VOL. LXV? NO. 34
9ft* IjijRanfo# Hwonian
rUNIUN, N. C, THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 1950
Price 6 Cents
FOURTEEN PAGES
Shedd Murder Case Set For Next Tuesday
TOBACCO PRICE
SUPPORT RAISE
IS ANNOUNCED
45-Cent Figure Made
Public At Picnic
Of Federation
An increase in the support
price of burley tobacco from
41.3 cents to 45 cents a pound
for the 1950-51 sales season was
announced by James E. Thigpen,
tobacco purchase director of the
Community Credit corporation,
at the annual Macon County
Farmers Federation picnic Sat
urday at the Cullasaja school.
More than 1,500 persons tore
present at the all-day gather
ing.
James McC. Clarke, secretary
of the Farmers Federation, re
ported to the assembled farm
ers that the cooperative has set
a goal of 200,000 broilers every
10 weeks in Western North Car
olina to supply the Federation's
modern poultry dressing plant.
He also announcefckthat plans
are under way to double the
number ?f hatchery supply
flocks supplying eggs to the
Federation hatchery. He added
that sa'es contracts are under
negotiation to ship hatching
eggs to Mississippi and Alabama
during the coming year.
The Rev. Dumont Clarke, di
rector of the Federation's relig
ious department, outlined a pro
gram for developing recreation
in rural areas through churches
and Sunday schools which are
using the Lord's Acre plan.
Carl S. Slagle, chairman of
the Macon County Federation
committee, and Sam W. Men
denhall, Macon County farm
Caatlmied On Page Eight?
Do You
Remember . . . ?
(Looking backward through
the files of The Press)
50 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK
Frank Smith has Just receiv
ed a beautiful line of writing
tablets.
LOST ? Between Franklin and
Iron Bridge a part of bicycle
lamp with "Solar'1 stamped on
It. Finder will please return it
to this office.
The road from Nantahala
Oap to the Wayah Bald has
been greatly improved and is In
good condition.
Complaint has been made that
there are several hog pens In
town that are a little too odor
iferous for comfort, and they
suggest typhoid fever and doc
tor bills. The board of health,
if we have one, should look
after these things.
25 YEARS AGO
At the meeting held here last
Monday night between State
Highway Commissioner Frank
Page, District Commissioner
James G. Stikeleather, and a
number of Macon County citi
zens, definite assurance was
given by Mr. Page that the
work of repairing the streets of
Franklin would be started with
in the next three or four weeks.
The farmers are through al
most all their work except bug
ging beans, though We seemed
to have received more than our
-portion of the pests. ? Clear
Creek News.
Don't forget to see "Over the
Hill" which comes to the Idle
Hour Theatre Friday and Sat
urday. The greatest picture the
world has ever produced. A pic
ture that will live forever.
Where is my wandering boy to
night? Mothers especially urged
to come. ? adv.
1* TEARS AGO
Members of the Franklin fire
department answered their first
false alarm of the year Tues
day morning when the siren
atop the county jail galvanized
a court-week crowd Into action.
Approximately $50,000 damage
was done to crops in the county
by heavy rains and flooded
streams last week, County Agent
Sam Mendenhall estimated.
TAKEN BY DEATH
G. LYLE JONES
Lyle Jones,
Well Known
Lawyer, Dies
George Lyle Jones, Asheville
attorney who formerly made his
home here, died at his home in
Asheville last Saturday after
noon, following an illness of
more than a year. He was 71.s
Born and reared in Franklin,
Mr. Jones practiced law here
and served as solicitor of this
(the twentieth) judicial district
prior to moving to Asheville
about 30 years ago.
Funeral services were held at
All Souls Episcopal church,
AahevdWr'fct 12146 at. 8*m
and burial was in Wood
lawn cemetery here at 5 o'clock
Sunday afternoon.
Considered a strong advocate,
tactful and persuasive before
juries, Mr. Jones was recognized
among members of the bar for
the thoroughness with which he
prepared his cases. In his later
years he specialized in civil
practice, and that practice took
him Into the federal courts, and
on several occasions he carried
cases to the U. S. Supreme
Court.
Though he was considered
eminently successful In his pro
fession, however, he was per
haps even better known as a
man. It was remarked of him
that, outside of his office and
the courtroom, people forgot
that he was a lawyer and
thought of him, instead, as a
human being ? one who liked
other human beings.
He was considered an excep
tionally good story teller, and
*ome of his mountain stories
went far beyond the confines of
the mountains. One of those
who particularly enjoyed his
stories was Mrs. Elizabeth
Gilmer (Dorothy Dix), who has
spent many vacations in Ashe
ville.
The son of Judge George A.
and Mrs. Lily Ellen Lyle Jones,
he was born at Franklin Feb
ruary IS, 1879. After attending
Continued On Page Eight?
