ELKIN
The Best Little Town In
North Carolina
THE TRIBUNE
Is A Member of the Audit
Bureau of Circulations
The Elkin Tribune
* ELKIN
Gateway to Roaring: Gap and
the Blue Ridge
THE TRIBUNE
Is Read By 14,000 People In
Surry, Wilkes and Yadkin
OL. No. XXXVI No. 4
PUBLISHED WEEKLY
ELKIN, N. C., THURSDAY, DECEMBER 25, 1947
$2.00 PER YEAR
20 PAGES—THREE SECTIONS
ACTING POSTMASTER — J.
\ Fuller Moseley, above, local
wholesale merchant, has been
appointed acting postmaster
here on the recommendation of
Fifth District Representative
John H. Folgcr. He will take of
fice December 31 and serve
' until a permanent postmaster
is appointed. Mr. Moseley suc
ceeds French W. Graham whose
death last week terminated his
life-time appointment as head
of the post office here.
GUNMAN ROBS,
BEATS VICTIM
W. A. Triplett, Merchant, As
^ saulted By Masked Man
Early Friday Morning
ONE ARREST IS MADE
W. A. Triplett, prominent Wil
kes County merchant, was brutally
beaten and robbed early Friday
morning by a masked gunman
who gained entrance to the store
through the ruse that he was
seeking medicine for a sick child.
Mr. Triplett, who lives in the
rear of his store on Highway 421
west of North WUkesboro, was {
| awakened shortly after 4 a. m.
by a voice at the door. After the .
^ man had begged for a bottle of
castor oil for a sick child, he i
opened the door and a man wear
ing a black mask and armed with
a gun rushed in. slugged him and
took a pocketbook containing
about $350 according to the story
k told to officers.
' After taking the money, the
masked man took the bleeding
storekeeper some distance away
from the building and informed
him that he was going to kill him.
Mr. Triplett, told the officers.
The merchant beggsd for his
life and the robber decided to take
, him inside and tie him. His legs
| were trussed up with strips of
cloth, and he was left in the liv
ing quarters of the building.
After sim ■ time, he managed to
extricate himself from his bonds
and made his way to the home of
Dr. W. R. Triplett some distance
away, where his head wounds
were treated. Dr. Triplett called
officers at North Wilkesboro.
L on West, of the Champion
community, was arrested Satur
day and charged with the attack
and robbery, according to officers.
West reportedly had a large sum
of money on his person when he
was taken into custody.
COURT CLEARS
OVER 60 CASES
Ten Divorce Decrees Are
(■iven During December
Term At Dobson
$3,911 IN FINES, COSTS
A summary of the December
term of Surry Superior Court pre
pared by Court Clerk Kermit Law
rence shows that 64 cases were
disposed of. including 10 divorce
decrees.
The records of the clerk's office
disclose that a total of $3,811.20
was received as a result of the
term. Of this amount, a total of
$2,220 was in fines imposed which
are being turned over to the
school fund as provided by law.
Of a total of 32 cases in which the
defendants were taxed with the
cost and. in most instances, lined,
only one has failed to comply with
the .judgment. A commitment lias
been issued to send this defendant
to the roads in accordance with
the judgment.
'Ilie balance of the total amount
collected was for court costs, in
cluding officers and witness’ fees
and miscellaneous items such as
I alimony. The clerk’s office is
r making an effort to disburse the
officers’ and witness’ fees before
Christmas, Mr. Lawrence report
ed. The portion of fees which, by
law, go to the county general fund
■will be paid over at the end of
the mouth us usual.
LOCAL KIWANIS
CLUB AUCTION
SALE NETS $487
Mule and Bird Dog Among
Items Sold
BIRD DOG BRINGS $25
Opening Bid On Mule Con
tributed By E. W. Mc
Daniel Is 39 Cents
BOUGHT BY DR. JOHNSON
The Elkin Kiwanis Club last
Thursday evening at its annual
Christmas auction, staged at the
YMCA, netted a total of $487.00,
the second largest amount ever to
be realized at such an event since
the auction was inaugurated a
number of years ago.
As is the custom, club mem
bers contribute various items
which are in turn auctioned off
to the highest bidders. This year
a bird dog and a mule were among
the items (if a mule can be de
scribed as an item, especially the
mule in question), put up for
sale.
The bird dog, contributed by
Hugh Chatham, and which came
complete with lengthy pedigree,
was sold to George E. Roy all for
$25.00.
