North Carolina Newspapers

JM$ 7^ ?" Y. M. C. A. is rais building fund for the of ? modern Y. M "plant. Support It The Journal-Patriot Has Blazed the Trail of Progress In the "State of Wilkes" for Over ^Tears OUR CITY North Wilkesboro hu ? trading radius of 80 mil?, ??ring 100,000 people in Northwestern Carolina. |/ol. 42, No- 12 Published Mondays and Thursdays NORTH WILKES80R0, N. C, Monday, June 9, 1947 Make North Wilkes here Your Shopping Center jLitteral And Bell Convicted Rapists Seek Commutation Of Death Sentence Supreme Court Finds No Prejudicial Error In Trial Of Two Men Ralph Vernon Litteral and Marvin Claude Bell lost their ap to the Supreme Court of lwrth Carolina from the convic tion an^^death sentence imposed in Winffll superior court for rape of Peggy Ruth Shore, fifteen year-old girl who resided near Elkin. The supreme court Thursday handed down the. decision which found no prejudicial error in trial of the two men in Wilkes ^court in January. ? Unless Governor Cherry inter venes with a stay of execution or commutation of death sentence to life imprisonment, Litteral and Bell will he executed in the gas chamber at Raleigh Friday, June 20. During the ^week-long trial which ended with death sentence 'pronounced by Judge Hoyle H. Sink ? January 18, evidence was that Utteral, a Winston-Salem man, and iBell, of Roaring River route two, kidnapped Miss Shore near Elkln after she had alight ed from a bus at 11 p. m. Au gust 2'3, 1946, carried her through Wilkes and Watauga counties and into Tennessee, as saulting her a total of four > times during the terror-filled 'trip. FBI agents during the trial presented written and signed confessions by both Litteral and , Bell, who admitted a greater part of the charges contained in the girl's lengthy and detailed testi mony of what occured during her abduction. The case was originally insti tuted in federal court with charges of kidnaping, but was transferred to state court for trial of the two men on the cap ital charge of rape. Littoral's principal defense in the trial was insanity and Bell's defense was that whatever he did was under the domination of Lit teral. Neither defendant testi fied and no evidence was offered f6r the defense except the futile attempt ? to estalblish insanity for Litteral. Jurors for the trial were select ed from a special venire of Cald well county men, and the jury returned the verdict carrying the death penalty, after delibe rating for only 15 minutes. I< Attorneys for Bell, including , t Eugene Trivette, Bill Mitchell, J. E. Holshouser and Kyle Hayes, will go to Raleigh tomorrow for a hearing before Parole Commis sioner Edwin Gill on their re IT that the death sentence of be commuted to life im prisonment. Clingman Beats jiorth Wilkesboro With batters on both teams partially paralysed by effectiTe hurling, North Wilkesboro lost to Clingman at Clingman Satur day three to 0. Leslie Rhoades pitched four hit ball for the Red Caps but thj^game was lost on two errors. KjQB for Clingman allowed only fonr hits and had airtight sup port, which represented tlffe dif ference in score. On Wednesday North Wilkes boro will play Elkln there and on Saturday Hamptonrille, the league leaders, come here for a game at 3:30. The Saturday tilt should draw the biggest crbwd of the season to date. ? o William S. Combs Claimed By Death Fatjeral service was held Sun day f 1 1 a. m., at Rachel church j for Wiiyam Sherman Comibs, 71 year-old Edwards township citi zen who died Friday at his home. Rer.l* E. Sparks and Rev. Grant CotldPk conducted the service. Only surviving members of Mr. Combs' Immediate family is Ms wife, Mrs. Slna Combs. o Support the Y. M. C. A. Mokes Good Record Richard Absher, son of Mr. and Mrs. Max Absher, of North Wilkesboro, route 1, was a warded the Principal's Prize for the greatest improvement in speech for the year. Richard has just completed his 8th year at the N. O. School for the Deaf at Morgan ton. Richard is half back on the football team and guard on basketball team. The Principal's prize was a Certificate of Award and a $10.00 Bill. Horse Show Plans Discussed Friday By John Bowers KLiwanis Club Proceeding With Plans For Horse Show July 4 and 5 North Wilkesboro Kiwanis dub held an Interesting meeting Friday noon at Hotel Wilkes. President* G. T. Mitchell presided ind Rev. Watt M. Cooper spoke he invocation. P. W. Eshelman, general pro pram chairman, assigned