eujd - journal
The Hoke County News- Established 1928
The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905
VOLUME LXI NUMBER 52
THURSDAY. MAY 11,1961
Only 10 Jurors Chosen
Trio’s Murder Trial
Off To A Slow Start
BY JIM TAYLOR
It was expected that the trial
of three young Negroes charged
with first degree murder In the
robbery-slaying of a 77-year-
old Negro man would get well
under way Thursday morning
after the first three days of the
trial was used In selecting a
Jury,
As of noon Wednesday, only
10 Jurors had been seated and
the third panel was being in
terviewed.
Charged In the December 18
slaying are Robert Lee Hol
lingsworth, 19, Landon Johnson,
17, and King David Purcell, 23.
They are accused of robbing
and beating to death Neill Archie
McCormick of the Duffle's Sta
tion community of Hoke County,
A fourth defendant, Malcolm
McCoy, 17, was sentenced to life
Imprisonment two weeks ago
during the regular April term
of Hoke Superior Court after he
entered a plea of guilty to first
degree murder.
Judge James C. Farthing of
Lenoir Is presiding at the spe
cial term of the court, approved
by the state especially for the
trial of Johnson, Hollingsworth
and Purcell,
Solicitor Doran J. Berry of
Fayetteville Indicated by his
questioning of prospective
Jurors that McCoy may be a
star witness of the state,
McCoy has been held In Hoke
County Jail ever since his con
viction, presumably sohe would
be Immediately available to
testify In the case,
Purcell Is being defended by
Lacy Halre of Fayetteville. De
fense counsel for Hollingsworth
Is Bill Moses and for Johnson,
Palmer Wlllcox. Both attorn-
I
FLAG MAKERS — Mrs. N. B. Blue of Raeford, left, and Mrs. W. L. McFadyen of Fayetteville,
president of the Raeford chapter of United Daughters of the Confederacy, are shown with flags
fashioned by women of the chapter for sale on Confederate Memorial Day, which was Wednes
day. Women of the chapter devoted Friday afternoon to making the flags at the home of Mrs.
Julian S. Johnson Sr.
Shaw F reed
At Hearing
No probable cause was found
against Richard I. Shaw, charr •
ed wlrli murder, In a District
Court preliminary liearingherc
last Wednesday.
Shaw, 46, was accused of
murder in the dcatli of Rur-
nice McCall, about 25, on the
night of April 15 at I'lie Ha
waiian Eye, a Negro night pot
Just north of Raeford town li
mits.
McCall and Shaw engaged In
a slioot-out in the crowded
See SHAW, Page 9
Wyatt Upchurch
Chamber Head
Wyatt Upchurch has been
elected president of Raeford-
Hoki Chamber of Commerce,
succeeding Dr. Robert G. Town
send.
He was chosen at a breakfast
meeting Puesday morning.
Other new officers are Neill
McDonald, vice president for
internal affairs; Younger Snead
Jr., vice president for external
affairs; f-'ranklln Teal, •'ecre-
tary, and Charle' Hottel,
treasurer.
Three new directors were
added to the board to replace
directors whose three-year
terms are expiring. They were
Ralph Barnhart, Younger Snead
Jr. and F ranklln Teal.
Other directors Include Dr.
Robert G. Townsend, Neill Mc
Donald, Bobby Conoly, W. T.
Howell, Paul Dickson, Bobby
McNeill, Alfred Leach, Wyatt
See UPCHURCH, Page 9
li
I
L* «.
ill s.t
BLIND CORNER — High School students “running the town"
for a day complained about the many "blind corners" on
main thoroughfares In town. Here, on Main Street la an
example, A deodar tree, as lovely as It Is, kept this driver
blinded until he was well past the stop sign on west uonaiu-
son Avenue and about to enter Main. There are some danger
ous corners on Prospect Avenue, another highway, as well
as other streets scattered over town.
••••••
/
ii; fill
eys are from Raeford.
The four attorneys went
through the regular panel of
60 Jurors and a special venire
of 75 Monday and Tuesday. The
third group of 50 was being
examined when court recessed
Just before noon Wednesday,
The first 10 Jurors selected
Included six men and four
women, all white, M. A. Max
well of Raeford was the first
Juror approved by all three de
fense attorneys and Berry.
