David Stick
Kill Devil Hills, K.
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12 Pages In 2 Sections
MOL XXVIII — NO. 21
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
MANTEO. N. C., FRIDAY. NOVEMBER 23. 1962
MAIL SHOULD BE
ADDRESSED TO BOX 428
MANTEO. N. C.
NOT TO INDIVIDUALS
Pages I through 6
Single Copy 7^
X - I 5 AVIATOR
TO SPEAK AT
.WRIGHT EVENT
Major Robert M. White Illus
trious Guest at 59th Cele
bration
Air Force Jfajor Robert M.
Wliite, the first pilot of an air
craft to qualify as an astronaut,
and holder of the woidd altitude
record for an airplane, has ac
cepted an invitation to become
the principal speaker at the 59th
Anniversai-y C e 1 e b r a t i on of
man’s first powered flight, to bo
celebrated at Kill Devil Hills on
Dec. 17.
White’s acceptance was an
nounced on Monday by Ralph V.
Whitener, executive director of
the National Aeronautics Associ
ation. W’hitcner’s announcement
was made in Wa.shinRlon after
a meeting of the Kill Devil Hills
Memorial Society’s board of di
rectors at Nags Head on Satur
day.
Tlio society’s president, Wade
Marr of Elizabeth City said this
week that plans were fomulated
at the meeting in Nags Head for
the Doc. 17 celebration, and that
'Vvhite’s acceptance had given
impetus to the planning.
Marr said a few attractions
already scheduled by tlie society
were speeches by state and na
tional figures, a military fly
over at the Wright Monument
and a concert by the Elizabeth
City High School Rand.
Collier Trophy Winner
Major White was one of four
X-15 pilots to receive the Robert
J. Collier Trophy this year. He
received the award from Presi
dent Kennedy during special cer
emonies on July 18. Major White
was awarded the wings of an
jistronaut after flying his need-
Ife-no.sed X-15 to an altitude of
311,750 or 69 miles in the sum
mer of this year
White will come to Kill Devil
Hills from Edwards Air Force
Base in California. The subject
of his address wil be “From
Kitty Hawk to S))ace Flight.”
Airstrip Di.scusscd
Plans to locate a landing strip
near the Wi-ight Monument wore
discussed by board members of
the Kill Devil Hills Memorial
Society at their meeting on Sat
urday Julian Onto, board mem
ber, indicated that “we i)lan to
have some kind of air strip for
small craft located near the
monument by next year.” He
said that the society would pro-
baly ask Park Service officials
for aid in constructing a dii-t
landing strip as an initial stop
in the project.
COLONY DIRECTOR LAUDED
SCHOLARSHIP IS ESTABLISHED
AT BRITTON DINNER
DARE BOARD SEEKS
TILLETT NAME FOR
ORE. INLET BRIDGE
A testimonial dinner in honor
of Clifton Bruton, Lo.st Colony
director and instructor of dra-
matiec at Goldsboro High School,
raised $2,753.55 for a scholarship
bearing the lionoree’s name on
Sunday, as more than 500
friends and admirers gathered
at the high school to pay tribute
jto the retiring playwriglit and
director.
Playwright Paul Green, auth
or of the Lo.st Colony lauded
Britton by noting that: “a good
citizen and an artist in one per
son is a rarity You are that
person.”
Britton, who retired from his
position as dramatics instnietor
at Goldsboro High School be
cause of illness, appeared briefly
in a rolling chair.
Letter From Prc.sident
The dinner wa.s highlighted by
the reading of a letter from
President Kennorly who noted
that Britton’s G o Id m a sq u e rs
wore known nationally ns an out
standing drama group. The pres
ident praised Britton for his
outstand ing contribution to
young people.
In a letter from Governor Ter
ry Sanford, Britton was cited
i for spi-vices “beyond the call of
duty and the confines of Wayne
County.”
“You are an inspiration to all
those who hope for the best for
our children,” the letter stated.
