Published Every Tuesday & Thursday
The FraiikMn Times
t ^ ? a A . ? - A 1
Serving All Of Franklin County
(Ten Pages Today)
Louisburg. N. C., Tuesday, October 1, 1968 Ten Cents
99th Year-Number 65
Eagle Scouts
Three Local Boys
Make Eagle Scout
Bennett Steelman, 14 year old son
of Mr. and Mrs. H. H. Steelman;
Bobby Fuller, 16 year old son of Mr.
and Mrs. George Fuller; and Stephen
Humphrey, 15 year old son of Mr. and
Mrs. Hal Humphrey, of Louisburg and
Scout Troop 555 were presented the
Eagle Scout Award during the morning
services at Louisburg Methodist
Church Sunday, September 29.
Saponi District Chairman Mr. C.
Ray Pruette opened the Court of
Honor, assisted by Eagle Scout Kirk
House. Mr. Pruette then introduced
Occoneechee Council Scout Executive
Mr. James Lacey. Mr. Lacey briefly
received the steps oward this top
ranking Boy Scout achievement and
the meaning of the Eagle Scout award.
He noted that reaching Eagle rank is
not only a real achievement requiring
much time and effort on the part of
the boys, their parents and leaders, but
it is also a challenge to the Scouts to
continue to live up to the high stan
dards of knowledge, leadership, skill
and patriotism set for this award. He
pointed out that only one per cent of
boys in the Scouting program attain
this high award. Mr. Lacey introduced
local Scout Executive Mr. Warren
Smith, who enumerated the qualifica
tions of the new Eagle Scouts and
challenged them to live up to the
standards of Scouting in their com
munity - that as an Eagle Scout they
can continue to serve the community
in leadership and service.
The Eagle Silver Medals were then
pinned on the Scouts by their
Mothers. They, in turn, presented a
miniature Silver Eagle Lapel pin to
their Mothers and Eagle Tie Clasp to
their Fathers.
Eagle Scout Kirk House escorted
the Scouts for their awards, and
Scouts Gary Clay, Bob Hicks, and Ray
Hodges escorted the members of the
Scouts Family. Scouts Dwight Neal
and Walter House presented the colors
for the Court of Honor. After the
presentation at Church, a luncheon
honoring the new Eagle Scouts was
given by Mrs. Fuller, Mrs. Steelman
and Mrs. Humphrey at the Fuller
residence on Allen Lane.
Brewer To Head ASC Committee
E. G. Brewer of Cedar Rock Town
ship will take office today as Chairman
of the County ASC Committee follow
ing his election last week to the post.
C. C. Perry another incumbent mem
ber of the three-man Committee was
named Vice-Chairman. B. T. Bunn was
renamed a member of the Committee.
An ASC spokesman said, "These
farmers (including Community Com
mitteemen) elected by the people in
their community play a very impor
tant role in the administration of farm
programs on the local level."
George D. Foster and Bennie Ray
Gupton were named first and second
alternates on the County Committee.
Township or Community Commit
teemen were announced as follows:
Cedar Rock-Ollie T. Fisher, R. S.
May, Ashley Jenkins, Edward Boone,
George D. Long
Cypress Creek-J. S. Collie, Thomas
W. Gay, Jr., A. C. Stallings, George
Murray, Charlie Bass;
Dunn -W. Harold Alford, Bennie B.
Williams, O'Deyne Mullen, Henry K.
Baker, B. A. Yeargin;
Franklinton -Clifton V. Conyers,
John T. Wright, Harold Wheeler, Wil
liam Edwards, Howard Pearce;
Gold Mine-Bennie Ray Gupton,
Garner Dement, George D. Foster,
Bryant Wood, L. S. Neal;
Harris-Sidney Strickland, Raeford
Baker, Bobby Land, John Henry
Floyd, Robert Ward;
Hayesville-W. D. Foster, Staley
Ayscue, J. C. Goodson, W. E. Aycock,
J. Dwight Rowland;
Louisburg-Walton Hayes, Russell
Nelms, Wilbur Southall, Elmo May, Ed
C. Rogers;
Sandy Creek-H. T. Edwards, 0. F.
Tharrington, J. C. Tharrington, E. N.
Perdue, W. W. Breedlove;
Youngsville -Bland Hill, Raymond
Keith, Clifton Hill, Frank Bowling,
Charlie Dickens.
Murray To Get Outside Jurors
Superior Court Judge Leo Carr,
presiding over a term of civil court
here last week, granted a request by
Solicitor W. G. (Buck) Ransdeli that a
jury be brought in from outside the
county to hear the case involving E.
Lee Murray, former county accoun
tant.
Murray is charged with embezzle
ment, which grew out of what was
termed "unexplained disbursements"
dating from September 1962 through
September 1966, while Murray was
county accountant here. Murray was
indicted last January 29 and was grant
ed a leave of absense from his position
as Treasurer of Wake County on
February 5.
