Newspapers / The Franklin Times (Louisburg, … / May 16, 1967, edition 1 / Page 1
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/ 4 Wuther Partly cloudy and cooler to day and Wednesday. Low today, 51; high, 69. Published Every Tuesday & Thursday Times Industry Education Agriculture Serving All Of Franklin County Tel. 0Y 6-3283 Ten Cents Louisburg, N- C., Tuesday, May 16, 1967 (Six Pages Today) 98th Year? Number 26 A 20-year-old Columbia, S. C. Negro man was arraign ed Saturday before U. S. Com missioner Reva Rothrock In Raleigh and Jailed In lieu of 110,000 bond charged In the Friday morning robbery o( the Bunn branch of Flrst-Cltlzens Bank and Trust Co. The suspect was lodged in the Franklin County Jail charged with armed robbery early Sat urday morning after having attempted to hitch a ride with Franklin Deputy Sheriff Lon nle House, two miles west of Frankllnton. SB1 officers transported the suspect to Ra leigh for the arraignment. Charles EUer Williams Is charged with entering the bank around 10:30 a.m. Friday, pointing a gun at Mrs. Helen Jones, bank teller, and demanding her to "fill It up" referring to a large brown paper bag he handed her. Un known to the unmasked bandit, two agents of the State Bureau of Investigation were watching as the robbery took place. One agent was faking a con versation with bank manager William A. (BUI) Andrews while a second waited In the bank's office. As the bandit exited through the front door, the two agents gave chase. The fleet-footed youth made good his getaway when officers could not shoot because of fear someone on the street might be Injured. The robber turned off the street Into a field and escaped as the two officers gave pursuit. A massive search was launched, which lasted well Into Friday night. The search Included officers Mrs. Helen Jones Mrs. flelen Jones, pictured above, stands at the window in the Bunn branch of First-Citizens Bank and Trust Co. where, just a few minutes before the picture was taken, an unmasked Negro youth pointed a gun and ordered her to fill up a paper bag. Mrs. Jones placed $8,700 In the bag astwoSBI agents looked on. She said she did not become nervous until the camera was focused On her. Staff Photo by Clint Fullor Bunn Bank Bunn branch of Flrst-Cltlzens Bank and Trust Co. la shown above last Friday morning about 15 minutes after It was robbed by a Negro youth. Two other men were believed Involved In the robbery, but gained their escape In a car which has not yet been found. SBI agents, tipped beforehand of the robbery, were Inside the bank, but the fleet-footed Negro escaped, dropping the money In the process. A 20-year-old Negro from Columbia, S. C. was picked up late Friday night and charged In the robbery. Sto(( phote by ainf FuMtr Alert Lady Brings 13 Hour Manhunt To Successful End The family pulled away from the ticket window Into the theater lot. It was 9 o'clock. This was when Mrs. Jack Up church, ticket seller at the Car View Drive-In Mere first noticed the tall, slender Ne gro man standing near her CARVIEW Mrs. Jack Upchurch window. "Pardon me, mam. Could you give me some Informa tion? Pd like to know If this Is the right highway to Dur ham?" Mrs. Upchurch remembered that he had "good manners." "Yes. This road takes you straight to Frankllnton, then Creedmoor and on Into Dur ham," she replied. "How far Is It? About 15 20 miles?" "No, I think It Is about 35 miles.' ' "Goodness, I've got a long way to walk," the youth said, holding his hand to his chest. He didn't actually. In a short time, because of the alertness on the part of Mrs. Upchurch, mother of four, this young man would be through walking for what could be a very long time. The Bunn branch of First Citizens Bank and Trust Co. had been robbed earlier last Friday and Mrs. Upchurch was aware that officers were searching for a young Negro man, although she did not have any description of the suspect. As the Negro walked away, heading west on NC 56 which runs directly in front of the theater, Mrs. Upchurch sent word by the next customer to appear at the window, to have the theater manager come to the front as soon aa he could. Carlton Trotter, manager of the drlve-ln movie, was work ing In the concession stand. He had customers. It was a few minutes before he caught up and finally went to see Mrs. Upchurch. "You're going to think It's awfully silly of me but Mrs. Upchurch said and pro ceeded to tell Trotter about the man who had drawn her attention because "I knew he was lost and he was strange." She gave Trotter a full de scription of the man. He drove the mile distance to the Louls burg police station and re ported the Incident. - Franklin Sheriff William T. Dement, cruising a section south of Bunn received the report from Carl Pernell, manning the countywlde radio system. A search was begun along NC 56, but failed to produce the suspected man. Deputy Lloyd Gupton stopped by to question Mrs. Upchurch. Her description was exact and