Paid Circulation
3115
Average for March 1960
ttllitt
? afe
l&ighlanfei JRacomnn
75th Year ? No. 15
Franklin, N. C., Thursday, April 14, 1960
ON THE INSIDE ?
Staff correspondents of THE
PRESS keep the Inside paces
of this newspaper alive with
news about your friends and
neighbors Read the Inside
pages from top to bottom and
you'U know Macon County.
Price 10 Cents
Sixteen Paeej
PLEASE THROW your support
behind the countywic'e bake sale
Friday and Saturday for the crip
pled children. Purchase your
Easter treats (some mighty good
cooks will be donating Items' at
te bake sale and help some less
fortunate than yourself.
AN ADVANCE copy of a new
state promotional publication.
"Let's Go Pishing and Hunting
in North Carolina", has been re
ceived here and. to turn a phrase
"It's a beaut!" Several points in
this county, including Nantahala
Lake, are given excellent treat
ment in both pictures and text.
PHIL B. HAZAZER, who has a
rummer place here, is letting the
postal employes between his home
in Palriet!" . F'a., and Franklin
know what v. ere famous for
around the world. On a recent
letter to Nantahala Lumber Com
pany, his address said "ruby
famous" Franklin, N. C.
THE FRANKLIN All-Stais aie
tossing u bit taler.t show on the.
22nd to rake some money for '
uniforms and equipment. Ycu
won't want to miss it.
THEY'VE BROKEN ground in
East Franklin behind the Gulf
station for the new Baldwin super
market. Ah spring! your powers
for generating activity are un
limited.
WHOOPEE! The state has re
paved over the culvert at the foot
of Town Hill and things are
smooth there once again.
Asheville Man
New Area Scout
Field Executive
John D. Burton. Jr., of Ashe
ville, has been hired as the new
district executive for the Smoky
Mountain Boy Scout District and
will take ever his duties the 15th
of this month.
He succeeds Phil Thompson, of
Sylva, who recently resigned to
enter military service.
The new executive is a native
of Knoxville, Tenn,, and has lived
most of his life in the mountain ]
area. He attended the University
of Tennessee and at present is a
master sergeant in the Army Re
serve.
Mr. Burton will attend the na
tional training school for Scout
executives, for several weeks.
Gudger Will Speak
Lamar Gudger, Buncombe Coun
ty attorney, will be the speake:
at an organizational meeting of
the Macon County Young Demo
crats Club tomorrow (Friday)
night at the courthouse at 8
o'clock, >
ip hats
| doing? j
JAYCEES: First and third
Mondays, 6:30 p. m., eagle's
Restaurant on US 23-441 south.
ROT ART: Every Thursday, 7
p. m? Slagle Memorial Building.
LIONS: Second and fourth
Mondays, 7 p. m., Slagle Me
morial Building.
JUNIOR WOMAN'S CLUB:
Fourth Monday, 7:30 p. m., Ag
ricultural Building.
V. F. W.: Second and fourth
Wednesdays, 8 p. m., V. F. W.
Post Home on Palmer Street.
AMERCIAN LEGION: Third
Tuesday. 7:30 p. m., Slagle Me
morial Building.
Tonight 'Thursday): Benefit
basketball tournament- starts. 7
o'clock. Franklin High gymnasi
um.
Friday: Young Democrats Club
meeting, courthouse. 8 p.m
Friday: 'Open house" at Special
Education School on Franklin
High fe rounds.
Saturday: Little League try
outs. 10 a.m.. Franklin field.
Sunday: Easter sunrise service.
5:45, Franklin Methodist Church.
Monday: Franklin P.-TA., 7:30,
Franklin High cafeteria.
Monday: Oarden club luncheon.
12:45. franklin Methodist Church
social hall.
Tuesday: Methodist Men's Club.
Clark's Chapel church, 7 p.m.
TWO TO ONE -
Nantahala Voting
Precinct Changed
Nantahala's two voting pre
cincts have been eliminated and
the area's estimated 600 voters
will cast their ballots at a
single polling place at Nanta
hala School.
The decision to abolish the
old Nantahala 1 and Nantahala
2 precincts was taken Saturday
by the Macon County Board of
Elections In session to appoint
registrars and judges for the
upcoming elections.
Board Chairman J. Lee Bar
nard reports the reelection of
all precinct officials "as far as
they are available". He said an
official list of these officials
will be made available soon.
Mr. Barnard explained that
the decision to eliminate the
two Nantahala precincts in va
vor of a large one was prompt
ed by requests from voters in
that section. He said Nantahala
1 has never had a satisfactory
voting place and that a major
ity of the voters felt it would
be more convenient to have a
single polling place.. About 200
voters , are registered in Nanta
hala 1, while Nantahala 2 has
an estimated 400.