Dr. Leo Jenkins, president of
East Carolina College, where
Britton was educated, noted that
Britton came to ECC with “en
thusiasm and ambition, but
broke.”
Jenkins said Britton believed
dramatic.s represented a gi-cat
step in the develoinnent of chil
dren.
“In this activity one must have
a very wide vision,” be said.
ys
Jenkins saluted as a “great
pioneer who has done more than
his share to make life beautiful
for us in Eastern North Caro
lina.”
Man Of Ideas
Ray Armstrong, former super
intendent of Goldsboro schools,
sjiid he had looked for a teacher
and found in Britton “a young
man of brilliant ideas and had
given him all the freedom to ex
press them.”
Mrs. Fred Morrison, chairman
of the Roanoke Island Historical
Association, saluted Britton for
his seiwices with the Lost Col
ony. “You showed us what the
Clifton Britton touch can do,”
she said.
Long distance recordings were
read from enterainer Johnny
Grant, a Goldsboro native, and
Andy Griffith, a former Golds-
iboro High School teacher and
one-time actor in the Lost Col
ony, as Sir Walter Raleigh.
Would Dedicate Forthcoming
Inlet Facility to J. B. Tillett,
Instead of Rep. Bonner
The Dare County Board of
Commissioners voted on Wed
nesday to name the $4 million,
13,000 foot, arc-shaped bridge
under construction over Oregon
Inlet in honor of the late Jenn
ings Bi-yan Tillett of Wanehese
the man who helped pioneer fer-
j-y service across the inlet in 19-
25.
The action was taken during
a nioming meeting of the com
missioners. A resolution will be
sent to the State Highway Com-
mi.ssion recommending that the
structure be named the Toby Til
lett Memorial Bridge.
The bridge, now under con
struction by McLean Contract
ing Company of Baltimore,
Md., is expected to be finished
by early 1964. When completed,
it will become a concrete link
between Nags Head and Hatter
as Island and part of an antic!
pated seashore highway which
would eventually connect the is
lands of Hatteras and Ocracoke
with a bridge-highway system.
Unanimous Decision
The board’s action was unani
mous and that a poll taken by
two commissioners from Hatter-
as had influenced its decision
Commissioners Fred Gray of
Avon and George Fuller of Bux-
See BOARD, Page Six
YOUNG SAILOR
■rx
IMRS. J. D. EARLE
DIES WED. OF
PISTOL WOUND
Prominent Manteo Lady Found
Dead In Bed At Her Home
Wed. Afternoon
BRIGGS NAMED
AS MAYOR BY
K.D.H. TOWN BD.
FOR T.V.’S "BONONZA"
PARK SERVICE SAYS NIX
TO HATTERAS BEACH PIX
MALACHI W. GRAY.
FORMER LICENSE
EXAMINER, PASSES
JIalachi Wesley Gray, 44, died
Tuesday in U. S. Public Health
Seiwice Hospital, Norfolk, after
illness of a month.
He was a lifelong resident of
Avon, and a retired Coast Guard-
Tr.an with seven years of sciwico.
He rclii'ed in 1945.
lie had been employed 13
years by the North Carolina
State Highway Division as a
license examiner.
He was a son of Fred D and
Mrs. Salina Gray and the hus
band of Mrs. Euln Wosloy Gray.
Besides his widow and par
ents, he is survived by three
daughters, JIrs. Connie J. Austin
of Frisco, Mrs. Bai’bara Weaver
of Pensacola, Fla., and Miss Ed
na Carrol Gray of the home;
three sons, Malcolm W. Gray, of
Norfolk and Terry Wayne Gray
.and William M. Gray of the
homo; two sisters, Mr.s. Nonna
T'rough and Mrs. Melvin Barger
of Norfolk; four bothers, Fred
Gi-ay of Avon, Charlie Gray of
Virginia Bench, Collins Gray of
Wa.shington, and Belton Gray of
Norfolk; and five gi-andchildrcn.