fitted the man who reportedly robbed the Bunn bank. Gupton left. A short time later, he re See LADY Page 6 Area Has Storm Scare The Frankll**County area was under tornado alert early Sunday night and residents were warned to stay In their homes and to be ready to move to a sale place If the storms should strike. The first warning told of severe thunder storms In nearby counties, headed to ward Franklin County. About 7:18 p.m. the Raleigh-Durham weather station reported that counties feeling the thunder storms Included Caswell, Chatham, Person, Randolph, Alamance, Orange, Granville, Durham and Wake. About the same time, the weather station placed the counties of Franklin, Nash, Johnston, Durham and Wake under tornado alert. One fun nel cloud was reportedly sighted by state highway pa trolmen In the vicinity of Wake Forest. The tornado alert was lifted about 9 p.m. Heavy rain was reported In the county, but damage, If any, was light. The unusual May weather has brought some hall to many parts of the county and extensive damage to Iso lated areas has been reported. However, there has been no widespread damage to crops or to buildings. Suspect Returned Charles Ellers Williams, 20-year-old Columbia, S. C. Negro Is shown above entering the Bunn bank Friday night about midnight after having been caught two miles west of Frankllnton by Franklin Deputy Sheriff Lonnle House on a tip from Mrs. Jack Upchurch, a drlve-ln movie ticket seller. Williams was lodged In the county Jail early Saturday morning but was taken to Raleigh later In the day where he was arraigned before U. S. Commissioner Reva Rothrock and Jailed In lieu of $10,000 charged with the robbery. Others in the picture are, left, Loulsburg Police Chief Earl Tharrlngton who Just happened to be standing nearby having accompanied Loulsburg Mayor V. A. Peoples to the scene and Deputy Sheriff Lloyd Gupton (partially hidden behind the prisoner), who transported Wil liams to Bunn. Staff Photo by Clint Fullor Negro Surrenders After Fatal Shooting See Picture Page 6 A 20-year-old Loulsburg Route 2 Negro walked into the Loulsburg fire station Sunday morning shortly after 11 a.m. and told fire department en gineer Carl Pernell and Loulsburg Police officer Earl Smith, "I want to see the Sheriff." The man, accompanied by a friend, said he was the one the Sheriff was looking in the Sat urday night shooting. Thus, Thomas Earl Dean surrendered a few moments later to Sheriff William T. Dement and was charged with murder In the shotgun slaying Attend Meeting Mrs. Juanlta Pleasants, executive secretary of the Loulsburg Business Associ ation, will attend an Employee Education Program on Wed nesday, May 17, at the Velvet Cloak Inn In Raleigh, of Lewis Melvln Alston, 28, 2500 Druid Park Drive, Balti more, Md., at a Negro night spot known as the Little Acorn, located on NC 56 two miles east of Loulsburg. The shooting occurred about 2:30 a.m. Sunday morning and the blast, striking Alston in the back, nearly cut the man In two. Dement investigated and the Loulsburg Rescue Ser vice was also on the scene, having been called earlier be fore the extent of the Injury was determined. Dement arrested the father of the suspect, Guy Dean, lor drunkenness at the scene and transported him to the local Jail. Young Dean is confined to the Jail without privilege of bond charged with murder. The victim was reportedly a former resident of the area. The reason for the shooting has been given. from both the SBI and the FBI plus the county Sheriffs de partment, prison department personnel, game wardens and state troopers with at least one airplane. Bloodhounds were also used In the hunt which centered Just north and to the west of Bunn. Andrews said that a well dressed man entered the bank shortly after It opened Fri day morning, showed his bade* and said, "Your banW Is going to be held up this morning." The SBI agent asked Andrews to tell the two women em ployees. Mrs. Barbara Strickland was ordered Into the vault while It was decided that Mrs. Helen Jones would wait on the bandit. One agent hid In the office while the other talked with Andrews at the teller window. Mrs. Jones said that a young Negro man came In and asked for change for a five dollar bill. He later asked for one dollar In silver. The Negro left and It was believed, for a time that he would not return. Mrs. Jones went out tor the morning refreshments. Short ly after returning, the young Negro reentered the bank and demanded the money. Andrews reported that 98,788 was placed In the bag, which the robber dropped In his efforts to escape. All the money was recovered. Bunn Police Chief Tom Po well, a former Deputy Sheriff, reported to The Franklin Times that an unidentified Ne gro woman had called one of his auxllllary officers Satur day afternoon around 4 p.m. and said that someone planned to break Into the bank Satur day night. Powell said he and two officers watched the bank all night Saturday and returned again