f
jpDfra*''*?;?.
An Independent Weekly Newspaper ? Established in the Year 1 888.
i r i ;n ? ? ,? ? -
VOL. LVI1, NO. 44 I I . ,,?? WATAUGA COUNTY, NOBTH CAROLINA THURSDAY, MAY 2, 1946
5 CENTS A COPY
WINKLER AGAIN
NAMED CHAIRMAN
BY DEMOCRATS
Representative Group of Demo
crats Attend County Conven
tion Saturday, Perfecting
County Organization: Many
to Attend State Convention
Today
W. Ralph Winkler, Boone business
nan, was again chosen chairman of
the Watauga county Democratic ex
ecutive committee last Saturday aft
ernoon, at a meeting of the commit
tee held immediately" following the
County convention. M. W. Beach
was likewise chosen secretary of the
committee for the ensuing two-year
term. Mrs. Dare Strother was
named vice-chairmen.
The convention was attended by a
representative group of Democratic
partisans from the different sections
of the county, delegates being pres
ent from 11 of the 16 voting pre
cincts.
In the absence of Chairman W. R.
Winkler, who had been called to
Winston-Salem by State Chairman
Umstead, Dr. H. B. Perry called the
meeting to order, and Wade E.
Browh served as chairman. Secre
tary M. W. Beach aided in holding
the convention.
The convention decreed that all
Watauga county Democrats who
would go to Raleigh Thursday of
this week to the state convention,
would be seated as delegates, and
cast thier proportionate share of the
?rganization's 23 votes. Indications
were that a considerable number
would, go to Raleigh to participate1
in the proceedings, and to hear the
keynote address by Congressman
Robert L. Doughton, of this district.
The convention starts at 12 noon,
1 olio wing district meetings to be
held in various assembly halls in
the capital city at 10 o'clock.
Plot To Murder General
MacArthur Is Discovered
American counter intelligence of
ficers Tuesday hunted through all
of Japan for the thin-lipped Jap lea
der of a plot to assassinate General
Douglas Mac Arthur with pistols and
hand grenades during Wednesday's
gigantic May Day Communist cel
ebrations.
They expected to seize the leader
Hideo Takayama, a former member
of the Japanese overseas police force
Within 48 hours. If their agents do
not turn him up before today, they
will release an informer Takayama
Irted to kill with poison and let him
circulate among May Day crowds.
Closely followed by counter intel
ligence agents, he will try to find
Takayama.
The plot, as intelligence men got
it from their informer, a member of
the plot, was this: Takayama and his
fellow conspirators would shoot Mac
Aruthur and throw grenades into
his automobile while the supreme
allied commander was en route from
his headquarters to his home in the
United States embassy. Then they
would disappear into the confusion
of the May Day crowds.
Takayama had collected about
104,000 yen (about $7,000) to fin
ance the killing.
Band-Glee Club
Concert To Be
Presented May 2
The Appalachian High School
Band and Glee Club, under the di
rection of Gordon Nash and O. M.
Hartsell, will present one of the
feature programs of the school year
on Thursday night, May 2, at 8:00
o'clock in the high school audi
torium.
The Glee Club and voice students
will sing songs of the United Na
tions and will be dressed in the
costume of the country they repre
sent. Joann Hardin and Johnny
Hodges, first grade pupils, will act
as pages and show the flag of each
United Nation. A prize will be
awarded for the best vocal solo and
will be judged and presented to the
winner by Miss Virginia Wary, di
rector of the department of music,
Appalachian College.
The band program will consist of
American music only, featuring pop
ular and classical music of Ameri
can composers.
There will be no admission fee,
and the public is cordially invited.
Charred Bones of Hitler
May Be Held By Russia
The Russian army has in its poss
ession the charred bones of Adolf
Hitler anA Eva Braun, his mistress
? wife, sinA a few days after they
killed themselves in the bunker of
the Berlin reichschancellery a year
ago. a British intelligence officer
iHd Tatadif..,'
Circumstantial evidence collected
by the British and others seemed
to leave little doubt of the truth of
the Nazi assertion of their deaths,
broadcast May 1, 1946.
British intelligence officers were
shown bones w'Jch Russian soldiers
said were those of Hitler and Eva.
