TH E DANBURY REPORTER.
Established 1872 Volume 66
Russell Nelson To Die May 5
Convicted By Jury of First Degree Murder
Of Watt Smith—Notice Of Appeal (iiven
By Defendant Prisoner Carried to
State Prison.
Pacing a small room 8 feut
square .?nd with nothing to loolt
at but four blank walls, Russei;
Nelson occupies a room on Deati:
Row in the State penitentiary ju
Raleigh, doomed to die on the
sth of next May, unless given a
new trial or the Governor inter
venes.
It is learned that Nelson's
•counsel are entering a plea for u
■ew trial. This would have to be
decided by the Supreme Court.
Nelson was convicted of first
degree murder by a jury here
last Friday. The day following
he was sentenced to death by
Judge Felix Alley, who presided
at last week's term of criminal
court.
This is the first time in 71
years that a person has been con
victed of murder in the first de-
N gre« in Stokes county. Reuben
CIVIL COURT SEES
THIS WEEK
A NUMBER OF ACTIONS HAVE
BEEN TRIED BOOTH VS.
TEAtiUE NOW PENDING
FINISH OF CRIMINAL SI' ITS
EAST WEEK.
Criminal court adjourned Sat
urday noon. This week civil ac
tions are being tried, several of
which have gone off the docket.
As the Reporter goes to press, |
Booth vs. Teague is being tried. j
Ihe following civil suits have
r thus far been tried:
Dorothy Simmons Watkins vs. j
Blair Watkins. Divorce granted. j
A. L. Martin vs. Maggie Brim,
action for debt, judgment for (
plaintiff of $128.19 and, interest
and cost —total $190.42.
Carroll vs. Eaton, Eaton vs. j
Scott, substitute trustee, and j
fiaton vs. Carroll, 3 cases con- j
solidated. Compromised. Judg- j
ment, Eaton to pay costs. Carroll j
to pay $600.00.
* Owen vs. Wood, action for j
debt, judgment for plaintiff SSO
and costs.
Sands vs. Burge, action to set
Aside deed. Judgment for de
fendant.
W. Jack Wall vs. Viola Burrow
Wall, divorce granted,
Beaaley vs. Slate, action under
. terms of Workmen's Compensa
tion Act. Judgment, $203.89 and
costs, and hospital fee, taxed on
defendant.
Booth vs. Teague, trial pend
ing.
CRIMINAL COURT
The following criminal eases
jMt reported in the last issue of
the Reporter were tried up to
tatoniv:
'► , I
l Wright was hangc-d on the hill
; south of Denbury on the 21st oi
May, 186 S.
Since then many murder trials
have occurred in the county —
some of them embracing circum
, | sLances of the most atrocious
■' character. During many years it
lias become to be almost a pro
i | verb that "you can't hang a man
I in Stokes or Patrick."
>! Nelson shot and killed Wat".
! Smith near Sandy Ridge in No
■; vember, 1938. Reuben Tilley wu
! also implicated in the crime. Til
! ley was acquitted at the trial.
' j Immediately after the adjourn-
I I ment of court Deputy Sheriffs
1J Everett Wagoner, C'eve Lawson
' and Will George conveyed him
l and Julius Miller to the State
■ prison at Raleigh. Miller had
- been convicted of second degree
i murder. >
L
STATE AGAINST
Russell Nelson, murder. Found
guilty. Judgment, prisoner sen
tenced to death by lethal gas on
May 5, 1939, between 9 A. M.
and 3 P. M.
John Ezr a Joyce, B. and E.
plea charged to forcible trespass,
pleaded guilty, 2 months on
roads. i* 5
Sam Dearmin, possession, plead
ed not guilty, found guilty, cost
and suspended sentence.
John Bouldin, possession, judg
, meat cost.
j Julius Millar, murder, guilty, 13
years in State prison.
