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VOL. LXV? SO. 49
FRANKLIN, N. C? THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1950
TWELVE f?
County Lot Sold To Power Company
SHEDD SENTENCED TO GAS CHAMBER
Verdict Is First
Degree; No Mercy
Recommendation
S. C. Man's Execution
For Slaying 2 Girls
Set For Jan. 26
Curtis Shedd, 29-year-old Wal
halla, S. C. resident, on trial
here for the August 3 slaying
of two Walhalla girls whose
bodies were found in Macon
county, was convicted by a jury
composed of Jackson coun.y
men on two charges of first
degree murder last night at
6:30 o'clock, and was sentenced
to die in the gas chamber Jan
uary 26.
Shedd's attorneys entered a
plea of not guilty. The Jury de
liberated the evidence for an
hour before announcing the ver
dict. They could have returned
a verdict of gull y with a rec
ommendation for mercy, which
would have meant life impris
onment. However, a member of
the Jury said no recommenda
tion was suggested. When ask
ed why they deliberated so
long, the Juror said they "were
meditating to make sure we
were doing the right thing."
Shedd displayed no emotion
when the verdict was returned.
Not a muscle of his face twitch
ed. Nor did he stop his constant
chewing of gum when Judge 3.
Will Pless, Jr., pronounced sen
tence.
Immediately after the Jury
returned at 5:30, a fuse blew,
plunging the courtroom into
darkness. Highway patrolmen
quietly and efficiently escorted
the convicted slayer to a cham
ber at the back of the court
room, and closed the door.
When- the lights flickered on
about five minutes later, Shedd
was brought back into the
courtroom to await sentencing.
Shedd's wile, Mrs. Dolly
Shedd, who sat at her hus
band's side through most of the
three-day trial, broke down
when sentence was pronounced
' and her sobbing could be heard
on the street outside.
The young man did not take
the stand in his own defense,
and no witnesses were called
by his attorneys.
Shedd's at orneys, Gilmer A.
Jones and R. S. Jones, told the
Jury during the defense argu
ment that "We have nothing to
contradict the state's evidence
or statement."
R, 8. Jones told the Jury,
"Whether he is guilty or not is
for you, the Jury, to decide."
However, the defense sug
r gested- i he possibility that the
defendant was mentally incom
petent, and argued that, at
most, he should receive a life
sentence.
roimmg lo oneaa s marine
like countenance, Gilmer A.
Jones said; "Look at him . . .
sitting there chewing gum like
he was a a Sunday picnic. Does
he look like he is in his right
mind?"
, So'lcitor Thad D. Bryson, Jr.,
T demanded in his closing argu
ment a lirst degree verdict
without recommendation of
mercy, declaring that Shedd
was the perpetrator of a "damn
able crime," and should pay for
his crime against society. He
viewing the evidence, he said of
Shedd: "He is either ihe mosi
foolish or the smartest man I
have ever met."
Still counterpunching, Solic
itor Bryson branded the de
_ Xenses remarks to the Jury
/ about Shedd's mental condition
as "novel injections of insan
ity."
During the yesterday morn
ing's session the prosecution
called a number of witnesses to
the stand, most of them veri
fying details of the slaying as
told by witnesses on the pre
vious day. Articles of clothing
worn by the girls and the shot
gun, used by Shedd to kill the
girl's father, were Identified.
Just prior to passing sentence,
Os?tinM4 Oa Pan VMM?
'Man In Cap
And Overalls' Costs
Defendant $100
Thaf mysterious fellow "in
; overalls and cap", who sells
l whiskey to persons all over the
country, cost Andrew Chappell,
| of the Di'lard road, $100, court
! cosls, and his driver's license
: for two years, in superior court
here Monday morning.
Ji 33-year-old ex-serviceman,
Chappell appeared in court to
answer to a charge of violat
ing the prohibition laws. Testl
i mony by arresting officers
showed that approximately sev
en and a half gallons of non
tax paid whiskey was found in
Chappell's trailer home.
Judge J. Will Pless, Jr., ques
tioned the defendant as to
where he obtained the whiskey.
Chappell said he did not know
whom he got it from.
"It looks like It's that same
man in the overalls and cap
again," said the judge. "He sells
whiskey all over the country,
and no one seems to know his
name or where he comes from."
