?{je IjtgWanibsS IHacotiian
P HOG MISSIVE
/ IB KB A / 1M> E I ' EM) /?'. YT
VOL. LX? NO. 49
FRANKLIN, N. C? THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1945
S2.00 PER YEAR
Courthouse Condition 'Bad',
Records Unsafe, Jury Says
Structure Be Repaired Or
New On-2 Built, Body's
Report Recommends
Declaring that the courthouse '
building is 'fin bad condition"
and that the public records are
not safe from fire in the court
house as it is, the Macon Coun
ty grand jury, in its report
filed at the adjournment of
superior court here Wednesday,
recommended that the county
commissioners be directed eith
er repair the courthouse build
ing and enlarge the vaults and
make them fireproof, or "take
the necessary steps for the con
struction of a new courthouse
at the earliest date possible".
The report, signed by J. E.
Potts, foreman, follows in full:
"We the Grand Jury of the
December term, 1945 of the
Superior Court wish to submit
the following report:
"We find at the County Home
that the fire escape needs re
pairing and the kitchen roof
needs repairing.
"Provision could be made for ;
more heat and bedding on sec- ,
ond floor. Some of the inmates i
complain that they do not get
sufficient- food. i
"we una that the jail roar .
needs repairs and that the
toilets be placed in good work
ing condition.
"We find the records in all
the offices in the courthouse as
well kept as possible, but we
find the vaults in which our
records are kept so small and
inadequate that it is very dif
ficult to keep the records in
proper order. We find all ac
counts of administrators, exe
cutors and guardians current.
"We find the Courthouse
building to be in bad condi
tion. We do not believe that
- the public records in the Court
house .are safe from fire" We
find the rest rooms in the
Courthouse insanitary.
J'We respectfully recommend
that the County Commissioners
be directed to either repair the
Courthouse building and put
same in good condition and en
large the vault in the Register
of Deeds Office and the vault
in the Clerk of, the Court's of
fice to such size that they will
be adequate for all the records
and for the transaction of busi
ness that is necessary to trans
act In said vaults, and that said
vaults be made fire proof, or
that the County Commissioners
take the necessary steps for
the construction of a new
Courthouse at the earliest date
possible. We find that the
County owns a lot on the North
side of Main Street suitable for
a Courthouse building." |
^
Do You
Remember . . .
(Looking backward through
the files of The Press)
50 years ago this week
Young Tom Porter returned
from Norfolk, Va., Friday. He
took a car load of beef cattle to
that city for his uncle, R. L.
Porter.
.^Saturday seemed to be Slagle
Hly in Franklin, as there was
a considerable number of that
name and connection in town.
25 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK
Mr. William A. Kinsland has
opened up a new meat market
in the John Thomas store
building on the public square.
Mr. J. 8. Robinson, U. S.
deputy collector, was in town
on business the latter part of
last week.
C US B4 U BUW. Ashear .
Brothers. (Advertisement in the
local -column.)
10 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK
Today was pay day for 135
laborers and four foremen on
Works Projects Administration
projects in Macon county.
The' Macon County chapter
of the American Red Cross this
week reached its goal of 200
memberships set for its 1935
roll call, It was announced by
the Rev. J. A. Flanagan, chair
man of the chapter.
Mrs. W. B. McOuire enter
tained 22 of the younger social
set with a dinner party Satur
day evening honoring her
daughter, Miss Elizabeth Mc
Ouire, and her house guest,
Ulli Mary Reynolds Bradshaw.
WARNS AGAINST!
AUTO DRINKER
Judge Says Man 'Under ;
I nf luence' W orse
Than Drunk
The automobile driver under
the influence of liquor is more
dangerous than the drunk driv
er, Judge J. A. Rousseau de
clared in his charge to the
Macon county grand jury Mon
day morning at the opening of
the December term of superior
court.
The drunk driver, he explain
ed, is likely to zig-zaz on the
road, thus warning motorists,
and usually he realizes his con
dition enough to make him
drive slowly.
"But the man under the in
fluence of liquor", he continued,
"feels confident; he steps on
the gas; his mind clicks under
the stimulus of the alcohol. But
his muscular reflexes are slow
ed down three or four of five
seconds."
