16 PAGES
TODAY
VOL. XXX VI. No. 49
SHELBY. N. C.
WEDNESD’Y, APR. 23. 1930
Published Monday, Wednesday and Friday Afternoons.
By mall, per year On advance) $2.50
Cariler, per year <i nadvance) $3.00
Section Two Of Today’s Star Gives A Complete Review Of Cleveland County’s Modern School System
LA TE NEWS
THT MARKET.
Cotton, per lb. __........... 16c
Cotton Seed, per bn._43 He
Cloudy Thursday.
Today’s North Carolina Weather
Report: Partly cloudy and slightly
colder In east portion tonight, 'l'hurs.
day cloudy.
Shelby Highs Schedule.
The Shelby highs schedule for
the title series which was Mxed Iasi
night and other baseball news will
be found on page two of this is
sue.
, Death List Growing
Columbus, O., April 22.— The State
of Ohio today pushed forward Us
investigation into one of the most
gruesome prison disasters in history
—the death-dealing fire which rip
ped up through the west cell block
of the state penitentiary last night.
While Governor Myers V Cooper’s
committee of inquisition questioned
witnesses today, the death list stood
definitely at 319, with four of the
231 injured convicts reported as hav
ing little chance of life.
Hays To Preach
At Fallston For
School Finals
One Of Best Years In History.
Twenty Graduates. Senior
Flay Saturday.
(Special to The Star.)
Fallston, April 22.—A prelimin
ary Investigation reveals that Fall
ston school has had one of the
best years in it* history in
point of the attendance in spite
of the fact that the past year
-< was adverse to good attendance. It
will be interesting to compart the
increase In attendance with the
percentage of promotions at the
end of the year. One may also be
able to estimate the amount of
money saved or lost according to
the decrease or Increase in promo
tions.
The elementary grades will show
an average daily attendance of 89
percent based on monthly enroll
. ment. The high school will show
an average of 94 percent. The aver
■ age for the entire school will be
90 percent.
The increase In attendance and
regularity is an evidence of the in
creasing Interest and faith in the
worth of education for future as
well as present living. The import
ance of attendance has been kept
before. the public constantly
through printed matter produced
with a Multistamp in our school.
Fallston people have responded
nobly, and we are not going to
conjecture about what they will do
next year. Fallston community has
the habit of getting a little better
(CONTINUED ON PAGE TWO )
Hear Love Triangle
Killing Case Here
Attorney* To Seek Bond For Mar
ganton Woman In Shelby
Hearing.
■ - ;
A habeas corpus hearing will be
held in Shelby some day this week
before Judge James L. Webb with
the aim cf securing bond for Mrs
Florence Benton, young Morganton
woman, who is being held in jail n
Burke county in connection with the
death of her husband.
W. M. Adanjs, Hickory meat sales
man, who has been involved in the
love triangle which resulted in the
death last week of Mrs. Benton s
husband, was released under bond
but Mrs. Benton was returned to jail
The plea for the habeas corpus pro
ceeding was made to Judge by the
woman’s attorneys, B. J. Hatcher, of
Morganton, and i^yton McSwain, of
Shelby.
First Hearing.
Morganton, April 22.—At the pre
liminary hearing given Mrs. Flor
ence Benton and her alleged lover,
W. M. Adams of Hickory, in the
county recorder’s court here this aft •
emoon, Mrs. Benton was ordered
held in jail without bail and Adams
was allowed to give bend 'n the sum
of $1,000 for appearance at the
August term of Burke superior
court, the couple being charged
with responsibility in connection
with the death of the woman’* hus
band, John Benton, which occurred
just a week ago today.
The defense,t thougn contending
that Benton committed suicide, re
lied entirely on cross-examination
of the state's witnesses to establish
the claim and introduced no wit
nesses at the hearing. Neighbors o'
the Bentons figured largely in the
hearing this afterhoon. **
Mrs. Bentcn is a small, not un
attractive woman, a decided bru
nette and of some vivacity. She ap
pears to be still in her twenties, is
already the mother of two small
children and an expectant mot he. !
She seemed fairly composed thi;
afternoon and accepted the return
to jail rather stoically.
Adams was apparently much more
agitated than the woman.
Official Shelby Population Of 10,867 Announced
Colored Workers On Strike At Oil Mill
Mill Runs On
With New Hands
Operating Plant
Police Patrol Area
At Shift Time
' a borers In Fertilizer Plant Pick
Bad Time To Walk Out. Others
Want Work.
