North Carolina Newspapers

8 PAGES TODAY *.... H , . ■'.! . UJ *» flail oei vttr no *d»«n«ct ItAn «:«rw Off rear »tti irtranun W.IK* 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»>