VOL. XXXV, No. 106 THE CLEVELAND STAR SHELBY, N. C. MONDAY, SEPT 3, 1928.
•nv 'jow.
I 8 PAGES
I TODAY
Published Monday, Wednesday, and Friday Afternoons By mail, per year (in advance) $2.
J earlier, per year (in advance) $3
If
Cool And Cloudy.
Today's North Carolina Weather
Hr port: Showers likely today, some
whal warmer. Cooler and cloudy
Tuesday.
LATE NEWS
They Start Today.
.."tills and fiusslf," the new fun
i makers for Cleveland Star readers,
begin their entertainment In today's
Issue. The well-known romle, pub
lished In this section only by The
Star, runs In one strip today, but
hereafter a double strip.of the romir
will appear in each issue. During
the week the other new features,
including Bruno Lessing's editorial,
and Quin Hall's sport cartoon and
story will be added.
Anti-Smith Work.
Anti-Smith workers here today
were distributing anti-Smith litera
ture among the crowds in town for
"first Monday." Most of the litera
ture had to do with the recent “dry
conference" at Asheville and none of
the spurious Knights of Columbus
oaths were seen In the pamphlets.
t The forged oath has been scattered
here very little since reports spread
that distributors of such false docu
ments may be punished. ..,
Mouzon In
Pulpit, No
Smith Talk
Bi(f Congregation Hears Methodist
Bishop In Powerful Sermon.
No Politics.
There were no "walk-outs,”
nor was there any occasion for
"walk-outs,” at Central Me
thodist church yesterday when
Bishop Edwin Mouzon, of the
North Carolina conference of
the Southern Methodist church,
. delivered a forceful and timely
sermon at the morning hour.
Since Bishop Mouzon has repeat
edly opposed the candidacy of Gov.
A1 Smith, Democratic nominee for
president, many thought that per
haps he would touch upon the na
tional situation today, and the
church was packed with people,
quite a number of those present
having expressed the intention of
walking out if politics was mention
ed.
Very Strong Sermon.
The sermon was one of the most
able heard here in many years and
the vast congregation was visibly
swayed by the moving force of the
bishop's discourse. Lack of decency
in clothing, literature and other
things of modem day fast life was
scored by Bishop Mouaon. and a
plea was made for tolerance, bas
ed upon the New Testament scene
” of Christ and the fallen woman.
Taxi Driver And
Ex-Senator Have
Row Here Saturday
Gun Displayed After Senator Lat
timore Says Driver Insulted
His Wife.
Quite a commotion was created
on the taxi station corner of the
court square here Saturday when
former State Senator Sam C. Lat
timore came after Doyle Groom,
taxi driver, who Lattimore contend
ed talked too fresh to his wife
earlier in the day.
1 Lattimore, it is said, after telling
the taxi driver that it wasn't a wo
man he was talking to any longer,
reached in the car and grabbed
Groom by the shoulder. Somewhere
in the scuffle a gun came into view.
It is charged by Lattimore that
Groom flashed the gun on him and
! one or two others standing by stat
ed the same thing later at the po
lice station, while others declared
that Groom did not point the gun
at any one. The altercation was
halted by officers and friends of
the two men who came up. Groom
was taken to the police station and
relieved of his gun.
The trouble, it is understood,
started earlier in the day when a
car driven by Mrs. Lattimore and
the car driven by Groom bumped
at a court square intersection. Mr.
Lattimore was informed, he says,
that Groom, following the collision,
made some rather fresh remarks to
Mrs, Lattimore about her driving
and other things. When he heard it
V Mr. Lattimore says he set out to see
I if Groom could say the same things
f to him.
In recorder’s court this morning
Groom did not have all the wit
nesses he wanted and the case was
shifted to the end of the docket to
give him time to get up his other
witnesses.
Later in the day today Lattimore
and Groom were taxed with $10 and
the costs each by Judge Mull.
AUSTELL REAPPOINTED
COUNTY G.1ME WARDEN
According to dispatches from Ra
leigh, Deputy Sheriff Mike H . Aus
tell has been reappointed game war
den for this county.
