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The Hoke County News - Established 1928
VOLUME LXX1I1 NUMBER 46 RAEFORD, HOKE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA
In Fight With Deputies
Brothers Ordered To Make Restitution
25
The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905
S8 PKR YEAR THURSDAY, MARCH 11. 1982
Around
Town
BY SAM C. MORRIS
I
I
The rainfall over the weekend
was approximately three inches and
this should bring the water table
about up to normal. As you ride
around the county, there is water in
fc almost every field you pass. I
haven't heard any farmers com
plaining so far, but if the rains
continue it will keep them from
getting into their fields with
tractors.
The bolt of lightning that came
last Sunday morning during the
Sunday School hour hit a tree in the
yard of Mr. and Mrs. Fred
Culbreth on Harris Avenue. It
^ sounded as if a bomb had been
? dropped on Raeford. As far as I
can find out there wasn't any
damage from the lightning, except
the tree.
The forecast is for warmer
weather the remainder of the week.
? ?? *
The rainy weather the past
weekend made it just right for the
viewing of the ACC basketball
| tournament. It was impossible to
do anything else, so you could sit
around and enjoy the tournament.
Of course if your team won, it was
more enjoyable.
Most of the games were close and
the only comments came from
those who. don't like the slowdown
game that most coaches are now
using these days. Mostly it comes
down to the final thing of. if your
| team wins or loses. If your team
wins with the slowdown, then you
think it is fine. If not, you then
have something to blame the loss
on.
? ? *
During the next two or three
weeks we will see if the run and
shoot, or the slowdown, will win the
championship. There are both
| kinds of teams in the final 48.
* ? *
Don't forget to attend your
precinct meetings Thursday night
(tonight) if you are a registered
Democrat. The meetings will be
held at the polling places at 8:00
o'clock.
There must be as many as 10
. voters attending to make it a valid
' meeting.
? * *
The books are still open and will
be until 30 days before the primary
for anyone that hasn't registered.
Also if you have moved from one
precinct to another since the last
election, you must go by the clerk's
office and change your voting
place. It will be too late after the
I books have closed.
Of course the reason for anyone
to register is to make them eligible
to vote. In Hoke County, many
times we have less than 50% of the
registered voters to vote.
So remember outside of paying
taxes and dying, this is about the
only privilege you have left, so be
sure to exercise this right.
I
* * *
Every month or so a group in
Hoke County gets together and
enjoys a fish fry. The food is usually
prepared by Joe Upchureh and he
has help from various people. It is
held at Jim Williamson's farm
machinery building in the winter
and at Robert Gatlin's pond during
the summer months.
I Monday night the group met at
Williamson's and were pleased to
have as their guests, Lt. Gen. Jack
V. Mackmull. commanding officer
at Ft. Bragg, who was accompanied
by his aide. Capt. George Oliver
and Sgt. Johnny Honeycutt and
Sgt. Vince Felke. Clyde Upchurch
was the force behind the general
being at the fish frv.
k The general talked to different
" ones about many subjects and it
helps to have good relations at Fort
Bragg with the reservation being in
Hoke Countv.
This was not the first fish fry for
Gen. Mackmull but it was the first
he had attended since becoming
commander at Fort Bragg.
I think that relations will be tops
with the army as long as you can sit
f down and talk with the brass,
brass.
Two Hoke County brothers in
volved in a fight with Hoke County
sheriff's deputies the night of
January 23 in the Seurlock com
munity pleaded guilty Friday in
Hoke County District Court to
charges arising from the incident.
The fight, which started when
Maj. J.R. Riley of the Sheriff s
Department attempted to make an
arrest for alleged driving under the
influence, drew an undetermined
number of blacks. The brothers are
black, and the officers who were
involved are white.
Judge A. Elizabeth Keever of
Fayetteville sentenced the brothers,
Benjamin Franklin Green, Jr., 30.
and Joseph Allen Green, 29, both
of Rt. 2, Raeford, but suspended
the terms on conditions the de
fendants pay restitutions and court
costs.