About 25 or 30 colored labor
ers at the fertilizer plant of the
local Southern Cotton Oil com
pany stared a strike for hlrher
Wages yesterday afternoon, and
before the day was over learned
to their grief that it is a poor
time to go on a strike when
scores of other laborers are look
ing for jobs at almost any price.
Capt. J. Frank Jenkins, manager
of the plant, stated today that the
plant would continue to operate
with new workers and that plenty
of laborers were avail' 3 '
the places of those who walked out
In Fertllier Plant.
The walk-out was staged in the
fertilizer plant, and without ad
vance notice, or even a request for
better wages, it was said. The 25 or
30 hands, who walked out, worked
until nocn yesterday but did not re
turn to their Jobs at 1 in the after
noon. It was then that officials of
the plant asked them if they were
not going to go back on the job, the
workers replying, it is said, that “we
will for 50 cents more a day.”
It was then that they were told
that none of them would be needed
any longer in that they walked out
without asking for a wage raise in
advance.
Colored laborers were secured
about the city and from nearby
farms and last night the fertilizer
plant ran on as usual. The workers
in the oil mill, however, wpre trans
ferred to the fertilizer plant and the
oil mill did not operate last night
With added laborers today the plant
was operating as usual.
Came Back.
Police Chief McBride Poston had
the oil mill area patrolled yesterday
afternoon, last night and this morn
ing to prevent any trouble should
those who walked out show a dispo
sition to interfere with new hands
going on the night force. No trou
ble, however, developed as the o'd
hands who did not strike and the
new hands went to work last night
This morning, it was said, that a
number of those walking out re
turned to the plant and evinced a
desire to return to work, but were
informed that they were not need
ed.
The workers walking out for higli
(CONTINUED ON PAGE TWO.I
Temple Station Under
New Owners Now
The Temple Service Slat ion, loca
ted next to the Mascnic Temple on
East Warren street, is this week be
ing operated under new manage
ment. The station, formerly operat
ed by Mr. T. B. DePriest, is now op
erated by Messrs. J. A. and M. C
Adams with the latter in charge as
service manager. Mr. Adams states
that the station is fully equipped to
render first-class automobile ser
vice in all departments.
Mrs. Yarbrough
Gets In Race
Present County Treasurer Announces
Her Candidacy For Office
Again .
Mrs. Mary E. l'arbrough, pres
ent treasurer of Cleveland
county, today announced that
she would be a candidate for re
election subject to the Demo
cratic primary in June.
In announcing, the county's first
woman to hold office states that
she will follow her campaigning cus
tom of the past—which is to say
that she will remain in tier office
attending her duties as treasurer
and will leave her candidacy to the
voters.
Her announcement reads: "I wish
to announce that I am a candidate
for re-election to the office of
Treasurer of Cleveland county. Th1;
duties of this office demand all of
my time and attention, and I can
not, therefore, take part in an ac
tive campaign. My record is my
platform.
■“I am grateful for this opportun
ity to thank the people for the con
fidence and loyal support which
they have given me”
Since taking office as treasurer
Mrs. Yarbrough has seen the book
keeping methods of the office trans
former from the old antiquated
style into the modem and efficient
system used by all up-to-date firms,
the the present system used, being
established through the cooperation
of the commissioners, was not long
since termed by the State Advisory
Commission as one of the most com
plete checks kept by any county in
the state on the county’s income and
expenditures
Miss Georgia Lutz announced for
this office some time past.
Want Home For Baby
Girl In The County
A dimpled six-months old baby
girl wants a home!
J. B. Smith, county welfare of
ficer, stated today that such a
youngster is now in the care of ths
welfare department to be placed
with some responsible family. The
little girl is healthy and aparently
bright mentally, but due to unfor
tunate conditions her mother is un
able to support her.
Mayor Says Shelby Motorists
Must Stop Dashing To Fires
Practice Followed Here Delays Fire
fighting And Endangers, Proper
ty, Lives.
Hereafter when the fire siren
sounds In Shelby motorists will
clear the streets for the fire
trucks and automobiles carry
ing firemen or they are likely to
be arrested by city officers, ac
cording to a statement by Mayor
S. A. McMurry.
Many Shelby motorists dash
in their cars before the fire
trucks or just behind them and
ahead of the cars carrying vol
unteer firemen the minute the
fire siren sounds. This oractice,
the mayor says after iiremen
have complained, delays the
firemen getting to a fire, puts
them at a greater handicap once
they reach a blare, and also en
dangers human life and prop
erty. The fire trucks, it is ex
plained, must travel rapidly and
the fire risk is much greater
when they must slow down at
corners, street interceptions, and
along the streets to keep from
hitting motorists who should
pull to the curb and give right
away Likewise there is the dan
ger of the trucks or cars carry
ing firemen striking pedestrians
or bystanders as they swerve to
prevent crashes with automobil
es which cet in the way and are
not carrying firefighters.
