North Carolina Newspapers

BE SURE TO ATTEND CLEVELAND COUNTY’S INAUGURAL FAIR- OCTOBER 14, 15, 16, 17, 18—THRILLING RACES—FREE ATTRACTIONS 4 paid-up circulation Of This Paper Is Greater Than The Population Given Shelby In The 1920 Census flic Irtodanii tar RELIABLE HOME PAPER Of Shelby And The State’s Fertile Farming Section. Modern Job Department. IOL. XXXII, No. 75 THE CLEVELAND STAR, SHELBY, N. C. TUESDAY, SEPT. 2G, 1924. S2.00 A YEAR IN ADVANCE SHELBY AND SUBURBAN SCHOOLS HAVE ENROLLMENT OF NEAR 2,000 500 More Pupils Are Expected. Every Room Crowded. Com parison By Tables. Almost 2,000 children enrolled last week to the city schools of Shelby and suburbs, according to a survey made j,ut by City Superintendent I. Grif fin. Around 500 more pupils are ex ported to come in during the year and the total enrollment by Xmas may he vwelled to 2,500, which will surpass anv town of similar size in the state, it Ja claimed. The total enrollment the the first week in the city and subur ban schools was 1,040, 1,044 of which are in the six uptown schools. The following enrollment. recorded last week: Marion school — LaFayette - Central elementary Junior high ,— - - Senior high - _ Colored - — - were 221 189 9.9-i Jo 175 287 237 Total South Shelby (Open Sept East side (last year) ... Dover" (last year) - - 1.) 1,344 .275 120 110 Total — - - 1,949 The schools within the city limits are crowded, every ronnt being ac cupieii and one class had to be placed in the auditorium of the Marion building. There are but 36 class rooms for white children and there were 1,107 white children present the first day, an average of 31 pupils to each room. Other Years. It migh: he of interest to compare the first day enrollments of this and other years: 1916—651; 1917—702; 1918—759; 11)19—842; 1920—928; 1921—982; 1922—1,070; 1923—1,114; 1924-1, 344. Below is a table which gives the en rollment and the average cost per pu pil paid out of local taxes for a period of eight years: Year 1915- 16 1916- 17 1917- 18 1918- 19 1919- 20 1920- 21 1921- 22 1922- 23 1923- 24 Enroll ment 684 $ 886 773 913 965 1,068 1,237 1,331 1,588 Tax spent 5.405,67 6,206.45 6,938.90 7.613.07 7.221.96 8,464.00 10.305.00 12.670.00 15.962.90 Pupil Crst S 8.00 7.00 7.00 8.50 7.30 i 8.00 8.80; 9.50 ' 10.00 This table shows a slight increase in the local tax cost per pupil for the past eight years. Any business man will recognize readily that the increase in the cost of operating the schools has not kept up with increase in op erating any other business. Certain additional features, very necessary to, the efficiency of the public schools, have been added during these eight years, some of these additions are: Increased length of school term in elementary grades from eight to nine months (required by law); public school music in each grade; commer cial department for pupils financially unable to go to college; teacher train ing department; physical education. The table shows that it costs, on an average, about $1.10 a month, or less than six cents a day, so far as local taxes are concerned, to send a child to the public schools in Shelby. There are, of course, other sources of rev enue for oporating the schools. The Federal and state governments and the county pay about three-fourths of the expenses. The total cost per pupils including all operating expenses, is about $1.00 per mon‘h, or twenty cents a day. Any reputable private high school charges more than this for tuition. The average cost per pu pil in 25 towns in North Carolina, the size of Shelby, is slightly above $4.50 a month. To Show Forbidden Story at Princess Gloria Swanson is the star in “Blue hoard’s Rth Wife’’ to be presented at the N'ew Princess threatre Tuesday. In the picture Glorious Gloria glitters more brilliantly than ever as the ro cuish, modish French beauty, married to a modern Bluebeard. Flirting out rageously she captures his fickle heart. “Revelation,” a film taken from Mabel Wagnall’s book “The Rosebush “f a Thousand Years,” is the feature " ednesday. It’s the story of the wild httle devil of Paris—Joline, of the 'afe of Three Delights in the heart of Montmarte, who posed for her artist lnve.r, bewitching and beautiful, as Salome, Sappho and Cleopatra. Thursday comes an unusual pic • uret a forbidden story shown on the screen. “Poisoned Paradise” is taken from Service’s vivid novel of Paris and Monte