The Oldest Newspaper Published In North Carolina c
The Garouna Watchman
"The Watchman Carnes a Summary of ^All The TS[ews”
Founded 1832~99th Year_ SALISBURY, FRIDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 18, 1931 Vol. 26, No. 42 Price 2 Cents
TAX SHORTAGES STEADILY MOUNTING
Rowan Tax Rate 4th Lowest In North Carolina
ONLY 3 OTHER
COUNTIES HAVE
A LOWER RATE
Commissioners Cut Rate
From 85 To 57, Repre
senting Reduction of 2 8
Cents.
BIGGEST SAVING
IS FOUND IN CUTS
IN SCHOOL LEVIES
Debt Service Rate Has In
creased; Average Re
duction 3 3 Per Cent;
Brunswick County Is
Highest With $2.00.
Rowan county has the fourth low
est tax rate in the state, according to
figures released by the North Carolina
tax commission.
The tax rate for the county is 57
cents on the $100 valuation. In 1930
the tax rate was 8 5 cents. This rep
resents a reduction of 28 cents.
The report of the tax commission
represented 83 of the state’s 100 coun
ties. Cleveland, Currituck and For
syth are the counties having a lower
rate. The highest rate was fixed by
Brunswick county with $2.00.
The average tax reduction was 33
cents on the $100.00 valuation. The
biggest slicing was effected in the I
smaller counties. The reductions were
made possible through the enactment
of several measures by the 1931 legis
lature.
The county wide tax rate of 1931
as compared with 1930 rates are as
follows:
i otai v_H_miiLy- w iuc ivaic
County 1931 1930 Dec.
Alamance _113 143 30
Alexander _100 115 15
Alleehany - 80 107 27
Anson _100 130 30
Ashe _145 150 05
Avery _150 177 27
Beauford _120 147 27
Bladen _119 124 05
Brunswick _200 200 —
Burke _ 82 106 24
Cabarrus _ 63 100 37
Caldwell _ 88 110 22
Camden _ 88 144 56
Carteret _.'...170 216 46
Caswell _115 15 5 40
Catawba_ 95 123 28
Chatham _100 122 22
Cherokee _ 96 128 32
Chowan _125 128 03
Cleveland _ 50 73 23
Craven _160 190 30
Cumberland _103 143 40
Currituck _ 49 129 80
Dare _183 193 ‘10
Davidson _ 65 13 5 70
Duplin _-145 170 25
Durham _ 85 110 2 5
Edgecombe _ 85 110 25
Forsyth _ 50 60 10
Franklin _112 133 21
Graham _103 150 47
Granville _ 94 13 8 44
Greene . 115 160 45
Guilford _64.4 79.4 15
Halifax . 75 125 50
Haywood t_107 129 22
Henderson ....105 155 50
Hertford _101 164 63
Hoke _ 80 104 24
Iredell _103 130 27
Jackson _136 164 32
Johnson _130 175 45
Jones _150 lqO 20
Lee _ 77 107 30
Lenoir _ 62 122 30
Lincoln _ 96 126 30
Macon _121 140 19
Madison _155 205 50
Martin _129 134 05
McDowell _ 95 135 40
Mecklenburg _ 58 85 27
Mitchell _144 187 43
Montgomery _125 160 3 5
Moore _ 73 105 32
Nash _.._ 85 125 40
New Hanover - 79 105 26
Northampton _ 90 130 40
(Please turn to back page)
Good
Morning
HOME
HOME—a world of strife shut out;
a world of love shut in.
HOME—the place where the great
are small and the small are great.
HOME—the father’s kingdom, the
child’s paradise and the mother’s
world.
HOME—the place where we grum
ble most and are treated best.
HOME—the center of affection,
around which our heart’s best wishes
twine.
HOME—a place where our stom
achs get three square meals daily, and
our hearts a thousand.
HOME—the only place on earth
where the faults and failings of hu
manity are hidden under the sweet
mantle of love.
KNOWS MEN
He: "I’ll never forget you."
She: "I’ll tell you something that
will make you forget me.”
He: "What is it?”
She: "Tomorrow is my birthday.”
GOOD REASON
Sam—Why did you tip that girl so
much when she gave you your coat?
Henry—Look at the coat she gave
me!
POINTED FAREWELL
Stenographer: "How did you get
hat scratch on your cheek?”
Second Typewriter Tickler: "When
i said good-bye to the boss at the
affice he had a pen behind his ear.”
THERE ALL THE TIME
School ma’am: "Emulate George
Washington.”
