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LA TE NEW:
THE MARKET
Cotton, per ib. 9!j to 10Vic
Cotton Seed, per ba. __34 tic
Fair And Warmer.
Today’s North Carolina Weather
Report: Fair tonight and Thursday.!
Rising temperature.
Daisy Gets Term.
Los Angeles, Feb. 11.—A five-year
term of probation, eighteen months
of which must be spent in the eoun- ,
ty Jail, was granted to Daisy Dc Bo* '
yesterday by Superior Judge Wil- |
liam Doran, who heard her trial for !
the theft of $825 from Clara Bow. j
The decision, which saved her from I
a possible term of one to ten yearsj
In prison, was preceded by a stern ■
reprimand. Judge Doran, speaking j
quietly and addressing his remarks'
directly to the blonde young wom
an, told her she was not only an
“embezzler,” but had committed a
serious breach of trust.
Bank Hearing i
Gets Case Of J
State Lawyers
—.— i
State Rests In Rutherford Cases. Is j
Director An Official Of
Bank?
Rutherfordton, Feb. 11.—Attorneys
for the defendants m the case of
five officers and directors of the de
funct Rutherford County Bank and
Trust company, being tried on
Charges of receiving deposits when
the bank was insolvent yesterdav
afternoon made a motion for non
suit after the state had rested.
Judge J. Hoyle Sink, presiding
„Ver superior court, icserved decis
ion on the motion. He was expected
to announce his ruling today
A point of law was argued as tc
one defendant, T. F. Oates, who was
a director of the defunct bank as to
whether or not he was an officer
The other four defendants are bott;
officers and directors. Attorneys for
the defense argued that a direct >f
was not an officer while the stats
claims that he was. This argument,
v. ill be resumed today. This was a
new point of law for this state, at
torneys stated.
Attorneys for the defense scored *»
point Tuesday when they showed
'hat some of the defendants ar
ranged to pey their notes and stoc’-r
assessments before warrants were j
ever issued, or soon after the bank
closed.
Five new witnesses went on the j
stand Tuesday. Mack Wiggins, state!
bank examiner, stated that in ha
opinion the bank was insolvent u
year before it closed. Dr. W. A.,
Thompson told about the value of
mill stock at Spindale that he was
interested in while John R, Wash
burn told about the value of Grace |
Mill stock, both stating that the
stock was under par value, in their
opinion. Such stock had been put
up by some of the defendants as
collateral on their loans at the bank
(CONTINUED ON PAGE TWO.)
Belwood Citizens
Give Plav To Aid
.Entertaining May Saturday Night
At Belwood School. Girl 111 With
Tuberculosis.
Who said it was a hard-hearted
world?
Recently an orphan girl of the
Belwood section of Cleveland coun
ty contracted tuberculosis and be
came a patient at the State Sana
torium. She must remain there for
some time to regain her health and
the people of the Belwood commun
ity Intend to defray her expenses
and at the same time give the resi
dents of the Belwood section a
worthwhile entertainment.
Saturday night at 7:3Q o'clock a
play, "The Minister’s Wife’s New
Bonnet," will be given at the Bel
wood school by the Woman's Mis
sionary Society of Kadesh church
and other citizens of the commun
ity. Proceeds from the evening’s en
tertainment will go to the orphan
girl in the sanatorium. Those who
cannot attend but wish to do a good
deed are n::ked to send in a small
contribution.
The cast in the amusing play,
which has been given there once
before, is made up of the following
people: Wilbur Lutz, Mrs. Wilbur
Lutz, Mrs. 8. A. Peeler, Mrs. George
Martin, Mrs. W. C. Edwards, Mrs.
Hugh Hoyle, Miss Martin, Mrs. R.
G. Dixon, Mrs. Walter Dixon, Prof.
A. C. Ledford, Hugh Hoyle, and Lee
McMurry.
