Thomas Cooper Guilty, Joseph Rourk Innocent, Nov. 22, 1924

Thomas E. Cooper Is Found Guilty; Jos. Rourk Freed. . . Verdict in Case Rendered by Jury Which Deliberated Some Time Before Reaching Its Verdict. . . Case Continued for Two Weeks. . . Cooper Found Guilty of Violating State Banking Laws—Was Tried Jointly with Joseph Rourk

By the Associated Press

Wilmington, N.C., Nov. 22—Thomas E. Cooper, former President of the defunct Liberty Savings Bank of this city, today was found guilty of violation of the state banking laws by a jury in Superior Court. Joseph C. Rourk, former cashier of the bank, on trial jointly with Cooper, was found not guilty.

Judge Henry A. Grady, who presided over the trial, announced immediately after the jury returned its verdict that sentence would be imposed on Cooper at 2:30 o’clock this afternoon.

The jury’s verdict held Cooper guilty on four misdemeanor counts in connection with transactions in handling the affairs of the defunct Liberty Savings Bank.

Rourk was indicted on the same counts, and the cases were tried together, the jury finding the former cashier not guilty.

The case went to the jury at 5:30 o’clock yesterday afternoon after a trial that had lasted for nearly two weeks. It deliberated until 11:30 o’clock last night when Judge Grady ordered it locked up for the night. This morning, after only a short period of deliberation, an agreement was reached and the verdict announced in open court.

Cooper, a brother of Lieut. Governor W.B. Cooper, was president of the Liberty Savings Bank which closed about two years ago. He also had been connected with a bank in Raleigh.

The state in the long drawn-out trial, through Solicitor Woodus Kellum, subjected Cooper to a grueling cross examination for more than three days.

The prosecution contended that Cooper, the president of the bank, violated the state banking law by making loans when the reserved of the institution were below the amount required by law.

From the front page of the Concord Daily Tribune, Saturday, Nov. 22, 1924

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Mother Says Father Killed, Abandoned Baby in Barrel, Nov. 22, 1924

Admits Maternity of Baby Found in Barrel. . . Negress of High Point Declares Father Choked Child to Death and Then Hid It

High Point, Nov. 20—Etta Sheetz, negress, was arrested here today after she is said to have admitted that she was the mother of an infant whose body schoolboys found concealed in a barrel in this city Tuesday. She is being held in the city jail while police investigate the affair.

The woman told Chief of Police Blackwelder that the father of the child choked it to death and then hid the body in honeysuckle vines, where it was found 36 hours later. She is said to have given the name of the man to the police, wo declined to reveal it tonight, officers stating that they were searching for him. Questioned by police, Etta at first denied that she was the mother of the child, but when examined by the city physician, Dr. S.S. Coe, and after blood stains were fund on the door of her room, she admitted it.

The child, she said, was born Sunday night, and its father choked it to death by wrapping a piece of cloth tightly around the neck. He then placed the body in a barrel and carried it to the honeysuckle vine about 300 yards from the house, she said.

From page 3 of the Concord Daily Tribune, Saturday, Nov. 22, 1924

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Miller Scalded to Death When His Cab Was Struck, Nov. 22, 1924

Engineer J.W. Miller Is Scalded to Death. . . Is Pinioned in His Cab When His Engine Is Struck by Another at Spencer

Spencer, Nov. 21—Yard Engineer Jno. W. Miller, aged about 50 years, was scalded to death when caught with a sideswipe by another engine on the Spencer yards this afternoon. Death followed in a hospital two hours after the accident.

It is said Mr. Miller’s engine was standing on a switch when an engine in charge of Engineer Swaringen struck it. Mr. Miller was pinioned in his cab with bursted steam pipes blowing hard in his face and body.

He is survived by a wife and three children and had been in the service of the Southern for about 28 years.

From the front page of the Concord Daily Tribune, Saturday, Nov. 22, 1924

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Father and Son Banquet at the "Y", Nov. 22, 1924

Annual City Father and Son Banquet Held Here. . . More Than 250 Fathers and Sons Attended Banquet, Which Was One of Much Interest and Profit. . . Rev. C.B. Scovill Presiding Officer. . . Music, Readings, Short Addresses and Supper Among Features Offered to Large Crowd Present

Comradeship and friendship were the prevailing notes at the city Father and Son banquet held Friday night at the Y.M.C.A. More than 150 men and boys were present in addition to the entertainers, and the event proved of keen interest to all present.

Staged under the direction of Secretary H.W. Blanks, of the Y, the banquet was made successful by the cooperation of all agencies of the Y and the city. The city Hi-Y clubs rendered especially fine service to Mr. Blanks as did the Y orchestra and the ladies of the city who prepared and served the luncheon.

The following are the officers of the Hi-Y clubs which took part in the banquet and its preparations:

Senior Club—Joe Pell leader; J.F. Harris Jr., president; George Howard, vice president; Frank Armfield, secretary; Livingston Easley, treasurer.

Junior Club—Ed. Morrison, leader; Ed. Dorton, president; John Armfield, secretary and treasurer; Billy Moore, correspondent.

