ELKIN
Gateway To Roaring Gap
and the Blue Ridge
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ELKIN;
The Best Little Town
In North Carolina
VOL. NO. XXXIII No. 21
PUBLISHED WEEKLY
ELKIN. N. C„ THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 1946
11 i ..
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$€.00 PER YEAR
14 PAGES—TWO SECTIONS
dfSgt. Earl Queeir Tells
Of Ordeal As Prisoner
* Was Captured
By Germans In
France D-Day
Take it from First Sergeant
Earl Queen, of Elkin, who has
just returned home for a 60 day
furlough after having been a cap
tive of the Germans from June 6,
1944 until two months ago, the
people of these United States are
the luckiest people in the world!
“You who have never exper
ienced war; who have never seen
the horror and misery and suffer
ing of war, can never fully realize
I how fortunate our nation is in
1F that fighting has been kept far
away from our shores,” he said.
“And you can quote me when I
tell you that the Bed Cross is the
most wonderful organization in
| the world!”
Sergeant Queen, who is the
^husband of the former Miss Louise
ipGrier, of Elkin, was captured by
the Germans about 7:00 o’clock on
the evening of June 6 in Norman
dy, after he and his fellow para
troopers had floated to earth in
the small hours of the morning
six hours before H-hour on D
Day. His story of events there
after, some of which must remain
off the record, is a stark reminder
that the only good Germans, as he
• put it, “are dead Germans.”
When captured Sergeant Queen
and his companions were in a de
pensive position after a day of
v "activity in which they did their
part in disrupting German com
munications and otherwise mak
ing things as miserable and un
comfortable as possible.behind the
German %lines. “They came at us
with tanks,” he said, “against
which we had no defense. It was
either be captured or be killed.”
B- When taken, the Americans
JP were stripped of watches, money
and other valuables, being kicked
around a bit in the process. Some
were sent into battle as Ammuni
tion carriers for the Germans, but
he, due to the fact that he was a
first sergeant, was sent back for
questioning. During this ques
tioning, he said, he and three
companions were knocked from
the stool upon which they were
sitting, by a German who became
exasperated at one soldier who
proved a bit too cocky.
Carried to a camp which the
prisoners promptly nicknamed
“Starvation Hill,” Sergeant Queen
said he received his first exper
ience at really getting hungry
, “During our 23-day stay there,”
^ he recounted, “we had nothing at
^Continued on page eight, 1st. sec.
Weaver Is Kiwanis
Speaker Thursday
(Mi!
L. S. Weaver, superintendent
of the Statesville schools and a
past president of the Elkin Ki
wanis Club, was guest speaker at
the meeting of the local club last
Thursday evening.
Mr. Weaver discussed the Dum
barton Oaks Proposals and the
Bretton Woods Conference, ex
plaining the purpose of these
talks. His talk proved very in
teresting and timely, coming as
it did but a short time before the
San Francisco Conference, which
opened Wednesday afternoon.
The program for this evening’s
meeting (Thursday), of the Ki
war^s club has not been an
nounced.
A member of out-of-town guests
ttended last week’s meeting,
esident T. C. McKnight presid
ed.
Registration
Books For Elkin
Election Open
Registration books for the
town election to be -held here
Monday, May 7, to vote on
candidates for mayor and five
commissioners, are now open,
and will remain open until
Saturday May 5, which will be
challenge day.
Citizens wishing to register
for the town election may do
so at the city hall Saturday, or
on week days at the home of
George Chatham, Sr., on North
Bridge street.
Candidates of election, who
face no announced opposition,
are: for mayor, Garland John
son; for commissioners, C. N.
Myers, R. C. Freeman, J. W.
