North Carolina Newspapers

VOL. XXXIV, No. 151 THE CLEVELAND STAR *=—■ —= SHELBY, C.J FRIDAY, DEC. 2:{, _____A_____ 1927. 8 PAGES TODAY Published Monday, Wednesday, and Friday Afternoons. By mail, per year (in advance).$2.50, By carrier .per year (In advance) $3.03 Late News Mrs Evangeline Lindbergh, landed t 3.44 yesterday afternoon in her I pjrplane a1 Valbuean field, Mexico fits and will spend the Christmas holidays with her son CoL Charles * Lindbergh. Mrs. Lindbergh, moth g 0( the first man to span the At hntir m the air, was the first wo p4n to fly from the United States w the capital of Mexico, Clem YVrenn, former president of „,f Bank of Wilkes, which is dc iond. was yesterday sentenced to ##t less than nine years tn the ,tltc prison, after pleading guilty ,0 false entry, false certification of checks and embezzlement. X. (. McCinston, hardware dealer Kernersvllle, near Winston-Salem this week regained the power of ,KC<h after having been unable to speak for seven years. The man losl hfc speech when he had a severe crid and no explantation is given of ,he return of his vocal powers. 1 HEARS 01 HIM SEIM Jlisr, Fannie Broyles Has Narrow Escape from Being Buried Alive. Awful Experience Lurny, Va—Miss Fannie B'-oyies, of Madison county, is one of the few persons v. ho car. lay claim to the distinction of having listened to her funeral sermon, who has slept all night in a coffin and listened to the last hymn sung and is still living. Miss Broyles’ unusual experience j sas the result cf being struck on the ] head by a limb blown from a walnut nee in the yard of her father, B. F. | Broyles. The blow was sufficient, it i vis believed at the time, to cause jath. Preparations were made for j ie: funeral, the nimister had oifici- < Hc:i the last hymn had been sung ind the members of her family were 1 taking “the last lock” into the] feet of the dead girl. A brother, James Broyles, was ] standing by. He was watching in- ; Hotly the face of the supposed dead sister when he detected he said, “a I twitch of her left eye.” He at once made known the discovery- to his mother drew back the casket lid. had the interment halted, administered , restoratives and in a short time Miss ! Broyles was lifted from the casket and was able to talk. The girl said she knew all that was going on around her, but was un- i ibie to make a sound or motion. She believes that the horror of being j buried alive aroused her. nerves - to : inch a pitch that it caused her to (tore one of her eye lids, the move- ! mem being observed by her brother. ] While in the coffin she had listened to the conversation of her friends fho had come to view her body and apress their sorrow. Student Night At Baptist Services Dr. Zeno Wall, pastor of the First jiptist church,, announces that the Bday night service at the Baptist tech will be “Student night” and i i is hoped to have all college stu- | fats home for the holidays at the j Brice As planned the program will j It conducted by the students, one j Km each college or school being i Iked for a short talk. Those on the j tegram for brief talks are: Lula ! (oore Suttle. Qtieens; Kathleen ; iToung. Mars Hill;.Nelson Callahan. | ® ■ C., Raymon Carroll, N. C. ftate; Troy McKinney. Duke uni Wrsity; Charlotte Tedder. Meredith; Montrose Mull, Peace; Caroline Elan to. Smith; Kathleen Hord. Bre ton; Minnie Eddins Roberts, Con >wse; Pressly Wilson, Penn State eollege; Mr. Elliott, Southern Bap to seminary, and others from Khools and colleges. Carolina Banquet On Here This Eve Max Gardner will be toastmaster 8t the state university alunnl Student banquet to be held tonight 41 the Cleveland Springs hotel, ac toding to an announcement made '> the arrangements committee yes (Way. About 125 alumni and students are ®P«ted to assemble at the Springs w the big affair. As was previous Jannounced, R. B. House, Execu fe secretary of the University, will P the principal speaker. .The banquet will be followed by a knee, with music by the Carolina pcaneer orchestra, of the Univer % Has Cane Cut On Battlefield Of ’62 * R Eihs, confederate veteran, is 'Hitting with a walking cane of jnch he is very proud. It was resented to him a few days ago and •° prizes it very highly because it *as cut from the battlefield of Plnes in 1862 and is in a ane . "te of preservation. Burnt in the cu. where the bark has been taken ‘ are these words. "Cut in the Pi,' Pr °‘ the battlefield or Seven m where »5.000 soldiers "were kill G Ial' 1 1862. Lee and McClellan. Ivi . R°ads made his charge. J. E. • 1(' Mr. Lyne is supposed to be 'han who cut the cane. Captured Kidnaper Slips Up And Talks About Mutilating Body Of Little Gin Hickman Captured In Oregon Admits Kid napping Marian Parker But At First Passes Buck of Killing Her. In Later Grill ing He Betrayed Knowledge of Multila tion of Body. Plan for Speedy Trial. (By International News Service.) Pendleton, Oregon, Dec. 23.