North Carolina Newspapers

* 'State of Wilkes" For Over 40 Years Vol- 41, No. 73 " Published Mondays and Thursdays NORTH WILKESBORO, N. C., Monday7j^i3.T947 Make North Wilkesboro Your f ** ? Pmim Sentence sr After Com oa Verdict Jury in Wilkes court Friday afternoon after two hours de ',h*'?"on returned a verdict of degree murder' for Qlaude on his second trial for the il shooting of Clyde Watts in ~"*own North Wilkes bo ro on of April t. L Boyle Sink, who stat ?- In his opinion Absher guilty of first degree mur ~*ve the maximum sentence, 80 years In prison at hard' further comment before g sentence. Judge Sink ited that he had ho criticism to ?of the rerdlct, saying that it was a rare exception that a defendant in North Carolina is convicted the second time after lbelng granted a new trial by the supreme oourt. , Ajbsher was convicted and sen tenced to de^th by Judge Don fTillllps in the August term of court and won a new trial on error In the charge to the jury. On Friday he remained calm as the jury filed In and gave the verdict which meant he was not to pay with his life for the crime committed. He showed no emo tion at any time during the trial, 'Which began Tuesday morning. . "..^jKte's evidence was that he had a quarrel with Clyde Watts, that he went home in a taxi, re tained downtown and shot Watts 'walked toward him on the Mk on Ninth street. The b also disclosed that the arose over the fact that fcgolng with wife for over two years while Watts was in the Commenting in open court, Judge Sink stated that the fact' that the defendant was not con-I f , would make it extremely i difficult to pronounce the death sentence on any unfortunate de fendant convicted of first degree murder, and that he "was almost persuaded that capital punish-1 ment should be abolished. Lengthy argument by counsel In the case began Thursday morning. Speaking for the prose cution were Johh R. Jones, W. H. McElwee, J. H. Whicker and Solicitor Avalon E. Hall. Defense attorneys who argued the cases were Kyle Hayes. J. E. Holshous-I er. Bill Mitchell and Eugene Trivette. Jurors in the case were Rich ard Mlnton, L. A. Blevlns, M. N Adams, R. J. Tedder, W. J.| Hayes, Taft Eller, Stacy Pardue, Noah Staley, J. M. Pardue, J. M. Benfield, .James H. Adams, j '. Stroud and J, w. Cau W. M. U. Meet Will Be Held At Rems-Stur divant Chapel In This City Monday * All officers, leaders, and coun selors of the Missionary Societies and Young People's organizations .of the Baptist churches together with the pastors are asked to meet for the annual leadership conference in the Reina-Stardl chapel on Monday evening, 20, at seven o'clock. Mrs. C. N. Myers, Divisional ident, Miss Madge Youngr Peoples' Leader, Clational officers t^lll di planning for the year's Mrs. OUbOrt Foster, asso Superlnt^ndent ?; will the conference. SI !?.O" hers of the Millers Mulberry School EMs at Millers Creek school January 9 for the their workship meetings. the topic for study. Reynolds, Education in A. 8. T. C., gave a and inspiring talk of View", and 14 There will be a >rektH4r meet ing of the Veterans of Foreign .Wars in their Clntb RoomB on "C" street Tuesday? night, Jan. 14th. ttiis will be the first meeting in 1947,'and all members are re quested to attend. *1 Headquarters For Polio Campaign In Wilkes Established Moore Chairman;' Mrs. O. E. Triplett Secretary For Anrtual Drive * V Wr Larry Moore, local attorney who,is chairman of the Infantile in Wilke iParalysis campaign in Wilkes county for the National Founda tion, today said that the organ ization Is being set up to raise the bounty's quota' of $4,500. Several meane will be used in the campaign, including solicita tion by mail and by workers. Campaign headquarters will be at the office of the Wilkee Cham ber of Commerce and Mrs. O. E. Trtplett, who very successfully carried out the Christmas Seal drive, will be the secretary Workers and others interested may secure supplies and informa tion from ,Mts. Triplett. ? Fred Henderson has accepted the position as leader in .the campaign ( for the' town of Wil kes bo ro. C. 0. Faw, Jr., and Shoun Kerbaugh composed the committee to arrange a Presi dent's Ball and the Bingo com mittee is composed of Dorm