WEATHER _ _ ...Served By Leased Wires
WILMINGTON AMD VICINITY—Fair ■■■ g ■ |MM Mm M MmT I'M'M- —. ___ ^ — Of the
ness today. Mild Monday. somecioudi- TMp ^ H B m. B i_m^zf?JBI^ Ml'"' W% IkflBHlBAP^^B ASSOCIATED PRESS
I fit ^ | I Bl 1% ::|FdB ^1m M W UNITED “pKESS
Wanner'*Monday0nlght “d M°nday‘ " ■ ■ ■■ fcF W/9 B ^ BjP^^^B B « PUBLISHES IN y B B B 1 ■■ ■ V W ^ti^and‘NltlonIjP New.”'
!____ iffinKIti ©QTV ©(F {^©(gEHEiig ^Mfp) E>fL(iAi>y gHETto --—
VOL. 19.—NO. 51.__ WILMINGTON, N. C., SUNDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1947 "" SECTION A—PRICE TEN CENTS
i ——-—-—---—■
500 Nurses
Authorized
By The State
Fifteen Young Wilmington
Women Are In
cluded
ALSO NEARBY TOWNS
Are Eligible To File As
Registered
Nurses
Fifteen Wilmingtonians were
yesterday reported eligible for
Registered Nurses’ certificates
after successfully passing the
North Carolina State Nursing
Examiners’ board. Approxi
mately 500 North Carolina girls
took the test.
The Wilmington and South
eastern North Carolina eligibles
are:
Wilmington — Baker, Lucille;
Bennett, Catherine; Branch,
Bonnie Pearl; Cain, Lois; Cav
enaugh, Leola Virginia; Collier,
Jean Stith; Plairston, Laura
Helen; McFarling, Mildred An
gerlee; Metts, Mary Louise;
Padgett, Virginia; Rhue, Iris
Zeta; Robinson, Jonnie S-dden,
Alfreds Braxton, Mrs.; Wa^d,
Ruth; Winberry, Martha; Wray,
Mamie Alice.
Lumberton — Maxwell, Alice
Geraldine; Sanford, Bertha
Bernice; Shepherd, Lettie Eliza
beth.
Fayetteville — Brown, Idea
Elizabeth; Carr, Mary Helen;
Grimes, Christine Elizabeth;
Hendrix. Nettie Jacqueline; Mc
Duffie, Ella Ruth; Maness, Cora
Elizabeth; Matthis, Edna: Mel
vin, Frances R.; Myers, Flada
Virginia; Raynor, Margie Gold;
Shaw, Ruth Alena; Spell, Ora
P,; Trogdon, Eunice Katherine;
Upchurch, Frances M.
Goldsboro — Batten, Viola;
Disk Helen; Massey, Ernestine.
Kinston—Creech, Esther Ruth;
Faulkner, Lela Frances; Jones,
Virginia Dare; Noble, Rosa Lee;
Rhodes, Alda; Sutton, Edna
Rave; West, Tiffany Brice,
BENSON OFFERS
SEASON’S CHEER
Announces Closing Of City
Offices Friday As
Well
Christmas greetings were sent
to ail city employes yesterday
by City Manager James R. Ben
son, who announced that the
city hall would be closed from
Wednesday noon until Saturday
morning, and that any employe
who desires to be away Satur
day for an extended holiday
may do so by making arrange
ments with their department
nead. .
Benson’s message follows:
“To each and every one of
you I wish a very Merry Christ
mas and a Pappy and Prosper
ous 1948.
"As we look back on our
year's work we can feel a sense
of satisfaction at the many
things which we have accom
plished, often times under dif
ficult circumstances. It has only
been thru your loyalty and de
votion to duty that these things
have been accomplished and I
want you to know that this of
fice fully appreciates your ef
forts during the year.
“As we look forward to 1948
we car. only strive to make it
a credit to our City and to this
•nd I hope that each one of you
will pledge your best efforts. It
18 a pleasure to work with such
* fine group of people and I
wish you to always know that
'"is office has the welfare of
f*eh one of you at heart.”