the pro prams for the remainder of the rear. Program chairman W. K. Stur livant introduced John L. Bow ers, of Black Mountain, who has >cen elected by the cluib as the nanager of the horse show to >e put on July 4th and 5th and who had previously placed at mch Kiwanian's plate an official prise list and order of events for :he show. Mr. Bowers proceeded to dis :uss the coming horse show in ronsiderable detail, giving many jalient points that will augment he success of the event. He dis russed briefly the responsibility )f the various committees and jjave directions for their proced lre. Various members of the club isked questions about the work >f certain committees and were latisfactorily answered. It was urged that all local persons expecting to enter horses lor the show, that they should lo so at once. Tbe members were urged to lubscribe liberally to the adver ising that will be presented soon. Guests Friday were as follows: Bob Hubbard with Dr. F. C. Hubbard; J. L. Durrant and itev. W. R. Wagoner with J. H. Vhicker; H. M. Wellman, Jr., ffith Rev. H. M. Wellman; W. it. Newton, h. S. Spainhour and ?rank Blair with J. B. Carter; Ibhn It. Bowers with W. K. Stur livant; M. R. Dunnagan, of Ra eigh, and Zeb Stewart, of Le xoir, visiting Kiwanians. L. Atwood Gudger Now Graduate Of Local High School Lester Atwood Gudger, son of dr. and Mrs. L. A. Gudger, of his city, today received his di >loma of high school graduation rom North Wilkeaboro high chool. Since commencement here Paul Tragan, school superintendent, ras informed by the navy de >artment that young Mr. Gudger tad completed successfully the equlred courses in the navy for ligh school graduation here. He s an aviation machinist mate, lecond class, and is currently ttatloned at a navy airfield in Texas. Band Instruction In Summer Months In N. Wilkesboro Miss E>va Bingham, band in structor and director at North Wilkesboro school, will be at the echool all day Tuesday, June 10, to interview students Interested in band instruction during the summer months. Demonstration On Tomato Blight 11th By R. D. SMITH (County Agent) For the past several years late blight has caused severe damage to tomatoes in this section of the State. In order that the garden ers of Wilkes county will know how to control late blight a demonstration will be held in the garden of J. B. Henderson, Wilkesboro, Wednesday morning, 9:45, June 11, Mr. Henderson's garden is located behind the Methodist Church in Wilkesboro. Mr. Howard R. Garriss, Exten sion Plant Pathologist, from State College will ibe present and conduct the demonstration. All who are interested in the control of tomato blight are urged to be present. o Wilkes County 4-H Club Camp To Be Held During July ' By D. D. WILLIAMSON (Assistant County Agent) Wilkes County 4-H Club mem bers will have an opportunity to attend 4-H Club Camp during the week of July 7-12. Letters announcing camp have been sent to all 4-H Club boys and girls and we want to urge each boy and girl that think they can attend caipp to make sure they send in their $2.00 registration fee by June 12, so we will know how many to make plans for. The girls should send their de posits fee to Miss Margaret Mor rison, Assistant Home Agent. The boys should send their fee to Mr. D. D. Williamson, Assist ant County Agent. Transportation has been se cured by bus to take us to camp and bring us back, cooks have been secured to do the cooking and all other plans haye been made, therefore, all we need is boys and girls to go. We had a wonderful time at camp last year and I'm sure all boys and girls will enjoy it this time. Millers Creek Team Beats Bamboo 14-7 Millers Creek-Purlear baseball team slammed out base hits at will Saturday off three Bamboo pitchers to win a free hitting game 14 to 7. Hayes, with two triples and a single, and Church and R. Eller with three hits each led in batting. E. Critcher hit a homer for the visitors. M. Cook, D. Cook and Elrod were the Bamboo pitchers. G. Nichols and T. Nichols were the home team battery. All of Bamboo's rune were scored in the first three in nings. Bamboo had previously de feated the Millers Creek-Purlear team at Bamboo 12 to 2. On Sunday Blowing Rock won a ragged and loosely played game 9 to 5 over Millers Creek Purlear at Blowing Rock. The two teams will meet again at Purlear Saturday afternoon, 2:30. On Saturday, June 21, Mul berry will play at Purlear and the two