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The Hoke County News - Established 1928 The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905
VOLUME LXVII NO. 28 RAEFORD, HOKE COUNTY. NORTH CAROLINA S5 PER YEAR THURSDAY. NOVEMBER 13. 1975
Around
Town
BY SAM C MORRIS
The Hoke High Bucks ended
their football season last Friday
| night with a loss to Scotland High.
It was Homecoming and the parade
was held in the afternoon. The
floats, once again, showed that
hard work had been put into each
of them.
1 don't know which class won
first prize, but I did hear an
argument among News-Journal
employees about which float was
be*. They all were good and the
judges must have had a tough
decision to make.
Now we can all look forward to
tfesketball season.
The election last Tuesday
brought forth a comment from
Tommie Teal. Tommie was in a
restaurant for lunch and I sat down
to eat with him and he was telling
me about a man that came into the
cleaners on election day.
He said that the man stated that
he wouldn't vote for that old Sam
Morrison. Tommie said that he
didn't think about what the man
said until he had walked out the
front door. Then he wondered if the
fellow was against Sam Morris or
Danny Morrison.
Now I don't know if I cost Danny
a vote or the opposite. Anyway the
fellow could have voted against
Morrison and myself.
Politics, what does it mean?
A letter arrived Tuesday from
Lucy Gray Peebles, who was a
supporter for The News-Journal a
number of years ago. Lucy now
lives in Raleigh and takes the N/J
and was commenting on my picture
which appeared last week on the
? front page.
The letter follows:
Sam:
Who tound this distinguished
Rooking gentleman's picture in the
morgue and put your name under
it?
Seriously, when I glanced at the
pictures, 1 said. "Where's Sam"?
Congratulations, anyway, even if
1 don't any longer know you when I
see you.
1 send regards to The News
Journal crew. Would love to see
everyone.
Lucy Gray
The picture was taken about two
weeks before the election and I
didn't know my looks had changed
so much in the past few years.
Anyway if this can get a note from
Lucy Gray, it is worth it.
Ttie weather is still really fine for
outdoor activities. It is also fine for
us poor folks that have to buy high
price fuel oil. I will say that when it
does turn off cold that most of us
will feel it more than if we had a
gradual change.
Anyway I like this type of
weather but also do the insects. So
maybe it will take a few hard
freezes to make everything par out.
? If you haven't given to the United
Fund do so as soon as possible so
that all records can be filled out.
You can send contributions to The
Bank of Raeford or The News
Journal.
UF Drive
The United Fund drive reached
the half way mark toward its near
$22,000 goal this week with over 56
per cent of the total pledged, UF
co-chairmen Gene and Eloise
Carter announced.
The latest contributions brought
the total collected or pledged so far
to $12,564.70, which includes
$1,413.50 reported from the
schools division.
Breakdown of the recent contri
butions was given as:
Individuals, $230; McCain.
$208.60; government employees,
$26; commercial, $830.50; West
Hoke school, $106; Unchurch.
$195; Hoke High, $130; McLauch
lin, $100; Raeford elementary,
$169.50; South Hoke, $215; Scur
lock, $259; and Board of Education
offices, $229.
i
FIRST SALE - Kiwanis publicity chairman Robert Gatlin (on left) sells the
first ticket to the annual pancake supper to newly - elected city councilman
and Lions Club member David Lovette Tuesday. The supper will be Dec. 4 at
the Gibson cafeteria and tickets may be purchased from any Kiwanis member.
rubUc Hearings Set
HUD Quest Official
County commissioners officially
approved by unanimous vote last
Thursday night at a special meeting
to jointly apply with the city of
Raeford for a share of community
development funds under the
Housing and Urban Development
(HUD) program.
The city and county will share the
costs, put at about S800, of having
the data gathered and the detailed
application done by the N.C.
Department of Natural and
Economic Resources, a
recommendation from Raeford
mayor John K. McNeill, Jr., who is
also an employee of that
Department.
McNeill appeared at the meeting
and urged the board set dates for the
two public hearings required to be
held to give citizens an opportunity
to air their views on what projects
iiould be considered.
Nov. 18 and Nov. 24 were later
announced as dates for the hearings,
to be held in the courtroom.
