Population
Greater Kings Mountain
City Limits
10,320
7,206
Baga Mountain In dartrod
*» IMS Buga Menatola city directory cUnauo. 11m dty
UmiHi flgura la tnm Um Dal tad StotM eaaaas of Ittd.
Kings Mountain's Reliable Newspaper
VOL 70 No. 7
Established 1889
Kings Mountain, N. C., Thursday, February 19, 1959
Seventieth Year
PRICE TEN CENTS
Vote Likely On Four-Year Terms At May Election
Values Of Appraisal Group
Accepted By School Board
Hitch Remains
On Acquiring
JCansler Plot
The dWy board of education
unanimously accepted Monday
the appraisal committee report
for needed property adjacent to
West school, agreeing to pay the
aggregate $7984 at which a three
man team valued the four want
ed tracts.
One major .hitch to completion
of the transaction, remained.
(Property owners, either verbal
ly or toy letter, had agreed to ale
<Hpt the appraisal team prices,
except Mrs. George Cansler, who
started via letter that she was not
In position to offer the resideni
al garden plot at her W. Moun
tain street home. She said she had
been bequeathed only a lifetime
interest in the property.
Another slight “if” appeared.
Sam Weir, administrator of the
S. S. Weir Estate, told the board
minor heirs are involved in the
estate and that he would expect
the school (board to pay legal
costs necessary to obtain a clear
deed.
The board named Trustee J. R.
Davis to confer with Mrs. Cans
ler In an effort to absolve legal
barriers which might bar acqul
ritikm of the Canister tract.
The board has sought the va
oant land to meet state depant
^■ent trequirementSj Xor building
^■three-room addition to West
TfchooiL
Hie appraisal board figures
•were:
Mrs. Cansler’e residential plot
$1620; Cansler tots on W. King
King $3250; two S. S. Weir Estate
lots $1710; and J. E. Gamble res
idential garden plat $1404.
QQn other actions, the board:
1) Accepted the resignation, ef
fective end of February, of Mrs.
Musa Mlarto, special teacher of
piano, and elected Charles Wood
ward, St Matthew’s Lutheran
Church organist to fill the posi
tion for the remainder of the
sChool year.
2) Honored a request of East
school P-TA to pave a basketball
want playground area. The P-TA
said it would pay half the cost
3) Approved request that a
chffld of Mr. and Mrs. Deiwitt Neal,
now tandty resident^ continue to
attend Bethware school for tfye re
maftader of the year.
4) Approved purchase of a ser
ving counter for North school
cafeteria.
Supt R. N. Barnes reported
completion of renovation of Cen
tral aMditartiHn. He said Archi
tect J. I* Beam is virtually ready
to present complete plans and
^fcpitfiieaitions on the proposed
^^vidson adhool gymtorlum.
Stockholders
Meeting Tuesday
Stockholders of Kings Moun
tafh Business Development, Inc.,
the industry-seeking firm, will
convene at City Hall Tuesday
night at 7:30.
Purpose of (the meeting will be
adoption of constitution and by
laws, election of permanent dir
ectors, hearing of reports from
temporary officers, and other
business that might be present
ed.
Acting officers are J. Wilson
Crawford, president; Fred W.
Plank, vice-president; and Ben
H. Bridges, secretary-treasurer.
Acting directors include the three
afflioars G. A Bridges, W. K.
Mauney and B. S. Neill.
President Crawford said he ho
ped all stockholders in the com
pany would attend the session.
The firm was organized under
Chamber of Commerce sponsor
ship and erected the building
now occupied by Waco Sports
wear, Inc.
__ LIONS CLUB
Aa variety program will be
^Katured at the regular meet
ing of Sings Mountain Lions
Club Tuesday. The program
will consist of games and men
tal teasers and will be con
ducted by the program com
mittee, according to program
chairman Lawson Brown. The
club meets at 7:00 p. ra. at the
Woman’s Club.
Local News
Bulletins
BUS FUND
Kings Mountain high school
seniors will be soliciting funds
Monday, Tuesday, and Wed
nesday for their class gift to
the school — the activity bus,
a project begun by several for
mer classes.
METER RECEIPTS
Parking meter receipts for
the week ending Wednesday at
noon totaled $134.95. Included
was $18.60 from off-street me
iters and $116.35 from on-street
meters, City Clerk Joe McDan
iel said.
