Reader Interest
Established 1885
The Oldest North Car
olina Newspaper West
of Buncombe County.
Each copy of The Press
is read by an average
of more than 5 persons.
ht ISyiaWatiW Baconian
PROGRESSIVE
LIBERAL
INDEPENDENT
VOL. L1V, NO. 52
FRANKLIN, N. C. THURSDAY. DEC. 28, 1939
$1.50 PER YEAR
SOIL PROGRAM
MORE LIBERAL
Greater Benefits May Be
Secured By Farmers
During 1940
By S. W. MENDENHALL
County Agent
Farmers of Macon county can be
greatly benefitted by the hnproe
nieiits included in the 1940 agri
cultural conservation program.
Fanners on small farms now have
an opportunity' to derive a much
greater benefit from the program
than ever before. All fanner. par
ticipating in the 1940 program by
carrying out approved soil build
ing practices can earn as much as
$20. The maximum payment for
farms entitled to a larger payment
than $20 will be determined on
the same basis as in 1939. Another
added feature that can help all
farmers is an additional payment
of $30 that may be earned by
planting forest trees on land that
w . subject to erosion. These trees
may bit secured at no cast by
making application for them at
the county agent's office.
Lime has been, made available
again through the soil conserva
tion program and at the same price
that it was in 1939. For each ton
of lime that- the farmer takes
through the soil conservation pro
gram there will be $2 deducted
trom the payment that is set up
for his' farm for 1940. This price
includes the cost of lime and the
freight.. This means that every
farmer in the county may secure
a.i much as nine tons of lime.
Farmers on farms that qualify for
at larger payment, of course are
eligible to secure more than nine
tons of lime; Lime may be used on
pastures, meadows or any other
crop and each 1500 pounds will
count one unit toward reaching
the soil building goal.
Superphosphate Alio Available
Triple superphosphate has been
made available through the pro-,
gram again this year. For each
100 pounds of this phosphate that
the farmer secures through the
program $1.80 will be deducted
from the 1940 inavimum payment.
This amount includes the cost of
the phosphate and the freight.
Each 100 pounds of this phosphate
when applied to pastures, meadows
and certain other grasses and le
gumes will count one unit toward
.reaching the soil-building goal.
Ninety per cent of the soil con
servation payment for any farm
. may be taken up in lime, or phos
phate, or some of each, providing
more acreage of tobacco has not
been grown than is allotted to the
farm.
Farmers desiring to secure either
lime or phosphate through the
soil conservation program may
make their application now at the
county agent's office. It has been
determined that where either lime
or phosphate are to . be used on
pastures, meadows or other grasses
or legumes, far greater results are
obtained from these materials if
the application is made early
enough so that the freezing and
thawing will help ' take them into
the soil. If lime is to be used in
connection with spring seedings
better result, will also be obtained
if the application is made early in
the year. Also this is a compara
tively slack season of the year and
farmers have more time to secure
their lime and phosphate, get it
to the farm and apply it to the
land. Approximately 3,000 tons of
lime and 40 tons of phosphate was
secured through the program dur
ing 1939. After seeing the results
already obtained from the use of
these materials the amount used
during 1940 should double the
amount used in 1939."
Funeral Held For
Mrs. Dryman Saturday
Funeral services for Mrs. Lydia
Katherine Dryman, 08, were held
at the Asbury Methodist church
on Saturday afternoon at 2 o'clock.
The Rev. James Vinson, a Baptist
minister, was in charge of the
services. Interment was in the
church cemetery.
Mrs. Dryman died at her home
near Otto Friday afternoon at
1 :30 o'clock following an illness
of nearly a week. Death was due
to pneumonia and heart ailments.
She was the "daughter of the late
Henry and Mary Blackburn Greg
ory, of the EHijay section. In 1898
the was married to J. 13. Dryman,
of Otto. She had been a member
of the Baptist church since early
girlhood.
Mrs. Dryman is survived by her
husband, two daughters, Miss
Erie Dryman, of Otto, and Mrs.
Ella Posey, of Walhalla, S. G;
one sister, Mrs, Sarah Wilson, of
Jackson county, and three grand
children.
Five Hurt
When Truck And Goupe
Collide Saturday
Five persons were injured at 1
p. in. Saturday when a coupe and
a truck collided on a .curve one
mile east of Franklin on the
Franklin-Highlands highway.
The injured were: Miss. Oertrudc
Holland, 24; Grover Watts, 19;
Miss Kose Wallace. 18; Sam L.
Holland, 14, all .of .Gneiss, and John
Hauser, driver of the truck;
Mis,s Holland, Miss Wallace, and
Sam L. Holland were taken to
Angel hospital here for treatment.