Dusky lad (from the rear of the
room) : No’m, I wasn’t late, I’se been
here all de time.”
ILLUMINATION
By Arthur Guitemvn
When I am dead,
What I have felt so long
My soul shall know
In clearer, purer lights
That where I loathed
And hated, I was wrong;
That where I loved ‘
And pitied, I was right.
From The American Hebrew.
A correspondent sends in a num
ber of quaint epitaphs from a collec
tion made by Susan Darling Safford.
Here is a pithy one:
Within this grave do lie,
Back to back my wife and I
When the last trump the air shall
fill,
If she gets up I’ll just lie still.
_a.
MONA LISA
For centuries these changeless eyes
Have kept
A grave and quiet mockery, and
The slow
Ironic smile of women who
Have wept.
And agonized, and come at last
To know
That one heart’s anguish is a
Little thing;
They hold a sombre pity
For the fears
Of men, the winds of destiny
Will fling
Like motes of dust upon the
Wheeling years;
They know that vast lies will
Outlive the earth;
;That flaming beauty, worshipped once
And loved,
Dies out of mind, like rain on
Drifted sands;
They see death wallow like a
Hound on birth;
And look on all—inscrutable,
Unmoved,
As when they looked on
Da-Vinci’s hands.
Floy Davis Laird,
The Harp—
x _
, He that studieth revenge, keepeth
his own wounds green.
H. E. ODDIE SUES MOTHER’S ESTATE
FOR 25,000 DOLLARS, ALLEGING BREACH
OF CONTRACT AND SERVICES RENDERED
Suit for $25,000 for breach of con
tract and services rendered has been
instituted in the superior court here
by H. E. Oddie against Lewis I.
Cauble, administrator of Sarah C.
Oddie, deceased.
Mr. Oddie, a son of the late Sarah
C. Oddie who died March 12 at the
advanced age of 87 years, alleges in
his complaint that his mother on
various and sundry occasions had stat
ed that he was to have ail of her pro
perty, of every kind and description,
at the time of her death for taking
care of her for a period of 28 years.
Mrs. Oddie’s estate is estimated at
$32,628.18, consisting chiefly of
stocks, bonds, notes, etc.
The plaintiff is represented by P.
S. Carlton, attorney. The complaint
is a lengthy document and contains
nine typewritten pages. As yet, an
answer has not been filed.
At the time of Mrs. Oddie’s death,
eight children survived, the complaint
states.
The complaint further alleges:
That shortly after the death of
her husband in 1901, his mother, the
late Sarah C. Oddie proposed to plain
tiff that if plaintiff would stay with
her as long as she lived and wait on
her and look after her and her pro
perty, nurse her in case of sickness,
then at her death she would give plain
tiff all the property she owned; that
plaintiff, relying on said promise of
his mother, accepted her proposition
and remained with her, looked after
her and her property, waited on her,
cooked for her and prepared her meals
and nourishement, and nursed her
through many cases of sickness untir
her death.
The complaint further alleges that
Mrs. Oddie for a long period of time
was sufferer from cancer and requir
ed constant attention and service.
Other members of the family, bro
thers and sisters of the plaintiff, had
refused to wait upon their mother
upon her husband’s death, the com
plaint avers.
The plaintiff also took care of an
invalid brother for five or six years
until his death upon his mother’s re
quest, the complaint further states.
The final paragraph, number 18,
says:
"That by reason of the failure of
the defendant’s intestate to comply
with her contract as hereinbefore set
out, and in consideration of the long
and continuous period of service ren
dered by the plaintiff to defendant’s
intestate, at her request and upon her
express agreement to compensate plain
tiff by giving plaintiff all of her pro
perty at her death, the plaintiff has
been damaged and is entitled to re
cover for services rendered, the sum
of $25,000, which said sum is not
subject to any credit set-off or count
erclaim whatsoever.”
Mrs. Oddie, plaintiff’s mother, died
without making a will.
The Oddie family resides on the
Stokes Ferry road, several miles below
Dunn’s mountain.
MERCHANT SENTENCED
Smithfield -— Ernest D. Hartley,
prominent merchant of Kenly, has
been sentenced to serve one year upon
the county roads in recorder’s court by
Judge W. P. Aycock. Hartley had
been indicted by a close friend, James
Flowers, for making a criminal as
sault upon Mrs. Viola Flowers, wife
of the affiant.
Flowers stated, upon the witness
stand, that he left Kenly on the morn
ing of September 14 on a short busi
ness trip, and returned sooner than he
had planned. Flowers declared that he
found Hartley and Mrs. Flowers to
gether in his bedroom, and that while
he was looking for his shotgun, Hart
ley made his escape. Hartley was ar
rested in his store sometime later by
officers.
