VOTE!
10c
Vol. II No. 9
Greater Kinffs Mountain's Progressive Netvspaper
Kings Mountain Mirror, Wednesday, November 1, 1972
Damages Reach $3000
In City Wrecks
|iii>
Kings Mountain Police report six
wrecks within the city this week with to
tal damages reaching the $3000 mark.
Ptl. Robert Dodge answered a call to a
wreck Monday night at 8 p.m. on East
King Street between Gaston and Piedmont.
One car was Involved and the driver was
listed as Delores Leigh Davis, 37, of 64
60 Margrace Road. She told the ollicer
that she took her eyes off the road to
look at the children in the car and she
hit a telephone pole. Damage to her 1965
Pontiac was listed at $300.
Failure to yield was the violation cited
against Marla Green Proctor, 17, of
Route 1, Bessemer City alter a wreck
( Tuesday at 11:18 p.m. The accident oc
curred at the intersection of Battle
ground and Wells Street when Maria
Proctor pulled from Wells and into the
path of Bernard R. Patterson of Irving
ton, New Jersey. Patterson told inves
tigating officer Jerry White that he saw
the car pulling out but could not stop in
time. I^tterson’s 1969 Chyrsler was
damaged $1200 worth and the Proctor ve
hicle suffered $500 damage.
Hazel Womack Sprouse, 42, of 306 East
King Street was cited for making an Im
proper turn alter striking a parked car
We^esday at 7:05 p.m. The accident
happened on Fulton Street between N.
Piedmont and Ramseur Street when Ha
zel Sprouse turned off Piedmont and hit
a parked 1972 Ford owned by Bridges
Hardware of Kings Mountain. Damage
to the Ford was $400 and the Sprouse au
to was damaged $50 worth.
A Thursday morning wreck on Phifer
Road and Mountain Street saw Doris
Phllbeck Sanders, 38, of 913 Church
Street cited lor driving left of center.
According to Lt. Johnny Belk, the San
ders car was making a right onto Phifer
Road and crossed the center lane strik
ing the car driven by Arnold Ledford, 31,
oT Route 7, Shelby. The Sanders car was
damaged $50 worth and the Ledford ve
hicle had damages totaling $150.
Ptl. Bynum Cook responded to an acci
dent call Thursday at 3:15 p.m. on West
Mountain and Phifer Road involving two
cars. According lu Cook’s report, Mar
shall Thomas Blanton, 17, of Floyd
Street in Kings Mountain was pulling out
from Phifer and struck the car driven by
Re'ja Mauney Daney, 34, of 406 Floyd
Street in Shelby. Blanton was cited with
failure to yield. The Daney 1965 Ply
mouth was damaged $100 worth and
Blanton’s car was damaged $100 worth.
A wreck involving a parked car occur
red Sunday at 6:10 p.m. at Nortli Pied
mont and Ridge Street and was investi
gated by Ptl. Jerry White. According to
White, Helen Bees Hanvy, 18, of 416
Mauney Lane in Shelby backed out into
a car parked across the street at Pied
mont and Ridge. The parked car was
owned by Burl Calvin Turner of Cherry-
vllle. Failure to make a movement in
safety was the violation indicated on the
report. Damage to the parked car, a
1972 VW, was listed at $190 and no
damages were listed lor the Hanvy car.
Hospital Safe
Robbed
Mr. Grady Howard reported a larceny
of money from a safe at the Kings Moun
tain Hospital Monday afternoon at 2 p.m.
Answering the call were Patrolmen Don
Ivey and R. G. Hall.
In the report taken by the investigating
officers, Mrs. Mary Wilson .stated that
she was typing when she heard noises
around the safe. She turned and saw the
door was open and described a man run
ning away as about 6 feet and weighing
170-180 pounds. She also said that he was
slender and looked to be around 40 years
old.
Mr. Howard, Mrs. Downey, Mrs. Ham-
bright and Mrs. Nelly, all present at the
hospital described the man similarly.
The amount of money taken from the
hospital safe was listed as $448.11.
li
f!
