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^i&ATWOT HAS BtAZED THE TRAIL OF PROGRESS IM-TOE “STATE OP WILKES” FOR MORE TH^
-'Wl
i
te News Of
Itate* Nation
Told Briefly
THE JOURNAL-
For mutual advani
do your buyiny in Nqi
Wilkeaboro, the
centir of NorthweetwiC
North Caixdina.'
MORE CARS REGISTERED
f - Haleigh, Aug. 15.—-The motor
▼ehicle bureau reported today
689,352 motor vehicle registra-
lions in North Carolina this year
li* through yesterday, compared with
M 655,849 the same date last year.
Last year there ^as a record
number of 593,035 registrations.
f. MONTH PER STITCH
Wilson, Aug. 15.—It was an
•'ey© for an eye and a stitch for
a stitch^’ in recorder's court here
yesterday. James Yurbrough. ne
gro man here, was charged with
* assault upon another negro. The
alleged assault resul'ed in three
^ stitches having to h^ taken in
the head of the assaulted negro.
'Tm giving you a month on the
ro^A for every stitch.’’ said Re-
Charles E McT..ean. to
'Yarborough. He gavp tho negro
three months on the roads.
$70,000 ROBBERY
Long Beach, N. 1 , .Aug. 15.—
I Under the menacing snouts of
two machine guns. t\» o bank mes-
f igers were robbed of $TO.onn
a swiftly-executed holdup to
day hy five bandits who then es
caped despite an elaborate plan
of apprehension wbirb had been
waiti ig six years for iust such an
event. From th^ mri’u street of
this summer resorr mwn. whore
the robbery occurred virtually on
the steps of the po^toffico. the
bandits sped presumably across
one of three bridge-j connecting
thp i.sland with the T.ong Island
mainland—and disappeared.
THANKSGIVING i?OW
Now York, Aue. 15.—grid
iron rebellion grew today apace
with a pileup of protests from
rock-ribbed traditionists against
President Roosevelt’s plan to
^hange the day of 'thanksgiving
■this year from November 30 to
Vc,ovember 2 3. Many in authority
«|hd businessmen, favored the
President’s precedent - smashing
idea—to help hi ?ines3—but tho
football people were both amazed
and flabergastod over what to do |
with games scheduled for No
vember 30.
G-MEN ON JO^
Reno. Nev.. Aur.. 15.—Federal
officers today took over investi
gation of the wreck of the
streamline train “City of San
Francisco,’* and direction of the
search for the maniac who. train
men say. deliberately derailed the
tTa'n, killing 23 people and In
juring 109. The Mearch was spurr
ed by clues toward the Identity
of the man. or men. who moved
a rail and thus hurtled the 17-car
into a Nevada canyon Sat-
r urday night. “We have some def
inite evidence.” said A. D. Mc
Donald, pre.sident of the Southern
Pacific company, who took
charge of the railways investi-.
gation, “hut it is of such a na- |
lure that we do not feel free to
divulge U ar this time.’’ |
I
BYRNES TALKS , i
Spartanburg. ^ C . Ang 1 r> ^
Sena'or Jame^ F. Byrnes. Demo
crat. South Carolina, -aid in an |
interview here today be believod
President Rc>osevtdt would not
seek re-elecrion. ar’d ad(h‘d rhat
If the Demi'crat-J of the na'.ion
as badly divid-d in
^".rress the partv wonM be de
feated in the 19t'» fU-Ci-n. Kx-
fpre.-^Hing opinion that the
President would urge the nomi-
^ nation of . candidate “who will
’ not undo the administration’s so
cial reforms.” Byrnes, who has
supported many new deal meas
ures, continued: “If the Demo-
cra-s throughout the country are
as badly divided as are the Dem
ocrats in the senate and house,
it is a waste of timo to discus.'^
who will be nominated by the
Democrats for the party will cer
tainly be defeated. *
Saturday To Be
White Cane Day
On Saturday the North Wilkps-
bero Lion') cluh will olfor tho
poonle of this vicinity an oppor-
tunitv to help a most commend
able cause-aid to the blind and
blind prevention.
Saturday will h'- tVbite Cane
'J)ay and canes will be sold on
the streets bv a number of ttlrls.
•sons desiring to help tho cause
V pav from ten cents up for
h cane and the money thus
,ed will he used in
rk for the blind in U likes,
ny are in desperate need of
ssei and several need opera-
al>o prevent blindness, dub
HTts in charge of arrange-
for the observance said.