The Russians said positive identifi
cation was made by one Frau Heu
sermann, assistant to Hitler's den
tist, and by one Eichmann, the den
tist's mechanic.
Chief
IS
Chief Justice Harlan Fiske
Stone of the U. S. Supreme Court,
who died in his home at Wash
ington of a cerebral hemorrhage
recently. He had just finished
reading a dissenting opinion when
the attack occurred. The 73-year
old jurist was appointed chief
justice in 1941, following 16 years
as an associate justice. He receiv
ed his original appointment by
President Coolidge and was ele
vated to the chief justice position
by President Roosevelt.
MILLARD GR
GIVENBflH
Desperado Who KldnaMd North
Wilke*boro Taxi Operator
Sentenced in W. V?.
- i,\Vvi
Millard Greer, desperado alleged
to have committed highway rob
bery, kidnaping and other crimes in
North Carolina, Tennesset^ Vir
ginia and West Virginia, was sen
tenced to life in the Wort Virginia
penitentiary at court in' Welch, W.
Va., last week.
Greer, a native of th^ Deep Gap
community, was charged with the
kidnaping --and robbery of money
and automoble from Clayton (Bozo)
Davis, North Wilkes bo ro taxi op
erator, a few months ago, for the
same crime in connection with the
abduction of a taxi operator at
Kingsport, Tenn., for an abduction
and robbery at Lenoir, and for
crimes in West Virginia. He was
convicted under the habitual crim
inal act of West Virginia, which
calls for life imprisonment. His
brother, Estel Greer, was sentenced
from one to ten years.
With Millard Greer when he took
Davis' car and money and tied him
to a tree in Ashe county were
Frances Greer Watkins, his sister,
and Alfred Bradley, who were ar
rested in Boone that night when
Millard Greer eluded the officers.
The woman and Bradley drew long
terms in Ashe county court recently.
Millard Greer was later arrested
in North Wilkesboro by police and
was taken to Lenoir to face charges.
There he escaped jail and was al
leged to have committed a series of
crimes prior to his capture several
days later in Wech, W. Va.
Reports from Welch last week
stated that Greer had tried twice to
escape from jail since we was cap
tured after an exchange of shots
with Welch police.
U. S. LAUNCHES DRIVE
AGAINST TAX EVADERS
Washington, Apil 2d ? Attorney
General Tom Clark announced to
day that the justice department has
started a "vigorous crack down" on
income tax evaders alleged to to ,
have made high prfits from black
markets and otherwise.
"Experts from the department's
tax division are being sent out to
each United States attorney's of
fice to insure vigorous prosecution
of income tax evaders," Clark told
reporters.
"Tax evasion," he added, "is a big
problem now because of black mar
ket activities. Many individuals are
afraid to report their correct income
because they know they would be
prosecuted for black market activi
ties. We're going after these fellows."
ON WEST COAST
?
Pvt. Raleigh D. Wilson, son of
Mr. and Mrs. Raleigh Wilson, of
Reecc, entered the ?mj Aug. IS,
1945. He received his training
at Camp Crowder, Mo., and fi
now stationed at OuUand, Calif.,
and expect* to go overseas boob.
ELLISON DRAWS
7 TO 12 YEARS
IN PENITENTIARY
North Fork Man Found Guilty
Second Degree Murder in
Slaying of Howard Hockeday;
Three Given Heavy Sentences
in Assault Case
Sam Ellison, of North Fork town*
ship, was found guilty of second
degree murder in Watauga Superior
court last week, and was sentenced
by Judge Don Phillips to serve a
term of no less than 7 nor more
than 12 years in the state peniten
tiary for the slaying of a neighbor,
Howard Hockeday, last October.
Ellison immediately filed notice
of appeal to the Supreme court and
the appeal bond was set at $7,000.
The state based its principal con
tention on the evidence tending to
show that Hockedkay was. shot
three times, and that two Of the
shots took effect in the back of the
slain man. The defense insisted
that Hockeday had approached Elli
son with rifle in hand for the pur
pose of taking his life, and that the
defendant had fired in self-defense.
Assault Cases Heard
Willie Phillips was sentenced to
6 to 8 years in the state prison on
charges of assault with intent to
commit rape. Spencer Phillios and
Herbert Tucker, indicted jointly on
the same charge, were tried, their
sentences being: Spencer Phillips,
8 to 12 years; Tucker, 5 to 8years.
