I 10 PAGES
I TODAY
VOL. XXX VU, No. 91
SHELBY, N. C.
FRIDAY, JULY 31, 1931
Published Monday, Wednesday and Friday Afternoons.
Hy Mail. o«f year, «tn adnneai _ ItM
Carrier. oer rear, fin advance! M.*m
Showers aturday.
Today’s North Carolina Weather
Report: Generally fair tonight and
Saturday except local thunder
ahowers Saturday afternoon in
southwest portion.
F. Torrence Dead j
information was received here
this morning of the death at his
Thome In Gastonia of Mr. Frost
Torrence, owner of the Ideal Ice
and Storage company In Shelby, Mr.
Torrence was the father of Mrs.
MJatujoj oqw s|no’7
lived here. Death, It is understood,
resulted from high blood pressure, j
coming at 2 o'clock this morning, j
Funeral services will be held at I
Gastonia at 11 Saturday.
Mrs. Abernethy
Is Buried Today
Mother Of Shelby Minister Died At
Mt. Holly Thursday. 68 Years
Of Age!
Mrs. Alice Abernethy, mother of
Rev. G. P. Abernethy of Shelby, died
yesterday afternoon at her home
near Mt. Holly after an Illness of
nearly a year from a complication
of diseases.
Funeral services are being held
this afternoon at 3 o’clock at Hic
kory Grove Baptist church near Mt,
Holly with Rev. W. B. McClure in
charge. Rev. Mr. Abernethy. Mrs.
Abernethy and children of Shelby
are attending the services.
Mrs. Abernethy, who was 68 years
of age and has visited here fre
quently, is survived by the follow
ing children: Rev. Mr. Abernethy,
of Shelby; Birt, Lester, Sam Aber
nethy and Mrs. Albert Harkey, all
of Mt. Holly, and Walter Abernethy
of Cramerton. Thirty grandchlld
en and one great granchild also
survive.
County Native
Dies In Burke
Mrs. Gwaltney, Aunt of Deputy Ed
Dixon. Buried Today At Zion
Church.
Morganton, July 31.—Mrs. J. S.
Gwaltney, age 76 wife of the late
Rev. J. S. Gwaltney, died here Wed
nesday night of heart trouble at;
the home of her son. Edgar Gwalt
ney, who lives near Morganton.
The deceased before marriage was
Miss Lydia Ann Dixon, daughter of
the late CoL Thomas M. Dixon of
Belwood. Cleveland County, where
she was born on February 17, 1855.
The deceased leaves to mourn her
loss four sons, two brothers and one
sister. The sons are: Edgar Gwalt
ney, Morganton; Bruette Gwaltney,
Fresno, Calif.; Dickerson Gwaltney,
Raleigh; and J. Parks Gwaltney, of
Weldon, N. C.; Frank L. Dixon of(
Henderson and Edgar W. Dixon, of
Winston-Salem who are brothers
and Mrs. Hattie Bess of Henderson
ville, is a sister.
Funeral services were held in the
Zion Baptist church at eleven o'clock
Friday where she is a member.
Deputy Sheriff Ed Dixon, of Shel
by, attended the funeral services!
today of Mrs. Gwaltney, who was
well known to many people in*her
native county.
Boiling Springs
School Is Open
Prof. Hut:gins Heads High School
Faculty. Other Teachers
Given.
Boiling Springs, July 31.—The
High school and Elementary school
opened here Monday with a splendid
attendance In both schools.
The following are the high school
teachers: Prof. J. D. Huggins, Prin
cipal: Miss Eunice Kneece, Miss Ada
Hamrick, and Mr. Blainey Rackley.
The teachers at the Elementary
school are as follows: Mrs. J. L. Jen
kins, 7th grade; Miss Thelma Jolley,
6th grade; Miss Johnnie Maie Mc
Brayer, 4th and 5th grades; Mrs.
J H. Jones, 2nd and 3rd grades;
Mrs. M. A, Jolley, 1st grade.
Remember?
When a nine-year-old boy
published a newspaper in
Shelby? He did all the writ
ing and drew sketches of peo
ple mentioned in his news
stories. When he published
his paper he was seven years
younrer than was Clyde Hoey
when he purchased and edited
The Star at the age of 16.
