Little Oklahoma Settlement Prepares Dead For
Burial. Plans Fcr One Big Grave Abandoned
When Bodies Are Identified. Only One Door
For Exit When Fire Broke Out. Teacher Dies
For Cliildren.
! Hobart, Ok!a„ Dec. 26.—All of the
thirty-three victims of the fire which
tlestroyed the schoolhouse during a
Christmas eve entertainment having
seen identified, the people of Babb’s
Switch settlement today set about the
work of interment.
Plans, for using a common grave,
irst considered v/hen it appeared that
dentification of all bodies would be
^possible, were abandoned last night
rhen the identity of the last victim,
little girl of 11, was established,
pint funeral services for sixteen of
ie dead will he held this afternoon,
»llowed by burial in individual grav
!. The Rev. G. W. Estes, pastor of
le Presbyterian church, was named
[ conduct the services, with minis
irs from all denominations partici
pating. The remaining seventeen vic
tims of the fire probably will be bur
ied tomorrow.
Twenty persons injured in the fn-e
arc still in hospitals. All are consid
ered to have at least an even chance
for Recovery.
A committee of Hobart citizens
has been appointed by Mayor P. E.
Gillespie to provide for the care of
the children orphaned by the fire
and to work toward rehabilitation of
the home life to Babb’s Switch. A
movement is under way to raise funds
for a monument to those killed in
Oklahoma’s worst Christmas tragedy.
The monument would be placed either
in Hobart or on the site of the fire.
Three small fires in Hobart yester
day added to the city's tension. One
of the blazes, originating in a jewel
ry store, cause a mild panic in two
nearby theaters, but r.o one was in
jured seriously.
Authorities said they expected to
Sake action toward investigating the
Jabb’s Switch fire. Vigilance of the
ichool trustees in placing wire r.et
ing over the outside of the school
vindows to keep out vandals v;as held
hicfly responsible for the heavy loss
>f life. Could the windows of the one
itory structure have been used a-: an
■leans of egress virtually all of the
200 persons in the building could
have escaped, it was believed. As it
was, the door was the only exit, and
there was such a rush for it that the
persons farthest from it had little
chance to escape, as the fire, starting
from a candle on the Christmas tree,
swept through the small structure.
At two previous Christmas eve
celebrations at the School .Christmas
trees caught fire, but were extin
guished without serious damage.
Last Christmas, William Curtis, who
lost his life in this year’s fire, played
the role of Santa Claus and, during
the distribution of gifts, his white
beard caught fire, but he quickly ex
tinguished it.
. .Babb’s switch is a prosperous farm
r.iB community 7 miles south of Ho
i Vrt. Cotton and wheat are the prin
k$»sl products. The population is
(about 250.
Candle Started Fire.
Hobart, Okie., Dec. 25.—With the
identification of the last, victim es
tablished, the re-ehecked death list in
the Christmas eve fire at the Babb
Switch rural school, stood at 33 to
night. Twenty injured persons are
still confined in two hospitals. One
is expected to die and two others are
in a critical condition-. Funeral servic
es for 16 of the dead will be held to
morrow.
With 32 bodies, most of them burn
ed beyond recognition, lying in a tem
porary morgue in two store buildings,
and 27 others listed as missing as a
result of a Christmas eve fire at the
district school house at Babb’s Switch
seven miles from here, Hobart citi
zens tonight were continuing their
efforts to identify the dead.
At a mass meeting today, called by
Mayor F. E. Gillespie, committees
jjpere named and the relief work was
going forward systematically.
It has been decided to bury all the
unidentified in one large grave in the
Hobart cemetery and late today a
crew of men broke the snow that
blanketed the burial ground to throw
up a long trench of earth.
Early tonight, only ten of the dead
had been identified, despite the fact
that the morgue was early thrown
open to the public. A steady proces
sion of grief-stricken relatives filed
all day long between the shrouded
forms, but so terribly had they been
burned that it was impossible in most
cases to mark the features of loved
ones.
Family of Four Recognized.
Among those who have been recog
nized is the family of T. C. Caffey,
a farmer living near the Babb’s
Switch school. Six bodies, the father
mother and four little forms, have
been placed to themselves. Survivors
fell a heart rending story of how the
family, standing in the center of the
blazing schoolroom, every means of
escape cut off, threw their arms
about one another and in a last ges
’"ture of devotion fell together into the
inferno as blazing rafters loosed
from the roof struck them down.