Counsel for the defendant gave no
tice of appeal to the Superior court
and bond was fixed at $500.
Next Issue Will
Appear Wednesday
Because of Christmas coming on the
regular publication date of The
Watchman, next week's issue wiil
make its appearence Wednesday morn
ing, instead of Friday.
This will not only accommodate
The Watchman force but will also
enable our advertisers to present a last
minute display of Christmas merchan
dise to shoppers.
SUED FOR $20,000
Goldsboro—F. L. Manly, 8, started
suit in Wayne Superior court Tuesday,
represented by his father, W. H. Man
ly, for $20,000 damages against the
Southern Towel company, incoporat
ed.
The plaintiff alleges that he sus
tained a broken leg and permanent in
jury of body and mind when he was
run over by a truck of the defendant
company on East Ash street, Septem
ber 10, 1931.
REPUBLICANS WILL
MEET IN CHICAGO
The 1932 national republican con
vention will be held in Chicago, ac
cording to a decision in Washington
of the national committee empowered
to select the place of the meeting.
President Hoover is expected to be
renominated at this convention.
Senator Fess, of Ohio, national
chairman was in charge of the meet
ing and predicted a republican vic
tory next November with Hoover as
leader.
NEW BERN MAN BURNED
New Bern—Thinking that he was
throwing cylinder oil on a fire in the
boiler at the fire station to make the
fire better, Sam Dill, Jr., threw gas
oline instead and as a result sustained
a badly burned arm. It is getting
along satisfactorily.
Who’s Who In Rowan
OFFICIALS AND DIRECTORS OF
SALISBURY-SPENCER ASSOCIA
TION.
Officers.
Edwin Earle, Jr., president.
S. H. Plexico, vice president.
Stokes Devereux, vice president.
Victor Yost, treasurer.
Mrs. W. F. Ratts, secretary.
Directors.
R. L. Bernhardt.
T. M. Casey.
Stokes Devereux.
Edwin Earle, Jr.
E. L. Foil.
A. W. Harry.
J. F. Hurley, Jr.
S. Holmes Plexico.
C. F. Raney.
T. A. Snider.
Victor Yost.
INTRUDER WOUNDED
Aberdeen—Mrs. E. G. Adams
awakened during the night by a noise
at her window, aroused her husband
who pointed his automatic toward the
window and fired. Screams of pain and
sounds of hasty footsteps indicated
that the shot hit its mark. Jasper
Little was later arrested when charges
were preferred against him.
SWALLOWS MARBLE
Oakboro—Dwight Cauble, young
son of Mr. and Mrs. Summie Cauble
was rushed to Charlotte to have
specialists remove a marble which he
had swallowed and which lodged in
his throat. Some time was required to
perform the operation, but the little
fellow is getting along okeh now.
NORTH CAROLINA
NEWS IN
BRIEF
* ii i
BABE RUTH DOING WELL
New Bern—Babe Ruth, baseball
bambino, spending a few days at a
hunting cabin near here, killed a dear,
a goose and a turkey during the week
end.
THREE WAY ACCIDENT
Elizabeth City—A freight train
struck two white men at a highway
crossing and stopped to aid them. Six
negroes came along in an automobile
and crashed into the train. All were
painful but not seriously hurt.
, $200,000 FIRE LOSS
New Bern—Fire, fanned by a strong
wind but hampered by rain, destroyed
Belk’s Department store and damaged
the stock of an adjoining mercantile
establishment Wednesday morning..
Damage was estimated by Belk’s of
ficals and the building owners to be
$200,000.
INCREASE IN FATALITIES
Raleigh—There was an increase o;
11 in deaths from automobile acci
dents in North Carolina for the first
ten months of this year as compared
with the first ten months of last year.
The list shows 5 99 persons killed in
the state prior to November I.
COUNTY REGISTER RESIGNS
Asheboro—E. A. Routh, elected
register of deeds in Randolph counts
on the Democratic ticket in 1930, has
resigned to accept a position with the
Asheboro Bank and Trust company
John Bulla of Randleman was named
to fill the unexpired term.
DENIES MURDERS
Danbury—Charles O. Osborne, fat
her of C. E. Osborne, who committee
suicide 10 days ago, denies that he
murdered two men in New York or
Chicago a decade ago as charged by
the dead son in a note he left on his
body. The father is 72 years of age.