Turn to the "Around Our
Town” column in today’s Star
for the atory of the Shelby
boy who was the youngest
newspaper publisher and edi
tor of his day.
Present Portrait Of
Judge J. L Webb To
County Here Thursday
Ceremony To Honor
Late Jurist
Clyde Hoey To Present Por
trait For Webb Family
Here
An oil portrait of the. late
Judge James L. Webb, for
near a half century a Superior
court official in North Caro
lina and at the time of hi?
death the most beloved citi
zen of Cleveland county, will
be presented to the county at
a ceremony at the court house
next Thursdav morning at
9:30.
The portrait, a striking likeness of
the popular and big-hearted jurist,
is a gift to the county from his fam
ily and will be presented officially
by Clyde R. Hoey.
Warlick To Accept.
Judge Wilson Warlick, of Isewton,
is expected to preside over the civil
terms of court here next week and
he is scheduled to accept the por
trait for the county and for the Su
perior court of the State.
When the ceremony is brought to
a close the portrait will be hung in
the court room where for many
years the late jurist served as a
young lawyer and as solicitor of Su
perior court before he became a
judge in which capacity he served
for many years.
The portrait presentation is ex
pected to draw hundreds of people
from all walks of life.
The late jurist, known as ‘ Judge
Jim” to his home county and sur
rounding sections, due to his long
public career and pleasant disposi
tion was a friend to practically
every family in his home county. His
funeral last fall brought a mammoth
crowd of sorrowing people to Shelby,
evincing the fact that the home peo
ple loved no one better than the
stately, tender “Judge Jim,” the son
of a minister who became the dean
of North Carolina’s judges.
Among the many expected for the
presentation will be the widow of
Judge Webb, his daughter, Mrs. O.
Max Gardner, first lady of the
State, and her hus-band. Governor
Gardner. The Gardners will be here
all next week, the first week of the
chief executive’s vacation.
In addition to these and other
members of the family, there will be
court officials from other sections,
and veteran associates of the man
whose portrait will remain in the
tribunal where he tempered mercy
with justice for many years.
All members of the local bar as
sociation will also participate in the
ceremonies together with officials of
the Superior court present for the
second week of the term. Present,
too, will be the jurist's younger
brother, Federal Judge E. Yates
Webb.
Hoey Talk.
The presentation talk of Hoey is
already an anticipated event. Ordi
nary men have difficulty in express
ing their innermost feelings and
sentiment, all Cleveland county lov
ed "Judge Jim,” and the people of
the county expect Mr. Hoey to say
for them that which they feel. They
remember, in that anticipation, his
brief eulogy at the Webb funeral, a
quiet gestureless oration that has
already taken its place in county
legends.
County Gets His
Portrait
At a ceremony here Thursday at
the court house an oil painting of
the late Judge J. L. Webb will be
presented to the county of Cleveland
by Mrs. Webb and her daughters,
Mrs. O. Mav Gardner and Mrs.
Madge Webb Riley. The portrait to
be formally presented by Clyde R.
Hoey, will be hung In the court
room.
County’s Oldest
Woman Celebrates
100th Birthday
Cleveland county’s oldest wo
man, Mrs. Elisabeth Houser, will
celebrate her 100th birthday on
Sunday. An all day picnic with
short speeches and a sermon will
be held at Elisabeth Baptist
church three miles East of
Shelby in honor of Mrs. Houser.
She is living at present with her
daughter, Mrs. E. C. Borders
near the church.
An invitation Is extended to all
old people of the county, whether
they are related to Mrs. Houser or
not, so the birthday celebration will
be a sort of gathering, not only of
relatives and friends, but of the
county’s oldest people.
Young Snakes Come
From Slain Snake
Seven young snakes, of varying
sizes, crawled from the mouth of a
large snake killed yesterday after
noon by Mrs. J. R. Osburn in the
yard of her home on the Cleveland
Springs road. The slain snake was
thought to be a highland moccasin.
TAKBS 4 STITCHES TO
SEW UP NEGRO’S THROAT
Jeff Sanford, a negro of the Polk
vllle-Lawndale section, barely escap
ed death early Wednesday night
when he was slashed about the
throat and neck by another negro.
