the
election held here- the Union lost by a
vote of 121 to 39.
The Union charges in its objections
that "the employer granted its em
ployees a wage Increase in accordance
with a promise of a wage increase
made by the employer on or about
July 24, 1967 in a speech following an
antl-unlon speech made on or about
July 21, 1967."
It also charges that the company
promised an Increase in hospitaliza
tion benefits and did on or about
August 4 give such an increase.
One of the major complaints In the
Unions objections hits at local busi
nessmen, merchants and the local
newspaper. The objection states: "On
October 11a dinner meeting was con
ducted for the employees by a group of
'local businessmen and merchants who
opposed the unionization of the plant.'
The employer's supervisors told em
ployees to attend this meeting. The
meeting was attended by approximately
150 employees. At the meeting the film
And Women MustWeepwas shown to the
employees."
The filing, signed by Patricia E.
Eames, Assistant General Counsel for
the Union, contends that, "The em
ployer campaign was intertwined with
a local businessmen's campaign in
which furtive threats of plant closing
were made by individual businessmen to
individual employees and the public
lnuendo of plant closing made by the
local newspaper ... so polluted the
atmosphere that the holding of a free
and fair election was Tendered impos
sible."
Miss Eames also charged that notices
posted In the plant and mailed to em
ployees against the union were ob
jectionable as were "brainwashing" of
employees by employer's agents during
the period.
It is also charged that "The thrust
and focus of the entire employer cam
paign . . . was that a vote for the union
was a vote for violence and strikes ..."
A public hearing will be held in the
courthouse on December 4, when a re
view of the charges will be made by
officials of the NLRB to determine a
basis in fact from the things charged.
Miss Johnson In Who's Who
A Louisburg journalist, business
woman and College faculty member
has been listed In the "Who's Who of
American Women." Miss Elizabeth
Johnson, head of the College math de
partment and editor-business manager
of The Franklin Times, is listed in the
fifth edition of the publication which is
described as a biographical dictionary
of notable living women of the United
States and other countries.
Miss Johnson, daughter of the late
Asher Frank and Sarah Thomas John
son, Is a native of Louisburg. She re
ceived a liberal arts diploma from
Louisburg College; A. B. and M. A.
degrees In math from the University
of North Carolina; and has done post
graduate studies at Duke University
and Wake Forest College (University).
She has taught In public schools at
Stem, Piney Grove, Gold Sand, Wades
boro, Thomasville and Louisburg. She
Joined the faculty at Louisburg College
In 1945 and became head of the math
department In 1950. She became editor
business manager of The Franklin
. Times In 1952.
Miss Johnson has been active in
Easter Seal campaigns, served on the
Cancer Society Committee, worked with
Girl Scouts and Is a member of the
John Motley More he ad Scholarship
Committee. She Is also a member of
*he Governor's Youth Fitness Com
mittee, Is active In the Episcopal
Church here, having served in
numerous positions, including Sunday
school teacher and Director of College
Work.
She is past president of the Louisburg
Branch of the American Association of
University Women and has served as
state parlimentarlan. She is also past
president of the local American Legion
AuxlUlary, and of XI Chapter of Delta
Kappa Gamma, and a member of the
Ellsha Mitchell Science Society, and
Phi Theta Kappa.
In her limited spare time, Miss John
son enjoys canning, knitting, baking and
general homemaking. Most of her day
is filled with class schedules at the
College and business duties at the
newspaper office.
ELIZABETH JOHNSON
The Union Is also charging unfair
labor practices against the company
and these charges will also be aired
at the December hearing. Among these
unfair labor practices are charges that
Jerry Costa, plant official, announced a
pay hike; Sam Vlck, Jr., plant manager,
promised Increased hospitalization
benefits; and that two employees were
fired on June 14 and refused reinstate
ment by the plant officials.
The charge states that Eleanor B.
Rice and Linda F. Rich were "dis
charged and (respondents) thereafter
ye UNIONS Page 4
"KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING"
The Hallowe'en bandits entered the
bank at 9:10 a.m. Tuesday morning
Just as Bank Manager and Bunn Mayor
William A. Andrews and Mrs. Barbara
Strickland were busily preparing for
the day's activities. The bandits flash
ed pistols at the pair and said, "You
know what we're doing." One Jumped
over the five foot tellers railing while
the other crawled through the teller's
window. Both men grabbed up all the
paper money after ordering Andrews
and Mrs. Strickland to lie on the floor.
Mother Hears Son In Vietnam OK
A Louisburg mother has received the
welcomed news that her son is recover
ing In a American hospital In Vietnam
following Injuries received In combat
there.
