15<
<0. e <~Yl&w6 - journal
15*
The Hoke County News - Established 1928 The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905
VOLUME LXVI! NO. 48 RAEFORD, HOKE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA S5 PER YEAR THURSDAY. APRIL 3. 1975
Around
Town
BY SAM C. MORRIS
The directors of the Hoke County
Historical Association met last week and
this writer was in attendance. Of the
nine directors, seven were at the
meeting. The purpose of the meeting
was to set the date and select a program
for the annual Spring meeting. Palmer
Willcox, president of the association,
presided.
After a short discussion the date of
the meeting was set for Tuesday, April
29 in the Fellowship Hall of the
Raeford Presbyterian Church. Mrs.
Carson Davis, Jr., co-chairman of Hoke's
Bicentennial Committee will give the
program and it will relate to the history
of Hoke County.
There was also discussion about the
Fall meeting and what would be the
program at dial time. It was tentatively
decided to have a tour of historic places
in the county. Some mentioned were
Bethel and Longstreet churches and
some of the older homes in the county.
More will be coming on this meeting at
a later date.
The April meeting will also be an
organizational meeting and dues will be
paid for another year. The association
has at present approximately 50
members and has set a goal of 100. So if
you are interested in Hoke's history
attend the meeting April 29 and become
a member.
Once again U.C.L.A. is top dog in the
basketball field with a fine win over
Kentucky Monday night. But with the
young players on the Kentucky squad
don't be surprised to see them around
next year when the finals are played.
The Class of 1935 at Raeford High
School moved closer to a reunion when
a meeting was held Monday and
committees named to work toward the
goal.
Members of the Class of 1934 were
also in attendance and formed
committees and the two classes will
sponsor a joint reunion either the last of
May or the first of June. The date will
be announced soon.
Clyde Upchurch, chairman of the '34
class, asks that all members send in
names and addresses as soon as possible.
He said to send them to him or to Mrs.
Graham Clark or Mrs. Tom McBryde.
The address for all is Raeford.
The traffic on Elwood Avenue is
mostly running one-way now, but
occasionally someone will forget and
head the wrong way. The police still
whistle at wrong doers but not as often
as the first week. The flow of traffic is
smoother and congestion is not as bad
as before the street was changed.
Of course some still complain about
it, but in my opinion it is doing the job
that it was intended to do. A few may
have to go around the block but the
majority will benefit.
Most of us have hobbies and we also
think about things we will do after we
retire. Some are golf, fishing, gardening,
etc. 1 understand that Sheriff Dave
Barrington is writing a book on Wildlife
and hopes to finish it when he retires.
Storm Victims Aided
Seven families left homeless by the
tornado that hit Moke County last week
have received a total of $2,204 in
disaster aid from the American Red
Cross, county chairman Clyde Upchurch
reported.
Field directors from Ft. Bragg, Tom
Bojanowski and Clyde Howard, met
with family members at West Hoke Fire
station on Monday to distribute
disbursing orders to give to Raeford
merchants for food, clothing and other
items.
The allocations ranged from S71 to
S746, depending on the size of the
family and the amount of salvageable
household goods, Upchurch said.
Payments were made the day of the
storm, Upchurch said, to help provide
for shelter and immediate needs.
Fred Meridith, disaster specialist with
Red Cross headquarters in Charlotte,
directed recovery efforts. Upchurch
expressed thanks for the cooperation of
the West Hoke fire department and Bill
Niven, civil preparedness coordinator.
Meetings Are Planned
Public meetings scheduled next week
include the Raeford airport committee,
the city council, board of county
commissioners, board of equalization
and review and a public hearing on the
proposed planning ordinance.
The county commissioners will open
their meeting at 9 a.m. next Monday in
the courthouse annex conference room
and then will adjourn to reconvene at
9.30 as the board of equalization and
review.
Appointments are being made now
for persons dissatisfied with taxes to
complain to the review board,according
to county manager T.B. Lester. The
meeting is expected to last about an
hour.