More than 40 stitches were required
to sew up his wounds at the Shelby
hospital. Sanford was able to leave
for his home yesterday.
“Wet” Platform Of Reynolds Will
Help Morrison In Senate Contest
!
Will Take Smithitea And Anti-Smith
Voters In Morrison
Camp.
Raleigh, July 31.—With Robert R.
Reynolds, of Asheville, formally in
the race against Senator Cameron
Morrison for the Democratic nomi
nation for Senator next June, and
with Frank. D. Grist also “going
strong” and confident that he will
be able to defeat the field with
his slogan that “Cam can buy you.
but don’t let him,” observers here
are confident that neither Tam
Bowie, of West Jefferson, Ashe
county, nor Aubrey L. Brooks, of
Greensboro, will now enter the race.
In fact, the more seasoned ob
servers here maintain that Reynolds
and Grist will split the protest vote
asainst Morrison and that he will
re renominated by a majority of
from 100.000 to 300.000. If 300.000
Democratic votes are cast in the
primary, Reynolds and Grist to
gether will get about 100,000 and
Morrison the other 200,000, old polit
ical heads here say. According to
present Indications they do not be
lieve Grist will get more than 20,000
votes, probably not more than 10,000
Reynolds may get as many as 90 -
000 votes, the number he got when
he ran against Senator Overman
five years ago, perhaps even 100,000,
but not more than that, according
to seasoned opinion here.
It is conceded that Senator Mor
rison already has a stiff fight on his
hands and that he knows it. But it
is also conceded that it 1s Just the
kind of fight that Cam likes and
that when he gets through snort
ing and pawing, especially with pro
hibition the main issue, with Rey
nolds runing on a modification
platform, that he will come through
the victor with tremendous majori
ty.
Reynolds defeated himself with
> CONTI NTJXn ow oir.K six ■
Gang Bullets Fell Children
Ruthless New Vork {an( warfare took a new and ootrafeons toll
when one child vu killed and four other* were seriously wounded un
der the rain of bullet* from a heavily armed and speeding fan|*ter
“execution'’ car. The bullet-riddled carriage (above) In which Michael
Bevelicqoa (Insert), pretty 3-year-old. lay sleeping when the gang
assassin* opened fire, plainly show", the holes through which bullets
tore Into the lad. He is expected to die. Michael Vlngalll. 5, already
has been claimed by death in the trerible tragedy. The gangsters’
Intended victims escaped unhurt.
Terrific Heat Holds
The most loin-drawn-out heat
wave in years continues to hold
forth in the Shelby section as it
does throughout a major por
tion of America.
All'week the mercury i nihe
EJbeltoft store has been consid
erably above 90, and yesterday,
with the thermometer register
ing 98 in the afternoon, was
considered one of the hottest
days of the year.
Over State.
Charlotte, July 31. — North
Carolina, roasted for weeks by a
continuous heat wave, yesterday
was caught in a crest of the
wave that sent the mercury
around the 100-degree mark.
The thermometer soared to
105 degrees in Albemarle and set
a new record for July there.
Stores of the town closed In the
afternoon end employes took t
half day for recreation.
A blazing sun skyrocketed the
thermometer to an even 100 de
gree* at 2:40 p m. at Goldsboro.
A ready of 99 degrees in the
shade was recorded at Windsor.
When the thermometer was
placed on a curb It climbed to
119 degrees In seven minutes.
Greensboro and Durham Swel
tered under high readings of 99
degrees. Charlotte had 98 at 3
p. m.
Winston-Salem reported a
high of 95 and a low of 71.
The thermometer reached 98
degrees at Raleigh, the highest
at the year for the Capital city.
Wilmington had a high of 91.
Shelby Man Now
Heads Va. Press
_
Rufus Roberts, Native Of Shelby l«
Elected President Virginia Press
Association.