In an affidavit in support of the
motion, Ransdeli, said that many
Franklin County citizens have told
him that "in their opinion a jury could
not be obtained from the citizens of
Franklin County that would convict
the defendant even if he were proven
guilty..." Judge Carr said tjie special
venire would come from Granville
County.
Ransdeli said Murray's trial would
be set for Oct. 14 in Franklin County
Superior Court.
Murray, a former president of the
N. C. Association of County Accoun
tant!, was indicted by the Franklin
County Grand Jury last January on
five counts of embezzlement totaling
$6,360.48.
Maintaining innocence, Murray last
January turned over toFranklin Coun
ty $6,360.48, the amount of the funds
allegedly embezzled.
He said he was turning the money
over "upon the condition that these
funds will be returned to me by
Franklin if in the future it should be
found that no difference existed."
Ransdell said in the affidavit that
between the time he was advised of
the missing funds and the grand jury
indictment in the case "several promi
nent citizens of Franklin County"
came to the solicitor's office and told
him they felt Murray was innocent.
They also requested that no bills of
indictment be sen to the grand jury,
Ransdell said.
The affidavit stated that "the de
fendant repaid to Franklin County the
amount of the alleged unexplained
disbursements accompanied by a
See MURRAY Page 4
Reid Status At State
Uncertain Reports Say
The status of a North Carolina
State University statistical clerk,
whose statements in the Raleigh News
and Observer on the Franklin County
policy of charging tuition for out-of
state school children, is clouded today.
A release by University officials Satur
day indicated that Harold Reid may
no longer be employed by the Raleigh
institution.
Reid, who was critical of the Frank
lin Board of Education's newly adopt
ed policy, was revealed by The Frank
lin Times in a front-page article last
week to have had a prison record.
State University officials said Saturday
that Reid "was not acting as a repre
sentative of North Carolina State Uni
versity".
The reference in the state
ment to Reid's currect status
was that "he is or was employed
by the University ..." The pre
pared statement also said, "Mr.
Reid's work did not involve con
tact with students or any field
surveys". Reid had claimed in
the newspaper article that he
became aware of "hardship
cases" in Franklin County while
working on a Food Stamp sur
vey here last summer.
The Times learned from a reliable
source late last week that Reid had
been discharged after being confronted
with the facts of his imprisonment.
The source reported that Reid failed
to denote his prison record on his job
application and when questioned by
University officials, denied having serv
ed in prison. The source also said that
State University officials wanted to
give the youthful Negro every chance
to continue his progress since his work
had been satisfactory. When called in
to face prison records, it is reported
that Reid failed to show up.
A Stale University official re
ported Monday that he did not
know the exact status of Reid at
that time and neither confirmed
or denied the report that Reid
had been discharged.
The statement issued Saturday re
vealed, however, that 'The professors
who employed Mr. Reid did not know
of his arrest, conviction and prison
sentence when he was 16 years of age
for 'common law robbery'."
The Times revealed that Reid had
been sentenced from Cumberland
County in 1958 for two charges of
robbery. The reference was contained
in an article which reported the story
of tuitions and particularly the cases
referred to in the News and Observer
article.
Reid called Times Editor
Clint Fuller last Thursday after
noon and asked his help in get
ting four Negro children into
school. Fuller said that Reid
started out very courteously and
was assured that everything
possible would be done to get
the four students in school. The
four were identified as living
with Mrs. Cecelia Garrett of Rt.
2, Franklinton by Reid. "His
information was basically cor
rect", Fuller stated. "A check of
school records show that Mrs.
Garrett was sent a letter inform
ing her of the children's ineligi
bility. As far as school records
show, the four children are not
now in school".
Fuller said that as a member of the
Board of Education he has asked that
the cases be checked to see what, if
anything, can be done to get the
tuition paid for these four children.
Fuller said the mother is listed in
school records as Mrs. Irene Cox. 5
fPl
Bulldogs Wearing "Beanies"
Sfp Sports Column Pagr A -6
Kidgeway K.P.. Great Neck, N. Y.
Fuller said that Reid later become
somewhat angry when told that tui
tion must be paid before these child
ren can be admitted to the Youngsville
High School. "Man you're trying to
deceive these people", Reid reportedly
said. He contended that Fuller and the
Board had not told "these people"
what is intended for next year. Fuller
explained that it had been made public
that these children could not attend
school here after this year unless
adopted. The Board has announced
that the tuition policy is for this year
See REID Page 4
Industrial Employment
Up 17 % In Franklin
The direc tor of the Franklin Coun
ty Industrial Development Commis
sion, Mr. S. Kenneth Schubart. reports
today that in a county-wide industrial
employment survey just completed for
the North Carolina Department of
Conservatin and Development, an in
crease of better than 17'; over May,
1967, was achieved.
This has been accomplished com
pletely through expansions of existing
industry in the county, and does not
include the pending employment of
Durham Hosiery Mills. The figures
show that as of October 1, 1968, there
are 1473 industrial employees in
franklin County; as compared to 1250
on May 30, 1967.
