North Carolina Newspapers

ihe letoelaith tar 10 PAGES TODAY VOL. XXXVII, No. 63 bHLLBY, N. C. WEDNESDY, MAY 27, 1931 Published Monday, VS'ednesday and Friday Afternoons. «» M»U. PM mi, (la Minimi _ nuv carrier, o.r mr, (la xlnrai _ u.au Late News Fair Thursday. Today's North Carolina Wrathn Report: Fair tonight and Thursday, To End Thursday. Ralrigh, May 37.—The North Car olina house and senate worked fev erishly yesterday In an effort t« adjourn sine die at the first pc^si ble moment. Weary legislators, worr by 140 days of squabbling, had hope! of quitting their five-month record Shattering session sometime today or at the latest Thursday, bringing to a close the longest legislature in the history of the state. No Woman Ever On Court Jury In This County Names Never Placed On Jury List Matter of Placing Names of Femin ine Taxpayers On Jury Cist Up To Board. No woman has ever served on a court jury in Cleveland county de spite the fact that women have been serving on juries in other sections of the country for years. A discussion of this topic arose *at the court house this week when an officer declared that far more con victions could be secured with wom en on the various court juries, from the county court up to superior court. Not On List, Court Jurors are drawn from a list of county taxpayers made up by the county commissioners, and pre sumably because no definite order was issued to make feminine jurors - possible the names of women have never been entered on the list by the county board since the fairer sex started voting and taking an interest in ■politics. A number of citizens discussing the subject expressed their desire to see the names of county women placed on the jury list, their interest being more from the standpoint of the novelty of it than anything else. It was not recalled that a woman has ever served on any Jury in North Carolina. Then the question arose: Would the women of Cleveland county de sire to serve on Juries if they were made eligible by the informal but simple procedure of placing their names on the Jury list? Some would, others would not. The fact that court convictions might Ae more numerous may make women jurors for this section a thing of the distant future, but the topic is being bandied about and could materialize into definite action without much trouble. Mrs. Blanton Hurt In Auto Collision Mr. and Mrs. Ceph Blanton In A Wreck Near Charlotte Monday Night. Mr. and Mrs, Ceph Blanton, of Shelby, were injured Monday night about 10 o'clock in an automobile wreck on the Wilkinson Boulevard about six miles out from Charlotte when the car in which they were riding, collided with that of John Burnham, of Chicago, 111. Both Mr .and Mrs. Blanton were taken to St. Peter’s hospital, where their injuries were treated, and re mained there overnight. Mr. Blan ton was only slightly bruised and was able to leave the hospital Tues day morning. Mrs. Blanton suffered several more serious lacerations and is still in the hospital. Mr. Burnham, wiio is a traveling representative for the Reliance Glove company, of Chicago, was uninjured. Mr. Blanton returned to his home here Tuesday and it is hoped that Mrs. Blanton can come home today or tomorrow but it is likely that she will not be able to be out for some time. Reelect Officers In School Council Parent-Teacher Association Names Council. Gratifying Work Done. A meeting of the special council of the Parent-Teacher associations of Shelby was held on Monday aft ernoon at the Washington school at which time the council officers who have served this year were re-elect ed for the next school year. They are: Mrs. John Schenck, jr„ presi dent; Mrs. Harry Hudson, vice president; Mrs. E. E. Post, reporter; Mrs. Hugh Mauney, secretary; and Mr. R. T. LeGrand, treasurer. Gratifying reports were made from the Individual associations about their work during the past year; it is felt that credit is largely due' to them for standardizing the elementary schools here. Each of the local associations has affiliat ed with the state and national or ganizations and will be entitled to representation In these groups next vear. Was Her Life Or His, Woman Says In Court May Free Negress In Killing Kings Mountain Woman Was Bring Knocked And Choked When She Used Ice Pick. Ruther Bratcher, 21-year-old ne gress, who killed her husband, Jule. aged 28, two miles south of Kings Mountain Sunday night, may go free unless the state can secure ad ditional evidence by Tuesday of next week. This was the ruling made by Re corder Maurice Weathers In coun ty court yesterday when the woman was given a preliminary hearing. The evidence introduced revealed