The jurist quoted medical au
thorities on the subject, and
suggested that those in doubt
an the point would be convinc
ed if they would watch a man
under the influence of liquor :
attempt to sign a paper.
Judge Rousseau outlined the
iuties of the grand jurors pass- i
ing on bills of indictment and
concluded by instructing them, ;
oefore this session of court is ;
idjourned, to- visit the various .
rounty institutions and make a :
written report of their inspec
:ions.
Kir /.Un wrrn + V-. a
xtuuugiwuii 1110 tuaigc, Hie
iudge emphasized the responsi
Jillty of the grand jury and 1
,he importance of the gr^nd
urors' using their "good com
non sense" in passing on bill';
>f indictment.
'The responsibility resting on
K>u, and on you alone, is great",
le declared. "If you fail to do
rc>ur duty, you will merit the
:ontempt of all good citizens". .
After explaining the various
ypes\of crimes, and pointing
>ut that the grand jury need
lot be satisfied of a defendant's
{uilt, but merely that the evi
lence is sufficient to warrant
i jury trial, Judge Rousseau
liscussed the examination of
witnesses.
He warned against the wit
less who appears before the
fraud jury purely oat of spite
igalnst a neighbor, and advised
he jurors to "kick that kind of
t bill out the back door". He
luickly added, however, that
>ften a witness, though he is
nspired by malice, may tell the
ruth, and that the grand Jur
>rs should use their judgment
;o determine whether the evi
lence indicated probability that
i crime had been committed,
>r whether the charge was friv
)k>us.
Pointing out that it is the
luty of the court to take all
;he factors into consideration
n passing judgment, balancing
;he good against the bad, he
?mphasized that often a man
violates the law without intent,
rhe jurist also referred to the
nexperience which often leads
/outh into trouble, and pointed
>ut that, as a rule, men's con
sciences became more acute as
,hey grow older, while the
roung sometimes are not so
:onsclous of right and wrong.
In discussing the long prison .
sentences sometimes imposed by
ludges for more serious crimes,
tie remarked that a 30-year
term "is not punishment ? it is
putting a man out of circula
tion so society can go on".
Gilmer A. Jones Is
Recovering At Home
F rom Heart Attack
Gilmer A. Jones, who has
been seriously 111, Is making sat
isfactory progress, members of
his family report.
Mr. Jones, widely known
Franklin attorney, suffered a
heart attack three weeks ago
today.
He returned to his home from
the hospital about 10 days ago,
and is now able to have very
brief visits from friends.
County Agents of the 8tate
College Extension Service say
that some counties seeded ten
times as much alfalfa this fall
as a fsw years afo.
T BOND SALES
IN COUNTY LAG
T otal Reported By Reserv
Bank Only 55 Per Cent
Of County'? Quota
Macon county purchasers of
"E" bonds have bought only a
little more than half of this
county's "E" bond quota of
$101,000, Henry W. Cabe, county
chairman for the Victory Loan
campaign, announced yesterday,
just two days before the official
close of the drjve on Saturday.
This county's sales through j
December X, as reported to Mr. j
Cabe by the Federal Reserve
bank of Richmond, totaled $55,
000, or only about 55 per cent i
of the quota. Of course some
bonds undoubtedly have been ?
bought since the Reserve bank's j
last report, and Mr. Cabe esti- , .
mates that Macon county, as of !
today, still is about $40,000 short | ;
of the goal.'
In view of this county's en- 1 \
viable record in every war cause
presented to it, persons who
know the Macon people best ;
feel that last-minute purchases
by many who have planned to :
buy but have neglected doing
so certainly will push the total
tar ahead of the present figure. 1
Last Saturday bonds totaling
(2,350 were sold by members of :
the local chapter of the U. D. C. '
it the booth in the Bank of '
Franklin. This Saturday mem- '
oers of St. Agnes auxiliary of !
;he Episcopal church will be on
iuty in the bank lobby, with ]
Mrs. Chester Harris as chair- '
man, and Mrs. Harley Lyle, ?
