| H! I The Leading Vol. XLV.?No. 24 Skeletons and 1 Found In Pe MINE SHAFTS BELIFVEDWORK OF SPANIARDS William Dockecy Has Pick Found In Mouth of Tunnel At Tomotla Despite the fact that the mound at the mouth of Peachtree creek on the nort.'i bank of Hiawassee, seven miles south of Murphy, has been explored several times in the past by amateur relic hunters, archaeologists of the Smithsonian Institution are finding it rich in valuable relics of the mound builders of the dim past about whom lirtle definite history is known. / 'Wm. B. Colburn and J. D. Jennings who are in charge of the excavation ' work for the Smithsonian Institution, so far have found 23 skeletons, an une&imated amount of broken pottery, ornaments beads and other trinkets of t.he mound builders and iheir civilization. Of the 23 skeletons uncovered, eight have been saved, and it is believed that ?lhe others can he saved, although a number of them are in i adly decayed condition. Several o1 ' ' -1-- ? - ?? ?-?f --.V* iliiror ine SKcimima n:c muse *. * vu>.?.v. under 16 years of age, Mr. Jennings said, while none of t.'ie skeletons yet o found are of persons older than 35 * when 'they were buried. It is generally conceded by medical authorities and archaeologists that the sutures of the head bones close between the ages of 35 and 40, Mr. Jennings said and none of the sutures of the skeletons yet found have been closed. T.'ie sizes of the skeletons found sc far are of persons from four to five feet eight inches in stature, measure . ments have indicated. The positior ' cf the skeletons also indicate that no -particular positroii for burial wai followed by the people who occupied the place. Among those found so far beads and feet were pointing towarc practically all points of the compass. Because of aiachaeologists of the Smithsonia: ( institution that this particular moun marked the site of the ancient cit of Guasili, mentioned in history b the original narrators as having bee visited by Hernando De Soto's exp? crtion of exploration in 1540. It i their hope to find evidence within th mound that will reveal early Spar ish culture and influence definitel in this section of the country. So far as early Spanish cultur and influence in this immediate se< tion is concerned, it appears that del inite evidence is available, but anther ticated only by tradition. On top of the ridge of mountain) about half a mile east of Tomntli between Murphy and Marble, are number of old imine shafts and tur nels, which tradition from time in memorial says was sunk by the Spai iards under De Soto. However, E Soto passed through the section i rapidly that there is little likehoc that he or any of his men sunk th shafts, although evidence around th shafts and tradition strongly suppo: the belief that a later expedition < Spaniards did actually work them. h. : ) ekly Newspaper in Western Nort Murphey, ^ Pottery Are achtree Mound William R. Deckery, of Marble, a native of this section, who has mined and sunk shafts himself in these mountains and in Colorado, Montana and Idaho, and who followed lumbering and logging for a number of years, related an interesting story about these old mining shafts from raving personally assisted in ex] I t ing some of their, in 1913 and 1914. Mr. Dockery is the qwner of what is believed to be an old Spanish pick round in a mine tunnel on the eastern slope of the mountain ridge east of Tomotla, which was explored by him and his brother-in-law, the late C. 'C. Moore. In toe winter of 1914, while prosecting on the mountain east of Tomotla, they ran across a slight depression in the arth. Examination showed it to be the mouth of a tun- j rel. The timbers at .he entrance had I rotted and caved in. They explored the tunnel a dUtance of six or eight feet, and found the pick in question. 