A public heating is set Monday at 11
a.m. in the courthouse annex
conference room to consider the
proposed ordinance to establish a
county planning board.
The commissioners first reviewed the
ordinance prepared by Lumber River
Council of Governments planner Larry
Stahm at a special meeting March 10.
The city council will meet at city hail
Monday night at 7:30. Among items
expected to be on the agenda are
matters concerning the lease of property
See MEETINGS, page 13
Brief Deliberations Clear Deputy
By Marty Vega
After less than five minutes of
deliberation Thursday night a six
member coroner's jury ruled no finding
of criminal fault by Hoke County
deputy George McGuire in the death of
Angus Thompson.
Thompson, 48, died of gunshot
wounds March 16 at the home of his
sister, Ilia Evans of Turnpike Road.
After the verdict was announced at
11:40 p.m., McGuire's wife, Nancy,
came forward and embraced her
husband, followed by her sister, Ethel
Gordon and her mother, Ilia Evans. A
number of other well wishers thronged
around the deputy to shake his hand.
The deputy, who had been under
routine suspension with pay, was
reinstated and returned to duty this
week.
A total of eleven witnesses was called
to the stand by Assistant District
Attorney Coy Brewer, Jr., who
represented the state's findings. District
*********** ?*?****??*?**
Attorney E.W. (Ed) Grannis, Jr., and
Assistant Duncan McFadyen were also
present.
Coroner G. Franklin Crumpler
selected six jurors from a list of Fifteen
persons before convening the
proceedings at 7:30 pjn. Serving as
jurors were Robert L. Long, P.O. Box
182; Robert L. Conoly, Rt. 1; Marshall
Parks, Rt. 3; Mrs. Ida T. Wright, Rt. 3;
William A. Smith, Raeford, and Mrs.
Christana McB. Howell, 212 E. Central
Ave.
McGuire, 25, was represented by
Raeford attorney Phillip Diehl, and
Sheriff David M. Barrington remained
seated alongside his deputy throughout
the four hour - long hearing.
Mrs. Ilia Evans, McGuire's mother - in
- law, was called to the stand first and
described the events which took place at
her home, speaking softly.
Mrs. Evans told the jury she had a
telephone conversation with her
brother, who told her "he (McGuire)
better look the other way if he sees me
driving". Thompson, whose driver's
license had been revoked, was required
to turn in his limited driving permit for
medical reasons, and he surrendered the
permit at the sheriffs office on the day
of his death, testimony disclosed.
Mrs. Evans continued that she told
her brother that "Mac", referring to
McGuire, would not look the other way
and he would have to arrest Thompson
for driving without a license. Thompson
stated he "was going to drive as long as I
have a damn car", Mrs. Evans said, and
also told his sister he had a gun.
Thompson said "either him or me is
gonna get killed", according to Mrs.
Evans testimony, while they continued
to discuss the possibility of Thompson's
being arrested for driving under
revocation.
Mrs. Evans related she was "upset"
over the phone call, as she felt her
brother had been drinking. She asked
her daughter Nancy to phone McGuire
and ask him to come to the house.
Mrs. Evans continued there were a
number of relatives at the house,
indlucing Thompson's children, and
when McGuire arrived, site asked him to
step outside so they could talk
privately.
While they talked, she continued,
Thompson drove up in his Mercury
Comet, got out and entered the house.
He came out shortly and McGuire, who
had used his portable radio to request
assistance, Mrs. Evans testified,
approached Thompson and advised him
he was under arrest for drunken driving
and driving without a license.
Thompson then drew a knife from his
pocket, and McGuire stepped backwards
and again requested another deputy
over his radio, she said.
Thompson then went to his parked
Comet and McGuire called to him,
"Leave the gun where it's at", she
testified.
Mrs. Evans continued she saw her
Hoke Seeking *138,728 In Title XX Grants
Plans for projects totaling $138,728
have been filed by the Hoke County
Department of Social Services as part of
the new federal law, Title XX of the
Social Security Act.
