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VOL XXV NO. 19
NO INDICATION OF
MYSTERY IN WARD
CASE UNRAVELING
Grand Jury Action Taken Last
Week Offers No Further So
lution But Plenty of Expense
Coroner James M. Vannote says
he plans to hold another inquest
into the death of Mrs. Grace. Gas
.kill Ward, 33, who was found dead
on February 6th, in her home near
Manteo. This action is based on a
recommendation made by the
Grand Jury of Dare County two
weeks ago.
The puzzling circumstances sur
rounding the death of Mrs. Ward
are no more mysterious than ap
pears the action of the grand jury,
for there is wonder, why, if the
Grand Jury, had new evidence, and
having full power, didn’t go ahead
and order the indictment of such
persons as the evidence might in
dicate.
So far as we have been able to
learn, no new evidence was brought
to the grand jury, and it now ap
pears that the Grand Jury was try
ing to get off a limb where so
many complaints had been made to
them, and passing the buck back
to the coroner, and actually to the
taxpayers, for this next inquest is
bound to be costly.
In the first inquest, the coroner
picked up six men to serve in Feb
ruary some two weeks after the
death. This inquest resulted in dis
agreement, four wanting to give
one verdict; two wanted another.
By error last week, this newspaper
i stated the jury found Mrs. Ward
died by suicide. It is now hoped this
will stand corrected.
But the inquest in February ap
peared to be a farce. There was a
half-hearted attempt,—and that is
the best can be said of it, to bring
out the facts. John Ward, husband
of the dead woman gave a forth
right account of having left home
early, leaving his wife alive. Later
he was informed of her death. He
said she was mortally afraid of a
■ pistol, and that his pistol was dis
.semlbled, and its parts separated
in a dresser drawer.
Evidence tended to show that the
uistol had been put together; that
I it had been fired five times, three
I of the bullets striking Mrs. Ward.
| Once in the wrist, twice in the
I cheat, and that she died of bullets
I’ffom this gun. Testimony was of-
I sered that one bullet was fired into
I a folded bedquilt, going through
| two thicknesses.
There were three children in the
| home, and with a TV set going,
I none of them had heard any shots.
Springing out of doubts that a
I ]>ereon could shoot herself three
I times, particularly one being
I afraid to touch a gun, and perhaps
I not qualified to assemble a gun,
I wild rumor began to circulate. The
I gun had been wiped clean of fin
| gerprints. Who would wish to wipe
I the gun, and why ? One conjecture
I is that some of the relatives first
I arriving on the scene could have
Fcaretessly picked up the gun, then
I afraid that his fingeiprints might
I show, wiped it off. Another is that
I some “do-gooder” took it on him-
Isel to “take care” of somebody.
I When Coroner Vannote arrived on
I the scene, he put the gun in a
I paper-bag and turned it over to
I the Sheriffs office or safe-keeping.
I Sheriff Calioon was at Hatteras at
■ the time, and got back next day.
■ Meanwhile, the first thing thought
lof was to call in a State agent.
I Usually, an alert sheriff who
I knows all the people can more
I easily pick up the essential facts
■ from his friends who know and
I trust him but who, on the other
I hand will clam up and tell nothing
I whea an outside investigator comes
I in, and this may be the reason so
g See MYSTERY, Page Ten
DARE BOARDS APPROVE
S7O TEACHERS' BONUS
By joint action of the Board of
Commissioners and the Board of
Education of Dare County this
week, the payment of an incentive
bonus to all teachers who will make
an effort to qualify right atvay for
Grade A. certificates was approved
and the teachers will receive a S7O
iK>nus this winter. The complaint
has long been made that it is dif
ficult to attract Grade A teachers
to .Dare County because richer
rewards may be found elsewhere,
and it ia considered payment of a
bonus might make it more interest
ing. However, there is every desire
to encourage competent teachers
A-Hfa less than Grade A certificates
co fcnprove their grades, and the
rope was expressed that the
unaM contribution to be made at
this time will assist them in pur
suing this course. The Board of
expressed the opin
on that if teachers fail to make
rood n an effort for this improve-1
neat by another school term, there
vrxjld not be an inclination to con
ider approval of further bonuses
next year.