"You're right, Your Honor,"
quipped Solicitor Thad D. Bry
son, Jr., "W? -? haven't heard
from that mysterious fellow
since the last term of court."
Judge Pless, remarking that
a man is foolish to purchase
whiskey from an unknown per
son, gave Chappell eight months
on the roads, suspended on pay
ment of $100 and costs, and re
voked his driver's license for a
period of two years.
"If you had been truthful
with me, "the judge told Chap
pell, "and told me where you
bought the whiskey, I had no
intention of pressing the mat
I Just wanted to know if you
would tell the truth."
Room Packed
When Court
Term Opens
All seats In the Macon coun
ty courtroom were filled, more
than 30 persons stood in the
rear, and an overflow crowd
collected on the steps and side
walk in front of the courthouse,
when Judge J. Will Pless, Jr., of
Marion, convened the December
term of superior court Monday
morning.
The large opening day turn
out, as during the August term
of court, was attributed to he
pending murder rial of Curtis
Shedd. Shedd's trial was post
poned from the August term of
court, over which Judge Pless
also presided, to this term.
During the morning session a
number of criminal cases were
disposed of, and the names of
the grand jurors were drawn
from a hat by five-year-old
Michael Hastings, son of Mr.
and Mrs. Glenn Hastings, of
Franklin.
Those chosen to serve as
grand Jurors were: Jarvis Ayers,
John Cunningham, Henry Tip
pelt, Tom Allen, Roy Dills, John
Early, Lester Norton, Mrs. O. C.
Hall, Carey Cabe, Vernon Cun
Contfamed On Pace Eifht?
NEW OFFICIALS TAKE OFFICE ? J. Harry Thomas, Macon County's new sheriff, and Miss Kate
McGee, new clerk of .superior court, are shown above with Judge J. Will Pless, Jr. (right) who adminis
tered the oath of office to all the county officials, elected November 7, just prior to the opening of the De
cember term of Macon superior court Monday. The little boy seated at the table is Miachael Hastings, son
of Mr. and Mrs. Glen Hastings, who drew the jurors' names at the -opening of court.
BASKETBALLERS
START TUESDAY
Franklin High To Meet
Nantahala As '50
Season Opens
The 1950-51 basketball season
will officially open Tuesday
night when the whistle sends
the Franklin boy and girl teams
against the Nantahala boys and
girls, in a double-header that
gets under way at Nantahala
school at 8 o'clock.
The Franklin hardwooders are
not scheduled to play a game
in Franklin until January 9,
when they will meet Cherokee
on the home court.
Heading the male team for
Franklin will be Jack Norton,
j the lanky center who placed on
the all-conference team last
year. Backing Norton will be
Richard Jones and Bo Norton
i at the forward positions, and
Ted and Gene Stamey in the
j guard slots. Deep in strength,
' this is the same crew that went
to Asheville last year for the
Continued On Pace Elfbt?
Lions To Honor
Football Players And
Cheer Leaders
A banquet, honoring the
. Frank'ln High Panther football
I squad and the high school
I cheerleaders, will be given by
j the Lions club at the organiza
I tion's meeting Monday night at
the Presbyterian church annex,
it has been announced.
Carl Tysinger, chairman of
1he Lions program committee,
is in charge of the arrange
ments.
All football players who were
in uniform this season and the
j nine comely cheerleaders, who
I led the Panthers' cheering at
I tack, have been Invited to at
i tend, Mr. Tysinger said.
Grand Jurors Recommend Repairs
At Jail, County Home, Courthouse
Repairs to the jail, county i
home, and court house where rec
ommended by the grand jury in
its report Tuesday afternoon
filed with Judge J. Will Pless,
Jr., presiding at the ?December
term of Macon superior court.
Most of the repairs suggested
are of a minor nature.
The committee that inspected
the county home reported,
wnonf other Item*, that the
"bed clothes are in bad shape",
that a "wooden twitch box" In
use there "is dangerous"; and
that there are "two beds In
dining room, with sick inmate
In one".
The text of the report, signed
by Foreman Dan R. Reynolds,
follows:
"We the Grand Jury for the
December term of Court submit
Continued On rap Eight?
Yule Cantata
To Be Held This Year On
December 17
Franklin's annual Christmas i
cantata will be held this year j
on Sunday evening, December |
17, it was announced this week. |
Rehearsals already are under j
way.