SHOOTS HIS NEIGHBOR -
'Him Or Me', Says
Negro Of Shooting
"I knew it was either him or
me," Is the way a local Negro
justifies the Saturday night
shooting of his next door neigh
bor in the wake of a fighting
and drinking card party.
Being held without bond on
a charge of murder is Robert
Lee (June) Austin, who admits
he shot 45-year-old Elwood
Greenwood in self defense with
a .22 rifle after being threat
ened with a knife.
Witnessing the slaying at the
Austin home on New Hope Road
about 10:30 were Austin's wife,
his eight-year-old son, a nephew
of Greenwood, Henderson Hayes,
and Buddy Chavis.
Story Told
This account of the shooting
was given by the witnesses to
the investigating officers, Sher
iff J. Harry Thomas, Police
Chief C. D.. Baird, Deputy
Newell Pendergrass, and Cor
oner John Kusterer:
The four men were drinking
and playing cards at the Aus
tin home when an argument
developed between Greenwood
and his nephew, Hayes. Green
wood struck his nephew a hard
tlow in the mouth and when
tha others objected he began
cursing and brandished a knife.
He also cursed Mrs. Austin and
was ordered out of . the house
by her husband. Greenwood
Started toward Austin with the
knife and Austin retreated to
another room. Chavis succeed
ed In calming Greenwood down
and talked him into leaving the
house. A short distance from |
the house, however. Greenwood '
decided to return. Hearing foot
steps on the porch, Austin got
his rifle and yelled for Green
wood not to come in. Green
wood pushed opened the door
and Austin fired two shots, the
first grazing Greenwood's arm,
the other entering his chest
between the fourth and , fifth
ribs on the right side. Green
wood staggered off the porch
and about 125 feet down the
road before collasping.
The witnesses told the offic
ers Greenwood had his knife
out when Austin shot and Sher
iff Thomas said the weapon was
under the dead mans hand at
the spot where he fell.
Survivors Given
Greenwood is survived by his
wife, Mrs. Mae Greenwood; his
mother, Mrs. Nannie Green
wood; four sisters, Mrs. Odella
McLean, of Cleveland, Ohio,
Mrs. Charlie Burgess and Mrs.
Willie Scruggs, both of Frank
lin, and Mrs. Lethia Hayes, of
Greenville, S. C.; and two
brothers, J. P. and Frank
Greenwood, of Cleveland.
Funeral services, with Bryant
Funeral Home In charge, are
set for Saturday at 2 p. m. at
the New Hope Methodist
ChurCh. officiating Will be the
Rev. Jim Conley and burial will
be in the St. Cyrpian's Ceme
tery. Pallbearers will be Sam
my McDonald, Thomas Stewart,
Jeff Burston, Wiley Hayes, J.
D. S'hephard, and Tom Adding
ton.
FOR CLUB LUNCHEON ?
Mrs. Cover, Representative
Of Cherokee, Is Speaker
Mrs. Giles W. Cover, of An
drews, Cherokee County's repre
sentative to the General Assem
bly, will guest speaker Monday
at the annual spring luncheon of
the Franklin Garden Club.
Slated for 12:45 at the Frank
lin Methodist Church, the lunch
eon also will be featuied by the
installation of officers.
New club officers will be In
stalled by Mrs. David Ling, of
Waynesville, district garden club
director. Officers are Mrs. Steph
en A. Bundy. president; Mrs. Bui
gin, vice-president; Mrs. T. D.
Jones, treasurer, Mrs. T, H. Mr
Nish, recording secretary; and
Mrs. Robert E. Early, correspond
ing secretary.
FIRST ONE UNDER THE WIRE: Mrs. Betty Jewel Roper
(left), of Franklin, was the lint census enumerator in either
county, Macon or Clay, in the 13th District to complete the fount
in her territory. Here Mrs. Roper and Mrs. A. H. Eller, of Hayes
Tine, 13th District crew leader, look over the maps of the por
tion Mr*. Roper covered. She finished Monday, two days ahead
iof the Wednesday April 13. deadline. <8taff Photoi
'UNCLE BILLY' BREAKS 100
"Uncle Billy" McCoy isn't a nolfer, but he knows how to
break a hundred. He's done it using birthdays. Tomorrow (Fri
day) will celebrate his 101st at his home in the Gold Mine sec
tion. He reads his Bible constantly, enjoys after-meal cigars,
and drinks steaming cups of coffee during the day. (Staff Photol
JUDGE PLESS PRESIDING ?
