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The Hoke County News- Established 1928 The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905
VOLUME LXV1I NO. 6 RAEFORD, HOKE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA S5 PER YEAR THURSDAY, JUNE 15, 1972
Around Town
By SAM C. MORRIS
One of the mailmen found a pair of
glasses in the relay box at the corner of
Saunders St. and Prospect Ave. last week.
1 believe they belong to a teenager and
someone might have dropped them in the
relay box. The glasses are at the Post
Office and can be picked up by the
owner. So if you have lost a pair of
glasses go by the Post Office and look at
these glasses.
The Class Reunion of 1957 has been
cancelled according to Lewis Upchurch.
Lewis said that lack of response had
caused the affair to be cancelled. 1 pass
this along in case some that were planning
to attend and didn't get the word will
know why this class will not have a
reunion.
Better luck next time!
? Marion Gatlin came forth with an idea
that might solve some of the traffic
around the Post Office. He thinks that a
box could be placed in the center of the
parking lot that borders Edinborough
Avenue and then citizens of the county
could drive around the box and deposit
mail. This would eliminate cars pulling in
on the wrong side of the road on Hwood
Avenue.
Since this was mentioned to me by
Marion I have noticed that the parking lot
is empty most of the time except on all
sides. Of course the post master must
make the decision but if you think the
idea would work say something to Charlie
Morrison and maybe he could get the ball
rolling.
Mrs. Alfred K. Leach, who uses our
telephone sometimes, was in the office
Tuesday and related the following coon
hunting talc.
It seems two men were coon hunting
one night and the dogs treed a coon.
They couldn't get the coon out of the
tree so one of the men started climbing
up the tree. The man on the ground
looked up and saw something sticking out
of one of the other man's shoes. The man
in the tree had a hole in his shoe and his
big toe was sticking out. The man on the
ground yelled at the man in the tree and
told him a snake was in his shoe and shot
at the snake, (toe). After the shot the
man in the tree yelled to shoot again
because the snake had bitten him.
Where Sarah got this tale, I don't
know.
Raeford Man Murdered
A 20 - year - old Raeford .nan died
from stab wounds in the chest, received
last Friday night at the Robert Billinger
Club on Rt. 1, Raeford.
Arrested on a charge of murder of
Joseph Covington was Betty Scott, 24, of
Rt. 1, Shannon. She is being held in the
Hoke County Jail pending preliminary
hearing on June 30.
The incident occurred about 11:30
p.m., according to Sheriff D.M.
Barrington. Covington was admitted to
Cape Fear Valley Hospital and died at
2:20 a.m., nearly three hours after the
incident.
Alleged eye witnesses to the stabbing
said Miss Scott stabbed Covington in the
right side of his chest while she was
standing in the doorway of the building,
also known as the Raeford Men's Club.
Reports say that Covington was standing
near the door, with one foot on the stairs
at the time he was stabbed.
Investigations by Barrington, Deputies
Alex Norton, Harvey Young and Johnny
Young lead to the arrest of Miss Scott on
the murder charge.
Chamber Endorses Water Bonds
More Arson
In County
Several more fires were reported to the
Hoke County Sheriffs Dept. in another
apparent outbreak of arson last weekend.
Sheriff D.M. Barrington said that four
buddings were destroyed last Friday
night. Two of the structures were tobacco
bams on the SGT. Hambry farm on Rt. 1,
Shannon. Also in the same general area, a
vacant tenant house on the Bobby Gibson
farm and an empty shed on the Tom
Holland farm were destroyed by fires.
The sheriff said that all of the outbreaks
appeared to be intentional.
This recent rash of fires is the second
major occurance of apparent arson in the
county in recent weeks. The first
outbreak occurred on May 31 when seven
abandoned houses and one tobacco barn
were destroyed by flames.
No injuries have resulted from any of
the fires and there have been no arrests in
connection with the 12 fires in the
county. The Hoke Sheriffs Dept. is
continuing their investigations.
Officers
Honored
President of Raeford Savings and Loan
H.L. Gatlin Jr. and vice president
Younger Snead were recently
commended by the N.C. Savings and
Loan Ass. for their continuous service to
the association.
Gatlin, who was named president of
the board in 1963, has over 35 years of
service. He has served continuously since
1933.
