BRISBANE
? THIS WEEK
Descend Among Bicycles
Many Strikes and Worries
Two Flags That Clash
Two National Hymns
This column, ilke others to follow,
written in Europe, traveling about
by automobile, will represent an effort
to see things clearly, and describe
them simply, according to the
old formula.
You descend from the ship at
Havre into a world on wheels, bicycle
wheels, a change from the
world on automobile wheels left on
the other side of the Atlantic.
Here working men and women,
thousands of them, ride to and from
work, ten to thirty abreast, depending
on the width of the street.
They have the right of way, properly.
in a democracy.
So it used to be in America, when
automobiles were new. small boys
shouted "Get a horse," and New York
state law compelled the automobile
driver to stop his car and engine,
while a farm wagon passed, if the
farmer raised his hand, or even lead
the farm team, past his machine if
the farmer requested it. Here the
car* stops, while bicycles circulate
Around it on both aides. Similarly,
you slop, later, meeting flocks of
sheep, on roads across the salt
marshes of the Vendee
France is a land of bicycles, of
many political parties, and, at Uie
moment, a land of strikes. Like all
other European countries, it is a
land of permanent -war scares.
America looks upon war as a distant,
improbable possibility, and
when it comes spends billions on
airships that do not fly, ships that
?, never go to sea, and similar evidences
of patriotic dollar-a-year efficiency.
Europe's nations live in
a state of fear, as an American
family might live if it knew that,
at any moment, well-equipped gangsters
from next door might enter,
"shoot up" the household ami set
fire to the house.
American travelers leaving the
Doat by railroad, descending in
Paris at the Saint Lazare station,
were surprised to find crowds fighting
each other, not waiting for
Germany, crowds made up entirely
of Frenchmen of different political
,
'JJMUUIIO.
Sttme wore ribbons with the red
white and blue colors of the French
flag; others, more numerous, wore
the p1.*'** seise* red. Os* side sue i
the "Marseillaise," national hymn
of France since the revolution.
Others wearing small red flags
sang the "Internationale." official
song of the Oommuniata the world
over, from Moscow to Harlem.
Crowds grew bigger, the Frenchmen
sang the two hymns at each other
more, and more violently, with excellent
voices, not one out of tune,
all knowing the words of their respective
hymns. The "Marseilaise"
says, "Let us go children of the
fatherland, the day of glory lias arrived";
the other says, "Arise ye prisoners
of starvation; arise, ye wretched
of the earth."
It was a scene never to be described,
now that Dooley is dead,
and Artemus Ward. Nobody bothered
the deseenaing foreigners from
across the water. A few Frenchmen
hit other Frenchmen, not hard,
then agents of the Surete, whom we
should call policemen, gradually dispersed
the crowds, that met and sang
at each other again the next day.
They live in the suburbs and work in
Paiis, or vice vcr.*' , and, meeting in
the railroad station, it enrages them
to encounter those that sing the
wrong hymn and wear the wrong
colors.
Those singers have chests like
drums, complexions that reveal
countless billions of red corpuscles
and voices that could be heard, almoist
from Los Angeles to Santa
Monica.
One of them broke off at the sad
word "starvation" and said to your
narrator, who had politely congrat.
slated him on hlu vigor: Tenez,
tatez mon bras, et j'al soixante sept
ans"?meaning, 'Here, feel my muscle,
and I am sixty-seven years old."
The muscle rose In a biceps like
a small melon.
The duty of a visiting foreigner
is to observe, describe and not comment;
but this writer, had he accepted
the invitation to speak at the
American club in Paris recently,
would have suggested that the
French, whose only earthly possession
is France, should be careful not
to tear that property apart, especially
with Germany ready to gather
up the pieces.
This crosses the water by mall, la
not new, and not news, when you
see it. Only heaven knows what
might happen in a week.