Commissioners agreed to request
that the eight - member county
planning board and planner Lester
Simpson work with Chamber of
Commerce manager J.H. Blue, Jr.,
and the ten member city planning
board as a joint advisory committee
for the project.
"Citizen imput from these
hearings is important to the success
of the project," commissioners
chairman Ralph Barnhart said.
The county might be able to
receive about $500,000 and the city
$100,000 in possible grants, it was
estimated by John Lynch, senior
planner with the Department of
Natural and Economic Resources in
outlining the program at an earlier
meeting.
Economic or recreational
development aimed at low 01
moderate income neighborhoods can
be approved for funds under the
HUD program. This is the second
year of the three year program
approved by Congress.
superior Lourt
Two Plead In Killing
Two Hoke County women charg
ed with murder pleaded guilty to
lesser charges of involuntary man
slaughter before Superior Court
Judge Clarence Hall last week.
Levinia Bullard. 33, and Ether
Henderson, 51, were arrested Sept.
9 for the slaying of Cleo Bullard.
35, of Rt. 1, Aberdeen.
An autopsy report indicated that
Bullard had been stabbed in the
heart and suffered massive internal
bleeding.
The suspects were apprehended
at the Bullard home.
Levinia Bullard, the victim's
wife, pleaded guilty to involuntary
manslaughter and was sentenced to
five years, suspended, and placed
on probation for five years, and
fined costs.
Ether Henderson, Bullard's
mother-in-law, pleaded guilty to
accessory after the fact to involun
tary manslaughter and was sen
tenced to five years, suspended,
and placed on probation for five
years and fined costs.
In other Superior Court action.
Jerry Wayne Shaw, 17, was found
not guilty by jury of first degree
burglary and second degree rape.
Ernest Ray Perry, 31, pleaded
guilty to felonious escape and was
sentenced to six months.
Ricky T. Horton, 18, pleaded
guilty to felonious escape and was
sentenced to six months.
Joseph Bethea, 22, pleaded
guilty to felonious breaking and
entering and was sentenced to not
less than three years nor more than
four years, suspended, and placed
on probation for five years, and
fined $333.50 and costs.
George Hollingsworth, 22,
pleaded guilty to felonious break
ing and entering and was sentenced
to not less than three years, nor
more than four years, suspended,
and placed on probation for five
years, and fined $333.50 and costs.
Melvin Lewis Dees, 46, pleaded
guilty to DUI and driving while his
license was revoked and was sen
tenced to 18 months, suspended for
three years, and fined $400 and
costs.
Ernest White, 29, pleaded no
contest to failure to stop for a blue
light and siren, DUI and driving
while his license was revoked and
resisting arrest and was sentenced
to two years, suspended for two
years, and fined $300 and costs.
Allen Scotl, 60, pleaded guilty to
DU1 (third offense), and misde
meanor larceny and was sentenced
to two years.
Dannie Hue Rogers, 34. pleaded
guilty to careless and reckless
driving and was sentenced to six
months, suspended for one year,
and fined $100 and costs.
Charlie Edward Morrison, 48,
pleaded guilty to two counts of DU1
and was sentenced to six months,
suspended for two years and fined
$450 and costs.
John C. Stubbs, 35, was sen=
fenced to 90 days for willful non
support. It was recommended that
he be permitted to serve the
sentence under the work-release
program.
Arol H. Smith, pleaded guilty to
malicious injury to personal prop
erty and was sentenced to six
months, suspended, and placed on
probation for three years and fined
costs.
Bobby Lee Edwards. 27, pleaded
guilty to misdemeanor assault with
deadly weapon and was sentenced
to two years.
The following cases were dis
missed by the prosecutor: Odell
Scales, crime against nature; Ozie
Locklear, felonious larceny; Allen
Scott, driving while his license was
revoked.
Robeson Puts Squeeze
On Bail Bondsmen Here
Jail Release Disputed
Officials are disagreeing over an
incident of a man jailed Sunday.
Oct. 19, after he allegedly was seen
inside the Upchurch school lunch
room. and his subsequent release
from jail by District Court Judge
Joe Dupree the following Thursday
night after the judge saw "B & E"
next to the man's name on the
jailbook.
The man. John E. Alford, 16.
Rt. 2. Raeford, was picked up
along with a juvenile on complaint
of school principal Earl Oxendine.
who said he discovered the pair
with food taken out of the freezer
in the lunchroom.