Miss Holland is suffering from
concussion, a fracture of the nose,
and other injuries.
Watts, who is said to have been
driving- the .coupe, suffered face
lacerations. , ' . ...
.Miss Wallace suffered injuries to
her kneecaps and several of her
teeth were loosened.
Sain L. Holland's head' was in
jured, and Hauser was painfully
injured. . -
The truck is the property of the
Bryant Funeral Home.
'Ihe highway was slippery at the
time due to sleet and snow which
fell, all day Saturday.
DEATH CLAIMS
H. DAVIS DEAN
Former Official Passes
Friday After Long
Illness
Henderson Davis Dean, 78, . for
mer representative of Macon coun
ty in the General Assembly, died
at his home in the Oak Greive
community 14 miles north of
Franklin on the Bryson City high
way, last Friday morning at 6
o'clock after an illness that last
ed eight years. He was critically
ill for three weeks. Death was due
to heart disease and' complications.
Mr. Dean, a farmer, was well
known in Macon county and else
where in Western North . Carolina.
He was .born June 29. 1861, in
Macon county, the son of the late
George and Aletha Parrish Dean.
In 1887 he was married to Miss
Alice Morgan, of Macon county.
Taught In Macon School
In his early 'years Mr. Dean
taught in the Macon county
schools. In 1896 he was elected
register of deeds and served two
terms. In 1901 and again in 1915
he represented the county in the
lower house of the state legisla
ture, being elected on the Repub
lican ticket. From 1904 to 1908 he
was sheriff and tax collector.
Mr. Dean also was active in
church work. He was clerk of the
Macon county Baptist association
for seven years and was moderator
of the association for 13 years. He
served for many years as super
intendent of the Sunday schools at
Watauga and Oak Grove. His
membership was in the Oak Grove
Baptist church.
Mr. Dean is said to be the only
man who ever held three impor
tant offices ir. Macon county.
Tire funeral services were held
Saturday morning at 10:30 o'clock
at the Oak Grove Baptist church.
The pastor, the Rev. Robert Wil
liams, officiated, assisted by the
Rev. C. F. Rogers, pastor of the
Franklin Baptist church; the Rev.
W. L. Bradley and the Rev. D. C.
McCoy, both Baptist ministers of
the Oak Grove community. Burial
was in the church cemetery.
Active pallbearers, all grandsons:
Frank' Dean, Bobby Carpenter,
Jack Carpenter, Henderson Dean,
Ed Carpenter, Jr. and Dean Car
penter.
Mr. Dean is survived by his
widow; three daughters, Mrs. Jos
eph A. Bryson, of Columbia, Mo.;
Mrs. J. C. Higdon, of. Franklin
Route 4, and Mrs. Ed Carpenter,
of Franklin; three sons, Walter,
Herman, and George, all of Frank
lin; three brothers, C. A. and W.
L., of Texarkana, Tex., and J. H.
of Franklin Route 4; three sisters,
Mrs. Jane McHan, of Swain coun
ty ; M rs. Laura Wilds, of Morgan,
Texas, and Mrs. J. R. Morgan, of
Portland, Ore., and 20 grandchild
ren. ''.
J. M. Hodge Dies
In California
Mrs. E. B. McCollum received
a wire from Long Beach, Calif
Tuesday afternoon telling ' of the
death of her brother, J. M.- Hodge.
Mr. Hodge, whose .home was
formerly in Johnson City, Tenn.,
had been making his home in
California for some time. He has
often visited Mrs. McCollum, and
only last summer spent several
months here. Death was attributed
i to a ludden heart attack.
World Interest Continues
Centered On Heroic Finns
Finnish force's continue to hold
steady in the face of overwhelm
ing numbers of Russians, and have
even driven the invader, back to
their own soil in some places.
Russian bombers arc making
terrific attacks on Finnish towns
and cities :but few casualties have
been' .reported, while many of the
Red planes are being shot down
by anti-aircraft fire.
In northern Finland the Rus
sians have ' been driven in dis
orderly rout which has continued
for three day.s and the Red army
lias already retreated for 50 miles.
The killing cold is working' in
favor of the F'inhs who are accus
tomed to it and can continue fight
ing while hundreds of the Rus
sian soldiers are freezing to death.
It is estimated that 4,000 Russians'
have been killed witfiin the past
three days. '
1 England is preparing to furnish
war .supplies to the Finns and
Italian planes and pilots are said
to be arriving at Finnish flying
fields.
