12 PAGES
TODAY
VOL. XXXV, No. 82
SHELBY, N. C. WEDN’DAY. JULY 10. 1929
Published Monday, Wednesday, and Friday Afternoons
By mail, per year (in advance) $3.50
Carrier, per year (In advance) $3.00
LATE NEWS
North Carolina partly cloudy to
night and Thursday probably local
thundershower!) in southwest por
tion- Not quite so warm tonight In
central portion.
Star Extra Tells Of Verdict.
Forty minutes after the tele
graphic dispatch was received from
The Star's correspondent Ernest
Jackson attending the King mur
der trial In Chester, The Star was on
the streets with an extra. Sixteen
hundred copies were sold in Shelby
and suburbs, in Kings Mountain
and to hundreds of farm people In
town waiting for the verdict. The
Star’s fast press printed the first
1JM0 copies in five minutes, beat
Ing any other state paper on the
•‘reels with an extra.
The Markets.
Cotton, per pound .
Colon Seed, per bu.
The Weather.
County Teams
Begin Season
Next Saturday
Doublr-Header Staged At Shelby
Park. Lily Mill Replaces
Shelby Mill.
At a largely attended meeting of
those interested in the County
Baseball league, held In the office
of The Cleveland Star last night,
final plans for the opening of the
league season next Saturday were
discussed and perfected and num
erous important details received the
attention of the various club man
agers, constituting the league di
rectors.
At last night's meeting Shelby
mill reported that it was not able
to take membersliip as had been
hoped, but representatives of Lily
.mills were in attendance and said
they would be glad to take over the
franchise held by Shelby mill and
accordingly Lily mill was substitut
ed for Shelby mill in the league
membership.
Forfeits Posted.
The eight clubs making up the
circuit last night posted with J. ft.
Robinson, league president. the
sum of $25 each for their faithful
completion of the league playing
season and the observance of ail
league rules. At the same time, they
posted with the league head the
lists of them players, the club* be
ing allowed 14 players each, but
with the playing membership limit
ed to those employed in Cleveland
county. It was agreed that four
double-headers will be played cm
Saturdays, beginning at 2:30 o’clock
and that the four teams playing on
the Shelby grounds will equally di
vide the gate receipts of those con
test*.
Agreement was entered into with
the officials in charge of the high
school baseball park under which
the clubs will pay jointly the sum
of $7.50 for the double-headers
staged on that ground. Efforts will
be made to repair the fence and
improve the playing field prior to
the first game next Saturday after
noon.
It was decided at last night’s
meeting that the various clubs will
be allowed six complimentary tickets
each for all games p’ayed, these'
tickets to be used as the various
managers may see fit.
Each club will be required to fur
nish all balls used at horns games
and the clubs will be required to
hive not less than four new balls
before any game sha’l begin. The
balls remain their property.
Own Umpires.
Each club will furnish one umpi:e
and one official score keeper and
decision was reached that all of
ficial'score keepers will be required
to ifurnish The Cleveland Star with
a copy of the official score on the
same Saturday afternoon or night
that* the game is played. Compen
sation for the officers will be ad
justed by the various managers to
suit themselves.
President Robinson uttered a word
of warning in urging the clubs to
obtain the best men in their various
communities to serve as umpires
He said that much of the success
of the league would depend upon
what manner of men are chosen for
this duty.
Playing Schedule.
The president and those w ho are
lf> assist him in the undertaking
urw expected to complete the entire
playing schedule some time this
week and it will be published hi
this newspaper in. plenty of time
for the second series of games.
The league is now composed of
th* following. East side, Knob Creek.
Cleveland cloth mill. Union. Lily
mill, Bolling Springs, Lawndale,
Dover-Ora.
The following is the playing sche
dule for next Saturday, July 13:
Eastside versus Lawndale in first
game of double-header at Shelby
park: Boiling Springs versus Dover
Ora in second game at same park
Cleveland cloth mill versus Union
Union and Lily mill versus Knob
Creek.
KING SENTENCED TO DIE IN CHAIR ON SEPT. 20
Greensboro Selected
By Spanish War Vets
As Next Encampment
Captain Henry W. Edmonds Of Charlotte Is
New Commander For North Carolina;
Barbecue Dinner And Parade Are Closing
Features.
Selection of Greensboro as the place of the 1930 meet
ing and the election of Capt. Henry W. Edmonds of Char
lotte as the new department commander for North Carolina
featured the closing session here yesterday of the 1929 en
campment North Carolina United Spanish War veterans.
Other officers elected at the closing session in addition to
Capt. Edmonds were: Senior vice commander. Milford W.
Haines. Tarboro; junior vice commander, Capt.-S. O. Smith,
Asnevme.
Many Resolutions.
