<*7/2eu??) - ^-ournal The Hoke County News - Established 1928 The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905 vm I IMC 1 V\/II MO ~>A Around Town BY SAM C.MORRIS Billy Colson, girl track coach at Hoke High School, was by the office last Saturday morning with a newspaper sent to him from Mexico by Kathy McMillan who is there competing in the Pan-Am track meet. The name of the paper was Excelsior and had a series of pictures showing Kathy doing the long jump. It had under the pictures that she had jumped 6.51 meters (21 feet 5V4 inches). poison said that Kathy said site had been jumping around 22 feet in practice and would jump Tuesday in the meet. * Of course, we all wish for her the best and will be awaiting the results. ***** Rebecca Childress was by the office Tuesday morning and had some old tobacco sales slips which she had found in cleaning up around the house. They were sales made by her father, C.W. Childress, in 1912 and 1913. The sales were made in Winston, N.C. and Pilot Mountain, N.C. The highest price paid on any of the three tickets was 31 cents per pound and the lowest was four cents. Some people might ask how he could afford to grow tobacco at such prices. The labor costs or the costs of materials were on the same level. Ask any farmer today and he will give you the facts. Thanks Rebecca for the tickets. A letter from any old friend not heard from or seen in a number of years brought back memories of many football arguments. The letter will follow and is from J.G. "Chops" McLeod of Dillon. S.C. Chops has been living in Florence for a number of years and wrote to have his ' address changed to Dillion. When I mentioned football and Chops it always brings to mind the time Duke played U.S.C. in the Rose Bowl, lie was running the station ?where Crumpler's Handy-Mart is now located and was a strong Duke supporter. The day of the game Chops closed down the station and fixed benches and crates for die crowd to listen to die game. Nodiing was sold except during a time out or at die half. The gas pumps were locked and die selling consisted of crackers, candy, drinks, etc. It is hard to write about diat crowd and the game. Duke lost 7-3 to die best of my knowledge. The letter follows: Dear Sam: Please notice the change of address. I enjoy The News-Journal so much. I don't want to miss a single copy. Best wishes to you. Regards, JohnG. "Chops" McLeod Another visitor by the office recently was Mrs. C.B. Randall nee Irma Jordan of Kinston. Irma was unable to attend the 40th Class Reunion last June and it was a pleasure to talk about it widi her and also odier diings diat have happened since we finished school in 1935. She was one drat I started and finished with here at Racford High School. Gaddy's Two Pleas: 4No Contest* Barefoot Plea ? Guilty, Judge: Commendable Billy H. Barefoot, the ex-city employee whose accusations about corrupt practices at the city garage led to an SBI investigation and climaxed with city manager John Gaddy resigning^ pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of misdemeanor larceny Monday and received a suspended 18 month sentence. "Your honesty and cooperation is commendable", Superior Court Judge Henry A. McKinnon remarked before sentencing. "The tendency of some is to try to put the blame on others but you have not done this." Barefoot, employed from 1970 to April, 1975 as foreman of the municipal garage, was indicted in August on one count of misuse of city funds involving $137 worth of parts placed in his personal Mustang automobile in March of 1975. He could have received up to ten years in prison on the charge. Barefoot, 32, was ordered to pay restitution to the city and his sentence was ordered suspended for three years. He was not placed on probation. Barefoot's key role in the probe which resulted in felony charges being brought against Gaddy was outlined by assistant district attorney Randy Gregory to the court Monday. "The state had no case against John Gaddy up until a couple of weeks ago without Billy Barefoot's testimony", Gregory said. Barefoot was promised a suspended sentence would be recommended as part of the negotiated plea, Gregory said. Barefoot's attorney, Carl Barrington, Jr. of Fayetteville, told the court Barefoot "made his decision to cooperate a long time ago". "He made his decision to plead guilty, not nolo contendre", Barrington declared. "He got caught up in the merty-go-round allowed by the powers that be in this city. He was doing his part in cleaning up a sorry situation". Barefoot, now employed as a mechanic with a Fayetteville auto dealership, was the second of two ex-garage workers who publicly made accusations last spring about alleged thefts occurring at the city garage. Barefoot contacted The News-Journal after fired garage worker Jimmy Bullard accused Gaddy of discharging him for talking about losses at the garage. Barefoot backed up Bullard's claims and at the same time detailed new and serious allegations against Gaddy which prompted city councilmen to ask for an official inquiry by the district attorney. Councilman Sam C. Morris, general manager of The News-Journal, notified councilman Benny McLeod after N-J reporters interviewed more sources and were shown files described to be falsified to conceal repair work done on privately owned vehicles. Morris and McLeod persuaded other councdmen to ask for the official probe and the State Bureau of Investigation entered the case on June 23. Commission Pushing Plans - County Recreation Director Plans are being pushed to hire a