? 25
+ The Hoke County News - Established 1928
VOLUM^XVlll NUMBER 42 RAEFORD, HOKE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA
r
- journal
The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905
S8 PER YEAR THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1977
Around
Town
BY SAM C.MORRIS
The weather was perfect for the
past several days, but the forecast is
for cold weather to come again.
The energy crisis is still with us and
the governor has made many things
mandatory. I believe that we had
better get used to working at about
62 degrees temperature and not
having the house as warm at night.
So let's all cooperate and see if
we can't lick the energy problem.
* * *
The emergency energy fund
handled by the Department of
t Social Services is working fine but
the way to keep it going is for each
of us to contribute to this fund. So
if you haven't sent in your contribu
tion, do so today.
? ? ?
The long lines at the Chamber of
Commerce office mean that the
deadline is here for the 1977 license
plates. Each year it seems that the
lines get longer and people stand in
line for hours to get their plates.
Many people asked why they didn't
get their plates in January. We
can't answer this, but most of the
people in line have a good reason,
or they think so anyway.
According to chamber officials
the lines have been swelled this year
because two license offices in
Cumberland County closed down
and the people over there have been
coming to Raeford to buy tags.
Instead of using this as an excuse
maybe it could be used to promote
business for the local merchants. If
a family comes after their tags,
then maybe some of them will take
time to shop at local stores while
the other member is in line.
It could also promote the name
of Raeford as a city that provides
service for its people. Most of us in
business have been "eating too high
on the hog" and forgetting that our
first thought should be to our
customers. It seems that working
people have to take a day off to get
any personal business attended to.
because the only time places are
open is when they are working too.
Think about this and maybe you
will find a way to be of better
service to your customers.
? * *
Mrs. Archie L. Walters, nee
Venetia Hulk, called and asked that
I put in this column that the class
of 1952 would hold a reunion the
Saturday before Easter, and she
would like for members of that
class to contact her for informa
tion.
So all you young folk of the class
of 1952. get in touch with Venetia.
She can be reached at the following
address:
Mrs. Archie L. Walters
Route 3. Box 132
Raeford. N.C. 28376
? ? *
The following letter is self
- explanatory:
Dear Sam:
1 think a word of thanks is in
(See AROUND TOWN. Page 13)
Farm Income Shows Big Upturn
Suspects In Rockfish Killing
Bound Over To Grand Jury
Three men were ordered bound
over to Superior Court for action by
the grand jury on charges of the
armed robbery and murder of a
Rockfish storekeeper Dec. 23 fol
lowing a two-day long probable
cause hearing in District Court here
last week.
The men, Allen Dwain Smith,
24, of Rt. 8, Strickland Bridge Rd.,
Fayetteville, Kenneth Leo Dockery,
24, of Rt. 1, Box 390, Raeford, and
James Otis Havis Jr., 29, a
serviceman stationed at Ft. Bragg,
were returned to the Hoke County
Jail where they have been held since
their arrests.
Smith and Dockery were arrested
in Raeford Dec. 31 and Havis was
arrested at his home in Alton, 111.
last month. All are charged with
the murder of Robert Leslie
Brooks, the owner of Rockfish
Grocery in Rockfish who was found
slain on the floor of the store
following a holdup on the evening
of Dec. 23 last year.
The state called ten witnesses to
the stand, including the victim's
wife and Wanda Sue Stephens who
were working in the store at the
time of the robbery.
Mrs. Brooks testified that three
black men entered the store
between 7:30 and 7:45 p.m. and
that she was ordered to open the
cash register and one of the men
removed all of the bills and the
rolled change. She said that
another man began scuffling with
her husband, who had gotten out of
his seat near the register where he
had been watching television. She
testified that the third man, who
wore a white mask over his face,
went over to where her husband
was standing and she heard two
shots and her husband then fell to
the floor.
Mrs. Brooks testified that the
men were blacks, but she did not
identify any of the the three as the
same in the store on the night of the
robbery.
Miss Stephens also testified she
MURDER SUSPECTS ?? The three men charged with the robbery-slaying
of Rock fish storekeeper Robert Brooks are escorted hack to jail following
their preliminary hearing Friday. Next to the deputy \lejt to right \ are Allen
Smith, Kenneth Dockery and James Havis Jr. | Photo by Marty Vega |
saw three black men in the store
and that one of them ordered her to
lie down on the floor.