Axr.ia the awful confusion of the scene
survivors say they were struck by the
placidity with which the Caffey fam
ily met death.
For Her Children.
There, too, in a place apart, is the
body of Mrs. Florence Hill, teacher
at the school, who might have escap
ed had she not tarried in a futile ef
fort to find some avenue of escape
for the little charges that were hers.
Way To Step ’Em
(From The News and Observer)
The number of acidents by drunk
en, or drinking, men calls for mere
drastic punishment than has hereto
fore been meted out. A fine is no
punishment to most of them. They
have found out how to give the right
medicine in Kansas City. A man nam
ed Ehn had a head-on collision with
a street car. The motorman testified
that he saw that the mashup
could not be averted and he stopped
his car and waited for the ineviatnbte.
“.All I remember,” Ehn explained,
“was that I tool; one drink. I was \
cold and I thought the drink would
warm me. The next I knew I was
in the police station.”
“You don’t remember hitting the
street car?” asks dihe judge.
“No”.
“Ar.d in your condition yen might
have run ever a person without real
izing it?”
“Yes.”
Then the judge gave Fhn the dose
that stops drunken driving. He raid:
"Welt, you must pay for your
drink. Year fine is SltJO and I forv
hid you to drive your car until March
1, 1925.”
It is said that his car remains idle
—that Ehn has quit drinking—end
goes by every day and looks yearn
ingly at his car and counts the hours
till March 1, 1925.
That medicine cught to be meted
cut, plus a fine, in Raleigh and other
North Carolina towns.
Apples and Apples
(From Gastonia Gazette_
Channing Pollock, the playwright
and author, ought to come to North
Carolina to get some apples. Not a
hundred miles from Gaston county,
and on the streets of Gastonia, by
the truck and car load, he con find
such apples as he wants. He is evi
dently used to eating good apples and
we can sympathize with him as he
tries to eat the tasteless things that
are sometimes offered as apples.
A good apple a day, better still,
two or three of them, is the best
medicine in the world and the best
eating. No wonder Mi'. Pollock
cries out in despair:
“Are there any good apples in
the world?
“Those obtainable in the public
markets seem to me typical of
our time—externally attractive; noth
ing worth while under the skin.
“I am one of thousands who love
r.n apple firm, tart, with juice enough
to trickle down your chin—when you
were a small boy—and leave a white
mark. Today, unblusbinglv, the itiner
ant Italian or corner Greek takes your
time in exchange for something round
and mealy and as guiltless of liotiid
as the exterior of a dentist's rubber
sheet. The best apples on earth grow
in New York, but these apparently
rot on the trees, while refrigerator
cars cross thousands of miles, bring
ing us desert sand in scarlet skins—
delight to the eye and disnpnoint
mert to the palate. ‘No Baldwins in
market!’ ‘No Winesaps or Northern
Spies.’ Bust and pigment. If the ser
pent hadn’t been a better picker cur
cur,tomes still would be being design
ed bv a landscape gardener!
“This . . . frankly . . is
an appeal. I made the same appeal
years ngo through F. P. A. .
and got thirty-four samples of dry
rot and juiceless gingerbread. May
be you’re a better humorist, I’m in
the market for Baldwins—at any
price.—once I’ve satisfied myself that
they are Baldwins, and not Bunks!”
ROCKFELLER CHALLENGES
THE SOUTHERN BAPTISTS
John D. Rockfeller, sr., who several
years ago gave $300,000 in securities
to the Relief and Annuity Board of
the Southern Baptist convention, to
be invested as a permanent fund, has
advised Secretary William Lunsford
that he will make an additional gift
of $100,000 to the board of Southern
| Baptists during 1925 will give an ad
ditional $400,000 making a total of
$500,000 for the year to care for the
work of relieving the aged Baptist
preachers and their dependent ones.
Secretary Lunsford announces that
the Board is now caring' for 1,000
beneficiaries in the various states of
the Southern Baptist convention. He
is challenging Southern Baptists to
accept Mr. Rockefeller’s proposition.
No wife should start a quarrel with
her husband until she has possession
of the pay envelope.
Another way not to get away from
trouble is joy-riding in an install
ment-plan automobile.
The brains of an automobile are
behind the steering wheel, but they
are not always working.
Carpenter Heads The
Chamber Of Commerce i
From The Herald.