The music of the Y orchestra was one of the most pleasing features of the fine program offered at the banquet. Members of the orchestra are:

Prof. Price Doyle, director; Jason Fisher, assistant director; Jason Gaskel, violin; John Roseman, trumpet; Carl Blackwelder, second cornet; Luther Blackwelder, trombone; Archie Earnhardt, trombone; Willie Murr, drum; A. Viola, flute; George Peck, alto saxophone; Bill Caldwell, clarinet; Buford Dellinger, clarinet; J.A. Peck, baritone saxophone; S.K. Patterson, flute; John Goodman, piano; and J.P. Peacock, bass horn.

The banquet was arranged as a trip from “Dadtown to Boyville,” and instead of a toastmaster there was a train dispatcher, and each number on the program was given a train number. The dispatcher was Rev. C.B. Scovil, rector of All Saints Episcopal Clhurch, who presided in a most pleasing manner. Some of the towns passed by the train, according to the schedule given to the guests, were Hikesville, baseball Corner, Church Pen, Happyhome City and Chumburg. The railroad was described as “America’s Greatest.”

The Davidson College quartette and Miss Loraine Blanks offered interesting bits to the program. The college singers were roundly applauded after their two appearances, and Miss Blanks read with such unusual ability that she was forced to respond to the applause of her hearers with an encore.

The banquet began with the invocation by Rev. R.G. Short of the west Concord Baptist Church and during the luncheon several numbers were rendered by the orchestra. After the luncheon and before the speeches were made, a snappy song was led by Miss Mary MacLaughlin of the high school faculty.

“The Sharing of Life” was the subject on which Mr. Scovil talked for a few minutes. It is fine to have the spirit of sharing, which means giving, Mr. Scovill said, but first it is necessary to have something to share. He declared every boy should have to share with others a sound body, a sound mind, and a reverent spirit. “Real happiness comes through giving.”

J.F. Harris Jr. gave a toast to dads from the lads, in which he urged his companions to make comrades and friends of their dads.

The response was made by D.B. Coltrane, who urged his hearers, and especially the young people, to talk carefully at all times because “we are being observed.” Neighbors, merchants, bankers, farmers, preachers and others are watching, Mr. Coltrain said, and the young people must be careful that they “bear watching.” Mr. Coltrain also urged his young hearers to get an aim in life. “There is no fun in life unless it leads to something,” Mr. Coltrain said. “Aim is the bread of spiritual life.”

Wallace Moore had for his subject “Pulling Together,” and he gave codes of living for both father and son that he declared would result in closer relationship between father and son.

From the front page of the Concord Daily Tribune, Saturday, Nov. 22, 1924

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Searching for Outlaws Who Shot Two Officers, Nov. 22, 1924

Search Continues for Moonshine Desperadoes. . . Officers from Asheville Said to be Closing in on Outlaws in Transylvania County

Asheville, Nov. 20—Federal authorities of Asheville and surrounding counties were tonight declared to be closing in on the two whiskey blockaders who late yesterday wounded Prohibition Officers Ben Draper and Will Owens when the officers approached a still said to have been operated by the assailants.

Officer Draper, who was at first thought to have been fatally injured, was reported tonight to be resting comfortably at the Brevard Hospital, to which he was rushed from Old Toxaway in Transylvania county, near which place the trouble occurred, and it is said that he will probably recover. Two bullets from a high-powered rifle entered his body, one in his shoulder and the other in the side.

Owens was shot once, the bullet entering his side, but inflicting only minor injuries, and he was reported this afternoon as having joined the posse which is searching for the escaped blockaders.

From page 6 of the Concord Daily Tribune, Saturday, Nov. 22, 1924

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Flowe and Marsh Buildings Being Rebuilt, Nov. 22, 1924

Rebuilding Flowe and Marsh Buildings Now. . . Buildings Damaged by Fire Several Weeks Ago Will be Put in Fine Shape Again

Materials have been placed on the ground so that carpenters on Monday can begin the work of rebuilding the Flowe and Marsh buildings which were recently damaged by fire. The Piedmont theatre formerly occupied the first floor of the Flowe building and the Porter Drug Store occupied the Marsh building.

A new roof and new floors on the second floor are required for the Marsh building while the Flowe building will have to be rebuilt with the exception of the outside walls. New floors are needed on both the first and second floors and plans call for a practically new building.

Water flooded the Porter Drug Store during the rain Friday afternoon and night but the company’s stock of goods was not damaged as temporary roofs were erected on the inside of the store. The roofs cover the soda fountain, the wall cabinets and the prescription desk in the rear.

Work on the two buildings will get underway Monday and will be rushed. No announcement has been made yet as to what concern will occupy the Flowe building but the drug company will continue to occupy the Marsh building.

From page 7 of the Concord Daily Tribune, Saturday, Nov. 22, 1924

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Oak Ridge Baptist Church Homecoming, Nov. 22, 1924

Homecoming at the Oak Ridge Baptist Church

A homecoming service will be held at Oak Ridge Baptist Church on the fifth Sunday in November, beginning at 10 o’clock a.m. The pastor will preach at the 11 o’clock service, and Rev. R.G. Short, pastor of West Concord Baptist Church, will preach at 2 p.m. The choir from Kannapolis Baptist Church will furnish the music for the afternoon service. Dinner will be served on the grounds, and everybody is invited to attend this service.

From page 8 of the Concord Daily Tribune, Saturday, Nov. 22, 1924

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