The Weather
forecasts Until 7:30 P.M. Sunday
'OR WILMINGTON AND VICINITY:
today and tonight; Sunday clear to
- cloudy and slightly warmer; low
temperature tonight 38 degrees; high
Sunday 62 degrees; moderate ho'rth
easterly winds.
.,;°.R NORTH CAROLINA: Partly
today, tonight and Sunday; cold
and tonight; warmer Sunday,
clnna . S0UTH CAROLINA; Partly
cs,'‘a: today, tonight and Sunday, little
noe in temperature.
a^pi' liGTON, Dec. 20.—f/P)—Weather
lail <' R(iPort of temperature and rain
pri ne 24 hours ending 8 P.M., in the
"here" 1 cot*on growing areas and else
S^OION ^
= fv £ 002
Suffalo - 50 37
Charlotte- 32 10
Chat -50 31
Chicago0088- 81 25
Rouston°It*'-~ ~ 57 40
55~-==: 2 £ o.io
Kcv wCuv- 50 27
U' - 77 72 0.02
1'emrh? eS - 64 50 °'20
Miam ' M 28
hlobi I'r, — - 75 69 0.34
Hoot- 63 44
Hr, 0®,eP'- 65 35
Nev v ans - 65 50
jtichmo-uJ - 32 18
St, , ' ! 41 24
San, .- 54 28
Sar v ,:;io - 67 44
Seat-. ci.-co - 53 50 n.55
Sava- ----- 50 41 0.02
^airm — -- ^3 42
»h ,, 78 60
"'ashing,L - 68 28
S oa-- . 37 23
He Made It!
THE ‘HUMAN FLY’, JOHNNY WOOD, is shown waving to
an estimated 5,000 persons who yesterday twice witnessed him
climb to the top of the Murchison building after he had reached
the top. The stunt was sponsored by the Jaycees in the interest
of the tuberculosis compaign. A collection was solicited.
— (STAFF PHOTO)
Human Fly Grosses
$500 For TB Drive
Crowds of approximately 8,000 persons witnessed the
“Human Fly” scale the side of the Murchison building on
two separate ascents yesterday.
Johnny J. Woods, who made
the climb at 3 p.m. and 7:30
p.m. to raise funds for the New
Hanover County Tuberculosis
association, used a hook only
twice on his way up the wall.
Dressed in a shiney red jack
et, a white helmet and a pair
of tennis shoes, 31 - year - old
Woods asked the audience not
to “jeer or criticize” during the
event because it “might take
my mind off my work.” Only
a few persons yelled to him on
his way up.
Hal Love, president of the Ju
nior Chamber of Commerce,
which sponsored the event for
the tuberculosis association, re
ported that approximately $50r.
was grossed through donations.
He said 30 Jaycees asked the
crowd for contributions. Woods
received $66, he said.
Tax Listing To Begin
In City And County
Friday, January 2
Tax listing in Wilmington and
New Hanover county will start
Friday, January 2, according to
an announcement at the court
house yesterday.
The listing will be under the
direction of Addison Hewlett,
who is tax supervisor in addi
tion to being chairman of the
board of county commissioners.
All tax listers and assessors
in the city and county were
named by the county commis
sioners at their last meeting.
Courthouse employes said the
new books would be in readi
ness for the opening of the an
nual listing. They are being pre
pared now.
Edman Acquitted
Of Wife's Slaying
In Indiana Court
BROWNSTOWN, Ind., Dec. 20
—Iff)—David E. Edman, former
wealthy Winston-Salem, N.C.
electrical contractor, today was
acquitted of a first degree mur
der charge in the shotgun death
of his divorced wife.
Tears streamed down the face
of the 41-year-old former North
Carolinian as the clerk of the
JackSon ’ county ’ Circuit court
finished reading the verdict.