Schubart said, "The industrial po
tential in Franklin County indeed
looks bright when we take into consid
eration the future employment of Dur
ham Hosiery Mills in Kranklinton, the
planned expansions of Tre'Jay in
Youngville. and of Louisburg Sports
wear here.
"We believe that this is a further
indication of the great success industry
has experienced after becoming a part
of the community."
OA '*
Candidate Gets Check '
Lt. Gov. Bob Scott is shown above, second from right, looking over a check, for $500 presented to him by Gen. Edward F.
Griffin, County Finance Chairman, Clint Carlyle of Pilot and Bernard Walters of Louisburg. members of Scott's County
Committee. The Democratic candidate for Governor and his wife, were honored Sunday afternoon by Col. and Mrs. Richard
Timberlake of Youngsville with a tea and open house. See story page 3. Photo by Clint Fuller
Saturday Night Shooting Spree
Nets One Dead, Two Wounded
Louisburg Police Chief Earl Thar
rington reported that Johnny Harts
field, a New Hope Negro, is"Hi the
local jail charged with one counffcf
murder and two counts of assault with
a deadly weapon with intent to kill,
following a shooting spree in the
Mineral Springs section of Louisburg
Saturday night.
Dead is Willie Pate Thomas,
c/m/38, who stepped out of his house
when he heard shots hearby Saturday
night around 9:30. He was killed
instantly with a bullet wound in the
upper chest. Eleven-year-old Otis Wil
liams. walking near the Thomas resi
dence with his father, was shot in the
leg as was Margaret Williams, c/f/38,
who lived at the residence. She also
stepped into the yard to see what was
happening. Injureu in the leg, the
Williams woman and the youth are
expected to recover. Both were trans
ported to Eranklin Memorial Hospital
after receiving first aid from the Louis
burg Rescue Service at the scene.
Chief Tharrington constructed the
events from witness reports as follows.
He said that Hartsfield entered Ophe
lia's Place, a Negro night spot, de
manding to know who had knifed his
brother, Winzell Hartsfield earlier Sat
urday. When he failed to find out who
had done this, he went to his car, took
out a .22 caliber automatic rifle and
began firing in the direction of the
Tho"mas-Williams residence.
Tharrington said that a Woman
identified as Carrie Joyner, who lived
across the street from the Williams, has
been charged Saturday with the knif
ing of the Hartsfield man. The shoot
ing was done in that general direction.
Winzell Hartsfield. according to Thar
rington, lived at the Joyner residence.
Johnny Hartsfield, who maintains
his innocence of the affair, was picked
up Sunday morning by Chief Tharring
ton and Sheriff William Dement near
the home of his parents at New Hope.
Tharrington said officers found 13
emntied cartridge hulls at the scene
Saturday night, indicating that a num
ber of shots were fired.
He said witnesses reported that
Thomas came out the back door of his
home and shouted for whoever it was
to stop the shooting. Tharrington said
the man was well liked and respected
in his neighborhood and that feelings
ran high in the area following the
slaying.
The Williams boy reportedly told
his father that he had been shot in the
leg just before he fell to the ground.
The Williams woman, an aunt of the
youth, had reportedly stepped into the
yard when Thomas did. A large crowd
gathered at the scene Saturday and an
all-night search was launched for the
suspect.
Tharrington said he believed it to
be coincidence that Thomas had once
been married to Hartsfield's sister sev
eral years ago.
Fountain Backs Free
Choice Amendment
Washington, D. C. . .Congressman
L. H. Fountain expressed the hope
Saturday the House and Senate would
retain language approved by House
and Senate conferees giving parents
some degree of choice of schools they
wish their children to attend.
The wording was contained in the
conference report on H.E.W. appropri
ations just approved by the conferees.
The report is to be filed in both houses
Monday.
"On the basis of news reports,"
Fountain said, "it appears the con
ferees retained at least some of the
amendments approved overwhelmingly
by the House. Incidentally, this was
the third time in as many years that
the House has expressed its will in no
uncertain terms." "? .
The effect of the language would be
to forbid H.E.W. to force any child ti
attend a school against the wishes of
his parents and would prevent H.E.W.
from withholding funds from any
school district in an effort to force it
to assign pupils to particular schools.
See Editorial Comment Page A -4
'This amendment would not end
desegregation which is a fact all over
the South," Fountain said. "It was
intended solely to keep federal dollars
from being used as a blackjack over
the heads of school boards and par
ents.
"This threat of force, which a
Federal court has found to be a fact to
at least one case, is being used to
disrupt entire school systems, contrary
to the best interests of all the children.
"Education no longer seems to be
of much value in the eyes of the
H.E.W. bureaucrats charged with the
responsibility of administering the
law," he said.
Fountain said "We must insist that
education - and quality education at
that - be restored as the prime func
tion of our public schools. The lan
guage adopted by the conferees would
be a step in that direction and I hope
See FOUNTAIN Page 4