Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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H 7 If You Don’t R«M The Chronicle You Don’t Get the New* (Ete Clinton The Chronicle Strives To Be A Clean News paper, Complete, Newsy and Reliable Volume LVIII Clinton, S. C, Thursday, June 13, 1957 Number 24 City's Bond Rating Gets Boost Following Survey Clinton Is Center for First Shipment of Sheep to Massachusetts Moody's, of New York, # A # Clinton’s proposed bond issue i city officials that the new higher of $1,150,000 to finance an en-J rating will have a material effect largenvent of its water facilities has been given a rating of “A” by Moody’s Investors Service of New York, according to a letter re ceived during the past week by city officials. The letter was addressed to the law firm of Huger Sinkler in Charleston and was forwarded here. Mr. Sinkler is the city’s bond attorney and is preparing the necessary legal papers for sale of the bond issue. The city’s general obligation bonds have had a rating of ‘"BAA” and it i§ the opinion of Clinton Baptists To Dedicate Building At Sunday Service The congregation of Clinton's First Baptist Church will hold a dedicatory service for their re cently constructed educational building Sunday morning at 11 o’clock. Dr. Charles F. Sims, executive secretary of the South Carolina Baptist General Board, will be the speaker. The pastor, iRev. J. H. Darr, in vites the public to attend the ser vice. The building was occupied in July 1855, and was built at a coat of approximately $80,000. County Farm Women At State Meeting Approximately 15 women from Laurens County are attending the annual meeting of the South Carolina Council of Farm Wom en this week at Winthrop College, Rock Hill. The meeting began Tuesday and will continue through Friday. Theme for the meeting is ‘To gether — Home, Community, State." Voting delegates from Laurens county are; Mrs. James Wasson, County Council president, of Hickory Tavern; and Mrs. J. S. Gray, of th e Trinity Ridge club. Mrs. J. H. Power, of Barksdale- Jfamie community, is the alter nate voting delegate. Miss Celeste Rogers, assistant Home Demonstration Agent, ac companied the group to the meet ing. upon a more favorable interest rate being submitted for the bonds when they are offered for sale. The proposed new issue, however, will be revenue bonds, supported by income from the combined utilities department of the city. City Council several months ago requested City Attorney Cecil White and City Clerk and Treas urer W. Brooks Owens, in concert with Mr. Sinkler, to take steps to present the city’s case and en deavor to secure a higher rating for the bonds. Messrs. White and Owens, during recent weeks, have supplied the necessary informa tion, including voluminous finan cial records, to Mr. Sinkler, and he in turn transmitted it to Moody’s in New York together with a request for an improved bond rating for the city. The letter from Moody’s stated: ‘We have completed our rating study of .the forthcoming Com bined Utility Revenue Bonds, Se ries of 1957, of the City of Clin ton, S. C. Based upon the infor mation made available to us, our Rating Committee will assign a rating of provisional ‘A’ to this issue, if and when advertised for sale. “Moody’s Investors Service, ‘'Municipal Department.” Moody’s with offices all over the country, is widely recognized by bond buyers and its opinions nn tho financial c+ahility nf that offer bonds for sale with consequent ratings are relied up on by financial institutions when they go into the market for bonds. The city’s financial position has improved considerably in recent years, beginning in 1948. At that time the city owed $56,400 in out standing notes, which, by 1954, had been reduced to $30,000. In 1955 and 1956 the remaining .in debtedness was paid. Also, a $335,000 issue of 5% term bonds was retired in 1955 by paying $135,000 and refinancing at an average interest rate of 2.65%. The city now has no bonds out standing that require the building of a sinking fund. All remaining issues are serial bonds. A city Bond Commission was created by legislative act in the spring of 1955. This commission receives its share of tax collec tions and utilities revenue as col lected and administers payment of bonds and interest as