Mrs. Sarah Smith, 78 Buried in Hollywood, May 21, 1926

Mrs. Sarah E. Smith

Mrs. Sarah E. Smith, 78, widow of the late Capt. W.E. Smith, died Sunday at her home on Poindexter Street, and interment was made in Hollywood Monday, services being conducted by Rev. F.S. Love, Rev. J.W. Harrell, and Rev. E.F. Sawyer.

The was a patient sufferer for five years.

Mrs. Smith was the descendant of a noted family, one of her forebearers being Sir Robert Heath, who settled in this section nearly 30 years ago.

She is survived by three sons, George Smith and Herbert Smith of Elizabeth City; and Theadore Smith of Norfolk; two daughters, Mrs. Louis Bland and Mrs. Walter Burton of Norfolk; 19 grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.

From page 8 of The Independent, Elizabeth City, N.C., Friday, May 21, 1926

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Perry Gouge Shoots Sheriff Young, Young Returns Fire, Both Men Die, May 20, 1926

Double Homicide in Yancey County

Burnesville, May 16—Citizens of this place are today in a turmoil of expectation, wondering what evidence will be brought out as to the causes of the shooting here last night which cost the lives of Sheriff J.W. Young of Yancey county and of Perry Gouge. The two men are said to have met on a road just outside of this place, and their conversation, it is said gave no hint of what was about to occur. Gouge is said by Charles Hutchins, Burnsville attorney, who was a witness of the shooting, to have called the sheriff, and the two stood talking. Gouge placed his pistol to the other man’s abdomen in a joking manner, according to Hutchins’ story, and when the officer laughed, the other fired six times.

Sheriff Young reeled back, regained his footing and pulled his own gun, fired one shot which pierced the heart of the assassin. The two men are said to have fallen dead in the road at the same time.

The fatal shooting is said to have occurred about 8 o’clock directly in front of Gouge’s home at Windon where he operated a general store. No reason could be ascribed by friends of the two dead men as to the cause of the shooting, but it was intimated that Gouge was under the influence of whiskey.

Upon receipt of news in Burnsville, Molt Hensley, Yancey county clerk of court, was sworn in as coroner and he immediately left for Windon where inquest was waived and the two bodies were removed to their respective homes.

Sheriff Young resided about one-fourth of a mile from Windon and had been, it is said, on the most friendly terms with the man he killed.

Sheriff Young was serving his second two-year term as sheriff of Yancey county and was considered an able and efficient law enforcement officer. He is survived by his widow and two-year-old baby. He was about 40 years of age.

Gouge, who also it was said was in the neighborhood of 40 years of age, leaves a widow and several small children. He had operated a commissary at Windon for a number of years.

The double killing near here last night was the most sensational homicide which has occurred in this county in years and recalls the killing of State Senator Zeb Wilson who was shot to death from his horse by his brother, Hiram Wilson, 17 or 18 years ago. At that time Zeb Wilson was a member of the general assembly. His brother Hiram was a dangerous man and had one murder, it is said, to his record. He killed his brother Zeb and walked away. The late Judge Ben F. Long presided over the trial of Hiram, who had been brought into court on a bench warrant. Hiram Wilson later went out west where he got into trouble, was sent to prison and later escaped.

From the front page of The Mooresville Enterprise, Thursday, May 20, 1926

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W.L. Ross Asks to be Taken to Jail After Killing Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Odum, May 20, 1926

Man and Wife Slain in Row.. . . Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Odum of Near Arcola Dead—W.R. Ross Is Held—Quarreled Over Girl

Norfolk, Va., May 16—Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Odum of near Arcola, N.C., were both shot and killed this afternoon, according to a special dispatch to the Virginia-Pilot from Warrenton, N.C. W.L. Ross of Holister, N.C., is in jail charged with the double slaying and is alleged to have confessed, saying the affair grew out of a family quarrel.