Carlo—made from a book that is banned by Continental Police because it tells too much. What the story tells is ofa gay fast, “shoot >t all ’ life featuring a reckless young widow—it’s the real story of Monte Carlo, the center of —. Discuss Relations Between Paper and Farm Agent*. Ride Over County and Banquet at Isothermal. Al> -ut 2(1 editors of the Western X'jrtii ( arolina Weekly Press associa tion met 1" riday afternoon and night at Rutherford ton* holding their ses sions in the handsome new Isothermal hotel. Every minute of the time the (ditors were guests at Rutherfordton .they were shown every courtesy, the social attention Consisting of a ride over a part of the county to inspect the rug fac'ory and Stonecutter ging ham m 11 at Spindale, and the Alex, ander Manufacturing Co., at Poorest f ity with a stop-over at Forest City where the Kiwanis club with the as sistance of their wives served light refreshments and exhibited textile products from the leading plant* of that great and growing industrial county.. The next social courtesy was a banquet given by the Chamber of commerce at the Isothermal with Lee H. Weathers of the Cleveland Star, vice president o fthe Press associa tion presiding in the absence of the President Dan Tompkins of Jackson county. A delicious meal which meas ured up in every way to the broad reputation which the Isothermal holds, was served the 100 men and women pro nt. Mu -ic was furnished by the high school orchestra, Miss Mildred Taylor, Mrs. W. C. Logan, Mrs. John Miller and Mrs. W. C. Twitty, while three address** of welcome were made to make the guests feel sure that the v elcorne was a genuine one. P’red D. Hamrick, native of Cleveland, now a prominent lawyer of Rutherford gave t welcome in the name of the cham ber of commerce. This was respond ed to hv Pegram A. Bryant of the Statesville Landmark, M. L. Edwards extended greetings from the town of Rutherfordton, which was responded to by Fbigene Ashcraft of the Monroe Enquirer. 0. C. Erwin secretary of the Rutherford county fair association and the chamber of Commerce extend ed greetings on behalf of the county and this was responded to by the in imitable G. G. (Old Man) Page of the King- Mountain Herald, who is com ing to he known by hi* wit and humor as the “Bill Nye of North Carolina modern journalism.” The afternoon program of the edi tors was devoted to a discussion of the relationships be*ween editors and the farm agents of the various coup ties. ]•'. E Patten agent for Ruther ford and R. E. Lawrence, agent for Cleveland telling the editors how they could help them in their work. Noah Hollowed) of the Hendersonville News discussed in an able and eloquent manner how the editors neglect the opportunities to help the county agents and the farm readers to high er orqduetiop and better marketing. G. G. Page discussed “local fea tures and how best to handle them.’’ He confined hi disussion to the “Fool Column” which he caries each week in the Kings Mountain Herald and is one of the most unique feature* of any North Carolina weekly. Lee B. Weathers of The Cleveland Star discussed the subject “W hat Does $ Newspaper Owe to Its Com munity.” His remarks were extenuat ed by B. A. I.owrance of the Mecklen burg Times and Mr. Huggins of the Marshville Home. “To What Extent Should County Newspapers handle Political Matter Without Pay" was the subject of P. A. Bryant of the Statesville Landmark and Daily. Altogether it was a most interest ing meeting, made so by the good cit izens of Rutherford who extended ev ery courtesy to the visitors. TRUCK AND FLIVVER TAKE HIGH PLUNGE A Ford truck towing a Ford tour ing car plunged off the high embank ment just on this side of Flat Rode bridge Monday and hultled over, twice in falling to the bottom of the em bankment. The touring car followed and smashed into the truck below. The driver of the truck received slight injuries, but the driver of the other car jumped before the car left the road way and escaped without injury. The accident is said to have been caus ed by something going wrong with the steering. The names of the drivers were not learned. Mrs. Carey Boshamer spent Wed nesday in Gastonia. Mr. J. W. Turney from South Car olina has accepted a position with A rev Brothers as mechanic. Mr. Tur ney has had a number of years ex perience in repairing automobiles. Let Mr. Turney repair your tar you will