BELK'S SALE SUCCESSFUL
Mr. John Conway of the BelkWhite
Company is gratified at the
results of his firm's Clearance cale,
which started last week. Particularly
satisfying to Mr. Conway were the
receipts at the end of the week. Incidentally,
Democrat advertising was
used freely in publicizing the event.'
'**'. yl> - ' '-'.d* ... . . . ; -T/ ' y - : -
WA1
| An
| VOLUME XLV1I1. NUMBER 3.
AVERY CO. YOUTH
SENTENCED TO DIE
ON MURDER COUNT
Rcid Coffey to Be Executed In |
Gas Chamber For Murder Of
His Uncle?Notice Of Appeal;
to Supreme Court Given.
Showing no outward emotions as a
jury returned a verdict of first de-:
gree murder for the slaying of his
uncle 'ast April 5, Reid Coffey young
Avery county boy, was sentenced to j
die in the letha! gas chamber in the j
state prison September 11. by Judge'
J. H. Clement presiding over the)
Avery Superior Court last Thursday j
afternoon, according to the Tri-Coun-.
ty News.
The verdict climaxed a trial lasting;
two days and is the first time in the |
history of Avery county that a first
degree murder verdict has been run-j
dered in the county.
According to the state's contention!
the young defendant slew his uncle, '
naruy ijoriey, a deputy sheriff, as
he sat in his home teaching his chit-!
dren music on the rainy Sunday eve- j
ning of April 5. 1936. The elder Oof
fey was slain by a charge of No. 5 :
shot from a shot gun. the load strik- i
ing him in the back just below the
left shoulder blade A shot gun be- j
longing to the father of the defend-1
ant was found next morning in a
clump of laurel some two hundred
yards from the home of the slain
man together witli an empty shell
that had beer, "rung" wittt a knife
to keep the load from scattering.
The slate produced in evidence a
knife taken from the defendant the
night of his arrest that had on idle
blade a sort of fibre contended by the
state to be the same as that on the
"rung" shell found near the gun.
Tf" nroo tn * V> o * . fXU"
?* *-??uvnvv uiai juuilf; VU1 fey
had made threats against Ills uncle
some time previous to the killing,
(Continued on page 8.)
MRS. HORTONDSES
AT AGE OF NINETY
Pioneer Watauga Citizen Succumbs
At Vilas?Funeral
Services Held Friday.
Mrs. James \V. Horton, more familiarly
known throughout this section
as "Aunt Polly" Horton, died
at her home at Vilas last Wednesday
after an illness which had its
beginning with a paralytic stroke
something like a year ago. Mrs.
Horton had passed her 90th birthday
anniversary a little more than
a month ago.
Funeral services were conducted
from the Henscns Chapel Methodist
Church on Cove Creek at 10 o'clock
Friday, Rev. J. W. Parker, the pastor.
being in charge of the obsequies,
assisted by Rev. R. A. Taylor
of Winston-Salem, a former pastor,
and Rev. Mr. Fletcher. Baptist minister.
1UC 1UIIVWIII& ^IOUUSUIU Ul UlC ucceased
acted as pallbcsxers: James
B. Mast, James D. Horton, Ben Horton,
Howard Horton, Don Henson,
Jack Henson, Robert Horton, Jini
Horton, Clark Horton, Ernest Hubbard.
The large and impressive floral offering
was borne by granddaughters:
Mary Jeanette Horton, Merle Horton
Campbell, Mary Sue Horton, Nell
Henson Mast, Amy Henson, Mairie
Hensor. Mast, Pearl Horton, Myrtle
Mast, Sarah Horton, Thelma Horton,
Beulah Henson Horton, Kathryn Horton
Billings and Billie Mast, Special
music was directed by Mrs.
Maude Spainhour.
Interment was in the cemetery near
the church.
The survivors include two daughlers
and four sons: Meadamas N. L,.
Mast, Amantha; W. J. Horton, Farrell,
Pa.; J. B? J. F., and Don J. Horton,
Vilas.