Young Wood Jr., operator of a
grocerv on the opposite side of the
road from where the killing took
place, testified he sold $10 worth of
gasoline to three black males in a
1972 brown Pontiac between 6:15
and 6:30 p.m. on the night of the
robbery. Wood testified he became
suspicious and mentally made a
note of the first three letters on the
Pontiac's license plate.
Sheriff D.M. Barrington testified
that a check was made with the
Division of Motor Vehicles records
on the description of the Pontiac
and the letters on the license and
the car was found to be registered
to Smith.
Barrington also read statements
given by the men at the time of
their arrests. The defendants
claimed that they had stopped at a
store in Rockfish to buy gas and in
Robbins Heights. Neither of the
three admitted any part in the
robbery or killing at the Rockfish
Grocery.
The grand jury will meet in Arpil
during the spring term of Superior
Court to consider indictments
against the three suspects.
MA
Rev. Billy C. Beaver
New
Pastor
Slated
Rev. Billy C. Beaver, pastor of
First Baptist Church in Maiden,
will become the new pastor of the
Raeford First Baptist Church April
18.
The announcement was made by
Ashwell Harward, chairman of the
pastor selection committee. The
Rev. Beaver replaces the Rev. Jack
Mansfield who resigned last year.
A native of Lancaster County,
S.C., the Rev. Beaver attended
North Greenville Junior College in
Tigerville, S.C. and was graduated
from Furman University in Green
ville. S.C. with a B.A. in 1958. He
attended Erskine Theological
Seminary in Due West, S.C. and
was graduated from Southeastern
Baptist Theological Seminary in
Wake Forest with a bachelor of
divinity degree in 1966. He received
his master of divinity in 1973.
(See NEW PASTOR. Page 13)
Harassment Charged
Letter Carriers
Picket Post Office
Angry members of the National
Association of Letter Carriers,
AFL-CIO Local Branch 1128,
picketed the Raeford post office
Monday and Tuesday charging
Postmaster Joseph Carver with
taking over the work of union
members and harassment.
The group of five demonstrators,
who obtained a police permit for
the march, showed up about 10
a.m. Monday and paraded quietly,
carrying hand-lettered signs. They
were led by Branch President Cliff
Canipe, a retired employee of the
Fayetteville Sectional Center. None
of the picketers was apparently a
Raeford postal employee.
Canipe explained that the picket
ing was "informational" only and
not a strike. Federal employees are
barred from going on strike.
"VVe have documented that the
postmaster has been casing letters
(sorting) and going out on the
routes delivering mail since De
cember. This is craft work and a
violation of the union contract.
Canipe said.
"He claims he has to do it
because he doesn't have enough
help, yet he refuses to hire help. He
can detail men here from the
sectional center."
Canipe also charged that the
postmaster has harassed the car
riers and accused them of not
getting their work done on time.
"He takes his private auto and
"'1
John B. Cameron
Buried Wednesday
John B. Cameron, a lifelong
Hoke County resident and former
Clerk of Court, died Tuesday
morning in Highsmith-Rainey Hos
pital. He was 82. Graveside services
were conducted Wednesday at 3:00
p.m. in Raeford Cemetery by the
Rev. John Ropp. The family re
quests no flowers be sent.
Cameron was born in the north
ern section of Hoke County in what
is now part of the reservation. He
was the son of John A. and Annie
B. Cameron and received his
education at Raeford Institute and
> the Donaldson Military Academy
in Favetteville.
He farmed until 1942 when he
was elected Clerk of Court. He was
k re-elected to the post three times
without opposition and in Decem
ber. 1956 he resigned due to poor
health.
A leading political figure for
many years. Cameron resigned his
post as chairman of the county
Democratic Executive Committee
when he ran for office. As chair
man. he managed many guberna
torial campaigns within the county.
He was a member of Raeford
Presbyterian Church.
Surviving are his wife. Mrs.
"Mattie Wilson Cameron; and two
sisters. Mrs. Juanita Hewitt and
Mrs. Lura Davis, both of Raeford.
