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The Hoke County News - Established 1928 The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905
VOLUME LXVH NO. 38 RAEFORD, HOKE COUNTY. NORTH CAROLINA S5 PER YEAR THURSDAY. JANUARY 23, 1974
Around Town
By Sara C. Morris
Flu has hit Hoke County. According
to reports, one class at school had IS
pupils absent lite first of the week. Of
course the weather doesn't help with
the sickness.
Sunday it was sunny and warm with
the temperature in the 60s, but Monday
it was raining and the thermometer was
in the 40s. Tuesday morning it was fair,
but the temperature was in the 20s. So,
you can see that the changing weather is
not good for our health.
Let's all be careful and maybe we can
avoid an epidemic in the county.
The basketball game between NX".
State and Carolina last Saturday kept
fans on edge most of the way. Most of
the Carolina fans had almost started
celebrating when the Tar Heels took a
six point lead in the game with only
1:27 minutes to play. Some State fans
and especially the players were going to
give it all they had until the final
whistle. It played off as State pulled it
out by three points, 88-85.
State misses the big man, but
experience paid off for them in this one.
I heard that one State fan. Ken
McNeill, gave up on the team. Maybe
after the victory he will give you details.
I don't have all the facts of the
shooting that took place Saturday night,
but from what I heard it would make a
fine show for television except that no
one was hit during the exchange of
pistol fire.
From reading in the papers and
listening to television, it now seems
everyone in the national and state
governments' is all for cutting taxes.
Now I im all in favor of this, but one
thing comes to my mind. I can
remember when I didn't make any
money, I didn't have any to spend. So,
if taxes are cut, what will happen?
Some of the programs now financed
by these taxes must be done away with
or the governments must go into debt
that much more.
So, if you are expecting a cut in taxes
right away, maybe you should look
again. The men that represent us in
Washington can't make a hasty decision
because some people want a tax cut and
others want st> many of the existing
programs toy continue. What will
happen?
Time will tell.
I have received phone calls and letters
from old classmates concerning a
reunion on the 40th anniversary of the
graduating of the class in 1135. Raz
Alitry was also nice enough to look
back in the school files and give me a
list of the class members. Mrs. Oscar
Wood, Catherine Stubbs, also came by
with a list she had saved since that day
in 1935. So, maybe plans xan soon be
undertaken to contact all the members
and have the reunion.
I also received a call from a member
of the class of 1934 wanting to go in
with the class of 1935 and have a joint
? reunion. This will be brought up when a
committee meets later.
If you haven't contacted me about
the reunion, please do so in the next
few weeks.
Federal Money Opens Jobs Here
Hoke Man Charged
After Chase, Gunfire
A Hoke County man was captured
Sunday night after he eluded two city
policemen and fired at a deputy
following a Saturday night shooting
incident at a Raeford store.
Willie Julius Caesar. 48, who lives on
N.C. 20, was found at the home of a
friend in the Shawtown section and
offered no resistance to arrest.
Caesar was placed in jail under
$40,700 bond on multiple charges.
Chief of Police Leonard Wiggins gave
this account:
About 7:15 p.m. Saturday night,
Glennwood Hunt, a service station
attendant at Crumpler's Handy Mart on
Main Street, reported to Officers Kermit
Griffin and Earle Tindell he was
punched in the face by Caesar. Caesar
then left, threatening to come back with
a gun.
A short time later, the officers heard
gunfire coming from Crumpler's Handy
Mart and a 1969 Chevrolet station
wagon took off at a high rate of speed
south on Main Street. Marie Guin and
Archie Conoly, who were in the store,
were not hit.
The car ran a red light speeding down
Highway 211 to McLeod's Crossroads
with the officers in pursuit, where it
turned left and continued to N.C. 20
headed toward Arabia. Deputy J.E.
Lamont joined the chase.
Wiggins said the officers pulled
alongside the auto and attempted to
force it off the road. Caesar rammed the
station wagon into the police car,
causing minor damage.