Mrs. Ann J. Lancaster, 105 Tan
Street here, received a telegram from
Marine Corp General Wallace M.
Greene which Informed the mother that,
"Your son PFC Paul B. Wrenn, Jr.
USMC, was Injured 16 October 1967 In
the vicinity of Quang Trl, Republic of
Vietnam. He sustained gas asphyxiation
when tear gas was thrown into hostile
positions while participating In an op
eration."
The wire continued, "His condition
and prognosis were good. He is pre
sently receiving treatment at the Third
Man Shoots Self
Franklin Sheriff William T. Dement
reported this morning that a 47-year
old Frankllnton, Route 2 Negro man
shot himself In the mouth with a .12
guage shotgun this morning around
10 a.m.
Dement said that Slmmle Cooper was
brought to Franklin Memorial Hospital
by the Frankllnton Rescue Service and
was later transferred to Duke Hospital
at Durham. The Shooting took place at
the home of Cooper's sister, according
to the Sheriff.
Bond To Lecture
Dr. Richmond P. Bond, Kenan Pro
fessor English at UNC at Chapel Hill
and Professor in Residence at Louis-'
burg College this semester, -will de
liver the first In his series of lectures
on the 18th century literature on Mon
day evening, November 6, at 7:30 p.m.
in the College Auditorium.
An authority In this field of English
literature, Dr. Bond has written widely
In national publications and has had
seven books published.
The lectures are open to the public
at no charge.
Other lectures will be held Monday,
November 13; Monday, November 20;
Wednesday, November 29. All lectures
will be at 7:30 p.m.
Medical Battalion. Your anxiety Is rea
lized and you are assured that he Is
receiving the best of care. In view of the
above no further reports will be sent to
you from this headquarters."
A rumor that PFC Wrenn had been
mortally wounded was widespread In
the Loulsburg area last week. One
report said the rumor started when a
stranger Inquired the address of
Wrenn's mother, stating that he had
a telegram and Implying that the wire
was of an extremely serious nature.
Mrs. Lucille M. Romero, Secretary
for The Franklin County Industrial De
velopment Commission, has been nam
ed chairman of the Girl Scout Fund
Drive scheduled to open November 13th
through November 17th throughout the
Loulsburg Area, it was announced to
day by the Pines of Carolina Girl
Scout Council.
Volunteer workers, under the leader
ship of Mrs. Romero, will seek funds
to continue and expand Scout activities
for girls from seven to seventeen years
old In this area.
"I have accepted chairmanship of
this campaign with pride," Mrs. Rom
ero said; "because I know that the
program offered to the Girl Scouts
In our town will help them to become
better citizens at home, in their com
munity and In the world." Mrs.
.. Romero went on to explain that the
funds contributed to this campaign
will be used to bring better scouting
to more girls. The launching of the
up-dated program for the Girl Scouts
of the 'sixties requires additional train
ing for some 2,000 Girl Scout Volun
teers In our council.
"Through Girl Scouting", Mrs. Rom
ero affirmed, "our girls can enjoy
wholesome recreation, make new
friends, learn practical skills, and
develop healthy attitudes that will help
determine the direction their lives will
take." "The theme of the finance
campaign for our Girl Scouts is "Ser
vice ... A Girl Scout Promise."
Will you make a promise to help
them serve?
Stranger Asks Ride To Wilson As Seach Continues
Two middle-aged Negro men, who
robbed the Bunn branch of First Citi
zens Bank and Trust Company of
$23,224 Tuesday morning, are still
at large as local, state and federal
officers continue their search for the
pair.
The trail drew cold Tuesday night,
heated again Wednesday and by nightfall
was again stalemated.
"TAKE ME TO WILSON?"
A stranger, fitting the description of
one of the bandits, approached a Seven
Paths Negro home early Wednesday
morning and offered Tommy Neal,
twenty dollars to take him to Wilson.
According to reliable reports the man
was wearing muddy clothing and asked
Neal, "Will this take me to Wilson?"
as he flashed a twenty dollar bill.
Told by Neal that it would not and that
he could not take him, the man walked
off. He has not been seen since.
It was also reported by reliable
sources that the same man or one
fitting the same description had ear
lier approached another Negro in the
community seeking a ride. The first
man approached was Identified as C.P.
Sykes, who was in Virginia on the
tobacco market later in the day Wed
nesday.
Officers were Informed of the Inci
dents but would make no comments
on the disclosure Wednesday.
Meantime, a Bunn Negro who Is said
to live in Maryland much of the time,
was picked up again on Wednesday
for further questioning. According to
reliable reports, Mack Brock, who was
parked behind the abandoned house
where the bandits wrecked the get
away car Tuesday morning, was ques
tioned again Wednesday. He had been
quizzed extensively Tuesday by of
ficers.