that the young negress took the life of her husband to save her own life She used an ice pick to stab him in the heart. According to witnesses Bratcher had the doors to thet~ home locked and waj5 knocking her down time after time and choking her. He was drinking, it was testified. Other tes timony had it that he also had seiz ed an axe. As she crawled up after being hit one time she grabbed the Ice pick and stabbed him. It was not until several minutes later, she said, that she knew he was mortal ly wounded for he kept choking her. His hands gradually began to slip from her throat and then she real ized that the ice pick had found 11s mark. — Dry Weather After 3.47 Inches Rainfall On Four Days Last Week The Rain fall In Shelby Was 3.47 laches. The rainfall on four consecutive days of last week was 347 inches, according to official measurements obtained from the registration at the Shelby pes toff ice. Mr. James A. Wilson who keeps close tab on the weather and is somewhat of a weather prophet and student of as tronomy says the hail storms of the past week indicate that dry weath er will follow. In a recent article published in The Star Mr. Wilson said the long wet spell In May would come to a close with a hail storm for the same atmospheric condition which caused the hail will cause the dry weather. It looks as if Mr. Wilson’s diag nosis of the weather has come true. The weather began to warm up Tuesday morning and one of the warmest days of the month followed the hail of last week. FALL WHISNANT GOES TO HOSPITAL TODAY Paul Whlsnant, a popular and val valued employe at the First National Bank entered the Shelby Hospital today for treatment for a stomach trouble with which he is suffering. CLOTH MILL TO PLAY CLOVER HERE SATURDAY Cleveland Cloth mill will play Clover at baseball here at the high school baseball park Saturday. The game will be called at 3:30 o’clock. In Hospital. Mr. Miller Harris, who has been quite ill since Saturday, was taken to the Shelby hospital late last night for treatment his many friends will regret to hear. Mr. Harris, in ex service man, has not been In good health since the wwld war. Tracks Of Negroes Cause Them To Be Bound Over In Store Robbery A thief who noiselessly eases 1 in and out on bis victims is known in criminal circles as a footpad, but an odd rubber heel caused two negroes to be bound over to superior court on a store robber charge here late Monday. The men were Ralph Toms and Robert Carpenter and in superior court, as a result of be ing bound over by County Judge Maurice R .Weathers, they will face the charge of entering and robbing the A. Blanton whole sale house here last Thursday night. Tracks made In a muddy al iey at the store by a rubber heel worn down on one side and another shoe heel in which there was a cot offered evidence i strong enough, the court ruled, to hold the two negroes tor trial in the higher court. Eight cases of cigarettes were taken from ! the store in an automobile I which, according to officers, made two trips to the store dur ing the night of the robbery. H was first reported that It was “Fish" Carpenter who was arrested with Toms, but that was an error; it was Robert Car i penter, a brother of “Fish.” Highway Official Visits County To Appraise Road Machinery Does Not Know What State Will Do With $50,000 Worth Of Equip- ' ment In County. A representative of the new State highway commission, which will take over all county roads on July 1, was In Cleveland county over the week end to appraise the value of the road machinery and equipment of the road commissions in the 11 town ships of the county. The representative informed chair men of the various road boards and county commissioners that he did not know whether the State com mission would take over county road machinery or would make an offer for it. "They may or may not,” he said in stating that all he knew was that he had been sent to this coun ty and other counties to put an ap praisal value on the equipment. This phase is a matter that is giving some thought to the Cleveland coun ty road officials. Th^ are wonder ing just what they will do with the equipment they have on hand now. When and if sold the money receiv ed for the road machinery will go into the sinking funds of the va rious townships to apply on present road indebtedness. This was mode possible by a special act of the gen eral assembly last month in con nection with the taking over of county highways by the State. The sale of equipment in this county, It is pointed out, would have been eas ier handled had all the road com missions been combined in one. As it is now the II townships will