Snead, with over 30 years service,
served oontirmsusly since 1932,'except
during WWII.
When the two men first served together
in 1935, the association had assets
totaling around 549,000. Now the
association has grown to about 54.5
million in assets. Loans granted during
their first year of service together
numbered seven, for a total of 520,000.
In 1972, over 100 loans were granted for
a total of 51 million.
Gatlin and Snead were recognized by
the N.C. Savings and Loan League when
they held their annual convention aboard
a Bermuda cruise in May.
FIRST CROP - Workers on the farm of Kill Johnson of the Antioch section fill bam of the first tobacco crop of the season.
Youths Arrested
Three Hoke County youths were
arrested by the Sheriffs Dept. Sunday
afternoon on a charge of stealing money
from a Union 76 Gas Station belonging to
Willie Bullard.
Sheriff D.M.' Barrington said the
incident occurred about 4:30 p.m.. while
the station on U.S. 401 was open for
business. The youths stole $553 in cash
from a cigar box in the building.
The three have been released to their
parents and will be tried in the juvenile
courts on the stealing charge.
Warehouse Break-In
A quantity of goods was recovered
following a break - in at Berder Niven's
Warehouse on McDuffte and Elwood
Streets last Wednesday night.
The goods, which included auto
batteries, inner tubes, motor oil, spark
plugs and an outboard motor were found
by Raeford police in a 1972 pick - up
truck, found abandoned in the Raeford
Cemetery. The truck, which is registered
in Robeson County, was discovered about
2:30 a.m.
Police Chief James t. Lamont said the
following morning about 10 a.m., the
break in at the warehouse was reported
by the owner. Access to the property had
apparently been gained by breaking the
lock on the front door.
Seventh District
Holds Convention
Delegates for the National Democratic
Convention and committee members
were chosen from the Seventh District at
the Democratic Convention held last
Saturday in Lumberton.
Chosen for the delegate at-large
nominating committee was T.J. Harris of
the Blue Springs section of Hoke County.
Delegates chosen for the National
Convention in Miami next month were
Jeanette David of Fayetteville, Hugh
Morton of Wilmington, Naomi Henry of
Brunswick County and Adolph Dial of
Pembroke.
The slate of alternates includes Carl
Meares of Whiteville, Marion George of
Fayetteville and Ann Malloy McDaniels
of Lumberton.
A sharp controversy at the convention
centered around an unannounced meeting
last week in Whiteville concerning an
arrangement made by party county
chairman. The county chairman made
recommendations that the four delegates
come from New Hanover, Brunswick,
Robeson and Cumberland Counties and
that the alternates come from Columbus,
Robeson and Cumberland Counties and
that Hoke County have the representative
to the delegate selection committee,
which will balance the state delegation to
the national convention.
Also at Saturday's convention, Arthur
Williamson of Columbus County was
named to the Council of Review; Robert
Chestnut of New Hanover County was
chosen for the Permanent Organizations
of Rules and Order; Dr. L.B. Turner of
Lumberton was chosen for the
Credentials and Appeals Committee; and
Joe Dyer of Fayetteville was chosen for
the Legislative Policy Committee.
Nominated for the district's presidential
elector was Odell Williamson of
Brunswick County.
Final elections of delegates to the
National Convention in Miami and
ratification of the electors selected at last
week's district conventions will be made
at the State Democratic Convention, to
be held on June 20 at II a.m. in the
Dorton arena in Raleigh. Also during this
meeting two presidential electors at large
will be chosen along with fourteen
delegates and nine alternates to the
National Convention.
Store Shootings
Raeford City Police are investigating
several shooting incidents which occurred
late Thursday night.
Windows of the Little Giant Store on
Harris Ave. and Bob Harrell's Grocery on
Prospect Ave. were shot out at
approximately 1 a.m. Friday, Police Chief
James h. Lamont reported. The shootings
set off the burglar alarms in both of the
stores. No arrests have been made.
Dog Shot Late Thursday
Late Thursday night a watchdog
belonging to Willard M. Lewis, owner of
the Tangledvines Restaurant in Raeford
was shot and killed while he was tied up
behind the restaurant.
Lewis said he is offering S500 to
anyone who could supply information
leading to the arrest and conviction of the
persons responsible for the act.