The closing day’s session of the.
encampment was occupied princi
pally with routine matters and re
ports of committees. Seventeen res
olutions were adopted dealing with
various matters, the important ones
of these covering the following
subjects: Endorsement of a na
tional defense program; approval of
the efforts made by the president
of the United States to enforce all
laws; a recommendation that all
bureaus working for the relief of
veterans of all wars be consolidated;
recommendation to the North Car
olina legislature that more atten
tion be paid in the public schools
to a study of the Spanish-Ameri
can war and Its causes.
Major Charles W. Montgomery of
Charlotte presented resolutions
aimed at bolshcvist activities in
North Carolina, with particular ref
erence to the textile strikes.
Telegrams were read to the con
vention from Clyde R. Hoey of
Shelby, unable to be present for the
meeting; from Josephus Daniels of
Raleigh and from John J. Murphy
of Washington, national department
quartermaster, in which they all ex- j
pressed deep regret that they could
not be in attendance.
street raradr.
The street parade through the
principal business streets of Shelby,
although badly delayed by the vet
erans’ business program being so
lengthy, was enjoyed by thousands
of people, every street being lined
with humanity. The convention
came to a formal close with a bar
becue dinner served at Cleveland
Springs hotel to all delegates and
members of their families.
Colors Presented.
The Tuesday morning session of
the encampment was called to order
in the Cleveland county court hou;c
shortly after 10 o'clock, with W. J.
Thurmon of Wilmington, acting de
partment commander, as the pre
siding officer. The program was
opened with the singing of “Amer
ica” after which the colors were
presented, these being the personal
gift of the deceased commander, J.
C. Benjamin. The colors were ac
cepted by Gen. Stephen N. Harris
and the audience stood in silent
prayer for one minute as a tribute
to the deceased officer.
The report of the resolutions com
mittee excited much interest and
precipitated spirited debate in a
number of instances, but a majority
of these were adopted as introduced.
The association by a close vote
imposed a registration fee of 50
cents per delegate to be in force
from this time forward at all future
state encampments, the funds de
(Continued on page twelve.)
Sidelights
ON THE
King Case
Not in many months has there
been as much public Interest mani
fested in any event as a as displayed
by the people of Shelby following
the conclusion of te King trial at
Chester. There were telephone
calls without number made to The
-Star office and the newspaper of
fice was bombarded by visitors seek
ing to learn the latest.
• • •
Interest in the event was by no
means confined to the men Qf the
city and county, since many of the
telephone calls made to this office
were in feminine voices and many
of the visitors calling in person
were ladies. The ladies appeared
to be as keenly interested as the
men.
Numerous Shelby people were
heard to remark that they would
have been glad to make the Journey
from here to Chester had they con
sidered that there was any bare
possibility of a chance to hear Hon.
Clyde R. Hoey make his arpumen t
before the South Carolina jury. Mr.
Hoey's address is declared by the
newspaper men “coevring” the trial
to have been a masterpiece of ora
tory. It is said that it was the fin
est oratorical attempt ever pre
sented in a South Carolina court
room.
The Shelby public, while some
local citizens appeared to feel the
newspapers had beeif a bit biased
and prejudiced against King, all
agreed that the press of this sec
tion had ‘'covered” the trial Just
about as completely as was human
ly possible. It would be difficult to
estimate the number of words con
cerning the trial sent out by tele
graph, telephone, mall and 'courier
from Chester to all newspapers In
North and South Carolina, as well
as to more distant points.
WILL CELEBRATE HIS
BIRTHDAY JULY 14TH
J. B. Porter will celebrate his
birthday at his home five miles
east of Shelby on July 14. Everybody
is invited to attend with well filled
baskets.
Casar Suicide Wanted Lovers
Letters And Picture On Heart
Miss Beatrice Pruett, young 16
year old Casar girl who fatally shot
herself in the forehead at her home
Sunday afternoon, left a letter di
recting when and where the funeral
should be held, the songs that should
sung and asked that the love letters
and picture of her Icier who mar
ried another girl on July 4, be placed
over her heart In the casket. This
letter reads as follows.
“Well mama, I cannot stay
here any longer because the only
one I ever loved to gone. But
mama, please don r, think I am
crazy for I am not. I just can’t
learn to love anyma else. And
mama I want Vat.gie and
Sharon to be lwo of the flower
girls and I want them to be
dressed in white. I want to be
buried in white. Uk and the
songs I want sung are "In a
Land Where We’ll Never Grow
Old.’’ "There's No Disappoint
ment In Heaven" ar.d "Awake
in Jesus" and be sure and let
Marion know it, Tel; him that
I did It to save liim, for his
love I could not lend. Well,
good luck to you ill. Do not
bury me until Tuesday at 3
o'clock and let Ruby v Bum
gardner know It.