like his work. Robed Members Attend. Parade Court Square and Visit Negro Pool Room. Ilamme Speaks. A demonstration unknown to Shelby for a half a century, since the days following the Civil war, was staged here last Thursday evening in the form of a public Ku Klux Klan gathering and parade The robed and hooded members of the Invisible em pire who attended the public speak ing and later paraded certain ■ notions of the town were the first seen here since the seventies. Some of the old timers remember the klan of old, but to the majority of Shelby a robed Klansnvan was an unknown sight. As was announced in his paper last week J. L. Ilamme, of Gastonia, an official spokesman of the organiza tion, appeared at th ' court house at 8 o’clock and promptly at 8:15 started his address with several hundred peo ple in attendance, the invita'ion being an open one. Shortly after the speech started those in the large court room were treated to a sensation as in sin gle file 35 hooded and robed Klans men marched in from the rea: en trance leading from the lobby ■ >elow Silently they took their places around the walls of the court room and re mained there until the conclusion of the address As the word spread about town that real Klansmen were in at- i tendance the crowd swelled until the hallways and stairs were packed with; interested and curious people. The cos tunic ofthe Klansmen included a long, flowing white robe, with the Klan, emblem on the chest, and a tall white! hood with red tassel. High officials j could be singled out by additional , marks on their robes and hoods. Tells Klan Principles. Ilamme, a fluent although not pre possing talker, explained during his address the principles of the klan: de tailed the opposing forces of the klan, and told of the need of the organiza tion in this, and o'her states. At the close of his speech four of the robed knights passed through the audience distributing cards to ho mailed to “Ti Ifo-Tim”, genera] delivery, Shelby, by those interested and desiring to hear more concerning the Klan .The dom inant principle of the Klan is “Am erica First, Last and Always,” ac cording to the speaker, who described the organization as the “most sublime lineage in history, and here yester day, here today, here forever.” Visit Negro Pool Room. At the close of the meeting in the court house the robed member* par aded the “court square” in single file while large number of Shelby people looked on. After a short consultation held on the square the Klansmen marched off in a body to the railroad yards where they marched in single file, never breaking their silence, by the doors of the negro pool room and dance hall there. The negroes there huddled around the doors as silent as the Klansmen. and needless to say the ivory halls clicked very little and mu sic hushed for the remainder of the night. One aged negro, who came from farther down South, where the Klan is better known, gathered his coat in his arm and departed for home rath er hurriedly with the remark that “It's time fuh us folk* to go home.” The colored janitor at the court house was busily engaged in sweep ing out the offices on the first floor of the building when the meeting started there. He had been notified of the meeting and told that no one would bother him, but every sweep of the broom he peered about the dark corridors and beads of perspiration stood out all over his face. Just where he was when the robed Klansmen came in is not known, but hfs sweep ing was done when they came down. The majority of the robed Klans men, it i,s said, were from Forest City, while others who came here in yel low cabs are thought to have been from Charlotte, Gastonia,and proh ahly Mt. Holly. The strength of the organization here, recently formed, is j not known publicly. _— VETERAN OF RUTHERFORD COUNTY BURIED AT CONCORD David Beam Harrill who lias many relatives in Cleveland county died Saturday morning at 1 o’clock at his home near Bostic and his remains were buried Sunday afternoon at 2 o’clock at Concord Church near his home, the funeral services being con ducted by Rev. I. D. Harrill and Rev. Mr. Jenkins. Mr. Harrill was a vet eran of the Civil War and 85 years old. His wife preceded him to the grave four years ago. Surviving are five children, Miss Carrie Harrill, Mrs. Wm. McArthur, Bate Harrill. Mrs. Blanche Carson and Lox Har rill. Messrs. C. R. Doggett