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The Cherokee mm Scout
*** C'atf County Prtgm
Vol?w 77. Numb.r 39 lU^y. Nor* Ccoll.0 April 20, 1967 12 P^, Tbi. W^k J?5?S?!5^?2^2l
FOUR KILLED IN WRECK NEAR MARBLE
Scout Studio Photo
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE Texanna Community Non-Proflt Water Corp. are:
Front row - (I to r) Harley Klncaid, vice president; Frank Sudderth, president; and Johnny
Summerose, secretary-treasurer; Back row-Harvey Kincaid, Nathanial Carter, Charles Tho
mas and Thomas Gibson.
EDA & FHA Make loint Effort To
Finance Texanna Water System
Two Federal agencies have
joined together in an effort to
seeure a water system for the
Texanna Community.
Cherokee County Rural
Renewal Leader Mack Ray and
County Supervisor Robert D.
Bruce of the Farmers Home
Administration have been
working for some time with
members of the Texanna Co
mmunity Non-Profit Water
Corp. to secure the necess
ary financing for the project.
The Federal aid Is to be in
the form of a grant and a loan
with the loan to be repaid from
operating revenues.
It was learned that FHA
could make the loan but had
no funds remaining for grants
in this fiscal year. The Eco
nomic Development Adminis
tration, however, had some
grant money remaining and in
a unique effort, the two ag
encies went to work on the
project together.
EIM's agreement to make
the grant istentative, but the
application has received fav
orable attention in Raleigh.
Charles S. Edwards, North
Carolina Coordinator or
EDA, visited Texanna last Th
ursday to determine the needs
and he conferred with Ray in
his office Friday morning.
A total of 45 homes would
be served initially when the
project is completed and more
homes would be able to rec
eive water when desired.
Present plans call for a
sewer system to be develop
ed in the community in the
future. It is beleived aid under
the Appalachian program
would be available for this.
The Federal government pro
vides 80% of the money on
Appalachian projects.
Frank Sudderth is president
of the Texanna Community
Non-Profit Water Corp.
Harley Kincaid is the vice
president and John Summer
ose is the secretary
treasurer. other members
of the board of directors are
Charles Thomas, Harvey Kin
Buncombe Seeks
Nonpartisan Board
RALEIGH?Democratic
Representatives Gordon H.
Greenwood and Herschel S.
Harkins introduced legisla
tion last week to elect Bun
combe County's School Board
on a nonpartisan basis.
The bill would take Bun
combe County out of the omni
bus bill and provide for non
partisan election of members
for six year terms.
Republicans quickly endor
sed the plan.
Greenwood and Harkins
called their bill a means "to
mature education in Buncombe
County and reduce to a mini
mum the jockeying for
political position".
"All the citizens and tax
payers should have an equal
voice in determining who
operates" Km education sys
tem, Greenwood said.
caid, Thomas Gibson and Nan
thanial Carter.
The Cherokee County Board
of Commissioners endorsed
the proposed water system at
the April meeting.
Most families in the comm
unity must now carry water to
their homes from open
springs.
Our Brother's
The following lottor li in reply to o story thot
appeared in this (pace last Thursday. The Scout be
lieves the letter to be a more detailed occount of the
events thot took place than were reported in the lost
Thursday's edition.
Mr. Dave Bruce, Managing Editor
The Cherokee Scout
Murphy, North Carolina, 28906
Mr. Bruce:
Freedom of Speech and Press is a precious but weighty
freedom equally important and necessary to those of my
profession as it is to yours. In fact, all of die freedoms
that we enjoy are not given to us free gratus. All require
that we excercise (sic) responsibility and care in their
use. This is especially true when their use brings undue
suspicion and unjustified embarrassment upon either a
person or his profession. This means that before we start
firing from the hip and then rushing out to draw a bull's
eye around what we hit, we should be sure of all the facts.
A case in point is your recent article "Who Serves As
Our Brother's Keeper?" in the April 13, 1967 Cherokee
Scout, Volume 77-Number 38. It would have been well if
you had checked into the story before you wrote and prin*
ted it. As far as I have been able to ascertain not one
minister who might have been involved was contacted
by you. Since no names were used, the story, as it stands,
cast suspicion upon all ministers. So, in order to relieve
the others of this cloud of suspicion, I will admit my part
in the affair. But back to the facts which you did not,
evidently, bother to verify. If you had you would have dis
covered the following pertinent information.
