The Rusk Cherokeean (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 94, No. 10, Ed. 1 Friday, April 5, 1940 Page: 1 of 6
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The R usk Cherokeean
I
Successor to "The Pioneer" Established 1847
VOLUME 94
RUSK, CHEROKEE COUNTY, TEXAS FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 1940
NUMBER 10
Rusk Kitchen
Burglar Captured
Friday Afternoon
Escaped Ohio Convict
Admits Entering
Many Rusk Homes
Rusk's kitchen burglar was taken
into custody last Friday afternoon
after being surprised by Deputy
Sheriff Leon Halbert as he hid be-
hind a tree near the Decherd McCord
place north of Rusk. Halbert and
other members of the sheriff's de-
partment had been scouting for the
persistent nocturnal caller almost
constantly after his visits became
regular. Acting on a hunch that he
might conceal himself in the woods
near some vacant house, they were
visiting such localities. Coming
across a track in the woods, Halbert
followed it to where the suspect was
hiding.
Questioned, he said he was from
Center but made a break for free-
dom when he learned Halbert was a
deputy sheriff. Overtaken, he read-
ily accompanied the officers, when
reenforcements came. He gave his
name as Joe Lewis and said he had
escaped from the Ohio penitentiary
in February of this year after serv-
ing four years of a one to twenty
year sentence for car theft.
He signed a lengthy voluntary
statement later, saying that he was
born in New York City, of Polish
parents, and left home at fourteen
years of age and had not communi-
cated with his people since. He gave
his age now at twenty-six. After his
es a;e in Ohio he drifted to Illinois,
Missouri, Arkansas, and came into
TexaB at Texarkana a few weeks
ago. In the meantime he had stolen a
car which he abandoned at Carthage.
He started entering homes to secure
food a few days after his escape and
followed this practice all along his
rout-:. After a few d* ,s at Center
he said, he stole a car and drove in
to Louisiana then came back and
stopped at Rusk. The first home en-
tered here was that of Superintend-
ent A. S. Moore, followed by that of
D. C. Stockton, Longs, Lannom, Dr.
Johnson, Dr. M. S. Wheeler and nu
merous others.
According to his statement, he was
not an exclusive Rusk visitor while
in these parts. Following the entry
of the Moore home, he went to Jack-
sonville where he stayed a few days
and burglarized several homes for
food. He took money and jewelry
when convenient, but was mainly in
terested in food, especially milk.
He accompanied officers to Cen-
ter, located a watch he had taken
from a home there and hid in the
woods, returned a watch to a Carth-
age man which he had in his posses-
sion. At the time of his arrest he was
wearing clothing taken from the
Dr. Johnson home.
Short Course
Dates Announced
The annual Farmers' Short Course
at 'Texas A. & M. College will be
held July 8-12, H. H. Williamson, di-
rector of the Extension Service, has
announced.
The annual gathering will again
be divided into three sessions. The
junior short course for 4-H Club
members and other boys and girls
is scheduled July 8 and 9 and the
adults will meet July 11 and 12.
County agricultural and home
demonstration agents will hold their
annual conference in between these
two sessions on July 9, 10 and 11.
A number of special groups, in-
cluding the Texas Home Demonstra-
tion Association and the Texas Agri-
cultural Writers, have scheduled
their annual meetings to coincide
with the adult session.
Oil Test Is
Spudded In At
Atoy Thursday
Being Drilled By
Delters Drilling Co.
For Schell
Boilers were steamed up Thursday
morning and it was expected to spud
in about noon on Cherokee County's
newest oil test located on the J. M.
Musquez grant, Houston Maness 110
acre tract about a fourth mile south
Atoy school.
The test is being made for the
Schell Oil Company by the Delters
Drilling Company.
Girl Tennis Players
Not Yet Defeated
The Rusk high school tennis play-
in*? girls handed Palestine its fourth
straight defeat of the year at Rusk
Wednesday afternoon. The score was
3-6, 6-4 and 7-5. The results of all
four matches have been similarly
close. Palestine won the girls singles.
Jane Wallace and Otha Schochler
district champions of last year, make
up the doubles. They have played
eight matches this spring without a
defeat.
C&.
