James Hall Arrested for Shooting Into Tourists' Camp, Feb. 15, 1926

Charged with Shooting Into Tourists’ Camp

County officers were called Saturday night to a filling station about 3 miles west of here where a shooting had been reported. James Hall was arrested and brought to jail, charged with assault with a deadly weapon, and was released yesterday under $1,000 bond.

It is alleged that Hall was drunk and shooting into a camp of tourists near the filling station he owns and operates. He will be tried tomorrow morning.

From the front page of The Robesonian, Monday, Feb. 15, 1926

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Governor Pardons Melton Sellers, Calling Him Entirely Innocent, Feb. 15, 1926

Melton Sellers Gets Full Pardon. . . Convicted of Stealing Hog from Van Walters and Sentenced to 2 Years on Roads—Judge Dunn Said It Was Mean Thing—Officers Fail to Find Marks on Hog Like Prosecutor Described. . . Entirely Innocent of Charge

“I can’t conceive of a meaner thing than a white man stealing a hog,” said Judge Albion H. Dunn in Superior Court here last November just before sentencing Melton Sellers, white man, to two years on the county chain gang, after a jury had convicted the defendant.

Sellers is now a free man, Governor A.W. McLean having issued a full pardon Friday and upon doing so stated, “This pardon is granted because of the statement of that after the case was tried and upon thoughtful investigation, it is apparent beyond any reasonable doubt that the prisoner is entirely innocent of the charge for which he was convicted.”

After the trial, which was the result of the theft of a hog, Van Walters, prosecuting witness, testifying that Sellers had stolen his hog, which bore certain ear marks, the hog was brought to Lumberton and shown to the solicitor, sheriff and several members of the jury, some of whom were acquainted with the peculiar ear marks of hogs, and as a consequence an application for pardon was started pending an appeal to Supreme Court.

From the front page of The Robesonian, Monday, Feb. 15, 1926

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State Inspector Finds Twine Fish Trap in Ashpole Swamp, Reminds There is $50 Fine for Traps, Feb. 15, 1926

Twine Fish Trap “Fished” Out of Ashpole Swamp. . . State Inspector

W.J. Alexander Finds Unlawful Trap Near Marietta--$50 Fine for Setting Such Trap A twine fish trap, all set with sinkers, corks, etc., was found Thursday by Mr. W.J. Alexander of Lumberton, State Inspector for the State fisheries department at Morehead City, in Ashpole Swamp, near Marietta. It was a cold day for such work, but when Mr. Alexander got word that such a trap might be found, he did not stand back on the weather. He had to reach the trap by boat. He brought the trap back to Lumberton with him. Mr. Alexander says it is a $50 fine for conviction of setting a trap for fish in Lumber River or any of its tributaries. From the front page of The Robesonian, Monday, Feb. 15, 1926 newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn84026483/1926-02-15/ed-1/seq-1/

Editor Praises Governor for Not Pardoning Men Who Stormed Buncombe County Jail, Feb. 15, 1926

Glory to the Governor

In declining to reduce the punishment of the 15 white men who are serving prison sentences for storming the Buncombe County jail in attempt to lynch a negro in the face of request to do so by 6,800 petitioners, Governor McLean has taken a firm position on high ground and wins the admiring applause of right-thinking citizens.

It would have been the easy course for the Governor to have yielded to the formidable petition. Many men in his position would have done so and would have attempted to justify it by some loose and maudlin statements to the effect that the men had been punished sufficiently, had learned their lesson, and would henceforth be good citizens. But Governor McLean didn’t fall for any such specious reasoning. In his admirable statement setting forth his reasons for declining to grant the petition, the Governor rings clear. “A prisoner in custody of the law,” he says, “is entitled to the same protection as is the judge on the bench or the solicitor who represents the State in the prosecution. In this instance the State of North Caolina went to great expense in order that the prisoner might be given a fair and impartial trial. The prisoners sought to destroy the very processes of government upon which they now rely. They were given a fair and impartial trial and convicted by jurors chosen from their fellow men. The sentences imposed, it seems to me, were eminently fair and just might easily have been more severe. . . . . Those who are asking for clemency for these men should remember that the crime they committed was one of the most serious known to our law—serious because the sovereignty of all the people of our State was trampled under foot and insulted by the mob when it attempted to take the law into its own hands.

“No questions of mere sentiment should enter into a case of this kind. Sentiment should all be upon the side of the people whose sovereignty was insulted.”

Which is the conclusion of the whole matter. Too often weak sentiment for the criminal runs away with people and they lose sight altogether of the graver aspects of the case and fail to recognize what the Governor so well states, that sentiment should be on the side of the people whose sovereignty is insulted.