L. Benson and Joe Bivins.
HOME AT LAST — First Ser
geant Earl Queen, of Elkin, who
was captured by the Germans in
Normandy on D-Day, is home
again after many terrible
months in German prison
camps, which he vividly de
scribes in the accompanying
article,
STATE
RALEIGH, April 24. —The
state department of agriculture
charged today that “hundreds”
of farmers of the state were
“selling their poultry to black
market dealers at prices up to
six cents a pound above the
OPA ceiling,” and were thus
doing permanent damage to
the poultry industry. A depart
ment spokesman said that as a
result poultry processing plants j
were able to operate only about
one day per week and house
wives were finding it virtually
impossible to obtain poultry at
grocery stores. The agriculture
department statement came
only a few days after the Ral
eigh district OPA headquar
ters announced that an investi
gation of alleged black market
activities had been under way
W the state for more than six
weeks.
NATIONAL
WASHINGTON, April 24.—
The senate tonight passed the
selective service extension act
with a proviso, strongly op
posed by Gen. George C. Mar
shall, requiring the army and
navy to give 18-year-olds six
months training before sending
them into combat. The unani
mous voice vote came after the
chamber rejected 57-11 an
amendment to prohibit the in
duction of men over 31 after
May 31. It was introduced by
Sen. Owen Brewster, Republi
can, Maine, who said that
Britain had adopted such a
policy. Earlier, the war depart
ment announced that army en
listed men over 41 may be dis
charged upon application. It
estimated that about 50,000 are
eligible.
INTERNATIONAL
LONDON, April 24/-The
British submarine H. M. S.
Storm has climaxed a year of
daring exploits along Japanese
supply routes by sinking nine
ships in one day, the admiralty
said today in announcing her
return to home waters. Com
manded by Lt. C. P. Young, 31,
the Storm is credited with
sinking a total of 20 enemy
supply ships, a deitroyer and
four escort vessels and damag
ing several others.
MOSCOW, April 24.—Savage
fighting between foreign slave
laborers and German troops
was reported today in Berlin,
now almost completely encircl
ed by soviet armies. German
broadcasts heard in Moscow—
still insisting that Adolf Hitler
personally is commanding the
city’s crumbling defenses—de
scribed a "pitched battle” be
tween foreigners and uniform
ed nazis in the area near the
(Continued on page 8, 1st sec.)
YOUTHS NABBED'
IN PROCESS OF
TAKING SUGAR
Had Broken Into Local Whole
sale Warehouse
ONE GIVEN SENTENCE
Cockerham Assault Case Was
Before Jury Late Wednes
day Afternoon
TRIED TO CUT POLICE
' R. L., Bates, of Elkin, and Hil
ary Vestal, of Jonesville, the lat
ter said to be only 15 or 16 years
of age, were arrested here about
10 o’clock last Thursday evening
as they were allegedly attempting
to steal a thousand pounds of
sugar from the F. A. Brendle &
Son warehouse on East Main
street.
Tried in Surry superior court
at Dobson this week, Bates was
given one year in prison, and a
two-year sentence suspended for
five years, it was learned. Vestal,
due to his age, was placed on
probation.
The two youngsters were caught
in the act as they were removing
the sugar from the warehouse by
Policeman Ruffin Haynes. Em
ployees of the warehouse, the two
were said to have already gotten
700 pounds sugar out of the build
ing, and had 300 more pounds
stacked at the door ready to re
move.
R. F. “Red” Fletcher, of Boon
ville, tried on a charge of operat
(Continued on page eight, 1st sec.)
jaBsssfo:
MISSING IN ACTION—S/Sgt.
E. Gwyn Martin, son of Mr. and
Mrs. J. C. Martin, of Elkin, and
husband of the former Miss
Pansy Bell, of Jonesville, has
been reported missing in action
in the European theatre since
April 5, according to an official
War Department telegram re
cently received by his wife. He
entered service in August, 1942,
received anti - aircraft training
at Fort Eustis, Va., and Camp
Tyson, Tenn., and later was
with the infantry at Fort Bragg,
N. C. He went overseas in Oct
ober of 1944, where he has been
serving as a member of General
Alexander M. Patch’s 7th Army,
Century division. He was also
a member of the 398th Regi
ment which has been awarded
the Presidential Medal of Honor
for distinguished service as a
unit in actual combat by gal
lantry and intrepidity at the
risk of life above and beyond
the call of duty. Sgt. Martin is
holder of the Combat Infantry
man’s Badge. He attended Elk
in public schools and was em
ployed by the Elkin Furniture
Company and Chatham Manu
facturing Company prior to en
tering service.