John Brown, assault, pleadeJ
guilty, $25 and cost and suspend
ed sentence.
i Wonnie Sands, assault and lar
ceny, pleaded guilty of forcible
trespass, 18 months on roads.
Anderson Martin, O. C. 1.,
I guilty, 90 days on roads.
Odell Boles and Dee Boles, lar
| ceny, both pleaded guilty, as to
i Odell, 30 days on roads after ex-
I piration of former sentence. As
So .Dee, cost
Ed E. Smith, O. C L, pleaded
gitilty, SSO and cost and give up
license.
Jclfcn Lynch, Q. C. L, SSO and
cost.
Tom Willard, Q. C- L. SSO and
cost
Nome Hickman, O, C. 1., SSO
and coot,
Wallace Crump, A. T>. W., $25
and coat.
Taylor Anderson, O. C JL SSO
and cost.
Bimmer Sutphin, larceny, 12
months on roads.
Winfred Edwards, O. C. 1., 3
months on roads.
Claude Flynn, O. C. 1., suspend
ed sentence.
Emmett Hooker, possession, 4
months on roacfc i { .j> | 1
Danbury, N. C., Thursday, April 13, 1939.
BOUQUET FOR JOHN
AiVijU filS Dtii'U lifts
J
JUDGK ALLEY FAYS SPLEN- !
Di'J TRIBUTE TO STOKES
OFFICERS.
Judge Felix Alley, presiding at
, Stokes court iast week and thia
■ v.tek, paid a splendid tribute to
Stokes officers of the law Monday
! when he remarked from the
bench: "You have the best sheriff
! in the State, and a splendid set
i of deputies."
The occasion was when in the
absence of certain witnesses in a
i case ready for trial, one side
1 made a motion for a continuance.
i _
j The opposing counsel vigorously
I objected.
I The lawyers were hot in the
: argument, when Judge Alley
1 stated:
"Let the witnesses be subpoe
i naed. You have the best sheriff
j here in North Carolina, and he
wiii get the witnesses in a few
hours. I have held many court:;,
but for efficiency, I have never
seen a sheriff more capable, con
scientious and courteous than
John Taylor, Sheriff of Stoke*
| county."
; The judge then added: "And 'l2
has one of the best crews of dep
uties I have ever come in contact
with."
His Honor's gratuitous expres
sion was highly appreciated by
the Sheriff and his friends, it is
[ not necessary to say.
HONOR ROLL
RECENT PAID -IN - ADVANCE
SUBSCRIPTIONS TO THfc]
DANBURY REPORTER.
J. W. Over by to March 1, 1940.
j Z. O. Johnson to July 1, 1939.
VV. L. Martin to Aug. 15, 1939.
J, W. Mo3er to June 15, 1939.
Mrs. W. C. Nelson to Nov. i,
1939.
Mrs. Fannie Moore to Feb. 1,
1943.
C. J. Corn to Nov. 5, 1939.
W. R. Stovall to July 1, 1943.
Carl Mabe to Feb. 1, 1940.
W. W. Boyles to May 21, 1939.
Geo. Fulton to Oct 26, 1939.
Mrs. M. M. Hawkes to Oct. 1,
1939.
J. H. Ward to Feb. 7, 1940.
HL T. Griffin to Dec. 2, 1939.
Mrs. Nat Hutcherson to May 1,
1939.
Z. D. Covington to Jan. 1, 1940.
O. L. Kiger to April 10, 1940.
C. M. Rutledge to Oct. 1, 1939.
A. R. Phillips to Mar. 1, 1943.
S. L. Reynolds to Aug. 15,
1939.
J. C. Boles to Feb. 1, 1940.
J. A. Lawßon to Apr. 11, 1941.
Chas. R. Carroll to Nov. 18,
1942. r»
.W, N. Reynolds to Sept. 15,
1042. ;
Subscribe for the Danbury Re
porter, £I.OO a year.
