1937 Court Cases

July 29, 1937 Robert Tranum Wounded, Robbed By Negroes At Bruce SaturdayAlvin Taylor, transient Negro, Attacked Sheriff While Being Taken To Jail On Charge of Shooting Mr. Tranum -- Other Negroes Under ArrestRobert Tranum, son of Mr. Morris Tranum, of Bruce, was shot with a shotgun twice and left for dead on the Fair Company lumber yard at Bruce Saturday night, the attack being made on him apparently for robbery.

He was badly wounded about the face, neck and spinal column and the fingers on one of his hands were shot away. The officers who investigated the matter said that clues found at the scene of the trouble indicated that Mr. Tranum was shot and robbed at one place on the lumber yard and was then dragged by two men for some distance around a stack of lumber, where he was shot at once or more again and that it was apparently these shots that tore the fingers away on his hand, as he apparently saw he was to be shot again, and pushed the end of the gun away from his body.

Sheriff Hardin and others spent several hours looking into the shooting and robbery as soon as they were notified, and about 4 o'clock the next morning arrested Alvin Taylor, a transient negro, known as "Smoky," who appeared to be the ring leader in the attack. Mr. Hardin started to Grenada with this negro, and was accompanied by Deputy Scott Malone and Constable Albert Winter. The negro was hancuffed and was riding in the rear seat of the car which was being driven by Sheriff Hardin. Near Grenada the negro attacked Mr. Hardin, hitting him across the cheek and neck with the handcuffs and then attempted to wreck the car. However, Mr. Hardin was able to keep control of the car and brought it to a stop without injury to anyone.

L. V. Glass and Cleve Atkinson, two other negroes, have been arrested in connection with the robbery and shooting and all three negroes are being held in separate jails.

Mr. Tranum was reported Wednesday to have a good chance for recovery. He is being treated at Houston Hospital and it was first thought that there was not a chance for him to survive. Today reports state that although very weak, he is rational and showing improvement.

Although all the negroes arrested in the affair deny that they are implicated, the Glass negro states that he saw Taylor shoot and rob Mr. Tranum. Mr. Tranum has madee no public statement as to what hapened as yet.

September 30, 1937
Circuit Court Will Hold Two weeks - Grand Jury Finishes Work
Heavy Docket With Several Murder Cases Will Prolong the Session
-Judge McElroy Gives Strong Charge To the Grand Jury
-Eleven True Bills Returned To CourtThe fall term of Circuit Court of Calhoun County opened at the courthouse at Pittsboro Monday morning at nine o'clcok, when Judge Thos. McElroy empanelled the grand jury and gave them the court's instructions. Jim W. Bryant, of Calhoun City, was made foreman, with Jack Yancy Clerk. Judge McElroy discussed the duty of citizens in helping the court uphold the law and instructed the jury as to their duty in cases of homicides, intoxicating liquor sales, perjury, robbery, driving cars while ntoxicated and other law violations which he said it was the duty of the jury to investigate, if any had occurred in the county.

The jury was composed of the following citizens:
Jim W. Bryant, foreman; Charley Quarrels, L. R. Camp, E. C. Boland, D. R. Phillips, Jim Hannaford, Bob Davis, Jim Carter, Dwight Hipp, H. P. Bollinger, A. L. Wright, W. P. Cole, M. L. Collins, Jimmie Wilkins, T. E. McElroy, Dave Woods, Jack Yancy, Clerk; Levi Blount, Herman Rushing.
District Atorney Thomas Abernethy and County Attorney Joe Sheffield were present to represent the state, with Miss Daisy Rogers, faithful court reporter, on hand to make a record of the court proceedings.

Visiting attorneys who have been in attendance on the court are as follows: H. H. Creekmore, Jackson; Dave Glass, Kosciusko; Ike [crease in paper] man, Houston; Luther Latham, Eupora; T. J. Tubb, Aberdeen; Kermit Cofer, John Horan and Newman Dorsey, Water Valley.
The grand jury completed its work and delivered the final report in open court Wednesday morning, returning a total of 11 true bills while in session. We could not secure a copy of the report in time for this issue, but will publish it next week.

At this time it seems that the court will last two full weeks. Cases have been set until next Wednesday, while the heavy docket, containing some six murder cases, will take up the entire two weeks, it is believed.

Several cases have already been continued until next court term, while others on appeal lower courts have been referred back to these courts for action.
A special venire has been summoned for next Monday to try the case of the State vs Samuel Wandie, colored, charged with murder. The court proceedings include the following cases:
J. R. Watkins Co., vs. L. K. Howell, et al. Judgment rendered in favor of plantiff for $995.21.. Stay of execution granted for 90 days.

State vs. G. E. Stocall, (col.). Plea of guilty on charge of grand larceny. Sentenced a year and a day in the state penitentiary.

Perry Peden vs. Marvin Bradford, Case dismissed.

S. W. McCain vs. Charley Wade. Iinstructed verdict for defendant.

Geo. M. Lundie, et al, vs. Board of Supervisors of Calhoun County. This was suit for payment of warrants issued by the old Agricultural High School of the county. The court ordered the Board of Supervisors to levy a special tax for the payment of the warrants, and court costs, in this case.
L. L. Pryor vs. D. C. Mitchell, Plaintiff awarded possession of Chevrolet automobile.

State vs. Rubye Joyce Collins. Court appointed A. T. Patterson and W. J. Evans as attorneys for the defendant. The [crease in paper][com] pleted for this trial Wednesday at noon, and the evidence is being given the jury at this time.

State vs. Earley B. Banks (col.). Court appointed Patterson & Patterson as attorneys for defendant.

State vs. Ollie Armstrong (col.). Charged with murder of Ira Belle Armstrong. Court appointed Attorneys Kermit Cofer and Newman Dorsey, of Water Valley, as attorneys for defendant. This case has not been set by the court at this time, but is, we understand, to be tried at this session of court.

State vs. Alvin Taylor (col.). Charged with robbery with firearms. Court appointed John Horan and W. O. Lawrence as attorneys for the defendant.

September 30, 1937
Negro Killing Occurs Here Saturday NightIra Belle Armstrong, colored, was killed here Saturday night as the results of knife wounds inflicted on her by Ollie Armstrong, a negro man. Witnesses state that the colored woman, who was regarded as a good woman in this section, tried to stop a fight between Armstrong and another colored man, and Armstrong turned on her and cut her severely in several places. She was carried to a hospital, but died soon after reaching it. Armstrong was indicted for murder Monday and will be placed on trial at the present term of court.