The station wagon left the road and
went into a ditch about six miles from
the Handy Mart location. Caesar ran
from the vehicle, firing a shot from a
small caliber pistol at Deputy Lamont.
who returned the fire.
Six adults and a small child in the car
were not held.
Wiggins said bloodhounds from
nearby McCain were used in an
unsuccessful search for Caesar Saturday
night.
On Sunday, police went to a house in
Shawtown and arrested Caesar. He was
unarmed.
Caesar has been charged with five
counts of assault, including assault with
a deadly weapon with intent to kill
(ADWITK) on Archie Conoly and
Lamont.
He is also charged with discharging a
firearm in the city, firing into an
occupied dwelling, speeding, running a
red light, failing to stop for blue light
and siren, leaving scene of an accident,
speeding to endanger persons and
property, and having no operator's
license. A Jan. 24 hearing has been set.
Wiggins said Caesar was paroled from
prison after serving a term for second
dearee murder.
Food Stamp Wait Is Lone
Applying lor food stamps may be an
all day wait, but persons are better off
here than in many counties, according
to Ben Niblock, county director of
social services.
"If people will just wait it out, we
can usually see them the same day they
come in," he said, "It's not good, but it
is better than in most counties where
they are giving appointments for weeks
ahead."
Appointments to apply for food
stamps are now being made for the
week of Feb. 10.
Persons without appointments are
seen as time permits. Complaints have
surfaced recently of waits of four or fiW"
days.
However. Niblock said he didrTT
think anyone had waited that long.
"I can see where that might happen if
someone came and waited an hour or so
and then left and came back the next
day and waited an hour 01 so." he said.
"But if they'll get there sometime
between 8 and 10 in the morning and
wait it out. their chances of being seen
that day are good."
More food stamp specialists arc being
hired with the $28,348 allocated to the
department under the emergency
employment proeram.
Presently four ftflltime workers and
two persons working part-time are
assigned to take applications and certify
persons for eligibility. Two more
eligibility specialists will be hired.
Fifteen appointments per worker a
day. or one every thirty minutes, are
scheduled. In addition. 25 to 30 others
are seen without appointments, food
stamp workers say.
Niblock said he understood from
talking to diiectors in other counties
that by Christmas some areas were
making appointments for April.
DFATH FAII. - Fiftv-one-year-old Harry Warren Lee slipped from the ladder atop
the city wuier tower on Dickson Street Tuesday and fell to his death about 120 feet
below
Jersey Man Dead In Fall
A fifty-one-year-old worker painting
a water tower on Dickson Street
plunged to his death Tuesday alter he
apparently lost his balance.
Warren Henry Lee, Brooklawn, N.J.
was pronounced dead at the scene by
the medical examiner, Robert
Townsend. The immediate cause ol
death was reported (o be a broken neck
Chief of Police Leonard Wiggins said
Lee's son, Mark T. Lee, was working on
"the tower at the same time and
witnessed the accident.
Lee was an owner of Osborne and
Lee Institutional I'aintineof brooklawn.
N.J.. which was awarded the contract
by the city lor painting the two water
towers.
Wiggins said the painting was nearly
completed and today was to be the last
day for the workers.
Lee. on the permanent ladder which
leads to the top of the tower, was
painting Moat indicator lines when he
fell at about noon. He struck a catwalk
railing that encircles the tower before
reaching the ground. Wiggins estimated
the distance of the fall at 115-120 feet.
The body was taken to C'rumpler's
Funeral Home pending arrangements.
, Local officials expect lo begin hiring
this week with $76,191 allocated to
Hoke Cuunty under the emergency
public service cmploymcnl program.
The city, county and schools will
share a $.18,095.SO allotment. The
department of social services gets
$28,398 and $9,697.50 has been
allotted to the Employment Security
Commission to hire additional personnel
in Hoke County.
Thirteen persons, mostly in
maintenance or clerical jobs, will be
hired by local governments.
Hoke County ? schools will hire two
persons for school maintenance and one
as a security guard, superintendent Raz
Autry said.