Mrs. Burton Boesser, Mrs. Allen
Drdway, Mrs. H. E. Freas, and 1
Miss Lassie Kelly assisting.
Martin
Electric Company Opens
Branch " Here
The Martin Electric company
>f Waynesville this week open
id a Franklin branch, with J.
?'rank Martin of Waynesville
inri Sidney A. Martin of Ashe
fille, brothers, in charge. The
lew business is situated in the
tfacon theater building.
The Waynesville firm, oper
ited by two other of the Mar
,in brothers, Fred E. and E. P.
Martin, has been in business 30
rears, serving Western North
Carolina. Now, due to the in
:rease in business in the ex
;reme western end of the state,
he llrm has opened the Frank
in office to better serve this
?erritory, it was explained. The
>ranch here will carry, among
>ther items, refrigerators, home
aundry equipment, radios, and
vater pumps for farm homes, '
is well as seeking to give quick
service on all types of electrical
:quipment and repair parts.
Sidney A. Martin, who attend
ed Duke University, for 10
^ears was with the Public Util
ty company of North Carolina,
n Durham, Concord, and Ashe
fille, and was with the Eastern
Material command of the A.A.F.
luring the war. J. Frank Mar
gin studied radio engineering
jnder Dr. E. Ray Mann, who is
low with the research depart
Tient of the Allen B. Dumont j
aboratories, was employed by
the Southern Bell Telephone
ind Telegraph company in
Charlotte, and then was with
;he Martin company in Waynes- '
irille from 1937 until the war.
During the war, he worked on
lavy radar installations.
Veteran At Job ,
Sees Grand Jury
Start Its Work j
. ? <
When the Macon county i
grand Jury was sworn in and
started Its duties Monday morn- i
Ing, a veteran of the business i
was on hand to see the job
well done.
He is John Murray, 81 -year
old resident of the Cowee sec- ,
tion, who has served as fore
man of six Macon county grand
Juries.
White bearded, Mr. Murray
walks with a stick and com
ments that his vision is poor.
But there's nothing old about
his senfee of humor. He jokes
constantly, about anything and
everything, his bright, brown
eyes twinkling as he plans or
executes some new prank, or
tells something on himself.
His favorite method of teas
ing is to get some degnlfied
women In a crowd and propose
marriage.
Town To Vote Tuesday
On $80,000 Bond Issue
WIDELY KNOWN
MINISTER DIES
Rev. W. L. Bradley's Rites
Held At Oak Grove
Cnurch Tuesday
Funeral services for the Rev.
William L. Bradley, 85, retired
Baptist minister of the Oak
Drove community, who died
Sunday, were held on Tuesday
afternoon at 2 o'clock at the
Oak Grove Baptist church. The
Rev. O. E. Schruggs, pastor, of
ficiated, assisted by the Rev. T.
F. Deitz, of Beta, the Rev. Nor
man E. Holden, of West's Mill,
and the Rev. Forest Blanken
ship, of Sylva. Interment fol
lowed in the church cemetery.
The pallbearers, all grand
sons, included Floyd Bradley,
Willard McCoy, Ralph McCoy,
Joe Bradley, Thad McCoy, El
lis McCoy, Dick Woodarcl and
Carl McCoy. Flowerbearers were
granddaughters and nieces.
Mr. Bradley, widely known
throughout Macon and adjoin- I
ing counties for his ministerial
work covering a period of more
;han 50 years, died at the home
Df his daughter, Mrs. Maude
Potts in the Oak Grove com
munity on Sunday afternoon at
2:45 o'clock, following a very
short illness. He had been in
Failing health for several
nonths.
Mr. Bradley, who moved to
;he Oak Grove community with
its parents from Ocona Lufty
it the age of six years, has liv
id on his farm since. He was
xtrn on August 1, 1860. In early
1t? he joined the Cowee Bap
tist church and later moved
lis membership to the Oak
3rove Baptist church, where
ie served as a deacon in the
:hurch and pastor on numerous
iccasions.
During his 50-odd years of
ninisterial work in Macon and
tdjoining counties, Mr. Bradley
jrobably baptized and took
nore members into the church
,han any minister in the coun
;y. He also organized a num
>er of the Baptist churches in
.he rural districts of the coun
,y and for many years served
is pastor of churches in Swain
;ounty.