The jury had been out almost
13 hours before returning a seal
ed verdict to Judge George H.
Gossman.
MEE TRIAL ENDS
IN CONVICTION
Satira Reported To Get 12
Year Sentence,
Fine
HAVANA, CUBA, Dec. 20.—UP)
— A three-man court was re
ported today to have decided to
sentence the sultry American
dancer, Patricia (Satira) Sch
midt to 12 years in prison and
to fine her $5,000.
There was no official confir
mation. Miss Schmidt’s trial on
a charge of slaying her lover,
John Lester Mee of Chicago
ended yesterday. A court an
nouncement said the trial had
been “concluded for sentencing.’
Legal observers said that meant
the danger had been found guilty
of homicide — the equivalent of
the charge of manslaughter in
the United Sta+es.
The tribunal was reported to
have decided to impose the $5,
000 fine as indemnity to Mee’s
family, and to order Miss Sch
midt to pay the court costs.
CLOTHING ASKED
FOR CHILDREN
Jaycees Say Toy Box At
Postoffice Welcomes
Clothes
Francis Malloy, chairman of
the Junior Chamber of Com
merce Christmas activities cam
paign last night reported gifts
of clothing will be accepted in
the Jaycee “Toy Box” located
in front of the postoffice build
ing, and scheduled to be Santa
Claus for approximately 325
underprivileged Wilmington and
New Hanover county children.
Prior to the announcement the
Jaycees were accepting only
toys, but requests for clothing
have flooded the civic organi
zation during the past few days.
The toys and clothing collected
in the box will be augmented
when a special show at the
Manor theatre Tuesday morning
at 11 will be presented to the
children. The annual Christmas
dinner will follow the theatre
programs.
WhiteOak V etsDeath
Under Investigation
ELIZABETHTOWN, Dec. 20.
Thomas J. Dunn, 29, White Oak
died this afternoon as a result
of circumstances under investi
gation last night, according to
Sheriff John B. Allen.
Dunn, a veteran of World War
II died from injuries received
when he reportedly fell from a
moving automobile while en
route home from a party the
sheriff said.
Sheriff John B. Allen said
that John Cain, 23-year-old
White Oak World War II veteran
is being held on an “ open
charge” pending the results of
a coroner’s inquest into the
death Monday at 10 a. m. Bond
was set at $3,000.
Allen said that Dunn died as
a result of a fractured skull and
other injuries, reportedly su
stained when he fell from an
automobile near here Saturday
morning about 3 o’clock. Cain
and a woman, whose name was
not given, were riding in the
front seat when Dunn fell from
the car. The three were return
ing from a party and had let
others of be group out of the
car shortly before Dunn fell out.
Ammunition Blast DeepInMountain
SpewsDeath, Ha vocOnCou ntry side;
Telegraph Strike Due Momentarily
I
Wire Service
Workers Plan
Quid Action
■ —
Infoldan Of De
ademns Com
* V As Unfair
-
^.iNGTON, Dec. 20—UP)
— ^ thousand Western Union
workers, members of the AFL,
awaited momentary word to
night from their top officials on
whether to begin a nation-wide
telegraph strike.
The union had set its strike
deadline originally for next
Tuesday morning. But last night
it sent telegrams to President
Truman and Cyrus S. Ching,
leaerai mediation and concili
ation Service director, serving
notice that the strke may be
gin “at any time” before then.
Two other smaller AFL
unions, the telegraph workers
union and the telegraph employ
es union — have joint strike
plans with the CTU.
Joseph L. Egan, president of
the company, contends that
meeting the union demands
would cost $19,000,000 a year,
adding that would be double
Western Union’s expected earn
ings this year, which he said
included $5,000,000 worth of busi
ness it did as a result of the
telephone strike in May.
The communications facilites
of the Amercan Telephone and
Telegraph company are not af
fected in the present strike call.
But the Communications Work
ers of America, an independent
union of telephone employees,
has called upon its members to
help the Western Union work
ers.
