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MOORE COUNTY’S
LEADING NEWS
WEEKLY
THE
A Paper Devoted to the Upbuilding
VOL. 12, NO. 23.
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MAHU6V
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SPRIHOS
SOUTHCPM
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A^Huey
MCKIHTS
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^PIMEBUJFP
PILOT
FIRST IN
NEWS AND
ADVERTISING
O' o
■
of the Sandhill Territory oi Carolina
— ^
Aberdeen and Southern Pin es. North Carolina, i^Iav (J, 1932
FIVE CENTS
County Tax
Sale Put Off
Until October
County Commission Also Ex
tends Time for Listing: Prop
erty To May 14
AUTHORIZE $20,000 LOAN
The Board of Commissioners of
Moore county in regular session on
Monday voted to postpone the sale of
leal estate for taxes until the first
Monday in October. Advertising will
begin the first week in September.
The Board also extended the time for
the listing of property to May 14
and ordered that all persons failing to
list their property within that time
be penalized.
It was ordered that the maximum
Schedule “B” taxes authorized by the
North Carolina Revenue Act of 1931
in Article 2 be levied for the fiscal
year beginning June 1, 1932, and the
tax collector was instructed to col
lect said Schedule “B” taxe.‘s hereby
levied.
It was ordered that the Judges of
the Superior court holding the courts
in Moore county fix the fees to be
charged and taxed in the bills of costs
jin the civil and criminal cases tried
in said court and order the clerk of
the Superior court to tax such amount
so fixed in the bills of costs against
the parties taxed with the costs in
each case and that such sum so taxed
and collected be paid into the general
fund.
It was also ordered that the clerk
of the Superior court pay into the
Moore county general fund all jail fees
collected in criminal cases tried in
Recorder’s court and the Superior
court and that the clerk of this board
certify a copy of th's order to the
clerk of the Superior court of Moore
county.
To Borrow $20,000
The sum of .?200 was ordered trans
ferred from the Clerk of Sur)erior
court fund to the county attorney
fund. A resolution to borrow $20,000,
$6,000 for schools and $14,000 for the
general fund, was passed and the
chairman was authorized to sign the
application.
A committee representing the
county council of home demonstra
tion clubs appeared before the com
missioners in the interest of home
demonstration work for the coming
year, and the ladies were assured that
the work would not be discontinued.
A number of reductions in valua
tion of property were gi'anted, it be
ing shown that some was valued er
roneously and some improperly list
ed. It was ordered that one vacant
lot listed in the name of A. C. Alex
ander in McNeill township be reduced
from $1,000 to $1.50; that the valua
tion of the Atlantic Refining Com
pany property be changed to $2,.i00;
that real estate of E. T. Chapman,
Sandhills township, be reduced from
?9,000 to 96,000; that E. T. Chapman
be granted $500 relief on personal
property; that real estate of Mrs.
Cook, Sandhills township, be reduc
ed from $9,000 to $6,000; that prop
erty of Gordon Keith be reduced in
valuation from $2,750 to $2,350; that
valuaiion of $15,500 on Law Build
ing, property of Miss Ethel P. Kelly,
Mrs. Flora Black Estate, D. A. Mc-
DoT^ald Estate, and others( be reduced
to $15,000; that Southern Pines In
vestment Company be relieved of a
valuation of $500 on 30 acres of wild
land.
It was ordered that 70 acres in
Mineral Springs township listed in
the name of A. S. Newcomb and
valued at $1,050 be relieved of said
valuation, said land being located and
listed in Sandhills township. Changes
in the listing of 96 acres in the name
of P. P. Lucas were ordered and the
valuation of a Packard car listed in
the napie of Walter C. MacNeille was
reduced from $2,000 to $600.
Seizing Depression at the Roots
Cut DOWN Expenses, Ha! Cut 'Em OUT, Say Cameron Vil
lage Fathers in Deciding on No Tax Advertising,
No Tax Sale This Year
While village and county boards throughout the state are
scratching their heads over whether to advertise property for delin
quent taxes, the incorporated village of Cameron sit.s peacefully by
and smiles.
