Newspapers / The Warren Record (Warrenton, … / Aug. 11, 1977, edition 1 / Page 1
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Your Best Advertising Medium Sty? Damn Srrorfi Advertising Medium Complete News Coverage Of Warren County Your Best Volume 80 15c Per Copy Warrenton, County Of Warren, North Carolina vw n. Jr* No. 31 — — * L V. U C. t . ' Chief Out, .mergency Powers In Norlina commissioners Monday. night invoked emergency powers in the aftermath of a car wreck which hospitalized Police Chief Romey Williams, authorizing Mayor Bill Perry to direct day-to-day operations of the town's police department. In a companion move, commissioners hired a former Warren County deputy sheriff, Leon Paynter, as a police officer for the town. Paynter was scheduled to begin duty on the third shift last night. Meanwhile, Chief Williams, critically injured in a two-car crash in southeastern Warren Countv last week, continued to show improvement in Duke Medical Center, where he was taken following the two car smashup after receiving emergency treatment at Warren General Hospital. He is expected to be in traction for six weeks, and severe internal injuries have placed the time that he might return to duty in Question. Williams, appointed chief following the death last year of Chief G.E. (Buck) White, wis injured in a collision which occurred six and a half miles south of Warrenton on N. C. 43. Jhe wreck was reported shortly after midnight on August 4. Trooper W. C. Palmer of the N. C. Highway Patrol said Williams was driving north in his 1963 Ford Falcon Whefl' he collided with a 1968 Ford operated by Peggy Lee Francis, who was headed south. Palmer said it appeared that the Williams car veered into the path of the Francis car, which ran off the road but was unable to avoid the collision. Ms. Francis, 24, of Rt. 3, Warrenton was admitted to Warren General. A passenger in her car, Debbie Mae Richardson, 20, of Macon, was treated and released. Eight-Year-Old Girl Raped; Arrest Made A Halifax County man is being held in Warren County jail without bond on a charge of raping an eightyear-old Warren County girl on July 28. Charles David Alston, 19, was arrested by Halifax officers on Friday after the alleged crime had been reported by Halifax Memorial Hospital authorities. Having discovered that the alleged crime occurred in Warren County, Halifax officers turned Alston over to Warren County officers on Tuesday. Sheriff Davis said yesterday that Davis would be given his 96-hour hearing in Warren District Court Friday. Stable at home of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Holtzman In Ridgeway section with side and roof ripped off exposing loft filled with hay. Neighbors are shown as they gather to lend their assistance in clearing away debris preparing to rebuild stable. [ Staff Photo] High Winds Lash County Area By BIGNALL JONES Considerable damage was caused in the RidgewayManson section of Warren County on Sunday night during a severe electrical and wind storm between 9 and 9:30 o'clock. Among damage reported Monday morning was to the Carl Holtzman farm where strips were blown from the roof and where the side and roof of a stable were blown off; to the Weldon Capps home where two chimney stems were blown off at roof level; to the C. B. Curtis, Jr., home place where a utility building was demolished by wind; and the partial destruction of the old Lonnie Eeavis home, occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Donald Town Accepts Historic House The Town of Warrenton formally accepted ownership W the Jacoo rioit House Monday night as a delegation of local historians stood by with an offer of assistance should upkeep for the restored property require their help. The house and lot at the corner of Bragg and Franklin streets was donated to the town by Commissioner Anna G. Butler. The property carries an appraised value of $19,000. Federal and state grants and a private donation are expected to provide $41,000 for the restoration effort. Richard Hunter, heading the delegation composed primarily of members of the Warren County Historical Association, told commissioners that local historians would like to see the town use grant money to renovate the property "and if you see that it can not be maintained, that it be deeded to the Historical Association." Edgar Thorne, recalling his association with historical preservation efforts while on the faculty of the University of Virginia, said the Holt House met many of the criteria used by preservation-oriented groups. Thorne said the house was one of the few surviving homes "not owned by the planter class" and its restoration "could be your most democratic" work of preservation in Warrenton. He said that a future poll of visitors to Warrenton's Historic