North Carolina Newspapers

| $1 Per Year j | Until Nov. 2nd j ESTABLISHED SEPTEMBER 19, 1878. Judge Devin Dr es Forward on Jig Docket - i ■ ■ ■■ " Sensible and Effective Charge to Grand Jury—Business Rapidly Disposed Os geo. BROOKS GETS 15 YEARS Submitted to Second Degree Murder; Wife of Dead Man Wouldn’t Talk Goes to Jail The term of court for trial of criminal cases convened Monday morning with Judge Devin on the bench and Solicitor Williams prosecuting. The following citizens composed the grand jury: C. N. Bray, foreman, J. Q. Covert, Geo. Smith, John M. Foust, W. C. Braswell, H. A Brooks, H. G. Beard, S. G Brady, J. B. Powers, J. E. Stur divant, C. W. Womble, W. L Johnson, W. F. Norwood, R. L Hatcher, A, J. Pipkin, G. W. Gee, Junie Goodwin,' A. D. Farrell. Messrs. Womble and Powers were excused. Judge Devin’s Charge Judge Devin’s charge was packed with good sense and was a clear-cut presentation of the duties of the grand jury. He saw in the exceedingly heavy docket of 150 cases not an evi dence of increased lawlessness but of increased devotion to duty of the county officers and a greater cooperation on the part of law-abiding citizens in bring ing culprits to the bar of justice. Laws so long as on the statute books should be enforced, de clared the judge. If every man may disregard such laws as he himself doesn’t consider impor tant, every man becomes a law unto himself and anarchy pre vails. He sees boys under the age limit driving cars with their fathers sitting by them. “What,” asked the judge, “will be the effect on such boys who know that they and their fathers are deliberately breaking one of the state’s laws ?” He paid his attention to the “unwritten law” and declared that it is the duty of a man un der even the greatest provoca tion to restrain his impulses. Likewise, men in this state for merly participated in lynchings and thought they had done well. But fortunately better counsel is now prevailing and every good citizen should rejoice that mob law is losing its hold in North Carolina. Emphasizing the duty of citizens to cooperate in the en forcement of the prohibition law, he said that in case of a robbery every citizen was ready to help run down the thief, but a bootlegger might sell whiskey in Pittsboro and debauch the youth of the town and probably nine out of ten would say let the police or sheriff catch him. He was sure that Chatham’s efficient officers received a larger degree of cooperation than those of some counties, but would gladly see every citizen a wake to his duty. The thief takes only property; the whis key dealer destroys the very men and the future’s hope in the youth. Touching deftly on the law in many particulars, he yet compassed his charge in a comparatively few minutes. Events of the first day moved rapidly. Many submissions were made and judgments pro nounced promptly and emphati cally. It was clear from the °utset that convicted offenders Were in for a severe shock. (Continued on sage eight) , The Chatham Record SlLif MILL BOOKS ORDER Mill to Contain $140,000 Worth of Machinery—Goods Now Being Produced on Small Scale Pittsboro has a bigger thing in its silk mill than appearances might indi cate. The building is comparatively small, but, on the authority of Mr. Zeigler himself, there will be $140,000 worth of machinery in it within four months. The machines are complicat ed and difficult of manufacture. Work is being pushed forward on them, but it is a waiting process. Several machines have been moved from the New Jersey factory and new ones are expected shortly. In the meantime two or three are being operated under the direction of Mrs. Zeigler herself, who is an expert and will train the workers one by one or in larger groups. That the demand for the product of the mill is large is indicated by a few such facts as the following: A $14,000 order has just been book ed from the National Cloak and Suit Company. This order covert six hun dred thousand labels, and the work of creating them may be seen in progress at the new mill within a few days. That means that hundreds of thousands of women will be wearing cloaks bearing labels made in Pitts boro. The New Jersey factory has been furnishing three million labels a year to Mayo Mills at Mavodan, this state. Besides the silken labels for garments the mills design and manufacture souvenir badges for great conven tions of Shriners and other fraternal orders, Red Cross