The Cherokee Scout
and Clay County Progress 12 Pages-15* PER COPY
Volume 81 - Number 11 Murphy, North Carolina, 28906 - Second Class Postage Paid At Murphy, North Carolina - Thursday, October 15, 1970
Three Flee
County Jail
By Wally Avett
Staff Writer
Three men escaped from the
Cherokee County Jail early
Monday morning, apparently
manufacturing themselves a
key and locking the door
behind them.
A state jail inspector, in
Murphy for a routine check of
the jail on Tuesday, said the
county jail "is one of the
sonriest in the state, both in
equipment and security - I
think anyone who really wants
to get out of this jail can get
out."
The three who escaped were
brothers Jerry and Andrew
Green, and Clyde Morris. Jerry
Green was recaptured on
Monday in the Snowhill
section, where he was reared,
by Cherokee Deputy Sheriff
Dude Radford and State
Trooper Bob Ogle. The other
two are still free.
The Greens, formerly of
Cherokee County but living
more recently in Dalton, Ga.
were arrested inside the office
of Dickey Oil Co. on Sept. 27
by Murphy Police officers.
Morris, wanted since 1968
for the theft of a safe from the
Lay's 5 & 10 store in Murphy,
had fled to Tennessee and had
not be extradited. He was
arrested in Cherokee County
on Tuesday night of last week.
According to Cherokee
Sheriff Claude Anderson, the
three men probably made a
key and escaped sometime
early Monday morning. They
were not missed until
breakfast.
The Sheriff said the Greens
were not locked inside a jail
cell but were free in the
runaround area. He added that
Morris was confined to a cell.
After Morris was freed, the
officer theorized that the men
opened a door to the outside
on the first floor that is not
used regularly.
James D. Craig, 23, of
Route 4, Murphy, charged with
robbery, escaped in -similar
fashion in late May and has not
been heard from since. A
warrant for escaping was filed
against him and Sheriff
Anderson said escape warrants
will be signed against the
Greens and Morris.
The jail inspector, James H.
Pitts of Asheville, and
Cherokee Chief Deputy Glenn
Holloway both noted that the
jail does not have adequate
visiting facilities and prisoners
are free to talk with their
friends through a window on
the first floor.
The window also serves as a
gateway for files and hacksaws,
the officers noted. "We search
the jail every once in a while,"
Holloway said. "And we
always find files and hacksaws
and keys they've made, hid
behind a radiator or
somewhere else."
The jail was built about 50
years ago and the sheriff said
the locks on the cell doors,
many of which are not in
operating condition, are not
manufactured any more.
Deputy Holloway said
prisoners insert a stick of
chewing gum in the lock and
turn it slightly, thereby getting
an impression of the inside of
the lock.
He said they then can sit
down with their smuggled files
and hacksaws and carve out a
key from a metal bed slat or
other material inside the jail. It
is also said that keys have been
made successfully from plastic
combs, the prisoners breaking
away the teeth to obtain the
desired shape.
Pitts gave this writer a tour
of the jail, pointing out broken
windows, shattered commodes,
window screens ripped from
the walls and the two
cellblocks, each having four
cells which are supposed to be
secured with a gang-locking
device which locks all the
doors at once. Neither of the
ganglocks work.
The inspector said the
sheriff cannot accomodate
many prisoners and Keep them
locked up in cells in a sanitary
condition since this cell's lock
does not work or that one has
a broken commode, another
has no lavatory, etc.
The Cherokee County
commissioners, fearing that the
jail will be condemned, are
putting a $100,000 bond issue
on the November ballot. If the
voters approve it, plans are for
Cherokee and Clay to go
together and build a new
modem jail in Murphy to serve
both counties.
Glory Of Autumn
The Fall color season is now in full swing in the
North Carolina m on tain country and this view of
Grandfather Mountain framed in Autumn foliage is
typical of the sights to be seen for the next two or
three weeks. The Fall color season began about a
week late but recent frosts have brought out the
colors in all their splendor. (Photo Courtesy of Hugh
Morton)
Phone Strike Settled
Westco Telephone employes
went back to work last
Thursday after a two-day
wildcat strike.
Company officials and
representatives of the employes
in a meeting Wednesday
afternoon reached agreement
on the issues involved and
workers, who had walked off
their jobs on Tuesday morning,
returned to work.
Some of the workers are
members of the Communi
cations Workers of America
union and some are not;
however, all are covered by a
contract with the union which
does not expire until June of
next year and contains a "no
strike-no walkout-no lockout"
clause.
Despite the contract clause,
workers at Murphy, Sylva,
Franklin and Clayton, Ga. left
their jobs Tuesday morning
and the strike spread on
Wednesday to other company
installations in Marion,
Weaverville and Burnsville.
The original issue was a job
at Sylva, which union
employes felt was filled by an
outsider at the expense of local
employes who had applied for
the position.
