Ίί* 7
"Tabor City — The Town With A City Future"
■V^UTXUMBER 40
TABOR CITY, N. C., WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, 1952
5c A COPY; $2:00 A YEAR
Best Civitan Minstrel Yet
Slated Here Friday Night
The third annua] Civitan Minsirei win Dp h
Tabor Ctry school auditorium Friday niirht M« « at the
and officials oi the Jocal Civitan club here thi* « \a^ 8:00
that this event was the best so far. ek stated
' - nf this vear's I *
Or.eoiu«^.
production is a highly talented
acrobatic dance team and there
rill alio be another stage act of
ν
iUSIC
3cc0rcti.ii: music.
About 30 people have parts in
this year's production that is be
directed by Bob Hodges, di
rector or the Columbus county
band. Mr. Hodges has directed
tKe -\v > previous minstrels that
jiave boor, put on here by the
Civitatis.
Ed Waiden. local warehouseman
and w-'o is associated at present
with the Tabcr City Marketing
Compan:·. will deliver his famed
religious sermon." This act has
beer. hesrd by local persons on
several occasions but never ceases
being 1 masterpiece of entertain
ment.
A loc3i barbershop quartet will
render several numbers of a hum
orous and entertaining nature.
Iiis quartet is composed of W. W.
Woody. Phil Hughes, David Kelly
and Dick Garrell. Besides the
quartet, several solos are on the
program including ''Black Cat
Slues" by Kev. G. W .Crutchfield;
"vV3y Sack Home" by H. G. Dam
eror.: :·ηά "Caroline" by Thurs
toa Rogers.
Receipts from this year's pro
duction will be used for various
civic improvement of Tabor City
including the proposed playground
for local children. This playground
project was selected as one of the
"Finer Carolina" projects and the
C.ntans are co-sponsors of this
particular objective.
The Civitan Minstrel has been
well attended in all past seasons
an: with this year's event labeled
as the oest one yet, a good crowd
is expected.
MANLESS WEDDING
TO BE PRESENTED
BY HD CLUB
The East Tabor Homemakers
present a "Manless Wedding" at
the Tabor City school auditorium
on Wednesday evening, May 7,
at 8 o'clock, officials of the club
announced.
Lee Greer of Whiteville will be
the featured speaker for the eve
ning.
A quilt will be given to the
lucky number holder during the
program.
The public is invited. There
*ill be no admission charge.
Mrs. Crutchfield
Calls Executive
Meeting Of Club
Mrs. G. W. Crutchfield presided
at an executive meeting of the
Tabor City Woman's club at hei
home Tuesday afternoon at which
toe plans were laid for the ensu
ing year.
Mrs. Crutchfield is the newly
elected president of the club suc
ceeding Miss Anne Brooks Mc
Gougan.
Attending the meeeting were
J· C. Singletary, Mrs. R. B.
Mallard, Mrs. Fred M. Jemigan,
Mrs. Horace Roberts, Mrs. Le
vari Leonard, Miss Anne Brooks
McGougan. and Miss Kate Jones.
Special Army Jobs
Open To H.S. Grads
Special jobs are open in. the
Army for high school graduates
Sgt Forci G. Youmans, county re
quiting sergeant, announced to
day.
The graduates may enlist for
three years and receive 18 weeks
training alter which they
^ ha . e a choice of 30 schools to
ettend.
The length of courses range
12 tc 18 weeks.
The graduates may also applj
for Officers Candidate School th<
sergeant said.
Sgt. Ycumans is at the Taboi
Qjy Post Office each Wednesday
"Qrn io o'clock, a. m. to 1 o'clocl
P-m.
Headquarters are at the Citj
buUdi^g in WhitevOle.
SONGFEST SUNDAY
BRINGS TOGETHER
YOUNG MUSICIANS
Four hundred trained voices,
representing 10 glee clubs, and
the 100-piece concert band of the
Columbus County Schools will be
hearcl ?n an unusual program of
sacred and classical music on Sun
day, May 4, at Williams Township
High School.
The mass assembly of musicians
will take place at 2:30 o'clock in
the afternoon.
