ALWAYS ABREAST WITH THE CHANGING TIME IN RANDOLPH COUNTY THE COURIER LEADS THE COURIER AND ASHEBORO MARCH IN STEP—AHEAD BOTH ARE LEADERS TRI-WEEKLY Est. As The Regulator February 2. 1878 PRINCIPLES, NOT MEN 4 Changed To The Courier September 13, 1879 YEAR IN ADVANCE VOLUME LX I Oldest Paper Published In Randolph County ASHEBORO, N. C., TUESDAY, FEB. 16, 1937. PUBLISHED TUESDAY, THURSDAY AND SUNDAY } NUMBER 7 Seven Desperados Escape Prison At Caledonia Monday Well Known Highway Rob bers, Bank Robbers, Murd erers Compose Group In Randolph County Abandon Car Near High Point To Steal Another Tuesday Headed To Randolph Latest news from the seven con victs that escaped from Caledonia j’rison Monday morning was a re port from High Point at noon Tuesday to the effect that they abandoned the car in which they were riding on Monday and sup plied themselves with a gunmetai Fordor V-8 sedan bearing the license plate number 243-407. Their first car was abandoned a few miles out of High Point on the Asheboro highway and it was thought by police that they headed for Randolph county where several of the men are well known for their activities as highwaymen, bank robbers and similar offenses Notification came to local police headquarters at noon Tuesday al though Randolph officers had been on the lookout for the men since their escape. The seven convicts, three of them convicted murderers, have already switched cars several times since escaping from the prison farm in a truck. They are well armed with pistols taken from the prison gun room and have at least one shot gun, which was taken from a guard. The break occurred about - 3 o’clock Monday morning when Robert Smith, a convicted murderer suddenly pulled a gun on Captain I. D. Hinton of Caledonia. Smith and the other six then forced Captain Hinton and W. L. Roberts, a steward, to accompany them in a prison truck. They left the truck after a few miles and took a car belonging to Walter H. Willard of Raleigh, forcing him to come along with them. All three of the host ages were released unharmed, how ever, late last night near Va3S, (Please turn to Page 5) Falls From Tree, Fractures Skull Robert Plummer, former Ashe boro man, was seriously hurt in a fall from a tree in Burlington Sat urday afternoon, relatives here have been informed. Mr. Plummer had begun to top the tree when he fell, fracturing his skull and crushing his shoulder and arm. At the last report he was still un conscious in a Burlington hospital. He was brought up in North! Asheboro and is well known in this town. A brother, Fred Plummer, J and a sister, Mrs. Alma Harper, • still reside here, in addition to | other more distant relatives. Morale Improved By Prison Shoos Richmond, Va.—Virginia’s prison industries are far more valuable as morale-building agencies than as places for the manufacture of pro ducts for state use, according to H. E. Fitzgerald, former industrial director at the state penitentiary. "It is true,” he said, “that spir itual guidance in the way of re ligious services, properly directed reading, discipline, and many other adjuncts of prison life must play roles in a system where rehabilita tion is the objective; yet there i3 no element in a system that offers; the opportunity to reclaim inmates of a correctional institution com-' parable to work with its kindred relationships. In the shops men learn to approach a problem from the proper angle; learn the value of svstem and collaboration and many other essentials to any project de pendent upon joint effort.” Meeting Of Randolph Mutual Burial AssociationOn Monday 4m The directors of the Randolph Mutual Burial Association met in ■ banquet meeting Monday evening in the chapel of the Pugh Funeral Home. The group enjoyed a de lightful dinner, heard reports of Hie progress of the association in 1936, and elected officers for 1931. The election of officers resulted in the reelection of every one of toe group which led the association 'to its most prosperous year in 1936. They are Homer Loflin, pre sident; Jess Pugh, secretary-trea "—V and H. D. Phillips, vice Sea Hero To Be Amelia Earhart’s World Flight “Crew” wX*: utmmi Los —