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10 PAGES
TODAY
*
Published Monday, Wednesday, and Friday Afternoons
By mall, per year (in advance) $2.50
Carrier, per year (in advance) $3.0(
Late News
Shawm Tonight.
Today * North Carolina weather
report: Cloudy with occasional
•hower* tonight and Thursday. j
Light to grntle winds, mostly south.
SMITH ARTICLE NOT
IN THE STAR TODAY
The last of a serioes of articles
on Al Smith is not published in
, The Star today due to a last
minute rush 4>r space. The ar
ticle will appear in the next is
sue.
Shelby Boy
Badly Hurt
In Raleigh
Son of W. I.. Wright !Us Skull Fric
lurcd When Struck By Auto
While Playing.
W. I.. Wright, of the firm of
Blanton and Wright, got a tele
phone call from Kaleigh, where
his wife and children are visit
ing. yesterday afternoon, telling
him that his nine year old son,
Henley, had been struck by an
automobile.
He was told the child's ribs
— -« ttv crash civ amt hhfAnK-frif*.
lured, and that he was uncon
scious.
From meagre details which came
over the phone, it appears the child
was playing baseball in the street,
when the car ran him down. His con
dition, it was indicated. was ex
tremely serious.
Mrs Wright with the Wright chil
dren, was on a visit to her mother.
Mrs. L. H Perry, at Raleigh. Mr.
Wright left at cnee for tjie capital
after learning of the news of the
accident.
GROVER STATION
AGENT PUSSES
L. Clyde Hamrick. Southern Agent
Cor Twenty-Five Years—
Funeral Thursday.
The funeral of Mr. L. Clydr Ham -
rick. "wITo ibr yfeSnS ha.'.' bevn ■
Southern railway agent at Grover,
will take place at the Grover Bap
tist church Thursday afternoon a’
3 o'clock, the services to be con
ducted by his pastor. Rev. Hoyle
Love. Interment will be in the
Grover cemetery.
Mr. Hamrick died Tuesday after
noon at 12:30 oclock after an ill
ness of a year or longer He was on"
of Grover's most popular and be
loved citizens, possessing the high
est integrity and honor, and was
kind and accommodating in all of
his relationships;.
He was married to Miss Maude
Hamrick in Grover ID vears ayo
and his wife survives together with
three children. Margaret, Louts,
and- Marvin Hamrick. His mother,
Mrs. Eva Hamrick of EUenboro. four
brothers: Howard Hamrick, of Lat
timore. Charlotte Hamrick, of Ruth
erf ordton. Eli jail Hamrick, of El
ifciioivru and Lorvtiv Kr.r..v-.;k In
diana and one sister. Mrs. Claudia
Randal of EUenboro also survive.
News of his death is learned with
deep sorrow, not only in Cleveland,
but in his native Rutherford coun
ty where he was widely connected
HERE ON JULY 14
Daily Specialist to Attend. All Hie
Farmers urged to be Present
tel Sstiintox.
• County Agent Alvin Hardin.)
The worlds champion milk cow
produced 37.384 pounds of milk in
one year, an average of more than
12 gallons per day.
In the Netherlands the average
cow produces 7,584 pounds or about
two and one-half gallons per day.
t^iis is the highest average we find
in any of the dairy countries.
In. the United .States, the average
cow produces 3.527 pounds a little
more than one gallon per day.
In North Carolina the average co v
produces 2,750 pounds per year, less
than one gallon per day.
In looking over these records, it
is plain something should be done
to increase the milk production of
the average cow.
We have more than 7,000 cows in
Cleveland county producing some
thing like 7,000 gallons of milk per
day.
By the use of good, pure-bred
sires, better pastures, and better
methods of feeding, within a few
years the farmers of this county
rf* might easily double this production.
A large number of the farmers and
dairymen of the county will meet
at the court house in Shelby on July
14th at 2 p. m. to formulate plans
to eradicate the scrub bull and to
encourage better pastures in this
county.
Mr. Farnam. dairy specialist, will
be present and assist in organizing
the campaign. All farmers interested
in dairy cows are urged to attend
this meeting.
Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Palmer and
soils, and Mrs. Dorcas Beam visited
in Spartanburg Sunday.