The event, which each year j
attracts, a capacity audience, is I
set for 8 p. m. at the Franklin j
Methodist church.
Made up of the combined j
choirs of the Methodist, Presby
j terian, and Episcopal churches
here, the musica' program is
under the direction of S. F.
j Beck. Mrs. Henry W. Cabe is
| the organist.
school board
Votes To Buy
Site At Union
The Macon County board of
, education, at its November ,
1 meeting Monday, voted to auth
| orize County Supt, G. L. Houk
I to buy the site for the Union
[ school building for $2,500.
| The property, which had pre
viously been decided on by the
t board, is part of the J. W. Ad
dington farm and Is situated
direc ly west of the Methodist
circuit parsonage. The tract
contains approximately seven
acr*v.
The resignation of Wallace ;
Martin as teacher in i he Frank- !
lin high school was announced j
by G. L. Houk. superintendent, j
and he recommended the em- 1
ployment of Ray Clarke, a grad- 1
uae of Western Carolina)
| Teachers college, to fill the posl- :
tion. The matter was approved
by the board.
! Afier some discussion, the j
board also authorized the su- 1
perintendent to let conracis for I
wells to be drilled at the new
Slagle and Union school si.es
and at Iotla.
Cullasaja P. T. A.
To Hold Meeting
On Tuesday Night
The monthly meeting of the
Cullasaja Parent-Teacher asso
ciation will be held December
12 at 7:30 at the Cullasaja
school. The program will be fea
tured by a nageant, "Love Grows
and Grows"*
A bazaar also will be held,
and cookies and soft drinks will
be on sale.
County Officials Sworn
Into Office By Judge Pless
Brief Case Given
J. C. Brookshire
By Members Of Bar
J. Clinton Brookshire. re
tiring superior court clerk,
was presented wi'h a leather
brie' case, a gift from mem
bers of the M.icon county bar,
at the opening of superior
court Tuesday morning.
The presenta'ion speech,
made by Guy L. Houk, presi
dent of the Bar association,
cited Mr. Brookshire as being
"courteous, serious, faithful,
and of great assistance to all
who prac'iced law In this
county, during his term of of
fice."
In a brief acceptance
speech, Mr. Brookshire said it
had been a great pleasure for
him, work;ng with 'he mem
bers of the association, and
thanked them for many
kindnesses they had shown
him.
Girls Quint
To Play High Men's
Faculty Team
The men's 1 acuity basketball
team at Franklin High is going
to have a hard time keeping
minds on basketball when they
nlav a benefit came against the
"Arkansas Travelers" at the
high schoo' Tuesday afternoon
at 2 o'clock.
The "Arkansas Travelers" are
women . . . seven of the come
liest young ladies ever to sink
a foul shot, or execute a fast
break.
Led by Miss Hazel Walker,
better known far and wide as
"Miss Basketball," who spent 14
years in amateur basketball be
fore turni-.ig professional in 1946.
the girls range In size from five
foot, three inch Miss Flo Reed,
to six footer? Miss Georgia
"Moon" Mullins, who hails from
Kentucky. In between is Miss
Margie Arends, a professional
model, standing five feet, 11
inches. ?
The team's advance notices
bill them as being "the great
est basketba'l attraction In
America," which Includes, ex
pert ball handling, showman
ship. accurate shooting, and
beauty-ability.
In order that opposing men's
teams will not think that they
are aklng advanage of the
CoatfaMd On rtfi Klfht?
Judge Warns Of Danger
When Citizens Fail
To Ballot
The eight county officials
e'ec ed November 7 were sworn
into office by Judge J. Will
Pless, Jr., of Marion, Monday
morning. Just prior to the open
ing of Macon superior court,
at which Judge P ess presided.
Among the o flcials jus ent
ering office were J. Harry
Thomas, sheriff, and Miss Kate
McGee, clerk of superior court,
and shortly after they were ad
ministered their oaths by Judge
Pless. Mr. Thomas ordered the
court into session, and Miss Mc
Gee started her duties as ihe
court's clerk. Present to assist
hem were Walter Dean, retir
ing deputy sheriff, and J. Clin
ton Brookshire, retiring clerk.
It is "tragic". Judge Pless said
in a short talk before he gave
the oaths, "that rhe American
people are not discharging their
r responsibilities of citizenship as
they should". He cited the fact
that nearly 2,000.000 North Car
olinians are eligible to vo e. bul
that only 800.000 voted in the
last election, adding ihat the
state thus is being ruled by a
minority.