“Their battle is pretty much
our battle,” declared Joseph A.
Beirae, CWA president, in a
statement. “They deserve our
support.”
Brungs sai<j the change in
plans, allowing the AFL unions
to “pull a strike suddenly and
hard—without notice,” is due to
“threats and intimidation West
ern Union is bringing to bear on
the workers.”
He said the company is de
manding a “yes or no answer”
from each worker on whether
he intends to participate in a
strike and that some of those
who admitted they would strike
“are being threatened with loss
of their jobs.”
Costly Fire Sweeps Through A Vermont Village
RESIDENTS STAND ABOUT some of the fu rniture saved from their homes in a fire that
swept through Bradford, Vermont, causing damage estimated at $200,000. Flames are leaping
from buildings in background, and firemen are battling to check them. Seven business houses,
including three of the town’s four grocery stores, were destroyed.—(AP Wirephoto.)
Cherry Acts In Oil I
Shortage In State
RALEIGH, Dec. 20.—(AP)—Governor Cherry today
acted in the fuel oil shortage by naming State Purchasing
Agent W. Z. Betts as “State Oil Coordinator For North
Carolina”, and by appealing to citizens to conserve fuel oil
i ti i --
in every puoarure way.
Betts, the governor said, will
call in representatives of th e
oil companies, independent
dealers and other interested
persons for a meeting in the
governor’s office “not later
than” next Tuesday to discuss
the the fuel oil emergency
and plans steps to be taken to
meet the situation.
“The various producers of
fuel oils,” the governor said,
“have apparently done all in
their power to prepare for our
present predicament, and due
to lack of steel they have been
unable to drill enough n ew
wells, build refiners, tank cars,
tankers and pipe lines in suf
ficient numbers to cope with the
unpredicted and unprecedented
demand for fuel oil that has
come about since the end of the
war, and which is estimated to
be about 25 per cent greater
(Continued on Page 9, Col. 1)
36MoreF amilies Aided
Because Of NewsStory
By BOB KLINE, Staff Writer
Thirty-six additional less fortunate families yesterday
were added to an already mounting total of those to be
aided on Christmas who otherwise would not have had a
Christmas but for the appeal by Mrs. L. 0. Ellis, executive
secretary of the Associated Charities which was published
exclusively in the Wilmington News (evening).
A wave of human kindness
was flooding the city yesterday,
she said.
This brought to 62 the total
number of units that will be
helped.
He/.rts were touched enmasse
when the people began to real
ize the extent of suffering and
hardship which their fellowman
faces at the time of year when
all hearts should be filled with
joy.
And the hearts of those who
gave were lightened as they
gave. The hearts of those who
were to receive were humbled
and overcome with gratitude.
The appeal published by the
News snowballed into an aval
anche of telephone and person
al calls, promising food, cloth
ing, toys and vitally needed
medicines.
Mrs. L. O. Ellis, executive
secretary of the Associated
Charities, told of these acts of
kindness:
Following the pledge of $100
by an anonymous textile mill
operator last Friday, two more
persons, who wished to remain
anonymous pledged $100 apiece.
A young woman gave a fifty
dollar bill, and said, “Do as
much as you can to bring some
kind of Christmas cheer to a
few families.”
A farmer brought in a bushel
of potatoes.
Four persons gave four large
baskets of clothing and toys.
Two local grocers promised to
give plentiful supplies of food
for at least two families.
In the mail, Mrs. Ellis said
she received one check for $25,
one for $15, one for $10 two for
$5 and one for $2.50.
(Continued on Page 9, Col. 4)
CHRISTMAS TREE
LIGHTS ABLAZE
Largest Living Tree In City
Welcomes Visi
tors
Lights of the world’s largest
living Christmas tree last night
began beckoning many thou
sands to witness the Yuletide
pageant that each year brings
more and more visitors to the
scene in Wilmington.
