Newspapers / The Franklin Times (Louisburg, … / Feb. 11, 1969, edition 1 / Page 1
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?r The FraJMin Times Published Every Tuesday & Thursday Serving All Of FrankliVi County Phone GY6-3283 Ten Cents Louisburg, N. C., Tuesday, February 11, 1969 (Six Pages Today), 99th Year-Number 103 House Pleads Guilty lu Manslaughter Lonnie House, 42, former Deputy Sheriff charged with murder in the January 17, 1968 shooting death of Franklinton Police Officer Carlyle Breedlove, pleaded guilty to charges of manslaughter in Superior Court here last Friday. Judge Pou Bailey ordered House "committed to the custody of the North Carolina Department of Correction for evaluation and recom mendation to the Court under pro vision of G.S. 148-12 (b)"' with the request that the report be filed with the Judge presiding at the May 12, 1969 Criminal Session of Si^erior Court of Franklin County". Judge Bailey further ordered that, "any time spent in custody of the Prison Department would be credited on any sentence ultimately imposed. Prayer for judgment was continued until the May 12, 1969 Criminal Ses sion". The shooting occurred around 11:20 P.M. at the Law Officers Cabin on the Louisburg-Youngsville highway. Fountain Hits FCC Actions Congressman L. H. Fountain (D-N.C.) has issued a statement on the Fed eral Commu nications Commis sion's proposal to ban cigarette adver tising on radio and television. The text of the Congressman's statement fol lows: "I have not researched the legal question, but 1 know of no authority granted the FCC to ban the advertising of cigarettes or any other legitimately manufactured and legally sold product In this country. Nor do I know of any other valid basis upon which it could make such a decision. 'This attempt by six individuals to arrogate to themselves the role of physician, prosecutor, judge and jury is uncalled for and will, in my opinion, be fought to the end in the Congress. "Until there is clear, indisputable, scientifically proven medical and un derstandable evidence in support of the charge as to the harmful nature of smoking, no government agency, nor any individual employee or official of the Federal Government has any right, or, In my opinion, authority to render a decision which could force into bankruptcy some 626,000 farm families in 16 states who make an honest and legitimate living from the production of tobacco and the mil lions of other good Americans who earn their Jhrelihoods, either in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from the handling of tobacco." Town Tag Warning Issued Loulsburg Police Chief Earl Thar rington warned motorists residing in side the Loulsburg town limits that their town auto tags expire It mid night, February 15. Chief Tharrington urged all such vehicle owners to go by the town office and purchase their new tags. Town tags are required on all cars owned by Loulsburg residents. I Death Claims Gold Sand Resident A Mr. Maurice Ellis Bledsoe age 61 of Rt. 3, Loulsburg, died Thunday morn ing In Franklin Memorial Hospital. Funeral services were held Friday at 3 p.m. from Mt. Zion Baptist Church conduct ed by the Pastor, Rev. Kenneth Hunneycutt and Rer. Paul ChU dera Interment followed in High land Memory Garden! of Franklin Co., Inc. on Highway 661. Surviving an hla wife. Ma Louise May Bled km; on* eon, M. t. Bled toe. jr. or tnc home; four listen, Mr* Bertha Wilton, Mrs. Sue Perdue, Mi* Gladys Leonard, Mrs. Zena Gupton, ell of Lou tabu rf. Mr. Bledsoe was s retired farmer, a member of the Mt. Zlon Baptist Church and a deacon for several years* and a teacher of the AduU BiMe Class. following a supper meeting attended by a number of county law officials. House, Breedlove, Franklinton Police Chief Leo Edwards and Franklinton Police Officer Tom Allen were at the cabin at the time of the incident. Edwards reported that the shooting was "unintentional" at the time. Breedlove was taken to Franklin Memorial Hospital and transferred Duke where he died around 5 A.M. the same morning. House was hospitalized for several days following the shoot ing, suffering from shock. Agents of the State Bureau of Investigation serv ed a murder warrant on House on Friday, January 19. At Friday's trial, Allen was the only state's witness and the defense called only a number of character witnesses. Other cases disposed of in the final two days of the Criminal Session include: Henry M. Holden, operating auto intoxicated. 6 months in jail. Lewis King, public drunkeness, 20 days in jail, suspended for 5 years on payment of costs and to report on Monday of each criminal session of Superior Court of Franklin County for the next 5 years. Lewis King, public drunkeness, 20 days in jail, to run at expiration of prior sentence; to pay costs and report to Superior Court as above. Herbert Lester Griffin, w/m/45, public drunkeness. 