"Here I Am, Warden. Lock Me Up." July 3, 1926

Herman Banks Reports to the State Prison. . . Asheville Man Contends to Last that He Is Not Guilty of Crime

Raleigh, July 3—“Here I am, warden, lock me up.”

These were the last words spoken by Herman Banks of Asheville before he entered the State prison here to start serving a term of from four to eight years for having been a member of the mob that searched the Buncombe County jail in search of Alvin Mansel, before Mansel’s trial and conviction for rape. Mansel is now in the death house of the prison, awaiting action by Governor McLean on an appeal for commutation of his sentence to death in the electric chair.

Banks came to the prison unaccompanied by any officer, having driven here in his car from Asheville. His brother came with him to drive his car back. Banks’ last act before leaving his family was to take his mother and brother to a picture show and his five-year-old daughter for an automobile ride afterwards. He left a 12-days-old son at home, who will be four years old before he ever will see his father.

“It is an unpleasant situation for me,” said Banks, who looks upon his conviction and sentence largely as a matter of circumstance of which he was the victim. “However, I am going to make the best of it.”

North Carolina, however, has learned a lesson from the situation, said Banks in discussing the indictment and speedy conviction of 15 alleged mob members. Banks appealed his case to the State Supreme Court, but his appeal was overruled. He maintains that he was merely an onlooker rather than an active member of the mob that stormed the court house. He made the mistake, he says, of allowing himself to become a member of the committee that examined the jail when the jailor sought to prove to the mob that Alvin Mansel was not in the jail at that time.

From the front page of The Concord Daily Tribune, July 3, 1926

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Two Men in Serious Condition After Sam Scrim Tries to Drive Through Blockade, July 3, 1926

Federal Agent and Companion Injured. . . Negro Charged with Driving Into Blockade Which They Had Placed Across Road Near Bryson City

Bryson City, N.C., July 3 (AP)—A federal prohibition officer and his companion were in a serious condition today following an attempt to blockade a highway in an effort to catch a liquor car last night. Ralph Garrett, the officer, was not expected to live, while Jess Ball is in a serious condition.

The men were injured when Sam Scrim, negro, refused to halt when ordered by the officer and speeded his automobile up, crashing into the blockade. Garrett was standing behind an automobile he had turned across the highway.

Scrim was captured and is being held pending investigation. He was driving an automobile which belonged to C.K. Ousley of Thomasville, Ga. Mr. and Mrs. Ousley had already been allowed to pass the blockade in another a car by the men when the negro appeared.

A pistol was said to have been removed from Scrim.

From the front page of The Concord Daily Tribune, July 3, 1926

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Governor Paroles J.W. Jestes, July 3, 1926

Parole for Jestes

Raleigh, July 3—Parole has been extended to J.W. Jestes, convicted in October, 1925, from Avery County on a statutory charge, by Governor A.W. McLean. In commenting on is case, the governor said that while his conviction on the evidence at the time was fitting and proper, conditions have since come to light that warrant his parole, especially since it was recommended by the trial solicitor. It is stipulated that he must maintain good behavior and maintain gainful employment.

From page 6 of The Concord Daily Tribune, July 3, 1926

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Report of Margaret Ford, Tuberculosis Nurse, July 3, 1926

Report of Tuberculosis Nurse for June

Total number of calls made during month—117.

Three patients admitted to the Sanatorium for treatment, making a total of 10 cases from this county now under treatment at the State Sanatorium. One patient’s expenses are being paid by the King’s Daughters in Kannapolis. Five applications are still on file for admission of patients to the Sanatorium as soon as vacancies occur.

One meeting of the White Hall Health Club held during the month in Mrs. Sappenfield’s Cottage at Jackson Training School.

One sleeping porch built for tubercular cases in Kannapolis by the Cannon Mill.

One to two quarts of milk furnished daily by the Tuberculosis Association to parents unable to purchase same for themselves.

