Clayton Stores Destroyed by Fire, Oct. 12, 1926

Clayton Suffers Disastrous Fire. . . Three Stores Burn, the Loss Being Estimated at Around $85,000, Partially Covered by Insurance

The town of Clayton suffered a disastrous fire about 4 o’clock Friday morning when three stores in the main business district were practically destroyed. The fire originated in the L. H. Johnson Hardware building, presumably in a pile of rags caused by spontaneous combustion. The loss has been estimated at $85,000.

The losers are: Charley Horne, who owned the building; the Clayton Department Store, managed by W. L. Whitley; the L. H. Johnson Hardware Company, and Owen Gulley Company, general merchandise.

It was estimated that it would cost about $25,000 to rebuild the stores. The stock of goods of the department store was valued at $20,000; the hardware stock at $16,000, and the general merchandise at about $25,000. The losses are partially covered by insurance.

The Raleigh fire department was called to help extinguish the flames.

From the front page of the Smithfield Herald, Oct. 12, 1926

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Newborn Baby Girl Rescued from Elkin Privy, Oct. 11, 1926

Baby Is Rescued in a Refuse Heap. . . Alleged Illegitimate Daughter of Thelma Ashley Found in Elkin Privy

Elkin, Oct. 10—The finding of a newly-born baby girl in a backyard privy at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Diamond Swaim on “Factory Hill” here Thursday afternoon and its rescue alive from the pit caused much excitement here and gave Elkin such a “thrill” as near tragedy only can give.

Thelma Ashley, 19-year-old daughter of Sant Ashley, first denied being the mother of the child but when Dr. H. C. Salmons was summoned by her father, who was at the Swaim home when Chief of Police W. G. Church got there, her denials could hold out no farther. Her apparent great physical suffering as she stood upon her feet and denied the birth of the illegitimate child caused her father and Chief Church to hastily summon the physician to attend her.

The child was found in the privy by Mrs. Swain and she called to a negro, Charles Harris, who broke the outside concrete walls of the place. The child was warmed before a fire hastily built and was apparently none the worse for its frightful experience.

Mrs. Swain said she saw something moving the waste paper in the privy pit and then a little hand showed. She herself became a mother of a child some weeks ago and the Ashley girl, who is a non-licensed nurse by profession, has been there waiting upon her. No one had suspected the Ashley girl of being an expectant mother.

When Chief Church and her father started for the physician, Chief Church said the Ashley girl broke down as she went to her bed and cried, “Oh, I wish I would die before the sun goes down.”

Up to a late hour today, it is learned, no statement has been made by the Ashley girl. Mrs. Swaim’s belief was that she went to the privy and there gave birth to the child. According to Dr. Salmons, who gave her treatment, the child’s navel, where the umbilical cord of the fetus is attached to the abdomen showed that the cord was apparently torn and not cut, as is the professional and usual method. The infant was unusually large and well developed, he said.

From page 4 of the Concord Daily Tribune, Oct. 11, 1926

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Merman McLamb, 20, Accidentally Shot by Johnny Herring at Wayne County Convict Camp, Oct. 12, 1926

Convict Guard Fatally Wounded. . . Merman McLamb Is Accidentally Shot as Friend Cleans Gun

News reached here Saturday of the accidental death of Merman McLamb of the Brogden section, this county, which occurred Thursday night at a Wayne county convict camp. The young man, only 20 years of age, was shot by one of the convict guards who accidentally discharged his gun while cleaning it.

The Goldsboro News gives the facts concerning the fatal accident as follows:

Mermon McLamb, 20-year-old convict guard, is dead as the result of a shooting accident at Captain Hinnant’s Stevens Mill Camp Thursday night.

Death came in a local hospital here at 2:30 yesterday afternoon.

A week ago McLamb, strapping young country boy, “fine a young fellow as I ever knew,” Captain Hinnant described him, secured a job as guard at the camp.

He was proud of the place in which he found himself, one of authority, and one of trust. He was proud of the firearms given into his keeping.

Thursday night he and Johnny Herring sat down after supper to oil and clean their revolvers, according to the story told.

Herring finished his task, snapped the weapon together and threw the cylinder into place. As he threw the cylinder into place, there was a blinding flash, a report, and young McLamb fell back with a bullet wound from the .38 in his chest just above the heart.

