News Briefs From Across the Old North State, 1921

“Condensed News from the Old North State” in the October 27, 1921 issue of the Watauga Democrat

Chapel Hill—Attendance records at the university are broken by this year’s registration: 1,583 students have been entered on the rolls.

Raleigh—Stealing an automobile which was parked along the roads on which they were working, Ernest Lilus and Dock Hendricks, white convicts, made their escape from a road force near Cary, eight miles west of here.

Wake Forest College—Being truly glad that they hail from Buncombe County and the mountains of western North Carolina, 18 young men met in Wingate Memorial Hall and organized a Buncombe County club.

Winston-Salem—Rev. J.F. McCuiston has accepted a call to the pastorate of Friedberg Church to succeed Rev. H.B. Johnson, who recently resigned, having accepted a call to Fries Memorial Church, in this city.

High Point—E.C. Grissom, one of the oldest and most highly esteemed men in this section of the county, died at his home, two miles east of High Point. His death followed an illness of three weeks. Mr. Grissom was nearly 95 years of age.

Danville, Va.—B. Frank Mebane, a well-known resident of Spray, N.C., is at Edmunds Hospital, where he was brought suffering from a badly wounded arm, the injury being sustained when a double-barrelled shotgun he was using exploded.

Mooresville—Mrs. Anne Freeze, widow of the last Jacob Freeze, died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. John T. McNeely, with whom she had made her home for a number of years. Had she lived until next Thursday, October 20, she would have been 91 years old.

Wadesboro—H.B. Allen, a prominent and progressive business man of this city, is erecting a big roller mill. The mill, when completed, will cost about $35,000.

Winston-Salem—Fred Easter, while visiting a girl friend in Surry County, was shot and killed and a cousin also named Easter is being held by the police in connection with the killing, police announced.

Wilson—Joe Deans’ general store, near Contentnea Church, Old Fields township, was destroyed by fire. The store and stock was a total loss with no insurance. The supposition is that the store was robbed and then burned.

Greensboro—A large number of good roads fans from all parts of the state were on hand to be in attendance at the first session of the annual convention of the North Carolina Good Roads Association.

Lillington—The Harnett County Republican Executive Committee met here and received the resignation of John Allen McLeod, who is moving to Gastonia where he will continue the practice of law.

Rocky Mount—Fire of undetermined origin destroyed the cotton gin on the farm of T. Perry Jenkens, near Tarboro, Edgecombe County, together with more than 50 bales of cotton and a quantity of seed stored there. The loss is estimated at $1,200.

Middlesex—For convenience, safety and utility Middlesex is soon to have the best school building in Nash County. The plans are along a new type of school house construction which has recently come into popularity.

Davidson—It is with deep sorrow that the news has been received here of the death of E.E. Ratchford of Carlisle, S.C., who was killed when a train struck an automobile in which he was riding at a dangerous grade crossing near his home.

Kinston—That many mild cases of influenza are occurring in this part of the country, reported from a number of localities, is admitted by medical men. No alarm has been occasioned, and few cases have been of a serious nature.

Wadesboro—Mr. C.L. Cates, superintendent of the Wadesboro Public Schools, does not favor the plan which has been suggested of having members of North Carolina Colleges inspect the state high school. “We protest,” he says in a letter to Professor J. Henry Highsmith, state inspector of high schools, “that this plan, while it may satisfy the ambitions of some of the colleges, will not promote the best interest of the high schools.

Matt Lynch is Paroled

The judge and the solicitor both expressing doubt as to the defendant’s guilt, and the jury petitioning Governor Morrison, paroled Matt Lynch of Rutherford County, who has served two years of a 10-year sentence for second degree murder.

Lynch was convicted in October, 1919.

Judge James L. Webb, who sentenced him, has written the governor that he now doubts and defendant’s guilt, which opinion, in part, influenced the governor’s action.