WEATHER
Considerable cloudiness and
mild today and Wednesday
with a chance of scattered
showers beginning this after
noon or tonight. Low today,
upper 30* s; high, middle 60' s.
The Franklin Times
Published Every Tuesday & Thursday * Serving All Of Franklin County
Your Award.Wlnnlng County Newspaper
<7
NO. 1
JN THE NATION
IN
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Tel QY 6-3283
Ten Cents
Louisburg, N. C. Tuesday, January 30,1968
Six Pages T oday
98th Year-Number 99
Lt. Gov. Bob Scott
Makes Brief Visit Here
Lt. Gov. Bob Scott was a visitor
In Louisburg last Friday night, stop
ping over on his way home from a
day of campaigning In Warren and
Granville counties. Accompanied by
his four-county aid, Tom W. Ellis, '
Henderson automobile dealer, the gu
bernatorial candidate spoke briefly to
a group of followers at a local
restaurant.
Scott, ailing with a touch of flu,
told the group that he wanted to "touch
base with you" and said, "I could talk
a couple of hours, but it bolls down
to this fact, I am running for governor
and I want your support. It's as simple
as that".
"In my travels across the state, I
have talked with the people, but most
of all I like to listen", the Haw River
native stated. "I find one unifying
thread of thought. People of our state
are concerned about leadership -al,all
levels of government", he added.
"I believe that people are concerned
about those who are going to be In
LT. GOV. BOB SCOn
Company Pays
County Taxes
Loulsburg ? Howard T. Pitts, local
manager (or Carolina Telephone, one
of the county's larger taxpayers, this
week presented a check (or $19,414 to
the Franklin County tax collector.
' The jheck was In payment of 1967
ad valorem taxes on the conapany' s
properties within the county. Also,
checks for $1,059 for municipal ad
valorem taxes In Loulsburg and $1,356
in Franklinton were handed to the city
tax collectors. Checks covering muni
cipal ad valorem taxes in other towns
will be delivered this week.
The company's total county and mu
nicipal tax bill throughout eastern North
Carolina amounted to $1,650,000. In
addition, state and federal taies came
to $6,600;000.
This does not Include the 10% federal
excise tax on telephone service which
the company collected form its sub
crlbers and remitted to the federal
government.
Cedar Rock Man Suicide
Two Shot
In Louisburg
Joe Loyis Arrlngton, 52-year old
Negro, took his life at his home In
Cedar Rock last Friday afternoon
around 4:30 P.M., according to re
ports. Arrlngton shot himself with a
shotgun In a wooded area near his home.
Louisburg Rescue Service answered the
call, tout Arrlngton was dead when the
unit arrived.
Louisburg Police Chief Earl Thar
rlngton reports that Charles Lee Al
ston, a Negro male In his twenties,
has men charged with assault In the
Friday night shooting of Lewis Ed
ge rt on at a nightspot In Louisburg.
Edgerton was wounded In his arm
by a .38 caliber bullet, according to
Tharrlngton. Alston Is also charged
with carrying a concealed weapon.
Chief Tharrlngton also reported a
Sunday, January 21 shooting at the
Swan's Club on South Main Street.
He said William Earl Clifton, c/m/19,
Is charged with felonious assault on
Larry Moore, c/m/Sl. Moore was
wounded in the abdomen with .22 caliber
bullet and Is hospital laed at Duke.
office. They want people In whom they
have confidence. People of Integrity.
People who are honest and responsive
to the needs of the citizens", Scort
said.
"There is a trend today to mistrust
government. The people are looking
for that element that can best restore
their confidence. I am seeking the
responsibility of leadership for the
next four years. I am not afraid of
It, possibly because of family back
ground and possibly due to having
been Lt. Gov. I know . . .oh, how
I know . .the awsome responsibility
and complex problems he must deal
with. 1 don't have all the answers, no
body does. What I do have is the desire
to serve "you and other citizens of the
state", he remarked.
Scott said that "leadership is the
key" and he reminded that as he an
nounced his candidacy, he said his
campaign would be short on promises.
"1 will not knowllngly make promises
I cannot fullflll", he told the Franklin
audience Friday night. "I will work
hard to win the nomination and the
election and 1 will work hard for the
four years for the kind of govern
ment of which you can be proud. I
will conduct the office and myself in
a way that will be a credit to you the
citizens of North Carolina.
Scott said he would returnto Franklin
County for a more extensive visit
during the campaign. He also said his
administration will have an "open
door" policy. "You will not need to
come to Raleigh with hat In hand",
he stated.
There were no questions asked by the
audience, although the Lt. Gov. allowed
time for such. He was scheduled to
speak later Friday night in his home
county of Alamance and was unable
to stay In Loulsburg for any length
of time. He did, however, take a
hand-shaking tour of the restaurant
before leaving.