“Are you going to postptne your tax sale or advertise now?” the
village fathers were asked this week.
“Neither,” they replied.
Our reporter looked a little befuddled.
“What’s the idea?”
“Not going to have any taxes this year,” he was informed.
Yes, Cameron has decidad to do without. The town officials will
work for nothing. Citizens will look after the streets in front of
their homes. There just ain’t goin’ to be no village expenses.
Three cheers for Cameron, the first town we know of to grab this
Depression by the roots. To quote one villager: “Cut down expenses
hell,” said he. “Cut ’em out.”
ROBERT N. PAGE j Bonding Company Restores
ELECTED HEAD OF County Tax Funds Tied up
STATE BANKERS in Failure of Bank of Vass
Sends Check for .$23,142.75 To Make Good
Amounts Illegally Deposited in Closed
Institution
President of I’age Trust Com
pany of Aberdeen Honored
by Association
rONVENTION HELD HERE
SCHOOL TAX LEVY
SAYS EHRINGHAUS
Taxation Problem Highest Sin
gle Issue in Slate and Na
tion Todav
To Preach Here
CANDIDATE WRITES PILOT
The Pilot recently invited the three
candidates for the Democratic nom
ination for Governor of North Caro
lina to present their cases in its col
umns. The statements of A. J. Max
well and R. T. Fountain were receiv
ed and published two weeks ago. We
are privilegd today to present the
statement of J. C. B. Ehringhaus. Mr.
Ehringhaus writes:
The fiscal problems which will con
front the next administration are
readily recogni-iable. They challenge
the patriotism and leadership of the
State. First, the fitteen-cent icvy on
property for maintenance of the six
months school must be removed. The '
demand for this is State-wide. Sec-'
ond, the esssnjial services of the '
State must be maintained. Third, the
credit of the State must be preserved
by a balanced budget.
The paramount issue in this cam- j
paign can not be fully condensed in i
the one word “taxation” but this j
word liberally interpreted encom-'
passes the biggest single issue in this |
State and Nation today. To put it 1
another way, the issue before the '
State is",—how shall we preserve what i
we have so proudly created, in a per
iod when our abilities to maintain and i
create have been so seriously crippled? '
To say that a sane economy, accom- I
plished through the elimination of un- |
necessary desirables must be prac-;
ticed, is to make one contribution to- 1
wards the solution of the problems; ■
to .suggest that it be worked out en- |
tirely through a “readjustment” of i
spending involves a threat of cruci- ,
fixion of things which are a vital part \
of our present day civilization. For j
no informed citizen thinks that by
the simple process of “cutting,'’ the
problem stated above may be solved '
without jeoi)ardizing things we hold ,
dear. Nor can an attitude of hostil- I
ity to existing agencies, merely be- |
THE REV. S. WII.KES DENDY
Dendy Brothers To
Hold Services Here
Evangelistic Campaign To Start
at Hethesda Presbyterian
Church Mav 15
Starting on Sunday morning, May
15th, an evangelistic campaign will
bo conducted at Bethesda Presbyter
ian Church in Aberdeen, continuing
through May 25th. The leaders in
this campaign will be the Rev. S.
Wilkes Dendy, pastor of the First
Presbyterian Church, Cairo, Ga., who
will preach each evening at 8:00
o’clock; the Rev. Marshall C. Dendy,
pastor of the F'i. st Presbyterian
Church, Gainesville, Ga., who will
teach the Book of Hebrews for the
women of th echurch and community
each moi-ning at 10:00 o’clock, and a
class of young people in a Bible
Course each morning at 9:00 o’clock.