'Average Docket' Facing
Court Officials Monday
Judge J. Will Pless and Dis
trict Solicitor Glenn W. Brown
will face an "average docket'
with the opening Monday morn
ing of the April term of Su -
perior Court, according to Mrs.
Kate M. Wrinn, clerk of court.
Since the December term, 188
new cases (as of Monday after
noon i have been added to crim
inal docket. Also, the docket
lists 56 hold-over cases and 55
others involving cash bonds to
be forfeited by defendants this
term.
Mrs. Wrinn describes the civil
docket as in "excellent shape"
because of the special term held
in early February to hear some
old cases.
Judge Pless, of Marion, is
resident judge of the 29th Judi
cial District. He has held sev
eral terms here in the past and
presided at the celebrated Shedd
murder trial in the early '50's.
Monday morning's opening
session of the two-wer-k term
will begin at 10 o'clock.
Solicitor Brown was here
Monday to go over the docket
with court officials.
All Are Recaptured ?
AH, SPRING! ESCAPEE NIPPED
BY LOVE BUG, FLEES GANG
Warm spring weather brought
on a rash of escape attempts
from the state prison camp
here in the past week, but none
of the breaks was successful
and the escapees are all now'
back in custody.
The latest attempt was made
by William Edwin Johnson, 19,
of Route 4, who is serving sev
en to ten years for larceny of
an automobile.
Johnson, an honor grade
trustee, was working with a
road gang three and. a half
miles south of Highlands on
NC 106 Monday afternoon,
April 11. About 3:30 p. m. he
went to gather firewood and
failed to return.
Officers Alerted
North Carolina and Georgia
Highway PatroLs were alerted,
along with police and sheriff's
departments in Franklin, High
lands, and Clayton, Ga., and
prison camp custodian officers.
Early Tuesday morning, Ma
con County Deputy Sheriff
Newell Pendergrass was driving
along the road in the Poplar I
Cove section and spotted John- '
son. He -arrested him and re- i
turned him to the prison.
Love Calfoif
John E. Cutshall, prison su- |
perintendent, said Johnson told !
him that he "ran off to try to j
see a girl he was in love with."
Another prisoner, Robert
Presnell, 18, of Waynesville,
serving four to seven years for
breaking and entering and lar
ceny, tried to escape from a
work crew last Thursday, April
7, on the River Bend Road off
Nc 28, three miles south of
Franklin
Guard Jesse Hall re'ported
that, "Presnell Jumped the gun
and tried to run off". Hall fired
one shot, then dropped the gun
knd ran Presnell down on foot.
Disappears
On Friday, April 8, Ray Ed
ward Darnell, 18, of West Ashe
ville, serving eight to, nine years
for receiving stolen goods, dis
appeared from a drill squad and
8EE NO. I, PAOE 8
COUPLE IS FLEECED
Blessing Trick Used
An elderly Macon County couple
has been robbec of their life sav
ings by a woman posing as a faith
healer with powers t; bless money.
Victims of the age-old flim-flam
of confidence operators are M A
Chastaln, 78. and his wife Rose,
74. who live on pillard. Ga . Route
1. near the Norris Store
The sheriff'^'' department is
being assisted in Its investigation
by S.B.I Agent P R. Kitchen
ol Waynesvllle
Deputy Sheriff Newell Pender
grass has given the following ac
count of the Incident:'
About 2 o'clock last:Thur*day
afternoon, a woman described a-s
a dark skinned gypsy-type stopped
at the Chastaln home She toM
the elderly couple she was a fqith
healer and would bless any
money they had. Mrs. Chastaln
had about $1,200 in two tobacco
sacks pinned Inside her dress. She
gave this to the woman., who sup
posedly placed the money inside
a Bible. Hiving the Chastalns in
structions not to disturb It until
the next day or the blessing would
not work. A short while after the
woman left, they became suspici
ous and opened the Bible. The
money was gone and in Its place
were some napkins and a key
ring.
Deputy Pendergrass said the
"money blessing trick has been
used for many years" by con
fidence operalots.
Bank Makes
$500 Gift |
For Fair
A $500 gift from the Bank of
Franklin this week pushed the
building fund of the Macon
County Fair Association to $3,450
and plans are now under way to
begin construction of an exhibit
hall.
The total cn hand includes
$680 the association had in its
treasury after the last fair, ac
cording to the treasurer, Mrs.
Grace M. Tatliam. Cash donations
total $1,527 and pledges account
for $1,240 more.