'The pick is of iron, the grains indicating that it was hammered out by hand. Both points are slender and curve sharply inward. The original handle is still in the pick, and is very short, indicating that it was made to | use in close quarters. Sometime after he found the ' pick, Mr. Dockery said the tunnel i avp.H in for a lenirth of ahout forty feet. In the edge of this tunnel, ' about 20 feet back from the original entrance, stands an oak stump more than 15 inches in diameter, now decayed and rotten. This he said, indicated that the tunnel was very old. Nothing is known about it, however, earlier than when he and Mr. uuic discovered it in 1914. At the time of discovety, there was no indication of a dirt dump either adjacent or t in the vicinity of the tunnel mouth. On top of the mountain, a short distance to the west he pointed out ( a mine r.haft 50 feet in diameter and t 25 feet deep. A large dirt dump severs *1 feet high surrounds the shaft. He I said t.he shaft had caved in around the top, which accounted for it being [ so wide. Upon the dump next to the shaft, he pointed out a stump, now rotten and decayed, which he said r measured 14 inches in diameter, in; d:cating that the shaft was sunk there J many years ago. 4 Six hundred and fifty feet to the " west he pointed out a second shaft, # and a third just 75 feet to the north [ of it. The second shaft, Mr. Dockery j *aid he helped discovered in 1913 and assisted in exploring for a dep'.i of _ 04 feet. ? IHe and the Palmer brothers, J. F., j B. B., and Henry?opened the shaft r for the Palmer boy's father, who i was about80 years old. Mr. Palmer j had sromehow come into possession 5 cf a way-bill to the mine from some p Indian of the West. Tne way-bill ai j ected that they dig immediately be neath a forked chestnut tree near the top of the ridge. The tree was located, j and was 15 inches in diameter at t?ie ? time. s After cutting down the tree, tie s said 44 rings were counted in the - stump indicating its age.- They then - dug up the stump, and found the en! trance to the shaft. The ground a l-.und the tree and shaft was level, - ho said, and -there was no indication - about that a dump was ever there, t The tree stood in the center of the e shaft. e The entrance to the shaft was S feet square, and held this dimension ell the way down for 64 feet, he said, f which level they were forced te ? give up further exploration because j of water flooding the shaft at that ? depth. The dirt which filled the y shaft was of a soft talc formation, j. After going down for 64 feet, Mr, Dockery said he took a 20 foot piece ^ cf piping and sunk it with ease 11 j! feet deeper. At a depth of about 5f fleet, Mr. Dockery said they found t " piece of what he called "Lynn bark' rope, which is now in the posessior of Dr. S. C. Heighway, of Murphj e and Waynesville. The timbers and boards whicl banked the walls of the shaft were al of oak, hewn and split. The mannei in which the beams were joined to >. gether, he said, indicated that thi i, tools used "in manufacturing the walk a were augers, saws and axes. He ex - plained this conclusion by saying thai >- the timbers were placed at 3 foot in l- tervals down the shaft as far as the; 'e were able to explore, and boards weri in driven in back of these timbers t< d form the wall for holding back cave ie ins. The timbers were joined to ie gether by mot rise and tenon. Marki rt and signs in the manufacture of th< >f mortise and tencn, led him '.o beltevi CoaHaasd ea page 4) h Carolina, Covering a Largr and I. C., Friday, January 12, SCHOOL NEWS l grammar school will enter a uise in music appreciation on Jai.x..\ 15th, sponsored l-y 'he Junior vVonian's Club. Prizes will be given o ihhose who take part. Mrs. Davic c*i, music supervisor, will ^e m harge of the contest. MR. ELDER HEHBREE DONATES SHRUBBERY Before Christmas Mi. Hembree donasied two truck loads 01 native shrubi oery to the school. It was planted b> | the CWA workmen. The school wishes I .o thank Mr. Hembree for this donation. MURPHY LOSES TvVO GAMES TC CHEROKEE The Murphy basketball teams lost both games in a double header to tin Cherokee Indians Saturday, Jan. (3, "03 ocoies of: Girls 20-1G and Boys 17-5. The girls played a very exciting game from start to finish, but due t( o s of two players, were not able t< wi thstand the offensive playing of th? heavier and more experienced Chsro kee team. The boys game was very loosel; dayed. The starting lineup was unabl .o click, and was replaced at the hal ne entire second half, last Indians to a count of 2-2 durinj y the second stringers, who held thMurphy will paly their next gam with EpworvVi, Ga. there Jan. 9. HONOR ROLL FOR SEVENTI GRADE Joe iVIi!lcr Elkin^, Frances Calhour .vridreri Hill, Billic Jackson, Louis Leatherwood, Kathleen Robert; Sarah Witherspoon, Sara Sword. HIGH SCHOOL HONOR ROLL FOI DECEMBER liTH GRADE