OSCAR SMITH
Funeral services were held at two
o'clock Wednesday afternoon for Os-
car Smith, 51, who was instantly
killed Tuesday morning when a
freight truck crashed into a crew of
workmen south of Alto. He was born
January 6, 1889.
He is survived by his wife, Mary,
and three daughters, Mrs. B. F. Gro-
gan, Mrs. C. H. Sides and Mrs. Leon-
ard Yarbrough. He is also survived
by two sisters, Mrs. Mattie Moore of
Big Springs, and Mrs. J. M. Sharp,
of San Antonio, and a brother whose
whereabouts are not known.
He was a member of the Salem
Baptist church. Rev. U. E. Monroe
officiated at the funeral service with
W. H. Wallace in charge of arrange-
ments.
Pallbearers were C. J. McBroom,
Pete Arnett, Frank Stewart, Alvin
Lowery, Everett Lloyd, James W.
Brown.
Demonstrate Mattress
Making Here April 15
A matteress making demonstra-
tion under the USDA's new program
of supplying surplus cotton and tick-
ing to low-income farm families, will
be held in Rusk April 15, it was an-
nounced this week by County Agent
C. Metz Heald, who also said this
county will make application for
such a project at once.
The Rusk demonstration will be
attended by representatives of the
AAA, Federal Surplus Commodity
Corporation, Farm Security Admin-
istration, National Youth Congress,
W. P. A., Commissioners Court,
Chamber of Commerce secretaries,
County Land Use Planning commit-
tee, County Home Demonstration
Council and the Extension service.
The first two mattresses (to be
made with cotton and ticking sup-
plied by the Federal Surplus Com-
modities Corporation recently went
to one white family and one Negro
family in Austin County.
Thirty-two mattresses for low-in-
come families were made in Austin
county within the first five days of
the program's operation. Two days
after the initial mattresses had been
made in Austin County, production
got under way in Ellis County. Three
mattresses were made in three cen-
ters the fust day of operation and a
dozen the following day, according
to reports received by Mildred Hor-
ton. vice director and state home
demonstration agent lor the Texas A
and M College Extension Service,
wii > is in charge ol' Extension super
vision of the mattress program in
Texas.
Cotton has already been received
by Lavaca and San Saba counties,
and production will get under way
within the next few days, Miss Hor-
ton said. Surplus cotton is also en
route to the eight other demonstra-
tion counties in the state: Collings-
worth, Hockley, Nolan, Van Zandt,
Rusk, Wise, Frio and McLennan.
In Collingsworth County more
than 300 applicants have already
been certified for the mattress mak-
ing materials. Three hundred of four
hundred applications in Ellis Coun-
ty have been certified in addition to
more than 90 applications filed by
low-income Negro families in this
county.
With the success of the project in
the 12 demonstration counties as-
sured meetings in 167 Texas counties
are planned as a means of expanding
the program over the entire state
Malcolm Guinn
Is Elected
Mayor Of Rusk
Largest Vote In
History Polled As
557 Scratch Ballots
Malcolm M. Guinn, local attorney,
was elected mayor of Rusk last
Tuesday by a majority of eighteen
votes over R. L. Hatchett, Mayor pro
tem, in the most hotly contested el-
ection in the history of Rusk. The
total vote cast was 557 compared to
an all-time high of something over
400 in past years.
M. B. Ellis lead the field for ald-
erman with 452 votes followed by W.
P. Richey with 407, T. W. Butler 327
and J. P. Acker, Jr. 284.
Contacted Wednesday Malcolm
Guinn, Mayor-Elect, said he had no-
thing to say except tha the sincerely
appreciated the honor extended him
as he did not ask for the office and
asked nobody to vote for him.
R. L. Hatchett was the first to
phone Mr. Guinn his congratulations
and assure him he could count on his
hearty support as mayor.
Taking Of Census
Starts This Week
Taking of the census of Rusk got
under way this week with three
enumerators on the job. They are
Ike Phillips, Marion Mallard and L.
R. Hardy.
The census bureau and local civic
leaders urge full cooperation on the
part of the citizenship of Rusk with
the enumerators. It is regarded as
highly important to Rusk for the
next ten years that a fair count be
obtained.
Blankenship Talks
To Kiwanis Club
Gus Blankenship, of Jacksonville,
talked to members of the local Ki-
wanis club on the purpose and ideal
of service clubs. Mr. Blankenship
has been a guest speaker of the club
a number of times and his talks are
always enjoyed.