and John W. Doggett are spending this week on a business trip to Indiana. Kiwanians Told Of Carolina Show By Charlotte Jurist Judue \N adl“ illiams And Manater I'oymdds Of Madc-In-CarnlinnH Expo1 ilinn Are (iucsls. In;- Shelby Kiwarn? club was told Thursday evening _o£ the Made-ln f'-aro'inas Exposition, which opened Monday in Charlotte and will contin ue through O tuber 4. Guests of the lrh as representatives of the expo i> n were Judge Wade Williams, of h ( h u lotte city court, and Manager Mey n ds of the Exposition, "The show this year will be big Ter and butter and more comprehens v" >han ever be ore." declared Jude • Williams in the course of a short talk ’ ' t ' sr Inal people down and the Ki.vaaians to take part in "Ki’vanis k.y " Manager Reynolds introduced 'ud/e \\ il.iams as the man who ‘hocks it to Shelby speeders on oc •asion in Charlotte," bat the jutist re lieved himself of embarrassment by Mating that he would abdicate for • wo weeks during the exposition. The Carolinas exposition, a pres-’ ntation of Carol na products to Carolina people, is now one of the h'st known and largest attended in dustrial shows in the South. The idea of the pulling power of the show may b- derived from the fact that only HOO people saw the exhibits on the opening day four years ago, but on ‘he fourth day 8,000 people attended. Grn attendance in 1923 reached 90, 000. Troops front Fort Bragg are in Charlotte and will participate in pa ra les and other features during the two weeks. A decidedly attractive feature add ed this year is an unusual textile ex hibit. Th s exhibit is in place, con stituting more than fifty looms man ufacturing specialties and finer dress goods only. These have been install ed to emphasize the idea of textile diversification in the Carolnias, and are tile result of work don? by spec ial committee appointed by the presi dents of the North Carolina and south < -irolina Cotton Manufacturers associations. The exhibit of ancient and modem textiles—dating ba k two hou -ands years—brought down from he museums in New York, Brooklyn md Boston by M, D. C. Crawford, editor of the New York Daily Rec ord, will be shown under the direct super vis ion of Fdmund Fairchild, jr.. of the Fairchild publications. This will be the second time this exhibit has ever been brought together for pub lic inspection, the first time three years ago in Boston when more than 100,000 people were attracted to it. Textile Diversification day is Thurs day 26th, when addresses will be made by representatives of the de partment of commerce and Mr. Crawford. More than 1009)00 people are ex pected to visit the exposition. Oyster “Shucker” Is Now Cotton Picker Senator Sam Lattimore Makes Farm Hands Gut of Negro Circus Stragglers Cast Adrift Here. It is a long jump from the New England coast to the cotton fields of the South, but the prosperity that once lured Southern negroes North is now having an opposite effect and the lure is southward. Proof of the lure may he found on the big cotton farm of Senator Sam G. Lattimore, where a one-time oyster “shucker” is now a star cotton picker and a Pittsburg steel worker is a champion corn cut ter. Last week a circus struck Shelby and changed hands while here. As is usual there were a number of strag glers along and hands who were look ing for another job because of the non-arrival of pay days. A group of dejected negro circus followers from Kipling’s ‘‘bit o’ everywhere” were hanging around the big tent, when a friendly Shelby negro remarked: “Fel lahs, yonder goes Senatuh Sam Lat timore. he kin wuk all of you." And right there Mr. Lattimore started a little street parade of his own. Prac tically every negro with the circus and a group of whites started follow ing him, and they followed him until they all got jobs, that is the ones who really wanted work. Senator Latti more scattered them about over the county on the large farms and took what remained home with him. Only three remain two of the three are good workers, but the third may be cast adrift soon. One is an exception al farm hand, Mr. Lattimore says. All of the negro’s life has been spent “shucking” oysters on the New Eng land coast and his fingers adapted .themselves to the cotton bolls with more ease than those of the usual Northern negro. The other was a steel worker from Pittsburgh and the only task on which he can make much head way is cutting and shocking corn. The third is « typical circus straggler —good for nothing else. All the ne groes say there is no work up North and that they are glad to get down in 1 the South during the cold weather. Offiri'rs <>f Cra"d I <kIit«* and Oasi* Hand Coniine. ('. R. Ilncy Orator —Cerrmon' Tuesday Srp temb r 30th All !