Weather
Partly cloudy and continued
cool today. Wednesday fair and
warmer. Low today, 48; high,
near 70.
The Franklin Times
i (?/ 1
Published Every Tuesday & Thursday 1 \ Carw'iMn All ( Crsnl/lin C Aiintu
Industry
Education
Agriculture
Serving All Of Franklin County
Tal. 0Y 6-3283
Tan Cants
Louisburg, N. C.. Tuesday, May 9, 1967
(Eight Pages Today)
98th Year? Number 23
Now It's The Law:
Runoffs Possible In
Commissioner Races
by Clint Fuller
Times Managing Editor
A SPECIAL REPORT
House BUI No. 5SS quietly
passed into law last Thurs
day In the North Carolina Gen
eral Assembly. Dubbed "a
local bill", which means no
J. L. Gupton
To Attend
CAP School
Capt. J. Llnwood Gupton of
Loulsburg and the Franklin
County Civil Air Patrol has
been selected as one of twen
ty flight Instructors from the
fifty states and Puerto Rica
to attend a Flight Instructor
Orientation Program in Okla
homa this summer.
Capt. Gupton, a veteran lead
er In the CAP here will at
tend the week of August 14
through 25, the FAA/CAP
Flight Orientation Program at
Will Rogers Field, Oklahoma
City, Okla.
Applications were received
from 114 senior qualified
members and Capt. Gupton
was one of twenty chosen. He
will receive instruction for
forty hours on ground opera
tions and IS hours of ln-fllght
Instruction In the Piper C
180s and Cessna 172 aircraft.
The local leader Is the only
man attending the school from
North Carolina.
body's interested but those *ln
the county affected, HB SSS can
very well mean a major change
In the future of Franklin Coun
ty.
Bunched in with a number of
other "local" bills, HB 555
swept through last Thursday
and became law.
Introduced earlier by Rep.
James Speed of Franklin
County, the bill amends Chap
ter 61, Public-Local Laws of
1031 and changes the reading
from the reference "highest
number of votes" to read "a
majority of votes cast" in ra
ces for County Commissioner
In Franklin County.
Note simply, the bill allows
for runoffs or second primar
ies in races for the five seats
on the county board. In the
past the high man - even with
a margin of a few votes - was
undisputed winner. In the
future, to win, a candidate
must get a majority or more
votes than all others In his
race combined.
There is much to be said for
the new law. It might very
well eliminate a candidate be
ing elected who had actually
been voted against by a ma
jority of the people. To this
degree, it could change the
whole complexion of Franklin
County politics and thereby,
change the future of the coun
ty Itself.
Three Youths Charged
With Vandalism
Three young men are free
under $800 bond today follow
ing charges of distraction of
property growing out of a
wild spree of vandalism here
last Wednesday night. Brian
Eugene Bromstead, w/m/19
of 215 Keith Ave., Waukegan,
Dl. , a transfer student from
Duke; William Lee Lewis, w/
m/22 of Kilmarnock, Va. and
Jerry White Lanier, w/m/20
of 104 Pine Cone St., Oxford,
were arrested late Thursday
afternoon by Loulsburg Po
lice.
All three were students at
Loulsburg College and are
charged #ith hurling rocks
through two glass doors at
the new college library and
breaking a plate glass window
In the front of Louliburg Dry
Cleaners on Church Street
here. They are also charged
with breaking glass In auto
mobiles belonging to T. A.
Patterson, Dean of Students;
Miss Sarah Richardson, Pro
fessor of English; Whit Shea
rln, Advisor to Men Students;
Rev. Wade Goldston, Director
of Religious Lite and Butch
Stein, a student.
Bond was set at $500 and the
three men spent several hours
In Jail before being released.
Damages have been estimated
by Loulsburg Police Chief
Earl Tharrlngton at between
91500 and >2000. Trial Is set
for Recorder's Court here on
May 16.
