THE STATE PORT PILOT
A Good Newspaper In A Good Community
VOLUME 42 NO.2610-PAGES TODAY JANUARY 13, 1971 SOUTHPORT, N. C. 5c A COPY PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY
Forgery, Other Violations
Apparent In House Race
By ED HARPER
The public hearing into alleged fraud and
forgery charges will continue into a third day
because a key witness will not testify without her
attorney.
The hearing was called by the State Board of
Elections to air charges of voting irregularities
in the House of Representatives race between
incumbent Democrat Arthur Williamson and
Republican Thomas Harrelson of Southport.
According to evidence presented Tuesday and
Wednesday, violations including fraud and
forgery apparently did occur during the
November 3 election in South Lees Precinct—the
smallest of Columbus County’s 26 voting
districts.
The North Carolina General Assembly con
vened in Raleigh Wednesday morning, but both
candidates remained in Whiteville for the
hearing.
Mrs. Alma Ward, the registrar in South Lees
Precinct who now is the central figure in the
election controversy, was called to testify
Wednesday morning but refused to answer any
questions and said she would plead the fifth
amendment until she could talk to her attorney.
The attorney reportedly could not be contacted
by the State Board of Elections although he had
appeared in the courtroom several times during
the proceedings Wednesday.
Rather than allow Mrs. Ward to testify without
an attorney the Board decided to adjourn the
hearing until Thursday morning. The hearing is
near its end, however, and some decision is
expected before the State Board of Elections
leaves Whiteville.
A handwriting expert determined that the
signatures of the Republican and Democratic
judges were forged but that the signature of Mrs.
Ward was genuine. This “genuine” signature of
Mrs. Ward apparently was followed by a period,
which was an oddity of the “forged” signatures
of the two judges.
An SBI agent reported that a double-sheet had
been removed from the poll book, which
reportedly was in Mrs. Ward’s possession from
the election until the time the voting materials
were impounded by order of a Superior Court
judge.
Two persons whose names appeared on the
poll book testified that they did not vote,
although an affidavit was produced that
allegedly was signed by the two voters stating
they did vote.
The affidavit was marked with an “X”,
although the same person testified she had
written three letters to her children on Tuesday
morning.
The Democratic judge and the Republican
judge agreed that they had not seen four of the
seven alleged “non-voters” at the South Lees
poll on the day of the General Election.
Further evidence tended to show that 200
county ballots were issued to Mrs. Ward, but 168
were returned to the Columbus County Board of
Elections. This indicates a total of 32 ballots
were used, which is four less than were removed
from the ballot box, and six less than reportedly
were used in the elections procedure that day in
South Lees.
Testimony tended to show other violations of
written election laws, both on the precinct and
county levels.
James Bullock, assistant Attorney General for
the State of North Carolina, asked most of the
questions but frequent inquiries were made by
members of the State Board of Elections,
Harrelson’s attorney George Clark of
Wilmington, and Herbert Hyde of Asheville,
counsel for Williamson.
REGULAR COURT SESSION
Board of Elections Chairman Bryan Scott said
the public hearing would be conducted as a
(GontbMMd On Pig* Tw»)
State Backing
Only One Jail
* **
The $44,500 grant made to
Brunswick County for the
construction of new jail
facilities specifies that this
money is to be used for a
single jail facility to serve the
entire county.
A request was made by the
former Board of County
Commissioners for a grant of
$89,178 for this project.
However, when notice of
approval of the grant was
Food Stamp
Use Rising
According to information
received from the U.S.
Department of Agriculture
Food and Nutrition Service
Field Office in Wilmington,
participation in the Food
Stamp program during the
month of December in die six
participating counties of
Southeastern North Carolina
totaled 32,561 persons in 8,603
households.
The total dollar amount of
food stamps issued was
$767,626.00, of which
$220,188.00 was paid by
recipients, the remaining
$547,438.00 representing the
bonus food coupons, which are
paid for by the U.S. Depart
ment of Agriculture.
In Brunswick County 1,836
persons in 526 families par
ticipated, receiving $45,772.00
in food stamps for which they
paid $13,587.50, receiving a
bonus of $32,184.50.
The food stamps are issued
to families with limited in
comes who are certified by
their local Department of
Social Services. The cost of
the coupons to each family is
based on its income and the
number in the family. The
coupons may be spent for food
only at any of the over 700
authorized retail food stores in
the six counties.
Danger Of Dope Brought Home
Chief of Police M.E. Williamson of Wrightsville Beach brought the dope
problem home for his listeners Monday night as he addressed a meeting of the
Brunswick County-Southport High School Parent-Teachers organization.