Rufus O. Roberts, pnblisher of the
Virginia Star at Culpepper, Va., has
been elected president of the Wgi
nia Press Association for the ensuing
year. The annual meeting of the j
press association of the Old Domin-'
ion at which Mr. Roberts was elect
ed, was held last week at the *200 -
000 Mimslyn Hotel in Luray, Va
Mr. Roberts is a son of Mrs. Eliza
Roberts of Shelby and a brother of i
Mrs. Talmage Gardner and Mrs
Herman Eskridge of this place. An-j
other sister is Mrs. R. G. Liner of
Canton and another brother is |
Charlie Roberts, secretary-treasurer;
of the Charles Mill at Red Springs.!
It is interesting to recall that Lee
B. Weathers, editor of The Star at j
Shelby served as president of the'
North Carolina Press Association in
1929. Mr. Roberts and Mr. Weathers
were boyhood friends in Shelby, but
little did they know when they play
ed together that they would follow
the newspaper business and become
president of the Press Associations
of the two tates of North Carolina
and Virginia.
Mr. Roberts has been publisher of
the Virginia Star at Culpepper, Va.,
for a number of years. His paper is
one of the leading weekly journals
of the Old Dominion. Mr. Roberts
is also a member of the Virginia
State Conservation and Development
Commission.
INJURED DRUGGIST OUT
OF SHELBY HOSPITAL
Mr. Glenn Yoder, pharmacist at
Stephenson’s drug store, was able to
leave the Shelby hospital yesterday
and is now recuperating at his home
near Newton Mr. Yoder had his leg
fractured in an auto collision near
CherryviHe two weeks ago Sunday
night.
Mr. Virgil Cox, of Mars Hill, u
here visiting Mr. Carlos .Youne.
Mrs. Covington Of
Near Polkville Dead
Wife of Mr. We* Covington Suc
cumbs to Second Stroke of
Paralysis.
Mrs. Roxana Covington, wife of
Mr. Wes Covington of the Polkvtllc
community was buried on Wednes
day of last week at the Polkville
Methodist church. She succumbed
to a stroke of paralysis which she
suffered ten days prior to her death.
She had her first stroke of paraly
sis about 18 months ago and since
that time her health has not been
good.
Mrs. Covington was 71 years Of
age. In girlhood, she joined the
church at Palm Tree, but moved
her membership to Polkville about
five years ago. She was a devoted
wife and mother and a fine Christ
ian character who will be greatly
missed in the community where she
lived.
Surviving are her husband, three
sons and one daughter, Hugh of
Cabarrus county, Guy who Uvea at
home and Horace who operates a
store at Polkville, Mrs. Grigg ot
near Lawndale.
The funeral was largely attended
and many beautiful tributes In
words and flowers were paid her.
Services were conducted by Rev. J.
M. Barber her pastor, assisted by
Rev. E. E. Snow, Rev. Mr. Osborne
and Rev. C. E. Ridge.
There were as many marriages In
Cleveland county In July as there
were In the bridal month of June—
and none too many in either month,
according to Register of Deeds Andy
F. Newton who deplores the fact
that North Carolina marriage law
drive Carolina couples to South
Carolina Greta Greens.
A total of seven couples secured
marriage licenses at the court
house here during July, the same
number as secured license in June.
All seven couples were white
Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Morrison
have just returned from a trip to
Atlanta and ‘"smsta. Ga.
Marriages
Equal June List
Jury Fails To
Get Verdict In
Wilkinson Case
Mistrial After 20
Hours Deadlock
Jurors Debate Ante Death Cm* All
Night And Half Day. Raise
Rond
The eaae of Paul Wiltoiuon.
fount white man of South Car
olina, charred with Involuntary
manslaughter In connection with
the fatal Injury of Mr. Tom
Wright, ared cltlurn of Moores
boro, thin county, ended In a
mistrial at noon here today.
After 30 hours the jury which
heard the evidence in the case came
Into the court room and Informed
Judge Walter Moore, of Superior
oourt, that It was hopelessly dead
locked and could not agree upon a
verdict.
To Nest Court.
As a result of the mistrial the
case, which has already been on the
dockets for near half doeen terms,
will go over until the fall term of
court here.
Judge Moore, however, increased
Wilkinson's bond from $1,000 to $3.
000.
Highway Tragedy.
The aged Moorestooro cltisen, well
known throughout the county was
killed more than a year and one
halt ago when he was struck, It Is
alleged by an automobile driven by
young Wilkinson.
| The defense contended that the
car driven by Wilkinson was hit by
another car and knocked against the
aged man.
