.? .. ? * Ml i
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^50 the Year in Advance in th
Sylva, N. C., Thursday, September 6, 1928.
$2.00 the Year in Advance Outside Count*
men who slew deputy believed
TO BE IN BALSAM MOUNTAINS
Tht. twit IIH'II ?l'? shot an<1 ki,,cJ
Deputv Sheriff Claude Green, just
0Utsitk, the *<*hool house Fri"
j4v uig?H- i,ir s,il1 Ht ,ar?e' n,ul ar?
Sieved t" tho Ba,san,s>
^ made their escape immedately
fo|lo*iug 'llM !i,l(H,tiu^ and before 1,16
|rtlp|f inside the school house had
reached the scene.
KewnriU agEivga tin? more than
muO.iMI ha v?- placed for tho
prehension ??' s,a-vt>iv ot the
xiiuitv officer. The county
rouimissi?m. is have offered a reward
fli .fjiNUHt. Uovernor Mcl^eau placed
reward ot ^400.00 011 behalf of the
State of North Carolina, and a re
t;irt| hv |N.|?tilar subscription among
Jackson count) citizens is said to
jjjvc reached several hundred dol
jar, ami i> heing increased as more
juil Hi'1"' citizens nmkt additional
plages to l he fuml.
Claude linen, chief deputy sheriff
tihl jailer ot Jackson county was at
icinliii!.' a hox> supper at the Balsam
School Friday night and while the
M)|)]*'r wa< in progress was shot to
death jihi outside the school house,
?*v?i shots from two different guns
taking effect in his head and body,
it ?a< brought out at the coronor's
So tar ?? is known, Charlie Cow
anl, 14 year old school boy is the
oah eye witness to the affair. Ho
va? stBiiilint; on the steps ot the
>fliool house and saw Mr. UTMS -&P*
proaching two men who were standing
111 thf heavy shadow at the side of
the bmltlim.'. When the officer reach
fd the pah a tew words, which the
hoy could not cnteh were spoken, the
rt'fiwr seized one of the men, a
-Lort sf little followed and then cam<
pistol shots, and the pair disappeared
in tho darkness.
The body oi Mr. (Sreen was found
sow? fifteen or twenty feet down
the liill from the sj>ot where tli?
shooting beiran, by the jteople who
ni?h('il from t the school house to in
Vfttignte the meaning of the revolver
and wit misses stute that the
which the officer carried had
not been drawn from their holsters.
Mr. Green was attesting the box
^ppcr as a peace officer on behalf
01 the . sheriff's department of Jack
son count v.
There arc two or three theories as
lo how Ik- met his death. One is that
I* i|?|?ran?'lif<l the two, not knowing
Who they were, and that when ho
*s? Hose to tlicm he recognized one
being an csca|>ed convict, for
?homtlie officers are said to have
tan long diking, and attempted to
">ake mi arrest when one or both
the men o|tcncd fire, slew the of
r"?, and escaped. Another theory is
'^t he recognized the inen when he
them ami approached them for
purpose of arresting them. Still
"?oilier idea i? that the two started
disturbance at the side of the
^"ol house for the purpose of lur
Mr. Green to his death, and when
* fame outside to investigate that
done to death in a most brutal
??d horrible manner.
"pinion f;s prevalent of Balsam
throughout this part of of the
t0uillv that at least one of the slay
fN ?t the officer is still- in the vi
Ullt) a"<l that he is hiding in Bal
^ni fountains, and it is generally
that hoth of them are still
111 ^?tt's Creek township. Numerous
h> t0 their where abouts and
^'? ""'^atres that they are suppos
?? be sending the officers . aq4
t r '"'tifens warning them to stay
*a- $roin the vicinity, have been
1 . 'nK S.vlvrf tliroughout the week.
