The FraiiSin Times
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( Published tvery Tuesday 4 Thursday * y! ^ * Serving All Of Franklin County
Phone GY6-3283 Ten Cents ? Louisburf. N. C? Thursday. January 30, 1969 "(Ten Pages Today) ? 99th Year Number 100
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Franklinton
Civic Leader
Passes
Mrs. Eleanor Wilder Eaton, 68,
Franklinton civic leader, died Tuesday
morning at Mary Elizabeth Hospital in
Raleigh following a lengthy illness.
With her husband, Mrs. Eaton op
erated the Crescent Motel at Franklin
ton. She was an active member of the
Franklinton Baptist Church where she
served for many years as G. A. Counse
lor. A charter member of the local
Eastern Star, she served as Worthy
Matron for two years. She has also
held district and state offices in
Eastern Star.
Mrs. Eaton was active in the Mitch
ner's Home Demonstration Club and
served as President of the Franklinton
P. T. A. She was a past president of
the Franklinton Woman's Club and a
member of the Franklinton Garden
Club. Prior to her marriage, she taught
school in Nash County.
Funeral services were held Wednes
day at 3 P.M. from the Franklinton
Baptist Church, conducted by Rev.
Horace Jackson and Rev. Dwight
Cooper of Fayetteville and Rev'. Don
Lee Harris.
Survivors are her husband. William
A. Eaton, Sr.; two daughters, Mrs. W.
P. Weathers of Fayetteville, Mrs. Ralph
Lane of Rocky Mount; one son, Wil
liam A. Eaton, Jr. of Lorton, Virginia;
five grandchildren; two sisters. Mrs. J.
A. Leonard of Nashville and Mrs. Roy
Purnell of Louisbuig; one brother,
Glenn Wilder of Vancouver, Washing
ton.
N.C.-39 Project Bid Cut $241,663
Franklin County's NC-39 highway
project has been cut by almost a
quarter million dollars in the latest
bids opened by the ?tate Highway
Commission and* is now well within
the funds appropriated for the con
struction of the 4.6 mile stretch.
Bids were opened Tuesday in Ral
eigh by the Commission and the ap
parent low bidder. T. A. Loving Com
pany of Goldsboro, bidded the job at
$483,521.70. Loving was apparently
low bidder in December on the uncut
project calling for 6.540 miles at
$725,185.00. This exceeded the funds
available for the project and a call was
made for another bid on the curtailed
mileage.
The latest bid cuts the cost of the
road improvements ?241,663.40 and
represents a cut of almost $121,000
per mile.
At a meeting here last week. Divi
sion Engineer Merle T. Adkins dis
closed that Franklin had a balance for
' construction at the end of November
of $595,380.48 from the original allo
cation of $750,000. He explained that
the money already spent was on en
gineering and design and acquiring
necessary; rights-of-way along the
route.
It is believed, based on these
figures, that the latest bid is within the
funds available and that the project
will probably be awarded to the ap
parent low bidder. A highway spokes
man said recently that once thje bids
are awarded, work on the project is
expected to begin immediately.
The Franklin project's counterpart
in Vance County was also in Tuesday's
bid openings. The "1.721 miles of
grading, coarse aggregate base course,
bituminous concrete base" project,
which is to run from the Henderson
city limits to SR-1148 southeast the
Vance county seat calls for the ex
penditure of <?368,482.85. S. T.
Wooten Construction Co. of Stason
burg was apparent low bidder on the
project. Both the Vance and the
Franklin projects have been poinU of
controversy in recent weeks. The (
Vance County Board of Commis
sioners met with Fifth Division Com
missioner J. B. Brame of Durham in
efforts to have the stretch lengthened
two weeks ago. Franklin Commis
sioners met for similar reasons with
Brame and other highway officials last
week. Both Boards were turned down
for reasons of fund shortage and rising
highway construction costs.