This Farmer Will
Grow Own Foodstuff
The Star’s “grow-your-own food”
campaign is meeting with coopera
tive support already. Bate Blanton,
one of the county’s leading farmers,
states that he intends for his farm
to feed those who live upon it. He
is already planning to see that each
tenant is given a sack of seed po
tatoes as a start and that they are
started off likewise in other food
and feed crops as planting or sow
ing time comes along. *
County Indebtedness
8.7Percent Valuation
76 Counties Have
Higher Debt
Total Of $3.3«3 708 Includes All ,
County, City, Town And
School Debt.
The total public debt of
Cleveland county is S3 353,708, |
or only 8,7 percent of the as
sessed valuation of the coun
ty, according to figures eoni
pi'ed by the University New?
better.
Cleveland county ranks 24th
among the 100 counties of North
Carolina in public indebtedness fig
ured from the standpoint of tax
able wealth. That means that only
23 counties In the state have a larg
er percentage of indebtedness while
the percentage of indebtedness is
greater in 76 counties in North Car
olina. "'I
Covers Everything.
The total indebtedness • figures
given above include every pubic
debt in the county—countv debt,
special district, township and city
school debt, and city and town
debts. Tlie county debt is only
S505.450. one of the lowest in the
state. The total school indebted
ness, covering iTl city and rural
schools, is $1,129,957, while the in
debtedness of all cities and towns
in the. county other, than schools- is
$1,728 301.
One Neighbor Lower,
i Only one neighboring county has,
a lower percentage of indebtedness1
than Cleveland. That county is
Burke, where the public debt is!
only 7.ff percent ol the total valua
tion. Where Cleveland ranks 24th
in the state Gaston ranks 28th with
|8h indebtedness which is 9.2 per
cent of the total valuation. Lin
coln county re inks 49th with an in- }
debtedness which equals 11.3 'per
cent of the total wealth. Catawba |
ranks 52nd with an indebtedness
equivalent to 11.5 percent of the
county’s taxable wealth. Rutherford
county has the highest debt of any
county neighbo-ing Cleveland. The
total debt there Is $5(420,138, or 15.5
percent df the taxable wealth.
Over The State.
Of all the counties of North Car
olina, Currituck has the least pub
lic debt, which amounts to only 2.7
percent of the assessed valuation.
Carteret county is the worst oif!
with public indebtedness amounting
to 42.5 percent of the total proper
ty. Buncombe, Henderson and
Transylvania counties come next
with total public indebtedness of
more than twenty-eight percent
each.
Missionary Returns
To Field In China
j Rev. Wade Bostic who has been
making his home at Wake Forest
! college for a year or longer, w ill
sail March 5th for China to resume
his work in the foreign mission fleid
under the Baptist Mission Boa-d.
Mr. Bostic is a native of Shelby, but
has served for nearly thirty years
in the foreign field He is now on a
visit for a short while with his
daughter in Atlanta, Ga., before
taking steamer.
- __
Consolidation Of 23 Counties
Into 11 Recommended By Report
On Goverment In North Carolina \
Would Make Henderson And Polk
One, And Mitchell And
Avery One.
Raleigh, Feb. II.—Consolidation
of 23 North Carolina counties into
11 is suggested by the Brookingp re
port on county government in the
state, released by Governor O. Max
Gardner.
“It is our recommendation that a
careful study be madP of this ques
tion of county consolidation,” says
the report, “and to this end we are
listing certain specific instances in
which * • * it, is believed, such a
conrolidation could be made with
advantage.”
The following consolidations are
urged:
Cherokee and Clay counties, with
Murphy as county seat.
Graham and Swain counties, with
Br-sop Citv as county seat.
Mitchell and Avery, with Spruce
Pine as county seat.
Hehderson and Polk, with Hen
dersonville as county seat.
Alexander and Iredell counties,
with Statesville as county seat.
Stokes and Forsyth with Wtn
ton-Salem as county seat.
Caswell ani Person, with Roxboro
as county seat.
Hoke and Cumberland, with Fay
etteville as county seat.
Wilson and Green, with Wilson as j
county seat.
Chowan and Perquimans, with
Edenton as county seat.
Pasquotank, Camden and Curri
tuck, with Elizabeth City as coun
ty seat. j
If such consolidations were effect- j
ed North Carolina would become a:
state with 88 counties instead of its
prerent 100.