THE COASTLAND TIMES
WITH WHICH IS COMBINED THE PILOT AND HERALD OF BELHAVEN AND SWAN QUARTER
PUBLISHED WEEKLY IN THE INTEREST OF THE WALTER RALEIGH COASTLAND OF NORTH CAROLINA
COLUMBIA GIRL WINS COLLEGE HONOR IN VIRGINIA
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MISS FAY SPENCER of Columbia, (left) an outstanding student
from Tyrrell County has won a fine honor at the Virginia co”ege
she is attending. She is the Standard Bearer for the junior class at
Stratford Hall in Danville, and is shown with her class president,
Miss Anne Fleming from Chapel Hill.
It was October Day at the Virginia preparatory school, which
is a traditional fall festival celebrated with holiday by the student
body and faculty.
The day’s program of sports and pageantry was climaxed with
the presentation of the October Queen, who was Miss Lois Scales
of Augusta, Georgia. Class presidents, including Miss Fleming shown
above, composed the court. They wore heavy silk Elizabethan gowns,
with ruffs, in the various autumn colors.
Miss Spencer is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Spencer
of Columbia, N. C.
A STUMPY POINT
COUPLE TAKES
OFF FOR HOLIDAY
Monroe Midgett, Famous Gar
dener and Hunter, And
Wife at Camp LeJeune
Mr. and Mrs. John Monroe Mid
gett, after 55 years of married life
at Stumpy Point, took off Sunday
or a long holiday at Camp Lejeune
where their daughter, Shirley lives.
She is the wife of Marine Major
D. Russell Nixon Jr., whose father
now lives at Engelhard. Major
Nixon is executive officer of the
Ist battalion, 10th Marines, and
artillery unit of the second division.
Monroe Midgett is one of Stumpy
Point’s best known citizens, famed
for many years as tire champion
gardener of Stumpy Point, and also
known throughout the country as a
hunter of wildfowl, bear and deer.
His son Bob followed in his foot
steps, and last week, grandson Bob
Jr., age 18, went alone in the woods
with his gun and dog and killed
a bear weighing 150 lbs.
On Saturday he went again, tak
ing his cousin,' John Russell Nixon
age 12, with him. Mrs. Nixon has
See COUPLE, Page Ten
TRAFFIC FINES YIELD
MORE THAN S3OO TUES.
Some $350 in all, mostly from
traffic fines was the harvest in
Dare Recorder’s Court Tuesday.
Ben H. Williams of Hatteras, im
proper registration and improper
drivers permit paid S3O. W. H.
Small Jr., of Norfolk, speeding,
$lO. W. H. Smith of Kitty Hawk
lost his drivers license and paid
SIOO for driving at 95 mph. Geo.
W. King of Manteo paid $125 for
hit and run and driving drunk.
Ephraim Etheridge, Manteo, dis
orderly conduct $25. Donald L.
Austin of Norfolk had whiskey in
his car, and on which the seal was
broken, fined $lO. Gilbert & Holder
of Advance, N. C, $5 for failing
to yield right of way. B. J. Gaskins
of Stumpy Point, $lO for squirrel
hunting with the wrong kind of,
gun. |:
NEW CHANNEL ROUTE
TO BE DREDGED SOON
AT OREGON INLET
WILMINGTON.—The Corps of
Engineers advises that a new chan
nel route has been proposed to con
nect Oregon Inlet with Old House
channel, in Pamlico Sound.
The new channel, when dredged,
will replace the existing channel
which follows an easterly south
easterly route from the Roanoke
Sound channel to the inlet
“In my opinion,” reports Colonel
R. P. Davidson, District Engineer
here, “the new route will be an im
provement because the channel will
be in a more sheltered location and
therefore less subject to the rapid
shoaling which has plagued the
present location.
The existing channel, as shown
on an accompanying sketch, cuts
almost directly across the current
and is practically impossible to keep
open.
Colonel Davidson said funds to
dredge the channel are not available
now but “we are working toward
that end with the hope that the
job can be done next spring?’
AYCOCK BROWN INVITED
TO SPEAK IN NASSAU
Aycock Brown, manager and
news director, Dare County Tour
ist Bureau, will be one of the
speakers on the program of the
International Game Fish Confer
ence in Nassau, Bahamas during
the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries
Institute next week. His subject
will be the development of blue
marlin and billfishing generally
during recent years in the waters
of the Cape Hatteras area off the
Dare Coast
Brown will leave by plane on
Sunday morning, stop overnight in
Palm Beach, Fla., and fly to Nas
sau the following day.