Mr. Austell may attend a confer
ence of wardens scheduled to be
held in Raleigh early this week.
GARDNER LOYAL TO ENTIRE DEMOCRATIC TICKET
Civil Court Action
Likely In Disaster
Norm Taken Yet. Coroner’s Jury
Blames Excavating For Death
Of Six
Several suits are threatening
as an aftermath of last Tues
day's disaster here in which six
were killed and a dozen injured
when thcr McKnight building
and a portion of the Gardner
building on West Warren street
collapsed.
Lawyers Approached
Several lawyers, it is understood,
have already been approached about
bringing damage suits for the re
covery of property lasses, and oth
er Information is to the effect that
counsel have been employed by one
or more of those interested in the
matter. However, it was stated at
the Superior court cleric’s office
late Saturday that as yet no dam
age actions have been filed in any
form.
May Be Dropped
The official investigation which
put underway the probe of the cor
oner's Jury Friday has proceeded no
further following the jury verdict
that placed the blame of the col
lapse on the excavating going on
under one of the buildings. Mayor
Dorsey stated Saturday that having
instigated the coroner's probe he
had nothing more to do with it.
Whether or not Solicitor Spurting,
of this Superior court district, will
continue the matter by taking it
up with the grand jury is not
known, but such a move is not like
ly, according to some. Since the
coroner's jury made no specific al
legations. or said nothing of crim
inal negligence in their verdict the
matter is likely closed as far as
Immediate criminal court action is
concerned, others say. However,
many believe that the evidence
heard by the coroner's jury Friday
will form the basis for cases in
damage suits. This evidence was
recorded in short-hand by Daniel
Allen Tedder and when typed will
be turned over to Coroner T. C.
Eskridge for whatever use it may
be needed.
What The Jury Heard
A coroners jury today without
calling names placed the blame of
the building collapse on the ex
cavation work under one of the
buildings.
Nothing else was specified. The
Jury, after inspecting the scene and
hearing 10 witnesses queried by
County Solicitor P. Cleveland Gard
ner, signed a statement reading:
“We find that the excavating under
i the McKnight building was the
| cause of the collapse.''
No Binding Code
Judging by the evidence heard, the
Investigation being public, first
blame goes back to the fact that
Shelby, like hundreds of other
towns, for years did not have a
building code.
On the witness stand Sherwood
Brockwell, deputy state fire mar
shall, who inspected the ruins, de
clared that one or two of the walls
in the comer building, a part of
which was erected 35 years ago,
had not been tied into the other
walls.
Mr. Brockwell declared that " in
my opinion necessary precaution
was not exercised in the excavating
and bracing.” Asked to elucidate
on this statement, he did so by
drawing lines on a sketch ot the
building as outlined with chalk on
the court room floor. “My opinion
that proper percaution was not
used is based upon my experience
in examining buildings and the
modern code for erection and ex
cavation,” he said 'Excavation is
carried on as this was done but it
does not comply with codes of
larger cities,”
The collapse of the two structures
the fire marshall said, came from
the collapse of the south wall of
the McKnight building in the corn
er, an extension had been added
to this building and a wall separat
: ed the front part and the rear
j Part. In making the excavation the
! contractors were to make a base
ment under the entire building.
To do so they had to go under the
partition wall and it was here,
Brockwell said, the trouble came.
He said he found ir. the ruins, that
i only two shoulders, or bracing
needles, had been put under the
end wall to hold it up Modern
■ building codes call for needles every
three feet, he said, and in his
. opinion the eight feet of the end
j wall of the McKnight building
' where it joins the Gardner build
I ing gave away, not being braced
for that distance, when the exca
' vaticn work reached that point.
Those taking the stand were O.
| Max Gardner and John S. Mc
( Knight, owners of the buildings;
■ W. G. Lutz, contractor; Everett Del
j linger, Claud Weathers, Joe Wes
I son, Basil Goode, Sam Lattimore,
E. A. Rudisill, city building in
( spector, and Mr. Brockwell.