badges, etc. Mr. Zeigler is a designer himself, but has had his attention directed to other matters mostly in recent years. Look at the maker’s label on your best coat, i with name woven in a ribbon of sev eral colors and you may judge some what of the complication of the pro ■ cess of manufacture. Young women are to be trained to do this work and Mr. Zeigler assures us that the pay will be greater than in the cotton mills, ranging about $lB to S2O a week, while working condi tions will be pleasant. Moreover, he states that the first employed, if : capable will be in line for promotion for the more lucrative jobs later on. SILER CITY NEWS Mrs. Fox Delightfully Entertains Se nior Class—Mrs. Bynum Hon ors Miss Green Siler City, Oct. 24.—An affair most pleasing to the senior class, of the lo cal high school was a Hallowe’en par ty given its members last evening by their grade mother, Mrs. M. M. Fox at her hospitable home from 8 to 11 o’clock. The lawn presented a most weird appearance with its silent ghostly figures and jack-o’-lanterns by the light of which the guests were directed to proceed by a most diffi cult path to the witches den to the rear of the house. Here they were served brew from the caldron by the king of Around a fire near by the merry young folks toasted marshmallows until called to pass through the “chamber of horrors” be fore entering the appropriately decorated rooms of the home to en gage in contests and music. Winners of the prizes were Frances Dorsett and Josiah Dark. In the dining room was served sandwiches, coffee and nuts after which the 36 members of the class expressed their apprecia tion to their hostess. Assisting Mrs. Fox in her entertainment was Mrs. F. H. Elkins. One of the lovliest social events given here was a tea Thursday after noon by Mrs. T. D. Bynum honoring her house guest, Miss Alice Green, a returned missionary from China. Re ceiving at the front door were Mes dames J. C. Gregson and J. B. Marley, who introduced the guests to the re ceiving line composed of Mrs. Ey num, Miss Green, Mrs. O. I. Hinson and Mrs. W. H. Teer of Durham, who is also a guest of her sister Mrs. Bynum. Directing those calling to the dining room was Mrs. Junius Wren. Here they were received by Mesdames H. L. Jordan and J. S. Wrenn following which they were served tea by Mesdames M. .M. Fox and W. H. Hadley, the sandwiches, chocolate, orange and cocoanut crus ties and nuts being served by Mes damesk R. F. Paschal and L. C. Rol lins. During the afternoon about 75 ladies called to meet Miss Green, who is a most pleasing visitor. Attending the funeral at Liberty yesterday afternoon of Dr. G. A. Foster were R. H. Dixon, J. J. Jenk ins, L. L. Wrenn, Mr. and Mrs. L. P. Dixon, Mrs. Rudy Kirkman, and Mr. and Mrs. P. H. Elkins. Mr. and Mrs. L. B. Durham and little daughter of Mddleburg are visiting the home of Mr. and Mrs. W. S. Durham. Mrs. W. D. Reed of Charlotte is spending a few days with her mother, Mrs. J. W. McAdams. PITTSBORO, N. C., CHATHAM COUNTY, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1925 Mediaeval Castle to be Erected at Chapel Hill The above picture shows a structure that seemingly belongs to mediaeval Europe rather than to the modern North Carolina University town. The Gim ghouls, whoever, or whatever they are, will erect it. In fact it is already in process of con struction, the work having be gun since the publication of the following account in the Chapel Hill Weekly of two or three weeks ago. Not only the structure, but the picturesque Valdesians who are building it will probably make the site a centre of inter est for hundreds of Chathamites. The interest takes on additional interest to the editor of the Rec ord in that one of his school boys of near thirty years ago, Prof. Hickersori, is chairman of the building committee. The Week ly said: “This is the design for the new home of the Gimghouls at Piney Prospect, on the far edge of Battle’s Park. It will com mand a splendid view over the valley to the east. “Courtland Curtis, teacher of architecture in Tulane Univer sity, who graduated here in 1900 and is a member of the or- INTERESTING NEWS NOTES OF GOLDSTON \ Rev. H. L. Witten preached a fine sermon at the Methodist church last Sunday morning. We wish more people could have been out and heard him. Mr. Witten always gives us something worth while. He will also preach next Sunday evening and it will probably be his last