"WEEP NO MORE MY LADY"
TD BE REPEATED TUESDAY
Miss Mabel Jean Basnight,
lirector of the Manteo High
Jachool junior class production
o.’ “Weep No More My Lady,”
hdi‘ announced that a second per-
forn.ance of the musical will be
gT/en on Tues., Nov. 27 in the
high school. Curtain time for
the play is 8 p.m.
aiiss Basnight said that the
second showing of the Stephen
’oster musical bad been sug
gested after a sell-out perfor-
' -.nance before more than 600
^ speetators on Tuesday of this
week. Tickets arc now on sale by
members of the junior class at
the following prices: $1 for
rdults; $.50 for children.
An attcnijit by a Colorado film
company to photograiih beach
scones near Cape Hatteras
Lighthouse for commercials to
ho used on nationally televised
programs was frustrated this
week by officials of the National
Park Service wlio declared that
the filming would not be in the
best interest of the Park Seiw-
ice.
Mike Michaels, production
coordinator for Alexander Film
Co. of Colorado Springs, Colo,
said on Monday that his crow of
99 technicians was forced to
abandon plans for the commer
cial at Cajie Hatteras which
would have been viewed by an
estimated 30 million people dur
ing prime network hours.
Jliehaels said the film was
being produced for Chevrolet and
lias been scheduled for appear
ances on television spectaculars
such as “Bonanza,” “Route 66”
and “.My Three Sons.”
He said the company’s crew
arrivpl on Saturday and was
told of the Park Service’s de
cision on Monday after the
agency producer had discussed
the commercial with H. Reeeso
Smith, Superintendent of Cape
Hatteras National Se.ashore.
Cars oil Beach
The production Co-ordinator
stated that Ids company had
planned to film “a family scene
on the b..eh showing vacation
ers riding along the sand in a
Corviiir with the lighthouse in
the background. IVe would have
identified the region as part of
the Cape Hatteras National Sea
shore Recreation Area.”
“Chevrolet commcreials have
been filmed in National Parks
prior to lids attempt, by special
pcrnd.s.sion. This time it’s ob
vious we didn’t get it.”
Park superintendent Smith
said on Tuesday that permission
to use the beach had been denied
mainly because of the use of
the automobile. Smith noted
tlial Park Service regulations
require that vehicles only be
used on roadways.
“They planned to use a Cor-
vair vehicle on the beach; this
is not the best use of the beach
in our opinion.”
Smith said the use of such a
commercial would encourage
tourists to use conventional ve
hicles to ride on the beach and
in sandy areas where they would
likely become stuck.
“We’d prefer to see people
swimming or fishing rather than
riding in veliicies,” he said.
He indicated that he had dis
cussed the filming with Park
Seiwice officials in Richmond
and Washington, D.C. before and
that “quite a few villagers on
the Banks seem to bo conconicd
about the action,” he said: “We
want to cooperate with the peo
ple here on Hatteras in every
way possible, consistent with the
National Park Service and De
partment of Interior basic poli
cies on conservation.”
What Harm?
Carlos Oden of Hatteras, pres
ident of the Hatteras Village
Se« P.S., Page Six
WANCHESE POSTMASTER
TO HEAD RURITAN CLUB
Randolph G. O’Neal Jr.
who was elected last week to the
presidency of the Wancheso
Ruritnn Club for the ensuing
year. Mr. O’Neal has lived in
Wancheso for several years,
where his parents formerly of
Cape Hatteras, have established
their home. He was bom in Rock
Hill, S. C. and attended East
Carolina College in 1969-60. He
married the former Siiirloy
Adams of Henderson in June I9
60. In June of 1961 he was nam
ed acting postmaster to fill the
vacancy created by the retire
ment of veteran H. L. Davis. His
appointment by Congressman
Herbert Bonner was heartily ap
proved locally. On Sept. 28 last
his permanent appointment as
postmaster was confirmed by
the Senate. He has been active
in community affairs, .and served
the past year as Vice-president
of the Club.