The mule, described as being a
female and thought possibly to be
the same mule which ran away
with a buggy as recounted in an
item from The Tribune's “53
Years Ago This Week'1 column
several weeks ago, was purchased
by Dr. Harry L. Johnson for
$10.00.
This fine animal was contrib
uted to the auction by E. W. Mc
Daniel, who operates a large farm
on the outskirts of Elkin, and
\yhen it <or she), was put up for
auction, received an opening bid
of 39 cents. However, when it
was learned the animal was fully
equipped with everything but
teeth and a desire to work, the
bidding began to mount. How
ever, Dr. Johnson, who no doubt
(Continued on page eight)
SCHOOL HEAD
IS CLEARED
C a I cl w e 1 I Superintendent
Bains Non-Suit In Charges
Of False Pretense
BOOKS ARE CRITICIZED
ft. L. Fritz, Jr., Caldwell County
school superintendent, was cleared
Saturday in Lenoir of charges of
obtaining $1,641.19 from the State
Board of Education under false
pretense when Judge Allen H.
Gwyn announced a judgment of
nonsuit.
Judge Gwyn issued a statement
that the State had failed to
establish criminal intent on Fritz's
part but, in a supplementary
statement, the court severely criti
cized bookkeeping methods he
used in paying his wife and reg
ular and substitute teachers at
the Hudson school, of which he
was superintendent. Judge Gwyn
said he hoped his nonsuit decision
"may not be construed as legal
justification for the methods em
ployed" by Fritz in the school
payroll.
The State offered testimony
that Fritz used the names of per
sons not then teaching at the
Hudson School to obtain money to
pay school personnel for extra
" °rk during a teacher shortage.
Fritz has repaid the money in full.
Judge Gywn’s judgment of non
suit relieved the jury, which sat
through six days of testimony, of
passing on the issues.
The action also opened the way
for a move to reinstate the teach
ing certificate oi the president of
the North Carolina Education
Association, who was dismissed as
supervising principal of the Hud
son School District after the
State Board revoked the certifi
cate.
\ MCA Not To Reopen
Cntil December 29
I Hr y MCA dosed Monday
evening and will not re-open unitl
Monday, December 29, according
to T. C. McKnight, general secre
tary.
The YMCA building obtains
heat from the Chatham Manufac
turing Company heating system
and, since the Chatham plant is
closed this week, no means of
heating the YMCA building is
available, Mr. Mc^Knight cxplain
The YMCA's regular program
will be resumed Mouday morning
!
I
EVERY Christmas season brings to
' MM us tfJg recurring knowledge that man
kind need not be destined jor sorrow, dejection and strife. 7 he
spirit of Christmas captures us with its glory and teaches us that
a lasting peace on earth is our highest goal.
If you will permit the publisher of this newspaper one wish at
this Christmas time, let it be this: That the spirit of the Christmas
star may be our perpetual guide and that we may meet our fellow
men on ibe level of peace, trust and friendship. Not just until
December 26, but for the rest of the year—for the rest of our lives.
It is in that spirit that this newspaper extends to all of you its
hope for a truly
MERRY CHRISTMAS
WOMANFOUND
UNCONSCIOUS
Officers Seek Truck Driver
Who Reportedly Rushed 111
Woman From Truck
NEAR PILOT MOUNTAIN
The identity of the truck driver
who reportedly pushed an ill wo
man from the cab of his vehicle
and left her lying by the road
near Pilot Mountain last Thurs- 1
day still had not been determined
yesterday..
The woman, who identified
herself as Mrs. Rena Terry, 24,
was found unconscious one mile
west of Pilot Mountain by Sheriff
Sam Patterson. She was taken to
the Martin Memorial Hospital in
Mount Airy for treatment and
later told officers that she had
been pushed from a moving ve
hicle when she became ill.
The injured woman gave her
(Continued on page eight)
Tribune To Be
Closed Three
Days This Week
A 1 t h o u g h most business
establishments in Flkin will be
closed only two days, Thursday
and Friday, for Christinas, The
Tribune office will not re-open
until Monday morning in or
der that employees may have a
well-earned rest.
The newspaper observes very
few holidays duiing the year,
and it is felt that a three-day
Christmas vacation is in order.
The paper is being issued on
Tuesday this week, although
the usual Thursday date line is
being parried. This issue con
tains holiday greetings of mer
chants and business men of the
section, and subscribers are in
vited to read each of them.
The usual publication date
will be resumed next week with
the January 1, 1948 issue.
The Tribune wishes all a
Merry Christmas and Happy
New Year.
