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FOR 29 YEARS THE OUTSTANDING WEEKLY OF THE CAROLINAS
Entered as Second Class Matter at the Post Office at Durham, North Carolina, under Act of March 3, 1879.
VOLUME 29—NUMBER SO
DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA, SATURDAY, DEC. 15th, 1951
PRICE TEN CENTS
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Try Man In Liquor Deaths
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Farmeri aangs Self
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Becomes Storm Center
In Clyde Brown Case
REVEREND MRS. EDNA
GRAVES, above, has become
the center of a controversy in
connection with the Clyde
Brown case. Brown, sentenced
to die, was convicted of rape
on a 17 year old white Win
ston-Salem girl last July.
Rev. Graves, who operates a
prayer band at High Point,
charges that the defense for
Brown is not doing all it could
do. She claims she is soliciting
funds to hire a law firm in
Greensboro to defend Brown.
Attorneys Hosea Price in
Winston-Salem and Herman
Taylor of Raleigh, have both
her claims.
Lott Carey Delegation Back In
United States After African Visit
WASHINGTON — The twen
ty-two members of the Lott
Carey Baptist Pilgrimage return
ed to the United States by Pan
American Airways Thursday,
December 6th, after a five weeks
tour of West Africa and prin
cipal cities in Europe.
According to the Reverend
Wendell C. Somerville, Execu
tive Secretary of the Lott Carey
Baptist Foreign Mission Conven
tion and Chairman of the cur
rent Pilgrimage, this Pilgrimage
was one of the largest and the
most meaningful tours that has
been made to Africa by any
racial group since the early days
of 1821, when the Colonization
Society carried the first settlers
to Liberia.
The purpose of the current
visit as related by Somerville
was the official dedication of the
one hundred seventy-five thou
sand ($175,000.00) dollars Edu
cational plant erected by the
Lott Carey Baptist Foreign Mis
sion Convention at Brewerville,
Liberia, West Africa.
His Exellency, William V. S.
Tubman, President of Liberia
and his Cabinet extended of
ficial welcome to the American,
guests. The members of the Pil
grimage were dinner guests of
President and Mrs. Tubman.
Four North Carolinians, in
cluding Durham’s Reverend E.
T. Browne, were members of the
22 person delegation.
The other Tar Heels in the del
egation were Reverend Kelly P.
Goodwin, Winston-Salem, Mrs.
Ellen Alston, Raleigh, and Rev.
G. W. Thomas, Roxboro.
The rest of the delegation in
cluded Mrs. Florence Carter,
Richmond, Va.; Rev. J. J. Clow,
Portland, Ore.; Mrs. Magnolia
Cooper, Passaic, N. J.; Miss Julia
A. Finch, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Lew
is Griffin, Washington, D. C.;
(Please turn to Page Eight)
Defense Lawyers,
Group Repudiate
Work Of Woman
Additional repudiation of a
lady who claims she is raising
money for a defense for Clyde
Brown came this week from the
doomed man’s defense attorneys
and chairman of the People’s De
fense Committee, the group co
ordinating defense for Brown.
Rev. Mrs. Edna Graves, who,
it is alleged, operates a prayer
band in High Point, was dis
turbed this week over what she
considered unfavorable publicity
given her in a story in last
weeks’ TIMES, stating that her
claim of having gotten an ex
ecution stay for Brown had been
denied.
She is, according to a letter
she mailed to Attorney Frank
Brower here, soliciting funds to
get a new trial for the doomed
man.
Brown, sentenced to die for
rape of a 17 year-old white Win
ston-Salem girl, has lost two ap
peals from a death sentence. The
State Supreme Court upheld the
decision of a lower court and re
cently he lost an appeal for writ
of habeas corpus from a United
States Court.
In Winston-Salem, Attorney
Hosea Price, one of the defense
attorneys for Brown, said in ef
fect that Rev. Mrs. Graves is
creating a nuisance and that she
has no official connection with
(Please turn to Page Eight)
Decoration
Contest Set
The Durham Business and
Professional Chain announced
the opening of its second annual
Christmas Home Decoration
Contest here this week. The con
test began Thursday and will
end Dec. 20.
Rules of the contest are as fol
lows:
No entries will be accepted
after seven p. m. Dec. 20. Per
sons desiring to enter the con
test should call one of the fol
lowing: the Carolina Times, 518
East Pettigrew Street, at 5-9873
or 5-0671; Service Printing Com
pany, 504 East Pettigrew Street,
5-7462; or Mrs. Roxie Davis,
2005 Otis Street, 3-6742.
All entrants are urged to have
their decorations lighted up be
tween the hours of eight and 10
on Sunday night, December 23,
because the judging will take
place then. Only windows,
porches, lawns and doors of
homes will be judged. Decorated
church lawns and business en
terprises are not eligible.