on Sunday night, although nothing happened. It was believed that there were three Negro men Involv ed In the holdup. Two report edly escaped by car as the officers chased the fleeing bandit on foot. Glenn Mitc hell, who operates an ln See BUNN Page 6 Collision Injures Six A grinding head-on collision between two car* on the US I bridge overpua at the Inter section of NC 56 west of Franklinton Saturday around 12:30 p.m. Injured six per sons, two seriously. According to reports, the accident occurred when a 1087 Cadillac, driven by Maxcella McGllverary, n/m/39 of Bal timore, Md., crossed the cen ter line and struck a 1966 Falcon driven by Mrs. Doris* Collier Morris, w/f/43 of Fu quay. Mrs. Morris was trans ported to Franklin Memorial Hospital by the Franklinton Rescue Service, where she waa treated for painful cuts and bruises and head Injuries. Also treated was Joseph Douglas, whose Injuries were believed serious and Ms sla ter, Arlene Doublas, n/t/36 and her two children, Jesslae, age 10, and Hubert, age 17, all passengers In the McQU See COLLISION Page > "Ten-Four Car One - - Suspect Wearing Blue Knit Sweater" Most of them at* supper at Baa's, although the place was * closed. Mow it was back to the business at hand. There were three bank robbery suspects loose and darkness had come. Beck at the bank office, search headquarters was being set up. County maps were being distributed. Officers were being assigned sections to cover. Riders were being named to accompany those officers not f am liar with the area. The cars and officers dlspursed. Sheriff William T. Dement In Car One was assigned the area south of Bunn In and around Pearces, Riley and Five Points. Deputies Dave Batten in Car Two, Lonnle House In Car Three and Lloyd Gupton In Car Four were also assigned areas a few miles from Bunn. Carl Pernell manned the police rsdlo at Loulsburg. "Wouldn't It be nice to spot him," said the Sheriff. "I sure would love to catch him," be added as be drove along mile after mile. "We're beck-tracking now. I don't believe he's In this area." Traffic on the police radio was spasmodic. Locations were noted. Nothing of value was reported. By now It was nearlng 9:30 p.m., over two hour* line* the night vigil began. Than the break came. "Loulsburg P. D. to Car One." "Go ahead, Loulsburg P. D." "Mr. Carlton Trotter who runs the drlve-ln theater la here. He reporti that his caahler saw a Negro man at the drlve ln. Subject aaked direction and how far It waa to Durham. Thought you might be Interested." "Ten-tour, Loulsburg P. D. Can you describe?" "Mrs. Upchurch reports subject was In twenties, weighs about 140 pounds, wearing BLUE knit shirt and khaki pants." "Blue knit shirt?" "Ten-tour, blue striped knit shirt or sweater." "Where Is subject now?" "Left walking toward Fraaklinton on highway 56 about ten minutes ago." "Ten-tour, Contact Frankllnton Police. Have them ssnd car toward Loulsburg." "Ten-tour. Loulsburg P. IX to Frankllnton. " "Go ahead Loulsburg." "Sheriff advises send car on M to meet Loulsburg police. Watch for subject along road." "Car on# to Loulsburg P. D." "Go ahead, car one." "Have Loulsburg police meet Frankllnton car. Chief ad vises." "Car One to car? three and four." "Go ahead car one." "Did you read traffic? Over." "Ten-four." "You're closer than we are. Proceed to area. Check Gay Products parking lot. Converge at Perry's Inn." "On our way, Car One." "Car One to Loulsburg P. D." "Go ahead, Car One." "Advise subject armed. Approach with caution." "Ten-tour, car one. Loulsburg P. D. to Frankllnton. Sheriff advises subject Is armed. Approach with caution. Repeat. Subject Is armed. Approach with caution." "Ten- tour, Loulsburg P. D." The search for the robbery suspect had narrowed. A man fitting the description given by SBI and FBI officials had been sighted In Loulsburg. He was headed tor Frank! Inton and Durham. Frankllnton and Loulsburg Police were on the way. Deputlea Lonnle House and Lloyd Qupton were only a tew miles behind. The Sheriff continued to cruise the beckroada In the Bunn area. Was It possible that the suspect had been able to escape from the dragnet made up of hundreds of law enforcement ottoer*> bloodhounds -heavy traffic? How could he have gotten to Louis burg without being detected? Was It really the suspect? Would he be able to catch a ride? Grab a car fro* the furniture firm parking lot? Watt ui*U the shift changed at 11 o'clock? Hide in a rear seat? Would he walk the railroad? Stay off the highway? Stop at the airport to rest? "Car One to Loulsburg P. a" . "Go ahead, Car One." "Relay. Position of Cars three and four." "Car One. Cars three and four at Perry's Ian with Frank llnton, Loulsburg. Subject not sighted." "Ten-four, cars three and four. Sheriff advises stay la See SUBJECT Page 4 - ^ J- ^ ^
The Franklin Times (Louisburg, N.C.)
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May 16, 1967, edition 1
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