Son Of Elkin Police
Is Killed In Action
, _______ -1
# Corporal Thomas H. Sams, who
was reported two weeks ago a§
missing in action in Germany
since March 22, was reported
Tuesday by the War Department
as killed in action on that date.
He is the son of Mr. and Mrs.
Bryant Sams, of this city. Mr.
Sams has been a member of the
police department here for the
past several months.
Corporal Sams entered service
in December, 1942, and trained at
Camp Campbell, Ky., Port Jack
son, S. C., and Camp Barkley,
Texas. He went overseas in Sep
tember, 1944, and served in both
England and France before going
to Germany.
Survivors include his parents,
one brother and two sisters.
DIES SUDDENLY—William V.
Holcomb, well-known Jonesville
and Elkin man, passed away
unexpectedly at his home in
Jonesville Thursday evening of
last week from a heart attack.
Funeral rites were held Sunday.
W. V. HOLCOMB
DIES SUDDENLY
Heart Attack Proves Fatal
To Well-Known Jonesville
And Elkin Man
FUNERAL HELD SUNDAY
Funeral services for William
Vance (Will) Holcomb, widely
known resident of Jonesville, were
held Sunday afternoon at the
Jonesville Baptist church. Prof.
Z. H. Dixon and Rev. C. E. Parker,
of Winston-Salem, conducted the
services.
Mr. Holcomb died suddenly at
his home in Jonesville Friday ev
ening, following a heart attack.
He had been at his work all day
Thursday.
Mr. Holcomb was the son of the
late Mr. and Mrs. W. G. Holcomb,
of the Knobbs community of Yad
kin county.
For a number of years he had
been in the mercantile business
here, but for the last several years
had been associated with Hayes
& Speas Furniture Company.
He was twice married, first to
the former Miss Fannie Ray. His
second wife, Mrs. Onnie Macey
Holcomb, survives. Other surviv
ors are three brothers, S. W. Hol
comb, of Winthrop, Wash.; Grover
Holcomb of Cycle, and R. E. Hol
comb, of Jonesville; three sisters,
Mrs. W. D. Holcomb and Mrs. W.
T. Pardue, both of Jonesville; and
Mrs. R. M. Casstevens, of Yad
kin county.
MOST REPORTS
ARE SAID IN
OP A Official States There
Has Been No Extension
Of Time For Filing
BUT TO BE REASONABLE
A great majority of the retail
ers in the Elkin area covered by
the new “pricing chart” regula
tions had filed reports with the
district office on April 20, as re
quired by MPR 580, L. W. Dris
coll, QPA district director in
Charlotee, announced Wednesday.
Driscoll emphasized that there
has been no extension of time
from the April ,20 final date pro
vided for filing pricing charts. He
did say, however, that to cover
hardship cases which have result
ed from unavoidably delayed fil
ing, OPA’s enforcement depart
men will not ask for injunctions
against sellers whose charts are
submitted by May 4.
“This, in practical effect,” he
said, provides a two-weeks period
of grace and eases the accounting
work load on retailers affected
who have complicated inventories
made up of a large number of
varied articles.”
To Hold Memorial
For Pvt. I. H. Smoot
Memorial services for Pvt. Ira
H. Smoot,1 son of Charles Smoot
of Traphill, who was killed in ac
tion in Belgium on January 18
will be conducted at the Austin
Baptist church on Sunday, May
6th at 12 o’clock.
Rev. L E. Sparks and Rev.
Charlie Miles will conduct the
services. Any other ministers who
wish to take part are invited. A
cordial Invitation is extended all
to attend.