According to the dispatch the trouble centered around Ross’ stepdaughter. The girl was said to have left home a few weeks ago because of alleged cruel treatment and had since been making her home with the Odums. This afternoon Ross is said to have gone to the Odum home, and following a quarrel fired five shots from a revolver into Mr. and Mrs. Odum, killing both. Following the double killing Ross went to the home of Lewis Capps, well known merchant of Arcola, and, according to the dispatch, told him of the affair and asked that he be taken to the Warren county jail. This was done. The case is expected to be taken up at the term of the superior court, which opens in Warrenton tomorrow.

From the front page of the Messinger and Intelligencer, Wadesboro, N.C., Thursday, May 20, 1926

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Mrs. McManus, 33, Wants Divorce from 76-Year-Old Husband Because He Didn't Keep His Promises, May 20, 1926

High Court Frowns on Mercenary Marriages. . . Refuses Divorce to Young Woman Who Married Old Man for His Money But Did Not Get It

Raleigh, May 12—Mrs. Ida McManus, 33, is suing her 76-year-old husband, A.W. McManus, for divorce and alimony because he put her up in an old house in the country when she wanted a new bungalow in the city and provided her with a Ford coupe when she wanted a high-priced sedan, lost out today before the supreme court, which could find no cause of action in her complaint. In Mecklenburg superior court the young woman, who lived a total of 20 days with the husband she married in August 1924, won an order for $50 the month alimony pending the trial of her divorce action. But the high court today reversed that order and remanded the case for the trial of a cross bill filed by McManus, who is a Confederate veteran and a grandfather.

Her Complaint

In her complaint, Mrs. McManus alleged that she had been led into matrimony under the promise of her husband to provide her with a home in Charlotte, to buy her a $2,300 automobile and to pay her debts.

What he did, according to the evidence, was to take her to his farm home in Union county and give her the use of a Ford coupe. She lived with him there 10 days and then left. Six months later she returned to him and for 10 days more they lived together in a house in Charlotte to which Mrs. McManus objected on the grounds that they had only one room, the others being let to roomers. “The law will not encourage marriages based on purely mercenary consideration,” Associate Justice declared in the court’s opinion, taking cognizance of the circumstance of the marriage, “the failure of a husband to comply with promises made to his wife with respect to property or property rights, although the wife was induced by such promises to marry him, or to return after she had voluntarily left him subsequent to the marriage, can not be held to justify the wife in leaving her husband or if she does leave him to entitle her to relief.

“The plaintiff alleges specifically,” the opinion read, “that she left the defendant first on September 6, 1924, after having lived with him for ten days at his house in Union county; secondly on April 11, 1925, after she had returned to his home and lived with him again for 10 days at his home in the City of Charlotte.

“She does not allege that the defendant separated himself from her and failed to provide her with necessary substance, according to his means and condition in life, or that he was guilty of any misconduct toward her. No facts are alleged which justify or excuse her in leaving the defendant.

“She alleges only that he failed, neglected and refused to buy a home for her in Charlotte, to pay her debts and to purchase her an automobile costing not less than $2,300, and that she left him because of such failure, neglect and refusal. It is true that she alleges that she married him, and after leaving him in September 1924, returned to him on April 11, 1925 because of his promise to buy the house, pay her debts and purchase the automobile first before the marriage and again before her return to him.

His Denial

“He denies these allegations. If, however, the facts are as she alleges in her complaint they are not sufficient to entitle her to invoke, in her behalf the well settled principle that if a husband, by his misconduct or wrongful acts toward his wife, compels or justified her in leaving his home, this, by law, constitutes an abandonment of her by hi and will entitle her to maintain an actin against him for divorce from bed and board.”