Ben Niblock, county DSS director,
explained the act at a sparsely attended
public hearing last Thursday at the
courthouse. The coroner's inquest going
on upstairs in the courtroom the same
night drew a far larger crowd, as only
four persons showed up to discuss the
new law. A good deal of citizen
participation in planning the local
program is called for by the law. thus
the lack of interest was particularly
disappointing to social services officials.
Title XX, which was signed into law
in January and will go into effect Oct.
I, will take over the funding for many
of the services provided by the DSS.
Federal matching funds will bay for
up to 75 per cent of approved expenses.
Fifty per cent of the services must be
utilized by persons receiving Aid to
Families with Dependent Children
payments, Niblock said.
County Saves
Child welfare services, now paid for
entirely by the county will be funded
under the new program. Niblock
explained that in Hoke this would not
be a large savings since child welfare
services die child welfare caseload was
small.
A formula using 80 per cent of the
state median income will enable 68 per
cent or about 12,700 of Hoke's 17.000
residents to qualify for assistance under
the new act.
Niblock explained that a family of
four making less than S8.904 would be
entitled to services under the act at no
cost and a family of four making up to
SI2,700 would be eligible for services
by paying an as yet unspecified fee.
Services include such things as
adoption, foster care of children
removed from the home, homemaker
services for the ill or disabled, Niblock
said.
Legal Aid
In his planning proposals. Niblock
said he has placed a high priority in
Baked Items
Are Needed
Baked goods are needed for sale
at the Raeford Woman's Club
auction April 12.
Persons wanting to contribute
items for the bake sale are asked to
contact Mrs. June Johnson or Mrs.
Julian Wright.
providing legal aid in civil cases.
Consumer protection is one of his major
goals in this program. Niblock said.
Proposals also include services for day
care for children, health support
programs, maternity care, counseling for
alcoholism, drug addiction, and
disturbed children. He has increased
plans for foster care, Niblock said, and
has included a request for a raise in the
subsidy to foster parents.
Future plans are being discussed for a
receiving home for children, which
social services workers agreed at the
meeting was needed. This would provide
temporary care of up to 30 days for
children removed from their home with
no other place to go, such as youngsters
whose parents are jailed, abused or
runaways.
A halfway house for persons
returning to the community after
hospitalization for mental illness is
another need, Niblock said.
Five Goals
To be eligible for funding, the
services must be directed toward one or
more of five goals listed in the law:
?Achieving or maintaining economic
self - support.
?Achieving or maintaining self -
sufficiency.
?Preventing or remedying neglect,
abuse or exploitation of children and
adults unable to protect their interests.
? Preventing or reducing
See GRANTS, page 13
Easter Sales 'Good'
Most Raeford area retailers reported
doing a good business with Easter
shopping, though some indicated many
women shoppers are getting away from
the idea of buying a complete new
outfit for the big day.
Hubert Tally, manager of Macks
Variety & Fashions, said his store did
not stock a big line of dresses this year.
'That's about over with," he said,
referring to a traditional Easter costume
with all the accessories.
Tally said overall business was good,
and Saturday was their biggest day of
the week. Children's clothes sold well,
and sales of yard goods in double knit
fabrics were brisk. Apparently more
women are sewing their own, he said.
Theresa's Dress Shop owner Theresa
McBryde agreed that less and less
women are buying complete ensembles
just for Easter.
"Ladies shop for the season, not for
an Easter outfit," she observed.
Charles Davis, assistant manager at
B.C. Moore's, reported the store had a
big increase in overall sales this year.
"This was a payday weekend for the
military, you know, and this brought in
a lot of business," Davis pointed out.
"If anything, people are buying more.
They're not concerned with price, all
they want to know is if it's on sale. The
key word is sale."
Davis reported Easter lay-away sales
were big, but more boys' outfits were
bought than girls' dresses.
More mothers are sewing girls'
dresses, he said.
Betty Harris at the Family Dollar
store said she noticed "a tremendous
increase" in volume of sales.