Vny who are not contacted and
ed to buy a cane and who
ire to have a part in the event
asked to see Grady Church
VOL. XXXII. No. lOSPublished Mondays and Thursdays. NORTH WILKESBORO, N. C., THURSDAY, AUG. 17, 1939 ^1.50 IN THE STATE-^2.00 OUT OF THE STATf
3 Boys Convicted
Manslaughter For
Shepherd’s Death
Square and Hansel Pruitt
And Ray Wyatt Found
Guilty In Court Today
WAS KNIFE SLAYING
Fight Occured In Union
Township In October;
Many Cases Tried
Children? Dictators Just Love Them
A jury in Wilkes court today
retunuui a verdict of manslaugh
ter against Square Pruitt. Ray
YVyatt and Hansel Pruitt for the
knife slaying of Carl Shepherd m
T'nion township in October. 193S.
Jijilgf' Frank .^rmsirong. who
is pr^^idir.g over court, sentenc
ed them to 5 to 10 years in pri
son and notice of appeal ■was giv
en.
The evidence in the ease was
mainly circumstantial. The body
of Shenherd was found iust after
noon 01*.'^ day 15 b.ours after he
I had been seen with the defend-
pnrs the '•*>!'( :'*»d vherr* u
was alleirod to havi' taken
; place. A knife t-r some other
sharp insTninicnt had pierced his
heart.
Square Pruitt and Wyatt are
only 10 year^ of age and Han
sel Pruitt is 18.
Court adjourned today.
Tho .\ugust court has di.--
posed of many case.s and the
docket was left 1 n current
condition. Solicitor Avalon E-
Hall said. However, there are
many cases on the docket, he
said, which havp been cnnMnued
for legal and logical reasons.
Cases tried this week follow^:
Garland Billings, violation pro
hibition law. eight months.
Fred McCann, non-support, two
years suspended on payment jost
and that he support his family.
Barney Wood, manufacturing,
non suit.
Lester Combs, non-support, six
months suspended on condition
he pay cost and support family.
Ray Minton, non-support, judg
ment suspended payment $50 to
prosecuting witness and pay cost.
Conrad Durham, larceny, not
guilty.
Lee Bass (colored). C. and A.,
1 5 months.
?am Shew, non-support, must
pay $4.00 every two weeks for
benefit child.
Ira Dancy, non-.support. must
pay cost and pay $250 to Dair
Nichols.
EsHl Miller, larceny. 90 days.
Marvin C. Lowe, operating oar
while intoxioat.'d. eight months
suspended on payment $100 fine
and COST, not to drive within two
vears.
North Wilkesboro
Schools Will Open
On September 4th
I Buildings
Though grim “military necessity’* causes Chancellor Adolf Hitler of
Germany, left, and Premier Benito Mussolini of Italy to build huge bomb
ing pianes in order to wipe out cities and their populations, the iwo
dictators never fail to show their love for children—at least when they
face a camera. Here Hitler playfully pats one of his youihful sapporters
who was singled out for the honor during a special celebration in Beriln’s
famous Olympic stadium. Mussolini proudly accepts a bouquet of flowera
from a little Albanian child during his recent visit to Kiccione.
and Equipment
Placed In Good Shape In
Preparation Opening
North Wilkesboro city schools
will open the 1939-40 term on
Monday, September 4, Paul S.
Cragan, superintendent, said to
day.
During tho vacation months
the buildings have been thor
oughly cleaned. minor repairs
have been made and all equip
ment is being placed in first class
condition in preparation for
school opening.
Another successful year is an
ticipated.
State Authorities
Fail To Approve
, Election Colvard
! Commissioners’ Choice Turn
ed Down For Wilkes Coun
ty Farm Agent Position
Buy Fight Takes Place After
Enraged Animal Seriously
Wounds Aged Father and Son
Wants Executioner’s Job
Citizens In Mass Meeting Lambast
Policies Of The School Authorities
Methodist Pastor
To Preach Sunday
In Union Service
Rev. A. L. Aycock, pastor of
the North Wilkesboro Methodist
church, returned to the city Mon
day from a two-weeks vacation
and will preach at the Methodist
church Sunday morning at the
11 o’clock service, and Sunday
evening at 8 o’clock at the union
service, which is to be held at
the Baptist church.
Rev. Mr. Aycock. accompanied
by Mr.s. Aycock and their davigh-
ter. Miss Helen Aycock. spent a-
bout ten days at Plsgah National
Forest and the remainder of time
with relatives at various places.
They were accompanied home by
Mrs. Aycnck's mother. Mrs. Bet-
tie ne.ichum, of Polkton.