(1) At least five ministers were contacted by the
couple in question. Two of these ministers do not have
access to the Transient Aid Fund which may or may not
justify their actions. One of these has recently been the
victim of "cry wolf' prankster telephone calls and as
sumed that this was another such call. A third minister
had the telephone call terminated by the couple when he
started asking questions about the situation. A fourth
helped them by providing a room at the Arbor Autel on
the Friday evening before the Saturday in question. He also
provided four meals.
(2) This leaves only the fifth minister?me. I too re
ceived a call from the couple on the same Friday evening.
The couple was directed to meet me at the First Methodist
Church. I waited 45 minutes (9:15 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.).
They never arrived, a fact which can be verified by two
witnesses other than my wife. Since die call was supposed
to have been made from the bus station, I could only assume
that the couple had had ample time to come but were not
interested.
(3) The couple had been through our town on Tuesday be
fore the Saturday mentioned in your story. They had asked
for and received aid from the Fund.
(4) A check of past records that we keep on all appli
cants for aid revealed that a couple using the same name
and answering the description given-wcman:sunburned, ap
parently pregnant, -man: palsied with a speech impediment
had passed through our town on June 29,1966. The point of
departure given was Milton, Florida. The destination, Cin
cinnati, Ohio, where a sick brother was to have an oper
ation. Aid requested: food and transportation. Aid given:
two meals and the offer of a bus ticket to Asheville where
further aid could be requested from Traveler's Aid. How
ever, the couple only wanted a ticket as far as Andrews
where the lady said, "1 have a sister."
(5) The couple did not leave Murphy by bus as your
article implied, but were seen by this writer hitchhiking
a ride (64 West) on the Saturday afternoon in question.
This incident and subsequent reporting of it raises
some questions which only you can answer.
First, before reporting a story which has cast sus
picion upon all members of a profession, why did you not
check out the facts with those involved?
Second, do you not have the moral obligation to verily
this or any story which you report before you prim?
Sincerely,
W. Thornton Hawkins, Minister
First Methodist Church
(Editor's notot The Scout did not chock out all
the focts reported in last week's "brother's keeper"
story because of oversight and possibly because The
Scout allowed Its desire to be of service tp strangers
to blind It to the virtues of Murphy's conscientious
residents.
The Scout has the moral obligation to verify any
story which It reports and will strive to do so In the
future.)
County Record Of 473
Deathless Days Ends
Four persons were killed
Instantly and a fifth critically
injured in two-car colli
sion one-and-a-half miles
east of Marble on US 19-129
Friday afternoon. Cherokee
County's record of 473 days
without a traffic fatality was
ended in the twisted wreckage*
The dead were: George
William Bryson, 23, the dri
ver of one car; his mother,
Mrs. Artha Mae Bryson, 43;
and Robert Edwin Holland. 60,
?U of Andrews; and Mrs.
Vivian Anderson Barnett, 54,
of Marble, the driver of the
other car.
David Pullium, 23, of And
rews was critically injured.
He was a passenger in the
Bryson car. Pullium suffered
brain damage and did not re
gain consciousnessuntil Sun
day morning.
Highway Patrolmen Don
Reavis and Patt Miller said
witnesses told them Bryson
was driving east and Mrs.
Barnett was driving west.
They were told Mrs. Bar
nett, travelling at a moderate
of speed, was driving on the
wrong side of the road. She
apparently tried to get back
in her proper lane when she
saw the Bryson car come over
the crest of the hill. It is bel
ieved Bryson, upon seeing the
Barnett car, went to his left
just as Mrs. Barnett cut to
her right.
There were no skid marks
at the scene. The Barnett
vehicle was knocked back
50 feet and was turned ar
ound, headed east. Bryson's
car travelled 45 feet and was
turned west.
Witnesses said Bryson was
travelling at a high rate of
speed and had passed three
cars in a no-pass zone just
before coming over the
crest of the hill.
Reavis and Miller said
that if there had been no wit
nesses, it would have been di
fficult to determine exactly
what happened since there
were no skid marks and the
cars were turned around from
the direction in which each was
travelling.
Reavis called it "the worst
wreck I've seen" in the six
years he has been a highway
patrolman.
Sheriff's deputies Glenn
Holloway and Robert Hartness
assisted Reavis and Miller.
Traffic was halted on the
highway for about two hours
and the Andrews Rescue Squad
assisted in handling the tra
ffic jam.
Mrs. Barnett was returning
home from a baby sitting job
in Andrews. She had been sick
earlier in the day and had said
she was going home to ch
ange clothes and return to
Andrews to visit a clinic.
The occupants of the Bry
son car had been visiting in
Culberson andleft there ab
out 3:30, approximately a half
hour before the accident.
