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Volume 88 25c Per Copy Warrenton, County Of Warren. North Carolina Wednesday, September 11, 1985 Number 38
Mabel Hale of Littleton was honored at a dinner
last Thursday night by members of the American
Legion Auxiliary for her 55 years of service. Mrs.
Hale is shown above with Horace Palmer Post Com
mander Jesse Pegram, who, on behalf of the unit,
presented Mrs. Hale with her portrait, which will
hang in the post building. (See story on page IB.)
(Staff Photo by Kay Horner)
Warren Firemen
Are Overcome
Two Mayors,
Councilmen
Enter Race
By KAY HORNER
News Editor
Five Warren County
firefighters were treated
for heat exhaustion Sun
day afternoon after
fighting a fire at the
home of Mac Davis on
Paschall Road in War
renton.
According to Norlina
Deputy Fire Chief A1
Bennett, Norlina
firefighters Bobby
Wilkins, Harold Seaman,
who also serves as a
Sheriff's Deputy, and
Coleman Mukian were
treated with intravenous
fluids and oxygen at
Maria Parham Hospital
and later released.
Hawtree firefighters
Tim Moseley and Gwen
Brantley were treated at
the scene with oxygen
and cold water baths.
The fire, reported
about 12:55 p.m., did
about (20,000 in damage
to the two-story frame
structure and its
contents.
Only two rooms
escaped damage from
the fire, which began in
the center of the house in
a dining area, Bennett
said.
Cause of the fire, to
which members of
Churchill-Five Forks
Fire Department also
responded, was un
known.
Temperatures in the
90s and high humidity
made conditions difficult
for firefighters, Bennett
said.
"The humidity kept
the smoke from going up
and free-venting itself,"
he explained. "It just lay
like a blanket and wrap
ped you up."
More than 40 fire
fighters responded to the
blaze, which shut down
activity on the Seaboard
System Railroad tracks.
The home was located
off the road beyond the
track over which
firefighters ran water
hoses.
No one was at home
when the fire started,
Bennett said.
The Norlina depart
ment also responded to a
fire last Thursday at a
mobile home at White's
Trailer Park on Oine
Road in Norlina.
Damage in the 5:50 The blaze apparently
p.m. fire was estimated began in the kitchen,
at $13,000. Bennett said, but the
On Wednesday, fires cause has not been
were reported at the determined,
mobile home of Tammy
Haislip at People's No damage was done
Trailer Court and at the in the fire at the Richard
home of Mamie Richard- son home, which Bennett
son on U.S. 1 north of said was started by
Norlina. children playing with
The interior of the matches.
Haislip home was gutted,
Bennett said, and A box of rags was ig
damage, including con- nited, but was carried
tents, was estimated at outside before damage to
$10,500. the structure resulted.
Red Hill Man Held
In Shooting Incident
A resident of the Red
Hill community is being
held in Warren County
Jail on a charge of
assault with a deadly
weapon with intent to kill
following a shooting inci
dent at his home early
Sunday morning.
According to Sgt.
Lawrence Harrison with
the Warren County
Sheriff's Department,
Willie Edgerton, 62, of
Route 1, Warrenton
allegedly shot Alan
Pope, 34, of Route 1,
Warrenton in the right
arm and leg in a family
disturbance around 1:30
a.m.
Pope, who was treated
at Maria Parham
Hospital and later
released, reportedly had
come to Edgerton's
residence looking for his
estranged wife, Harrison
said.
Edgerton was arrested
about an hour after the
shooting and is being
held in Warren County
Jail under a $5,000 bond
pending an appearance
in District Court this
morning (Wednesday).
Assisting in the in
vestigation were Deputy
James McCowan and
Auxiliary Deputy Johnny
Williams.
An arrest was also
made this past weekend
in connection with a rape
reported in August.
Michael Edgerton, 30,
of Route 6, Louisburg,
was charged with first
degree rape and first
degree kidnapping of a
21-year-old resident of
the Alert community in
Franklin County.
According to Chief
Deputy B. D. Bolton, a
warrant for Edgerton's
arrest was issued Friday
morning and Edgerton
was picked up by the
Franklin County
Sheriff's Department
Sunday night and
remanded to the custody
of the Warren County
Sheriff's Department.
