WEATHER
North Carolina: Cloudy with oc
casional rains tonight and Thurs
d»y. slightly warmer tonight.
Official Shelby temperatures:
High 60. low 45, rainfall .192,
« Tshe Hhelhg BUle steck
j MARKETS
Cotton, spot__12r to lie.
Cotton m>c<1. wagon ton_It2.00
Cotton need, car lot ton __|45.00
FORMERLY THE CLEVELAND STAR, ESTABLISHED 1896
■ VQL.XU1—NO. 175
MEMBER ASSOCIATED PRESS
THE SHELBY DAILY STAR
SHELBY, N. C. WEDNESD’Y, DEC. 30. 1936
AUDITED CIRCULATION
SINGLE COPIES 5c
133,790 Traffic Deaths In Eleven Months
1936 IS YEAR OF
ALL-TIME RECORD
IN AUTO CRASHES
Reductions In Some
States Including N.
Carolina
NEW YORK. LEADS
CHICAGO, Dec. 30.—UP)—The
National Safety council said today
1936 will mark an all-time high for
automobile traffic deaths in the
United States.
By the stroke of midnight New
Year's eve, the council predicted,
die toll will reach 37,450, or 450
more than last year.
Five Percent Increase
A five per cent increase in traffic
deaths last month as compared
with November, 1935, said W. H.
Cameron, managing director, de
stroyed all hope of avoiding an in
crease over the 1935 slaughter.
The 11-month total for 1936 was
33.790. Last year it was 33,340.
The council's records showed ped
estrian traffic deaths continued to
increase, the 1936 total exceeding
that of last year by two per cent.
New York paced 12 states in cut
ting the traffic death toil more than
seven per cent for the first 10 or
11 months of 1936, with 19 per cent.
Other states which reported reduc
tions included: New Hampshire 13
percent, Connecticut and Nevada
12, South Dakota and Maryland;
11; North Carolina, 10; Utah, Vir
ginia and New Jersey, 9; Iowa and
Wisconsin 7. ,
Cities in the 100,000 to 250,000
group reported a 35 per cent in
crease for November; those in the
250.000 to 500,000 group, 24 per cent,
Wilmington, N. C., in the 25,000 to
50.000 group, was the largest city
with a record of no fatalities to
December 1.
Woman Is Sorry
Spectators Hurt
As Shepherd Dies
JACKSON, Ky„ Dec. 30.—(JP)—
Mrs. Viola Wickline, wjio assassin -
•ted the accused slayer of her son
before 150 horrified Breathitt coun
ty courtroom spectators here, ex
pressed, officers said today, regret
she wounded two bystanders, but
no sorrow over the death of her
victim—crippled, 18 year old John
ny Shepherd.
Take me to jail,” Jailer William
Combs quoted the small, thin, 41
year old mountain mother as say
>ng. my child had to go; let him
• Shepherd > die.” He said she as
sumed sole responsibility for the
spectacular killing.
Deputy Sheriff John E. Rice said
Mrs. Wickline, brown haired and
blue eyed, calmly professed distress
that stray bullets struck George
Shou.se, 27, wounding him serious
ly in the chest, and inflicted a leg
Injury on Attorney Moss Noble, 25.
Howard Moore, another spectator,
•uffered a knee bruise by a bullet.
Mrs. Wickline was removed to the
new jail at Hindman, in adjoining
Knott county because Combs said
the Breathitt county jail was "not
secure.” N .
3
State Evidence
Is About Over
&
MARION, Dec. 30.—t/P)—The
***** neared the end of its evi
'imoe today in the trial of Lee
Morrison, 33, of Cleveland coun
ty. charged with first degree
murder of his mother, Mrs. Min
nie Morrison, who was drowned
m a lake near here last October
2.
The prosecution yesterday of
fered witnesses who said Morri
son sought unsuccessfully last
September to obtain insurance
°n his mother’s life. Later, they •
said, the son obtained one or two ‘
"mail policies.