STILL RAIDING
IS HAZARDOUS
Deputy Fractures Knee And
Then Has To Dodge Bul
lets In Recent Episode
TW O STILLS N A B B E 1)
The task of raiding liquor stills
is sometimes a hazardous busi
ness: you run the risk of getting
a little lead thrown in your direc
tion now and then.
Several deputy sheriffs from
Mount Airy had such an unpleas
ant experience last Friday after
noon while raiding two stills near
Lowgap.
None of the deputies were in
jured in the gunfire, though one
of them, Chief Deputy Rex I.
Tilley, suffered a fractured knee
when he slipped on a creek-bot
tom rock and fell while on the
search.
The man jailed was Amos Potts,
(Continued On Page Eight)
CHATHAM CHRISTMAS PARTY — Above are three scenes from the Christmas Party held for Chatham Manufacturing Company cm- ]
ployees in the tiilvin Roth YMCA Saturday morning. Top photo shows some of the estimated 2,500 employees as they were being enter
tained by the Briarhoppers, well-known radio musicians. The table at the left is loaded with fruits, nuts and candies, to which employees j
were invited to help themselves. In the lower left photo Dick Chatham, employment manager for the company, is handing a bonus cheek
to Dave Woodruff, retired employee. The company paid the largest bonus in its history to employees, including workers retired on pen- <
sious. Tire lower right picture shows a group of company officials at the party. amaoNE photos by beu.) j
SURRY COURT
DISPOSES OF
FINAL CASES
Run-Of-The-Mill Charges Are
Cleared In Final Days
HEAR ASSAULT COUNTS
Tribune Makes Error In Re
porting Controversial Beer
Mixup In Dobson
FULL DETAILS GIVEN
The Tribune regrets an error in
last week's issue in which it was
stated that Lucille Spencer, Dob
son woman charged! with violating
prohibition laws, was fined $100
and costs and given a 90-day sus
pended sentence. Actually, the
State took a nol pros with leave
in the case. The misstatement oc
curred through a newspaperman’s
error in transcribing the court
record.
The case arose over a contro
versy between the town of Dobson
and Mrs. Spencer, who operates a
| cafe just inside the town limits.
: Mrs. Spencer contended that her
place of business was outside the
j town limits and that she. there
fore, was not required to obtain
| license from the town council in
j order to sell beer. Dobson’s gov
erning body, with authority to is
| sue beer license at its discretion
to business establishments within
the town, claimed that Mrs.
Spencer was violating the law by
selling beer without license.
According to Mayor Frank
Freeman, there was also reliable
evidence to show tlyit Mrs. Spen
I cer’s cafe was not being operated
in the best interests of the com
munity and that if she had made
| formal application for license to
sell be:r. "the likelihood is that
she would have been refused.”
Action was brought against
Mrs. Spencer and her husband,
Buford Spencer, at the instigation
of Dobson’s town board. A survey
by .John Franklin indicated that
the Spencer cafe was inside the
town limits, as contended by the
governing body, and Mrs. Spencer
I agreed to refrain from selling beer
I "unless and until proper license
can be secured.” On the basis of
J this agreement, the town board
recommended that the case be
nol prossed.
The State took a nol pros with
leave, which means that action
can be re-instated at any time
upon motion of the solicitor with-1
(Continued on page eight)
Plea For Aid
Brings Liberal
Response Here
-—-* _
HEADS MASONS—Glenn Lewis
above, has been elected Wor
shipful Master of Elkin Masonic
Lodge 454 to succeed Graham
Greene. He will take office in
January. Other officers elected
were Loman C. Richardson, sen
ior warden; Fred Eidson, junior
warden; Reece Gilliam, secre- I
tary; and Marion C. Whitener,
treasurer.
NINE ARRESTED
IN WILKES CO.
Are Charged With Possession
And Sale of Non-Tax
Paid Liquors
liV ALCOHOL TAX UNIT
Nine Wilkes County residentsj
were arrested last week and i
charged with possession and sale
of non tax-paid liquor, according
to U. S. Commissioner Charles E.
Ader.
Agents of the Alcohol Tax Unit
made the arrests Friday, Mr.
Ader said, as a result of a series
of A. T. U. undercover investiga
tions of illegal liquor activities in
the section.
A hearing is scheduled for the
nine alleged bootleggers January
16 before U. S. Commissioner
Ralph Davis in Wilkesboro.
The following were arrested:
LeRoy Preston Mathis of Ronda,
Route 2, McKinley Blackburn and
Alice Blackburn, his wife, Garnis
Blackburn, and Henry Ford
Shepherd, all of Shepherds Cross
Roads: Jeff Mathis, Walt John
son, and Aster Mathis, all of Ron
da; and Willie Anderson of Roar
ing River.