—Betraying in a casual con versation with a guard the brutal mutilation of little Marian Parker, whose kidnapping he had already confessed, William Edward Hickman today faced fresh grilling at the hands of the authorities. Early today in a cell of the county jail Hickman made admissions to L. R. Connor, jailor, which caused au thorities to believe that he knew mere of the killing than he had admitted. Hickman slept peacefully during the after hours of the night. Hundreds of grim-faced citizens gathered around the jail this morn- \ ing hoping to get a glimpse of Hick man. The jail yard was roped off and the crowds made to stay behind the ropes. None but jailors and of- 1 ficials were allowed to view the prisoner. Blames Cramer Yet To Connor. Hickman went into all j details of his adventures continuing to blame Cramer for killing and j mutilating the girl and naming a Miss Dunning as an accomplice. He j also told cf giving the kidnaped girl ] into the* keeping of Cramer and of! iinally receiving part of her butch- j ered body for delivery to her father. While continuing to deny any part in the killing and mutilation, the prisoner betrayed startling knowl edge of certain details of her death, according to Connor. Go After Him Los Angeles. Dec 23.—(INS.)—j California officers with extradition i papers for the return to Los Angeles ' of William Edward Hickman, kid naper-slayer of Marian Parker, ex pected to arrive in Pendleton, Orft, this'afternoon. Go By Airplane Inspector D: V~’nCflga«van plan?; to hop off from Clover field in an j army plane at Sacremento. He will! be joined by Police Chief Davis and | Ex-Chief George K. Home, of Los | Angeles department, who left last: night by train. Hickman will be' rushed back to Los Angeles, probab- I ]y on Tuesday. He was indicted on two counts by a special grand jury yesterday. Ar rangements for a speedy trial are being made. Man-Hunt End Pendleton, Ore.. Dec. 22.—William j Edward Hickman, sought as the kid- ‘ napper and killer of Marian Parker, was captured at Echo. Oregon, *his afternoon to end one of the most sensational man-hunts in criminal, history. I Hickman, trailed from Seattle where he had spent one of the $20 bills he took from the girl’s father 1 in Los Angeles, was found by two Pendleton officers on the old Oregon j trail in a large car which had been stolen at Los Angeles. Accused of Murder, He is Hystrical Hickman laughed hysterically when he was told at the Pendleton city jail that he was the murderer of Mirian Parker. He at first refused to admit his own name, but later broke down and confessed his iden tity. He said the girl was killed last Friday, but in his first statement de clined to take responsibility for the slaying. He said it was the work of a ’’fiend " The girl, he said, was strangled with a wire. Later he con fessed that he wanted the money obtained in the kidnapping to go college. Chief of Police Tom Gurdane of Pendleton, and State Officer Buck Lieuallen, saw a big car approaching as they stopped at a curve in the highway to light their pipes. The li cense plates of the car were switched and that the car coresponded to the description of the one used by the fugitive. Jail Roped Off to Hold KacK l rowu They hailed the driver. The car did not stop and the officers gave chase, drawing up alongside, cover ing the occupant and ordering him to stop. Hickman was immediately brought to Pendleton. where a search revealed bills of the denomin ation he received from Perry Parker, father of the girl, last Saturday night just before the dismembered body of the child was placed on the curb. Subjected to a grilling at police headquarters. Hickman broke down and sobbed out the name of Andrew Cramer, of Los Angeles, as an ac complice in the crime. Hickman said he himself had no part in the kill j ing and did not know the girl had I been slain until her body was deliv | ered to him in his Bellevue npart j ment last Saturday night. Injection of Cramer's name added new mys tery to the case, and police in Los (Continued on page eight.) Hickman Accomplice Has Police Record Los Angeles, Dec—The sheriff's office revealed lest night that its records listed an Oliver Andrew Cramer as a criminal arrested here several times on various charges of grend larceny and possessing nar cotics. robbery and assault with a deadly weapon. His criminal rec ord dated as far as 1923 and he was last arrested April 27. 