The city will employ five persons
under the program: an assistance tax
clerk, a dog warden and three
maintenance laborers.
The county plans to htre three clerks:
one for the health department, soil
conservation service worker and one to
keep personnel records. Two janitorial
workers will also be hired for county
office buildings.
T.B. lister, county manager, said
salaries were set at $5,100 annually for
maintenance workers and $5,200 for
clerks. The county will administer the
program, but the city and schools will
each hire its own employees, Lester
said.
He cautioned that the program is
funded only for six months at a time
and that employees hired under the
program do not have to be funded from
county revenue after the program ends.
However, John Caddy, city manager,
said that the city would probably
continue funding the positions.
Plans for use of tire money changed
after discussions at a special meeting of
the county commissioners Monday
night. Originally Caddy had hoped to
hire an equipment and purchasing
superintendent for the city garage and
possibly hire an administrative assistant.
Autry had wanted to hire teachers'
aides.
"But atter talking it over, we didn't
think we would be able to find people
for the supervisory jobs who would also
meel the guidelines for this program,"
Caddy said.
The federal money being pumped
into the local economy has strings
aitached.
Persons hired must meet these
guidelines: out of work for at least 30
days with those who have exhausted
unemployment insurance getting top
priority. Those out of work for at least
15 weeks get second priority and those
not covered by unemployment get third
eonsideraiion.
The social services personnel will
work in the food stamp office, where a
heavy backlog of applicants is
developing, Ben Niblock, county
director, said.
Niblock said originally he had hoped
he could hire three Aid to Families with
Dependent Children eligibility
specialists, a social worker, a clerk and
two food stamp eligibility specialists.
However, he was informed last week
that the money could be used only in
the food stamp program. Niblock said
he was attempting to get the
requirement changed and expected to
be able to hire the additional
employees. However, Niblock was out
of town at a meeting Tuesday and could
not be reached for further information.
One of the workers was hired in the
food stamp office late last week.
Response Good
At Bloodmobile
The Bloodmobile collection at
Burlington Friday was termed a success
with the amount tripling over the last
visit of the Bloodmobile.
Clyde Upchurch, Ked Cross
chairman, reported 153 pints were
donated of which 119 came from BI
employees. Three donors were from
Knit-Away and three came from
Raeford Turkey Farms.
"It it wasn't for Burlington, 1 don't
know what we'd do," Upchurch said.
It was so well executed. Burlington
had everything the unit could have
asked for."
Upchurch said many large users of
blood were completely covered by
friends with pints to spare.
"We're in good shape now for the
year if we can have 100 pints in May
and 100 in August," he said. Hoke has a
yearly quota of 398 pints.
The BloodmobQe center is staffed by
volunteers, coordinated by Mrs. Ralph
Bamhart. Professional personnel from
Raeford and McCain provided medical
$1 Million Plus Comes Back In Revenue Sharing
More than a million dollars have been
relumed to Hoke County in the past
three years in revenue sharing funds.
In addition, more than S83.000 has
been earned for the city and county by
interest payments on the money.
Since 1973, the county government
has received $877,249 and the city has
received $268,513. This total
$1,145,762 in federal money returned
under the program.
By placing the funds in certificates of
deposit until spent, the county has
earned $67,922.84 additional in interest
and the city, $15,676.93.
The money has been used for a wide
variety of projects in both the city and
county.
A large pari of the eity's share was
shifted to the water construction
project last year to make up a
577,741.27 deficit.
City expenditures have totaled
S2I9,385.62, with the bulk of that.
5166,161.09, being spent lasl year.
Revenue sharing funds, in addition to
the water project, have gone to the
library. S6.258.I3; recreation,
S14,891.83; airport, S258.73; streets.
5 29,377.52; and lire department.
54,936.12.
