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The Hoke County News - Established 1928 The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905
VOLUME LXVI1 NO. 47 RAEFORD, HOKE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA S5 PER YEAR THURSDAY. MARCH 27. 1975
Around
Town
BY SAM C.MORRIS
The weekend weather brought forth
golfers to the courses and had most
people looking forward to the coming
of spring. Spring arrived last Friday and
with the temperatures in the 70's, things
were just great.
Then Monday morning everything
looked for a fine week for the weather
until about two o'clock that afternoon.
The winds got up and the skies turned a
greenish gray and things began to
happen.
One phone call after another came,
reporting trees and buildings down and
power lines falling on the highways. Not
in just one path across the county, but
from east and west the calls came into
the office.
Along with the wind was heavy rain,
and this just added to the bad situation.
Of course the first thing most of us
think about is our own possessions,
families, homes and personal property.
Then we become more relaxed as word
is received saying this or that is not hurt
or destroyed.
The people in Hoke County can be
thankful that only property was
destroyed and that no one was injured
seriously or killed. This was the
situation as litis column is written and I
hope that this will remain, as further
reports come in.
Anyway things were bad in Hoke
County, weatherwise, for a few hours
Monday afternoon.
Lasl week I mentioned about William
Poole seeing several sea gulls in his
pasture and asking thai a photographer
be sent out to take a picture, as staled
they were gone when the photographer
became available to take the picture.
This week several others have come
forth to say they have seen gulls in
Hoke County during the past two
weeks.
One report came front the
Dundarrach section of the county and
the information came from Laurie
Telfair and Becky Jones, N/J staffers,
who said they saw a gull last Kriday.
Another report is from Mrs. Jimmy
Conoly, who may give the clue to these
laic reports. She said she saw a gull the
same day thai William Poole did. but
wouldn't say anything about it because
people might think she was a lit tic off.
Now this is a good explanation, but
someone said that since lasl week
William had the answer for the gulls. Me
said, "they followed Graham home."
You musl see Poole to find out what
this means.
Anyway if you see any sea gulls
around your place let me know and join
the ctowd of gull watchers.
Hikers Wanted
For Walkathon
Raelord Jaycees hope to get a
thousand people to walk for
cerebral palsv in the 20 - mile
Walkathon planned April 12.
Drive chairman Larry Phillips
spoke to Hoke High and Upchurch
students this week to recruit
walkers. However, while students
will probably make up the bulk of
the charity volunteers, Phillips said
he hoped to have a number of adult
walkers take on the 20-mile route.
Sponsor sheets will be
distributed at the schools or may he
obtained from Jaycee president
Bobby Strother. bach walker is to
sign up as many sponsors as
possible, Phillips explained.
The Walkathon will begin at the
Hoke High stadium and will
meander in a circle about Raeford.
Phillips traced the route as Bethel
Road to Dickson Street; then to
Donaldson; Donaldson to Main
Street, out Main to 211 ; down 21 I
to McLeods Crossroads then to
Oakdale gin, back up NC 20 to the
armory, down business 401 to
Prospect, up Prospect to Upchurch
School, then to Turnpike Road,
down Turnpike to a crossroad
leading to Bethel and back down
Bethel to the school.
Sr. Citizens
A lour of (he Southern I'ines and
Pineliurst area will be taken April I by
members of the Raeford Senior Citizens
Friendship Club.
Among stops will lie the Coif Hall of
Fame, the candle shops and country
store.
Members are asked to meet at 1:45 at
the Raeford United Methodist Church.
A donation to help pay transportation
costs is requested.
SA /. VA Gh: - Henry Dockery pulls out cans of infant formula from the wreckage of liis mobile home, ripped by a tornado thai
hit several trailers in West Hoke as it cut a path through the county Monday.
