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The Hoke County News - Established 1928 The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905
Around
Town
BY SAM C. MORRIS
The weather over the weekend
was cold but some golfers played
anyway. The sun came out Satur
day and the weather warmed up
and it has been pleasant Monday
and Tuesday. I hope this will
continue for Super Bowl weekend.
Frank Crumpler had the pro
g*m at the Raeford Kiwanis Club
last Thursday night and his speaker
talked about, you guessed it,
t^aath. Of course death faces all of
us and we know it will soon catch
up with us, but I didn't think a
program on the subject could keep
my interest for any length of time,
but it did.
If you would like more on the
subject I know that Crumpler will
give you the speaker's name and he
will inform you of many things you
haven't thought of concerning
death.
Most of the time when you write
a column like this one you don't
know jf folks read it or not. If you
say something about someone
personally you usually hear from it,
out the letter from Bill Williamson
about the 1930 National Guard
unit has brought forth many
comments.
This week I was talking to my
brother. Spec, in Gilmer. Texas
and during the course of our
conversation he brought up Bill
Williamson's name and the letter
about the old battery. '
Carson Davis and Chalmers
Davis, both of Raeford, came forth
with the roster of the guard unit for
1938.
So to all Battery "F" members of
1938 here is the roster:
Captain W.L. Poole; 1st Lt. N.
. McNair Smith,-2nd Lts. Charles C.
Conoly and Younger F. Snead.
" 1st Sgt. T.B. Lester, Jr; Staff
Sgt. C.J. McNeill.
Sergeants: Benjamin M. Bradin.
Archie C. Clark. Alfred Cole.
^Carson Davis, Jesse N. Gulledge.
mharlie Mclnnis. and Sam Snead.
Corporals: Archie H. Calhoun,
Paul Dickson, William Lamont,
Jr., James C. McKenzie, Oscar L.
Wood, and Hartman Yarborough.
Privates First Class: Walter R.
Barrington. Henry B. Bethune,
William J. Bethune, Luther W.
Oark, Fred M. Cox, Daniel R.
Currie, Cuy L. Gaddy, Raymond L.
Hale. William Lentz, John E.
Lindsay, Weldon B.. Lunsford, Dun
can B. McBryde. Everett F.
McBryde. Malcolm H. McPhaul.
Cecil B. Stephens, and John T.
Walters.
Privates: Robert D. Barrington,
Ebb Barrington, Bill Baxley,
i Graham Clark, James G. Currie.
i Chalmers B. Davis, Ernest L.
j Davis, William D. Davis, Silas
[ Freeman, Woodrow Gibson. Ed
gar V. Holcomb, Charles B. John
son. Jr., Charles D. Johnson.
Harold C. Keith, Charles M.
Lamont, Bruce Morris, Jr., Sam C.
Morris, Harold A. McDiarmid,
John D. McKeithan, Daniel H.
McKenzie, Herbert S. McLean.
Jr* Norman McNeill, Melton C.
Newton, Carlton Niven,. Jesse A.
Parks, Ralph D. Parks, Jesse Pate,
Clarence Pittman, Jack Pope,
James R. Stewart, Frank Stephens.
Jan#s D Stephens. Cernie Stubbs,
and David W. Yarborough.
The reason Bill Williamson's
name is not on the roster is that he
went to camp in the summer and
this is a list made earlier in the
year.
FATALITY- Hoke County Rescue Squad members Jim Wade and Johnny
Melton check for vital signs on one of three victims pinned within car
following a smashup early Saturday morning. One victim was freed through
a rear window and the overturned vehicle was then righted to remove two
others. Joe Walter Lowery was pronounced dead at the scene. (Photo by
Hoke County Rescue Squad.)
Three Hurt
One Dead In Wreck
One man was dead and three
persons injured in a single car
smasliup about 3 AM. Saturday just
outside the city limits on RPR 1203.
Trooper C.A. Bennett identified
the dead man as Larry Lowery, 22,
Rt. 1, Box 252, Raeford. Listed as
injured are Joe Walter Lowery, 27,
the victim's brother, Reba Locklear,
20, of Rt. 1, Box 182, Raeford, and
Charles Godwin, 21. Rt. 1, Box 116,
Raeford.
Bennett said the four were riding
in a 1972 Mercury enroute to a
hospital after Godwin was wounded
by gunfire at a nightspot near the
Burlington plant. The car traveling at
a high rate of speed when it left the
road, struck a ditch bank, and
overturned, according to Bennett.