From page 10 of the Messenger and Intelligencer, Wadesboro, N.C., May 20, 1926

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Charlotte Astir When Woman Falls from 10th Story and Lives, May 13, 1926

Much Excitement by Fall of Woman

On Thursday afternoon, May 13th, Mrs. Alice B. Barron, wife of Dr. A.A. Barron, a prominent physician of Charlotte, fell from the tenth story of the Charlotte hotel to the sidewalk below, and lives. She was watering flowers in the window when she lost her balance and plunged through space, landing first on a wire screen spread over the marquee, going thru the screen and the glass roof that extended over the sidewalk, striking the pavement with a thud. A woman’s scream and the crashing of glass attracted the attention of many persons near. Mr. W.M. Norman of Mooresville was the first man to reach her. She was conscious and directed those assisting to which hospital to take her. Upon rigid examinations, it was found that four ribs had been fractured and that other minor injuries had been sustained. At last accounts Mrs. Barron was doing quite well at the hospital, and it is said by her husband it is quite probable that she will be in normal health again within four or five weeks. The miraculous way in which the young woman escaped instant death is the great wonder of all who have read of the incident.

Mr. Norman, who was standing just inside the hotel drug store, ran to the front expecting to see a car load of people with probably someone killed, did not know here the woman came from. However, when the victim had been safely placed in a hospital and an investigation made, he found himself to be very nervous, having been terribly shocked and yet marvels at the life of the young woman having been spared.

From the front page of The Mooresville Enterprise, Thursday, May 20, 1926

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Do You Know Name of This Man Killed in Texas? May 20, 1926

Photograph of Man Killed at Dallas, Texas, in Enterprise Office

The Enterprise has received a small photograph of the young and killed at Dallas, Texas, on May 3rd. He was known in Dallas, where he has been for two years as “Rex Gabriel.” From information given the press in Dallas, the boy’s father formerly operated one or more stores in the vicinity of Charlotte, but all efforts to locate the parent have been futile. However, it has been suggested that the boy may be Rex Gabel, whose father several years ago operated a store out from Charlotte on Mount Holly road. Anyone wishing to see the photo may be gratified by calling at the Enterprise office.

From page 2 of The Mooresville Enterprise, Thursday, May 20, 1926

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W.C. Mendenhall, 21, Says He Didn't Know It Was Illegal to Have Two Wives, May 20, 1926

Charlotte Youth Held for Having Two Wives

Charlotte, May 11—Ignorance of the law is the plea of W.C. Mendenhall, 21-year-old Union county farmer, who was bound over to Superior Court Saturday on a $500 bond by Magistrate S.A. Mangum after the youth pleaded guilty to a charge of bigamy. The young farmer boy smiled as he admitted that he had married two women and is still married to two He could not see where any crime or felony had been committed.

Wife No. 1 was Margaret Shaw of Charlotte, whom he said he married at Lancaster, S.C., on July 1, 1924, when she was only 16 years old.

Wife No. 2 was Ruth Privette of Matthews, whom Mendenhall said he married at York, S.C., on August 22, 1925. Neither of the young wives appeared as prosecuting witnesses, although Margaret brought the charges.

“I lived with Margaret three months after I married her,” he told ‘Squire Mangum. “Then I left town to do some work in South Carolina, and when I came back she wouldn’t live with me.

“I married Ruth because I wasn’t going to go through life without a wife. I didn’t’ know it was wrong to get married again if your wife wasn’t living with you.”

“Why didn’t you get a divorce from your first wife?” Mendenhall was asked.

“They told I couldn’t get a divorce because I was married in South Carolina. So I married Ruth after some friends had told me it would be all right, since I couldn’t get a divorce, and since Margaret and I were not living together.”

Saturday afternoon from his cell in the county court house, Mendenhall’s optimistic outlook had waned into one of apprehension. He was in jail and he knew it; but for what, he asked himself. The boy didn’t know what bigamy was until arrested.

“I went to school only two weeks,” Mendenhall replied to a question concerning his education.

Hasty courtship and marriage probably caused the young man’s downfall, he admitted. He met Margaret, wife No.1, on one Saturday and married her Monday at Lancaster.

Ruth, wife No. 2, became his spouse after a short courtship and a wild ride to York, the place picked for his second venture into matrimony.

From page 2 of The Cleveland Star, Shelby, N.C., May 17, 1926

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