1927, for burglary. County Character Passes Suddenly Johnny Ledford, Odd Character and Tireless Walker, Found Dead After Attack A message was received here yes- I terday from the Fallston-Beam's section asking Coroner T. C. Esk ridge if he though an inquest neces sary over the body of John Ledford, unique character of the county, who was found dead yesterday. Details of the death could not be definitely checked up on today, but information was that Ledford was found dead after having an attack of some kind and falling out of the bed. Known for years as one o’ the most unique characters in the county, the little wizened man with his long walking stick was a fami liar sight around Shelby and In the upper portion of the county. Some what tengue-tied and inclined to a flry hunter', tfe tfttgn-gg mg-mteiii gence would permit, John attracted attention wherever he travelled. His ! age was estimated as between 70 and 75 years. For many years he work ed as a tenant farmer and was a familiar sight here with his one horse wagon. Later he lost the horse and wagon through a stroke of adversity and lived by doing odd farm jobs here and there and upon the charity of the friends he called upon in his old age. His most re markable trait was his ability to walk hour after hour without tiring. Nearly every day he walked six or seven miles to Shelby and back and did odd jobs as he came upon them. Autoists travelling over the county have seen him in one section in the morning and in another section a dozen miles or more away in the afternoon. Johnny was a regular caller In Shelby, visiting almost daily—at least two or three times each week— those most charitably inclined to him. His three major friends in Shelby were Clyde R. Hoey, Sheriff Hugh Logan and Frank A. Hoyle— he called them ’awyer ’Oey, 'urf j Ogan, and 'ank Oyle. Having a ! a strong insight into human nature John managed to get a little token of friendship every call from these gentlemen by referring to them as smart, big and good-looking. The list of those he called on in Shelby included many more, but this trio composed his favorites and it wasn’t a happy trip to Shelby unless he \ saw 'awyer 'Oey. >. An inquest was not though neces sary as he had suffered previous at tacks and for years had been troubl- j ed with ailments. He lived alone I for the most part although he had j been divorced twice and had mar- 1 lied a third time, it is said. A good worker so long as his health per mitted and an interesting character even in his later years, the little fellow will be missed from his ac customed haunts about tlie town he walked to regularly. Elva Ann Thompson Wins Prize Auto Announcement was made this morning by the Shelby Dry Clean ing Company that little Miss Elva Ann Thompson, daughter ’of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Thompson, was the winner of the Rolls-Royce Jr. auto mobile, given away as a prize to the patron of the establishment secur ing most votes. The popular little recipient of the prize got 10,050 votes. The next highest contestant was Mr. Johnnie Jones, of the Cleveland Cloth Mill, who secured 4,550 votes. The management of the Shelby Dry Cleaning Company stated that Miss Jones, daughter of the con testant, would be given a consola tion prize of ten dollars. Speaking for the company. Worth Branton. said the contest had been highly satisfactory. No Chance For Sailors In Stmkjfe Vessel to Be Alive. May Take ^ Until Spring to Raise r (By International News Service) • Provincetown. Mass., Dec. J3. * —With all life admittedly gone within the hull of the - sunken« sub from its grave off Province town today passed from n res cue drama into a routine sal vage job. Lieut. Commrmter Eltsbcrg, directing operations, declared unless unusually fair weather ' persisted it is not likely Uia'. the submarine will be raised to the surface until next spring. A wintry storm is due off Cape Cod in the next few days. Pumping of oxygen into the compartment of the sunken sub continued