P-TA WORKSHOP
A . two-session city - wide
workshop will be conducted by
P-TA’s in the schools begin
ning Thursday (tonight) from
7 until 9 p. m. Dr. Miary Eller
Nelson, of Gaston Center for
the Handicapped, and Miss Al
ice Averitt, city schools teach
ing supervisor, will lead the
first session at North school.
KIWANIS
(Armand Mando of GasWffla
will give a demonstration of
steraphonic sound to feature
the program Thursday night of
the Kiwanis club. The dub
convenes at 6:45 p. m. at the
Woman’s club.
ROTARY CLUB
A representative of the North
Carolina Highway Patrol will
address the Kings Mountain
Rotary club at their 12:15
meeting Thursday at La Royal
Restaurant. Jack Merrier is
.program chairman.
P-TA MEETING
The Central high school Glee
club, under direction of C. A.
Ballance, will present a musi
cal program at Park Grace
school P-TA meeting Monday
night at 7 o’clock in the school
auditorium.
IN NEW POSITION
Charles (Chick) Alexander
has accepted a position with
PneumafU Company in Char,
lotte, and he and his wile are
residing at 514 Ashley Circle.
The Alexanders are formerly of
ICings Mountain.
CHURCH CENSUS
A city-wit j religious census,
sponsored by Kings Mountain
Ministerial Association, will be
conducted on Sunday, March 1,
beginning at 1:00 p. m. Presi
dent W. C. Sides requests all
city churches and its environs
to co-operate.
WOMAN'S CLUB
Mrs. Gary Harthcock of Hen
dersonville, chairman of youth
programs in the State Federa
tion of Women’s Club’s will
speak to a Joint meeting of all
departments of the Woman’s
dub Monday night at 7:30 p.
m. The Community Affairs De
partment has arranged the
program which will feature the
Birthday Remembrance.
ON DEAN'S LIST
John W. Robinson, Jr. has
been named to the Dean’s list
for the first semester at Bel
mont Abbey College. Belmont.
The son of Mr. and Mrs. J. W.
Robinson of route 1, he is a
member of the sophomore
class and a graduate of the
Bessemer City high school. He
is seeking the bachelor of
science degree, majoring in en
gineering.
CLUBWOMEN
Kings Mountain clubwomen
are calling attention to the Ed
Murrow program, "See It Now"
on Friday night when Miss
Chloe Gifford, president of the
National Federation of Wo
man’s Club, will appear as his
guest at 10:30. The program
will come from the General
Federation Headquateis build
ing in Washington.
Organization
For Red Cross
Drive lasted
Organizational plans for the
Red Cross campaign, slated target
underway March 2 were announ
ced this week by campaign pub
licity chairman Haywood E. Lyn
ch.
Quota for the drive this year
will be $6000.
Several meeting have been
held and organization of the
campaign is virtually completed.
General chairman of the cam
paign Is Dr. W. P. Gerberding;
assistant chairman, George
Houser; advance gifts, Arnold
Kiser; residential, Mrs. Paul E.
Hendricks and Mrs. Haywood
Lynch; publicity, Haywood Lyn
ch; colored, Hilliard Hunter; bus
iness area, Ren Bridges and Har
old Coggins; city and govern
ment employees, Glee A. Bridges;
schools, W. R. George.
Professional group, Dr. Phillip
Padgett; industrial employees,
James E. Amos and Bruce Thor
bum; retail employees, James
Harris; outlying business, Ted
Weir; rural area, Rev. Frank E.
Blalock; hospital, Grady Howard;
Grover, Charles Harry in and
Loy Paige; and committee, Ollie
Harris, Paul Walker, and Law
rence Patrick. _
Spearheading the campaign
will be a kick-off by President
Eisenhower on a nationwide ra
dio- and television hookup.
Mr. Gamble's
Bites Conducted
Funeral rites for Joseph Frank
lin Gamble, 85, were held Wednes
day afternoon ait 3:30 p. m. from
El Bethel Methodist church, In
terment fallowing in the church
cemetery.
Mr. Gamble, prominent farmer
of the El Bethel community, suc
cumbed Tuesday morning in
Kings Mountain hospital follow
ing an illness of 'ten days.
