MARION PROGRESS
A WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE BEST INTEREST OF THE PEOPLE OF MARION AND McDOWELL COUNTY
ESTABLISHED 1896
MARION, N. C., THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1929
VOL. XXXIV—NO. 11
CALL OUTSIDE JURY
FOR STRIKE TRIAL
Special Venire Is Summoned
From Rutherford to Pass
Upon Strike Rioting Cases.
Judge John H. Harwood, in Mc
Dowell Superior court Wednesday
morning refused to grant a change
of Venue for the trials of Alfred L.
Hoffman, textile workers organizer,
and five local union members charg
ed with rioting and inciting to riot,
and ordered a venire of 75 summon
ed from Rutherford county to re
port at 10 o’cloc.k Thursday morn
ing to start the trial.
After refusing a continuance
sought by the defense, Judge Har
wood Tuesday received affidavits in
support of a defense motion for a
change of venue.
Indictments have been returned
against 60 persons on these charges
arising from strike disorders here
August 31. Nearly 100 persons
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
TEAM GETTING IN SHAPE
With a change in weather condi
tions the Marion high school football
squad began seeing the tougher as
pects of the pig skin game. The local
coaches have been working the boys
hard in order that they may be in
good condition for the first game of
the season which will be played on
September 27th.
The squad is small, being compos
ed of only twenty-five youngsters.
Although there have been two or
three new additions to the squad,
several old members have dropped
out, so the condition remains about
the same. A large portion of the
squad is made up of the smaller
boys of the high school and of the
larger boys from the grades. A num
ber of these small boys show grit
and fight and with several years
growth should be stars of the belov
ed game.
Captain Gilkey has solved the
question of a center for the coaches,
while Jesse Mashburn is showing up
well as one guard, but his running
mate has failed to step into the lime
light; however, Holcombe, Glenn, E.
Williams, and Brown are having a
were arrested, but only the cases try at that position. Bob Smith and
against Hoffman, Lawrence Hogan, j Karcher Clay, with their usual de-
J. Hugh Ball, Wes Fowler, Will Rus-1 velopment, should be able to handle
sell and Del Lewis were called Wed-j their old tackle positions; if not, Bud
nesday. j Hennessee will be able to help the
The affidavits submitted by the I situation. L. Williams, Neal, Ledbet-
def ense late Tuesday said that be-1 ter, and Goldsmith are making a bid
cause of intense feeling in this coun-1 foj. the end positions. The backs willf
ty the men could not receive a fain be: Martin, Ouzts, Rabb, Roper, Fin-
trial. I ley, Bell and Poe. Rabb and Martin
MARION FIRM BUYS
P. W CHAIN STORES
Blanton Grocery Company Se
cures Control of Chain Stores
in West End of The State.
HEAVY DOCKET IN
SUPERIOR COURT
Biddix, Convicted of Second
Degree Murder, Gets 25
Years in Prison; Other Cases
Late Tuesday D. F. Giles, attor
ney for the defendants, gave a wit
ness list containing names of many
persons out of the county to the
sheriff. The subpoenas issued inclu
ded one for N. A. Townsend, person
al representative of Governor O.
Max Gardner and leader of the ar-
will take care of the punting, with
Rabb and Ouzts handling the air
route.
From 3:30 until 6:00 o’clock ev
ery afternoon the boys may be found
on the field dressed in football togs.
Coach Hawn is exhausting himself
with the backs, while Beam is work-
bitration negotiations for settlement, j^g just as hard v/ith the line. Tack-
of the strike. The defense also sub- ling, blocking, interference, charg-
poenaed several newspaper repor
ters who were here during the dis
orders
Judge Harwoou also overruled
two motions to quash the indictments
against the six brought into court
Tuesday. In asking for the continu
ance Giles said he had not had time
enough to prepare his cases.
All the defense motions were vig
orously opposed by Solicitor J. Will
Pless, Jr.
The strikes at the Clinchfield and
Marion Manufacturing Company
mills which precipitated the disor
ders were settled last week.
ing, and sprinting have formed the
bulk of the practice period for the
past several days. The squad has
been engaged in ^several ten minute
scrimmages in order that the coaches
might see the development of their
system. More scrimmage will be the
menu for the remaining portion of
this week.
A. Blanton Grocery Company of
Marion yesterday secured control of
all the Piggly Wiggly stores in the
territory west of Charlotte through
the consummation of a deal for the
purchase of the franchises for Bun
combe and Henderson counties, offi
cials of the company announced last
night.
At the same time officials announ
ced plans for expansion in the terri
tory, and stated that Asheville will
be made the distributing center for
this part of the state.