He is being held in
Warren County Jail un
der $20,000 bond.
The rape was reported
about 5:30 a.m. Aug. 17
by a woman who said she
was kidnapped from
Club 43 on Highway 43
east of Warrenton and
taken to a wooded area
off Highway 58 where
she was raped.
Bolton also reported
the arrest of Aubrey
Rodwell, 22, of Littleton
on a charge of child
abuse and assault of a
child under 12 years of
age.
The incident, which al
legedly involved switch
ing of the child, was
reported by the child's
father. Rodwell was a
friend of the child's
mother, Bolton said.
The name of the child
and his family was not
released.
Assisting in the in
vestigation was Deputy
J. M. Alston.
Rodwell was released
on unsecured bond pen
ding a Sept. 18 court
appearance.
Two incumbent
mayors and a number of
commissioners have
already filed for a place
on the ballots in up
coming municipal elec
tions in November, ac
cording to spokesper
sons in each of the coun
ty's three towns.
Mayor B. G. White of
Warrenton and Mayor
M. C. Clary of Macon
have given notice of
their intention to run
again for the top office.
Filing clerk Mrs.
Debbie Formyduval re
ported on Tuesday that
all six of Warrenton's
incumbent commission
ers have filed for re
election. Commission
ers Eddie Clayton, W. A.
Miles, C. M. White, III,
Bobby Edmonds, Phil
Daniel and A. A. Wood
have paid the $5 filing
fee and requested a slot
on the November ballot.
In Norlina, Town
Clerk Mae Gums stated
Tuesday that there had
been no word as yet
from Mayor Bill Perry
regarding his plans for
re-election. Three in
cumbent commission
ers, however, have
given notice of plans to
run again: Commission
ers James Vaughan,
Dwight Pearce and
Walter Newman.
Macon's filing clerk,
Mrs. Sarah Edwards,
stated on Tuesday that
four commissioners had
(Continued on page 8B)
schools (.losing tarly
For Fourth Day In Row
For the fourth consec
utive school day,
Warren County Schools
will close today (Wed
nesday) at 1 p. m. due to
the hot weather.
A number of other
public school systems in
the area have shut down
early as temperatures
have climbed well into
the 90's, making tem
peratures in classrooms
without air conditioning
less than bearable.
Schools Superinten
lent Mike Williams
dated Tuesday that the
decision would be made
early Wednesday
regarding school closing
time on Thursday and
thereafter the decision
would be made on a day
by-day basis, depending
upon the weather fore
cast
Williams said that an
nouncements will be
made in the schools a
day in advance of early
closing. Announce
ment will also be made
on WRAL-TV Channel S
and WRVD-TV Channel
11 and on WRAL-FM, he
stated.
Police Reorganization
Plans Are Undertaken
Officers
Get Raise
By MARY C. HARRIS
Staff Writer
Plans are under way
for reorganization of the
system for police
protection for the Town
of Warrenton, Police
Commissioner A. A.
Wood reported at the
Monday night meeting
of the Town Board.
If plans materialize,
within a couple of
months police calls will
be received by the Town
Office during the day
and will be taken by the
dispatcher in the
Warren County Sheriff's
Department during
hours when the office is
closed, Wood stated.
Police officers would
continue their present
duties.
Part of the reorgani
zation will involve the
town's giving up its
Police Information Net
work machine at
whatever time the Net
work becomes
operational in the
sheriff's office. At
present, the county does
not have its own access
to the Police Informa
tion Network.
Administrator V. R.
(Pete) Vaughan stated
on Tuesday that the new
system will result in
considerable savings to
the town and will be en
tered upon on a trial
basis by the end of Oc
tober if proceedings
take place as planned.
As a result of action
taken by the Board
Monday night, four of
Warrenton's police of
ficers will receive a five
percent salary increase.
The increase, which is
effective immediately,
is for all officers with
the exception of Chief
Freddie Robinson. New
officers will receive the
increase upon com
pletion of their school
ing, Administrator
Vaughan stated on
Tuesday.