sermon here before going to conference. Let’s give him a large crowd. Mr. and Mrs. P. O. Barber and little daughter Bettie, spent last Tuesday in Greensboro. The Eastern Star gave an oyster supper here Saturday evening which was enjoyed by many people. Mrs. J. J. Goldston has returned from a visit to Dr. Buie in Greens-* boro. Miss Ola Harmon spent the week end in Goldston. Mesdames A. M. Womble, A. B. Womble, W. L. Goldston, and L. B. Hester spent last Friday in Greens boro for the purpose of purchasing a piano for the new Baptist church. Miss Mary Hammond and Miss Pearl Johnson spent the week-end in Durham. The eastern section 'of Goldston seems to be on a building boom. Mr. Jake Dixon is building a store which will soon be completed. Mr. C. C. Hilliard is having a nice home built and Mr. Harley Gardner is getting his material ready to build a home. Mr. J. C. Elkins has taken over the Bennett Sash and Blind factory and will move it to Goldston. Mr. and Mrs. W. L. Burns, of Con cord, spent the week-end here with his parents, Dr. and Burns. Mr. Cornelius Womble, the young est son of Mr. C. W. Womble, went to Fayetteville last Tuesday for the pur pose of standing an examination for license in order to enter the ministry of the Gospel. He will attend the eastern confer ence at Fayetteville in November and will be given work this year. Mr. Womble is certainly a fine young man and conference s receiving a man of model type into their work. The ministry is a wonderful calling. To give one’s life wholly to this work and leave the worldly things of life behind is most estimatiable and is due much honor. We wish Mr. Wom ble the best of success in his work. The Parent-Teachers Association met at the school building last Mon day evening and enjoyed a fine gram, " der, made the design. “In departing from the style of architecture prevalent in and around Chapel Hill, the Gimg houls are guided by the tradi tions of their society, which is founded upon mediaeval lore and legend. The towers and battle ments of the castle will comport well with its isolated position on a thickly wooded hill. “It will be reached by a road" which winds through the woods from the recently built-up resi dential quarter. “The boss of the stone work ers of the Valdesian colony in Burke county is now in Chapel Hill to confer with T. F. Hicker son, chairman of the Gimghoul building committee, about the erection of the castle walls. If they come to an agreement, the Valdesian force, French people who settled in North Carolina, will come here and camp in the woods near the site. A great mass of stone is piled up, ready to be set in place, and as much more as may be needed is lying about on the hillside. “It is thought that the cost of the structure will be something between $30,000 and $40,000.” The following program was ren dered: Song: “America.” Devotional exercise by Mr. W. R. Thomas. Swing Song, by a part of the fifth sixth and seventh grade girls. Solo: “My Task,” by Miss Ola Harmon. Chorus: Down in Dixie,” fifth, sixth, and seventh grade girls. A speech by Mr. W. R. Thompson. After Mr. Thompson’s good talk, the ladies served coffee and sand wiches which all enjoyed. It is a very fine thing to have the men members of the Parent-Teachers Association. They are parents as * well as the women. We meet in the evenings when the men can attend and they do attend very regularly. There are other parents who should become members whom we will be glad to re ceive at any time. It was stated in our last write-up that we were expecting a speaker from the University of North Caro lina but we failed to get him at that time. We were very glad to have the editor of the Chatham Record in Goldston last Friday. Mrs. Lizzie Harris, who. has not been well for sometime is improved in health. She was at church last Sunday morning. The Goldston high school folks are planning to have a Hallowe’en en tertainment next Friday evening. WOMAN’S CLUB MEETING The regular meeting of the Woman’s Club of Pittsboro will be held in the Club Room Wednesday, November -4th, 1925 at 3:00 o’clock. It is vitally important that every member be present as definite plans must be made for the annual bazaar, as well as work for the coming year. Everyone who has articles ready for bazaar is asked to bring same. Mrs. R. A. Glenn is custodian for Bazaar articles. MRS. JAS. L. GRIFFIN, Pres. MISS EVELYN ALSTON, Secty. PIE SUPPER There is