teams will play at Mul berry on Sunday, June 22'. Fairplains Team Kerleytown Split Fairplains and Kerleytown baseball teams split two well played games during the week end. On Saturday Fairplains won 3 to 1 at Kerleytown In Alex ander county with Frazier pitch ing three-hit ball. On Sunday Kerleytown, with the aid of Craig and Bentley, of the North Wilkesboro team, and other baseball players of Alex ander and Wilkes counties, de feated Fairplains 6 to 5 at Fair plains. Watts and Livingston were the Kerleytown battery, with Brookshire and Taylor for Fairplains. Deal hit a homer for the home team in the fifth. Fairplains has won three of four games with Kerleytown. . o - About 4,500 farm workers were filled and approximately 300,000 farm workers were in jured last year. - rJNfl Trapped In Pond In Roaring River Suction Of Water Through Hole In Roaring River Dam Drowns Man Charlie Ransom Wood, 28 year-old citizen of the Roaring River community, was drowned Sunday in the pond on Roaring River near Gordon Spinning com pany. Wood, with Dean Harris, Jule Latner, Gene Cardwell, Burl Bil lings and others were swimming in the small lake. An undercut rent of water caused toy a hole in the dam at the base pulled Mr. Wood under the water and he was trapped at the hole in the dam. Those nearby were unable to pull him from under the water because part of his body was lodged in the hole in the dam. The water was drained from the lake before the body was recov ered and all attempts at artifici al respiration failed. Mr. Wood is survived by his mother, Mrs. John Wood, of Roaring River, his wife, Mrs. Margie L. Wood, and the follow ing brothers and sisters: Dewey Wood, Mrs. Claude Wood, Mrs. Vallie Porter, Mrs. Tyre Billings, Mrs. Joe Jackson, Mrs. Minnie Jordan and Mrs. Fred Alexander, all of Roaring River. Funeral arrangements are in complete. Important Notice To Advertisers Due to a shortage of print, it. J* cut down the es we have been printing on Thursdays for an indefinite time. We have already exceed ed our allotment so far this year in order to accommodate our advertisers as much as pos sible. Advertising space for Thursday's paper has already been, reserved and we regret that no additional copy can be inserted in the issue of June 12th. We appreciate the fine spirit which our advertisers haxe ex tended us during the present emergency and we hope that we will soon be able to have newsprint in sufficient quan tity to take care of our ad vertisers' needs. Please place your reserva tions for space in Monday's and Thursday's issues of next week as early as possible. THE JOURNAL-PATRIOT Dental Program In Schools of County Dr. E. T. Koance, school dent ist with the State Board of Health, will be at the following schools as listed below: Ferguson school, June 9th'and 10th; Moravian Falls school, June 11th and 12th; Mountain View school, June 13th and 16th; Whittington school, June 17th and 18th; Cricket school, June 19 th and 20th; Clingman school, June 23rd and 24th; Benham school, June 25th, 26th and 27th. GORDON FORESTER, Jr., RECEIVES FINLEY SCOUT MEMORIAL AWARD Gordon Forester, Jr., member of Scont troop 36 here, on Fri day evening received the Robert Wood Finley Memorial award given annually by the North Wil kesboro Lions club to the out standing Scout In Wilkes county. The award consists of two weeks with expenses paid at Scout Camp Lasater near Win ston-Salem. The award ?as set up as a memorial to Captain Robert Wood Finley, a member of the North Wilkesboro Lions Club who was killed in action in France in World War II. The a ward is most appropriate in that the young officer was a Scout master at the time he entered service in the army. James M. Anderson presented the certificate of award at the Lions Club meeting Friday eve ning. He explained that the hon ored Scout each year is selected on the basis of advancement, at tendance at troop meetings, par ticipation in activities and lead ership. Mr. Anderson said that Scout Forester's record showed that he had advanced from ten derfoot to Life Scout rank and Receives Award GORDON FORESTER, JR. patrol leader during the year. He Is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Forester, of Wilkesboro. W. Whittington Victim Of Heart Disease la River Parsonvllle Man Drowns While Turtle Hunting In ? New River Sunday Walter Whittington, 47-year old citizen of the Parsonvllle community, drowned Sunday aft