The Robesonian from Lumberton, North Carolina • Page 1

Weather here WM Lo day, 40. At noon today it was VOL. LXXXIX--NO. 20 THE Forecast Warming slightly this Generally fair and colder Tomorrow fair and cool. COUNTRY GOD AND TRUTH LUMBERTON N.

FRIDAY, MARCH 14, 1958 PUBLISHED DAILY EXCEPT SATURDAY AND SUNDAY TWELVE FACES--PRICE FIVE CENTS Klan Wizard Cole Gets 2-Year Sentence; Titan Martin Draws 12 Months Dad Drowns Sons th Free On Bond; Both File Appeal In Frigid River WHEELING, W.Va. UP) A 33 year-old steelworker told author! ties at nearby Wellsburg last nigh that he had thrown his two young Wetzel Can't Outlive Term For 2 Crimes By BRYAN HAISLIP SANFORD, N.C. tfl-Frank Edward Wetzel, who twice has escaped the gas chamber for killing two state highway patrolmen, languished in jail today under sen- tences which make it unlikely he ever will walk free again. The 36-year-old Seneca Falls, N.Y., criminal, who kft two North Carolina state troopers dead or dying on the highway the night of Nov. 5.

was convicted in Lee Superior Court here yesterday of i Patrolman J. T. Brown. Judge George M. Fountain immediately passed sentence, and specified that it should begin at the end of a life sentence Wetzel already was serving for the murder of Trooper Wister Lee Reece.

The circumstances of the sentence made it unlikely Wetzel ever would be paroled, since he will not serve the two life terms concurrently. Wetzel, who had a long record as' a petty criminal in New York Slate, was convicted last January at nearby Rockingham of murdering Reece. The jury 'hen recommended mercy, and Wetzel was sentenced to iffe. children into the frigid Ohio River from a bridge in Wheeling. After several hours questioning, the Brooke County Sheriff's office said it was convinced that the man, John Turner, 33, of Beech Bottom, near Wellsburg, was telling the Uuth.

A search of the river was begun immediately. Wheeling police said they found fcot and hand prints in fresh snow on the sidewalk and rail of the Fort Henry Bridge. They said some of the prints appeared to be those of children. Deputy Sheriff Evan Rees said Turner was incoherent at first and sobbed -deeply at times. He said Turner could give no reason for his action.

Rees quoted Turner as saying he and the children, Betty Marie, 7, and John 4, left their house about 10:30 last night to go to a store. Instead, Turner said, he drove to Wheeling, about 20 miles north of Beech Bottom. Turner said he threw the children into the river, then drove back to Wellsburg, walked into th Sheriff's office and told his story. "The law is not vindictive and both said that they would' post Solicitor Maurice Braswell does not seek vengeance the bonds; Attorney Charles Nye 'Judge Williams. and i surance benefits available to him i that all conditions and facts of through his employer, The Amer- i his personal life were known to Judge Clawson Williams said at said he would post the bond for Last night at 6:44 the jury an- ican Tobacco Company.

He sub- 12:30 today as he sentenced his client. Cole, "in just a few nounced that it was ready with a mitted a letter from a doctor verdict after only 32 minutes of finning his statements, and said' that Margin had severed all connection with the Klan. Glidewell regretted that character witnesses could not be present this morning, and Judge Williams James Cols to serve 18 months to minutes." 2 years on the reads and imposed a lesser sentence of 6 months to on James Garland Martin. The two were convicted late yesterday on charges of inciting to riot at the Ku Klux Klan meeting near Maxton January IS. Attorneys for both men immediately served notice of appeal to the Supreme court -and bond for Cole was at $3,000, for deliberation.

Ten minutes later Both James Martin a A the guilty verdict for both men James Cole posted appearance bond under their notice of appeal to Superior Court before one o'clocki today, Cole in tlie amount of $3,000 anil Margin in th-a amount of $1,500. was announced to the judge. He deferred sentence until'this morn- i and did not call the prison- Sentence came after 30 minutes for Martin told the court of his of speeches of appeal for the con- client's invalid wife and of the iUL "3V- i Martin at $1500. Attorneys for victed men and of remarks by I sacrifice of job seniority and m- ers to the bar until noon. They said lhat Rowing Mr.

