Newspapers / The Chatham Record (Pittsboro, … / Feb. 3, 1927, edition 1 / Page 1
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The Chatham Record ESTABLISHED SEPTEMBER 19, 1878 : he Record Plant Total Fire Loss * » Marne Friday Evening Sweeps Build ing and Plant— Nothing Left— 1 Chatham Job Shop Also Destroyed. j. within a few minutes Friday, a 1 a fter dark, totally destroyed the fluting occupied by this paper and ,^ r y piece of machinery and every type ~, _iing to the newspaper plant, also mailing list, files, etc. . building, a ramshackle wooden JrM-rure once used as a knitting mill, j .;ed to the London estate. It was .* b ally uninsurable, as were of r .e its contents. Consequently, the j,,.. is without recourse. ; fire originated in a room parti tioned off in the southwest corner and tl , r the last two months housing a little job plant set up by Wade Jones, of Broadway, and Mr. Gregson of San ford. The flames originated only a few foot from the extreme south end of the job room, clear beyond the range of possibilities of ignition from the little eoai stove used to heat the room. It was at first supposed to have caught from defective wires about the meters on the wall of that room, but closer observation showed the starting point beyond this danger point and nearer the southwest corner of the building, where the job press and the electric motor were located. The possibilities of ignition from the wiring of the motor or the motor’s get ting to running through some accidental means were canvassed. But the explana tion was probably found in the use of a little heating device by the young job printers in keeping their ink pliable. A lad who has been helping with the press and folding work of The Record reported the little heater as in operation a few weeks ago when the paper was at press one night, and the same lad states that he was in the job room Friday evening just before the young printers left and saw the heater a-going. If that is the explanation it accounts for the phenomena that prevented the saving of a single thing from the newspaper room. If the heater was on, close up to the ink cans, as stated by the lad, ' A tiny bit of paper flipped upon it by a scur rying mouse (and there was a mouse occasionally seen) would ignite, set the warm ink drops on the outside of the buckets afire, thus igniting the buckets of ink—and printer's ink is probably more inflammable than tar. The burning of the ink (and this happened however the flame started) filled the room with the blackest kind of smoke, which found its way into the newspaper room and was augmented by the catching of the ink in the rear of the newspaper presses. 1 hen the flame crept along the trash near the wooden walls ’of the job room through a rear door in the parti tion wall, and passed over scattered pap er in the extreme rear of the news paper room and to the inky waste about the ink cans. Unis the larger part of the building , was clear of flame but swirling with hot carbon-laden smoke and gaseous fumes from the burning ink, which while en- ( dosed operated as a damper upon the progress of the flames but which blazed from end to end in a moment after a window was opened in the front of the building, shooting a flame three feet outward. The building then went like i tinder. ( •lust a few minutes’ delay in getting , ?:U * fire department’s chemical engine on fiw scene prevented any hope of help from that source. A good stream of ater ? rom a hose would have saved die larger part of the building and all ne newspaper plant any minute before uH ‘ opening of the window and the flash i.g nt the carboniferous smoke, unless be combination of the water and burn ,llg nov should have created acetylene gds >n sufficient quantities to defy the hose. Fiat is all—nothing is left, but here s Gir Record just the same. CONVICTS HIRED TO WAYNE Mr. A. T. Ward, superintendent of ( batham roads, returned Wednesday niornin gfrom Goldsboro, where he hired <^eu ’ a convicts to the Wayne County bssioners. The Chatham authorities dn one die point of discontinuing work '!,:g Co «victs on Chatham roads, though ‘ u eleven short-term ones will work ,tJ t their time here. » Mr. Vard states that when he became u i'- < udendent that he at once realized ■Tut the building of new roads with the labor would have to be discon or taxes raised or the improved r , U “ (! a H°wed to run down. He advised • IS< tinuing building and applying “ nds a * present to upkeep of roads already built. M c:\ne will pay $7 a month for each !” r *soner and all expenses of keep, guard )ng ’ and transportation. 