to be a Hallowe’en party and Pie Supper at Moses school house Saturday night, beginning at 8 o’clock. Everybody is cordially in vidSt Stephens and Burke Both Draw Penitentiary Terms ... ii i i i i■■ i . i— i ■ A CHATHAM TO GET SECOND SHALE PLANT Pomona Terra Cotta Company Buys Shale La?id in Gulf Vicinity The following article from last week’s Carolina Banner, of Sanford, gives news of real interest to Cha tham county people as well as con siderable information about the shale area: j It looks as if another clay prod ucts plant will be built in the vicinity of Gulf. The Pomona Terra Cotta company, of Greensboro, which has been looking over this field has bought a tract of about 150 acres of the Knall land not far from Gulf, and i the understanding is that a plant for the manufacture of their product will be built before long. They looked over the field rather carefully, and finally concluded that up on the Yad kin Valley ga\sp thefh the location they preferred, and the shale that seemed suitable for their needs, and they have secured a material that they regard with a great deal of con fidence. This emphasizes the importance of the manufacture of clay products in the Sanford neighborhood. In a short „ time the Borden plant near Sanford will be ready to run, and they will use a lot of shale, and make big lots of building material. They will em ploy a bunch of men, and liven up affairs in their section of the com munity. The shale proposition in the Deep 1 river valley, of which Sanford is about the southern boundary, is far bigger than is generally realized. The concerns that are locating in the l Triassic shales show the results of I their investigations, and a lot more ' of going into the character, quality ■ and quantity of the shales available » will show that shales are one of the k main industrial standbys of the cen ' tral part of North Carolina. Under , the surface, and from the upper mes sures that are exposed in the vicinity ' of Sanford and Jonesboro down to - the lower measures seven or eight r thousand feet below, is a succession of shales of various types, many of which have not yet been tested by the r , brick maker, and which may include better stuff than any that has yet been brought into use. As the forma • tion extends to the north and west • it rises higher, so that the nearer the river from Sanford the higher strata is brought in sight, and on the other ■ side of the river still different levels ► are exposed at the out crop. The re sult is a body of shale that underlies 1 hundreds of square miles, and which is big enough and varied enough to provide unlimited amounts of ma terial, and of many different sorts. The manufacture of clay products is only starting, and as the coal is handy for fuel the whole thing neces ( sary to carry on brick and tile mak ing is at hand, and the business can t go on expanding as the demand for 1 the different products becomes aware . of the local supply. Program Scheduled For Hallowe’en Night, The 30th. ' Parent-Teacher Association Plans Hallowe’en Carnival > l On the night when mystic spirits ; are supposed to be abroad and super i natural events take place there will - be given under the auspices of the Parent-Teachers Association of Pitts ) boro at the school auditorium a • Hallowe’en Carnival. Promptly at • 4:45 Friday afternoon there will be : a basket ball game. The supper, to be served cafeteria “ style, will be a most inviting feature 1 of the carnival. Creamed chicken, hot coffee, potato salad, beaten biscuit, : pickles, sandwiches, ice cream and [ cake will be served. ' There will be home-made candies, as well as Hallowe’en articles for sale t also. After supper there will be a pota to race. Judge Walter D. Siler will give a prize for the winning girl; Connell and Johnson a prize for the winning boy. For the most attractively costumed girl Mr. A. H. London will give first prize, and Mr. Jas. L. Griffin second prize. For the most original costum ed boy, first prize will be given by Brooks''and Eubanks, second prize by Mr. W. H. Griffin. Immediately after the costume con test a boxing and wrestling bout, sponsored by the Athletic Association will be staged. The admission fee for this feature of the carnival to be announced later. There be no charge for admission to the carnival. Everybody is urged to come in cos tume. For an evening full of mirth and fun on Fridav. October 30th be sure : to come-to