Your Best
\
4 t.
■ Kdaie Haaim, jr. Jao78 - ia dMj __ _
1 312 Church 11 P|| 4K
Warrenton. N. £,._27£89 ' % ♦ %• + 1 fVLwf ,
Your Best
Advertising Medium \ ":s,j>7?89 44441 ft|4 44*4 4* Advertising Medium
Complete News Coverage Of Warren County
Volume 80 15c Per Copy Warrenton, County Of Warren, North Carolina Thursday, June 16, 1977 Number 24
Higher Tax Bill Seen
Town Board Gets
Proposed Budget
Warren ton commissioners
Monday night gave
reluctant approval to a
proposed $435,197 budget for
1977-78 requiring an 18
percent increase from the
average taxpayer.
Finance Committee
Chairman Bill Leary had
hardly finished presentation
of the tentative budget
before calls for a reduction
in the tax rate were
sounded.
The proposed tax rate—67
cents on the $100 valuationmay
be lowered before final
adoption of the budget prior
to July 1. Commissioners
representing various departments
of the town are
expected to meet with
Leary's Finance Committee
in an effort to reduce
L anticipated expenditures
prior to a public hearing on
the budget set for June 27 at
8 p. m. at the Town Hall.
Recent revaluation increased
Warrenton's tax
base from $9 million to $13
million, allowing for a
drop in the tax rate of 75
cents used during the
current fiscal year.
"For every penny you cut
in the tax rate, you will have
to reduce the budget by
$1300," Leary told his fellow
commissioners. The proposed
tax rate is expected to
generate $87,100 in revenue.
Federal revenue sharing
funds are expected to add
$39,800 in town revenues,
while profits from the Water
Department are expected to
add $42,900.
The largest single item in
the proposed budget is for
operation of the police
department, expected to
cost $92,774 next year. The
proposed budget reflects a
pay raise of about 7 to
percent for key town
employees, Town Manager
Bill Davis said.
Other department budgets
included in proposed general
fund expenditures include:
Street Department,
$31,177; Sanitation Department,
$17,475; Fire Department,
$5,020. Non-departmental
expenses are estimated
at $57,841, while
administration of the town
is expected to cost $27,950,
exclusive of $4,550 for
Indian Funds
A>e Approved
Indians of Warren and
M Halifax Counties will receive
a total of $46,420.67
* under the Indian Education
± Act, Title IV, Part A.
' according to a direct report
from Washington, W. R.
* Richardson, Chief of the
* ' Haliwa Tribe, said yesterday.
The money is disRgosed
through local educational
agencies with the Indian
children receiving money
according to the number of
Indian students within the
school systems.
Chief Richardson said
that the allocation this year
exceeds that of last year,
and that $14,534.85 has been
awarded to the Warren
County School System, and
$31,885.82 has been awarded
to the Halifax School
System.
governing body costs.
Salaries in the Water and
Sewer Department are
expected to be $35,044, with
•department operations costing
an additional $38,935.
Debt service for the town is
estimated at $19,181.
In other items of business
to come before the board,
commissioners authorized
Town—Manager Davis to
proceed with negotiations to
have the foundation of an old
church on South Main Street
beside Warrenton Gulf
removed.
Davis said a bulldozer
could level the site in return
for the use of the lot for at
least two years by the town.
The town manager reported
that approximately 15
summer workers may help
town crews under the
(Continued on page 10)
Large Reading Budget
Wins Federal Approval
James Jordan, Jr., director
of Federal Elementary
and Secondary Education
Act (ESEA) programs in
the school, told the Warren
County Board of Education
Monday night that a budget
of $454,000 for continuing a
reading program had been
approved. He briefly discussed
the program with the
use of slides.
"We are concentrating in
the primary grades, al
though senior high students
are being helped," Jordan
said. The program has been
in operation for almost 10
years, and will reach as
many as 855 youngsters next
year.
"Statewise there were*
54,000 participants from the
primary grades last year,"
Jordan said. Grades four
through six had 47,000
participants, and seventh
through twelfth grade included
about 15,000.
"We also provide social
work through home-school
coordinators, and health
acre," Jordan said.
£ Projected areas on concentration
during the 1977-78
school year will be in
reading, among the hearing
Impaired students, in social
work and in staff development.
/Four high school classes
have been proposed to help
students who have difficulty
reading, and there are
presently 10 students in the
county with hearing problems
who are being aided
through special tutoring.
All the schools in the
county are eligible for
participation in the program,
Jordan said.
Mr. Jordan completed his
remarks at 9:50 p. m., and
the board turned to its
agenda.
—Approved a school calendar
for the next school
term.
—Awarded a contract to
Watts and Scobie for
auditing the books of the
Board of Education for the
sum of $2700, and discussed
the employment of Mr.