they be come due. The city’s financial operations today are on a current basis. Clinton was the acene last Thnrsday and Friday of jthe first cooperative sale and shipment of sheep in a newly instituted and still developing phase of fanning in the Piedmont section of South Carolina. A total of 286 head was in the shipment consigned in two railroad cars over the Seaboard to a firm in Summerville, Mass A two-day sale was held at the Clinton Stock Bam. with Swift & Co. as the buyer. The sheep were loaded here Friday night for Uie haul to Massachusetts. They were brought here by farmers in Oconee, Greenville, Anderson, Spartanburg, Pickens. Greenwood and Laurens Counties. In the picture at left are Julian — Photo bv Dun Yarhorooih Bell, Clinton Seaboard agent; H. M. Saunders, agricultural agent for the Seaboard, who made shipping arrangements; L. S. Wilde, buyer for Sw ift & Co : and II. L. Eason, assistant County Agent of I.aurens County, who assisted with the sale and shipping In the photo at right, the sheep are being loaded in the cars. Three Clinton Men Sheep From Piedmont Area Go Out from Clinton First Results From New Development Clinton was the central point for the first cooperative sale and shipment of sheep from the Pied mont section of South' 5 Carolina Thursday and Friday, when 286 head were bought and consigned to a Massachusetts packing house and wool merchant. The sheep were brought to Clinton from a wide area of the upper section of the state and were the first to go out from a newly established farm develop ment in this area. The sale was held under the auspices of the Livestock Market ing Division of the South Caro lina Extension Service. Grading was done by H. D. Quesenberry, at the North Carolina Department of Agriculture. The sheep were shipped over the Seaboard Railroad to the Dressed Meat and Wool Company of Summerville, Mass. The ship ment consisted of 250 lambs, 32 yearlings, and four rams. The buyer was Swift St Com In the lot were 250 lambs and these brought the best prices. Two Laurens county farmers had sheep in the shipment, Law rence Davis, of Clinton, 37, and Ola Forbes, of the Lisbon area, 25. * County Agent C. B. Cannon and assistant County Agent H? L Ea son, who was here to assist with the sale and shipment, were grati- ified with this development in a new phase of .farming in the county and section. They said that for sheep to bring highest market pfices they should be in prime condition. This results from good management, which includes proper feeding, they said. Mr. Eason said that some of the lambs in Friday’s shipment were too young. ‘They just did not have meat on them," he said, and had to be graded as culls. Eason reminded growers that sheep should be bred during June to lamb in October. With proper feeding and other practices, the lambs should weigh 100 pounds for the market in March. Mr. Cannon said there is a def inite place for sheep in the farm iue uuyci was owui at v^om- ; : r —. - — ^ *** k pany, represented by L. S. Wilde, P lcture m Laurens county, and a recommended rn icintr oc a and shipping arrangements were made by H. M. Saunders, of At lanta, agricultural agent for the Seaboard Railroad. Farmers who delivered the sheep to the Clinton Livestock Bam, where the sales were held. came from Oconee, Anderson, ness to make a thorough invest! Greenville, Pickens, Spartanburg, Ration before taking the step. Greenwood, and Laurens coun ties. Prices paid for the sheep rang ed from 24.50 per pound to 3.43 cents per pound. Greatest num ber sold, 77, graded medium and brought 17 cents per pound. The next greatest number sold, 62, graded choice and brought 24.50. Fifty-seven graded good and sold for 21 cents, 43 graded common and brought 18 cents, 11 graded culls and brought 8 cents, 32 year lings sold for.7.90 cents a pound, and four oldPraqu brought Sjdl cents. recommended sheep-raising as a sideline to other farm enterprises. “Good pastures and proper feed ing is needed,” he said, “and grass is the cheapest feed. Mr. Cannon advised those con templating going into the busi- County's Veterans To Name Service Officer In Election A county-wide vote of veterans will name a new service officer for Laurens County, it was deter mined at a meeting in Laurens Monday night. Date of the election was set