Just what It will mean In the
1968 elections remains to be
seen. One can go back a few
years and see what It would
have done In elections past
and gain, perhaps, some idea
of the magnitude of this
change.
Going back to the 1956 elec
tions and counting through the
1966 primary, one finds there
were 14 races for seats on the
board of county commission
ers. Of the fourteen, ten of
the contests had more than two
candidates running. Of these
ten, only three were won by a
majority. Under the new law,
seven races In the past ten
years would have possibly re
sulted In runoffs.
There is no way of telling, of
course, what If any effect a
runoff would have had on the
ultimate winner. Once during
the period, there was a one
vote margin between the high
man and the number two can
didate in a four-man race.
Number two man won when a
runoff was ordered after the
vote was canvassed.
In 1966, for example, Com
missioner Brooks W. Young
of No. 1 District won a clear
majority over two opponents.
District 5 Commissioner Nor
wood Faulkner, however, re
ceived 3,073 votes while three
opponents gathered 3169. The
second-place man could have
called for a runoff, had the
present law been In effect then.
In 1964, a six-man race for
the No. 2 District seat was
won by Commissioner Richard
Cash. He polled 2,466 votes
while the number two man re
ceived 1119. But, the five
losers polled a combined vote
of 3719 and a runoff would have
been Indicated under the new
law.
In 1962, the year of the
Brooks Young-Claude Arnold
runoff, Commissioner George
Harris of District 3, bested his
nearest opponent 2154 to 1622.
However, number three man
polled 954 and would have
caused a runoff under the new
ly passed legislation.
The same was true in 1962
In the face for District 5 when
Commissioner Faulkner
downed three opponents, but
failed to gain a majority vote.
Winning over a field of four
candidates in 1960, W. P.
Chllders failed by over 1200
votes of getting a majority.
See RUNOFFS Page 8
' Tree Down On US 401
Wind, Hail Hit Area Sunday
Hall, the alee of quarters,
?u reported in the Maple
Tille area Sunday afternoon
and unconfirmed report* aay
that some fell In the Flat
Rock community. The ex
tent of damage to the young
tobacco crop* haa not been
dlacloaed.
Accompanying wlnda, eetl
mated to range from 40 to 80
mile* per hour during aome
parts of late afternoon, blew
trash, signs and trees but
otherwise Caused little re
ported damage In the Frank
lin County area.
One huge tree was blown
down across busy US 401 a few
miles south of Loulsburg a
round 5 p. m., halting traffic
for a short while. Youngsters
from Garner, returning from
an outing at Kerr Lake In
Vane* County, took to their
camping tools and hacked the
tree In half allowing one lane
traffic until state maintenance
crews could arrive. There
-were no accidents reported.
Tornado warnings were an
nounced for the area during the
afternoon Sunday, but none
were reported in the state, al
though some heavy winds did
cause damage in other areas.
Guardsmen Called To Aid
.. ^ . t
In Hunt For Missing Man
A massive search wfilch be
gan Thursday, came to a suc
cessful but tragic end In the
Alert Community late Satur
day afternoon, with the discov
ery of the body of Edward L.
Burnette, 57-year local resi
dent In a heavily wooded area
near his home.
The elderly man, who lived
alone, had last been seen by
a neighbor around 10:30 p. m.
last Wednesday. Hewasmlss
ed In the neighborhood Thurs
day and a search was begun.
Before the search ended Sat
urday afternoon at 4:37 p. m.,
hundreds of private citizens,
members of the N.C. National
Guard, Sheriffs officers, Ci
vil Air Patrol members, the
Loulsburg Rescue Service and
Guardsmen Line Up, Right, Body Found, Left
Woman Sentenced In 1964 Murder Case
Annie Ruth Crudup, charged
with the fatal stabbing of her
husband - at their home near
Frank lint on on December 13,
1964, was sentenced here
Monday by Superior Court
Judge W. Y. Blckett, to a 5 to
7 year sentence on plea of
manslaughter. The sentence
was suspended on payment of
9250 fine and court costs and
the Negro woman was placed '
on probation for five years.