Originally, the two.projects were to
have met at Epsom where the two
counties join. First. Vance was cut
back two miles and Franklin was cut
three. This five-mile stretch was im
mediately dubbed "the missing link"
by newsmen. V
When bids were opened in Decem
ber and it was found that the low
bidder exceeded the alloted funds, the
projects were again cut, widening the
"missing Link". The Franklin project
will extend from the Louisburg city
limits on Bickett Blvd. north and
North Main Street, beginning at the
town limit sign to the Rocky Fofd
road a short distance north of Ingle
side. %
Brame said last week that he hopqd
? that the link could be joined at some
later date and said he was sorry the
funds would not be enough to carry
the project to what was originally
planned.
State Decision Awaited _
Board Gets Ten -Day
Extension In School Case
Attorneys for the Franklin County
Board "of Education have revealed that
the United States Justice Department ?
and attorneys for the NAACP have
agreed to a ten-day extension in the
latest charges against the Board. Feb
ruary 4 was originally set as a deadline
for filing Board answers to the charges.
A request for additional time by Board
attorneys E. F. Yarborough and
Charles Davis has been agreed upon by
Frank Schwelb, government attorney, '
and Lavonne Chambers, attorney for
the NAACP. according to reports. ?
Meanwhile, the Franklin Board is
awaiting a statement by the North
Carolina Attorney General as to the
plans of his department. Franklin offi
cials have requested the State to enter
the case In defense of the tuition
policy and the method of student
assignment.
Indications are that Attorney Gen
eral Robert Morgan will place his
department into the case. Yarborough
said following an hour-long meeting
with Morgan last week that the talks
had been "fruitful". Assistant Attor
ney General Ralph Moody, recognized
authority in school law in the state, is
expected to handle the matter for,.
North Carolina. The Franklin Board J
instituted a policy of charging tuition
for students attending schools here
whose parents live outside /he disu :t,
last fall. The policy was based on a
1958 ruling by the Attorney General's
office that such children were in
eligible to attend schools.
The Board first said such children
could r\ot attend Franklftf schools last
fall, but because of the hardships
Imposed the short period of time
before the opening of schools, the
policy was amended to allow atten
dance by tuition.
Former Attorney General Ramsey
See BOARD Page 6
District Court Has Usual Lengthy Docket
The following cues were disposed
of in District Court on Monday and
Tuesday. January 27th and 28th:
Helen Irene Carter, w/f/16, damage
to personal property. To pay $15.00
restitution to prosecuting witness.
William Jeffries Arnold, w/m/34,
operating auto Intoxicated; resisting
arrest. 12 months in jail, suspended for
2 years oll~pa?ment of. $100.00 fine
and costs and not to operate motor
vehicle for 1 year In N. C.
Jlmmie Dale Champion, w/m/24,
driving under Influence. Pleads guilty
to careless and reckless and reckless
driving. 6 months In jail, suspended on
payment of $200.00 line and costs .
and to remain of good behavior, not
violate any criminal laws of N. C.
Luther tiles, w/m/58. operating
auto Intoxicated. 8 months in jail.
Marvin Rodgers. c/m/56. public
drunkeness 6 months in jail, sus- .
pended on pay ment of ^$25. 00 fine
and costs.
Rebecca Howard Debnam. n/f, driv
ing under influence. 6 months in jail,
suspended for 3 years and placed on
probation. To pay $25.00 fine and
coats.
Bob Freddy, worthless check. Not
guilty.
Louis Edward Young, c/m/48. fail
ing to atop for stop sign. To pay costs.
Walter Allen Kearney, no operator's
license. Not guilty.
felix Parriah. w/m/48, no. opera
tor's llcenae; 'driving after licenae re
voke. 2 years in' jail. Notice pf appeal,
bond set at S500.00.
Felix Parriah,' w/m/48, motor ve
hicle violation. 2 yean in jail, to run
concurrent with above sentence.
Louis Add Sneed, n/m/24, scratch
ing off. Prayer for judgment continued
on payment of costa.