District could show that the house ranked first in popular appeal, since it contained much with which the average visitor might identify. Mrs. John Kerr, speaking in support of the deed's acceptance, said that interest on the eve of Warrenton's bicentennial is outting the town on the map. "We used to be known as the town that owns itself; now it is known as the town that restores itself," she said. Mrs. James Beckwith said that historic preservations locally could provide the area "with a fine soft industry" and that town-led efforts at restoration could induce private homeowners to improve other properties. Mrs. Butler said she would like to see the town take title to the property "and after we've done all we can do, I would have no objection to having the Historical Association be appointed custodian." Renovation of the house with grant funds will require that the town maintain the house to retain its historic integrity for a period of at least 30 years, that it be continually administered so that the public shall have access to the home for at least 12 days during the year, and that the State would have first refusal if a bonafide offer to sell the property is received by the town. Commissioners were told that the house should take on increased importance after its designer receives broader public exposure. The house contained the kiln and workshop of Holt, who was a prominent architect and builder in ante-bellum Warren and surrounding counties. School Break-In Probed By Police In Warrenton Investigation of a case of breaking, entering and larceny at John Graham High School in Warrenton on Tuesday night or Wednesday morning of last week is still continuing, Police Chief Freddie Robinson said yesterday. Following a report of the break-in of the school by Mrs. Brenda Bobbitt, school secretary, at 8:12 a. m. on Wednesday morning of last week, Chief Robinson and Officer T. R. Vaughan investigated the break-in. They found that entry intc the building was made bj the use of a key or becausc of an unlocked door on th< north end of the building. Having gained entry, th< intruder or Intruder* used i key to open the office, took a key to the Coke machine from a desk drawer, used it to open the machine and returned it to the desk drawer. Following the return of the key to the desk drawer the office door was relocked. Twenty-five dollars was taken from the desk drawer and approximately |10 from the Coke machine. Chief Robinson said that several prints of tennis shoes were* found in the fresh varnish. They led to the office doors. Also, he said, several tennis shoe tracks were found leading from the office door to a fire escape on the east side of the building. Decision Expected On Ticket Situation The Warrenton Town Board's Police Committee is expected to decide within the month what action, if any, it plans to take to force persons disregarding tickets written for parking violations to pay the traffic tickets. The matter was referred to the committee Monday night after Police Chief Freddie Robinson reported that tickets are being written and that at least three cars have been towed from restricted zones following the recent designation of parking zones by signs and new paint. The chief said that he would also like to have the board decide who will be authorized to void tickets written in error, or unable to be served because the driver pulls away while the officer is in the process of writing the ticket. In response to a question from a board member, the chief said that no warrant has been served for parking violations since he became chief. A member of the force for eight years, Robinson has been chief for the past six. He said he would also like the board to determine' if a warrant should be served for the first parking offense, or whether court action should be taken after a warning letter has been sent or after an individual motorist accumulates a number of unpaid tickets. Police Commissioner Gordon Haithcock announced the resignation of Lee Simmons as police dispatcher. Her resignation was accepted by the board, which authorized the employment of Elizabeth Inscoe to serve as police secretary. Robinson reported that his department was "about six weeks behind" in completing required records since the resignation of Mrs. Laura Bennie Davis, and said he would like the vacancy to be filled quickly. Commissioners said they hoped CETA funds which paid Mrs. Davis's salary could be used to pay Miss Inscoe. Bryant, by fire set by a stroke of lightning. Also some damage was reported at the homes, of Charles Hall, and Effie Burchett and at the home of Marshall Fleming, all windcaused, and not visited by Warren Record reporter Bignall Jones and cameraman Don Stith. Damage to the stable at the Carl Holtzman farm, where hay was