Godwin apparently was able to
free himself from the wreck and
telephoned for help from nearby
Burlington plant.
Hoke County Rescue Squad
members extricated Joe Lowery
from the car and then freed Miss
Locklear, who was conscious, after
uprighting the vehicle.
Larry Lowery was pronounced
dead at the scene by medical
examiner R.G. Townsend. According
to rescue squad members, the cause
of death was a broken neck.
Godwin, who reportedly had been
shot in the side, was taken to Cape
Fear Valley Hospital in Fayetteville
with unknown injuries. Lowery was
listed in serious condition at Moore
Memorial Hospital in Pinehurst,
according to Bennett.
Police Not Jokers,
Says Judge Guy
Testimony in a case heard Friday
involving charges of resisting an
officer and disorderly conduct
made last July angered District
Court Judge Charles Guy.
After Raeford police officers
Charles Campbell and J.E. Tindall
testified that they gave Louis C.
Cunningham of Raeford, numer
ous chances to cooperate with them
before they had to use physical
tactics to get him to the magis
trates' office to take out warrants
for the charges brought on initially
by a parking ticket. Cunningham
took the stand and gave his account
of the incident.
During his testimony, Cunning
ham referred to the officers as
"jokers" many times before Guy
stopped the remarks and told
Cunningham that he was not to
refer the Raeford City Police in his
court as anything other than
"officers."
Cunningham finished his testi
mony and Guy found him guilty of
the charges and sentenced him to
See JOKERS, page II
Health Officials Ask
End To Trash Abuse
Public health officers issued
sharp criticism and warnings that
more trash container sites may be
taken away if misuse doesn't stop,
according to a statement last week.
Sanitarian Lawrence Caviness
said 15 additional containers re
cently approved by county com
missioners have been placed at
"problem areas".
"Tax revenue paid for the*new
containers, the paint and labor to
repaint the old containers. Also,
the need for new containers is the
result of constant and increasing
use of the containers for which we
thank you," Caviness said.
"There are several things for
which you are responsible for which
we do not thank you. No thanks
goes to you that abused our sites by
the burning and bending of the
containers."
"Also, no thanks goes to you that
placed old appliances, furniture,
limbs, stumps, bricks, etc.. in and
around the containers. These con
tainer sites are not county owned;
this land use is free and greatly
appreciated, so unless efforts are
made by the users to correct
existing problems, some sites will
be re-located in the near future",
the statement warned.
Caviness asked the public to
follow four suggestions:
Place all waste inside the con
tainer. If the container is filled and
it would be feasible, take the waste
to the next closest site. Do not place
anything outside the container.
All large objects should go to the
landfill. Landfill hours are 8 A.M.
to 5 P.M. Monday through Sat
urday.
After placing refuse into the
container, close the container lid if
possible. This would eliminate
blowing of trash and entrance of
animals and insects.
If users would help clean around
sites and report any abusive
actions, it would be greatly ap
preciated.
For Commissioner Slot
Dems Endorse Three
Charlie Pendergrass, Neil Mc
Phatter, and Mrs. Crawford
Thomas, Jr. have been officially
recommended by Democrats here
to fill the vacancy on the Hoke
County Board of Commissioners
following Saturday's meeting of the
Democratic Executive Committee.
Results of the committee's
voting, which was done once only
by secret, ballot, were as follow:
Pendergrass 43, McPhatter 38,
^Irs. Tnomas 28.
Three other candidates trailed in
the voting. Mrs. J.K. (Mabel) Riley
23, Jimmy Morrisey 19, and Danny
McCollum three.
Committee members voted for
?hree nominees each, with first
choice counting three votes, second
choice counting two, and third
choice counting a single vote,
committe chairman Sam C. Morris
announced.
Morris has submitted the names
of the nominees by letter to Ralph
Barnhart, chairman of the county
commissioners. Under the law, the
commissioners choose a replace
ment for J. A. Webb, who died Dec.
22, leaving an unexpired term. No
date for a meeting of the commis
sioners has been announced.
Pendergrass, a Quewhiffle town
ship resident, is a farmer and a
director of Southeast Production
Credit Assoc.
McPhatter, who is the only
black, is a brick mason and lives in
Blue Springs township and is active
in civic affairs.
Mrs. Thomas, who is the wife of
city councilman Crawford Thomas,
is a well-known civic leader and
active in Democratic politics. She is
president of the Raeford Womaiik
Club.