Please turn to page 5)
((Please turn to page 4)
Carthage to Entertain
Jr. O. U. A. M. May 12
To Organize Musical | Councils of Lee, Moore and Mont-
n/f J i Komery Counties to Gather
Society on Monday Next Thursday
Open Meeting Called To Plan
Development of Interest in
Music Here
CHECKS READY FOR BANK
OF VASS PREFERRED CLAIMS
The checks in the Bank of Vass for
preferred claims are at hand and will
be mailed out to holders of the pre
ferred claims this week, W. A. Allen,
liquidating agent, announced this
week.
An open invitation to all those in
the Sandhills interested in music has
been extended by the newly organized
Southern Pines Musical Society, of
which A. B. Yeomans is president,
for a meeting Monday afternoon at
3:30 o’clock at the Southern Pines
Country Club. A tentative draft of
the constitution and by-laws, made up
at a meeting of officers and direc
tors last Wednesday, will be acted
upon at the meeting, and plans made
for the organisation which seeks to
develop an interest in music of all
types among the citizens and chil
dren of the Sandhills with a view to
frequent concerts and entertainments.
Great interest has developed in the
society since it was first suggested
a few weeks ago, and a considerable
fund has been raised toward employ
ing a musical instructor to aid in
the work. It is hoped that a large
crowd, from outside Southern Pines
as well as in, will be present at this
organization meeting next Monday..
Final arrangements for the meeting
of the 17th district Jr. O. U. A M.,
composed of Lee, Moore and Mont
gomery counties, t/o be held with
Carthage Council No. 165 at Carthage
on Thursday, May 12th, have been
perfected, advises T. L. Riddle, dis
trict deputy state councilor, and the
following program prepared:
Council Hall, 2 o’clock, P. M., H.
Lee Thomas, District Councilor, pre
siding.
Address of Welcome, M. G. Boyette,
Carthage; Response, D. B. Teague,
Sanford.
Public meeting, High School Aud
itorium at 7:45 o’clock, T. L. Riddle,
District Deputy State Councilor, pre
siding.
Vocal quartet, Thomas Male Quar
tet, Broadway Council No. 269; Vo
cal Solo, “The Flag that has Never
Known Defeat,” Miss Frances Rid
dle, Sanford; Remarks, presiding of
ficer; Introduction of the Speaker, C.
W. Snyder, field secretary; Address,
the Rev. S. F. Hicks, State Council
or; Vocal Quartet, Thomas Male
Quartet; Jr. Order Motion Picture,
shown by C. W. Snyder.
Robert X. Page, president of the
Page Ti'ust Company, Aberdeen and
former member of Congress from this
district, was elected president of the
North Carolina Bankers Association
at the annual meeting held yesterday
in the Carolina Hotel, Pinehurst. Mr.
Page was elevated to the position
from the first vice-presidency. Al
though suffering from a broken rib
resulting from a fall in Raleigh last
week when he tripped over a curb
stone, the new president was able to
be present at the meeting when the
honor came to him.
The bankers began to pour into
Pinehurst Wednesday night for their
annual two-day session. Robert M.
Hanes, Winston-Salem, retiring pres
ident, outlined problems of the past
year in his annual report, asserted
the worst of the business depression
is past and urged sounder banking
principles.
Yesterday afternoon Robert 0.
Bonnell of Baltimore, discussed “In-
ilustrial Banks and the Depression,”
and Gurney P. Hood, State bank com
missioner, urged a recapitulation to
place the nation on a new and firm
footing.
Hood called for reduction in the
cost of government, for cessation of
the habit of mortgaging the future
by governments, churches and indi
viduals through buying with bonds,
or in installment.s or niorigages, and
for a reawakening of moral charac
ter and good living.
“When we get evetybody feeling
that we have moral characters that
we live properly, balance our budgets
and meet our obligations, a firmer
foundation for a prosperous future
will have been laid,” he said.
Former Governor D. McLean will
address the bankers today. The an-
I nual bancjuet and dance were held
I last night.
