'"Ote - journal
The Hoke County News - Established 1928 The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905
*/rvi ll??r
Around
Town
BY SAM C MORRIS
The weather took a turn for cooler
days over the past weekend and if it
hadn't been for the rain last Friday
night, would have been perfect for
football. The Bucks waited until
Monday night to defeat Red Springs
21-0.
They now have a week's rest until
they take on Sanford at the Stadium
Friday night, September 26. This
should be the toughest game for the
Bpcks this year.
Make plans now to attend.
* Russ Carter, Jr. of Quewhiffle
Township was by the office recently
and was inquiring about old cars. He
said someone told him that a 1930 or
1930 Model A Coupe was owned by
someone in the county that wanted
to sell it. If this is true and you know
where the car is located,get in touch
with Carter.
His address is as follows:
Russ Carter, Jr.
Route 3 - Box I77B
Raeford. N.C.
Telephone 281-3214
On the day of the groundbreaking
for the new Hoke County Library a
welcoming speech was made in front
of the Courthouse by Mayor John K.
McNeill. Jr. The speech was heard by
Congressman Charlie Rose, who was
in attendance, and it impressed him
so that he put it in the Congressional
Record for September 8, 1975. Most
of the readers of this column heard
the speech but I thought the remarks
Congressman Rose made before the
House would be of interest to
readers.
They are as follows:
"Mr. Speaker, during the recess, I
went home to my district in Eastern
North Carolina, and on August 8, I
attended a groundbreaking ceremony
for the new Hoke County Library in
Rafeford, N.C.
"The mayor of Raeford, John K.
McNeill, Jr. gave die following
address which I want to insert in the
record today. It shows an example of
community spirit and pride which is
typical of my district and which is
die backbone of this country of ours.
"1 think it is specially fitting to sec
a group of citizens spend Utcir
money and time to build a library in
honor of our Nation's Bicentennial,
and by doing so, pay homage to the
foundations of democracy as
expressed in our written language.
"I salute my friends in Hoke
County, N.C. for their efforts, and I
hope that my colleagues in the House
will be inspired by the words of Mr.
McNeill."
Thanks. Congressman for diese
words and the placing of die speech
in the Record. Thanks to Mayor
McNeill for delivering such an
outstanding address.
The Hoke County United Fund
will start its drive in a lew weeks and
this letter is from an organization
tit at is funded by the fund.
It was sent to me as treasurer of
the fund and I thought it would be
of interest at this time.
The letter follows:
Dear Mr. Morris:
The squad members of the Hoke
* County Rescue Squad thank you, the
officers of the Hoke County United
Fund for you annual contribution.
Your contribution, along with
donations from Hoke County, City
of Raeford, industries, merchants,
and individuals from Hoke County
have enabled your squad to become
one of the most modern, up-to-date
rescue squads in the State of North
Carolina.
The equipment purchased and
available for emergency use, in die
saving or retaining of an individual's
health or life, can not be based on
monetary values.
Your local squad has twenty-two
Emergency Medical Technicians
certified by the State of North
Carolina. These men are dedicated,
trained and available for emergency
service on a few minutes notice
through the Hoke County Sheriffs
Department at any hour of the day
or night.
Thank you, for helping us to serve
others.
?
Very sincerely,
Robert L. Conoly
i Treasurer
SMASHUP- The driver of this car was listed in critical condition following a
Saturday morning smashup with a tractor trailer rig on 401-Bypass
13 State's Witnesses Heard
Pruitt Defense Begins
Crash Injures Two
A seventeen year old Raeford man
was hospitalized in critical condition
following a smashup with a tractor
trailer rig on 401 Bypass Saturday
morning.
Highway patrolman J.D. Thigpen
said a 1470 Ford operated by James
Bowles, Jr., was struck by a tractor
trailer traveling north about 8.JO
A.M. in front of the Pig 'N Chicken
restaurant.
The impact knocked the car about
4.J feet into the restaurant's parking
lot. Bowles was transported
unconscious to Cape Fear Valley
Hospital where he was admitted in
critical condition. Thigpen said.
A passenger in the ear. James
Robert Riddle. CO. Rt. I. Raeford
was also admitted with injuries.
The driver of tire truek was
identified as Kenneth E. Grantham.
2d, of Warner - Robbins. Ga.
Grantham, who was uninjured, told
Thigpen the car approached the stop
sign and then pulled onto the
roadway too late to avoid the
collision, the patrolman said.
Granthant was not charged
Thigpen said the truck was
traveling about 50 M.P.I I. at the time
of the accident.
Tire car was termed a total loss.
Damage to the truck was pul at
S1.000.
Airport Panel Seeks Increased Powers
The airport committee passed a
motion to bring a proposal before
the city council to make them a
commission so that they would have
full responsibility of the airport,
during their regular meeting last
week.
Members expressed dissatisfaction
about continuing problems, such as
boundary settlement and HAA
requirements, and unanimously
passed the motion for the proposal.
A grant that was applied for in
June of this year was turned down
because of insufficient federal funds
and new forms have been sent in
updating development, layout plans,
inflationary trends, and the
environmental situation to await
congressional action.