The agents found 440 gallons
of non tax-paid whiskey in the
basement of Anderson's home, Mr.
Ader reported, and 11,800 pounds
of sugar in an out building near
his home. This and cars belonging
to Shepherd and LeRoy Mathis
were all confiscated, Mr. Ader
said.
He explained that Mathis was |
on probation at the time of his
arrest and that he had been jail- |
ed to await, investigation by the
probation office in Greensboro j
and the fixing of bail by Judge !
Johnson J. Hayes, judge of Mid- ;
die District Federal Court.
Yadkin Man Faces
Hit And Run Count*
Kenneth J. Cheek of Yadkin
County wras charged with hit and
run driving and driving without
operator's license Sunday follow
ing a collision of his vehicle with
a truck operated by M. T. Cham
berlain, Route 2, Yadkinville.
The accident occurred in Jones
ville early Sunday afternoon when
Cheek’s car sideswiped the truck
as it was entering the highway
from a side road. The impact sent
the truck against the porch of a
Negro home and knocked out a
post from the porch, it was re
ported.
Two. Hound Over By
Elkin Magistrate
William G. Cooper of Elkin and i
Delmar M. Vanhoy of Jonesville
were bound over to the superior
term of court following hearings
before Justice of the Peace C. A.
McNeill this week.
Cooper was charged with oper
ating a car under the influence of
liquor. His bond was set at $500.
Vanhoy was placed under bond of
$150 on a charge of reckless driv
ing. *!;
Many Gifts,
$290 In Cash
Contributed
The response to Tile Tribune’s
appeal for needy families last
\yeek has been generous. Up to
noon Tuesday, a total of $290.90
had been contributed in money,
and many citizens had brought
liberal gifts of food, clothing and
toys.
On behalf of the families whose
Christmas will be bright because
of the contributions, The Tribune
expresses its sincere thanks.
Appreciation is also expressed
to Rev. Joseph Brown and others
who helped investigate the needs
of the families; to the Elkin
Methodist Church, which turned
over most of its "White Christ
mas” offering to the gift collec
tion; and to J. D. Brendle and
Early Combs, who cooperated in
the project.
One of the many outstanding
expressions of generosity was that
of Mrs. Fred Harris’ fifth grade.
The members of the class came in
a group to the newspaper office
with gifts of canned goods, fruits
and other contributions.
In addition to the seven fami
lies described last week, three
others have been added to the
list. One is a family whose home
burned recently. The fire de
(Continued On Page Four)
CHOPLIN NAMED
WILKES AGENT
Assistant Farm Agent Of
Burke County Elected To
Fill Vacant Post
SUCCEEDS It. I). SMITH
J. P. Choplin, assistant county
agent in Burke County, has been
named by I he Wilkes County
board of commissioners to succeed
R. I). Smith as Wilkes County
agent. Mr. Smith resigned the
post, recently to accept a position
with Klondike Farm north of El
kin.
The commissioners elected
Howard Colvard, now Alexander
County agent, as assistant agent
in Wilkes to succeed Dwight D.
Williamson, who resigned to be
come county agent of Yadkin
County. Mr. Colvard will be re
turning to his home county in
taking the post. He is a native of
Wilkes and served as assistant
agent in that county before going
to Alexander County.
Mr. Ghoplin was reared in Yad
kin and Forsyth Counties and was
graduated from N. C. State Col
lege m 1930. He served as presi
dent of the student body at State
and held a number of other pro
minent offices. He was a member
of the Blue Key, Golden Chain,
Alpha Zcta, the football team and
was captain of the wrestling team.
He was also a member of the
poultry judging team which plac
ed third in the international
judging contest at Madison
Square Garden.
After graduation he worked for
a feed company and was later in
county agent work in Richmond
and Dare Counties. During World
War II he served as chief of the
livestock section of agricultural
production in the military govern
ment. of Korea. Discharged with
the rank of captain, he received a
citation for outstanding perform
ing of duty in Korea.
License Branch To
Be C losed ] Days
The Carolina Motor Clnb branch
office at Butnei-McLeod Motor
Company in North Elkin will be
dosed Thursday, Friday and Sat
irday this week, according to
Ernest McCrary, manager.
The office will re-open Monday
norning for the sale of new li
cense plates. The necessity for
•losing three days is due to the
act that the motor company, in
yhich the office is located, will
lose for a three-day Christmas
holiday, Mr. McCrary said.