4
pCITO 28 s Published Monday* and Thursdays
■’ -ifiU-. . ■ Li.t
NORTH WILKESBORO, N. C., MONDAY. FEB. 26, 1934
8t00^i’PfE OUTt>P’tHJB
iMioMayBe
ted Outlaw Is
Held By Police
l4ts Description of “Pretty
Boy” Floyd, Notorious
Character
I MEARING^ESDAY
Has Been Boarding Here For
Three Weeks; Says He
Is Cowboy
Three Lives Lost In Tragic Fire ’In This Cjty
Ftanoe’* StfOfig Man 11 Greens Sentenced! f Slacb a hM934 n Blair Chddren j 1"”^ "SqwwMIfKU^ ^
inmm I r\* r»i A_jii
A man whp tits the descrip
tion of “Pretty Boy” Floyd, no-
: toriouB outlaw who Is wanted in
.^^Oaklahoma. Georgia, Chicago and
other places for murder and
highway robbery, is being held in
ihe county jail for investigation
by local police officers.
He was taken into custody
Friday.
Habeas corpus proceedings
were instituted immediately and
Judge T. B. Finley held a hear
ing at the city hall Saturday aft
ernoon, but made no decision in
the case. Judge Finley Intimated
* that there was Insufficient evi-
^ dence to hold the man, but in
order to give police more time
in which to check on the suspect.
Issued an order that a final hear
ing on the habeas corpus proceed
ings be held in Yadkinville to
morrow morning at 9 o’clock be
fore Judge Wilson Warlick.
Atter.his arrest, the man ga\*e
his name as Harry Williams, age
34, and said he had been a cow
boy In Oklahoma. His appearance
tallied so closely with that of the
notorious outlaw that the police
decided to hold him lor investi
gation. His fingerprints were tak
en Friday and forwarded go
Washington to determine wheth-
*. or he is Floyd or some one else
m wanted by police.
Br-^ljpn^fikms had been staying nt
i for three
I weeks and was taken into cus-
I tody after he is alleged to have
told Miss Zora Shoaf. a guest at
the house, that he “might be
‘Pretty Boy’ Floyd for all they
knew.”
Eugene Trivette and W. H.
McElwee, counsel for Williams,
contended at the hearing before
Judge Finley, that the man
should be given his liberty on
th« grounds that he had com
mitted no crime.
Miss Shoaf testified at the
hearing and said Williams made
the statements about Floyd to a
^ group of boarders. It was inti
mated that she had indicated
fear of being kidnapped if she
testified against Williams.
■Williams said he was a roam
ing cowboy, originally from Ok
lahoma, and that be had no
home. He has been driving a
Ford 'V-8 automobile, and a high-
f nowered rifle was found in the
lack seat of the car. He
|2'15 on his person.
Local police learned that Wil
liams has been a model citizen
since he came here and nothing
In his conduct had aroused su
spicion.
' The alleged statements made
to acquaintances here resulted in
the investigations now being
aude.
Paris: ... A most rechnt pic
ture of Gaston Doumeigh®. for
mer President of France who
heeded the call during the Paris
riot to come from retirement,
accept the Premiership and at
tempt to forth a new cabinet of
‘‘strong men.”
W. A. Sydnor Is
Taken By Death
At Home In City
Greens Sentenced
To Die In Chair
For Bank Killmg
Elder Green Took S'tand And!
Admitted Participation j
In The Affair |
TO DIE ON APRIL’27 |
Dramatic Scene In Court-
Room As Sentence Is Im
posed By Warlick
Taylorsville, Feb. 23.—Bascom
Green, 47, and his son. Lester,
24, tonight were convicted of |
murder In the fatal shooting last j
July of T. C. Barnes, in an at-1
tempted bank holdup, and were^
sentenced to die in th** electric,
chair on A;rril 27. j
The verdict came in at 9:30. i
jlO minutes after the Jury had
I sent a spokesman to the judge
j to ask if mercy could be recom
mended for young Green. The
I judge replied the recommenda-
! tion would be made a part of the
I court record but that death sen
tence was mandatory.
Attorneys for the two Imme-
Blair Children
And Negro Girl
' Die From Bi^.
Exi^ion Of Oil.'^Can Ini
^ir Home RemmA'lh
Death Of Three
TRAGEDY SHOCKS CITY
Two Victims Daughter And
Son Of Mr.^And Mrs. F.
