f
ELKIN
The Best Little Town In
North Carolina
THE TRIBUNE
Is a Member of the Audit
Bureau of Circulations
The Elkin Tribune
ELKIN
Gateway to Roaring Gap and
the Blue Ridge
THE TRIBUNE
Is Read By 14,000 People In
Surry, Wilkes and Yadkin
VOL. No. XXXV No. 51
..aa.. 11 — 11 i1 — a
PUBLISHED WEEKLY
ELKIN, N. G, THURSDAY. NOVEMBER 20, 1947
$2.00 PER YEAR
16 PAGES—TWO SECTIONS
BELL, LITTERAL
PAY WITH LIVES
IN GAS CHAMBER
Are Executed Together At
Central Prison Friday
M CONVICTED OF RAPE
Governor Cherry Talks With
Litteral But Fails To In
tervene In Case
BRINGS TOTAL TO 22
Nine months and 27 days after
they were fbund guilty of rape in
a Wilkes County Superior Court,
Marvin Claude Bell, 24, of Roar
ing River, and Ralph Vernon Lit
teral, 35, of Winston-Salem, were
strapped into death chairs in the
state’s gas chamber in Central;
Prison at Raleigh to pay with
r w their lives for their crimes.
The two men died shortly after
10 o'clock Friday morning after
Governor Gregg Cherry declined
to intervene in the cases follow
ing a last-minute personal trip to
the prison Thursday.
An effort had been made to
save Litteral's life on the basis of
a contention that he did not have
sufficient mentality to know right
from wrong. Ten psychiatrists had
examined the condemned man,
but couldn't agree on his sanity.
Six said that Litteral was a “psy
chopathic and did not know
right from wrong.” Four contend
)•> ed that, while he might be insane,
he was capable of distinguishing
between right and wrong.
Confronted with these conflict- |
ing reports, the state’s chief exe
cutive went to death row Thurs
day and talked with Litteral for
nearly an hour in order to decide !
for himself whether the man knew
right from wrong.
Following the interview, Gover
nor Cherry said, “If we exact the
death penalty for rape, it seems
justified in this case.”
He described the crime as “one
of the most horrible” in the his
tory of North Carolina.
^ Bell and Litteral were convicted
i., in Wilkesboro January 18 for
criminally assaulting Peggy Ruth
Shore of the Pleasant Hill section
in August, 1946. The two men
forced the girl into their car as
she was walking home from a bus
stop in Pleasant Hill, and carried
her into Tennessee after crim
^ inally assaulting the young girl.
Litteral had threatened to kill
her, she testified at the trial.
The two were convicted and
sentenced to die, and the State'
Supreme Court sustained the ver- 1
diet. Their execution date was
• set June 20, but Bell's attorney:
secured a stay of execution for an
■% appeal to the United States Su
preme Court, and Governor
Cherry gave Litteral a reprieve
pending the outcome of Bell’s ap
peal.
The United States Supreme
Court declined to review Bell's
case several weeks ago, and the
new death date was set for Nov
ember 14.
Litteral's body was sent to Win
ston-Salem, where his brain is to
(Continued on page eight)
Military funeral To
f He Held For Soldier
A military funeral for Private i
Marvin H. Martin, 18, of Mount
Airy, who was killed in action in
Germany on February 22, 1945,
will be held at 10:30 a. m. Sunday
at Moody's Funeral Chapel. Rev.
Jimmie Hiatt, Chaplain J. Sydney
Gardner and members of the local
Veterans of Foreign Wars and
American Legion posts will be in
charge. Interment will be in Oak
dale cemetery in Mount Airy.
The body arrived at Moody's
Funeral Home Wednesday by
Government conveyance, accom
panied by Thomas B. Adlieh, and
will remain there until the hour
of the funeral.
Surviving are his mother, Mrs.
Eliza Martin of Mount Airy,
Route 4; three brothers, George
and Raymond Martin of Mount
Airy, and Lerry Martin of the
home; two sisters, Mrs. W. B. Mil.
ler of Mount Airy, and Miss Jean
Martin of the home.