Judging will be based on the
following points: quality; ad-1
herence to the Christmas theme;
attractiveness; inexpensiveness.
Judge Charges NAACP With
Stirring Up Trouble In Fla.
TAVARES, Fla.—Judge Tru
J. Futch of Lake County Circuit
Court last week barred Thur
good Marshall, special counsel,
and Jack Greenberg, assistant
special counsel, of the National
Association for the Advance
ment of Colored People, from
defending Walter Irvin, the re
maining defendant in the in
famous “rape” case. Judge Futch
said that the attorneys could
not take part in the case be
cause the NAACP has stirred
up trouble in the community.
Alex Akerman, Jr. of Or
lando, who represented the de
fendants for the NAACP in their
original trial in 1949, remains
as chief defense counsel, assist
ed by Paul Perkins, also of or
lando.
At the same time, Judge
Futch granted defense motions
for a change of venue, sched
uling Irvin’s trial for January
14, in Ocala, in neighboring
Marion County. Since Marion
and Lake Counties are in the
same circuit, Jess Hunter will
remain as prosecutor in the case.
Mr. Marshall indicated that the
NAACP will conduct a thorough
investigation in Marion County,
as it did in Lake, to determine
whether the climate of opinion is
such that it will permit selection
of an unbiased jury, and a fair
trial for Irvin.
Irvin Recovering
Irvin, who was shot by Sher
iff Willis McCall on a lonely
country road on November 6,
the eve of the retrial ordered for
him by the United States Sup
reme Court, miraculously es
caped the death that was the
fate of Samuel Shepherd, his
fellow prisoner. Irvin is now at
the State Penitentiary at Rai
ford, where Mr. Perkins report
ed that he is in good condition
but still has a bullet lodged near
(Please turn to Page Eight)
North Carolina’s chief ex
ecutive delivered the principal
address at the dedication cere
monies for the new elementary
plant at Pleasant Grove School
in Alamance County last Fri
day night.
The appearance by Governor
Scott marked one of the few
times during his administra
tion that he has addressed a
predominantly Negro audi
ence.
The above photos show scenes
from the dedication services
for the new school building,
which was completed in Sep
tember of this year. It is con
structed along the most mod
ern architectural lines, among
its features being flourescent
lighting, office space for in
structors and a gymtorium.
In photo at top left, Gov.
Scott is shown shaking hands
with well wishers who ex
changed remarks with him af
ter his speech. Circular inset
at top shows Pleasant Grove
principal, W. I. Morris, re
ceiving the keys to the build
ing from chairman of the
school board, H. A. Scott.
Photo at top right shows the
Governor talking with some
of the principals in the dela
tion services immediately fol
lowing the event. At far left
is Morris and J. W. Jeffries,
former farm agent for the
Pleasant Grove community, is
shown at far right.
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In bottom left photo, Mrs.
Maude Ivey is shown receiv
ing a plaque in recognition of
twenty-five years service as
supervisor for the Alamance
County school from Morris.
Photo at right shows Gov.
Scott addressing the audience
and a portion of the key fig
ures in the dedication services.
Despondent Man Takes Life
With Plow Line In Feed Barn
KUXrsOKU—A 33 year-old ±ar
mer who had been released from
the State Hospital at Goldsboro
just two weeks ago, took his
own life Tuesday morning by
hanging himself in a feed barn.
William Tapp became the sec
ond North Carolina man in two
14 NCC Students
Listed In Who’s
Who Publication
Fourteen of North Carolina
College’s top students, all seniors
were elected to Who’s Who in
American Colleges and Univer
sities, it was announced here
this week.
Leading the list of the N.C.C.
students who have been selected
on the basis of scholarship and
leadership ability are Calvin
Norman, president of the N.C.C.
Student Government Associat
ion; Carrie Thomas, president of
the Alpha Chi chapter of the
Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, and
Elwood Streeter, president of
the Beta Kappa Chi Honorary
Society.
The complete roster of North
Carolina College students who
enjoy the distinction of having
their names listed with the lead
ing students in other colleges
and universities throughout the
United States follows:
Joyce A. Daughtry, New York,
N. Y.; Alethia Dixon, Asheville;
Gloria Grant, Windsor; Gwendo.
lyn Haywood, Raleigh; Cecilia
Isham,, Jacksonville, Fla.;
Howard Love, Jr. Gastonia;
Calvin Norman, Jr., Jamaica,
N.Y.; Frances R. Peele, Ahoskie;
Fannie E. Reynolds, Cofield;
(Please turn to Page Eight)
weeks to commit suicide by
hanging. Last week at Lumber
ton, 24 year old Roscoe Davis
hanged himself in the presence
of his small son and wife.