?Meers of the county have
j v dn?l evidence that thqy believe
^it'ticient ,0 p|ace guilt upon
?*t ??e of the two men, and
^tt^P-v Relieve establishes his
''"lignation and chagrin has
jl exl,re>sed by citizens throughout
eguuty over the affair, ,
i Geo. M. Cole
| Retires? Battles
I to Manage Store
j Geo. M. Cole, veteran business man
of Jackson county, and porhaps the
I merchant in the county who has been
in the business longer than any man
in all this section, has announced
that he has retired from active bus
iness, because of his health, and that
the management of his store will
hereafter be in charge of John and
Ed Battle.
Both the young men are well
known in Jackson county, having
been born and reared in Qw&lla town
ship, and both of them h*?ve madej
their homes in Sylva for several
years, John Battle having been asso
ciated with Mr. Cole in the mercan
tile business and Ed. having been a
traveling salesman for several years.
They are active young business
men, with a knowledge of how to
handle affairs, and expect to do a
thriving business.
WHITESIDE COVE
The people throughout this cominun
ity were shocked to hear of the sud
den death by drowning of Mr. Hyatt
Hill Saturday in Chattooga .river.
Mr. Hill and Mr. Will Watson were
fishing in the narrows below the big
drift when Mr. Hill Hipped and fell
in the ^ate* .between two rocks and
kany htfr tuuijTy.Jifjt |]| ]J|*
taken to bis father's home, Mr.'
Frank Hill, in Horse Cove. Interment
will be in Horse Cove cemetery Mon
day.
Mr. W. S. Alexander has had a
great many -summer boarders this
season. j <
Mrs. Eva Picklesimer and children
are spending the summer with Mrs 1
Picklesimer 's sister, Mrs. E. G. Lom
hards.
Mr. Ernest Norton has been suc
cessful so far in getting the bus out
of here with the school children, but
unless there is some work done on
the road soon he surely will not b?;
able to get the bus over the road
much longer.
Mr. E. G. Lombard, has bad several
guest in his house this season and
quite a few fishing parties.
Mrs. Ed Brvson of Speedwell spent
this week with her pa rents, Mr. and
Mrs. B. Picklesimer.
Rev. Frank Bumgarner will preach
at the school house here Sunday, the
9th instant at 11 o'clock.
Edison Picklesimer spent Saturday
visiting his sister, Mrs Fred Edwards
of Highlands. ?'
Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Edwards re
ceived news this week from Mr. and
Mrs. Hebert Powell of Canton of the
arrival of a grand son, Orvill Ed
wards. I
POSTPONE MEETING
, AT JOHN'S CREEK
Due to the very inclement weather
on last Sunday, the meeting nt
John's Creek was postponed, as these
taking part in the program were nn
able to reach their appointments.
The program will be given next
Sunday, September 9, and is tenta
tively as follows:
3:00 Song service and devotional.
Rev. Jonathan Brown. General topic :
"The Need -for B. Y. P. U. Work
<?? <w
in Our Churches"
3;15 1. Why the Churches Need
B; Y. P. U. work, Mr. Lawson Allen,
Associational Secretary
3:20, 2. Why the Young People
need the B. Y. P. U., Miss Louell.i
Brown, Associational President
' 3:46, 3, The Purpose ahd Aim of
the B. Yf P.U., Rev Jonathan Brown
4:00. 4 Why Pastors and Deacons
should encourage Young People's
work in our Churches, Mr. Dan Tomp
kins.
j 4:15 Song Service; Adjournment.
Looella Brown, Associational Pres.
Lawson Allen, Associational Sec.
Rev. 1 JL Stafford, District leader.
The Slaying of Claude Green
(Editorial)
Claude Green, chief deputy sheriff
of Jackson County, was shot to death
outside the Balsam school house,
last Friday night, while many of the
good citizens of the community were
only a few feet away, inside the
building:, holding a b ox supper in ait
effort to raise funds for the locar
school, and to spread further the
rays from the torch of education,
and while others were peacefully >
sleeping in their beds.
The officer was on duty, protecting
I the good citizens of the county in
I their lawful and peaceful pursuits,
! from whatever lawbreakers might
' appear.
All thgt is positively known is
that shots were heard outside the
| building. Seven bullets plowed their
| way through the body of the officer
| Darkness poncealed the deed, and
'darkness hid the slayers from tlio
eyes of the good citizens. The body
of the officer was found, some dis
tance away, apparently slain in a
most brutal and horrible manner.