Pardue Pays Fine;
Hall Is Continued
L . C. O. Pardue, Yadkinville mer
|T chant, appeared before Roger
Russell, magistrate, Saturday and
paid $5.00 fine and half the costs :
for his part in the affray with
Solicitor Avalon E. Hall in John
son’s Barber Shop, November 7th.
>44 The part against Mr. Hall was
continued until another date.
The two engaged in an affray
with fists following an argument
over closing a street in East Yad
kinville where the two men owned
\ property.
FUTURE HOMEMAKERS HOLD RALLY HERE — Miss Anne Brown Lewis, right, who was elected
State secretary of the Future Homemakers of America at a district rally in the YMCA here Saturday,
is being congratulated by Miss Peggy Essex, presiding officer of the FHA district. Other candidates
for the office, from left to right, were Nancy Beamer, Joan Smith and Pat Grant. The fourth girl is
unidentified. itribune photo by belli
-————A A -
Thanksgiving
Services At
Baptist Church
Special Thanksgiving servi
ces will be held at the First
Baptist Church of Elkin and
the First Baptist Church of
Jonesville next T h u r s d a y
morning at 8 o’clock.
The brief worship services
will be held by the Rev. R. J.
Wells in Jonesville, and by the
Rev. Robert G. Tuttle in Elkin.
The early hour has been set
in order that those who are
planning trips on Thanksgiving
Day may be able to attend
church before leaving town.
SEAL SALE TO
BEGIN MONDAY
ruberculosis Christmas Stick
ers To Be Mailed To
Surry Citizens
BY CO. HEALTH DEBT
The annual sale of Christmas
seals for tuberculosis will gel
mderway Monday when seals wil
J2 mailed to Surry County citizens
ay the Surry County Health De
partment.
The pins, symbols of the Christ
nas seal sale, will go on sale in the
schools of the county on Monday
ilso.
Proceeds from the sale will bt
jsed for the work carried or
igainst tubsrculosis in the countp
which includes the local healti
>ffice. It helps defray the expenses
ncurred in buying x-ray films
md fluoroscopic examinations
nade by the health offices.
Miss Louise Bailey of Mount
Mry, is county chairman of the
uberculosis funds in the countj
md is in charge of the drive. Ir
his city the Junior Woman's Clut
will help in the promotion of the
irive.
Everyone is asked to buy a;
nany Christmas seals as possible
,o help in the fight against tuber
miosis.
DISTRICT RALLY
HELD SATURDAY
! Future Homemakers Of
America Meet In YMCA
For Annual Program
MISS HOLLAND HOSTESS
Eight counties and 40 Future
Homemakers of America chapters
were represtented at the annual
FHA Rally of District Seven in the
Gilvin Roth YMCA here Saturday.
Miss Peggy Essex of Clemmons
High School, presiding officer,
welcomed the group of about 500
chapter members to the meeting
and gave a report on the executive
board meeting held recently.
Anne Brown Lewis was elected
State FHA secretary after a no
- minating v-urt^BlR^-TOrnposed of
one representative from each
county in the district had pre
sented a list of candidates for the
■ office.
Miss Louise Snow, assistant
State supervisor of Future Home
makers, spoke briefly on the pro
gram.
Following the morning business
session, the group was served
j lunch by the YMCA staff. Miss
Louise Highsmith, music instruc
tor of Winston-Salem, led the
| assembly in group singing as a
j feature of the afternoon program.
jThe Spencer FHA chapter out
lined the organization’s program
of work, and a pageant on degrees
of membership was presented by
the King FHA chapter.
Miss Mary Holland, Elkin High
School home economics teacher
and leader of the Elkin FHA
group, was hostess to the Future
Homemakers.
Elkin Stores To Be
Closed Thanksgiving
Elkin stores and business houses
will be closed next Thursday in
observance of Thanksgiving Day,
it was announced yesterday by
Mrs. Beauford Stanley, secretary
i of the Merchants Association.
Tribune Want Ads. Bring Quick
Results. A Trial Will Convince!
