Of Personal Note, The Beaufort News, 1925

“Personal Notes” from The Beaufort News, May 28, 1925

Mrs. Horace B. Mayo of New Bern arrived in the city Monday night for a visit with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. H.H. Lewis, while Mr. Mayo is attending the Imperial Shrine Convention in Los Angeles, Calif. Mr. Mayo left with Oasis Temple Band of Charlotte and expects to be gone about four weeks.

Rev. E. Frank Lee, Mrs. H.C. Jones and Mr. W.L. Arrington left yesterday for Trenton where they will attend district conference.

Mr. L.C. Brogden, State Supervisor of Rural Schools, was in town Tuesday.

Mr. J.M. Workman of Snow Hill, recently elected County School Superintendent, spent yesterday here.

Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Waters, who have been living in Morehead City for some weeks, are here visiting the family of Mr. J.F. Duncan.

Dr. L.B. Hilliard, a prominent physician of Asheville, is a guest at the Davis House.

Mrs. Buell Cooke and little daughter left Saturday for Aulander where she will visit her parents. Mr. Cooke accompanied them to Goldsboro.

Mrs. J.H. Stubbs went to New Bern to consult a specialist.

Mr. and Mrs. J.H. Potter Jr. went to Richmond Sunday where Mrs. Potter underwent a slight surgical operation.

Miss Pearl Russell of Bear Creek is here on a visit to Mrs. Ed Potter.

Mrs. J.P.C. Davis of New Bern spent the week-end here with her sister, Mrs. Chas. Skarren.

Mrs. Paul B. Edmundson and Mrs. Thomas Edmundson of Goldsboro are guests at the Inlet Inn.

Mr. and Mrs. J.L. Summers and Mr. and Mrs. R.L. Alspaugh of Taylorsville, N.C., motored down and spent the last week-end at the Inlet Inn.

Mr. and Mrs. John Jones and two nieces, Edna Mason and Mildred Willis, motored over to Sneeds Ferry last week-end visiting Mrs. Jones’ sister, Mrs. H.W. Justice.

Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Ramsey and two children motored here from Washington, N.C., last week and spent some time with Mr. Ramsey’s mother, Mrs. Mary Ramsey.

Mrs. Ollie Neal returned from Morehead City Monday where she spent several days with relatives.

Mr. L.B. Ennett of Stella was a visitor here today.

S.D. Brown, representing the traffic department of Norfolk and Southern, is here on a business trip.

Mr. F.A. Webb of Charlotte was a guest of the Davis House today.

Mr. Bradley Tew of Rose Hill came in yesterday and is stopping at the Davis House.

Wire Grass Items

Farmers are very busy digging potatoes. The crop is short on account of dry weather.

Mr. and Mrs. Allie Copelon of Morehead City spent Sunday visiting Mrs. Copelon’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jake Lupton.

Corbit Orris who is employed at Havelock spent Sunday at home.

Mr. C.T. Eubanks has purchased a new Ford truck.

Miss Veta Merrill spent a few days in Kinston last week where she attended the high school commencement.

Otway News Items

Mrs. Roosevelt Piner, who was taken to the Morehead City hospital last Saturday for treatment, passed away Wednesday morning at 7 o’clock. Her baby died also. Mrs. Piner was known and highly esteemed by many. The funeral services were conducted at her home by Rev. Walter Guthrie and interment was in the family burial ground. Surviving relatives of Mrs. Piner are one sister and two brothers, mother and husband to mourn her loss.

Miss Rosa Hancock, who has been attending high school at Kinston, returned home Friday to spend the summer with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Hancock.

Mr. Lovey Piner of Williston was the guest of Miss Virgie Gillikin Sunday.

Born to Mr. and Mrs. Tom Lawrence a son Sunday the 24^th.

Mr. and Mrs. Roy Willis of Smyrna spent Sunday with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Iredell Lawrence.

Gloucester News

Rev. Sam Lefferts, in his recent revival at Gloucester, was assisted by Rev. Walton Guthrie of Stacy. The public enjoyed Mr. Guthrie’s 10 days work here and look forward to anohte rseries oif meetings by this splendid preacher. Many new members have been added to the church and it was thoroughly revived in every way.

Mr. Isiah Chadwick of Straits left Wednesday for Lenoir to wed Miss Etta Watson. Mr. and Mrs. Chadwick arrived here Saturday, where they will make their home.

Mr. and Mrs. Norwood Matthews of Raleigh are visiting Mrs. Matthews’ parents, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Chadwick.

Mr. Richard Keith of Cove City spent Sunday in Gloucester, the guest of Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur Stewart.

Mr. Cecil Mason of Newport spent the week-end at Gloucester, the guest of Maude Stewart.

Mrs. J.C. Adkins and little son James of Raleigh came Saturday to spend some time with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Anson Jarvis of Straits.

Lola Breezes

We are having some cool and stormy weather.

Rev. E.C. Gaskill of Sea Level, who has been here for the past two weeks holding the F.W.B. revival, left Tuesday for home. The revival closed Monday night, which all regret very much, for it had been a grand revival. The church was crowded every night and every one seemed to enjoy it to the fullest extent.

Mr. Ralph Mason of Atlantic attended church here Sunday night.

Mr. R.L. Daniels and daughter, Mrs. W.A. Lupton, left Monday for Lenoxville to spend a few days with relatives.