W. Cowan, game warden,
he came upon Morrison a
few minutes after the Morrison
-"‘omobile had tumbled into
Tahoma. Morrison said he
h*d been forced from the road
hT a timber track. He said he
freed himself from the automo
•’••e and . warn ashore. His moth
er s body was not recovered for
'"me time. I j
t
Organized Liars
Give Prize To
Mosquito Story
CHICAGO, Dec. 30.——Or^&n~
ized liars of the world hailed as
their queen today Mrs. Gale Barn
house of Fowlerville, Mich., deeming
her to have demonstrated suprem
acy (for 1936) in a field hitherto
reserved by tradition to husbands.
Her tale of a monstrous Michigan
mosquito so voracious that it dined
on the Bamhouse livestock won her
the Burlington, Wis., liars’ club
medal, awarded in absentia last
night with appropriate ceremonies
via radio.
At Chickens
The mosquito, the farm wife re
lated, "used to eat up our baby
chicks. After that it started tossing
down grown ducks, then turkeys ■
and finally, when it was full grown,
it ate three of our calves and two of
our milk cows.
“Yes sir, she was a mean one—
but the mosquito is dead now. She
finally decided to tackle old Maude
—that's our mule. ‘Oh, oh,’ I said
to myself, that’s the end of as fine,
a mule as ever pulled a plow in
Michigan.’
“But I’ll be gol darned, just when
that mosquito got old Maude half
way down, if old Maude didn’t let
loose with both her hind legs and
break that mosquito’s back!”
Tornado Yarn
Mrs. C. B. Forman of Attala, Ala
one of the finalists in the club's an
nual contest, spun a yarn about a
freakish tornado which “blew the
knot clear out of George Poddle
woter’s brand new four in hand
-tie.
“That twister carried George’s tie
clear out of town and while flying
through the air the tie picked up
a Christmas tag. The tornado car
ried it over into the next county
gnd tied it around the neck of
George’s second cousin, Elmer, whom
he had forgotten to send a present
to.”
Spartanburg Girl
Is Some Better
SPARTANBURG, S. C., Dec. 30.
—(/P)—Miss Margaret Davis, 17, who
for the past four days has been seiz
ed with attacks of incessants laugh
ing and talking, was reported im
proved this morning but her moth
er. Mrs. Belle Davis, was ordered to
bed because of the severe strain of
caring for her daughter. {
Miss Davis, after being the weak
est of any time since Saturday, ral
lied last night. She had but one ser
ious attack during the night, at
tendants said, and appeared much
improved this morning. She, how
ever, continues to mumble when not
under the influehce of sedatives.
Dorsey’s Body In
Lake For 45 Days
The body of Edgar Dorsey, Forest
City mechanic who was drowned
in Lake Lure on November 15 is
still missing after the 45th day.
Experts say there is little hope
that the body will come to the sur
face until spring when the water
gets warm.
Others say it is uncertain even
then as Mr. Dorsey was reported to
be wearing heavy boots and an over
coat at the time of his death. They
say the coat may be caught by a
snag.
Saw Kidnaping
• A witness to the abduction ol
Charles Mattson, 10-year-old Ta
coma, Wash., boy, was Virginia
Chatfield (above), 16, of Seattle,
who was a house guest of the Matt
son children at tff time. Virginia
was in the living room of ths Matt
son home with Charles when a man
wearing a mask entered and kid
naped him. (Associated Press
Photo)
WILL HEAR TWO
MURDER CASES
One Result Of Acci
dent, Other Shotgun
Killing
One of the smallest dockets for k
January term of superior court will
face Judge P. A. McElroy of Mar
shall who will open court here next
Monday morning. Only 46 cases are!
on the calendar, eight of which are
merely for compliance.
Despite the small number of cases
the court vdlll hear evidence on four
capital crimes, two murders and two
charges of criminal assault.
Milton Roberts, colored will face
a murder charge in the death of
"Cow Charlie’’ Wilson who met death j
at the point of a shotgun, alleged
to have been in the hands of Rob
erts.
Graham Trial
Richard Graham will face a
charge of murder in connection with
the death of Baxter Camp, Patter
son Springs farmer and of a Green
ville, S. C., belt salesman, who were
killed about two months ago when
a car Graham is alleged to have
been driving skidded and overturn
ed near Mr. Camp’s home.