an Payne and Bill Lee. One project now under consideration is the staging of free shows, inclnding ITSTn" the Tentrar schoSlL of the county. In view of the great financial help of the Foundation in caring for and treating the. 37 victims of polio in Wilkes county during the 1944 epidemic, it is expected j that the people of Wilkes^ will again -give very liberally in the polio campaign, Attorney Moore said here today. Knights of Pythias Again Sponsoring Speaking Contest The Supreme Lodge Knights of Pythias is sponsoring a Pub lic Speaking Contest again this year. The subject selected for this year is: "Juvenile Delinquency, its Canse and Care." The contest is open to all beys and girls who were pjbra on or after September 1, 1928 and to all regularly enrolls# students in high . schools or -preparatory schools of high rank without re gard to age, except first prize winners in previous finals. To the winner of first place in the final contest there will be awarded out of the income of the Supreme Lodge ^toundatlon a scholarship of $ 1 8AWA at any college or university to be se lected by the winner. Second^prize will 'be a $500.00 scholarship. Third prize will be a $300.00 scholorship. -ff ? &j fflfe P Fourth prize will be a $200.00 scholarship. The local lodge is Offering the following prizes for the Wilkes County winners. v ^ First prize, $25.00. Second prize, $15.00. F Third prize, $10.00. . .p 'Dates of Contest V' '* The County Contest will be held on or before March 31. - The State Contest on or before April 30. v Sectional Contest on or before May 31. Final Contest August 14, 1947. All speeches will be limited to ten, miifutee. For further information re lative to the contest and litera ture on the subject -contact a member the Oo: Charles C. McNeil, A. A. Cash ion, and C. B. Eller.? ? -rp afterwards gave chance to ask qi Mr. Eller erhor Cherry's General V; Now In Manila T-5 G. B. Eller, Jr., mi of Mr. and Mrs. 6. R. Eller, of Wilkesbor-6, Route 1, entered the army January 22, 1M6. G. R. took his training at Fort McClellan, Alabama, before going overseas. He is now serv ing with the 86th Division on Luzon Island hi' Manila. In a letter received recently by bis parents he stated that he was .getting along fine and hoped to be home in the Spring. Representative Story Is On 12 Committees v ? Representative T. B. Story, serving his 4th term as Wilkes' representative in the honse of representatives of the General Assembly, is a member of 12 committees in the present ser sion. Committees of which Repre sentative Story is a member are: Appropriations, Congress 1 o n a 1 Districts, Constitutional Amend trlcts. Education, Elections and Election Laiws, Health, Higher Education, Insurance, Judicial No. 1, Trustees of the University. Representative Story spent the week-end with his family in Wil kesboro. He is one of 13 Repub lican members of the Lower House. Eligible Veterans May Bay Surplus Edmund P. Robinson, Assist ant State Service Officer, Veter ans Commission, for Elkin Area announced today that represen tatives of the Veterans Division, War Assets Administration will be at his office on January 14, 1947, to confer with and arrange j for certification of all eligible (Veterans of Wtorld War 2 -who I are interested in buying Govern ment Surplus War Commodities. "I am quite pleased that WAA is arranging this special service to Veterans," said Mr. Robinson. There are certain requirements of the Surplus Property Act that must ibe met before Veterans can be certified?which will be fully explained by the WAA represen tatives. Under the present regulations Veterans Preference Certificates are issued solely to enable eligi ble Veterans to purchase any type of Surplus Property tor use In his own business, which in 1 eludes professional -or agricul tural enterprises. "Veterans are urged to visit my office on January 14, so toll advantage can be' taken of this Special Service by War Assets Administration. Pact Sheets cov ering all phases of Veterans Pref erence are In my office-~which if possible should ibe studied pri or to January 14," Mr. Robin son said. Recreation Party, At Ferguson Held rge crowd attended the Recreation Party held Saturday night