Aberdeen High School
I Awards 19 Diplomas
I Rev. Troy Adams of Sanford To
I Preach Haccalaureate Ser-
j mon Sunday Night
! The Rev. Troy Adams of Sanford
; will deliver the baccalaureate sermon
i to the graduating class of Aberdeen
j High School at the Methodist Church
I here on Sunday night at 8 o’clock to
start the final Commencement week
! program of the school year. Gradua-
I tion exercises will be held in the
I High School auditorium on Thursday
night, when diplomas will be award
ed to the g’. aduates, certificates of
I promotion to others, and prizes for
I scholarship and attendance handed to
; those who have earned them. Tonight,
’ Friday, Mrs. Reid Pleasants’ pupils
I will give a music recital at which time
i four prizes will be awarded her pu-
j pils.
j The -■\berdeen High School graduat-
1 ing class this year numbers 19 stu
dents who have successfully complet
ed their courses, and diplomas will
be handed to the following Thursday
night:
Sally Allison, Mable Gregory, Colin
Bethunc, Frieda Mae Kirk, James
Smith, Georgia Wicker, Carlos Buff-
I kin, Anna Gregory, Lewis Park
Harry Wimberly, Richard Colnett,
Mable Brooks, Marjorie Cliff, Henry
Butner, Josephine McCaskill, Ralph
Leach, Hazel Windham, Billy Bow
man and Jones Macon.
RASSIE WICKER ASKS SOME QUESTIONS
The Maryland Casualty Company of Baltimore, which bonded J. D.
McLean, until recently tax collector of Moore county, has made full
rostitution of the sum of $23,142 75 involved in the failure of the Bank
of \'ass, in which the funds were deposited, Wilbur H. Currie, chair
man of the County Board of Commissioners, announced this week. Mr.
Currie informed The Pilot on Wednesday that he himself deposited the
inoiiey received from the bonding company in the county depository,
the Bank of Pinehurst. The paj ment by the bonding company was
successfully arranged by County Attorney S. R. Hoyle and Chair
man Currie.
Mr. McLean has confessed judgment in favor of the casualty com
pany in the amount of $23,142.75. The shortage of Mr. McLean came
about through deposit of tax funds in the Bank of Vass against which
a cashier’s check and a certified check were issued to him. These checks
were outstanding at the time the bank closed its doors last Septem
ber. As the Bank of Vass was not a legal depository for county funds,
the county commission made demand upon the Maryland Casualty
Company for payment, and same was duly made last Saturday, April
28th.
The Pilot received a letter this week from Rassie E. Wicker of
F’inehurst containing a number of questions, some of which are an
swered by the announcement of Mi. Currie above. Others were referred
to Mr. Currie as head of the county’s govering body, and we publish
below the letter containing the questions and the answers as furnished
The Pilot bv Mr. Currie.
MR. WICKER’S LETTER
THE ANSWERS
MISS LOUISE WAY TO
WED ILLINOIS MAN
Judge and Mrs. William A. Way of
Southern Pines announce the engage
ment of their daughter. Miss Louise
Jones Way, to Robert Ross Spence
of New York city, son of Mr. and
Mrs. George L. Spence of Oak Park,
111. Miss Way has been making her
home in New York for the past few
years, and Mr. Spence is connected
with Standard Statistics, Inc., invest
ment publishers, there. The wedding
is planned for the latter part of this
month.
The writer of this letter is not a
politician, and is only mildly inter
ested in politics as they occasionally
affect his everyday life. Therefore,
this letter is not political matter.
The Democratic party in the next
election will probably present to the
voters for re-election several of the
incumbents in county office, espec
ially that of County Commissioners.
I There are .several questions rela-
j tive to the discharge of this office
! dui'ing the past year which h.-ve not
I been publicly answered, and which a
i vast majority of our citizens, includ-
' ing the writer have been vitally con-
i cerned.
I The county has lost—let us hope
I temporarily, a large sum of money
I which was collected, almost by force
! from an impoverished citizenship. The
I writer understands that this money
was—contrary to instruction, depos
ited in two sums, in a bank not the
county depository, which later failed.