The criminal assault cases are
expected to be reached before the
end of the week. The charges are
against Broadus Eakr and Cone
Harrelson, well known young meji
of near Waco.
Azelea Holland, colored, will 1ace
a manslaughter charge in connec
tion with the death of Tom Bigger- |
staff, Lattimore farmer several!
months ago.
Among other cases there will be
12 for violation of prohibition laws;
one for breaking and entering and
seven for larceny; three for simple
assault and five for assault with
deadly weapon: three for bigamy;
two for forgery; non-support, re
ststing arrest, affray, perjury, VMVL
and CCW all have on each.
Prof, and Mrs. C. A. Ledford and
children of Southport are spending
a few days in the county visiting
friends. They will return home the i
last of the week. Mr. Ledford is]
connected with the city schools!
there.
Judicial Power Extension
Is Great American Danger
CHICAGO, Dec. 30.—(/P)—Donald
B. Richberg, lawyer and former ad
ministrator of the NRA, told a dis
tinguished audience of political
scientists today that the greatest
danger to American government in
the last two years was ‘'unconstitu
tional extensions of judicial power.”
He challenged four of the Sup
reme court’s recent major decisions,
declaring:
Amend Opinions
“As a lawyer, I must logically in
sist that the appropriate way to
correct these errors is not to amend
the constitution, but to append the
opinions of the Supreme court.”
Richberg’s remarks were con
tained in an address prepared for
delivery before a joint meeting of
the American Political Science as
sociation and the American Asso
ciation for labor legislation. He as
serted the opinions of the Supreme
court in the AAA, Gulley Coal bill,
municipal bankruptcies and mini
mum wage cases were not regarded
as “correct or reasonable interpre
tations” of the constitution by a
large number of authorities upon
constitutional law.
To return these opinions, he said.
i»
'Continued on page eight.!
Report Mussolini Advises
Hitler To Withdraw From
Spain Soon And Gracefully
Italy Reported As Wanting To Wash Its
Hands Of Franco; Nazis Are In
Embarrassing Position
BERLIN, Dec. 30.— (/P) —Chah
celior Adolf Hitler has been ad
vised by Premier Mussolini of Italy,
Informed quarters In close touch
with Rome said today, to withdraw
gracefully from Spain as soon as
possible.
II Duce was represented as hav
ing decided to wash his hands of
Gen. Francisco Franco and the
Spanish' insurgents and to have
suggested that Hitler follow suit.
Hitler On His Own
Mussolini’s future policy toward
Spanish Fascism was expected in
Informed circles to have great
weight In any decision Hitler and
his Nasi Lieutenants reach on
Franco-British demands for a strict
non-intervention in the Spanish
civil war.
Der Fuehrer, cutting short his
Christmas holiday to return to the
capital, called a conference of Nasi
leaders Including Baron Konstan
tin Von Neurath, Minister of For
eign Affaire, and Joachim Von Rib
bentro. Ambassador to London.
How far the Nazis would go to
force the Ef>anlsh Socialist govern
ment to free a Spanish passenger
and freight seised from the freigh
ter Palos while It was Interned In
Bilbao Harbor may be settled at
the conference.
Boats To Bilbao
A foreign office spokesman said
reprisals of some sort definitely
would be taken unless they are re
leased. ,
The cruiser Kolen and a torpedo
boat were steaming to the Bay of
Biscay to exert further pressure if
the Bilbao authorities fail to free
the passenger and cargo which was
held as contraband of war.
The Palos itself was released yes
(Contlnued on page eight.)
GREEK STEAMER
IS ABANDONED
Master Didn’t Know
Which Wilmington
Bound For
WILMINGTON, Dec. 30—(ff)—
Abandoned, the Greek steamer
Mount Dirfys pounding her hull out
on Prying Pan Shoals fifteen miles
seaward of Cape Pear coast guard
station, where she went aground
Saturday morning.