at Ferguson school. Square dancing, games and other recre ational activities made the eve ning most enjoyable. Many were present from outside the com munity, including those from Lenoir, Mount Pleasant, Boone and Moravian Falls. Another party is planned for Saturday night, 7:30,'this week. Proceeds go into the, school gymnasium fund. LEGISLATIVE RECOMMENDATIONS P PV ; COL HATCHER v Initial meeting of the newly organized Western Piedmont Saf ety Council was held in North VilkeSboro Friday night with a representative attendance ' from the eight counties included in the area served by the organisa tion. Theme .of the meeting here Friday night was "Highway Saf etyf and Col. H. J. Hatcher, com mander of the State Highway Patrol, was the principal speaker. [\ Col. Hatcher, pointing out that 100 are killed and about 2,000 are injured each month on North Carolina highways, criticized the courts for laxity in punishment of highway law violators. To' remove unsafe cars from high-ways, Col. Hatcher recom mended that all cars be inspected twice. yearly. Another major recommendation was that all driver license expire in three years and that to renew a driver license that the driver must pass a test to determine his fitness and ability to drive. Other recom School Faculty At Wilkesboro Asks Oyer 20% Faculty of Wilkesboro school, largest In the Wilkes system, Fri day rose up in indignation over the bill for increase in teacher's salaries as originally introduced in the state legislature. At the request of various teachers a meeting -was immedi ately ed in the 'meeting wis OuR the proposed increase is entirely in adequate in the present emergen 'V i cy. PR k ./? .}? v ' At voluntary contribution was made to help defray fxpepse of opposing passage of the 20 per cent proposal in the general as sembly. The group elected & leg islative chairman . to represent them and voted to - send tele grams to Governor Cherry and members of the general assemb ly, registering their protect in strong terms. A copy of the telegram fol lows: "Wilkesboro teachers strongly jproteet action of legis lature which we consider a mere genture in an attempt to pacify teachers. We will not be thus pacified." o ?????? Deadline Set Fer AAA Farmers On '46 Farm Program Information has been received from the county AAA office that there are approximately 2600 farmers who, according to the records on file In. that office, are eligible to receive payment on the'19 4 6 AAA program. A deadline has been set as February 15, according to the State committee that all applica tions for payment on this pro-' gram must be filed. The county committee states that it Is urgent that all farmers who think that they might receive a payment on the program should go by the county office and sign their ap plications for payment at the ear liest possible date and definitely before February 14, 1947. Airliner Crash Winston-Salem. ? A Miami hound. Eastern Air Lines pas senger plane out of Detroit erashed in the hills 86 miles northwest of here, near Fries, Va., at 1:40 a. m. yesterday dur ing a driving rainstorm, carry ing 18 of its 19 passengers and crew jbo a flaming death. ; The DC 8?Trip 65?slithered through a thicket of tall pines; shearing away Its wings, and crashed 200 yards away Into an envbarkment near Virginia High way 94 to explode rn a fiery or, William El mendations Included doubling of) the' personnel of the State High way Patrol, traffic education for boys and girls in high school, i and that traffic courts be estab lished. The Safety Council in,meeting voted to eddorse these recom mendations to the legislature now in session at Raleigh asking that remedial legislation be en acted at this session. Copies of the resolutions passed by the meeting were mailed by Cecil Adamson, secretary, bo state rep resentatives and senators of the eight counties, Wilkes, Avery, Ashe, Alleghany, Catawba, Alex lander, Caldwell and Watauga. One impressive fact brought out in the meeting was .that the highway death rate in North Car olina during the war was greater than the number killed in action on all fronts. Dunean O. Hunter of BroyhiU Industries in Leiioir, is chairman of the council and presided at the meeting