20 days in jail, suspended for one year on payment of costs and good behavior. Maurice Harrison, non support. Nolle Pros. Clem Pearce, speeding. Mistrial. Charles Alexander, n/m/50, public drunkeness. Nolle pros. ? Furman Ray Peace, w/m/26, op erating auto intoxicated. Nolle pros with leave. Weldon Perry, affray. Nolle pros with leave. Charles Eugene Moore, w/m/24, non support. Nolle pros with leave. Richard Isaish Sneed, probation re voked. Defendant was sentenced to 24 months in jail on the charge of burning of personal property. Said sentence was suspended and defendant placed on probation. Attack Fatal To Berkley Strother Alger Berkley Strother, 57, SUr Route mail carrier and local hardware (tore employee, 1led early thii morn ing of an apparent heart attack while on his way to Louisburg from Frank linton with a load of mail. Strother. who formerly operated a grocery store here, wai discovered in the cab of his pickup truck by t long-time friend, Lee Bell, on the Prinklinton high way shortly after 7 A.M. this morn ing. Bell had seen the truck pass a nearby store a short time earlier. The vehicle ran off the highway and stopped in a shallow ditch. Funeral eer vices will be conducted from the Louisburg Baptist Church, of which he wu i member, Wednesday at 11 A.M. conducted by the pastor, Rev. A. S. Tomlinson. Burial will follow In Oak wood Cemetery. Surviving are his wife, Mrs. Flarid L. S trot her; one son, C. W. S trot her of the home; one daughter, Mrs. H. J. Taylor at Greenville, N. C.; two grand children; two brothers, Morris W. Strother and C. Willie S trot her, both of Louisburg; two staters, Mrs. Edward Dement of Louisburg and Mrs. Helen Hooker of Warren ton; two step-child ren, Mrs. R. F. Sloop of Wilson, Mr. J. B. Cash of Franklinton and four step grandchlldren. , Little Girl Found Safe A 2V4- year-old girl, daughter of Mrs. Mozelle Baker, was found safe last Friday afternoon near her home In the Riley section of Franklin County, ac cording to reports The child wandered from home and was considered lost for over two hours before being found. Sheriff's officers assisted in the search with neighbors of the child. No Evidence Of Foul Play Local Group Organizes In Support- Of Public Schools Nearly one hundred parents, teach ers and others met here Monday night and organized the Citizens for Public Schools. The purpose of the organiza tion, according to Mrs. Lucy Taylor Allen, one of the organizers, is to clear up the false rumors being circulated , about the public schools and in gen eral, to add needed support. Rev. Walter McDonald was elected moderator for the meeting which saw most of those gathered express their support for the public schools. A number of teachers rose to tell of the "good" things going on in the schools. Most stressed that the quality of ed ucation being received by the students is as good as or better than in past years. Many of the rumors of teacher resignations and exaggerated accounts of incidences In the Louisburg schools were found to be wholeiy erronous. Several teachers said they had no intentions of resigning although it had been rumored that they would. Parents were invited to visit the school and to see for themselves the conditions there. The group, for the most part, was made up of persons in the Louisburg area, although it was made clear that people from other areas would be welcomed at future meetings. A committee was named to work on the many suggestions made as to now the group might increase support for the public school ??y stem and was authorized to call a public meeting "of all interested persons as soon as the Man Faces Charges Chief Earl Tharrington reports that a Route 1, Youngsville man it facing multiple charges in connection with motor vehicle! violations and illegal possession of whiskey. Tharrington identified the man as Jerry Allen Rogers and said that Rogers was charg ed with traveling 100 miles an hour In a 45 mile zone. Tharrington said the arrest was made by police officer Lewis Evahs. Evans pre chase on NC-561 and when the man's car apparently blew up near Oriffln'a Pond, Evan made the arrest. Rogers is also charged with driving after his license was revoked and with pcsatsslpn of no n- tax-paid whiskey He is free under $500 bond, according to Tharrington. Junior Gets Nomination (FRK. B.W.) Lewis Alston Thomp son, ID, has been nominated for the Governor's School in the academic area. Al is a member of the Junior Claas at Franklin ton High School. He Is vice president of hla claas and assistant editor at the yearbook, member of the Beta Club and the Future Teachers' Club He la alao vice president of the MYF at the Franklinton Methodist Church. His parents an Mr. and Mrs. L. A. Thompson, Jr. committee's work is completed. Named to the group were: Mrs. Ma Jorie Leonard, Mrs. Lucy Allen, Mrs. 'Mary Lohmueller, Mrs. Doris Wilder, G. M. Beam, Jr., Wilton Smith and Rev. Norwood Jones. Mrs. Margaret Holmes, Associate Superintendent of Schools, told the group, which met at the Louisburg Baptist Church, of the difficulties of organizing the school system in nine days last fall. She assured the parents that school officials would continue their efforts to maintain a high stan dard of learning in the system. Mr. L, C. Hasty, Chairman of the Louisbutg Advisory Committee, spoke briefly, stressing the good things going on in the school. He said he assumed most of the teachers would be return ing to their jobs next year and urged parents to support the school. Clint Fuller, a member of the Board of Education, explained where the sys tem is in connection with the court case and the court order under which the system now operates. Eric Morgan, acting principal at Louisburg. told the group he would welcome their inquiries anytime they heard a rumor. He said he would be happy to tell them what was going on, in the school at anytime. The theme of the meeting seemed to be one of community effort. One spokesman said that the county could _ not progress without a strong school system and that industry would not choose to locate here. The group was cautioned not to be overly critical of those who have sent their children to private schools, but instead to try to encourage them to come back and support the public system. Body Of Missing Man Found Near Ingleside The body of Brooks Cleveland Mer rltt, 62-year-old Moulton man, missing since January 