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VOL. LXIX? NO. 50
SIXTEEN PAGES
? Staff Photo bv J. f. Brady
?iAP.RI' KIN'SuAND (ieft), outgoing Holly Springs president,
ho'.!' l. certificate presented the community at the W. N. C.
rurai contest luncheon .Saturday in \sheville. County Agent T. H.
Tzzi has the $100 check Holly Springs won in the contest.
F*i ti!j . i -> h 2
loily Vvms Award
Or $i00 in W. N. C, Contest
Talk 1955 Farm ?
Prices, Trends
A special farm outlook meet
ing to discuss 1955 prices and
trends was held yesterday
< Wednesday) afternoon at the
Agricultural Building with local
farm men and women and a
team of extension service ex
perts from Raleigh taking part.
ATTENDING MEETING
School Supt. Holland McSwain
left yesterday (.Wednesday) to
attend a state-wide meeting of
superintendents in High Point.
He plans to return home Fri
day night.
Woman's Club
Has 'Closet'
To Aid Needy
The Franklin Junior Woman's
Club has a very unusual closet.
It has its own name ? "Chil
dren's Clothing Closet" ? and,
unlike a regular closet, things
dont hang around in it for
long.
Result: "The Children's Cloth
is one of the club's pet proj
ects and it provides clothing
for needy children of all ages.
In the past 18 months, club
women have distributed more
than 500 garments and have
spent roughly $100 for new
shoes for needy children. The
latter item ? shoes for chil
dren ? is an allied project of
the closet, but operates inde
pendently, according to Mrs.
Ralph Penland and .Mrs. Oscar
Ledford, who are in charge.
Recently, all club members
gathered at the "closet" ? which
is a room over the Quality
Shop given rent-free to the
club by T. W. Angel, Jr., ? and
mended and pressed garments
they had collected in the latest
drive.
Result : "The Childrens Cloth- I
ing Closet" has plenty of
clo nr< to offer.
P. : - or teachers of needy
chile: . may get in touch with
Mrs. Ledford 'telephone 348-J>
for further information on how
to obtain clothes. ^
Macon County's Holly Springs
community ? winner of the
county community development
contest ? was one of six com
munities in the area receiving
a $100 "honorable mention" in
the W. N. C. Rural Community
Development Contest.
The winners were announced
at a special luncheon meeting
Saturday noon at the Battery
Park Hotel in Asheville.
Harry Kinsland, outgoing
president of Holly Springs, ac
cepted the cash award on be
half of his community from
Julian A. Woodcock, Jr., presi
dent of the Asheville Chamber
of Commerce.
First place and a $500 cash
award went to Little River com
munity in Transylvania County;
second and $300 to Union Mills,
Rutherfftrdton County; and
third and $200 to West Pigeon,
Haywood County. The next six
best ? the group in which Hol
ly Springs placed ? received
$100 each.
The cash award raised Holly
Springs' winnings for the year
to $400, since the pace-setting
community won $300 for being
tops in the county contest.
In addition to Mr. Kinsland ;
and his wife, other Maconians 1
attending the luncheon includ
ed County Agent T. H. Fagg, Mr. j
and Mrs. Woodrow Franklin,
Mrs. Earl Justice, Mrs. Jack
Cabe, W. W. (Bill) Sloan, Wal
ter Taylor, Mrs. Charles Fer
guson, Miss Mildred Corbin,
John Kinsland, Fred Deal, and
Mr. and Mrs. W. G. Crawford.
B. T. U. To Observe
'M Night' On Monday
"M Night" will be observed
by the Baptist Training Union
at the Franklin church Monday
night at 7:30, it lias been an
nounced.
Dave Roberts, of Mars Hill,
will be the guest speaker.
CriXASAJA MEETING
A Christmas program by the
pupils of Mrs May bur Norton
will feature a meeting of the
Cullasaja P. T. A. at the school
Tuesday night at 7:30, it has
bnen announced.
Prison Break
Is Squelched
Monday Night
Alert prison guards squelched
an attempt by three prisoners
to break out of the Macon Pris
on Camp early Monday night
through the roof of the prison
hospital room.
A 42-inch hole was cut in the
galvanized roof by the three
men, who were scheduled to
stand trial in Superior Court
the following morning for pre
vious prison breaks, according
to Supt. John E. Cutshall.