The one-week term of Su
perior Court continues today
with six more, murder cases
docketed for trial. It was v
learned that David Lee Fos- h
ter, 15-year old Loutsburg f
Negro youth charged In the ^
fatal hacking of Loulsburg |
grocerman W. G. Shearin last
fall, has been committed to J
the state hospital at Raleigh I
after being declared incom- f
petent to stand trial. t
Others docketed for trial n
on murder charges include
Douglas M. Evans, James Leo
Afrtngton, Lewis Bulluck,
Floyd Williams and McCoy
Wiggins. One other case which
has drawn widespread publi
city is scheduled to be heard
this week. The two charges
of assault against Frankllnton
City Schools Superintendent
Tonight
The Louisburg Jaycees
vill conduct a nouse-to
louse campaign tonight in
heir efforts to sell tickets
o the Eastern District Col
ege Baseball Tournament
vhich starts at Louisburg
College Thursday. Proceeds
rom ticket sales will go to
he college athletic depart
lent and io the Jaycees.
Franklinton Water
Problem Headed
Back To The People
Mayor Jo* Pearce disclosed
today that the Frankllnton
Town Council moved last week
to take the local water problem
back to the people as soon as
possible. The town officials
has sought to gain a grant of
9285,000 and a loan of $295
000 from the federal govern
ment with which to renovate
and upgrade the present town
pump station and to run a line
from Cedar Creek to the pres
ent town lake, a distance of
about a mile and a half.
Following several months Ot
negotiations, the announce
ment was made last month
from Washington that the
Farm Home Administration
was approving a grant of
9100,000 and a loan of 9440,
000.
This, according to Mayor
Pearce, placed the town $90,
000 short and the Council acted
to take the Issue back to the
people by way of another bond
election. Frankllnton voters
approved a 9360, 000 water Im
provement bond last Decem
ber 3 by an overwhelming vote
of 298 to 14.
Mayor Pearce also explained
that under conditions of the
grant, the 9440,000 must be
spent first. The bonds ap
proved In December have not
yet been sold and Pearce ex
pressed the hope that another
election could be called within
30 to 90 days to bring the total
approved to the $440 ,000 level.
Frankllnton suffered a ser
ious shortage of water last
summer, one of the most se
vere In many years and town
officials, concernetPover the
?ltuatlon, have been working
on the problem.
Fred Rogers are docketed for
this week's session.
The list 9f Jurors was ex
hausted here Monday and the
Judge ordered the Sheriffs
department to bring In more
jurors as the term got under
way.
New Town Council
Meets, Raises Salary
The Loulsburg Town Coun
cil, elected Tuesday, sworn
Wednesday, wasted no time In
getting down to business last
Friday night. The new coun
cil reappointed E. S. Ford as
Town Administrator, Mrs.
Katherlne Gupton, Town Clerk
and Treasurer; Earl Thar
rlngton, Police Chlel, R. G,
Person, Jr., Fire Chief and
W. M. Jolly, town attorney.
In other actions, the coun
cil raised Its own pay bypass
ing a resolution to Increase
member's salaried per month
to $25. The present rate has
been $10 per meeting and $5
per special meeting since
1961. The resolution, opposed
only by councilman W. J. Shea
rln, calls for no payment to
members for special meet
ings. A reliable source re
ported that there have beeiv
very few special meetings in
the past two years and that
Friday's actions denote a pay
raise to council members.
The town charter limits to
$400 the amount which may be
paid a council member in one
year. The Mayor's salary was
approved to remain the same
at $125 per month.
Mayor V. A. Peoples ap
pointed a committee to head
up Loulsburg's efforts during
clean-up month with Mrs.