Mr. and Mrs. Guy Lupton and little daughter Alma Grey left Monday for their home in Lenoxville.

Prayer services were held at Mr. David Day’s Monday p.m .

Mrs. Charles Springle, who has been here attending church, left Monday for her home in Beaufort.

Mr. Ernest Goodwin of Roe returned home Monday from Norfolk, Va., where he had been seeking employment.

Misses Mabel and Pauline Lupton were the guests of Miss Verda Day Sunday.

Miss Cereta Goodwin of Roe was the guest of Miss Lucy P. Daniels Sunday.

Mrs. Mattie J. Styron and Effie Goodwin left Saturday for Salvo, where they will spend a few days with friends.

Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur Goodwin and Roxie Goodwin left Friday for Southport where Mr. Goodwin is employed in the Coast Guard Station.

Bay View Items

Miss Maymie Dowdy of Bay View spent the week-end at Newport visiting her brother and friends.

Mr. and Mrs. Alex Graham and children spent Sunday at Russel’s Creek visiting Mr. and Mrs. I.T. Fodrie.

The F.W.B. League will meet Saturday night.

Mrs. A.D. Mason is spending the week at Russel’s Creek visiting her sister, Mrs. Fannie Fodrie.

Mr. and Mrs. Ira Fodrie and daughters were here visiting Mrs. Fodrie’s parents last week.

Miss Gladys Smith of Kinston is spending the week visiting her friends.

Wildwood News items

Mr. Denard Garner Jr., who has been employed in Florida for some time returned home Saturday night to spend a few weeks.

Messrs. Claud Murdock and John Watson motored to Southport Saturday and spent the week-end.

Many people motored to Newport Sunday to attend the unveiling services at the grave of N.H. Garner.

Mr. and Mrs. Tom Lewis and children from Morehead City were visitors here Sunday.

There will be a picnic given at Wildwood school house June 13^th. Every one is invited to come.

Mr. Jesse Murdock and Mr. John Collins motored to Sound View Sunday afternoon.

Mrs. Mollie Barns and children spent Saturday night and Sunday at Sound View.

Memorial Day Observance at British Cemetery on Ocracoke Island and Memories of WW II on the Coast

Howard Bennink plays Last Post as part of British Cemetery ceremony on Okracoke Island. 

To learn about World War II along the North Carolina coast, read Leah Chester-Davis' article "Wartime on the Outer Banks" in Carolina Country magazine,  (https://www.carolinacountry.com/carolina-stories/carolina-places/departments/feature-story/wartime-on-the-outer-banks.)

Association of Rural Letter Carriers Held Area Picnic, May 30, 1922

From the Danbury Reporter, May 31, 1922

Letter Carriers Met Monday…Picnic and General Good Time at Moore’s Springs

The Association of Rural Letter Carriers of this district, composed of Stokes, Forsyth, Yadkin and Surry counties, held their annual picnic at Moore’s Springs Tuesday, May 30^th, it being Memorial Day, and a legal holiday.

The attendance of carriers at the meeting was large. They were addressed by Postmaster Snow of Mt. Airy, and others.

In addition to the carriers and their wives and daughters, several postmasters were the guests of the association, the number of people in attendance being estimated at 250 or more.

All of the old officers of the association were re-elected, and Mr. Jas. W. Hutcherson of Walnut Cove was appointed a delegate to attend the state meeting of the association in Shelby.

Carrier S.M. Fagg and family and Postmaster W.G. Petree attended the meeting.

Voting Against Women's Suffrage in North Carolina, 1919

“Weaver Only In Favor Suffrage….Nine of North Carolina’s Delegation Vote Against Submitting Amendment….Small and Kitchen Protest….Mr. Mann Chaffed and Congratulated on His Changed Attitude on the ‘Votes for Women’ Question,” from the Rockingham Post-Dispatch, May 29, 1919

Washington (Special)—North Carolina congressmen stood out against woman’s suffrage. 

Representative Weaver of the Asheville district voted for the resolution to submit the constitutional amendment. Representatives Small, Kitchin, Brinson, Pou, Stedman, Godwin, Robson, Dougherty and Webb voted against it.

Messrs. Small and Kitchen lifted their voices in protest. Mr. Weaver was the only member who voted for suffrage before.

“The Republican party,” said Mr. Kitchen, “was in control of all branches of the government for years, and yet they never allowed the Susan B. Anthony amendment, which has been before Congress for 60 years, a chance to get a hearing. The women found that they could not get the Republicans to submit the proposition even to a committee. It remained for a Democratic house and a Democratic rules committee to give it to them.

“I want to congratulate Mr. Mann on the change of attitude he has assumed,” concluded Mr. Kitchen. He was referring to the good-natured gaffing that the opposition turned at the former Republican leader because in a house debate in 1913, following alleged insults to a young lady in a parade on Pennsylvania avenue, he had said she ought to have been at home.

Mr. Small said he was not altogether opposed to woman suffrage and had no objection to any citizen advocating it in any state. “I had the honor,” he said, “of writing to a member of the legislature of my state recently urging that a limited degree of suffrage be adopted there as an experiment.”

Elmore Powell Shot His Wife Because She Didn't Cook Him Breakfast, 1919

“Lazy Wife Punished,” from the Rockingham Post-Dispatch, May 29, 1919

“Cap, I shot my wife this morning; thought I had better tell you.”

