Newspapers / The Waynesville Mountaineer (Waynesville, … / July 6, 1939, edition 1 / Page 14
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THURSDAY, JULYj age 14 THE WAYNESVILLE MOUNTAINEER Fake Burying Act Beats Murphy Out Of Plenty Money The "fake" burial in which a man and later a woman was buried alive in the lot of J. L. Hall's gasoline sta tion, has caused just about as much jrrief in Murphy as if the burial were genuine. Indeed, there are several too trusting business men who wish the burial as far as the man was concerned had been the thing; and permanent at that! For the unshaven gent who had himself ensconced in a coffin box about six feet under the ground has depart ed, owing everybody with whom he had dealings, including the grave diggers. Vorse still, he went away leaving 'Pauline," the girl who replaced him in the "grave," still there. All day Sunday and far into the night Pau line lay without food or water. Fin ally policeman Neil Sneed and "Es kimo" Hatchett, brother of Harold, the cafe man, answered a cry for help, got shovels and dug her out. She was nearly hysterical, and was penniless. Constable Sherridan Stiles took her to his "Oasis" camp, fed her, and gave her money enough to get her to her home in Chattanooga. She said she had been hired there, for $15 a week, of which she had collected exactly nothing. The burial expert gave his name as "Joe Miller." Too late his victims remembered that Joe Miller was a one time famous practical joker. "Joe Miller's Joke Book is an old standby and this gent evidently had read it, thoroughly. At any rate "Mr. Miller" showed up in the office of the Scout about ten days ago, told his burial plan, and ordered a half page of advertising, and 2,000 handbills. When he was informed that, being a stranger he would have to pay a de posit of half the bill, he went away promising to "come back in about an hour." Of course he did not; but he wenl plenty of other places. He went to a hotel and got a room and bath on credit. He went to a cafe and arranged for himself and "Pauline" on credit He went to Dave Townson, rented a cof fin box and a tent, and purchased lumber with which to build air vents into the "grave" all on credit. He rented a radio from Walter fnlpman on credit. He rented an electric fan from Bart McCook on credit. He pursuaded J. L. Hall t have the "grave" and tent wired for flectric lisrhts on credit. Finally he hired Bob Sudderth, negro, and Willard White' to dig the grave lor him, for $6 on credit. The he went to various merchants and sold advertisements which he himself Dainted on cards, to be stuck about the tent. These transactions, however, were strictly cash. He had himself buried first. Run ning into the "grave" was a big pipe bearing a sign which requested con tributions. "Mr. Miller" stayed un derground as long as nickels and dimes were dropped in by folks who came to peep down at him. Then he came up. That was shortly before daylight Sunday morning, the grave- dieeers lifting the dirt so he could get out and replacing it after "Pau line" had taken his place. After that "Mr. Miller" at a fine breakfast on credit and loafed about town until church services had virtually emptied the streets. Then he got in his car, and high-tailed a-way-whither-ah, whither, who knows ? Before leaving, however, he thought fully bought $3.23 worth of gas and oil from Mr. Hall yes you ve guess ed it on credit. CheroTcee Scout. MARRUGES Henry Farm-.. to Elsie Henline'of James Bank, to y! both of Canril,.,. Ulm A Wilson Rathbune tu I f, both of LottLj W. H. Burnett n I Annie D. Gifted,' . of Charlie Mnm,. ... ?J both of Clvfto " " JlyrtM Ward Kiiknat,i,i. to Eloise RnU.,.: ,UjM ,,,,, . Mack MerrPr t v, n DONALD DUCK "A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM" By Walt Disney 'il SKIPPY A "BAITED" LUNCH By Perry L. Crosby ) DID YA BRING YHC: f I I . WHERE ARE II INHERE WITH 7W: g t" BLONDIE BUSINESS IS COMING OUR WAY By Chic Young Copr 19,19, Kmg Vmm Syndmnf , Inr , World hrta rrvrvrd MUGGS AND SKEETER By Wally Bishop 3
The Waynesville Mountaineer (Waynesville, N.C.)
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July 6, 1939, edition 1
14
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