40TH ANNIVERSARY SILER CITY LODGE Celebrated in Great Style Friday Night —Judge Winston Chief Speaker. The fortieth anniversary of the Siler City Masonic Lodge was celebrated last Friday night with an excellent program. The chief speaker of the occasion was Judge F. D. Winston, who is represent ing Bertie in the house of representatives this year. The meeting, which was held in the school auditorium, was public, and many besides Masons attended. The meeting was opened with prayer by Pastor Maness of the Methodist church. Mrs. J. D. Seawell sang a solo. M. M. Fox reviewed the history of the lodge from its inception, with twelve members, though reaching a membership of 28 members within a year. There have been 19 masters of the lodge during the forty years, namely, J. L. Smith, W. W. Edwards, I. N. Mann, D. G. Fox, W. F. Craven, S. S. Smith, L. M. Stout, M. M. Fox, E. 1,. Curtis, R. O. Welch, A. A. Lambe, J. B. Marley, W. A. Headen, B. B. Shamburger, C. B. Thomas, J. Q. Seawell, B. B. Bray, Junius Wren, and C. C. Hughes. V. R. Johnson, of Pittsboro, deputy grandmaster for Lee and Chatham coun ties, made timely remarks. Judge W. D. Siler, also of Pittsboro, introduced Judge Winston in a very complimentary man ner. The Judge was very felicitous in his speech and won the hearts of his audience. The entire audience was invited to the domestic science room where delicious sandwiches and coffee were served by the high school girls. MONCURE NEWS LETTER Dr. Lassiter Passes—Moncure Man Victim of Desperado, Other Items. Mr. W. T. L’tley, our efficient deputy sheriff of Moncure, was shot and serious ly wounded Sunday afternoon while aid ing Sheriff Turner of Lee County in q desperate gang of stillers in Lee County near Rosser's Siding. He was taken to Central Carolina Hospital, Sanford, N. C., for medical attention. It is stated that unless complications set in, his chances for recovery are good. Dr. P. D. Laster, a veteran physician, died this morning, February 1, at 2:30 o'clock. He practiced medicine during the Civil War and has been a highly successful physician in this section for over a half century. He was eighty-six years old and was a consistent member of Gum Springs Baptist church. He leaves four sons, P. S. Laster and Waverly H. Laster, of Moncure, A. A. I.aster of Tenn., Max Laster, of Battle boro, N. C.; and one daughter, Mrs. C. T. Dezern, of Moncure. He will be buried Wednesday after noon at 2:30 o’clock at Gum Springs cemetery. Mr. W. R. Williams, of Sanford, N. C. was in town Monday, opened the bank building and handed out some valuable papers which was in the vault for safe keeping. Mr. D. C. Holler also of Sanford, N. C., who is co-receiver with Mr. Jas L. Griffin, of Pittsboro, for Moncure Mill & Gin Co., is in town a good deal of the time looking after the business. Mr. Will H. Griffin, of Pittsboro, N. C., is also assisting him. VETERAN COCKMAN PASSES Again death has laid low one of the brave hoys of the sixties. Mark A. Cock man, aged 83, died suddenly Saturday, just after breakfast, at his home seven miles west of Pittsboro. Mr. Cockman was a most highly es teemed citizen, and won distinction for bravery during the war between the states when a mere youth. He was married twice. Children of his first wife are Mr. J. A. Cockman, a successful business man of Baltimore, and Mrs. J. McNeill Johnson, of Aber deen. Children of the second wife are. Lee, of Miami, Fla., and Alex’ and Henry, and Miss Cora, of this county. The burial was at Pleasant Hill M. E. church Sunday afternoon. Revs. C. M. Lance and R. R. Gordon, of Pittsboro, conducted the funeral services. Many friends were present to show their last mark of esteem for the departed veteran. Messrs. J. A. and Lee Cockman, sons, could not be located in time to be pres ent. AN INVITATION Come one, come all, to the quilting bee to be held in our own club room. The fourteenth is the date, the hour is eight; romance and fun will reign. Fine prize for best costume. PITTSBORO, N. C., CHATHAM COUNTY, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1927 ATTENTION, POSTMASTERS AND R. F. D. CARRIERS, PLEASE Gentlemen : The Record’s mailing list w r as destroyed in the fire that utterly destroyed the plant Friday night and we are dependent upon your good graces to distribute the paper this week to the best of your ability so that subscribers may learn that they are requested to drop us cards giving their name and postoffice, also R. F. D. route and the date to which their subscription is paid. A liberal supply of papers will be sent you so that if you happen to give some non-subscribers copies you . may still have enough to supply the subscribers. A notice stuck up at the postoffice door asking sub scribers to call for The Record by name would doubtless help the dis tribution. NOTICE TO SUBSCRIBERS We are trying to get the paper to all of you we can this week. We have little uneasiness about reaching the Chatham county subscribers, but they and others who know' that The Record’s plant, including subscription list, has been burned can help by notifying distant friends who take the paper and asking them to send in their address or by giving it to us themselves. For instance, we know that J. A. Cockman’s paper goes to Baltimore, but we haven’t his street address. Let every subscriber send in his complete address and date to which his subscription is paid. TWO ARRESTS IN FLOGGING CASE Mother of Mrs. Midyette and Brother-in-Law Placed Un- Arrest Saturday. Durham, N. C., February 2.