John B. Cameron
I
IABOR GR/KVANCK ?? Fayetteville Sectional Center union members
/ ticketed the Raeford post office this week charging that the postmaster was
violating the union contract by performing carrier work.
drives up and down the street
watching the carriers. We don't see
any need for snooping. The facts
are that we're handling more mail
with less employees. While the
numbers in management are in
creasing the number of craft
employees has decreased dramat
ically over the last two years," he
said.
One of the signs carried in the
march claimed racial discrimina
tion was practiced against union
members.
"We do have a grievance in the
postmaster's dealings with black
employees in this office. There is
a question of the the disciplinary
actions directed toward black
employees. If a black employee
(See PICKET. Page 13)
Farm income for 1976 is up
according to Hoke County agricul
tural agent Wendell Young.
After the 1975 SI. 5 million slip
over the previous year's income, the
1976 estimated $19,043,484 income
is good news.
Young noted that the increase is
due partially to increase in prices
and partially to increase in produc
tion. For example, flue-cured to
bacco. the county's most produc
tive crop, went up in price from
SI. 00 to SI. 107 thus increasing the
total dollar sales from S4. 913,501
to S5, 002, 216 while the amount
S reduced and sold actually fell
94,787 lbs.
While tobacco production fell,
the corn harvest almost doubled.
County farmers harvested an aver
age of 90 bushels of corn per acre as
compared to a normal yield for this
area of 60. Young attributed the
high yield to an increase in rain
fall.
Soybeans, like tobacco, showed a
decrease in crop production. Even
price increase of $2 per bushel put
soybeans $305,800 behind the pre
vious year's sales.
Also a good producer in Hoke
County, cotton sales totaled
S 1,52 1,975. According to a data
worksheet of cash farm income for
the year, Hoke field crops sales
totaled a significant $11,018,875.
an increase over 1975's $9.5 million
dollars.
In vegetable and berry produc
tion, county sales increased for all
products except watermelons, pep
pers. southern peas, squash, snap
peas, and okra.
"More people have indicated an
interest in producing pickling cu
cumbers." Young said. Cucumbers
sold 90,000 bushels valued at
$300,600, up from 1975's total of
$191,400.
Showing only a small increase
over the 1975 figures. Young
predicted that sweet potato produc
tion will increase this year. "Several
people have talked to me about
planting sweet potatoes." he said.
The 3,000 pecan trees that bore
$1,875 worth of nuts in 1975
produced a $24,000 crop this past
season, while peaches sold $15,950
and apples, $642.
Young emphasized a new entry
into the agricultural statistics for
the year. "We had a $14,500 total
tor tomatoes and flowers harvested
from greenhouses in the county.
And, now other people are consid
ering putting them in," he said.
Young said that a total of 6,200 sq.
ft. in five units was necessary to
produce the crop.
Pulpwood. lumber and other
forest products showed a $622,500
increase.
Livestock production rose slight
ly. even with the drop of hogs from
SI 00 a head to $88 a head. Total
sales on beef were up around $100
over the last year's prices. Income
from dairy cattle fell from $17,880
(See INCOME, Page 13)
Rose's Office
Visits Feb. 19
The mobile office of Congress
man Charles G. Rose will be in
Raeford Saturday. Feb. 19 from 10
a.m. to 3 p.m. in the post office
parking lot.
Administrative assistant Rip
Collins will be on hand.
Duke Cancer Center
Director Visits Feb. 21
Dr. Diane MeGrath. director of
cancer information service at the
Duke University Comprehensive
Cancer Center, will be the speaker
at a public meeting Feb. 21 at the
Raeford Civic Center.
The meeting is sponsored bv the
Raeford Junior Woman's Club.
Starting time is 7:45 p.m. Coffee
and doughnuts will be served.
Dr. MeGrath will speak on the
disease of cancer, how to be aware
of the warning signals and answer
questions on recommended ways to
protect yourself against the dread
ed disease.
Dr. MeGrath has been the
director of the Duke service since
June of 1975. She was a visiting
assistant professor in the UNC
Chapel Hill English Department.
She received her master's degree
from Pennsylvania State University
and was awarded her Ph.D. in
communication from the same
school in 1974. She specializes in
communicative behavior and edu
Dr. Diane McCrath
cational communication within the
health care Held.
The meeting is free.
I