, Mr. McKnight explained that he
made an oral contract with Mr.
| Lutz for the excavation and that
he sent to Mr. Rudisill for the per
mit, no specifications being set out
in the permit. Lutz told of the
contract, the bracing of the end
wall, and generally of the work
being carried on there. Asked if he
thought it safe Mr. Lutz answered,
"I certainly did. If I had the slight
est idea it was not I would not
have been under there myself, or
permitted my workmen to go." The
contractor was buried in the ruins
for an hour or more and several
of his men for a longer period.
Mr. Rudisill told of issuing the
permit and inspecting the work
several times. Twelve hours before
the collapse he was in the build
ing and the workmen were then
near the rear wall. Up to that
point, his last inspection prior to
the collapse, he said, the work was
being carried on in a safe manner.
FIVE INJURED, Ifll
HOSPITAL, BETTER
All Show Improvement, Surgeon
Says. Two Negroes Consid
erably Better.
The five injured who remain in
the Shelby hospital as a result of
their injuries in the disastrous
building collapse here last Tuesday
were reported as improving today.
Hospital surgeons stated that both
Miss Marguerite Callahan, bank
clerk, and Clarence Mull, assistant
cashier, the two worst injured, are
improving but that due to the na
ture of their injuries the improve
ment is necessarily slow.
Clyde Mauney, who suffered a
broken leg, is also better.
Lowery Jennings and J. C.
Thomas, the two colored men in
jured, are both considerably better.
State Headquarters
To Raleigh Today
State Chairman Odus M. Mull to
day officially opened North Caro
lina Democratic headquarters in
Raleigh, moving his office from the
pre-campaign headquarters here to
the new offices in Raleigh.
Louis Stovall, head of the cam
paign clerical force, left for Ra
leigh yesterday, but Mr. Mull did
not go until today. The new' head
quarters, from which an active cam
paign will be directed, are in three
rooms on the tenth floor of the Sir
Walter Raleigh hotel.
A branch office of the state com
mittee with several of the work
ers will be continued here, it is
said.
County Democrats Get Going
Friday Night At Three Points
Speaking Will Be Held At South
Shelby, Fallston, And
Queens Precinct.
- |
Cleveland county Democrats will
open their campaign Friday night ;
of this week with three public
speakings in the county, it is an
nounced by Chairman B. T. Falls.
At the South Shelby school house
at 7:30 Friday night Congressman j
A. L. Bulwinkle, Capt. Peyton Mc
Swain and Horace Kennedy, nomi
nee for recorder, will speak. In ad- :
dition to the speaking and general j
i
V
rally music will be furnished by a
band
At the same hour at Fallston
Judge John P. Mull, i Solicitor P.
Cleveland Gardner and Attorney W.
S. Beam will speak. Attorney Pat
McBrayer and Attorney A1 Bennett
will speak at the same hour at
Queens precinct. Plans for the cam
paign speaking were made at a
meeting of Democratic leaders held
last week in Chairman Falls’ office.
The three speakings this week will
be followed by others in all sec
tions of the county during thp fol
lowings weeks
FERTILIZER TEST
ON COUNTY FARMS
DRAWS INTEREST
Varying Amounts Of Fertilizer
Used In Cotton Shown
By Bolis
Approximately 170 Cleveland
county farmers were on the ferti
lization test tour made in their owri
county last week under the direc
tion of County Agent Alvin Hardin
and representatives of fertilizer bu
reaus. —
| At six farms visited by the tour
cotton fields in which different
amounts of fertilizer were used per
acre were examined, tested and
counted for production. The infor
1 matlon secured is considered of
' great value to the cotton farmers of
the county.
Count The Bolls
At each test, or on each farm
the stalks, bolls and squares were
counted on one row' for 59 feet in
each field where a different amount
of fertilizer was used.
In the Will McCurry field on the
Blanton farm there were 123 stalks,
568 bolls and 120 squares in the
50-foot row. In this tract, which
was planted with Cleveland No. 5
seed. 1,025 pounds of fertilizer, of
the 9-54 variety, was used per
acre, 700 pounds before planting.
Figuring 70 bolls to the pound with
the rows three feet apart, and
everything being equal to the cotton
ki the 50-foot row, the field should
produce 2,394 pounds of seed cot
ton, or 862 pounds of lint per acre,
which would make two bales of 431
pounds each.