The idea of bringing the glee
clubs of all the schools and the
Columbus County Band together
was conceived by B. D. Bunn, su
pervisor of instruction in the co
unty system.
County Superintendent T. Ward
Guy will open the program with
a welcome to the musicians and
the P'idience.
Glee clubs from Acme-Delco,
Hallsboro, Old Dock-Nakina, Wil
liams, Tabor City, Whiteville,
Chadbourn, Cerro Gordo, Fair
Bluff and Evergreen will each
render two selections, and the
band will follow with two numb
ers. All units will then unite for
the finale and benediction.
Bunn is chairman for the song
fest.
R. A. Hodges, band director, is
newspaper publicity chairman,
with Marion Martin and Ward A.
Coleman assisting with newspap
er and rrdio publicity.
Glee > dirt-U/Γ.», i'.ow work
ing on the program details, are:
Miss Annie Elkins, Hallsboro;
Eugene Sasser, Williams; Mrs.
W. W. Woody, Tabor City; Mrs.
J. P. Powers, Cerro Gordo; Mrs.
Bessie Rogers, Fair Bluff and
Evergreen; Mrs. Shelby Bullard,
Chadbourn; Miss Sue Wilson,
Whiteville; Mrs. O. A. Newton,
Old Dock-Nakina; and the direct
or at Acme-Delco.
Sasser and Mrs. Woody are in
charge of arrangements.
I NEW LIFE CLUB
HOLDS MEETING
The New Life Home Demonstra
tion club met this month with
Mrs. A. D. Fipps and Mrs. Alton
Fipps nt the home of the former
A dress review was held with
clubwomen participating. First
place ribbon went to Mrs. Vernon
Morris, second to Mrs. Ralph Jol
ly and third to Mrs. Norman
Stephens.
Mrs. Douglas Mills, Nutrition
leader, gave a demonstration en
titled "Better Meals For Your
Money" and Mrs. Grady Patter
son gave a talk on clothing.
Mrs. O. O. Watts reported on
. the cancer film "Self Examination
of the Breast" and the club voted
! to make a contribution to the
current Cancer drive.
Refreshments were served to
about 30 members and three
guests.
Earlier in the month a meeting
was held with Mrs. Steward Huf
faker in the interest of making
Easter Corsages. A number of cor
sages were made from real flow
ers at the meeting.
DR. RANDALL
SPEAKS HERE
Dr. William .Randall, dean of
Wilmington Junior Colleege, spoke
to the local Botary club at its
regular weekly meeting at Mrs.
Todd's Monday night. Dr. Randall
related some of his experiences
while serving with Army intelli
gence in Egypt during world war
Π.
John Sikee, publicity director
t of Wilmington Junior College was
also present and introduced Dr.
Randall.
Mr. and Bin. Eugene Grainger
and Mr. and Mrs. Levi Grainger
' spent the weekend in Washington,
D. C. on a sight seeing trip.
F.FJL BOYS
ARE SECOND
W CONTEST
Tabor City's Future Farmers of
America placed second in the live
stock judging contest held in
Chadbourn Monday and White
ville took first honors.
In the beef heifer judging,
Whiteville was first. They held
similar position in the judging of
Duroc Jersey breeding gilts and
Tabor City was second in both
events.
Bolivia FFA were first place
winners in the dairy cow and
heifers and Bladenboro was
second.
The above four FFA teams will
represent their respective schools
at Elizabethtow|i in a similar con
test on May 10.
Members of the Tabor City
judging team are as follows: Beef
heifers and swine—Travis Wright,
Lynwood Ward, and Leonard
Gore; Dairy cows and heifers—
Clifford Gore, Jerry Cartrette and
Marvin Ward.
S. L. Jackson and G T. John
son, local agricultural teachers
coached the Tabor City judging
teams.
WOMAN'S CLUB
SCRAPBOOK
WINS RIBBON
The Tabor City Woman's Club
Scrapbook won third place in the
state wide contest at the North
Cskoiin*a Fedticu.-n Convention
held in Winston Salem last week.
A ribbon was presented to the
club for the honor.
Mrs. G. W. Grutchfield was
chairman for the scrapbook.