Then, In order, were seated
Roscoe Thompson of Stonewall,
John R. Blackburn of Raeford,
Mrs. Robert Weaver of Rae
ford, Mrs. Wiley F. Edwards
of Raeford, Willie C. Odom of
Raeford, Mrs. James Carter
of Raeford, Mrs. D. H. Sams
of Raeford and James R. Weav
er of Raeford.
Berry said It was likely that
one and perhaps two alternate
Jurors will be selected and that
the court may be hard pressed
to finish the case by Friday
afternoon.
Berry said the state Is asking
the death penalty for all three
defendants.
“The state charges that all
three are guilty of first degree
murder in the death of Neill
Archie McCormick and that the
crime was committed while
perpetrating the crime of rob
bery," he said.
McCormick's badly battered
body was discovered some 24
hours after the slaying by his
son, Fred McCormick, who
passed the house, saw no lights
burning, and stopped to Investi
gate.
A statement by McCoy, read
In court durliig his trial by
Sheriff Dave Barrington, said
McCormick was slain with an
ax handle and that $67 was re
moved from his wallet.
A bloodstained ax handle was
found In a straw field, where
McCoy said It was thrown after
the slaying.
Sheriff Barrington and SBI
Agent Gary Griffith of Southern
Pines, along with sheriff’s
deputies. Investigated the
crime.
All are expected to testify
against the trio now on trial.
McCoy's statement admitted
his guilt In the slaying and
Implicated the other three. ,
McCoy told how McCornrhck
was hit from behind as. he
mended a fire In a wood k'.«at-
er and how, when he fell to
the floor, he was hit again
and again with the ax handle,
then kicked.
McCormick's wallet was re
moved, McCoy's statement
said, and three $20 bills, a
$5 bill and two $1 bills were
taken.
Evidence submitted by the
state at McCoy’s trial Indicated
the money was used to buy a
secondhand car. It was the car
that led officers to a break
In the case.
LANDON JOHNSON HOLLINGSWORTH, LEFT, AND PURCELL
. . , Three Face Death Penalty In Slaying Of 77-Year-Old Negro
'i
• r
iV
JUST FOR A DAY — Girls and boys from Hoke High School
student body played the part of town officials for a day Mon
day. Zan Monroe at the head of the table was elected Mayor.
They are, left to right, John Morris, water superintendent;
Betty Pope, street superintendent; Leslie Ramsey, police
chief; Steve Stogner, town manager; Sarah Morris, town
clerk; Ronnie Huff, Are chief; Paula Burnett, water com
missioner; Susan Howard, street commissioner; Lynn Mc
Neill, fire commissioner; Pat Hood, finance commissioner;
and Ann McNeill, police commissioner.
Mayor Asks: Students Take Over
Honor Mom Raeford For A Day
Mayor H.R. McLean this week
Issued a special appeal to cit
izens, asking them to attend
the church of their choice on
Mother’s Day. He said: “Some
years ago the second Sunday In
May was designated as Mother's
Day. On this occasion we were
privileged to attend the church
of our choice, and there honor
In a special service our
mothers, both the living and
those whose memory we still
cherish. Surely, we want to
have a part In this service on
May 14, honoring one who did
so much for us when we were
unable to do for ourselves. Re
membering:
"It was she who went Into
the shadows of death In order
that we might have the breath
of life.
"It was she who denied her
self many things In order that
we might have.
"It was she who spent sleep
less nights by the bedside In
times 01 illness.
"It was she who went Into
the bed room with us and told
of Jesus love for little child
ren, told us Bible stories, and
See MAYOR, Page 9
Bounds Heads
Booster Club
C.D, Bounds was elected
president ol Hoke High School
Booster Club, succeeding .\sh-
vell Harward, at a meeting
V onday night at the high school.
Chosen to serve with Bounds
'A ere Bobby Conoly, vice presi
dent, Franklin Teal, treasurer,
and Charles Hottel, secretary.
Directors will be Harward,
Dr. R.M. Jordan, Scott Toole,
Leonard Frahm and klchard
Loc; Ivey.