Other Tests
In a field of O. Z. Morgan’s,
where Coker’s 884 seed was used,
there were on the 50-foot row 64
stalks, 471 bolls and 347 squares.
This should average, by the es
timate, 1,995 pounds of seed cot
ton per acre, or 718 pounds of lint.
Six hundred and seventy-five
pounds of 10-4-4 fertilizer was used
with 260 pounds nitrate soda after
chopping.
A row in the R. P. Weathers cot
ton, where Cleveland seed was used,
had 48 stalks, 447 bolls and 260
squares in the 50 feet. This should
make 1.919 pounds of seed cotton
or 692 pounds of lint per acre. Mr.
Weathers used 600 pounds of 9-5-4
before planting and 400 pounds aft
er chopping. In a check plot, where
only 650 pounds of 10-4-4 was used
at planting he had 44 stalks in the
50 feet, 354 bolls and 60 squares.
Estimated production on this is 1.
470 pounds of seed cotton and 529
pounds of lint per acre, which in
dicates that the use of 400 pounds
more fertilizer in the first plot
meant 162 pounds more lint per
acre.
W. S. Davis using 400 pounds of
8-3-3 and 200 pounds nitrate soda
per acre had 62 stalks, 322 bolls,
and 420 squares on a fifty foot row.
Estimated production on this was
1,344 pounds seed cotton or 483
pounds of lint per acre. On a
check plot, where only 400 pounds
of the same fertilizer was used per
acre, he had 54 stalks, 198 bolls, and
92 squares, which would figure on
ly 820 pounds of seed cotton per
acre, or 295 pounds of lint. This
is a difference of 188 pounds of
lint per acre with the added use
of 200 pounds of nitrate of soda
Two Other Tests
On a 50-foot measure, one row,
Forrest Crowder had 54 stalks, 347
bolls and 214 squares, which is es
timated to produce, under proper
conditions, 1,470 pounds seed cot
ton, or 530 pounds of lint per acre,
one thousand pounds of fertilizer
being used per acre.
J. C. Campbell using 850 pounds
of 9-5-4 per acre, two-thirds am
monia from sulphate and one third
ammonia from nitrate, had 67 stalks
and 705 bolls in fifty feet. Such
a tract, it is estimated, will pro
duce 2,940 pounds of seed cotton,
or 1,058 pounds of lint per acre,
which would be two 500-pound
bales.
First Bale Sold
10 Years Ago Today
Ten years ago today, Septem
ber 3, 1918, the first bale of
cotton of the year was sold to
the Southern Cotton Oil com
pany by Joe P. Blanton, who
lived on the W. II. Blanton
farm.
And—listen!—it sold for 37
1-2 cents per pound. The bale
weighed 516 pounds and
brought $197.87.
This news was taken from
the “Five and Ten Years Ago”
column in The Star today.
Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Y. Webb, jr.
of Atlanta, Ga., spent the week-end
with Judge E. Y Webb
FOUR OF DISASTER VICTIMS
ALEX HOYLE
ZEB BLANTON
GUY Gr.EENE
CARL BLANTON
The Star reproduces above photos of four of the six people
who nerished in the building collapse here last Tuesday. Left
top is Alex Hoyle, bank teller; right top—Guy Green, anoth
er bank clerk; left below Zeb Blanton, respected farmer;
right below—Carl Blanton, son of Zeb Blanton. Heretofore
The Star has reproduced a photo of Miss Ora Eskridge, one
of the victims, but as yet has not been able to get a photo of
Clyde Carpenter, the sixth victim. (Photos by Ellis)
Star Offers $25For
Best Letter Backing
Gardner- Write One
‘Why Should Every Cleveland County Voter
Vote For The County’s First Native Son To
Be A Candidate For Governor?” The Best
Answer Wins.
In November the first native son of Cleveland county
will be voted upon as a candidate for Governor of North
Carolina. It is only natural that the home county of a gov
ernor should give him the best vote in the state. There are
many reasons why. The reader of The Star who can as
semble and explain the best reasons will win $25 in a contest
The Star inaugurates today.