The superintendent said the
prisoners had tin snips, files, a
hammer, and a crow bar in the
cell when the escape was dis
covered by guards Alex Ledford
and James Sanders.
How they got. them I don't j
know." Mr. Cutshall confessed. 1
However, the superintendent
ounn.sed that honor grade pris
oner^ slipped them the tools.
An investigation is now under
way, he added.
He identified the three, who
figured in breaks earlier in the
year, as Milton Pete Austin, 23,
of Gastonia, serving time for
I automobile theft; Mack A. Wal
den, 25, sentenced in Mecklen
burg County for highway rob
bery; and Johnny Porter, about
31, also serving time for high
way robbery.
Standing on a double-deck
bunk, the prisoners must have
spent most of the day secretly
cutting through the .roof, Mr.
Cutshall surmised. They used a
sweater hanging on a support
ing beam to keep guards from
seeing the hole, he said. The at
tempted break was nipped by
the guards at 7:15, the superin
| tendent added.
But in spite of the attempted
! break, the three prisoners stood
trial as scheduled Tuesday
I morning for their past escapes.
Judge Johnston handed Wal
den eight months more and
Austin and Porter four months
each. The three probably will
stand trial for Monday night's
escape attempt at the next term
of court, Mr. Cutshall said.
And the three will not be try
ing escapes from the Macon
camp anymore. Tuesday night
Austin was transferred to a
camp near Whittier and Porter
to one in Ashe County. Walden
will be sent to the state prison
in Raleigh, .Mr. Cutshall said.
Who's Who
Georgia is the perfect goat
hereabouts when it comes to
illegal whiskey.
A man charged with posses
sion of non-tax paid whiskey
told Judge Walter E. Johns
ton, Jr., he got the booze in
Georgia.
But the judge didn't swal
low that one.
With a smile he commented,
"Georgia is handy, so they
use it."
But with no Georgia and n<i
slate line, things are differ
ent down in the judge's part
of the state ? (Winston-Sa.l
em) ? "they just say they
don't know where they got it."
And for having a bad mem
ory and also telling the judge
lie had the whiskey (a full
cave ? six gallons) "for my
own drinking", this defendant
rot six months in jail.
? Staff Photo by J. P. PraJy
FRANKLIN JUNIOR WOMAN'S CLl'B has plenty of garments for the needy at its "Chil
dren's Clothing Closet" over the Quality Shop. Checking sizes on some of them are (L to R>
Mist. Joe Ann Hopkins, Mrs. Nancy Keener, Mrs. Louise Ledford, and Mrs. Hazel Penland.
SCHOOL BOARD
VACANCY GOES
TO J. SMITH
Appointment Made
By State Board;
Is On New Board
John E. Smith, nominee on
the incoming board of educa
tion, last Thursday was ap
pointed to the Macon Board of
Education to serve the unex
pired term of John M. Archer,
Jr.. resigned.
i;he appointment was made
by the N. C. Board of Educa
tion. on recommendation of the
local Democratic executive com
mittee, which is headed by
Frank I. Murray, Sr.
A letter received by Mr. Mur
ray from Dr. Charles F. Carroll,
t 1 y to the state board,
onii.u d Mr. Smith's appoint
I ment.
An employe of the Western
! Carolina Telephone Company,
? Franklin Press Photo
Mr. Smith
Mr. Smith will serve on the
present board until the new
school board receives the bless
ing of the J955 legislature. This
action generally comes in April.
Mr. Smith was nominated in
the Democratic primary this
past May to serve on the new
board.
In early October, Mr. Archer,
president of Nantahala Power
and Light Company, resigned
from the board and at that
time said pressing business
forced his resignation.
Since the Democratic execu
tive committee did not pick a
successor to Mr. Archer within
30 days of his resignation,
under the law the state board
had to make the selection, us
ing, of course; the recommenda
tion of the local committee.
4-H DAY
SATURDAY
Annual Achievement
Awards To Be Made
By Extension Agents
Macon 4-H'ei\s will receive
awards for their effort? over the
past year at their annual
'Achievement Day'' Saturday
morning at the Agricultural
Building.
The program will open at 9:30
wit!) a welcome by Miss Nancy
Cable, president of the 4-H
County Council.
Having charge '? of the devo
tional will be the Rev. R. J.
flahn. pastor of the Snow Hill
lotla Methodist charge. Greet
ings will be extented by County
A'4?nt T H. Fagg.