The purchase of the franchise was
made from the Milner Stores compa
ny of Charlotte, who hereafter will
control the territory from Charlotte
east.
The purchase added to the con
trol of the A. Blanton company sev
en Piggly Wiggly stores in Asheville
and one in Hendersonville, giving
them a total in their territory of 16
stores. Plans are made for the open
ing of at least 10 additional stores
before the first of the year^ officials
stated.
No change in management or per
sonnel is at the present contempla
ted, it was stated, but extensive
improvements wiil be made imme
diately.
The A. Blanton Grocery Company
owns four large wholesale grocery
companies in the state. They are lo
cated at Marion, Spruce Pine, Mor-
ganton, and Shelby.
The Piggly Wiggly chain of groc
ery stores is now one of the largest
in America, operating from coast to
coast. The Piggly Wiggly company
last year did the largest unit volume
of business of any chain store in the
country.—Asheville Citizen, 13th.
MRS. GREENE HONORED
AT CHARMING BRIDGE
17 CHURCHES FOR NEW
BAPTIST ASSOCIATION
EAST MARION SCHOOL
OPENS WITH OVER 300
Charlotte, Sept. 12.—Mrs. R. Ma
rion Ross, of 4 Briarcliff Place, My
ers Park, entertained in honor of
Mrs. Abner Greene, a recent bride,
on Friday afternoon. Mrs. Greene
was formerly Miss Fay Hunt, of Ma
rion, N. C.
Bridge was played and high score
prize was won by Mrs. Grady L.
Ross and Mrs. R. N. York cut the
consolation prize. Mrs. Greene re
ceived a guest prize.
The hostess was assisted in enter
taining by her sister-in-law, Mrs. O.
L. Ross.
The guests included ]V$rs. Abner
Greene, Mrs. R. N. York, Mrs. R. J
Patterson, Mrs. C. C. Moore, Mrs.
E. J. Webb, Mrs. F. A. Fridell, Mrs.
J. D. McCall, Mrs. R. T. Garrison,
Mrs. W. M. Lineberger, Mrs. Grady
L. Ross, Mrs. S. L. Ray, Mrs. Fred
A. Greene, Mrs. J. P. Dodd, Mrs. O.
L Ross, Mrs. J. L. Waldin, Mrs.
George Avrett, Mrs. C. D. Goforth,
Mrs. J. R. Hardin, Mrs. Ben Paschal,
Mrs. H. B. Kiser, Mrs. J- A. Mc-
Whirter, Mrs. Robert Ellis, Mrs. Ad-
die S. Ldng, Mrs. Z. E. Kale, Mrs.
H. B. Belue, Mrs, K E. Griffith, Mrs-
Tiffia Myers, Mrs. Luther McGinty,
Mrs. P. H. Wuillie, Miss Sarah Dodd
Miss lola Ross, Miss Lucile Hender
son, Miss Douglas Kendall, Miss
Margaret Ross.
Mrs. Greene is a charming addi
tion to the social life of Charlotte
and has been "endered mafty parties
since arriving in the city.
The northern end of the Green
River Baptist Association has decid
ed to form a new Association in
cluding those churches in McDowell
county that are disposed to join
same. Up to the present time there
have been 17 letters granted to the
churches desiring to join. Rev. A. A.
Walker, clerk of the Green River
Association, announces. They are
Bethel, Bethlehem, Chapel Hill,
Cherry Springs, Clear Creek, Clinch
field, Cross Mill, Dysartville, Green
lee, Hall Town, Harmony Grove,
First Church of Marion, Nebo, North
Cove, Old Fort, Sunny Vale, and
Woodlawn, besides the newly organ
ized churches. Garden Creek and
Brookside, who are asking for ad
mittance, There are a few churches
yet tTiat have not expressed them
selves in this matter, but it is hoped
that the entire group of churches in
the county will work together in this
new association.
The day set for the formal organ
ization and naming of the associa
tion is Tuesday, October 1. The
meeting will be held in the First
Church in Marion, beginning at 10
a. m. There will be at least one wor
ker from the state present, most
likely Charles Maddrey, State Secre
tary of the Baptist Convention.
Nearby moderators have been invi
ted to attend and assist in this or
ganization. There will also be a pro
gram given treating in a general
way the topics of general interest in
the convention work. This session
will last through the afternoon, din
ner being served by the ladies of the
First Church.
The East Marion School opened on
Monday, Sept. 16, with an enroll
ment of over 300 pupils. Rev. W. O.