full-time recreation director by the parks and recreation Commission, according to minutes of the regular meeting Wednesday, Oct. 8 Commission Secretary Iris Davis said that a meeting was held with state officials to discuss what it would take to get an active recreation program underway and the commission was told that a full-lime director was needed. "We've had several meetings on this, and we're hoping to set up a special meeting with the county commissioners since they don't have another one set up this month," she said. "We were told that the person we should hire should have at least two to four years experience in the parks and recreation field. We also learned thai we could probably get a person who would be suitable for about SI3,000 a year. "We have been granted enough money for the first year's salary, but we need to get the commissioners' blessings on a continued salary because it would be hard to get someone here if we could only promise him one year's work," she said. Mrs. Davis indicated that the person would need to know how to work with grants that oould be obtained. "The person will have to be familiar with grant money, because that will be what he will do at first to get money to build the department." she said. "The work is being done and it is just a matter of getting people together and assuring him a salary." she said. A comntiltee consisting of Younger Snead, Mrs. Billie Postel, Mrs. Davis, Frank Bundy, Julian H. (Buddy) Blue, and Dick Lovett was appointed to appear before die commissioners in the meeting. In other business. Kay Thomas. Younger Snead. Warren Pate. John McNeill, and Robert Taylor were welcomed as new members by Billie Postel, George Wood. Ellen Willis, Winston McRae, Benny McLeod, Ins Davis, and new commission chairman. Dick Lovett. The new members were given a quick rundown of the recreation program for the past summer, budget Figures and plans for the winter See RECREATION, page IS Kathy McMillan Kathy Shatters Record, Bronze Medal For U.S. Hoke High athlete Kathy McMillan captured a bronze medal for the United States and broke the women's record twice at the Pan American games in Mexico City Tuesday. Miss McMillan. 18, jumped 21 feet, two and three quarters inches early in the day, beating the record of 21-1V4 set in 1971 by Canada's Brenda Eisler. In tiie finals competition Tuesday night, sire jumped 21 -3'/i. beating her old record. Ana Alexander of Cuba took first place in the long jump, with a 21-'' effort. Martha Watson of Long Beach. Calif., Miss McMillan's teammate and longtime rival, received the silver medal for a 21-6 jump. A strong contender for a berth on the 1976 Olympics team. Miss McMillan's performance Tuesday marked the fifth straight time site has jumped more than 21 feet in competition. She recorded a jump of 21-7 in Prague, Czechoslovakia after being named to the National Amateur \thlctic Union team and traveling to two important international meets in Hurope in July. Since the Prague meet, she made a 21 toot jump in Durham; 21-4'A in Montreal, Canada, the longest jump ever by a woman in Canada: and 21 -3Va in Los Angeles during tryouts for the U.S. Pan Am Games team. liill Colston, Miss McMillan's coach, said that site was hoping to come home Friday, Oct. 17, but site didn't know if she would be able to oi not since she was scheduled to return on Oct. 23. "Kathy sounded a little disappointed because site didn't hit the wood all day," said Colston. "The jump is measured from the board at the beginning of the pit," he added. "I'm really pleased and we're all really proud of her and her performance," he said. Three Die In Wreck A late Friday night collision on the Old Maxton Road south of Raeford claimed the lives of a woman and two men in the worst single recorded traffic fatality this year in the county. Killed in the 11:30 P.M. accident were Roy Neill Jacobs, 19, of Rt. 3. Raeford, Mrs. Verlane Singletary, 34. and James T. Harrington, 51, both of Rt. 3, Red Springs. Listed as injured were Marion Singletary, 28, Rt. 3. Red Springs. Annie Mae Harrington, 44, of Rt. 3, Red Springs. Redell Clark. 18. and Charles Clark, 15, both of Rt. 2, Max ton. All of die injured were transported to Scotland Memorial Hospital in Laurinburg, according to trooper C.A. Bennett. Bennett gave litis account of the accident: A car driven by Marion Singletary failed to stop for a sign at the intersection of rural paved routes 1113 and 1116. about three miles west of South Hoke school. A car driven by Jacobs struck the Singletary auto on the driver's side and the impact threw Mrs. Harrington from Singletary's car. The vehicle then left the road and went into a 15 foot deep canal containing about two feet of water. The bodies of Mrs. Singletary and Harrington were recovered by rescue workers under the water, but it is believed the pair died from injuries in the collision. The Clark youths were passengers in Jacobs' car. Mrs. Harrington was reported to be in serious condition. Resignation Turned In, Prison Term Lifted, $2,000 Fines Levied City manager John D. Gaddy received a suspended tour year prison term and was placed on probation lor three years after pleading nolo contendere (no contest) to two felony charges of misappropriating city funds Monday before Superior Court Judge Henry A. McKinnon. Gaddy, represented by Raeford attorney Philip Diehl, was fined 51,500 and ordered to pay S500 in restitution to the city of Raeford. He turned in his resignation as city manager Monday morning before proceedings began. A third felony