Members of the Franklin
club will have charge of the
music and the Chapel 4-H club
bers will present, "Let's Make
Somebody Happy for Christ
mas."
Bud Shope, president of the
Cartoogechaye senior club, will
recognize adult leaders, and
Mrs. George Byrd, reporter for
the county 4-H leader organiza
tion, will respond.
Annual awards will be pre
sented by the 4-H agents, Mrs.
Jessie Lee Cabe and James
Flanagan.
As a closing feature of the
annual meeting. Miss Carolyn
Waldroop, vice-president bf the
council, will speak on "Looking
to the Future."
SING IS SUNDAY
The second Sunday Sing will
be held at Dryman's Chapel be
ginning at 1:45 p. m., Tom Hen
son, secretary, has announced.
Maconians
Will Mark
'S-D Day'
Macon is going to be solid be
hind "S-D Day" next Wednes
day, a day to demonstrate that
traffic accidents can be reduced
materially when all motorists
and pedestrians do their part.
The "Safe Driving Day" chair
man, Sheriff J. Harry Thomas,
said this week he plans to have
"Slow Down and Live" bumper
safety slogans distributed for
the observance, and he also re
quests all teachers to devote
classroom time to highway saf
ety.
"Naturally, we're going to be
Solid behindi 'S-D Day', but with
the idea of making every day
of one year 'S-D Day' in Ma
con County," the sheriff com
mented. i
Sponsored by the President's
Action Committee for Traffic
Safety, in cooperation with vari
ous national organizations, "S
D Day" is designated to dem
onstrate that the place to at
tack the traffic safety problem
[ is in the community and that
the responsibility rests upon
each individual.
The test will be for Macon ?
along with every community in
| the nation ? to remain com
| pletely free of traffic accidents
| for the 24-hour period.
Judge Swears
In Officers
Macon's newly-elected comi
ty officials were sworn in
with the opening of Superior
Court Monday morning by
Judge Walter E. Johnston, Jr.
Those taking the oath of of
fice included Sheriff J. Har
ry Thomas, Miss Kate McGee,
clerk of court, Lake V. Shope,
register of deeds, W. E. (Gene)
Baldwin, chairman of the Ala
con Board of County Com
missioners, John Roane and
Wiley Brown, county commis
sioners, C. Jack Iiaga.ii, cor
oner, and Richard H. Slagle,
surveyor.
Miss McGee and Sheriff
Thomas are starting the'r
second four-year terms; Mr.
Shope his fourth: Mr. Bald
win and Mr. Roane their
third; a,nd Mr. Brown, Mr.
Ragan, and Mr. Slagle their
first.
ENLIST IV MR FORCE
Charles Robert Shope anc Wiz
ard Eugene Led ford, both of
Franklin, enlisted in the U., S.
Air Force during November
through the local recruiter. T/St.
William E. Hull.
Grand Jury Reports County
Needs More Space To Store
Body Files Report
With Clerk After
Making Inspection
Recommendations for minor
repairs and more storage space
for records marked the Grand
Jury's report, following inspec
tion of county facilities Tues
day.
Filed with the clerk of court
in' the afternoon, the report
said jurymen found the court
house "in fair condition consid
ering age of building", and rec
ommended new carpeting on
the stage and along the aisles
of the courtroom. Also suggest
ed was more storage space for
records in the offices of the
sheriff, school superintendent,
and register of deeds.
The jury found the jail to be
clean, but recommended repairs
to screens and guttering and
suggested that the plumbing be
checked and repaired.
"Good condition" was the re
port on the prison camp.
The report said the county
home is "in fair shape consider
ing age oi building". A better
heating and hot water system
was suggested.
Judge Says Jury
Is Stabilizer
Of Government
"The very life and stability of
government" depends upon the
manner in which the Grand
Jury carries out its duties,
Judge- Walter E. Johnston, Jr.,
declared in his charge to the
jury Monday morning.
The judge told the jury it
could benefit the community or
"be something that amounts to
nothing."
It all depends on "the way
you approach the responsibil
ity", the judge commented, urg
ing the body to make an hon
est investigation.
Members of the jury were
drawn by five-year-old Gary
Palmer, son of Mr. and Mrs.
Bruce Palmer, of Franklin.
Robert Morgan was appointed
foreman by the court.