Funeral services for Mr.
Holland were held at 1 p.m.
Sunday in the chapel of Ivie
1 uneral Home in Andrews.
He was a native of Cher
okee County and a son of Mrs.
Abbie Whitaker of Lexington
and the late Etjgar Holland.
He was an employee of the
Town of Andrews.
Also surviving are a bro
ther, Charlie Holland of Cle
HOWARD VINCENT JONES,
Thursday morning when the tr
64 two miles east of Murphy
J one a ran off the road aa he evi
Ruth Roberson, 24, of Rt. I, I
on to (he highway in front of Ro
overturned and then landed on
River. The two vehicles did n
Clay Ivester Trucking Co., w
way Patrolman Patt Miller chei
to yield the right -of-way.
veland. Tenn., and three sis
ters, Mrs. Wilma Wise of
Goldsboro, Mrs. Ruby John
son of Jackson, Tenn., and
Mrs. Hubert Hardin of Lexin
gton.
The Rev. Ted EUis offici
ated. Burial was in Valley
town Cemetery.
Funeral services for Mrs.
Barnett were held at 2 p.m.
Sunday in the Marble Springs
Baptist Church, of which she
was a member.
She was a daughter of the
late Robert and Delia Mae
Enloe Anderson.
Survivors include a daugh
ter, Mrs.patsyMarr of And
rews; a brother, Wayne And
erson and a grandchild.
The Rev Ernie Sapders
officiated. Burial wasin Sun
set Cemetery, Murphy.
Pallbearers were Kermlt
and Robert Kilpatrick, Don
Moran, Bob Barton.John Gar
rett and Vincent De-Hart.
Townson Funeral Home was
in charge.
Joint services for Mrs.
Bryson and her son were held
at 3 p.m. Sunday in the chapel
of Ivie Funeral Home in And
rews.
Mrs. Bryson was a daughter
of the late George Bascomb
and Ola Gibby Lee.
She is survivied by her hus
band. William Bryant Bryson;
two sons, Walter and James
both of Andrews; two daugh
ters, Mrs. Annie Sue Cable
of Andrews and Mrs. Lillie
Mae Byers of Culberson;
two sisters, Mrs. Florence
Gibby of Andrews and Mrs.
Ellen Haggler of Reform,
Ala.; two brothers, L.B. of
Shelby and Vincent Lee of
Gainesville, Ga., and three
grandchildren.
George Brvson was a nat
ive of Cherokee County.
He is survivied by his fa
ther, two brothers, two sis
ters, and the widow, Mrs.
Juanita Ladd Bryson.
The Rev. Paul Miller of
ficiated at the joint services.
Burial was in the Vaileytown
Cemetery.
The last previous traffic fa
tality in Cherokee County was
recorded on December
26.1965.
A Gainesville, Ga. resident
who was in Andrews to attend
the Bryson funerals was in
jured in a one-car wreck just
west of the town limits while
returning home Sunday.
Mrs. Virginia Helen Ellotts
18, a former Andrews resident
ran off US 19-129for 51 feet
on the right side of the road
when a tie-rod broke loose on
the right front side of her car.
She was attained to District
Memorial hospital with
undetermined injuries.
? ? ?
Wade Dillard Dockery.34,
of Andrews suffered shoulder
and internal Injuries last Wed
nesday, April 12. when the
truck he was driving over
turned on Slow Creek Road
just south of Marble.
Reavis said Dockery lost
control of the truck when the
transmission exploded, cau
sing the drive shaft to come
loose.
The truck, owned by Charles
Higdon of Andrews, ran off the
left side of the road and over
turned, spilling several tons of
gravel in the road.
The truck was listed as a
total loss.
Kwwir
Ac out Studio Photo
25, escaped seriobs injury last
uck he was driving ran off US
at the foot of Scott Laney Hill,
?dad a car driven by Mrs. Edna
Murphy. Mrs. Roberson pulled
berson from SR 1551. The truck
its wheels near the Hlwessee
ot collide. The truck, owned by
as extensively damaged. High
rged Mrs. Roberson with failure
Scout Studio Photo
FOUR PERSONS WERE KILLED instantly and a fifth was seriously injured in the collision
of these two cars east of Marble Friday afternoon. Mrs. Vivian Barnett was alone in the car
pictured at the top and George William Bryson was driving the car in the bottom photo.
2 Shoal Creek
Fires Set
Two incendiary forest fires
destroyed about 20 acres in the
Shoal Creek section Tuesday
morning.