Sweden is extending real aid to
her struggling neighbor in cash,
food, war material, medical sup
plies and hundreds of trained
fighting men who have volunteer
ed for service under the com
mand - of General Ernst ' Linder,
71 -year-old veteran of both the
Swedish and Finnish armies.
ihe Russians are .said to be
massing 300,000 men near the
"waistline" of Finland in prepara
tion for a drive to cut the country
into two parts.. One Finnish gener
al stated that each of his battal
ions of 600 men was facing a
Russian division of 18,000.
The Russian troops seem to lack
efficient leadership and are easily
demoralized, while the Finns fight
as a unit and are. led by able and
trusted commanders. They may fin
ally be overwhelmed by sheer force
of numbers but Russia will pay a
staggering price for the conquest.
PRESIDENT SENDS MYRON
TAYLOR TO VATICAN
President Roosevelt announced
Saturday night the appointment of
Myron C. Taylor as personal rep
resentative to the Vatican and call
ed for "all the churches in the
world which believe in a common
As The World
A Brief Survey of Current
and Abroad.
BUSINESS CENSUS v
IN W. N. C.
A business and manufacturing
census will it taken in 13 west
ern counties comnrisine the 11th
congressional district. A school is
being conducted . in the Langren
hotel, Asheville to train the i
enumerators who will take the
census. Frank I. Murray of Frank
will work in Macon and Swain.
WINTER COLD OVER
COUNTRY
Winter spread from the Rockies
to the Atlantic yesterday as snow
storms played havoc with traffic
and low temperatures prevailed.
The Northwest registered 16 below
and New York and New England
hovered around zero. 2,500 highway
workers sought to clear away snow
in Ohio. The northwest and south
west welcomed the drought break
ing snows and rains, promising re
lief to the "dust bowl."
PRESIDENT AND RELIGIOUS
LEADERS CONFER '
President Roosevelt yesterday
consulted with Dr. George A.
Buttrick. president of the Federal
Council of Churches of Christ in
America, and Dr. Cyrus Adler,
president of the Jewish Theolo
gical Seminary of America, in a
conference at the White House
This was part of a general plan
that also includes the sending of
Myron Taylor, retired head of the
U. S. Steel corporation, as the
president's personal messenger to
the Vatican to coordinate peace
efforts of Pope Pius XII with
those of, the U. S.
DAVIES APPOINTED
HULL AIDE
President Roosevelt has named
Joseph E. Davies, ambassador to
Belgium, who recently returned to
the U. S. to report, as special as
sistant to Secretary of State Hull
to handle war emergency problems
and international trade questions;
Davies will retain the rank of am
bassador until a new envoy to
Belgium it appointed.
God" to throw the "great weight
of their influence" behind the
cause of world peace.
The President said Taylor, re
tired stejl magnate and head of
the intergovernmental refugee com
mittee, would go to -Rome as his
representative. Taylor, a Quaker,
will have the full social, although
not official, rank of an anibassador.
At the same time Mr. Roose
velt invited Dr. George A. liut
trick, president of the federal
council of the Churches of Christ
in America, as a Protestant lead
er, and Rabbi Cyrus: Adler, presi
dent of the Jewish Theological
seminary of America, to confer
with him from time to time' "in
order that our parallel endeavors
for peace and the alleviation of
suffering may be assisted."
The President made it plain that
he docs not have in mind at this
time any new specific move for
bringing peace to Europe, but, in
taking these steps he indicated
that he was ' looking primarily to
the future and to what the world
situation may be when Europe's
bloody conflict ends. .
The President', action has met
with enthusiastic approval in this
country . and in many nations
abroad.
WESTERN FRONT
CONTINUES QUIET
The . past week has seen no ac
tion on the western front and little
activity on the high seas or in
the air. A Christmas truce seems
to have prevailed throughout the
war zone.
There arc many rumors as to
great offensive movements being
planned by both .sides but tkese
are discounted by expert observers
who do not expect heavy fighting
before spring.
A force of trained and hardened
Australian flyers and ground
crews has , reached England . and
will be sent to F'rancc. Also a
large detachment of fierce Moslem
troops from British India arrived
safely at a French port and have
gone into the lines. These men
are accustomed to fighting Pathans
in the bitter cold along India's
northwestern frontier, and can
stand the hardships of the French
climate better than most other
troops.
Turns
Events In State, Nation
LAMAR CAUDLE
RECOMMENDED FOR U. S.
ATTORNEY
' Lamar Caudle of Wadesboro has
been recommended by Senator
Reynolds to fill the office of U.
S. district attorney made vacant
by the death of Marcus Erwin.