Bell Blames Booze For
Fate In Final Letter
__ __
Writes From
Death Row To
Wilkes Pastor
“I am guilty of wrongs and mis
deeds. but I am not guilty of rape
m the way I was convicted . .
That assertion of innocence was
written by Marvin Clahde Bell as
le awaited execution on Death
Row, and conveyed by letter to
Rev. R. R. Crater, pastor of the
Pleasant Grove Church, who con
ducted funeral services for Bell at
,he Antioch Baptist Church Sun
day afternoon.
Mr. Crater had written Bell sev
eral weeks ago. expressing an in
terest in the condemned man’s
;oul, and Bell had stated his decla
ration of innocence in a return
etter. He also expressed appreci
ation for Mr. Crater’s intersst and
■equested that he conduct his
funeral.
In a letter dated October 22, Bell
said that “liquor” was “the evil
that led me to this fate ... I have
drunk and messed with liquor all
Jf my life. Liquor is man’s worst
i
enemy; without liquor I would not!
be here tonight. I wish there was
n't a drop of liquor in the world
and there wouldn’t be so much
evil . . .
“You can tell the people up
there that I am right with my
God. and warn them about liquor
and tell them to watch their steps
and quit drinking and get right
with God before it is too late. I
wish I could have realized what a
life of sin and drinking liquor and
have dealings with it would lead to
and I could have stopped before it
got me into this. I have caused my
loved ones many a heartache and
worries without saying anything
about the heartaches and worries
I have went through. Mr. Crater,
I am guilty of wrongs and mis
deeds. but I am not guilty of rape
in the way I was convicted, but I
doubt if anyone believes it.”
Bell and his partner in crime,
Ralph Vernon Litteral, were
executed in the State’s gas cham
ber Friday. The death sentence
was imposed in Wilkes Superior
Court last January after the two
had been found guilty of criminal
ly assaulting a young Pleasant
Hill girl.
Local Girl Is Named
School Feature Editor
Miss Betty McNeely, of this
city, a student at Flora Mac
donald College, Red Springs, has
been recently named feature ed
itor of t«he “Pine and Thistle,”
the college magazine.
Miss McNeely is the daughter
of Mr. Fred McNeely, West Main
Street.
PLANSPECIAL
MEET TUESDAY
Parents Of Students And
Local Teachers To Gather
At School
TO LEARN OF ROUTINE
Get-acquainted night for par
ents of students, and teachers will
be observed at the Elkin High
school Tuesday night beginning at
8 o’clock. The purpose of the oc
casion, N. H. Carpenter, superin
tendent of the city schools ex
plained, is to familiarize the par
ents to some extent with what
their child’s day is like during the
school hours and to make it pos
sible for the teachers, principal
and parents to know each other
better.
Parents will be directed through
the regular routine of the school
day, following the students’ sched
ules to the various classrooms
where the teachers will be on
hand to explain briefly the
courses offered in the different
rooms.
In conclusion a social hour- will
be enjoyed in the Home Econom
ics department and refreshments
will be served.
To promote good will between
the teachers and parents is the
purpose of the event, and it is
the wishes of the school officials
that a large majority of the par
ents will avail themselves of this
opportunity.
SCOUT WINS
EAGLE RANK
Dale Aldridge Wins Highest
Rank In Scouting; Grand
mother Pins On Badge
HAS 22 MERIT BADGES
Dale Aldridge, grandson of Mrs.
Janie Smith, was awarded the
rank of Eagle Scout during ser
vices at the Methodist church
Sunday morning.
Mrs. Smith pinned the badge of
Eagle rank on her grandson at the
ceremony, which was equivalent
to a scout court of honor.
"Buck" Hines, chairman of the
advancement committee for Troop
48, introduced Dale and Mrs.
Smith and commended the scout
for his attainment of the high
honor.
A senior patrol leader in Troop
48, Dale has been in scouting for
two years and has earned a total
of 22 merit badges. He'js treasurer
of the sophomore class at Elkin
High School, a member of the
student council, and an outstand
ing guard on the varsity football
team.