—Upon warrants sw r orn out by Chief of Police Walter F. Doby, plain clothes officers Saturday afternoon arrested Mrs. Nettie Edwards, 401 Jackson street, and Na than May, her brother-in-law, 401 Mor ris street, and held them under bond for charges of conspiracy and secret as sault in connection with the Hogging, on January 3 last, of Dewey Poythress, Chapel Hill letter carrier. Mrs. Edwards is the mother of Mrs. Thelma Midgett, w T ho was the companion of Poythress on the night he was picked up by a masked and robed band on West Chapel Hill street and carried six miles out on the Hope Valley road and whipped with a leather strap. Members of the gang told him that night they were punishing hjtn for breaking up another man's home. Poythress is un married but is reported to have been going with Mrs. Midget, who also lived in Chapel Hill, for some time. Following a conference between George Featherstone, Chapel Hill chief, who has been lending valuable assistance to the Durham police force, and Chief Doby the officers who have been investigating the case since the flogging occurred reached the conclusion that, with the addition of evidence obtained Friday afternoon and Friday night, they would first arrest the woman who is regarded as the instigator of the mob action. Welcomes Officers Mrs. Edwards welcomed the officers who w r ent to her home with a big smile. She had been notified, by Chief Doby, that he held a warrant for her and would permit her to come to headquar ters and make bail. She read the riot act to the chief over the telephone and told him to send his officers after her, it was stated. When they reached her house, she had a cash bond of SIOO ready. Talking freely, she told the plain clothesmen that she knew a family in Richmond who right now were luxurious ly enjoying the proceeds from a suit against the city of Richmond for false arrest. She eagerly contemplated the day when she would be the beneficiary of a victorious suit against the tax-payers of Durham. May, her youthful brother-in-law, came down to the station with his uncle, J. T. May, who made the boy’s bond for S2OO. He would not talk but informed Chief Doby, in answer to a question, that “I’ll see you in court.” Mrs. Ed wards told the officers that she expected to employ two of the best attorneys in Durham. Text of Indictment Both were notified to appear in re corder’s court next Friday, February 4, to answer the following indictment in the warrants: “* ** * that Nathan May and Mrs. Nellie Edwards did willfully, malicious ly and unlawfully and feloniously con spire and agree together and with others by name unknown to commit an unlaw ful assault upon one Dewey Poythress and thereafter pursuant to said unlaw ful conspiracy, as aforesaid, they, the said Nathan May and Mrs. Nellie Ed wards and others by name unknown did unlawfully, feloniously and in a se cret manner assault, beat and wound the said Dewey Poythress, then and there inflicting serious wounds upon his body with a whip or other deadly wea pon.” Neither the police officers or other court officials here interested would dis cuss the evidence which, they said, had been carefully gathered since the day after Mrs. Midgett, now divorced from her husband, went to the police station ORANGE CO. FARMER INJURED IN ACCIDENT Levi Johnson Suffered Face and Scalp Wounds When Car Collided With Another in Durham Saturday. Levi Johnson, popular Orange County farmer whose home is situated about four miles south of Hillsboro, suffered very painful scalp and head wounds Saturday when the Ford touring car in which he was riding, collided with a Buick sedan driven by a young girl. The accident occurred at the corner of Duke and Trinity Avenues in Durham. The driver of the Buick is not known. Mr. Johnson, with his son, was pro ceeding at a medium speed down Trinity Avenue, when the Buick, which was also going slowly, endeavored to take the turn from Duke street into Trinity. The girl who was driving the larger car evidently lost control of the wheel, and the result was a head-on collision with Mr. Johnson’s car. Johnson was thrown head first from the Ford, and several deep gashes were cut in his head and face. Passers-by rushed him to jVatts hospital, where medical aid was given, and Mr. Johnson was allowed to return home. His condition is said not to be serious, and unless complications set in he is expected to recover soon. EVELYN BRITT HAILED BEFORE JUDGE AGAIN Sentenced to Four Months on the Roads for Using Room for Im moral Purposes But Appealed. Durham, Feb. 3. —Evelyn Britt’s name, on the front page of state papers for several weeks in connection with the death of “Mighty” Forsythe, alleged rum runner, in Johnston and Wake counties recently, found its way to the Durham recorder’s court docket for the first time last week when she was arrest ed on a charge of using a hotel room for immoral purposes. She and her companion, Willie Frank Webster, Dur ham young man, entered pleas of guilty and both appealed from the sentences of four months in the workhouse, bonds be ing fixed at S3OO. Mrs. E. D. Dußois, of Cary, arrested with them, claimed she went into the Britt girl’s room and went to sleep, not knowing Webster was in the hotel. She was found guilty and given a 60-day sentence, giving no tice of appeal. Webster, who is said to have furnished some of the Britt girl’s SIO,OOO bond in the Forsythe case, was later arrested for vagrancj', the case be ing continued. Valuable Real Estate Changes Hands. Goldston, Feb. 2.