North Carolina Newspapers

David Stick Kitty Havdc, N.C. 27949 SEND RENEWAL OF SUBSCRIPTION BEFORE EXPIRATION DATE ON ADDRESS TIMES MAIL SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO BOX 428 MANTEO. N. C. 27954 NOT TO INDIVIDUALS VOLUME XXXIV — NO. 26 WITH WHICH IS COMBINED THE PILOT AND HERALD OF BELHAYEN AND SWAN QUARTER PUBLISHED WEEKLY IN THE INTEREST OF THE WALTER RALEIGH COASTLAND OF NORTH CAROLINA " ‘ MANTEO, N. C. 27954, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1968 /'/? .,/ Eighf Ptiges In One Secfio'n Single Copy 100 ANOTHER EPISODE IN THE JUNIOR ROGERS STORY Latest Involves Firing Of Shots and Jailing Of Father- ’ In-Law ' ■ Another episode in the snga t’ of Desmond A. Rogers, Jr., was unfolded during the early hours of .Dec. 21. "■ This latest hapnening in Ro gers’ 32 strife-filled years oc curred a week after he was re leased under $16,000 bond on an appeal of a six months roads sentence invoked for violating a district court order forbidding him to mole.st or hanis.s his e.stranged wife, Andrea. Roger.s also 'has on appeal to Siipen'or .Court a conviction involving drunk lriving. These are sev- J oral other entries on his court ^1 record. g The Dec. 21 episode involvoil S-thc discharge of .a couple of rifle bullets into the. ground H^ear Roger.s’ feet, the firing of two more into the motor of his "'.ffl'Utomobile, and the aiTCst of . Charles Scarborough, Rogci-s’ fathw-in-law. I'he warrant for Scarborough’s arrest indicated he was at the trigger end of the rifle. Here is the story Scarboi*- ough toid members of the shaj-- iff’s department: —Scarlmrough, who has dif- ficuitysleeping a night through, often gets up in the early ^hours and rides around, or goes ''To an eating and coffe‘-di'ink- ing place operated by friends. About 1:30 or 2 a.in. on Dec. 21, he had a spell of .slecple.ss- ness. He headed for the Sam & Omie lestaurant in Nags Head. He used a car belonging to hi.s d:uighter, iRi o g e r s’ estranged wife. (In District Court Dec. 13, Rogero said of his spouse, ‘‘When you love somebody and can’t have her, it’s hell.’) —Scarborough reported he was "waylaid” by Rogei-s near ^ the Catholic Mission at Whale bone Junction. He said Rogers .^^tartetl to walk toward Iiim, saying he wanted to talk. Scar- borough said there were two persons in Rogers’ car. Scar borough called out that they r See EPISODE, Page Two FORMER DARE RESIDENT, NORFOLK DETECTIVE. DIES IN ACCIDENT THURSDAY Detective Robci-t Ray Monettc, 25, of Virginia Beach, Va., was drowned in Lake Wesley Thurs day afternoon, December 10, af ter he assisted in i-escuing an other man. Also drowned was i^].’atrolnian Roger Lee McCiung, Both men were police diving team trainees. The third trainee is Patrolman Richard A. Morri son, who was rescuel by the other two before they developed trouble. Monette, the father of a 6- . week-old baby and another child, 2, joined the Police Department .-as a patrolman April 25, lOfiO. ;fiOn Aug. 1, 19G7, he was trans- gferred to the Traffic Bureau and F-’only Monday was promoted' to idetective. He is also survived by This wife Thelma, his mother, iiMre. Eloise Hoojier Monette of Vstumpy Point; a brother, W. W. i" Monette of Norfolk; and a si.stcr, .I.Vicki Monette of Stumpy Point. Born in Norfolk, Monettc si>ent many of his boyhood years in Stumpy Point. His father was the late Willie Monette.. f Funeral sen'ice.s were con- nucted at two o’clock SatuMlay afternoon in the Holloman- Brown cha|)el in Virginia Beach, with interment in Rosewood Memorial Park, Virginia Beach. 3 PiSilERMEN RESCUED AFTER BOAT SINKS Earl B. Jones and Henry New- ..:born of Snow Hill and J. C. 