Hoyt Phillips, Freeland Ballev Ernest Hawkins, Ruby Wells, Bealric Javidson. TENTH GRADE Ersa McNabb, Ruth Hampton. NINTH GRADE GIRLS Miss Padgett: Emma Lee Ellis, An Hill, Wlnfred TowoSbn. EIGHTT GRADE GIRLS Ruth Palmer, Miss Moser, teache HIGH SCHOOL HONOR ROLL FO FIRST SEMESTER ELEVENTH GRADE Ernest Hawkins, Ruby Wells, Mi: I 'Hoyt Phillips, Freeland Ballev Latham, teacher. TENTH GRADE Pruden Davidson,, Martin Mon *omery, Roy Suit, Rut.'i Hamptoi Miss Courtney, teacher. NINTH GRADE GIRLS Mae Timpson, Miss LeMay teache NINTH GRADE GIRLS Emma Lee Ellis, Aftne Hill, Mi: 'adgett, teacher. EIGHTH GRADE GIRLS Ruth Palmer, Miss Moser, teache SEMSTER ATTENDANCE HONO ROLL Those who have not been absent i far this year. ELEVENTH GRADE Louise Axley, Ernest Hawkins, Ms gie Kisslebur.*?, Hoyt Phillips, Irei Ramsey, Edna Mae Thompson, Robb Williamson, Beatrice Davidson, Cha les Hyatt, Miss Lath-man, teacher. TENTH GRADE Tom Axley, H.arley Bartor., Rosct Dockery, Jciinny Keenum, Hoyt Ki Patrick, Henry Luckett, Ersa McNab Vaul Adams, Maggie Anderson, Mar i,regory, /\uer,e numpiun, c,u] Hampton, Ruth Hampton, Virgin L\ I-ovingood, Anna Lee Queen, A nie R. Watkins, Miss Courtney, teac NINTH GRADE Margaret Boyd, Catherine Colemi Emma Lee Ellis, Carrie Mae Evar ; Willa Bell Evans, Dortna Grace, Ai Kill, Mozelle Moore, Mable Payn Violet Phillips. NINTH GRADE Fay Akins, Neviile Vee Hancoc , Mae Timpson. Miss LeMay, teach< NINTH GRADE ! J. O. Hensley, Jake McClure, W , ron Palmer, Claude Payne, Elm iles and George Tate Williamso Miss Hatchcock, teacher. EIGHTH GRADE BOYS Edgar Weaver, Morris Miller,Vi cine Queen, F-ank Stalcup, J. , Shields, Vincent Stiles. Mr. Cairo j teacher. EIGHTH GRADE BOYS I Tye Burnett, Tyson Axley, Chs P ley Curley, Orlen Clonts, M. J. J( s dan, John Jordan, Troy Hamptc ] Mi. Wright, teacher EIGHTH GRADE GIRLS , Essie Mae Cavender, Eliz&be , Gray, Mabel Hall, Hazel Hamptc , Beatrice Howard, Christine How< (Catkud ? page ) Potentially Rich Territory in This Si , 1934. $ FATHER OF DR. PARKER DIED IN WILKESBORO. MON. J. L. Parker. 82, father of Dd. R. S. Parker, of Murphv, died a-: his j home in Noith W;lke b^ro Monday j afternoon about 5 o'clock. Fox the j ? ast few years he had been in feeb'e ; health, due from old ape and its at- j 1 tendant ills. I Funeral services were held Tu?.s- i day afternoon at the residence in 2>iwSm W'ilkcsbcro, and i??>r?npnt was r .11 the family burial ground. The Rev. ; Linney, pastor ot the Wilkesboro, - Baptist church ofiiciated. He survived by his wife and seven children: Five sons, Harrison Patkcr, > < ! Tayiorsville, 111., R. S. Parker, of Murphy; Julius Parker, of Tallr.ia^\ see, Fla.; Virgil Parker, of Lexington ; Lawson Parker of Wilkesboro; fov j daughters, Mrs. Edgsr Brown and Miss Dora Parker, of Greensboro; two , brothers, P. M. and L. P. Parker, of j Wilkesboro. i HARRY LAHN IS TAKEN BY DEATH ? 'Harry Lahn, prominent Murphy f r.erchant, died suddendly of heart | disease last Saturday at 12:45 o'clock. ' z Shortly before noon, Mr. Lahn e complained of pain- near his heart e and his physician advised him to go home and go to bea. He died soon afterwards. \ Mr. Lahn came here from Copperhill, Ten*)., two y^ars ago and en, tered the dry goods business. He 3 was a member of the Lions club and . was active in civic affairs. The body was carried to Haiti more, M Sunday for funeral and burial. K Surviving are his widow; two daughters, Muriel and Dorothy; one brother; three sisters, and his mother. i BANK MURPHY ,STOCKHOLDERS WIN APPEAL n The new stockholders of the Bank cf Murphy won their case before the .preme court, according to Views disr patches in the daily press Wednesday r The Superior court about a year ago upheld the appeal from a stock assess .ent by Guiney P. Hood, Commis ^3 sioners of Banks, in asse>sing the v "iw stockholders to the amount of Zl 5,000.00, the amount of n?w stock whkai was subscribed when the bank (pened following its fiist closing alrout threi years ago. The lower court denied the appeal, but the sup.eme court reversed the decision ol the lower court when the appeal was was taken before it. ss The new stockholders were appeal ing from the commission ?r of banks, and suing for the amount of the new and suing for the amount of the new r s*tock subscribed. The appeal port ion of the suit was heard and new the so portion to recover {ne $ro,uuu.uu win 1 e heard, probably a*t the next term o.t court, which meets here on Monday, January 22nd. 1* FUNERAL RITES r LAST FRIDAY FOR ANDREWS MAN )e ij. Taps were sounded for Boyd C. b Slags 40, who was buried with Amje' titan Legion honors in "the Andrews ia cemetery last Friday afternoon at 3 ja o'clock. Slagle who was an ex-soln. dier and unmarried was found dead h Wednesday at his home in Clay Coun ty wnere ne nau uvea aione ror some time. 