"Place his watch and brace
let on my arm and place both
of his pictures a id his letters
over my heart, then I will know
we will never part'.”
Asheville Man
Hurt In Wreck;
2 Youths Held
\. S. Moore Taken To Hospital
Kollo win* Collision Mondar
Afternoon.
Following an automobile accident
on the Shelby-Ashevllle highway
about 6 o'clock Monday evening, A,
S. Moore, railway car inspector
whose home is in Ashevillie, was
taken to a Shelby hospital lor
treatment while John Hill and
"Peaches’ Smith, young men nf
Kings Mountain, were placed in
the Cleveland county jail. Charges
were lodged against the defendants
of driving an automobile in a reck
less manner and operating an auto
mobile while under the influence of I
whisky.
Bond was posted foi the two I
Kings Mountain youths, one of
whom is said to be the scion of a
prominent and wealthy family
there, Hill being required to furnish
bail in the siSh of >500 and Smitn
in the sum of $100.
Reports made to the office of
Sheriff Allen indicate that a ear
driven by L. L. Merchant of Ashe
ville and one driven by Hill were
both going from this city to Ashe
ville, Mr. Moore being an occupant
of the Merchant car. When at rv
point about six miles ftom this city,
it is alleged that the Kings Moun
tain youths attempted to pass the
Merchant car at a high rate, of
speed and struck the other vehicle
Mr. Moore was badly hurt and the
Merchant car damaged while the
Kings Mountain car Jumped across
a six-foot ditch but was not badly
damaged.
Mr. Moore was brought to the
Shelby hospital where It was ascer
tained that he had suffered very
painful, though not necessarily seri
ous, injuries to his back and it is
probable that he will be incapacitat
ed lor some time. No hearing of
the case against the Kings Moun
tain defendants will be attempted
until such time as’the injured man
is able to appear.
Rotes Prey To
Kiwanis Club
Exciting Baseball Game At City
Parrk Results In Score
Of 15 To Z.
xn a game marrea Dy no casualties
but watched with keenest Interest
by the supporters of the two teams,
the Shelby Kiwanis club defeated
the Rotary club at the Shelby
baseball park yesterday afternoon
by the decidedly decisive score ot
15 to 2. The contest went only
seven innings, and had it been a
full nine inning affair it is prob
able that some of the players would
have been confined to their beds
today, if not under hospital treat
ment, due to their extreme physi
cal efforts.
George Moore, who in his more
youthful days was a star flinger for
the Wake Forest college team, was
on the mound for the Kiwanians
and pitched stellar ball, while Oliver
Anthony did the receiving. Pitch
ing duties for the Rotarians were
shared between Charles Hubbard and
Dean Duncan and the catching for
the Rotes was done by Dr. Schenck
and C. B. McBrayer. The medico
suffered an injury to one of his
digits and had to retire from the
game.
Horace Grigg for the Kiwanians
wielded a mighty bat. smiting three
long ones to distant parts of the
field and he enacted the role of
Babe Ruth to the entire satisfac
tion of the Kiwanis supporters.
J. R. Robinson was umpire-in
chief of the fray and he was ably
aided and abetted In this particular
by A1 Bennett and Ed Post. Con
trary to general expectations, no
efforts were made to commit may
hem upon the official arbiters.
The attendance w'as fairly good
although the Spanlsh-American
Vip.r veterans, in whose honor the
aflair was arranged, were conspicu
ous by their absence.
Bel wood Scouts Plan
Outing On Thursday
Boy Scouts belong to the Bel
wood troop are asked to meet at
the Belwood school house Thurs
day afternoon at 4 o’clock to plan
for an outing at Lakeview. All
scouts are urged to attend and be
in regulation uniform.
Facing Electrocution, But
Rate King Remains Calm
Mr». Faye WiUon King Who W&» Found
Dead In 'An Outhouse On January 25th
Magazine Used Court
House Night Scene
The picture of the Cleveland
county court house at night with the
flood of electric lights illuminating
the sidewalls and shrubbery was
made into the cover for a magazine
issued by Crouse and Hinds com
pany, of Syracuse. N Y Under
neath is the title "Moonbeams in
th* Night," .1 very striking title loi
the beautiful night scene, showing
the berutiful court house through
the trees with the moon shining ir
the'background.
The cover page of this magazinf
was sent to The Star by Archit
Galloway, now advertising managei
of the Henry County Bulletin, e
newspape rpublished at Martinsville
Va. Mr Galloway formerly lived ir
Shelby and was advertising niann
| cer of Gilmers department store.
MOTION FOR NEW
TRIAL IS DENIED
BV JUDGE HENRY
Defendant Manifests No Emotion As He
Hears Words Of Jurist. Appeal Will Be
Taken To South Carolina Supreme Court
By Defense Attorneys. Jury Deliberated
Only Brief Period.