There is a new made grave in the
Parris cemetery. A good officer of
Jackson county is gone. There is a
new widow in the little home, and j
three boys left to make their way
in the world without the help of
guiding hand and counciling head ot'i
their father.
Jackson county hangs her head in i
shame, humiliation, and sorrow, that
such a thing could happen within the]
borders of a civilized country. AH!
good citizens of the county
feel deeply the hurt. And, of course,
the good people of Balsapn and Scotts
Creek townsdhfipjoin the rest of the
county in such sentiments.
Human life is too cheap. People
arc prone to forget thi't when a
life is taken, that which was given
by God 'cannot be restored bv man.
The taking of human* life is a fearful
thing. It was written by the finger
( ??' . .. - - . -L. . _ '
METHODIST CHURCH SERVICES
Due to an unannounced visit from
the Presiding Elder, Rev. P. W.
Tucker, at theMethodist church Instj
Sunday morning the program which
had been prepared was not followed.
Sunday morning this program will
be given substantially as it was plan
ned for last Sunday. The pastor, Rev.
George Clemmer, will deliver a very
practical sermon on the topic, "Why
I Believe in Religion."
In the evening Mr. Clemmer will
preach at Dillsboro and will have fori
a theme, "An Old Man's Death and
a Young Man's Call."
Sunday schools convene at 10
o'clock. All are welcome to any of i
the services of the church. The order,
of the morning and evening worship
follows :
t Morning worship 11 a. m.
? Voluntary; Hymn No. 211, "0'
Worship The King." The Apostles'
. Creed ; Prayer, concluding with the
Lord's Prayer; Selection by the
choir; Responsive reading No. 305;
The Gloria Patri; New Testament j
lesson, John 1:1-18 Announcements;
Offering; Offeertorv; Hymn No. 99,
"Lord Speak To Me;" Sermon:
"Why I Believe In Religion;" Hymn
.No. 58, "Guide Me O Thou Great
Jehovah." Benediction.
; Evening worship 7 :45 Dillsboro.
Voluntary; Hymn No. 23, "The
Churfeh's One Foundation." Respon
sive reading No! 303; Prayer; Scrip
' ture lesson Isa. 6:1-8; Announce
ments; Offering; Hymn No. 181,
| "Jesus Is All The World To Me; |
Sermon: "An Old Man's Death and]
?a Young Man's Call;" Hymn No.
1 100, "Hark Ten Thousand Harps;"
I Benediction.
Twenty-two fanners from Jackson
county and 13 from Swain recently
made a week's trip through Virginia
to Washington and return. ^
Colvard Brothers of Ashe county
will secure 9,000 bushels of certified
i '
Irish potato seed from 30 acres of
land aooordiag to present estimate?.
\
i \ i ?
j of God upon the Tables of stone, amid
the thunderings of Sinai:
"Thou Shalt Not Kill."
But another phase of the matter
thrusts itself upon the mind.
In this instance the law itself ha.*
?been attacked. The officer of the
Maw was slain, as he was on duty.
[That is an attack upon the peace of
Jackson county and an attack upon
the dignity of the sovereign State
of North Carolina.
This paper docs not know who
took the life of Claude Green. We do
not know who it is that has defied
the county of Jackson and the State
of North Carolina. But we do know
that this is a civilized county. The
county where the writer was horn,
where he was reared, and beneath
the shadows of whose beloved moun
tains he hojies to rest in peaceful
slumber, when the end of the journey
shall have been reached. We know
that this is not Chicago, nor Hernn.
As the matter rests now it is a
question between law and lawless
ness. If law and owler and good citi
zenship are to prevail in Jackson
county the slayers of Claude Green,
: whoever they may be, bust be brought
| into the courts of justice, given a
j fair and speedy trial, and justice
: meted out to them.
j <. The good citizens of this county
are a unit on the matter. There is
no division among them when faced
with such a crisis. The matter must
be thoroughly aired in the courts
I *
of justice before a jury of lionest,
intelligent, upright, God-fearing, fear
"ftiw xitia&B. T&t'ls the only way
ill which this blot upon the good
name of the couiftv can be removed.