The new officers will take
over noKt month. Other officers
elected were Harry Baum, vice-
president, James W. Davis, trea
surer, and the temporary secre
tary is Owen P. Adams, pending
the illness of Abe Sobel, who
has so faithfully served the club
the past two years. Jlelvin R.
Daniels, a former President was
named a director, replacing Har
ry Baum. Other directors are
Mr. Adams and Edward Wright.
Mr. Davis is a former president
and has been District Governor,
during which time ho helped
organize several other clubs and
has given long and able service
to the Wanehese club. The new
officers also appointed official
representatives of the Wanehese
club at the Albemarle Ruritan
Convention to bo held in Eliza
beth City, December 7th.
The Wanehese club has cooper
ated in supporting numerous
community projects, including
harbors, roads and modern tele
phone service. It is a full -fledg
ed member of one of the largest
service organizations in the
country, which was established
in Holland, Virginia, some 40
years ago.
New Town Head Is Former
Member of Board Of
Commissioners
Thomas H Briggs, a former
member of the town’s board of
commissioners, was nmned as
mayor of Kill Devil Hills at a
special meeting of the board held
last Friday in the town hall.
Briggs is a former town com
missioner who has twice been
named as president of the
Nags Head Chamber of Com
merce. He has represented the
town of Kill Devil Hills, in re
cent years, as a member of the
Dare County Tourist Bureau
board of directors.
Briggs will succeed Major J.
L. Murphy, who resigned la.st
week because of differences
with the board over the spend
ing of public money.
Murphy had opposed a pay in
crease for Kill Devil Hills police
men which had been approved
by the board at tlieir last meet
ing on Nov. 13.
Briggs’ term of office will ran
until May, when an election will
be held to fill the vacancy creat
ed by MuiTihy’s resignation. The
new mayor is operator and part
owner of the Croatan Hotel and
Lodge at Kill Devil Hills.
DEREK GUTHRIE, son of Mr.
and Mrs. C. Max Guthrie, and
grandson of Mrs. Bettip Guthrie
of Skyco, was the subject of an
article last week in connection
with the visit of him and his
parents to Roanoke Lslaml. The
family was to begin their return
trip to their home in Trieste this
week, after visiting friends and
relatives for several days.
CHILD SWALLOWS
PIECE OF METAL
SAID DOING O.K.
A 20-month-old Manteo child,
who swallowed a piece of steel
"about the size of a penny,” is
reported to be suffering no ill
effects from his diet.
Mrs. Wayne Robinson, mother
of the infant said that her small
son, Elliott Robinson was at
tempting to put the bit of metal
into his mouth at 10. a.m. Tues
day and that ho swallowed it
“just before I got to him.”
She said the child was taken
to Dr. W. W. Haiwey, Jr. im
mediately afterwards and was
informed that the boy would pro
bably eliminate the slug of niotal
by natural processes. “Ho
doesn’t seem to bo suffering any
discomfort now,” his mother,
says. Mrs. Robinson reported (Steele, Pittsburgh, Pa., Mrs.
that Elliott found the piece of John Alli.son, Jlorgantown, W.
metal in a tool box. See DEATH, Page Six
Mrs. John D. Earle, 50, of
Manteo, died at approximately
12:30 ]).m. on Wednesday, the
apparent victim of a self-inflict
ed pistol wound.
Dare Coroner James Vaiuiote
said on Wednesday night that
.Airs. Earle’s fully-elothed body
was discovered by her daughter,
Elizabeth, 17, at 5:15 p.m. on
Wednesday afternoon, in the
Earle home.
He reported that she had been
found in her bed with a .32 cali
ber Smith and We.s.soii pistol in
her right hand. A bullet had
penetrated her right temple.
Vannote .said she had been dead
“approximately 6-6 hours.”