Pledge Not To Stop Fight To
Better School Situation
In Wilkes
NeckBrokenWhen
Hit By Car Sunday
Josephy Wyatt Badly Injur
ed While Walking Along
County Road
Union Citizens
Seek Power Lines
Had Meeting Monday Night
At M 'ittington School;
Power Officials There
A r^'r>rf*sent:itive croup of citi-
7.T1.: rTiion towohip met at
the WhiTtincton schonlhoii'e Mon
thly night to discu'^-s ways and
mean-1 of Eretfine electric power
line-i er^'c'ed in their roTiimnnity.
Both rporesentatives of the Duke
! p.'yw;*'' f’ompany and RKA were
in attendance. Tlie m n talk of
I the evening, however, was made ^
!bv Max WiUoM. of the Caldwell
I Mutual, a REA organization, who ^
Itold in detail of the way the REA
I served those co-operating. He
stated, however, that if the pa-
|tron; of the community could Oh-
Itain Duke Power company serv
ice in an adequate way that it
v.ould >>e cheaper than REA ser
vice. Mr. WiLon stated that the |
government was not in rompeti-1
tion to private companies, and j
only wanted to serve in com-
muniMes where private companies
deemed it not practicable to erect
nnwer lines. Mr. Wilson was ac
companied ti) the meeting by
other officials of the RE.\.
A commilt(-’e of five citizens of
the township-R- Miller, J. F.
Vannoy. I. R- Vannoy. Odell
Whittington, and Evan Coivard
was named to confer with power
officials and to report their
findinzs at a meeting to he held
at the Whittington schoolhouse
Friday night at 7'30 o'clock.
Josenby Wyatt. «3-vear-old cit-
i?nn of I bp Rock Creek commun
ity. received a broken neck, a
fractured arm and other injuries
Sunday afternoon when he was
bit by a car while xvalkinz alonz
a county road a few miles north
east of this city.
.-\t the Wilkes hospital today
his condition was reported as
well as could be expected.
Hugh Evan;t Anderson. 22.
former Wilkes man who was al
leged to have been driving the
car, was placed under $1,000
bond. Anderson has been work
ing in Kingsport, Tern.
Reports of the aceident indi
cate that Wyatt was caught on
the bumper of his car and later
thrown into the oank as the car
stopped.
A large crowd of citizens and
patrons from many schools and
rommunifies in Wilkes county
gathered at the courthouse In
Wilkesboro Tuesday night in a
mass meeting for the purpo.«e of
discussing tlf© school situation
and after hearing several address
es relative to dissatisfaction over
the way in which they said the
school system is being conducted,
nledged themselves by standing
vote to continue their fight for
.the betterment of Fchools.
i The courtroom auditorium was
I filled to capacity and many re
mained below and oi the grounds
land heard the proceedings over a
jnuhlic addre.ss system which had
been installed for the occasion.
The meeting was called a week
ago by the Citizens and Patrons
committep of Wilkes county.
Attorney J. F. Jordan, mayor
nf Wilkesboro. called the assemh-
ly to order and presented Earl C.
.Tame?. Democratic attorney, of
Elkin, who presided. He said that
he had gained knowledge of the
school situation in Wilkes by
having represented the patrons of
Pleasant Hill district near Elkin
in their protest to the county
lioard of education becaurr nf
tlip firing of Principal F R.
Settlp ami Mrs. Settle from the
Pleasnn* Hill districl over tho
protest nf 9.5 per cent of the
school patrons.
In opening remarks he said
that the sole purpose of the
meeting was a cooperative effort
on the part of the people in be
half of the schools and the cause
of education. He declared that a
peculiar situation exists i n
Wilkes which represents a chal-
longe to the republican form of
government and pure democracy
and that the people are threaten-
I ed by “rule by a few” in school
' matters.
j After asking for a show on
I (Continued Page 8)
The North Carolina extension
service failed to approve the elec
tion of Howard Colvard as coun
ty agent for Wilkes county, it
was learned today from official
sources.
His election by the hoard of
commissioners in special meeting
on Saturday ■was the second which
has been turned down by heads
of tb * service.
It is understood that the au
thorities of the extension service
at Raleigh turned down the ap
pointment of Mr. Colvard because
of lack of experience In the ex
tension service, although he grad
uated from State College in 1933
afid for six years successfully
taught vocational agriculture at
Indian Trail high school.
He is a member of a promi
nent Wilkes family, being a son
of the late C. H. Colvard. of
Reddles River.
The commissioners In June ap
pointed Edward M. Freaa, of
Traphill, as county agent but hla
appointment was turned down
hecausfi of lack of actual exper
ience. He was also a graduate of
State College.
Meanwhile Dan Holler is con
tinuing to carry out the duties of
the office. He was appointed
county agent following the death
of A. G. Hendren. who for more
than 2.5 years served Wilkes in
that capacity. Mr. Holler is fav
ored by state authorities to re
tain the position.