for Friday, June 28, and two polling places were chosen, at the court house in Laurens and at the city hall in Clinton. Candidates for the post of ser vice officer will pay . an entrance fee of $10, to be deposited with the city clerk in Laurens, or with Wyman M. Shealy at C tin ton- Newberry Natural Gas Authority, South Broad Street, Clinton. Dead line for qualifying as candidates is 6:00 p. m. Tuesday, June 25. Candidates must be veterans with honorable discharges. Polling places will be open from 8 a. m. to 6 p. m., and in order to vote veterans must present dis charge papers or documentary evidence of same. General elec tion rules will prevail, it was stated. Monday night's meeting was called by the county legislative delegation, and was held in the Probate Judge’s office in the court house. Attending were represen tatives of veterans’ organizations in the county. A committee iwas appointed to draw up rules arid regulations for the election. Members of the com mittee were Clarence Irby, com mander American Legion Post 225; George H. Young, comman der American Legion Post 25; Wy man M. Shealy, commander American Legion Post 56; Ha rrod W. Laws, commander R. V. A. Post 460; David S. Taylor, com mander V. F. W. Post 3354, whp was named chairman. Episcopal Minister To Arrive Friday The Rev. Louis Giles, who has recently been called to serve All Saints Episcopal Church here and The Church of the' Ephiphany in Laurens, will arrive tomorrow to begin his work. A native of Orlando, Fla , he is a recent graduate of the Semi nary at the University of the South, Sewanee, Tenn. The Rev. Mr. Giles will occupy the rectory on Calvert Avenue. The Ransom Note The lengthy, detailed ransom note delivered to Vance early Monday afternoon, was taken from Shelton when he was arrested at the site on the river. It said: “Your son haa been kidnapped. He will not be harmed if you follow instructions exactly. Remember, you must do everything exactly ai I say. “Get $350,000.00 in small bills, $5. $10. and $20 in used bills. Put in carton. “These bills must not be consecutive numbers. They must not be marked or treated with anything that will show up under spe cial light. They must be clean and not traceable “Take these bills at exactly 8:30 p. m. out the Chappells Road to where the Cross Hill Road to Kinards crosses it. “Leave st the foot of s pine with white spot painted on it. This is the northeast corner. Leave immediately. No one must be with you, or follow you. The police must not be informed. ‘Tell no one about this. Do as you are told and you will get your son back. If money Is marked or treated for identification you will have to puy twice this amount. If police are brought in you may not see him again, alive. “Deliver the money tonight.” Five Clinton Boys Attend Boys State Five Clinton boys are repre sentatives to the Palmetto Boys State in Columbia June 10-16. Walter A. Johnson of this city is director. The locfl AJTTerican Legion post secures sponsors for boys select ed to attenk the event. Those attending and their spon sors are: Gltarles David Watts, Exchange Club; Cecil Oliver Dav enport and Joe Edwin Lark, Bai- ley'Foundation; John Michael Coo ley, Joanna, Joanna Foundation; Joe F. Neely, Lions Club; Wayne Jackson Lewis, Thornwell, Ki- wanis Club. Commitment Services For Hatton Infdfnt —♦ Commitment services .were held an Saturday afternoon tor Johnny Mac Hatton, 3rd, infant son of Mr. and Mrs. J. M r Hatton, Jr., who was bom June 6. Graveside services were con ducted at Rosemont cemetery by the Rev. George H. Hodges. Mrs. Hatton is the former Min Dorothy Adair. New Dormitory Opened At Whitten Village This Week The latest addition to the Whit ten Village plant is being put in to operation this week. It is a dormitory for male resi dents to accommodate 100, which has been completed recently at an estimated cost of $155,000. The building is in the process of being occupied now. This facility is the fourth dor mitory under an extensive $750,- 000 building program over the past 15 months. It is situated in of th Joanna Lions To Install Officers At Session Tonight New officers of the Joanna Lioris Club for the 1956-57 year will be installed at a meeting to night (Thursday) at the clubhouse in Joanna, William C. Dobbins, re tiring president, has