Alford. who was already free on
bond awaiting trial for assault with
a deadly weapon with intent to kill
inflicting serious injury, served a
sentence as a juvenile offender
when he was 14 in collection with a
killing.
Dupree said he ordered the man
released because he was charged
with a felony, and the man had not
had an initial hearing within %
hours after arrest, as requied by
law.
"Under Chapter 15-A, any per
son charged with a felony must be
given a hearing within 96 hours or
the next regular session of District
Court, whichever comes first. 1
went down to the jail and checked
the book, and I saw he was charged
with breaking and entering and
had not had a hearing, so 1 ordered
him released- 1 didn't see the
warrant. 1 was going by what was
listed.", Dupree said.
"1 knew he would be in court
Friday, and he was", the judge
said. Alford's case was continued to
Oct. 31. and then continued a
second time to Nov. 21.
Although Alford's bond was set
at $500 by magistrate Steve Hedg
peth, Dupree explained that he had
no choice but to release the man
under his own recognizance.
"The law is clear that he has to
have a hearing, but it doesn't say a
damn thing about what to do".
Dupree said. He then requested
assistant district attorney Duncan
McFadyen contact the Attorney
General for a ruling.
The exact charge against Alford
was unclear, as Sherff D.M.
Barrington disputed Dupree's
claim that it was felony.
"The man was charged with
non-burglarious breaking and en
tering, which is a misdemeanor. All
breaking and entering cases are
felonies, unless the warrant is
drawn for misdemeanor breaking
and entering, as this was", the
sheriff said.
"1 didn't know anything about
this until 1 came to work on Friday.
1 never would have allowed a man
released without a written judicial
order, and I still have not received a
written order yet", he continued.
"I know he was charged with a
misdemeanor because 1 sent a
deputy over to the clerk's office to
make sure we didn't have to take
him to Fayetteville for a hearing.
The deputy confirmed that it was a
misdemeanor". Barrington said.
A check of the original warrant
filed at the clerk's office revealed
the same printed form used for
felony warrants was used by
Hedgpeth and filled out with a
black ball point pen. However, the
term "feloniously" was inked out
with a blue pen. and Ihe alteration
may have been done after the
original and the carbon copies were
separated, as the original and the
first duplicate both were marked.
Hedgpeth viewed the warrant at
the clerk's office but couldn't recall
if he marked out the word
"feloniously".
"1 just don't know, it's been a
while and I just don't remember
that one. I could have, because 1
will read one over to proofread it
and if I see something to be struck
See DISPUTED, page I I
The ratification of a bill by the
General Assembly of North Carolina
that became effective Oct. 1 has
effectively squeezed out bail
bondsmen here from doing business
in Robeson County as they now can
in all but one other county in the
state.
The act was passed to provide for
uniform regulation of the bail bond
business throughout the state
requiring bondsmen to be certified
and meet certain standards so they
could commute to all counties
without having to be certified for
each visit by the Clerk of Superior
Court.
This new bill applies to all
counties of North Carolina except
Robeson and New Hanover.
"I thought all 100 counties would
be included in the ratification," said
James Albert Hunt, local bondsman.
"I feel that if 98 counties should
be under it, the other two should be
also," he added.
State Senator Luther Britt said he
thought Robeson County did not
need to be included in the new law
because the county already had very
strict requirements for the bond
procedure.
"I introduced the exemption for
Robeson County," he said.
Britt said he did not know that
Hoke County was not already under
the requirements. He said that he had
not been contacted about the
ratification prior to October about
Hoke County's bond status, and was
Under the opinion that it was one of
the 26 counties that was under the
act before the ratification to make it
state wide.
"1 was not contacted about Hoke
County. I was under the opinion that
Hoke County was already under the
State Bail Bond Act," he said.
"If somebody who knows me
from Hoke County got put in jail in
Robeson County, they would have to
stay in jail until the next morning,
because I couldn't get a certificate to
go to Robeson County to get them
out until the next morning," said
Hunt, who is also a county
commissioner.
He pointed out that the Clerk of
Court has to be in the office and
stamp his certificate so he could go
into Robeson County.
"Robeson and New Hanover
Counties are the only counties in the
state that I have to do this," he
added.