'Willabory of Farmvillc were res- icued by three friends Saturday - after being lost for aljout 12 ihours in a marsh near East ^’Lake. A spoke.sman for the sheriff’s department sail Jones, New- „,born, and Willabory were fish- ^#ng near the lake when their •f^omall boat developed a leak and tsank. The men waded ashore . -where they kindled a fire for ^warmth and waited for rescuers. I About 12 houm later they fwere spotted by coast guards- ^nen in a small plane. About rthe same time their friends, "members of the same fishing riparty, arrived in another small ^'boat and took them off the marsh. The spokesman said the men , were in good condition. I TfCIwifierf TOP WINNER IN R.I.G.C. DOOR DECORATION CONTEST MRS. TWIFORO TO NOTE EIGHTIETH BIRTHDAY MRS. LUCY WILLIS of Wanchese won an electric frying pan for her efforts in Christmas door decorating, recipient of first prize in the Roanoke Island Garden Club-s|>onsored contest. (.•\ycock Brown photo) MRS. WILLIS. MR. V/ATKINS WIN FIRST PRIZES IN DECORATION CONTEST Mrs. Lucy Willis of Wanche.se won first prize, a fry pan, in the door decoration contest sponsored by the Roanoke Is land Garden Club. Second prize, a toaster, was won by Mrs. R. D. Sawyer, Jr. of Mother Vine yard, Monteo and third prize, han I mixer, M'as won by J. O. Basnight, Sr. of Manteo. The prizes were donated by Virginia Electric and Power Company. Dunes of Dare Contest The fir.st elace winner for the Dunes of Dare Garden Club door decoration was A. H. Watkins of Kill Devil Hills, an electric fry pa.n. Second priza, a toaster, was won by Pst Bayne, Kill Devil Hills; and Caldwell Pony of Kitty Hawk Village won a hand mixer as third i)rize. These prizes were also donated by Virginia Elec tric and Power Compan.v. Sunday night was the judg ing night. Business on the beach with unusual decorations were the Sea-Aire -Motel, Kitty Hawk; John 'Y:mcey Motor Hotel, the Sea Ranch, Kill Devil Hills; Municipal building. Kill Hills and the Nags Head Municipal building. The winners may pick their prizes up at Wink’s Sui)er Market, Kitty Hawk. - - MRS. SYBIL D. ETHERIDGE WINS PRIZE MINK STOLE Mrs. Sybil Dough Etheridge, wlio lives on the main highway near Manteo. was winner of the $600 mink stole given by radio station WGAI of Elizabeth City, when names registemi with the statiniis’s advertisers wore drawn. Jlrs. Etheridge, who was visit ing in NowiKii’t News, Va., at tlie time, went to Elizalicth City to accept the stole. Her winning ticket had been depos ited in the box in the Ben Franklin store in Manteo. MRS. ANNIE BASNIGHT TWIFORD will celebrate her 80th biithday on Sunday, Dec. 29, at an open house given by licr son and daughtei'-in-law, Mr. and Mi-s. JI. E. (D’ck) Twiford, at their home in Man teo. The hours will be from two until five o’clock Sunday after noon, and all friends and rela- tix'cs are invited. •Mrs. Twiford, a native of East Lake, and the widow of the late Hassell Twiford, has made her home in Manteo with her son and daughter-in-law for the last 11 yeai-s. TWO RETIRE FRO.’H . HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT Two longtime employees of thci state highway department will wind up their services at the close of business Dec. 31. They are Delton T. Dowdy, mechanic foreman of the equip ment department, and J. T. Am brose, watchman/radio opera tor. Follow employees of the equipment department antici- p:itel the actual retirement by giring a parly Dec. 20 for Dowdy and Ambrose. After the 'retire had lieen given a .stc:ik and seafooil din ner and encouraged to listen to goodbye speeches, they were each given a watch. DANIELS TURNED LOOSE ON HIGH SPEED CHARGE Sons of Mayor and Dare Chair man Convicted Of Hunt ing Violation Malcolm Spencer Daniels, .Tr., of Manteo was acquitted in Dis trict Court Friday of traveling more than 100 miles per hour after the aiTesting 'officer de- scribeitl how he estimated the speed of the hurrying coast guardsman. Ted Midgf.tt, son of Manteo’s mayor, and Wade E. White, son of the chainman of tlie D-rro county board, were not as for tunate as young Daniels. They were found guilty of violation of hunting regulations. Charles Dail, N.ags IH'ead policeman, testified that he, siiw Daniels about 1:30 a.m. on Dec. 7 driving .south at a high rate of speed on the beach road lead ing from Whalebone Junction toward Oregon JInlet. Dail said he pursued Daniels for about two miles at 55 