CRUNCH - /jderisive damage was reported to this car hit by a tree during the storm Monday. The auto belonging to liillv
Hayes, Sr.. was parked in the drive on North h'ulton. one of the hardest hit sections in the city
Inquest Is Tonight
For Deputy Sheriff
The inquest into the shooting death
of Angus Thompson by sheriffs deputy
(icorge McGuire March lb is scheduled
for 7:50 p.m. Thutsday in the
courthouse, county coroner G. Franklin
Grumpier said Monday.
Subpoenas have been served on a
number of witnesses. Grumpier said, but
declined to disclose the names of those
expected to testify.
The coroner sard he expects to begin
a jury selection about 7:00 p.m. The
proceedings are open to the public.
The six member coroner's jury will be
chosen from a list of fifteen selected
Monday.
Names appearing on the jury list are
Fdward H. Parsons. Rt. I: Robett L.
Gonoly, Rt. I: Robert L. Long. P.O.
Box 187: Alma Moseley. Rt. 7; Charles
H. Daniels. 710 Bethel Rd.; Marshall L.
Parks. Rt.5; William A. Smith, Raeford,
Mrs. Ida T. Wright. Rt. 3; Olivia G.
Jones, 275 Maxwell St.; Grace V.
Purcell. Rt. 1; Kenneth McNeill, 115
Fulton Street; Lee Van Blue, Rt. 1;
Christana McB. Howell; Rena R.
Washington: Rose Smith, Rt, I,
Shannon.
McGuire. 25. was toutinely
suspended with pay following
Thompson's death by gunfire at the
home of Mis. Ilia Evans on Turnpike
Road.
Sheriff D.M. Bariington requested the
State Bureau of Investigation to probe
the shooting and take charge of the
investigation.
Barrington issued a statement
following the shooting and disclosed
McGuire fired at Thompson after
Thompson produced a shotgun and
Bred at the deputy McGuire was
uninjured.
Eyewitnesses to the shooting,
including Mrs. Ilia Evans, are expected
to testify.
It was learned Thompson's wife,
Betty, and the Thompson children have
also been subpoenaed.
McGuire, who is related to the Evans
and Thompson families by marriage is
expected to testify along with
See INQUEST, page 15
Police Still
Probe Fire
Investigation into the Hie thai
destroyed the South Main Steet home
of Mi. and Mrs. AC!. Walters is
continuing. Raeford police chief said
this week.
The Feb. 10 lire gutted the split level
home and hospitalized three members
of the family. Walters, the most
seriously burned, was released from
Moore County Hospital on March 17.
according to Chief Leonard Wiggins.
Wiggins and SBI agents have
questioned some 15-20 persons since
the fire, including the members of the
Walters family.
Wiggins said at this time, the fire is
considered to he "of a suspicious
nature." Fires have destroyed three
businesses owned by the Walters in the
last two years
Sales Taxes
Local one cent sales and use taxes
mounted to SI6.944.52 in February,
state revenue officials reported.
Twister Cuts Path Across County
Damage Estimated At $100,000
Mobile homes were demolished and extensive damage oeeurred
Monday afternoon when a tornado touehed down just inside the
eounty line at Drowning Creek and eut a path of destruetion as it
hopseotched over the county.
The twister hit before 2:30 p.m. at the Horace Walters farm on
Turnpike Road, crossed the road and then bounced about three
quarters of a mile from the West Hoke Trailer Park. Two mobile homes
were blown off their foundations and flattened about fifteen feet away.
Apparently neither was occupied at the time.
The tornado continued to the West Hoke Trailer Park where it
demolished two more trailers and caused extensive .damage to others.
Most of the trailers were occupied when the storm struck, but no
serious injuries were reported.
The switchboard at the sheriffs department was jammed with ealis as
reports came in on the path of the tornado over the county.
Sheriff deputies and rescue squad members were called to the scene
at the Trailer Park to determine if anyone was trapped. Power lines
were downed, and rescue squad members and gas company workers
continued up Turnpike Road checking for gas leaks.
Henry Dockery's mobile home was smashed by the tornado and
twisted in a heap into the trailer next to it. Doekery. who was in the
trailer with his wife and children, received minor injuries to his arm and
head.