One Killed, Two Injured When Thresher Boiler Exploded At Toluca Yesterday
VETS OF SPIiSH
AMERICAN Will TO
GATHER HERE NEXT
Middle-Aged Vets To Hold State
Kcuuion In Shelliy Next
Summer.
The 1029 convention of the Unit
ed States Spainsii-Amencan war
veterans will be held in Shelby.
This was decided at the annual
convention held Monday in Dur
ham and attended by Capt, J. Frank
•Jenkins and.Mr. JL.JE . C?B3pb.el).„fiL
Shelby, and Mr. Ben Logan, of
Kings Mountain, Speaking for the
Junius T. Gardner camp, recently
Organized here with Capt Jenkins
as commander. the county men
brought the next meeting to Shel
by.
The Durham account of the con
vention says: "United Spanish war
veterans of North Carolina in an
nual encampment here re-elected J.
Benjamin, of Raleigh, department
commander, advanced J W Thur
.man, of Wilmington to the post of
senior vice commander and chose
Shelby as the scene of their 1929
convention. Captain H W. Edmonds
of Charlotte, was named junior vice
commander.
I wo Days Herr.
“The one day encampment was a
busy one and there was not let up
Ironi beginning to adjournment.
More than 200 veterans accompanied
by their wives were in attendance.
The encampment voted unanimously
to extend Hie 1929 meeting over a
period of two days.
"Mr Benjamin, who as state com
mander during the past year has aid
ed in building the enrollment of the
encampment from 214 to 412 mem
bers was unable to attend.
"Joe Armfield camp, of Durham,
oldest active camp in the state de
partmental organization acted as
hast to the annual gathering which
reached its high mark at noon with
an address by Josephus Daniels Mr
Daniels spoke well to the veterans
saying if the war with Spain was a
relatively small one then it set a
pace in the war against malaria."
Alimony Asked Of
69-Year-Old Hubby,
A 79-Year-Old Weds
Three Seorc Tears Means Little To
Cupid These Days. Two Mat
rimonial Affairs.
The marriage altar and Ihe
aliryody aftermath get them at
all ages.
This week Register Andy F.
Newton issued a marriage li
cense to a 79-year-old citizen of
the county, and in the same
week a 66-year-old wife started
alimony proceedings against her
fy-year-old husband.
The marriage license was issued
to Thomas H Poteat, 79, and
Martha Blanton. 56. Mr. Poteat is
a well known citizen of the Latti
more section.
I ouple Separated.
The alimony proceeding was di
rected against W C. Jones by his
wife following what is said to have
been a separation last November.
Before Judge Webb here this wee<
attorneys for Mrs Jones—Newton
and New ton—present a temporary
alimony plea to hold until the reg
ular case came up in court. Judge
Webb granted alimony but yester
day had not named the amount.
Attorney C. B. McBrayer represent
ed the defendant and for the aged
husband offered, it is said, to at
tempt a reunion.
Mr. and Mrs. Jones were married
in 1880, or 48 years ago. and had
been living togeihet until Ust fail.
No divorce is contemplated, it is
said, and no sensational charges are
made. They have four grown chil
dren and some grandchildren, it is
also stated.
K. J. Carpenter Is
Claimed By Death
Rutherfordton, July 10.—Funeral
services for K. J. Carpenter, well
known resident who died at his
home hiie will be held at the Ruth
erfordten Methodist church Wedncs
day. Interment will follow in the
local cemetery.
Mr. Carpenter became seriously
ill’Tuesday and gradually grew
worse.
Mr. Carpenter was 86 years of age
last April. He was one of Ruther
ford county’s best known, and well
to-do citizens. He has been president
of the Citizens Building and Boan
association since 1907. He had had
many other business connections.
Grover Case May Be Only
Interesting One Of Court
Term Here Monday Week
Major Criminal Cases Missinj '
From Rerent Court Dockets. i
Big Civil Cases.
The mysterious shooting of Mrs. j
Evelyn Lippard, 19-year-old wife 01
Ralph Lippard. al Grover recently '
may be the only case on the crim- J
inal docket of the coming superior '
court term to attract a large gal- j
levy to the court house. The super
’os. JUuRi-besMsJier* Monday: .weefeJ
July 23, with Judge J. L Webb pre
siding.