milc.s per hour. He said Daniels then began to pull away. Dail said he got his patrol car up to 100 miles per hour and that Daniels still lengthened the distance between them. He said Daniels eventuall.v stopped at the government tracking sta tion on Bodie Island where Dail gave him. a citation. He said Daniels was accompanied by “a fellow named Saddler” whom ho did not identify further. Dail told the court that he did not actually clock the speeding Daniels, a member of the Coast Guard and son of Malcolm Dan iels, owner, and ojierator of the Wanchese Fish Co. He said the fact that Daniels pulled .away from his own car going at high speed proved to him that the spe.ed limit was being violated. The judge ruled othenvise. Midgett and White were charged jointly with attempting to shoot a coot from a moving motorboat. They pled not guilty. John E. Wnter.s, Jr., enforce ment officer for the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, sad he watched them commit the violation in Frying Pan Creek in the vicinity of Durant's Island about 2.M5 p.m. on Dec. 7. Waters said See COURT, Page Six MANY PARTIES ARE PLANNED TO USHER IN THE NEW YEAR No doubt by next Tuesday night, much of the Christmas holiday celebrating will have subsided, but New 'Year’s paity- goers will have ample oppor tunity to participate in func tions to herald 1969. ilncludeil will bo at least three parties on the Dure Beaches plus one on Roanoke Island. On the beach and Roanoke Island, the following are slated: —Dare County Jaycees-spon- sored dance and breakfast, at Carolinian Hotel, beginning 9 p. m. Admission by ticket available from members of the Jaycees ami Jay-C-Ettes. —Dare County Moose Lodge — to members and invitetl guests—dance beginning at 9:30 p.m., at the lodge’s temporal^ home. Dinner Bell Restaurant, Nag.s Head. —Sea Ranch, Kill Devil .'Hill.s, dance, 9:30 until 1, with break fast following, —Dare County Shrine Club, north end, dance beginning at 9 p.m., to bo followed by break fast. Live music will perform at all of the above functions.' PLANES AND PEOPLE AT OCRACOKE 'rpi’c:- ^ '■' SOME OP THE EIGHT PLANES and more than 100 people who attended dedication of the new state-built airstrip at Ocracokc are shown in photo. 'The aviation facility was dedicated last Friday and first plane to land on the strip was the “Ocracoke Carousel,” a two motored Beechcraft owned by Sam Jones of Norfolk, and the "Carolina Cardinal” a DC-3 owned by the State which brought state officials to the dedication program. (Aye ock Brown photo) CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR THE BLIND MEMBERS OF THE LIONS CLUB of Manteo gave Christmas package.s to the blind of Dure Coast-Outer Banks this week. Shown as they wore distributing the gifts, (left to right) Oemiis Midgett, Jerry Cahoon and Louis Midgellc. JURY DECIDES COMPLICATED LAND CASE OF MIDGEHS IN 11 MINUTES A District Court jury needed only n minutes Dec. 19 to determine ownership of a four- acre parcel of land in Roilanthe after contestants with the same name had battleil for four days before Judge William S. Privott. Tlie jury—cut from the tradi tional 12 to 11 by stipulation lifter juror Carlisle Davis be came il'f—detei-mined that Mrs. Aretta Midgett, the defendant, owned the land and that the plaintiffs, Mrs. Lurania Midgett, and other.s, lid not. Ownership of the land had been a bone of contention among members of the Midgett clan in Itodunthe for a considerable time. I’cars ago, when the area was barely more than a strip of seemingly valueless sand, it was practically worthless. Now, with development, the. property i.s valuable. The court action was one of ejectment brought to deteniiinc title to the four-acre parcel which contains a now restaurant. The property is, and has been for many yeai-s, in the posses sion of Mrs. Au-stin Midgett, Sr. ’i'hcsc heirs were headed by Mrs. Lurania Midgett. In the story brought out in court, Mrs. Aretta Midgett and her now deceased husband, Ro wan H. Midgett, purchased in 1926,28-acre tract at