Suggests Uniform System.
The report also suggests a uniform
governmental system for the state’s
counties. The county government
[would be composed of the following
| units:
1. Board of county commissioners.
2. Department of finance.
3. Department of Justice.
4. Department of education.
5. Department of health.
i 6. Department of highways and
public works.
7. Department of welfare.
8. An audit department (state de
partment of local government finan
ces.)
“It is recognised that the people
of North Carolina are probably not
iravronra) on pAqb two «
Kills Hmself
As Wife Breaks
Leg In Flight
Morganton, Feb. 11.—Think
ing he had killed his wife who
fell off the porch and broke
her leg as she fled from hh
threatening advances Monday
Dock Franklin, whose home is
in the South Mountain sec
tion of Burke county, turned
the pistol on himself and fir
ed the full load through his
head dying instantly.
Red Cress Fund
Reaches $61.00
Montgomery Ward Gives *35. Miss
Toms And Mrs. Deberry
S5 Each.
To relieve the distress in the!
drought area, a total of $61 has been j
received by The Star on Cleveland
county’s quota toward the ten mil-!
lion dollars which the Red Crocs is ]
attempting to raise by public sub
scription in the United States.
No special effort has been made!
in Cleveland county, owing to thej
absence In Raleigh of Henry B. Ed
wards, the local Red Cross chair- J
man, but The Star has asked for!
voluntary gifts and the res ponce has
been very generous in view of the
existing calls in this community,
Previously acknowledged__ Siti
Montgomery Ward - 25
Miss Katie Mae Toms__ 5
Mrs. DeBerry , _... 5
Total to date_ $61
Officials of Montgomery Ward
and company announce that the big
mail order-retail firm is contribut
ing approximately $20,000 to the
Red Cross relief fund for drought!
sufferers In cash. This donation, in
stead of being made In a lump sum
from the administrative branch of
die business is being contributed Tn
various sums at each of the com
pany’s nine mail order houses and
560 retail stores. It Is estimated by
officials of the company that the
total contribution of the institution,
together with the voluntary contri
bution of employees to local
chapters of the Red Cross will ag
gregate about *30,000.
County Agent Back
After An Illness
Shoffner Back On Job After Long
Illness From Fla
After Effects.
County Agent R. w. Shoffner Is
back on the job in Cleveland coun
ty after an illness of several months
Mr. Shoffner became 111 last Sep
tember while arranging for the big
county fair. For some time he was
at the home of his sister in Greens
boro, but failing to recover as was
hoped for he was given a temporary
leave of absence, taken off the pay
roll and permitted to go to Florida
to recuperate.
Waltzes with Wales
.Eleanor Nichols, daughter of Com
mander Newton l,ord Nichols, of
Newport, R. I., way chosen for
several dances by the prince of
Wales at the ball in his honor at
Union Club. Panama City. She
say? Wales is a charming man but
his brother. Prince George, is a
much better dancer.
No Clue To Bloody
Clothing In River
Sooth Carolina Officers Notified Of
Soft Case Found
Here.
County officers as yet have un
earthed nothing that would tend to
explain the finding Sunday week
ago in Broad river of a suitcase con
taining feminine apparel and a
bloody sheet.The suit case was
found, lodged between two rocks, a
short distance below Weaver bridge
A package in the suitcase contain
ed a store wrapper with the address
--burg South Carolina Believ
ing the package came from 3pov
tnnburg, Sheriff Alien’s offloe ni*e
has notified Spartanburg officers of
the mysterious suit case so that tnsy
niight Investigate any possible dis
appearance there.
Store Robbed Here,
Negro Given Trial
Geode Grocery Entered Monday
Night. Negro Caught
Near Goods.
In county court this morning
Ewell Eskridge, colored, was bound
over to superior court on the charge
of entering and robbing the Basil
Goode grocery store on West Mar
ion street Monday night.
Entrance was made by removing
a window pane in the real- of the
store. Fatback, lard and cigarettes
were taken.
Officers found some of the stolen
goods hid in the alley behind the
store and began watching the find.
Tuesday evening Eskridge was nab
bed as he came to the spot where
the goods were secreted.