Goode, pastor of the First Methodist
Church, was present and conducted
the devotional exercises and also
made a very interestiAg talk. Miss
Mamie Stacy, principal, gave some
important facts as to the organiza
tion of the school and emphasized
the necessity of regular attendance
on the part of the children.
This promises to be the most suc
cessful school year that East Marion
has ever had. The teachers for the
coming year are: Miss Mamie Stacy,
principal; Miss Elsie Stacy, Miss Lu
cile Conley, Mrs. Wm. Noah, Miss
Blanche Turner, Miss Wilma Snod-
dy. Miss Margaret Holland, Mrs.
Tate McCurry, Miss Frances Hicks,
Mrs. W, A. McCall, Miss Genoese
Flack, Miss Annie Little, and Mrs.
Chas. Harris, music.
The outstanding case in Superior
Court last week was that of Walter
Biddix, aged 32, charged with the
murder of George Ollis at Linville
Palls last July. Biddix was convicted
of second degree murder and was
sentenced by Judge Webb late Sat
urday afternoon to serve 25 years
in the state prison at Raleigh.
The case was given to the jury
after court convened on Saturday
morning and required a little more
than three hours to reach a verdict
of 2nd degree murder. The case had
attracted wide interest and drew a
large crowd to the court room
throughout the proceedings.
Biddix, according to testimony,
entered the Ollis home near Linville
Falls at noon one Sunday several
months ago and shot Ollis, a man
about 55 years old, to death. Ollis
had objected to the attentions Bid
dix was paying the former’s daugh
ter, it was said.
Other cases disposed of during
the week are as follows:
W. A. Gurley and Walter Harris,
operating a slot machine, prayer for
judgment continued on payment of
cost.
Rallo Godfrey and Shirley Flow
ers, affray; Godfrey fined five dollars
and cost. The case against Flowers
nol prossed.
Grose Banks, transporting and
possessing whiskey, fined fifty dol
lars and cost and sentenced to roads
for six months.
E. C. Lydia, transporting and pos
sessing whiskey, fined twenty-five
I dollars and cost.
Marion Wyatt, transporting, fined
ten dollars and cost.
G. A. Clampet transporting, fined
thirty dollars and cost.
Sam Arrington, plead guilty to a
charge of forgery, but the court
learning that he was an escaped con
vict from Hajrwood county, ordered
that he be delivered to the authori
ties of that county.
Rans Allison, manufacturing whis
key, two cases, sentenced to six
months on roads in each case.
Guy Fisher, forgery, sentenced to
two months on roads.
Guy Fisher and Clarence Harris,
larceny, sentenced to four months on
roads.
Loman Cannon, bursary and lar
ceny, sentenced to the State Prison
at Raleigh for a period of not less
than 12 nor more than 15 years.
George F.
SENDING TROOPS TO
MARION IN STRIKES
COST STATE $15,000
Raleigh, Sept. 14.—It has cost the
State of North Carolina between
$25,000 and $30,000 to send and
maintain national guard troops at
Gastonia and Marion, according to
estimates made Saturday by General
J. Van B. Metts, adjutant of North
Carolina. This cost is only the actuiil
cost to the state, and does not rep
resent the tremendous sacrifice
made by the men and officers in giv
ing up their regular work for milita
ry duty, General Metts pointed out.'
The cost of maintaining the troops
at Gastonia for 19 days amounted
to approximately $12,000. The cost
of keeping troops at Marion will
probably exceed this figure, since
the Asheville and Morganton compa
nies were on duty at Marion for 23
days and the Lincolnton and States
ville for 14 days. The last two com
panies were withdrawn from Marion
on Friday.
The expense involved at Marion
has not yet been calculated, but
probably will amount to about $15,-
000 or perhaps a little more.
All of this expense is borne by the
state, from the $100,000 emerg«ncy
fund provided, to meet unforeseen
situations such as those caused by
the Gastonia and Marion strikes.
There has been a prevalent impres
sion that some of this expense is
charged back to the counties where
the troops have been on duty, but
this is not the case.
Few people realize that there has
been no martial law either in Gas
tonia or Marion, according to Gen
eral Metts, and that in both cases
the troops have been nothing more
than peace officers in military uni
form and under military discipline,
and that none of the troops have
any more authority than a deputy
sheriff.
“Some people seem to have gotten
the idea that the troops took over
the entire task of law enforcement
in both Gastonia and Marion, or that
they should have,” said General
Metts. “But when they are called
upon by the governor to merely help
the civil authorities enforce the law.
MARION TO HAVE
NEW MAH. ROUTE
Fourth Route Will Be Estab
lished October 1— Changes
in Routes Two and Three.
