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TAR HEEL COAST
CARTERET COUNTY NEWS-TIMES '?<
46th YEAR, NO. 104. EIGHT PAGES ~i MOREHEAD CITY AND BEAUFORT, NORTH CAROLINA FRIDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1967 PUBLISHED TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS
Kemp Wickizer Relates
Details of Lifeboat Ordeal
Photo by Bob Seymour
Capt. Kemp Wickizer, right, gives Capt. Dewey Willis, owner of Uie Dianne Carol, Morehead City,
the story of his 60-hour ordeal in an open life boat. Captain Wickizer drifted 112 miles without food or
water before he got to land.
By BOB SEYMOUR
Capt. Kemp Wickizer was hold
ing court on the Morehead City
waterfront Tuesday morning. Boat
men and landlubbers alike ga
thered around to ply him with
questions. "How much water did
you have . . what is it like to be
in a small boat with two dead men
. . . how does it feel to be home'"
they asked.
Captain Wickizer survived a 60
hour "endurance test" in an open
lifeboat after a tug of which he
was skipper sank under him about
two weeks ago. He spent 10 days
in a Brooksvillc, Fla., hospital and
returned to Morehead City Sunday
night.
Captain Wickizer, at the prompt
ing of friends, told the following
story:
"I left Morehead City on the
evening of Dec. 3 (Tuesday I and
went to Jacksonville, Fla. I had
agreed to skipper a tug (Ralph S.
Havens, a 67-foot craft) for Arthur
Harris of New Orleans.
"Mr. Harris has a contract to
tow tank landing barges from
Pittsburgh down the Ohio and
Mississippi and through the Intra
coastal Waterway to Norfolk,
round trip of 8,000 miles.
Trip Starts
"I took command of the tug the
next morning (Dec. 4) and we
started for New Orleans and Pitts
burgh. Members of the crew were
Sam Kelly, William F. Walker Jr.
and Jack Whitehead.
"We sailed down the Intracoastal
Waterway, crossed td Fort Myers
via Lake Okeechobee and went
into the Gulf of Mexicp at 5.30 p m
Saturday (Dec. 7).
"We sailed up the west coast of
Florida to Cedar Keys (directly
across the state from Daytona
Beach) and cut across the Gulf
from there to Carrabclle, Fla
where we would re enter the water
way.
Wind Picks lip
"The wind started blowing pretty
hard about 1:30 a.m. Monday (Dec.
9). I woke up and went to the
pilot house and took the wheel,
sending the man on duty to the
engine room with the others.
"They called up and said we
would have to slow down because
i the tug was beating itself to pieces.
When we slowed down the wind
caught us and turned us side-to. 1
"The sea washed over the decks
and broke out all the windows in
the engine room When the engine
room was flooded we lost all our
headway and were at the mercy
of the sea. I
"I had tried to radio for help
but the water had soaked the bat
teries until they were too weak
to do any good The water kept
pouring over the deck and into the
hold faster than the pumps could
keep her free.
"The tug never broke up. she
just took on so much water she'
had to go under. At 3 a m. wc
gathered by one of the lifeboats
and swung the davits over thel
side. It was too rough to try to
launch the boat, so we held on
until the tug sank from under us
and left the lifeboat on the water.
"Just as we were climbing
aboard, the lifeboat capsized and
we took a swim. It wss about an
hour before we got her righted
?nd managed to get inside her
and start bailing.
''I'00'1 ott my shoes and one I
Of the boys used his boots?that
is all we had for bailers. When I
Ihe boat turned over, everything
except two oars were lost.
Tower in View
"We were in sight of the radio
tower just north of Carrabelle when
the tug sank. The closest land was
just a few miles away to the north
west but the wind was blowing
from that direction.
"Using our oars we kept ahead
of the wind and headed southeast.
We took turns rowing and bailing
all day Monday until late in the
afternoon when Whitehead went
out of his head.
"He began mumbling and erying
to himself, so 1 made him lie down
in a Sheltered part of the boat. He
carried on for three or four hours
before he went to sleep. The next
morning he was dead.