Judge Orders Improvements as Asked
By Grand Jury In Report During Term
EPISCOPAL SERVICE
Vesper service at St. Paul’s
Episcopal church Sunday after
noon, August 20th. at four o-
clock. ir. charge of the rector,
Reverend B. M. Lackey.
Saying that he intended that
recommendations of grand juries
he carried otR. Judge Frank Arm
strong in Wilkes superior court
yesterday afternoon signed an
order directing that a number nf
improvements and repair.? to
county properly be carried out
according to the recommenda
tion of the gra»1 jurv.
His order cites several recom
mendations as given in the re^
port submitted by J. A. Jones,
foreman.
Judge Armstrong ordered that
a water system be installed in
the county home and t. 'o. hos
pital.
He ord'^red that the toilet in
the basement of the courthouse
b© padlocked and that new
plumbing be installed.
Relative to the jail he ordered
that new plumbing be in.stalled
and that the place be screened.
In the grand Jury report it
was “demanded” that a heating
sy.-tem be installed in tho court
house at once. The judge order
ed that the commissioners secure
estimates of the cest of a heat
ing system before November term
of court.
The order also contained a
clause asking that the solicitor
indict the comraisafoners at the
November term if the orders of
the court are not complied with.
Tt was orderei that the cle* \
mall certified copies of the or
der to each member of the board
of commissioners and to Solici
tor Avalcn E. Hall.
The Judge mentioned the fact
that many of the recommenda
tions in the grand jury report
were similar to those made over
the past few years and that It was
useless for grand juries to make
investigations and report on
if recommenda-
[tlons were not to be carried out.
W. C. Winkler Is
Taken By Death
The funeral service for Mr. W.
C. Winkler, one of the oldest and
best known residents of Wilkes
boro, who passed away in his
sleep Tiie.sday afternoon at three
o'clock, was held thi.s morning
a t the Wilkesboro Methodist
church, of which he had long
been a faithful member. The
service was larzely attended, and
music was rendered by a quartet
composed of Messrs. W. A.
Stroud, J. B. Hentb'rson. Zeh
Dickson and Dewey Minton, with
Mrs. R. E. Prevette as accom
panist. The floral tributes, beau
tiful and many, were carried by
a number of ladies of the Wll-
kesboros. Interment took place
in the family burying plot in
Mountain Park cemetery.
The .service was conducted by
the deceased's pastor. Rev. A. W.
Lynch, assisted by Rev. R. L. Is
bell, pastor of the Advent Chris
tian church at Lenoir.
Pall bearers were: Ex-Sheriff
J. H. Johnson, F. G. Holman. J.
E. Spalnhour. C. E. T,enderman.
H. A. Cranor, W. E. Smithey. F.
J. McDuffie, Chas. G- Gilreath.
J. T. Cranor, W. L. Yates.
Honorary pall bearers were: J.
L. Garwood, R. J. Kennedy. J. R.
Henderson. Mack Moore, Royal
Prevette, W. E. Harris. J. W.
Dula, J. F. Jordan, A. R. Gray,
F. F. Frazier. Judge T. B. Fin
ley. N. B. Smithey. J. R. Roua-
scau. J. E. Culler, J. M. Hollar,
P. E. Brown, T, M. Foster, R.
L. Wellborn, Dr. G. T. Mitchell,
Dr. E. N. Phillips. Dr. F. C. Hub
bard, J. H. Leckie, C. H. Cowles.
J. C. Wallace and J. T. Prevette.
Mr. Winkler had lived in Wil
kesboro for many years where he
was held In high esteem and re-
• ard. d^a-h removes one clf
(Continued on page five)
J. B. Nichob And
Son, Jesse, Injured
On Monday Night
Large Crowd Gathers To
Help Kill Sire Which In-
jured Two Men
TASK IS VERY DIFFICULT
Clarence Peddicord, ZZ, blind op
erator of a candy stand in Vancou
ver, Wash., was one of the many
nnsDccessful applicants for the posi
tion of executioner at Sing Sing pris
on. Hie position was left vacant due
to the Illness of Executioner Robert
EUlot. Peddicord is pictured with
his **Seeing-eye” dog.
Strange Couple Is
Seen On Highway
With Small Wagon
Aged Man and Woman Pass
Today With Belongings
On Coaster Wagon
An aged man and a woman,
apparently weary from much
travel, passed ihrough this vicin
ity today with a coaster ^agon
loaded with their worldly pos
sessions.
