t r a nklin
PROGRESSIVE
LIBERAL INDEPENDENT
VOL. L, NO. li
FRANKLIN, N. C, THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 1935
$1.5 PER YEAR
FARMER CAN
GET DEBT AD)
Readjustment Plan Paves
Way To Stave off
Foreclosure
Plans to assist worthy but hard
pressed farmers to stafe off fore
closure on their farms were dis
cussed at a meeting of the Macon
County Farm Debt Adjustment
committet in the Bank of Franklin
Wednesday.
Meeting with the committee,
which was appointed by Governor
Ehringhaus last June, were Harry
F. Watkins, of Raleigh, state rep
resentative of the National Farm
Debt Adjustment commission, and T.
Lenoir Gwynne, of Waynesville,
field representative of the commis
sion in the western district of
North Carolina.
How PUn Work
After explaining that the pur
pose of the debt adjustment com
mittees, is to help bring farmers
and their creditors together in a
mutual agreement under which the
farmer will not lose his property,
Mr. Watkins told the committee
that in many cases in which the
creditor or creditors refuse to con
sider a readjustment of the debt
the farmer has legal means by
which he can stall off foreclosure
for six years. This means is pro
vined in the Frazier-Lemke act of
1934. This law, an amendment U
the bankruptcy statutes, is designed
to permit a farmer who is unable
to meet his debts as they mature
to una kU tr wmrp a settle-
ment with his creditors, fo take
certain steps as a means of com
fulfil tier his debts, and to remain in
possession of his property for a
limited period, under the control of
the court, while doing so.
In some instances, Mr. Watkins
said, it is possible to work out
means of restoring to a farmer
land which already has been taken
from him by foreclosure.
Since the North Carolina Farm
Debt Adjustment commission began
functioning last June, Mr. Watkins
said, it has assisted in working out
debt readjustments in 1,000 cases
with an average reduction of the
indebtedness of 23 per cent. There
are now pending for settlement m
this state, he added, approximately
14,000 cases.
The Macon County Adjustment
committee is composed of Carl Sla
gle, chairman ; C. F. Moody, Wal
ter Gibson, H. W. Cabe and J. E.
Lancaster. In the future the com
mittee plans to meet on the first
and third Fridays of each month
at the local Emergency Relief of
r:. Pal-mem desirinir to obtain
IIV.V. m -
information concerning the deDt
adjustment plan are advised to see
any member of the county com
mittee. Blanks for filing applica
tions for farm debt adjustments
can be obtained from the commit
tee or the Emergency Relief of
fice, it was stated.
Mr. Watkins expressed the be
lief that the committee, with pub
lic cooperation, could greatly re
duce the number of farm foreclos
ures in this county. He advised the
committee to use persuasion as far
as possible in working out adjust
ments between debtors and cred
itors: but. when necessary, to ad
vise farmers to take recourse un
der the Frazier-Lemke act.
(EDITOR'S NOTE Further de
tails of the Farm Debt Adjustment
plan will be presented in next
week's issue of The Press-Ma-
conian.
Meacham Accepts Post in
Henderson County
E. H. Meacham, for several years
instructor of the vocational agricul
ture class of the Franklin high
school, has accepted a position as
assistant farm demonstration agent
of Henderson county and has been
succeeded in his duties here by
Elmer Crawford, whose home is in
the Cartopgechaye community.
Cantata
To Be Rendered Easter by
Choral Society
A beautiful Easter cantata, "The
Resurrection And the Life,' by
Stoughton, also the Laster portions
of Handel's "Messiah," are to be
sung in the Methodist church at
7:30 p. m. Easter Sunday, by the
Franklin Choral Society with James
B. Porter as, director and accom
panist The cantata is divided into three
parts. The first part will include,
in addition to the choruses, inciden
tal solos by Mrs. Frank Bloxham,
soprano, and a quartet by Mrs.
Dick Hudson, Mrs. T. J. Johnston,
P. B. McCollum and R. C. Dady.
After part one the numbers from
"The Messiah" will be sung. They
will include the alto solo, "He Was
Despised," by Mrs. C. C. Herbert,
Jr., and the chorus, 'Surely He
Hath Borne Our Griefs." Robert
Wallace will sing the tenor solo,
"But Thou Didst Not Leave His
Soul in Hell," and Miss Margaret
McGuire the soprano solo, "I Know
That My Redeemer Liveth," fol
lowed by the chorus, "Since By
Man Came Death."
Part two of the cantata will then
be sung, which will include inci
dental solos by Miss Beverly
Brown, Mrs. T. J. Johnston and
P. B. McCollum.
The third part, consisting of
choruses and incidental solos by
Mrs. Dick Hudson and Hugh Johns
ton, will be foilowe by a quartet
sung by Misses McGuire and Bul
gin and L Mr. Kinnebrew and the
Rev. C. C. Herbert Jr.
A processional hymn, "Sing With
All the Sobs of Morning," from
Beethoven's ninth symphony, and the
hymn "Come Ye Faithful, Raise the
Strain," as a recessional, will be
rendered. Mr. Porter will play
"Fugue, Amen" from "The Mes
siah" as a postlude.