Lynch Trial Will
Come Up In Spring
Rutherford Murder Case Tentatively
For May Term Of
Court.
Rutherfordton, Feb 11,—Trial cf
Mrs. John Lynch and John Paul
Searcy, charged with the murde- of
Mrs. Lynch’s husband at hts home
near here, has been ><et tentatively
for the May term of criminal court I
Mrs. Lynch Is at liberty under $5,
000 bond following a habeas corpus!
bearing last week, out Searcy, 13
year-old farm hand, has not been
able to post a similar amount and
is still in Jail.
Reckless Driving
Of Pal Cost Life
Of Junius Auten
The following from The Baltimore
Sun will be of interest to the many
Shelby people who knew the late
Junius W. Auten:
The reckless driving and negli
gence of Blair Brooks, who died in
the City Hospitals Friday, was re
sponsible for his own death and that
of Junius W. Auten, his passenger,
Dr. Germanus J. France, automo- j
bile coroner, decided at an inquest
Monday.
Brooks was driving an automobile
that struck the tender of a Pennsyl
vania railroad locomotive, February
1, on Boston street, betwen Poto
mac street and Decker avenue. Aut
en, who was 27 and boarded in the
1800 block North Port street, was
killed Instantly. Brooks was 32 and
'ived in the 1800 block East Monu
ment street.
\Star Conducts
I
j row-Own-Food
Drive In County
Only Way Out Por
Farmer* In ’31
All farmers Urged To Devote
Fncngti Acreage To Food
And Feed.
Nee Editorial*. Page I
TOO MANY FIELDS NOW
WHAT’S WKONO GN THE
' FARM?
Will Cleveland county farmers,
landlords and tenants, produce
enough foot! and feed to feed them
selves and their livestock In 1931?!
" Years ago Cleveland county, due
to the foresight and energy of her
fanners, became known as North
Carolina’s best-terraced county.
That was In the period when the
state was making her first, progres
sive agricultural strides. More re
cently Cleveland county became the
biggest cotton county in the state,
due to Intensive cultivation, and
about the same time forward-look
ing farmers, realizing the labor
saving qualities of electricity, es
tablished this county as the best
rural lighted county In the south,
pioneering the electrification of the
American farm home.
Slip Backward*.
As intensive cultivation boosted
the county's cotton production each
year farmers little by little began
giving over more acreage to cotton
and less to food and feed crops. This
gradually changing program result
ed last year hi more privation than
this county has known in many
years. Scores of tenant, farmers ‘‘shot
the works" on cotton and failed to
grow enough food for their families.
A public charity line resulted.
A week ago welfare officials and
leading farmers decided that the
only way to prevent a repetition of
the 1930 bread line was to go to the
source of the matter and this year
produce enough food and feed for
home consumption. Late in 1829
Oovemor GftfdiWr inaugurated his
live-at-home program. Had his ad
vice been followed there would have |
been little want 111 this county.
Another big cdtton crop next year,
expert observers say, will mean
bankruptcy for the farmers of the
south. It will mean the same thing
for the farmers of Cleveland coun
ty.
No farmer will suffer who grows
enough good for his family and
enough feed for his livestock. There
is no p’au-ible excuse for this coun
ty sending several million dollars
away each year to purchase food
and feed they might produce at
home.
Must Be Done.
Tills winter leading farmers have
held informal conferences at which
they have urged that every farmer
devote sufficient acreage this
spring to food and feed crops. All
landlords are urged to see that
their tenants produce enough food
and feed not only for summer con
sumption but for next winter.
"The news story in The Star re
cently about the county’s failure to
ieed itself presented a problem
which The Star- can help solve and
in so doing render the greatest,
service in the paper’s history to the
county,” says one leading citizen.
An Honor Koll.
In order to lend impetus to the
live-at-home movement, The Star,
beginning Friday, will publish an
honor roll of Cleveland county
farmers whip pledge themselves to
grow enough food and feed for their
own consumption in 1932. All farm
ers who will do so, and the major
ity realize the .vital importance of
the movement, are asked to forward
their names to The Star along with
what comment or suggestions they
desire to offer.
