THE ROANOKE RAPID S
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VOLUME TWENTY-FIVE ROANOKE RAPIUS. N. C. THURSDAY, Mar. 7, 1940 NUMBER 34
"THE SINGING WAITERS
COUNTY AND CITY
BOARDS VOTE AID
TOTALING *1200.00
Great strides toward qualifying
for the establishment of a National
Guard unit here have been made by
the Committee-in-charge since Gen
eral Van B. Metts was here last
week. With a few more moves,
which are said to be already under
way, the city will be able to offer
for the General’s inspection every
requirement which was stipulated
at the meeting in which he dis
cussed the requirements and bene
fits of a Guard Unit with the dele
gated citizens of the city last week.
First, the County Commissioners,
in their regular March meeting last
Monday, appropriated $600 toward
establishing and maintaining a
Medical Unit in Roanoke Rapids
provided they found it legal tc
make such an appropriation and
provided the city of Roanoke Rap
ids would appropriate a like a
mount. The local committee, des
ignated by General Metts after the
meeting here last Tuesday, appear
ed before the County Board and
asked for the appropriation. It is
composed of Ted Speight, chairman,
Frank Vaughan, Frank Kemp, and
Alfred Martin.
The members of the same com
mittee, with the exception of Mr.
Martin, appeared before the City
Board of Commissioners on Tues
day and put the same proposition
up to them. The City Board voted
to appropriate another $600 per
year, with the provision that if the
total amount of $1200 per year were
not needed to establish and main
tain the unit, the city would be al
lowed to reduce their appropria
tion.
Another step has been made by
the Veterans of Foreign Wars in
that they have agreed to enlarge
the buildr t which they are plan
ning to build to the extent that it
will meet the requirements de
manded by the War Department.
The committee, in conjunction
with Dr. T. W. M. Long and other
interested citizens, are working on
the various angles in preparation
to asking General Metts to come
to Roanoke Rapids again soon to
inspect their progress. In the meet
ing here General Metts told the
citizens-group that he would come
back to the city whenever they
wanted him. It is expected that he
will be here within the next few
days.
The unit proposed here is a col
lecting unit, being made up of 66
men, including two officers. In
come from the federal government
in salaries for men and officers
would amount to approximately
$9000 per year. Between $12000
and $15000 worth of equipment
would be furnished by the govern
ment.
The local community—city, coun
ty, or private citizens—is responsi
ble for some incidental expenses
which will amount to not more
than $400. The local community
is responsible for the quarters. And
quarters call for an armory.
The time element may play a
part in the final establishment of
the Medical Unit here as the War
Department has announced that the
organization must be established
and recognized by May 1.
KELLY, HANFORDS
DEATH SENTENCES
COMMUTED TODAY
_
Governor Hoey Gives
Prisoners Life; Were
To Die Friday
Death sentences given Roy and
Wade Hanford and Roy Kelly in
connection with the fatal shooting
of Sheriff M. P, Robertson and Po
liceman Sonny Vaughan during a
robbery of a filling station in Bur
lington on December 7, 1938, were
commuted today to life imprison
ment by Governor Clyde R. Hoey.
The commuted sentences came as
a result of further investigation on
the part of Paroles Commissioner
GUI and Governor Hoey after a pe
tition with over 8000 names of citi
zens of Alamance County, the home
of the Hanfords, and Montgomery
, County, Kelly’s home, had been
' presented the paroles board. Sher
iff Earl G. Bruton, of Troy, was
1 named as one of the signers.
Governor Hoey stated today that
the question of commuting the
sentences had been a difficult one
to decide in view of the fact that
all the defendants were bad char
acters and former convicts.
It was further pointed out this
week that evidence introduced at
the trial showed that Kelly and
Smith were outside the filling sta
tion and that the Hanfords denied
firing the shots, although one of
the men was believed to have had
a .32 calibre pistol.
In the opinion of the trial judge,
N. A. Sinclair, "the police officer
was slain by a bullet fired by Huff
man, who was killed during the
holdup.”
(Continued on Page 12, Sec. A)
Above is an exclusive photo by the Herald Staff phographer of “The
Gay Nineties”, one of the many hilarious scenes in the Kiwanis 10th annual
benefit show, that was presented for the first time tonight to a packed au
ditorium.
The waiters, with mustaches like those the butchers sold to the gentle
men of the audience along with flowers for the ladies, are left to right: Will
Dean, Leslie Towe, Bill Hodges, and Charlie Davis. The organ pounder is
Graham Lynch.
MINSTREL
PRESENTED
LAST TIME
TOMORR'W
1200 Shake House
With Laughter At
First Performance
One hundred and fifty characters
—handlebar mustaches, sideburns,
hard hats, checked trousers, ruffles,
knee length bathing suits, and all
—stepped from the age-dimmed
daguerrotypes o f grandmother’s
picture album tonight and gave
vent to the melodies, interpreted
the dramas, and brought forth
generally the atmosphere of the old
stage productions which mama and
papa used to see while holding
hands under the turned-down oil
lamps.
It all happened at the high school
auditorium where the Kiwanis
Club presented its tenth annual
benefit show, “The Gay Nineties”,
under the able direction of John
(Slim) Hutchings of the John B.
Rogers Producing Company.
The packed crowd of 1200 or
more cheered the hero, hissed the
villain, whistled for the butcher,
ate peanuts, and raised their voices
to sing with those on the stage
the old tuneful tunes, “Bicycle
Built for Two,” “After the Ball Is
Over”, “Wait Till the Sun Shines,
Nellie,” and “When You Wore a
GAY '90 BEAUTIES
“Strolling Through the Park”. These girls, all
dressed up in the outfits of the days of the “Gay
Nineties”, were caught flirting a bit with some
sideburned, mustached buckeroo as they strolled
through the park. These and many other enter
taining performances may be seen Friday night
for the last time at the high school auditorium
where the Kiwanis Club is presenting its 10th an
nual benefit show, “The Gay Nineties.”
Tulip”. And everybody sang loud,
is per directions.
At intermission time the patrons,
Entering the spirit of the days be
fore the turn of the century,
whistled for the butcher boys and
ite peanuts and popcorn.
Immediately upon entering the
luge auditorium, patrons found
:hemselves in an atmosphere of the
stage shows of fifty years ago.
Butchers hollowed their wares, the
srchestra played the melodies of
:he gayest of decades yet recorded
in history, the nineties.
Featuring the show was the
leart throbbing melodrama, “The
3itter Reckoning”, or "Lady Hall
iayne’s Fearful Secret.” Mrs. Ed
(Continued on Page 12, Sec. A)