announced. The meeting will begin at 7:30. Heading the club as president will be Claude Lawson, and as suming office with him will be Mac Duncan, first vice president; Lewis Thompson, second vice president; W. K. Waits, third vice president. Wendell. Hair, secre tary; Clyde Tindall, treasurer; Clisby Templeton arid C.' E. Abrams, tail twisters; Parks Booz er, Lion tamer. Directors are W. C. Dobbins, L. A. Crawford, L. T. Lawson, and Bill Crocker. Terms of the new officers will begin on July 1. Banker's Son Is Subject In Scheme That Failed Thomas D. Jacobs and Two Negroes Arrested Monday As Climax of Conspiracy That Started In February Ciinton-Lydia Mills Set Vacation Period ClintonrLydia Mills employees Will be given a week’s vacation with pay beginning June 28, mill officials state. The plants will cease operations on Friday, the 28th, at 12 mid night, and will resume operations Sunday night, July 7, at 12 mid-Urate Sam McCrary with conspir Three Clinton men are in cus tody of Laurensi County Sheriff C. W. Wier in connection with a con- spiracy to kidnap a four-year-old Clinton boy. They were arrested Monday af ternoon and night by Clinton po lice, Laurens County officers, and men from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SU5- D) in Columbia The men are Thomas D Jacobs, age 59, proprietor of a printing establishment that closed about « ten days ago; Jobie Shelton, Jr., Negro, about 30; and Willie T. Hill, Negro, 61. They are charged in Laurens County warrants issued by Magis- night. Grand Chapter, OES To Meet In Columbia Three Days Next Week The 50th anniversary of the Gran& Chapter, Order of Eastern Star of South Carolina, will be held in Columbia on Tues day, Wednesday and Thursday acy to kidnap. Jacobs and Shelton are’in the Laurens County jail, after being held for a time in the state peni tentiary In Columbia. Hill was taken to the Clinton jail upon his session arrest Monday night, but was taken to the Laurens County Hos pital on advice of a physician when his blood pressure rosg to executive, and Mrs. Vance. The child was never touched. A ransom of $350,000. demand ed in a note delivered to Vance early Monday afternoon, was not paid. The note was written in pencil on what appeared to be part of a merchandise bag The printed letters were made in an apparent attempt to disguise the writing. Police were aided in their in vestigation of the kidnapping scheme, which had its beginning ui February, by a fourth man whom they refused to name. They state that he was slated to join the kidnapping conspiracy but when approached by the principal party involved, went to the police instead. City and, county officers have made several trips to Co lumbia in recent weeks in connec tion with the case, calling on the state’s attorney general and offi cers of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. - In the meantime a constant series of conferences between city and county police has been maintain ed . The first break in the case oc curred Monday afternoon about two o’clock when Shelton was arrested at a point on the Spar tanburg county side of Enoree River where he was driven in a car by the unnamed fourth man in the case ostensibly to “look over the land" selected as the place to divide the ransom mon ey. They were trailed by officers in another car all the way and installation of new oficers. She'scheme to kidnap the foux-year- will be the Installing Grand Or- old son of Robert M. Vance, gariist. Clinton banker and cotton mill the cirele area \e village. Revival Services At Hopewell Church Revival services will be held at the Hopewell Methodist Church June 23rd through 30th. The Rev. W. Harold Smith, pastor of the Bethel Methodist Church of Rock Hill, will be the visiting minister. Services will begin each evening at 8 o’clock. There will be special music at each service. The pastor is U» Rev. j. Intend Rinehart. Several members of Clinton’s Clinton officers said. James B. Parrott Chapter are ex-j The three men were rounded pected to attend, among whom is up by police officers Monday in Mrs. Mary H. Taylor, Grand Adah moves that climaxed a day of fe- in the state chapter. - ' verish activity that involved Mrs. EVa B. Land, of Clinton, about a dozen men from three Past Grand Matron, will partici- 1 a w enforcement agencies