>l "is have hern completed for [ ho orfi ill lay no of the corner-: tone of the new Masonic temple on Tuesday Sopten.bt loth, the temple •'o v being under cons' ruction on the ot at the corner of LaFay"tto and ■ Warren streets for xvh'ch the Masons o' ii| $20.0.00 some year or two ago,1 The ceremony will Honn at 2 o'clock m the afternoon and those who have , •harge of the orcasmn say that the I largest crowd of Masons ever as- ! s.mi hied in Shelby will be present. All ! if the member.i of the eleven lodges n Cleveland county as vail as the members of th"* lodges in Kuther ord, Litnoln, Gaston and Catawba omtie* are being invited to attend. (.o. si'uet.on work on the Masonic ion pie Martcd a few weeks ago, the huildinit end equipment to cost ap pro. mintt ly $150,000 J. r. Little & tons of ( harlot!e nuve the contract and they are rushing the work as apidl • as possible, hoping to have he i\i f on by F 11 and the huild n« : any for occup nicy by May 1st, 1025. \\ . (1. Roger , of Charlotte was the an ti'iCt for th • building. Oar-si Hind Coming The Oasis Shrine ban ! of Charlotte ons’si a* of eighty pieces, the mem- ( hers r. t .*11 regalia, wl’-l furnish mus ic for lie* i. rnerst nr laying, while .Mrs. i eoi i'i A. Hovli lias charge of assembling a special choir to do th'* singing. All of the grand lodge of ficers Live expressed them selves as! wanting to. come to Shelby for this occasion and it is »vpeU>d that the Grand Lodge w 11 b,■ represented in •ull. Hon. Clyde R. H.oey of Shelby will be the orator for the occasion. Sixty year ago this year thp Mason.; of Shelby built the present e room, now occupied by th» W. L. Fanning I. .mipatiy Store, at a cost of about $3,000, Being central .* 1" a’.'d this l>dieting sold four) i >'dbs ago to Gi. Riviere Drug Com-1 pai y lor $ 10,020. l our Sun ie lliuli ’ l e ha" L me new fojr s’.'iy! 11. pie when ton m I * * < | will, rejne- j lent an out. fur hu.llin * aid! • quipment of about $150,000 and j ■i ill be one of the most handsome Masonic temples in North Carolina. The first floor will be arranged for store rooms; the second for the ladies clubs and an assembly room, [ k tchin and dining room. The third floor will be used for the Knights Templars and the Royal Arch Mas ons, while the fourth floor will be used by the Blue Lodge Masons. The fourth floor will be furnished in ev ery detail for the degree work and I seat about 500 people. Of course the J building will have a passenger ele ! eator and be heated by steam. Mem | bers of Cleveland Lodge No. 202 ! who, are having the temple erected are very proud of their undertaking and backing the officers of the lodge in every move. The present officers are: C. S. Young, worshipful master; M. V. Metcalf senior warden; Carr Cline junior warden; J. F. Roberts treas urer; Russel G‘. LaughVidgo secre tary; George Washburn senior deac on; Knox Hardin junior deacon; J. C. Kskiidge senior stewart; Tom Osborne junior Stewart; E. A. Rudn sille, tyler. The building committee is composed of C. S. Young, chair man; W. R. Hoey, J. F. Roberts, J. S. Dorton, S. A. Washburn, J. H. Quinn and W. V. Metcalf. Hon. T. D. McLean To Speak In Cleveland Has Four Speaking Engagements in County In Interest Of Cotton Growers Association. Hon. T. D. McLean, one of North < arolinas most successful cotton i growers, and a man who has for j I many years given his service to the ^ betterment of farm conditions of this I State, will deliver an address to the I .cotton growers and their families at | j the following places: . Belwood School House, Wednesday j , night, Sept. 24th, Fairview School | Polkville, Thursday night, Sept. 25th, j ElBethel School, Near Kings Moun jtain, Sept. 26th. Earl School, Earl, N. (.. Sept. 2/th. All these meet ings will be held at 7:30 o’clock p. m. This is an opportunity to hear a man of unusual ability and one who is deeply interested in you and your welfare. He will go into the subject j of marketing cotton and show you the losses that ,you are suffering I from the present dumpnig method and the gains which