P. Blair, Junior
One of the most shocking
tragedies in the history of North
Washington; . . ,
Wllkesboro occurred late Friday j william Mitchell, retired, told
' the Senate Committee that Uncle
Sam has been the victim of prof
iteers In Army airplane contracts,
spending $187,000,000 per year
on military aviation and today
having about 300 planes whereas
we should have 2,000.
Brlg.-Qhn
„ . „ , Attorneys tor ine i.>o gusivender slacks with
Prominent Business Man diately gave notice of appeal and I sweater.
Dies After Illness of to days was granted in which the |
Atout Four Years | appeal could be filed.
1 The two Greens, father and
FUNERAL HELD SUNDAY I son. took the verdict quietly but
' momentary
afternoon when three persons
two small children and a negro
maid, were fatally burned In a
fire in the home of F. P. Blair,
Sr., prominent local btwiness
man.
F. P. Blair, 3rd and Barbara
Forester Blair, son and daughter
of Mr. and Mrs, F, P. Blair, Jr.,
and Nellie Barber, colored maid,
all died within 12 hours after
Miami: . . . Miss Jacquelyn; jij.g
Harley of Waynesville, N. C. was | disastrous fire originated,
mighty colorful as she stepped | was thought, when the maid
forth for a cruise In these royal; was pouring oil on the coals In a
" I circulating heater In the hallway
I on the second floor of the Blair
Commi
ICut Off At
Are Bremen Doi
' . ..
Power Company LiniiBi
Broken; Service Internet-.=
ed>Several. Houra
ORCHARDS,PAM/«;C^l
School IkiUdkig At CriMiet
fa Stn^ By
Puriii#«titfiiir:3.t;^ ^
Property damage wWah -vi^ir.
jeach thousands ifeUara **•
done by the snow and fee la^
night and early today In,. Wilke#
county.
Telephone and power lloee
were put out of commission and
this morning the entire city wa*
without, means of reaching the
outside world and wtthoet etee*
trical service.
residence. Presumably, the oil In
W. A. Sydnor. one of the city’s
disturbance was
, created in court as Judge Wilson
most prominent citizens and a | warijck pronounced sentence
pioneer resident of North Wil-jwhen Mrs. Bascom Green,
kesboro, died at his home here' screaming and shouting, fainted
Friday at 5:45 p. m. Ill health' had to be taken from the
,, ' I court by attaches.
forced him to give up Ula. active j the jury’s verdict had
business life in 1930 and his con-| Judge Warlick asked
dition became serious several | jjjg jwo if they had anything to
days ago. Death was not unex-1
pected. j The elder Green said: “No, sirj
Mr. Sydnor was 69 years of; j reckon not."
age. I The younger Green said:
S? I An AC Oil the can exploded and caught the
•lUllU 1\* •lUUCo maid’s clothing on fire and start-
m .f 1 * M. f ed the fire in the hallway.
imtlOrin List 01 Barbara, the 14-months-old
^ baby, and her three-year-old hro-
QIoIa I AnVAnfriAn ther were in an adjoining room
OlAlv CMUWll njjj jj tjje excitement, the. maid
rushed to the baby’s crib, gath
ered the child in her arms and
rushed through the flames to the
foot of the steps where she col
lapsed. The little boy was also
fatally burned as he ran through
the hallway and down the steps
Solicitor Will Aid In Draw
ing Up Platform of Re*
publican Party
CONVENTION APRIL 4TH
John R. Jones, of this city,
(solicitor of this district, was nam
D. J. Brookshire
New Democratic
Party Chairman
Is Elected At Meeting of Ex
ecutive Committee To
Succeed Reins
ROUSSEAU IS ENDORSED
D. J. Brookshire, for many
years an active worker in the
ranks of the Democratic party,
was elected chairman of the
Democratic county exeentjve
committee at a meeting of the
committee Saturday afternoon at ^
Hotel Wilkes. C. O. McNeill,^
chairman of the county board of
e hallway ana aown me steps, .^^g elected secretary
People began gathering in j Hemphill and Jas. M.