today although is held that any of the sailors are alive. Says Belter Staple Don’t Always Pay R. B. Patrick, one of the county's best farmers, although there arc men who produce more bales, cannot quite believe that it pays to raise, a longer staple. From a number of years he has been planting Sikes i early big boll pedigreed cotton seed 4 that measures from an inch to ail inch and a sixteenth and Mr. Pat rick says he has never yet been able to get a premium. Men inter ested in agriculture have been ad vocating a seed that will produce a long staple in the hope of building a reputation for Cleveland county, similar to that which North Georgia enjyed for many years. The .star is net able to answer Mr. Patrick on this point, but if he has cotton that measures front an inch to an inch and a sixteenth, he should be able to draw a premium in the price. The men wfco are trying to promote the growing of a higher grade of cotton should help Mr. Patrick and ethers who have had the samff experience, if there be any, settle this matter. Mr. Patrick was the man who sold one of the first bales this fall. Cecelias Sing For Kiwanis Members Ten members of the Cecilia Music club entertained the members of the Kiwanis last night at Cleveland Springs Hotel with four beautiful selections. The Cecilia contains some of the best voices in Shelby, all close students of music and the evening was a most delightful one. John S. McKnight of the Kiwanis Music committee was in charge of the program and the ladies were in troduced to the club in a very beau tiful manner by D. Z. Newton. There will be no meeting cf the club next week. Four Weddings On During Holidays Four couples have secured marri age license at the court house here for holiday weddings since the last couples published Wednesday. The four couples securing licence since Tuesday were: J. L. Pritchard and Annie Hawkins, of Rutherford coun ty; John Mt. McGinnis and Lorine Cornwell, both of Cleveland county; Alfred Walter Green and Corinne Grigg, Cleveland county; Clyde D. Lindsay and Jettie Barber. Cleve land county. Sister Mrs. Harmon Died Last Tuesday Gaffney—Mrs. Fannie Hammett Stroup, 72 widow of Saul Stroup, died Tuesday morning at 6 o'clock at her home on the McKown's Moun tain road after an illness of about a month. Funeral services were conducted Wednesday at the Mt, Ararat Bap tist church by the pastor, the Rev. B. L. Hoke, assisted by the Rev. J. W. Farr pastor of the Limestone street Methodist church. Mrs. Stroup is survived by a sis ter Mrs. J. M. Harmon of Shelby, and a large number of nieces and nephews. WOMAN IN FATAL WRECK IS REPORTED IMPROVING Rutherfordton.—Miss Gertrude Philbeck of Ellenboro, who was in jured in an automobile wreck the night of December 13 near Ellen boro. when Prof. Paul Hampton. Ellenboro school teacher, was killed, is improving. She went to Charlotte Tuesday to I consult air eye specialist relative to | the injury of her eyes. ‘HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!” | Charity Fund To Send Joy Into Many Homes List Of Gifts Run Gauntlet From Cash To Dolls, Potatoes, Fruit, Clothing, And Odd Articles Tonight, tomorrow and tomorrow night, a big-hearted Santa Claus with a full pack and a full sleigh, made so by The Star’s Christmas Charity fund to which the community gen erously contributed, will start wending his way about Shelby. This particular Santa will not be seen drifting down the chimneys of imposing homes—in fact, Santa is not seen at all—but instead the jolly old St Nick will wipe many a tear away as he calls where poverty and misfortune have called before^ him Ljttle shoes here, some clothing there, food elsewhere, and fuel at still another home. In several places he will leave medicine that is badly needed to build undernourished i weakened bodies back to the full glow of health—all made possible because many people in Shelby and the section decided that one who en joyed his Christmas all alone was a short-ham, and they dug deep to send near $500 in cash and scores of useful gifts into the fund that would spread cheer in scores of poverty stricken homes. nnai a mriu With the Christmas glow pervad ing the body and even penetrating into the inpermost recesses of the soul, nothing more tragic or heart touching could be imagined than to see a little, poorly-clad boy or girl | turn a head to the wall and cry si I lently as they try to prevent the ever-worked, broken-hearted moth er from knowing that they are hurt when the sad knowledge comes that Santa does not visit such homes as theirs. Poor little tykes!