A native of Cleveland County,
Mr. Gamble was the son of the
late Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Gam
ble. (Hite wife, Laura Jane Watter
eon Gamble, died in 1954. He was
a member of the HI Bethel chur
ch.
Surviving are two sons, Clyde
D. Gamble, Waxhiaw, and Leon
ard ®V Gamble, Kings Mountain;
three daughters, Mrs. T. R. Ham
rick, Mrs. Paul Roberts, and Mrs.
Spurgeon Dedmon, al>l of Kings
Mountain; and two brothers, H.
W. Gamble of Kings Mountain
arid J. J. Gamble of Shelby. Also
surviving are 11 grandchildren
and 11 great-grandchildren.
Rev. Fhank Blalock, R?v. N. S.
Hardin, and Reiv. Boyce Huffstet
ler conducted the final rites.
Manet Wins City Insurance Fight;
One Agent To Write All Coverage
B. F. Maner, Kings Mountain
insurance agent, apparently won
his long fight Tuesday night for
a one agent, commission share
arrangement on the city’s insur
ance coverage.
The city commission voted In
favor of the Maner plan, first
presented more than a year ago,
after considering as an alter
native placing of all coverage
with one agent on a bid basis.
In the alternative plan, no a
gerat would have been allowed
to bid if he could not supply all
of the city’s required coverage.
Present at the session were A
gents Madge P, War lick, Wesley
Bush, Helen Hay, John George
and Maner.
Under the Maner plan, one a
gent will be designated as the
city’s agent. He will split com
missions with other agents on a
formula to be agreed upon by all
city agents. Mayor Glee A. Brid
ges named Miss Hay, whose a
gency is the senior Kings Moun
tain insurance agency, as chair
man of the Insurance group and
asked her to report on the
group’s share agreement at a
special session March 3.
Principal objection was voiced
Jury Declares
Shuf ord Death
Was Accidental
William Charles (Billy) Shu
ford, 14-year-old son of Mr. and
Mrs. Tolly Shuford, died by
strangulation, due to accident, a
coranor’s jury ruled Tuesday.
The Shuford youth was found
hanged to death at his home
February 9.
Jury Foreman George W.
Manuey rendered the verdict af
ter the jury had deliberated a
bout 20 minutes.
Testifying at the hearing were
John Gamble, high school physi.
cal education teacher, Mrs. Clyde
Bennett, who had driven the boy
home from school, and Police
Officer Paul Saunders, who had
answered the call to the Shuiord
residence.
Mr. Gamble said he’d noticed
the Shuford lad at least four
times during the February bas
ketball class. "As far as I could '
tell he was very normal. He
played well. There was no de
pression indicated,” he testified.
Mis. Ben net said the Shuford
lad was a frequent passenger
from school and that she had let
him out at the comer of Kings
and Sims street about 3:45 Feb
ruary 9. She said Shuford and her
son chatted in normal fashion
and she could "see no difference
from any other time”. Conversa
tion had concerned basketball
and other school activities. She
said the, Shuford youth had re
marked, "I hope I don’t see those
spots in front of my eyes tonight”.
As she stopped the oar, her son
told Shuford he’d see him that
night, at a scheduled junior bas
ketball game. The Shuford boy
had replied "o. k.” Mrs. Bennett
said she didn’t see the Shuford
German police dog.
Officer Saunders said he ans
wered a call to the Shuford resi
dence about 5:30 p. m. on Febru
ary 9. When he arrived, he found
the Shuford dog barring his way
in the house, called to Mrs. Shu
ford to hold the dog. She did and
Saunders was told to go up
stairs where he found the body
of the boy hanging by a rope
from his bedroom door.
Saunders exhibited articles of
evidence and described the situ
ation as he found it. He said the
room was in order, the boys clo
thes on the bed and his shoes
together “as If he had put them
there”. A stout wooden-bottom
chair was nearby and upright.
Coronor J. OUie Harris told the
jury no bruises were found on
the body except an old one on
the hand. He said his examina
tion and that of Dr. Kenneth Mc
Gill determined that the lad died
of strangulation. To a juror’s
question, Coronor. Harris said It
was possible the boy's neck was
broken. -ftr if*-"’"
The Coronor instructed the
jury it could render ope of three
verdicts: that the boy died of
strangulation due to a lisuicide,
2) murder, or 3) accident. He
said the verdict must be unani
mous.