Paul Hose of Rose Aviation
presented plans for a new building on
his premises which would include an
office, a lobby area, and bathrooms.
and it was passed unanimously by
committee members. Rose then
made a request for 200 additional
feet after the present lease is settled.
Members decided that it would be
wise to wait and check on the fence
that might be required to border the
airport before a decision could be
made on whether to move the old
hangar owned by William Poole and
Tom Cameron.
The committee decided to have
the area engineer from the FAA
attend the next meeting along with
Gene Thacker of Raeford Aviation so
that they could check on the
boundaries and get Thacker's
intentions of his lease proposals.
Airport manager John Gaddy read
reports from Andy Abernathy.of the
safety division of the FAA, on
complaints he had received. These
complaints stemmed from pilots
hauling jumpers at 2.000 feet or less
and jumping in poor visibility.
Members ihen passed a motion to
recommend pilot Gene Carter to the
city council to fill the vacancy on the
airport committee.
A proposal to take federal funds
to employ a full-time manager was
turned down by committee members
as they felt there was 110 actual need
for one.
Rose did not like the idea and
indicated that it would be worthless
to have such a manager.
"That's an insult to the people
who are there now. I know what's
right." he said.
Gene Vance made a request to
open a sales operation tor eight or
ten airplanes. Questions such as how
quickly he could start operations and
the size ol lot needed were asked,
and the request was tabled until the
next meeting when Thacker and the
FAA representative would be there.
Committeeman fcd Brown
requested that the committee look
into .the possibility of building a run -
up area at each end of the runway.
Members unanimously passed a
motion to look into the cost and the ?
funds available to pave the end of the
taxi-ways and make them an apron
or run-up area.
More Costs Seen
On Trash Disposal
The cost to the county for the
solid waste disposal system will rise
by upwards of S8.S00 if
recommendations made by the
health department in a special report
are carried out.
County sanitarian MR. Mills
announced Friday the results of a
special survey done on the use of the
?)l garbage containers located in the
county have been submitted to
county manager T.B. Lester. The
survey recommends the purchase of
an additional 25 containers.
Sites where the containers need to
be located to relieve heavy use at
other container locations are already
plotted. Mills said.
The type of containers now in use
cost about $340. Mills said, so the
cost of the plan is put at about
S8.500.
The county began the disposal
system with the purchase of 50
containers and increased it to the
present l)l in use.
Pick-Up Sanitation Service of
Raelord. franchise holder, charges SI
per cubic yard for disposal. Most of
the containers are four cubic yards
size.
The recommendations in the
report will be detailed to the county
commissioners at their Oct. 6
meeting.
Council Race
One Incumbent Files
Incumbent city councilman
Robert W. Weaver is the first to file
for the Nov. 4 election since the
filing period opened Friday.
Weaver, 57, is seeking a second
term on the city council.
Co-Operator of Weaver's Antiques
on 401-Bypass, he is a Wake Forest
graduate with a B.S. degree in general
science. He spent 12 years as a textile
industrial engineer and was employed
by Burlington Industries for ten
years. He is a standards engineer for
Waverly Mills.
The Raeford native worked for the
city under the old mayor council
form of government before the city
manager form was adopted. His
duties as clerk -. treasurer included
tax collections, water bills,
bookkeeping, and serving as clerk to
the town council.
Weaver and his wife. Edna, a
Laurinburg native, live at 816 E.
Prospect Ave.
Weaver alluded to the criminal
charges pending against the city
manager and the ex-garage foreman
in outlining his reasons for seeking a
second term.
"Basically, I feel I have an
obligation to the citizens of the city
of Raeford in light of things that
need to be given attention. I feel I
should seek re-election", he said
Tuesday.
Robert Weaver
Weaver did nol speculate on his
chances of winning the election,
saying "the public has got to decide
that
Rose's Office
The mobile office of Congressman
Charles G. Rose will be in Raeford
Thursday, Sept. 25 from 10 A.M. to
3 P.M. Rip Collins, Rose's
administrative assistant, will be on
hand.
AIRPORT MOM I NET. - dene Carter was nominated by the airport committee
to replace Larry L'pchurch, who recently resigned from the position.
Committee Nominates
Carter To Airport Seat
Gene Carter, president of The
Hank of Raclord and a pilot, has
been nominated by the airport
committee to replace Larry
Upchurch. who resigned recently.
Carter's recommendation will be
brought before the city council in
their next regular meeting.
"I want to work along with the
committee for the betterment of
Kacford and Hoke County." said
Carter.
The committee also voted to
request that they be made a
commission by the city council at
their next meeting. This action
would give the members of the
present committee responsibility of
airport matters.
Carter indicated that this would
give the members a chance to make
the airport even more efficient than
it is now.
"If it is made a commission, I feel
like it can manage the money and
handle the dollar and make it a good
airport, one even more efficient than
it is now," said Carter.
Carter seemed enthusiastic as he
said. "I want to get ready for the
future, paving taxi-ways, parking lots
and other things If we are going to
grow, we ought to be ready for it."
