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Louisburg, N. C., Thursday, July 11, 1968 '
(Twelve Pages Today)
99th Year-Number 42
Many Franklin Citizens Oppose Any Type Of Gun Control Legislation
The gun control controversy, which
has spread across the nation in recent
weeks is anything but a sleeping dog
here in Franklin County. At almost
any turn and with the slightest excuse,
someone will speak out in strong
opposition to any and all legislation
designed to control the ownership of
firearms.
Franklin Sheriff William T.
Dement says, "I am certainly
not in favor of registration.
There is nothing wrong with the
laws we now have if the penal
ties were harsh enough."
While Congress, already having pass
ed one gun law contained in House Bill
No. 5037 Crime Control and Safe
Streets Bill, Section IV, ponders furth
er legislation, many local citizens are
writing members of Congress express
ing their opposition to any such legis
lation. Earlier this month the Board of
County Commissioners sent a wire to
the two North Carolina Senators and
Congressman L. H. Fountain inform
ing them of a resolution passed by the
Board in opposition to any and all gun
control.
The wording of the Commis
sioners' resolution was almost
identical to that contained on a
petition being circulated in the
area by an organization called
"Citizens Committee To Defend
Our Constitution", headed by
Franklin Sheriff William T. Dement displays some of the handguns being held in his office. All of which, he says, were
involved in assault, property damage or murder cases here.
Rights-Of-Way Being Obtained
For N.C. 39 Road Project
Surveys are being made and rights
of-way are being obtained on the
rebuilding and in some instances, the
relocation of N. C. 39 from Henderson
to Louisburg, according to J. B.
Brame, Fifth Division Highway Com
missioner.
Brame disclosed the status of the
long-awaited project in a public hear
ing in Henderson Wednesday. The
hearing was called to explaincertain
re-routing of N. C. 39 through the city
of Henderson.
Mr. Brame said he could not say
precisely when the project would be
up for letting by the Highway Com
mission. It is expected that work, once
begun, will begin at the Henderson end
of the twenty-mile stretch. It is to
connect to U. S. 401 at Ingleside, five
miles north of Louisburg and continue
on and join that portion of Bickett
Gone Is Armour
Several months ago some unknown Lothario climed the tall water tower near the
hospital grounds here and unarttstically painted the medical signs for male and
female in bold black paint. This led the way for other paramours to express their
affections for their young lady and the practice snowballed until the tank looked
somewhat like an elementary school chalkboard in the late afternoon. Tuesday of
this week, town of Louisburg electrical department employees, Bobby Gilliam and
Ja>res Hall, brought an end to it all by painting over the art work with silver paint.
But love may yet overcome as the outlines of the now covered expressions of
amour are still visible through the fresh covering coat.
Blvd. by-pass north of the hospital,
which was resurfaced last year.
The new project is also expected to
join North Main Street at the town
limits, where resurfacing was stopped
last year.
Mr. Brame first disclosed the overall
project in a meeting here last year. On
January 19, 1967 he announced that
Franklin County was being alloted
$400,000 in additional funds with
which to extend N. C. 39 improve
ments to the Vance County line at
Epsom. In October of 1966, Mr.
Brame had announced an allocation of
$350,000 to Franklin County for im
provements to N. C. 39 from Louis
burg to Ingleside.
In the October, 1966 meeting, Divi
sion Engineer M. T. Adkins said the
Louisburg to Ingleside project would
take about two years to complete the
project. No time estimate was noted in
the meeting of January, 1967.
Apparently, work inside the Hen
derson city limits is to come first and
will be followed by the Vance county
portion of the project. Work in the
Franklin County area is unlikely to
start during the present Dan Moore
administration.
Bunn Sets
Annual Budget
The Town of Bunn has set a tenta
tive budget calling for expenditures of
$14,210 for the coming year. The
budget calls for a tax levy of 80 cents
per $100 valuation.
The largest expenditure for the
southeastern Franklin town is the po
lice department with a budget of
$6,800. The sanitation department is
budgeted for $1,250 for the 1968-69
fiscal year and administration is slated
for $2,685.00.
The largest source of revenue for
the town is from profits from the ABC
Store, listed at $9,500 and au valorum
tax which will amount to $2,783.00.
Expected revenue for the year is listed
at $13,783.94 with a balance on hand
of $426.06 to balance the budget at
$14,210.
The tentative budget was adopted
by the Town Board on July 2, 1968.
By Clint Fuller
Times Managing Editor
retired Col. Henry E. Royall of
Raleigh. A reliable report said
Wednesday that already over
60,000 signatures had been ob
tained on the petition from the
Raleigh and eastern Carolina
areas.
Sheriff Dement said he believes that
the penalty for carrying a concealed -
weapon should be made more severe.
He believes such an offense should be
made a felony and should carry a
penalty of at least a 2-year prison
sentence and $500 fine. He says such
an offense presently too often results
in only a $25 fine.
One interested observer said there
are already over 20,000 gun laws on
the books in this country and no new
ones are needed. In support of this he
sites certain existing regulations.
These, however, vary from locality to
locality.
Here in Franklin County a
permit is required to purchase a
handgun. State law requires such
a permit to be issued by the
Sheriff. It requires the appli
cant's name, address and the
Sheriff must attest to the appli
cant's "good moral character"
and also that "the possession
... is necessary for self-defense
or the protection of the home."