Beginning August 2nd there will be a tuberculosis clinic held for two weeks in Kannapolis, first week at the Cannon Y.M.C.A. and the second week at Cabarrus Hall. This clinic will be chiefly for those who were unable to secure appointments at the May clinic.

--Margaret D. Ford, R.N., Tuberculosis Nurse

From page 2 of The Concord Daily Tribune, July 3, 1926

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Motor Vehicle Death Rate So High Because Many Drivers Are Unfit, Say Editors, July 3, 1926

Must Know Something of the Driver

Each year sees an increase in the number of auto accidents and fatalities in the United States.

There were 22,500 fatal motor vehicle accidents in the United States last year, this being an increase of 2,200 over the year before.

In 1924 the motor vehicle death rate per 100,000 increased five peer cent over 1923 and in 1925 the increase over 1924 was 10 per cent.

Deaths of children under 15 years, in motor vehicle accidents increased from 6,090 in 1925 to 6,300 in 1925. Deaths of children under 16 struck by motor vehicles increased 3 ½ per cent, while the fatalities among the adults jumped 15 per cent.

One of the reasons, unquestionably, for this steadily mounting death toll of the automobiles is the unfitness of the 20 million drivers of whom, The Winston-Salem Journal guesses, that not more than 1 out of every 4 is temperamentally equipped to handle cars.

The Journal’s discussion of this phase of the issue is pertinent and wise.

“A street car motorman is subjected to certain tests and requirements that many a motorist, sometimes only half sane, sometimes only half sober, often incapacitated by serious mental and physical defects is accorded warrant to roam at will over the country, his sole test for fitness residing in the fact that he knows the right side of the road from the left.

“There is something about the wheel of a motor car that imparts an exaggerated sense of power and some of us, unfortunately, are not geared as exquisitely as the machine we manipulate.

“Surely the time has come when we should begin to be more careful about who is permitted to drive automobiles. Remember the 22,500 men, women and children killed by automobiles last year and you will find yourself seconding why a Nation that calls itself civilized does not brush aside all other considerations and bend its energies toward the work of minimizing the menace of the motor.”

Chairman Frank Page of the Highway Commission is one of the men taking a leading part in the movement to get some law regulating the issuance of drivers’ permits. In the State now the man with the auto has to stand no sort of test, and it is a fact, of course, that many of those given licenses for cars are not fit to drive them. Other States have tried this plan and it works for them. We must do something in North Carolina and in every other state for that matter.

From the editorial page of The Concord Daily Tribune, July 3, 1926. J.B. Sherrill, Editor and Publisher; W.M. Sherrill, Associate Editor.

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Luther Sloop Celebrates 71st Birthday, July 3, 1926

Mr. Sloop Celebrates 71st Birthday

A large number of friends and relatives gathered at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Luther Sloop at Kannapolis Tuesday, when Mr. Sloop’s 71st birthday was celebrated in the customary style—with a big dinner and plenty of good cheer among those present.

Mr. Sloop has recently sold his property at Kannapolis and is arranging to go to California where he has a large farm. He has lived in that far-away state three different times, ad will probably leave for the fourth time in September. Mr. and Mrs. J.F. McGraw were among the guests at the Sloop home Tuesday.

From page 2 of The Concord Daily Tribune, July 3, 1926

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Carolina Special Engineer Dies at His Throttle, July 2, 1926

Engineer Jno. Barry Dies at His Throttle. . . Is Stricken Just as He Starts with Carolina Special Out of the Asheville Yards

Asheville, July 2—Grasping the throttle of his locomotive to roll the westbound Carolina Special, crack Southern railway flier, from the Asheville yards tonight at 8:10 o’clock, John Barry, 55, veteran engineer of Knoxville, was stricken and died a few minutes later as he was being lifted from the cab by trainmen who gathered at the call of the fireman. The passengers in the train knew nothing of the death, and after a slight delay the train started on its journey.

Mr. Barry, who was old in the service of the Southern, had been on this run for some time and up until the moment he was stricken, was apparently in the best of health.

From page 6 of The Concord Daily Tribune, July 3, 1926

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