To Start Feb. 1
City Manager Named
Fired For No Cause,
Says Angry Deputy
A deputy who was fired from his
job Thursday morning after a
disagreement with his superior
charged that he was fired without
cause and plans to make an appeal
before the County Commissioners
January 19.
Deputy Elisha Dial, who has
been with the sheriffs department
since March, 1974, said he was
called into the office after an
incident with chief deputy J.E.
Lamont last Thursday and was
fired by Sheriff D.M. Barrington.
"They give me a rotten deal,"
Dial said.
Dial said he reported for duty at
8 a.m. and began working on
reports, when Lamont accused him
of withholding information from
Lamont about a case Dial was
working on.
"I asked him a question about
the value of a shotgun, and he said
'Dial, did you tell (deputy) Norton
you had information on a stolen
gun in Robeson County? Why
didn't you call me'? I had told him,
and he didn't do anything with it.
He kept saying that I didn't tell
him, but I did, and I told him that.
Well, then he says to me to go sit
down and I didn't want to sit down.
Then he tells me to go home. I said
I'm not going home until the sheriff
gets here," Dial said.
"This is the reason the sheriff
fired me. Because I refused to sit
down and I refused to go home.
The sheriff said 1 was refusing to
take orders. What order? Telling
me to sit in the corner like a dog?
That's an order?" Dial said.
Dial said that although he and
Lamont were both on duty at the
time the argument developed. La
mont left the building and returned
in his civilian clothes with a paper
bag which he brought in and
dumped on the sheriff s desk. The
bag appeared to contain his equip
ment issue, and Dial believes
Lamont threatened to quit if
Barrington did not fire Dial.
"I was out on patrol when I got
the call to come in. I went into the
sheriffs office and Lamont was
sitting there. The sheriff says,
'Dial, I told you if you come in
again refusing to take orders, you'd
be fired, that's all we've got to say
about it, we'll pay you to the end of
the month," Dial said.
"I started to say something, but
he said, 'No, we're not going to
argue about it, and that's it". Dial
continued.
Dial said that he had been given
a verbal warning after he forgot a
court date about following orders,
but that Thursday he didn't con
sider what Lamont told him to be
an order.
Dial also charged that an investi
gation on him was begun after
Lamont accused him of stealing.
"He accused me of being in on
some break-ins. I was being investi
gated by the auto theft bureau in
Fayetteville. the sheriff personally
told me. I never heard anything
from it, so I guess I was cleared.
Two Men
Charged
Two men have been charged with
the shooting of a Raeford man early
Saturday morning at a night spot
known as Clemmie's Place, according
to deputies' report.
Harold Gene Brooks, of P.O. Box
13, Shannon, and his brother Larry
Brooks of the same address have
been charged with assault with a
deadly weapon with intent to kill in
connection with the shooting of
Charles Godwin, of Rt. tTBOx 116,
Raeford, who was later taken to
Cape Fear Valley Hospital.
Godwin told authorities that he
was shot with a .32 pistol in the side
while standing in the yard at the
night spot.
A hospital spokesman said
Tuesday, that Godwin was listed in
satisfactory condition.
Both men were released under a
S500 bond.
but nobody ever actually told me 1
was," Dial said.
I'm an Indian. He (Lamont)
doesn't like Indians. 1 got to solving
some cases and I guess he didn't
like it," he continued.
Dial said after Lamont didn't
check out the information on the
gun, Dial began checking with
Concord, N. C., detectives and
received word the gun was definite
ly stolen in the break-in at the
Mike Melton residence here. Dial
said he drew a warrant on his
suspect, and then linked a ring
found on the suspect to another
break-in here, and also a third.
Dial also was credited with deputy
J.K. Riley for apprehending an
armed robbery suspect and a
second suspect later along with
deputy G.S. McGuire.
Dial confirmed he has conferred
with an attorney and his next step
may be to file suit against the
County for discrimination.
"I'm not going to take re
instatement as long as Lamont is
there. My lawyer's advice is if they
don't do anything at the hearing,
we would file suit because we've got
a good case," Dial said.
Sheriff Barrington said Tuesday
he had no plans to appear at the
Jan. 19 meeting of the commis
sioners, unless he is asked to
explain the firing by the commis
sioners.
"Dial was fired for conduct
unbecoming a police officer and
failure to carry out the policies and
procedures of the Hoke County
Sheriffs Department." he said.
