Wendell, Aug. 27—The inner walls of a $40,000 school building at Corinth, five miles south of this city, a re in a heap of debris and the outer walls are disjointed and wrecked, caused from three explosions of dynamite Sunday morning at 1 o’clock by some unknown party. Messrs. Davie Price and Lee Hocutt were curing tobacco at a tobacco barn 100 yards from the school building when the explosion went off. They say they saw a person enter the building and in a few minutes come out. A moment later the explosion went off and the clash of brick walls came tumbling down. The damage to the building was variously estimated by the several thousand spectators that witnessed the ruins but a fair estimate would be at least $10,000.
The people of the community were not very much surprised at the explosion of the building as many threatening remarks had been made that the building would never be completed. Much animosity has existed for some time over a controversy between the patrons of Holders school district in O’Neal’s township and the patrons of Cornith school district in the Wilders township as to the proper location of the new school building. An election was held in these two townships last spring to consolidate Holders school and Cornith, and $12,500 bond issue was passed. Both Holders and Corninth wanted the school and after much consultation by the Johnston County board of education, was decided to place it in the upper edge of wilders township with the expectation of getting a number of smaller schools to come in the district. This location did not suit the Holders people at all and threats immediately were rumored that the new building would never do the Corinth people any good. The contractor got wise to these threats and used a good head by having the building insured until the job was finished. The last brisk was laid late Saturday afternoon and the explosion took place that night.
Members of the local school board and the county board of education were present during the day Sunday and were asked as to what disposition they would attempt. They were halted between two opinions. First, they were not sure that the walls could be safely rebuilt and even if they could the next question would be, wouldn’t they be blown up again?
Immediately after the wreck County Supt. H.B. Marrow was notified and early Sunday morning blood hounds were put on the trail, but a trace was of no avail and there yet remains no clue or idea as to the guilty person or persons.
Raleigh, Aug. 26—Bloodhounds, men-hounds and all other smellers could get no track today of the dynamiters who early this morning blew up a $35,000 consolidated school building in Johnston county about four miles from the Wendell neighborhood.
The explosives were three charges of dynamite placed in three sections of the new building which had gone almost high enough for the ?? and was being set up for the fall term if possible. The loss now is estimated from $12,000 to $15,000 in addition to the delay.
The diabolism expressing itself in this work was not wholly unexpected. The school community had come together with little difficulty on the consolidation scheme, but when the house was placed on a certain site the troubles began. Threats of blowing it up had come to Superintendent H.B. Marrow, but nobody could identify the makers. The district had voted $12,500 for bonds and the remainder had been raised through state funds. The site chosen seemed to have suited the larger majority and notwithstanding the bad temper shown, the authorities hardly expected the criminals to carry out their resolves.
Bloodhounds taken to the school building this morning followed tracks with great difficulty. The dynamite tore up things so badly that shoe prints were not visible for some distance away from the house. The authorities kept the people back to give the dogs a chance, but the hounds could not make a start. The officers went to work on the threats heard, but there is a very gauge thing at best. The insurance department which supervises the construction of the State’s buildings will probably help in the salvage and the new star.
--Greensboro News
From the front page of the Smithfield Herald, Aug. 28, 1923
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