NEW CAFE,
SERVICE STATION j
THOMAS E. SMITH REPLACES j
BURNED STRUCTURE AT
KING—DEATH OF MISS WIL
META SMITH—LADIES AUX
ILIARY MEETS.
King, April 13. —Work is well
underway and going forward 'it
at a rapid pace on a new cafe and
service station for Thomas E.
Smith at the intersection of De
pot and School streets. This
building is being erected on the
same site where Mr. Smith lost
a building by fire recently.
A number of King citizens are
attending the civil term of Stokes
Superior court at Danbury this
week.
Miss Wilmeta Smith, agej 54,
who lived alone at her home one
mile north of King, was found
dead in her home last Tuesday
about noon by Chester Manring,
who resides near her home. Dr.
G. E. S f one, the examining physi
cian, said she had been dead
probably since Sunday. Ap
poplexy was said to be the cause
of her death. Surviving are three
sisters; Mrs. C. K. Boyles of Pin
nacle; Mrs. C. C. Clifford, of Win
ston-Salem and Mrs. Thomas Goff
of Tobaccoville. Funeral and in
terment was at Mount Olive
Church Wednesday afternoon a;
2 o'clock.
Albert Sidney Boles, retired
railway mail clerk of Washing
ton, D. C., is spending a few da.V3
with relatives at Lone Oak Farm,
one mile south of town. Mr.
Boles was reared here entering
the railway mail service more
! than forty years ago.
j Construction on the new home
of Austin Garner on Dan River
street is being pushed along to
ward completion at a rapid rate.
Miss Edith Houser, trained
nurse of High Point, was a week
end visitor to relatives here.
The following patients under
went tonsil operations here last
week: Roger Ferguson of Wins
ton-Saleni and Lloyd Smith of
King, Route 2.
Improvement is noted in the
condition of Charlie Ross New
sum, Jr., who has been on the
sick list at his home In North
Side for the past several days.
Moir Smith has opened up a
new cafe and service station at
Timmons Cross Roads and seems
to be enjoying a nice business.
The following calls were regis
tered by the stork last week: to
Mr. and Mrs. George Barr, a son;
to Mr. and Mrs. Omnie Boyles, a
daughter, and to Mi and Mrs.
Ollie Burrow, a son.
Miss Daherty Hall of Pfaff
town spent a short time Satur
day with relatives and friends
here.
O. L. Rains has returned from
a business trip to Denton.
(Continued on 4th page.)
SENIOR CLASS
IS ENTERTAINED
PARTY G I V E X BY MRS.
JAMES HAWKINS AT SAN
DY RIDGE MISS VERA
CARTER ILL—OTH(CR PER
SONALS FROM THE RIDGE.
*/
Sandy Ridge, April 10.—M r n.
James Hawkins delightfully en
tertained the senior class of
Sandy Ridge high school at .1
party given at the home of her
parents, Rev. and Mrs. J. A.
Joyce, Wednesday night, April 5,
honoring her eighteenth birth
day.
Many interesting games were
enjoyed. Various contests were
conducted. Prizes were awarded
the winner.
The guests were then invited
into the dining room where a
beautiful table was set with a
large birthday cake as center at
traction. A rose and white color
scheme was carried out. Deli
cious hot dogs, dressed cake and
lemonade were served to the fol
lowing guests: Misses Georgia
Maye, Mildred Steele, Doris Ver
non, Evelyn Reid Turner, Edith
Hennis, Evelyn Joyce, Rosa
Rhodes, Louise Jessup, Zilla |
Priddy .Annie Priddy, Lou Ella
Amos, Messrs. Louis Dodson, Hu
bert Corns, Cleo Lemons, Thur
man Lawson, Curtis Stevens, K
E. Brown, D. C. Hutcherso.i,
Gladys Joyce, Mr. and Mrs. C. R.