' BAD FOR ITINERANTS
Greensboro—Itinerant merchants
operating in Greensboro will be sub
jected to a tax of $10 per day or $40
per week and be required to pay othei
taxes imposed upon merchants. The
city board passed such an ordiance tc
prohibit outsiders from setting up and
robbing legitimate merchants of pro
fits they deserve.
YOUNG MAN HURT
High Point—James Miller, 24, who
says that he was reared in an orphan
age in Missouri and who for three
years has been "beating” about the
country earning a livihood with odd
jobs, was carried to the Guilford Gen
eral hospital suffering from injuries he
says that he sustained when struck by
a man who robbed Kim of $10. His
condition is not believed to be serious.
He was picked up at the corner ol
College and English streets by Yow’s
ambulance.
WOUNDED IN CHEST
Lumberton—Arthur Davis, of Fair
mont, is in the Baker sanatorium here
with a serious bullet wound in his
left chest accidentally inflicted when
his rifle, which he was taking out of
his car and which he did not know
was loaded discharged. The bullet
passed through the chest just above
the heart. Mr. Davis is one of Fair
mont’s prominent business men and
farmers.
HURT WHILE HUNTING
Hickory—Accidental discharge of
a shotgun in the hands of Marley Lail,
seriously injured Oscar Winkler, 31,
who is in the hospital here with both
eyes severely wounded. Accordin'* to
attending physicians Winker will lose
his sight. He is also believed to be
suffering from a cerebral hemorrhage.
The accident occurred in the Cat
fish section of Catawba county. The
two men, who were said to be close
friends, were rabbit hunting with
Winkler’s father, A. L. Winkler, and
John Hollar, of Longview, and a
negro man, Will Reed.
NEW DISCOVERIES
FOUND DAILY AS
PROBE CONTINUES
No Statement Forthcom
ing From Geo. M. Lyerly
Since Resignation De
cember 12 th.
MRS. W. F. WHITT
ISJNAMED ACTING
CITY TREASURER
Papers Burned By Lyerly
Immediately Preceding
Resignation; Probe Con
tinues; No Indictments
Issued.
Auditors announced Thursday the
discovery of additional shortages 7in
the special license tax accounts of
George M. Lyerly, city tax collector,
and treasurer who resigned his posi
tion December 12.
It isreported that shortages amount
ing to approximately $2,000 have
been discovered in the records since
June 1, 1931, but the auditors in
charge of the work refused to con
firm the report as the various tabula
tions had not been completed.
Garland E. Martin, Jr., represent
ing James M. Archer and Co., certi
fied public accountants, is in charge
of the audit.
During the past week the auditors
have been checking the stubs of the
privilege license tax records with the
actual licenses issued. Variances be
tween the price listed on the stub and
the price stipulated on the license in
a number of instances have been dis
covered.
I he auditors are now investigating
the accounts pertaining to the col
lection of taxes on real and personal
prooerty.
Since June 1, 1931, the city has
realized from privilege license taxes
approximately $7,800. This amount, it
stated, should total $10,000 or rn-ye.
In some instances, it is stated,
no records have been found showing
payments of delinquent privilege
taxes.
While the city council was in spe
cial session on Saturday, December 12,
it is reported, Mr. Lyerly burned a
considerable quantity of papers in the
stove in the city office. Whether the
papers were records of accounts could
not be ascertained.
Mr. Lyerly is under a $25,000 sur
ety bond and it is believed the city
is amply protected.
Mrs. W. F. Whitt has been named
acting treasurer of the city. No other
changes have been made in this depart
ment.
Mr. Lyerly was tax collector of the
city for more than a decade and had
been city treasurer since 1927.
Auditors state the exact amount of
the shortage could not be made known
until all the records have been ex
amined.
No indictments have been issued.
TO REOPEN HOSPITAL
Marion—A definite promise that
the Marion General hospital will be
re-opened soon, probably in January,
has been given out by C. F. James,
chairman of the board of trustees of
the institution.
It has been decided that the best
way to operate it will be for a busi
ness manager and a graduate nurse,
one handling the hotel and the other
handling the medical angle, to have
charge of the institution. Local doc
tors may take their patients there for
treatment under their guidance, and
patients going to the hospital may
call in any doctor they wish to treat
them.
The job of paving off the hospital’s
debts has been practically completed.
It was the heavy load of debts that
forced its closure last February and
kept it closed until a new financing
program could be put into effect.
CLUB HELPS NEEDY
Graham—The local Kiwanis club
has voted to dispense with eats at the
next three meetings and turn the
money that would have been spent
over to charity.