THE DOOR OF EVERY HOME
tWO CENTS PER COPY
FRIDAY, MAY 18, 1923
LEAKSVILLE, NORTH CARO!
Acquitted in Charge of
, Larceny Where He Had
Given Check to Boule'
' yard Bank to Pay Note
CHECK WASNOT PAID
Wentworth, May 18.-—A verdict
of not guilty was rendered by the
jury in the Countryman case today.
Carl C. Countryman waS placed
on trial in Superior Court here yes
terday. The indictment charged
him with larjeency.. The specific act
was, that he had borrowed $425.00
from the Boulevard Bank & Trust
Co., giving his note for the amount
and placing as collateral a five
hundred dollar Liberty bond. The
note became due on or about April
2nd 1921 and Carl C. Countryman
stepped into the Bank to pay the
note, giving cashier H. C. Pace his
personial check on the American
Trust Co. of Charlotte for the
amount of the note. Mr. Pace ac
cepted the check and handed Coun
tryman his note and liberty bond.
Countryman later stopped payment
on the check and of course the bank
was out the $425.00.
Messrs H. C. Pace and .P H.
Gwynn were the Only two*state
witnesses and they testified to the
facts as stated above. Besides the
above facts, Mr/ Gwynn read into
the records a letter he .had received
from Countryman. After the state
had Introduced its testimony, the
defense rested without putting Coun
.tryman- or any other witness on the
stand. The attorneys had finished
their arguments to the jury when
Judge Shaw adjourned court until
t 9:30 Friday morning. The letter re-.
1 fared to above reads:
Charlotte, N. C. Aug. 7, 1921
Mr. P. H. Gwynn, Jr.
Leaksville, N. C.
Dear Sir—"Behold how-great a fire
a little matter kinclleth.” Two things
happened Saturday that changed my
course entirely Mr.i?ace said when
he handed me’ my bonds that “Thi3
\ is not good business but I guess it
is all right.”. I did not think at first
- what he meant but it camp to me
that Jie suggested that my check
w.ould not he made good—food for
tho’t. ^
Then I learned that you had not
done as you agreed to do regarding
4. my {^ipearance. That opened a long
line of reflection. I recalled how you
welcomed me when I came to Stone
ville and how happy f^Was to find
a neighbor Of your apparent type,
that you were going to use me at
your school soon and I supposed
help me to the front, how you
straightway passed along and it was
with difficulty and constant urging
that I got a date and that when it
was finally arranged it was so poor
ly managed that I did not pay my ex
penses. I recalled how you were go
ing to use your influence with Bob
Stone to induce him to cease fighting
my plan for a new school house in
a new location, how you advised me
that when Bob Stone and Jim Glenn
agreed on a matter it was pretty
hard to beat them, that .when I did
beat them you denied me the credit
and said that was a matter of course
it recalled how dSeated my riewg
oape" project^ .year ago by insi**
ing on an alliance with Murray
. hpW, when I did start xju Withheld
the support that would have insured
Kthe success of the project. If you and
% ’ ' ‘ ‘' ..."...
Mr. Pace, who waited on your
judgment had come across the Signal
would be now alive and flourishing
and I would be. in line for the Post
office, You were like adamant to a}l
my pleas, ^feain you offered to get
out of the schools and let me have1
V your place. Then you endorsed an
other man. The more I considered
Sings, the more they, rankled,
this $426(00 was not my
was the debt of the concern.
The . holders of stock were and fere
liable for It but my collateral was
>r it.. I/could compel them thru
First Larceny Charge
i
MISS EVELYN GENTRY'
WENTWORTH, N. C.
CORRESPONDENT
■ • »
Mrs. N R. Reid and Mrs. Bethel
Withers most delightfully entertain
ed t£e Wednesday afternoon Bridge
Club at Leaksville on Wednesday af
ternoon, honoring Miss Kathleen
Walker who is leaving Leaksville
soon to make hdr home in Greens
boro, and Misf Anne Taylor who is
also leaving this week for an extend
ed visit to her brother in New York.