Deputy Harvey Young reported the children, who had been trapped
in the rear of the trailer, received bumps on the head but did not appear
to be seriously injured.
"Everybody is just lucky that nobody was killed". Dockery's
neighbor, Thomas Ray said.
Ray's home suffered a caved - in side but was not crumpled as the
trailers in back and in front of it were.
Ray was in the trailer with his nephews and niece. Terrace, (i. Randy,
3. and Peticia Ray, a week and a half old. and his sister. Frances Ray.
"1 seen it coming. It was like a wind storm in the summer, you could
see it. 1 went on back in the house and closed the windows."
"Then I seen the trailers in front of me messing up and there wasn't
nothing we could do but get in the back room and get on the floor," he
said.
LaVerne Harris, another resident, reported he "was picked up and
thrown from one end to the other."
"1 was standing back in the kitchen in the back part." Harris said, as
he stood looking at the wreckage of his home. "My little brother was
with me. I saw the storm coming and knew it was going to hit the
house. I started down the hall and when I got to the middle, it hit."
"The next thing I knew. I was crawling out here at the end."
Sheriff D.M. Barrington and two deputies were at the scene,
attempting to determine if anyone was trapped, as cars lined Turnpike
Road with persons looking for neighbors and friends.
l.onnie McMillian, who drove up to the rubble of his trailer home
about a mile from the Trailer Park, jumped out of a van and asked
frantically about his wife and children. He dashed across the road to the
More Pictures Pages 12 fp 13
home ol" H.W. I-His. which was untouched by the tornado, and came
back to report they were away when the twister hit.
The tornado continued toward Raeford. down Turnpike Road,
uprooting trees and causing damage to outlying farms and then swept
down near the Burlington plant on the south side.
A trailer in North Raeford was damaged as the twister touched
down.
Louise Morris who lives near the North Raeford fire station on Baker
road, said the front canopy of her patio and part of the roof of the
trailer were blown off.
She was at home with her 3-year-old. CJuy III. when the storm hit,
but no one was hurt.
"The baby was out playing and I called him in. When I looked out, it
was all black and I heard a thundering noise and then the top of the
trailer went, blamm. It blowed it at least 75 feet from the house, out
across a field. We got down on the floor and we must have stayed there
30 minutes.
We were scared to death."
"It looked like I was right in the middle of the storm."
Considerable wind damage was found in the I ulton Street area, with
trees uprooted, or split in two. power lines fallen, and wind damage to
homes and sheds.
A tree fell on a parked car.
Civil Defense Coordinator Bill Niven said a mobile home west ol
Raeford on the llallie Blythe farm was destroyed.
Niven said the tornado apparently left Raeford and struck again at
See rwiSTLR page 12
For Easter
Sunrise Services Planned
Several Faster sunrise services are
planned in the county Sunday.
In Raeford
The Raeford Ministerial Association
will sponsor an taster sunrise service at
7:15 a.m. in the schoolyard of
McLauchlin School on North Main
Street.
The Rev. B.V.Childress, pastor of the
Church of God. will bring the message
at this service. Oiher ministers of the
Association will also participate.
Following the program, coffee and
doughnuts will be served in the
Fellowship Hall of the United Methodist
Church. The public is invited to attend.
Shloh
Shtloh Presbyterian Church in
Montrose will hold a sunrise service ai 7
a.m. at the church.
Sandy Grove
An I aster egg hunt for the nursery
and primary children will be held
Saturday at 3:30 al Sandy Grove
Methodist Church.
Youngsters are asked to each bring
two eggs
Evangelical Methodist
Revival services will begin Easter
Monday and continue through April 6
at the Evangelical Methodist Church on
Sixth and Green Street.
The Rev. Lowell Beeler, pastor of the
Grace Evangelical Methodist Church in
Morganton, will be the guest evangelist.
Services, with special music, will be
held nightly al 7:30.