charge of misappropriating city funds was dismissed by the state as part of the plea bargaining, assistant district attorney Randy Gregory disclosed to the court. Gaddy, 51. and the father of four children, could have received up to 20 years in prison on the charges. A plea of nolo contendere is a legal term in which the defendant does not admit guilt, but does not wish to contest the state's evidence. Such a plea counts the same as a conviction, but it may not be used against the defendant and entered in the record in any future criminal actions. Before sentencing. Judge McKinnon hinted closer scrutiny should be given to a city manager by a city council because of the broad powers a city manager possesses under this form of municipal government. "It appears officials placed too much trust in one person and too much temptation ... some people might call it petty misappropriations, but any misappropriation by a public official is serious", McKinnon said. "All public officials should take a serious look at the total situation and make a close check to see a situation like this does not happen again", he continued. The charges Gaddy pleaded to Monday grew out of the nearly four months-long probe by the State Bureau of Investigation begun after The News-Journal published allegations of thefts and misappropriations involving operations at the city garage. Gaddy was convicted of authorizing a 5333 payment out of the city treasury in Feb. 1974 to Auto Parts and Equipment, Inc., of Raeford and McKoy Maxwell Garage to pay for parts to rebuild a 15)63 Chevrolet pickup truck. The pickup truck was sold to Gaddy's son, Chris, immediately after the repairs were made, according to Gregory. Gregory told the court the state's evidence showed that the city council on Oct. I, 1973 approved a list of property to be declared surplus, but that the Chevrolet pickup was not listed. Gregory displayed the book containing the minutes of city council meetings and told the court sometime after Jan. 22, 1974, new minutes were typed and the Chevrolet pickup was included on those lo reflect it had been declared surplus the previous October. Gregory continued that on Jan. 25, 1974, the title to the vehicle was transferred from the city of Raeford directly to James Christopher Gaddy. The vehicle was never advertised for sale as surplus, according to records of advertisements appearing in The News-Journal. McKinnon inquired about any payment made for the sale, and Gregory said the city received S400. Diehl told the court the payment came from Gene Thacker, (owner of Raeford Aviation). The second charge Gaddy pleaded to Monday involved a 327 Chevrolet engine paid for by city funds and installed in a 1957 Chevrolet station wagon described as Gaddy's personal vehicle. According to Gregory's testimony. Gaddy bought the car in 1961 in Gastonia and it was still titled to him on Aug. 25. 1970, when the engine was delivered to the city from Shepard Auto Parts of Rockingham. The cost of the engine was S327. The engine was put into Gaddy's car and tire file at city hall was falsified to indicate the motor went into a 1965 Ford truck, a city-owned vehicle, Gregory told the court. The identifying numbers had been ground down, Gregory said, but SB I agents were able to use a special heat process treatment to raise them and make the identification on the engine. The third charge, dropped by the state in return for the pleas, centered on the '63 pickup sold to Gaddy's son. Gaddy authorized a 546 payment out of city funds to Red Springs Motor Co. in Red Springs in Nov. 1974 lor repair work, according to the indictment. Gaddy's defense counsel did not refute any ol the charges or offer any evidence but asked the court to consider Gaddy's accomplishments. "He has been here nearly eight years and under his guidance the city budget has developed to three times its size. He's seen it (Raeford) grow from a town to a city and experienced the growing problems. In the beginning, there were only one or two people in the administrative end. and very few in maintenance", Diehl told the court. "He faced his responsibility and accomplished much", Diehl said. Gaddy paid 5500 of his fine to the clerk's office Monday and the remainder is to be paid under the direction of his probation officer. Cynthia Ficklin. women's probation supervisor and the only available officer in court Monday, conducted a preliminary interview with Gaddy at McKinnon's direction Monday but she will not be permanently in charge of probation. Council Huddles Monday City manager John Caddy's letter of resignation was officially accepted by the city council at a closed door session hastily called following Monday's court proceedings. Mayor John k. McNeill opened the meeting at 7:30 Monday night and immediately announced that the council would go into executive session. At 8:15,\the meeting was re-opened to tiie public and Mayor McNeill reported that a motion made by councilman Robert Weaver and seconded by councilman Sam Morris carried unanimously. The motion was to accept Gaddy's resignation, effective Nov. 1 1975, and to pay Ciaddy his saJary for the month of November 1975. He will be granted all benefits due him. Gaddy was die highest paid city employee, drawing a SI7.000 ? plus yearly salary, as he held the city manager position and the water and sewer administrator post. The salary set for the city manager position is $8,599.89, and the salary for water and sewer administrator is S8.599.89. A three percent Christmas bonus is also added to this figure.