Si
Every Home
In Cherokee
__________ THF. LEAD1NC
Vol. 50.?No. 26.
MEN RELEASED :
FROM -JAIL IN
'KIDNAP' CASE
I Reported Later Arrested,
Placed Under
Bond In Georgia
Three -men who were held for a
week in the Cherokee county jail at
Murphy for the alleged kidnap-beating
of Baxter Conrad, alias Jonas
Williams, about 27, on January 15,
were released by Sheriff Carl Townson
Friday following investigation of
the case by federal officers. Five
other men had been sought but were
never apprehendedSunday
it was reported that the
federal officers had issued warrants
from their Atlanta, Ga-. office for
six of the eight men named by Conrad
as his abductors, and that four
of them were under $1,000 bond each.
They were said to have been arrested
by Georgia officers.
Conrad, too, was placed in the jail
after he told officers the story of his
alleged abduction and beating- Uificers
held him for questioning by
Haywood county officers, but they
leported Friday they did not want
him.
Conrad was turned out of jail 30
minutes before the three apprehended
men were turned t4in order to give
him plenty of starting distance" asone
officer put it.
Those held in the Murphy jail from
the night of the alleged crime until
Friday were: Luke and Abe Puett
and Lucas Sparks. Those named as
accomplices were: Frank Puett, Theodore
King, Clyde Messcr, Jack McClure
and Henry Brown. All are
from the Warne section which is
situated on the North Carolina-Georgia
state line.
The men were arrested the night
Conrad raced breathlessly up to Night
Policeman Neil Sneed in Murph y and
told him that the men had kidnaped
him in Georgia, had beat him, had
threatened to kill him and were planning
to put him on a bus and later
kill him when he got off at Waynes ille.
Officer Sneed. Policeman Ezra
Price and Sheriff Townson arrested
three of the men, but the other five
escaped, presumably into GeorgiaConrad
said he broke away from
the men as they stopped at a cafe
in Murphy. He stated they once
"planned to tie me to the end of their
car and drag me to death."
Sheriff Townson said Sparks was
carrying a .38 calibre Colt pistol and
Luke Puett had a 45 calibre gun in
his car
Because Conrad had been allegedly
forced across a state line the case was
turned over to federal authorities at
Charlotte who investigated.
Friday afternoon the release was
ordered. Sunday it was reported
Luke and Abe Puett< Sparks and another
man had been placed under
$1,000 bond each. Sparks was placen
under $5C0 bond in Murphy for appearance
in Superior court for carrying
a pistol, and it was added that
warrants had already been issued for
several of the other men.
Conrad, a former resident of Waynesville,
had been working in the
Continued on back page
L D- 11 T n
nuuacvcil Uitll 1 O De
Held Saturday Night
Plans for the Cherokee County
President's Ball at Hiwasscc Dam
are practically completed. The auditorium
will be decorated with
flags, bunting, ballons, and pictures
of the President. At the front
of the stage will be the huge birthday
cake in honor of President
Roosevelt.
To accommodate the large crowd
which is expected, arrangements
are being made for dancing in the
lounge as well as in the auditorium,
end the library will be used for
those who prefer games or cards*
Music will be by Geoge Van Arsdale's
Orchestra, and dancing will
he from 8:30 to 12. The grand
march will start at 9 o'clock.
All funds cleared at this ball
will be divided equally between
the hfati-?nal Foundation for Infantile
*ara!ysis and Cherokee
County for local needs* The sale
r. f ticket" in Murphy is being sponWoman's
Club, the Junior Wo*
sored by members of the Murphy
man's Club, and by members of the
Lions Club*
I
pr?t
i WEEKLY NEWSPAPER IN WESTE
-
Murphy,
Suit For CSC.COO Is
Begun "p Cour' Here
The $50,COO dair.age suit against
the Southern States Power company
by the heirs of Earl White who
was hilled at the Cherokee county !
Fair grounds the night before they
opened here last September was
begun in Cherokee County Superior
court Thursday morning.
The Cherokee County Fair association
was named in the indictment
as co-defendent in the case,
but Judge Zeb V. Nettles, of Ashcville,
declared a non-suit for the
Fair associationDecision
in the case is expected
sometime Friday evening. Most of
Thursday morning was utilized selecting
a jury from a large list of
special veniremen.