He was invited to take part in
the Game Fish Conference pro
gram by the Board of Trustees of
the International Oceonographic
Foundation of which C. F. Johhn
son is president Johnson is also
president of the Hatteras Marlin
I Club. Mr. Brown is * guest of the
I foundation.
MANTEO, N. C., FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1959
MANTEO MASONS
BUILDING NEW
LODGE ROOMS
Large Building on Main Highway
of Brick, and Two Stories
Underway
Work is progressing on the new
home of the Manteo Lodge on a
double lot with some 300 feet front
age on Highway 264 in Manteo.
The building, which is of masonry,
will be brick veneered, having a
lodge hall 40 by 70 feet on the
second floor including dressing
rooms, entry rooms, etc. The lower
floor will be 81 feet in length, in
cluding an 11-foot porch, and will
contain kitehen dining hall, re
ception rooms, etc.
During a period of several years
the Lodge has been quietly raising
funds for the job, having accumu
lated some SIO,OOO, of which $4,-
000 went into the building site, one
of the best in town. The members
expect to float a loan to get the
building ready for occupancy some
time next Spring, according to R.
O. Ballance, Chairman of the build
ing committee. The project is hav
ing the benefit of many donations
of labor from its members.
The lodge began operation dur
ing the year 1947 with about 20
members who withdrew from Wan
chese Lodge and set up Manteo
lodge under dispensation. It now
has a membership pof 122 and ever
since its organization has met in
the Manteo town hall. Its regular
meeting nights are on the second
and fourth Mondays.
Last week, the lodge was host to
a district school of instruction for
members of the Masonic district
comprising the lodges of Marin
in uske et, Columbia, Engelhard,
Manteo, Wanchese and Cape Hat
teras. A dinner was served in the
Manteo High School cafeteria.
Many attended from Hatteras Is
land and other visitors came from
all lodges, numbering 40 in all.
THREE OF NEW SOUTHERN ALBEMARLE COUNTY VICE-PRESIDENTS
I • '-i ■ ‘
W. I. IOCHkAN
Swan Quarter
HERE ARE three of the six County Vice-Presidents of the Southern Albemarle Association of Co
lumbia. Mr. Cochran, representing Hyde is a member of the county Board of Education, and form
er Clerk Superior Court. Mr. Edwards, representing Dare lives on Hatteras Island, and is a mem
ber of the County Board of Commissioners. Mr. Cohoon, the Vice-President for Tyrrell .is also his
county’s representative in the General Assembly. Pictures are not available of other officers, but ref
erence to them is made elsewhere in this newspaper.
FISHING TOURNEY
ENDS AT HATTERAS
AS A BIG SUCCESS
Many Anglers Win Coveted Hon
ors in Three Day Event
Held Last Week
Individual competition between
107 anglers Saturday afternoon and
, a banquet featuring speech by Wal
ter Wilkins, Norfolk, vice president
Hatteras Marlin Club followed by
> awarding of trophies and pprizes
Saturday night marked finale of
second annual Hatteras Island Surf
Fishing Tournament sponsored by
Capep Hatteras Anglers Club.
It was the second surf tourna
ment for the Dare Coast during
October, events which attracted
teams from 46 clubs in several At
lantic coast states and hundreds of
individual anglers. The first was
held at Nags Head during mid
i October and was sponsored by the
Nags Head Surf Fishing Club.
Mrs. Albin Raety, Norfolk, was
‘ top angler in the individual and her
,three pound 21 inch speckled trout
was adjudged largest fish in in
dividual tournament for which she
won a prize with the same fish for
being largest trout taken and larg
est fish taken by woman won two
additional prizes of surf tackle.
Mm. Wanda Brinkman, Bethesda,
Md., was awarded pprizes for the
largest blue fish one that measured
18 inches and also for woman
catching greatest number of fish,
a total of eight Her prizes were
also tackle.
Largest flounder prize went to
Highway Patrolman D. E. Skyles,
Buxton, an 18 inch speciman; An
See TOURNEY. Psge Tea
STUDENT OF THE MONTH
M. ■. io-- ‘
/*lßß***h» jV-
MISS ISABEL RIDDICK, a junior
in Manteo High School, was voted
the outstanding student for the
second school month. This is based
on scholastic achievement and
service contribution to school life
in the Manteo High School.
Isabel, daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Gordon Riddick of Manteo, North
Carolina, has always been an honor
student and is a member of the
High School Beta Club. For this
school year she plays the piano for
the student body to march in and
out of the auditorium for assembly
programs and is one of the Junior
editors for the 1960 Sandfiddler. Do
ing part-time work in the field of
ceremics in one of Isabel’s outside
interests.