Member Of Pioneer Family
Mrs. Horton was born at Vilas, in
what was known as the first brick
house ever constructed in Watauga
County, the daughter of the late Benjamin
and Mra. Council!, pioneer citizens
of this country. She was married
in 1869 to James W. Horton who
preceded her in death more than 12
years ago.
Mrs. Horton was a devout member
of the Methodist church for the
greater part of her adult life, and
manifested an intense interest in the
welfare of the community from a
religious standpoint. She was kind
and neighborly and her life was spent
in going about and doing good. Unselfish
and charitable, "Aunt Polly"
v.-as uniformly loved by all those who
knew her.
REV. GB1HAM TO PREACH
Rev. Dan Graham, widely-known
revivalist will conduct preaching
services at the courthouse In Boone
Saturday at 11 a. ra., it has been
announced.
lo .v-. 'j * ylr&' uil r. <<?;>
AUGi
Independent Weekly News]
BOONE, WATAUGA COUNTY
! NAMES MANAGER 1
? *
*Q<
HP >'. c\
s
WATT GRAGG ^
GUNGKESS1UNAL :
MANAGER NAMED j
Clyde Greene Will Be In Charge ?
Of Republican Candidate's fj
Campaign ti
n
Watt Gragg, Mayor of Boone and s
Republican candidate for congress in d
the Ninth District has announced the d
appointment of Clyde R. Greene, lo- b
cal political leader and business man, tl
as his district campaign manager, p
Headquarters have been opened at ?
8i> Main Street, and Mr. Gragg states 0
he will conduct a vigorous campaign r
throughout the district. h
Mr Greene, who has served as Sec- a
rotary-Treasurer of the Farmers ti
Hardware & 3upply Co., for the past n
eleven years, has been prominently
connected with Republican political r
caHi-IHo,, tn fhio noontw mnllir
n.\, IUW ui uuo buuilbj XVI gj
years. He is secretary of the lie- a
publlcun Executive Committee here, 3.
a director of the State Merchants as- ..
sociation. District Deputy Junior Or- q
der. a Mason and is an active mem- w
ber of the Boone Baptist C3B?rch. w
It is stated that district headquar- F
ters will be kept open heM&feach ;i
day and that Mr. Grugg'e campaign y
throughout the district, which p seen to
start, will be managed from. the F
Boone office, and vigorously prosecuted.
Mrs. T. E. Bingham will serve
as secretary to the campaign man- V
ager. iGov.
Landon Will Be
Notified On Thursday jr
Governor Candor. of Kansas will be
officially notified of his nomination
as Republican candidate for the presidency
in a ceremony in Topcka on
Thursday of this week, and the usual ft
sneech of neeentnnee is to hp deliv- F
cred the same evening over a nation- c
wide radio connection. The broad- a
cast will begin at 9 o'clock and Is ti
expected to continue until 10. b
SHERIFFSEIZES j
WHISKEY PLANT
p
Four Moonshine Stills Taken t
During Past Three Weeks;
Has Taken 67 In All. 1
Sheriff Howell and Deputies Car- '
ter Kagan, J. K. Brown and Alex 1
South participated in a raid in the
Beaver Dam township last Thursday, c
which netted them a complete liquor
making plant, it being the first such c
outfit taken in that immediate section
for many years.
A run of whiskey had just beehj
made when the officers arrived, and >I
one man was taken into custody near
the illegal manufactory. Following
the raid, however, and for the lack
of eye-evidence, the man was released
pending further investigation, c
The still and fifty gallons of beer C
were destroyed. 1
This is the fourth still that has a
been captured by the sheriffs office f
In the past three weeks, five arrest* b
were made in connection with thir 8
operation, and sixty-seven such plants 2
| nave urai lujlcii since cynemi nowell
was placed In office. Thirty-five
men have ibcen captured for taking f
part in the operation of the stills. r
On Saturday evening the Sheriff I
reported the arrest of Tom Pennell 8
after having found three gallons of 2
liquor on the premises. One man 1
was taken as he left the house with t
whiskey in his possession. A number
of minor arrests were made over
the week-end. s
t
MANY ARRESTS MADE t
Policemen F. E. Lit ten and Wiley t
Day effected the arrest of eleven per- e
sons over the week-end, who were
charged with public drunknness. nils I
is perhaps some above the average 1
number, especially where no holiday {
or special occasion is involved, but I
the officers report that those taken r
had not allowed their inebriation to i
t&iP-'r1 S^Sll."- " - -,' ' rFi:
T '
\ DE
paper?Established in tht
, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSD
RAGIC DEATHOT
I0MELY CO-ED IS
5AFFLING POLICE!