There is a city ordinance
against bloc'.Jng the path of
firefighters, and hereafter it ’Ji
urged that motorists puli to the
curb and remain there until the
trucks and volunteer firemen's
cars get by. Arrests will be made,
if violations continue.
Auxiliary Of
Presbyterians
Here Thursday
Between 75 And 100
Women To Attend
Kings .Mountain Presbytcrlal Aux
iliary Here Two Days. Program
Is Outlined.
The twenty-third annual meeting
of the Kings Mountain Presbyteria!
auxiliary, embracing the Presbyter
ian women's work In Gaston, Lin
coln, Cleveland, Rutherford and
Polk counties, will be held in the
Shelby Presbyterian church Thurs
day and Friday or tills week.
Every church In this district is ex
pected to send representatives to
this annual meeting. The women >1
the local auxiliary will be hostesses
of the 75-100 visitors who will at
tend. Homes have been secured for
all who may desire to remain In
Shelby Thursday night. Lunch will
be served at the church both days
of the meeting. For the other meal*
the visitors will be accorded hospi
tality in homes of the local congre
gation. Thorough preparation has
been made by the women of the
Shelby church for the entertain
ment of the visiting women and the
usual Shelby* hospitality will be
abundantly manifested.
The officers of the Presbyteria!
are: President, Mrs. Coit M. Robin
son. Lowell; vice-president, Mrs. C
E. Neisler, Kings Mountain; secre
tary, Mrs,. Claude Utmaru. Lawell:
treasurer, Mrs. Fred Rhyne, Stanley:
historian, Mrs. J. A. Lore, LlncoKi
ton. Every phase of the Presbyterian
progressive program is covered in
the activities of the organization.
The Thursday morning session
will be devoted to the reports, with
other reports and Bible study In the
afternoon. Thursday evening there
will be a pageant, the birthday ob
jective and an address or> foreign
missions by Rev. R. D. Bedtr.ger.
Friday morning’s session will be de
voted to personal evangelism topics,
a revision of the constitution, arid
orphanage reports. Friday afternoon
officers will be elected and the
Lord's Supper observed.
Local people who will participate
in the program include Rev. H. N
McDiarmid, Shelby Presbyterian
pastor; Mrs. Harry Speck, Mrs
Shovine Beam, Mrs. Dale Kalter
Mrs. E. Yates Webb, and Mrs. W. F
Mitchell.
Shelby School
Orchestra Off
For State Meet
To Greensboro 24th
For Contests
Band, Orchestra, Tonne Musicians
To Compete In State Music
Contests.
The Shelby high school band,
which won the class B champion
ship of the state in 1929, the high
school orchestra, and individual
musicians representing the school
will leave Shelby Thursday morn
ing tor Greensboro where they will
again participate under Prof. W. T.
Sinclair in the state high school
musical contests.
Last year In addition to taking
first honors with the band, 8helby
'Won two other honors, John Best.
Jr., winning third place in the
trumpet solo, and Ed Smith third
place in the trombone solo.
Go By Train.
* About 80 Shelby students will
make the trip, it is stated by Supt.
B, L. Smith, these students com
prising the band, orAestra, a
gbiixed chorus and several soloists.
A Special train over the South
ern from Shelby to Greensboro
will be operated according to Ver
non Proctor of the local Southern
railway office. The train will leave
at 5 o'clock Thursday morning and
will reach Greensboro at 9:30 in
the morning, returning after the
contests Frida*. The special round
trip fare will be $2, he states, and
'll for those under 1* years of age,
and it is expected that a majority
of the Shelby children together
witji some of their parents and
friends will go on the special.
OVER 6,000 STARS.
Over 6,000 copies of this is
NK of .The Star will be printed
it today since it contains a
section devoted to the school life
of Cleveland county and its 15,
000 school children. Five thous
and copies go to the regular
subscribers, while the other 1,
000 copies will be distributed
through school channels by the
varloups principals. Extra copies
may be had at The Star office
at five cents per copy as long
as they last.
Hundred And Sixty Graduate In
Consolidated Schools Of County
New Strawberries
Are Reported Here
This Is just one of those tasty
little Items that go along with
springtime—or, rather, one of
those little items that make
spring what it is.