While In the process of placing the
money into a clothxtag, two customers ?
entered tlie bank. Lazarus Hartsfield,
Bunn Negro, and Charlie Jeftrles were
ordered Into the bank vault and Andrews
and Mrs. Strickland were "also told to
get Inside the vault. The robbers at
tempted to lock the four inside, but
they failed. As soon as the pair left
the bank, Andrews called the FBI and
the Franklin Sheriffs department.
As the holdup men left the bank in a
1062 black Chevrolet Sports coupe,
they hit the rear of a late model car
belonging to Glenn Mitchell, operator
of an Insurance agency next to the bank.
Mitchell, hearing the noise, stepped
onto the street in time to see the car
turn onto the Seven Paths highway. He
ran across the street to Inform Bunn
Police Chief Torn Powell, and together
with Powell gave chase.
BORROWED CAR
Four miles from Bunn, the car made
a U-turn in the midst of adirt road and
headed back toward the Powell car.
When Powell also made a U-turn, the
driver of the getaway car either failed
to see the officer or did not recognize
the vehicle as a police car. The black
Chevrolet turned into a seldom used
dirt drive leading up to an abandoned
farm house. Powell gave chase and as
he turned Into the back yard of the
house, he spotted a white 1964 Chevro
let, later reported to belong to Joseph
Nlckolson, a teacher at Gethsemane
School at Bunn. Brock stated that he
had borrowed the car, according to re
ports.
While Powell was explaining to Brock
that he was not to leave the area, the
two men In the getaway car had wreck
ed in a nearby field and taken afoot
through high weeds Into the nearby
woods.
Powell, of course, was unaware that
the pair had held up the bank and was
giving chase on what he believed to be
a hit-and-run incident. He heard of the
robbery while at the escape scene via
his police radio.
The alarm brought agents of the Fed
eral Bureau of Investigation, the State
Bureau of Investigation, Bunn prison
guards, state troopers and local law
enforcement officials to the Bunn area
for a massive manhunt which lasted
throughout Tuesday night and into Wed
nesday.
Wednesday's activities, however,
were believed to have been limited to
small scale touring of the roads In the
area and to questioning as far away as
Loulsburg in search for clues to the
Identity of the pair or their location.
LID ON INFORMATION
None of the officers, local, state or
federal were talking Wednesday and the
lid seems to have been placed on infor
mation on the conduct of the investiga
tion.
A side Incident brought more sorrow
to Mrs. Strickland, already somewhat
shaken by the day's events. She was
Informed that her two-year -old son had
suffered a broken leg while playing
Tuesday. Mrs. Helen Jones, another \
bank employee who was the victim of
.last May 1G holdup, was absent whan
the latest robbery took place.
Charles Ellers Williams, a 20-year
old Columbia, S. C. Negro Is serving
a 15-year sentence in federal prison
for the May 16 stickup of the Bunn
branch bank. He escaped a dragnet of
officers searching the exact same area
and was later picked up between Frank
linton and Wilton, following a tip by A
drive-in theater ticket seller. Williams
dropped some over $8,000 In making his
escape Just off the main street of Bunn.
GUN, GLOVES, NAPKIN
The Halloween bandits wore green
army fatigue coveralls and the clothing
was found In the abandoned car and in
a nearby field. A .38 caliber German
luger was also found, loaded, on the
front seat of the car. Gloves and a linen
napkin were also found in the vicinity. ?
The bandits wore white handerchiefs
across their faces as masks. Andrews
described them as being In their forties.
The search is continuing this morn
ing with no new developments disclosed.
Veteran
Fireman
Resigns
Veteran full time fire department
engineer Karl Pernell has discloaed
that he Is resigning the post he has
held for several years to accept another
position. Pernell states In his letter of
resignation, addressed to Fire Chief
R. G. Person and Town Administrator
E. S. Ford, that "An opportunity has
presented itself to me that I find it
impossible to refuse in fairness to
myself and to my family."
While Pernell does not disclose in
his letter the nature of his new posi
tion, it is reliably reported that he will
accept a position as mall carrier for
the post office.
He thanked the two men to whom the
letter was addressed, members of the
town council, members of the Loulsburg
fire department, Mayor V. A. Peoples
and other town workers for "unfailing
good-will and cooperation."
He also stated that he would apply tor
membership in the fire department as a
volunteer and hoped to be accepted.
Pernell has been employed in capa
city of a fulltlme fireman for the past
twelve years.
SBI Agent W. F. Cracker Checks Stolen
Car Used In Bunn Bank Holdup
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