—But Shel by has given gladly that there may not be such hereabouts. One or two may be overlooked, but the welfare committee has made a sweeping search over the entire city and there will be few homes, if any, wiiere Santa does not call Saturday even ing. In some places he will leave only shoes, clothing, food and fuel— there wasn't money enough for can dies, nuts and playthings—but in these homes the needed gifts will be appreciated far more than all the trinkets in the happy up-town sec tion. A Varied Gift List In addition to those who gave cash many contributed valuable gifts. Little girls brought in their dollies for other little girls: happy generous farm folk brought in pota toes and fruit Others contributed clothing. A many a story is contain ed in those gifts. Yesterday as the charity fund neared the end of its plea three little girls came in with a doll, a dress an da jar of fruit— their bit to help. One was Margue rite Wall, one Alice Hoffman and the other Ruby Huffman, seven years old. A box was contributed by Joyce McKinney, aged 4. They All Help And here by the way, is a feature of the Christmas charity that might prove interesting Wednesday while perusing the Santa Claus letters to be published in The Star of that date it was noticed that one little fellow asked only clothes for him self and his little sister. His father was dead and his mother was sick, j So touching was the plea that it was given front-page position. Who said I it was a heartless world? Listen— .Wednesday evening two men sat in lounge chairs of the Central hotel, their feet propped up on a comfort able radiator. No worry, no hard ships there. One began glancing over his paper. “This is pitiful, isn't it?" he said to his friends as he pointed out the plea of the little boy for shoes and overalls. “Sure is," answered the otner. “While most children get candies and nuts, this little youngster wants only shoes to keep his feet warm." “Tell you what I'll do," said one. “If you will buy the overalls. I'll buy the shoes." "That's a go," agreed the other. Thursday morning the two men | walked into The Star office. "Here | are the shoes and overalls that boy | asked for in his Santa letter See that they get to him. Some one else | can give him candies and play | things.” ; me two men, incidentally were. Federal prohibition officers—Evon L. Houser, of Cherryville, and M. E. White. Some of Those Gifts Among the varied list of gifts were seven dollies—five talking dolls, one kewpie and a little black girl. There were several bushels of potatoes. Canned fruit, Jelly, clothing, shoes,1 stockings, etc. Mr. and Mrs. John Craft, of Waco section, gave 14 cans of fruit, and Mrs. J. J. McEntire, of the same section contributed a bushel of potatoes So it w as Many of those who j gave had to cut a bit off their own | Christmas to give. Those are the t gifts that will count tomorrow night 1 * - No Star Monday There will be no issue of Tbe Star on Monday. Folio wins an annual custom of giving a short holiday to the faithful employes who get out The Star three 1 times each week the year through. The Star will skip one publication. After the issue today there will not be another paper until Wednesday after noon, When The Star will come out at the usual. With four issues this week The Star has given extra new service and feels entitled to this one day vacation. To every reader—and there are near 20,000—The Star would wish a joyous Christmas. as a ray of hope and a renewed be lief in the world pervades home aft er home as the welfare committee directs old Santa on his rounds. It is hoped that there will be some thing remaining in the fund to tide several families ovpr the hard win ter months, to provide nourishment and care for tubercular patients needing help, and to do a hundred and one things until spring comes again. To those who made the fund pas sible The Star would say again for those who received—God Bless you, and by giving others a Christmas may yours be the merrier. Santa's Stocking Cash— Previously acknowledged ^..*469.15 Miss Maude Hightower ..ij-l.r.l.OO H. A. Thrift .....100 Pegram Holland ......_1.00 Railroad man. .1.00 Claude Weathers......3.00 Miss Ella McNichoIs_:„-.;:-.5.Q0 Mrs. George Elam .. 1.00 P. O. S. of A. ....... 8.25 A girl 2.00 Contributor . 