During Boy Scout week here last
spring, Dale was elected to serve
as scout mayor on the basis of his
outstanding record in scouting.
Dick Smith is scoutmaster of
Troop 48. and Dr. James Harrell
is assistant scoutmaster.
Tribune Advertising Gets Results I
FARM BUREAU
EXTENDS DRIVE
TO NOV. 28TH
To Give Additional Time To
• Meet Quotas
COUNTY GOAL IS 1830
Campaign Workers To Meet
In Court House In Dobson
This Afternoon
The Farm Bureau Membership
Drive, originally scheduled to be
concluded last week, has been ex
tended through November 28 in
order to give community organ
izations additional time to reach
their quotas, it was announced to
day by C. D. Smith of Copeland,
treasurer of the campaign for
Surry County.
The county’s goal is 1830 mem
bers. To date 1549 farmers have
been enrolled in Surry's 14 Farm
Bureau organizations—281 short
of the quota.
Only two community bureaus,
Marsh and Shoals, have reached
their quotas, and efforts are being
made to push the drive in sections
of the county that are behind in
the campaign.
S. H. Atkinson, Surry Farm Bu
reau president, has called a meet
ing of drive wrokers in the court
house at Dobson this afternoon
(Thursday) at 2 o'clock to receive
membership reports from com
munity officers. Delegates to the
North Carolina Farm Bureau
meeting to be held Saturday at
10 a. m. in the Sir Walter Hotel
in Raleigh will also be elected at
the meeting this afternoon.
Membership reports in the
Mount Airy section will be turned
in at a meeting Friday evening at
7:30 in the city hall at Mt. Airy.
Miss Marianne Mock of Dobson,
who recently joined the Surry
County Farm Bureau staff in a
secretarial capacity, is assisting
farm leaders in the membersrip
campaign.
Urging every community Farm
Bureau to make a special ef
fort to reach its quota, County
Agent Neill M. Smith asserted
that farm people must be fully or
ganized in order to make the
Farm Bureau program effective in
every section of the county.
Membership in individual com
munity Farm Bureaus and quotas
assigned (second figure) are as
follows: Elkin—96, 100; Copeland
—210, 215; Shoals—135, 120; Low
gap—36, 40; Dobson—220, 275;
Mount Airy—197, 325; Pilot Moun
tain—145, 175; Eldora—37, 45:
Marsh—68, 35*; Bryan—110, 135;
Cook—27. 75; Beulah—126, 150;
Long Hill—58, 65; and Westfield
—82, 75.
Two Face Charges
Of Drunk Driving
J. T. Inskeep, Jr.,‘ 28, of Roar
ing Gap, charged with violating
prohibition laws and operating a
car under the influence of liquor,
was bound over to the superior
term of court by Justice of the
Peace, J. L. Hall at a hearing Sun
day night.
Hearing for Raymond Vestal of
Jonesville, charged with illegal
possession of liquor and operating
a car under the influence of
liquor, was set for Monday, Nov
ember 24.
800 Attend Annual 4-H
Achievement Meet In
Court House At Dobson
YADKIN COURT
GOING SLOWLY
November Civil Term Con
venes Before Judge J. H.
Clement
TRY :] DIVORCE CASES
The November term of civil
court for Yadkin county conven
ed Monday morning with Judge
J. H. Clement of near Winston
Salem presiding. As is usual the
term moves along slowly. It will
continue the remainder of the
week and will convene next Mon
day for the second week.
The first case on docket for
next Monday morning is that of
Fannie Groce against Dr. Dwight
L. Myers of Harmony, in which
the young girl alleges certain
charges against Dr. Myers and is
asking for heavy damages. The
case was tried one time, when it
lasted almost a week and resulted
in a mistrial. Only two other
cases are on docket for next week,
both against Bessie R. Duncan,
trading as Carolina Chinaware
Co., in which she is being sued for
damages and charged with being
(Continued on page four)
STAGE SHOW
HERE TONIGHT
Jr. Women Present “Twelfth
Night," First of Two Barter j
T h e a t r e Productions
IN SCHOOL AUDITORIUM
The first of two Barter Theatre
productions to be staged here this
season will be Shakespeare’s hi
larious love comedy, ‘‘Twelfth
Night,’’ to play tonight, (Thurs
day) at the Elkin Elementary
school, with the curtain to rise
promptly at 8 o’clock.