Try-Outs
Saturday
Little League try-outs are sched
uled for 10 a.m. Saturday at the
league field on the grounds at
Franklin High, according to Dr
T. J. Huff, league president.
Any boy who will not be 13
years old by August 1 is eligible
to shoot for a berth on one of the
four Little League teams. The
minimum age is 8:
Dr. Huff said legue plans for
the season are rapidly falling into
place, including the selection of
team managers. A date' to "pur
chase" players under league rules
will be announced later.
Benefit Tourney
For Children Is
Starting Tonight
A benefit basketball tourna
ment for retarded children and
crippled children is/ slated to get
underway tonight 'Thursday In
the Franklin High gymnasium.
A name at 7 o'clock between
the Franklin all-Stars and Winn
Dixie's team will open the in
vitational tournament; at 8 o'clock
the Highlands All-Stars will meet
Burlington Mills; and at 9 o'clock
the Rabun Warriors will play
Zickgraf Lumber Company.
Friday night's court ad ion will
lead off at 6:45 with a prelim
inary game between the Burllnii
ton girls and the Lucy Pickens
team; at 8 3 'clock the winners of
the Highlands-Burlington anc
Rabun-Zickgiaf game will clash:
and at 9 o'clock the Nantahala
All-Stars will take on the winner
of the Franklin-Winn-Dixie game. .
The championship game is set
for 9 o'clock Saturday Games
preceding this will be the Frank- 1
lln Senior Boys vs Brevard Col j
lege team at 7 o'clock, and a cori
solution game between the semi- j
finals losers at 8 o'clock.
The tournament is being jointly
.sponsored by the Macon chapters
of the Retarded Children* Associ
ation and the League for Crippled
Children. Weaver Shop ? is chair
man of the project.
Anmissi n will be 50 cents for ;
ac ults and 25 for children
WIN$ CONTEST
A trip to New York is the
prise going to Miss Genevieve
Whilmire, pictured here. Daugh
ter of >lr. and Mrs. E. J. Whit
mirr and a senior at Franklin
llich. Miss Whitmire w?n over 1
five fellow students in the 14th |
Annual High School World Peace
Study and Speaking Program
to (tin the trip to New York |
City and the United Nations,
April 24-27. She will be accom
panied on the trip by Roy M.
Riddle, Jr., sponsor of the
speaking contest. The finals in
the contest were held last Fri
day morning in the high school
auditorium. Judges were the
Rev. Jack Tucker. Hob S. Sloan,
the Rev. R. R. StandOey. Mrs.
H. Buerk, and Mrs. Margaret
Cooi>er.
FOR FUTURE EXPANSION -
.
! School Board Buys
| Leach Property
With an eye to future expansion
at Franklin High School, the Ma
con County Board cf Education
this week closed a deal to pur
chase the Leach property adjoin
ing the high school grounds for
$35,000.
The transaction involves about
seven acres of land and two build
ings. the old Leach home and a
commercial building now occupied
by the Tom Thumb Inn.
School Supt. H. Bueck and
Board Chairman Erwln Patton
explain that the property will not
be developed for any school uses
until it is paid for under the pur
chase terms.
"We're just locking ahead . .
possibly the land some day can
be used as an auditorium or some
thing of that nature." Supt! Buefk
declared.
He said at present there is a
possibility the house can be used
(or some school activity, but add
ed "we really don't know until
we've given it a thorough In
spection ... we may decide to
raze it later, we just can't give
an answer right now . . . the main
thing we're interested in now is
paying for the property.^
Under terms of the property
sale, the board is paying Mr. and
Mrs. Prank Leach a down pay
ment of $10,000. with semiannual
payments running for 10 years.
The Interest rate set is four and
a half per cent. However, the
board has an opticn to pay off
the full amount due at any time
during the 10.year period.
Frank Leach, Jr., o? Norfolk.
Va., met with the school board
and W. E. Baldwin, chairman of
the county commissioners, Mon
day morning to iron out details of
the transaction.
TRADITIONAL CELEBRATION ?
Easter Sunrise Service
Set At Methodist Church
Traditionally, Maconlans plan
to celebrate Easter quietly, at.
home and at church services.
The Franklin community Easter
sunrise service is set for 5:45 a.m.
at the First Methodist Church,
with the Rev. Robert R Standley,
pastor of the First Baptist
Church, delivering the Easter
message. The opening worship
will be led by the host pastor, the
Rev. Robert E. Early, and the
scripture reading will be given by
the Rev. J. R. Tucker, of St
Agnes Episcopal Church. Special
Easter music will be by the com
'Clean-Up Week'
Set By Burrell
Mayor W. C. Ilurrell has de
clared the wenk of April 23
as "Clean-Up Week" in Frank
lin.