BOND DRIVE IS
TO BE MAPPED
AT DOBSON 1ST
J. F. Yokley Will Again Act
As Surry Chairman
WILL BE COUNTY-WIDE
To Secure Prominent Speaker
For Organization Meeting
For 7th Loan
E-BOND QUOTA LARGE
J. P. Yokley, of Mount Airy,
who will again serve as Surry
county chairman, of the Seventh
War Loan drive which gets under
way May 14, said Wednesday that
a special county-wide organiza
tional meeting has been called at
Dobson for Tuesday, May 1, to
make plans for the drive.
The meeting will be held at 6:30
or 7:00 p. m., Mr. Yokley said, the
exact time not having yet been
determined, and following the
dinner a speaker will discuss the
forthcoming drive. It is hoped to
have present Bill Neal, of Wins
ton-Salem, as speaker, he said.
It is also hoped to have all Sur
ry school districts represented, as
well as leaders from all towns and
communities.
Overall goal for the drive has
been announced at $1,432,000,
with the E-Bond quota having
been set at $756,000. Originally
announced as $856,000, this figure
was later reduced by $100,000.
It will take a terrific campaign
to reach the E-Bond goal, Mr.
Yokley said, the quota being much
larger than in previous drives.
W. L. Glancy, also of Mount
Airy, is chairman of the E-Bond
phase of the drive. Sales of E
Bonds since April 8 apply on the
E-Bond quota.
Is President Of
Wildlife Group
Organized Here
HOWARD HATCH
At a meeting of interested Elkin
citizens held at the Gilvin Roth
YMCA here last Thursday after
noon, the “Elkin Wildlife Federa
tion” was organized with Howard
Hatch as president. Hugh Royall
was named vice-president, and
Sam Neaves, secretary-treasurer.
A number of out-of-town guests,
who are affiliated with the State
federation, including Col. Frank
Page, of Greensboro, president of
the state group, were present. All
visitors were guests at the meet
ing of the Elkin Kiwanis Club
prior to the organization meeting*
W. A. Neaves, of Elkin, is a
director of the state organization.
The^ Wildlife Federation has as
its purpose the conservation, pre
servation and protection of all
wildlife resources.
Calvin C. Mitchell
Wounded In Action
Calvin C. Mitchell, AMM 3/c,
son of Mrs. Annie Mitchell, and
husband of. the former Miss Ruby
McBride, of this city, was wound
ed in air action over Okinawa on
April 8.
He entered service two years
ago and received his training at
Bainbridge, Maryland. Mitchell
is the holder of the Aircrewmen’s
Wings. His brother, Private John
O. Mitchell, i$ also serving over
seas, and is now in France.
YOUR COUNTRY 18 STILL AT
WAR—ARE YOU?
Thousands Of Germans Flee In
Disorder As Patton’s 3rd Army
Drives Toward Berchtesgaden
Used Clothing:
May Be Left At
Duke Power Co.
Town-wide collection of used
clothing for war victims over
seas, which was made Sunday
afternoon, proved very success
ful, D. G. Smith, local chairman
of the campaign, said Wednes
day.
However, Mr. Smith said,
there are still a few homes
which were missed or which
were not ready to contribute
at the time. Due the fact that
the clothing center in the
Nick’s building is not open now,
those who have clothes they
wish to give are asked to bring
them to the Duke Power Com
pany office. In event they wish
the clothing sent for, they are
asked to telephone the Elkin
Merchants Association and
leave their name and address.
AH clothing should be in not
later than Monday, when the
drive comes to an end, Mr.
Smith said.
SCOUT BOARD
TO MEET 30TH
Executives Will Gather At
Mount Airy; Council Meet
ing Will Be Held Here
AT GILVIN ROTH YMCA
The Executive Board of the Old
Hickory Council, Boy Scouts of
America, will meet at Mt. Airy on
Monday, April 30. Announcement
of the regular quarterly session
was made by John M. Brown,
President of the area. J. P. Yok
ley, Chairman, and the Surry Dis
trict Committe, will be host for
the meeting.