Glidewell were both jailed here overnight, he woupld accept his statement P. W. Glidswell, attorney that all character witnesses would have been favorable to Martin. COLE WAS RIDING HIGH, in purple regalia and Wizard's headdress, at Robeson rallies in months before he drew Indian anger at Maxton. Bloodhound Leads To Negro In Fairmont Fire, Robbery FAIRMONT The Newton Ayers feed mill, south of here on high- vay 41, was badly damaged by 'ire about midnight last night.

and investigating officers believe hey have connected the fire and he burglary at the same time of 'isher Brothers store leart of town. 4 Gus' Hasty Announces For State Legislature C. A. "Gus" Hasty of Maxton has announced that he will be a candidate for the State House of Representatives from Robeson in the May primary. Mr.

Hasty, c'Trenlly State Senator, is the f'rst in I he county to definitely announce that he will run for one of the seats in the lower house of the General Assembh or 23 vpurs Mr. Hasty served as Dljcson County Commissioner, and for 1-1 years as commission but in May 1953 he was mnoihted to the N. C. State Highway Commission. In May 1957 he W3S replaced on the highway body by the then Senator Cutlar Moore, but in June 1957 was appointed to be State Senator in Mr.

Moore's place. Mr. Hasty was one of the original incorporators of MaxlOn Manufacturing company in 1919. The ompany became Hasty Veneer Company in 1ST.O and Mr. Hasty retained control until he relin- A storage shed, filled wit'h feed was destroyed, and a the plant was lost.

That and othef damages brought an es.imate of loss this motning to 57,000 or The loss was partially covered with insurance. Firemen were unable to save the shed but were able to protect other buildings by taking water from a full ditch at the sight and pumping it on other buildings. The flames were fought for about two hours, Giief Wright Jones said. Meanwhile, Willis Fisher, one of the operators of the grocery, had gone to the of his store to cut off a motor when he discovered the back door open. Investigation disclosed that the cash register had been removed.

Chief W. Rogers began an investigation, by Deputy Glidewell's plea was earnest and moving. He said that Martin did net know the racial situation in this area when he came from Reidsville and did not know that the Sheriff had warned Cole not to hold the rally. He added that Martin did not testify because he feared cross examination would lead' him to implicate other klansmen who would be made to suffer as he had. The judge acknowledged that the situation was a pitiful one, but Martin before he became associated with the Klan; he added that he heard the sheriff warn Cole at Maxton before the meeting and' could have left then.

The Judge remarked that they, came into a heretoofore peaceful area, where all intelligence is directed toward harmony between races. Cole's attorney told the court that Cole had asked him to intercede for Martin saying that Martin had no criminal record at all and that he knew Martin never drank. Before sentence Judge. Williams referred Cole's criminal record: Resisting an officer, "another instance of defiance of the assault; no drivers' license; and a charge of driving drunk. Judge Williams remarked that the Indians were not free of bleme, and he said that (Continued on Page 4, Col.

4) KLAN WIZARD JAMES CATFISH COLE (left) and Klan Titan James Garland Martin sat calmly in the prisoner's dock in the Superior Courtroom here this morning- as they awaited sentencing bj- Judge Clawson L. Williams. The two chatted freely with reporters and asked for a paper to read, but Martin was definitely unhappy about the whole thing-, while Cole was cheerful. Senate Committee Sees Roads As Short Cuts Out Of Slump WASHINGTON ffl ---The Sen-1 Gore said he believed' the money ate Committee is for the primary, secondary and expected to approve today a high- vay construction speedup bill to S.C.A r.i billion dollars to the money available this year. Sen.

Gore (D-Tenn), chairman of the Public Roads subcommit- Sheriff Troy.Nye. and, using blood-j tee which completed work on the hounds, trailed a suspect to a bill last night, said it would have house in the Necro sermon main effects: the dog also identified a Negro j. Provide thousands of jobs youth, "Pepsi-Cola" Thomas, He is being questioned today. 1. Provide over the nation to counter the recession.

2. Put the 41.000-mile super- Deputy Nye said a search revealed Ihe cash register about 50 hi hu ne uvork Uie'interstatc feet behind the store, but that it system back Qn thg 13 year schedule originally planned for it. Gore predicted the Senate will pass the bill next week. He noted that it had strong bipartisan urban systems could' provide many jobs in a matter of because these projects are easier to get'started than the more complex superhighways. The bill would suspend operation of a pay-as-you-go provision binding the highway trust fund, and permit it to get advances from the Treasury.