Barrington disputed Dial's claim
that Lamont was difficult to work
with, or created friction within the
department.
"Any unrest or low morale
(within the department) I don't
know about. No reports have been
made to me," he said,
Barrington refused comment on
Dial's accusation that Dial was
under an official investigation, and
referred all questions to the En
forcement and Theft Bureau of the
Department of Motor Vehicles in
Fayetteville.
The sheriff also denied Dial's
See DEPUTY, page 11
Robert G. Drumwright of Gra
ham. N.C., has accepted the
Raeford city manager job and will
start work Feb. 1.
Drumwright. who has been
finance officer and tax collector for
the city of Graham for the past four
and one half years, will be paid
$14,000 salary.
Announcement of the decision to
hire Drumwright was made last
Thursday following an executive
session of the city council late that
afternoon. City council members
had interviewed several applicants
since the post became vacant Nov.
1 after John Gaddy's resignation.
Drumwright. who will be 28 this
month, is a bachelor and a native of
Alamance County. He received his
degree in business administration
from the University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Drumwright. reached by tele
phone Friday, said he is making the
move to a smaller city because of
the better position. Population of
Graham is 8,700.
Drumwright said he was aware of
the investigation into corruption
made here last year and Gaddy's
subsequent resignation, but said he
foresees no problems in his ad
ministration.
"As I understand it, it was
misappropriation of funds. I
understand after he was dismissed,
a petition was drawn up by some
citizens to bring him back", he
said.
"1 don't foresee any problems,
really none at all", he said.
Drumwright said he was not aware
of the motion passed by the city
council which leaves the decision
up to him on hiring Gaddy in some
lesser capacity, and he refused
comment.
One of the first tasks for
Drumwright will be to begin work
on the new budget.
In a related development, Hilton
Clark was hired as foreman of the
city garage at an annual salary of
$6,000-58,000. The job. which is
funded under the public service
employment program, had been
vacant since July when David Scull
resigned. Clark, who began Mon
day is the brother of city council
man Graham Clark.
Robert Jackson has also been
hired as assistant fire chief, acting
city manager Bill Sellars an
nounced.
Jackson, who will be working lull
time as fireman in an effort to raise
the state fire insurance rating from
its present volunteer-only status,
will be paid slightly under $10,000.
Sellars said. He assumes his duties
Jan. 15.
Bloodmobile Visits Today
Burlington Industries will host
the mid-winter visit of the Hoke
County Bloodtnobile Thursday,
Jan. 15 from noon to 5:30 P.M.,
Red Cross Chairman Clyde Up
church announced.
Upchurch emphasized that non
Burlington workers are urged to
donate blood and signs will be
posted to direct the public from the
main gate at the Raeford plant to
the donor room.
"There are several Hoke County
residents receiving large quantities
of blood at the present time and
contributions are badlv needed."
Upchurch said.
J.H. Blue Dies Sunday
Julian Hubert "Buck" Blue, 76,
former county commissioner and
National Guard commander, was
buried Tuesday afternoon in Raeford
cemetery.
Mr. Blue died Sunday afternoon at
a Moore County hospital after several
years of declining health. The funeral
service was conducted at Raeford
Presbyterian Church by the Rev.
John C. Ropp. pastor. Mr. Blue was
an elder of the church and honorary
pallbearers were the elders and
deacons. Active pallbearers were Sam
C. Morris. William L. Poole. Jr., Paul
Dickson. Younger Snead. Sr.. Neill
A. McDonald, and Watson McNeill.
A native of this community. Mr.
Blue was a son of the late Mr. and
Mrs. W.M. Blue. He attended N.C.
State College before serving in the
Army during World War I. and
returned to State where he graduated
in 1924. He was a civil engineer and
farmer, and served as a member of
the Raeford School board and the
Hoke County board of
commissioners. He was a Mason and
Shriner, a member of the American
Legion and had served as president of
the Raeford KiwanisClub.
A member of the National Guard,
he was captain commanding Battery
F, 252d Coast Artillery, when it was
called into Federal service at Fort
J. H. Blue
Moultrie, S.C. in September, 1940.
He served in the Army and Army Air
Force throughout World War II.
Mr. Blue was married to the
former (Catherine Floyd of Fairmont,
who survives him, along with two
daughters, Mrs. Shirley B Whitaker
of Greensboro and Mrs. Richard T.
Fountain of Rocky Mount; a son,
Julian H. Blue, Jr. of Raeford; and
four grandchildren.