Lewis said that there had been a large
group of youths at the Tastee Freeze,
next door to his restaurant, when he
closed his place about 12:30a.m. He said
he wasn't positive he heard shots, but he
heard a lot of commotion and noise. He
said upon investigation, he found his dog
laying dead from a shot wound in his
back.
Lewis said he reported the incident to
the Sheriffs Dept., but since he could not
tell them who was responsible, no arrests
could be made.
"I feel the same way about this as if it
were my child," Lewis commented. He
said he had trained the dog since he was a
puppy to be a watchdog and "anyone
who would shoot a dog while he was tied
up would shoot an old person or a child
they saw walking down the street."
Lewis said "to a lot ot people a dog is
just a dog, but I feel differently about it."
ON THE MOVE - The wagon train left Harford Friday morning mtd rttumrd Simday after t itay at Sinclair Pond.
SHOOTING VICTIM - Dog belonging to Willard M. I*wis, owner of the:
Restaurant, as he found him last Friday morning. iewis is offering a reward for
information leading to the arrest and conviction of persons responsible for the
shooting.
The Board of Directors of the
Raeford-Hoke Chamber of Commerce
endorsed the upcoming City of Raeford
Water Bond Issue at their regular monthly
meeting Tuesday morning.
City Councilman Graham Clark briefed
the board on what the bonds will provide
the city, after which a motion was passed
to endorse the issue. Voting will be on
July 11.
An ordinance authorizing the sale of
water bonds totaling $750,000 was
passed by the Raeford City Council at a
meeting held in May. If passed, the bonds
will provide funds for the city to extend
and enlarge water works for Raeford.
Annexation of Burlington Mills, which
was approved by a mutual agreement
between the City of Raeford and the
board of directors of Burlington, hinges
on passage of the bonds on July 11. If
successful negotiations are completed for
the annexation, it will also mean a lower
tax rate for Raeford residents from the
current $1.45 rate to approximately
$1.10.
The reason the bonds must be passed
for the successful annexation of
Burlington, is that the city is presently
not in a position to provide the necessary
improvements required to provide water
and sewer service to the area. Burlington
has indicated a willingness to annex onl"
if the city could meet the industrial
requirement for water and sewers.
The bonds will provide capital for the
drilling of an additional well and adding
water mains to the present system. Funds
will also be used for the improvement of
treatment facilities.
Clark explained to the Chamber that
the city is badly in need of the water
facility improvements and passage 6f the
bonds will be the only way to finance
improvements.
The $750,000 bonds will also give the
city a capital reserve for future
expansions as they are needed, so a new
bond issue will not be needed each time
facilities need expansion.
city manager John (iaddy said
annexation of Burlington will add
approximately S5C,000 revenue to the
total tax base, *?ius staking the much
reduced tax rates possible. The new,
lower rate will be incorporated into the
1972-73 tax listings if the water bonds
pass and Burlington is annexed.
Also at Tuesdays' Chamber of
Commerce meeting, newly elected
president, Sam Morris, discussed with the
directors the forming of a merchant
association for the businesses in Raeford
and Hoke County. He advised the board
that a meeting of all local merchants will
be called in the near future to discuss the
possibilities of such an organization.
The board also discussed the financial
situation of the chamber and the budget
for the new fiscal year. A budget
including raises for all employees was
adopted. Letters and pledge forms are
being mailed out to all present active
chamber members. The letters explain
some of the chamber's aims for the year
and urge them to join for the new fiscal
year, which begins on July 1. Thy board
agreed that an effort to obtain many new
members will be made.
A letter from local restaurant owner
Willard Lewis was read to the board
concerning bills before the House and
Senate concerning the minimum wage,
but the board took no definite action on
Lewis' proposals.
His letter discussed the problem of
restaurant owners over the minimum
wage raises. He said restaurant prices
would have to be raised at least 15 per
cent to meet the new, higher standards
under consideration.
As solutions to the problem, Lewis
suggested adoption of a service charge in
restaurants in lieu of tipping. He said a
service charge of 20 per cent would "put
salaries in control and allow employees to
make above the minimum wage."
The second part of Lewis' solution
would allow 4 on premises sale and
consumption of beer and wine," which he
feels would help increase business and aid
the economy of the area.