Vaughan said that the
employment of an ad
ditional officer for the
five-member force had
been considered, but
commissioners voted
the increase for those
already employed in
stead. Vaughan stated
that turnover within the
department has been
high and the raise is
(Continued on page 8B)
Mrs. Helen Halthcock looks on as Mayor B. G. White reads a resolution passed
by the Town Board to honor the memory of her late husband and town commis
sioner of 18 years, Gordon Halthcock. Following the reading of the resolu
tion at Monday's meeting of the Board, the mayor presented the document to
Mrs. Halthcock. (Staff Photo by Mary C. Harris)
Bomb Scare
Proves Hoax
A bomb scare at John
Graham Middle School
in the early hours of Sun
day morning resulted in
a search of the school by
the Warrenton Police
Department and mem
bers of the Warrenton
Rural and Town of War
renton fire departments,
but the search turned up
"nothing whatsoever,"
according to Warrenton
Policie Chief Freddie
Robinson.
Robinson said this
week a caller who iden
tified himself only as
someone from Oxford
threatened to blow up the
school.
Local authorities
suspect the call may
have been linked to a keg
party Saturday in Nor
lina where two arrests
were made for disorder
ly conduct.
According to Norlina
Police Chief Romey
Williams, Andy Collins
was arrested at his
residence on Snipes
Street after neighbors
complained about loud
music and profanity at a
party he was giving.
Collins, 25, was also
charged with resisting
arrest and assault on an
officer, Williams re
ported, and was given
30 days in Warren Coun
ty Jail by Magistrate
Carson Prigeon for being
disorderly at the time of
charging.
Williams said John
Bullock Case, 29, of
Macon followed Collins
to the magistrate's office
and was arrested and
charged with being
drunk and disruptive.
He was released from
Warren County Jail on a
$100 bond.
Fire At Peck
Sends Firemen
Out On Tuesday
A fire at Peck
Manufacturing Com
pany Tuesday morning
shortly after midnight
brought out members of
Warrenton Rural and the
Town of Warrenton fire
departments, but was
extinguished by equip
ment at the plant, accor
ding to Walter Gardner,
captain with the rural
department.
Gardner said the fire
started in equipment
used to process cotton
waste and was ex
tinguished by a dry
chemical system built in
to the machinery.
"We pulled out some
pieces of cotton and ex
tinguished them," Gard
ner said, "but very little
water was used."
Gardner said no
damage was reported.
The Warren Record
was unable to reach a
(Continued on page 7)
Lions Planning Annual
Warren Agricultural Fair
The Warrenton Lions
are setting the wheels in
motion for the Warren
County Fair scheduled
to begin Sept. 16 and to
continue through Sept.
21, Lion J. B. Thompson,
general manager of the
local fair, stated Mon
day.
Inners Amusement
Company has again
been engaged to provide
rides and games on the
midway, Thompson
said, and prospects ap
pear favorable for a
successful fair
providing the weather
cooperates.
The gates will open
nightly at 6 p. m. except
on School Days, Wed
nesday and Saturday,
when operations will
begin at 12 noon.
On the two designated
school days, students
will be admitted free
and all rides will be
reduced to special rates,
Thompson said. Prizes
valued at $300 will be
given away at 6 p. m.
Wednesday. As in the
past, tickets will be
distributed at the coun
ty's schools, he noted.
Monday will offer the
unique advantage of
unlimited rides for one
price, the manager
reported.
Senior citizens will be
admitted free on
Tuesday night. In
dustrial employees will
also be admitted with a
pass.
Another attraction of
Wednesday will be the
Junior Beef Cattle Show
at 4 p. m. The show is
open to persons aged 9
19, and will include
classes for market
steers, heiiers, junior
fitting and showman
ship and senior fitting
and showmanship.
Thursday is the
special fair day for fire
men and their families,
who will be admitted
without charge with the
proper ticket. Afternoon
events include a 4 p. m.
Feeder Pig Show and
4:90 p. m. Feeder Pig
Judging Contest
Friday's highlight will
be the 4-H Poultry Show
and Sale, with the show
beginning at 4 p. m.,
followed by the sale at
4:90 p. m. The pullets at
the sale will be sold to
the highest Nddw and
the money will be used
for the 19H 4-H Poultry
Chain.
Miss Emily BalUnger,