The coroner stated that the
death was “an apparent suicide,”
but said he could not be sure
until an investigation was com
pleted. He observed that no note
had been found in the home in
dicating a suicide.
Mrs. Earle, who was born in
Beckley, West Va., was the for
mer Elizabeth Steele. Her hus
band, John Earle was killed on
April 20 of la.st year when a
plane in which he was riding
crashed into a field near Gum
Neck. Earle, a chief forester
for We.st Virginia Paper and
Pulp Co , was on a fire obseiwa-
tion mission when the crash oc
curred.
Mr. and Airs. Earle moved
with their family to Dare Coun
ty in 1951. She had been an ac
tive member of St. Andrew’s
By the Sea, the Episcopal
Church at Nags Head and dur
ing tlie past summer had as
sisted the church by serving as
manager of a church operated
craft shop in Manteo.
Airs. Earle is suivived by a
son, John Earle, 19, and a
daughter, Elizabeth, 17. Mrs
Earle’s jjarents are deceased.
Other sundvors include five sis
ters, Airs. Robert Alorgan of
Dayton, Ohio, Aliss
BUXTON POLLS HEARING
DROPPED BY DEMOCRATS
PARTY CHAIRMAN CLAIMS
Investigation Of Voting Violations During
Nov. 6. Election Is Dismissed After Three
Poll Officials Fail To Appear Wednesday;
Testimony Given By Election Board Chair
man And Commissioner Fuller.
BREAK-IN CHARGE
LODGED AGAINST
NAGS HEAD MAN
restlmony At Preliminary Hear
ing Tells of Supermarket
Entry
FOR ANGEL OF MERCY
DRAPER SCHOLARSHIP
FUNDS ARE REQUESTED
A seven-member Bessie Dra
per Scholai'ship Committee has
been appointed to raise funds
for a scholarship in the amount
of $100 to be awarded to a de
serving senior in the Dare Coun
ty Schools, according to the
week that “I can think of no
thing which gives me more
pleasure than the opportunity
to seive on this committee and
to express in some small way
what we all feel, that Bessie
Draper was one of the most
A 22 year old Wanehese man
has been hold over for trial in
Dare Superior Court for break
ing and ontoring the Nags Head
Supermarket on the evening of
Nov. 8 with intent to steal.
'The defendant, Alarshall F.
Tillett, Jr., pleaded not guilty
in Dare Recorder’s Court on
Tuesday, at a preliminary hear
ing before Judge W. F. Baum.
The hearing, lasted for appro.\i-
matcly one hour and 30 min
utes, before Baum found pro-
liable cause and .set the defen
dant’s bond at $500.
Stafford Berry of Nags Head,
an emiiloyee of the supermarket,
was the princijial witness for
the state. Berry said he had re
turned to the store after clo.s-
ing hours, at 6:30 p.m. and
heard a noise in the rear of
tlie store which he thought
“might be a rat.”
He said that as he was at
tempting to leave the store he
heard another noise and saw
Tillett in the storeroom of the
supi .'market.
“When I saw him he eased
down and turned and went out.”
Berry told the court he saw
Tillett while standing 25 feet
away, througli a glass partition
in the storeroom door. Berry
said he didn’t see the defend-
Virginia ant for more than “a few mo
ments”, but said he was positive
ho h:id seen him.
Berry indicated that he believ
ed Tillett luid entered and left
the store by a window in the
storeroom which lie said had
"openings large enough to crawl
tiu'ough.”
Footprints Found
Another state witness, Nags
Head Police Chief Donnie Twyne
testified that he had been told
See COURT, Page Six
chainnan, Lawrence Swain of dedicated and humane public
494 BIG MARLIN
HOCKED IN 1962
ON OUTER BANKS
By AYCOCK BROWN
By actual count, 153 blue mar
lin and 341 white marlin were
caught by anglers off the Dare
Coast-Outer Banks of North
Carolina during the 1962 season.
The marlin score (for both spe
cies) totaled 494.