Effective October 1st there will be
a new rural route established from
Marion postoffice which will be
known as Route No. 4. With the es
tablishment of the new route impor
tant changes will be made in the
boundary of the other routes in ex
istence which will mean quicker and
improved service to patrons through
out the county. There will be little
change in route one, but important
changes will be made in routes two
and three. Following is a description
of the course and territory to be
covered by routes two, three and
four as they will exist after October
1st:
Route 2: Starting at Marion post-
office carriers will go westerly to the
Cross Mill church, southwesterly to
Erwin corner, southeasterly to E. J.
Dobbin corner and retrace, southeas
terly to Bynum’s Cross Roads, north
westerly to Caldwell comer and re
trace, southwesterly to Curfew
school corner, southwesterly to Mor
gan corner, southeasterly to Mont-
ford corner; northeasterly, north
westerly and northeasterly via J. D.
Wilson and Cannon corners to Provi
dence Church comer, northwesterly
to T. L. Morgan corner and retrace,
northeasterly by J. C. Pool to Stroud
town forks, and northeasterly to
Marion postoffice. Total length,
25.95 miles.
Route 3: From Marion postoffice
northerly, northwesterly and north
easterly to Halltown bridge corner.
Northeasterly to Craig corner, north
westerly, westerly and southwesterly
to Corpening corner, northwesterly
to Toms Creek corner on Woodlawn
road, northerly and-northeasterly to
Woodlawn, northerly to road junc
tion of highway 194 and 19, easterly
and northerly to Sevier postoffice.
as in those two cases, they have „oi northerly to North Cove postoffice,
i.w northerly to North Cove sctiool
house, westerly to McCall corner.
authority outside the civil law, and
are in reality only civil officers, act
ing under the sheriff.
REPORTS ON EVENTS,
STUDENT VOLUNTEERS
The following clipping from Thurs
day’s issue of thv^ Greensboro Daily
News will be of interest to friends
here:
Miss Katheryn McCall, of Greens
boro College, president of the State
Student Volunteer Union, represen
ted the union at the National Coun
cil of the Student Volunteer move-
CofFey, transporting, j ment for foreign missions which as-
RECEIVES CERTIFICATE
J. Y. Lonon has received a certif
icate from the Missouri State Life
Insurance Company for completion
of the correspondence courses otter
ed by the company to its agents,
stating th^it the company’s courses
in life insurance and accident and
health insurance have been satisf^-
torily completed and that he is co -
netent to give advice and counsel o
pexent b 4.^ +>,0 insurance iJianton
matters pei’tammg to the ^ Blanton III.
business.
NOTICE TO ALL BAPTIST
CHURCHES OF M’DOWELL
All Baptist Churches in McDow
ell county joining the new associa
tion are requested to appoint dele
gates to attend the meeting of the
association in Marion on Oct. 1st.
The churches that have joined the
new association have no further
connection with the * Green River
Association.
SON BORN
Born, to Mr. and Mrs. Albert
Blanton, at Kinston, N. C., on Sept.
FUNERAL RITES FOR
MRS. W. D. WILLIAMS
Funeral services for Mrs. Walter
D. Williams, who died Sunday night,
Sept. 8, were conducted from the
residence at East Marion Tuesday at
11 o’clock by Rev. A. A. Walker and
interment made at Pinnacle Method
ist Church. Mrs. Williams united
with the Mount Home Baptist
Church when 16 years of age.
Mrs. Williams was 51 years of
age and is survived by her husband,
four daughters, Mrs. Lonnie Ed
wards, Mrs. Ned Long, Annie and
Ruth Williams; four sons, Monyon,
Grover, Jack and Frank Williams of
East Marion; also three sisters and
two brothers, Mrs. Susan Earwood
of Asheville, Mrs. J. C. Berry of Val-
dese, Mrs. Olio Dale of Morganton,
John and Ed. Snipes of Asheville.
HOW THE DUKE FOUNDA-
TION BENEFITS PEOPLE
Charlotte Observer.
The Albemarle Press prints pho
tostatic reproductions of a check for
$34,000 from the Duke Endowment
to the Yadkin Hospital at that place
which enables that institution to go
on a non-profit basis. The Yadkin
had been owned almost entirely by a
group of Stanley county physicians
but it now goes under management
of a group of trustees with its field
of usefulness largely extended. Just
another instance of how the Duke
Foundation is working to the bene
fit of ttie people.
fined $25.00 and cost.
Claude Couch, c. c. w., fined
$50.00 and cost.
Charley Huffman, possessing whis
key, sentenced to four months on
roads.