Breattle C. O'Neal named
chairman and councllmen
George T. Bunn and Grover
C. Harris, Jr. members.
The Council also authorized
the Town Administrator to ad
vise the firm of Booth-Jones
Associates, Inc.,engl nee r s
for the town to proceed with
certain paper work In prep
aration for planned Improve
ments to the town's electri
cal system.. In 1964, the sysr
tem was iq>grajed from a
2400 volt system to ? new
4200 volt WYE system and
the newest planned renova
tions will move it up to a
7200 volt system.
Invoice's In the amount of
$5,916.66 were approved and
ordered pald.
One Way At
Franklinton
Frankllnton Police Chief Leo
Edwards reported today that
Front Street from South Main
to Mason St. will become a
one-way throughfare for
northbound traffic only be
ginning Friday morning of thla
week.
others were to become in
volved.
Sheriff William T. Dement,
who headed the search report
ed that his department gave up
around 9 p. m. Friday night due
to darkness. Dement and hit
deputies resumed their efforts
early Saturday morning and
the Loulsburg Rescue Service
was called to drag a nearby
farm pond. By noon, Sheriff
Dement despaired of finding
the missing man without more
help and at 1 p. m. he called
for the National Guard.
Efforts to reach the Gov
ernor's office proved futile
but the Guard, under command
of Lt. Col. John Fleming of
Raleigh responded to the re
quest. Units from Loulsburg,
Zebulon and Youngsvllle Join
ed the search late Saturday af
ternoon. At 4:35 p. m., lined
up a few feet apart for some
distance, the Guardsmen en
tered the thickly wooded area
where the missing man's
flashlight had been found ear
lier. About two minutes later
came the word that the body
had been found about 250 yards
from a plowed field where lt
was believed his footprints
had been sighted earlier.
The body was found lying
between two trees In a par
tial clearing a tew yards from
a path where officers and
neighbors had searched ear
lier and not too far from the
spot where his flashlight had
been discovered earlier.
Sheriff Dement theorized
that the rnan had been dead
since early Thursday morn
ing. The presence of the
flashlight Indicated that he
had entered the woods at night
and Indications were that It had
rained since his death and
since It rained Thursday night,
It Is believed that death came
early Thursday morning.
Dement said he believed that
the man died from a heart at
tack and later Coroner James
H. Edwards said death was due
to natural causes.
Sheriff Dement expressed
his appreciation to private ci
tizens, the 1st Rocket Batt.
?113 th ArtlUiary, N. C. Nat
ional Guard and the comman
der, to the Civil Air Patrol,
members of the Loulsburg
Rescue Service and all others
for assistance In the search.
'Funeral services were con
ducted Sunday at 3 p. m. In
the White Funeral Home by
the Rev. Reid Wlnstead and
the Rev. Marshall Sargent.
Burial was In the Ayscue fam
ily cemetery.
Surviving are two brothers,
John Robert Burnette of Rt. 3,
Loulsburg and William James
Brunette of Rt. 1, Castalla;
one half-brother, Floyd
Roosevelt Burnette of Rt. 2,
Henderson; four half-sisters,
Mrs. Pearl Finch of Rt. 4,
Loulsburg, Mrs. Irene Thar
rlngton of Rt. 2, Loulsburg,
Mrs. Emma May Patterson
of Rocky Mount, and Mr*.
Blanche Marie Rouse of Ger
many.
Planters Abused ft Used
il j a . _ i n.x l__ ? - - - - - /uOw *
Last week, the new planters piacea aiung me uuwmuwu
business district by the Loulsburg Garden Club were shown
here. Pictured above are the same planters a few days later.
At left, Is what remains of the one on South Main Street after
vandals attacked It. Shown at right, Is one being used by an
energetic group nere oiuuru?y ununuun. vum Tr n ?? .? ??
It tb*t most of the 922. 50 (not 9250 as erronousljr w>or>l< teat
week) planters ire twins used as trash receptacles. The Oar
den Club really plans to plant plants In them. Seems Ilk*, the
sooner, the better.