Every resource at the command of
Jackson county must be exercised
to bring the slayers of Claude Green
before such a jury.
| Anything else is unthinkable.
WEBSTER
Mr. and Mrs. Manor Roberts have!
been visiting Mr. Roberts' parents,
Mr. and Mrs. M. 0. Roberts of New-;
port, Tenn.
Miss Irene Oliver s{>ent Wednes
day with Miss Isabel Allison.
Mr. and Mrs. Ben Queen of Sylva
were guests of Mr. and Mrs. L. T.
Queen on Sunday.
Mrs. Penn Morrison and children
have gone to Pisgah Forest for a
few weeks' visit.
i Miss Isabel Allison left Friday
for Candler to take up her school
work again.
Mrs. M. E. Brvson and familv have
? 1
j returned to Dora, Alabamh, aft'or
I s|tending several weeks with ;Mrs.
j Etta Davis.
| Air. George Hedden of Badin, N.
C., is visiting his sister, Miss Lucyi
Hedden.
Mr. and Mrs. L. F. Bryson and
children, Fred and Richard of Cor-1
dova, Alabama, arc spending several
I days with Mrs. Martha Stillwell.
Miss Margaret Moore of Sylva is
the guest of her sister, Mrs. Eugenia
Allison.
Mr. Jeff Raby of Whittier has
been visiting his brother, Mr. John
Henderson.
Miss Thelma Davis left today for
Haynes, N. C., where she will teach
this year.
Mrs. Ernest Lewis and children of
Macon, Ga., are visiting her mother,
Mrs. Mabel Davis.
Mr. and Mrs. W. B. Fisher of An-j
drews were guests of Mrs- Mattie
McKee on Saturday night.
Miss Edith Cunningham of Frank
lin, N. C., spent Tuesday with Miss
Thelma Davis. - |
Mrs.. Sallie McConnel spent Tues
[ day with Mrs. J. L Broyles
The mountain section of Western
North Carolina is destined to become
one of the great dairy regions of the
United States. Slowly and surely the
fanners of that section are bringing
this krpctM.
TAX RATE JUMPS TO 51-95- IN
CREASE OF 20c OVER UST YEAR
Throngs Attend
Funeral oi Slain
Deputy Sheriff
Monday morning at 10 o'clock, a
great throng of Jackson conuty cit
izens, old men, young men, women,
children, boys and girls, and babies)
in their mother's arms, gathered at
the little church in Dillsboro, where
two Baptist and two Methodist min
isters conducted the funeral services
of Claude Green, chief deputy sheriff
of Jackson county, who was done to
his death by seven revolver bullets in
the darkness/ outside the Balsam
School House, while a happy crowd
was celebrating a box supper, and
raising funds for the school last Fri
day nighty
The choir, composed of men and
women from Sylva and Dillsboro
softly sang the songs of Zion, as \V.
| W. Bryson, Dan Allison, Ode Robin
| son, W. T. Martin, J. D. Cowan and
| J. C. Sutton, the pall bearers, bore
the body of the slain officer into the
church, followed byj Theo. Queen,
J. T. Gribble, E. L. Wilson, J. N
I Wilson, Geo W Sutfton, and M. B.
Cannon,, the honorary pall bearers.
Rev. Geo. B. Clemmer, pastor of
the Sylva Methodist church, read the
contorting passages Jfrom the 'jOld
Lance, of the North Carolina Con
ference read the magnificent testi
mony of St. Paul on the ressnrection
of the dead. Rev. J. G Murray, pas
tor of the Sylva Baptist church led
j a short prayer, and Rev. Thad F.
I Deitz, veteran Baptist minister of
the mountain country preached a
short sermon, warning men and wo
men to be ready for the coming of
death, speaking in most affectionate
terms of the life and character of
I Claude Green, and concluding with
a prayer for Divine protection for
faithful officers of the law, in the
discharge of their duties, and asking
the blessing of the Most high upon
the people of this, his native county.