ATTENDS CONVENTION
Miss Helen Butler, Miss Maude
Butler and. Miss Anne Brooks Mc
Gougan attended the State Con
vention of Delta Kappa Gamma
at Pinehurst Saturday.
Negro News Neles
The opportunity club held its
meeting Wednesday afternoon,
April 23, .at the home of Mrs. An
nie Ruth Reaves. The members
were graciously served a delicious
salad with crackers and punch.
The hostess was assisted by Mrs.
Gracie L. Wilson.
A few words of encouragement
were given to the club by the
president, Mrs. Wilhemma Mobley.
Words were given to the group as
an every day rule and thought
by Mrs. Mae Bell Bryant. The
thought and rule for the week is
"If our lips are kept from slip,
five things observe with care
from what we speak, to whom we
speak, and how and when and
where."
Mrs. Wilhemina Mobley, presi
dent, Mrs. Gracie L. Wilson, secre
tary, Elizabeth Davis, reporter.
Senior Class Presents Play
On Monday May 5, 1952 at 8:00
P. M. the Senior class of the Tab
or City Negro High School will
present its Senior play, a three
act comedy entitled "Saved By the
Belle." Oddie Belle Gause has
been selected to play the leading
role.
"Saved By the Belle" is a well
known success by Thomas Sutton,
popular American playwright. Mr,
Sutton is noted particularly for
his portrayals of the lighter side
of the American scene. One critic
I has called him. "The dramatist of
the American family." According
to the players. "Saved By the
Belle" is one of his best efforts;
I it is described as a rapid-fire bar
age of laughs, laughs and more
I laughs, warranted to keep any
audience in continuous laughter
throughout its entire three acts.
Please come out and eenjoy an
evening of fun. The admission is
$ .25 and $ .35.
George Bryant
Class Reporter
Defense Snarls K.K.K. Trials
HUGE CROWD ATTENDS BRIDGE OPENING
■ Mtl. ' ■ ■
1
Part of the huge throng which jammed every inch of the Pireway bridge at the
big opening ceremony last Thursday afternnoon are shown here. Free soft drinks were
3erved to approximately 2,000 people. The speaking by many public officials was held
from a platform in the center of the bridge.
Many Attend Bridge Opening
PIREWAY — Brunswick and
Columbus joined hands across the
Waccamaw River here on Thurs
day afternoon as the formal open
ing of the new Pireway Bridge
was held.
In a gay mood as they walked
over and around the structure
which cuts 20 miles from a trip
from one s.de of the river to the
other, a large crowd heard State
and local officials express delight
over completion of the bridge,
drank so?' ^ings, listened to band
music and watched balloons of
welcome float in the air.
Music was furnished by the
Columbus County Band, directed
by R. A. Hodges, and the Shal
lotte High School Band under the
direction of W. W. Jacobus.
Merchants of Tabor City gave
the occasion a boost by giving
away approximately $1,000 in
trade certificates to the visiting
throng.
Politicians were plentiful as
they sought to make hay while
the sun was shining. One speaker
observed that he would introduce
them but it might embarrass the
other three people in the audience.
Tabor City Mayor Al Williams
acted as master of ceremonies for
the occasion and Raymond B. Mal
lard expressed appreciation to the
State Highway Commission for
the bridge. Malard told of "how
much this bridge will mean to
the people of Columbus and
Brunswick Counties. It will make
us better neighbors," he pointed
out.
Τ. Β. Gunter, cnier Driage en
gineer of the state, told of new
progress the bridge should bring
to the area and also give some
statistics on building the struc
ture. Unlike cars, he said, bridges
can't change models each year
so the Highway Commission plan
ned the bridge to serve needs of
the area for years to come.
District Highway Commissioner
A. Wilbur Clark of Fayetteville
expressed his interest in the
bridge and thanked the Tabor
City Merchants Association for
seeing fit to sponsor the opening
ceremony.
Prior to the ceremony at the
bridge at 2 p. m., a fresh water
fish dinner was served in Tabor
City to highway officials and dig
nitaries from Brunswick and Co
Chadbourn HD — Thursday,
lumbus Couaties.