With this statement Elmore Powell, a negro, approached Constable Bob Conrad in East Raleigh and asked that he be arrested. Of course, the constable lost no time in taking the negro to jail. He had not heard of the shooting, however, and was in East Raleigh on another mission.

Powell shot his wife, Alice, through the left wrist because she refused to get out of bed and cook his breakfast, according to the wife’s story.

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No Eating Out on the Lord's Day in High Point, 1914

“Sunday Selling Ordinance” from the May 28, 1914, issue of The High Point Review

Be it ordained by the City Council that it shall be unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to conduct or keep open any restaurant, lunch counter, café, refreshment stand, or similar place within the limits of the city, or within one mile thereof on the Lord’s Day—commonly called Sunday—except such places are also kept open and conducted as restaurants, cafes, or similar places on all the other days of the week.

Any person, firm or corporation violating any provision of this ordinance shall pay a fine of $10.00 for each offense.

This ordinance shall become effective on or after June 1^st, 1914, and all other ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith are hereby repealed.

--Fred N. Tate, Mayor

Nor Shall Their Story Be Forgot--Memorial Day

Coal Mining Accident in Chatham County Mine Kills Workers, 1925

“Sixty Men May Have Been Killed Yesterday in Chatham County Mine,” from The Beaufort News, May 28, 1925

Coal Glen, May 27—The mine of the Carolina Coal Company today became the scene of the greatest mine disaster in the history of North Carolina when three successive explosions deep in the bowels of the earth entombed 59 miners, every one of whom tonight was believed to be dead.

At 7:20 the first six bodies were brought to the surface. No trace has been found yet of the remaining 53 believed to be in the mine. Rescue workers, digging on hourly shifts and desperately attacking the piles of debris that closed the main shaft, are fighting ahead with every ounce of strength and skill they possess to reach their comrades.

Claude Scott, in active charge of the rescue work, and Dr. J.F. Foster, one of the medical corps in charge of the arrangements on top, said tonight at 9 o’clock that they did not believe any man would be brought up alive. Others are more optimistic.

Six Bodies Brought Up

The known dead, whose bodies were brought out, are:

Archie Hollins, white,

Hollins Richardson, white,

William E. Byerley, white,

William Irick, negro,

James Williams, negro

A sixth negro, unidentified.

All these men were killed almost certainly by the force of one of the explosions, either the second or the third. They were found first by Howard Butler, acting superintendent of the mine, and Joe Richardson, a machinist, when these two plunged down the shaft immediately after the first explosion. Butler and Richardson found them about 1,000 feet down, or about 500 feet in a vertical line from the top of the ground, dazed, bruised, but still breathing.

God Is a Whisper by Mrs. Hobart T. Steele, 1941

“Mrs. Steele Has Poem in Magazine” from the May 26, 1941, issue of the Burlington Daily Times-News

In the most recent issue of The North Carolina Churchman, Mrs. Hobart T. Steele of Burlington has a poem printed entitled “God Is a Whisper.” It reads as follows:

Some people think of God, you know

                In such a funny way.

They says He is a great big man

                Who watches me all day.

But, my God isn’t at all like that.

                He’s in my heart, you see.

God is just a soft, soft whisper

                Down inside of me.

He tells me when I’m doing wrong,

                He shows me what to do.

I think it’s nice to have a whisper

                Down inside, don’t you?

One Out of Every 10 Babies Die During First Year, 1918

“Reduce Number of Little Graves,” from the Roanoke Rapids Herald, published on May 31, 1918

A large number of communities in North Carolina are taking an active interest in the Baby Saving Campaign, and the State Board of Health is daily called upon for literature, exhibits, lectures, lantern slides and advice with regards to the methods of best arousing local interest. North Carolina is asked to reduce its infant deaths this year by more than 5,000 as the state’s portion of the 100,000 babies which it is hoped with be saved in the United States during the year.

There are born each year in this country, now, over 2,500,000 babies and statistics show that one out of every ten of these babies die during their first year of life, between 250,000 and 300,000 each year. It is fully realized by those who are well-informed on questions relating to public health that at least 50 percent of these die from preventable diseases. It is to reduce this appalling harvest of the Grim Reaper among the little ones that the Baby Savings Campaign has been inaugurated by the Children’s Bureau of the United States Department of Labor.

Three thousand live and smiling babies in North Carolina this year, or that many little graves? Briefly, that is what the campaign in this State means.

Editor Suggests Still Operators Are Tipped Off Before Raids, 1931

Editorial from The Independent, Elizabeth City, N.C., Friday, May 16, 1931

A Prohibition Note by William K. Saunders, Junior Editor

I can but believe that there is something decidedly “shady” about the manner of operation of Camden County’s Deputies and Special Officers in conducting raids on liquor distilling outfits. And if as I suspect, the prohibition laws are enforced in all parts of the country as they are enforced in Camden County, I do not blame Europeans for openly laughing at America.

The officers are told of the location of a still and their informant secures from them a promise that they will raid the still immediately. Four or five days later, they visit the still and find little or nothing. A few barrels of mash are destroyed and they report that they have destroyed a distilling outfit. If asked why they waited several days before making the raid, they invariably offer that aged and flimsy alibi: “We were informed that the mash would not be ‘ripe’ for several days, so we decided to wait until it ripened so we could catch the operators at work.”