50 Carolina Fruit & Produce Co. $10.00 Total .....$502.90 Cloth Mills Add To Charity Fund One of the largest contributions to The Star’s Christmas charity fund came in late today when offi cials of the Cleveland Cloth mills, local industrial plant,_ donated 150 yards of rayon cloth for dresses and underwear for the unfortunates of the city. CHRISTMAS RUSH ! NOW EVIDENT IN ! ALL PARTS CITY _* ! Merchants Will be Closed Monday After Biggest Rush Week on Record. Get Ready Shelby and Cleveland county to day was amid the rush of final pre-; parations for Chrismas. local streets and business houses have been thronged with holiday shoppers all' ! week, but the jam increased today. ; while tomorrow preparation are be • ing made to accommodate a record I crowd of bargain and gift hunters. To Close Monday A chance to rest a bit is assured store clerics and employes as prac tically all local'business houses, fol lowing an agreement, will be closed Monday since Christmas this year falls on Sunday. Here and there nbout the town Christmas is in the air. irifeviduals are making a last dash for the gift counters. Santa Claus representing several firms parades amid the happy Yuletide throng, and children keyed up in their eagerness for the big evening can hardly restrain them selves until the real Santa comes The stores of the city have been re maining open in the evenings this week and will do so tonight and to morrow to accommodate the last minute shoppers who failed to heed the “Shop Early" plea or forgot some one in the gift buying. ,« The community Christmas tree erected on the court square by the Woman's club with, the cooperation of the city and county authorities will likely be the scene of musical selections by the high school orcnes tra, or picked singers, on Christmas | eve it is announced. . $ The charity program for Christ- 1 mas here consists of The Star's city wide charity fund, collections by various churches, Sunday school classes and club organizations. The majority of this Christmas cheer will be spread tomorrow evening when Snnta makes his annual calls. In the various churches of the city and ovef county tbnely mas services will be held w ith all the religious worship of the day center ing about the Babe of Bethlehem, whose birthday it is. • r;| -t- ; , All Santa Letters Could Not Appear As this is* the last issue of The Star before Christmas the paper found it Impossible to publish all the letters from Cleveland county children to Santa Clsus. Hundreds of these little letters have been pub lished and it Is to be hoped that St. Nick read his copy of The Star care fully and will answer the lette.-s of all good little boys and girls. Since Santa keeps close tab on all the youngsters. The Star gives be low the names of youngsters who wrote letters that came in too late to be published. Santa knows about what every child should have any way and seeing that these have start ed letter to hjm will no doubt carry out their wishes. The following youngsters wrote letters coming in yesterday and today: Mary Gladden, Edgar and Ray Hamrick. Nell Ellis, Herbert Ellis, Elsie Anthony, Clayde Saunders, Novella Bivins. Ruth Ethel Ledford, Edwin Smith. Elbert Smith, Johnny C. Smith. Edith Debrew. Hugh Smith, Clarence Gladden and James Smith. Several letters were not signed. Hagerstown Mill Not Burned, It Is Said Following the appearance in Wed nesday's Star of an International News Service wire item telling of a destructive fire at Hagerstown, Md., in which the big flour mill of D. A. Stickell & Sons was destroyed, tele phone communication from business connections here to the mill re vealed. it is said, that the mill was not destroyed. Advice was that an elevator was burned during the big fire, but that neighboring storage elevators would be called into use and the business of the big firm ; would be kept going. | Shelby Stars Will Leave For Lexington | 1 * • ■ i Joe Singleton and Laymon Beam, 1 Shelby High football stars, plan to 'leave Monday for Lexington where they will engage in a week's prac tice as members of the All-State high school football eleven. This All State eleven, made up of North Car olina's leading stars, will play Oak Ridge, prep school champs, in Lex ington on Monday, January 2. The star ele\ ep will be coached by Mur ray Greason. of Lexington, and the boys will be the guests for the week of Lexington people. Quite a number of football tans here are planning to attend th$ game.