E. B. Musick, Jr., Ralph Milburn,
of Dallas and E. B. Freeman, of Ty-
ler. were guests of the club.
Peas Not Classed As
Commercial Vegetable
Black eyed peas, cream peas and
all other such types of peas are not
classed as a commercial vegetable
and are not classed as soil depleting
when used for feed, seed, or sold as
dry peas, according to information
received this week by W. E. Gentry
of the local Triple A office.
Green peas for canning or sold on
the market are classed as a commer-
cial vegetable but not as a soil de-
pleting ciop, Mr. Gentry added.
Large Attendance
At Dairy Day Here
A total of 212 people interested in
the dairying industry attended dairy
day at Rusk last Saturday, it was
announced by County Agent C. Metz
Spring Football
Practice Starts
With 30 Out
Only Six Lettermen
To Form Nucleus
For 1940 Eleven
The annual month of spring foot-
ball training started this week with
about thirty out. Recruits will av-
erage lighter than last year's squad,
according to Coach Bill McCluney,
but there will be some fairly hefty
beginners as candidates for regular
positions. With only six lettermen
back next year, numerous positions
will be open which always makes it
more inviting to recruits.
Three two-year letter men, Shaw,
Joplin and Dupree will be back. The
three one-year men expected back
are Burke, Norman and Stevens.
Othes reporting from senior high
school for spring practice are Robert
Wells, Lewis Gordon, Junior New-
man, J. L. Beall, Fred Webb, Roy
Bagley, Emmit Holcomb, Alton Hub-
bard, Charles Cummings, Finin Ma-
ness, Darrell Dudley, David Little-
john and James E. Turney.
Those reporting for the junior high
school are the Bobbitt twins, Byron
and Myon, who will probably be
heard from a great deal for the next
three years, Elbery Banks, J. P. Ra-
mey, Albert Belt, Jimmie Crenshaw,
Lloyd Dover and Claud Johnson.
Cast Selected
For Senior Play
The cast for the Senior play, "Tea
Toper Tavern" have been selected by
tryouts. The judges were W. A. Mil-
ler, Mrs. George Francis and Mrs.
Lewis McCarroll.
The first rehearsal was held Wed
nesday afternoon, The play will be
presented May 3. Miss Leake is di
rector.
The Senior Class is confident that
this will be one of the best plays ev-
er presented in Rusk high school and
hopes to have the cooperation of
both the school and the public.
The characters are as follows:
Miss Day —Grace Bagley
Rosamtond—Margaret York
Dixie—June Odom
Dallas Thorne—Bobby McVicker
Harriet—Ruby Ethel Massey
Ann—Joyce Ginn
Barry—Harry Edgar Roye
Brian—James Clark
John Sedgewick—Carrol Spark-
man
Tess-—Zella Kate Banks
Gloria—Ruth Clifton
Celeste—Sylvia Bane
M^ke—John Reagain Jenkins
Rev. Perry—Philip Mehner
Shaw To Captain
The Rusk Eagles
Chester Shaw, lightweight, fast
stepping back, with a kuick kick that
caused trouble for every team in the
conference last fall, was elected cap-
tain of the 1940 team this week. Gene
Dupree and T. H. Burke were elected
co-captains. Under the arrangement
one of the latter will serve as co-
captain with Shaw at home games
and the other as co-captain at games
away from home.
Just before the county track meet
McVickers and Lindstrom were elec-
ted co-captains of the Eagle track
team, and to complete the record for
the high school annual John Boling
was recently elected captain of last
year's basketball team. Captains
were appointed for each game dur-
ing the season.
Future Farmers
Of Wells Win
Judging Contests
Winners Announced
In Project Show
Held Friday
Wells future farmers won sweep-
stakes trophy over the four other
schools entering the competition in
the judging contests held at Rusk
last Friday. The score of the Wells
team was 85.3, with Rusk second
Two Die As Truck
Plows Into Crew
Of Workmen
Four Highway
Department Men
Are Injured
Two state highway department
employees were killed instantly and
four injured r^out nine-thirty Tues-
day morning \ a motor freight
truck plowed into the crew which
was working on Highway 69 about
a mile north of F est. The dead are
Oscar Smith, of Dialville, and F. M.