Clayton O'Neal. w/m/46, assault
with deadly weapon. 12 months injall.
Ceasar Edward Johnaon, n m/23,
improper muffler. To pfy costs.
Joseph Bullock, public drunkeneis.
$5.00 fine and costs.
Bryant Faulkner, public drunk
eneas. $10.00 fine and costs.
Randy Murphy, w/m. worthless _
check. To pay check and costs to
court.
Linwood Williamston, non support.
Warrant dropped on payment of costs.
William Howard Harris, w/m/26,
driving under Influence. Guilty to care
less and reckless driving. $75.00 fine
and costs.
James Earl Walker, c/m/19, assault
with deadly weapon. 18 months in jail,
suspended for 3 years on payment of
costs an<J4 medical expenses of pros
See COURT Page Q ?
<i '
National Guard To Conduct Search
For Missing Moulton Man Sunday
I S - 1 ?
The Sheriffs Department has dis
closed that units ot' the National
Guard will launch a massive search
effort Sunday for Brooks Merritt,
'61 -year -old Moulton Community man
who has been missing since January'
10. Some ninety troopers are expected
to take part in the efforts. Thirty men
will be alloted from each of the units
representing Youngsville. Zebulon and
Loulsburg
Merritt was reportedly last seen on
Friday. January 10, by Sandy Jones, a
Negro neighbor. Jones, according to
reports, saw Merritt ground 9 P.M.
Searches by Sheriffs^ officers, neigh
bors and friends of the missing man
have all failed to turn up any clue to
his whereabouts. The State Bureau of
Investigation entered the case last
week to assist the Sheriff's department
in its investigation of the -mystery .
A group of Merrill's neighbors and
friends have' posted $1,027 reward for
information leading to the conviction
of anyone causing the man bodily
harm. Fear has risen that -the man
might have met with foul play"
Sunday's search, scheduled to begin
around 9:30 A.M., will start near the
Merritt and Jones homes and cover a
large wooded area east and south of
the two dwellings. A spokesman for
the local Guard unit indicated that if
nothing is found in this area, the
"search may be extended to other areas
in the vicinity of the Moulton Com
munity.
On May 6, 1967, the Guard was
called out to aid in the search for a
missing man in the Alert Community '
of the county. Edward L Burnette,
57, had been missing from his home
for three days. Guardsmen found the
body of the missing man in a heavily
wooded area just minutes after the
search began. Other searchers had pass
ed the spot several times, according to
reports at the time. Guardsmen line up
with arms reach of each other and
b?gin walking through the woods.
Walking this close together, it is almost
a certainty that every inch of the area
is covered. The Sheriffs department
wants the area near Merritt's home
combed more carefully than it has
been able to do with a limited staff
and volunteer searchers.
Merritt is a member of a prominent
Moulton Community family and his
disappearance has stirred the com
munity unlike any event in years. A
bachelor, he lived alone and his where
abouts were not always known to his
neighbors but one report has said that
he always informed his family or
neighbors when he planned to be away
from home for any length of time.
It was learned that some people
have been brought in to the Sheriffs
office and questioned by the SB1 in
the case. However, no arrests have
been made and no charges filed. Hospi
tals. in the area were alerted some time
ago and places where Merritt might
have visited have been checked by
investigating officers.
Local Yets Among Many
Victims Of Bonus Hoax
By Clint Fuller
Times Managing Editor
Any Veteran can testify that the
Army works in mysterious ways, its
foul-jups to , perform. Most contend
that it isn't easy for the service to
maintain its high rate of goofs. 'And
even though it has long been accepted
as fact that the Army works hard at it,
there have also been some disbelievers.
They have said all along that the Army
must have some undisclosed help. ? ?
Now It can be told. The Army does
have help. It's the Navy. All the facts,
as on# might suspect, are not yet in,
but one fact has been made crystal
clear the past few days. The bonus, a
widely circulated naval bulletin said
was due ex-GI's, is a .hoax. A clever
one to be sure, but a hoax neverthe
less.