will come from ; proper handling. ou should do all in your power to j be present and bring as many people j with you as possible, because your i community should show its apprecia tion for the opportunity of hearing Mr. McLean. Hundreds Attend First Session of U. S. Court Here Judife K. V. Webb, Native of Shelby. Preside* Over Shelby’s First Federal Tribunal in History Several hundred litigants, jurors and witnesses are here attending the first term of United States district court ever held in Shelby. The court convened Monday morning with a large crowd packing the court room, many of whom had never witnessed a Federal court in action and were cu-! rious to see the formalities of the court. A court in this district which is 'he seventh in Western North Caro lina was established during the last session of congress for the conven ience of litigants and others in Cleve land and surrounding counties. TJic court is presided over by Judge K. Yates Webb, of Shelby, who for the first time is holding court in his “home town,” nit hough he has been on the Federal bench for four years with Charlotte as his legal residence. Pro secuting is District Attorney Frank ! Linney, at one time Republican can didate for governor. With Mr. Linney is Assistant District Attorney F. C. Patton, of Charlotte, and Miss Miir-j gar.et Brock. Other officials include Federal Clerk R. L. Blalock, of Greensboro; Marshall Brownlow Jack son of Asheville, and Deputy Mar shalls V. C. Bradley and M. C. Coin. Very Brief Docket. As the district is new there is no large docket facing the court and it . will he completed Tuesday, it is said. Practically all of the eases docketed j deal with Volstead violations and are no hearings of major import- I ance, according to Mr. Blalock. Asked about a deputy clerk for this district1 Mr. Blalock said that nothing would he done about the matter until after this session as he is handling the clerical work himself for this term. The first action of the court after convening was to formally thank the county commissioners of Cleveland county for the use of the county court house in which to hold courts. There is no federal court room in Shelby and upon the decision to establish a court district here the commissioners ten- j dered the use of the building to the United States government. In his in troductory Judge Webb remarked that if there is a continuance of law ; breaking it would he necessary at ] some time in the future to build a Federal court building here. “Never theless, I hope that a law abiding people will in the course of a few ! years make of this court only a for- i mality because of a decreasing viola- ; tion of the laws made by the United States government.” In the first few cases to be dispos ed of no jury was used defending counsel leaving their cases to the judge. Julius C. Davis Is Buried at Mooresboro Former Shelby Merchant Died in I Charlotte at 49 Years of Age. Funeral Sunday. Mr. Julius C. Davis, a former Shel by merchant died in Charlotte Satur- j day morning at 6 o'clock following an l illness of six months with leakage of , the heart and his remains were! brought to Cleveland county, the in terment taking place Sunday after noon at Sandy Run Baptist church, the funeral services being conducted by Rev. J. D. Bridges. Mr. Davis was a native of Rutherford county and started in business in Shelby about 24 years ago, working in the grocery store of T. B. Washburn. Later he op ened a store for himself at the Shelby cotton mill. For a number of years he has been in Charlotte, connected with the Southern Public Utility com pany. Mr. Davis \vas first married to Dixie Blanton, daughter of W. M. and Roxie Blanton of Mooresboro. She died after five years, leaving two children, Mrs. Robert Kitchins of Charlotte and Ed Davis of Moores boro. Later he married Leona V. Davis of Cleveland, this state, who survives together with his parents, Mr. and | Mrs. D. G. Davis of Ellenboro R-3, timore, Fletcher Davis of Charlotte timore, Cletcher Davis of Charlotte and W. Z. Davis of R-3 Ellenboro, one sister, Mrs. Texana Gardner of Lat timore. Mr. Davis was at one time a prom inent Shelby merchant and the news of his death is learned with great sorrow to his many friends here and elsewhere. Did you ever stop to think, that it a man sells for “Cash” he eliminates, the delivery charges, extra help and bad accounts. Why shouldn’t the con sumer benefit by helping themselves j at Piggly-Wiggly. Ad. When a fellow fights for the best, he often gets licked the worst. 