The I. ions Club's annual
broom Kale will be om Monday
night, (he 2.">th, lo tie in with
the clean-up campaign.
Co-operating with the town
in this drive will be the
i-'ranklin (jarden (Tub, the
Boy .Scouts, and the Franklin
Rescue Squad.
Town Clerk Kay Swafford
has announced that the
town will furnish a truck to
pick up refuse during "Clean
I'p Week" for anyone who
calls the town office and re
quests this service.
Easter Seal
Bake Sal; Set
In Franklin
\
A county-wide bake stile for the
benefit of the Macon County
Crippled Children and Adults
Society is slatcC for Friday and
Saturday in the old Reeves Hard- j
ware store on Main Street in
Franklin
The fund-raising event; is b;infc
staged in conjunction with the |
annual Easter Seals drive.
Donations of cake, pie, cookies,
bread, or candy are needed for
the sale and should be delivered
to the store by 9 o'clock each
morning of the sale
Arrangements for picking up
donations can be made, by tele
phoning the Macon Construction
Company office. LAfayette 4-2146
E. J. Whitmire is county chair
man of the Easter Seals campaign, i
Leming Child Dies
Sunday In. Sylva
Twoyearold Linda Leming.
daughter of Highway Patrolman
and Mrs. W G. Leming, died In a
Sylva hospital about 8:30 p.m
Sunday.
It Is believed the child either
Jumped or fell from the car as
her mother backed from a drive-in
In Sylva. She ruptured a blood
vessel to her brain.
Patrolman Leming was station
ed In Highlands before being
transferred to 8ylva several
months ago
95 RATING
John E Cutshall. superinten
dent at the Macon County Prison
Camp, reports that the prison re
ceived a rating of 95 per cent from
the North Carolina Board of
Health following a recent inspec
t'-f>.
bined choirs of community
churches. Organist will be Miss
Nancy Cochran.
Baptist Service
A special Easter morning serv
ice will be held at 8:30 a.m. at the
First Baptist church. The youth
choir will sing at the service. Reg
ular services will be held at 11
a.m.. with the adult choir singing.
(iood Friday Rite
Tomorrow (Good Friday), at
St. John's Episcopal Church on
Cartoogechaye, a service of medi
tations on the "Words from the
Cross" will be held from noon to
cross" will be held from noon to
3 o'clock and persons of all faiths
are invited.
The Easter services at St. John's
will include a celebration of the
Holy Communion at 9 o'clock and
an afternoon service at 4 o'clock.
Maundy Thursday
Maundy Thursday services are
scheduled at St. Cyprian's Epis
copal Church at 7:15 p.m. and at
St Agnes at 8 p.m. A one-hour
| Good Friday service also is slated
for 7:15 p.m. at St. Cyprian's.
No Services
On Easter, no church school or
". 1 o'clock services are planned at
St Agnes. These will be replaced
by a children's service at 9 a m.,
following by a regular Easter
service at 9:45.
St John's will hold an Easter
service at 9 a.m. and St. Cyprian s
at 7 a.m.
Methodist Plans
The First Methodist Church
plans regular services also on
Easter: that is, church school at
10 a.m.. morning Worship at 11,
and frmlly worship at 7 o'clock
that night. Mr. Early also will
preach a,t the prison camp at 8:30
i m and a!. Salem Methodist at 3
p.m.
'Open House' Set
By Specia^ Education
Students Tomorrow
Tom .now i Friday) will find
?he students at the Special Educa
tion School In Franklin awaiting
visitors to observe the'r school
and the work they and their
teachers are doin^-i
"Open house" for the public
will be observed from 9:30 to 10:30
in the mcrninx and from 12 to
2:15 In the afternoon
I he Weather
Ilteh Low Rain
FRANKLIN
Wed. 6th 63 32 03
Thursday 74 44 qo
Friday 71 33 qq
Saturday 63 38 00
Sunday 53 25 00
Monday 67 18 00
Tuesday 78 29 .00
Wednesday 35 qq
COWETA
Wed 6th 49 30 05
Thursday 67 48 .00
fr'dfty 73 33 .00
Saturday 70 36 .00
Sunday 64 25 .00
Monday 52 i8 qq
Tuesday 66 29 00
Wednesday 73 35 00
HIGHLANDS
Wed 6th 68 29
Thursday 76 54
Friday 66 41
Saturday 60 42
Sunday 66 20
Monday 62 20
Toesday 61
Wednesday
* no record.