Under the title ol ‘ Why Should i
Every Cleveland County Voter Votfe ;
For O. Max Gardner, the County's 1
First Native Son to be a Candidate
for Governor of North Carolina,”
The Star is offering prizes totalling
$50 for the best answers given in
the form of letters addressed to the
paper.
The first prize of $25 will go to
the best all-around letter written
by any citizen of the county. Five
dollars will go to the second best
letter with no limit as to the age of
the writer, and four $5-prizes will
go to the four best letters written •
by Cleveland county school children
of any age.
Heads of eve*y school now in ses
sion are urged to see that every
child in their schools, who can do
so, enters the contest. Children who
attend schools that have not open
ed, or will not open before the con
test ends, are entitled to enter, the
only provision being that they are
bona-fide school children.
Closing Date.
The contest will close on Satur
day, September 22. Or, in other
words, ever letter to be considered
must be in The Star office by 4
o'clock on the afternoon of Satur
day, September 22, which is three I
weeks from last Saturday.
All envelopes containing the let- '
ters should be addressed to “The
Star, Gardner Contest Committee,
Shelby, N. C." The upper right
hand corner of the first page should
bear the name and address of the
writer, and if from a school stud
'Continu<*d «n page eight)
FOOTBALL WORK
HERE TOMORROW
Morris Issues Call For Practice
Tuesday At Park. Schedule
Being Arranged
The Shelby high 1928 football
eleven will make its debut in the
rough at least, tomorrow afternoon
at 3 o'clock on the city park.
First call for practice was issued
at that hour by Coach Casey Mor
ris Saturday afternoon.
When the hopefuls gather for pre
liminary practice and work-outs
Tuesday afternoon Coach Morris
will get his first real insight into
what is to be the new eleven. Grad
uation knocked much of the last
year's eleven sky-high, but several
star veterans were left. The young
ster who will be molded into a team
around these veterans are for the
most part untried.
“It’s an unknown quantity so far
to me," Coach Morris said. “It
may be fairly good—this year’s
team—and then it may not be so
good. Can't tell until I see what I
have and then see them for a
time.”
A big schedule for the highs is
being arranged.
(VIORF, I.OCAI. \FWS PACl at
Shelby Man Sounds
Call Of Loyalty In
His Opening Speech
Did Not Prefer Smith Nomination But Since
Majority Of Party Selected Him It Is
I Gardner Code To Follow The Party Of The
People. Address Made At Boone Today.
(Special To The Star.)
Boone, September 3.—“I am a party man. I have never
faltered in my allegiance to the Democratic partv, and I
shall not do so now,” was the declaration of 0. Max Gard
ner, Democratic gubernatorial nominee in the opening speech
of his campaign at 1 o’clock here today.
The statement was made when Mr. Gardner explained
that although he did not prefer the nomination of Gov. Smith
for president that he owed his allegiance to Smith because
the majority of the Democratic party did name him. Ex
plaining that although he differed with Smith on some of
the latter’s personal views, Mr. Gardner declared “I could
never give aid to the Republican party, which for seven years
has made government a thing of purchase, and has turned
its back on every ideal and aspiration of Woodrow Wilson.”
I
New Building Being Constructed On
LaFayette Street Is For
Chain Store
The cat is out of the bag at
last. The name of the concern
which will occupy the building
now being constructed by Dr.
S. S. Royster on South La
Fayette street (the former
Webb building) is the Acorn
Stores, Inc., a corporation op
erating hundreds of department
stores throughout the United
States—a chain owned and con
trolled by no less a parent or
ganization than that of Charles
Broadway Rouse, of New York
city, one of the oldest and best
known wholesale establishments
in the country.
--Dr. Royster revealed the name of
the newcomers to The Star Satur
day morning, upon receipt of a let
ter from the Acorn Stores man
agers, releasing the data for pub
lication.
Dr. Royster said the only reason
he withheld the information until
this date was, that such was re
quested by the Incoming company.