District Chairman and Execu
tive Board members from the
seven districts of the council are
expected to be present for the
meeting. In charge of attendance
from each district are Levem
Johnson, Ashe; Tom Roth, Elkin
Yadkin; W. N. Vogler, Forsyth;
R. M. Green, Stokes; J. P. Yok
ley, Surry; Clyde M. Greene, Wat
auga; and J. B. Carter, Wilkes.
Three of the six council operat
ing committees are slated to meet
for short sessions before the ex
ecutive board convenes. They are
the leadership training committee,
with Tom Roth as chairman; the
camping and activities committee,
with John Sobotta as chairman;
and the health and safety com
mittee, with Dr. E. S. Thompson
as head.
Presentation of the member
ship growth trophy for 1944 to
Clyde M. Greene for the old Park
way district will be a feature of
the occasion.
Harry K. Eby, National Director
of Volunteer Training, Boy Scouts
of America, will visit the Old
Hickory Council to instruct the
seven leadership training com
mittees of the area on May 3-4.
Announcement of two meetings in
the Council has been made by
Tom Roth, area chairman, of
Elkin.
On Thursday, May 3, Mr. Eby
will meet with a group from Ashe,
Watauga and Wilkes Districts in
a meeting at Boone. Dr. D. J.
Whitener, Watauga District Lead
ership Training Chairman, will be
in charge of the meeting. Atten
dance for Ashe is to be promoted
by M. W. Reynolds, and from
Wilkes by Paul Cragan.
Friday, May 4, Mr. Roth will
preside at a meeting in Elkin at
the Y. M. C. A., where Mr Eby
will conduct a session with repre
sentatives from Elkin - Yadkin,
Forsyth, Stokes and Surry Dis
tricts. Attendance is in charge of
Michall Strub in Forsyth, Paul
Fulton in Stokes, and G. Kellock
Hfile, Jr., in Surry.
The meetings will be for the
purpose' of “training trainers.”
Mr. Eby will use a set of colored
slides in demonstrating how to
put on the “Fundamentals of the
Boy Scout Movement” course,
and a motion picture on “The
Patrole Method” fqr use in the
presentation of the basic Scout
masters’ Training Course.
Will Conduct
Revival At
Baptist Church
REV. AND MRS. F. R. WAGNER
Revival services will be held at
the First Baptist church begin
ning April 29 and continuing
through May 9. Rev Felix R.
Wagner, of Flat Rock Baptist
church, of Mount Airy, will have
charge of the 8 o’clock evening
services to be held each night
except Saturday.
Rev. Wagner is a graduate of
Binghamton Bible school, Bing
hamton, New York and for three
years was a member of the Inter
national Student group which
held services at the church last
November.
He will be assisted by his wife,
Mrs. Betty Wagner, in working
with the young people. The music
and singing will be under the
direction of Rev. Stephen Mor
risett.
The public is cordially invited
to attend all services.
IS TODISCUSS
VET PROBLEMS
Chatham To Bring Assistant
State Service Officer To
Mill April 30
AT PERSONNEL OFFICE
Through the courtesy of the
Chatham Manufacturing Com
pany, at Elkin, L. G. Prichard,
Assistant State Service Officer,
(State Department, Raleigh, N.
C.,) will be at the mill on April 30,
1945, to discuss with any veteran
of World War I or II, any prob
lems which they may have per
taining to veterans’ affairs.
Any unremarried widow of
World War I, who lived contin
uously with her husband from the
time of their marriage, up until
•his death, and earning less than
$1000 if she has no dependent, or
$2500 if she has dependents, is
entitled to a pension. This law
was enacted December 14, 1944.
Mr. Prichard will also be pre
pared to discuss the educational
and loan features of the “GI Bill
of Rights,” Public Law 346, 78th
Congress.