1 r. ij «T r the fire department rushed to
Coming to North Wllkesboro of m^der. I ^ extinguished the
L h»n fh« town was in its infancv. I •• committee to write the platform | fire, but not until approximately
wht^n town wrs in its infftncy^ [n*t shot nnybody.
Mr. Sydnor established himself as j two were then remanded
one of the city's most public-1 custody of Sheriff H. L.
spirited citizens and was through- ! j^jgyg Alexander county, and
out his career a leader in ci"lc I placed in state’s prison
n J a##aIw0 XTa tXrOO 41 no. . .... 11. ...
committee to write the pl^form j fire, but not until approximately
of the Republican party for the ($2,000 damage had been done to
state convention. His name was ‘I*®
wMv. ~ -— -- uiueicu pittijeu ju oiAirc D
and church affairs. He was a na-1 ^ Ralolgh to await execution.
tlve of Richmond, 'Va., but mov-' - - —
ed to the city from Florida.
MARY FRANCES RASH
DIES IN THIS CITY
Frances Rash, daughter
dt 'Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Rash, died
at the Rash home in this city
Thursday evening at 9 o’clock.
She was one year, three months
and 22 days of age.
The funeral service was con-
^4neted from Friendship Metho
dist church at Millers Creek Frl-
toy afternoon at 2 o’clock by
BeT- B. P. Greene, pastor. Inter
nment was made In the church
cemetery.
Surviving are the parents and
the following brothers and sis
ters: . B^ph, Ruth, Nora, James
and Bfadellne Rash.
Mr. and Mrs- R. M. Houck, of
Lsooir, were among those here
Oming the illness, and for the
.iimerai and burial service of Mr.
W. A. Sydnor.
g. a HEINS WILL GO IN
As POSTMASTER MARCH 1
J. C. Reins will sncceed Acting
Postmaster J. U. Anderson in the
North Wllkesboro office on
lAreh 1. Mr. Reins received his
dnaatssion and tilled bond ser-
0al days ago. He goes la for a
- trf lour years- .■ ■
As Judge Warlick began to
pronounce sentence with the
His first business endeavor j ug^^j ..you have been adjudged
guilty as charged,” Mrs. Green
began to sob audibly, with court
officers rapping for quiet. Her
14-year-old son, Hughey, who
testified today that Lester’s wife
became a mother in High Point
yesterday, was crying also.
When Judge Warlick, ending
hjs sentence, said, "And may Qod
have mercy on your soul,” Mrs.
Green sprang up and began to
scream, her young son’s arms
about her. The two convicted out
laws stood solidly, without look
ing in her direction.
The Jurors deliberated about
three hours, having received the
case at 6:30 p. m., after attor-
) neys had completed arguments
: and Judge Warlick had delivered
' his charge.
Imposition of the death sen-
j tence upon the Greens brought to
1 four the number of men facing
Effective Thursday the Train execution as a result of their
Will Arrive At 10:30; To I abortive attempt to rob the
Merchants and Farmers Bank
here last July 29.
Mike Stevenoff, of North Wil-
kesboro, and R. E. Black, of High
Point, were captured a few honra
after the robbery attempt, In
here was the establishment of the
Gordon Hotel which was operat
ed under his supervision for a
number of years. Later. Mr. Syd-
iior also operated the Hotel
Lithia at Lithia Springs on the
Brushy Mountains until it was
destroyed by fire. His most wide
ly known business connection
was with the Spainhour-Sydnor
company, a mercenlile firm
which now operates a chain of
'stores in this section of the state.
Mr. Sydnor was a member of
North Wilkesboro Methodist
church and took an active inter-
■ ! 4
(Continued on page eight) j
Train Schedule
Will Be Changed
included in the list announced by
State Chairman James S. Duncan.
The sta’.c convention of the
Republicans will be held in
Charlotte on April 4.
Solicitor Jones has long been
recognized as an outstanding Re
publican leader and as a member,
of the committee he 'will ha.ve a
big part in writing the platform
upon which the party will go be
fore the voters this fall.-
Leave At 1:15
Effective
’Thursday morning,
the Southern Railway will oper
ate under a new schedule.
The train will arrive dally at
10:50 a. m. and leave at 1:15 p.
m. This will be the schedule for
every day, including Sunday.
The afternoon train will con
nect with trains going north and
provide quicker service. A
freight train will be added to
take care of local freight.
which Cashier Barnes was fatally
shot and his assistant, Solon Lit
tle, was seriously wounded, lliey
were convicted several months
ago, but appealed.