The guests were entertained at the
Reid Hotel, in its quaint old colonial
parlor made' m^re lovely with red
roses and fragrant syringa in artis
tic baskets and bowls. Three tables
were arranged for bridge and when
the cards were laid aside, it was
found that Mrs. A. E. Millner held
highest score and she was presented
with a set of tallies, while the hon
oree, boxes of correspondence cards
were given. _
Iced tea and sandwiches were
served followed by strawberry ice
crfeam and angel food cake.
Those enjoying this party were:
Misses Kathleen- Walker and Aline
Taylor, Mesdames Lucile Reid, Amof
A. E. Millner,' wf D. Carter, Ava
Scott, Chas, Taylor, Lawson Ivie,
W. M. Millner, Godfrey, Hunter K.
Penh, T) L. Withers, Watkins and
Miss Dora DeShazo.
CUNARD LINE WILL
COMPLY 3 MILE LAW
(By Associated Press)
New York, May 18.—If Supreme
court edict preventing trans-Atlantic
vessels from carrying liquor within
the American three mile limit stands
the Cunard Anchor Line will adhere
strictly to the law, Sir Ashley Spark
general agent for the United States
announced upon his return from a
conference of officials of the line.
r>
NORTH CAROLINA WILL STOP
WHIPPING PRISONERS
Raleigh, May 18.—The North Cai
olin^,state prison board today order
ed drastic changes in the methods of
discipline for prisoners under the
states penal system in fulfilling one
phrase of Governor Morrisons prom
ised “action” in a prison betterment
undertaking what it did.
Abolished corporal punishment
\nd the dark cell.
Provided for the ^classification
of all prisoners so as to give great
er privilege to those of good coif
duct. ^ '
Adopted rules for the maintain
ence of discipline almost identical
with those of the federal govern
ments penal system.
Recommended to'the governor the
placing of all prisoners now serving
-terms under indeterminate senten
ce thereby' insuring appreciable cuts
in the sentences of prisoners who
make good prison records.
suit to pay me but here was long lit
igation with absolutely no ofte to
handle the case for me—s-not ’a single
friend that I could trust. I awoke to
the fact -that the proper instrument
was in my hands. I acted. I stopped
the whole machinery to provide for
same. Now 1 am enclosing a note for
the amount properly signed by the
Signal Publishing Co., Under my leg
itimate powers. I contend that this
note is collectable in full n:i3 that
this would render null aod criminal
action that you might be induced
tier start in the matter. Harry Fagge
has the books' in his possession and
I think if you will confer with him
an£ with Squire Shelton that the
matter can be arranged that you
will not be the laoser. W. N^-tf. has
five boxes of type metal ready be
shipped to them-on which there is
a rebate of $25'.00 to the company.
I hope this can be amicably, ad
justed o nthe Ubove lines and that
there may be ni light “ to the bitter
end’ ' w.'
' ; Yours, '
r sn • Carl C. Countryman.^:
MRS WARREN COMES
CLEAR OF CHARGES
FILED BY MRS. STONE
After most interesting trial
Mrs. Margaret O. War-' ^ '
ren is acquitted of "
taking pocketbook
MADE EXCELLENT /
WITNESS ON STAND
Wentworth, May 18.—Mrs. Mar
garet O. Warren of Reidsville a
young married woman, mother of a
three year old child was acquitted
Thursday on a larcency charge lodg
ed against her by Mrs R. L. Stone,
who until about the middle of Janu
ary conducted a store in Reidsville,
and while packing her goods getting
ready to close her business she miss*
ed hCT pocket book containing about
$160 a watch, silver pencil, and oth
er things.. She swore she had placed
the pocket' book on a shelf in her
.store on the mortiing of January IT
that herself and son Otis and sister
in-law Mrs. Claybrook were the only
persons in the store when Mrs. War
ren came in with her little boy, ex
cept a colored woman who came in
to pay a bill and' then left, and an
other woman who asked for spring
coats and departed.
The pocket book was later found
at the lace counter in the 5 and 10
cent store, and the watch-fTase was
found in Mr. Fels store in the ladies
room. State witnesses testified to hav
ing seen Mrs. Warren in each* el
these stores on the afternoon the day
in 'question.