"Your officia's would feel a
greater manda'e from the peo
ple if they knew they represent
ed a majority", he said. "I
have no fear that this country
can ever be conquered by a for
eign enemy, but I am desper
ately afraid if the average citi
zen doesn't s ay on the ale't.
we will be overcome by a small
minority at home who fall for
the Communist line" In this
connec ion, he told how a six
per cent Communist minority,
by always attending meetings
and by <aking advantage of the
indirference of the minority
gained control of a Detroit labor
union.
"Mr. Thomas", Judge Pless
continued, "can't do the job
alone. The people of the county
can have the kind of law en
forcement and government they
want. If the good citizens will
ral'y around Mr Thomas, he
will make a good sheriff. After
Continued On Page Eight?
PLAN BAKE SALE
The Junior Woman's club will
hold a benefit bake sale at the
Nantahala Power and Light
company office tomorrow (Fri
day) morning, starting at 9
*. m.
CONCERN PLANS
$150,000 HOME
ON WEST MAIN
Commissioners Accept
Nantahala's Offer
Of $15,000 Cash
The board of county commis
sioners Monday unanimously
passed an order 10 sel' tho
county's property on West Main
street to the Nantahala Power
and Light company tor $15,000
The power company, which
plans a new home on the lo ,
proposes to erect a two-slo y
office building and a one-story
service building on the lot ?t
a to al cost estimated at "be
tween $150,000 and S200 000
The board's action was '4,bL "
ceptance of an offer of S15.0.0
cash made by the power com
pany in September.
The deed is expected to bo
I executed in a few days. At be
j same time, W. E. (Genet Bald
| win, chairman of the board of
commissioners, said the .power
1 company will execute a contract
| to erect buildings to cost no-.
, less than $150,000. The contrac
j also will carry a proviso, Mr.
j Baldwin said, that the county
I may buy i he lot back from the
power company, at the sam ;
| price, if the buildings have nor.
been erected within 10 years,
j John M. Archer, Jr., president
of the Nantahala company, said
present plans ca'l for the starv
of construction next spring, bu
he asked for the 10-year period
in which to build, due to th.3
uncertainly of conditions be
cause of the possibility of war.
The lot, generally known as
| the Rogers property, was bought
by the county in 1937 for $6,000
: as the site for a courthouse. It
was acquired from J. C. Con
| ley and R. B. Slaughter. It
fronts 115 feet on Main street,
and has a depth of 228 feet. I
is 145 feet wide at the back,
the telephone building cut ing
off a corner 30 x 46 feet at the
front. The county will re ain
the rear of the property, with
j a frontage of 145 feet on
j Church s reet. The Agricultural
I building stands on a corner of
; this remaining property.
The power company plans to
erect a two-story struc ure at
.the front of the lot 115 fee
from east to west, and 42 feet
deep. It will contain a disolay
room, a drafting room, and 10
offices on the first, floor: the
, p'ans call for 14 offices on the
second floor.
It will be steel and cinder
block construc ion, with brick
veneer on the sides and at the
back. The front will be veneer
ed with Mount Airy granite,
with aluminum trim.
The one-story service build
ing, a separate structure. will
be of steel and cinder block It
< will be situa' ed at the rea.r of
the o.fice building, and will b>
160 feet in length, north to
south, and will be 42 fee' wide.
It wi'l house the company's car
repair shop, machine shop,
store rooms, men's locker and
shower rooms, and m?ter test
ing and appliance repair shop.
It is hoped, Mr. Archer said,
to start construction in the
spring of 1951, to get the build
ings under roof that fall, and
to complete construction in .he
early summer of 1952. The pow
Continued On Pace Eight ?
The Weather
Temperatures and precipitation for the
paat seven days, and the low tenipciatart
yesterday, as recorded at the Coweeta Ex
periment station.
Franklin Rainfall
(Al recorded br M?nv>n Sriln f?r TVA>
Wednesday, trace; Thursday,
none; Friday, none; Saturday,
trace; Sunday, none; Monday,
! 1.38 of an Inch; Tuesday, none;
i Wednesday, trace.
'.Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
High Low Pet.
46 11 00
55 15 00
50 23 00
62 32 trace
59 52 .49
49 31 1.20
53 24 00
Wednesday
35 .01