oung New York University |
Student Had Visited In Boone
Shortly Before Tragedy?Uncle
Well Known Here.
The finding- of the pajama-clad
ody of Helen Clevenger, 18-year-old
taten Island co-ed in an Asheville
otel last Thursday morning, a bul't
wound through the cheat and th?
ic.e brutally cut with some sharp
istrument. has furnished the resort
ity police a murder mystery, which,
espite strenuous efforts, has thus
ar fallen short of a solution.
Miss Clevenger, who was an honor
tudent at the University of New
'ork, was visiting the mountains of
Carolina with an uncle, Prof. W. L..
tlevinger of State College, Raleigh,
nd it was he who found the body
f his niece, in a reclining posture,
tie legs crumpled under the torso,
nd a bullet wound from a .32 calibre
evolver through the body. The face
'as badly mutilated as if a combat J
?iu ensuea oerore tne laiui finoi wan
red. Some of the guests of the ho5l
had heard screams during the
ight, but since a terrific electric
lorm was raging, it was not de
ueed that death stalked the corriors
of the hostelry. The police have
een unable to establish a motive for
ic slaying although some of the emloyecs
of the hotel and ohter persons
rho were in the lc -ality at the time i
f the slaying have been held, and
igldly questioned. Officials believe,
owever, that progress is being made
nd that the murderer will be brought
> justice within the apace of a few
lore days. I
The news of the brutal slaying car- 1
ies with it a tinge of local color
Ince it is revealed Prof. Clevinger 1
nd his niece visited Boone on their
ijcurn in the mountains. It is fur- :
ter recalled that Prof. Clevinger is
uite well known in this section, 1
here he often visited in company 1
nth "Cheese" Wilson and F R. :
'arnam, who established the cheese- '
inking industry in Watauga many
ears ago. This work was largely '
uwlcu through the Stats College
intension Service.
SAYS THREE CANS !
BEER HISJJND01NG!
defendant Pleads Guilty to J
Driving While Under luflu- i
ence of Foamy Suds.
John Blair. Caldwell County man, '
rralgned before Judge Bingham in 1
ic-eordcr's Court Tuesday on a
harge of driving an automobile while
nder the influence of liquor, proested
his innocence of the charge,
ut did submit to operating his car
nder the pressure of three cans of
eer. He was required by the court
o pay a fine of fifty dollars and
he cost.
Other cases disposed of were:
Roy lsmtz, public drunkenness,
"ined $10 and assessed with one-half ,
he C03t.
I.awrence Banner, driving while in- j
oxicated, $50 and the cost.
Frank Watson, assault with deady
weapoh and violation of prohibiten
laws, $ 10 and the cost.
Arthur Thomas, reckless driving,
ost.
Green Horton, public drunkenness,
ost.
W. E. Buchanan, violation of pro-,
libition laws, $10 and costs. r |
Vlr. and Mrs. Greer To
Appear At the Rock
The Woman's Missionary Society
>f the Blowing Rock Presbyterian
Jhurch has announced that Mr. and
Irs. I. G. Greer, of Thomasvilie, will
ppear in a program of ballads and
oik songs at the Mayvicw Manor
lallroom, Blowing Rock, July 31 at
:15 p. m. The admission price of
5 and 50c will constitute a fund to
ie used for church purposes.