The lights were turned on for
the first time this season at 5:30
o’clock. They will burn each
night through the first of the
year from 5:30 until 11 o’clock,
with accompanying music.
Decorated with 3,000 multi
colored electric bulbs and tons
of Spanish moss, the giant 300
year-old water oak rises to a
height of 75 feet and spreads its
branches 110 feet in Hilton Mu
nicipal Park as a living symbol
of the greatest religious and fes
tival season of the year.
Unchallenged since winning
the only national contest in the
last decade for the largest liv
ing Christmas tree in the world,
it stands alone today in undis
puted splendor as throngs pay
it tribute each night the latter
part of December.
Its natural, awe-inspiring
magnificence has been en
hanced by a man-made radio
station constructed beneath the
spreading limbs from which
emanates Christmas music that
(Continued on Page 9, Col. 5)
t
EMERGENCY CITED
IN WASHINGTON
State City Without Power,
Navy Asked To
Help
RALEIGH, Dec. 20. — (as
saying that an “emergency ex
ists”, Governor Cherry today
appealed to the Navy to furnish
a destroyer escort to provide
power for the Washington, N. C.
AREA.
The municipal power plant at
Washington was badly damaged
by an explosion on Dec. 1, and
has been operating on a make
shift basis ever since.
Governor Cherry, after re
ceiving an appeal from State
Senator W. B. Rodman, Jr., of
Washington, sent a telegram to
the Admiral commanding nival
facilities at Norfolk, Va.
Wilmington Justice
Celebrates His 90th
Birthday Saturday
Wilmington’s 90-year old jus
tice of the peace, William Car
penter celebrated hi s birthday
yesterday with two brisk walks
from his home at 12 North Fifth
street to the city’s shopping dis
trict, and recalled his favorite
memory of a life lived aganst
the colorful panorama of late
1880’s — the time he sat on
Abraham Lincoln’s lap in the
White House.
Carpenter had gone, as a boy
to Washington during the final
stage of the war between the
States, to intercede for an uncle
held prisoner behind the Union
lins.
Carpenter, now in excellent
health, was born in Fredericks
burg, Va., and came to
Wilmington when he was about
12 years old. He has been a
justice of the peace for the past
15 years.
BRITAIN CUTS BEER
LONDON, Dec. 20—(S’)— Bri
tain’s beer must take another cut
with the year’s end—this time in
quantity rather than quality.
MEYERS COURT
HEARING SET
Meanwhile Air Force Take
Precautionary
Measures
NEW YORK, Dec. 20 .—UP)—
Maj. Gen. Bennett E. Meyers,
indicted on perjury charges by
a federal grand jury, probably
will be arraigned here Monday,
a government attroney said to
day.
Assistant United States At
torney Mario Pitton said the
retired air forces procurement
officer was expected to appear
before a U. S. Commissioner in
Brooklyn, and that bail would
be set during the hearing.
A government attorney in
Washington has asked that Mey
ers’ bail be set at $2,000 for his
appearance in Washington Jan.
7.
He was indicted on six counts,
three charging perjury before a
Senate committee investigating
|war contracts, and three charg
ing he induced a former associ
ate to commit perjury.
His associate, Bleriot H. La
marre, was also indicted on
three perjury counts.
In Washington the air force
announced tonight creation of
“office of the director general,”
the duty of which will be to spot
such instances as the wartime
business transactions laid to Maj.
Gen. Bennett Meyers by witness
before the Senate War Investi
gating committee.
Burgaw Co-Operative
Poultry Dressing
Plant Ready Soon
BURGAW, Dec. 20. A modern
poultry dressing plant, an addit
ion to the Pender Cold Storage
and Freezer Locker co-operative
is expected to be completed here
early in January, the cooper
ative has announced.
Foundation pouring has al
ready been completed and work
on the upper structure is being
planned.
The new plant will include a
smoke house and lard rending
department, and upon comple
tion, machinery will be installed
for dressing turkeys, according
to the management.