'Copters Sighted
"Tuesday morning we spotted a
fleet of at least 10 helicopters fly
ing in formation. I learned later
that they were on maneuvers. They
came over a spot we had crossed
about three hours earlier.
"Kelly went out of his head Tues
day night and fell overboard. I
got him pulled back in and made
him lie down beside Whitehead's
body and keep as quiet as he
could.
"All during the night I had to
keep an eye on him to keep him
from jumping up and falling over
board again. He died ab?ut 10 a.m.
Wednesday.
"We had our first rain Wednes
day morning. There was nothing
to catch the water in, so we let
it fall on the thwarts (seats) and
licked it off as soon as a little
pool would form*. *
"1 spotted land early Wednesday
afternoon. We had rigged up 'a
sail' from the floorboards in the
boat and were rowing. Walker
kept going to sleep, so finally 1
hit him with an oar and made him
so mad he stayed awake and
helped me row those last few miles
to land.
"A man can take a lot more
when he is mad. Unless he has
determination, you have to make
him mad to keep him going. The
rougher things got the more de
termined I was to keep headed
toward land. 1 didn't think 1 was
in bad shape. 1 slept about two
hours Tuesday night and that was
it.
Sweet Land
"We went ashore at pijneni Isle
near Bay port, Fla., about 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday. We landed right in
the front yard of a summer home
but no one was there.
"I found a spigot in the yard and
got a drink of water. There was
a garbage can sitting there, so I
washed it out a little bit and filled
it up. It tasted pretty good.
"There was a jeep in the drive
way and we got in it to keep out
of the wind. About 9 p.m., A. A.
McKethan. president of the Brooks-1
villc bank, came to drain the ra
diator of the jeep and found us
there.
"He; called the sheriff and other
authorities and within an hour we
were in the Hernando County Hos
pital in Brooksville. We had no
more than walked through the door
when a doctor grabbed Walker
and put him on a table and went i
to work.
Near Death
"They just left me sitting there..
The doctor told me later that Wal
ker's eyes had already started to
dilate, a sign that he was nearly
gone. I would have had another
dead man on my hands in four
more hours at the most.
"When the doctors did work on
me, they found that I was in pretty
bad condition, too. I had been
running on determination and had
taken more of a physical beating
than any of the others. Walker was
out of the hospital several days
before I was.
"I got out of the hospital Satur
day (Dec. 21) and got home about
6 p.m. Sunday. Morchead City
looked mighty good to me then."
Captain Wickizer is a native of
Morchead City. He has been on
the sea since he was a small boy
working with his father. During
the summer seasons he is master
of the Danco. He has had his op
erator's license for 35 years.
Says Captain Wickizer, "This
was my first, and I hope last, life
boat experience. I never want to
have another ship go out from
under me."
Improvements
At Duke Lab
Well Under Way
Dr. C. G. Bookhout Says
New Facilities Will Be
Ready About April 1
An improvement program at
Duke University's Marine l.ab >ra |
tory. Beaufort, which includes con
struction of a new experimental |
laboratory bt"1din<*. will he com
pleted soon at cost of some $ 5,
000
"The building will help alleviate
the crowded conditions which have
existed for the past three summers
in our two research laboratories,"
Dr. C. U. Bookhout, director of the
laboratory and professor of zo
ology. said. He added that he ex
pects the expanded facilities to be
ready for use by around April 1.
Moreover, Dr. Bookhout said, the
expanded facilities will enable the
marine laboratory to be of greater
service to investigators from more
colleges and universities.
Some Parts Completed
Parts of the program already
have been finished, including a,
small fireproof building which con
tains storage space for gasoline,
paints and other inflamablc ma
terials. and a room designed for
chemical analysis work.
The addition of two wings to the
boat house will provide one room
for housing nets and other collect
ing equipment, and another which
will double the present space for
a shop.
Recorders Vital
Another improvement which I)r.
Bookhout described as extremely
important will be the installation
of continuous temperature and sa
linity recorders.
The recorders, he explained, will
enable the keeping of monthly rec
ords of great importance to scien
tists doing research at the station.