In addition, an estimated 100
sailfish were taken during the
season, although records were
made of only 49.
The largest blue marlin, an
810 pounder taken off Hatteras
on June 11 by Gary Stakes,
Morristown, N. J. became a new
world i-ccord.
The largest white marlin, one
scaling at 97 pounds, was boat
ed off Oregon Inlet on June iB,
by Aubrey O'Neal, Big Island,
Va,
A day ijy 4ay listing of the
blue and white marlin catches
was kept by Dai-e County Tour
ist Bureau. It gives date fish
was taken, by whom and his
address and name of craiscr.
Also designated is the weight
Sec MARLIN, Page Six
Manteo.
Swain said the committee had
been appointed by Mrs. Alice
Kellogg and James Vannote of
Manteo to honor Bessie Cather
ine Draper, former Dare County
public health nurse, who was
paralyzed by a stroke in March
and forced to iietire after 21
years of service to the county.
Miss Draper, who is now re
cuperating from her illness at
Woodrow Wilson Rehabilitation
Center in Farmville, Va., has
been referred to as “an angel
of mercy on the Outer Banks”
because of her untiring interest
in the health and welfare of
coastal residents, particularly
children.
Members of the scholar.ship
committee include: Lawrence
Swain, chairman, M. K. Fearing,
Jr., R. E. (Dick) Jordan, Mrs.
Alvah Ward, Jr., Dr, W. W.
Harvey, Jr. and Mrs. R. S.
Smith.
Chairman Swain said this
seiwants ever to appear on the
Outer Banks.”
Letters Mailed
Swain indicated that letters
would be mailed next week to
Dare County residents asking
for contributions to the scholar
ship fund. He said that although
the scholarship was for $100,
the conimittce hoped to receive
donations far in excess of the
sum and that excess proceeds
received would he given to Miss
Draper “for expensive medical
treatment being required as a re
sult of her liospitalization.”
“We hope that Miss Draper
will not consider such a gift as
charity, but rather as a means
of expressing our appreciation
for what she has done for all of
us,” Swain said.
He noted that letters could not
be sent to every friend of Jliss
Draper’s and aslccd ovoi^one
who could to contribute wlielher
a letter was received or not.
MANTEO ROTARIANS MEET
WITH COLUMBIA TUESDAY
Manteo Rotarians have accept
ed an inidtation from president
Julian Poston to meet with
members of the Columbia Rotary
Club on Tuesday, Nov. 27. Man
teo Rotarians have been asked to
assemble at the Manteo Motel at
6 p.m. next Tuesday in order to
attend the Columbia meeting
which has been scheduled for 7
p.m.
pij;.
\'J
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Mm
ROCK FROM SURF
RARITY REPORTED
FROM HATTEAS IS.
Small Stripers Being Taken In
Volume From Sound
Waters
Biggest news of the week fram
Hatteras waters was the sur
prise catch of a 37-pound striped
bass from the surf by Fort
Monroe, Va., angler, Capt. John
L. Yunker,
Ho had his hook baited with
a hunk of mullet and was cast
ing in the surf for channel bass,
when the big fish, locally ident
ified as a “jump rockfish” hit
Minutes later he had the fish
on the beach, one of leas than a
dozen of the whopper stripers
ever taken with rod and reel
from the Outer Banks surf.
When the fish was cleaneil a
large mullet was found in its
stomach which led some piscat
orial experts to believe that the
mystery of how to lure the
jumbo’s had been solved. “U.sc
whole mullet, live if possible,” is
their contention, .and you may
catch one of tlie big fish.
Jumbo stripers are not rare
in the Outer Banks surf. Tliey
are caught by the hundreds,
each winter, but in haul nets of
commercial fishennen. It is big
news, when they are taken with
rod and reel from the ocean’s
surf.