have to dispose of their machinery in 11 different transactions. Valuable Equipment. It is believed that all the road equipment in the county is worth around $50,000. Mike L. Borders, chairman of the No. 6 commission, which has more equipment because of the chain gang force, says that in his opinion the No. 6 equipment alone is worth $8,000 or more. Few Mules. An interesting feature of the dis cussion about the road equipment in the county is the fact that only a few horses and mules are still used in road work. Not many years ago practically all of the road work was done by mules. Now the work is handled by tractors and motors. The only mules used in road work in the county is the pair on the No. 6 road force. The most valuable portion of the road machinery in the county is the tractors. Many of the townships have two tractors and* all have at least one. Other valuable equipment Includes drags and scrapes. Little Miss Louise Hardin is recov ering nicely from an attack of scar let feveT. "* Decide This Week About Highway Equipment; Not Likely To Purchase Will Not Pay For County Machin ery. Return It If Change Is Made. (8peci»l to The Star.) Raleigh, May 27.—The problem of the disposition to be made of the machinery and equipment now in the hands of the various counties of the state and of the convict camps operated by many of them is ex pected to be taken up at the meet ing of the state highway commis sion, called for Thursday and Fri day by Chairman E. B. Jeffress. During the past week state high way forces have been engaged in making an Inventory and appraisal of machinery and equipment and of convict camps in many of the coun ties. and the reports of these inves tigators is expected at the meetings this week. Reports are that the commission has had full and com plete cooperation from the counties In the work so far. The law enacted by the general assembly provides that an appraisal shall be made of the road equip ment in the hands of the counties and taken over by the state. The state will probably take over only such machinery and equipment as It will be able to use and leave with the counties to be disposed of as they see fit any that Is not usable. No provision is made for paying the counties for equipment taken over by the state and Just what policy will be pursued in this re spect is yet to be determined. The State body is expected to keep a rec ord of the equipment it takes over, so that if there is for any reason a change in policy, it may turn back the same or equivalent machinery or its value to the counties. It is not considered likely that the state body will make payment, but keep the records against any change in policy in the future Will Start Paving Work Here Thursday Contractors will In the morn* Inf start putting down the treat ed surface on 10 road projects, totalling six miles, In No. 6 township In and about Shelby. The grading, or a major por tion of it, has already been com pleted by the No. 6 forces, Mike I* Borders and Tom Cornwell, of the No. 6 road board, stated today. The contractors will more their machinery here from Kings Mountain Thursday morning and start to work If the weather permits. The six miles of Im proved roads, important travel links in and about Shelby, will he on the same type as is high way 18 south of Shelby. Kings Mountain Man Shot At Darlington Young Girl Involved As Coker Over seer Shoots Melvin Proctor. Darlington, May 27.—A coroner’s jury here Monday night ordered J. Conyers Flowers, 45, overseer for the David P. Coker farms at HartsviUe, held for murder following the fatal shooting Sunday afternoon of Mel vin M. Proctor, 32, at a filling sta tion in the Antioch section of Dar lington county. At the Inquest testimony was pro duced that Flowers charged Proc tor “had ruined his daughter" and was on his way to take her from her home when met by Flowers at the filling station. Proctor, a married man, was ori ginally from Kings Mountain, and had been a furniture salesman at HartsviUe for the past three years. He Is survived by a widow and four, children. He was instantly killed by a load of .buckshot and small shot mixed, fired from a shotgun at 20 feet. One buckshot entered his heart and others broke both arms and riddled the body. Willie Stokes, who was with Proc tor, was struck under the shoulder bladge by a stray buckshot and to in a Florence hospital. His con dition is not serious. Flowers to in Jail but will apply for bond. Xt was brought out at the inquest that Proctor was armed with a 45 calibre pistol which he had no op portunity to use in the affray. Proctor's body was taken to Kings Mountain. “Dad” Cavas Leaves On