Friday night. Local All Stars To Play Mountain View North Wilkesboro all stare -will play the Mountain View all stars Tuesday night, 7i30, In the North Wilkesboro high school gymnasium. All basketball fans are invited. Armbrust Speaks Methodist Superintendent Delivers Inspiring; Mes , ) Before Club J- H. Armbrust, former Methodist pastor here and now superintendent of the Statesyllle district of the Methodist church, delivered an inspiring message Friday noon .before the Kiwanis club on the subject of '?The Aft erglow of Christmas Time." He was presented to the club by J. Whicker for the- committee on support of churches. After telling of some of the humorous experiences as a 'Dis trict Superintendent, Rev. Mr. Armlbrust made an inspiring talk on "The Afterglow of Christmas Time," with emphasis on what we got that will Abide wittf us through the years. He listed thofce gifts Vhich Jesus Christ has given to the world through the centuries. a. A nCw conception of the value of human life^?a new de sire to alleviate suffering and slavery?a new importance to childhood. b. A new conception of a God who is our heavenly father. c. A new conception on Man? the personal human worth?we are sons of God. d. A new idea jot Kingship? one who climbs hand over hand to a position of recognition by service rendered. He is king who serves. v . .'A ? e. The idea of Democracy, ot self government. Many men have written the documents of free dom, hut Jesus dictated the prin ciples. Guests Friday were: Palmer Horton with J. B. Carter, H. S; Bauoom with Forrest Jones, Paul Gabriel with W. G. Gabriel, George Webber with C. A. Ven able, E. T. Hackney with Dr. W. K. Newton, Russell G. Hodges with P. W. Eshelmaif, Clay El ledge with D. E. Elledge. * ? O ? , Millions of farm people, in the first year after V-J Day, called upon workers of the Extension Service for ftfcts, new ideas and skills to help make the adjust ment to sound peacetime farm ing, according to M. L. Wilson, director of Extension Work vor the Department of Agriculture. J "? ?? Fla., was dragged screaming from the flaming wreckage by two mountain wood cutters ot He was carried hospital for to cuts and 1 Plan* I. j Three North Carolinians one of them John C. Critcher, of Aaberihe, formerly of Moravian Falls, were among the 41 persons who escaped unharmed Monday when a Northwest Airlines DC 4 plane bound from Minneapolis to Ohlcago hurst into flames after a crash landing at the Chicago municipal airport. Mr. Critcher, son of Mrs. J. C. Critcher, Sr., of Moravian Flails, is a farm machinery and truck .dealer at Aaheville. " The plane and, baggage were destroyed by the fire, after 37 passengers and four crew mem bers descended safely.' Wilkes District Of Boy Seonts Been Organized For'47 L. M. Nelson Chairman, Gordon Finley Commis- ? j sioner For Ths Yeir Organization of the Wilkes dls- j trlct of Boy Scouts has been completed for 1947. t Gordon Finley la again com missioner for the district, L. M.J Nelson is chairman and James j M. Anderson is district vice, chairman. Neighborhood com-1 missioners are'Carl E. VanDe man, Shoun Kerbaugh, B. P. I Bell, Forrest Meeerve, Boyd j | Stout and Harvfel Howell. . The committees are as fol I lows: Leadership and Training?Ce cil Adamebn, chairman, T. E. Story, Paul S. Cragan and W. D. Halfacre. Camping and Activities?W. F. Absher, chairman, Jack Swot- j ford, W?*np. Jester and R. I. Moore. Health and Safety?John W. Leyshon, chairman, John Walk er, Dr. H. B. Smith and A. F. Kilby. Advancement?Paul Osborne, chariman, Richard JohnBton, R. M. Brame, Jr., J. B. Carter, W. C. McNiel, J. B. McCoy, E. G. Finley . and Rev. H. M. Wellman. ] Finance?R. E. Gibbs, chair man. Publicity?Forrest E. Jonee, i chairman. A program, of Boy Scout expan-1 slon is planned for the year, with. new troops to be formed and an] expanded * program of activities i among present troops. ^ Baptist Pastors to Meet On Monday Willies County Baptist Pas tors Oonference will meet Mon day, January 20, in Reins-Stur divant chapel. V The program will open at. ten a. m: with devotional by Rev. L. T. Younger. The business session! will follow. Sermon at eleven a. m. will be by Rev. A. W. Bller. Subjects to be discussed: 1. What does the tearing down of the Altar of God, by Baal, and the re-building by Elijah, mean to us today?' By Rev. Charlie Jfoole. 