Darr and daughter, Joan, Mr.
and Mrs. Jan ?s • lawkins. Mi
and Mrs. Ulric Handy, Mr. and
Mrs. Ed Joyce, Mrs. GV.ort
Joyce, Rev. and Mrs. J. A. Joyco
and Mrs. Hilary Chapman.
Mr. and Mrs. C. P.. Darr and
daughter, Joan, spent the Eastei
holidays with relatives near Lex
ington.
Mr. and Mrs. Willie Dodson of
| Winston-Salem spent the Easter
I
: holidays with the former's par
! ents, Mr. and Mrs. J. W. A. Doil
j son.
Miss Abbie Hawkins has ac
| cepted a position with Walker
and Elliott, plumbers of Madi
son.
Mr. and Mrs. Willie Dodson of
Winston-Salem, Mr. and Mrs.
Woodrow Dodson of Dodgetown,
and Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Dodson
and family of Madison, Route 1,
were the dinner guests of Mr.
and Mrs. J. W. A. Dodson Sun
day.
Mr. and Mrs. Hilary Chapman
visited Mr. and Mrs- Louise
Joyce of Madison Saturday night.
Mr. and Mrs. Dewey Dodson
spent the holidays in Chatham,
Va., with friends.
Miss Margaret Vernon has re
turned home after having spent
the winter in Ruffin with Mr. and
Mrs. E. M. Mason.
Mrs. G. W. Hawkins spent the
holidays with her daughter, Mrs.
J. L. Spencer of Walnut Cove.
Route 1. ' i .
if l
Number 3,496
CCC CAMP
GETS NEW MEN
OLD CROWD LEAVES AND IS
REPLACED BY FRESH BOYS
FROM DIFFERENT STATES—
STOKES LADS AMONG THE
LATE ARRIVALS.
Last week mere than 100 new
boys from different States of the
Union replaced the discharge!
crowd of SO-odd who had finished
their term of service and werj
leaving.
Among the new arrivals werj
the following Stokes county boys;
Bullin, Fletcher Franklin, Mad
ison, Route 1.
Cardwell, Clay Matchiel, West
field, Route 1.
Dillon, Warren G. Sandy Ridge,
Route 1.
Dodson, Joel Webb, Sandy
Ridge, Route 1.
Duggitis, Reuben Wilson, Mai
ison, Route 1.
Floyd, John Buchanan. Walnut
Cove.
Hall, Hassell Taylor, S'Midy
Ridge, Route 1.
Hall, James William. Westfieii.
Route 1.
A I
Hall, John Lyman, Danbury.
Hall, Hardy, Walnut Cove.
Route 2.
Joyce, Clifton Fred, Walnut
Cove, Route 1.
Mabe, Paul Harding, Walnut
Cove.
Martin, Shreve, Walnut
Cove, Route 1.
Malcom, Walnut
Cove.
Xcr.l, P.r.y .ioaJ Franklin, Wal
nut Cove.
J Sechrist, David, Weslfiel j.
Route 1.
The following colored boys x
Stokes county were sent to color
ed camps in other counties:
Martin, Raleigh Matthew, Be*
lews Creek, Route 2.
Smith, Johnson, Belews Creek,
Route 2.
Robertson, Curfew. Belews
Creek, Route 2.
I Fulp, Wilbert, Walnut Cove,
Route 2.
I
Rev. Frank Swanson, Bapti3t
I minister, and Cashier I. M. Gor
don of the Bank of Pilot Moun
| tain, were witnesses in a suit at
court here Wednesday.
Mr. Mrs. J. H. Chapman
: and Waldo Hawkins spent the
holidays with the former's par
ents, Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Chapman
of Walnut Cove.
Quite a few people from this
section attended the sunrise ser
vice in Winston-Salem Sunday A.
If.
Miss Vera Carter is confined
to her bed with flue.
Mr. and Mrs. E. E. Dodson
visited Mr. and Mrs. L. B. Haw
kins Saturday night.
Little L. B. Hawkins has beei
confined to his home with bron
chitis.