"People are choosing less expensive
things, but they are buying more," she
said.
George Martin, at the Raeford
Department Store, said some Easter
shoppers were checking prices closely
and some weren't. "Our business was
comparable to last year," he said.
Martin felt shoppers were putting
more emphasis on children's outfits.
DeVane's Department Store reported
they did not stock as many dresses as
last year.
Daniel DeVane said they are phasing
out most of the dresses and will carry a
greater selection of sportswear and
pants for women.
Joe Sugar's Paul Solomon said his
sales volume was as good as last year's,
but indicated his shop does not really
attract any special Easter shoppers.
"We don't follow the trend, you
know, the season brings in our regular
See SALES, page 13
Forrest Lockey Retires
As President Of A&R
By Cliff Blue
Forresi Lockey, a longtime "mover
and doer" stepped down as president of
the Aberdeen & Rockfish Railroad on
Monday to take life a little slower and
to do some of the things that in his busy
railroad and public service activities he
never found time to do.
While retiring as president of the
"A&R", he will remain a member of the
board of directors and will have his
usual office in the A&R office building.
Following the close of World War II
in 1045, under the leadership of Forrest
Lockey in 1047, his good and close
friend, Wm. P. Saunders, was
encouraged to locate a Robbins Mill
plant in Aberdeen.
Reminiscing about the Robbins Plant,
l.ockey recalled that Saunders asked
that 100 homes be built to take care of
plant employees. This was a mighty big
order and Lockey recalled that when
some were pessimistic about the housing
project, the late G.C. Seymour spoke
out firmly that they would be built, if
he had to build them himself. Lockey
was the spark plug in getting ready for
the Robbins Mill, which started
operating about 1148.
Saunders located the plant in
Aberdeen but he didn't like not being
able to locate it on the A&R Railroad,
which Lockey operated, so a few years
later, when the Robbins Mill was ready
for another big plant, larger than the
one in Aberdeen, Saunders located it on
the A&R Railroad in Raeford, where
the company already had a small
operation.
Lockey was happy to have a Robbins
Registration
For Schools
Registration for Kindergarten and
First Grade will be held April 9-11
from 8:30 A.M. ? 4:00 P.M. at West
Hoke, Scurlock, and J.W. McLauchlin
Schools.
A child registering for Kindergarten
must be 5 years of age on or before Oct.
16.
A child registering for First Grade
must be 6 years of age on or before Oct.
16.
A complete shot record,(3 DTP shots
? Diptheria, Tetanus. Whooping Cough -
3 Polio Dotes, 1 Red Measles,) and birth
certificate must be presented at the time
of registration. A child presently
enrolled in Public Kindergarten does not
need to be re-registered for First Grsde.
Forrest lackey
plant located in Aberdeen wliere it
provided hundreds of jobs for the
people of die area, and also in Raeford
where hockey's parents lived when he
went to work for the A&R in I'>18.
While the operation of the plant in
Aberdeen and the plant in Raeford have
changed ownership, these buildings still
provide far more jobs than any other
plants in the two communities.
Lockey was appointed to the
Highway Commission in 1952 and
arranged to have the division office
moved from Asheboro to Aberdeen,
where it is still located.
Following his tenure as a member of
the State Highway Commission, Lockey
was named in 1965 by Governor Dan
Moore as a member of the N.C.
Sanatoriums for die Treatment of
Tuberculosis Board, now called the N.C.
Specialty Board, on which he still
serves.
CHURCH ACTIVITIF.S
Lockey was a member of the Page
Memorial United Methodist Church
where he has served as chairman of the
board of stewards and also as a trustee.
He and Mrs. Lockey, his son. Forrest,
Jr., and family have been strong workers
in the Methodist Church.
F.ARLY DAYS
Born in Shelby. North Carolina, a son
of the late Mr. and Mrs. John F.
Lockey, his father being a textile plant
superintendent, they moved to
Laurinburg where he attended grammar
school. Later while his father served as
plant superintendent in Raeford he
See LOCKEY, page 13
brother reach into his car and bring out
a shotgun.