He served as moderator of
he Macon County Baptist As
iociation for a number of years
On March 12, 1884. he was
narried to Miss Nicie Ann Shul
?r, who died in 1938. To this
inion were born eight children, j
>f which six survive: Avery M.
3radley, Kirkland. Wash.; Hil- I
ard Bradley, Franklin, Route 3;
Charlie Bradley, of Franklin ;
Mrs. Jennie Shillinger, Soda
Springs, Idaho; Mrs. Margaret
\nn Woodard, Franklin, Route
J, and Mrs. Maude Potts, Frank
in, Route 3; 37 grandchildren
ind 22 great-grandchildren; and
;wo sisters, Mrs. T. % Shep
lerd, Canton, and Mrs. J. B.
Duvall, Franklin, Route 3.
Potts funeral directors -were
n charge of arrangements.
New Pastor
To Preach At Baptist
Church On Sunday
The Rev. C. E. Parker, of
Winston-Salem, who was re
:ently called as pastor of the
franklin Baptist church, will
preach at the 11 o'clock serv
ice on Sunday morning and at
the 7 o'clock service on Sunday
evening.
While Mr. Parker has been
elected as pastor, he will not
assume his new duties here un
til January 1, it was announced
this week.
Mr. Parker succeeds the Rev.
J. F. Marchman. who resigned
recently to do missionary work
in northern Georgia. Mr. Parker
Is now chaplain of the Baptist
hospital at Winston-Salem.
The public is invited to at
tend the Sunday services.
Mrs. Sam L. Rogers
Is 111 In Hospital
Mrs. Sam L. Rogers suffered
a slight stroke of apoplexy at
her home on Rogers Hill Mon
day. She waa taken to Angel
hospital, where hospital atten
dants reported her condition as
being very satisfactory Tuesday.
Here's News For
Vets Planning
To Go To School
Veterans 01 World War 2
have filed applications to
attend school under the G.
I. Bill of Rights may be de
layed in receiving their cer
tilicates. Those who wish to
enter college at the begin
ning of the winter quarter,
however, may do so with
out certificates. Bob (R. S.i
Sloan, Maoon county vet
erans service officer, who
has just returned froh the
Veterans Administration
school at Chapel Hill said
yesterday.
While delay in issuance
of the certificates will also
postpone receipt of funds by
the applicants, payments
will also postpone receipt of
who have filed applications j
to attend school under the G.
the applicants, payments
start with the date the ap
plicant enters school.
Details may be obtained
from Mr. Sloan at his of
fice in the courthouse.
DEATH CLAIMS
MISS EDWARDS
Final Rites For Life-Long
Macon Resident Held
At Iotla Church
Funeral services for Miss
Ethel Edwards, 44, were held at j
the Iotla Methodist church last
Sunday morning at 11 o'clock.
The Rev. D. P. Grant, the pas
bar, officiated, assisted by the
Rev. R. L. Poindexter of Iqtla. j
Burial was in the church ceme- 1
tery.
Miss Edwards died at her
home, two miles north of Frank
lin, last Friday night at 9:15
o'clock, following an illness of
three years.
The daughter of the late Mr.
and Mrs. Philip Edwards, Miss
Edwards was born May 3. 1901,
and was a life-long resident of
Macon county. She was a mem
ber of the Iotla Methodist
church.
Survivors include one sister,
Miss Fannie Edwards of Frank
lin, Route 3; five brothers, Fred
of Franklin, Route 3, George,
Harley and Harry of Franklin,
and Harvey of Pontiac, Mich.;
and a number of nieces and
nephews.
Pallbearers at the' funeral
were Paul Hascusson, Sam
Frady, Gerald Moon, Gene
Oliver, Oliver Hall, and Jim V.
Call. Bryant funeral home was
in charge of arrangements.
Army Recruiting
Station Opened
In Bank Building
The United States Army open
ed a permanent recruiting sta
tion in the Bank of Franklin
building this week, and the of
fice will be open from .8 a. m.
until 5:30 p. m. each day ex
cept on Sunday.