B. G. Green admitted on the
(Continued on page eight)
Mass Meetii^ of Taxpayers Is
Postponed Until First Monday
John Triplett
Dies Suddenly
Dropped Dead At Service
Station Near Taylorsville
On Friday
John Triplett, 48, a native of
the Boomer community, dropped
dead at a service station near
Taylorsville Friday afternoon. He
was en route from Cornelius,
where be was employed, to his
home at Boomer and had Just
walked into the service station
when he fell dead.
He was the son of Mr. and Mrs.
Sidney TrilHett.
The service was conducted at
Boomer Baptist church yesterday
afternoon.
The mass meeting of taxpayers,
which was scheduled to be held
at the courthouse in 'Wllkesboro
Saturday morning, was postponed
until Monday, March 5, at 1
o’clock during the noon recess of
court.
The short notice given and the
comparatively small crowd which
gathered were given as the rea
sons for postponing the meeting.
The purpose of the meeting is
to aseertnin the prevailing sentl- . _
aent regarding the aoosptanee of Horeslose.
the provisions of Senate Bill 180
which allows pa/ment of delin
quent taxes prior to 1932 in in
stallments.
There Is considerable differ
ence of opinion as to the wisdom
of accepting the installment plan.
One school of thought holds that
such a policy would retard tax
collections, while stiU another
group thinks it woilid be better
to permit payment of back taxes
in installments rather. tba0(.to
Clyde Shepherd
Marrying Mi**
Wilkes connty, which gave
to the state the champton mar
rying miss in the person of
Miss Gall Bumgarner, who re-
omtly became Mrs. Bryan Gil-
reath. Is wrfl on the W*9
ward another record. Miss
Clyde Shefihwd. of Wllkesboro,
a Justice of the peace, has of-
ficlated at between 75 and 100
maniagee.
Miss, Shefdierd added two
marriages to her list Satnrday
aud today. On Saturday, Mm
officiated at the wedd^ of
Olaiid Btewek’,fof Hays, and
Mias Okla Walker, of Beddies
River, and this nKWBtng^ aha
tied the hawt taf OdeU Fayne
and *ffrr 'tHPU ^1^
of akin. fe
F. P. Blair, Sr., who lost his
eyesight in an automobile accl-
.dent in December, and his nurse,
Miss Christine Irvin, were on the
first floor when the explosion oc
curred. Mr. Blair was removed
from the burning residence un
harmed, but the shock was so
severe that he was taken to Davis
Hospital at Statesville for medi
cal attention Saturday. In his
Weakened condition, fear was ex
pressed that the shock might be
too much for him. However, It is
understood that his condition is
very favorable.
The two children and the ne-
gress were rushed to the Wilkes ^
Hospital, but their burns were so;
serious that hope was held out
only for the recovery of the lit
tle boy. The baby daughter died
at 7 o’clock Friday evening and
the negro maid died four hours
later. Frank Blair, 3rd, died at
4 o’clock Saturday morning.
The entire community was
shocked by the tragedy. The lit
tle hoy and baby girl were the
only children of Mr. and Mrs.
Prank P. Blair, Jr., both of whom
were up town at the time of the
fire.
A double funeral for the two
white victims of the fire w
conducted yesterday afternoon at
2:30 o’clock from the residence
of Mr. and Mrs. F. C. Forester,
grandparents of the children.
Rev. C. W. Robinson, Presbyter
ian minister. Rev. J. H. Arm-
brust, of Hickory, and Dr. W. A.
Jenkins conducted the service.
A host of grief-stricken friends
and relatives of the family at-'
tended the service, following
which Interment was made in the
Anderson.
The meeting was opened by J.
0. Reins, chairman for the pust
two years, who stated that the
purpose of the meeting was to
name a county chairman. D. P.
Shepherd, a membe.* of the board
of education was called to the
chair to preside over tne meeUng.
Twenty-five of the 27 mem
bers of the executivj committee
were present. The only two pre
cincts not represented were Wal
nut Grove No. 2 and .Rock Creek.
The vote for Mr. Brookshire
was 21, four members not voting.