The long line of Jackson county
people filed past the casket contain
ing the remains of the slain officer,
coming from the great congregation
inside the little" church, and from
the crowd gathered outside, ea
ger to hear the words of the preach
ers, but unable to find space inside.
Then the body of the officer was
taken to the Parris cemetery and
tenderly laid to rest.
Mr. Green would have been 42
years of age, had he lived until the
following week. He was a native of
' Haywood county, but had made his
?home in Jackson for a number of
years. He was a rock mason by trade,
having learned the trade from his
! father. When M. B. Cannon was
elected sheriff, two years ago, he ap
pointed Mr. Green as his chief dep
uty, and as jailer. This office he
held until he met his death in the
darkness outside the Balsam school
house, last Friday night. He is sur
vived by his father and mother, his
widow, and three little boys, as well
as other relatives and friends.
SYLVA CENTRAL HIGH OPENS
I The Sylva Central High School
students and teachers were in their
places, Monday morning at 9 o'clock
| for the opening of the fall term of
! the school; and the largest enroll
ment in the history of the school
was recorded for the opening day.
A number of parents, patrons of
the school and other interested citi
zens were present and took part in
the opening exercises.
I The teachers of the school this year
are: V. E. Wessinger, principal, L.
D. Shealy, Mrs. Chester Scott, Miss
B. Parham, Miss Mabel Fisher,
Miss Mary Allison, Miss Helen E.
? Maywood and Miss Nellie Cowan. ,
The general tax rate of Jackson
county is increased from $1.75 on
the hundred dollars worth of prop
erty, the rate last year, to $1.95 for
this year, according to the tax levy
made by the commissioners. This is
an increase of 20c from the levy
of last year, and $1.34 from the rate
of 1920, following the general re
valuation of all the property in the
state.
The rate of $1.95 is the general
county rate, and does not inelude the
local special taxes for local school,
road and other local funds for lochl
tax districts.
The new rate is based upon the
levy for the following items for gen
eral county purposes:
1928
General county 20
General school -94
Road Maintenance .24
Debt Service A7
Total $1.95
The 1927 rate was:
General county 12
General school /4
Special county 05
Poor - 03
Health 03
Debt Service 75
Road 03
State School _..... ....
County school
General county 08
Special county 05
Bndge ........ ............ ........ ............ .10
Poor 04
Total - 61
REV. A. H. SIMS IS DEAD AT 73
Kings Mountain, Aug. 29. ? Rev.
Allen Hampton Simp, retired Baptist
minister, died at his home here this
afternoon after a long illness of
heart trouble
The funeral will be conducted
from the First Baptist church Thurs
day afternoon at 3 o'clock by the
pastor, Dr. C. J. Black.
The masons will take charge of
the body at the church and lay it
to rest in Mountain Rest ccmeteiv
with masonic honors.
Mr. Sims was born in Town* coun
ty, Georgia, June 6, 1855, and was
in his 73rd year. He united with Te
koah Baptist chureh in Georgia, Oct
ober, 1869, was ordained to the Bap
tist ministry at Shoal Creek Bap
tist chureh in Jackson county, North
Carolina, October 10, 1881.
During the 45 years following he
was an active and aggressive preach
er in western North Carolina besides
being an evangelist and one time mis
sionary in westerti North Carolina
He had served 18 churches as pastor.
He was a citizen as well as a minis
ter and was always concerned about
matters of civic and public welfare
Age and infirmity rendering him
unfit for the pastorate during his
last few years he settled in Kines
Mountain and did supply work as
his health would admit and the need
demanded.
A
POLLY ANN A WAS GOOD SHOW
A number of young people of
Whittier gave the play "Po HyAnna"
at the Lyric theatre, Tuesday even
ing for the benefit of the Whittier
Methodist Church, -and it proved to
be one of the best home-talent plays
ever presented in Sylva.
Miss Jessie Moody as Pollyanna,
was remarked to be especially good,
and much favorable /comment was
heard on Mr. Ernest Hall's playing.
The entire cast was said by the Aud
ience to b$ far above the average for
pla/s of Um kind.