Efforts to save the ship were
abandoned yesterday afternoon by
the coast guard cutter Modoc and
the salvage tug Reliance, of Nor
folk, In the face of pounding seas
and an enveloping fog.
The cargo, estimated worth of
which is $150,000, was 62 days out
of the last Indian port by way of
Cape of Good Hope. She is loaded
with iron ore.
The cutter Modoc put the vessel's
crew ashore at Quarantine at South
port yesterday and returned to her
berth here for fuel preparatory to
a scheduled cruise of the Carolines
coast.
Plans are being made to transfer
the crew to New York, where they
will be placed aboard a ship bonnd
for Greece.
It was a peculiar error, as describ
ed by Commander J. A. Parley, of
the Modoc, that brought the ship
to grief on the treachrous 40-mile
long shoals.
He said the master qf the ship,
M. Markis, told him he had a cargo
consigned to "Wilmington, United
States of America.’’ The captain’s
British admiralty chart showed two
Wilmlngtons in the United States.
Whereupon, the captain, said, he
picked out the one written in large
letters, which happened to be Wil- j
mington, N. C.
The British admiralty chart was
an old one and did not show changes
which have been made in buoys in
recent years.
Strike Ending Plan
Is At A Standstill
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 30—.f/P>—
Negotiations to end the 62-day
Pacific coast maritime strike vir
tually were at a standstill today
with some sources expressing belief
congressional action would be nec
essary to settle it.
The future of the conferences be
tween shipowners and all but one
of the seven striking unions re-;
mained unsettled. The government’s
chief mediator, assistant Labor Sec
retary Edward P. McGrady, an
nounced plans for returning to i
Washington, D C. -
Offshore shipowners tentatively
agreed to confer today with rep
resentatives of the radio telegraph
I ists, after negotiations with the
other two unions of licensed per
1 sonnel, the officers and engineers
! had broken down.
i i
PUSH PROBE OF
PLANETRAGEDY
Diamopd Pslt Usually
Worn By S.le.man
Investigated
BURBANK, Calif., Dec. 30.—m
—The crash of an airliner Sunday
night, with loss of 13 lives, resolved
into a tragic enigma today In the
face of twin investigations by the
federal bureau of air commerce and
United Air Lines.
Major R. W. Schroeder, chief of
the air line inspection service, was
ordered here from Washington to
direct the federal inquiry into the
major plane disaster—fourth in the
west within a month. He is author
ized to conduct a public hearing, if
necessary.
County autopsy surgeon made a
special examination of A. L. Mark
well's body to determine whether
the Los Angeles diamond broker, a
crash victim, had a money belt
strapped about him. ^
Coroner Frank Nance said Mark
well commonly had carried from
(30,000 to $40,000 in gems and cash
in the belt but it was not known
for certain if he was wearing It on
his trip from San Francisco. No
trace of such a belt was found in
the wreckage strewn for 1,000 yards
on Oak mountain.
An inquest will be held early next
week.
Burl B. Blanton
Dies At Sharon;
Rites Thursday
Funeral services for Burl B. Blan
ton, 78-year-old respected farmer
of the Sharon community will be
held Thursday afternoon at two
o’clock at the Sharon Methodist
church with Rev. J. N. Wise In
charge.
Mr. Blanton died early today fol
lowing an illness of two months and
his death removed from the county
one of the best known farmers.
Surviving Mr. Blanton are his
wife, four daughters, Mrs. C. P.
Morehead, of Sharon; Mrs. L. A.
Smith, Mrs. R. E. Ledbetter, Mrs.
S. S. Moore of Shelby; a son, Coel
Blanton of Shelby.
There are also 10 grandchildren
and four great grandchildren.
Mr. Blanton had lived in Sharon
community practically all his life
and after Joining the church early
in his youth was a constant worker
and attendant at the services.
GARBO HONORED
VS SWEDISH KING
STOCKHOLM, Dec. 80.11—(JPy—
Greta Garbo, film star, was award
ed the “Littrls et artibus" decora
tion today, by King Gustaf, for lit
erary a fid artistic merit.