Shakespeare wrote “Twelfth
Night,’’ to celebrate the revels of
the Christmas season at the court
of Queen Elizabeth and so success
fully caught the season’s air of
fun and jollity that it has delight
ed audiences ever since.
Sponsored by the Elkin Junior
Woman’s club, this higher type of
entertainment is made" possible
for this city largely through a
patrons’ list, comprised of more
than 50 professional men, business
houses and leading citizens, whose
names have appealed in regent is
sues of the Tribune.
General admission tickets will
be on sale at the door Thursday
night or can be obtained from
Junior Woman’s Club members or
from the ticket selling center at
Harris Electric Company, with
Mrs. Clyde Cothren in charge.
I
I
d
tl
c
C
s
tl
tl
b
ti
e
Sl
ti
le
b
y
tl
b
it
e:
a
tl
P
DALE ALDRIDGE AWARDED EAGLE SCOUT RANK — Mrs.
Janie Smith is shown here as she pinned the badge of Eagle rank on
her grandson, Dale Aldridge, at services in the Methodist Church
Sunday morning. The rank is the highest attainable in scouting.
(TJtlSUNE PHOTO)
Hi
W.
Ik
G
gl
er
Ti
Imagine This
City Official’s
Embarrassment!
Have you received a parking
ticket lately? Have you had
the experience of finding tied
to the door handle of your au
tomobile a little card that says
you have violated the parking
meter ordinance?
If you have, don't feel too
badly. It happens in the best
of driving circles. It even hap
pens to the City Administrator.
Last week Lewis Alexander,
who advises citizens on the
proper operation of the new
meters in his official capacity
as City Administrator, parked
his car and went into his office
on Church Street, his mind
probably burdened with some
weighty legal problem.
A few moments later he sud
denly remembered that he had
failed to deposit a coin in the
meter and rushed back out to
attend to the matter. But it
was too late. The little card
said: “Please call at the City
Clerk’s office . . . and answer
to violation of the Parking
Meter Ordinance.”
Mr. Alexander hurriedly re
moved the ticket from his door
handle, hoping no one had wit
nessed his official embarrass
ment, and went shamefacedly
down to the City Hall to pay
his penalty.
It’s a hard world. Police just
don’t seem to care who they
give tickets to these days.
)ECEMBER 1
IS DEADLINE
For Entering Timber-Thin
ning And Stand Improve
ment Contest
FOR S IJ It R Y 4-H BOYS
December 1 has been set as the
j deadline for entering the timber
| thinning and stand improvement
contest sponsored by the Kiwani:
| Clubs of Elkin and Mount Airy foi
Surry County 4-H boys.
The two clubs are offering £
total of $200 in cash prizes to the
top 15 contestants. Projects wil
be judged at the close of the con
test, April 1, 1948, by Farm For
ester John E. Ford and a repre
sentative from the Forestry Ex
tension office at N. C. State Col
lege.
Any 4-H Club boy in the coiuitj
between the ages of 14 and If
years, inclusive, is eligible to entei
the contest. Each contestant wif
be required to thin or otherwise
improve a stand of young timber
either pine or hardwoods, on one
acre of land. Detailed records ol
the number of hours spent on the
project and the results obtained
must also be kept.
County Agent Neill M. Smith
and Assistant Agent Luther G
Sink, Jr., arc assisting contestants
in the selection of project areas.
Thirteen 4-H boys have entered
the contest thus far.
Farm Forester Ford, who serves
Surry, Yadkin, Wilkes and Alex
ander counties, has prepared two
sheets of instructions for contest
ants: "The Ten Commandments
of Timber-Thinning” and "How to
Thin the Forest for Fuel Wood.”