the school auditorium. Proceeds to be used for school. MRS. E. A. FARREL, Sec. The Best j I Advertising Medium j ! in Chatham County j VOL. 48. NO. 6 5* - - Notable Whipping Case Vigor ously Fought; Defense Re lies on Burke Alibi JURY DELIBERATES 12 HOURS All Get Prison Sentences W. O. Stephens Six Years and Fon Burke 5 Years in Pen “Guilty” was the verdict of the twelve good citizens whose lot it was to decide the fate of W. O. and T. A*. Stephens, Fon Burke, and the two negroes, Buck De Graffenreidt and Will Farris, on trial practically all day Wednesday on the dastardly charge of making a secret as sault upon Mr. Ragland of Cape Fear township. It was near midnight Wednesday when the case was given them. It had moved rapidly during its several phases during the forenoon, afternoon and evening, Judge Devin being de termined that it should be finished if it should take an all-night session. Four speeches had been delivered, two before supper, by Wade Barber for the defense and W. P. Horton for the state, and two after supper, the one by Walter D. Siler for the de fense, the other by Solicitor Williams, both of whom, impressed by the gravity of the issue at stake, spoke long and exhaustively. The judge then skilfully reviewed the evidence and turned the fate of the three men i over to the jury. But an immediate i decision was not forthcoming. The : court held itself in readiness for a i decision, but instead received a re r quest for a rehearsal of the charge > in certain particulars. It being thus » indicated that an immediate decision . would not be reached, the court room • was vacated and at midnight the jury . too decided to sleep on the case and r was escorted to the Blair Hotel by > officer Lacey Johnson, where after b considerable shifting of guests, the i twelve jurors and the officer were i comfortably housed for the night. > They breakfasted bright and early ; Thursday morning and were ready for ; business before many of the citizens ■ of Pittsboro had left their cosy quart ; ers. ! A Review of the Case Saturday, that the people of the ’ Buckhorn section of Cape Fear town ’ ship were startled to learn that one ’ of their fellows had been coaxed from 1 home the night before and severely ’ beaten. It was Mr. J. M. Ragsland, a highly respected citizen, and his , story was one to arouse the ire of any | red-blooded community. » Decoyed from Home A white man had presented him i self at Mr. Ragland’s home on the ■ night before, told him that a certain | officer had captured one still and wanted his assistance in a further raid. Mr. Ragland hesitated to go but was finally persuaded to accom pany the man. They had not gone far down the road toward the public highway when the man asked Mr. Ragland if he had i a pistol, and on being told no, said he had a d—n good one. A little fur ther and the fellow snatched his gun from his pocket, thrust it in his vic tim’s face, seized him by the collar, and called out that he had the man. Thereupon two negroes came from ' the bushes and thoroughly pummeled the astounded citizen. Tie was then * ordered to return home. He was sadly shaken up and bruised but not 5 seriously injured. From the words of the decoy and J the circumstances it was assumed ' that the attack was due to the victim’s J hostility to? the liquor business and ? suspicion was necessarily directed to 1 the alleged booze-dealers of the com munity. But the decoy was a perfect > stranger to Mr. Ragland, and the ! identity of the negroes equally un known. Clues Lacking I There were apparently no clues and probably suspicion would never ■ have been directed toward Fon Burke if he had not got into other trouble and been jailed. It was only three days after the assault upon Mr., Ragland when Fon Burke was arrested on the charge of rape alleged to have been committed the afternoon before the whipping that night. Burke was jailed and spent a short time in the penetentiary for safe keeping from possible mob attack. Later he was returned to the jail and secured the quashing of the case against him by consenting to marry the girl and by her stating before the justice’s court that she was probably mistaken as to the legal or illegal character of her alleged as sailant’s behavior. Burke Marries Girl The marriage was consummated and Burke went free. But in jail at , this time was one Vanius Wimberly charged with violation of the prohi (Continued on page five).