The order is more than 100
n|<l.
years
Dead Taken From Plane
II
Crushed In the wrsokags «r ths Ill-fated United Airlines plane, the
bodies of 12 persons were removed with great difficulty from a deep,
brush-tangled ravins naar Burbank, Calif., Into whleh the ship eraahsd
during a storm. Workers are shown taking the dead from the debris.
(Aseoolatsd Press Photo)
Worry About Safety Of
Kidnapped Tacoma Boy
BULLETINS
SLX BP LESS NIGHT
VATICAN CITY, Dm. SO.—
VP)—Pope Flu, reported to hm
•pent virtually a sleepless night,
km declared to have “improved
somewhat" today.
Pain In the 79-year-old pon
tiff* left le( diminished with
the disappearance of a blood
clot which had obstructed cir
culation In the paralysed limb,
reliable soureos said. His condi
tion Is critical.
STOP OR DIE
PEIPING, Dec. M.-(PH)n#
day of grace remained today
for thousands of Peiping drug
addicts today whom the govern
ment has sternly ordered: “Be
cured by New Year’s or die!”
SOLO FLIGHT
DAKAR, Senegal, Dec. 3d—
VP)—Mary sc Baatie, French Dy
er who formerly held the wom
en’s world record for distance,
took off today for Natal, Brasil,
in a solo effort to set a new
speed mark for the South At
lantic crowing.
LAST ONE DIES
MEMPHIS, Tenn., Dec. 30.—
(/PV—Little Lee Earl Bridges,
lone survivo.- of a quadruplet
birth In a southeast Missouri
log cabin in the night of Nov
ember 2, died in a hospital here
today.
AIRMAN DIES
DEERTRAIL, Colo., Dec. 30.
—I/P)—A lone airman crashed to
his death on a rough butt# eight
miles south of here while at
tempting to thread his way
through a blinding night snow
storm which covered Colorado's
eastern plains
BOY IS KILLED IN
PLAY WITH SHOTGUN
CONCORD, Dec. 30.—UP)—A
charge from a shotgun killed 10
year-old Reggie Cook yesterday as
he and hi* two cousins, Hoyle Cook,
8, and Archie Cook, 11, played with
the gun In an upstairs room of their
home.
Believe Contact Has
“ Been Made; Plead
For Safety
TACOMA. Wash., Dm. M
—U Col. Oh B. Appel man.
frequently mentioned fts the
probable Intermediary In the
Charlea Mattaon kidnapping
caae, apent 40 minutes in Dr.
W. W. Mattaon'a mansion to
day, then emerged hurriedly
and aped away In a motor oar
on an undiielooed misalon.
Appelman’a sudden departure,
following the announcement laat
night by a family spokesman
that negotiations with the kid
napper of the 10-year-old hoy
were almost complete, gave
rlae to rumors the $28,000 ran
som demand had been met, or
was to be met soon.
Appelman brushed aside ques
tioners as he departed.
TACOMA, Wash., Dec. 30.—(/P)—
New fears for the safety of 10-year
old Charles Mattson were expressed
today even as a family spokesman
predicted $28,000 ransom would‘be
paid before nightfall for the boy’s
release from a kidnapper.
The spokesman said negotiations
were “definitely underway." A fam
ily friend added Dr. W. W. Mattson,
the boy’s father, had the money
ready to pay the man who snatch
(Contlnued on page eight.)
Another Hearing
For Consolidated
Plan for reorganization of the
Consolidated Textile corporation,
which owns the Ella mill plant here,
was yesterday in New York return
ed by a federal Judge to a special
master in bankruptcy for advise.
This means, it is understood, that
there is hope for re-opening the
local plant. However, after the spe
cial master gives his ‘'advise,’' it
will have to be again considered by
a federal Judge. Tills hearing has
been set tentatively for January 15,
at which time some definite action
may be announced.
Match At Gay Holiday Ball
Causes Death And Injuries
SELMA, Ala,, Dec. 30.— (/P) — A
lighted match,carelessly tossed into
a costume at a gay holiday ball,
was blamed today for a fire which
fatally burned one young society
woman and left ten others gravely
injured.