ernoon while turtle hunting in New River near Pine Swamp school In the Idlewild section of Ashe county. Whittington was with Sheridan Whittington and Forest Yates, of Purlear. Sheridan Whittington was driving their car along near the river while Walter Whitting ton and Yates were in the river. Yates stated that Walter Whit tington called to him from about 30 yards away and he went to Whittington, who was sinking in only a few feet of water. He was unable to rescue him at the time and he and Sheridan Whittington went for help. It was almost an hour before the body was recov ered from the river. Artificial respiration attempts failed. Members of Mr. Whittington's family said that he was a good swimmer and it was presumed that he suffered a heart attack while in the water. Mr. Whittington was a son of the late Rhudy whittington and Mrs. Etta Cheek Whittington, who now makes her home in Le noir. Surviving are his mother, his wife, Mrs. Ruby Parsons Whittington; nine children, W. S. Whittington, in the navy, Ber nice, Mildred, Bruce, Joanne, Glenn, Rex, Roy and Troy Whit tington, of Parsonvllle; and the following brothers and sisters: Mrs. Dora Powell, Lenoir; Mrs. Nonnie Hutchens, Blkin; Mrs. Gheesie Pear sen and Oicero Whit tington, in Florida; Mrs. Effle Huffman, Fidell Whittington, Mrs. Leah Gentry, (Hyde and Gurney Whittington, all of Le noir; Clarence Whittington, Par sonvllle. Funeral will be held Tuesday, two p. m? at Stony Hill Church. Forrest Jones Is Speaker At Lions Meeting Friday Forrest Jones, \ secretary-man ager of the Wilkes Chamber of Commerce, delivered a most In teresting and thought-provoking address Friday evening before the North Wilkesboro Lions Club. "Employe - Employer Rela tions" was the subject of the *1 ful job in America in production and selling, has failed to sell its own business to employes, and that industrial strife, with strikes and other interruptions, have re sulted from this failure. He urg ed that management devote more time and attention to maintain ing peaceful relations between employers and employes, who should no longer be considered just numbers on the payroll but as human beings. The program was in charge of Dr. J. S. Dertns and T. R. Gray son, who presented the speaker. In a brief business session it was voted that the club give a way the new automobile at the horse show, which will be held July 4 and 5. Further details will appear later. Roy Crouse was received into membership in the club and was inducted by J. H. Whicker, Jr. Guests Friday were as follows: Roland Potter with Jimmie Al len; Gordon Forester, Jr., with Paul Cashion; Mr. Pierson with Ray Hoover; Jimmie Anderson, Jr., Jack Anderson ana Jimmie Moore with Jimmie Anderson. o Plan Vacation Bible School At Fairplains A Vacation Bible School will begin on Monday, June 16th, and run through Friday, June 20th at Fairplains Baptist church. The public is cordially invited to at-1 tend. ?: o ? SUPPORT THE Y. M. C. A. Home Demonstration Schedule For Week Wednesday, June 11, Moun tain View Home Demonstration Club meeting; place of meeting, Mrs. Estelle Wood, 2 o'clock. Thursday, June 12, Ferguson Home Demonstration club meet ing; place of meeting', Miss Beu lah Ferguson, 2 o'clock. Friday, June 13, Pores Knoib Home Demonstration Qlub meet ing; place of meeting, Club House, hostesses, Pauline and Grace Johnson, 2 o'clock. Monday, June 16, Boomer "o m13emonstration cluib meet ing; place of meeting, Mrs. H. R. Broyhill, 2 o'clock. Tuesday, June 17, Mulberry Home Demonstration club meet ing; place of meeting, Mrs. Coyd Elledge, 1:30 o'clock. Kilby Elected Commander Of Wilkes Legion Officers Elected Thursday Night Will Be Installed On July 1 At the regular meeting of Wilkes County Post No. 125, The American Legion, held Thursday night, June 5, 1947, the follow ing officers were elected for the year 1947-48: Commander, A. P. Kilby; Vice Commanders, Kyle Hayes, Henry C. Landon an<j J. Hubert Winkler; Adjutant and Finance Officer, Louise Vyne Vannoy; Assistant Adjutant and Finance Officer, Philmore Forester; Sergeant at Arms, James Joines; Chaplain, Rev. Watt M. Cooper; Historian, Ray Stroud; Service Officer, W. H. McElwee; Assistant Service Officer, Edmond P. Robinson; Pu/blicity Officer, L. G. Critcher; Assistant Publicity Officer, Sgt. Earle Triplett; Graves Registra tion Officer, Archie F. McNeil; Assistant Graves Registration Of ficer, Shoun Kerbaugh; Athletic