The truth of the matter is that they wittingly or unwittingly give the operators time enough in which to move most of the outfit, or, at least, to “run off” all the mash on hand, before making the raid. Anyhow, they never catch the operators.

Why do they not destroy stills immediately after being informed of their whereabouts? If, as they say, they wait in order to catch the operators, why do they never catch anyone? Is it not significant that, when these belated raids are made practically all the liquor has been “run off” and much of the distilling equipment moved? Is there not something “shady” about this?

Some in Buncombe County Want to Disallow Negro Votes in Primary, 1914

“Fight Over Negro Vote” from the May 28, 1914, issue of the Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad Hustler, Henderson, N.C.

Asheville, May 23—The reduction of the popular vote of Robert R. Reynolds by 10 votes on the allegation that 10 negroes cast their ballots for him when they were not eligible to participate in the Democratic primaries and the appointment of delegates to the Waynesville convention featured today’s meeting of the Buncombe County Convention.

The Gudger forces, well organized and contesting every point, won on every disputed question from the Reynolds forces, who lacked organization and whose leaders stated that they had decided to make no bitter fight for the 10 votes as the convention vote would not be affected.

At a meeting of the committee to pass on the challenges of the Reynolds men put forth able arguments to show that the 10 negroes had been voting the Democratic ticket for years but they had few supporters and the report of the committee was against them. The Buncombe vote in the convention will be cast as follows:

R.R. Reynolds, 36,838; J.O. Harrison, 249; Walter E. Moore, 824; James H. Merrimon, 7,858; J.M. Gudger, 31,217. Resolutions were adopted condemning the allowing of the negroes to take part in Democratic primaries.

Reynolds and Gudger forces concede that a convention fight will decide the winner, and both said they will go into the convention in the lead.

Rutherford for Reynolds

Rutherfordton, May 25—Official returns of the county convention here Saturday give Rutherford county to Reynolds by a small convention majority and a popular vote of 90 over J.M. Gudger Jr., the official vote being as follows: Reynolds, 22.23; Gudger, 21.89; Merrimon, .53; Moore, .1`2; Harrison, .23; out of a total of 45 congressional convention votes.

Rural Electrification and Other Home Demonstration Club News, 1936

“Timely News Items” by Jane S. McKimmon, May, 1936, issue of the Carolina Co-operator

Rural Electrification

The construction of 1,200 miles of rural power lines in North Carolina during the past nine months has aroused in rural people a growing interest in adequate, safe, and economical methods of wiring their homes.

To help rural residents solve their electrical problems, the extension service, in cooperation with Dudley Bagley, chairman of the State Rural Electrification Authority, is sponsoring question-and-answer meetings in every county where they are wanted.

Several meetings have already been held and one is scheduled in the Hertford County courthouse for Wednesday, May 6.

Walks Four Miles

In Union County four women walked four miles each to attend the Fairfield Home Demonstration Club meeting. One of them, Mrs. Simpson, said she had not been feeling well that day and her husband told her she ought to go to bed.

“But I dressed,” she said, “and walked that four miles to the meeting—just left everything and went. If I had stayed at home there would have been something to do every minute and while here at the club there were new ideas, new faces, and plenty of interesting things to learn and I felt I could go home not only feeling better myself, but I had something interesting to carry back to others. That four miles wasn’t so bad.”

Timely Bits

The WPA will furnish a little more than $3,000 and the local community $600 in cash and materials, and so the West Edgecombe Club is to have a real club house . . . . Twenty-three Beaufort County club women recently joined in a cooperative order for peach trees . . . . Those Johnston County women enjoyed their bus trip to the Azalea Gardens at Wilmington so much that now they are planning a trip to Washington for the conference of the Country Women of the World . . . . Congratulations to the Black Creek Club for winning the prize for outstanding community work in Wilson County for the past year.

Rex Hospital School of Nursing, Raleigh, Class of 1937

Local and Personal Items From the Cherokee Scout, Murphy, N.C., 1915

“Local and Personal,” from the Cherokee Scout, Murphy, N.C., Friday, May 21, 1915

Murphy is a good town.

The residence of Bowman Harris, five miles North-west of Culberson, was burned to the ground Sunday afternoon, about 1 o’clock, and Mrs. Harris, who was upstairs trying to save some house hold goods, was seriously burned by the roof caving in. A quick rescue probably saved her life. The fire is supposed to have started from the flue. Very little furnishings of the home were saved.

G.W. Kirkpatrick spent the week end in Hickory.

C.M. Wofford is in Nelson, Ga., this week on business.

Mrs. R.F. Crooks is visiting in Atlanta, where she will spend about two weeks.

Save cost and pay your town taxes now. They must come. W.A. Elliott, Tax Collector.

Mrs. C.C. Abernthy of Copperhill, Tenn., is visiting her brother, W. Christopher, in this city.

Congressman Britt has secured a new rural route for Cherokee County, which is located at Culberson.

F.D. Dickey, T.H. Martin, and W.E. Howell went to Snowbird the first of the week on a fishing trip.

Riley Radford of Beaverdam trownship is a Cherokee County citizen with an unusual record. This is recorded that last Sunday, when he boarded the Southern passenger train for Asheville, it was the first time he had ever been inside or rode on a train, and he is 58 years of age. Mr. Radford is a prominent citizen of Beaverdam township and this fact is not be taken to his discredit. His business has never before made it imperative for him to board the train to attend to it.