Under the new law, all the
bondsmen in counties arc
registered with the state insurance
commission. The bondsmen are
issued a license after they complete
an application and deposit $5,000
with the North Carolina Insurance
Commission, according to Hunt.
"About 10h of my business is
people from Hoke County getting in
trouble in Robeson County and
calling me," he said.
"About a half a dozen people have
called me since the law came into
effect from Robeson County and I
couldn't go then bond until the next
morning because 1 couldn't get the
See BONDSMFN, page 1 I
City Council
Meets 13th
The city council will hold a special
meeting at 8 P.M. Thursday in city
hall to discuss filling the city manager
vacancy.
The meeting is open to the public.
Edm is t e n Ca n re Is
Lions Hear Law Needs
Attornev General Rufus Edmi
sten, who was scheduled to speak at
the Lions Club meeting Monday
night, failed to appear because ot
illness in the family, and Cecil
Hargett, director of the Training
Standards Council of the Attorney
General's Office, relayed Edmi
sten's speech and provided addi
tional comments for club members.
Hargett, former acting director
of the Governor's Commission on
Law and Order, while presenting
Edmisten's speech, pointed out
that there were definite problems
concerning salaries of police of
ficers and law officials in North
Carolina.
He stated that there were some
good points about criminal justice
and administration in the state,
such as less police corruption and
basic standards thai have to be
met.
He also looked to the Justice
Academy in Salemburg where law
officials would be able to obtain
valuable training and up-to-date
knowledge of the law.
"The academy will not restrict
courses to policemen, but will
instruct judges, prosecutors, and
probation officers on current pro
cedure." said Hargett.
He envisioned the need to im
prove the salaries of law enforce
ment officers of the state and urged
all to contact their representatives
on the state and local level to act on
the need.
"Contact your representatives
about spending tax dollars where
the public wants them spent." he
said.
Hargett said that in the last few
years the minimum salary of law
enforcement officer has been in
creased from $2,500 to Sfo.000 with
the state supplementing many sal
aries of local officers to meet the
minimum requirement.
"We have asked for an increase
of the minimum wage to $7,500
and this has not been acted upon
yet." he said.
Again Hargett urged those at
See LIONS, page 1 I
Rose's Office
Here Nov. 15
The mobile office of Congress-,
man Charles G. Rose will be in!
Raeford Saturday, Nov. 15 in the
post office parking lot.
Administrative assistant Rip
Collins will be in the office from 10
A.M. to 3 P.M.
'Tell It To Council',
C of C Board Says
Chamber of Commerce directors
met Tuesday morning for their
monthly meeting and agreed to
request the Chamber members
contact the city council to express
their views on the vacant city
manager situation.
Buddy Blue. Chamber manager,
said after the meeting that the
board felt it could not issue any
recommendation without oollinR
the entire membership to get
opinions.
The matter was brought up for
discussion after some Chamber
directors reported they were con
tacted about their views on a
proposal to re-hire the ex-city
manager.
"The full board decidcd not to
take any formal vote on the
question, but each member has
been asked to convey his wishes to
the members of the city council",
according to the Chamber's state
ment.
In other business, the directors
requested Blue to draw up a
resolution ready for adoption at the
next meeting that the Chamber will
undertake a petition drive to gain
extended area telephone service for
the area.
The Chamber seeks to acquire
the service from Carolina Tele
phone to link the local exchange
with the Fayetteville-Ft. Bragg
See BOARD, page 11
Hit And Run
Claims Life
The highway patrol is seeking the
driver of the car which struck a
twenty four vear-old county man in
a hit and run last weekend,
marking the twelfth traffic fatality
this year.
Alton Haynes. Rt I. Box 226,
Shannon, was found dead on the
pavement of rural paved route 1105
near Miller's Crossroads about 4
A.M. Sunday hy a passing motorist
who notified authorities, trooper
J.D. Thigpen reported.
The man had sustained head
injuries from the impact of the auto
and lost a large amount of blood,
Thigpen said.
Investigators at the scene exam
ined tire impressions from a vehicle
and checked other evidence after
the body was sent to the state
medical examiner for an autopsy,
the trooper said.
Haynes' car, a 1%4 Ford, was
found about a mile from the scene
and out of gas. Authorities theorize
that he left his car and was trying to
reach his home when he was hit.
The accident occured about six
miles south of Raeford.