Benjamin Green pleaded guilty
to driving under the influence of an
alcoholic beverage and to assault
on an officer, Riley. He was
sentenced on the DUI charge to six
months suspended for two years on
conditions he pay a $100 fine and
also court costs, and not drive for a
year or till properly licensed, and
attend the Drug and Alcohol Abuse
School .
The judge provided that the
condition regarding driving be left
open for granting Green a limited
drivine privilege. Green also was
placed on probation lor two years.
For the assault on Riley, the
judge sentenced Benjamin Green to
six to 12 months suspended for two
years, and placed him on probation
tor two years. The conditions are
that he make $500 restitution to
Riley, and pay any nonpaid medi
cal bills for injuries to the officer.
Green had been accused of biting
and kicking Rilev.
Assistant District Attorney Jean
Powell took voluntary dismissals of
charges of two counts of assault on
an officer and one of resisting an
officer, after Benjamin Green
agreed to plead guilty to DU1 and
the count of assaulting Rilev.
Benjamin Green originally had
been charged also with assaulting
Sheriffs Deputies John W. Wood
and J.L. Madden.
The defendant also consented
specifically to be responsible tor his
own medical bills arising out of the
incident.
Joseph Green was sentenced to
six to 12 months, suspended, tor
two years after he pleaded guilty to
three counts of assault on an
officer. The conditions of the
suspension were that he pay a SI 00
tine, and court costs, and S1I3
restitution to Wood and S22.50
restitution to Hoke County. The
restitution to Wood was ordered to
reimburse Wood for the expense of
Also Elects 1982 Offi cers
Hoke Rescue Squad
Picks 'Outstanding'
mam ? *
The Hoke County Rescue
Squad's officers for 1982 were
elected recently.
They are Weaver Patterson,
commander; Howard Barkley, exe
cutive vice commander; Mark Gen
try, vice commander; Lawrence
Conoly, secretary; and Frances
Patterson, treasurer.
The duty of the commander is to
oversee completely the squad and
its workings; the executive com
mander's duties -- public relations,
obtaining funds and. in the absence
of the commander, to be in charge;
the vice commander's - in charge
of all equipment and its workings.
The secretary is in charge of
taking the minutes at the meetings,
and keeping up with members
present and their training time.
With the election of new officers,
the squad gave special thanks for a
job well done, to the retiring
officers -- John Melton, com
mander; Bobby Conoly. executive
vice commander; Jim Wade, vice
commander; Weaver Patterson,
secretary; and Jean Wade,
treasurer.
The squad members also voted
on the Outstanding Team and
Outstanding Squadman of 1981.
Chosen the Outstanding Team
because the members gave up their
spare time to serve the squad was
the one composed of Raymond
Beaudoin, Melton. Gentry and
Mark Posey.
Named Outstanding Squadman
was Johnny Melton for his service
to the squad.
V , J
OUTS'I ASl)l NG FLA M L-R . John Mellon, Murk htsey. Rav Beaudoin.
mul Murk (Jenny.
United Way of Hoke County
F air Share Giving Encouraged In Drive
The United Way of Hoke County
is encouraging Fair Share giving in
the 1982 campaign.
Fair Share is a term used to
signify some comparative standard
of giving. Fair Share in Hoke
County will mean that an indivi
dual has contributed a dav's wages.
Those individuals that partici
pate in Fair Share giving will be
presented an attractive lapel pin to
indicate their support of the United
Way supported agencies.
Ken Witherspoon, campaign
chairman, re-emphasized today
that he is anxious to improve
participation in this year's cam
paign. Voluntary agencies are im
portant today but they will become
an even more vital resource in the
future, he said. "By giving to the
United Way you not only insure the
present but also invest in the
future," he added.