Private Pilot Dies In Crash COLUMBIA 'IB--The of a light plane and the body of its pilot, Henry Herbert Livingston Jr. of Raleigh, N.C., were found in a field near the Columbia Airport this morning. The plane had clipped the top of a tree last night in the heavy Cabinet To Help Ike Find Anti-Recession Remedies By NORMAN WALKER I Officials saw other hopeful signs WASHINGTON Iff) President Eisenhower meets with his Cabinet today to take stock of the ailing economy and of mounting demands that the federal government spoon up more antirecession remedjes. in the strength of the stock market and a spurt in applications for government-insured loans -oh' new The Federal Housing Administration said such applications increased a whopping 70 per' cent in February over the same mg. vestment will be 13 per cent lower this year than last.

The other said consumers plan reduced outlays for homes, cars, appliances and furniture. A bit of encouragement came torn still another report that department store sales, as figured )y the Federal Reserve Board, over the country last week 7 per cent above'the corresponding fog while trying to land at But departrno nt airport. Livingston's body was I store dollar volume so far this found a short distance from the year is down 2 per cent from last wreckage. i year. The" President had in mind a-j mont'n a year ago.

But demands diagnosis from the AFL-CIO that for antirecession measures con- business and job conditions are tinued, including moves to-cut still deteriorating instead of improving as the administration had ioped by mid-March. Bolstering this view were two new government repeats showin; that both business and consumers plan to reduce their 1958 spend- x. One estimated' business in- had not been opened. It contained about S40 in change. Credit for discovering the fire was given to Bill Peele.

radio station manager and two newsmen covering the Ku Klux Klan trial in Hodges Speeds Construction To Bolster State's Economy RALEIGH iff)--A tax cut would ficials. At this session an effort A veteran of World War I. he quished in m5S Currently he is is a past commander of the Max- i 1 -sociated with Hasty Insurance Company in Maxton. ton Ameiican Legion post. His war service included 22 months In 1951 he became the second'overseas with the Military Police i i i i i approval in his subcommittee.

feed money faster into the nation- iwas made (o determine the pres- measure is a major al economy, but those who have ent status of all state building pro Charles L. West. The three were item in an antirecession package no confidence in the Eisenhower grams and to decide where work returning from a dinner engagement in Soulii Carolina. on which Senate Democratic lead- administration would be inclined could be accelerated. man to receive the Adrian B.

McRae Award and was named Robeson County Man of the Year, and in 1952-53 he was president of the State Association of County training headquarters of the Rain- the Eastern Carolina Regional bow Division when he earned five Housing Authority has legal ri.eht Housing Due For Clean-Up RALEIGH W--Gov. Hodges says I told his news conference yester- Atty. Gen. George B. Pattern feels "It should be settled." ers are driving for quick action, to hold on to the money, Gov.

i Hodges savs. State agencies whose construction work is rcvjted through the major engagement ribbons. He is a membeer of the Meiho- to claim the land on which a Disputed housing development stands. dist and is on its board of "It may be a it will have to stewards. settled by the courts," Kodges The governor said in answer to questions he rhinks the Housing Authority has made "a good be- ginning'' and gone to work "alone; the right line" in clearing up its tangled affairs.

He added, however, the authority "ought to go still further in carrying out recommendations of a committee which investigated the proposed purchase of the housing development--Seymour Johnson Homes at Goldsboro. "I i it ought to be carried through to the final step," he said. "Either it's right or it's wrong. Either th? property belongs to" H. Powell "or it doesn't." Powell i under fire Wednesday as executive of the Housing; Authority.

N. E. Mohn Jr. also resigned as assistant executive director but will remain on i a new exetuitivr director is hired to hnndle open i lions of the authority. Meanwhile, Hodges announced Department of Administration now the state's building and highway conslruction programs be speeded up in an effort to "help North Carolina resist the downward trend of the national economy." He reported that approximately 144 million dollars will be available for public construction, including highways, during 1958.

He added local school construction will add another 28 1 million. The governor's announcement followed a conference he held with several stale of- have under construction projects cosling $9,380,200, Hodges said. He added plans have been drawn for additional projects to cost more than seven million. Projects for which plans have not been com- pleted but money is available total another 30 million. Hodges said the Medical Care Commission reported it has under way in the state hcspital -construe.

tion. projects costing million The commission said it hoped that by the end of the year an additional 519,300,000 worth of hospital construction could be under way. The Prisons Department reported that two construction projects costing $450,000 would be let to contract instead of being built by prison workers. A Boy For Grace By GEORGE MCAUTHUR MONTO CARLO Prin- rpss Grace of Monaco today fjavc birth to her rirst sun--Ihc heir to the throne of Monaco. The boy was Albert.