Slagle P. T. A.
Make* $162 From Farm
Tour Dinner
The Slagle Parent-Teacher as
sociation reported this week
that it received $162.90 from the
sale of dinners to persons mak
ing last week's farm tour.
The proceeds will be used to
ward buying equipment for the
lunchroom of the proposed new
Cartoogechaye school.
Mrs. Bryan Setser, association
president, expressed apprecia
tion for the cooperation pf the
people of the Cartoogechaye
community in preparing and
serving the meal, and especially
cited the help of A. G. Cagle,
of eagle's cafe, who made the
coffee, and Edd Coates, of the
Normandle, who prepared the
meat.
PLAN RUMMAGE SALE
The Wesleyan Service guild of
the Franklin Methodist church
will hold a rummage sale on
Main street Saturday morning.
A wide variety of children*'
clothM will ba on hand.
METHODISTS TO
BUILD CHURCH
AT HIGHLANDS
Quarterly Conference
Moves To Construct
$35,000 Structure
At the fourth quarterly con
ference of the Highlands-Cash
iers Methodist charge, which
met at the Cashiers church
Sunday, It was resolved to adopt
a recommendation by Bishop
Costen J. Harrell thai immedi
ate steps be taken to build new
sanctuary and church school
equipment on the present prop
erty of the Highlands' Metho
dist church.
The proposed church building
program will cost an estimated
$35,000, and Jo help handle the
increased responsibility, two
additional church property
trustees, Mrs. J. H. Smith and
Dewey Hopper, and one new
steward, William H. Melvin,
were added to the present
boards.
Bishop HarreH, Dr. C. N.
Clark, district superintendent,
Dr. Walter J. Miller, president
of the conference joint board of
missions and church extension,
and Dr. ,L. B. Hayes, pastor of
the Hendersonvllle church,
made up a board which visited
Highlands last week to study
the Highlands' Methodist church
situation.
The Highlands charge, presid
ed over by Dr. Clark, also pass
ed a resolution authorizing the
Highlands' Methodist church
board of trustees to accept a
conditional donation of $3,000
from the Duke Foundation to
ward the building of a church
and church school at Highlands.
[~A building committee for the
new project, consisting of Dan
Edwards, Dewey Hopper, Wil
liam H. Melvin, Miss Marian
Norton, Lyman Plckleslmer, and
Mrs. J. H. Smith, was nominated
by the pastor, the Rev. Robert
E. Early, and appointed.
Mineralogists
Visit Several Mines In
This Area
*
The joint meeting of the
Georgia Mineral society and the
Southern Appalachian Mineral
society, held in Franklin, Fri
day, Saturday, and Sunday, was
described as being highly suc
cessful by those attending the
session.
Carter Hudgins, of Marlon,
president of the S. A. M. S.,
organized the collecting trip,
and Major Higdon and Andy
Reld, of Franklin, acted as
guides for the group.
Capt. Garland Peyton, direc
tor of the Georgia State De
partment of Mines, Mining and
Geology, and Dr. A. S. Furcroti,
assistant Georgia geologist, led
the group from the Peach state.
They visited col'.ecting sites
at Corundum Hill, Mincey Mine,
Cowee cre^k, Mason mountain,
and Buck creek. Members of
both societies found interesting
specimens of corundum, vermic
ulite, rhodolite garnet, kyanlte,
chlorite, and apatite, and two
members of the Georgia group
found minute rubles at the
Cowee creek site, they reported.
Capt. Price Serving
In Korean Campaign
Capt. Howard Irving Price,
husband of Mrs. Alba Peek
Price, formerly of Franklin, is
now assigned to one of the Far
East Air Forces' bases to aid In
the United States Armed Forces'
effort to assist the United Na
tions to restore peace to Korea,
according to an Air Forces an
nouncement received here. He
formerly was stationed with the
13th Air Force at Clark Air
Force base in the Philippines.
Capt. Price, who began his mil
itary career In 1M2, during the
last war served in four battle
campaigns In the European
Theatre. He holds the Air Medal
with eight oak leaf clusters.
ROPER REUNION
The Roper fapilly reunion will
be held at Vie home of Mrs.
Arlesa Roper, at Oak Dale.
Friends and relatives are Invit
ed to come and bring picnic
lunch.
| H I i Half Million Dollars For Schools Arrives Here .
Lata V. Shope (right), secretary of the board of county commissioners, is shown handing
Guy L. Houk, county superintendent of schools, ,a check for $517,178.92, the proceeds of this
county's school building bond issue. The check, which came Friday, is believed to be the largest
ever received in this county. The sale of the bands was handled by the N. C. Local Government
commission, and the check, which was dated August 16, was signed by Brandon P. Hodges, state
treasurer. It was payable to "The County Of Macon, N. C." After it had been indorsed by W. E.
