Jesse Van Dyke, 25, Sentenced to 15 to 20 Years in State Prison for Murder of Police Chief A.L. Painter, March 12,1926

Jesse Van Dyke Is Sent to Prison to Serve Many Years. . . Judge Lyon Sentenced the Cherryville Slayer to Term of 15 to 20 Years in State Prison. . . Wife Weeps as Sentence Comes. . . Van Dyke Did Not Seem Much Disturbed When Judge Lyon Pronounced the Sentence

Gastonia, March 12 (AP)—Jesse Van Dyke, 25, butcher of Cherryville, was sentenced to a term of from 15 to 20 years in state prison by Judge C.C. Lyon following his conviction last night of second degree murder.

Van Dyke was tried for the slaying of Chief of Police A.L. Painter of Cherryville last January.

The defendant was not very much disturbed when sentence was pronounced, but his pretty 19-year-old wife could not keep the tears back.

“This was one of the most pitiful cases I have ever tried,” asserted Judge Lyon, who has graced the Superior Court bench for 19 years. “The deceased was a good man, serving the people in the discharge of his duty. The defendant was a boy of good character all through his life with the exception of drunkenness. Crimes of this character are occurring all over the state of North Carolina. They will continue so long as people tolerate and are indifferent to the sale of liquor. The people are to blame. If they would support the officers and the court as good people would and should, crime would stop.”

Van Dyke killed Painter when the officer attempted to halt his march down the street, firing a pistol into the air. He shot at three of his close friends before the fatal shot hit the chief.

From the front page of The Concord Daily Tribune, Friday, March 12, 1926

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Oliver Gaston, 14, On Trial for Murder; Other Cases in Superior Court, March 12, 1926

14-Year-Old Oliver Gaston on Trial for Murder. . . Cases Vs. Geo. F. Woodard and Miss Lena Woodard Are Scheduled Today

Interest in last week’s term of criminal Superior Court centered around the case of state vs. Gaston Oliver, 14-year-old boy charged with the murder of James Woodard near Pine Level on Thanksgiving day. The case was called yesterday afternoon at 4:30 o’clock. The solicitor is not asking for any greater verdict than second degree murder or manslaughter. Quote a number of witnesses have been summoned to appear. The case got well under way yesterday afternoon but it not likely to be completed until some time today.

Five cases concerning the Merchants and Farmers Bank at Princeton are set for day as follows: state vs. Lena Woodard, false entry in bank; state vs. Lena Woodard, accept deposit; state vs. Geo F. Woodard, false entry in bank; state vs. George F. Woodard, accept deposit.

The docket has been heavy from the start and several cases of minor important have been continued until the next term of court. When the court discharged the grand jury the judge accepted the report with thanks and ordered a copy to be published in the local paper, and that copies be served to the keeper of the prison camp, the county commissioners, and the next judge who shall hold criminal court here. The grand jury was discharged at 3 o’clock on Wednesday afternoon.

Among the cases which were disposed of during the week was that of the state vs. J.T. Jeffrys, formerly of Wilders township, who was tried for bigamy. It was brought out during the trial that Jeffrys has traveled over the United States a good bit and has posed in other states under the name of J.D. Parker. Jeffrys was found guilty and is now in the hands of the sheriff waiting for the judge to pass sentence.

Tom Neil, a negro of Oneals township, was tried for forging a county voucher in a witness case in Recorder’s Court. He was found guilty but sentence has not been passed at this writing.

Barden Narron, Bernice Narron, Lee and Ned Smith and Carl Childers were tried for breaking into a box car during the Christmas holidays. These are local men who live at the Ivanhoe mill. They were found guilty and were sentenced from one to two years on the Johnston county roads.

Victor Johnson and Dan Morrison, negroes of Cleveland township, were tried Monday for housebreaking and larceny of $336, taken from Atlas Johnson. Eveidence in the case constituted burglary in the first degree, but owing to the form in which the bill of indictment had been drawn, the state accepted the charge of housebreaking and larceny and being found guilty, punishment was meted out accordingly. Morris was sentenced to five years in the penitentiary and Johnson of 10 years.

From the front page of The Smithfield Herald, Friday morning, March 12, 1926

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Harnett Sheriff Says Monds Wasn't Shot to Death in Meadow Township, March 12, 1926

Harnett Sheriff Denies Monds Shot to Death. . . Dunn Citizens Said Not to Believe that Monds Was Connected with Affair in Meadow Township

The report of the shooting down at the home of James Webb of Meadow township, which was published in our last issue of March 9, has created a profound feeling in the community of Dunn, where Mr. Troy Monds lived and was well known. It is not believed by the citizens of his town and community that Mr. Monds was present at the time of the shooting, or that he knew about it, or was in any way connected with it. By so good authority as the sheriff of Harnett County, it has been reported that Mr. Monds was seen in the chief of police headquarters around 10 o’clock on Thursday night, which is about the exact hour it is reported that the shooting took place at Webb’s home, 1 miles. The sheriff saw Mr. Monds that night and had a talk with him. He reports that Mr. Monds was in his usual good health and spirits and that there was not the slightest suggestion about his appearance that he had been in any kind of a raid. It is also authoritatively stated that Mr. Monds worked some in his new ground on Thursday, the day of the alleged raid on Webb’s home, and that he died between midnight and the day on Friday night following. It was understood then and so understood now that his death came as a natural cause and not as a result of gun shot wounds.