T.B. Hampton of Brassown, one of Scout’s old and valued subscribers, was in to see us one day last week.

Mr. and Mrs. Gerlad West of Cartersville, Ga., were the guests of Mr. and Mrs. C.I. Gresham last Sunday.

Rev. J.N. Dills, Missionary for the Baptist church in this county, was a pleasant caller at this office Monday.

W.H. Meroney and Henry Akin are on a business trip to Hiawassee and other points in Georgia this week.

We are pleased to state that W.H. Griffith, who has been in the hospital at Atlanta, is getting along nicely.

The bereaved family of late Capt. R.L. Herbert wish to extend to the many friends of the deceased in Clay and Cherokee Counties their many thanks for kindness and sympathy which they have so faithfully shown them in their hour of deep sorrow and grief.

Supt. A.L. Martin went to Cullowhee last week to attend the meeting directors of the Normal & Industrial School for the purpose of electing the faculty of the school for the ensuing year. Prof. A.C. Reynold, who has been principal of the school, was elected president.

Miss Maye Mauney of Peachtree was visiting here Tuesday, being on her way to Jacksonville, Fla., where she will visit her sister.

Miss Elba Slaughter, who has been visiting at Farner, Tenn., was the guest of Mrs. R.H. Sneed Tuesday while on her way home to Sword, Ga.

John P. Cunningham of Durham, one of the field agents for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, was a visitor here the latter part of the week, gathering statistics.

Rev. F.A. Clark, formerly principal of the Cherokee Academy, left Tuesday morning for Wyoming where he will make his future home. His family are still here but will join him later.

One of our friends reports finding a brass pin inside the gizzard of a chicken bought in town last week. The pin showed to be well worn and there’s no telling how long it had been there when disclosed by the cook’s knife. This chicken was a close rival to the goat which is accused of feasting on tin cans.

Misses Aileen Haigler, Lura, Inez and Jimmie Sullivan of Hayesville, were in the city for awhile Monday, being on their way to Unaka. They were accompanied by J.C. Crow and sister.

The Womans Club will hold its next regular meeting in the parlors of the Hotel Regal, May 26^th, at 3 o’clock. Mrs. C.A. Brown will read a paper on the uplifting of the Philippines.

Mrs. J.R. Wilbur, who has been in Washington City for the past few weeks, returned Tuesday and is stopping with Mrs. P.E. Nelson for a few days before returning to her home in Webutty.

The most talked of event in Murphy at present is the drawing of the set of dishes at Candler Department Store each Saturday afternoon. The store is packed to overflowing each Saturday afternoon with customers who are desirous of drawing the dishes.

The revival meeting at the Methodist church is being well attended. The stores are being closed in the afternoons at 3 o’clock for the benefit of the services. Mr. Rodgers will probably leave here Saturday morning and the meeting close Sunday night.

We are in receipt of the following from S.A. Wilson of Brooksville, Fla., which is very much appreciated: “In a recent issue of your paper you stated that Murphy would get the Ashville-Atlanta Highway. In that event, it seems to me that the logical route will be through the gap of ???. Being interested there I would naturally like to see it come that way, but we have been informed that it would be hard to find a better route. Let me say in conclusion that if Murphy does not grow, it will not be because you do not boost. You are indefatigably and everlasting at it, and that is the way to get things done.”

Miss Ruth Abernathy and Mrs. Walker Lyerly entertained 10 tables of bridge in honor of Mrs. T.A. Mott and Mrs. Richard Parker of Murphy at the beautiful new home of Mrs. Lyerly on Thirteenth Street, Thursday afternoon, May 6. Mrs. Mott has just returned to her home in Hickory after a year’s absence. Mrs. Parker is a sister of the hostess. Miss Esther Ransom won the prize of the party, a pretty brass flower basket. Mrs. Mott, Mrs. Parker and Miss Mary Shuford, a bride-elect, were presented with crepe de chine handkerchiefs. Mrs. Luther Long of Newton was an out-of-town guest. The house was beautifully decorated with roses and dogwood, and the party was a delightful social event. –Hickory Democrat

Last call to list your taxes! To fail to list will subject you to pay 25 per cent in addition to your regular tax. We understand this law will be enforced without discrimination. Better send your list in and save the trouble. We will be at Murphy, Tuesday, May 25^th, W.J. Martin and W.A. Adams, list takers and assessors.

Methodist Men Give Women Greater Say in Running Church, 1918

From the editorial page of the Hickory Daily Record, May 14, 1918, S.H. Farabee, editor

Methodist women have been given full lay status and hereafter will have as much say-so in the running of the church as the men. Since the women are the best church workers, this recognition was fully merited.

The Record is in hopes the general conference will not reconsider its action in modifying the time limit of preachers in the several Methodist conferences. It ought to be possible to retain a minister when he fits well in a community and to move a minister where the misfit is apparent. What the brethren are striving for is the greatest service and that will be secured when a strong man is kept on a charge which he is developing his greatest usefulness.

Eleanor Roosevelt's Visit to Western North Carolina, 1958

From Eleanor Roosevelt’s “My Day” column, published in various newspapers on May 20, 1958. She wrote about her visit to North Carolina in this column.

LAS VEGAS—I left New York in the rain on Wednesday afternoon for Baltimore, made a speech there and arrived at my son's house in Bethesda, outside Washington, around midnight. I had not meant to keep my son up that late, but my hosts had taken such precautions to get me over quickly that we waited at different spots for police escorts on the way and this made us a trifle later than I had expected.