Floyd Willis, possessing and
transporting whiskey, sentenced to
four months on roads; attempting
to break jail, sentenced to two
months on roads.
Wesley Presley, driving car in
toxicated, fined S50.00 and cost.
James Michaux, a. d. w., sentenced
to two months on roads; c. c. w.,
sentenced to two months on roads;
breaking jail, sentenced to one
month on roads.
Vesta Wright, aiding and abet
ting in jail delivery, sentenced to
two months in jail.
Ed. Luckey, a. d. w., judgment
continued on payment of cost.
Jess Francis, a. d. w., fined $150
and cost.
Robert Lanning, a. d. w., sentenc
ed to two years at hard labor in
State Prison; larceny and breaking
in house, sentenced to three to four
years in State Prison.
Frank Allison, manufacturing
whiskey, sentenced to four months
on roads.
Roy Buchanan, transporting,
judgment suspended on payment of
cost.
Briscoe Connor, driving car drunk
fined $75.00 and cost; damaging
jail, fined $35.00 and cost.
sembled in New York on August 30.
The national unit is one of 15 or
more similar organizations in vari-1
ous lands of the world.
As one of 50 delegates attending
from the various state units and
those in China, Miss McCall visited
the national headquarters. On Aug
southerly to road juinction of high
ways 194 and 19, northerly and wes
terly to Hollifield postoffice and re
trace, southerly and southwesterly
to Toms Creek c6rner on Woodlawn
road, southerly to Corpening corher,
southeasterly to Dixon’s store,
southeasterly and easterly to Gibbs’
corner, southeasterly to Trinks’ cor
ner, then southerly to Marion. Dis
tance 44.30 miles.
Route 4: Starting at Marion north
westerly and southwesterly to Jimer-
son’s store, northwesterly and north
erly to Chapel Church bridge, north
easterly to J. L. Martin’s comer and
retrace, northwesterly to Tom Gow-
an’s corner and retrace, southerly
and southeasterly to Patton’s store,
westerly to Byrd’s corner, westerly
to C. G. Byrd’s corner and retrace,
southeasterly to Cranford’s corner,
easterly to Garden City school house
ust 31 the council sessions started southeasterly, easterly
REVIVAL AT OLD FORT
Old Fort, Sept. 17.—Rev. H. Gro
gan, evangelist, of Canton, has
pitched his tent at Old Fort for a
two weeks revival meeting. Services
are being held every evning at 7:30
with a large attendance. Mr. Grogan
ia giving some inspiring messages.
at Hightstown, N J., in the Peddie
school. The national councils of the
Y. W. C. A. and the Y. M. C. A.
were in session at the same time,
but in separate groups. Several joint
meetings were held, however, and
reports were heard from the joint
committee of the three organiza
tions.
Represented in the atetndance on
the student volunteer council were
students from all over the nation,
young returned mission workers,
board secretaries and others. Miss
McCall says the conference was on
a very high plane and was intensely
interesting and inspiring.
Miss McCall is enthusiastic about
the volunteer work in the state this
year. One of its features will be the
visiting of every college by student
and official workers. Miss McCall
was made a member of the advisory
committee of 14 members, five of
them students, the others mission
aries and board secretaries.
One of the big events of the year
for students interested in foreign
mission work will be the state stu
dent volunteer meeting here in
March at one of the city churches.
and northeasterly by Greenlee
church to Greenlee, southerly to Mc
Call’s corner and retrace, easterly
and northeasterly to Cross Mill cor
ner, then easterly to Marion.
Postmaster J. M. Tyler advises
that all new patrons on the routes
are required by postal regulations to
secure the new large regulation mail
boxes and states that service cannot
be extended to those who fail to
meet this requirement. Mr. Tyler
also states that as many as five fami
lies may use the same box provided
they file notice of agreement to that
effect with the Marion postoffice offi
cials.
All persons are requested to have
their mail properly addressed as to
route and to notify publishers of
newspapers and magazines as to
change of address. The co-operation
of patrons is urged for the best of
service.
CONCERT AT PLEASANT
GARDENS FRIDAY NIGHT
The ladies of Pleasant Gardena
community will give Susie’s Kitchen
Cabinet Band Concert in the school
auditorium at Pleasant Gardens on
GIVE THEM HOME NEWS Friday evening, Sept. 20, at 8 o’clock
Parents, see that The Progress I Proceeds for benefit of school.
is sent to all students from McDow-j
ell county who are away at*school. A Calf club show will be held by
It will be like a letter from home j members of the Iredell Jersey Calf
to them. Special offer of nine j Club at the Piedmont Branch station
months for one dollar. [near Statesville on September 21