As yet the Lippard killing has not
been officially entered on the
docket, but will likely get on the
docket this. week. Meantime no
further light has been thrown upon
the shooting of the girl-wife dur
ing a drunken melee at her moth
er's home late one Sunday after
noon The young husband and Ins
two male friends have been releas
ed under $2,000 bonds, one being
freed entirely of the killing charge,
Whether the husband or his pal.
Heavcner. shot Mrs. Lippard. or
whether she shot herself or was ac
cidentally shot in a scuffle remains
lor tune to uniold. The shooting v
still widely discussed but the mys
tery of the shooting, made so by
brains numbed with whiskey, is
unsolved as yet.
No Olher Killings.
A check of the criminal docker
reveals no other murder cases. The
murder charges against a trio of
young white men. charged with
fatally assaulting a negro months
back at Grover, win not hkeiy be
heard as some of the defendants
j Picking Apples;
Bitten By Snake
j - j
) While picking up apples ir. {
| the orchard on Monday, Mrs. j
» Plato Peeler of the Belwood J
j section was bitten on the j
j hand by a pilot snake 'Ech- t
^- tw—ftr -ft Cbnk y.-e.TXi--say- j
j pilot, without using the word {
) snake. > The fangs of tiie (
* reptile pierced her hand be- C
| tween the thumb and fore j
j finger. She was made sick for j
| awhile, but a physician was j
j secured in a short while and (
) a treatment relieved her some (
) what of her suffering. (
have not as yet been apprehended.
The remainder of the docket con
sists of the usual run of minor
criminal charges and appeals com
ing up from Judge Mull's county
court.
The term is booked for two weeks
with both criminal and civil calen
dars to be disposed of Several
large suits are entered on the civil
calendar, including a suit by Court
Clerk A M. Hamrick and a tenant
on his place against the Seaboard
railroad asking damages for cotton
burned some months back when the
cotton warehouse on the Hamrick
farm and near the railroad was
burned with its Contents shortly
after a train had passed.
N. C. Postmasters Will
Gather Here Next Year
Robinson Confers
With Smith About
Campaign Of Party
Two Party Leaders Talk Over Com
ing: Hate. Will Sweep New
York State.
Albany, N. Y.—The ground wont
of the Democratic presidential
campaign was laid here Monday by
the two "men who will carry forward
the fight Governor Smith and
Senator Robinson It was their
first meeting since they were select
ed the party's standard bearers at
Houston.
The vice presidential nominee
stopped off on his way to New Yo:k
city, where the Democratic na
tional committee will hold an or
ganization meeting Wednesday. H;
was met at the station by the gov
eiiiOi vi ho took lorn to the execu
tive mansion. where for an hour
they discussed campaign plans.
Neither would disclose later the de
tails of their conversation.
With Robinson, when he detrain
ed here was Jesse. H. Jones. .Hous
ton millionaire, who has been a
leader in Democratic party coun
cils. When they again board’d
Jones' special car late in the day
for the remainder of their Journey,
they took with them Norman E.
Mack, national committeeman from
New York, who had dropped i,n on
Governor Smith earlier in the day
for a chat.
Mack predicted that Smith would
sweep New York statn-ln. Noverohec..
and that Smith’s views on prohibi-1
tion largely would be responsible.
One other national committeeman
who called on the governor during
the day—Scott Ferris of Oklahoma
—also was optimistic.
He was of the opinion the Demo
crats would capture his home state
without difficulty.
Robinson. pursuing the same
course that Governor Smith has
been following since the Houston
convention, refused to make cam
paign forecasts or to indulge in any
discussion of issues. He said he
would wait until after his official
notification.
As Robinson, " smiling, swung
down from the rear platform of his
car. Smith greeted him with a
‘‘Hello. Joe,’’ and a firm handclasp,
and a band, which had been play
ing "The Sidewalks of New' York,''
shifted to the "Arkansas Traveler.”
Arm in arm, the two nominees
made their way dowm the platform,
through the station and to an auto
mobile in which they were driven
to the executive mansion.
Before leaving Albany Senata~
Robinson told newspaper men the
purpose of his visit had been to
greet Governor Smith and to ex
tend hrs personal congratulations to
J. H. Quinn, Retiring President, El
ected Delegate to National
Meeting.
