Police Chief Harvey Lee Dellinger, 36, Killed by Philmore Wright, Sept. 26, 1926

Double Tragedy in Washington, North Carolina. . . Liquor Crazed Boatman Kills Chief of Police. . . Then Turns Gun on Self. . . Three Bullets Ploughed Through Officer’s Brains; Boatman Shot Body Once After it Crumpled to Earth; Mounted a Nearby Porch and Ended Own Life

Washington, N.C., Sept. 25 (AP)—Chief of Police H. L. Dellinger, of this city, was shot and fatally killed about 11:00 this morning by Philmore Wright, liquor crazed white boatman, who a few minutes later killed himself.

Dellinger, who had been called to arrest Wright, as greeted with shots at close range as he [attempted to arrest Wright. Much of the article is unreadable.]. . . .

Before shooting the chief of police, Wright had ?? on Geo. Hiddens(?), a negro mail carrier, the bullet passed through a pouch of mail.

From the front page of the Goldsboro News, Sunday, Sept. 26, 1926

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Since we can’t get the story from the newspaper page, here’s an account of the shooting based on Officer Down Memorial Page:

Chief of Police Harvey Lee Dellinger was shot and instantly killed on September 25, 1926, in Washington, North Carolina, by Philmore Wright, a local boatman, during a police response to a suspected burglary attempt . Dellinger, 36, had been dispatched to a home on East Second Street after receiving reports that a drunk man was attempting to break in. When Dellinger stepped from his car, Wright — described in the Washington Chronicle as a “drink crazed man” who kept a boat house at the east end of the city — opened fire at close range, striking the chief in the head three times. Wright fled the scene and, moments later, turned the gun on himself, committing suicide as other officers arrived. The report also noted that Wright had been serving in the territory and was known locally.

Chief Dellinger was survived by his wife, Ethel Weeks Swindell, and their son.

To read the Officer Down Memorial Page for Chief of Police Harvey lee Dellinger, which includes a very nice photo of the Chief Dellinger, go to: www.odmp.org/officer/reflections/18334-chief-of-police-harvey-lee-dellinger

Philmore Wright Kills Chief of Police Dellinger, Then Commits Suicide, Sept. 25, 1926

Kills Officer and Takes Own Life. . . Washington Police Chief Killed by Philmore Wright, White Boatman

Washington, N.C., Sept. 25 (AP)—H. L. Dellinger, chief of police, was shot and instantly killed here this morning by Philmore Wright, a white boatman, as he stepped from is automobile to arrest Wright on a charge of drunkenness. After the shooting Write took the dead Chief’s pistol from his pocket and ran into a private residence. As policemen were surrounding the residence, Write committed suicide by shooting himself.

From the front page of the Concord Daily Tribune, Saturday, Sept. 25, 1926

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Clara Brown Found Dead at Corner of Williams and Atlantic Streets Sept. 26, 1926

Unidentified Colored Woman Found Dead

At 3:00 this morning an unidentified colored woman was discovered lying apparently dead at the corner of Williams and Atlantic streets. The coroner was summoned by Special Officer J. W. Sadler and by the former, the woman was pronounced dead.

However, a little later, the undertaker not having arrived, several of the bystanders, of which there were quite a few, not being satisfied with the county official’s verdict, summoned one of the local physicians, but he also pronounced the woman dead.

It was supposed that the woman had taken an overdose of some drug.

From page 7 of the Goldsboro News, Sunday, Sept. 26, 1926

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Dead Negress Had Check on Person

Clara Brown, negress who was found dead at William and Atlantic streets about 3:30 Sunday morning, had a check for $50 on her person, it was declared yesterday. Coroner Robinson, after viewing the body did not think there was occasion for an inquest, and the remains were removed to a colored undertaking establishment for preparation for burial the check was found when the undertaker began making the body ready for burial. No substantiation could be found for reports that the negress had $100 in cash and a check for $50 when last seen. Death is supposed to have resulted from an overdose of some drug.

From page 6 of the Goldsboro News, Sept. 28, 1926

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Asheville Street Car Workers Strike for Higher Wages, Sept. 25, 1926

Asheville Street Car Service Interrupted. . . 60 Employes Went on Strike Today, Disrupting the Schedule

Asheville, Sept. 25 (AP)—Asheville was in the throes of an unexpected street car strike today. Union men including all conductors and motormen of the Carolina Power & Light Company here failed to report for work this morning.

Sixty men walked out leaving 20 street cars and seven large buses with no one to operate them.

The walkout, according to C. F. Walters, vice president and manager of the power company, came as a complete surprise to the company. New crews are being organized to man the cars, he said, and service will be restored as early as possible.

For several days the street car operatives who are members of the Amalgamated Association of Street Railway Workers, have been making demands on the company for higher wages, company officials said. Negotiations had been in progress between employes and officials of the company.