Mr. Brookshire’s election as
(Continued on page eight)
(Continued on page eight)
letter Carriers
To Meet In City
J H. Norwood, President, To "d a short distance away, over
«*• MM* V vw'-y frt varlnslAW /4ttVU
This afternoon, long distaie*
telephone service had not bee*
re-established and more than 20*
telephones In the local system
were not in use. Wires used by
the Western Unjon were dowa
and no information '*s to when
communication Would be' esigb-
llshed again was available.
Southern Power company lines
and several lines of the Southern
Public Utilities company were
out of order this morning, but
service In the city was re-in
stated shortly after noon today.
All local lines are expected to be
put back in use by late this eve
ning with the possible exception
of the line to Falrplalna.
The Southern Power company
line from Elkin was down and
electrical current Is now reach
ing the city over the Taylorsville
circuit.
Damage to orchards in the
county may amount to thousands
of dollars. Orchardlsts were un
able to estimate the damage to
day.
Streets of North Wllkesboro
and lawns were covered thin
morning with branches of treee
which were torn off by the
weight of the snow and ice.
The snow which fell Saturday
night and early Sunday morning
was not particularly heavy,.,,Iw*
yesterday afternoon, rain beiwu
to fall. Ice formed and ptecetTlid*-
uBual weight upon telephone g&d
power lines and trees.■* ' “'•.■‘t..-,
“The worst snow and loe In
26 years” was the way older ob
servers described It today.
During the electric storm laak .
night, lightning struck Ui^m
schoolhouse at Cricket and‘'‘did
considerable damage. The stj>vn
flue Fs-s put out of commtsBtpp,'
the floor and ceiling of one room,
were damaged and other minor
damages were reported.
The same bolt of lightajim, en
tered the home of Lonnie wm-
Address 9th District Car
riers Thursday
Carriers of the Ninth district
Rural Letter Carriers Association
will meet at Hotel Wilkes Thurs
day afternoon at 4 o’clock for a
general conference, W. A. Jen
nings, chairman of the district,
announced Saturday.
J. H. Norwood, president of
the state aseoclatlon, ^11 be
present and address the ouxlers.
An official of the ladiea auxil
iary le also expected to be pres
ent.
'The ninth district Is composed
of Iredell, Alexander, Catawba,
Caldwell, Watouga, Aehe, Alle
ghany," Surry, Yadkin, PH>r8yth
and Wtlkea.
It is planned to hold a banquet
following the regular conference
meeting Thursday.
All carrlqra are requested to
attend the meeting and bring
their wives with them.
Chizras Respond Generewsty To
. Canvass of Scouts h This City
■ laa
,An Inventorr of the food,
clothing and furniture secured
by the Boy Sconts in their can
vass Saturday had not been made
this morning and Scout otflclala
'wtm unable to estimate tbe value
of the donations. ^
Citizens responded vary gen
erously to the appeal, however,
and the SconOtrVe very grateful
i.|to their splmidid co-operation.
; d'o
Because stojres were ^ crowded
Saturday, the canvass of business
bouses was postponed until to
day and the boys will complete
their "good turn” this aftornoon gpHng pe leanrsd-
by calling on the merehante and* * *■
other hostness insUtntlotts.
Scouts will turn what they col
lected over to the wel^ depart
ment for use In taking care of
needy families.
wires and set fire to window cur
tains and the wall paper... Mr.
Barnard was awakened by the
flash of lightning and extinguish
ed the blaze. Damage to the cur
tains, the wall and li^a^rJ^dlp 'waa
compartlvely smalt.
C. O. Paw, manager of For-
ester-Prevette Insurance Agency,
stated this afternoon that these
were the first claims he had ever
had for damages from lightning
at this season ot the ye^. An
electric storm In FebrnaiT is *ery
rare.
Brother Ed
Atwo^St^cr
&
Reported To Have
Moantain City Chi^
Pdke
Dave Atwood, a brother of Ed
Atwood who was shot to death
by Sheriff W. B. Somers early
this year when he resisted arrest,
klUed Chief of Police Miller, o^.,
Mountain City, Tenn., 8atuul*K«(^!^
night, according to reports ■
eelyed here.
The report eonld not he •_ _
Bed, nor could the cause oHfcs
Miller wsa’mdd to hai
a native of-Ashe county.
Atwoqft loui regarMy^'
cellent oltisea. He ««
station operator at'
V”