Mr. and Mrs. Greer have won wide
avor with their vocal and stringed
enditions of the folk songs of the
Hue Ridge mountains, and the sponors
of their Blowing Rock appearince
feel very fortunate that they
lave consented to appear there at
his time.
FA RTnTWn.UTT.T RR
Announcement has been made of
he marriage of Mr. Donald Farthing
o Miss Mildred Miller of Cranberry,
he ceremony having been performed
it that place on the fourth of July.
Mr. Farthing is the son of Mr. and
ira. Don D. Farthing formerly of
toone, and now holds a responsible
losition with the Tennessee Light &
hawer Company in Elizabethton. The
lewly-weds are making their home
n that city.
MOC]
: Year Eighteen Eighty-E
AY, JULY 23, 1936
riEADS DEMOCRATS
~ IwnB
J. Ed Butler, of Morganton, who
was elected president of the Young
Democratic organization of the
state at the convention which
closed in Greensboro Saturday.
The convention was described as
being an enthusiastic one, and
went on record as being heartily
in accord with the national administration.
WATERSHORTAGE
GROWS ALARMING
Continued Dry Weather Cuts
Down Supply Of Water At
Intake to Minimum.
The city water department has
busied itself for the past few days
in an effort to find new sources of
ivater to supplement the rapidly
Swindling supply at the city reservoir.
The reservoir, which was constructed
to hold a supply of something
like two million gallons of water
in reserve, is dry, and the main
leading from that point, eight miles
iway, is carrying the stream within
less than one-half its capacity,
rhe quarter-million gallon reservoir
;n the city is partially filled during
the evening hours, and Monday workers
sucr ided in placing two pipe
lines into it from mountain springs,
.vhich have considerably improved the
supply. Even at that, however, folks
.vho live on the higher eminences
lave lor many days been unable to
*et. water from their spigots.
The city has put a taboo on wasting
automobiles, watering lawns and
>ther use of water which is not enEtrely
necessary, and although the
shower of Tuesday augmented the
aupply slightly, there is still need of
3trict conservation. Workmen have
been busy for the past day or so inspecting
fixtures in the houses of
the town and stopping leaks in the
plumbing, and eevry possible precaution
against loss of water is being
taken by the city.
Citizens of the town are again being
urged to use water during this
emergency only as is necessary, and
full cooperation is asked.
HAYm HEW HF.AD
LOCAL LEGION POST
Officers Are Named and Delegates
Selected to State Convention
Last Friday.
Mr. ftoey I. Haynes of Boone was
named commander of Watauga Post
American Legion for the ensuing yeai
at a meeting held last Friday evening.
Other officers named were
Vice-Commander, R. L. Gentry; Vice
Commander, T. A. Weaver; Vice
Commander, Sam Adkins; Adjutant
L. D. Woodard; Finance Officer, B
K. Osborne; Service Officer, Lione
Ward; Guardianship Officer, Spencei
Miller; Scrgeant-at-Arms, R. L
Church; Chaplain, W. C. Greene; Historian,
C. L. Young; Athletic Officer
G. Nile Cook; Child Welfare Officer
C. W. Teal; Americanism Officer, J
W. Norria; Graves Registration Officer,
Lionel Ward; Employment Of
ficer, John Dugger; Memberahlj
Chairman, R. G. Greer; Publicity Of
ficer, C. W. Teal; Chairman Sons ol
I ?: m rs
wc^juii, wcvc uruoa.
Roey X. Haynes, Lionel Word ant
L. D. Woodard were named as dele
gates to the state convention in Ashe
ville, July 27-28, and R. L. Gentry
J. W. Norrts and R. J. Church weri
chosen alternates.
MRS. ELLISON DIES
Mrs. Minnie Blanche Ellison, age<
22, died Sunday at her home In thi
M"at Camp section.
Funeral services and intermen
were In the Meat Camp cemeter
Monday morning. Rev. D. S. Mille
being in charge of the rites.
Surviving arc the husband, tw
sons and one daughter: John, Henr;
and Eva Lee Ellison.
RAT
ight
-?