Wrightsville Beach, July 10— Se
lection of Shelby as the place for
the 1929 convention, election of a
new roster of officers, election of
a delegate to che national conven
tion in Omaha September 18-21.
1 featured the closing session of the
annual convention of the North
Carolina state branch of the Na
tional league of District postmasters
W B Knowles, Wallace, vice pres
idem during the past year, was elect
ed to the presidency by acclamation.
He succeeds J. H Quinn, Shelby,
who admirably held the office of
president during the year just clos
ed. Other officers were elected by uc
clamation and are as follows: D. W.
Alexander, Connelly Springs, first
vice president J. E. Wallace, Stan
ley, second vice president: and Miss
Sallie K Wilkins, Magnolia, secre
tary and treasurer.
J. II. Quinn the retiring president
was overwhelmingly elected to re
present the state organization at the
national convention. R. C. Tucker,
Fair Bluff, also nominated for the
organization’s delegates, but who
»»s .dcfe.v-94: -was- e^poim-ei- alter
nate.
Reports were submitted by the va
rious chairmen ol the congression
al districts, These showed that there
are only five counties in the state
having 100 per cent representation
of postmasters in the state organi
zation. Those boasting this honor
are Duplin, Sampson, Pender, Clev
eland and Lincoln.
Noted Divine Who
Married In County
Dies At Age Of 77
Rev. ,f. s. Gwaltnc;' Married Miss
Lydia Dixon. Served Church
Fifty Years.
Statesville.—Rev. J. s. Gwaltney,
well known Baptist minister, who
spent nearly half a century as teach
er and pastor in Iredell, Alexander.
Caldwell, McDowell, Rutherford
counties and in Grayson countv,
Virginia, passed away Saturday ev
ening at 7:45 o'clock at the home of
his son, Mr. Edgar Gwaltnev, near
Morganton. Rev. Mr. Gwaltney had
been in declining health lor the past
five years, but was confined to his
bed for about ten days before -his
death.
Mr. Gwaltney was born in Alex
ander county July 17, 1851, having
almost reached the 77iii milestone
in his life. Fifty years ago he was
married to Miss Lydia Dixon of
' Cleveland county, who survives.
I ■ _.
him.
“Were old time friends.” he re*
j marked, J
AVERAGE IN N. C.
(ost Prr Pupil Less Than State
Average By $2,40. Above
Average Teachers.
To Instruct local children in high
school last year, it cost an average
of $5.82 per month, while in the ele
mentary schools it cost $3.61 for
each child in attendance. These
figures were issued recently by the
state -depart-SR^aS • si <*4ws&Urt>-■ -At
Raleigh The report also shows that
the average cost of instruction in the
high schools of the state was $8.22,
m the elementary school, the aver
age cost was $3.86 per pupil. In a
group of sixteen cities about the she
of Shelby, the average cost of in
struction in the high schools was
7.30, the highest being $13.12. Oniy
one city shows a lower cost than
Shelby. In the elementary schools,
the average for the state was $3 86;
in the group of sixteen cities men
tioned above, the average was $4.30
per pupil.
While Shelby shows a cost consid
erably below other schools of like
size yet It ranks high in scholarship
of its teachers. The average for the
state in high schools is 761.2; for
Shelby, 782.4; in the elementary
..schools of the state, the average is
567.1, in Shelby, 676.5. In the group
of sixteen cities the highest rank is
1800. the lowest, 736.4; the average
I was 767.9. Shelby's rank in scholar
ship of elementary teachers is no:
;so high. The group average was
1709 3 while Shelby’s average in
scholarship was 676.5.
In average salaries paid teachers,
the state department reports as fol
1 lows:
High school: Average monthly sal
ary paid teachers: State $158.00.
Shelby. $159.00. Shelby s group, $160.
Elementary schools: Average month
ly salary paid teachers: State, $102;
Shelby, $125.00; Shelby's /^up,
$130.00. ^
In attendance," Shelby makes a
good showing in comparison witn
the other schools. The average daily
attendance for the state was 85 per
; cent in the high schools and 76 per
cent .in the elementary schools; in
; Shelby the average attendance in
| high school w-as 91.7 per cent; in the
elementary schools, 88.1; in Shelby's
■ group the average attendance was
87.1 in the high schools and 82.5 in |
the elementary schools.