Other members of the jury
were Oarl P. Finger, Grady Ho
ward, Harold Coggins, Claude
Hambrighit, and T. W. Grayson.
The Shuford youth was an “A”
student of the ninth grade, a Boy
Scout and troteibonist in the high
school band.
by Mr. George, who said his com
pany doesn’t write fidelity bonds,
which would eliminate him from
bidding on or writing the cover
age, and who also contended the
city could save money on a bid
basis.
Mrs. War lick said she ascribed
to the package underwriting but
felt the work was worth the full
commission, minus any Share ar
rangement, no matter who wrote
the coverage.
Mr. Maner contended that the
city will get better coverage for
its money, and more complete
coverage, with one agent hand
ling the full account. He said it
is possible a company which
sustains a major loss would re
fuse to re-write under a bid ba
sis.
Previously the commission had
agreed to put its coverage into
five classes including fire and
extended coverage; fidelity
bonds; fleet comprehensive and
public liability; volunteer fire
men’s life and accident; and
workmen’s compensation.
Mrs. War lick told the board
the fidelity bonds would have
(ComtkmmI on Page MghtJ
GARLAND STILL
TOMMY ELLISON
LUTHER BENNETT
Still Enters Mayoral Race;
Ellison, Bennett Lock Horns
Bridges, Still
Are Opponents
Fourth Time
Familiar names will appear on
the city ballot in May.
Ex-mayor Garland Still will
oppose Mayor Glee A. Bridges
for the fourth time in the May
voting, and T. J. (Tommy) Elli
son will seek to regain the Ward3
commission seat from Incumbent
Luther Bennett.
Ellison posted his $5 filing fee
Saturday, while Still and Ben
nett filed Monday.
Only other candidate in the
field through Wednesday after
noon were Ross Alexander, seek
ing a second term as Ward 1
commissioner, and Mrs. F. A.
(Boots) McDaniel, seeking elec
tion to the city board of educa
tion for the first tame.
No candidates yet seek the
other three city commission
posts. However, Boyce Gault,
Ward 2, Ben H. Bridges, Ward 4,
and R. Coleman Stroupe, Ward 5,
are expected to seek re-election.
Former Mayor Still is seeking
the mayor’s seat for the sixth
time. He was successful only
once, in 1951. He ran second to
Mayor Bridges in 1953 and 1957,
trailed badly in his campaigns
of 1949 and 1955. He is a mem
ber of St Matthew's Lutheran
church.
When he paid his filing fee,
Mr, Ellison made good his state
ment at the 1957 oath-taking
ceremonies. He had commented,
‘Til see you in two years.” An
East Kings Mountain grocer, El
lison has many years of service
on the commission. He served in
the position from 1947-51, return
ed in 1953 for four more years
after losing to Ollamd Pearson.
He is a member of Grace Meth
odist church.
Comm. Bennett, seeking a sec
ond term, is an employee of Bur
lington Industries Phenix plant
and a member of the board of
directors of Kings Mountain hos
pital. Like Mr. Ellison, he is a
member of Grace Methodist
church.
Candidacy rumors were still
sparse. C. H. (Cat) Houser was
listed as a possible candidate for
Ward 1 commissioner, and Fleete
McCurdy as a possible candidate
for the schol board post J. R. Da
vis is vacating.
D. L. Saunders was still talk
ing about entering the mayor’s
race, but hadn’t Wedesday af
ternoon. Some speculated that
Grocer Charlie Blalock might of
fer for mayor and others men
tioned J. Lee Roberts, who sought
the top spot two years ago, inter
ested in a re-run.
The voting will be conducted
on May 12. Deadline for filing
for office is 15 days prior to the
voting.
Of the candidates recently fi
led, only domm. Bennett made a
statement He said, “I am an
xious to continue the broad pro
gram of capital improvements
this administration has followed
during the past two years, in
cluding Street improvements, wa
ter line and sewer installations
and other basic needs. I also fa
vor a much broader city recre
ation program and will continue
to support programs to increase
the city’s recreational facilities."
Merchants Banquet
Set For March 16
Annual employer . employee
banquet of the Kings Mountain
Merchants Association will be
(held Mardh 16th at 7 p. m. at
the Woman’s club. >
Date of the event was set at
a meeting of the board of di
rectors on Tuesday.