Each boy entering the contest is
supplied with these pamphlets
along with the “Forestry Manual
and Record Book for 4-H Club
Members.”
Dr. Greer Speaker
At Kiwanis Meeting
Dr. I. G. Greer, superintendent
of the Mills Home at Thomasville,
was speaker at the Kiwanis Club's
annual father and son meeting at
the Gilvin Roth YMCA last
Thursday evening.
Dr. Greer made an interesting
talk, of interest to both father
and son groups.
The usual Thursday evening
meeting of the club will not be
held this week, the Kiwarians
having met Wednesday evening
with other Elkin civic groups to
hear Robert Lee Humber, of
Greenville, N. C., explain the pro
gram of the United World Fed
eralists.
Tribune Advertising Gets Results!
Beulah Club
Named Most
Outstanding
Approximately 800 4-H boys and
girls from 21 clubs throughout
Surry County attended the annual
4-H Achievement Program in the
court house at Dobson Monday.
The two-hour program included
election of new officers for the
4-H County Council, talks by 4-H
achievement winners, and presen
tation of awards and prizes for
accomplishments during the year.
The Beulah 4-H Club was
awarded a prize of $20. donated by
the Surry Farm Bureau, as the
most outstanding club in the
county. S. H. Atkinson, president
of the farm organization, present
ed the check and praised the Beu
lah club for its outstanding re
cord. He declared that farm lead
ers of the future would come from
the ranks of 4-H members, and
called on the young farm workers
to prepare themselves for the
responsibilities of leadership.
A second-place prize of $10,
contributed by county home dem
onstration clubs, was awarded to
the Copeland 4-H group. Mrs.
Paul Brown, community home
demonstration chairman, present
ed the runner-up prize.
Wilma Frances Broome of the
Franklin club was elected presi
dent of the 4-H County Council
to succeed Miss Ivylyn Sparger,
who presided at the program.
Bobby Lee Cockerham of Moun
tain Park was named vice-presi
dent. Other officers elected were
I Evelyn Waugh, White Plains, sec
retary; Peggy Terrell, Copeland,
1 assistant secretary; Ivylyn Spar
ger, Beulah, pianist; Josefae Jar
, roll, Beulah, song leader; and
Bonnie Lou Livengood, Flat Rock,
reporter.
Mrs. Grace Pope Brown, Surry
County home demonstration
i agent, presented the "4-H Award
of the Gold Clover” to seven 4-H
(Continued On Page Four)
CHATHAM WINS
SAFETY AWARD
National Safety Council Hon
ors Company Second Con
secutive Year
ONE OF TWO IN NATION
Chatham Manufacturing Com
! Pany has won the National Safety
Council's Distinguished Service to
Safety Award for the second con
' secutive year, officials of the com
1 pany were informed this week.
The company is one of only two
j textile manufacturing establish
ments in the. nation to be awarded
i the honor twice.
A representative of the National
Safety Council will present the
award in ceremonies here in Jan
uary. The company will receive a
hand-engraved scroll and a safety
flag with a star to designate the
| firm as a two-time winner.
In a letter to Safety Director
! C. J. Hyslup, Ned H. Dearborn,
| president of the National Safety
j Council said, “Your company has
demonstrated its eligibility to re
ceive this second award by main
taining frequency rates substan
tially below the most recent aver
ages for similiar organizations
and by showing marked improve
ment in comparison with the pre
vious year.”
"The award,” Mr. Dearborn
wrote, "is given only to those or
ganizations which have achieved
an outstanding safety record.”
So far this year only 12 lost
time accidents have been reported
in all departments at the plant,
Mr. Hyslup said. The figure is two
less than the record set in 1946.
Fifteen departments have per
fect records for 1947. and most of
these have operated from two to
three years with no lost-time acci
dents.
As an example of the outstand
ing records made at the plant,
Mr. Hyslup pointed out that the
napping department had operated
1,240,608 man-hours over a four
year period with no lost-time ac
cidents. The binding department
has a record of nearly three years
and 1,138,401 man-hours without
lost time due to accidents.