Men enlisting or reenlisting
for a period of three years may
choose their arm or service and
the overseas theater in which
they wish to serve, it was ex
plained.
Stationed here are S/Sgt.
James R. Dance and Cpl.
Blaine E. Livingston, both of
Tennessee and veterans of the
European fighting, and Cpl.
James H. Rohler, of Ohio.
Will Hold Cake Walk At
Holly Springs School
On Saturday night, Decem
ber 8, beginning at 7:30 o'clock,
a benefit cake walk will be
held at the Holly Springs
school, it has been announced
by Sanford J. Smith, principal.
In addition to the cake walk,
there will be a cake for the
most popular girl and also one
for the ugliest man. Special
string music will be rendered at
Intervals throughout the eve
ning. Carl D. Moses, principal
of the Hlgdonville school, will
be master of ceremonies. The
money raised will be used for
the athletic club of the school.
The public it invited to attend.
800 On Registration Books
For Special Election;
Vote At Courthouse
Qualified voters of Franklin
will cast their ballots in a spe
cial election next Tuesday on
the proposal to issue bonds
totaling $80,000 for street im
provements and the extension
of water mains and sewer lines.
. The election will be determin
ed by a majority of the votes
cast.
If the bond issue is approved
by the voters, the total amount
would be divided as follows:
For street improvements, $34.
000: for extension of water
mains. $33,000; and for sewer
lines, $13,000.
In addition, $9,000 in bonds
was authorized at a special elec
tion several years ago for street
work, but was never used. This
would make a total of $43,000
available for the street project.
The voting place will be the
courtroom of the courthouse,
and the hours are 6;30 a. m. to
6:30 p. m. George Mashburn
and George Dalrymple hive
been named as judges Mr the
election.
C. A. Setser, who, served as
registrar for the registration to
permit those not already reg
istered to qualify for this spe
cial election, announced yes
terday that 40 additional names
were placed on the registration
books during the registration
period, November 17 to De
cember 1, making a total of
800 registered. Challenge day
has been set for Saturday.
The bond ordinance sets forth
that the tax valuation of prop
erty within the corporate limits
is $1,424,111, and that the net
outstanding debt of the town, is
$59,909.23. The present town tax
rate is 95 cents on the $100
valuation, and it is estimated
that the tax required to pay
the bonds, which would be
about 45 cents on the $100.
cents on the $100.
The aldermen, in a statement
to the voters, published in The
Press November 15, explained
in detail the improvements pro
posed.
The program calls for the
surfacing of certain unsurfaced
portions of the following
streets: West Main, old Georgia
road, Hillcrest, Wayah, Forest,
Depot. First street in East
Franklin, and the connecting
street from West Main to
Church.
Six-inch water mains would
be laid to the corporate limits
on each of the main streets,
with smaller mains making
connection with these larger
ones. The water main exten
sions are planned on West
Main street, the street leaving
the Murphy road near the resi
dence of John Cunningham, the
Georgia road. First street. Sec
ond street, a street running east
from the Georgia road from a
point near the Barrington res
idence, Depot street. Highlands
road. Wayah street, Phillips
street, and the old Georgia
road. Additional fire hydrants
also are proposed.
The sewer system would be
extended from Harrison avenue
down Green street to connect
with the present sewer on West
Main, and from the corporate
limits on the Murphy road to
connect with the present sewer
line on West Main.
B. T. U. Will Hold
Conventional Meeting
Everett R. White, director of
the Macon County Baptist As
sociational Baptist Training Un
ion, has announced that a
south-wide conventional meet
ing will be held at the Cowee
Baptist church on Friday eve
ning, December 7, beginning at
7:30 o'clock.
Mr. White stated that em
phasis will be placed upon ob
jectives for 1946. All churches
are urged to send representa
tives. The public is invited to
attend.
Sol Sanders, son of Mr. and
Mrs. Jack Sanders of Franklin,
has returned home after serv
ing overseas with the American
Field Service, volunteer ambu
lance corps, serving with Al
lied armies. He was attached
to the British 8th Army in Italy
and was transferred to the In
dia -Burma theater shortly Ix
| fore w?r ended.