The Kings Mountain chamber of |
commerce held its annual meeting
Friday night in the Pythian club room j
and elected directors and officers, ox- >
cept secretary, which the directors ;
elect. <0. TL'CIrpenter was re-elected
president and Dr. J. E. Anthony, first)
vice president, and Dr. I. S. McElroy.
second vice president.
Following are the directors elected j
Friday night: O. B. Carpenter, Wiley j
H. McGinnis, C. E. Noisier. J. O.
Plonk. J. R. Davis, Dr. 1. S. McElroy, I
P. D. Herndon, W. I’. Fulton and Dr..
J. E. Anthony.
The chamber voted to ask the di-1
rectors to appoint a committee to j
confer with the Corporation commis
sion as early as practicable with re- j
ferer.ee to securing a now Southern;
railway depot for the town.
BLANTON-El.LIS WEDDING
DURING THE HOLIDAYS
Mr. John Leo Fl'is. son of Mr.
Ga ther Ellis and Mies Thelma Blan
ton. daughter cf Sir. Albert A. Blar
1 on wore hr ppily married December
23rd bv Squir- Gilead Green at the
home of the bride’s parents in the
weslerr part of No. 6 township. Only
a few friends witnessed the ceremony.
Both arc prominent young people
who have the best wishes of their
many friend \
DR. R. C. HICKS
j, Dentist
Office Shelby National Bank |j
i
Building.
Phone 421. Shelby, N. C. |
DR. JOE OSBORNE
DENTIST
6-7 ROYSTER BLDG.
SHELBY, N. C.
1
DR. DAVID M.
MORRISON
Optometrist
Eyes examined, glasses fit
ted, lenses duplicated same
day as received.
Office in New Fanning Build
ing—Telephone 585
NOTICE OF SALE.
By order of the Board of Highway
commissioners of No. 3 township wc
will *sell to the highest bidder for
cash or with note of approved security
on
January 10th, 1924.
at 10 o’clock a. m., at Patterson Sta
tion in No. 3 township, two Fordson
tractors, being the property of the
said township.
L. I. KENDRICK, Chairman.
J. C. BRIDGES, Secretary.
—PAINTING—
—Paper-Hanging—
It’s a known fact throughout this
section with most people that
painting, room decorating and
papering done bv
WM. HENRY QUEEN '
Looks better, lasts longer. Ask
those for whom I have painted.
There is a secret to the beauty and
lasting part of painting. The kind
of paint and the way its mixed
with the right painter is the whole
secret of a satisfactory job of
painting. When you spend your
money for painting you want your
money’s worth and not waste mon
ey on poor painting and work. I
can furnish high class references
from different parts of western N.
C., from parties I have painted for
that I am honest and will give a
square deal. I keep good workmen
and try not to bother the people I
am painting for no more than I
can possibly help. Do not moss nor
tear up around a house while paint
ing. You may rest easy if you turn
your painting over to me. May cost
a little more for me to do your
painting but its worth more than
it costs. I am a new painter in
Shelby, recently moved here from
Morganton but I am no stranger
here. Just moved to be more hi the
center of my territory. I do not
reach all work I am asked to do
but will do my best this year to
reach all work I can. Don’t be
afraid to write me about your
painting. Don’t cost anything even
if we don’t trade.
Anything in the painting line
done.
W. H. QUEEN,
Box 485. Shelby. N. C.
Try a Mottled Wall Decoration,
It’s Fine.
Hamlet, Dec. 2fi.—-Three children
were electrocuted by a high-power
idee trie transmission wire which
broke and fell ns the result of a rifle
shot, at Rohcrdcll, a small town four
miles from here, about 6 o’clock this |
evening.
The dead are Arthur. aged 10; j
KUiel, aged 11 and Willie, aged 9,
children of Mr. and Mrs. Pearl Mar
tin. of Hamlet.
Reports reaching here are that Ar-1
thur was shooting at targets with a \
22-caliber rifle, and tl'.ut one of the
bullets hit a high-power wire under !
which they were standing.
The impact of the bullet was suffi- j
dene to break the wire which fell upon j
the boy entangling him and holding |
him helpless.
Ethel and Willie, seeing his plight,
rushed in to extricate him and were j
themselves caught. It is supposed |
that they were killed almost instantly.!
Neighbors discovered the three
dead children, according to reports,
within a few moments after the last
shot of the rifle. Information here is
that there were no eye-witnesses to
the accident.
The brothers and sister left home
early tier morning to spend the day
with their grandparents in Roberdell.