The lot next to city hall was
purchased for 530,276.48 and
549,022.58 was spent on the new city
garage building. Sheds, equipment and
fencing at the garage were purchased
wiih SO,4X6,1 7. Miscellaneous expenses,
such as intangible taxes, books, checks,
have amounted to S 146.7'),
The county's building program has
taken much of the revenue sharing
funds allotted to Hoke already, and
more is set aside.
The board of education building to
date has cost S28.500 lor the land and
SI30.887.00 for the building. Another
SI 2,678 is earmarked for the building.
Tire new county office building has
cost SI26,674.0') so far and another
S421,348."1 is set astde.
Other county projects paid for with
revenue sharing funds have been landfill
equipment for S26.'>')5.7'); a glass
recycling building, S67S.60: accounting
system modifications S5I3; an
accounting machine, Sl'),46l>.58.
The counts volunteer fire
departments have received SI0,67').42
so tar and the rescue squad has ttotten
S5 ,(X)0.
Several projects have funds
earmarked for them. The library
building fund is budgeted for SI5.000
from tire city and S200.000 from the
county.
Other county plans include
accounting equipment and system
modifications for $2,585.62: renovation
of the courthouse annex, the I'ormei
hoard of education building, for
SI 5.000 and S2<).420.58 for the fire
departments.
City plans include S40.'>42 for a new
fire duck and S'),5(X) for the landfill
compactor.
The city fire department account still
has So,100.42 remaining in the budget
in revenue sharing funds for the year.
Other accounts with budgeted funds
arc: recreation with SI1).124.17
remaining; garage equipment,
S5.707.25: the garage building,
SI ,546.52 and miscellaneous. S465.
Bike Registrations
Set For Saturday
Bike registration will be available
at the Raeford Police Department
Saturday morning from l)-l I, Police
Chief leonard Wiggins announced.
Bicycles will get a numbered
decal and the number will also be
stamped on the sprocket
Wiggins urged all owners to
register their hikes now. as many
bikes were bought for Christmas
and there is a greater risk of theft.
The Wait For New Church Ended With Dedication
Alter much hard work beset by
delays and shortages, the members of
McLaughlin Chapel A.M.E, Zion Church
dedicated their new building Jan. 5-19
with services climaxed by the laying of
the cornerstone.
The new church is built behind and
to the side of the old building on state
route 20 west of Raeford.
A modern, stately structure with a
16' spire, the interior has been designed
with natural tones of wood and white
walls. Delicate moss green furnishings
complete the simple and natural setting.
Valued at $200,000 the building was
constructed for $150,000 through the
patient efforts of pastor and members.
The church was built under the
leadership of Rev: M.H. Williams,
president of the Hoke County Civic
League and holder of many offices in
the Laurinburg District of the A.M.E.
Zion Church.
A long time dream, the new budding
was planned to take advantage of every
opportunity to save money. No
contractors were used.
Groundbreaking for the building was
[Easter Sunday, 1970, but there were
long waits before the new home could
become a reality.
A glass shortage interfered, and then
a wait for the furniture began which was
to last fourteen months.
The original cornerstone of the
church is dated 1908, but the church
did not have a real home until 1913.
Mrs. Betty Johnson founded the
original congregation, which met in her
home. In 1913, J.W. McLauchlin urged
the members to join the fledgling
A.M.E. conference, and he erected a
small building near the swamp. In the
ensuing years, many ministers came to
McLauchlin Chapel.
Mrs. Johnson turned the first shovel
of dirt for the church budding put up in
the 1920's.
Today, the church has a membership
of ISO.
Trustees are Cleo Bratcher, Jr.,
chairman, Jerome Bratcher, secretary,
Ardell Bailey, Matthew McRae and
Tony Buie.
Rev. Williams came to the Laurinburg
district in 1965. Prior to that time, he
served as pastor of the Jackson Springs
Circuit, Jackson Springs, and West End,
N.C. This is the second church
constructed under his direction.
CHAPEL - Natural wood accents the white walls and green accents of the new
McLaughlin Chapel, under construction nearly five years before the first sendees
were held there this month. The Rev. M.H. Williams stands at the pulpit.