Officer, W. Frank Allen. There was a good attendance I present at this meeting and all Legionnaires are urged to be present at the installation night service to be held at the Ameri can Legion Clubhouse on July 1, at 8:00 p. m. Girl Scout News A 'bulletin has been received from the Winston-Salem Girl Scout headquarters giving notice that they are accepting non scouts at Camp Shirley Rogers at Roaring Gap, for the following sessions: July 2nd through July 16th; July 18th through August 1st; August 1st through August 15th. Fee is $21.00 per week. If interested in-attending this camp contact Miss Louise Shel ton, Pepper Building, Winston Salem. At a meeting of the Wilkes County Association of Girl Scouts held in the Education Building of the Presbyterian church in North Wilkesboro on Monday evening, June 2nd, the following board of directors was installed: Mrs. G. T. Mitchell, president; Mrs. R. G. Finley, vice president; Mrs. H. B. Smith, secretary; Mrs. Jim Somers, treasurer; Mrs. Harold Burke, registrar; Mrs. T. A. Fin ley, membership; Mrs. C. T. Doughton, program; Mrs. W. D. Jester, camp; Mrs. W. K. Sturdi vant. training; Mrs. Dan Carter, publicity; Mrs. J. B. Carter, North Wilkesboro, and Mrs. Wil liam Barber, Wilkesiboro, little hodse charimen. Encouraging and enthusiastic reports on the work of Girl Scouting in the county for the year ending were heard, of par ticular interest being those of leaders of troops, Mrs. C. T. Doughton, retiring preptdent, Mrs". Rqbert Gibbe, and Mrs. W. D. Jester of the Camp Commit tee. Registrations are being receiv ed for Day Camp to be held, in July at Moravian Falls. It is im portant that all interested in at tending this camp register right away. LEGION JUNIOR TEAM WILL OPEN SEASON HERE TUESDAY AT 3:30 Tuesday afternoon will mark the beginning of organized Amer ican Legion Junior baseball play in North Wilkesboro when the Wilkes Junior team will meet Newton boys at the local baseball park. The game will begin at 3:30. The Wilkes team will be pitted against some of the better junior teams in the nation, Including Shelby, Charlotte, Gastonla, Lin colnton and others of Area 4 in North Carolina, which is the hot bed of junior baseball in the southeast and has produced na tional champions. Public commendation of the Legion's forward movement for youth here can best be shown Tuesday afternoon by a large crowd attending the game and lending their encouragement and support to the Wilkes Iboys, who will have a big handicap of lack of experience in play and in wit nessing good baseball games. The Wilkes'team will have to play practically all games on the road at night under lights. At Lenoir Thursday night the local boys had trouble because of lack of experience of night play and the Lenoir hoys gave them a se vere drubbing in a practice game. But there are many good pros pects among the local .boys, 35 in number, and the team is ex pected to show progress as the season grows older and they get some valuable game experience and knowledge of the national, pastime. One thousand season tickets good for all seven home games of the Legion Junior team here are now on sale by members of the Wilkes post of the American Legion. Because of the great ex pense involved, the public Is ask ed to buy the tickets rapidly and support this movement for the benefit of the youth of Wilkes county. . Mrs. Camilla Pierce Funeral On Saturday Funeral service was held Sat urday at Anbor Grove Methodist church near Millers Creek for Mrs. Camilla Church Pierce, SB year-old resident of that com munity who died Friday. Rev. J. L. A. Bumgarner, pastor, was as sisted in the service by Rev. S. N. Bumgarner and Rev. A, W. Eller. Mrs. Pierce was a member of ^a well known Wilkes family, be ing the wife of the late J. W. Pierce. Surviving are the follow ing sons and daughters: J. F. and J. J. Pierce, Wilkesboro route one; R'. E. Pierce, Baltimore, Md.; N. J. Pierce and Mrs. C. G. Nichols, Wilkesboro route one; Mrs. H. C. Phillips and Mrs. L>. P. Phillips, North Wilkesboro; Mrs. A. C. Eller, Purlear; Mrs. J. N. Bumgarner, Millers Creek. Wilson Child Dies 11 Funeral service was held Sat* urday at Knobbs church for Janie Mae Wilson, age 15 days, daugh ter of Thomas and Bessie Splcer Wilson, of Traphill township. The child died Thursday. Rev. Harrison Barker conduct ed the last rites. Surviving are the father and mother and one brother, Ooy Walter Wilson.