526 VICTIMS OF .
VIOLENT DEATH
The Christmas holiday week-end
brought violent death to at least
526 persons in the U. S. Nine of
these are reported from N. C. Traf
fic accidents claimed the greatest
number; other causes: being burns,
train wrecks, gas poisoning, drown
ing,, freezing, suicides. Only one
plane death was rcportel from
California.
'
REP LEADER INDICTED
Nicholas Dozenberg, next to
Earl Browdcr as second most im
portant Communist in the U. S.,
was indicted on two counts yes
terday, on charges of obtaining
passports through false statements,
lie was arrested a month ago by
FBI men, who said he was an
agent of the intelligence unit of
the Red army of Russia.
THOUSANDS DIE IN
EARTHQUAKE IN TURKEY
Whole villages have been de
stroyed in Anatolia, a province in
northern Turkey, and more than
8,000 people killed by a. catastro
phic earthquake.
i
RUSSIANS SENTENCED
UNDER ALIEN ACT
Boris Nikolosky, president of
Book niga, Inc., a German propa
ganda book store in 'New York,
was fined $1,000 and his corpora
tion the same amount, for with
holding information from the state
department under the alien regis
tration act. I, A. llyn, secretary
and treasurer, and also connected
with Amtorg, Russian trading cor
poration in the U. S. was fined
$500. Both are Russian citizens.
They are willing to return to Rus
sia to keep out of jail. The justice
(Continued on Pug Si)
James Elliott
Dies Monday At Home In
South Franklin
James Elliott,. 05, died at his
home in South Franklin Monday
after an illness of six months. A
teamster, he was the mm of George
and Jane F.lliott and had .spent his
entire life in Macon county where
he was born.
He was a member of the Frank
lin Baptist church.
Surviving are his widow, the for
mer Miss Laura Jane Morgan, a
stepson, George Elliott, two broth
ers. Charles and Walter F.lliott of
F'ranklin, . and two sisters, Mrs.
Robert Crawford and Mrs. Hester
Dowdle..
Funeral services were held at 2
o'clock Tuesday afternoon at the
Holly Springs Baptist church 'with
the Kev. C. F. Rogers officiating.
Burial was in the church cemetery.
Pallbearers were: Frank Talleut,
Jack Mashburn, William Sutton,
Andrew Gribblc, Jule Tallent and
Love Hauser. . '
TWO BURNED TO
DEATH DEC. 23
Aged Brother And Sister
Die When Flames
Destroy Home
Walter M. Arnold, 79. and his
sister, Miss Lerena Arnold, 89.
were burned to death early Sat
urday morning by a fire that de
stroyed their home in the Sugar
fork community, six miles south
east of F'ranklin.
The two lived alone on the farm.
The blaze was discovered about
5 a. m. by Gaither Teem, one of
the nearest neighbors. He said the
blaze was out when he reached
the spot and only a few bones and
charred remains of the victims
were found. ,
Arnold was said to have occu
pied a first floor room and his
sister a second floor room over
his.
The house, built of logs, was de
stroyed. Miss Arnold, partly blind for
years, had been totally blind the
last five years.
Miss Arnold and Mr. Arnold
were the daughter and son of the
late William and Mary Redman
Arnold, descendants of colonial
and revolutionary families. They
were both members, of the Sugar
fork Baptist church of which their
father was one of the founders.
Double funeral services were
held Sunday morning at 10:30
o'clock at the Sugarfork Baptist
church. The pastor, the Rev. R. F.
Mayberry, officiated. Burial was in
the church cemetery.
A number of nephews and
nieces survive.
Christmas Enjoyed At
County Prison Camp
The Christmas service at the
state prison camp, near F'ranklin,
was attended by a large number,
with hearty singing of Christinas
hymns and carols. The Rev. F'rank
Bloxham held the service and
preached.
The appreciation of the prison
ers was expressed by' one of their
number to all those who sent gifts
and Christmas good things. Dona
tions were made by churches and
from the Christmas tree fund.
The cakes served for Christmas
dinner were gifts from the home
demonstration club of the Holly
Springs community. Those con
tributing cakes were: Mrs. J. P.
Deal, Miss Nellie Deal, Mrs. L.
A. Berry, Mrs. Dewey Corbin,
Mrs. Harvey, Mrs. Eli Huggins.
Mrs. Charles , Elliott, Mrs. James
McCracken, Mrs. Wayne Mc
Cracken, Mrs. E. V. Amnions, Mrs.
John B. Justice, Mrs. A. G. Cable,
Mrs. Earl Smart, Mrs. W. D. El
liott, Miss Callie Deal, Mrs. Jack
Cabe, Mrs. Sain Crawford, Mrs.