No announcement was made on a
pick for county campaign manager while
the young candidate was here, but an
aide said an announcement would be
made soon.
Lt. Gov. Scott Is the second gu
bernatorial candidate to visit the county
In recent weeks. J. Melville Broughton,
Raleigh attorney made a tour of the
county earlier this month.
Former County Accountant
Faces Embezzlement Charges
Former Franklin County Accountant
E. Lee Murray has been charged In five
separate true bills, returned by the
Grand Jury here Monday, with em
bezzlement. Murray, who has been
Treasurer of Wake County since re
signing his post here In December,
1966, Immediately requested a leave of
absence from his Wake County posi
tion.
The Franklin, native had reimbursed
the county a total of $6,360.48 which
auditors had declared "unexplained
disbursements" "last fall. Initially, the
Rafelgh auditing firm of Perry, Place,
Shaw and Burchfleld had disclosed an
unexplained disbursement of $561.34,
which Murray paid to the county, saying
that he did not know where the money
went but that he felt he was responsible
for the office.
Earlier this month, Murray paid to the
county an additional $5,799.14 and said
In an accompanying letter, "This dif
ference Is disputed and I deny any
personal responsibility for It, however,
the affairs of this office were my
responsibility "during the period
covered by the audit". He also stip
ulated In his letter that the money
would be returned to him, "If In the
future it should be found that no dif
ference existed".
In the five true bills returned Mon
day, Murray is charged with "know
ingly, willfully, fraudulently, corruptly,
unlawfully and feloniously embezzling
and converting to his own use" funds
entrusted to him by the County of
Franklin.
The bills cover the periods July 1,
1962 through June 30, 1963, $1,030.84;
July 1, 1963 through June 30, 19.64,
$1,322.78; July 1, 1964 through June 30,
1965, $1,521.30; July I, 1965 through
June 30, 1966, $1,924.22 and July 1,
1966 through September 30, 1966, $561.
34.
In his letteT, addressed to Wake
County Manager Garland Jones, Murray
told of the Grand Jury action and stated,
"In view of this fact and In order to
avoid any embarrassment to you and the
Wake County Board of Commissioners,
I would like to request a leave of
absence, effective today, until my name
has been cleared. At such time as I
have been cleared, I would respect
fully request that you allow me to
return to the position of Treasurer of
Wake County".
Murray also expressed his apprecia
tion to Jones and the Wake Board for
the "pleasure and the opportunity" of
working with them and concluded, "The
many kindnesses and moral support
which you have given me during the past
few months have meant ifiore to me
than I am able to express".
Crowell Strickland, . operator of
Strickland Auto Supply in tfouisburg
announced today that Murray^has ac
cepted a position with his firm and is
expected to begin work later this week.
Last' October 5, Commissioner "E.M.
Sykes, then Chairman of the Board,
called a news conference to disclose
the unexplained disbursements during
the period when Murray was County
Accountant. The prepared statement
simply reported that the auditors had
uncovered the $6,360.48 "unexplained
disbursements" during the period and
that the information had been turned
over to District Solicitor W.G. (Buck)
Ransdell. Sykes, at the time, would
not allow questions by newsmen.
Murray issued a statement later thit
day In which he said, "1 am emotional
ly saddened because I realize the
suffering my family and I will go
through regardless of the end effect.
I stand ready to defend the Integrity
of that office for which I was respon
sible".
Murray had no statement, other than
his letter to the Wake Manager, Mon
day night. He indicated he would confer
with his attorneys, Hill Yarborough"
and Edward F. Yarborough, both of
Loulsburg, today. No date has been
set for action on the true bills, but
It Is unlikely the cases will come up
In this week's Superior Court term.
Murder Cases Head
Superior Court Docket
Five murder cases head the docket
for this week's term of Superior Crim
inal Court being held here with Judge
Henry A. McKlnnon, Jr., presiding.
Monday morning was spent with tnan
euverlngs In the case of Edward Louis
Conyers of Frankllnton, charged with
Assault with Deadly Weapon Inflicting
Serious Injury Not Resulting ir Death
and Secret Assault.
The 57-year old Conyers has been
free under $2,000 bond since the May
17, 1967, shooting of a cousin, Howard '
Conyers, 38, also of Frankllnton. The
younger Conyers was wounded in the
left leg and left arm with .22 caliber
bullets while working In a field on the
Pocomoke Road and was riding a tractor
at the time he was shot, according
to reports. .
A late unconfirmed report indicates
that this case may be moved to another
courts jurisdiction.
Eight other cases of assault are
docketed for trial this week and two
men face a combined total of nine
charges of false pretense. Murder
charges are lodged against Lewis Bul
lock, Loulsburg Negro who died re
cently. He was charged with killing
his father, John Bulluck with a rifle.