Scobie to assist the county in
setting up the Fiscal Control
System for the county.
—Discussed and approved
the present system of
selecting school personnel.
Elected Mrs. Margaret
Phillips, librarian for South
Warren and Fonda C. White
as special education teacher
for South Warren. The
Board also elected Mrs.
Elisabeth Massey Traylor
as kindergarten teacher at
South Warren if she is
approved by the school
principal.
—Accepted the resignation
of Mrs. Sharon Watts,
third grade teacher at
Northside School and the
retirement of Mrs. Emily
Alston, reading teacher at
the Vaughan School.
At 11 o'clock other items
on the agenda were continued
to a special meeting on
Monday, June 20.
Eighteen stalks of marijuana over eight feet, nine
inches tall were found in Warren County Tuesday
afternoon by Warren County deputies and Vance County
ABC officers. The weed was found beside a power pole on
a Carolina Power and Light Company right-of-way near
Drewry by Warren Deputies Dorsey Capps and Bobby
Bolton and Vance ABC Officers H. D. Greenway and M.
M. White. The plants were near a creek and had been
well fertilized with stable manure. No arrests were
made. The haul had a street value of $2400 officers said.
[Staff Photo]
Hampton, Davis
Sent To Prison
Barring an adverse ruling
by the state's Supreme
Court, a Warren County
man found guilty of murder
during a Superior Court trial
held here last week will
spend the rest of his life in
prison.
Joe Hampton, Jr. was
ordered to jail "for the
remainder of his natural
life" by Judge Harry E.
Canaday of Benson after a
jury deliberated less than an
hour before returning a
guilty verdict.
Lawyers for Hampton
who had two motions denied
by Judge Canaday, gave
notice of intent to file an
appeal with the state's
highest court. No bond was
granted for Hampton,
charged with first-degree
murder in the beating death
of Cleveland Wilson, 28, of
the Afton community.
The jury began deliberation
at 4:25 p. m. on
Wednesday of last week but
were recalled 35 minutes
later and excused for the
day. Meeting again at 9:30
a. m. Thursday, the jury
took only 20 minutes before
returning its verdict.
Later in the day McLean
Davis, the state's star
witness, was tried on a
lesser charge. Davis, who
had testified that he saw
Hampton beat Wilson to
death with an automobile
jack on January 21 and that
the two had thrown Wilson's
body into Lake Gaston, was
given a 20-year prison
sentence after entering a
guilty plea.
Davis, already on
probation at the time of the
murder trial, had his
probation revoked and was
ordered to serve time at the
expiration of his 20-year
sentence. Davis will have to
serve one-fourth of his time
in prison before being
considered for parole. Other
charges against Davis including
larceny of an
automobile, larceny from
the person, and larceny
were dismissed. Similar
charges against Hampton
were continued pending the
outcome of the Supreme
Court appeal.
Among other cases tried
were the following:
Ernest Davis on probation
for larceny after breaking
and entering; and John
Baker, on probation of two
charges of breaking and
entering and larceny, tbe
probations were revoked
and the men were ordered to
serve the active sentence
imposed originally.
Will Edward Neal was
granted an extension of six
months on his probation for
assault with a deadly
weapon with intent to kill
inflicting serious injury.
Tony Washington, on
probation for assault with a
deadly weapon inflicting
serious injury and assault
with deadly weapon was
ordered to serve the active
sentence after his probation
was revoked. He appealed
the order.
Other cases in which
probations were revoked
and defendants were ordered
to serve the active
sentence were those of
Sandy Yancey, charged
with assault with a deadly
weapon with intent to kill
inflicting serious injury, and
Clemon Kearney.
Probations were continued
for Lawrence Cleo
Baskerville, driving under
the influence; Michael Aycock,
breaking into a
vending machine and breaking
into a coin operated
machine.
Alvin Ray Lynch, charged
with assault with deadly
weapon inflicting serious
injury, plead guilty to
assault with a deadly
weapon and was ordered to
the custody of the Director
of Prisons for 12 months,
suspended and placed on
probation for two years on
the condition that he not
assault Bob Alston, pay
restitution to anyone entitled
for damages, pay $150
fine and costs.
Elijah Hargrove, charged
with driving under the
influence, called and failed.
He was ordered arrested
with bond set at $400.
Sandy Lee Davis, was
found guilty of driving under
the influence and following
too closely and was ordered
to jail for six 'months,
suspended and placed on
probation for two years on
the conditon that he not
operate a motor vehicle
without a valid license
during period of suspension,
surrender operator's license
to the Clerk of Superior
Court, pay fine of $200 and
costs.