CANCER MEET FRIDAY
There will be a meeting of the
Board of Directors and officers of
the Hyde County Unit of the Can
cer Society Friday night, Novem
ber 6, at 7:30 o’clock in the Ag
riculture building at Swan Quar
ter. Mrs. Bert Tyson, District
Field Consultant will be present
to help with any problems that
may arise. A hundred percent at
tendance is desired if possible.
' X- Vs •
■lm
WOODROW EDWARDS
Waves, N. C.
FISHING VESSEL ASHORE
OFF OCRACOKE ISLAND
OCRACOKE.—A 105-foot men
haden fishing boat was aground on
a shoal five miles north of Ocra
coke Inlet Wednesday night with
20 fishermen aboard.
A Coast Guard boat and two
other fishing craft, attempting to
• pull the vessel off the shoal, said
' it was in no danger and was not
damaged.
The trawler Ensign, out of Beau
fort, ran aground about 1 p. m.
; Wednesday. It is some 75 yards
• from shore, on the Atlantic Ocean
■ side of the inlet
Several attempts by the 83-foot
Coast Guard boat No. 83493 to free
the vessel during the day, failed.
: There were no injuries reported!
I among the fishermen on board,
• Capt. William Marbley is skipper
’ of the grounded vessel.
i
1 MORE THAN 300 ATTEND
HOMECOMING AT DUCK
The first Homecoming ever to
' bee at Duck Methodist Church
was Sunday Nov. 1. This Home
comoing was successful, more
than 300 people attended. More
than 75 percent of the people in
attendance were formerly resi
dents of Duck. The Duck Method
ist Church is raising money for
a church bell and steeple. Pennel
A. Tillett states he will help raise
the necessary money just as soon
as he can get the necessary mon
ey for completion of the Educa
tional Building, Kitty Hawk
Methodist Churches and he feels
confident with much effort he
will be able to pay off all in
debtedness on the Educational I
Building by the last of March
1960. |
SAA BEGINS 25TH YEAR WITH
WOMAN PRESIDENT; APPROVES
WARREN’S NAME FOR BRIDGE
Mrs. Scott Topping of Pantego Becomes First
Woman President of Six-County Organiza
tion; All New Officers Named; New Goals
To Be Sought by Association Which Cele
brated Bridges and Voted to Honor Warren.
The six-county Southern Albe
marle Association in Annual Ses
sion Wednesday at Columbia
closed its meeting with the elec
tion of a woman for President for
the first time. Mrs. Scott (Mi
riam) Topping of Pantego, to
guide the organization through
its 25th year.
Shortly before, the Association
had unanimously endorsed a reso
lution offered by Rep. Charles
riam) Topping of Pantego will
Cohoon of Tyrrell County calling
on the State Highway Commission
to name the proposed Alligator
River Bridge for State Senator
Lindsay Warren. Earlier in the
day, Chairman J. M. Broughton,
Jr. of the State Highway Com
mission had assured the group
that the wishes of the Associa
tion, as expressed in a resolution
previously adopted by the County
Board of Tyrrell, would be car
ried out. The Highway Commis
sion will affix a bronze tablet
bearing Mr. Warren’s name and
participate in a celebration when
the bridge is completed.
The association elected all new 7
officers, save the treasurer, M. A.
Matthews of Columbia who has
served continuously for many
W. CHARLES COHOON
/ Columbia, N. C.
LIBERAL TIME AND
MONEY FOR FIRE
DEPT. AT HATTERAS
HATTERAS.—Residents of the
Village of Hatteras moved a long
step forward here Monday night
ing their drive to form a fire fight
ing organization for the protection
of homes and business properties
in this area.
Following the formal adoption of
a charter and a set of by-laws for
the Hatteras Fire Protective As
sociation, to be incorporated,
.Presidenit D. S. Skiles announced
I the names of association members
appointed to key committees which
.will carry out the organizational
program.
I. Elected vice-president was An
derson Midgett, with Mrs. Virginia
Hudgins to serve as secretary and
Roy Gray as treasurer. Along with
the foregoing officers, committee
chairman also were approved as
members of the association’s
board of directors.
Heading up the important Fi
nance Committee is Donald Oden,
to be assisted by Willie Newsome,
Scottie Gibson, Ross Burrus, Mrs.