The fires were on Canada
Mountain off Old State Road.
County Forest Ranger
Harold Hatchett said the fire
danger situation in this area
is still critical. The woods are
tinder dry from lack of rain.
Hatchett said the fires "are
being set in early morning
when there is no traffic.
He repeated his plea of last
week for citizens to give him
any information that may be
available on the person or per
sons responsible for the rash
of set fires during the current
dry spell.
Mallonee To
Visit Here
Tom L. Mallonee, assistant
to Rep. Roy A. Taylor, will
visit Cherokee and Clay Co
unties next Wednesday.
He will be at the Town
Hall'in Andrews from 9:00 to
9:30, City Hall in Murphy
from 11:00 to noon, and the
Clay County Courthouse in
Hayesville from 3:00 to 4:00
Residents of the two coun
ties are invited to meet with
Mallonee at these times.
Local Caacer
Crusade Starts
The annual Cancer Crusade
is being conducted in
Cherokee. Clay and Graham
Counties through the end of
the month. The drive began
April 3U has been design
ated as Cancer Sunday in the
area.
Cuiter PIbbs
Rockkouad Class
Rockhounds are invited to
enroll in a class in mineral
identification, polishing and
cutting at the Tri-County Ind
ustrial Education Center.
Registration will close next
Monday.
Further information is
available by calling the Cen
ter at 837-3810 or writing
P.O. Box 40, Murphy, orcal
837-2379.
Scout Studio Photo
Clay Man Charged
With Bus Robbery
Harold Ledford, 27, of
Clay County, has been charged
with highway robbery in conn
ection with the robbery and
beating of a Trailways bus
driver at Caney Creek on
March 9.
Deputy Sheriff Glenn Hollo
way arrested Ledford at the
Courthouse Tuesday morning.
The arrest was made when
Ledford appeared for a case he
had in District Court. He had
been wanted in connection with
the bus hold-up for several
weeks.
Holloway called Ronnie
Patterson, the bus driver,
in Atlanta and asked him to
Defensive Driving
Course Scheduled
The North Carolina De
partment of Motor Vehicles is
sponsoring a pilot driver im
provement program designed
to help area motorists im
prove their driving habits.
Joe Sherrill, a Driver Edu
cation Representative of the
State Department of Motor
Vehicles, will instruct an
eight-hour course designed by
the National Safety Council to
teach defensive driving.
Classes will be held at the
Power Board Building here
from 8 to 12:00 noon and 1 to
S p.m. on Friday April, 28.
Those who complete the en
tire eight hours of instruction
will receive a National Safety
Certificate. All interested
motorists may register for the
course by contacting the Local
Home Demonstration agent.
The course consists of lec
tuces, films, and questions
and answer Sessions.
TheDirector of the Motor
Vehicle Department's Driver
Education and Accident Rec
ords Division, C.S. Waters,
said the pilot program in
Murphy is the first oppor
tunity the general public has
had to take such a course in
Cherokee County.
During the past year, Wa
ters said 1,375 state govern
ment employees completed
the driver improvement cla
sses.
He added that if the
response to the course is sa
tisfactory in Cherokee County,
his department hopes to hold
it periodically here and ex
pand it to include all of North
Carolina's one-hundred co
unties.
come to Murphy. Patterson
had told Sheriff Claude Ander
son at the time of the incident
that he would know his assail
ant if he ever saw him again.
Patterson arrived in Mur
phy about 10 p.m. Tuesday.
He picked Ledford out of a
lineup of three men at the
County Jail.
Patterson was nearing the
end of a run from Atlanta to
Murphy when he stopped for
a man who flagged him down.
He was under the impression
that the man wanted to hitch a
ride. When the man boarded
the bus, he struck Patterson
in the head and robbed him.
There were no passengers on
the bus.
Highway Patrolman Don
Reavis assisted the Sheriffs
Department in the investi
gation.
Bond for Ledford has been
set at $2,500.
Jock Long
Jack Long Joins
25 Year Club
FRANKUN?Jerry tf?ck)
My din Long Andrews, com
pleted yesterday 25 years of
service with Nantahala Power
and Light Company to become
the 50th member of the Com
pany's 25 year club.
A native of day County. Mr.
Loqg we* employed by Nanta
hala Aprl 16, 1942 as an Ap
prentice Power House
Operator at the Company's
Mission Plant. He was pro
moted to Power House Oper
ator June 28,1942 and trans
ferred to the Company's Nan
tahala Plant August 31, 1942.
On August 15, its he was pro
moted to Shift Foreman, Ms
current position.