"You sec pther towns making
improvements; we ought to also," he
said, "This will help businesses such
as Burlington and Knit-Away."
He indicated that he was hoping
for the federal grant that was turned
down recently because funds ran out.
"We still have our name in and we
hope to be first in line when they
approve new money tor such
improvements," he said.
Carter said that he thought the
new business of selling aircraft at the
airport will help, as it would not
merely be a market for the people of
Raeford and Moke County, but
would probabh bring business in
from other areas.
He said he did not think it would
interfere with the businesses that aie
already out there
"Of course, competition always
helps." said Carter.
Carter indicated that a map of the
airport would be helpful.
"1 want to get a map of the airport
and study what is Raeford's land and
what is the private land ot
individuals, so we can see how the
city stands and what we can do tor
the city's benefit." he said.
Carter again commented on the
advantages of turning the committee
into a commission.
"It would relieve the city council
of a job they have now and it would
be placed in the hands of a group of
people who are responsible and
capable of managing the airport," he
said.
Carter said that it would take the
burden ..way from the city council
and place the responsibility in the
hands of people who participate in
airport functions.
"Even as a commission, it still will
be run through the airport manager."
he said.
"I hope we can continue to
improve what we have," said Carter.
The prosecution rested its case
here Tuesday in the trial of Frank
Pruitt II for the murders of a
Fayctteville woman and her two
children after calling witnesses over
five davs.
Pruitt, an ex Ft. Bragg soldier, was
convicted in Cumberland County last
year of the Oct. lc>73 killings of
Christel Donlin. 30. and her children.
Patricia. 7. and Jeremiah, 4.
In March of this year the N.C.
Supreme Court overturned the
convictions and granted Pruitt a new
trial on the grounds his
constitutional rights were violated
when he allegedly confessed to the
crimes.
The trial, which began last
Tuesday before Judge Henry A.
McKinnon, was moved to Raeford
because of publicity surrounding the
earlier trial. District Attorney F.W.
(Hd) Grannis, Jr.. is leading the
prosecution.
Judge McKinnon denied a motion
to dismiss the case made by Pruitt's
court appointed counsel Donald
Grimes and the defense called its first
witness late Tuesday afternoon.
Grimes said he expects to put on
about ten witnesses and the trial may
last the rest of the week.
The jury was ordered excused
numerous times in last week's
sessions while Judge McKinnon ruled
on admissibility of state's evidence in
light of the Supreme Court decision,
and the jurors were absent for all of
Monday's proceedings.
Pruitt. who faces an 'automatic
death sentence if convicted, has
appeared calm, showing little
emotion as he listened intently to
testimony, sometimes taking notes.
A pair of blood - stained fatigues
described as found in Pruitt's home
the same day the bodies of Mrs.
Donlin and her children were found
were introduced into evidence ovei
defense objections.
Det. Bob Concrlv ot the
Cumberland County sheriffs
department testified the fatigues
were found after Pruitt confuted to
a search of Ins home.
Pruitt disputed Conerlv's account,
in testimony given without the jury
present. Pruitt said he told if he
didn't consent, die officers "would
go get a search warrant". Pruitt
denied that he had been advised of
his rights, as Concrlv so testified.
SB1 serologist Laura Ward testified
both Pruitt and Mrs. Donlin bad type
A blood and she could not determine
postively subgroupings from the
blood taken from the fatigues.
State medical examiner Page
Hudson testified Mrs. Donlin died as
a result of blows on the head. She
also had been slabbed Uirec times
and choked.
The cause of death ot the children
was heat from the fire which swept
the Donlin's Bonnie Donne home,
according to testimony.
Hudson testified he could not
determine if die woman had been
sexually assaulted.
Pruitt was placed at the scene of
the burning home on Cannon St. by
Bonnie Doone fire chief Jimmy
Sec PRl ITT. page 1 I
Arrest Follows
Hit And Run
A twenty three year ? old Racford
man was arrested tor hit and tun and
other driving charges after he
allegedly rammed a tobacco bain and
left the scene in a Saturday
afternoon accident
Highway patrolman J.I) Ihigpcn
said Willie II McNeill. P.O. Box HR
Racford. was operating a ll)(>2
Pontiac traveling north on RPR 1145
about one fifth of a mile from Hwy.
401 shortly before 5 P.M.
Thigpen said a witness. Virginia
Scarhoro. of Racford. was tiaveling
south on the road and reported the
Pontiac was on the wrong side ol the
road and swerved to avoid a collision.
The car left the road and hit a
tobacco barn, causing about SI.000
in damage. Thigpen said.
According to Thigpen. McNeill
and three passcngeis in the car got
out and (lagged down a passing car
and left the scene.
McNeill was later arrested at a
(lay Hill home and charged with
driving left of center and hit and run.
Thigpen reported The owner of the
car. Preston Locklear, also filed a
complaint and McNeill was charged
with unlawful use of a conveyance.
McNeill was released under $300
bond pending a Sept. I1* court
appearance.