From the front page of the Concord Daily Tribune, Saturday, Sept. 25, 1926

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God Put Demon's Picture on False Teeth After Atlas Rhodes Quit Smoking, Sept. 25, 1926

Demon’s Picture on False Teeth. . . So. Wayne Man Says, Lord Recognized Conquering Cigarette Habit

Goldsboro, Sept. 21—Atlas Rhodes, farmer and church worker who lives near here, believes that the Lord placed a picture on the plate of his false teeth as a recognition of the fact that he had quit smoking cigarettes. Rhodes believes that it is the picture of a “cigarette demon.” He willingly shows the picture to those who are to take a look.

“I used to love cigarettes better than most men love their wives,” he said. “What I mean is that I loved them. Then I decided that the Lord did not want me smoking cigarettes, so I quit. Shortly after I quit, the picture came on the plate of my false teeth. It has been there ever since.”

With a sort of a click, Rhodes snapped the teeth out of his mouth, pulled a magnifying glass from his pocket and offered the “demon” for inspection.

“See that stem there,” he said, “and that thing looking like a head, that’s a cigarette demon.

“There are all sorts of demons,” he went on. “Some folks have liquor demons, some curing demons, and some have demons even worse than these. I had a cigarette demon, and when I got rid of him the Lord put this picture on the plate of my teeth.”

A peculiarly formed discoloration could be seen on the plate, a discoloration which the imaginative could make into a head with a stem—something like a pipe stem below it.

From page 4 of the Concord Daily Tribune, Saturday, Sept. 25, 1926

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Sister Struggles to Describe Horror of Miami Hurricane, Sept. 26, 1926

Living in Bathing Suits Since Rescue From Storm

Further details of the experiences in Florida during the recent hurricane are contained in a letter from Mrs. Juna Steele of ???, to her sister, Mrs. L. H. Waters of St. Clair Street, this city. Mrs. Steele tells how firemen rescued her from her home with the wind raging at 150 miles an hour. “We are living in our bathing suits now,” she wrote. The letter follows:

“I don’t know how to start to write this morning. I just want to say we were not killed during the hurricane. The storm started here Friday night and we just ???(unreadable section) in time. Oh, I can’t ever tell it. When the firemen came to the house to help save us, the wind was blowing 150 miles an hour, the rain was pouring, and the water was in the house and up to your waist outside. One of the firemen got on one side of me and Ross(?) on the other, and we just waded through the water. The men carred us about a block to the firehouse. That was the safest building around here in the neighborhood. They rescued most of the people in this section and had a regular hospital upstairs in the fire-house. I was almost exhausted when I got there. Lots died after they were brought in.

Oh, I can’t begin to write it all. I don’t know hardly what I am doing. We are all back at our house now, but everything is covered with water. All our clothes are ruined. We are all living in our bathing suits. Water is still up to our doorsteps. Part of our road ??? Water came up three or four feet in the house and you can imagine how things are. But we are so thankful we are living that we are not worrying. So many are so much worse off than we are.

I packed some of our best things in a grip, and they are all wet and faded together, just ruined. I hope I never have to experience anything like this again. It was awful.

I can’t write to all, and so you must notify all the rest that we are safe. We would move out of this house, but we can’t get anywhere to go. We are better off than so many. We have our beds dry enough to sleep on now. We have put canvas tents over part of the roof, and so if it rains again, we will keep a little dry. Don’t be uneasy about us. I hope the worst is over.

Everybody is trying to help the other fellow. We can’t get many groceries now, but they claim they are going to have relief sent in. We only have one two burner oil stove for this whole neighborhood, and it is at my house. So we make coffee and cook a little for all. But the strain of it is awful. All gas and electricity is off. This is the first letter I have written. I hope I get it off to you. Lots of people were killed and lost all they had. Write.

From the front page of the Goldsboro News, Sunday, Sept. 26, 1926

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R.C. Harris, F.B. Harton Escape Injury When They Collided, Sept. 25, 1926

Cars Crash Near City but Drivers Escape. . . Buick Coupe Driven by F.B. Harton Struck by Essex Driven by R.C. Harris of Salisbury

Two cars were damaged on the Concord-Salisbury road this morning when they crashed near the entrance to the Cabarrus Country Club. The drivers, R. C. Harris of Salisbury and F. B. Harton of Ruffin, escaped serious injury.

Mr. Harton was driving a Buick coupe, and his car was struck by Mr. Harris’ Essex as the latter swung around a wagon. An eye witness, A. M. Gaskey, said Mr. Harris stated he did not see the Harton car until too late to stop.

Neither car was badly torn up although each had to be towed to a garage.

Mr. Harton suffered an injury to his lip and several slight scratches on his face and leg. Mr. Harris was not hurt beyond a bruise and a scratch or two.

From page 3 of the Concord Daily Tribune, Sept. 25, 1926

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