Don Moore.
R. D. Carson, superintendent, re
ported that the Christmas dinner,
provided by "the .state, except the
cakes, included roast turkey and
dressing, mashed .potatoes, 'cran
berry sauce, pickles, celery, biscuits,
peaches, cake and coffee.
Ernest Cabe Badly
Injured In Accident
, Ernest Cabe, 55, is in Angel
hospital in a serious condition suf
fering from a fractured skull and
a broken neck, received in a 20
foot fall from a barn loft. He
landed on a two-bv-four ulank on
the ground. The accident occurcd
about 6 o'clock Thursday after
noon at his home in the West',
Mill community, when he was do
ing hit evening chores,
BULLET WOUND
FATAL TO GIRL
Edna Hodgins, 18, Dies In
Hospital; Was Trying
To Protect Child
Miss Edna Hodgins, 18, daugh
ter of Mr. and Mrs. Ed Hodgins
of the South Skeenah section, died
in Angel' hospital Tuesday night at
K ..VI,, ..I, .... ' .1... ......!. '.t
... wiiu.iy ia Lii 1C3UII Ol a .,
calibre bullet wound in the abdo
men. Tom Williams, of the Betty's
Creek section, near the. North '
Carolina-Georgia state line, who is
alleged to have fired the shot dur
ing a disturbance at his . home on
Sunday night, was arrested at 4 .
o'clock Monday morning at his
home by Sheriff A. B. Slagle, of
Macon county, and lodged in the
county jail here to await a pre
liminary hearing.
In Dazed Condition
1 Sheriff Slagle said that Williams,
when he was placed under arrest,
appeared to be in a dazed condi
tion. Sheriff Slagle. who, with Deputy
sheriff John Dills, investigated the
shooting, said Williams W.l-i (1 rim If
Sunday night at his home- when
tour neighbors said to be Hub
Beasley, Carl Williams, Sherman
Beasley, and J. R. McLean came
into the house for a visit.
The sheriff said he learned that,
while the four visitors were in the
house, Williams grabbed a fire
poker and. in attempting to run
off the men, broke a table, dam
aged other furniture and allegedly
threatened to kill his own three-year-old
child.
Miss Hodgins, who had been en
gaged by the Williams family to
do housework for the past two or
three weeks, became frightened at
what .she said were Williams'
threats. She grabbed up the child
anu ran about il yards from the
house. Williams allegedly in pur
suit. As she ran around a barn
near the house, Williams is said
to have gone around the other
way and fired at her, the bullet
striking her in the right side and
penetrating the abdomen. The child,
held in Miss Hodgins' arms, was
unhurt.
Taken To Hospital'
Miss Hodgins was brought to
Angel hospital soon after the
shooting and everything possible
was done to save her life, but
she was beyond surgical aid.
Monday afternoon Mrs. Williams,
wife of Tom Williams, came to
F'ranklin and swore out warrants
for the four men who were vis
iting in the Williams home, charg
ing them with drinking and carry
ing concealed weaoons. Thev were
arrested Monday afternoon by
sheritt s deputies but entered de
nials of the charges.
Miss Hodgins is survived by her
parents; two brothers, Richard
and Homer, and three sisters.
F'rances, Pearl, and Myrtle, all of
the South Skeenah .section.
Funeral services were held Wed
iesday afternoon at 3 o'clock at
the Gillespie Chapel Methodist
church on Cartoogechaye. The Rev.
Claude Ledford, a Baptist minis
ter of the Cartoogechaye section,
was in charge of the services. In
terment was in the church ceme
tery. Fifth Sunday Singing
At Courthouse Sunday
The Macon county fifth Sunday
singing convention will meet at the
courthouse, at 10 o'clock on Sun
day morning, December 31, it has
been announced by James R. .
Raby, president.
All singers, choirs, quartets, du
cts and soloists, are invited to
come and enjoy the day and take
an active part in the singing. Also
singers from adjoining counties
and states have a special invita
tion to attend.
This convention, which was or
ganized about 12 years, ago, to
promote an interest in good sing
ingj has drawn large crowds and
the modern Southern song writers
books as well' as the old hymns,
are always used.
Winners Of Christmas.
Lighting Contest
In the home lighting contest
sponsored by the Nantahala Power
and Light company, T. W. Angel,
Jr., and C. N.. Dowdle tied for
first prize and the second prize
went to the Rev. J. A. Flanagan."
The first prize was $25 and this
amount will be paid to both Mr.
Angel and Mr. Dowdle. The sec
ond prize was $15.
If the winners will calf at the
office of the company they will
receive their prizei,