Baldwin, chairman, and Mi'. Shope, secretary of the board of commissioners, it was deposited
Saturday to the county's special school building account in the Bank of Franklin. The amount
of the oheck was greater, by more than $3,000 than the $514,000 bonds issued, the difference
representing interest between the date of the bonds and the time the money was received.
Mica Theft, Netting $3.25,
Proves Costly To Three Men
GRAND JURORS !
MAKE REPORT
Group Says Institutions
Generally In Good
Condition
The grand jury, composed of
men drawn from the list of
jurors for the August term of
superior court, knuckled down
to work Monday morning, fol
lowing the opening day of court,
and finished their duties by
Monday afternoon.
* Following is the report of the
grand jury, signed by Roy
Fouts, foreman.
"We the grand jury for the
August term of court submit
the following report:
"Committee 1, composed of S.
C. Creswell, E. E. Daves, and T.
B. Picklesimer, inspected the
jail and found it to be in good
condition with the exception of
repairing one window.
"Committee 2, composed of
Wade McKinney, Ralph Crunk
leton, and Frank Gregory, in
spected the courthouse and j
found the following: Sheriff's
office needs paint badly, needs
new book case and retillng the
floor. County board of Educa
tion needs both offices painted,
as they have not been painted
in 10 years. Ladies' toilet needs
removing stoves, pails, barrels,
boxes, etc., from the entrance
to toilet. Men's toilet needs ven
tilator cleaned, one new com
mode lid, painting very badly,
electric fixtures, swinging loose
on 2 x 4, needs repair. Clerk of
court office needs window pane,
Continued On P**e Eight?
Draft Board
Members Given Oath Of
Office
The official appointments of
the three members of the local
draft board have been received
and members were sworn into
office Monday. The board is
made up of W. N. Sloan, chair
man, William Katenbrink, and
E. G. Crawford.
Mr. Sloan said that no in
structions on drafting men from
Macon County have been re
ceived as yet.
Office hours for the office are
9 to 1, Monday through Friday. ,
Each Defendant Given
Eight Months; Other
Cases Heard
Three sacks ol mica, which
brought only $3. 2^ when sold,
proved costly to Ernest Messer, j
34, Weaver Wikle, 28, ajid Ever- j
ett Hurst, 28, when they appear
ed in superior court Monday
morning to answer to charges
of larceny.
Each of the three men plead
ed guilty to petty larceny and
was sentenced by Judge J. Will
Pless, Jr., to eight months in
the common jail of Macon
County, to be assigned to work
the public roads under the su
pervision of the State Highway
and Public Works commission.
The three men stated that on
the night of May 5 they re
moved three sacks of mica
from a mine being worked by
Sam Jones, near Franklin. They
told the court they knew noth
ing about mica and sold it to
the Franklin Mineral Products
company as scrap mica, and re
ceived in return $3.75, for what
was really block mica, later val
ued at about $75.
Clyde Clark, employe of the
mineral company, told the court
he was busy at the time the
men sold him the mica and
didn't realize that it wasn't
scrap mica. Later, he said, he
looked inside the bags and knew
that something was wrong, and
put the mica to one side.
When the mica was reported
stolen, a check at the mineral
company proved that the mica
was the same, and the three
men were arrested.
Ben Giles, charged with as
sault with a deadly weapon
with intent to kill, and later
charged with transporting liquor, |
upon advice of counsel, pleaded
Continued On Pace Eijtot?
One- Year Old Boy Is
Bitten By Copperhead
Cherry Scott, one-year old
son of Robert L. Scott, of
Franklin, Route 2, Monday was
bitten by a snake, said to have
been a copperhead, while play
ing on his father's farm. The
child, brought to Angel clinic
for treatment, is reported re
covering.
PLAN BRYSON REUNION
The Bryson family will hold
its annual reunion Sunday at
the Cowee Baptist church.
COURT-PACKED
AS TERM OPENS
Grand Jury Drawn, Judge
Pless Gives Charge
To Body
All seats In the Macon Coun
ty courtroom were filled Mon
day morning when the August
term of superior court conven
ed with Judge J. Will Pless, Jr.,
of Marion, resident judge of the
eighteenth Judicial District,
presiding.
The large turnout was attrib
uted to curiosity on the part of
many who were waiting to hear
new developments in the murder
trial of Curtis Shedd, which is
scheduled to be tried this term
of court.
At the morning session of the
court the names of the grand
jurors were drawn from a hat
by four-jtear-old Michael Hast
ings, son of Mr. and Mrs. Glenn
Hastings, of Franklin.