The cc-operative has an
nounced that weather conditions
permitting they hope to have the
addition to their processing fa
cilities completed early in Jan
uary
Poultry growers in Pender
and surrounding counties will
have a modern and well
equipped dressing plant in the
new structure, the management
announces.
Bladen County Drys
Ready To Ban Liquor
ELIZABETHTOWN, D=c. 20—
Bladen county today was set to
ban the sale of wine and beer
within its borders.
A lengthy petition, containing
some 700 names of objectors to
the safe of beer and wine had
been handed in to the chairman
of the Board of Elections at
sundown today, and sales ap
peared doomed.
Conservative estimates here
and in other large towns about
the county predicted a 4 to 1
victory for the Allied Church
league, a group of religious
leaders seeking to prohibit the
sale of wine and beer in the
county.
Representative citizens here
declared that an election was
virtually unnecessary to insure
the banning of sales, but plans
were being made to hold the
vote
It was . lid that only 427 of
Bladen’s residents need to vote
no in the election and the 700
petitioners have expressed their
intention of supporting the dry
vott.
Eyewitness
Account Told
By Hotel Man
Soldiers Rushed To Area«
Houses Wrecked,
Eight Killed
BLAUSEE, Switzerland, Dee.
20.—(U.R)—An ammunition depot
blew up deep inside a mountain
in the Benese Alps shortly be*
fore last midnight creating a
man-made volcano that spewed
boulders, bombs, hand grenades
and hot shells throughout Kan
derthal valley, wrecking scores
of hourses and a railroad sta
tion.
A police sergeant in charge of
a small detachment in the dis
aster area reported that nine
persons had be.— ..acd, four to
five were missing and an unde
termined number injured.
Swiss military authori -s or
dered the entire area closed for
600 hours as small explosions
continued to rumble from the
shattered mountanis slide and a
iignt snowfall covereu une-vpiod
ed missiles scattere d through
out the valley.
Several hundred sole1' .rs were
rushed into the area and some
300 firemen were working on
the scene.
The explosion occurred in
Qauderthal Valley near the
little rail station of niausse
Mittholz which was flattened by
rocks and debris. The first
great rumble was heard ..round
midnight and explosions contin
ued until near noon.
Anti-aircraft shells, hand
grenades and bombs were
thrown in every direction from
the gaping hole in the mountain
side where the depot used to be.
As soon as the rain of missiles
subsided, anti-mine detach
ments went out to gather up
live shells.
WhiJe the mam explosions
ceased around noon, smaller
ones were still erupting inter
mittently in the heart of the
wrecked depot
Arnold Steiger, manager of
the Hotel Kurhaus which is
about one and a half miles from
the ammunition dump, said he
first heard the explosion at
11:35 p.m. last night and even
at that distance “it nearly
knocked me off my feet.”
“I saw a blinding flash, win
dows in the hotel rattled and the
whole building just seemed to
bend,” he said. “Panicky peo
ple came from everywhere. The
skies were criss-crossed with
red hot shells that looked like
tracers Some shells exploded in
the air and some on the ground.
Some just buried themselves In
the ground without exploding,”
Steiger said.
Steiger said he walked one
and a half miles to the neigh
boring village of Mittholtz and
that its 400 inhabitants had fled
On the way, he said, he found
two dead — the station master
and a woman, both hit by shell
splinters.
“Of 40 houses at Mittholtz,”
he said, “five were burned to
the ground and 12 others dam
aged with all the windows,
doors and furniture smashed.
Most of the other houses wer*
damaged.”
Free Wrapping Service
Handled 2,835 Packages
Over That Of Last Year
The Retail Merchants associa
tion free wrapping service has
handled 2,835 more packages
this year than last in spite of
the difficulty in obtaining paper
for wrapping, it was announced
last night.
So far this year a total of
6,335 packages have been
handled, 3,620 of these com
pletely wrapped, it was report
ed. The figure last year was 8,
835.
3