Some $25,000 of the cost of the
research laboratory will be borne
by the National Science Founda
tion, which also will make avail
able an additional sum of about
$3,000 toward the cost of the con
tinuous recorders.
New Year's Holiday Will
Take Heavy Toll?Unless
Over the New Year's holiday in
1957 there were 409 persons killed
on the highways of the nation.
Carteret County highway patrol
men point out that most of the ac
cidents were due to speeding,
drunkenness or both. They ask that
all drivers stay sober and observe
speed limits ? if they want to live
through 1958.
No County Accidents
Patrolman J. W. Sykcs of the
State Highway Patrol reported
this morning that there were no
highway accidents in the county
over the Christmas holidays. He
commended motorists for their
fine record.
Roger W. Babson
. . . noted forecaster
Roger W. Babson's Forecast
To Appear in Tuesday Paper
American business has no more
inspiring personality than Roger
W Rabson. whose business forecast
for 1958 will appear in Tuesday's
NEWS-TIMES.
Mr. Babson is an internationally
known business commentator and
investment adviser. An outstand
ing feature of his philosophy has
Tide Table
Tides at the Beaufort Bar
HIGH LOW
Friday, Dec. 27
12:3.1a.m. 8:17 a.m.
12:35 p in. 6:48 p.m.
.Saturday, Dec. 28
1:15 a.m. 7:18 a.m.
1:16 p.m. 7:44 p m.
Sunday, Dec. 28
1:59 a.m. 8:27 a.m.
2:00 p.m 8:42 p.m.
Monday, Dec. 28
2:44 a.m. 9:28 a.m.
2:48 p.m. 9:36 p.m.
boon his lifelong insistence on the
importance of both religion and ad
vertising in business.
Reared on Farm
Born and reared in an old fash
ioned atmosphere of hard work and
hustle on a farm in Gloucester,
Mass., Mr. Babaon went to the
Massachusetts Institute of Tech
nology. Upon graduating, he turned
instinctively to financial and busi
ness activities in which his father
was engaged.
His exertions, however, under
mined hia health; he contracted tu
berculosis and he was sent West
"as good as dead"! It was while
he was convalescing from this
dread malady that he worked out
some of the possibilities and prob
lems of business forecasting.
Hia weekly releases are used by
over 400 newspapers and his finan
cial reports by 20,000 corporations
and estates. His research work la
carried on by a large staff of ex
perts.
Mr. Babson founded Babson In
stitute for Men; and, in coopera
tion with the late Mrs. Babson, de
veloped Webber College for Women
? both nationally - known educa
tional institutions. Here young men
and women may concentrate on
the fundamentals of honest and ef
ficient business administration.
Later, he founded a Midwest In
stitute of Business Administration,
located in Eureka, Kans., the cen
ter of the United State*. He has
been active also in the establish
ment of other mediums of service
to the public, such as the Gravity
Research Foundation, located at
New Boston. N. H.
Mr. Babson has probably done
more than any other man to create
among his millions of newspaper
readers an interest in simple busi
ness problems, and to instill a
broader vision in businessmen, en
abling them to meet the ups-and
downs of the business cycle.
Pete Nobles/ Stella, Held
For Shooting Teenage Girl
Miss Myrtle Godwin, 17, Stella, is in the Onslow County
Memorial Hospital, suffering from multiple shotgun
wounds in her back. Sheriff Hugh Salter said Pete Nobles,
20, Stella, is being held in the Carteret County jail for
shooting Miss Godwin. Bond had not been set at press time
today.
The shooting took place at about 5 o'clock yesterday
afternoon along the t amp Dejcune
railroad in .he Stella
Nobles w as arrested bv Shi rut
Salter, Deputy Bobby Bell and
Deputy Bruce Edwards at ? JU last
night lie made no resistance
was in'the field back h.s home.
Wd . ..-it K h? Oari'MS,
was in tnc ncm ob*-1* "?
where he lives with h.s parents.
Mr and Mrs. I-loyd Nobles. He
Mr. and Mrs. ?.io>u
told the officers lie was waiting for
them fo come. ,
Sheriff Salter said lie has been
told that Nobles has the mentality
I of a to or 12-year-old bay.