Chief Williamson told his listeners the problem is here and now, then gave
some advice on how to cope with it. He was introduced by Mrs. Betty Trunnell.
(Photo by Spencer)
received under the Lower
Cape Fear Planning Unit it
was for $44,500.
In transmitting notice of this
grant, the following in
formation and comments
were contained in the letter:
‘•DESCRIPTION: Bruns
wick County, as many other
counties within North
Carolina, is in dire need of
proper jail facilities. Bruns
wick County has developed a
plan which proposes the
construction of two separate
facilities for the county. The
application proposes the
construction of a 1,677 square
foot facility in Shallotte and
3,182 foot facility in Southport.
The North Carolina Depart
ment of Social Services, Jail
Specialists, after review of the
above application recom
mended to staff that financial
assistance be provided for a
single jail facility to serve the
entire county. Staff recom
mends funding in the above
amount with conditions.
“CONDITIONS: 1. The
above grant be used to con
struct a single facility to serve
the entire county. 2. A copy of
the design and specifications
be furnished the Committee on
Law and Order.”
The problem of providing
adequate jail facilities is one
(OboMnued On Pif* Want)
Elect Bellamy
To Soil Board
James D. Bellamy, Jr.,
recently was re-elected for
another 3 year term as
Brunswick Soil & Water
Conservation District
supervisor. The Brunswick
District supervisor. The
Brunswick District is a sub
division of state government.
At a district supervisor
meeting on January 4,
magistrate R.W. Cheers
administered the oath of office
to Bellamy.
Officers for 1971 were
elected. They are: Mr.
Bellamy, chairman; Bryan
Smith, vice-chairman; Worth
Mercer, secretary-treasurer.
The other members are A.S.
Knowles and William A.
Clemmons.
V*r«
-I
Harrelson And His Attorney
Thomas Harrelson is shown at the right with his
attorney, George Clark, of Wilmington as they
confer during the public hearing held by the State
Board of Elections in Whiteville this week. The
State Board is trying to determine the winner in
the contest for House of Representatives in the
General Election. (Elgie Clemmons Photo).
Henderson Re veals Plans
For Island Development
Details of what Bald Head
Island would be like it it were
developed, and how its
geology and environment
would be protected, were
released Monday for die first
time by William R. Hen
derson, president of Carolina
Cape Fear Corporation, which
owns the island.
“We have not been able to
reveal our plans until now
because the concept study,
essential for a major
development, was not ready,”
Henderson said. “The report
will answer many of our
critics who have been voicing
strong opinions without
having the facts. Our next
planning step is to prepare a
master plan for the
development.”
The Concept study was done
by Wm. F. Freeman
Associates of High Point, one
of the leading planning-design
firms engaged in community
planning. It was almost a year
in preparation, and makes the
following recommendations,
among others:
—Bald Head will be
responsibly developed in
stages—six are planned
covering a period of 15 to 19
years.
—The island’s natural
character will be preserved.
—Access for the foreseeable
future will be by water only.
—Development will be
limited to existing high
ground, and only 4,200 acres—
less than one-fourth of the
13,000 owned by Carolina Cape
Fear—will be developed.
nn*
lime
And Tide
The date was January 15, 1936, and the cenotaph standing in
the Southport cemetery honoring two groups of pilots who were
lost at sea was the subject for an illustrated feature story.
Another front page picture showed the contrast between a stand ,
of timber from which forest fires had been kept away and with
one where fires had taken their annual toll. News of particular ,
interest to folks of the Shallotte area told of plans by Dr. M.H.
Rourk to move to that community for the practice of medicine.
Bad roads forced the temporary shutting down of ihe Wac- i
camaw school; a quarter page advertisement proclaimed in big
type that “$25 A Month Now Buys A New Ford V-«.”
A Forest Service lookout tower and a close-up of a towerman ,
on watch provided the front page picture of our edition of ]
January 15,1941. Plans were being made for an all-day meeting ,
of the Brunswick REA at Waccamaw school on the following
Saturday. ,
Former Postmaster L.T. Yaskell had jumped the gun and had ]
brought in a string of freshwater fish, the first of the season; the .
editor ran down a bunch of rumors that had to do with defense .
installation in this area; and the H.S. Ward Store at Hickman’s
Crossroads had burned on the previous Sunday night. '
It was January 9,1946, and men still were coming home from ,
World War II. One was Lt. David Watson, who had served as a j
Navy Courier in the Southwest Pacific. A check-up revealed that ,
(Continued On Pa** Vtour)
—The only dredging
planned will be for a ferry
access, and for a yacht basin
and marina, which will
disturb virtually no mar
shland.