exposed to the elements by the removal of the roof, was estimated at $5,000. Timbers from the roof and side of the stable had been piled some 100 feet or more from the stable; a horse trailer, parked near the stable, had been blown some 35 yards by the force of the wind. Two sheets of tin had been ripped up on the roof, causing some water damage to part of the house. The electric current was interrupted by the storm and Mr. and Mrs. Holtzman were in darkness and could only hear the roof and side being torn from the barn. Friends and neighbors had already gathered at the Holtzman home when representatives of The Warren Record arrived around 10 a. m. and they were shortly thereafter engaged in removing debris from the stable site, preparatory to its rebuilding. At the Weldon Capps home, at the end of a dirt road off the Manson-Drewry highway, we found Mr. Capps alone at his home, from which the top of both chimneys had been blown down, and were in a pile at the rear of the house. Mr. Capps said that he lived alone and was alone at the time of the storm. No one was present at the home of Mr. and Mrs. C. B. Curtis, Jr., when we visited the site, but in plain evidence on the back corner of the lot was the tumbled utility building with a boat lying nearby. The blown down utility building at the Curtis home and the moved horse trailer at the Holtzman were the only evidence we saw of any ground wind in the section, with damage, so far as we could learn, only to roof tops and chimneys. Unlike investigation of most wind storms, we found no blown down tobacco, or uprooted trees or fallen limbs, in a journey that carried us from Eidgeway, to Buchanan's Store north of Drewry, to Manson and to Middleburg, to parts of Soul City and to a point near Manson where the old Lonnie Reavi? former home had beer badly damaged by fire Here Donald Bryant, whe lived with his wife in th< home, and a number ol (Continued on page 11) Delegations ;a;;;;on, ^ ' on School Officials Hear Controversy The appearance of three delegations and inability of board members to make up their minds about two controversial items kept the Board of Education in session until 11:30 o'clock at their regular second Monday night meeting. Vice Chairman Leigh Traylor presided over the meeting in the absence of Chairman Ernest Turner. Delegations present, in order of their appearance, were a large group from the Vaughan School community who were divided over whether the eighth grade should be kept at Vaughan or sent to Hawkins School at Warrenton; a large group which asked the Commissioners to sell the old Wise School in order that it might be purchased by the Wise-Paschall Ruritan Club; and Dennis Harris, President of the Warren County Farm Bureau and Sydney Burton who appeared to ask that Warren County Schools delay their opening for a week or more in order that school children might help harvest the late tobacco crop. All decisions of the board were made after the departure of the delegations. The board decided that since the school calendar, set up by a special committee, did not call for the opening of Warren Schools until Labor Day, and this was the latest opening of any schools in the district, that no further delay would be made. Members said that they were forced to make this decision in fairness to teachers and students. The Rev. Jim Heber acted as spokesman for the group representing the Wise-Paschall Ruritan Club, numbering around a dozen. For several years the old Wise School building has been leased by the local Ruritans, who have made several improvements to the building and grounds. Mr. Heber said that the club wishes to make other improvements but first they wanted title to the building. The board members said they would be happy for the Ruritans to buy the building, but that it would have to be sold at public auction. One difficulty is that the Board of Education uses one floor of the building for storage, and some disposition would have to be made of the stored articles before the building could be sold. Members asked for a week to consider disposition of the stored articles if feasible. The large group from Vaughan represented two factions, one of which wants to keep the eighth grade at Vaughan and the other to send the eighth grade to Hawkins in Warrenton. Both (Continued on page 11) During Stormy Session Questionable Trade Practices Defended Warrenton Mayor W. A. Miles Monday night defended controversial trade practices which have raised a "conflict of interest" question here, said the practice of commissioners doing business with the town was customary in small municipalities with limited retail outlets and reeled off a list of former commissioners who had engaged in the practice. me mayor was jomeu uy two commissioners in a rebuttal to an