Two South Shelby ladies yes
terday reported that they had
strawberries from their own gar
dens on their dinner tables. They
were Mrs. Sam Morrison and
Mrs. Wilbur Shytle.
Added Penalty On
Taxes Next Month
Four Percent Then On Unpaid
County Taxes. Begin Advertis
ing In May.
A four percent penalty on all un
paid taxes in Cleveland county will
go into effect on May 1, it was an
nounced by Sheriff Irvin Allen, tax
collector, in compliance with the
'state law.
In May, too, all unpaid taxes will
be advertised in the newspaper for
sale on Monday, June 2.
Taxes paid between the present
date and the end of the day ->n
Thursday, May 1, will oe under the
three percent penalty.
Mg Portion Collected.
To date Sheriff Allen ard his as
.istants have collected a big portion
| of the county taxes, there remain
j ing to be collected only seventy some
i thousand dollars of the $4S«.00n ‘o
tai tax lew.
L .. .
Interesting: Facts About Cleveland
County Schools Given In Paper
Today.
The Cleveland county rchool sys
tem, which is teaching over 15,000
school children, is portrayed in to
day’s issue or The Star, second sec
tion. The section is sponsored by the
county board or education and the
school masters club, giving a briet
history or each rural consolidated
school and showing in pictures the
splendid school buildings built with
an eye to comfort and conveniences,
rather than for show and appear
ance. The pictures show school
buildings at Shelby and Kings
Mountain but these facts and figur
es include only rural schools.
Turn to this section and read it
through. You will find such inter
esting facts as these: That there are
1,029 enrolled in the rural consoli
dated high schools of the county
This does not include the high
school enrollment in Shelby and
Kings Mountain;
That 160 are to be graduated this
year from these 12 consolidated
, schools;
That there are now employed 199
white school teachers and 63 colored
teachers in the rural schools;
That there has been a 100 per cent
increase in enrollment in the rura!
schools in the past seven years;
That the school tax rate is only
54c against 60c last year;
That there are still seven white
one-teacher schools in the county:
And many other interesting pic
tures and facts which should cause
! you to preserve this copy for the fu« 1
tore.
J
Lindberghs Set New Record
.ikSk .V .v,i. xm
Charfe* and Mrs. Lindbergh in
flying toft standing before
their monoplane jaet before
bopping off at the break of
dawn for a one-stop flight to
Mow York. They roared out of
- the West with a new speed
record for * trans continental
flight and landed at Roosevelt
Field, L. I., 14 honrs and 45
minutes after their take-off
from Glendale, Cal,
(tnUroatlsnal N*w«r*«l>
More Than 300 Prisoners Die
In Tragic Ohio Prison Blaze
Overcrowded Penitentiary Scene Of One Of
World’s Greatest Fire Tragedies.
Columbus, Ohio.—The lives of
317 Ohio penitentiary convicts were
snuffed out by flame and smoke
while they were looked in their
cells Monday night, according to
the official casualty count made
Tuesday state officials.
One hundred and thirty other
prisoners were in the penitentiary
hospital and a score of these were
in a critical conditions from burns
and from smoke they inhaled
while fire raged in parts of four
cell blocks.
The penitentiary housed 4.300
convicts, some.2,500 above the cap
acity for which it was intended
when the fire, believed of incen
diary origin, and fanned by a stiff
wind, swept through the upper
tiers of the four blocks, spreading
death and suffering in its wake.
The flames were discovered short
ly before 5:30 p. m. Within several
hours the fire had been brought
under control but the suffocating
smoke continued to take its toll
among the convicts. In the ad
joining cell blocks men screamed
to be released. And when the pri
son officials capitulated to their de-,
mands the wide penitentiary yard
became a streaming mass of gray I
clothed men.
Freed Convicts Violent.
Before two hours had passed this
mass of men, picking their way
among the countless bodies spread
over the yard, became a threaten
ing menace. Some of them cut the
fire hose which continued to play
upon flames that spread to the
prison cotton and woolen mills.
Others hurled stones and slugged
the guards that were trying to
(CONTINUED ON PAGE TWO.)
Lattimore Finals
Are Now Underway’
Class Day Exercises Yesterday.
Graduating; Exercises On Satur
day Afternoon.
The commencement program of
the Lattimore high school is now
underway with the class day exer
cises held last night, the grammar
grade program FYlday night, and the
annual address and graduating ex- j
ercises on Sturday.