Installation of new officers
is a feature of the banquet.
Mis. Mauney
Is Elected
Mrs. Aubrey Mauney of Kings
Mountain Was one of the eight
new directors elected to the Board
of Directors of Boys Home of
North Carolina, Inc., Lake Wac
oanxaiw, North Carolina, at the
Executive Committee of the home
which was held in Sanford, Feb
ruary 8.
Mrs. Mauney has long been ac
tive in church and civic circles of
North Carolina.
Other new directors elected alt
this meeting were: J. E. Schidl,
Canton; Robert E. Lee, Lenoir;
Dr. John R. Bender, Winston Sa
lem; Wayne Simpson, China
Grove; Daniel A, Bland, Raleigh;
Manley I. dark, Lawndale; Phil
G. Sawyer, Jr., Elizabeth Oiity.
Boys Home is supported by
ooBvtrtlbuitions from church
groups, fraternal organizations,
business firms, Individuals, Lions,
dvitans, Rotary, Klwanis, Ex
change, DeMoiay, Jaycees.
Cm tan Cottage was completed
and dedicated on August 17, 1958,
housing 16 boys and their House
mother. Lions plan to start con
struction of their cottage in the
spring.
Heart Sunday
Canvass Set
Kings Mountain area citizens
will be asked to contribute to the
Heart Fund drive during Heart
Sunday activities this weekend.
Mrs. Jack White, who is sper
irttending this Sunday\ phase of
the drive, said volunteer workers
Would be caMing on citizens dur
ing the afternoon in an effort to
provide funds for research to im
prove techniques in treating
heart ailments.
The house-tahouse canvass will
be held from 1 o’clock until 3 p.
m. with these volunteers assist
ing in the drive: Mrs. dyde Brid
ges, Mrs. Gene Timms, Mrs. M.
C. Amos, Mrs. Burweli Nolan,
Mrs. Wilson Griffin, Miss Annie
Roberts, Miss Naomi Edens, Mrs.
Joe Hard, Rev. S. T. Cooke, and
Miss Sara Toms.
J. C. Bridges, chairman, noted
that area citizens contributed
more than $3000 to this fund last
year. He urged workers to com
plete their solicitations as quick
ly as possible.
City Hall Office
Being Renovated
Wie City HaiH business office is
getting a new dress.
Carpenters moved in Monday
morning to begin work. Which
wiU include a new Weltex ceiling,
birch wainscoting, new cabinets
and drawer space, and finally a
new coat of paint. The window
bars will be replaced with glass.
Baxter Payseur is doing the re
furnishing job. Meantime, the city
office group Is utDtftftring the tax
connector's office across the hail.
Guterma Out,
Roach Is In
At Scranton
Hal Roach, the film producer,
has assumed the chairmanship
of Scranton Corporation, parent
company of Craftspun Yams,
Inc., succeeding A. L. Guterma,
resigned.
Guterma resigned last week
end after being indicted by the
Securities and Exchange com
mission for alleged violations of
the SEC reporting requirements
on personal stockholdings in F.
L. Jacobs company, which owns
controlling stock in Scranton, the
Wall Street Journal said Mon
day.
Carl H. Swan, of Kings Moun
tain, Craftspun president, said
the accession of Roach as chair
man of Jacobs and Scranton is
the only management change
and will not effect Craftspun op
erations. He termed Mr. Roach
“highly respected.”
Guterma reportedly is a Si
berian native who, since World
War II, has been in this country
and specialized in obtaining con
trol of companies and pyramid
ing them into a diversified in
dustrial empire. He obtained con
trol of the Jacobs firm, auito
parts manufacturer, then the
Scranton Corporation, major lace
producer. Subsequently Scranton,
and Hal Roaich Studios bought
the 446 station Mutual Broadcast
ing Company chain.
Guterma and the Jacobs com
pany got into trouble with the
SEC last summer on failure to
file reports on time and the stock
was suspended from trading on
the New York Stock Exchange.
The Wall Street Journal said
that Guterma was arrested when
the SEC learned he had purchas.
ed an airplane ticket to Turkey.
Guterma denied the allegations.