A few months ago, there was cir
culated here a poor photographic copy
o.f what was labeled. "Daily Bulletin of
Infbrmation" from the Long Beach
Naval Shipyard. Long Beach, Califor
nia. Dated. <1 November. 1968, and
numbered N6. 153. The document not
only looked official, but carried a full
page of service jargon.
It listed information on "Navy Uni
forms Prescribed in Los Angeles/
Orange Counties", "Duty Officer
Watch List" and an announcement of
a service "Travel Meeting." replete
with the 0600's and 1800's to familiar
to those who have traveled the service
routes.
The heading: "VA Dividends For
The Asking" was the catcher. It said a
bill had been passed by Congress
authorizing the payment of fifty cents
per thousand of GI insurance for each
month of service.
Kilroy must be indeed rolling over
Weather
Mostly cloudy and warmer today
with chance of rfln or showers. Fri
day, variable cloudinesa. chance of
showers and mild. Low, 40; high, neat
50.
contemplating this next line which
said: "To find out if you have money
coming, write:" and then .it gave an
address in Minnesota - Fort Snelling.
True to the tradition of obeying
instructions, veterans by the thousands
did just that. Just how many of them
were from Franklirt County is a closely
guarded secret. Nobody is confessing
anything. But, it is known that quite a
few letters received by the Veterans
Administration Center at Ft. Snelling
bore Franklin County post-office
marks. ' i
After all, had it been true, most
veterans would have collected several '
hundred dollars. It was worth a try.
Kilroy could go to Alaska.
But, as so many servicemen long
ago learned, don't believe anything
you hear or read and only half of what
you see. The attraction of the green;
the authencity in appearance of the
document caused many of the learned
to slip a bit and fall for the gag.
W. R. Phillips, Manager of the
North Carolina VA Regional Office in
Winston Salem says the information
has been "popping up all over North
Carolina". "Nothing could be further
from the truth," Phillips states. v .
VA has received a "deluge Of appli
cations". he says caused by reports by
"false rumors diaeminated by word -of
-mouth, letter, and stories in news
papers and magaziMS."
"We are deeply concerned that so
many veterans entertain the false hope
that they are in for an insurance
dividend windfall. They are not",
Phillips said.
He also added that this hoax it not
to be confused with the annual divi
dend paid by the VA to holders of GI
insiwafK*?:' This comes as a result of
"savings and earnings on GI insurance
trust funds", he explained.
But somewhere the sun is shining.
And somewhere men will swear. All,
they'll say, is not lost. Kilroy I* surely
there.
Pays $24,391
In Local Taxes
Howard T. Pitts, local manager for
Carolina Telephone, one of the coun
ty's larger taxpayers, this week pre
sented a check for $24,391 to the
Franklin County tax collector.
The check was in payment of 1968
ad valorem taxes on the company'!
properties within the county. Also,
checks for $2,085 for municipal ad
valorem taxes in Louisburg and $1,477
in Franklinton were handed to the city
tax collectors. Checks covering munici
pal ad valorem taxes in other towns
will be delivered this week.
The company's total county and
municipal tax bill throughout eastern
North Carolina amounted to ?
$1,929,000. In. addition, state and
federal taxes came to $9,300,000.
This does not include the 10%
federal excise tax on telephone service
which the company collected from its
subscribers and remitted to the federal
government.
Sign-Up Begins
The annual feed grain, cotton ami
wheat program sign up will begin on
February 3, 1969. and end March 21,
1969
No decision concerning making ad
? vance payments has been announced
but we expect to know by the begin
ning pf the sign-up period. Every
producer on a farm who will be
receiving payments must sign the nec
essary form* b?fore any payments cm
be made. Therefore, the farm operator
should bring these producers to the
county office at sign-up time
There have been some changes re
garding the dhriaion of diversion and
price support payments among opera
tori and tenanta. These changes will be
thoroughly diacusaed with producers
at sign-up time. .