1 J AROLEi EVENTS IN BRIEF STM Happeiiincrs and Trend of Times Over State During Week Related in Paragraph Form. Weds Twice His Arc. Raleigh—Mrs. Lena Bailey; age 40, and Aubrey Ray. ape 21, secured a marriage license Wednesday, and were married by Register of Deeds William Henry Penny, in the county court house. Both bride and bridegroom are from Wake county. Mrs. Ray being from Route 1, and Mr. Ray from route 5. The bride was accompanied by her grown daughter, who witnessed the ceremony. Woman Mayor in Wilmington. Wilmington—Mrs. Catherine Cow an Thursday was chosen by the city commissioners to be mayor of Wil mington succeeding her husband, James S. Cownn, who died recently. Mrs. Cowan will be the first woman mayor in the state of North Carolina. The new woman mayor will take the oath of office on Monday and will serve the unexpired term of her hus band which runs until June, 1025. The salary is $5,000 per year. Fights Poster Advertising. Asheville—Answering the charges of the bill posting companies of the city of Asheville, who recently ob tained a temporary injunction against the city prohibiting it from collecting a tax of one dollar per lineal foot, the city commissioners have filed a plea in the Superior court asking that the tax he declared valid and claiming that the billboards were used as blinds for persons to drink liquor behind and for the operations of bootleggers. The commissioners contend that the bill board advertising system is a nui sance to Asheville and that it was not a necessary part of commercial ad vertising of Asheville concerns. The case will be heard before Judge T. B. Finley of Superior court late in the week. Cabarrus Farmer Killed. Concord—Martin Bost, Cabarrus county farmer, was ordered held Thursday by a coroner’s jury after an investigation of the shooting Tuesday night of Jesse Vanderburg, promin ent farmer, who died at a local hos pital Wednesday night of wounds al Ieger to have been inflicted by Bost. Vanderburg died without making a statement and Bost refused to discuss the case. However, it i- reported here that Bost will plead self-defense, claiming that Vanderburg attacked him with an axe. He refuses to dis close the cause of the trouble. Peacock Captured. Raleigh—Dr. J. W. Peacock, who murdered Chief of Police Taylor of Thomasville, several years ago, and who escaped from the criminally in same ward of the state prison at Ral eigh on the night of August 30, 1922, has been captured at El Cajon, Cali fornia, after a long search. Announce ment of the capture of Peacock was made by the prison officials here Sun day night in a formal statement. It was stated that Warden Busbee is now in El Cajon and that he caused the arrest and detention of Peacock. It is further intimated that Peacock will fight extradition, but that Warden Busbee is armed with authority from Governor Morrison to secure able counsel and institute legal proceedings to have the escaped murderer return ed to North Carolina. H. B. Varner Marries. Lexington—Henry Branson Varner, of this city, newspaper publisher and operator of a chain of theaters in this section, was married in Alexandria, Va„ at 3 o’clock Saturday afternoon, to Miss Evelyn Pearce, of Jackson* ville, Fla. News of the marriage was received here from New York, where Mr. and Mrs. Varner will spend sev eral days before returning here. The bride is a member of a prominent Florida family and has recently been living in Washington. Mr. Varner re tired from the newspaper game 13 months ago, but a week ago again as sumed ownership of the Dispatch. Romance in Jail. Charlotte—A romance which began five weeks ago when a group from the Christian Men’s club visited the coun ty jail to conduct religious services ended in a marriage ceremony Fri day night when 20 year old Pansey Thacker became the bride of 24 year old Lennie W. Silver, salesman for a local store. Mrs. Silver is very attractive and has bobbed hair and since she at tracted Mr. Silver’s attention on his visit to the jail, he conducted an ar dent courtship, according to jail au thorities. who said that he spent much of his time walking in front of the jail where he got an occasional glimpse of his present wife who was confined on the third floor of the building.