Trip To Europe K. (Dad) Cavas, well known and popular native Greek who has lived in Sheto for several years, is leav ing today^Jor a trip back home. Be fore goolngvfor a vlsij in his native land of Greece “Dad” will go to Paris and Vienna for medical treat ment. He has been in poor health for months and had Just returned to Shelby from Hot Springs. “Dad's” eating stand, on South LaFayette street, will continue in operation and “Dad” hopes to re turn to Shelby “the best town he ever struck,” if his health permits. Judge Webb Ha* A Hole-In-One On Golf Course Playing on the Biltmore Forest course at Asheville Sat urday Federal Judge E. Yates Webb entered the golfing hall of fame by making a hole-tn one on a 220-yard hole. In making the unusual shot he used a brassie given him by the district attorney's office. Due to the federal jurist's modisty about his feat It was not learned here until today. Teachers ’ Pay Cut 10Percent ByLegislature Denies Increase For Next Year AH Possible Economy Must Be Car ried Out Before Salaries Are Cut. Raleigh.'May 27.-—A school ma chinery bill for state operation of the constitutional sllx months' te.rm, was passed by the senate yesterday and the house last night, but must go back to the senate for concur rence in a house amendment. ) The measure limits cuts in teach ers' salaries to 10 per cent, but con siderably Increases the teacher load The house amendment adopted last night by a vote of 41 to 22 re duced the emergency school fund from $200,000 a year to $150,000, Both houses approved the bill on oral votes. The house last night killed an amendment offered by Represen'a tive Seawell of Lee to abolish the state board of equalization and transfer its duties to the depart ment of education. Under the school bill the equaliza tion board will distribute the school money to the counties. The bill will require an appropri ation of $16,500,000 annually. In addition it calls for 'the expenditure of $1,250,000, partly for state aid in extended terms. It limits cuts In the salaries of teachers, superintendents, and prin cipals to 10 per cent and also de nlec increases for the years 2931-32, and 1932-33. By increasing the teacher load and requiring principals of schools with less than 40 teachers to dp teach ing, the bill reduces the number of teachers by 1,320. All possible economies are requir ed before any salary reduction is en forced. The graduated scale of salar ies in the Hancock bill of 1929 is made the state schedule. Counties and special charter school districts are permitted to levy additional taxes to provide schools above the state standard and to pro vide for extended terms. Appropriations bill conferees will meet again today to decide whether he state will approximate *15,200,000 or *16,500,000 for the current ex penses of the six months school term. The conferees had a report con taining the lower figure signed and ready to submit last night, when they were informed of Dr. A- T. Al len's statement before the house education committee that the high er figure was absolutely necessary to carry into effect the compromise school bill passed yesterday by both houses. The difference between the two figures, Dr. Allen said, is the dif ference between a 10 per cent cut in teachers salaries and a 20 per cent cut. The school bill limits the cut to 10 per cent. Mrs. Lattimore Dies At Age Of 94 Years One of the County’s Oldest Women Passes Near Lawndale. Buried At Bethel. i Special to The Star I Mrs. Sarah London Lattimore, wife of the late Samuel Lattimore, of Cleveland county, died on Tues day afternoon, April 28 ,at the age of 94. She had made her home with her daughter, Mrs. John Canipe, of near Lawndale, for a number of years. She leaves to mourn her going, four daughters, Mrs. W. C. Bigger staff and Mrs. Ida Wright, of Lin coln county, Mrs. R. Q. Whlsnant and Mrs. John Canipe, of Cleveland county, and one son, John Lattimore of Cleveland county, also twenty five grandchildren, among them oe lng the Rev. S. E. Wright of War renton, and Mrs. Rufty, wife of Rev. W. E. Rufty, of Asheville, a large number of great grandchildren, and one great great grandchild. 8he was for 81 years a member of Palm Tree Methodist church and was laid to rest in the cemetery at New Bethel Baptist church by the side of her husband who died some 40 years ago. The funeral was conducted by the Rev. E. E. Snow, pastor on the Bel wood charge. ELLENBORO DIVINE IS NEARING EIGHTY Forest City.