and .a, pate in the Thursday afternoon the principals in a fantastic she ' ton 'f as laken int o' cust ody at - - - ■ the spoj by officers who had con cealed themselves at the scene. He was taken in. a roundabout way to Greenwood whjere he was lodged in the county jail. Tues day morning he was carried to Columbia for questioning at headquarters of the State Law Enforcement Division. Jacobs was taken by officers at a place on. the Chappells-Clinton highway designated in the ran- Make Farm T our bludgeoned two Negroes to death in a house near Clinton several months ago. He is now serving a double life sentence According to investigating offi cers Shelton was to have kidnap ped' the boy, being driven from the scene by the fourth party Clinton’s Chief of Police B. B. Ballard said that in a conference Tuesday at State Law Enforce ment headquarters near Colum bia, Jacobs refused to make a statement. However, a statement was made'by Shelton, he said, in which he admitted his participa tion and told the story of what went on in the lengthy planning of the kidnapping scheme Sher iff Wier and Ballard were in Co lumbia all day Tuesday. Officers who were at the river site included Chief Strom of the State Law Enforcement Division, Clinton's Assistant Chief of Fe lice William B. Blakely, Clinton Officer Rufus King, Spartanburg County Officer Gaston, and two other men from SLED Sheriff Wier and SLED Officer Fortson trailed suspect’s car. Officers at the ransom delivery site were Clinton’s Chief Ballard. Sheriff Wier, Chief Strum, and Laurens County Deputy Bums. Other officers, including men from the Clinton police depart ment and the sheriffs office worked on the case from time to time. In spite of the number associat ed with the case from various angles, almost complete secrecy was maintained during the inves tigation and the first that the community generally knew of the plot was when the arrests were made Monday Dr. Thayer To Address Baptists Dr. Clarence R Thayer will be the speaker for the June meet ing of the Brotherhood of the som note as the payoff spot. He 1 F ' irst Bpatist church on Thursday picked up a package that was' even ' n 8> Jtine 21), Dr W F Cas- supposed to contain the $350,000 f ton - program chairman, announc- left a few minutes earlier by today. I he topic of his Vance, and officers hidden near-! ^ r e ^ 3 Understanding by closed in. He was taken im- People. mediately to Columbia and lodg- 1 Dr Thayer is director of the ed in the penitentiary | Guidance Center and a professor Hill was arrested about, an hour <>£ Psychology at Presbyterian later at his home in the Gideon i Colle 8c Hill section near the city limits. He 13 a graduate of the Umver- . Shelton also lives in that area. 1 ’Ry of Pittsburgh and he holds Police stated Jaobos was to theological degrees from two sem- Thlrty-flve Stovth Carolina banker*, farmer*, county agents and agricultural teacher* climaxed a five-state “farm opportuni ties and marketing caravan” with a visit to Clemaon College June 7. Included In the tour group were (1 to r> Bryan Coates, #f M. S. Bailey and Sons, Bankers, CUnton; Wild* Gray, Darlington Coun ty Agent; Carroll Livingston, Charleston Cennty Agent; and H. D Folk. First National Bank of Holly HIU. Included on the tour was a stop at the Heatpi Copeland Hereford Cattle farm near CUnton. meet the other three parties in volved at the Enoree River site and divide the ransom. According to the plan’ they were supposed to have the young kidnapping vic tim with them, and he was to be put out at a house on the Clinton- Spartanburg highway. Hill is reported by police to have said he was requested to en ter the kidnapping scheme, but pleaded that his age and nervous ness prevented hum from doing so. However, they said he prom ised to get somebody else, and got Shelton. Shelton is a brother of a young Negro who shot and inaries including the M.Th. de gree from Pittsburgh-Xema The ological Seminary. He earned his Ph.D. at the University of Pitts burgh and has had wide exper ience as a minster, author, lec turer .and psychologist. Comioencemeiit Service Baptist Bible School Commencement exercises for the Daily Vacation Bible School of the First Baptist Church will be held in the church auditorium dur ing the Sunday School hour San dy a morning.