Delores Burrus and Bounce Ander
son. Prior to Monday’s meeting,
fund raising committees directed
by Mrs. Lily Peele collected well
over $2,000 contributed by Hat
teras residents toward the ac
quisition of fire fighting equip
ment. The committee charged with
the selection and purchase of such
equipment consists of Hal Gray,
chairman ,and Wheeler Ballance,
Carlos Oden and Ernal Foster.
The Building and Grounds com
mittee, which will determine the
(location of the future fire house,
has Loe Peele, as chairman, with
I See FIRE, Page Tea
MAIL SHOULD BE
ADDRESSED TO BOX 428
MANTEO, N. C.
NOT TO INDIVIDUALS
Single Copy 70
years in this capacity, and who
was reelected.
Mrs. John Winfield of Yeates
ville will serve as Secretary. The
following vice presidents for the
counties were elected: Beaufort:
Sam T. Moore; Dare: Woodrow
W. Edwards; Hyde: Wm. I.
Coch tan; Martin: Robert Cowan;
Tyrrell: W. Charles Cohoon; and
Washington: James H. Ward. The
election of Mr. Edwards of Waves
as vice-president is the first time
Hatteras Island has been recog
nized by election of an officer.
In accordance with the trend of
several speakers, the Associa
tion’s policy during the coming
year will be to devote more ef
fort to internal improvement of
the area, including home and
highway beautification, encour
agement of industry, etc. Mrs.
Topping said she would appoint
the usual committees at an early
date and would call meetings to
get the year’s work underway be
fore 1960.
Heading one of the important
committees will be Dr. W. T.
Ralph of Belhaven former presi
dent, and retiring Beaufort Vice-
President of the Association who
has been a consistent Association
worker from its earliest years.
Other retiring Vice-Presidents,
are M. L. Daniels, Jr. of Dare;
Earl Topping of Hyde, Ben D.
Courtney of Martin; Harry Swain
of Tyrrell; W. M. Darden of
Washington; and Mrs. Borden
McClees of Columbia is retiring
Secretary.
At the morning session the ad
dress of Welcome was by Rep.
Charles Cohoon; the invocation by
Rev. H. W. Pearce, and responses
were made by the several Vice-
Presidents, or their proxies. Presi
dent W. J. White presented sev
eral distinguished guests, includ
ing Senator Warren, and Rep.
Herbert Banner. Melvin Daniels
responded for Dare County, and
Ray Goodmon for Martin County.
Assurance of Bridges.
Mr. Broughton, the Highway
Chairman, brought a pleasant
message, bearing with it evidence
of research, whereby he quoted
the words of his father, the late
Governor, who had attended sev
eral such meetings, and had pre
dicted the advancement for this
region which is now coming to
fruition. Mr. Broughton paid trib
ute to the work of the Association
and other leaders through the
years. He repeated that the High
way Commission now has plans
for the Alligator River bridge,
and expects to let the contract
for it in January 1960.
The Oregon Inlet bridge was
positively assured again by Mr.
Broughton, who stated that it is
the plans of the commission to
let a contract for this bridge in
the latter part of 1960. The only
qualifying inference concerning
either bridge was to call atten
tion to the steel strike in prog
ress and mention it could cause
delays since bridges require a lot
of steel.
The Association expressed its
approval of a resolution present
ed by Atty. Vance Norman of
Plymouth for a highway connec
tion with Bertie County, across
lower Roanoke River at Plymouth.
“The state’s largest industry east
of Raleigh,” he said, “is at Ply
mouth.” This bridge would permit
easy access to huge timber sources •
across Roanoke River from the
pulpwood mill; it would be of
much commerical advantage to the
town in opening to it the Bertie
County territory, and offer a
short route for mortorists comifig
down U. S. 17 and U. S. 13.
A thoughtful suggestion came
from David Stick of Kitty Hawk,
and was offered the Association
that it back a program to unite the
counties into an effective mosquito
control unit, if it hopes to make the
most of the important tourist busi
ness that should gain new head
way from the new bridges. This
proposal was received with much
interest
The two hundred visiting dele
gates from the six counties were
fed on barbecued pork and chick
en in the school cafeteria by the
Tyrrell County Commisioners, and
maintained the county’s reputa
tion for lavish hospitality,' which
again won appreciation and many
compliments. A visitor to the
meeting was Rep. Addison Hew
lett of New Hanover County who
is seekimr nomination for Gover-
* waver