(By ERNEST JACKSON.)
(Special Star Correspondent.)
Court House. Chester, S. C.. July 10. (10:45.)—Rafe King,
convicted here late yesterday of the murder of his wife, was
sentenced by Judge J. K. Henry here today to die in the elee
Iric chair at Columbia. Friday, September 20.
Sentence was passed after Judge Henry had overruled the
notion of the defense for a new trial.
Calm and composed. King went in the prisoner's dock at
':50 and never flinched when he heard his doom pronounced.
While making no announcement in open court at this hour,
'efense attorneys said an appeal to the slate supreme court
would be made for a new trial.
Notice Of Appeal Is Given.
Attorneys Clyde R. Hoev and B. T. Falls, Shelby lawyers
who were strong counsel for the defendant, came to Shelby
last night and consequently were not in court this morning
to argue for a new' trial, leaving that to their associate coun
sel.
Both Hocy and Falls stated this morning that since the
motion for a new trial was not granted by Judge Henry, no
tice of appeal to the supreme court was made, which is the
last resort to save King from the electric chair.
Exceptions to certain evidence were taken a number of
times during the trial and at the close exceptions were noted
to the jury charge by Judge Henry, so the defendant counsel
will go before the supreme court in October, or late fall in
the hope of getting a new trial.
The appeal to the supreme court of course stays the execu
tion of King, September 20, until a decision can be reached
from that higher tribunal. Both Hoey and Falla are confid
ent that they can win a new trial before the supreme court.
( ourf Room. Chester, 8 July 9 (6:45),—“Guilty,” wb«
the verdict rendered by the jury at 6:27 this evening in the
Rafe King murder case.
•Tour honor will please note a motion for a new trial and
we would like a time fixed now for hearing the motion,” said
Thomas F. McDow of King's counsel.
Judge Henry Named 9:30 in the morning as the time fo?
hearing arguments on the motion.
HOLDS IRON NERVE.
King’s iron nerve and composure did not desert him when
the verdict was read. After hearing it he even smiled slight
ly.
His father W. Pink King, who was seated immediately back
of him gave him a warm hand clesp and said something in
an undertone that no one else could hear.
The jury indicated at 6:05 its desire to report a verdict,
but Judge Henry had left the courtroom and had to he sum
moned from his home.
The verdict carries with it a sentence of death in the elec
tric chair. The notice of an appeal for a new trial automati
cally stayed the imposing of the death sentence by Judge
Henry. * * *
The courtroom was jammed when the verdict was read
Gentleman of the jury have you agreed on a verdict, in
qlured Clerk of Court J. E. Cornwell, after everything was
ready for hearing the jury g decision. •
“We have,” announced R. L. Crook, foreman.
The verdict was then handed the clerk of the court whd
read it m the mist of breathless silence.
^ No demonstration occurred when the verdict was announc
Jurors reported they discussed the case for an hour before
endeavoring to reach a decision. On the first ballot, eight
stood for conviction for first degree and four for recommend
ing mercy. On the second, the count was 10 and two and on
the third j^was unanimous.
Charge By Judge Occupied Hour
Chester, S. C., July 9.—The jury
in the King murder case retired at
4:06 this afternoon to deliberate op
a verdict. Judge Henry’s charge oc
cupied an hour and four minutes.
Whtu the verdict will be returned
is purely a matter of conjecture.
Judge Henry’s charge to the jury
was a comprehensive explanation of
the law applying to the case. In
plain but forceful anguage he de
fined murder and manslaughter.
He gave illustrations of many of the
points he brought out.
For the state to convict a man of
murder, he said it was necessary to
prove a motive for the crime.
Discussing circumstantial evi,
dence, Judge Henry said there are
three principles governing evidence
of this kind. These are:
(1) The circumstances must be
established to a moral certainty.
(2) The circumstances must oe
consistent with each other. One
must not point one way and one
another way.
(3) They must all potnt not only .
in one direction bat must point so
unerringly to the guilt of the de
fendant as to leave room for no
other reasonable conclusion. ' '
(4) Judge Henry told the jury
he could not comment on the testi
mony. he could only lay down the
law.
The courtroom was jammed to
capacity throughout the charge.
Rate King, seated beside his sister.
Mrs. Moss, of Shelby, showed no
signs of nervousness during the
charge nor when the jury retired.
Persons who have heard the en
tire trial have expressed the opinion
that the defendant’s chances for
acquittal were much better after
the eloquent and masterful argu
ment to the jury this morning by
Clyde R. Hoey. of Shelby. It was
said by hundreds .to be the vNett
effort of the kind they had ever
hear. Mr. Hoey was kept btfcy
durian? the noon recess
jing congratulations.
acknowledge
v "