Other jurymen were Law
rence Long, Marion C. Thomas,
D. L. Douthit. Crawford Ayers,
Laddie Crawford. Dwight Wat
ers. W. C. Arvey. F. R. Roane.
Jack Cabe, S. M. McCoy. J. C.
Buchanan, Alvin Crow, R. L.
Parrish. J. T. McCoy, Lawson
Snyder. Leslie Campbell, and
Paul Ashe.
?Starr I'noto t>\ J. f. firn-iv
BAKBKd'EI) BOAK was the mwiu Satuiday evening at The
Normandie Kestaura.it when 111 members aad friends of the
Macon 'Coon Hunters Association gathered to raise money for
*. restocking ('coon) program. The 250-pound Russian boar was
Killed Tuesday of last week in the Blue Valley, near Highlands,
by Taylor Crockett (above) and Ernest Holland, members of the
association. They used dogs to track the big hog, one of several
brought Into the county under another restocking program.
Death Car Drivers
Get Prison Terms
Circumstances surrounding
automobile accidents claiming
the lives of two persons nearly
a year apart hit strange chords
of similiarity in Superior Court
this week.
Both accidents ? although
months apart ? occurred on
the same curve on NC 28 near
Highlands; both were caused by
drunk driving; five persons
were involved in each; and
Judge Walter E. Johnston, Jr.,
has sentenced both drivers to
prison for involuntary man
slaughter.
Arthur O. Irby, 45, of Ander
son, S. C., and Fred Homer
Stewart, 34, oi Cullowhee, Eras
*.u.> loute, are the convicted
dr.v.-rs oi the death tars, each
of which killed one person .in a
piun^e down a .-teep 200-foot
TO CIVIL DOCKET*
Judge Walter E. Johnston,
Jr., was in the process yes
terday (Wednesday) of wrap
ping up the criminal docket
?.nd probably will move into
trial of civil matters today.
The term opened .Monday
morning and will remain ac
tive through Saturday week,
although court probably will
not be in session longer than
Friday, it is reported.
embankment about five miles
south of Highlands.
Irby was sentenced to three
to five years by the judge, while
Stewart got four to five years
The farmer's trial was Monday
afternoon, the latter's the fol
lowing day.
Charges of drunk driving and
no driver's license against Irbj
I were nol prossed with leave
Charges of drunk driving and
j driving after his license had
been revoked against Stewart
were consolidated with the oth
er charge for judgment.
Irby went on trial as the
driver of a 1949 Ford which
wrecked December 14, 1953. Two
days later one of four passeng
ers, T. D. McCallister, also of
Anderson, S. C., died in the hos
pital.
Sixteen-year-old Eulas Eugene
Coggins. of Cullowhee, Erastus
, Route, died in the wreck of a
1947 Dodge driven by Stewart
this past October 3.
FREE LAND
STAND IS
EXPLAINED
Offers of free land for the
site of the new water tank ir
south Franklin were turnec
down by town officials because
none met the needed require
ments of height, it was broughi
out at Monday night's meeting
of the board of aldermen.
Mayor W. C Burrell explain
ed that land for the tank wa.'
purchased i $2,000' from Mrs
Furman Angel and Furmai
Angel. Jr., because this particu
lar site was ideal for the tank
In terms of dollars, the fret
land, - "although we appreci
ate the offers" ? would have
cost the town an additional $8.
000 to 810.000 to provide ade
SEE NO. 2, PAGE 8
The Weather
I Vs tr'i ????? it . ? rai:if...l. a
r ' . . . r let!, in Franklin bv Man son Stiles
1 \ S. u? atii'-r ??!??.? >cr, , l at ti e Co ? vet
1 1 y<!r >!(?xic Laboratory:
FRANKLIN
Temperatures
High Low Rait
Wed., Dec. 1 ao 19
Thursday 52 32
Friday 48 12
Saturday .56 12
Sunday 44 28 .5
Monday 36 36 .05"
Tuesday 43 8
HIGHLANDS
Temperatures
High Low Rail
Wed , Dec. 1 55 26
Thursday 46 27
Friday .... :.j
Saturday
Sunday
Monday 43 29 1.4
Tuesday 34 8 ...
COWEETA
Temperatures
High Low Rail
Wed., Dec. 1 55 21
Thursday 48 24
Friday 48 13 .. j
Saturday 54 14
Sunday 46 27 ..
Monday 48 38 1.*
Tuesday 48 8 .. '