This year's campaign goal of
S20.281. will be divided as follows:
Rescue Squad, $1,200; Senior
Citizens, 300; Boy Scouts, 4,000;
American Red Cross, 4,444; Lion's
Club (White Cane), 900; Home
Health. 1.000; 4-H Council. 1.880;
Children's Center, 1,200; Girl
Scouts. 3,000; Arthritis Founda
tion. 399; N.C. United Way, 349;
Children's Home Society, 648;
American Social Health Associa-'
tion. 48; tpilipsey Assoc. of N.C..
lf>5; International Soc. Ser.. 9;
Florence Crittenton Home. 344;
National council on Aging. 42;
United Health Services. 143; Re
search Fund of N.C. United, 210.
Representatives of all of these
organizations have appeared before
either the United Wav of Hoke
County. North Carolina United
Way, or the United Way of
America. Based on a review by
these various volunteers, the re
quests have been determined ap
propriate.
"Your individual support is vital
to the success of this year's
campaign." Witherspoon said.
January Jobless Rate 11.6%
Hoke County's rate of unemploy
ment hit 13.4 percent in January,
the first month it went into double
figures since April 1981 when the
rate was 11.6 percent.
The rate tor January 1981 was
1 1 .4 percent.
The Stale Employment Security
Commission report shows Hoke
was among 54 counties which had
double-digit unemployment rates
in January 1982.
Dare County had the highest -?
22.1 percent, followed by Swain -?
22 percent.
The commission reported unem
ployment rose in 95 of the state's
100 counties in January and de
clined in the other five, from the
previous month's rate.
A total of 1 ,0ti0 of Hoke's labor
force of 7.900 was unemployed in
January.
N.C. 2000 Questionnaires Here
Hoke County residents will have
a chance to say what they want the
state to be like in the year 2000.
through a questionnaire being dis
tributed in Hoke County and
throughout the state during March.
The questionnaire is part of
North Carolina 2000. a long-range
planning project now underway in
Hoke County and across the state.
According to Betsy Ann McNeill
chairman of the Hoke County NC
2000 Committee, citizens are being
asked to identify what they value
most about the state now and want
to preserve for the future and what
they think needs most improve
ment.
Throughout the month of
March, the NC 2000 Committee
will be placing the questionnaire in
public places such as libraries,
banks and offices and distributing
it through community organiza
tions.
"We sec this as a way to get more
people thinking about the problems
and opportunities of a new
century", said McNeill. "We want
them to bring iheir own goals and
values to bear on decisions made by
leaders at all levels -- decisions that
can mean a better lite tor our
children and our communities in
the years ahead."
Hoke's committee is part of a
network of county committees re
sponsible for making sure local
citi/ens and leaders have a voice in
the statewide planning effort.
The committees are feeding in
formation into a state-level Com
mission on the Future of North
Carolina, appointed by Governor
Jim Hunt and chaired by University
of North Carolina President Wil
liam C. Friday.
The Commission is exploring
alternate courses of action and will
submit a report of recommended
actions to Gov. Hunt in December
of this year.
Hoke Democrats
Caucus Thursday
Democrats from Hoke County
will caucus at their precinct polling
places on Thursday, March 1 1 , at 8
p.m,, Harold L. Gillis, chairman
of the Hoke County Democratic
Party announced today. Any
registered Democrat is eligible to
attend.
"These precinct meetings repre
sent grass-roots democracy in ac
tion," Gillis said. "Democrats all
over North Carolina will be gather
ing to elect delegates to their coun
ty Democratic convention and to
discuss and pass resolutions on
issues that concern them."
Gillis stressed that the
Democratic Party is seeking broad
participation in its meetings at
both the precinct and county level.
"It is our goal to hold meetings
in every precinct in the county and
to continue to build on this
strength at the county convention
We urge all Democrats to attend
these meetings and to show their
interests in good government."
WINNER -- John Howard, president of the Hoke Comity Semi- Pro
Baseball Association, is shown present inn Linda Stanton with the >25 L/.S
Savings Bond and the season pass she won for entering the winning name
lor the team ?? The Hoke County Blazers. The Blazers are netting ready far
their season with an exhibition game with Ft. Bragg March 1.1 at Ft. Bragg
and March 14 on the Hoke High base hall field. The public is invited. L-R ??