James, Irene and I had a very pleasant breakfast next morning and then I took a plane to Asheville, North Carolina. From there I was driven the 40 miles to Culhowee, where I was to speak at the college. This western North Carolina college is situated in the most beautiful country. Its campus is unusually interesting; the buildings are all on different levels, for they had to be built on the sides of hills.

On the way there we drove through the Cherokee Indian reservation, to find that here, too, they are having difficulties in developing into full citizenship instead of being wards of the state. They have been fortunate, however, in having a very good school and high school run by the government. Some of their graduates are in the college and are well prepared, I was told, so that they have no difficulties in meeting requirements.

This college has a graduate school, and many teachers are prepared here. It also runs two summer sessions, so that some of the students are working all year round to finish college more quickly. In the daytime I began to wonder why I had not brought some summer clothes, but the evening in the mountains was cool and I was glad of my coat driving back to Asheville. There I slept for about five hours in the hotel, had breakfast at 6:30 next morning and then took a 7:45 plane for Cincinnati.

Changing there, I was in Chicago by one p.m. I was met by Mr. Eichelberger and his brother and we had a pleasant lunch in the airport restaurant. United's plane for Las Vegas did not leave until 4:00 p.m., so I sat in the little private waiting room and dozed for over an hour. Then Miss Baillargeon arrived with mail from New York and I was busy again until we were well on our way to Las Vegas.

In Asheville I was given a book of poems by Thomas Wolfe's sister, Mrs. Wheaton. Many people this year have seen the Broadway play based on Wolfe's book, "Look Homeward, Angel." It is a pleasure I am still looking forward to, but I am glad to be introduced to these poems—one of which, "This Is Man," will appeal to many of us. I think this volume is going to be one of the books I will keep near at hand and read from very often, for poetry is something you want to read over and over again until it stays in your memory.

I want to pay tribute here to Joseph E. Davies, who died a few days ago. He was an old friend of my husband's and one whom my husband found very worthy of his trust. Mr. Davies, as Ambassador to Russia, did a great deal to improve our understanding. When he was there it cannot have been a very easy life. Yet he saw through all the difficulties, appreciated that which was good in the people, and understood the struggle that they must go through. He has left his children a heritage of public service and of loyal friendship, as well as a record of business and professional achievements.

E.R.

(COPYRIGHT, 1958, BY UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE, INC.)

Eleanor Roosevelt, "My Day, May 20, 1958," The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers Digital Edition (2017), accessed 10/21/2017, https://www2.gwu.edu/~erpapers/myday/displaydoc.cfm?_y=1958&_f=md004123.

Reforming the Average Medical Expert Witness, 1908

“Reform of the Medical Expert Witness” from the Editorial page of The Medical Brief: A Monthly Journal of Practical Medicine, May, 1908

There is a crying need for the reform of the medical expert witness. As constituted at the present time, he furnishes good material for the use of invective on the part of the newspaper editorial writer and is a veritable target for the “funny picture” man of the daily papers. There is a firm conviction (based upon repeated observations) in the mind of the average juror that one can get any kind of medical expert testimony that is needed if one has “the price.” And the more money there is to buy this testimony, the more experts can be produced. Under the American system, in a given case, each side is allowed to introduce as many experts as is “necessary” to “enlighten” the jury on technical medical matters. The average juror is correct in his belief that with money there is no cause so hopeless, no proposition so ridiculous and no crime so heinous but that you can procure a medical witness to swear that there is no cause for action, that the proposition is logical and that there has been no crime committed.

Does this state of affairs mean that the worship of Mammon is so all-powerful that the medical profession as a whole is ready and willing at times to prostitute itself for mere filthy lucre and swear away its honor for sordid wealth? Or does it mean that medicine in all branches is so empirical and so obscure that there can be an honest difference of opinion on any and all medical subjects?

The ignoble status of the medical expert witness can be explained in no other way, according to authorities on jurisprudence of this country. Harken to the words of Wharton in his work on “Evidence,” Section 454: “When expert testimony was first introduced, it was regarded with great respect. An expert was viewed as the representative of a science on which he was a professor, giving impartially its conclusions. Two conditions have combined to produce a change in this relation. In the first place, it has been discovered that no expert, no matter how learned and incorrupt, speaks for his science as a whole. Few specialties are so small as not to be torn by factions, and often the smaller the specialty the bitterer and more inflaming and distorting are the animosities by which these factions are possessed. Particularly in this the case in matters psychological, in which there is no hypothesis so monstrous that an expert can not be found to sweat to it on the stand, and defend it with vehemence. ‘Nihil tam absurdo,’ which being literally translated means that there is nothing so absurd that the philosophers will not say it. In the second place, the retaining of experts by a fee proportionate to the importance of their testimony is now as customary as is the retaining of lawyers.