The SEC charged that Guterma
had borrowed money from indi
viduals and others and pledged
98,000 shares of Jacobs stock as
collateral. In December, the SEC
said, the lenders began selling
this Stock. Guterma’s failure to
report the transaction was a vio
lation of the law, the SEC char
ges. Guterma is free under $5,000
bail but his movements are in
structed to New York City, West
chester county, Long Island, and
Connecticut.
Hearing is scheduled in the U.
S. District court Thursday.
City Tag Sales
At Brisk Pace
City auto license tag sales
boomed last weekend and Mon
day penalty date arrived for mo
torists failing to buy and display
the new city tag.
A total of 1479 bad been sold
through Monday, and estimates
were Hunt about 1600 had been
sold through Wednesday. Mean
time, postal card notices from the
police department were going
out (to oar owners who hadn’t yet
bought tags.
Check was made from tax list
ing records. It was estimated
Tuesday that about 200 ear own
ers haven’t yet bought their 1959
Sixth Ward.
Staggering
Proposals
Are Shelved
BY MARTIN HARMON
Citizens likely will approve or
disapprove four-year city elec
tive terms at the May election.
The staggered term proposal
has been shelved.
The Ross Alexander proposal
for six wards and six city com
missioners is dead apparently,
as his motion to divide Ward 5
at Mountain street failed to ob
tain a second.
These actions were taken at
Tuesday night's special city
board session.
Voting on the four-year terms
will occur at the May election,
if the General Assembly adopts
necessary legislation.
Mayor Glee A. Bridges said he
had conferred with a North Car
oMna League of Municipalities
attorney via telephone and had
been informed the General As
sembly could enact legislation
to add the question of terms to
the May ballot.
Should the citizens approve,
the officials they elect the same
day would serve for four years.
Under the Mayor’s plan ap
proved by the city commission
Tuesday night, voters would
have opportunity to say “yes” or
"no" on two propositions:
1) I approve a four-year term
for the mayor of Kings Moun
tain.
2) I approve a four year term
for the five ward commissioners
of Kings Mountain.
If the voting takes this form,
it would be possible for the vo
ters to elect in May a mayor for
a four-year term and a com
mission for two years, or vice
versa, a mayor for two years and
a commission for four.
Disapproval of both proposi
tions would mean that the pre
sent election system, where all
elective officers get two-year
terms, will be maintained.
The board’s action culminates
a month’s consideration of pro
posals, initially adopted unani
mously by the commission, to
lengthen terms of office to tour
years and to stagger the terms
of office. When the commission
sat down two weeks ago to for
malize the action into a proposed
legislative act, the commission
ers were unable to reach agree
ment and decided to call a pub
lic hearing to get citizen react
ion.
The hearing was held last
Thursday might and showed a
wide variance of opinion. Some
25 citizens were present.
“Crip” Dixon, saying he was
asked foy a commissioner to
sound out sentiment, said, ‘Talks
like the administration but
would prefer to vote on the
change. Generally, people are
pretty well satisfied with the
way it is.”
IT. W. Grayson, opposing the
change proposal, said, “It has al.
ways been my feeling that if a
commissioner does a good job,
people will return him to office.”
Carl P. Finger, after inquiring
about the proposal, remarked la
ter, “I like the staggered term.
It means these $50 guys will
make $50 every four years In
stead of two”.
W. Gurney Grantham, a form
er city commissioner, said he’s
heard considerable support for
creating a sixth ward, and C. T.
Carpenter, Jr., interposed, "It
looks like a four-ward deal
would be simpler.”
Mr. Grantham laughingly re
plied, “It looks like political jobs
never decrease, Just Increase.”
Comm. Alexander commented,
“I am in favor of splitting Ward
5, but I will go along with either
six wards or four wards.”
To a question from Mr. Finger
on his feelings about the Ward
5 split. Comm. Stroupe replied
that i\e had no particular feeling.
After the Thursday hearing,
the board moved into routine
busiixss and took no further ac
tion concerning the election
change, re scheduling it for the
Tuesday session.
Kiwanis Club Sets
Heart Fund Auction
The Mings Mountain Kiwanis
olulb will conduct an auction
Wednesday via Radio Station
WKMT, with all proceeds to
benefit the Mings Mountain
Heart Fund.
Merchandise, to be auctioned.
Is being donated by Kings
Mountain area merchants.
The auction will be held from
2 o’clock until 5 p. m., a club
spokesman said.