Rodanthc. This land was known as the Ed ward Payne, Jr., tract. It was putchased from the widow and children of Payne. In 1887, John A. Midgett, Sr,, had purchased from Edward Payne, Jr., a parcel purported to be 10 acres. The deed re cording the purchase said it was “10 acres more or less.” This cast doubt upon the actual size of the purchase. There was evidence that John A. Midgett, Sr., had lived for some yeara on the pareel of “10 acres more or less.” The plaintiffs claimed that this parcel of ‘10 acres more or loss” wa.s part of the 28 acres which had liccn purohased and )H>.ssc.ssed for many yeara by Mrs, Aretta Midgett. Mrs. Aretta Midgett ilonied tliat the pared of “10 aci’cs more or leas” wa.s part of the Edwaixl I’aync, Jr., tract and further denied that it wa.s initially a part of the 28 acres. The defense claiinctl that erosion on I’aniiico Sound had been sucJi since 1887 that the area claimed by Mi's. Lurania Midgett now would be covered by Souiul wateis. Mrs. Aieita Alidgett also de fended her claim to the proiierly on grounds of possession of 20 yeais or more and also seven years’ possession under color of title. Color of title is statutoiy defense in North Carolina. . The plaintiffs presented maps of the lands they claimed. Wit nesses pointed out the location of the John Alien Slidgctt, Sr., home, his store, and a fish house situated near the iSound. Also, they pointed out the location of an old well which Capt. Ellery Midgett, a plaintiff, described as having been used in connec tion with the fish house. Ilefense attorneys pointed out to the jury that the location of the house, store, and fish house appeared to be several hundred feet south of the line claimed by &Irs. Aretta Midgett. Apparently, the jury agreed. With the exception of a di vorce case, the Rodanthe land See LAND, Page Two MANTEO GIRL SPONSOR FOR INAUGURAL BALL MISS ELIZABETH HENRY KELLOGG, daughter of Mr. and Ml'S. Gordon Kellogg of Manteo, has been named a sponsor for the 1969 Inaugural Ball to be held January 2 honoring incom ing Governor and Mrs. Bob W. Scott. Miss Kellogg is one of a group of young women from across the .state of North Carolina who will repi'c.sent nionibers of. the Council of State, Supreme Court, General Assembly and North Carolina's Ckmgrcssional Dele gation at the affair in William Neal Reynolds Coliseum. •PROTESTS’ FAIL TO MATERIALIZE AT JAIL POINTS Considered a fitting inaction by many, ilemoiistr.'ilions planned ill four North Carolina cities for Tuesday as a jii'ote.st over Die jailing of Hyde County negroes failed to materialize when com- inunic.atioiis among the “leaders” apparently broke down. .‘Vclivities had been set for Raleigh, Tarboro, Gatesville, and Winrenton to protest the jailing of 56 negroes to serve 30-day sentences for contempt of court, the result of disrespectful at titude evidenced last Tuesday as Judge Ilallett Ward of Wash ington presided over a session of District Court. The four jails were utilized because of over flow in Hyde, Those sentenced for contcmiit were attending hearings of those charged in recent voatlside dem- oiislratioiis and participating in a dktui'banco at the Peay School near Swan Quarter. Of the 29 tried last Wednesday morning, all were given sus pended sentences except one. Nevertheless, they all appealed to .superior court. As to the contempt matters, ninety-nine were originally charged, but many were later found to be juveniles, below the age of 16, and were remanded to their parents cu.stody Tlie Tuesday demonstrations had lieeii planned by SCLC worker Milton Fitch of Wilson, who reportedly gave, plans for the activilica to Golden Frinks on ‘Sunday. “I’ve been sitting lierc all day and haven’t heard a word, said Fitch, adding “Our Sec PROTESTS, Page Two GOOD FRIENDS OF OCRACOKE OLD CHRISTMAS' EVENT. RODANTHE SATURDAY. JAN.,4 Special Guest Performer Sched uled for Appearances with Homefollcs Old Christinas will be ob- sei-ved at -RodaiiDie village on H"‘t(‘i'as l.shnd January 5, but this year the celehration