The curent session of Superior
court is for tho trial of civil cases I
only and is expected to be completed
this week.
1
Lions Lay Plans
For Dinner Here
Discussion of plans for the annual j
Cherokee County Dinner sponsored J
here by the Murphy Lions club was
heard at the regular bi-weekly meet- j
ing Tuesday nightPresident
Harve Klkins said bo i
would appoint committees to handle i
all phases of the affair, which will be |
held in February, at an early date. I
For the second consecutive year,
the Lions will choose Murphy's
"Outstanding Citizen" at the next
meeting and present the award at the
dinner. Last year the trophy was wen
by YV. M. Fain, local wholesale merchant.
Lion Park W. Fisher gave a report
of the first anniversary meeting of
the Robbinsville club held last Wednesday.
W. B. Collins, farm management
specialist with the extension division.
< l Boone, was a visitor. Mr. Collins,]
former Watauga county agent, is a
member of the Boon*? Lions club.
j
HOMER LEDFORD
BOUND TO COURT
ON THEFT CHARGE
Homer Ledford, about 17, of Murphy,
was bound over to Superior court
in Mayor's court here Wednesday
morning on a ehargo of entering the
establishment of E- C. Moore Sunday
r.ight.
Mr. Moore, his son, Rae, and other
employees at the Moore garage and
jewelry store found someone in the
store late Sunday night but the person
escaped taking several watches
with him- Chief of Police Fred John- ]
son arrested Ledford Mondav and 1
charged him with the theft.
Bond was set at $500.
It was said that Ledford also attempted
to enter the Lay five and
ten cent st-ore the same night- He was
questioned in connection with several
ether rohheris which have taken
place here lately.
Officer Johnson also reported that
someone attempted to enter a store
in the Bcaltown section of Murphy
on Monday and Tuesday nights.
"WINTERS HERE AIN"
TO BE", OLDER C1TIZ1
With one of the sharpest drops
in temperature of the winter so
far going to only I4 degrees, many
of the old citizens of the county
were reminded of the severe winters
that swept through this section
n any years ago.
They all agree on one thing"Winters
ain't what they used to
be.". Back before and during the
turn 01 tne century freezing
weather lasted throughout the winter
season and below zero temperatures
were not at. all uncommonA
heavy blanket of snow gencrelly
covered the valleys as well j
as the mountain-sides throughout
tho winter.
As Mayor P M. Reagan, of Andrews
stated this week: "Why I
can recall 30 years ago, when
there wasn't anything but farm
work to be done, that a person had
to get their work done early.
"Snow came about. November
and stayed with us until early
spring. Why it kept us busy digging
paths so we could get around.
It. was really cod in those days.
A man would have to get in a pile
emkfi
1RN NORTH CAROLINA, COVERING
N. C. Thursday, Jan. !
LEGION HEADS 1
OF DISTRICT
HOLD MEETING
Judge Zeb V. Nettles
Principal Speaker
At Banquet
Judge Zt'b V Nettles, of AshcvUle,
who is presiding: over a civil session
df Slini'i'iiir coilrt hfri'. was tVi?? main
speaker at a banquet-business meeting
of the officers of the American Legions
posts of the 20th district held
in the Dickey hotel Wednesday night.
The meeting was sponsored by the
local Joe Miller Elkins post ot the
American Legion and is one of a
series to be held over the district
which composes the five western-most
counties of the state.
Judge Nettles, a member of the Kif1*iii
Rockwell Post No. 2 at Asheville,
spoke briefly on the work and growth
of the legion posts in Western North
Carolina and paid high tribute to the
work being done in this sectionfJiimcr
A. Jones, commander of
the; 2l)th district and member of the
Franklin post, also gave a short talK
on the work of the posts of the district
and urged closer cooperation of
the units through attendance at the
series of officer conferences.
Other speakers on the program: Col.
A. W. Freeman, of Murphy; Capt
Frank W. Swan, of Andrews; the Rev.
J. A. Flanagan, of Franklin; John
Waslick, of Franklin; J. A. Morgan,
of Andrews; Fred Bauer, of Cherokee
and Sam Gerr, a visitor of Murphy
Entertainment was furnished by
Mrs. Tom Mauney who rendered two
vocal solos with Miss Marinell Wiliamson
at the piano, and Mrs. Ed
Studstil who gave a reading, "Lasca**.