Captain Hinnant rushed him to a local hospital where surgeons did all that was possible to save his life. The young man was conscious and gave the facts as above related, it was said. Death came at 2:30 yesterday afternoon.

After an investigation by officers, it was decided that the accident was unavoidable and an inquest was not deemed necessary.

The young man was the son of Mr. I. D. McLamb. The funeral took place Saturday in the presence of a large crowd.

From the front page of the Smithfield Herald, Oct. 12, 1926

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Weaver Nations Killed When Car Being Towed Broke Loose, Oct. 12, 1926

Young Man Killed in Automobile Accident

Weaver Nations was instantly killed last Tuesday afternoon on the Caney Fork Road when a car that was being towed broke loose and ran backward over an embankment, turning over and pinning him beneath the car.

Mr. Nations and Mr. Wade Galloway had gone to the head of Caney Fork to bring in a car to the Cullowhee Motor Company’s place at Cullowhee for repairs when the accident occurred. Mr. Galloway was driving the truck that was pulling the disabled car, and Mr. Nations was steering the car that was in tow, when the tow rope broke, causing the car to run over the bank, killing him.

The body was brought to Medford’s Undertaking Parlor, where it was prepared for burial.

The deceased lived at Cullowhee, and is survived by his wife and one child. He was a son of Mr. Taylor Nations of Barkers Creek, at which place he was buried Wednesday.

From the front page of The Ruralite, Sylva, N.C., Tuesday, October 12, 1926

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Police Looking for Vandal and Thief Who Stole Car Motormeters, Oct. 11, 1926

Vandal Cuts Up Automobile Seats

Siler City, Oct. 8—Officers seem to have made no headway in locating the unknown party who cut to shreds the seats, tires, and spare tire case of the Essex coach belonging to J. J. Page, manager of the Page and Wilson shows, which provides the midway attractions at the Chatham County Fair this week. The deed was done during the early morning hours today while the car was parked on Main Street. About the same time, all the motormeters on cars parked at the Chatham Inn were stolen.

Editor’s Note: Motometers were small, often ornate radiator temperature gauges mounted on early 20th century automobiles, typically on the radiator cap or hood, used to indicate engine coolant temperature. They were important because the driver didn’t want the car to overheat.

From page 3 of the Concord Daily Tribune, Monday, Oct. 11, 1926

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Thief Steals Mack Stephens' Trousers and Money, Oct. 11, 1926

Marietta Man Loses Trousers. . . Thief Slips into Room and Takes Mr. Mack Stephens’ Breeches and $8 in Money While He Sleeps

Mr. Mack Stephens of the Marietta community lost his trousers and $8 in money while he slept one night last week, according to a report brought to Lumberton.

Mr. Stephens was awakened during the night by a noise in the room and called to members of his family and upon getting no reply he went back to sleep, thinking that he must have been mistaken in the noise he heard. Next morning, however, when he got up, his trousers were missing as was the $8 he had in one of the pockets.

The back screen door was left open, and it is thought that the thief came in there and made his haul.

From the front page of the Robesonian, Lumberton, N.C., Monday, Oct. 11, 1926

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Leonard Davis Injured M. B. Alexander and Killed His Horse When He Struck Buggy, Oct. 11, 1926

Two Men Injured and Horse Killed

Charlotte, Oct. 7—A horse was catapulted through the air 40 feet and killed instantly, two men were injured and an automobile was plunged 10 feet to the bottom of a drainage canal on Pegram Street at Polk’s Store Tuesday night at 9 o’clock as a result of the speeding car’s striking the horse, Charlotte and Mecklenburg County officers reported Wednesday.

M. B. Alexander, aged furniture repair man of Villa Heights, the horse’s owner, was thrown from his buggy, which was partially demolished. He received injuries on his leg and hands, it was said. Leonard Davis of North Davidson street, was said by officers to have been driving the car. He was accompanied by Archie Alexander and Doug Aycock Davis was said to have the fingers on his left hand dislocated.

No complaint was filed with the officers and no arrest was made, the officers said.

From page 3 of the Concord Daily Tribune, Monday, Oct. 11, 1926

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