Two other job situations
were also discussed in the
meeting, a union source said,
with the settlement reached
when both company and
employe representatives
reached harmony by modifying
their original positions.
MURPHY 4R
JACKETS 14
R R R-RIP
RORBIS'SVILLE ! ! !
Election
Chief
Resigns
The Cherokee County
Board of Elections had a
change in management last
Thursday as Glenn Stalcup
resigned as chairman and was
replaced by Dean Pullium.
Stalcup, a Democrat, was
sworn in back in March along
with Democrat Fred McDonald
and Republican Robert
Hartness. Stalcup had then
Men selected by the board as
its chairman.
Stalcup resigned last week
due to health reasons, saying
his doctors have prescribed a
long rest for him.
Pullium was sworn in
Thursday morning in the Clerk
of Court's office and in a
meeting of the board later in
the day was chosen chairman.
Formerly of Andrews, he
now lives in Murphy and is a
seif-em ployed brick maaon.
Active in Democratic affairs,
be had awed as registrar of the
y North Ward until he
ini.ef -to the elections
His wile 1
Air Show
Hundred* gathered at the
Murphy-Andrew* Airport last Sunday
afternoon for the annual Air Show,
sponsored by the Andrews Rescue
Squad. In addition to those who came
by auto, about 60 private planes landed
and parked at the airport just to see the
show, creating a traffic jam of their
own as they departed. One of the stunt
planes is shown here in a steep dive
over the heads of some of the
?"?CU"*,**, Photo,
Demo Rally Saturday
The Democratic parties in
Cherokee, Clay and Graham
counties are sponsoring a
barbecue on Saturday
afternoon at the old Rock
Gym in Murphy.
The event begins at 3 p.m.
with entertainment to be
furnished by Johnny and
Gerald and the Georgia
Mountain Boys, the clogging
Carolina Sweethearts and other
local talent.
All county candidates will
be present along with State
Senatorial Candidate Dr. Carl
Killian of Cullowhee and State
House Candidate Ervin Patton
of Franklin.
The speaker will be attorney
Leonard Lloyd of Robbinsville.
The public is invited to attend.
Early Pledges Reported By United Fund
The 1971 United Fund
Campaign Drive has gotten
off to a fast start,
according to Horace
Cannon campaign
chairman.
Tommy Gentry, who is
head of the Murphy Retail
portion of the campaign,
has already contacted
many of his 15 to 20
solicitors with pledge cards
and United Fund
literature, Cannon said,
Ranger School 100%
Every employee at
Ranger School has pledged
to the 1971 United Fund
Campaign, making this
organization the first in
Cherokee County to
pledge 100% of its
employees.
Not only did every
employee pledge, but each
one also paid his pledge at
the same time.
Asked for comment on
this rare achievement, H.L.
f/icKeever, President of the
United Fund, said this was
a "phenominal first" in
the history of UF
campaigns, and that the
Ranger School personnel
has by personal sacrifice
and dedication "shown the
way" to all other schools
and organizations in the
County.
"The leadership of
Addilee Brown and Jean
Alexander were the
motivating factors behind
this highly successful
campaign," Mckeever said.
"They had not even been
contacted and asked to
begin their campaign,these
wonderful people just
took it upon themselves to
get the job done."
Those who gave at
Ranger school were:
Evangeline Johnson,
Arthur K. Payne, LuellaJ.
Newman, Addilee B.
Brown, J. Alden Cooke,
Lois Allison, Mrs. C.
Alfred Smith, Mrs. Jean
Shields, Jean W.
Alexander, Mrs. Jean
Hawkins, Mrs. Faye Green,
Mrs. Delores Moore, Mr.
Hardy Truett, Mrs. Vaud
King, Mrs. Millie King.
Mrs. Faye Rogers, and
Mrs. MRdred Arp.
Homecoming Queen
Senior Gail Postell was crowned
Homecoming Queen on Friday night in
halftime ceremonies at the Murphy
Hayesville football game. She was
escorted by Steve McDonald. At left
are Teresa Grain and her escort Peyton
Gaines. (Carringer Photo)
Council Discusses Cable TV
The Murphy Town Council
Monday night took no action
but discussed a cable television
system for the town and
fluoridation of town water.
Harold Shook appeared
before Mayor Cloe Moore and
the council members to ask for
a franchise to operate cable TV
in Murphy. Mayor Moore
suggested that he make a
formal application in writing
for a franchise at the next
month's meeting and Shook
agreed to do so.
The mayor said several
other firms have been
interested in the past but
added that "I don't think
there's anyone here who's
opposed to giving you the
franchise." He instructed
Shook to put in his application
how much would be invested
in a cable system and what the
monthly rates to the subscribers
would be.
The council several years
ago discussed flouridating the
water but no action had ever
been taken on the matter.