article in the August 4 issue of The Warren Record which pointed out that trade practices involving Miles and Commissioners Gordon Haithcock and Norfleet Cliborne were illegal under state law and jeopardized federal revenue sharing funds. The mayor's response to the newspaper charge that the three had acted in violation of a North Carolina general statute which prohibits elected officials from trading for a profit with the unit of government they serve came as the last item of business before the board went into executive session to discuss a legal matter with Town Attorney Charles Johnson. Miles was critical of two editorials attacking secrecy in town government, and responded to published charges that commissioners were engaged in illegal trading practices by contending that the practice was of long standing in Warrenton. "No one has sought the business," the mayor said as he read a list of town commissioners, both living and dead, whom he said were involved in trade with the town. He said he felt it made sense to do business at home, rather than to have (Continued on page 11) ☆ ☆☆ Board Barred Transaction, Mayor Says Warrenton Mayor W. A. Miles Monday night publicly j accused a member of the Board of Town Commissioners and the town manager of illegally conspiring to use surplus municipal property for personal use and said that only intervention by the board had spoiled the plan. The charge came during a stormy session of the town board marked by the premature departure of two members and the hurling of charges and counter charges across the municipal conference table. Miles said a series of articles and editorials in Warrenton's newspaper critical of the mayor and board had their origins in an attempt by Commissioner Sam Massey and Manager Bill Davis to purchase surplus vehicles for their own use. The suggestion that Massey and Davis had prepared to purchase the two vehicles acquired from the City of Rocky Mount produced a heated exchange between Massey, who called the charge a lie, and Miles. Mrs. Anna G. Butler left the meeting at this point, and minutes later Massey left the meeting. Miles charged that the two had intended to take possession of a dump truck and car, and that action of the board prevented them from so doing. He said the matter was taken up in executive session earlier this year "since it involved personnel." Massey said he resented the accusation of wrong doing, that he had consulted with Attorney Frank Baniet over the possibility of i acquiring the dump truck, had been advised not to enter into the transaction and had not done so. Massey t said he had never bad any conflict of interest involving t the town and that hia > ' decision not to purchase the 5 vehicle was arrived at i without any help from the » board. Murder Is Charged In Rest Home Death A 51-year-old Vance County man, charged with murder in a Warren County death, will remain under psychiatric observation at Dorothea Dix Hospital in Raleigh for the next 30 to 60 days. Joseph Smith, resident of the Warren Plaza Rest Home near here, was charged with causing the death of a 73-year-old fellow rest home resident on August 3. Judge Linwood Peoples ol Henderson ordered Smith committed to the state hospital in Raleigh during a 96-hour hearing held Thurs day. The Warren Count] Sheriff's Department re ported that Smith wai charged after Henry Dick erson died of a skull fractun in Duke Medical Center where he had been transfer red after being givei emergency treatment a Warren General Hospital. Deputy Ernest Fitts wa taking Smith to John Umstead Hospital in Butner when word was received from Duke that Dickerson had died. Fitts returned to Warrenton with Smith and lodged the defendant in the Warren County Jail, where he remained overnight. Sheriff's deputies quoted witnesses at the rest home as saying that Dickersoi was mortally wounded aftei a single blow was exchang ed between the two mei following - the breakfas meal on Wednesday. Witnesses reported tha the two men had had a argument, and were leavinj the dining area when Smit said something inaudible t witnesses, turned an struck the victim In th i temple. Dickerson fell an struck his head on the flooi i John Phillips, rest hom manager, notified sheriff • officers of the incident, an i requested that Smith b t taken to Butner. It wa shortly thereafter that Wi i kerson died. Davis said Tuesday inai the decision to buy the vehicles for the town was made with the knowledge of board members, except Commissioner Gordon Haithcock, who conld not be reached by telephone whoa the decision to buy them was (Continued on page 11)
The Warren Record (Warrenton, N.C.)
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Aug. 11, 1977, edition 1
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