The mother and father supposed them
to he in safety until the news of their
sudden death was borne to them here.
The county coroner was notified,
but on a brief investigation decided
an inquest was hot necessary and re
leased the bodies to the relatives.
The occurrence caused a sensation
in Hamlet, where the children lived
and went to school. It is not recalled
that such an accident, with its pecu
liar circumstances, has ever happen
ed in this section before.
FLORENCE MILLS TO
RESUME NIGHT WORK
Frest City Courier.
The announcement of Supt. N. H.
Welsh made to the Courier yesterday
that Florence mills will resume full
time night work on January 5th will
he cheering news to the community
at large, as well as to the workers in
the mill.
A double shift will be employed,
both night and day forces to be put
on. This means a great deal more
work for employes, whose prosperity
will be reflected in an increased busi
ness activity among our merchants.
The general outlook for 1925 seems
good and it is with renewed hope and
confidence that we approach the New
Year.
INDIAN BOY IS CHAMPION
DANCER OF ALL TRIBES
Washington.—Little Crow Feathers
four years old, of the Glacier Nation
al Park reservation, is regarded as the
champion juvenile Indian dancer of
all Indian tribes.
This gives him the grand cham
nionship, for there is no grown In
dian that is so nimble or can take the
steps this tot goes through. The boy
is a veritable prancing performer with
the agility of a wildcat.
He is n full hlooded Blackfoot. His
father, Chief Crow Feathers, is a
Carlisle graduate who played on the
famous Carlisle football team which
defeated all elevens and was only
tied once, the season the celebrated In
dian played Thorp was with Carlisle.
Chief Crow Feathers’ udopted name is
Orcar Boy.
A Kiwanian Recognition.
(From the Monroe Journal.)
By resolution the work of Miss
Katherine Farmer, county health
nurse, was endorsed by the Kiwanis
Club at its luncheon Friday evening
of last week. A number of Kiwanians
knew something of Miss Farmer’s ac
tivities, and the club desired to go
on record as being appreciative of a
good service well rendered to the
people of Union County. Not only
that, but the Kiwanians went further
and stated they desired to have the
county health nurse office continued
as they considered it of great value
to the schools of the county and to
the people as a whole.
ASHEVILLE’S COLDEST
CHRISTMAS SINCE 1906
Asheville, Dec. 26.—Asheville yes
terday experienced the coldest Christ
mas since 1906.
With a freezing wind prevailing all
day, the mercury slipped down to 18
degrees late yesterday afternoon,
while the highest temperature record
ed all day was 23 degrees. Christmas
day, 1906, witnessed a minimum of 6
degrees and a maximum of 20
The minimum temperature of the
past few days was recorded at 7
o’clock this morning, when the weath
er bureau reported 14 degree*, lasting
until after 8 a. m.
OLDEST WOMAN IN COUNTY
TO CELEBRATE 103 BIRTHDAY
(Special to The Star.)
There will be a birthday dinner at
Mr. Andrew Leek's January 1st. The
dinner will be for Aunt Nellie Ledford
who will celebrate her 103 year. She
is the widow of Uncle Bob Ledford.
Everybody is cordially invited to
come and bring well filled baskets
and enjoy the day with the old lady.
A. FRIEND.
^n^^YniOW PENCIL
the RED BAND \ ,
■AGLEPENCIL CO. NEWYORKVSA
I
WINTER IS HERE -
Are You Fixed Comfortably?
PHONE 97 We’ll heat you in a Jiffy.
Happiest is the ho:ne where there is plenty of heat
where you want it most. Whatever your problem may be
in heating your home, do not lei things slide, but come
in and see us. We have just the sort of stove or heating
arrangements that will meet your need. Whether it be
a little “wood burner” or a large heating stove. You will
be surprised how easily and economically your home or
any particular room may be kept warm with the right
supply of heat. And supplying heat is our specialty.
J. D. LINEBERGERS SON
SHELBY, N. 0.
PHONE 97
ON THE THRESHOLD OF THE
N£\V YEAR.
And at the dawn of new Ambitions, we
pause to meditate upon the accomplishments
of the year gone by, and the good friends
who inspired them. And so, we wish you a
New Year filled with realizations of your
fondest hopes.
W. L. FANNING & CO
CAN YOU OPEN 1925’s
TREASURE CHEST?