?L5U jeiSK ifisAR
tmperance day
mMtings bring
oiMthoiisands
[Gatho^piis In County Sunday
Are ^jjOihusiastie; State Dry
Lead^gfjArc Greatly Encouraged
' 4,. the Intense Interest
Temperance field day" was observed
in the churches of Watauga
County last Sunday, and Judging by
the number of persons attending the
gatherings and the enthusiasm mani{
fested, the event has been described
j as a red-letter day for the cause of
I temperance in this county.
I . .... I1..H *' 1 ?
i ivjo vunu bin tc uivusoiiu pci suns,
or one out of every five of the
total population, gathered at fifteen
different points for the temperance
day addresses and it was clearly discernible
from the enthusiasm of the
different audlencc3, that the interest
in the cause of temperance is now
on the upgrade,
; Rev. M. A. Adams and Cale K.
j Burgess of the United Dry Forces of
\ North Carolina, were in the county;
Mr. Adams speaking! at four places
and Mr. Burgess at three. These
gentlemen were assisted by a fine
body of local helpers, who rendered
moat excellent and highly appreciated
service. Local people delivered
the addresses at all other places.
A new county-wide temperance Organization
was formed with Mr. T.
E. Bingham as chairman; Mrs. D. P.
Cofrey, vice-chairman and Miss Annie
Dougherty, secretary-treasurer.
Rev. Dwiglit Edminaten and Mr.
Clyde Clreene were named as trustees
and will meet soon and name
one person from each township, who
will compose the executive committee
for the county.
auk. y???w io uiau (ui. uucuivi
of temperance <_ lucation for the State
Dry Forces desires to express his
sincere appreciation for the fine cooperation
given him by the people of
the county in connection with the
temperance field day. The local offering
for the work is expected to
reach seventy-five do lars, when it Is
all reported.
Delinquent Tax List
Is Now Being Revised
County Tax Collector A. D. Wilson
states that a revised list of the properties
of delinquent taxpayers is now
being: prepared and that the realty
-involved will be advertised according
to law during the month of August,
the sale to take place on the fi"at
Monday in September.
Mr. Wil3on is very anxious that as
many as possible gct^ their receipts
this mouth, and spare themselves the
extra cost in connection with the advertisement
and sale of the property.
Mrs. Minnie Hayes
Passes Last Friday
Mrs. Minnie Hayes, wife of O. E.
Hayes, died at her home in the Brushy
Fork, section Friday from a sudden
Illness. She was 38 years old.
VamprnS oAinmtwB urflw
from the Brushy Fork Baptist church
Saturday morning at 10 o'clock. Rev.
W. C. Payne, Rev. W. J. Cook and
I Rev. Grady Minton took part in the
rites and interment was in tne
Adams cemetery. ;
Surviving are the husband and
three children: Grace, Mollie and
, Willis Hayes.
; Deceased was a daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Oliver and was born and
. reared at Maible. She was well knowh
: there and In the community where
. she established her home, and wu
- popular with her acquaintances. She
, was a loyal member of the Baptist
. Church.
1
; Avery Man Sentenced
For Crime Of Long Ago
/?;
Jurd Hicks was sentenced in
Avery superior court a few days ago, S>1-'
to five years in state's prison for
' the slaying, of Charlie Winters, of t
the Elk River section. In a drunken
' brawl which took place twentyrslz
' years ago. hicks, wno did not Know
his age, but who relatives said was
1 in his seventies, submitted to a
charge of manslaughter.
He was arrested in Burke county
^ last May after having been a fugi- (
1 tlve from justice since the day of the
fatal altercation.
SPAKfHOUBS SALE
The Spalnhour Store is featuring
1 its annual Julyt sale this week and
5 Manager Harris states that his firm
is now offering some of the most
t outstanding bargains in its local hisy
tory. He desires that the details of
r the big merchandising event as publiahcd
in this issue, be thoroughly
o read, and believes a chance for the
y practice of real thrift is being offered.