The case was hotly contested
throughout.
All Night Jury.
The cue wu given to the jury
just before 4 o'clock Thursday after
noon. Late in the evening the court
wae Informed that no decision had
been reached. The Jury wu then
sent to the hotel to spend the night.
This morning when court opened
the Jurors were no nearer together
than they were yesterday evening.
As the day grew older still no word
came from the Jury room. About
mld-moming the Jury filed in for
additional Instructions from Judge
Moore, but Just at noon It wu an
nounced that no verdict had been
reached or could be reached. It wu
then, the Jury having had the case
over 20 hours .that Judge Moore
ordered a mistrial.
Court officials and officers from
Cherokee county, South Carolina,
came here to testify to Wilkinson’s
character which wu good, they said,
with the exception of the fact that
he drank occasionally. At the term
of court when the case wu first
docketed for trial it was continued
for the defense because, it was said
In the court room, the defendant
was temporarily afflicted with •‘Jake"
paralysis. Since then It hu been
continued for both the State and
defense. This time the failure of a
Jury to agree sent the trial on to an
other court
Hayes Speaker At
Sherrill Reunion
Rev. L. B. Hayes, pastor of Shel
by's Central Methodist church, will
make the principal address at the
annual reunion of the Sherlll fam
ily a Ball’s Creek camp ground to
day. The Sherlll reunion is one of
the largest family affairs In this
section of North Carolina and sever
al other well known speakers are on
the program
N. C. Fanners Deserting Old Money
Crop System Of Running Their Farms
They Are Diversifying Along All
Lines. Results Soon To Be
Seen.
Raleigh, July 31.—Requests for in
formation received by the state de
| partment of agriculture indicate
clearly that farmers of the state are
deserting the old "money crops” and
are diversifying in large numbers.
This statement Is made in the
leading article in the Agriculture
Review, published by the depart
ment. The article Is written by
William H. Richardson, farm edi
tor, and sums up conditions as re
ported to the department and indi
cated by the types of requests re
ceived.
Mu, Richardson attributed the
change largely to the economic
hardships which the farmer has
suffered in recent years as a re
sult of over production of staple
crons. He declares the farmers of
North Carolina have seen the
light and are ready to lift them
selves from the mire of depression
by providing diversified products.
“The changing tendency,” he
writes, “has been brought about
largely through the processes of
education. When cotton and tobac
co were yielding reasonable in
comes, there appeared to many
farmers no reason to get excited
over what many believed to be
mere theories. You can never con
vince a well man that he is sick
because of one sore spot so long
as he is able to keep going in a
normal manner, x x x For two
years now, though, prosperity has
been "Just around the comer,”
and no one seems to know Which
corner.
“Realizing the tndefuntencss of
things the farmers have accepted
the policy of diversification as a
ICONTINUXO ON »-* •
Terms Totalling 45
Years In Prison, On
Majority Of Sentences For Stealing. Only
One Defendant Gets Off With Costs In
Judge Moore’s Court. Wind Up Criminal
Docket Today.
When Superior court had ground its way to the end of
the criminal docket here today, 15 defendants had been giv
en prison and gang sentences totalling 45 years and nine
months. Nine of the 15 defendants sentenced bv Judge
Walter Moore were convicted on some type of larceny charge
and the nine wore given sentences totalling 35 1-2 years.
Call Name Death
Chair Victim In
Superior Cou|t
One defendant called
out in Superior court here,
yesterday who can never be
brought back for trial.
He was J. F. Moore, negro
j and he wac electrocuted at
H Columbia, 8. C., just a short
time ago tor assaulting a whitr
woman near Grover but Just
across the line In South Caro
lina.
The charge against him here
was breaking and entering the
home of T. M. Dumas, In No.
4 township, in October, 1930
and stealing an overcoat,
watch and ring.
The case was marked "nol
Free Man Here Of
Seduction Charge
Hiyiws Freed When Prosecuting
Witness Shown To Hare An
other Child.
Wayne Haynes, white, of the up*
county section, was freed in County
recorder's court here Wednesday
night of a charge of seduction under j
promise of marriage
Judge Maurice Weathers ordered j
a verdict of not guilty when it was
shown that the prosecuting witness,
an expectant mother, was the
mother of another four-year-old
child out of matrimony.