In explanation of the index system
of ranking schools in scholarship it
should be said that the first figure
represents the number of years
above the elementary grades the
teacher has attended school. Thus
the average for Shelby high school
teachers is 782.4. which indicates t
school attendance (upon tire aver
age! of 7.82 years, or 4 years in high
school and 3.82 in college.
MUST HAVE CITY
TAGS OH AUTOS
Chief Richards Issues Final Warn
ing To siftpiby Motorists.
After Lights Also.
Shelby auto owners who do
not tyive city auto license plates
on their cars, or purchased by
July 15, face the likelihood of '
being hailed into court, it was
announced today by I'olice
Chief A. I„ Richards.
; “The proper time for purchase of
city tags is long past now," the
[ chief declared, “and this is the last
: week of grace I am going to give
[before I get after those who have
! not bought their city tags." The
; city plates may be secured from the
city clerk for $1. and motor car
I owners of Shelby should take warn- j
! ing and buy their tags this week. As
• 1 estimate it there should be at
least 1,500 tags bought in all and if
the number falls short of that we
will be more particular than ever in
watching for cars without the city
plates.”
Lights And Mufflers.
Chief Richards also stated that
! he intended to enforce the auto
; light laws. Every car, he says,
j should have two front headlights
! and a tail light burning. “Many
] cars in town now have only one
1 headlight and no tail light. Per
i haps the owners think I do not
i know it, but I do. and I am warn
ing them. Likewise I mean to see
! that that ordinance as to exhausts
I and mufflers is enforced!”
i Mrs. F. H. Taylor, cashier of local
j telephone exchange, returned to
j Shelby Tuesday after a two-day
i business visit to Charlotte.
I
Early Bloom* Come
“Thick And Fa.t”
Cotton blooms in Cleveland
county came thick and fr »t on
Monday and Tuesday. Jo« )
Humphries who lives west of
Shelby on the Alonzo M. Ham
rick farm reported one on
Monday. Clyde Putnam who
farms for Cameron Putnam in
South Shelby found an open j
bloom on Sunday, July 8 Fuller !
Ross, an energetic colored farm
er in lower Cleveland brought a
bloom to The Star office Tues
day morning which was pluck
ed from his field on Monday
Dave Turner, colored farmer
who lives on Max Gardner's
plantation is usually one of the '
first in the fie-th-hyt-Devs was
beaten by a couple of days this
year. He found a white bloom
Tuesday morning. Miller Ellis,
son of C. T. Ellis gathered a
white one Monday.
Roland Boyles Home Is Burned—
Thought To Have Been Of
Incendiary Origin.
Only a rocking chair was saved
from the home of Roland Boyle.-:
which was destroyed at Toluca
early Tuesday morning. The fire
was discovered about 3:40 o'clock by
his brother who lived nearby and
when the brother rushed across to
the burning house, he found the
kitchen door open and a mass of
flames, the nature of which would
indicate that the oil or gasoline ni
the can was furnishing the fuel.
Mr. Boyles owner of the resid
ence was away at Lexington on
business. His wife was visiting her
parents, so no one was at home
when the fire was discovered. Mi i.
Boyles says she did not know of a
can of gasoline or oil being left hi
the kitchen and there is a strong
suspicion that some one might
have robbed the house in their ab
sence and set fire to it.
The house is the old Andy Sam
place and is right in the town of
Toluca. Several houses nearby did
not suffer any damage because the
air was still and a ram the day be
fore. left everything wet.
Mr. Boyles is understood to have
carried some insurance. but nor
enough to cover the lass of his
home and household effects.
County Officials
Worked By Tricks
As Well As Others
Coroner Finds Crutches Are Orna
mental. Bad Checks To Sheriff
For Taxes.
Those who play their pranks—
occasionally known by another
name—are not adverse to working
them upon county officials.
Sheriff Hugh Logan, who holds a
near record in collecting counry
tax, has in his possession, or did
have at last report, a bad check,
and what s more it was glvert as e
tax payment. Such a check may
suffice to lower the uncollected tax
total. but it is said to be worth
less on the actual cash side of the
ledger. The sheriff is still hoping.