Mrs. Warren testifying for herself
said she came uptown that afternoon
with her little boy. she went to a
barber shop to have the boys hair
cut want into Mrs. Stones store to
show her the boy before Mrs. Stone
left town, looked at some things in
the store she spoke to Mrs. Stone'
saw Otis Stone and Mrs. Claybrook
packing boxes she stood near the
shelf where Mrs. Stone said she
placed her pocket book then as slje
was going- out she met a woman corn"*
ing into the store. She then went in
to a Candy kitchen and bought a
package of popcorn for the boy.
From there she went to the 5 and 10
cent store looked at some lace, made
some purchases, went from there to
Fels store and going up stairs went
into the ladies toilet, came out of
there and called a lady clerk and
made some purchases in the toy de
partment. left there and went again
to the 6 and ten cent store, there she
left some packages saying she would
w arreu
can xor xneni later, ivirs.
then went to her^ mothers and on
leaving her mothers she met Mrs.
Stone who ashed her if she had tak
en her pocket book by mistake, she
answered No, and if you th^ik Mrs.
Stone that I have your pocket-book
you can search me.
Later%he said she was met by Mrs
Stone and Mr. Gohagen the latter
asking her if she had been in the 5
and 10 cent store and at the lace
counter. She answered yes. Then hp
said you are the ohe who took Mrs.
Stone’s pocket book.
This she denied. Tfhen with a friend
she went to police headquarters and
told her story to Chief Jackson. That
night she was placed under arrest.
Mrs. Warren went on the stand
and made a most excellent witness,
her attorney, Mr. Glidewell after
wards saying that in his 22 years
of practice he had never seen her
equal. She told her whole story with
out a single suggestion' from her at
torney and stuck consistently to it
through a severe cross examination
by the able Solicitor Mr. Graves.
Mrs. Warren and her husband both
work in the ,cigarette factory with
the foreman and several others tes
tifying as character witnesses. Also
Mr. and Mrs Ware in whose house
the Warrens* live. Mr. Ware is a
preacher and both he and Mrs. Ware
spoke highly of'Mrs. Warren. Mr.
Glidewell told the jury that “If over
honesty was written on a face, it was
on the fase of Mrs. Warren.
JMessrs Glidewell and Solicitor
Graves made very able addresses to
the jury. Glidewell keeping tlie jurys
attention on the defendant and her
straightforward story on the stand.
Her good reputation testified to by
good citizens, among them Preacher
eWhre and Mrs. Wafe. He admitted
that circttmstancial evidence had
woven a strong case against her,
bat she had even went further in re
lating her own narrative of the^f
CHINESE BANDI
TO EXECUTE U. S. AND
BRITISH CAPTIVES
Unless Chinese army is with
drawn American and
British captives will
be executed on
Tuesday morninp
BANDIT ATTACK. OTHER
TOWN TAKES CAPTIVES
(By Associated Press)
Shanghai, May 18.—Chinese band
its last night attacked Tawenkow, 9(1
miles north of incheng and seized a
number of captives according to a
• report received here.
The American and British captives
of the Shantung bandits will be shot
next Tuesday if the Chinese troops
are not’ withdrawn according to fnal
ultimatum of the brigands brought
from their'mountain by Marcel Oli
ver Berube a Frenchman and one of
the prisoners who was released for
that purpose.
HIGH POINT FIRE IN GIANT
• FURNITURE FACTORY
High Point, May 18.—The plant of
tfie iliant Furniture Company in
High Point was visited u;; a disas
trous fire Thursday afterno m, and
before the flames were, extinguish
ed all the great buildings devoted
to warehouse, storage ..and the fin
ishing department lay in ashes or
smouldering ruins. The loss on
stock is estimated at $150,000.
While no estimate of the value of
the building destroyed could be ob
tained it is very probable that the
total loss including ctock and build
ing will not be very far fram $200,
000. It was stated last night that the
los:? in large measures is covered by
insurance and it was further stated
that the company probably will re-1
build at once. About 176 workmen
are thrown out of employfent.