—The island’s marsh
fringes will be placed in a
trust to prevent disturbance
by anyone.
—The forest green belts
created in the development
plan will be placed in trust for
use by all.
—The beaches and front
dunes will be placed in trust
for protection and use by all.
—Battery Island will be
reserved for a bird sanctuary
or other suitable use.
Shallotte Man
State Director
A Shallotte man has just
received appointment as the
State Director for the Aire
Force Military Affiliate Radio
System (MARS) from the
Headquarters of the Southern
Command Area at Oklahoma
Air Force Base. He is one of
the 11,000 members operating
in the program.
Alton Clemmons of Shallotte
received his appointment as
State Director January 1,. He
has worked with the MARS
program for 13 years as a
member.
He handles 3rd party
messages to people of the
ares. He has recently relayed
numerous messages in the
Geedy Named
Leland Chief
Members of the Leland
Volunteer Fire Department
lave elected John Geedy to
serve his third consecutive
:erm as fire chief. This action
.vas taken at a recent meeting
luring which the following
ifficers also were elected:
Henry Greiner was elected
is assistant chief.
Other officers elected in
dude Frankie Thomas,
special deputy sheriff; D.A.
-«ng, treasurer; and Jay
-oker, president and
secretary.
Company A officers elected
nclude Tommy Dover,
:aptain; David Nelson, first
ieutenant; and A.C. Bryant,
second lieutenant.
Company B officers elected
vere Gary Saburn, captain;
Srnie Long, first lieutenant;
snd Glenn Morris Gainey,
second lieutenant.
Henry Griener, Frankie
rhomas, Joe Gainey and
.•eland Raynor were elected to
serve as board directors. The
ward of directors also in
cudes the president,
ecretary and treasurer.
Supply and Bolivia area from
Vietnam.
James H. Robinson and
Henry Carter of Shallotte are
also members of the MARS
program.
“We would like to recruit
more members for the
program in this area”
Clemmans said this week
“Anyone holding a valid FCC
Amateur Radio License with
equipment capable of
operating on 2 of the MARS
frequencies, can qualify.”
The mission of the MARS is
supplement normal Air Force
communiciations, provide
emergency backup com
munications facilities, and
provide communiciations for
use in implementing domestic
emergency plans of Air Force
commands.
It also helps: create interest
and promote training in
military communications,
promote study and ex
periments in C-E techniques,
and provides an additional
source of trained com
munications personnel.
MARS is a radio com
munications system in-being.
In addition to processing day
to-day traffic, its also handles
morale traffic for the military
services and the Red Cross.
This traffic provides a useful
peacetime service and
exercises the MARS net
works. MARS provides sup
port during peacetime,
periods of international
tension or emergency, and
wartime. In addition MARS
personnel and com
m ations facilities are
available to assist Civil
Defense forces when the
diversion will not degrade the
military mission.
“The Air Force has always
encouraged amateur radio
operations,” Clemmons said.
"In the past, amateur
operators have contibuted
significantly to the Air Force
by providing trained operator
service during wartime and
(Gorrttmied On Pi(t 1W)
—Restrictions adopted to
protect birds, animals,
marine life, trees, shrubs and
dunes will be enforced
throughout the island.—
—All historic sites will be
preserved and made available
for study.
—Air, land and stream
contamination will be
prohibited, as will loud and
offensive noises.
—Architectural guidelines
will be established to assure
that public and private
buildings are compatible with
the natural surroundings.
Henderson said that the
company plans an En
vironmental Security Divison
which will enforce regulations
designed to protect the
ecology and the environment.
Responding to earlier
speculation that his company
really did not want to develop
Bald Head, but was actually
(Oootfcmed Ota Pin Vtour)
Mrs. Jones Is :
Club President
Mrs. Bobby Jones was in
stalled Wednesday as the new
president of the Southport
Woman’s Gub in a service
conducted by Mrs. H.T. St.
George, a former president of
the club. Mrs. Jones replaces
Mrs. Afton Smith, Jr.
Also installed were Mrsv
Fred Burdette, Jr., as 1st vice-;
president, Mrs. A.E. Huntley'
as secretary, Mrs. James M.:
Harper, Jr. as treasurer and
Mrs. Landis Brown as
chaplain. Mrs. Laurel
Roughton, who was elected
2nd vice-president, was not
present.
The program for the
meeting was a slide presen
tation of the proposed North
Carolina Zoological Garden
(OMttaaMd On Mwi
MRS. BOBBY JONES