Victim Tells Story
? ItVIIH av..? |
1 According to Miss Godwin, who
spSke to'the sheriff from her hotel
nital bed. she was walking along
the railroad track and Noble,. car
ryine a 410 gauge shotgun was
coming toward her She said he
said llowdy". She returned
greeting and he continued on his
* The next thing she knew she was I
hit in the back with a load of shot.
Nobles had turned and fired at her
She said she started running With
,hat Nobles loaded his gun and
shot her again, the sheriff related.
| Miss Godwin was able to run to
I ft-.. roa(J where some passing Ma
' rines picked her up. took her^to her
home and then took her to the hos
pit at. The Godwins live'acrossi the
road from the Gerald Pclleticr
store.
Returns Home
The sheriff said that Nobles went
to his home, which is located hall
way between Jim Young s store
and Gerald Pelletiersstor^ He
hone UD the gun on tt* rack ana
SArr-jas-Sl
-i
MiwcS'wta'informed the sheriff
ih?t Nobles had been writing silly
Inmes m her and her girlfr end.
I The sheriff said Noblrs lold hl?
he "could talk to girls all right 11
they started the conversation and
carried it on".
Sheriff Salter described Miss
Godwin s back as being c0"iplJ't :
fv peppered with shot. She also had
pellets in the lobe of her car,
and hand.
National Geographic
Tells of Carteret County
j a. DuBois, manager of the
sirtssss15
article6the'january M.
The article devotes several pages
to Morchcad City. Bcaufort and
the down cast area. The writers,
Dorothea and Stuart E J?nc*'
in word and picture of their trip
on the inland waterway from An-,
napohs, Md.. to Miami
When they were in the county
UM spring Mr. DuBois accom
panied them on an extensive tour
throughout the county.
Supply Pastor
Dr. John Eddins has been
called to serve as supply pastor
for the First Baptist Church,
Beaufort. Dr. Eddins is a special
instructor at the Southeastern
Baptist Theological Seminary,
Wake Forest. The Hev. W. T.
Roberson, former pastor, accept
ed a call Nov. 1 to the Second
Baptist Church, Shelby.
Jones Baby Girl
Bleeds to Death;
Funeral Today
Funeral services will be conduct
ed this afternoon for Delorcs
Jones, two-month-old daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Ervin Jones. The
child bled to death yesterday morn
ing at her home, about two miles
west of More head City.
The child was taken to the More
head City Hospital and was dead
on arrival. Sheriff Hugh Salter
said that the child was in bed with
its mother when death occurred.
Coroner Leslie Springlc and Doc
tors W. M. Brady and Milton Morey
examined the body and said that
death came from natural causes.
Mr. Springlc said that the bleeding
could have been caused by pneu
monia. They fixed the time of
death at 4 a.m.
Mr. and Mrs. Jones have four
other children and Mrs. Jones has
two Children by a former marriage.
Barrow's Funeral Home is in
charge of the services.
Cited on Whiskey Count
Clem Gaskill, Sea Level, has
been charged with possession of
non - taxpaid whiskey. He was
booked Saturday by Sheriff Hugh
Salter and will bo given a hearing
in county court next Thursday.
United States Weather Bureau
Announces New Storm Warnings
The United States Weather Bu
reau has announced that effective
Jan. 1, 1958, a new system of storm
warnings will go into use. Storm
warnings are displayed along the
United Stales coast when winds
dangerous to navigation are fore
cast. Signals are flown in More
head City by John Parker.
The following is an explanation
of the new display signals:
Smnil Craft
Small Craft Warning: One red
pennant displayed by day and a
red light over a white light at
night to indicate winds up to 38
miles an hour (33 knots) and/or
sea conditions dangerous to small
craft operations.
(.ale Warning: Two red pennants
displayed by day and a white
light above a red light at night to
indicate winds ranging from 39 to
54 miles an hour (34 to 48 knots).
DAY SIGNALS
Gale Whole Ga
Whole Gale Warning: A single |
square red flag with a black cen
ter displayed during daytime and
two red lights at night to indicate
winds ranging from 55 to 73 miles
an hour (48 to 63 knots).