Those chosen to serve as
grand jurors were: Mark Bry
ant, Ray Bryson, S. C. Creswell,
Elbert Carpenter, Ed. Cross,
Ralph Crunkleton, Early Daves,
William Drinnon, Roy Fouts, F.
J. Gregory, Fred Green, Ted
Gillespie, J. B. Klser, Roy
Mashburn, T. B. Picklesimer,
Arthur Qullliams, Carroll Rey
nolds, and Wade McKlnney.
Judge Pless appointed Roy Fouts
foreman.
In his charge to the jury.
Judge Pless emphasized the fact
that there was little need for
lost motion in passing on bills,
if members of the Jury would
study each one carefully and
arrive at a decision without
Continued On Pare K'fht ?
Burningtown Church
Plant Home-Coming
The Burningtown Baptist
church will hold Its annual
home-coming day program Sun
day, September 3, it was an
nounced this week. Dinner will
be served on the grounds at
noon. Features of the program
will be a talk by the Rev. M. W.
Chapman at 1:15 o'clock and
singing, including selections by
Henson's and the WNC quar
tets.
PLAN SING
The fourth Sunday sing of the
northern division of the Macon
County Singing convention will
be held with the Oakdale Bap
tist church August 27, at 1:30
p. m? It has been announced
by Harley B. Mason, president.
KILLER OF 3
I IS INDICTED
ON ^COUNTS
Brought To Franklin
By Six Patrolmen
For Arraingment
Curtis Shedd, 29 - year - o'd
confessed killer, was arraigned
Tuesday morning on two counts
of murder, and will go on trial
Tuesday in the Macon County
courthouse for the August 3
slaying of Johnnie May Boyter,
14, and Jo Ann Boyter, 8, near
Highlands.
Shedd, of Walhalla, S. C.. was
ushered into the courtroom
which ranidlv filled when the
news he was in town spread, by
six State Highway patrolmen
and took a seat at a tab'e far
ing the judge's bench. He was
dressed in a white shirt and tan
slacks and seemed unaware < '
th" 'ntcrpst his entrance caused.
The blonde-headed defendant
displayed no emotion as he
stood, listening to So'icitor Thad
D. Bryson, Jr., read the indict
ments charging him vith mur
der on two separate counts. He
pleaded not guilty to both
charges.
He listened intently as Judge
J. Will Pless, who is presiding
over this term ot court, ?et th :
date for the trial and ordered
Sheriff J. P. Bradley to sum
mon a venire of 60 persons,
from which to chose a jury for
the trial.
The judge recommended to
the sheriff, who will select those
to be summoned, that persons
from the Highlands area be ex
cluded from the venire, since
the slayings took place in that
section of the county.
As Shedd was led out of the
courtroom by way of the back
door, people tn the courtroom
craned their necks to get a bet
ter look at him.
Judge Pless formally announc
ed in open court the appoint
ment of Jones and Jones,
Franklin law firm, to handle the
defense in the Shedd trial. He
earlier had Informally appointed
Gilmer A. and R. S. Jones, the
members of the firm, to defend
Shedd.
Shedd was picked up for
questioning August 9 after the
shotgun-riddled body of John
Boyter, 38, of Walhalla, S. C.,
father of the girls, was found
by a hunter in a heavily wood
ed area just across the Georgia
line. He and Boyter attended a
trade school together and it was
reported that he was seen in
the company of Boyter and the
girls on the day of the slaying.
On Sunday, August 12, Shedd
confessed to the murders and
led officers, who had been
combing the mountain area
where North Carolina, South
Carolina, and Georgia join,
searching for the girls, to a
place on the Highlands-Dillard
road where the bodies of the
girls had been hidden. Both
had been strangled.
In a series of confessions,
Shedd first implicated Mrs.
Boyter in the bizarre slaying,
but she was later released after
Continued On Page Eight?
WILL HOLD REUNION
The annual reunion of the
Donaldson family will be held
at the home of A. w. Donald
son Sunday.
The American Legion Auxil
iary will sponsor a benefit Bun
co party at the Agricultural
building Saturday evening at
7:30 o'clock.
The Weather
Temperatures and precipitation for the
paat seven days, and the low remperatur*
yesterday, as recorded at the Coweeta Ex
periment station.
Wednesday 81 59 .15
Thursday 84 57 .#1
Friday 80 57 00
Qatnpila.r TO U fifl
Wednesday 46 trace
Franklin Rainfall
(A. recorded b, Vum S'ik* lor TVA)
Wednesday, .21 of an inch;
Thursday, 1.25; Friday, .09; Sat
urday. none; Sunday, Moo
day, none; Tuesday, none; Wed
nesday, none.
High Low Pet.
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
79 5? 00
81 58 triM*
78 52 00
77 49 00