LOCAL WOMEN
ATTEND STATE
CONVENTION
Mrs. J. C. Singletary, president
of District 10, North Carolina Fed
eration of Women's clubs, attend
ed the convention held in Win
ston Salon last week and made the
annual report for the district. She
was accompanied by Mrs. Fred M.
Jernigan, official delegate from
j the Tabor City Woman's Club.
PEGGY CASTER «US CONTEST;
P.TJL NAMES NEW OFFICEBS
Peggy carter won nrst piace in
the World Peace Essay-Speaking
contest sponsored by the Tabor
City Woman's club at the Parent
Teachers Association in the school
auditorium Tuesday evening. Miss
Carter daughter of Mrs. Mary
Carter competed with four high
school students for the honor.
Honorable mention went to Mary
Jo Pinner.
Miss Edith Stafford, chairman
of the Literature and Education
department of the Woman's club,
presented the medal to Miss Car
ter. The paper will be entered by
the club at headquarters for the
1952-53 North Caroling contest.
An award will be presented at the
1953 convention to the club in
the North Carolina federation en
tering the best paper, selected
from contestant*
Mrs. R. P. Counts, president,
presided at the P. T. A. meeting
at which time the slate of new
officers were elected.
Mrs. Counts was re-elected
president, Mrs. Ralph Inman, vice
president, Miss Kate Jones, secre
tary, and Mrs. F. C. Norris, Jr.,
treasure. Mrs. F. F. Thompson
made the report on the nominat
ing committee.
Mrs. Smith's, third grade and
Miss Britt's seventh grade won
the attendance trophies.
Mrs. F. C. Norris, Jr. and S. L.
Jackson received the door prizes
a cannon bath towel set and Old
Spice after shave lotion given by
Howard's Clothing Store and
Dameron's Drug respectively.
LEHWJUtD'S
REOPENS HEBE
SATDBDAT
Lienwand's store will open Sat
urday morning, in the new loca
tion on Railroad street, next door
to City Cafe. The building was
formerly occupied by Meares.
The new store has been renovat
ed and modernized with new
equipment.
Mr. and Mrs. Hyman Leinwand
started business here May 1, 1947
and recently opened the second
store in Emporia, Va. Mrs. Lein
wand will remain here for some
time.
In making the announcement of
the opening Saturday Mrs. Lein
wand jaid "we would like to ex
press our appreciation to all our
friends and patrons who have
made our business a success her·
and the public is invited to visit
us in our new store."
Mrs. Odessa Pucket, who has
been with Leinwand's for several
years, lias been named manager
of the store. She is the former
Odessa Watts, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Lester Watts.
MERCHANTS
WILL CLOSE
WEDNESDAY
All members of the Tabor City
Merchants Association will begin
closing their business at 1:00 each
Wednesday afternoon starting next
week, May 7, Oliver Prince, presi
dent announced today.
The stores here will be closed
each Wednesday until August, in
keeping with a resolution passed
by the organization several years
ago.
April Party Honors
Mrs. Alton Stanley
Mrs. Alton Stanley was honored
with a stork shower given by Mrs.
Clinton Wright, Miss Violet Wright
and Miss Esther Porter, at the
home of the former this month. -
A sweet course was served by
the hostesses after which the hon
oree opened the gifts.
The guest list included Mrs.
James Puckett, Mrs. Lester Watts,
Mrs. Paul Stephens, Mrs. Lyn
wood Wright, Miss Mary Wright,
Mrs. Walt Spivey, Mrs. Buren
Wright, Mrs. Dalton Willis, Mrs.
Archie Phipps, Mrs. Burmon Jen
erette, Mrs. Nettie Wright, Mrs.
Roy Arnette, Mrs. Hilton Jacobs,
Mrs. Rufus Wright, Mrs. Lonnie
Wright, Mrs. Ruby Spivey, and
Mrs. Floyd Watts.
Canvass Underway
For Cancer Fund
The Canvass for funds for the
Tabor City drive, American Can
cer Society, is now underway, lo
cal officials announced. The town
has been zoned and members of
the Woman's club along with other
volunteer workers are making
calls.