Following his vigorous statement in declining to reduce the sentences of the would-be lynchers, Governor McLean stated in a letter to Mayor Cathey of Asheville that he “would pardon just a quickly” the negro Alvin Mansell, whom the mob made an unsuccessful attempt to take from the jail, “as I would the most outstanding white man in the State, fi they convince me at a hearing that he is innocent. A good many of my own ancestors died at the stake for religious freedom, and I feel very strongly that neither race, color nor creed should be regarded in the administration of the law.”

. . . .

From the editorial page of The Robesonian, Monday, Feb. 15, 1926, J.A. Sharpe, president

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Following Forced Sale, New Company Take Red Springs Mill, Feb. 15, 1926

New Company Takes Over Red Springs Mills

Dora Mills company, Red Springs, with authorized capital stock of $600,000 and $150,000 subscribed by H. Grantham, B.W. Townsend, W.J. Johnson, W.J. Council, J.A. Singleton and W.E. Garrett, all of Red Springs, was granted a charter Friday by the secretary of state at Raleigh.

This company is successor to the Red Springs Cotton Mill company, the property of which was purchased at forced sale in Lumberton on January 14 by Mr. Hiram Grantham, representing himself and the other six directors, who were endorsers of the mill’s notes in the sum of $180,000 and were forced to bid the property to protect themselves. All other stockholders were given the opportunity to go in with the directors on the same basis. The mill has a modern plant and is understood to have been operated without loss, though at little profit, during recent months.

From the front page of The Robesonian, Monday, Feb. 15, 1926

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Local News Briefs in The Robesonian, Feb. 15, 1926

Items of Local News

--Today is the last day for paying light and water bills for the month of January. One dollar penalty will be added to all bills not paid today.

--An oyster roast will be given by the Men’s Bible Class of Chestnut Methodist Church at the Goat Club House at 6 p.m. Thursday. All members are invited.

--Dr. T.C. Johnson returned Friday night from Rochester, Minn., where he spent a few weeks taking special courses in major surgery and specializing in other medical work.

--Nell Rose is the name of the little daughter born Saturday night at the Baker sanatorium to Mr. and Mrs. T.F. Parker, who are receiving congratulations.

--At the regular meeting Thursday evening of the I.O.O.F., barbecue supper will be served and a musical concert by members of he local high school band will be given.

--Ollie Hamilton’s dramatic shows, a vaudeville company, will play at the Pastime Theatre here tonight, Tuesday and Wednesday nights. He company comes highly recommended for clean and pleasing amusement.

--Young people of the Chestnut Street Methodist Church had charge of the music at the morning service yesterday. The choir loft was full of younger members of the congregation and the music was delightful and inspiring.

--Mrs. A.H. Stone, Mr. and Mrs. W.R. Atkinson and their daughter and son, Miss Pauline and Mr. Avery Atkinson of Fairmont were in Lumberton Saturday en route to Bunn Level, Harnett County, to see Mr. Dick Byrd and Mrs. L.E. Byrd, who have been very sick.

--Former Justice L.R. Varser entered the Charlotte sanatorium at Charlotte Friday night for treatment and Mrs. Varser joined him there Saturday. Judge Varser suffered an acute kidney attack on the train returning from Gates County 10 days ago and stopped over in Sanford a few days at a hospital, returning home last Tuesday.

--Dr. and Mrs. W.W. Parker and Miss Louise and Master Frank McLeod visited Mr. Frank McLeo, father of Miss Louise and Frank and brother of Mrs. Parker, at the Charlotte sanatorium in Charlotte yesterday, returning last night. Mr. McLeod was overjoyed to see them. His condition is improving nicely and he is expected home the latter part of this week.

--Mr. F.P. Gray spent a while with Dr. R.C. Beaman at the Methodist parsonage at Tarboro yesterday and found Dr. Beaman’s condition very little improved since his return last week from the Mayo hospital at Rochester, Minn. Dr. Beaman sat up part of the way on the return trip from Rochester, but is now confined to bed for the most part with little likelihood of being able to resume work in the near future. Dr. Beaman formerly was pastor of Chestnut Street Methodist Church here and has a host of friends among Robesonian readers who are deeply concerned about his condition.

--Hamp Speight, charged with assaulting Ira Wilkins at Bellamy about two weeks ago, was arrested Saturday by county officers and is in jail here awaiting trial. Ashe Speight, brother of Hamp, is under $500 for appearance at trial, charged with being an accessory to the assault.

From the front page of The Robesonian, Monday, Feb. 15, 1926

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John Griffin, 72, Died Feb. 13, 1926

Mr. John Griffin. . . Aged Man Passes at Home of Son Near Raynham—Funeral and Interment Yesterday

Funeral services over the remains of Mr. John Griffin, 72, who died Saturday at the home of his son and daughter-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. M.B. Griffin, near Raynham, were conducted yesterday at Ten Mile Church by Rev. A.P. Stephens of Red Springs.

Deceased had been in ill health for a long time. A large crowd attended the services and the floral offerings were many and beautiful.

From the front page of The Robesonian, Monday, Feb. 15, 1926

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