—Mr. R. J. Hough, ner this place, has purchased the Rober son farm on Bear creek. Mr. Hough is considered very fortunate in securing this property. This property was sold through the American Auction Co., who having re cently opened an office in the bank build ing here and have been turning things over. They have had several successful sales and we notice they have a big lot sale billed for this week, Feb. sth. We are very proud to have them with us, as their organization will do much for the development of this community and county of Chatham. Goldston Bros., who graduated as twin auctioneers at the American Auction College, of Wash ington, D. C., are quite an asset to this firm and they are winning a reputation wherever they go. and appealed for protection of the law to herself and Poythress, whom she has said, according to the officers, she intends to marry. Hail of Bullets From Guns of Blockaders Riddle Officers YOUNG MOTHER TAKEN Mrs. Ernest Boone Died at Age of 23 Victim of Pneumonia. Mrs. Ernest Boone died Sunday night, a vietim of an almost universally fatal form of pneumonia. The young woman had given birth Friday morning to a little girl. The fatal disease appeared Friday night. Dr. Chapin and two nurses did all possi ble for her, but death laid cold hands upon the splendid young woman Sunday evening and she died at 10:30. The burial took place Tuesday at Trade’s Hill church in New Hope town ship. Mrs. Boone was formerly Miss Clara Moore, youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Carej' D. Moore. She married Mr. Boone four years ago. Besides the newly born infant she leaves a little daughter, Doris, aged three. Her devoted husband, father, brothers and sisters were in de voted attendance upon the stricken loved one in her last days. Her mother, Mrs. Moore, was herself sick. Many friends and relatives grieve the passing of this gracious young wife and mother. GOLDSTON NEWS The honor roll pupils for last month were the following: Mary Arma Rieves, Alcine Gaines, Elizabeth Ellis, Herbert C. Watson, Louise Ward, Mary Liza Stout, Irene Hilliard, Fola Burns, Aline Hester, Margaret Watson, Olva John son, Verna Stout. The seventh grade won the half holi day for the fewest absences and tardies last month. The Goldston boys’ basketball team plays Pittsboro at Pittsboro Friday evening. People, go and encourage the boys with your presence. No doubt they will show you a good game. The girls’ basket ball team played Sanford girls’ team Tuesday evening of last week and defeated Sanford one point. The score was 13 and 14 in favor of Goldston, Mr. Joe Dark, a student at Wake For est, and Miss Louise Ellis, of N. C. C. W., are at home recuperating after standing their mid-term examinations. Miss Nannie Cox, the music teacher, spent the first of the week at her home in Richland. Miss Pearl Johnson attended the fun eral of Mrs. Ernest Boone at Pittsboro Tuesday morning. Mrs. Boone, who be fore her marriage was Miss Clara Smith, was a classmate of Miss Johnson’s for four years. The writer knew Mrs. Boone as a most estimable young woman and de plores her untimely death. Paschal Enters 33d Year. Some interested party sent the Record the Fort Worth Telegram covering the Rev. Frank Norris trial, and in one number of the big Texas paper we found the following interesting item about Bob Paschal, one of the Chatham county scholarly twins. A picture of a $600,000 addition to his school building also appeared in the same issue. The Central High School, with the new addi tion, will accommodate 1200 students. So it is evident our friend Bob has quite a job. Follows the clipping: “R. L. Paschal, principal of the Cen tral High School, today begins his thirty third year as a principal in the Fort Worth schools. Paschal came here from Abilene in 1891 and became principal of the Mis souri Avenue School, now the Van Zandt School, where he remained for more than 12 years. He was appointed principal of the Fort Worth High School in 1906 and when the other high schools were established he was made principal of the Central High. Before coming to Fort Worth Paschal assisted in the organization of Simmons College at Abilene and taught there for nearly two years.” Tobacco Brings Good Price on Durham Mart Durham, Feb. 3.