Wrapped up in the days of the New Year are ©p_
portunities for each one to get ahead in life—to reach
some of the goals every ambitious person aims for.
Energy, honesty, skill, experience—these you need.
But they are not all.
You need the confidence and the support of money
in bank—a reserve of strength that will help you when
your chance comes, if it is getting the home you want,
or a share in business, or more land, or new equipment,
or other things that cost money.
You will write your own record in 1925. May it be
the kind you want and hope for—and may the New Year
prove the best you have ever had!
CLEVELAND BANK & TRUST CO.
SHELBY, N. C.
New interest period opens January 1st in our savings
Department. Deposits made up through January 5th will
draw interest from January 1st.
Surveying,
Sub-dividing
Estates.
Roads,
Streets.
Water & Sewer.
D. R. S. FRAZIER
Civil Engineer
and
Surveyor.
Courtvicw Building.
Rhone 578.
u\,.
.f^Uoot
lUUrtViifftftSN
ZEB COSTNER is a Jitney
driver. He drives 4.500 miles
a month. He uses Seiberling
ALL-TREADS. There’s a
reason. Ask him why. N^ver
has a tire been its equal. Sold
exclusively by MISENHEIM
ER TIRE CO. and IDEAL
SERVICE STATION, Shelby,
N. C. Vulcanizing. Phones
482 and 191.
TRUSTEE’S SALE OF REAL
Enl'A'i £.
Under and by virtue of the power of
sale in me conferred in a certain Deed
of Trust executed by M. A. Francis
and wife, Jessie May Francis, dated
November 10th, 1921, to the Shelby
and Cleveland County Building and
Loan Association and recorded in the
office of the Register of Deeds for
Cleveland county, N, C., in Book 117
at page 22, and default having been
made In the payment of the indebted
ness therein secured and having been
requested to sell said property I will
on
Monday January 5th, 1925
at 12 o’clock, noon or within legal
hours sell to the highest bidder for
cash the following described real es
tate:
One house and lot in the town of
Earl, Cleveland county, N. C., and it
being Lot No. 1 and on the east side
of the C. C. and C. railroad and it also
being on the north corner of the 10
acre lot, fronting 70 feet 8 1-4 inches
on Main street and running hack 260
feet to a second street, and being that
same lot which was conveyed to M. A.
Francis and wife, J. May Francis by
J. J. Shu ford and wife, E J. Rbuford
by deed dated October 30th. 1919 and
recorded in the office of the register
of deeds for Cleveland county, N. C.,
in deed Book G. G. G. at patre 112,
said lot known as the J. J. Shuford
home place, adjoining lots of J. A.
Earl on the South and W. C. Sur
ratt on the north and containing one
hrdf acr", more or less.
This December 5th. 1924.
JNO. P. MULL. Trustee.
PUBLICATION OF SUMMONS.
North Carolina—Cleveland County.
In the Superior Court, before the
Clerk.
G Lee Goode and wife. Lois A. Goode,
Pearl Wolfe and husband, G. F.
Wolfe, Ada Rhyne and husband, H.
B. Rhyne, Blanche Abernethy and
husband, Ear! Abernethy, O. Basil
Goode and wife, Mabel Goode, T. B.
Goode and wife, Bessie Goode, Ger
trude Austell and husband, B. Aus
tell, Petitioners,
vs.
Mary Good, James Good and Sarah
Virginia Good, minor defendants.
To Mary Good and James Good, non
resident defendants:
You and each of v n are hereby
notified that a Special proceeding, as
above entitled, has been instituted in
the Superior court of Cleveland coun
ty. N. C., in which the petitioners are
asking for the sale of the real estate
of which Thomas F. Goode died seiz
ed for partition and division among
heirs at law of the said Thomas F.
Goode and that, by the terms of said
petition, it is set forth and alleged
that Mary Good, James Good and
Snrah Virginia »ood are the children
of Sallie Goe,d, deceased, and own
and are entitled jointly to an undi
vided one-eighth (1-8) interest in and
to the real estate belonging to the late
Thomas F. Goode, and you are further
| notified that you arc rocmired to ap
pear before me at my office in Shel
bv, N. C., on Saturday, January 17th,
1925. at 10 a, m.. and answer to the
petition field in this cause, or the pe
titioners will apply to the court for
,the relief prayed for in said petition.
This December l[>th. 1924.
GEO. P. WEBB, Clerk Superior
Court.
Ryburn & Hoey, Attys for Petition
ers.