Traffic Violations Numerous
Arrests in the city of Kings Mountain
have soared to 184 for the month of Oc
tober according to the arrest book at the
Kings Mountain Police Department. Those
entered tills week include:
Ida Burris, 60, failure to appear; John
ny Randolph Putnam, 19, public drunk;
Edwin Charles Coombe, 30, inspection
sticker; Gary Eugene Nolen, 20, 80 in a
35, bilure to stop for blue light and si
ren, reckless driving, resisting arrest
and armed to the terror of the public;
Mack Lefevers, 50, capias; Lester L.
Benton, 57, public drunk; James S. Tur
ner, 26, driving under the Influence; Ro
nald E. Simer, 25, breaking and entering
and larceny; James M. Osment, 20,
breaking and entering and larceny; Wil
liam Wyers, 39, driving while intoxi
cated; Christen L. Perkins, 57, stop lig
ht violation; R. L. Mencer, 44, driving
while intoxicated and speeding; McKinley
E. Locust, 23, driving while intoxicated,
no operators license, blue light and si
ren and speeding 60 in a 35; Oliver D.
Moore, 57, assault on a female; John A.
Cook, 34, non support; James R. Baity,
ubllc drunk; John McGill, stop light
dotation; Grover L. Wilson, 23, 50 in 35;
xlcbard E. Wofford, 20, stop light viola
tion; Lanath N. Thornburg, 17, exceeding
a s^e speed; Earl Sanders, 37, public
drunk; Carol O. Hilliard, 22, 48 in 35;
Masahiro Lee, 20, 47 in 35; MaryR. Per
kins, 26, 49 in 35; Ira E, Harrelson, 51,
public drunk; Fred D. McNeely, 29, 46
in 35; Gall B. Hope, 28, 46 in 35; Judy
Payne Parker, 20, 48 in 35; Johnnie Joe
Stokes, 19, 46 in 35; Lola Harmon Mor
row, 35, 49 in 35; Ann Allman Hullender,
35, 50 in 35; Lamar G. Fletcher, 26, 50
in 35; Jimmy Herndon, 26, 50 in 35; O-
dell Byrd, 25, red light violation; John
C. Lambert, 20, public drunk; Ben E.
Goforth, 34, public drunk; WUlard Whit-
ted, Jr., 24, driving while intoxicated;
Marshal A. Mayberry, 18, driving while
intoxicated; Robert Smith, Jr., 32, pub
lic drunk; Cindy G. Alexander, 18, 50 in
35; Winthrow Brown, 43, driving while
license revoked and failure to dim lights;
Randolph Ross, Sr., 38, 45 in 35.
False Alarm
For those of you who saw patrol cars
witli the blue lights flashing and an am
bulance parked in front of the Joy Thea
tre Monday afternoon put away your
fears of a riot.
The large crowd of kids were in line to
see the film “Batman” at the movie
house. The manager of the theatre had
issued free passes for the children be
cause of a free day away from the books
due to teacher evaluation day.
Patrolmen R. G. Hall and Don Ivey had
received a call that a young girl was be
ing trampled by the crowd...thus the pa
trol car and the ambulance. As it turn
ed out it was a false alarm but the offi
cers stuck around to help with the crowd
anyway.
"Sir!
Jesse Helms, candidate fcr the U.S. Senate was handshaking in Kings Mountain last
Thursday morning during a campaign swing through the county. Here Helms (center)
Js with Bob Maner (left) and a campaign worker as they stopped by the MIRROR.
Helms spoke energetically and optimistically about the election. (Mirror Photo by Rod
ney Dodson)
A pedestrian accident Tuesday night at
6:40 p.m. sent a 65 year old man to Char
lotte Memorial Hospital in critical con
dition.
Kings Mountain Police Chief McDevitt
reported that the pedestrian, Homer Kil
gore, of Route 2, Kings Mountain was
apparently walking south on Railroad
Avenue when he was struck by an auto.
Want To Become
Air Pollution Expert?
The Air Quality Division, Office of Wa
ter and Air Resources of the North Caro
lina Department of Natural and Economic
Resources is offering as a public service
in cooperation with Cleveland County
Technical Institute and the Cleveland
County Air Pollution Control Program,
a three (3) day course ir. Visible Emis
sions Evaluation. The purpose of this
training program is to ilk «available
to industry, commerce, ai 1 govern
ment agencies a form of t.aining which
will assist them in complying with vis
ible emissions regulations.