Town Clerk Charlie Johnson,
Scout Editor Wally Avett and
Dr. Bruce Hawkins of the State
Board of Health met and
discussed flouridation
procedure on Thursday of last
week and the council was
informed of information
gained from Dr. Hawkins.
One of the main reasons the
council had not put a
flouridation program into
effect was that it was believed
that a higher-salaried water
plant engineer would be
needed to administer the
flouride. Dr. Hawkins,
however, said that the present
town water plant employes can
add the flouride if they are
approved by the state's district
engineer, who inspects the
water systems.
The council members
instructed Johnson to contact
the engineer and set up a
meeting with him, at which
time flouridation will be
discussed further.
Dr. Hawkins said
flouridation of water supplies
is increasing in the towns and
cities of North Carolina as a
health measure, making for
stronger teeth and fewer
cavities and especially
beneficial for children's teeth.
TV 'War' Begins
Petitions are circulating in
and around Murphy both for
and against the Asheville
television station received here
via translator as Channel S.
The war of the petitions
began recently when an
opposition petition, signed by
angry viewers in the Hanging
Dog section, was sent to the
Federal Communications
Commission, which controls
radio and television.
The Hanging Dog signers,
and also some who live along
US-64, west, are mad because
Asheville Channel 5, beaming
into this area from a translator
on Fain Mountain since June,
has knocked out their
reception on Channel 5 from
Atlanta.
Getting the Asheville
translator here was a Jaycee
project and since the Hanging
Dog opposition group is still
getting signatures, the Murphy
Jaycees have gone to work and
signed up about 400 people in
favor of the Asheville station,
their petitions also to be sent
to the FCC.
"We surely can't lose it
now, after working so hard to
get it here," a Jaycee
spokesman said. But WLOS-TV
rice president Bill Pfeiffer,
contacted in Asheville on
Tuesday, said that is a
possibility.
"If they come up with
enough names against it we
could be in trouble," Pfeiffer
said. "It's possible they could
make us take it off the air." He
noted that the Asheville
channel went on the air in
Franklin and due to petitions
was forced to close down.
The station, called back
with more petitions and by
popular demand, has now gone
back on the air in Franklin.
The WLOS signal is aimed
directly at Murphy, Pfeiffer
said, "in order to serve as many
people as possible." He added
that viewers in the Hanging
Dog section can probably
purchase a Channel 5 antenna
"for seven or eight dollars,"
aim it toward Fain Mountain
and pick up the Asheville
channel with a good picture.
The Asheville translator
would affect only Channel 5
from Atlanta, he said. "There
is no way electronically we
could have affected any other
channels or radio reception or
electric toothbrushes or
mixers," Pfeiffer said.
and the local merchants
can expect to be contacted
this week.
The Andrews fund
raising campaign, already
partially organized, will
complete its organization
Tuesday night at a meeting
to be held in Andrews.
Last year the drive
brought in $30,962. The
goal for this year, Cannon
announced last week, will
be $32,000. The drive
contributes financial aid to
22 local and 14 state and
national charities.
Each person contacted
is being urged to give his
"fair share," which is
defined as one day's pay.
Cannon said that the
Advance Gifts Committee,
headed by Hobie
McKeever, had already
received the following
pledges:
Dr. F.L. Abernathy
$50., American Thread
Co. $1,000, Berkshire
International $1,500,
Cherokee Shopping Center
$100, F.O. Christopher
$50., Clifton Precision
$1,500, Cowards Men *
Boys Wear $100., Gay
DAvidson $15., Davis
Jewelers $200., Deluxe
Cleaners $25., Marie G.
Dockery $12., Gasley
Manufacturing Co. $500.,
Herman Edwards $100.,
Fowler's 66 Station $100.,
S.J. Gernert $100., John
H. Goodrich $50.,i
Hackney Carolina $100.,
W. Arthur Hays, Jr. $35.,
James C. Helton $50.,
Lloyd W. Hendrix $25.,
Hilton Business
Equipment $100.,
Hitchcock Corporation
$800., C.E. Hyde $50.,
Charles E. Johnson $20.,
Levi-Strauss $600.,
Magnavox $3,500., H.L.
M c Keever $ 100.,
Moretti-Harrah $200.,
Murphy Hardware $100.,
Murphy Electric Power
Board $750., Linda Payne
$12., Peachtree Products
$1,000., Singleton
Insurance ft Western Auto -
$100., J R. Sprung $50./
Sunset
Timber 1
$300.,
Feed Store $100., Wells &
West $150., Doug Carlson
$25., William R. Gossett
$40., Brown's Deluxe
Hatching Eggs $100.,
Loren R. Harding $25.,j
Henn Theatre $125., Duke
Whitley $25., Duncan Oil
Company $200., Helen E.
Wishon $25., and Rimco
Manufacturing Company
$250.
EVERY GOOD GUY
AMI