The annual spring athletic
awards picnic has been tenta
tively set for Saturday, May
27, at McDonald’s Fond. All
high school athletes are In
vited. Letters In all sp irts
and awards In all liut football
will be presented.
Hoke High School students,
running the town for a day,
were concerned about traffic
safety, tlghtquarters atthetown
hall, the lack of a teen-age
club, and a number of other
things Tuesday after they made
an Inspection tour of the muni
cipal facilities.
At the outsetearlythatmorn-
Ing, Zan Monroe was elected
mayor and Steve Stogner was
made town manager.
Other officials were: Anne
McNeill, police commissioner;
Lynn McNeill, fire commis
sioner; Pat Hood, finance com
missioner; Susan Howard,
street commissioner; Paula
Burnett, water commissioner;
Sarah Morris, clerk; Leslie
Ramsey, police chief; Ronnie
Huff, fire chief; Betty Pope,
See STIDENTS, Page 9
Dr. Raymond Stone
Graduation Speaker
Dr. Raymond A. Stone, presi
dent of Sandhills Community
College, will be principal
speaker atgraduationexerclses
June 1 at Hoke High SchooL
Diplomas will be awarded
by Principal D, D, Abernethy
In the high school gym. In
previous years, finals were held
in the auditorium at Raeford
Elementary School.
"It became Increasingly dif
ficult for us to accommodate
the parents, family and friends
of graduates, so we decided
to move to the larger gymna
sium," Abernethy said.
Chairs for parents of gradua
ting seniors will be placed on the
r i floor. A raised stage will
constructed, and bleachers
will be used to seat other spec
tators.
Dr. Stone, a native of Frartk-
lin County, is a graduate of
Wake Forest College and the
University of North Carolina,
where he ww awarded a doctor
of philosophy degree.
He has served as a teacher,
principal and assistant superin
tendent in the public schools and
was on the faculty at Atlantic
Christian College and the Uni
versity of North Carolina at
Chapal Hill. He was execu
tive secretary ot N, C. Citi
zens Committee for Better
DR. RAYMO.ND A. STONE
Schools, assistant director of
a study of the puaiic schools
for the State Board of Educa-
tioa He Is a member of nu
merous professional and civic
organizations and Is active In
Baptist affairs.
The senior class at Hoke High
School numbers ICS itudents.
Susan Howard i« valedictoria.;
and Sarah Morris is salutator-
lan. Tltey will have a part
in the program.
Hoke Girl
Is KUled
In W reck
A Hoke Coixity college girl.
Barbara Ann Lindsay, 18, was
killed In an automobile accident
near Sandhills Community Col
lege In Southern Pines last
Wednesday.
Miss Lindsay, daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. David Lindsay
of Raeford, was a passenger
In a small foreign car driven
by Gloria Lorene Murray, 19,
of Siler City.
A third student, Marie Winter
Clark, 18, of Red Springs and
Miss Murray were taken to
Moors Memorial Hospital for
treatment of injuries.
The three girls were students
at the collage and roomed to
gether at the home of MiS.
Blanche White In Aberdeen.
State Highway Patrolman J.
F. Tomberlyn said the acci
dent happened about 8; 30 p. m.
on Plnehurst-Alrport Road near
the entrance to the college. The
car went off the road on the
right and Miss Murray ap
parently lost control of It. he
said.
Funeral services for Miss
Lindsay were held Thursday
afternoon at Galatia Presby
terian Church. The Ret. Dewey
Herring officiated. Burial was
In the church cemetery.
She Is survived by her par
ents; one sister, Susan Lindsay
of the home; two brothers, Alva
Lindsay of the home and Doo-
ald Lindsay of FayettevUli.
Supper Planned
Bv Music Club
e
ChamUuda Music Cltm *111
sponsor a fried chicaen sug$«r
Wednesday, May l7, at Hoke
Civic Cealwr from 3 • p. au.
Mtsi Jevsle Bright Fergueoa.
president, has a-ivaiced.
The proceeds •tl! gf toward
the purchase a plsno tor the
center. The cler is also trying
to raise ftasda to iinance some
programs neat sinter wUch
would .'eeiure eoocerl artlau
and oeher perforaers.
ft ess snnouDced that the Mdl
may be eeien '*1 the premtaea
or Br will be boxed for caklagoML