Jiminie Neill Cnnoly. general manager: Linda Stanton: Howard: Helen
Huffman, secretary-treasurer: and Jimiiii Crawford, fund-raising chair
man: and. kneeling, modeling the new Blazers uniform. Mark Madden.
| Stall photo by Pant Frederick. |
having to replace his eyeglasses,
which were broken in the tight; and
to the county to replace Deputy
A.R. Odom's uniform shirt, torn in
a scuttle at the jail.
The prosecutor took voluntary
dismissals of charges of injury to
personal property, and interfering
with, obstructing, and delaying an
officer, and assault on an officer
when Joseph Green agreed to plead
guilty to the three counts of assault
on an officer.
The Sheriffs Department re
ported shortly after the tight that
Benjamin Green suffered a lacera
tion on an eyebrow and was treated
at a local doctor's office, then
brought to the county jail; but then
he started vomiting and inhaling
the vomit, so he was taken to
Moore Memorial Hospital at Pine
hurst after an emergency visit to the
Raeford physician w ho had treated
him for the laceration.
The department report at
tributed his vomiting to earlier
drinking.
Dr. Robert S. Jacques, chairman
of the hospital's Department of
Emergency Medicine, says in a
written statement dated March 1
and addressed "To Whom It May
Concern" that about 2 a.m. Jan
uary 24 he examined, diagnosed
and treated Benjamin Green at the
request of the deputies of the Hoke
County Sheriff's Department.
He writes that "while he (Green)
was in jail he vomited and ap
parently aspirated his vomitus
which resulted in severe respiratory
distress for which he was seen at
Moore Memorial Hospital."
The statement continues:
"Mr. Green was a well de
veloped. well nourished black 30
year old male who was previously
sutured for a 1 i inch laceration
over the right eye and treated for
superficial abrasions" of the fore
head. Remainder of the physical
exam was essentially negative
wounds He was having re
spiratory distress. He was un
communicative. He had a strong
odor of alcohol on his breath.
"Under my supervision a blood
alcohol sample was drawn The
level of alcohol was ascertained in
the laboratory at Moore Memorial
Hospital. The results were
I45mgm
"Because Mr. Green's respira
tory problem began to deteriorate
he was admitted to the inpatient
service of Dr. Farrell Collins, a
specialist in respiratory medicine."
Collins, tn a statement addressed
"To Whom It May Concern" and
dated February 2m. says he ex
amined Benjamin Green the morn
ing of January 24 when he was
admitted to the hospital.
"1 was called in to assist with his
care because he had developed
respiratory failure." Collins adds.
"I am an internist with a sub
specialty in pulmonary disease."
His statement continues:
"He indeed, was quite ill when I
first saw him. My feeling is that he
was suffering from respiratory dis
tress syndrome related to aspiration
pneumonia and in addition to that
was suffering from shock probably
from the hypoxemia secondary to
the aspiration pneumonia. He had
a prolonilt' losis that was
corrected. Hi* tissue oxygenation
was improved with the ventilator.
He also had renal insufficiency and
this appeared to improve during his
hospital stay.
"I am not a specialist in trauma
but it did appear to me that he did
not have any evidence of trauma at
the time of his exam. I feel that he
was suffering from the effects of
alcohol and aspiration. 1 here was a
small cut on his forehead. I would
not be able to say whether or not
this was from another person or
from am other cause.
"I did not examine him at the jail
and did not see hini earlier."
The letters and other material
gathered by the prosecutor were not
introduced as evidence because the
Greens pleaded guilty.
After the brothers were brought
to Ractord front the scene of the
fight, crowds gathered outside the
doctor's office and the county jail,
and some in the crowd shouted
"police brutality" and obscenities,
the Sheriff's Department reported.
The three officers involved in the
tight on the highway and the
Greens suffered lacerations.
The three officers in addition to
the Greens suffered injuries in the
tight but none required hospi
talization. Riley was the most
seriously hurt. Flesh was bitten
from his lower left cheek.