The unusual travelers had an
appearance which made everyone
want to know more about thorn
as they laboriously went their
way hut when questioned thev
were necullarly reticent as if to
say “it is none of your business.*'
As a curious reporter pulled
his car to a slop and got out for
X closer view of the travelers
they pulled and pushed their
tiny vehicle to the shoulder of
the road, where the man. who ap-
neared to be in hi- sixties, hiwied
himself with fixing one of rhe
tires on the wagon, a type which
when new would he the ideal
plaything for a boy o* six to
eight years.
He did not care to discuss bis
personal business, apparently, but
after a little coaxinz the woman
said that bis name was Davis and
that she ^as his wife.
In Washington, D. 0.. .she said,
they had made their home and
that her hii.sband had a good job
until his health failed. “It makes
a big difference when there is
nothing coming in” she said.
Davis then volunteered the In
formation that they left the na
tion's capltol in April of this
year. When asked whe-e they
were going he said “South,’’ al
though at the moment they 15'ere
(Continued on psge five)
Many ShoU Fired In Bull
Hunt Which Lasted For
Over Six Hours
Joe Nichols, 79, was seriously.
If not fatally, injured late Mon
day "When attacked by an enraged
bull near his home in the Deep
Ford Hill community about two
miles from Millers Creek.
Two hours later the same bull
attacked and critically hurt h!s
son, Jess© Nichols, 36, as he tried
to catch the animal.
Condition nf the elderly father
and son at tho Wilkes hospital
today was described as critical
and recovery is extremely doubt
ful.
Following the double tragedy
neighbors and people from many
miles distant gathered and par
ticipated In a hull fight that
would would rival those in arenas
of Spain and Mexico and after
more than six hours of hunting
and fighting the bull was finally
killed a half hour past midnight.
The attack on Joe Nichols oc
cured about four o’clock in the
afternoon. The bull, which he had
been working as an ox on hla
farm for six years, got loose. He
and his wife and stepdaughter,
Fannie Collins, tried to catch tho
bull but did not have an oppor
tunity to corner it until they had
gone about a mile from hla house
and up on a mountain. There
Nichols took hold of the chain
which was attached to the bulTa
head and the hull promptly
knocked him down and gored him
with its horns.
His wife and Miss Collins val-
(Continued on Page 8)
Ashe Merchant Is
Victim of Accident
E. A. McNeiirKilled When
Hit By Car Last Night
In Jefferson
Third AD-Star
Game on Sunday
North Wilkesboro Will Play
County Team Again On
Sunday Afternoon
Interest In the North Wilkes
boro versus county AH Stars base
ball game was so .great that an
other game has been scheduled
for Sunday afternoon. 2:30, be
tween the two teams.
It will be the third of a three-
game series. The first ended in
a tie and the North Wilkesboro
team took the game last Sunday.
The AH Stars are expected to
make a mighty effort to even the
score by making the game Sun
day afternoon and another good
contest should be the result.
Nor+h Wilkesboro will play
West Yadkin there on Saturday.
E. McN'ill. .Ashe county’s
olde.st m^^rchant. di^d in the
Wi!ke.^ Hf>spif:il at 11 o'clock last
night of injuries suffered earlier
in rhe evening when he was
struck by an automobile in front
of bis home at Jefferson.
Mr. McNeill was first taken to
West Jefff’Tsnn for treatment but
was rushed to the Wilkc« hos
pital when it was foun'^^ ^ - had
suffered broken bones, hc'il in
juries. and possible internal in
juries.
Mr. McNeill was .struck by an
automobile driven bv George
Glenn Dixon 19. nf Jefferson.
The accident occurred when
Mr. McNeill was crossing the
street from his home en route to
the Presbyterian church. Ohserv-
ers said that there w'cre three
CCC camp trucks that had come
almost to a standstH! in front of
the McNeill home and that evi
dently McNeill was blinded by
their lights, as was Dixon, and
stepped in front of Dixon’s car.
State Highw'ay Patrolman W,
C. Thomas and other offlcera
who investigated the accident,
said that young Dixon stopped aa
soon as possible after hitting Mc
Neill. An examination t;f the
brakes of the car showed they
were in good condition. Thomas
said that Dixon was hot driving
over 2 5 or 30 miles per hour
when the accident occurred.
Dixon was put under $1,000
bond pending the outcome of Sfe-
Nelll's condition.
Mr. McNeill was a member of
a widely prominent family. He
was a brother of Mrs. E. E.
Eller, of this city, and W. E. and
Rufus McNeill, of West Jeffer
son. There are two surviving chil
dren, J. D. and Edward McNeill,
of Jefferson.
Funeral service will be held
Friday morning, ten o’clock, at
the Jefferaon Presbyterlaa
church.