Charles Adams, of Caldwell coun
ty, indicted for driyng drunk, was
fined $50 and the rosts, while Roy
Roger Wilson was given $26 and
the costs-von a charge of reckless
driving.
Court was adjourned Tuesday
afternoon, following the trial of a
number of civil actions, including
several divorce cases.
An action for a permanent in
junction against the operation of
the Bark, Blowing Rock establish
ment, was brought before the court
Tuesday, and Judge Phillips denied
the motion of the state, which
sought to prevent the reopening of
the establishment.
CLEANUP EFFORT
IN LAST WEEK
Mayor Says Business Places Not
Co-operating Properly in
Cleanup Campaign
Residential property owners in
the city have responded well to the
appeal of Mayor Gordon H. Wink
ler to clean up their places, and the
official takes occasion to thank the
citizens for their splendid co-opera
tion during the cleanup campaign.
However, Mayor Winkler states
that business people of the town j
have fallen behind in cleaning up
about their establishments, and
wants to insist that these places be
cleaned up and put in good shape
during the remaining week of the
campaign.
May Day Festivities
At College Saturday
The annual May Day exercises at
Appalachian State Teachers College
will be held at the football stadium
Saturday afternoon, May 4th, at 4
o'clock.
Following the coronation of the
May Queen, a program prepared for
her entertainment and for that of
her court will be presented by mem
bers of the student body. The
theme for the program is "Fun
Through the Year."
Butcher Shops to Post
New Retail Meat Prices
OPA Chief Paul Porter announc
ed Tuesday night that beginning on
May 1 butcher shops would poet new
retail meat price lists to help store*
and housewives "in fighting off the
black market."
Porter said these lists would
show recently increased retail pri
ces for every grade and cut of meat.
"If the consumer will help to get
compliance with ceiling prices at
the retail level," he said, "he will
help keep prices stable at all lev
els of distribution? all the way back
to the livestock producer himself."
Spare Sugar Stamp 49
Good For Sugar Today
A new sugar stamp, spare stamp
49 in the family ration book, be
came valid today ? Wednesday. It is
good for five pounds.
The new coupon, OPA has an
nounced, will expire August 31.
GREAT SPENDING SPREE IS
UNDER WAY. REPORT SAYS
Washington, April 29 ? Consumers
wet* spending at a record annual
rate of $120,000,000,000 far goods
and services during the first three
months of this year, the commerce
department reported today.
The rmtd at expenditures, on an
annual basis, represented an in
crease of $20,000,000,000 over the
second quarter at 1945.
The department said price rises
were responsible for part at the in
crease. Another factor was demobi
lization. ?
CHILDREN'S HOUR IN BERLIN
ffely *
With the coming of wins weather, one hardship is temporarily
ended in battered Berlin. People need not worry about heating for
the next few months. The German ch'^ren, too, welcome the com
ing of spring, for now they can play ui the sun, as theee children
are doing in a badly bombed area of the city.
S. E. CLINE VICTIM
OF HEART ATTACK
Superintendent of Local Hosiery
Mill Died Suddenly Mon
day Afternoon
Solom E. Cline. 51 years old, for
the past two years superintendent
of the Baker-Mebane Hosiery Mill
of this city, died at his home in the
Rivers Apartments Monday after
noon from a sudden illness. A heart
attack was given as the cause of his
demise. Mr. Cline had just return
ed from work when stricken, and
was dead by the time a physician
arrived, only a lew minutes after
the attack.
The body was taken to Mr. Cline's
former home in Hickory where
funeral services will be conducted,
but plans are not completed, pend- .
ing word from relative? at distant]
points.
Born in Catawba county, Mr.
Cline was a son of E. Pat Cline and
Mrs. Cline, and had been in the
hosiery mill business for 33 years.
Prior to moving to Boone he had
been engaged as plant superinten
dent for the Shuford Mills of Hick
ory. He had managed the local
mill since it was started, and in
recognition of his success here, had
received a cash bonus from the
corporation the day prior to his
death. During his residence here
he had made many friends.
The widpw survives, together
with a son and a daughter. W. E.
Cline, of Spruce Pine, and Mrs.
Harold Shuping, of Morganton. The
following step-children survive:
Ralph, James, Russell, Ambrose and
Betty Collins, of Hickory, and Mrs.