The Herald regrets that any report should gain circulation that is not founded on truth and fact. The article referred to above was run without prejudice to any individual or any society. It was published purely as a matter of news, and before the report got into its pages it had been verified by more than one citizen of Johnston County. It is more than probable, however, that the report that the sheriff of Harnett County has furnished us, as regards Mr. Mondsis more to be relied upon than the reports that reached here last Monday and from which we took our first report.

The alleged visit of masked men to Webb on Thursday night of last week has been a current report since the affair, though investigation has not added materially to the story in our last issue.

From the front page of The Smithfield Herald, Friday morning, March 12, 1926

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Three Fires in Smithfield This Week, March 12, 1926

Three Fires Occur Here This Week

A fire a day for three days was the record for Smithfield this week, but none of them resulted in any considerable damage. The biggest loss was sustained by John Jones, colored, whose dwelling and household furniture was completely destroyed, and his café damaged. The loss will probably total from 43,000 to $3,500. The fire was discovered about 4:30 Monday morning.

The fire alarm again called out the fire department Tuesday night about 10 o’clock, and it was found that an old barn near North Fourth Street was on fire.

Wednesday morning about 11 o’clock the fire company was called to the home of Mr. Roger A. Smith. Painters at work at Mr. Smith’s house discovered smoke coming out of the walls, and fire was discovered between plastering and weather boarding near the chimney. Investigation indicated that the fire originated in a rat’s nest. The damage was slight.

From the front page of The Smithfield Herald, Friday morning, March 12, 1926

I wonder if Mr. Jones, who lost his dwelling and all his household furniture and had his café damaged, would say the fire didn’t cause any considerable damage?

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Wilbur Alford Headed to West Point, March 12, 1926

Kenly Boy To Go To West Point

WILBUR H. ALFORD

Kenly Youth Will Enter West Point. . . Wilbur Alford Received Appointment from Senator Simmons; Has Good Record

Kenly, March 10—Wilbur H. Alford, who is a young leader in the scholastic, business and religious activities of his community, was recently appointed to the United States Military Academy at West Point by United States Senator F.M. Simmons. Due to the fact that Senator Simmons can appoint only one boy every two years to West Point, Wilbur is very proud of having won an appointment to this great institution, as he ran against a field of boys who were trying for the same honor which was bestowed upon him.

About a year ago Wilbur bought the News and Observer agency from one of his friends in Kenly. Since he has taken the agency for the “Old Reliable” he has more than doubled the number of subscribers he had the first day of agency.

Wilbur has won four free trips, two of which were for his salesmanship in the newspaper and magazine field. In 1924 he won a free trip to New York City as the guest of the International Magazine Company and witnessed the World Series between the Giants and the Senators.

A few days ago he was selected for a national organization, the League of Curtis Salesmen, maintained by the Curtis Publishing Company, for boys who sell the publications. Admittance to this organization depends upon regular school attendance and a record of efficient service to customers.

From the front page of The Smithfield Herald, Friday morning, March 12, 1926

To see the photo Wilbur Alford and the article printed in the Herald, go to: newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn92073982/1926-03-12/ed-1/seq-1/

Franklin County Building at Louisburg College, March 12, 1926

FRANKLIN COUNTY BUILDING, LOUISBURG COLLEGE

(Size 148’ 6” x 55” – four stories)

This building will contain10 large classrooms, a library with stack room and two reading rooms, and 44 dormitory rooms, with capacity for 88 boarding students.

Now is the time to build the Franklin County Building. The building will be needed when school opens for the fall term in September. The local committee desires to complete the $60,000 fund on or before March 20th, at which time bids will be called for. The College Executive Committee will meet on or before April 1, 1926, to let the contract for the erection of the Franklin County Building, providing all conditions are met.

Executive Committee:--Rev. M.T. Plyler, Chairman, F.B. McKinne, Secretary, D.W. Newsom, W.E. White, Rev. A.J. Paker.

If you have not already done so, hand your subscription to one of the Trustees of the Franklin County Building Fund, at once. M.S. Clifton, Farmers and Merchants Bank, Louisburg; F.J. Bensley, First National Bank, Louisburg; A.W. Mohn, Louisburg College, Louisburg.

From the front page of The Franklin Times, Louisburg, N.C., Friday, March 12, 1926

To see the architect’s drawing of the proposed Franklin County Building, go to:

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Patrick Massey, 57, Dies of Heart Disease, March 12, 1926

Pat Massey Dies at Wilson’s Mills. . . Had a Record of 40 Years with the Southern Railway Company

Wilson’s Mills, March 11—Patrick Massey, 57, who had a record of having served slightly more than 40 years with the Southern Railway, died here last night at his home after an illness of five months duration with heart trouble. He died two weeks to the day after his brother, M.S. Massey, who died in Richmond, Va. The combined service of the six Massey brothers, all of whom are railroad men, is 212 years.

Funeral services will be held this afternoon at the home at 3 o’clock, and interment will be in Vinson Cemetery, near Wilson’s Mills.

The deceased is survived by his wife and four children: James O.; Frank A.; Patrick L.; and Miss Clara Odessa Massey, who is a student at Duke University. Four brothers and two sisters also survive. They are: John W. Massey of Clayton; B.D. Massey of Durham; W.H. Massey of Raleigh; W.C. Massey of Trinity; Mrs. J.R. Ledbetter and Mrs. William Jones, both of Princeton.

From the front page of The Smithfield Herald, Friday morning, March 12, 1926

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