Cleveland county farmers who will'
take that pledge are asked to fill I
the following coupon and mail It to
this paper:
I WILL LIVE AT HOME
IN 1931
I hereby pledge myself to de
vote enough acreage tlfls Spring
to food and feed crops to supply
the wants of everything on my
farm. If I have tenants on my
farm, I will insist that they alsc
grow their own and feed.
Name „ _
Address . _____
Food crops planned
i
Announces For Mayor
W. N. Unrisev, fanner mayor, today outlines tits platform in announcing
hi* candidacy for mayor of Shelby in the Spring election.
Dorsey Announces For Mayor,
McMurry Seeks Re-Election;
Others Discussed For Race
Present Mayor Decides To Run Again. No
Formal Statement Made. Former Mayor
Gives Platform For Coming Contest.
Shelby's biennial mayoralty race bobbed up in the lime
light today as former Mayor W. N. Dorsey announced his
candidacy and platform and Mayor S. A. McMurry definite
ly informed friends that he would lie a candidate for re
election. Along with the two definite announcements came
a deluge of controversy about other probable candidates.
Over the week-£hd The Shu
learned definitely that Mayor Mc
Murry had decided to seek re-elec
tion, and yesterday Mr. Dorsey gave
The Star his announcement. No
public statement from Mayor Mc
Murry has been made as yet. but
his formal announcement is expect
ed soon.
Other men mentioned as prospec
tive candidates by their triends in
clude Chas. A. Hoey, L. E. Ugon,
present city clerk; and Attorney O.
B. (Pat) McBrayer. who served as
mayor a number^ of years ago. Mr.
Hoey, however, states that he has
not considered the race and couldn't
be persuaded to do so.
Dorsey Platform.
In announcing Mr. Dorsey says;
“I take this opportunity, after
careful consideration, of announce
ling to the people that I will be a
candidate for. mayor of Shelby in
i the spring election.
“When-1 announced my candidacy
for mayor four years ago I stated
that, contrary to the customary
statement of politicians, I had not
been pushed In the race by anyone,
and was making the race on my own
and without being urged. Truthfully,
I cannot repeat that statement now.
For weeks, and even longer, citrous
of Shelby have urged me to become
a candidate again. Support has been
proffered my caiididacy from all
walks of life in the city, X had never
realised before that I had so many
friends. Thts time I admit that my
friends have asked me to run, but
■ CONTINUED ON PAGE TWO i
Shelby Methodist Steward Tot
Be Next U. S. Senator, Democrat
Tells Elder Frank And Brother
Writer In Greensboro News Talks
Church Connections V\ ith
Politics,
Frank McNinch, elder of the
Presbyterian church and a member
of the Federal Power commission, Is
warned by a writer in The Greens
boro News that the next United
States Senator from North Carolina
will be a steward of the Methodist
church at. Shelby.
The letter of the writer, who signs
himself “Democrat,'1 of Lynchburg,
follows:
"The writer remembers twin
brothers in upper Cleveland, whose
names W’ere Lize and Crist. Crist
went to the war and Lize claimed b»,
was too old. Crist said he would ad
mit that Lize was the smartest man
as they were twin brothers and
Lize got out of going to war by tell
ing that he was too olo.
“The writer has known Senator
Cam and Commissioner Frank for
a good many years and considered
both of them smart men, but will
admit that Brother Frank (brother
in the church) Is th< smartest man
“Just who w'ould have thought
that Brother Cain, the great stal
wart Democrat who helped to de
stroy Senator Simmons, because he
failed to support A1 Smith for pr-'s
ident and then took Brother Frank
in his loving emb-ace (the man
who had more to do with putting
North Carolina in the Republican j
column in 1923 than any other men
in the state) and indorsed him for
a federal position because he was
ihis brother in the church.
"Senator Simmons dif net tote
the Republican ticket but Brother
Frank did both in 1928 and 1930.
So I consider Brother Frank the
smartest of the two. He carried
i North Carolina for the Republicans
! tr 1928 and tried to carry Brother
Cam’s own congressional district
ifor the Republic!'ns in 1930. Then
'Brother Frank comes home from
Washington with all kinds of nice
things to say about Brother Caru.