He also understands that there were
cashier’s checks issued by this bank
for these two sums; that one of these
checks was carried by the tax collec
tor for about a month before the dis-
! fovery of the situation, and that the
other check was dated the day before
[ the failure of the bank to open its
doors.
‘ The writer understands that the
county employs an auditor to check up
on the receipts and expenditures of
the county. He further understands
that the tax receipt books are turned
over to the tax collector, already filled
in as to individual and amount etc.
and that it is only necessary for the
collector to fill in the date and sign
the receipt, the stub remaining for the
auditor’s use. If this is correct, it
looks like a good system, and should
enable the auditor to make a daily
balance between the stubs and the
deposits.
Now the sta nent or suppositions
outlined above may be all wrong; the
writer, in common with a majority of
other citizens of the county doesn’t
know, and cannot tell by the meagre
reports of the situation as published
in the county papers, but he believes
that a frank statement from the
Board of County Commissioners an
swering these questions and there
which follow, would clarify a condi
tion which has no place in the neigh
borhood government of a county.
(1) Has the bonding company ac
cepted or refused to accept the respon-
I sibility for the sum involved, and if
' not, upon what grounds did they base
their refusal?
I (2) Did Ihe terms of the bond re
quire the tax collector to deposit in
any specified bank, and if not, is
such requirement customary ?
(3) Is it now, or has it been in
the past—customary for the tax col
lector to accumulate such sums as
reported before makitog a deposft,
and if not should not such practice on
That these questions might be def
initely answered The Pilot made in
quiry of Wilbur H. Currie, chairman
of the Board of County Commissioners
as to a lucid statement. Mr. 'Jurrie
replied as follows;
To questions No. 1 and No. 2 the
answer is “No.” except to that part
asking if it is customai’y for bonding
companies to require tax collectors to
deposit in a specified bank, to which
-Mr. Currie replies, “I do not know.”
To question No. 3 Mr. Currie says:
“This question is somewhat vague, as
it is impossible to judge what has
been reported. But as far as we can
interpret Mr. Wicker’s question we
have no knowledge of what was done
prior to the accession to office. c>f
this board. The present ruling of the
board is that all money collected shall
be deposited in the bank as fast as
collected, not necessarily every day
except in case of large sums, but that
the collector should make deposits
every two or three days at the far
thest. Also it might be explained that
while the terms of the bond do not
require the money to be deposited in
any specified bank the present board
has ruled that money deposited in the
Page Ti'ust Company’s crfice at Car
thage for clearing to the Bank of
Pinehurst, the county treasurer, is
logical, as it is difficult to go in per
son to the Pinehurst bank every day
for big or small sums as may be in
hand, while a check on the Page Trust
Company transfers the funds with
probably greater safety than carry
ing money overland.
The Question 4. “This particular in
cident was not discovered by the aud
itor because the practice in the past
was to have the audit at the end of
the year when a final .settlement is
made. To protect the county against
any discrepancies a bond is exacted
with a reliable bonding company as
surety, to make sure that in event
of any shortage the county will be
paid the amount charged against the
collector when the books are delivered
to him at the beginning of the year.
A monthly audit of all receipt stubs is
' to be made henceforth, but i; is an
innovation by the present board, and
I largely because new laws and cus
toms are introducing more compre-
I hensive business practices in county
and government affairs. But a month
ly audit only shows the amount turn-
I ed in by the collector until the aud
itor has checked over every stub that
I is left after receipts have been issud
for paymnts, and this will take the
time of the auditor day by day to a
I considerable degree. But the present
board has adopted the new system
! and as far as is possible the accounts
can be checked up within a day or so
I on each day’s business. The present
! system requires a ciuplicate slip for
i the auditor of the daily r -ynients
made to the tax collector.
I Question 5 is answered by Mr. Cur-
(Please turn to page 4)
Miiu
(Please turn to page 4)