Hurricane Warning: Two square
red flags with black centers dis
played by day and a white light
between two red lights at night to
indicate that winds 74 miles an
hour (64 kqots) and above.
ile Hurricane
?*?u ran
'<NAL?
Major Simmons Kills Coon
Several days before Christmas,
M^jor Simmons, Masontown, felled
this 15-pound raccoon he's shown
with above.
Mr. Simmons told R. M. Wil
liams, county agent, that shooting
the coon was one of the biggest
thrills he's ever had.
He said that it waft a short time
before noon when he heard his
dogs baying and raising a ruckus.
They had treed the coon. He
grabbed his shotgun, loaded it with
No. 5 shot, and let the coon have
it.
Mr. Simmons has been quite a
Photo by R. M. Williams
hunter in his day. He has killed
lots of game, including deer and
fox. One time he shot a deer, and
loaded four shells into him so fast
his hunting companions could not
believe he had felled the deer with
an ordinary shotgun.
While coonskin coats have be
come the rage again among the
college crowd, the price of pelts
is not comparable to the taste of
coon meat, Mr. Williams com
mented. So the 15 pounder, one of
the largest coons Mr. Simmons has
killed, ended up, probably, in the
Simmons' cook pot.
With the Armed Forces
Morehead C Soldier
Takes Part in Exercise
Fort Riley, Kan.?Pvt. James H.
Willoughby, son of Mr. and Mrs.
Melvin J-. WiNoughby, 1504 Fisher
St., Morrhcad City, recently par
ticipated in a three-day field train
ing exercise at Fort Riley, Kan.,
where he is a member of the 1st
Division's 28th Infantry.
A mortarman in the infantry's
Mortar Battery, Willoughby en
tered the Army last August and
completed basic training at Fort
Jackson, S. C.
He is a 1957 graduate of W. S.
King High School.
Fort Bragg, N. C. ? Specialist
Third Class Lenford H. Buck, son
of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Buck, route
1 Newport, recently participated in
a 15-day field training exercise
with members of the 3d Army
Missile Command at Fort Bragg,
N. C.
Specialist Buck, a rifleman in
the command's 72nd Infantry Com
pany, entered the Army in Novem*
befr 1953. He has served in the
European theatre.
The 24-year-old soldier attended
Morehead City High School.
11 Guardsmen
Get Promotions
First Lt. Merritt E. Bridgman,
commanding officer of the More
head City National Guard unit,
stated today that 11 enlisted men
from the Morehead guard unit re
ceived promotions during this
month.
Those from Morehead City fol
low: Lester L. Hall Jr., from SFC
to M/SGT.; Samuel L. Hughes,
from Sgt. to SFC; Willie J. Glancy,
from PFC to Sp-3; John M. Par
son, from Pvt E-2 to PFC; Robert
G. Willis, from Pvt E-2 to PFC;
Malcolm R. Willis Jr., from Pvt
E-2 to PFC; Patrick D. Conner,
from Pvt E-l to Pvt E-2.
From Newport: Edward E.
Dunn, from PFC to Sp-3; Billy R.
Cannon, from Pfc to Sp-3; from
Beaufort: Elmer G. Sanderson,
from Pvt E-2 to PFC; Thomas C.
Oglesby III, from Pvt E-2 to PFC.
Lieutenant Bridgman also re
ports the unit now has vacancies
for six additional members. Per
sons interested in obtaining infor
mation about the National Guard
should contact SFC Dennis M.
Goodwin, unit administrator at the
National (piiard armory in More
head City Monday through Friday.
Christmas Holiday
Delays Publication
Because NEWS ? TIMES em
ployees observed Wednesday and
Thursday as holidays, today's pa
per did not go to press until thia
afternoon.
So, if you receive this paper
later than customary, that is the
reason. Next week's publishing
schedule will proceed as usual.
THE NEWS TIMES office wdl be
closed, however, on Wednesday,
New Year's day.
Distribute Gifts
Members of the Morehead City
Fire Department took gifts of food
and toys to needy families in More
head City Monday night.