Other defendants in murder cases
Include Elvis Gladstone Hicks, Jr.,
No Extension
On Tax Listing
C.W. Strother, County Tax Super
visor, announces that there will be no
extension of time beyong the scheduled
date of February 2, 1968, for listing
your 1968 Property tax. However, Coun
ty taxpayers may come by the Tax
Department at 217 Court Street In
Loulsburg and list their tax without
penalty through February 16, 1968.
Penalty will start after February 16th
for all taxpayers except those bus
inesses with Granted Extension of time".
Thomas Earl Dean,. Davis Lee Mann
and John Cornellous Klngsberry. Six
cases of larcency are docketed with
four forgery cases and eight motor
vehicle violation charges'
As court closed Monday afternoon
jurors were being seated In the capital
case of carnal knowledge against Eddie
Alston, a Negro' charged 'with rape
of a twelve year old girl. About half
of the twelve member panel had been
chosen. Alston is being defended by
Frankllnton attorney H.H. Sentar, W.G.
(Buck) Ransdell of Raleigh is District
Solicitor, prosecuting in this term of
court.
No School
Makeup
This Saturday
Schools In the FranklinCountysystem_
have lost five days due to recent In
clement weather. It has been reported
that some of these days will be majle
up by holding classes oif" Saturdays.
Others will come from an original
four-day Easter Holiday. .
Superintendent War <sr> W. Smith re
ported that this Sati t .ay would not be
a make-up date due to many teachers
being away taking the National Teachers
Examinations. In other words, there
will be no school on Saturday, February
3.
A report from Frankllnton Monday
also verified that their unit does not
plan to make up any lost days on this
particular Saturday.
Smith indicated that three of the five
days most likely will come from the
Easter Holidays, leaving Easter Mon
day as the only remaining holiday.
This will leave two Saturdays as make
up days unless mora bad weather
causaa more lost days.
An announcement will be made prior
to the order for Saturday attendance.
Bobby Garrett And Lynn Fleming ? Scene Of Heroic Action
13-Yeor-Old Boy Saves.
Life Of 7-Year-Old Girl
By Clint Fuller t
^ Times Managing Editor
Bravery comes in all sizes. And courage is not limited to battlefields and ships at sea. Nor does it belong
solely to the grownup. Neither are such traits as clear thinking and prompt action confined to the worldly.
Courage 'and prompt action here last week by a 13-year old Louisburg eighth-grader has been credited wiifr
saving the life of-a seven-year old girl.
Courage, bravery, dear thinking and quick response, for a moment last Monday, were bundled together into
a youngster named Bobby Garrett, who unhestiatingly plunged into icercoated Cottrell T8pd to pull little Lynn
Fleming to safety' after she had broken through the ice.
Thus did this youngster save the life of a playmate. ? |
The story began when four neighborhood children decided to walk over to the pond, a short distance from the
Garrett and Fleming homes. In the group were Stan Joyner, Susan Reed, Lynn Fleming and Bobby Garrett. Al
so taken along was a football, which almost contributed to a real tragedy.
The youngsters started a game of passing the pigskin and, as so often happens, a pass was missed. The
football landed on top of the ice which partly covered the farm pond.
There is no sure answer as to just how little Lynn was elected to retrieve the football, unless it was be
cause she was the lightest in weight. The fact is, however, that she ventured onto the ice to recover the ball.
The ice broke and she fell into the water well over her head.
It was here that young-Bobby proved his salt. While undoubtedly some youngsters and probably some adults
would have panicked, he did not. He plunged into the icy water, also over his head, grabbed the girl and pulled,
her to safety.
"He was shivering and shaking and so concerned for Lynn, he had completely forgotten himself", comment
ed Mrs. Bill Fleming, Lynn's mother. "I am so thankful that he was there and that he did what he did. I will
always be grateful. He is a wonderful boy." > ,
The pond is situated some 200 yards from the Jeffress Drive area where Bobby's parents, Mr. and Mrs. John
Garrett, and Lynn's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Bill Fleming, are neighbors. Extreme cold weather had caused jce to
form a thin coat over the water. The youngsters had been warned not to go near the pond, according to their
parents.
In taking the plunge young Bobby lost his glasses. The shy youngster, however, failed to mention this. In
fact, he hesitated to talk of the incident at a|I. His. mother indicated that she preferred to play it down.
Mrs. Fleming, however, said, "Bobby certainly deserves some credit for the thing he did "
Bobby is an eighth grade student at Louisburg School and was a member of the highly successlul bull pup
ball team last fall that went undefeated during the regular season. He is popular with his fellow students. . .
and we suspect he is more so today with a certain seven year old girl.
Happiness is saving the life of a4riend. ?