"He took the gun out. air ed it, and
fired it", she testified.
Mrs. Evans estimated th: distance
between her brother and the deputy
when the shot was fired at about 35
feet. She stated the shot "wa i at
him (McGuire)" and McGuir ked
for cover behind a car and beg. . tiring
from his service revolver.
Mrs. Evans saw her brother fall. "He
grabbed his side, and half turned and
fell. When he fell, he carried the gun
down with him", site said.
Testimony by Dr. William Anderson,
pathologist with the state medical
examiner's office, revealed Thompson
was hit by three bullets, the fatal wound
caused by a bullet which first struck
Thompson's right index finger traveled
to his abdomen, striking a main artery
and causing massive bleeding in the
abdominal cavity.
Anderson estimated Thompson could
have survived for no more than "five to
six minutes" after the entry of the fatal
bullet.
Anderson also testified Thompson's
blood alcohol level at the time of his
death was equivalent to a .16 reading on
the Breathalyzer device.
Martin Strickland, 30, Thompson's
son ? in ? law, testified he was in the
house. Thompson came in and spoke to
Mrs. Evans husband, George, briefly and
went out.
Strickland continued he ran out when
he heard shots fired.
"I hollered at him (Mac) to stop the
damn shooting, let me talk to him",
Strickland told the jury.
Strickland described how he ran
around the parked cars looking for his
father - in ? law, and when he found
him, he picked up the shotgun and
threw it so McGuire could see it.
Strickland continued.
Strickland further testified he
accompanied his father - in - law to the
county jail earlier in the day for die
purpose of driving him home after he
surrendered his permit.
Thompson spent time later that day
repairing a shotgun, Strickland stated,
and Strickland thought the shotgun,
described as a .12 gauge, single shot
Winchester, belonged to Thompson's
son Mark.
Strickland's wife, Theresa, testified
she looked out the kitchen window and
had a view of the parked cars in the
yard.
Mrs. Strickland told the courtroom at
the time Thompson fired, the shotgun
was not aimed at the deputy.
Mrs. Strickland said site "was scared"
and couldn't remember whose gun was
fired first.
Cynthia Thompson, 16. took the
stand and her version differed
substantially from the previous
testimony.
The first shot was a soft shot, then I
heard my father's gun. then more soft
shots", she testified.
Miss Thompson said site ran out of
the house, even though she heard a
warning to "keep everyone inside".
"I screamed at him (McGuirel I was
going to see him in hell and put him
there", she told the jurors.
Lisa Thompson, 10, took the stand
briefly and testified she heard "loud
noises", but was unable to remember
anything further about the noises.
Ethel Gordon, Mrs. Evans daughter,
testified she heard the gunfire and
looked out the window.
"I heard the blast, I heard somebody
screaming, and then pistol fire."
"Angus looked like he was going
down and Mac hollered 'Keep the
children' inside' and I grabbed as many
as I could. I saw Martin grab the
shotgun and throw it out and he
hollered at Mac", she testified
Mrs. Gordon replied it "was very
obvious" Thompson had been dunking
when asked about what she observed of
him that day.
"Whenever he wasn't drinking, he was
just as good a man as you'd want", she
stated.
Lee Sampson, a mobile crime lab
operator with the State Burear of
Investigation, identified photographs
and diagrams made of the position of
the parked cars which were introduced.
Sampson testified his investigation
disclosed five bullets were fired from
McGuire's service revolver, two of which
hit the Comet. One bullet struck the
windshield, and another one was
recovered from the interior, after
penetrating the right rear quarter panel
the agent said.
Sampson further testified a knife and
?wo .12 gauge shotgun shells removed
from Thompson's pockets by Deputy
Alex Norton weie turned over to him.
Sampson told the jurors he also
examined the shotgun and recovered a
spent shell from the breach.
Ray Davis, assistant supervisor of the
See DEPUTY, page 13