Mrs. T. C. Gayle, wife of a young
attorney, succumbed early today tjt
bums about the face and body suf
fered last' night at the Phantom’s
ball in the exclusive Selma town
and country club.
Clothes Afire
The flame? started in the costume
of one of ‘•everal closely-grouped
women and leaped swiftly from one
• to another.
Maddened by fear and pain, the
women ran in their burning gar-!
mente from behind a curtain where j
they had been awaiting the start
of the grand march while their es-i
corts stripped off dress coats and
seized expensive wraps to smother
the flames.
Behind Curtain
The young women were gathered j
behind the curtain when a dancer j
authorities refused to name lighted j
| a cigarette anil carelessly tossed the
j match aside.
The burning silver landed in the'
frills of Mrs, James Stewart's cot
< Continued on page eight.)
ROOSEVELT MAY
STOP SHIPMENT
OF WAR PLANES
Will A»k~For Further
Power In Banning
Such Trade
RETROACTIVE
WASHINGTON. • Dee. JO.—(/PI
—The name of the Vlmalert
company, Lt.. of Jereey City,
whoee president. Robert Cuae.
hu obtained a license to export
airplane* to Spain, fffured In
the 1030 eonrreaalonal tureatl
gatlon of CommUnlat artlvltlea
In the United State*.
This wan diaeloaed today aa
atate gepartment officials, (seek
ing aome lend ground for rel
ocation of the lloenae, exhibited
Intereet in the peraonal and
bualneaa background of Cuae.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 10<-(*)—
Quick congressional action to block
exporting of American plane* and
engine* to Spanish loyalists was
charted today by administration
leaders in view of President Roose
velt's denunciation of the proposed
shipment. •
The president asked extension of
the neutrality law giving him dis
cretionary power to ban sales of
munitions in civil conflict.
Nation’s Interest
He called the proposal of Robert
Cuse of Jersey City. N. J., to send
13,777,000 of airplanes and motors
to the Madrid government a per
fectly legal act but contrary to the
country's interests.
(The state department had grant
ed Cuse a license because the pres
ent neutrality law covers only em
bargoes on arms shipments In in
ternational warfare).
It will take Cuse about two months
to prepare the order. Mr. Roosevelt
said he believed that if the neutral- '
tty act could be amended quickly
enough to stop shipment, Cuse
could not recover damages.
Chairman Pittman (D.. Nev.) of
the senate foreign relations com
mittee is drafting an amendment to
authorise the president to prohibit
munitions shipments to either aide
in a major civil war.
It would show the world, he said,
that "we don't believe in this isle."
It is expected to be one of the
first items of business after con*
drees convenes next Tuesday. Later
a bill to replace the entire neutral
ity act, which expiree May 1,. will
be Introduced.
FOREIGN DESIRE
FOR MINERALS
A chance for Cleveland county to
enter the International picture And
to export various ores and minerals
was revealed today In a letter from
Luxembourg asking for regular
shipments of beryl crystals, gluci
num and other beryl ores.
The letter was addressed to “the ,
government of Cleveland County,
Department of Mines Office and
came from "La Banque Economist
Trust Co., 4, Rue Freses, Luxem
bourg.
Part of the communication was
In French and the remainder In
English. The letter explained the
company has a London office.
A bold mark of “imprime” or im
portant. was stamped in red on the
letter. It also carried In French the
usual American statement: “If not
delivered within three days, please
return—“
Cause of a foreign company ask
ing the aid of county officials in
contacting miners of beryllium is
not known. However it was learned
several months ago by some inves
tigators that much of the ore found
in some of the rocks near Kings
Mountain are beryllium sources.
Beryllium is an important alloy,
particularly in the fusing industry.
Rare and Important metals which
ordinarily will not combine can be
made to do so, if beryllium is pres
ent.
$600,000 Assets
Bring Only $1650
RAIflOH. Dec. 30.—(JP)—Assets
of the closed Raleigh Banking and
Trust company, valued on paper at
$600.000-odd were sold tor $1,650 by
DuWir auction here.