The royal palace sniil Hip ba- ity pounds. The palace, he 'would he hritPiicl Albert Ali'xamlrc Louis Wesley Watts Files As District Solicitor Wesley C. Watts, Lumherton attorney, today filed his candidacy "or Solic of Superior Court, Ninth District, with the State Board of Elections. The district i is composed of Robeson, Cumber- land, I-Ioke and Bladen counties. Mr.

W-itts' candidacy has been predicted for some weeks, and Tic from the county and prior to that had been both solicitor of Lumberton Recorder Court and Clerk of the Superior Court. He served two terms as recorder solicitor early in his career, and' in 1940 appointed Superior Court Clerk 1o fill unexpirecl term of C. B. Skipper. He served al- taxes.

A short-cut method of achieving a $5,200,000,000 tax reduction was rejected 71-14 by the Senate last night but its sponsor, Sen. Dougf last (D-Illi said he would continue his fight for a cut in excise taxes'. The package rejected would have affected individual income, excise and transportation taxes. The. AFL-CIO withheld release ing its current economic, which was sent to the White Hauj so Eisenhower could study it first.

It was reported to contend t'lat current economic data at hand is sufficient to show, without waiting for further data, that the economy is still going downward, warranting more drastic government tervention. It also pointed to still further declines in steel and auto industry production. The AFL-CIO memo was a follow-up to the White House visit with Eisenhower by AFL-CIO leaders George Walter Reuther and others. They asked lower taxes and expanded defense and public works spending. One of the labor leaders, David J.

McDonald, said later the President "terribly concerned" with the state of the economy. Eisenhower met later with his economic advisers in a prelude to the Cabinet meeting. They discussed" details of the President's plan to ask Congress to provide federal money to extend unemployment compensation payments for those who have used up their present benefits. This plan is to go to Congress next week. Masons Will Meet At Temple Beth-El Masons of the llth District (Robeson and Bladen counties) have been especially invited to a service at Temple Beth-El here Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m.

The invitation was extended by P.abbi Eli Gottesman, himself a Mason, who will speak on the history and purpose of Masonry. The public is also invited. the official board in Raleigh. In 1051 he was Slate Senator i Teeners Attack Reinstated Girl Little Rock Cops Arrest 4 Who Stone White Student EVERYBODY CAME (o the trial. Sunbon- nettcd Grandmother Molly Locklear got up feeling pretty (food yesterday and decided to po and see that man that causing all the disturbance.

Mrs. Lmklnar accompanied by two of her daughters (one of them, 'Mrs. Ophelia Oxcndinc, is pictured at left, and the other is Mrs. Mollie si-o years old and has lived in Pembroke all her life, as did her family before her; A member of Harper' Ferry Baptist chrrch and goes every Sunday. Behind Mrs.

I.ocklcar are Lonnie Locklear (left) and Ucrldcn Wilcox. LITTLE ROCK. Ark. l.T) Police picked up four Negro teenagers yesterday afler Retting a report that rocks were thrown and curses shouted at. Sammie Dean Parker, 16-year-cJd white girl expelled from integrated Central High School and later rein- stnlocl.

Orfirrrs Mrs. ,1 0.. Parker, -girl's moiher, reported that several NVgroes yelled insults and hurled rocks al Sammie Doan as she approached her homo afler school. Three girls and a boy were picked up in the vicinity of Ihe Parker home and lalcr were lurnod over to their parents, police said. No charges were filed.

Sammie Dean was not injured. made it official today with a for- most two years and then was elect- mal filing by registered mail to ed for a full rerm and rhose not to run at the end of time. Mr. Walls, a native of Robeson countj', was educated at. Rules Crrek Ac-ulemy.

al Mars Hill Junior College, and al Ihe University of North Carolina, where he received his law degree in 1924. He began the practice of law in Lumberlrn immediately after being liceiuccl. He is a T2nd Degree Mason and a Shriner and is a Past Master of St. Albans Lodge No. 114, A.

F. anci A. presently he is trustee for Ihe lodge. Mr. Watts is a former deacon of Ihc First Baptist church here, a member of the Junior Order United American Mechanics and a member of the Border Board of Realtors.

Two Fayetteville men have previously announced candidacy for the office, Maurice Braswell, the incumbent solicitor, and Charles H. Kirkman, Kayoltnvillc attor- WESLEY C. WATTS ney who is a native of Lumbcrton. J. COIT VVHITLOCK formally filed with the Robe-" son County Board ot Elections as a candidate for solicitor of Maxton Recorder Court.

Srt far Mr. WhiUock is the only candidate for the office which he holds by appointment, Miling 1 the unexpired term of Andrew Williams on which nigncd..