2. What does it take to con stitute salvation"? By Rev. A. B. Hayee. > "/ ' Important Notice g Subscribers When making a. request for change of address it Is earnestly requested that the old address be stated as well as the new and correct address. Attention fs also called to the fact that subscriptions are not ac cepted for lees than six months, unless there is special reason for a shorter subscription. The rate of J2.00 per year ap plies in Wilkes and all counties adjoining Wilkes, i Rates else where are $8.00 per year. Date of subecrlption expiration is with the naiqe on the address label of each paper. If 2-47 ap pears with the name, the sub scription will expire ebruary 1 and-will be stopped then if not renewed. Pair Are Charged . Rape Of }8-Year-Old ' Girl After Kidnaping In what is expected to be one of the . moat sepiatlonal trials In many years in northwestern North Carolina, Ralph Vernon Lttteral and Marrin Oande Bell went on trial In the special term, of Wilkes court today for the alleged rape and kidnaping of, pretty Peggy Shore, 15-year-old BUkln girl; on August 23. , 'In court today counsel tor both defendants entered a mo tion for abatement of indictment on grounds that the alleged of fense, If committed, was not , Tbm committed in Wilkes county, motion was denied by Judge Sink. After the motion was denied, the task of selecting a jury was begun. Of the 150 men summons ed from -Oaldrwell county*, 149 an swered in court. Sheriff Marcus Greer, of Lenoir, "accompanied the veniremen to Wilkes. It was expected that Beleetion of a jury will extend into tomorrow. Judge Sink deemed it expedi ent and in the interest of justice to secure a jury from outside of Wilkes, where the crime was [alleged to have been committed and where the case has been widely discussed. Wbdn arraigned in court last week both defendants entered pleas of not guilty, and in ad dition a plea of insanity was en tered for Litteral. by .his coun sel. 9 Solicitor Avplon E. Hall, aided to' Of Litteral, a Winston-Salem man, with Marvin Claude Bell, of Wilkes, followed Peggy Shore after she had alighted from a bua west of Elkin on way to the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. John G. Shore. The assault victim told officers they threw her into the car and raped her two times each while carrying her into Tennessee, where she was thrown from the car, She re turned home by bus after resting a short time at a farm- house, and spent some time at the hos pital in Eikin. Testimony of physicians, Solicitor Hall, said, would corroborate the girl's as sault charge. There vyill be x>ver 30 witness es for the prosecution, including FBI agents who secured evidence in the case and charged Littoral and Bell with kidnaping in fed eral court before they were trans ferred to state court tor trial on the capital charge" of rape. First witnesses for the state is expected to be the victim' of the alleged assault. Fred Hutchins, of Winston-, Salem, is counsel for Litteral, whom officers said has a crimin al record. Bell is represented by Eugene Trivette, Bill Mltchdll, Kyle* and Clyde-Hayes, of North Wllkeeboro, J. E. Holehouser, of Boone, and Buford Williams, of Lenoir. The trial is expected to oonsume the entire week, and could pos sibly extend into the next^ week, court officials said. Enlisted Men Vets Te Meet Ju. 15th There was BO?t a very large at tendance at the American Con federation of Enlisted Men, Inc. meeting at the courthouse ^in Wilkesboro, Jan. 8, bat all those present were deeply interested and were unanimous in their en dorsement of the organisation. They agreed among themselves that they would do some per sonal advertising and that they would meet at the courthouse a gain at 7 o'clock, January IS, and sot up a local unit of the organization. All ex-enlisted men are invited to attend. The American Confederation of Enllated Men, Inc. is the only veterans organization in America in which an officer can never be oome a member. ' I Fiber flax improvement work has brought out a new disease resistant variety that is an out