Simmons, of Alto. Charles Clifton, of
Rusk, sustained a broken leg and
other less serious injuries. Others
less seriously injured were Bonnie
Dossett, Grady Cribbs, and Chamlen
Smith, Rusk. Barry Halbert and one
other member of the crew were not
injured.
The truck was driven by Jake
Schmidt, of Dallas, who was brought
to Rusk and charged with negligent
homicide. According to information
obtained by the Cherokeean, ar-
rangements for his bond of $750
were completed in Dallas Thursday
morning. It was expected to reach
here in time for his release Thursday
night or Friday morning.
According to Albert Phifer, Com-
missioner Precinct No. 1 who reach-
ed the scene a few minutes after the
accident, the men were working on
the right side of the road digging out
with 81.05, Alto third with 75, Sum-
merfielct fourth scoring 74.53 a/nd i a fault, with all signs and flags in
Jacksonville fifth with 72.4. j place. The state highway department
Following are the results of the j truck was parked on the shoulder be-
stock judging contests: Livestock! s'^e the pavement and the material
judging, Wells first, Summerfield
second, Alto third, Rusk and Jack-
sonville tied for fourth. Dairy cattle
judging, Wells first, Rusk second,
Summerfield third, Jacksonville
fourth, Alto fifth. Poultry contest
Jacksonville first, Rusk second,
Wells third, Alto fourth. Soil con-
servation contest, Rusk first, Jack-
sonville second, Alto third, Wells
fourth. Horticulture contest, Rusk
first.
Following are the winners in the
Cherokee County Future Farmers
Project Show:
Beef cattle, Hereford steer calf
Grady Dupree, Rusk.
Dairy cattle, Jersey heifers,. Jim
Dotson, Summerfield, first and sec-
ond. Sam Slaton, Jacksonville, third.
was being loaded in the truck. The
freight truck ran over signs and
plowed into the men before they had
time to get out of the way. Pavement
marks showed brakes were applied
about eight feet from the spot of the
accident. The truck swerved into the
highway department truck which
was damaged but less seriously than
the freight truck.
Schmidt, driver of the truck, made
a short statement to officers, the na-
ture of which was not revealed.
Rusk Winners Go
To District Meet
A considerable delegation of Rusk
high school winners in the county
track and literary meet will go to
Nacogdoches next weekend to enter
Jersey bulls, first, second and third j district competition. Members of the
track team to qualify are Bobby Mc-
SUFFERS STROKE
J. H. Raley, suffered a stroke of
paralysis Tuesday and was taken to
a railroad hospital at Texarkana.
Kiwanians Defeat
Candidate Ball Club
No records were broken by ath-
letes at the Community Play Night
track and field meet which was post-
poned until Tuesday night of this
week on account of the rain. How-
ever, some good records were made,
although not all the events were fin-
ished for lack of time.
The Kiwanis Club softball team
Heald.
The program was carried out as I defeated the candidates by a score of
previously announced.
C. R. BEASLEY
Funeral services for C. R. Beasley
83, who died last Thursday afternoon
were held Friday evening at Russell
cemetery with Rev. Bowman, of
Houston county officiating and W.
H. Wallace in charge of arrange-
ments.
He had been a life-long resident of
this county and was engaged in
farming.
He is survived by three sons and
two daughters, all of Cherokee coun-
ty. They are Buster, John and
George Beasley, Mrs. Delia Russell
and Thelma Daniels.
MUCH INTEREST IN SHOWINGS
FARM EDUCATIONAL PICTURES
A great deal of interest is being
shown in a series of farm education-
al pictures being shown in various
communities of the county by Coun-
ty Agent C. Metz Heald.
The pictures were shown last Fri-
day night at Concord and Tuesday
night of this week at Parks. The
schedule for next week has not been
arranged.
13 to 12 and the Business and Pro-
fessional Women defeated the PI A
by a score of 13 to 7. Frank Brunt
took the shot put with a heave of
35 feet 9inches. John D. Dashiell
was the fastest man present in the
sprints. Mrs. Rue Maness was the
fastest woman sprinter and took the
fifty in 8.2 seconds.
'I he attendance was not as large as
had been expected.
Sam Slaton, Jacksonville.