—Despite the presence of much scrap tobacco, along with better grades, the price on the Durham market the past week held up to $24.60 a hun dred pounds on the 870,846 pounds sold. The average for the 1926 crop so far is approximately $27.65 a hundred. Slight ly more than 17,000,000 pounds have been sold to date, belief being that this market will sell between 19 and 20 mil lions before closing in the early spring. Urge your neighbor to subscribe for The Record. With the editor in the field, the paper will be more interesting than ever. a- Sheriff Turner and Deputy Craig, of Lee County, and Deputy W. T. Ut ley, of Chatham, Grievously Wounded by Desperadoes. Sheriff Turner, of Lee county, Deputy Leonard Craig of Lee, and Deputy W. T. Utley of Chatham, lie grievously wound ed in a Sanford hospital as a result of shots from guns in the hands of desper ado booze-makers just across Deep River, in Lee county, Sunday. Sheriff Turner has two buckshots in his brain and is paralyzed on one side. Mr. Utley has a shot in his lnng and an effort is made to ward off pneumonia. Deputy Craig is also seriously wounded. In a Raleigh prison are lodged three men, Malcolm Harrison, young Tilley and Ray, and in Durham jail Tom Davis, charged with the crime, while two of the most desperate of the six partici pants or implicated are at large at this writing Tuesday night. The Story of the Crime The scene of the attempted massacre lies in Lee county just across Deep River from the great electric plant in Cape Fear township, this county. The loca tion of the still near which the crime was perpetrated is a most strategic one. It is a point jof woods jutting out into a cotton field and backed by a forest and bordered on one side by a tangle of bramble and honeysuckles vines. About the point pines had also been planted to further shelter the spot. The Davises and Harrison are prod ucts of the long-famed “Harricane” section of Wake county, the location of which a few miles to the west of Wake Forest is known to all Wake Foresters for many student generations. Bud Davis is the ring-leader of the bunch, a man of about 40 years. Tom Davis is said to be a cousin of Bud, and Har rison a son-in-law. Bud Davis was transplanted to Lee county by Vernon Rosser, who brought Bud and family down from the “Harricane,” where their bad fame was rife, and located them on his farm hard by Deep River. Here the booze business has prospered. Sunday Walter Gilmore, who lives near the battle scene, reported the loca tion of the still to Deputy W. T, Utley, of Moncure, this county. Mr. Utley, having no authority to operate in Lee, it seems, got in touch with two Lee county deputies. The latter went to Sanford for Sheriff Turner. In the meantime Utley and Gilmore approached the still and finding no one present hid themselves in the edge of the woods. Later a small boy is said to have come to the still for a bucket of mash beer. The men, according to the story told The Record, held the boy a while and then unwisely let him go. A few minutes later four men, the two Davises, Har rison, and Parker Robbins appeared upon the scene with little, or no, warning and fired squarely and without ceremony at Utley, dropping him instantly. Gil more began to plead but with no avail. One of the men, according to the word of Gilmore himself we learn, put a gun to Gilmore’s head. Another knocked it away and demanded the privilege of shooting the d scoundrel himself. The two were engaged in this amicable discussion when Sheriff Turner and Dep uty Craig, hurrying at the sound of the guns, burst upon the scene, attracting the attention of the men and giving Gilmore an instantly-taken opportunity to plunge into a drain or ditch and scur ry into the thicket. The desperadoes hid themselves behind the barrier of honeysuckles. Craig rushed into them. They had the drop upon him. They promised not to shoot him if he would throw down his pistol. Down it went. Onward came Sheriff Turner. Just as Craig was retiring the sheriff, while stooped to peep under the hedge re ceived a load of buckshot. Craig pass ing stooped and picked up the fellow officer’s gun, and then he got his. With the three officers down and Gilmore va moosed, the would-be assassins hastened from the scene and the community, go ing northward in two cars. The wires were kept hot. Raleigh was on the alert. Sheriff Blair and Deputies Desern, Nooe, Burns, Lacey Johnson and Ernest Williams from Pittsboro has tened to the scene of the crime. They caught the trail. In Raleigh they joined the sheriff’s party (Wake’s sheriff is named Turner, too) and Sheriff Turner, the doughty “Bud” Stell, and another Wake officer, accompanied by Chatham officers Desern, Nooe, Johnson, and Burns, set out for the desperadoes’ old haunts in the “Harricane.” It was late at night when they, while wending their way along the unimproved roads of New Light township (the Harricane), they upon a car stopped upon the single-way country road. Some of the officers ap proaching the car found three men in it, a pistol, and some whiskey, and so reporting to Sheriff Turner were ordered to arrest and search them. Lacey John (Continued on page five) VOL. 43. NO. ??
The Chatham Record (Pittsboro, N.C.)
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Feb. 3, 1927, edition 1
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