An order of arrest was
issued for Arthur Boone
after he was called and
failed. He was charged with
assault on a female, bond
(Continued on page 10)
Educators Offer Reward Money
Assault Of Teacher Is Probed
Miss Rebecca Neece, a
member of the English
Department High School in
Warrenton, was brutally
attacked at her home in
Littleton Saturday night by
an unidentified man.
Warren County schools
have already raised an $1120
reward for information
leading to the arrest and
conviction of her assault,
and have hopes that the
reward will be raised to
more that $1600 before the
week is over, according to
Mike Williams, principal of
the Mariam Boyd School,
who announced late Tuesday
afternoon that $500 had
been paid in by NCAE-ACT,
and that the staff of seven
Warren County schools have
turned in $620. Williams said
that the staff of John
Graham has said they hoped
to be able to raise $500.
Miss Neese was in her
home at Littleton when she
heard a noise outside and
stepped outside the door to
investigate. She was attacked
from behind and then
struck in the face where her
eye was blacked, several
teeth knocked out and her
nose broken.
Miss Neece's screams
attracted the attention of a
neighbor who in turn began
to scream at the sight of her
neighbor being attacked.
This frightened the man
away and may have saved
the teacher's life.
She was taken by neighbors
to Memorial Hospital in
Roanoke Rapids from which
she was discharged Tuesday.
The attack occurred in
Littleton which is under the
jurisdiction of Halifax County,
but because the teacher
was employed in Warren
County at the time of the
attack, Sheriff Davis sent
Chief Deputy Dorsey Capps
to investigate with Littleton
police and Halifax police
officers.
Capps said late Tuesday
afternoon that Miss Neece,
who made a dental appointment
upon her discharge
from the hospital, said that
following her treatment at
the hospital she was a great
deal calmer and remembered
better. She said she did
not believe that her attacker
was a student, as was first
rumored.
Suit Filed Here Seeking
Recovery Of $2 Million
A suit seek $2 million in
damages has been filed in
Warren County Superior
Court as the result of an
accident on Gaston Lake on
April 13, 1975, in which two
persons were killed.
The suit was originally
filed in Wayne County
against VEPCO and John P.
Nelson, doing business as
American Heritage Cairp
Ground, by Mrs. Katleen
Metcalfe Bendlin on behalf
of her son, Jeffrey A.
Metcalfe, seven-year-oia
son of Capt. Alan Lefon
Metcalfe, who was killed in
a boating accident. The
action was subsequently
transferred to Warren County.
It is scheduled to be held
at the next civil term of
Warren County Superior
Court which convenes on
Oct. 10.
Mrs. Bendlin is asking
$1,500,000 in actual damages
and $500,000 in punitive
damages.
Mrs. Bendlin's complaint
alleges that Alan Lefon
Metcalfe, an Air Force
Captain, was sailing in a
Hobi-Cat sailboat at or near
American Heritage Campgrounds
at the time of his
death, and that he was
accompanied by Lt. Janice
H. Ravenhorst. At the time
of their deaths they were
sailing in a cove near the
campground.
It was further alleged that
VEPCO had strung its
power lines across this cove,
that there were no support
poles for the series of wires
in the middle of the cove and
that the wires were carrying
115,000 volts of electricity. It
is alleged that, altb mgh the
lake waters were unt ually
hign at the time, due to a
flood, no warning or caution
signs were erected either by
Nelson or VEPCO, and that
Nelson did not warn them of
any danger from sailing in
the cove.
Mrs. Bendlin alleged that
when the steel mast of Capt.
Metcalfe's boat struck the
wires that Capt. Metcalfe
was instantly killed and
thrown into the water by the
force of the shock, and that
Lt. Ravenhorst was knocked
to the bottom of the boat,
from which she was taken to
Democrats Will Gather
Saturday For Convention
All active Democrats are
urged to attend the county
convention, Saturday, June
IS at 12 noon at the Court
House.
Ms. Jane Patterson, assistant
secretary of the
Department of Administration,
will address the county
convention. Ms. Patterson
was active in both President
Carter's and Governor
Hunt's campaigns, has
served as chairperson of the
Guilford County Democratic
Executive Convention and Is
currently serving on the
National Democratic Committee.
All delegates and alternates
should arrive early to
receive their credentials
and be in their seats by 12 p.
m. Delegates and alternates
will be able to get
credentials by arriving at
11:45 a. m. Precinct
delegates to the county
convention will elect the
officers of the County
Executive Committee and a
representative to the State
Democratic Convention.
a Roanoke Rapids Hospital
where she soon died.
In his answer to the
complaint, Nelson denied
eny guilt. He admitted no
warning signs were displayed
at the cove, but said that
Capt. Metcalfe had sailed
under the wires at least once
on April 13, 1975; that the
day was a bright sunshiny
day with good visibility and
that Capt. Metcalfe's faculties
were impaired at the
time by large consumption
of alcoholic drinks. He
asked that the complaint be
dismissed.