Friday's Program,
On Friday night the grammar i
grades of the widely known Cleve
land county school will present on
operetta, two playlets, songs and
other entertainment.
Stevens Speaks.
Saturday morning at 11 o'clock
the annual address will be made by
Dr. B. A. Stevens, of the extension
division of the University of North
Carolina. His subject will be "Edu
cation the Purpose of Life.
There will be dinner on the
grounds at noon followed by the
graduating exercises at 2 in the aft- j
ernoon.
At 8 o'clock Saturday night the
class play, "College Hobo," will be
given.
Mr. and Mrs. Ed Allen, Mr. and
Mrs. Will Allen and Miss Ethelinde
Oates of Rock Hill, S. C., Mr. and
Mrs. F. P. Culbreth and family of
Charlotte, spent the week-end with
Mr. and Mrs. John Tucker at their
home on the Cleveland Springs
road. Miss Oates will remain over
for a few' days.
Unemployment Situation Better
Here, Says Welfare Officer Smith
Very Few Unemployed Families On
Charily List Now. Many Seek
Boy Worker.
The unemployment situation
in Shelby and Cleveland county
Is considerably better than it
was last winter and in the early
spring, according to J. B. Smith,
county welfare officer.
Mr. Smith, who is in position
to know because practically all
charity work is handled through
his department, says that there
are a smaller nnmber of fami
lie* on the county welfare Ust
due to unemployment than In
many months During the late
winter months Shelby and sec
tion had more charity appeals
than in many years previous
due to a shortage of work, but
with spring farm work opening
up and quite a bit of construc
tion work underway scores have
received employment in recent
weeks.
An indication of the change i
was demonstrated late last week.
The welfare, officer had in his
City Gains
Over 7,000
Since 1920
Ward Three Largest ,
In The City
Official Government Count
Runs Copulation Higher
Than Thought.
The population of Shelby is
10,867 people, according to
the official count of Uncle
Sam’s decennial census an
nounced here t his morning by
‘Mr. Howard Camnitz, who
has charge of the govern
ment census work in Cleve
land county under Mr. W. H.
Barkley, of Hickory, district
supervisor.
The official census figures
wer* not anticipated this
early in view of the fact that
the actual census-taking in
the city was not completed
until Tuesday. Mr. Camnitz
and his four assistants, how
ever, compiled their figures
and had them ready for pub
lication today.
Remarkable Gain.
The population of the city
shows a remarkable gain
since the last regular census
in 1920, or 10 years ago. This
is due in part to the extension
of the city limits made by the
general assembly in 1925. The
population in 1920 was 3,609
>eople, making a gain in the
10 years of 7,258 peope.
In the fall of 1925 the govern
ment made a special census, paid
for by the citfy, and the population
at that time was 8.890, which by
the new figures shows a gain of
1,977, nearly 2.000, in the five-year
period since and despite business
depression of recent months.
Ward Three Ahead.
Ward three with a population of
3,345 people has a slight lead over
ward one as the largest ward in the
ciyt.
The population by wards follows:
Ward One . _...3,407
Ward Two . _2,380
Ward Three . ......_3,435
Ward Pour . 1,645
Total . _.....10,887
Miss AUeen Costner was the cen
sus taker in ward one, Mrs. Ransom
Casstevens In ward two, Mrs. Har
ry Camnitz In ward three. and
Mrs. George Hoyle in ward four.
The four census-takers in the city
made rapid time and what is now
thought to be a very complete
count of the population, according
to County Supervisor Howard Cam
nitz.
Just when the complete census
figures for all of Cleveland county
will be ready for publication Mr.
Camnitz cannot say. „ Tine county
census-takers have the remainder
of the month in which to complete
their work, but it is said that three
or four additional workers may be
added to the 24 now working in
the county.
Willard get* Write-up
For Insurance Record
The current Issue of the monthly
magazine published by the North
American Accident Insurance com
pany carries a photo and a write
up of Mr. James S. Willard, of
Shelby, general agen£ of the com
pany. For eight consecutive months
Mr. Willard has been among the 10
leading policy sellers of the com
pany throughout the entire country
Only one other agent has been 111
the "Big Ten” for the same lengtd
of time. The She!by mans father
was also with the company, one of
the oldest In the country for 25
years.
Mauney Named.
! .
j Mr. Z. C. Mauney of Shelby, is the
nominee of this district for director
of tlie North Carolina Cotton Grow
ers Co-operative association.
Mr. Craig Hartgrove. of Ala
bama. is visiting relatives m (lie
city this week. tSl