Duroc-Jersey sow, Earl Liles, Jr. j v;,.ker 0scar Lindstrom> Harry koy>
Summerfield, first. ; Chester Shaw, Mac Tipton and J. W.
Duroc-Jersey gilts, Emmett Hoi- icaa.s
comb, Rusk, first; Leahmon Has- j Th„ tennis squad wi„ include Ches_
sell, Rusk, second; I. M. Tiptor., Sum-I ter ghaW| j L Beall) Jane Waliace,
merfield third. ^ | otha Schochler and Rcselyn Bolton.
Duroc-Jersey boat s, Leahmon Has-, jjterar yevent contestants include
sell first, FFA chapter, Summer- Benford Hill and Margaret York, ex-
field, second. \ temporaneous speech; Sunshine Scott
Poland China boars, Harry Thorn- essay writing; James Clark, decla-
ton. Alto, first; Rayford Reed, Alto; mation; Joyce Ginn, Barbara Jean
second. j Roach, Philip Mehner and Carroll
Capons, Emmett Holcomb, Rusk,! Sparktnan, debate.
first and second. j Diamond Perkins and Evelyn
Hens first, second and third to Stubblefield will represent Rusk Sen-
two Jacksonville boys whose names ior hifrh school at the East Xexas
the Cherokeean was unahle to obtain. Dist!k-t Latin tou rnament to be held
Eggs, James Jackson, Rusk. Cotton, j at LonKVjew Saturday April G.
Gerald Penn. Rusk. Corn, Leahmon; They will compete with represen-
Hassell, Rusk. 'atives from all the schools of East
Texas. ,
Tournaments are being held all
over the state April 6. The winning
papers from each district will be
Next Tuesday To
Be Orchard Day
Next Tuesday will be orchard day! sen", to Austin so that state winners
ELLIS COLE
Funeral services were held at two
o'clock Wednesday afternoon for El-
lis Cole, 73. who died at his home
north of Alto at nine-thirty Tuesday
morning. He was a member of the
Alto Baptist churdeh, a Mason and
had been active in civic affairs of
his community all his life. Rev. G.
B. Carter was in charge of the fun-
eral service.
Besides his wife, he is survived by
one son, Omar Cole, of Alto and
three daughters. They are Mrs. Os-
car Allen, Alto; Mrs. Ralph Bowen
and Mrs. C. S. Kilburn, both of Hous-
ton. He is also survived by fivo
grandchildren.
in Cherokee county, it was announc-
ed this week by County Agent C.
Metz Heald.
Orchardists will meet Tuesday
morning at the Ed Garner orchard
about three miles east of Jackson-
ville for a study of orchard manage-
ment, varieties ant care. Luncheon
will be had in Jacksonville and the
afternoon meeting will be held at the
Simpson orchard eight miles west of
Jacksonville for a study of the man-
agement. of commercial orchards.
Discussions will be made by J. F.
Rosborough, horticulturist of the
College, and Miss Jennie Casey, a
specialist in food preparation. Repre-
sentatives of the Farm Security Ad-
ministration will attend the meet-
ings.
BOND ASSUMPTION APPROVED
In the recent election to determine
whether or not the Rusk Independent
District as it is today should assume
bonds issued by the district of small-
er boundaries, the approval was giv-
en by a vote of 36 to 1.
may be decided.
Recruiting For
Army Is Suspended
Corporal Thomas R. Burtis, repre-
sentative in charge of the U. S. Ar-
my Recruiting Office in Palestine,
has announced that enlistments for
the Regular Army have been temp-
orarily suspended for the first time
since Congress authorized an ins-
crease in the strength of the Army
last July. Although the authorized
increase was officially completed
January 31st a few vacancica have
been available since that time for
replacements.
Corporal Burtis stated that re-
cruiting personnel have been direc-
ted to concentrate their efforts until
vacancies are again available toward
bringing the Regular Army Reserve
up to its authorized strength of 75,-
000 men and building up a waiting
list of qualified applicants to be en-
lilted in the Regular Army when
more replacements are needed.
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Main, Frank L. The Rusk Cherokeean (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 94, No. 10, Ed. 1 Friday, April 5, 1940, newspaper, April 5, 1940; Rusk, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth325784/m1/1/?q=date%3A1940-1949: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Singletary Memorial Library.