10, was found Saturday near Ingleside by two hunters, who asked that their names not be used. The two men discovered the body on the edge of a field a few feet from a patch of woods around 12:30 p.m. The area, where the body was discorered. is about three-quarters of a mile from Merritt's home- and where he was reportedly last seen alive on the night of January 10, by a Negro neighbor. Sandy Jones. The area is about a mile off US-401 north of Ingleside. Sheriff William T. Dement said he found no signs of foul play but or dered an autopsy performed on the body. Preliminary reports from path ologists at Wake Memorial Hospital indicate that they found no signs of foul play, according to Sheriff's De partment. It was apparent that the body had been lying where found (or some time, although searchers had combed nearby for several weeks in efforts to find the man. Neighbors and friends had posted a reward of $1,027 for information lead ing to the conviction of anyone having done the man bodily harm and units of the National Guard launched a massive search on February 2. How ever, the Guard search was hampered by rain and searchers scoured only the wooded areas in that section f the county. Funeral services for Merritt were conducted Monday afternoon at 2 P.M. from, the Lancaster Chapel by Rev. Bill Clodfelter. Burial followed in the Trinity Methodist Church ceme tery. Surviving are his stepmother. Mrs. Nannie Merritt, Rt. 2, Louisburg; two brothers, Maurice and Fred Mer ritt of Louisburg. Franklin Road Project Apparently Not Frozen A contract for the NC-39 highway project in Franklin County was award ed last Friday to the T. A. Loving Company of Goldsboro, by the State Highway Commission. The $483,521.70 project is a part of a $2,182,179.62 total letting by the Commission. A release from the Commission last Friday, explaining the recent order to freeze certain highway construction due to North Carolina's inability to sell the final $60 million in Road Bonds,' indicates that the Franklin project may be within the $240 mil lion bonds already sold. If it is, con- . struction could begin soon on the long-awaited highway improvement. The Commission stated, "... the Highway Commission will give close study to those projects in the January letting which are completely or par tially financed from the bond issue, and will award the projects for con struction as funds are available within the 240-million limitation." The awarding of the Loving con tract last Friday indicates that the Franklin project is to come out of the $240 million fund. The Franklin project is described in the awarding as follows: "4.611 miles j of grading, coarse aggregate base course, bituminous concrete base, bin der, surface and culverts to improve ments on NC-39 and US-401 between Ingleside and Louisburg and SR-1229 from NC-39 to the Louisburg city limits." ? The full text of the Highway Com mission statement follows: The State Highway Commission has been advised by the State Treasurer's Office that under the present market conditions, it Is unlikely that It will be possible to borrow at this time, or at any time in the near future, the last 60-millk>n dollar installment provided In the Highway Bond Act of 1966. The Treasurer's Office further Indi cates that so long as the present conditions prevail, funds in excess of 240-million dollars cannot be made available to, or commited by, the Highway Commission. There are a number of Bond pro jects already approved by the Highway Commission which if advanced from preliminary . engineering to right-of way acquisition, or from right-of-way acquisition to construction, would ex ceed this 240-million dollar limitation. In light of this situation, it is necessary for the Highway Commis sion and the individual commissioners to re-study and re-evaluate the total highway program because of the close relationship of the bond financed por tion of the total highway program to the overall program. As a part of this overall re-evalua tion, the Highway Commission, will give close study to those projects in the January letting which are com pletely or partially financed from the bond issue, and will award the projects for construction as funds are available within the 240-million limitation. In addition, those projects which are financed totally or in part by bond funds have been deleted from the February letting. At the same time, division engineers-* and the Project Control Department of the Highway Commission are studying the overall highway program and are compiling data on the status and fund ing of virtually every project. The data provided in this report will give the highway commissioners the necessary background '-to determine how best to move the highway program forward until such time as the remaining 60 million dollars in highway bond funds ' cn be borrowed. It is hoped that a report will be ready within the next several weeks. , , Weather Generally fair and warmer today. Partly cloudy and a little colder Wed nesday. Low today, 26; high, 56. Fire Sweeps Louisburg Home Scene above shows the fire last Friday afternoon around 5 P.M. that destroyed the home of Mary Whitley on the Bunn Road a short distance off Blckett Blvd. Origin of the blaze was not determined. Both the Loutsburg Fire Department and Bunn Volunteers answered the call. Howerer, the houae was destroyed before firemen arrive* Nearby dweUinfa, however, were saved by the firemen. ' . ? -Staff Photo by Clint Fuller.
The Franklin Times (Louisburg, N.C.)
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Feb. 11, 1969, edition 1
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