It's a rather mean trick to pull on
an officer.
I rutcnes Under Arm.
The other victim was Squire T. C.
Eskridge county coroner. Big
hearted and generous the coroner
rCadlVy TidUgTit a'pelicn frdrt'i UTiliTi
on crutches in the court house cor
ridor Tuesday. He didn't particul
arly need the pencil but he wanted
to lend a helping hand, A short
time later when squire started to
lunch he saw the pencil agent
walking down the court house steps
with his crutches under his arm.
Hereafter the coroner intends to
find out. if possible. whether the
crutches are necessary or mere)/
ornamental.
Shelby Scouts Now
At Lake Lanier
A group of Shelby Boy Scouts
were taken this week to Lake La
nier, scout summer camp by Messrs
Henry Mills and Bob Hord. Various
patrols of local scout troops will be
at the camp during the summer.
In the scout field day held re
cently at Harmon field in Tryon,
Zeno Wall. Shelby scout and Shel
by high athlete, took first place in
three events—100-yard dash, sack
race, and three-legged race. About
95 boys are in the camp each week
and new' facilities, including tennis
courts, library and museum, have
been added.
Greeley Boyles Blown 40
Feet And Killed Outright
Franklin Grigg And Wayne Carpenter In
Hospital. Porch On Rock Residence Of
Dr. Edwards Blown Down As Boiler Bursts
And Heavy Engine Cuts Flip. Scores
Gather At Tragic Scene.
*ley Boyles, young married man of Toluca, was kill
efl'fffs^amly, arid Franklin Grigg, another young man of the
Toluca section, and Wayne Carpenter, 12-year-old lad, were
painfully injured about 6 o’clock Tuesday afternoon when the
boiler of a traction engine, with a threshing outfit, exploded
in the rear yard of the Dr. F. D. Edwards’ residenee aT T<>
iuca, 18 miles north of Snelby. .
Just w!>at caused the fata! explo
sion which rocked the Toluca com
munity had not been ascertained at
a late hour last night when news
paper men left the scene of the
tragedy.
Sorrowing relatives and neighbors
employes of the threshing outfit
and the people from the surround
ing countryside milled about the Ed
wards yard throughout tne ,ri\
hours of the night explaining, query
ing and discussing the tragedy, but
all the light thrown on the explo
sion failed to definitely repeal the
cause.
How it Happened.
The story of the explosion, as told
by Rob Davis, one of the threshing
outfit, who was nearby, goes some
thing like this: "We had just left j
Dr. Edwards' barn and were com- j
ing out to the road through his back
yard. Franklin Grigg was driving the
engine and Greely Boyles was walk
ing along in front laying planks for
the engine wheels to run oi. so that
it would not mire up. Tne Carpen
ter boy was somewhere in front, too,
as was Andrew Pruitt, the fireman.
I was walking behind, about half
way between the barn and the
house, and just as the engine got
even with the house, just 10 or 15
feet away from the back porch, on
which Mrs. Edwards and her little
girl were standing, it suddenly Mew
up. Such a noise! Such a scene! The
roar almost deafened me. and parts
of the boiler, engine, mud. rocks, and
sticks filled the air. The ground
seemed to rock, and in the explo
sion what of the engine there was
left reared up in the air and cut
a flip backward 10 feet or more.
Blew Boyles Away.
"Boyles, who was in front was
literally picked up and hurled 40 or
50 feet out into the cotton patch.
Grigg, who was riding on the plat
form where he vras driving, was
hurled backward. I got to Grieg
first, got him up and he tried to
walk a few steps, but began to stum
ble. Then we carried him around
ar.d placed him on the front porch.
By the time I got back around sev
eral had gathered around Greeley.
Then a car came up and we picked
him up in our arms and placed him
in the car. He was still breathing,
but he never knew what happened.
We started to Shelby, but he died
in my arms before we reached the
first rock pile (which is only a few
yards from the rock home of the
Edwards).
"What caused it, you say?" Davis
replied to a query as he gazed at.
the jumbled mass. “I don’t know'.