is .scliediiled for .Saturday night, Januiii-y 4. It will be hold in (he former schoolhouse, now the community center, .according to information released in Man teo a few days ago by Mrs. Nora Herhert. Mrs. Ilrrbei'L .and her Inishan'l John, and many otlier residents of iRod.antho, Die only co"'’- iiiunity in Dio world which ob serves January 5lh :i.s “Old Christmas,” will celaborale in planning Dio program of evente. “This year, in .addition to my daughter, J.azania, If. O’Neal, and Norma Gray Cahoon having leading roles in Die minstrel show, we are expecting to have a .sivcial guest performer,” said Mrs. iiorboi't. The home talent sliow pre sented each year is one of the high spots of Dio celebrating. U.sualiy there is also a square dance, and when weather con ditions are right, an oyster roast. A modest admi.ssion charge will be ni.'ide to help defray ex penses including oysters. SUNKEN CUTTER IN MISSISSIPPI IS BURIED IN SAND Dare Man Was Aboard Vessel When Rammed by Chinese Vessel Diving operations in the M’S- .sissippi River to recover the ro- mo’ning fifteen bodies from the Coast Guard buoy tender “Ald'W' White” have been discontip"cd after divers found the .sunken vessel covered with sand, a Coast Guard spokesman said Sunday, John R. Rollinson. Engine- m.aii JC, foniiei'Iy of Frisco, was one of the -seventeen unac counted for following the Coast Guard vessel’s collision with *^he Nationalist Chinese freighter "llriena” on Saturday, Dec. '7. Only three of the 20-mcmher crew were rescued alive, cling ing to a buoy in the chonpy river waters. Of the two hodie."? recovered, one of those was the commanding officer, CWO .Samuel C. Brown, 41, of Chesa peake, Va. A funeral sendee was conducted in that city about a week ago. The Coast Guard said that five dives last Saturday, along" with pf.domctcr' soundings, re vealed that except for the top of the mast, the Alder White was covered with sand in its watery grave near White(Jastle, La. The condition of the ves sel appeared to be iiciminnent, accoi'ding to the Coast Guairi spokesman, and that memorial seiviccs for the 15 men believed sealed in the .Alder White’s hull some 70 fr.ct below the surface would likely be held later on the site. RoIIin‘'oii is a son of Mrs. F"tsv Rollinson of Rodanthe and the late Rolx'rt tRollinson of Frisco. He had been re,s’d^nce with his \rife and family 'in New Orleans. ' - MAVROMMATIS NAMED CHAIRMAN MATHEMATICS DEPT., N.Y. STATE UNIV. '^1 -‘4 ' £1 m SAM JONES, SR., Norfolk industrialist, and Senator Tom White of Kinston, a member of the N. C." Advisory Budget Committee, are good friends of Ocracoke. They,- along with the. Island’s Civic.Club under leadership of Benjamin Early Spencer, were largely responsible for acquiring the new airstinp which was dedicated Friday. Jones has considerable property at Ocracoke and in recent years has from time to time provided much em ployment for the island residents. Sen. White is not only a good friend of Jones but also a friend of Ocracoke where be visits often. (Aycock Brown photo) A fo’-mcr Manteo High School instnictor, the hu-shand of a Wrnchere girl, h*'® been named a Hgli position with the Statn Univereity of New Yarlc at Farniingdale. Prof. Pannyotis D. ,M'«x'~'m- matis 1 as been aiipointcd o’-air man of the mathematics depart ment of the agrictilfural *hd lodmicrl college. He has been at Stale Univeifa'y since 1959,'- whero he went following a six- year stint at teaching'mather matics in Manteo H;gh Sch.^1. Announcement of the appoint ment" was made last week, by Dr. Charles W. Lnffinj^. Jr., President of State Unii'ersity.. iM-avrommatis obtained h'S A. at North Carolina State CoK- lege "and his M.A. in teaching of' mathematics at Duke' versity. His professional- vices and activities at the lege include serving on the*fol^^^ lowing committees: stedent' tivities, admissions, f a c a 11‘ council, and promotions..,,. The one-time MantM^t^ehet is manied to tlie. fpnrier|l"‘ Jewel Tillett, daughterlof;' Ckirrie Tillett of Wi '' ' "ill ■'■’■111