No court would take as testimony the sworn statement of the law given by counsel retained by a particular side, for the reason as the most high-minded men are so swayed by an employment of this kind as to lose the power of impartial judgment; and so intense is this conviction that in every civilized community the retention of presents by a judge from suitors visits him not only with disqualification, but with disgrace. Hence it is, that, apart from the partisan character of their opinions, their utterances, now that they have as a class become the retained agents of the parties, have lost all judicial authority and are entitled only to the weight which sound and consistent criticism will award to the testimony itself. In making this criticism a large allowance must be made for the bias necessarily belonging to men retained to advocate a cause, who speak not as to fact, but as to opinion, and who are selected, on all moot questions, either from their prior advocacy of them or from their readiness to adopt the opinion to be proved. In this sense we may adopt the strong language of Lord Kenyon, that skilled witnesses come with such a bias on their minds to support the cause in which they are embarked, that hardly any weight should be given to their evidence.”

Such is the status of the medical witness, in the mind’s eye of the bar, bench and public. What are we going to do about it? Shall we point out the immorality of telling lies on the witness stand to members of a learned profession? Shall we advise members of an honorable body to cultivate the faculty of truth-telling and to disdain the fleeting pleasures that go with the possession of wealth? Are not these principles of conduct instilled in every one of us at the knees of our parents? Are they not further expounded from the pulpits of all creeds? Are they not further emphasized as we sit at the feet of our teachers in our medical schools? We must answer, yes, to all these queries. At our medical schools, the student is told to be honest and upright in his dealings with his patients and with his professional brethren. He is instructed in the so-called “ethics” of the profession, drilled in the niceties of conduct in consultation work with his fellow practitioners. But how much is he told of the dangers that beset his path when he is called upon to appear before the bar of justice as a medical witness, ordinary or expert? We venture to say that he is told little or nothing about this. Moreover, he has unfortunately possibly heard of this professor or that professor having acted as an expert in cases from time to time and knows the partisan character of the testimony given by his teacher. Naturally, like master, like man, he follows in his teacher’s wake when called upon later in life to act as an expert.

We would, therefore, offer as a suggestion for the relief of this condition that our medical colleges establish more complete courses on legal medicine; that such chairs be given to men of competence in medicine, not to lawyers, as is commonly done. Let the subject be hammered into the heads of the students. Let them learn from one of their honorable professors that a physician’s views and opinions when given in the white glare of the court room should not differ so immeasurably as when given in the mild light of the sick room. Another step in the right direction would be the formation of medico-legal societies in large cities where lawyers and doctors could meet and exchange views with the end in view of bring order out of this present-day chaos. In this way, members of the bar may learn from personal contact with physicians something of legal medicine and, at the same time, members of the medical profession may learn something of interest to them from the standpoint of medico-legal jurisprudence from their legal brethren. At present, the average lawyer views a doctor who is called to court as a target for his sarcasm and irony, while the doctor in turn looks upon the lawyer as one who has a little knowledge of perhaps the one single medical fact at issue in the case, and consequently hardly deserving of ordinary courtesy when presuming to cross-examine him (the learning doctor) upon the general broad propositions of medicine.

The partisan character of the medical witness’ employment necessarily is a heavy burden to bear and high-minded indeed is the man, no matter what his calling may be, who can stand out against it and give opinions contrary to the good of the cause upon which he has embarked and to protect whose interest he thinks he has been compensated. Nevertheless, it is possible for the medical man even to bear this burden and come out honorably if he only will bear in mind that he should give counsel and medical opinion to the jury just as he  would were he consulted on these self-same points in the privacy of his consultation chamber. In no other way can this begrimed and besmirched repute of the medical expert witness be cleaned and purified. The limitations of the United States Constitution in respect to the calling of witnesses for an accused person practically forbid the employment of commission of experts alone in settling moot points in medicine as applied to causes at law. Therefore, the slogan of the medical profession should be, self-purification and better medical education.

Municipal Public Works in North Carolina, 1910

From pages 674 and 683 of the Municipal Journal & Public Works, and Engineer, Vol. 28, May 4, 1910, and May 18, 1910, page 751, and May 25, 1910, page 781. This book is online at books.google.com.

Lobelia, N.C.—J.B. McQueen, Lakeview, has purchased Morrison Mill site on Lower Little River and will erect electric plant to supply power.

East Spencer, N.C.—City has selected J.B. McCrary & Co., Empire Bldg., Atlanta, Ga., to prepare plans and specifications for the water works—H.C. Hueck, Mayor.

Franklin, N.C.—Citizens have voted $29,000 bond issue for water works—F.L. Siler, Mayor.

Page 674:

May 6-7

Appalachian Engineering Association, Annual Meeting, Winston-Salem, N.C.—Harry M. Payne, Secretary, Morgantown, W. Va.

June 2-3

North Carolina Municipal Association—Annual Convention, Winston-Salem, N.C. O.B. Eaton, Secretary, Mayor Winston-Salem, N.C.

Page 751

Patent Claims

956.121 WATER METER. M’Kean Maffit and Patrick H. Williams, Charlotte, N.C. Serial No. 490,077.

A meter comprising a body, a disk-chamber located therein, a disk located in said chamber having a stem, a hood mounted upon the body, and having an externally threaded boss with an outstanding shoulder located thereon, a gear train located under the hood, the shaft passing concentrically through the boss and operatively connected with the gear train, a stuffing box located in the body and screw-threaded upon the boss and having a globular portion upon which the stem of the disk is adapted to operate, and an arm carried by the said shaft.

Burlington, N.C.—Street and Sidewalk Commission will advertise for bids after June 6 for sidewalk improvements—Jas. P. Montgomery, City Secretary.

Elizabeth City, N.C.—City is considering $120,000 bond issue for street paving.