VEPCO, while stating that
it would defend Nelson's
suit, indicated it would re',
file an answer until a motion
in court to dismiss the case
had been heard.
Summer Athletic Field Use
Draws Protests Of Neighbors
After protesting for more
than 20 years the noise and
—dust created by summer
ball games on the athletic
field where homeplate is
"almost in her bedroom,"
Mrs. A. D. Harris had put a
"For Sale" sign in her front
yard, and invited a member
of the Board of Education to
come into her home' and
listen to the noise created by
softball tournaments.
Monday night a delegation
of citizens from the area
appeared before the Board
of Education to protest the
use of John Graham athletic
facilities during the summer
months by adults who have
little connection with the
school. Mrs. C. E. Rodwell
acted as principal spokesman
for the group. Others
present were Mrs. A. D.
Harris, Mr. and Mrs. W. C.
Bobbittand Mr. and Mrs. H.
M. wiuiams.
Mrs. Rodwell said that
when she and her husband
built there home Wilcox
Avenue was a quiet and
peaceful neighborhood. The
same was true at the time
that other homes were built
in the neighborhood. At that
time, she said, inhabitants
of these homes were young
and not particularly bothered
by noise; now they have
grown old, troubled by lack
of sleep and infirmities of
age, and needing peace and
quiet. On weekends as
tournaments are played, the
games go on all day
Saturday and until after
midnight, on one occasion,
and on Sunday from 1 p. m.
to 10 p. m. Traffic is heavy
on the narrow street and
cars are parked all around
the neighborhood.
Mrs. Harris said that she
has never objected to the
use of the field by John
Graham students or by
children, but that she did
object to its use by adults,
some from out of the county,
in summer when she had to
raise her windows for
ventilation. She said the
noise, hour after hour, has
made a nervous wreck of
her, and that she was at her
wits end. When the games
end at 10 o'clock and the
lights are turned off, she
said, spectators do not
immediately leave tffe field,
and many go off with other
persons and return for their
cars in the early hours of
morning. She said that in
Henderson and Lumberton,
which she frequently visits,
when school is out, the
school gates are locked for
the summer. She wanted to
know why John Graham
School could not do the
same?
Mr. and Mrs. Bobbitt and
Mr. and Mrs. Williams said
they felt that the people in
the neighborhood are entitled
to some relief.
Dr. L. B. Henderson,
board member who had
visited Mrs. Harris' home
during the playing of a softball
game, was most sympathetic.
"I am a young man,"
he said, "and I love sports,
but I don't think I could
stand what Mrs. Harris has
to go through."
The members of the board
wanted to know if the
softball games were over?
John Graham Principal W.
E. Terry didn't know as he
said that Coach Bill Frazier
scheduled all the games
played on the field. The
board instructed him to find
Frazier. A few minutes later
Frazier appeared before the
board. He said that he had
tentatively scheduled other
softball tournaments and
had planned to use the field
all summer, but of course he
would do as the board
ordered.
Asked if he could not find
other fields on which to
play, he said he could, but
that a summer softball
program did much to draw
support for the school.
"Give me ten acres on the
Norlina field and I will solve
the problem," Frazier said.
He said that Warren County
needed a consolidated
school. He discounted the
opposition of Mrs. Harris,
(Continued on page 14)
Littleton Motorist
Not Hurt Seriously
Thomas Ray Lynch, 22, of
Littleton, escaped serious
injuries on Monday night
when he ran into a ditch
embankment attempting to
avoid an accident.
Trooper Palmer of the
highway patrol reported
that the accident occurred
at approximately 9:10 p. m.
at the intersection of the
Warren Plains Road and
Highway 151. Palmer stated
that Lynch stopped for a
stop sign, following another
vehicle. When he pulled off
at the intersection the
accelerator pedal on his
vehicle hung and he veered
to the left and struck the
ditch in order to avoid a
rear-end collision with the
vehicle he was following.
Palmer said that Lynch
was transported to Warren
General Hospital for treatment
of minor injuries. He
estimated the damages to
his 1969 Ford station wagon
at $1000. No charges were
filed in the accident.
Prince Allen Lynch of
Hollister was charged with
driving under the influence
following a collision with a
parked vehicle south of
Areola Friday night about
11:05 p. m.
Palmer listed the owner of
the parked vehicle as
Dozene A. Sweatt of
Roanoke Rapids. Damages
resulted to about $450 total
on both vehicles and no
injuries were reported.
Queen Ingrams Park of
Warrenton struck and killed
a calf belonging to Melvln
Abbott of Route 1, Henderson,
near the Cokesbmry
community on Thursday
night. The highway patrol
listed damages at $1M in the
unavoidable accident and no
' injuries were reported.