Axley Truck, Cargo
Destroyed By Fire
A truck belonging to the Axley
Freight lines of Murphy, carrying a
large cargo, was completely destroyed
by fire on the out-skirts of Atlanta.
(la., Sunday night.
The truck which operates between
nere and Atlanta wa.-i returning from
Atlanta when an officer .stopped the
driver and informed him the bottom
of the truck was on fire Iinmdiately
the flames enveloped the vehicle anil
the truck and cargo were destroyed.
It is believed tnat the fire started
from a leaking gas tank.
Judge Frank S. Hill Is
Reported Improving
Although still seriously ill. Judge
Frank S. Hill, of the North Carolina
Superior court, bench, is reported to
ho slowly improving at Johns Hopkins
hospital. Baltimore, Md.
Judge Hill, a native of Murphy,
became suddenly ill about ten days
ago. Ho was appointed to the Superior
court bench by Governor Max 0.
Gardner in H?:>2 and has been reappointed
bi-annually since.
r WHAT THEY USED
SNS DECLARE
i of wood as big as his house to get
him through the winter without
freezing."
Twelve degrees is the lowest
icimnriuuitf nlitl rias ueen oniciaily
recorded here this winter by the
onjjinerinjj: data division of the
TVA, which is under the direction
of James SmallshawFreezing:
temperatures have
heen reported only on a few occasions
here this winter.
Listed below are maximum and
minimum temperatures for the past
week compared with temperature?
for the same period last year.
TEMPERATURES
1939 1938
Date Max. Min. Max. Min
18 44 35 85 42
19 41 21 55 39
20 57 20 80 39
21 81 22 58 is
22 58 37 82 50
23 45 14 88 42
24 41 33 69 51
RAINFALL INCHES 1939 193P.
Since January 1 4.39 2-76
p #rp
, A LARGE AND POTENTIALLY RICH
26, 1939
County's 100
Observed Wi
In IVInrnbv
j
Moose Lodge
Roster Nears
100 Members
With meetings being held regularly
every Friday night at 7 p. m.,
much progress is being made in the
local Loyal Order of Moose lodge
which was organized here recently.
Nearly 100 local men are now enroled
in Murphy's newest tinterna!
organization.
Members have stated that plans are
j being made for a number of social
I functions at a future date.
Officers of the lodge are: H. Ralph j
Jacobs, past dictator; Everett White. j
dictator; Ralph Hamby, vice-dictator;)
Cyril: White, pi elate; Bill Hcmbree, j
.-vcretary; Lick Mauney, treasurer,"
Boron Davis, sergeant-at-arms; Henry
Hyatt, enter guard; Anion Davis,
outer guard.
WOOTEN RESIGNS
AS ASSISTANT TO
1 COUNTY AGENT
R. 11. Wooten has resigned as assistant
Cherokee county agent, he announced
Wednesday. He will vacate
the office he has held since 1935 on
February 1Mr.
and Mrs. Wooten plan to leave
for Chester, S. C-, the original home
of Mr. Wooten. where they will reside.
No successor has been named to
lake Mr. Wooten's place.
OFFICE SUPPLIES
I ARE NOW CARRIED
AT SCOUT OFFICE
A complete stock of office supplies
and equipment has been added as a
department to the Cherokee Scout office
A full supply of all office necessities
such as typewriter ribbons ledgers,
ledgers sheets, ink, pencils, carbon
paper, file folders, mimeograph
equipment or anything else used in
the office is carried at all times.
This new department is the onlyone
of its kind in this tri-county section
and is filling a long-felt need1
here.
Sites On Access Road
Are Purchased Tuesday
Lee Shields of Murphy and Pat and
Huel Prof fit, of Hiwassee Dam, were
purchasers of two store buildings and
tracts of land sold at aucti'v: on the
: ccess road near the dam site Tuesday.
Mr. Shields is reported to have
bought the property and store of G.
K. Messer. while the Proffit brothers
ae reported to have purchased the
i oporty and store of Glen P. and MF.
Raper.
; TWO LIQUOR RAIDS
MADE BY SHERIFFS
DfcFAK i MkIN 1 HEKh
Two raids by the sheriff's department
last week brought two
cases of liquor.