Who Will Serve in Military, What They Will Be Paid, 1917

“Measures for Raising of Military Forces, as Agreed Upon by Congress,” from the May 17, 1917, issue of the High Point Review

Male Citizens and Those Who Have Declared Their Intention to Become Citizens, of That Age, Liable to Draft….Classes The Are Excused

Washington—The selective draft under which the new United States army will be raised will be applied under the following provisions of the army bill:

“That the enlisted men required to raise and maintain the organizations of the regular army and to complete and maintain the organizations embodying the members of the National Guard drafted into the service of the United States, at the maximum legal strength as by this act provided, shall be raised by voluntary enlistment, or if and whenever the president decides that they cannot effectually be so raised or maintained, then by selective draft; and all other forces hereby authorized shall be raised and maintained by selective draft exclusively; but this provision shall not prevent the transfer to any force of training cadres from other forces.

Age Limits Are Fixed

“Such draft as herein provided shall be based upon liability to military service of all male citizens or mail persons not alien enemies who have declared their intention to become citizens, between the ages of 21 and 30 years, both inclusive, and shall take place and be maintained under such regulations as the president may prescribe not inconsistent with the terms of this act.

“Quotas for the several states, territories and the District of Columbia, or subdivisions thereof, shall be determined in proportion to the population thereof and credit shall be given to any state, territory, district, or subdivision thereof for the number of men who were in the military service of the United States as members of the National Guard on April 1, 1917, or who have since said date entered the military service of the United States from any such state, territory, district, or subdivision, either as members of the regular army or the National Guard.

Provides for Military Law

“All persons drafted into the service of the United States and all officers herein provided for shall, from the date of said draft or acceptance, be subject to the laws and regulations governing the regular army, except as to promotions, so far as such laws and regulations are applicable to persons whose permanent retention in the military service on the active or retired list is not contemplated by existing law, and those drafted shall be required to serve for the period of the existing emergency unless sooner discharged, provided that the president is authorized to raise and maintain by voluntary enlistment or draft, as herein provided, special and technical troops, as he may deem necessary, and to employ them into organizations and to officer them as provided in the third paragraph of section 1 and section 9 of this act.

“Organizations of the force herein provided for, except the regular army, shall, as far as the interests of the service permit, be composed of men who come, and of officers who are appointed from, the state or locality.”

No person liable to military service will be permitted to escape therefrom by furnishing a substitute or the payment of money, and the payment of bounties for recruits is prohibited.

Men Who Are Exempt

The persons who will be exempted from military service are thus designated by the provision of the bill:

“That the vice president of the United States, the officers, legislative, executive, and judicial, of the United States and of the several states, territories, and the District of Columbia, regular or duly ordained ministers of religion, students who at the time of the approval of this act are preparing for the ministry in recognized theological or divinity schools, and all persons in the naval service of the United States shall be exempt from the selective draft herein prescribed.

“Nothing in this act contained shall be construed to require or compel another person to serve in any of the forces herein provided for who is found to be a member of any well-recognized religious sect or organization at present organized and existing and whose existing creed or principles forbid its members to participate in war in any form and whose religious convictions are against war or participation therein in accordance with the creed or principles of said religious organization; but no person so exempted shall be exempted from service in any capacity that the president shall declare to be noncombatant.

Certain Classes to Be Excused

“The president is hereby authorized to exclude or discharge from said selective service draft and from the draft under the second paragraph of section 1 hereof, or to draft from partial military service only from those liable to draft as in this act provided, persons of the following classes: county and municipal officers, customhouse clerks, persons employed by the United States in the transmission of the mails, artificers and workmen employed in the armories, arsenals and navy yards of the United States, and such persons employed in the service of the United States as the president may designate; pilots, mariners actually employed in the sea service of any citizen or merchant within the United States; persons engaged in industries, including agriculture, found to be necessary to the maintenance of the military establishment or the effective operation of the military forces or the maintenance of national interest during the emergency; those in the status with respect to persons dependent upon them for support which renders their inclusion or discharge advisable; and those found to be physically or morally deficient.”

[Who determine who is exempt? Each county will establish a draft board, one for approximately each 30,000 of population in a city, according to the census. Boards shall have three or more members, none of whom shall be connected with the military establishment, to be chosen by local authorities. A district board will be appointed for appeals, and its findings will be final. All men between the ages of 21 and 30 must register and may be imprisoned for a year if they fail to register. Those temporarily absent from their legal residence may register by mail.

Provisions for Volunteers

The provisions governing voluntary enlistment in the regular army and National Guard follow:
That the qualifications and conditions for voluntary enlistment as herein provided shall be the same as those prescribed by existing law for enlistments in the regular army, except that recruits must be between the ages of 18 and 40, both inclusive, at the time of their enlistment, and such enlistment shall be for the period of the emergency unless sooner discharged.

Provision for Increased Pay

The army pay increases are set forth in the following provisions:

“That all officers and enlisted men of the forces herein provided for other than the regular army shall be in all respects on the same footing as to pay, allowances, and pensions as officers and enlisted men of corresponding grades and length of service in the regular army; and commencing June 1, 1917, and continuing until the termination of the emergency, all enlisted men of the army of the United States in active service whose base pay does not exceed $24, an increase of $8 per month; those whose base pay is $30, $36, or $40, an increase of $6 per month; and those whose base pay is $45 or more, an increase of $5 per month.