In addition, it is to certify regulatory
and enforcement personnel in proce
dures and methods of visible emissions
evaluation so as to eliminate the mar
gin of guess-work in evaluation of a vis
ible source that is required to meet
certain regulatory requirements.
The course will be conducted at Cleve
land County Technical Institute, 137 Sou
th Post Road, Shelby, N,C.-Room 1004 on
October 31, November 1 i 2, 1972. Any
one Interested in attending this course
should contact Mr. Jim Phillips at the
Cleveland County Air Pollution Control
Office. 315 Grover Street, Shelby, N.C.
or telephone 482-5232 prior to October
31, 1972.
The driver of the car was listed as JJ).
Martin of Route 1, Grover. The car
struck KUgore at the intersection of
Railroad and King Street. He was picked
up by the rescue squad and transported
to Gaston Memorial and then to Charlotte.
Officers Bob Hall, Don Ivey, Jerry White
and Sgt. Marcellis Hunter were at the
scene.
Sheriff
Reports
Light Week
The Cleveland County Sheriff’s Depart
ment had a light week in the Kings Moun
tain area with only nine arrests being
recorded. Arrests as lis' -d from that
department were: Lawrence Adams,
Margrace Road, capias; Susan Malachi,
17, Route 3, Box 162, Kings Mountain,
worthless checks; John Phillip Adams,
22, of 404 Childers Street, Kings Moun
tain, non-support; James Rodgers, 29,
of Route 1, Kings Mountain, assault on a
female and injury to personal property.
12 Pages This Week
Murder Connection Unfounded
Men Questioned In
Patrolman’s Death
Dressed For The Occasion!
Witches with painted faces, masks glowing under black lights and skeletons banging
from the celling-an eerie setting-just right for Halloween, when the Jolly Players Dra
ma group haunted a house especially for the occasion and scored about 500 guests out
of their wits. (Mirror Photo)
Pedestrian Critical After
Tuesday Evening Accident
By Jay Ashlev
Mirror New s Editor
Two men were arresU d last Wednes
day in connection with the break-in at
Dixon Chevrolet on October 21 and were
also questioned about the murder of Sou
th Carolina State Highway Patrolman Roy
Caffey.
Trooper Caffey was shot on the night of
October 8 on 1-26 near Orangeburg, South
Carolina.
The men, James Osment of Kings Moun
tain and Ronald Simer of Fort Lauder
dale, Florida were arrested Wednesday
morning by Police Chief Tom McDevitt
and Captain William Roper. The charg
es against the men were for breaking,
entering and larceny. Simer is also
charged for the break-in at McCoys
service station.
Area news media had reported over the
week on the progression of the case and
had recently stated that the men have be
en cleared of the murder charge. Chief
McDevitt however reports that he has
had no word on the matter from South
Carolina law officials.
Osment and Simer alledgedly broke in
to Dlxo n Chevrolet on October 21 and
stole three 20-day tags, 14 inspection
stickers, a box of used car keys and a
tool box. They then stole a 1969 Ford
LTD Station Wagon from the Dixon lot.
The Chief stated that the men then
took the station wagon to Thomasville,
Georgia where they sold the tool box to
a man who is working for Johnny’s Un
ited Shows. The tools have been recov
ered. Then, according to reports, 6s-
ment and Simer took the station wagon to
Gantt, Alabama where they left it and
picked up a late model Triumph and
came back to Kings Mountain.
Chief McDevitt went to Osment’s home
on Cansler Street Wednesday to get the
Triumph after arresting the pair lor
breaking, entering and larceny. While
at the home member s of Osment’s fam
ily told the Chief that when the men had
gotten word that they were being sought
for the break-in, they went into the back
yard and buried something. While sear
ching the yard, McDevitt found a clip
board and some partially burned pieces
of paper. These were taken in.
South Carolina officials were called and
one Highway Patrol ollicer and one SLED
agent came to Kings Mountain to view the
evidence. The South Carolina men told
McDevitt that the clipboard was not a
state issue to pavrolmen but that many
do carry similar clipboards. Roy Cal-
fey’s bmlly was questioned about the
clipboard ai^ they told authorities that
they did not remember Caffey having
such a clipboard.