No such permit is necessary for the
purchase of a rifle or a shotgun.
Sheriff Dement says he has turned
down some applications, granted some
and has had what he termed some
"border-line cases".
There are three firearms deal
ers in the county operating from
established business locations,
according to reports. These are
Seaboard Stores, Inc. and Free
man Hardware in Louisburg and
J. W. Perry's Store at Pearces.
These and a number of others
deal In rifles and shotguns, but
only the three are considered
dealers in handguns.
Phillip McKinne of Seaboard
Opportunity
Gets Grant
Of $411,521
The Franklin-Vance-Warren Oppor
tunity, Inc., of Henderson, has been
awarded an extension and reorganiza
tion grant of $411,521 to finance its
community action program through
next Sept. 30, it was announced today
from Washington. Executive director
of the agency is George V. Boyd.
The information was given by
Leveo V. Sanchez, director of the
Mid- Atlantic Region of the. Office of
Economic Opportunity.
The local contribution to match the
grant is $38,451, it was stated.
The announcement said a total of
$14,764 is for completion of the
conduct and administration phase of
the program, and $12,136 for comple
tion of the neighborhood centers func
tions.
The full-year Head Start program, a
continuing project, is to receive
$384,621 under the allocation.
Moss Named
To Morehead
Committee
James T. (Joe) Moss of Youngsville
has been named to the John Motley
Morehead Selection Committee for
Franklin County, according to an an
nouncement this week by Roy Arm
strong, Executive Director of the
Morehead Foundation.
Moss, a member of the State Bank
ing Commission and a successful farm
operator, joins ten other county citi
zens on the Committee which selects
young men for consideration for a
Morehead Award. Armstrong stated
that, "All of us are pleased that you
will accept this assignment. You are a
member now of one of our finest
committees."
Other members of the local com
mittee are: Charles Yar bo rough, John
W. King, Miss Elizabeth Johnson, Dr.
Carey J. Perry, Edward F. Yarbo
rough. Dr. Cecil W. Robbing, J. Harold
Talton, Bland B. Prultt, Mrs. Hamilton
Hobgood and Rev. Frank E. Pulley, all
of Louisburg.
For targets, for hunting, for protection .... they are deadly.
Staff photo by Clint Fuller.
Stores, Inc. is against gun control
legislation. He says he went into the
handgun business about three years
ago to "fill a need". He is sincere and
straightforward in his discussions of
the present issue. He says he is not
against some regulations on guns, but
is opposed to additional legislation and
adds that registration of guns woiild be
an unenforceable farce. He cites seve
ral cases and examples where he be
lieves that private citizens need a gun
for self-protection such as a car break
down along the highway at night or an
attack on a person.
McKinne, himself a gun enthusiast,
is interested primarily in sports requir
ing firearms, such as hunting and
regulated shooting events. He says his
business has grown in the area of gun
sales in recent months and he stresses
the safe use of firearms.
J. W. Perry, Jr., owner of a sporting
goods store at Pearces, is one of the
largest dealers in firearms in eastern
North Carolina. Converted from a gen
eral merchandise store a few years ago,
Perry's is now primarily a gun outlet.
It would take considerable time just to
count the guns on display in his store
and he, too, stresses safe use of the
weapons and emphasizes the sports
man aspect of gun ownership.
Perry points out that gun
registration is already a reality
and no further legislation is
necessary. Thj National Fire
arms Act of 1938 requires that
gun dealers keep a record of
every gun, pistol and long guns
alike, that comes to their place
and also that a record be kept of
the disposition of each.
Such a record lists the make, model
number, caliber gauge, serial number,
date and from whom received for
every gun purchased or traded for by
the dealer. Besides this information
the record must show to whom the
gun is sold and the date. These records
must be kept for ten years. The
records do not constitute a registration
of firearms with any governmental
agency. The records remain with the
dealer. However, in crime investiga
tion, agents of government can and
often do look at these records. While
no permit is required to purchase a
rifle or shotgun, these too, must be
recorded.
New federal regulations prohibit
the mailing of guns between anyone
except dealers and manufacturers. Pri
vate-owners cannot now return guns to
factories or service centers. One recent
incident was told of a Louisburg gun
owner mailing a handgun back to the
factory for some renovations. He re
ceived a call from the company in
forming him that the gun would have
to be returned to a licensed dealer and
See GUNS Page 6
Youngsville
Eases Water
Shortage
Youngsville ? During the past few
weeks Youngsville Mayor W. M. Rob
erts, the members of the town Board
of Commissioners and Water Supt. J.
A. Green have been occupied with
negotiations for a new town well to
supplement a rapidly decreasing water
supply.
For about six months there has
been a noticable decrease in the
volume of water, and the long hot
summer caused a sharp drop in the
suPEly
A new well has already been locat
ed on property which had to be
purchased by the town for the well
site. A pump is to be installed next
week and pipe lines laid immediately;
all at considerable expense to the
town.
Tests run at the new well indicate
that sufficient water will be provided.
The two old town wells which have
been in service for many years, will
continue in alternate use.
Chief Deputy Dave Batten shows how "junk" gun is fired. In background,
is a number of "long" guns confiscated in local assault and murder cases.