Newspapers / Daily Herald (Roanoke Rapids, … / Oct. 24, 1940, edition 1 / Page 1
Part of Daily Herald (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
u THE ROANOKE RAPIDS Ν. 0.'· TABloid Picture NEWSpaper — All Home-Print — CAROLINA'S FIRST VOLUME TWENTY-SIX ROANOKE RAPIDS, N. C. More New· — Mora Advertising — Mora Paid Subscriber· THURSDAY- OCT. 24, 1940 NUMBER 15 SCENES OF GROWTH IN CITY 'il ^SB&SSSSSl·.;.·.···.··-. :. .■.:·■·..■■ Above is a photograph snapped by Herald Staff Photographer yesterday of the new bridge which was completed last week over the little river between Roanoke Rapids and Gaston. Scene shows unfinished road north to Gaston. The road will not be complete until next spring, the flood having held up construc tion there for several weeks this summer. (NewsKuts by Brigman) SURPRISE MOVE TONIGHT WITH 2ND DEGREE PLEA Case Ends Before Going To Jury With Plea Of Guilty To 2nd Degree Murder Accepted By The State The case of the State vs Claude Miles, 34 year old overseer at Patterson Mills Co., came to a dramatic and sudden close tonight when the State accepted a plea of guilty of second degree murder in the fatal shooting of Robert Clay, 24, local tex tile worker, and Judge W. H. S. Burgwyn sentenced Miles to a term of from 22 to 30 years in prison. The first murder trial involving two citizens of Roanoke Rapids in a decade, another surprise of the day was when Miles took the stand in his own defense at 3 o'clock this afternoon to tell his side of the shooting which took place at the Halifax County fairgrounds at midnight, Friday, Oct. 11th. The court room at Halifax was packed and jammed tonight with interested spectators. — I After two days and nierhts. the Above photo shows construction work going on at the Roanoke Mills Company plant No. 1. The pile driver at left is sinking piles into the foundation of the new addition to the dye house. In the background is the river. The new addition to the present filter plant is getting underway, as the above photograph of the foundation shows. This plant will be complete in about 90 days and will increase the output of filtered water by 50 percent. Τrade Days Drive OPENS WITH GALA EVENTS PLANNED October 81 will be a big- night in Roanoke Rapids. This will open the Fall Trade Campaign of the Roanoke Rapids Merchants Association and plans are now under way to make the opening night one long to be re membered. Something new is planned which should bring shoppers from here and this trade territory to the city next Thursday night. Store win dows of the participating stores will be veiled next Wednesday and behind the scenes window trimmers will be busy trying to make their store window the most attractive and original. The unveiling comes afc 7 p.m. Thursday night. After the windows are unveiled, the stores will be thrown open to the customers. Fall merchandise will be displayed. Customers may buy or simply "window shop". The stores will remain open for in spection and for trade until 9 p.m. After they close, customers are in vited to a street dance in front of the high school. During these two hours, from Ί to 9, customers will visit the va rious stores and judge the windows which have been dressed for the occasion. They will receive cards upon which they will write theh selection for the best dressed win· dov and give their reason for tht selection. Persons selecting th< windows which get the most votes and giving the best reason for th< selection will reeclve prizes. (Continued on Page 12, Sec. A1 trial started toward the abrupt cli max at 7:30 tonight when J. R. Allsbrook, defense attorney, ten dered a plea of guilty of murder in the second degree. Solicitor E. R. Tyler accepted the plea for the State, saying he was convinced the deceased Clay had made some threats against Miles and that some of these threats had been communicated to Miles. Judge Burgwyn approved the acceptance of the plea by stating that from all the evidence he, if a juror, would not be satisfied that this was a cold-blooded or premeditated murder. Solicitor Tyler called deputy sheriff G. F. Gray, Chief of Police H. E. Dobbins and policeman Lynn Cameron to testify. They said that Miles was fussy when under the influence of liquor. Cameron said Miles started at him with a razor one night five or six years ago. The other officers said Miles had the reputation of being a mighty good mill man on his job. Another queer angle to the case Hdvûlnnâ/I when GaUnifrt» Tyler called for the holding of Jabo Newsom and Floyd Stokes, defense witnesses, on a charge of conspir acy with Miles. They were with him and drove him back to the fairgrounds the night of the kill ing where Newsom is alleged to have said, "Now is the time to get him (Clay)". Judge Burgwyn plac ed each under a $500 bond. Sheriff House took them to jail as the case continued. Other drama developed with the deathbed statement of Clay, made to Mrs. Gilbert Brown, night su perintendent at Roanoke Rapids Hospital. 'Ί was going to beat him but he shot me", was his statement to Mrs. Brown who was the last witness heard tonight. He died about 20 minutes later. Judge Burgwyn laid some stress (Continued to Page 7, Sec. A)
Daily Herald (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Oct. 24, 1940, edition 1
1
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75