Well, sure, Bishop Cannon and Tom
Heflin and many of the extreme
drys will like Brother Cam. because
he has already started to cuss Tam
many. So Brother Frank had bet-,
ter plan to look Brother Cam up a
federal job for the North Carolina
Democrats are going to put anoth
er man on his job in 1932 an<S it
won't be a deacon in his church
"ither but a steward in the Meth
odist church over at Shelby. N, C.’
Citizens Here
Boost Gardner
Highway Plan
Send Petition To
R epresentative«
Will Cul Tax Hale Cn Land Aij
Average of 19 1-2 Cents.
O’Berry Boosts i>ian.
A petition, si* ned by several
hundred Shelby and Cleveland
county citizens, was mailed to
Raleigh yesterday urging Clev
hind county's representatives
in the general assembly to sup
port and work for Governor
Gardner's new highway pro
gram.
Those who interested themselves
in requesting support for the meas
ure remind that new sources of iev
enin' are hard to find and that
the best way to make It easier on
taxpayers is to cut expenses. No
batter method of cutting expenses
has been placed before the legisla
ture it is generally contended.
Save Tax Money.
Governor Gardner in advancing
his proposal for a centralized state
highway commission taking over all
county roads declared that It world
mean a land tax reduction In the
various counties of, the state aver
aging around 19 1-2 cents. Cl°vc
land county citizens now in the
midst of taxpaying realize what
such a reduction would mean.
“I do not think any measure so
far proposed lias as much real tag
ation relief as the proposal of Gov
ernor Gardner for the State High
way pom mission to take over the
county roads.” declared State Treas- *
urei Nathan O’Berry tc the Raleigh
News ond Observer, “and I hope tha
measure will be speedily enacted in
to law.”
"The chance of securing new rev
enue is remote and the real way to
save Is to cut down expense. I be
lieve anyone that will study the
question will be of the opinion that
the State can maintain these roads
much more economically and effi
ciently than can the counties. The
equivalent of one cent a gallon was
distributed to the counties two years
ago but did not result in the hoped
for tax reduction. The same thing
would happen If the two cents a
gallon tax should be distributed in
stead of being used by the State to
maintain these county roads.
"The principal opposition comes
from two sources, county officials
and people who sell road machinery
to the counties. Their opposition is
perfectly natural and I have no
complaint to make of it, but I hope
the measure will pass and I know
that it will Secure tax reduction.”
Appoint Jonas
Court Attorney
Lincolnion Congressman Nominated
For District Attorney By
Hoover.
Washington, Feb. n.—Charles A.
Jonas, Republican member of the
house from the ninth district, was
nominated by the president Mon
day as district attorney in the west
ern Carolina district, to succeed
Thomas J. Harkins, resigned. The
nomination came to the senate a
few days ahead of the schedule', as
the department of justice Indicated,
a short time ago when inquiry was
nude there, that the name of Mr.
Jonas would be transmitted to the
white house about the 15th. Pre
sumably Mr Hoover gave one glance
at the papers, affixed his signature,
and sent them, on to the senate.
While the Jonas nomination camp
in ahead of time, the expectation
has been all along that, {he new
district attorney would not assume
bit. duties until after March 4. Mr.
Harkins sent in his resignation sev
eral days ago to take effect March
t. Mr. Jonas has the indorsement of
rli the members of the Republican
state committee, it is understood,
and there was no conflict over the
appointment.
State Chairman Duncan came
here a few days ago. and, together
with Representative Pritchard, call
ed at the department of Justice and
asked that Mr. Jonas be appointed.
The department let it be known
that the request of the North Caro
lina republican leaders would fee
complied with.
Camp Call Masons.
Cfllnp Call Lodge 534 A. P. &
Vf will meet Friday night at 7
o'clock to their new hall. R
Mattney, master, urges that all mem
bers attend
Senator Peyton McSwato was at
lottif from Raleigh to spend the
sreek-end with Mrs, McSwato hens,
P»>