DEATH CLAIMS
J. W. SHERRILL
Funeral services for John Wilson
Sherrill, 65, who died about 1
o'clock Monday afternoon after an
illness of several months, were
held at 2 o'clock Tuesday afternoon
at the Franklin Methodist church.
The Rev. C. C. Herbert, Jr., pas
tor, officiated, assisted by the Rev.
E. R. Eller, pastor of the First
Baptist church.
Mr. Sherrill was a member of
the Methodist church.
Pall bearers were Jim Palmer,
Charles Penland. J. B. Pendererass,
Roy Cunningham, James Hauser
and Quince Hauser.
Mr. Sherrill is survived by his
widow, who before marriage was
Miss Lillit Addington ; six children,
Munday Sherrill, of Washington,
D. C; Jack Sherrill, Jr., B. L.
Sherrill, the Misses Eloise, Ada
Belle and Fannie Mae Sherrill, all
of Franklin; two brothers, W. W.
Sherrill, of Morgan ton, and M. A.
Sherrill, of Laurel, Miss.; four
sisters, Mrs. T. H. Mashburn, of
Blue Ridge, Ga.; Mrs. Guy Hipps,
of Canton; Mrs. C. A. Sriyder and
Mrs. P. W. Kincaid, of Dillsboro.
High School Students
To Hold Banquets
Franklin high school juniors, sen
tors and vocational agriculture stu
dents will feast this week.
At 7:30 o'clock Friday night the
annual junior-senior banquet, given
by the juniors in honor of the
graduating class, will be held in
Rotary Hall. A program of ad
dresses and fun-making has been
prepared.
At the same hour and place Sat
urday night the vocational agricul
ture class will hold its annual
father-and-son banquet with E. S.
Pappy, manager of the White Pro
vision company of Atlanta, Ga., as
the principal speaker.
MD0NALDS GET
5 TO HEARS
Plead Guilty To Robbery
Of Auto Service
Station
John and Walter McDonald,
charged with "sticking up" Bill
Penland, filling station operator,
and robbing him of $40 in cash
last February 9, pleaded guilty to
robbery in Macon county superior
court Monday afternoon and were
sentenced by Judge J. A. Rousseau
to five to seven years imprison
ment. The two men, who said they
were brothers and came from Char
lotte, N. C, came into court with
out legal counsel and placed them
selves on the mercy of the court.
At a magistrate's hearing held
shortly after the robbery of Pen
land, who operatts Louis Phillips'
Shell service station at the inter
section of highway 28 and 285,
the McDonalds pleaded not guilty.
Although they admitted they had
been to the service station and
obtained gasoline a few hours be
fore their arrest in a stolen auto
mobile on the Highlands-Dillard
road near Scaly, they claimed at
the preliminary hearing that they
had not robbed Penland.
A few weeks ago the McDonalds
broke from their cell chamber on
the second floor of the county
jail, but were thwarted from escap
ing by a warning to jail attendants
given by a negro prisoner.
Mill Sentenced
Kay Miller, who was arrested
several weeks ago in connection
with an attack on Ulysses Sanders,
who was badly cut about the face
and neck, was sentenced to 4
months imprisonment for carrying
a concealed weapon, a knife, and
to 12 months for assault with a
deadly weapon. Sanders' throat
was dangerously cut, but he re
covered after hospital treatment.
The attack on him occurred at the
rear entrance of the courthouse
several months ago, but Miller fled
and was not arrested until several
weeks ago.
Sentenced for Larceny
Ham McClure, N arrested Monday
by Deputy Sheriff John Dills, was
convicted of larceny and sentenc
ed to 20 months imprisonment. Mc
Clure, who was charged with steal
ing corn, was surprised by Dills
when he went to his house in the
Hickory Knoll section for break
fast. He had spent the night in
hiding. So had John Dills, who
secreted himself in the basement
of the house late Sunday night
after having learned that McClure
came in each morning to get some
thing to eat.
The criminal calendar, which
consisted mostly of comparatively
minor cases, was cleared up Wed
nesday morning and the court re
cessed until lnursday morning,
when trial of civil cases was be
gun. Outstanding on the civil dock
et was the case of John H. Thorn
as against the Nantahala Power
and Light company, the Town of
Franklin and the Northwest Caro
lina Utilities company. Mr. Thom
as claims damages of $12,000 to
his 60-acre tract on the headwaters
of Lake Emory plus additional
damages of $3,000 to crops in 1932,
1933 and 1934.
Court is scheduled to continue
through next week.
G. L. Houk Sworn in
As Member of Bar
G. L. Houk, principal of the
Franklin school, who passed the
state bar examination at Raleigh
recently, was sworn in as a mem
ber of the bar in Macon county
superior court Monday. He took
the oath before Judge J. A. Rous
seau, of North Wilkiesboro, who
is presiding over the April term of
court.
16 Grand Jurors
Ask Investigation
Of Relief Agency
MRS. BRYSOIf S
FUNERAL HELD
Well Known West's Mill
Women Succumbs to
Pneumonia
Funeral services for Mrs. T. C.