That's w hat we w'ooid ail like to
know. The boys say the boiler had
been filled with water. They all
seem sure of that. I don't know. It
was terrible.”
Blew Clothes Off.
Continuing, Davis said that the
force of, the explosion blew- most of
the clothes from the body of Boyles.
His shirt and overalls were practi
cally blown off as was one slipper,
Davis said, and little remained on
h-is- Urty "except his UiiSercloCning.
A crushed skull on the rear of the
head no doubt brought death to
Boyles, but there were numerous
jagged holes over his body, some
going nearly through.
Tore up House.
The Dr Edwards residence is built
of rock along the plan of the Wal
densians and is one of the striking
residences of the county. When the
big boiler exploded in the back yard
it tore down the supports of ths
back porch, on which Mrs. Edwards
and her daughter were standing'’,
and shattered practically all of the
window panes and tore up a por
tion of the roof. Mrs, Edwards was
slightly scalded on the leg and she
and her little girl. Meril. were bruis
ed. Their escape from serious in
jury, considering that they were so
close, seems miraculous. One ex
planation of it is that they were on
the side of the boiler and the big
gest force was at the ends.
Others Not Serious.
At first it was thought that Grigg
and the Carpenter boy, a son of
Mr. Gordon Carpenter, were seri
ously injured, and for a time after
they were rushed to the hospital
jiere fear was entertained for their
recovery. This morning, however.
Dr. Harbison, hospital surgeon de
clared that examination so far did
not disclose broken bones aad an
early diagnosis was that the Injur
ies would not prove fatal. Both, how
ever, were painfully injured. They
were burned about the head, face
and uncovered portions of the body
and considerably lacerated and bruis
ed. The facial injuries were more
in the nature of bums than scalds,
it was stated, it appearing as if the
force of the explosion hurled mud
and sand against them along with
steam thus creating the burns.
The engine, it was stated, was the
property of C. D. Mitchem and the
threshing outfit belonged to a grouo
of men in the community.
General supposition, of course,
was that the boiler blew up when
cold water was turned on, but this
i view vjss discredited by many close
ly connected with the outfit. The
engine was moving at the time and
there were those who declared that
; the boiler was full of water. That
such might have seemed true, but
was not, was the argument of oth
ers. One theory was that the wa
ter might have been hauled in bar
rels which had theretofore contain
ed oil and the slight skim of oil
might have foamed in such a man-"
ner as to make the water gauge
' seem as if it were full. Still another
I theory was that an overload of
i steam might have been carried with
I the pop-off valves failing to work.
Died Near Home.
I Tne tragedy which snuffed out
the life of young Boyles occurred
within seeing distance of his ow 1
home, where his young wife and
j two little children awaited his re
- turn.
Last night after the first flurry
following the tragedy, gloom settled
over the little foothill community,
Boyles was a popular young fellow
, and well known throughout the
j community as were the injured ones.
' To a section no more populated such
j a tragedy does not come so often
and the residents of the commun
ity gathered here and there in
groups to talk it over in low tones.
Explosion Threw Cigarettes
On Roof-- “Jonah” Engine
Cotton in Field Nearby Scalded. An
other Boy Killed By Same
Engine Years Back.
The force of the boiler explosion
at Toluca Tuesday evening, in which
one was killed and two injured, was
so great that a package of cigarettes
in the pocket of one of the men was
blown on the roof, where they were
found later when the damaged roof
was repaired. A can of pipe tobacco
was found on the other side of the
house and in the field near where
the heavy steam chest had been
thrown.
Killed Another.
Reports heard about the scene
Tuesday night indicated that ill
luck had followed the engine which
was reduced to a jumble of iron and
steel. Some years back, the engine
belonged to a Burke county man.
who lived back in the South moun
tains. One day while it was being
used to pull the machinery to the
brick yard the man's young son was
caught in the machinery and fatally
injured. Shortly thereafter tha
Burke county man sold the engine.
However it was not an old engine,
as the life of steam engines are rated
those with the outfit declaring
that it had been used only four
years. The threshing outfit had been
out only about one week prior to the
tragedy.
Water and steam flew in all. di
rections. particularly from the front
and cotton in a field 60 to 75 feet
away was badly scalded.
A barrel is said to have saved tha
(Continued on page four.)
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