A still was captured in the River
Hill section of the county. A 55-gallon
oil drum was being- used to make
the whiskey- It was located about
miles from Appalachia.
Those making the raids were: Sher>ff
Call Townson, Deputies Patton
Coleman and Zack Ramsey, and Constable
Sheridan Stiles.
Todd Howell waived preliminary
hearing and was hound over to Superior
court and preliminary hearing will
he held Saturday morning for Leonard
Dickson as the result of a raid at
"Dick's Playhouse" on the TV A access
road last Sat unlay nght, officers
report ed.
Officers taking pait in the raid
were: Towr-,en, .T.V n. Stiles. Sand!in.
Quinn and Coleman.
The Scout I
il ^ Yo? I
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>th Birthday
ith Exercises
-ast Monday
Prominent Attornies Are
Speakers On Program
In Murphy Courthouse
By Kathleen Roberts
To celebrate the 100th anniversary
of Cherokee County, a sp cial program
was held at the Cherokee County
Courthouse Monday at noon- Before
the majority ol* the leading citi
ztns of the county. Mr. I). H. Tillitt,
oi* Andrews, opened the meeting witn
it welcome to all who were present
and a -mail speech about the topic of
the program, "The Growth and Development
of Cherokee County."
The first speaker on this .subject
was Mr. Kdmund B. Norvell, who
talked on "A Historic Sketch Of
Cherokee County". On January *1.
1 S.'lO, the legislature of North Carolina
established the county the original
boundaries for \. < Cherokee Indian
Reservations- These boundaries
ertended through part of South Carolina,
to Marietta, (la., and Marion, N.
C. covering approximately 40,000
square miles of land The Indians
later ceded this lanrf back to the
government.
Fine Courthouse Constructed
Murphy was chosen the county
seat and the plans for building the
town was laid off by James Whitaker.
About 40(1 miles of land was left for
the town and was laid off in a square.
I Four main street* leading out of
1 Murnhv ?i<> Ti.nm.oc.. . ii:?.
. .. tw.u-.w
I'eachtree ami Valley Uiver Avenue.
In 1851 the town ol Murphy was incorporated,
followed by Andrews in
1005, and Marble in 1011. Three
courthouses in the town of Murphy
have been destroyed bj fire. In
J8G5 the first courthouse was burned.
Another courthouse was constructed
in 1802 but was destroyed
by fire iu 1895. In 192*> another
courthouse was burned down. This
courthouse was built back in 1027 and
is still standing today. This is the
I only court-house ?n the United States
I that is built of . piid niarbh . 1 he
marble was obtained about four miles
from ihe place where it is standing
White settlers were found in Chi rokee
County as early as 1834. After
that the white settlers conic rapidly
to this section from the surrounding:
states. Public roads were built as
far back as 18Id. In 1891 the first
train came through Murphy from
Asheville.
Schools and Churches were established
in Murphy as far back as 1840.
Twenty-four school districts were
found in Cherokee County at this
tune
Norvell Gives Tribute
j In closing his speech Mr. Norvell
i said "We must never forget the efJ
fort of those who have built up our
county".
j Mr. W. A. Adams was to be the
| next speaker on the program but due
Continued on back page
i
Dovle RiiroH. Aoe O
Is Struck By Auto
Doylo Burch, i>-yeai-old son of Mr.
1 and Mrs. .1. i>. Burch- of Muri'ny. is
| confined to the IVtrie hospital with a
I broken leg and other painful injur
ies suffered when he was truck by
i an automobile driven by a Mr. Hed|
den, of Hiawassce, Ga., here Tues.
day afternoon.
Policeman Kzra Price, who investiI
gated reported that the accident was
unavoidable.
Mr. Spencer Reported
To Be Improving
Mr. Thomas! Spencer. Murphy resident
who was badly injured in an automobile
crash that, took the life o+
Mrs- Spencer near Delcwat < Ohio
January 13, was reported this we?. k to
be improvingAt
late reports Sunday, the i> main?
of Mrs. Spencer, were still at an un
dertaking establishment in Delaware
and no funeral arrangements had
been made*
Mr. 'snencev, who was formerly con
Inccted in a high position with th
British navy. and Mrs. Spencer had
H\.-d re: - h?-: for tV- tins*. 10 yearsj
They have r > children.