All veterans and widows, who
have problems, or wish to file
claims are urged to see Mr. Prich
ard at the personnel office of the
Chatham Manufacturing Com
pany, from 10 to 2 on April 30,
1945.
Yadkin Man Treated
For Bullet Wound
James Wooten, 22, of Yadkin
ville, route 1, was treated at the
local hospital Tuesday for a bul
let wound which penetrated his
right side. However, hospital at
tendants said his condition was
not serious.
Details of the shooting, said to
have occurred Monday, were not
learned.
Lieut. Thos. Davis
Killed In Action
Lieutenant Thomas Davis, son
of Mr. and Mrs. T. E. Davis, of
Newberry, S. C., and nephew of
Mrs. T. P. Cooley, of this city, was
killed in action in Germany on
April 14, according to an official
War Department telegram.
Lieutenant Davis entered ser
vice two years ago and received
his training at Fort Knox, Ky. He
was commissioned in August, 1944.
PANIC GROWS
IN BERLIN AS
CLIMAX NEARS
About Two-Thirds Of City
Overrun By Reds
IS ALMOST ENCIRCLED
Unconfirmed Reports State
That Hitler Has Been In
jured In Accident
SAID TO BE IN CAPITAL
Paris, April 25.—Lieut. Gen.
George S. Patton’s American
Third Army raced for the Aus
trian border and the Salzach
Valley Gate to Berchtesgaden to
day, stampeding thousands of
crack Nazi troops 80-odd miles
from Adolf Hitler’s Bavarian
death roost.
Field dispatches said the Ger
mans were breaking into a con
fused and disorderly rout before
the Third Army drive, falling back
30 miles and more a day over the
last approaches to the Bavarian
redoubt.
Patton’s men officially were re
ported 30 miles from the Austrain
border, 52 miles from the entrance
to the Salzach Valley and fewer
than 90 miles due north of Becch
tesgaden late last night.
But his rough-riding tank col
umns were meeting little or no
opposition all along their 100-mile
front, and the speed of their ad
vance indicated they might be 30
miles closer to their goal before
nightfall.
Patton’s vanguards were fewer
than 120 miles from Red Army
forces pounding along the south
bank of the Danube about 110
miles northeast of Berchtesgaden.
In Berlin high Nazi officials
were reported fleeing by air today
from siege-wracked Berlin. Mos
cow dispatches said chaos and
(Continued on page eight, 1st. sec.)
RONDA WOMAN
PASSES AWAY
Mrs. Della Messick Jones, 68,
Dies Monday At North
Wilkesboro
RITES HELD WEDNESDAY
Funeral services for Mrs. Della
Messick Jpnes, 68, of Ronda, were
held Wednesday afternoon at the
Pleasant Orove Baptist church.
Rev. R. R. Crater conducted the
services. Burial was in the
church cemetery.
Mrs. Jones, widow of Milas
Clinton Jones, died Monday morn
ing at a North Wilkesboro hospi
tal after an illness of one month.
She was the daughter of Milas
and Emaline Money Messick of
Wilkes county.
Surviving are four children,
Jesse Jones, of Ronda, Mrs. C. C.
Anderson, of Jonesville, R. L.
Jones, of this city, and Mrs. How
ard Swaim, of Cooleemee; 19
grandchildren; three great-grand
children; two brothers, L. D. and
Arthur Messick, of Knightstown,
Ind.; and three sisters, Mrs.
Manpe Somers, of Knightstown,
Ind.; Mrs. John Goforth and Mrs.
H. C. Somers, of Cycle.
Application
Must Be Filed
10 Days Ahead
W. C. Cox, chairman of the
local war price and rationing
board, announced Wednesday
that “B” and “C” gasoline
book holders must file an ap
plication for renewal with the
local board at least 10 days
prior to the renewal date of
the present ration.
Under new gasoline regula
tions effective May 1st, all sup
plemental gas rations must be
reviewed by the board members
before subsequent allotments
can be issued, it was said.