Bryson, 65, were held at the Cowee
Baptist church Monday morning at
11 o'clock. The Rev. R. F. May
burry, pastor, was in charge of the
services, assisted by the Rev. W.
L. Bradley, of Oak Grove.
Mrs. Bryson died at her home
at West's Mill Sunday morning at
3 o'clock after a week's illness with
pneumonia She was a loyal and
consecrated member of the Cowee
Baptist churrh, having joined in
early life. The large crowd at the
funeral and the many beautiful
flowers which covered three graves
manifested the high esteem in which
she was held in her community.
A solo, "Beautiful Isle of Some
where," was sung by little Marion
Moody, daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Wade Moody, of Iotla.
The pallbearers were: Purnell
Bryson, Carr Rickman, Fred Mc
Gaha, Roy Cantrell, Robert Mor
gan and Joel Dalton.
The deceased, who before mar
riage, was Miss Eva Isreal, of
Buncombe county, is survived by
her husband and nine children,
Frank Bryson, of Sedro Wooley,
Wash.; Lyle Bryson, of Darling
ton, Wash.; Jesse and Thad C.
Bryson, of Bozeman, Mont.; Carr
Bryson, of West's Mill; Mrs. Craig
Steppe, of Aquone; Mrs. C. H.
Scruggs, of Waynesville; Mrs. Er
nest Pressley, of Canton, and Miss
Edna Bryson, of Wesfs Mill;
a stepdaughter, Mrs. Andrew Ed
wards, of Ellijay, Ga.; 18 grand
children, a sister, Mrs. Laura
Clark, of Asheville, and a brother,
R. L. Isreal, of Candler.
IMPROVEMENTS
URGED BY JURY
A recommendation that the rest
room in the courthouse should be
condemned and closed as unsani
tary and new underground toilet
facilities bt built on the public
square was included in the report
of the grand jury submitted Wed
nesday to Judge J. A. Rousseau,
presiding at the April term of Ma
con county superior court.
Tht grand jury also recommend
ed the construction of an enclosure
around the trap door between the
J first and second floors of the jail
as a precaution against escapes
Another suggestion included in the
report was that the town board
have the old Pendergrass building
next to the jail demolished and
removed. It was called a fire haz
ard. The county home and county pris
on camp were said to be in good
condition and the inmates well
cared for. Both the jury and the
solicitor reported records in the
clerk of court's offioe were effi
ciently kept.
Results of Exams
To Be Announced May 2
G. L. Houk, principal of the
Franklin school, announced this
week that the list of students
who passed the high school en
trance examination held on
March 23. will be made public
on May 2.
Charge Inefficiency in Ad
ministration of
Funds
A written demand for an investi
gation of the administration of re
lief funds in Macon county was
submitted to this newspaper Wed
nesday by members of the grand
jury who requested that it be pub
lished. The paper bore the signa
tures of 16 members of the grand
jury for the current term of su
perior court
The editor was informed that the
statement had been submitted to
the grand jury for incorporation in
its customary report, but that it
had been excluded. A. L McLean,
of West's Mill, foreman of the
jury, whose signature does not ap
pear on the paper, said it had not
been included in the report because
the court had advised that it was
a matter beyond the grand jury's
jurisdiction, as the relief organiza
tion is maintained with federal
money instead of county funds..
Audit Requested
The statement, as submitted to
this newspaper, said that "in our
opinion there are entirely too
many field workers, also white col
lared jobs, for the relief funds to
be practically administered, and
tfie body of the funds are used in
salaries and car mileage, leaving
only a very small amount to be
applied to such relief as is actual
ly needed." The board of county
commissioners was requested to
have a detailed audit made of all
receipts and disbursements of the
"Welfare Organization" with view
to ascertaining "how much it costs
and the amount of the relief grant
ed." It also requested that the
audit be published in the county
newspaper.
Several members of the grand
jury said they wanted to see the
statement published, even though
the matter was beyond their juris
diction. "I suppose IH never be drawn
for jury duty again," remarked one
of the grand jurors, "and it's cer
tain now that I could never get
any relief help, if I should need
it; but I don't care. I can take
care of myself and it's time that
something be done about this wel
fare business."
The Statement
Following is the statement sub
mitted to The Press-Maconian :
THE GRAND JURY OF MA
CON COUNTY FURTHER RE
PORT, That whereas it is very evi
dent that dire need exists in many
sections of the land and in many
parts of Macon County, and, that
it is very necessary that all reve
nues of all sources from our gov
erning bodies should receive the
precautious care, in placing the dol
lar so as to be invested in a man
ner as to produce results in reliev
ing the conditions as now exist.
It further appears that there is
one organization in Macon Coun
ty, known as the "Welfare Organ
ization" for the purpose of re
lieving our people, who happen to
be unfortunate as to be in distress,
needy and dependant upon sources
other than their own for comfort
able existence.
It further appears that there is
a very near sighted, inefficient and
selfish disciplined rules regulating
the distribution, of finding the facts
regarding the extent of the neces
sities of those to be relieved, and
in our opinion there are entirely
too many field workers, also white
collared jobs for the relief funds
to be practically administered and
the body of the funds are used in
salaries and car mileage, leaving
(Continued on Pmf Eight)