-O-;
EXCHANGE VICTORY NOTES
' - ■■ ---
Secretary-Mellon announces that
the subscription books for exci-.anges
of the 4 3-4 Victory Notes fo rthe
new ^ 3- 4 Treasury Notes,. Series B
1927' closed at the close of business
today Wednesday May 16 1923. Ex
change subscriptions actually in the
United States mail in direct transit
to a Federal Reserve Bank dt the
Treasury Department at the time the
books, close will be regarded as hav
ing been filed before the closing of
the books. 1
A PUBLICATION, UNION
FOR STATE UNIVERSITY
Chapel Hill, May 18.—The student
of the University have voted to cre
ate a body known as the Publications
Union which acting through a board
of five members will surpervise the
management of the three Viain stu
dents publications the Tar Heel, the
Carolina Magazine and the Yackety
Yack. The scheme for a “blanket fee’
to be paid by each student for which
-he will receive all three publications
at a cost of not more than one half
of what he has to payatpresent sub
scription price.
The vote was about 7 to 1 in favor
of the plan.
For a long time the student publi
cations^ have constituted a trouble
some problef here.
-o
S-fATE COLLEGE ALUMNI
Alumni home coming day at the
State College promises to be' one of
the big features of the commence
ment according to Tal Stafford aluf
ni. secretary, who^ stated yesterday
that in addition o a large percent lge
of the members of the seven classes
due this year for reunions puite a
number of other Tech alumni would
journey back to West Raleigh for tna
finals.
fair in that She had been the 6
and ten cent store twice on that day.
Mr. Graves said that the state of
North Carolina was not blood-thirsty
It did not want to tear this mother
away from her child _ I only wanted
to learn the truth apd deal/with its
citizenship justly. That the law made
no .distinction. Everyman admired a
fair woman, and the pure mother
above all. He was there to do his
duty.'She jury was sworn to do its
duty.’ bailing in this “yre would be
less than men.”
w
1
I
South Carolina School Firs
MISS RUTH FARRELL
SOCIETY EDITOR
RESIDENCE PHONE 66
GAZETTE PHONE No, 1
'Miss Catherine Cardwell in spend
ing the week end in Greensboro.
Dr. Wells, who is carrying on a
revival meeting at the Spray Meth
odist church gave the Student body
of the High School a very interest
ing talk this morning on the im
portance of small things.
Mrs. S. M. Harris, Mrs. R. E. Price
and daughter Miss- Kathleen Price
spent Thursday in Greensboro shop
ping.
The public is cordially invited to
attend ^he recital tonight at the
High School Auditorium given by
Misses Bessie Clarke and Ruth Far
«
rell.
Mr. Sam Wilson, Mr. M. G. Wil
son, and Mr. G. C. Gammon were
in Wentworth Friday on business.
Misses Barnes and Millner enter
tained a number of young people at
a picnic Thursday evening at the
Mebane Club House in honor of Mjss
Grace Perry. The evening was spent
in playing games.
Misses Mary Sue Farrell and Har
riett Dill of Greensboro College are
expected this afternoon to spend
some time with Mr. and Mrs. J. G.
Farrell on Boone Road.
Mr. and Mrs, R. E Wall attended
the funeral of Mr. George Martin in
Madison yesterday.
Miss Lydia Southerland and Mr.
Harry Walker were in Greensbord to
attend the show ,“The Ne’er Do
Well,” last evening.
jMiss iljathei^ne Marshall enter
tains this afternoon in honor of Miss
Georgia Riddle who is visiting her.
-*-u
BODY SCOUT LEADER DEAD
(By Associated Press)
Los Angeles, Calif., May 18.—Ar
thur Letts, vice president of the Na
tional Council of the Boy Scouts,
died after a short illness. He was 61
years old.
ORVILLE WARING pEAD
(By Associated Press)
Plainfield, N. J. May 18.—Orville
Waring one of the original corpora
tors of the Standard Oil Company
died at his home here today_ He was
84 years old.
-o
MRS ASHBURY ELECTED PRES.
