'A Digest of Everything Worth Knowning About Old North State Folks and Things,' July 30, 1920

“N.C. State News…A Digest of Everything Worth Knowing About Old North State Folks and Things” from the July 30, 1920 issue of the Elizabeth City Independent.

--With his large “Stop” sign held on high while attempting to stop an automobile with two white men in it, George Bradley, aged negro watchman at the Southern railway crossing at Biltmore, was run into by the car and thrown under the wheels of an approaching train, meeting the fate from which he saved the occupants of the car. The driver of the car, Carl Clapp, has been placed under arrest.

--William Daniels of Stantonsburg and his 10-year-old daughter, Sarah, were killed and three other occupants of the car which the party was riding were seriously injured when a Norfolk Southern passenger train crashed into their automobile at a grade crossing near Stantonsburg. The victims of the accident were hurrying to get home before an impending storm, and it is alleged that they paid no attention to the oncoming train. Daniels’ head was completely severed from is body.

--Louise Elbert Cannon of New Bern is under arrest for the murder of his sister in a quarrel at the Cannon home several days ago. The boy, who is about nine years old, admits to the killing, but declares that it was accidental. According to the generally accepted account of the affair, the boy and the girl, the latter about 12 years of age, were out in the yard playing. The lad says that his sister threatened to throw clay upon him, and that he secured a single barrel shotgun which he thought was unloaded, pointed it at her, and pulled the trigger. A deafening report followed, and the girl fell to the ground with the full load of shot in her breast. Death resulted almost immediately.

--J.E. Hurley, editor of the Salisbury Post, was chosen president of the North Carolina Press Association for the ensuing year at the recent convention of the association held at Waynesville. Out of the more than 20 editors at the convention selected at random and interviewed on the question of woman suffrage, only one stated himself as directly opposed to votes for women.

--Declaring that he was under the influence of whiskey at the time, James P. Kisler, former manager of the Liggetts-Jordan drug store at Charlotte, had admitted to the embezzlement of $905 of the company’s funds, and is held for the coming term of superior court in Mecklenburg county.

--Tied to a tree, beaten, bruised and chewed until merciful unconsciousness caused the brute to desist in his frantic love-making, Maggie Moize, 25-year-old white woman was found several days ago staggering along near a deserted cabin in a negro section of Hillsboro. The woman stated to the police that her condition was caused by Sam Lacky, white, who had induced her to leave home in Statesville July 2 by a promise of marriage. Lacky was quickly captured by the police, and is being held upon charged of seduction, attempt at murder, and carrying concealed weapons.

--Eight new stores owned by the Efirds of Charlotte received charters a few days ago in the name of Efird Department Store, in eight cities. These bring the number of stores operated by the Efirds up to 33.

--In a fight between whites and blacks at one of the lumber camps on Mt. Mitchell last week, one negro was killed, three others seriously wounded, and one white man shot through the leg. The cause of the trouble is not reported.

--Because he cashed checks amounting to $1,600 for his brother, who did not have anything like that amount on deposit there, J.T. McKeel, cashier of the bank of Bridgeton, was discharged from his position with the institution several days ago. Before leaving, he made good the shortage.

--Neatly walled into the side of one of the streams leading into the city water works pond, a 60-gallon still was destroyed near Winston-Salem the other day. There were evidences that several “runs” had been made, and that a quantity of booze had been turned out within the past few weeks.

--Following a collision between the automobile in which he was riding and a Seaboard passenger train at Weldon, Joshua Pernell of Mount Olive sustained injuries from which he later died at a Weldon hospital. A colored laborer at Weldon had his left leg cut off by a train the same day on the same road.

--Because he stole whiskey which they had stored in an outhouse, the five Boyette brothers, young white men of near Wilson, and a negro, Harvey Hinnant, assaulted Arthur Hinnant, colored, and are alleged to have almost hanged him. Three of the brothers are under bonds of $1,000 each for their appearance in court at an early date.

--A reward of $400 is offered by Governor Bickett for the arrest of the negro who perpetrated the assault upon Mrs. A.A. Riddle of Graham last week, or for evidence which will lead to the conviction of the criminal. There is much doubt expressed as to the guilt of any of the three suspects now held in connection with the crime.

--The funeral of James Ray, who was shot to death last week near the Alamance county jail where a machine gun company was guarding three negroes held in connection with an attack upon a prominent white woman, was attended by an immense crowd. Ray was a popular citizen of Graham and in no way associated with the supposed rioters. As a result of his killing, feeling in that section reached a bitter pitch against the militiamen.

--Governor Bickett is two weeks late in putting a ban on our investigators,” said Earl E. Dudding, head of the Prisoners’ Relief Society, a few days ago in announcing that prison conditions in North Carolina will likely be brought before the regular session of the State Legislature next January. Mrs. Rex B. Duckett, who has been acting as chief clerk of the society, has already completed her investigations in the State, including a visit to the central prison at Raleigh, and will soon make a report to the executive committee of the society.

--All ice sold in the city of Raleigh must be weighed, following a recent ordinance of the city commissioners requiring distributors of ice to equip their wagons and places of sale with scales, and to weigh all ice sold.

--Governor James M. Cox of Ohio, Democratic nominee for the Presidency, will not come to North Carolina on the eve of the August special session of the State general assembly to speak in favor of the Kirkpatrick-McGirt bond issue for better roads, which will be acted upon by the special session. The Ohio governor declares that he cannot make definite speaking engagements at present, and that when he does come to North Carolina, he will discuss national affairs.

--Woman suffrage workers in this State declare optimistically that North Carolina is practically certain to ratify the Susan B. Anthony equal suffrage amendment giving women the right to vote, while those opposed to the measure are equally sure that it will be turned down by the Legislature in the August special session.