—The Rev. Z. D. Kar ri 11, of Ellenboro, one of the coun ty's best known Baptist minis ter.,, will celebrate his 80th birthday on Friday, May 29, at hi* home. All friends and relatives of the family have been invited. Did It for Dear Old Volstead 'wmt Because a tout in win* to the new President of France was proposed at a banquet staged for visiting American mayors at Havre City Hall, Mayor and Mrs. John C. Porter (above) of Los Angelas, walked out and left the party flat. Porter said that he and his wife Intended to [•phold the united States Constitution by not thinking while abroad. Farmers Replanting Storm Swept Fields Several Hundred Acres Of Cotton Replanted Monday And Tuesday In Hail-Stricken Sections. Another Hail Storm Hits In No. 9 Community. Cotton planters clicked off row after row from early mom until late dusk in sections of five Cleveland county townships Monday and Tuesday as scores of farmers not damaged by the hail, wind and rain storms last week helped their stricken neighbors replant several hundred acres of cotton ana omer crops. I The “help-your-nelghbor-week”, sponsored by the rural churches, The Star and county leaders, con centrated Itself In two days of ac tivity. Late yesterday It was stated by Farm Agent Shoffner that prac tically all the replanting that would be done was already finished. Early Monday and Tuesday farm ers not hit by the storm carried their stock, their planters and their seed to eommunlties where hall had battered the growing crops to shreds or where heavy rains had washed out all signs of rows. Just how many acres were replanted during the two days cannot be told, but the work done on the Am Palmer farm Is an example of that done In all the storm-stricken communities. On Monday with neighbors lending every assistance possible IS acres of cotton were replanted there and other fields worked to give the bat tered crops a chance to come back. In the up-county section, around Polkville, Lawndale, Fallston, and Beams Mill, the principle damage done last week was by hail. In the No, 2 and No. 3 township sections the major damage was caused by washing. In the latter section many acres have been replanted. In both stricken areas some of the crops after a day or two of sunshine wft-e not as badly damaged as they ap peared to be at first. As other communities were re pairing as much as possible the damage of last week another hail storm struck the No. 9 township sec tion Just above No. 6 about mld aftemoon Tuesday. The worst dam age was done on the farm of Dick Spangler and in that Immediate section, it Is said. As soon as the land is dry enough neighbors have already volunteered to go In with their full forces and help replant. The damage done wheat and other grain crops, however, cannot be repaired and it Is in this phase that the farmers are the hardest hit. One farmer had a fine crop of barley and was expecting 2,500 or 3,000 bushels and then the wind and hall atgrm almost wiped out the entire crop. Edwards’ Bill To Redistrict State Gets By Mn*t Pm* Another Heading And Go To Senate. Moore Senators For Piedmont. (Special To The Star.) Raleigh, May 27.—The house yes terday adopted a new plan of re districting the state for senatorial districts, Introduced by Representa tive Henry B. Edwards of Cleveland, which increases the representation of the west and decreases that of the east. When first proposed, the plan was voted down, but later in the ses sion Representative Connor of Wil son told the house that in 1835 blood had been shed In North Carolina over the question of representation In the legislature, and that It should observe the conditions put In the constitution at that time and recog nize he shift of population to the j west. The house then voted 33 to 33 on the Edwards bill and Speaker Smith broke the tie in its favor. It come3 up for final passage In the house to day and must be approved by the senate. If the bill passes the final read ings and the senatfe the Cleveland county district may be given three senators with one of the three com ing from Cleveland each term. Rafe King Paints Chairs In Prison Columbia, S. C., May 27.—Rale King, sentenced to life Imprison ment for murder of his wife, Faye Wilson King, has been assigned to work in the paint department of the state penitentiary chair department. Several Million Potato Plants Put Out In Cleveland County This Year Sweet potatoes will play a big role In the live-at-home activ ity ,of Cleveland county fanners this year. Potato plants have been hard to secure, but Shelby dealers declared today that at least two or three million plants have been put out in the county. Any thing near the exact number cannot be estimated because scores of farmers bedded their own plants this year and were not forced to purchase on the public market. The Ab Jackson store and the