Tabor city is striving to raise
$800 as its part of the $2200 goal
for Columbus County.
"It is hoped that all local folk
will contribute liberally due to
the additional service the society
is giving with the opening of the
Cancer home in Lumberton," Mrs.
Mae S. Young, county campaign
chairman, said. Columbus was
only asked to raise $1500 last year,
but due to the additional cost in
the operation of the home for the
indigent-incurable patients and
for the increased research program
more funds are needed for this
year's work, Mrs. Young pointed
out.
The Rainbow girls will hold Tag
Day in the business district Sat
urday to cany an educational
message and solicit funds.
WHITEVILLE, April 29—A puz
zled Superior Court judge today
adjourned a special one-week term
of court called to try 27 alleged
Ku Klux Klansmen in lour Colum
bus County flogging cases.
Judge Clawson L. Williams con
tinued Ihe cases until next Mon
day, when a regular one-week
term of court will begin here, so
that he could study a defense mo
tion that indictments agaist 13
defendants be quashed.
At the center of the legal snarl
is a 1949 law which established a
rotating grand jury system in Co
lumbus. That law, admittedly
faulty, led defense counsel to con
tend that the indictments against
the 13 were brought by a grand
jury which was illegally consti
tuted.
When Judge Williams adjourned
court, the first of 89 persons sum
moned as a special venire from
New Hanover County were enter·
ing the courtroom. A venire of
ISO was ordered, but only 89 per
sons on the list could be found.
The postponement of the trial
until next Monday makes it virtu
ally certain — barring wholesale
pleas by the 27 — that all four
flogging cases will not be tried
during that week. On the follow
ing Monday — May 12 — seven
of the 27 will fee among the 11
men going on trial in federal court
in Wilmington in a fifth flogging
case.
ironic note.
An ironic note entered the trial
today, before the adjournment was
announced. Aaron Goldberg of
Wilmington, member of a race
constantly attacked by the Klan,
was called in by defense attorneys
to help select jurors from the
special venire.
While defense attorneys asked
that indictments against only 13
of the defendants be quashed,
Judge Williams' ruling will apply
to all 27 since the same grand jury
brought indictments against the
entire tfroup.
The judge convened court at
noon, recessed until 2:30 p. m., and
then promptly adjourned the ses
sion. He said he did not want to
put the county to unnecessary ex
pense by risking a second trial if
the defense motion proves valid.
Meantime, he added, he is going
to go over the legal tangle prior
to next Monday.
Under the provisions of the 1949
law, the rotating grand jury was
supposed to go into effect in Co
lumbus in May of that year. De
fense attorneys, supported by the
court records, claimed in their
motion yesterday that the new
grand jury system was not put in
to effect until June, a month late,
the grand jury which this year in
dicted the 27 white men was not
legal since it was not the proper
successor to the 1949 jury provid
ed for by law.
It was generally agreed by
Judge Williams, Solicitor Clifton
L. Moore, and the other attorneys
that the wording of the jury law
was confusing. Some lawyers ex
pressed the view that the law is so
imperfect as to be invalid.
If the defense motion is allowed
next Monday by Judge Williams,
.who will preside during the regu
lar term, the process of forming a
legally constituted grand jury and
presenting the bills of indictment
will begin all over again.
Also, if the defense proves that
the grand jury which indicted the
27 men in these cases was illegally
constituted, every indictment re
turned by Columbus County grand
juries since 1949 could be thrown
out as invalid, in the unofficial
opinion of court observers.
The motion refers to the 13 men
charged with kidnapping and flog
ging Woodrow Johnson, Whiteville
mechanic. Other cases involve as
victims Esther Lee Floyd, Negro;
Dorsey Robinson,' Negro, and
Greer P. Wright, a painter.
One clue to the possible length
of the trial, once it begins, is con
tained in the fact that attorneys
for the IS defendants in the John
son case will have the right to ex
cuse 78 prospective jurors on chal
lenges, while the State may excuse
a total of 52 at the discretion of
the solicitor.
Two or more of the 27 defend
(Continued on Pftge 8)