(ssojj pajEiDossy ^a) -
Rome, May 18.—Mrs. Corbett
Ashbury of England was elected pres
ident of the International Woman
1 Suffrage Alliance by practically a
unanimous vote. '
--o
Somebody intentionally, or uninten
tionally fired a shot last night that
sent a bullet hrough a window in the
residence of J. B. Fagge on Monroe
Street.
* ##****
* **
* TO ALL CLUB MEMBERS *
* . *
* We are receiving numerous.*
* complaints from people who *
* state that they have subscribed *
* for the Gazette to various club *
* members, but have not as yet *
* received their paper. Club Mem- *
* bers should report their collec- *
* tions at least twice a week and *
•* avoid all‘these complaints. You-*
* gain nothing at all by holding *
* your subscription collections as, *
* you can hold your ballots until *
* the last minute before the final *
* close of the campaign if you *
* so desire. The above mentioned *
* complaints are becoming so num- *
* erous that they are an additional *
* burden to the office and the *
* campaign department will be *
* very appreciative. if you will co-' *
* operate with us in such a way as *
* will eliminate'all these eom-^*
* plaints—in such a way a3 will *
x* feive the subscriber satisfaction. *
* *
* * « * *
i
Oil Lamp on Stage Tips
Over--Causes Panic
Stairway Fajls Crush
ing Many to Death
MOST TERRIBLE SCENES
(By Associated*Press)
'Camden, S. C. May 18.—Seventy-.
one persons are known to be dead
and the condition of two others is.
doubtful as a result of a school
house fire at Cleveland, eight miles
I from here last night, according to
i county and local officials. The col
lapse of a narrow w^>den stairway
| leading from the second floor where
an- entertainment incident to school
closing was in progress caused many
deaths many being crushed in the
debris. Others cut off from escape
were burned to death while some
jumped from the windows. The fire
was caused by the overturning of an
oil lamp on the stage of a jammed
room and a panic followed.
The two story frame building burn
ed rapidly and before outside help
arrived nothing remained but to col
lect the read and give medical care
to the injured.. The death list reads
like a roster of the families of the *
community. Epmily after family fee
ing virtually wiped out.
The exact number of injured coaid
not be ascertained attention being
gfven to the care of the injured and
identification of the dead. Five injar
ed are in a hospital here. Eye witness,
es to the horror still were so shaken
few could talk of. it. Mothers with
babies in their arms were trampled
under foot and "others hurled their
children to safety in eagerly waiting
arms of persons who had escaped and
then fell back into the flames giving
their lives that their children might
live. Many persons were pinned be
neath fallen, timbers and some were
impeded on the debris when the stair
way fell. Men who made their way
out of the building returned when
they saw the situation and endeavor
ed to rescue the imperilled Some of
these died in the flames.
Death list at 73 with one missing.
• ■ - —■ n
GAZETTE’S PRIZE AUTOS
WILL BE EXHIBITED ON
STREETS AT LATER DATE
Owing to the delay in transit of.
two of the Gazette’s Salesmanship
Club prize automobiles it will be nec
essary to postpone the date of the
stredt iparade and exhibit (of the.
three prize care until the first of
next week—probably Tuesday or
Wednesday.
-1—.—o
Little Carolina Wilsbn daughter of,
Mr. and Mrs. P. P. Wilson of Leaka
ville received a post card from Mrs.
Pitcher yesterday postmarked in
Italy. The card said, “Please dont
forget me, for I shall always remem-''
ber you.
-'-0
FRENCH MILITARY COURT
SENTENCES ARE CONFIRMED
(By Associated Press)
Dusseldorf, May 18.—The senten
ces imposed upon Dr. Ktupp Von
Boehlen and other Krupp directors
for instigating opposition to the
French at the Krupp plant shooting
March 31st was confirmed by the
court of revision. The convifcted men *
will be transferred to prisons in.
France while their counsel prepare,
an appeal.
-o
SOVIET RUSSIA HOLDS
SWISS GOVT RESPONSIBLE
_____ V
(By Associated Press)
Moscow May 18—The Russian So?
viet Government sent a note to the,
Swiss Government holding that govT
eminent responsible for the recent
assassination at Lausanne of M. Ner
v^sky, Soviet representative there,
through the alleged negligence of
Swiss officials to guard him.
/