K, C. Campbell stores have sold close to a half million plants each. At Campbell s store it was stated that a million or two more plants could have been sold if they could have been secured Mr. Jackson made several trips to Georgia for his own plants, bringing back about 100,000 plants each time. Other dealers, such as John Beam, bed their own plants and have sold large quantities. A number of farmers have made trips with trucks to Geor gia to secure their own plants, t Last week Tom Webb brought back 100,000 plants and sold them on the streets in Shelby within a short time and made another trip back to Georgia for more. With the plants coining from so many different sources it cannot be determined Just how many have been put In in the oaunty, but it Is generally pre dicted that It will be one of tbe larrest crons in several years. Brummitt Will Deliver Address Here This Eve Shelby Schools Stage Finals Program Seventh Grader* More Up Thurs day. Other School Events Through Friday Finals. The commencement program of the Shelby high school, which open ed with the baccalaureate sermon Sunday will be In full swing thl* evening and on through the grad uating exercises Friday night. At the Central school auditorium this evening Dennis o. Brummitt, attorney general of North Carolina, will deliver the annual address ta the senior class. A large audience U expected for this feature of the finals. Thursday morning the seventh grade graduates of the city school* will become high school students aj they'wre presented with their sev< enth grade certificates and admis sion to the eighth grade. On Thursday afternoon the sen ior class, of which Hubert Wilson if president, will stage its class daj exercises. This will include the clast song and other class features ana also an address by Prof. J. H. Grigg, county superintendent. Declamation, Reading. Thursday evening school students will compete for the Forrest Es kridge declamation medal and tha John R. Dover, reading medal. The entrants in the declamation contest are Paul Arrowood, Glenn Sim mons, Wray Hawkins, and Mai Spangler, Jr. The contestants for the Dover reading medal are Esther Ann Quinn, Mary Lillian Speck, Margaret Louise McNeely and Mil dred McSwain. The freshman-sophomore-junior debating contest will be held Fri day morning. The contestants are Loris Dover, Annie Ruth Dellinger, Edwina Gidney, Sadie Laughridge, Charles Waldrop and Bara Louise Falls. Debaters Compete. Friday afternoon the members of the two Shelby triangular debating teams will compete with each other for the O Max Gardner med al. They are Sara Louise Falls, Ma tilda Jenks, William Ingram and Sara Thompson. Senior Night. Friday night will come the clos ing program, the graduation exer cises. Hubert Wilson will preside and make the president's address. The salutatory will be by Frances Carver and the valedictory by Sara Thompson, The value of extra curricular activities will be pre sented by the following seniors: Ma tilda Jenks, debating: Palmer Mc Swain, thre-team captain, athletics; Louise Miller, creative writing; James Shepard, dramatics; John Corbett and Pegram Holland, music; The medals, prizes and honors for the seniors will be presented by Prof. Walter E. Abernethy, princi pal. Supt. B. L. Smith will present) the diplomas to the graduates, and Shelby high will have turned out another class of students. xwo Awards Unknown. The winners of the two most cov eted awards will not be known until presented. They are the Max Wash burn cup for the senior boy with the best all around record in schol arship, conduct and extra-currlcu (CONTINUED ON PAOX TXN.I Attempt Made To Collect Money In Rutherford Matter Charlotte Men^Seek $30,000 From Bankers There To Satisfy Claim. Charlotte, May 27.—J. Frank Flowers, Charlotte attorney, said last night an effort would be made today at a hearing in Rutherfordton to locate enough assets to satisfy a judgment for $30,000, he said certain clients of his held against five Rutherford county citizens. Flowers said clients, whom he did not name, held the judgment against Kenneth Tanner, s. B. Tanner, jr., J. F. Oates, S. E Elmore and B. B, Doggett. Kenneth Tanner, Mr. Oates and Mr. Elmore with two other men re cently delivered $75,000 to Judge Hoyle H. Sink to escape a threaten ed prison term following their con viction of bank law violations. The money was to be turned over to the liquidating agent for the defunct Rutherford Bank and Trust com pany for distribution to creditors of Vie bank. Mr Flowers sakl the hearing would be held to determine whether ' the judgment held by his clients did not entitle them to a part of the - S75.000.