Despondency was attributed
to the suicide of Tapp, farmer of
the Olive Hill community. He
was said to have been despon
dent for sometime and had only
about two weeks ago been relea
sed from the state hospital at
Goldsboro.
The Person county farmer
took his life by hanging himself
with a plow line from the feed
barn on the farm of George Lee,
where he was living. Apparently,
Tapp tied the plow line to a sup
porting beam of the barn roof
and dropped down through a
ladder opening in the ceiling.
His wife found him about 9:30
Tuesdy morning, a few moments
after the fatal act.
Tapp had threatened on se
veral other occasions to take his
life, his wife related to investi
gating officers. He attempted to
commit suicide in the Person
County-jail while awaiting trans
fer to the hospital at Goldsboro.
Dr. A. F. Nichols, coroner,
ruled that the victim died of a
broken neck.
Mason Celebration
Doric Lodge 28 of Prince Hall
Free and Accepted Masons will
observe its 73rd Anniversary
here Sunday at the Morehead
Avenue Baptist Church at three
o’clock p. m.
Reverend W. A. McEwan, pas
tor of St. Matthew C. M. E.
Church, will be the guest speak
er. W. P. Flintall, worshipful
master of the lodge, will serve as
ter of the lodge, will serve as
master of ceremonies. The pub
lic is invited to attend.
Ex-Con Faces
In 38 Liquor Deaths
Atlanta, Ga.—A 300 pounds
plus ex-convict went on trial
here Monday for his life in con
nection with the mass liquor
poisonings which occured here
last October.
John D. (Fats) Hardy, 44
years old with a court record
several pages long, is being held
responsible by the State for the
death of 38 persons who suc
cumbed to poison liquor here
during the week of October 21.
He is being tried before Ful
ton County Superior Court on a
specific charge of murder of
John W. Blount, Negro who died
from drinking the fatal moon
shine. Judge A. A. Andrews is
hearing the case. Hardy is also
under indictment for murder in
four other cases.
Over 300 persons were strick
en from drinking the fatal moon
shine. in what Fulton County
authories have termed the worst
instance of mass poisoning in the
county’s history. Four have per
manently lost their eyesight.
According to testimony in the
trial early this week, Hardy
headed what was a relatively
complex wholesale bootlegging
operation which buised several
persons with various tasks.
A 33 year old Negro who gave
his occupation as a deliveryman
for bootleggers testified how he
helped mix the fatal concoction
and then helped in its delivery.
Richard “Snooks” Weems told
the court that he helped Hardy
mixed the moonshine on a farm
farm in Gwinnet County. He
said that Hardy occasionally
stirred the stuff with a broom
stick.
C. B. Wheeler, who identified
(Please turn to Page Eight)
MRS. J. C. TRENT _
Lady Member
Of Council On
Church Program
Mrs. J. C. Trent, well known
civic leader and member of the
Durham City Council, will deli
ver an address at the Covenant
Presbyterian Church here Sun
day evening at six.
Dr. C. C. Spaulding, President
of the North Carolina Mutual
Insurance Company and natio
nally known civic leader, will be
present and introduced Mrs.
Trent to her audience.
This program is given under
the auspices of the Parish Zone
Plan of the Church, and each
Zone will have a special pew sec.
(Please turn to Page Eight)
Chain Elects
New Officers,
Austin Is Prexy
Four new members of the
board of directors and a nearly
new slate of officers for the
Durham Business and Profess
ional Chain were elected at the
organization’s regular meeting
here Sunday.
L. E. Austin, editor-publisher
of the Carolina Times, succeeds
T. R. Speight as president of the
Chain. Speight had served as
president for nearly five years.
Other new officers include
W. G. Rhodes, first vice presi
dent; Mrs. P. H. McNeil, second
vice president; Mrs. L. M. Harris,
assistant secretary; J. J. Hender
son, treasurer; and Mrs. J. De
shazor Jackson, assistant pub
licity director.
R. Kelly Bryant ‘and D. F.
Reed were the only re-elected
officers. Bryant is secretary and
Reed serves as publicity director.
(Please turn to Page Eight)
Christmas Dinner
The annual pre-Christmas din
ner for the blind will be held at
the Harriett Tubman Branch Y.
W. C. A. on Saturday after
noon at two o’clock.
The Business and Professional
Department of the YWCA is co
operating with the Lions Club
in sponsoring the dinner for ap
proximately 95 blind persons.