School Stripers
In the sounds near Manns
Harbor and Manteo striped bass
or rockfish by the thousands are
being caught this fall. These
fish are not anywhere near the
size of the jum^s of the surf—
but they provide plenty of sport
for the anglera who enjoy troll
ing from charter or private
boats.
One of the best catches report
ed from the Manns Harbor area
during the past week was 113
boated by J. L. Shealy and party
of Wilson, from Chick Crad
dock’s cruiser Lollypop. Buck-
tails ■were the lures—and the fish
ranged from two to eight
pounds each.
By LAWRENCE M.-tDl)RY
A hearing by the Dare Coun
ty Democratic Executive Com
mittee to investigate alleged vot
ing irrcgulantics at the Buxton
Precinct during tlie Nov. 6 Gen
eral Election wa.s di.snii.sscd on
Wedne.sday when three poll of
ficials involved were not pres
ent to give testimony.
Walter D. Perry, Kill Devil
Hills, Dare Democratic Chair
man said Wednesday that the
official.s, registrar C. P. Brady
and judges W. L. Scarborough
and U. B. Jennette had offered
no exjilanation for their failure
to attend the hearing.
Perry said the three officials
had been notified on Tue.sday by
Rany Jennette and George Ful
ler of Buxton and that both had
told him that the three promis
ed to be present.
In dismissing the hearing.
Perry said: “They were notified
and since they didn’t show up I
will entertain a motion to ad-
jouin. We might as well let
the thing die I don’t know any
thing else to do.
“If 1 had tin- power of sum-
n, 's,” he said, “1 would have
used it; as it was, I only asked.”
The chairman said he had
notified all members of the ex
ecutive committee about the
hearing on Monday morning. He
stated that the licaring had been
called because of accusations by
Rany Jeni.ette and Commission
er George Fuller of Buxton that
irregularities had resulted at
Buxton Precinct because poll
officials wore uninformed.
Fuller Letter
The Buxton polls incident was
fir.st revealed in a letter to Dare
Election Board Chairman Jack
Tillett from Commissioner
George Fuller written soon after
the Nov. 6 election.
In the letter. Fuller charged
that the polls at Buxton pre
cinct, in Cape Hatteras High
School, had been sliut down and
hour and 20 minutes before the
regulation closing time. •
Fuller claimed that he had ai*-
rived at the high school at 5:15
p.m. to find that the polls w’ere
closed and that poll officials
were counting the ballots behind
locked doors.
Fuller said ho told the offi
cials of their mistake and that
the polls were re-opened and
closed again at 6:30 p.m., the
regulation closing time. He
claimed that tlie three jioU offi
cials were honest and trustful
but uninformed.
Noting that the executive
committee had the power of ap
pointment but no authority to
discharge officials on the Dare
Election Board, Peny stated “as
far as I’m concerned the mat
ter is finished.”
Complied With Law
At the hearing, Jack Tillett,
Dare Election Board chairman,
repeated a statement he had
made last Tuesday by declaring
that he had given Brady, the
Buxton precinct registration, a
book of election laws prior to
the May Democratic primaiy.
Tillett also said that he had met
with registrars throughout the
county before tlie November
election, and that he had ex
plained recent election law
changes "and answered any
questions which they had con
cerning the laws."
Tillett declared that he had
checked with State Elections
Board Chairman Raymond Max
well and that in Maxwell’s opin
ion “there were no irregularities
of any magnitude ... no intent
of fraud, and no reason for dis-
ciplinaiy action for the errors
which occurred there.
After Perry read a section
of the election laws of North
Carolina which define the duties
of an election board chairman,
he asked Tillett if he felt he had
complied with the regulations.
Tillett said: “To the best of
See HEARING. Page Six
L. VERNON GASKILL IS
ELECTIONS BD. MEMBER
The Republican member of the
Dare County Elections Board is
L. Vernon Gaskill of Wanehese,
rather than Walter Gaskill of
Manteo, as has been published
erroneou.sly by various media
recently. L. Vernon Gaskill has
been a member of the board
since 1956.