The newcomers announce they
will operate an out-and-out de
partment store, handling a line of
goods from light household hard
ware and automobile tires to fur
niture, floor coverings, In addition
to a complete line of ladles and
children's and men's ready-to-wear.
iveaay »y UClODer
There will be twenty-one separate
departments. Dr. Royster announc
ed he is erecting a thoroughly mod
ern two-story building for the
Acorn corporation, which has been
! leased for a long term of years,
1 and which he expects will be ready
for occupancy by the first of Octo
ber. The new building will be 50
j by 130 feet In dimensions.
p Inclosed with the letter to Dr.
Royster, releasing tl* Information
concerning the coming of the new
store, is a booklet containing In
formation about the Acorn Stores
entitled “The Story of An Acorn"
in which is embodied information
that there are already eight of these
stores in North Carolina, extending
throughout the cities from Mt. Airy
to Winston-Salem. Eighteen are
listed in Texas, fourteen In Oklaho
ma, four in Ohio, two in Tennessee
and Mississippi respectively, six in
Alabama, eight in Georgia, and
many others in states as remote as
Florida and Maine.
This is the second lease of lm- ;
portance Dr. Royster has secured
in the last few months, the coming
of the Montgomery Ward company
into one of his buildings, being a
Royster achievement.
Traffic Signals
Work Here Again
Shelby auto traffic again moves
and halts by the electric ‘go" and
“stop" signs on the four corners of,
the court square.
The electric signals have not
been working for some time due to'
a grounding of the wires, but city
electricians, who have been work
ing on a replacement of the under
ground wires for several days, had
them going again Saturday, I
The statement regarding his stand
on the Democratic nominee for
president was made as an introduc
tory to his campaign speech by
Mr. Gardner.
What He Said
Excerpts taken from the Shelby
man’s opening address follow:
“I beg your indulgence in this,
my first speech of the campaign,
that I may offer a personal and
preliminary statement touching my
party record and also undertake to
clearly define and set forth my
position with respect to the national
and state situation.
Not Driving; Democrats
“I recently stated before the
Democratic executive committee
that In this campaign I would say
nothing to injure the feelings or
bruise the conscience of any North
Carolina Democrat. I here renew
this statement. I have never tried
to drive a Democrat and I have
never permitted a Democrat to
drive me. When a Democrat be
comes a dictator he ceases to be
a Democrat.
It has always been my policy to.
enlist Democrats and not drive
them, and I earnestly appeal for
the loyal, triumphant and united
support of every North Carolina
Democrat. I have never given an
honorable or a dishonorable dis
charge from party service to any
Democrat in my life and never ex
pect to. I am ready to fight to ttae
limit for the right to have my in
dividual political opinions and I
freely grant this right to the hum
blest of my fellow citizens. This
right touches the core of real
freedom. Voltaire in his immortal
words to Helvetius expressed my
views when he said. “I wholly dis
approve of what you say, but will
defend to the death your right to
say it.'
Is Party’s Leader
“The term may appear odious to
some, but by inherited* training,
and conviction, I am a party man.
Being an organization man, I am
frequently called upon to subor
dinate my personal opinions to the
expressed will of the majority of
my party. I am now the leader of
the Democratic party in this cam
paign and the integrity of party
leadership carries with it the posi
tive demand of party loyalty.
“The names of a number of reli
gious and fraternal organizations
are frequently mentioned as bearing
on this campaign. In this con
nection may I say; there are at
least three organizations to which
I belong that the vicissitudes of
this campaign will not disturb, and
these are: the Baptist church, the
Democratic party and the Junior
Order. I was a Democrat years be
fore I was born. I have been a
member of the Baptist church
since I was thirteen years of age,
and a consistent member and loyal
supporter of the Junior Order for
21 years. I refuse to allow any
body to turn me out of either of
these organizations.
ms appreciation
“I am the nominee ot the Demo
cratic party in North Carolina for
governor. Of course, I do not know
what the future may have in store
for me, but I declare to you that
the generous action of my party,
the party of my fathers, in nomi
nating me without opposition for
the high office of governor, after
20 years of public service and pub
lic scrutiny, is an honor that I
shall always cherish as the out
standing compliment and distinc
tion of my public life.
Sticks To Party
‘‘I enter this campaign a free
man. I have made no private prom
ises. I have no secret alliances. I
(Continued on page eighty