The station wagon taken from Dixon’s
was recovered in Alabama as well as a
notary seal that had also been taken f-om
the auto dealer. The used car keys we
re found near the NC 161 ramp at 1-85.
Both Osment and Simer are presently
in the Cleveland County jail on the
charge of breaking, entering and larce
ny.
Condition Fair Following Shooting
Jimmy Hannon, 17, of 402 Yor!: Road,
was shot accidentally Saturday night at
the Mustang Service Station on East King
Street around 8 p.m.
According to Sgt. Marcellis Hunter,
Randy Martin, an employee at the sta
tion took a .32 caliber pistol from the
drawer there and removed the clip.
Witnesses said that he pulled the trig
ger three or four times and the gun went
off. Apparently a bullet had remained in
the chamber. Both Hannon and Martin
were seated in separate chairs when the
gun fired, bitting Hannon.
Further reports by witnesses say that
Hannon screamed and ran from the sta
tion shouting that he had beer shot. He
ran to a mao pumping gas who was later
identKied as William Ledbetter and ask
ed him to take him to the hospital.
Hannon was lis^ d in bir condition Mon
day bv Kings Mou. uin Hospital.
SHP Report 54 Wrecks In Area
The Highway Patrol rejxirted a very
busy week recording a tot^ of 54 acci
dents in the Cleveland-Lincoln County
area. Of the 54 accidents, 51 had
damages of $200 or more.
There were two one car accidents in
volving Kings Mountain people, and both
occurred Friday.
The first was on Friday at 1:00 p.m. on
RPR 2293 about .1 miles east from RPR
2292 toward Gaston County. Islah Levan
WUson, 28, of Route 1, Kings Mountain
was traveling southwest on RPR 2293
when he ran off the left side of the road
and cut back across to the right side hit
ting a tree. His car came to rest in the
yard of J. B. Falls of Route 1, Kings
Mountain. Trooper L. D. Wagner repor
ted that damages to the Wilson 1965 Pon
tiac were listed at $500 and that $150
damage was done to the tree and yard.
Wilson was cited with exceeding a sale
limit, driving left of center and driving
under the influence.
Friday night at 7:30 Trooper M. V.
Reavis investigated another one car mis
hap on NC 216,150 feet north from RPR
2238 toward the S.C. Line. He reported
that Rosa F oster Vestal of 5290 Midpines
was traveling south on 216 when the car
slid on the pavement and hit another car
parked on the side of the road. The im
pact of the Vestal car sent the parked
car, a 1961 Chevrolet into a porch of a
home. Traveling too fast for existing
conditions was the violation Indicated.
Damage to the Vestal 1970 Ford was
$400 and damages to the porch and a T.
V. antenna were $300. The Chevrolet
suffered $700 in damages.
Criswdl Hired By Police
Michael S. Criswell, 21, of Bessemer
City was hired this week as a patrolman
with the Kings Mountain Police Depart
ment. Before coming to Kings Mountain
Criswell had been a policeman with the
Bessemer City force. Criswell comes
to Kings Mountain with credentials in
Police science, radio procedures and
Riot control. He is married and presen
tly lives in Bessemer City.
Lowery
Latches
%
m
It looks as though the pigskin predic
tors have gotten back into that winning
groove again. For the past couple of
weeks entries have not been up to par.
In fact eights and nines correct usually
took the top money. Its changed for this
week anyway. AH top three money win
ners guess^ every game correct. Those
winners are:
1. Wiley Lowery-10 correct with total
points of 36 (35 was perfect).
2. T.W, Gordon-io correct with total
points of 32.
3. William Hovis-10 correct with to
tal points of 54.
The MIRROR congratulates these pro
phets and challenges everyone to enter
the MIRROR football contest. Its easy to
do, just write to MIRROR Contest, P.O.
Box 345 Kings Mountain or bring the en
tries by the office.
This was the scene last week when gubernatorial candidate
Hargrove Bowles made a brief campaign talk in front of city
hall, addressing a cluster of area democrats and supporters.
Bowles presented a state flag to Mayor Moss, which Bowles
said, if elected, he would fly over the state capitol and return
to the mayor. (Mirror Photo)