Three Deaths In 48
Hours In A Family
Three deaths in 48 hours, added
to the sorrow of Mrs. Bobo Scruggs
of Shelby over the week-end. Mrs.
Scruggs before her marriage to Dr.
Bcruggs of Shelby was Miss Kate
Hillard of Little Rock, Ark. She
received a telegram on Friday an
nouncing the death of her step
mother tn Little Rock. On Satur
day night her husband died here
In the Shelby hospital and was
buried Sunday at Rutherfordton.
The day her husband died, she re
ceived a message announcing the
drowning of her brother in Texas.
Dr. Ward Died At
Rock Hill Today
Dr. T. S. R. Ward, of Blacksburg,
died at the home of his son Dr. W
B. Ward, at Rock Hill, this morning
at 8 o'clock, according to Informa
tion received by The Star. He had
been in poo^ health for several
weeks. Funeral arrangements had
not been completed at noon.
Judge Moore continued to maka
it hard on convicted storebreakers.
Through Monday and Tuesday ha
rad sentenced seven convicted thiev
es to sentences totalling 27 years.
Yesterday he gave John Gambia
18 months and James Smith 12
months on the charge of breaking
In the S. L. Gillespie store here.
In another robbery case a jury
found Robert Carpenter and Ralph
Tarns, colored, guilty of breaking
and entering the A. Blanton whole
sale house and stealing a quantity
of cigarettes. Judge Moore gave
them three to five years each in
the State prison.
Free Williamson
The disposition of one case gave
the court spectators something to
talk about. A Jury had convicted
Morris Williamson, young negro, of
assault with deadly weapon. Ac
cording to the evidence he used a
shotgun upon Hatcher Grover, white
and his father while they were
working a crop which the negro had
started on a farm north of Shelby.
When Williamson was called up
while other prisoners were being
sentenced. Judge Moore reminded
the court that when a man rente
a farm it is in his possession foi
the year and cannot be taken a Way
from him without clear. Justifiable
cause He then continued prayer
for Judgement until the next court
freed Williamson, and ordered thal
he be put back in possession of his
crop.
Secret Assault.
Marvin Ford, young white man
of tire Kings Mountain section, was
given a 15 months sentence on the
eharge of secret assault. The evi
dence was that he struck another
man on the back of the head with
a soda pop bottle.
liquor Cases.
Very few liquor cases came up
before the week’s criminal court.
Grover Patterson was given sif
months for violating the State pro
hibition law, and C. C. Morrison
was given a sentence of similar
length on the same charge.
A colored woman, by the name or
Carrouthers, was given a 12 months
sentence on whiskey count but there
are indications that this sentence
may be altered before the court
session comes to a close.
Only one convicted defendant in
Judge Moores’ court was fortunate
enofigh to get off with payment of
the costs. He was convicted oi
driving an automobile with improp
er license, but was warned that h«
would be given a sentence unless
the costs and other court orders are
paid and fulfilled by the fall court
term.
ine iour-day court grind filled th#
Jail with nine prisoners for the Stats
prison and ten for the chain gang.
The killing charge against Rippy
and Ellis in connection witl\ the
death of a negro in No. 3 township,
who was shot while it is alleged
he was stealing corn, was continued.
With the criminal docket being
completed today court adjourned
until Monday when it will take up
the civil calendar. Judge Wilson
Warlick will preside at the civil ses
sion.
Bethlehem Church
To Celebrate Soon
On August 9th It Will Celebes!*
The 100th Anniversary Of
Its Founding.
On August 9th Bethlehem churcl
between Kings Mountain and Grov
er will celebrate the 100th anniver
sary of its founding. Appropriate all
of its founding. An appropriate all
day service will be arranged by Rev
C. J. Black, pastor. Services art'
begin at 9:45 and continue through
out the day with a picnic dinner oi
the ground.
Bethlehem is in sight of the King.
Mountain battleground and is rich
in history. Some of the most prom
inent men of the section descends*'
from the heroes who fought sc
grandly there. The church has a
membership of 400 and a house of
worship as good as any country
church in the state