H. L. Burns, of Morehead City.
There are two brothers, J. Lee
Cline, Vancouver, Wash.; Thilmer
Cline, of Hildebran, and the fol
lowing sisters: Mrs. M. C. Austin,
Granite Falls; Mrs. Lola McDaniel,
Connelly Springs; Mrs. Rose Moose,
Hickory; Mrs. Garman Powell, Val
dese, and Mrs. Margaret Phelps, ,
Hickory. The mother, Mrs. E. P.
Cline, also survives, togetner with !
eight grandchildren.
WATAUGA COUNTY LIBRARY
National Boys' and Girls' Week
marks its 26th annual observance
this yepr from April 27 to May 4.
Build for tomorrow with the
youth of today! Your public library
has books on hobbies, occupational
guidance, health, scientific research
and recreational subjects.
Plan to visit your library.
The largest county in Texas
Brewster, with an area of. 6,208
juare miles ? six times the area o?
ode Island.
With Local Bank
!E
Miss Margaret Hughe*, who has
accepted a, position with the
Northwestern Bank. She is a
j ate of Norfolk Business Col
e, Norfolk, Va., and held a po
sition with the army transporta
tion commaAd during the war. She
is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W.,
L. Hughes, who now reside in
Boone.
GRAND JURY IN
ROUTINE REPORT
Jurors Find County Offices in Good
Condition; Htcommend Build
ing Repairs
The grand jury for the spring
term of Watauga Superior court
made its usual report to Judge F.
Don Phillips last week. The re
port tendered the court, and which
bears the signatures of Dewey
Mitchell, foreman, and Jones L.
Storie, secretary, follows:
"We, the grand jury for the April
term of Superior -court, Watauga
county, beg to submit the follow
ing report:
"We have acted on all bills pre
sented to us.
"We have examined offices of
clerk of court, register of deeds,
county commissioners, county ac
countant and tax collector and find
them well kept and in good order.
Also inspected county jail, prison
camp and courthouse and flna each
in good order.
"The county home has been dis
continued and the inmates have
been placed in the care of Dave P.
Mast, superintendent of public wel
fare, and are being well cared for.
"All guardians of minor heirs
have made satisfactory reports to
the clerk of superior court.
"The following repairs have been
recommended: Clerk's office vault,
one window light, front door re
paired. In the hall, repair the floor
inside front door. Crop loan office
door repaired. The jail, repair
plumbing and install urinal bowl
in men's toilet.
"All other officers and the pris
on camp are well kept and in good
repair."
HODGES TO SPEAK
COLLEGE FINALS
Aihevill* Attorney to Be Commen
cement Speaker at Appa
lachian Mar ?
Hon. Brandon Hodges, distingu
ished attorney of Asheville, nas
been secured .as c ommencement
speaker of the 43rd annual com
mencement at Appalachian State
Teachers College. The date is Wed
nesday, May 8, at 10:30 a. m., In the
college auditorium.
Fifty-one members of the senior
class are expected to receive de
grees at this time.
HIRANUMA. 27 OTHER JAP
LEADERS ARE INDICTED
Tokyo, April >30 ? Another former
premier of beaten Japan ? Kiichuro
Hiranuma ? sat in a Sugamo prison
cell today, after indictment as one
of the top 28 Japanese who will ans
wer war crimes charges before an
international court next Friday.
The 81-year-old baron was named
on a war criminal suspect list is
iued Dec. 2, but remained under
nouse custody for reasons of health.
He was re-examined Monday by al
lied headquarters doctors and then
ordered confined.
Former Poreign Minister Shige
nori Tojo remained under house
custody, while former Generals
Seishiro Itagaki and Heitaro Ki
rn ur a wen en route under guard
from Bangkok. All others &*nong the
28 indicted are now in Sugi .to.
PROF. ORTJBBS ATTENDS
Prof. W. M. Grubbs, of the social
science department of Appalachian
College, is representing the college
in the southern work conference of
selected educators, research and
administrators from 13 southern
states. The conference is being
held at the University of Nora
Carolina.
They are studying southern so
cial and economic problems and
working out objectives and tech
niques for education in the health,
housing, economies status and gen
eral level of living of the southern
people.
STANLEY LOVE
HELD IN DEATH
OFCHAS. POTTER
? ? ?