'His throat slashed from ea: ,n to ear. He is believed to have comls mitted suicide. lrj A brief funeral service was conle ducted at toe home of hi3 sister, Mrs W. 'W. Ashe of Andrews, by the Rev k. S. Eskridge, pastor of the And k rews Presbyterian church assisted b; tl e Rev. R. W. Prevost and the Rev E. F. Troutman. H. The active pallbearers were Jak< er Baxter, Fred E. Swanson, J. V. Mc ,n. t.uire, Bruce Bristol, Frank Clark and Grady Hogsed. The honorar; pallbearers were members of the Les lie Stillman Post of toe Americai n- Legion and other ex-service men. L. Slagle is survived by his mothei ,H. Mrs. Ida Slagle of Andrews; two sis ers, Mrs. W. W. Ashe if Andrew and Mrs. H. Williams of Asheville and three brothers, Edward Slaglr ir- of Orlando, Fla. and Cliff and Arnol >r- Slagle of Detroit, in. ? o Library Hours The following change in Librar; v hours was announced this week b: ' Miss Josephine Heighway, librarian Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursday and Fridays. 2 to 5 p. m. Saturdu night, 7 to 9 o'clock. ate 1.00 YEAR?5c COPY BALL IN HONOR I OF PRESIDENT PLANNED HERE Waller Mauney Appointed Chairman of Birthday Celebration At Murphy In celebration of his fifty-second birthday, an elaborate Birthday Ball for President Poo^vpIi will be held in Murphy on Tuesday evening January 30th. Murphy will be one of Wie 5,000 cities and towns throughout the Unite 4 States in which such a ball will be held to honor the New Deal President and to raise, from ticket sales, an endowment fund for the Georgia Springs foundation, created in 1026 by President Roosevelt, so that the foundation may carry on its national crusade against infantile paralysis. Walter Mauney, Murphy druggist and civic leader, has been appointed general chairman of the Murphy ba'l :?y Henry L. Doherty, New York pub| lie utilities financier, who is chairman of the national committee for the Birthday Ball for -the President. Mr. Mauney was recommended in re sponse to a request from Mr. Doherty by C. W. B'ailey, editor of the Cherokee Scout. To make the Pre-ident's Ball one of the largest in ihe t own and one of the most important in the smallertowns in the national Birthday Celebration, Mr. Mauney will appoint a number of Murphy people on the committee to serve with him to d?vrlnn nlnne fnr o?A ? program, full details of which will be announced in next week's Scout. -Mr. Mauney was apprised of his appointment in the following letter: New York, December 29. 1933. Mr. Walter Mauney, Murphy, N. Car. Dear Mr. Mauney: It gives.me great pleasure, as Chairman of t.'ie National Committee, to appoint you general chairman of The Birthday Ball for the President your* comtmunity. Since this birthday party for the President is of naiion-wide scope, you will want your local party to be outstandingly successful. We are sure that you will have thcM support of citizens in all walks of lit'i oecause the work of the Warm Springs Foundation, founded by I-'u-sident Roosevelt, is truly national as the problem of infantile paralysis affects eve'v family and he welfare of every ohild in your community. \our committee can play a great part ii. this humanitarian work and help relieve the President of his concern in relation to this problem. We will forward to you, withn a few days, a certificate evidencing your appointment. Sincerelv yours HENRY L. DOHERTY, National Chairman The P rhtday Bal for the President. JURORS DRAWN FOR JANUARY TERM COURT Fallowing is a. list of the jurors drawn for the'two weeks civil term of ; count which begins, Monday January 22nd: FIRST WEEK . Neal C. Hay, Andrews; D. S. Davis , Grandview; A. p. Self, Postell. .. Tom Curtis, Culberson; J. S. Martain, Ranger, Noah McDonald, Murphy; R. C. Moore, Topton; M. S. Mfitheson. Andrews; H. S. Sudderth, Murphy; Lee Owenby, Murphy; Chester Farmer, Unaka; W. A. West, Andrews; R. * A Qk