Meat Camp Man Dies Monday
Afternoon as Result of Blowa
on Head, Allegedly Inflicted
By Love; No Hearing Ar
ranged
Stanley Love, 20 years old. is be
ing held in the county jail in con
nection with the death of Charles
Potter, 30, of Meat Camp town
ship, who died 011 ?uuv c to the lo
cal hospital late Monday afternoon
of head injuries, which State High
way Patrolman C. M. Jones said
his* investigation indicated, were
sustained in a fight in the western
limits of the city, a few minutes
earlier.
Love was placed in jail immedi
ately after the alleged affray, but
no foitnal charge had been booked
or no date for a hearing establish
ed, it is indicated.
Dr. J. B. Hagaman conducted a
post mortem examination of Pot
ter's body and deduced that he came
to his death "as a result of an intra
cranial hemorrhage, due to a blow
with some blunt instrument." it
was indicated that the dead man
was struck a number of times about
the head, but the weapon used has
not been determined. ...
Funeral services for Potter, who
was a wounded veteran of the late
war, are to be held this (Wednes
day) afternoon from the Meat Camp
Baptist Church, and interment will
be in that neighborhood.
The widow survives.
PARKWAY OPENED
FOR TRAVEL NOW
The Blue Ridge Parkway was
officially opened to travel last week,
Including the Bluffs and Cumberland
Knob, recreational areas. At the
Bluffs there are available for visi
tors picnic areas, campgrounds for
overnight camping, and an area for
those travelers in trailers. At each
of these units are dutch ovens for
cooking, tables, water, and comfort
stations. AU accommodations are in
spected by the Health Department
and the water supply is periodically
examined by the State Health Dep
artment.
Of the proposed 500 miles of the
Parkway, 140 miles are finished for
travel and surface between a point
near Roanoke, Va., and Deep Gap,
N. C. Also completed is a 25-mile
stretch between Grandfather Mt.
and Little Switzerland. Beyond
this point the Parkway is open to
travel to a point near Mount Mit
chell. This part of the motor road is
stone, and safe for travel. Recrea
tonal facilities are available also at
Rock Knob and Smart View areas
In Virginia. Rock/ Knob is about
45 miles south of Roanoke.
Visitors are urged to be careful
with fire at this time of the year,
by extinguiuhing their campfires in
the recreational areas, by using ash
trays in their cars rather than toes-,
ing the match or burning tobacco
from cars.
Two Auction Land
Sales Here Next Week
Messrs Z. A. Robertson 8c Co.,
Johnson City, Tenn., are advertising
two auction sales of valuable real
estate to be held in the county next
week.
On Monday, May 6, the Joe Ward
farm, the property of Ira and Jack
Edmisten, located near Vilas, will
be offered. The farm has been di
vided into tracts of from one to 20
acres. ?
On Wednesday, May 8, the Fred
Winkler property, known as the
Jeff Stanbury place, located near
Boone, will be sold. There are 50
residential lots and ten small tracts.
1 Much interest is being shown in
these offerings of local real estate,
and a number of people are expect
ed to place their bids when the
auctions start
LOCAL TRIO TO APPEAR
ON JOHNSON CITY RADIO
The Oak Grove trio, composed of
Misses Marlene Hodges, Alma
Hodge* and Kathleen Berry, with
Betty Farthing, pianist, will be
heard over radio station WJHL,
Johnson City, Tenn.. Sunday morn
ing, starting at 8 a. m., and lasting
for about 30 minutes. The vocalists
will be accompanied to Johnson
City by Barber Bill Hodges.
ART EXHIBIT
The public is invited to attend
the annual exhibit of the art depart
ment of Appalachian College, Sun
day, May 5, from 3 to 5 o'clock.
Work done by students who are are
primary, grammar grade and home
economics majors, will be shown.
The exhibit will be held in the art
building on the college campus. t'
LONG DISTANCE ORDER
B. W. S tailings, local jeweler, tells
The Democrat that its advwtising
brings him business from far dis
tant points, as is evidenced by an
order received from San Francisco,
Calif., for one of the new Reynolds
Louis Farthing, originally of
Crucis, saw the ad in the
county paper, and immediately plac
ed his order, asking that the jwn be
sent him at once via air
hhhSkBI