The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1922-06-09
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FIGHTS FOLLOW
In CURRITUCK
Sheriff Flora Gets Nomination
And Then Goes On the
War Path

one of the hottest ever contest
ed in that county and two fist
fights have already been report
ed as a result. Sheriff R. E.
Flora who received the nomina-
ton for reelection is reported
to have gone on hunt for a
Methodist preacher, Rev. Cooke,
of Powells Point, and to have
slapped the minister's face for
things he had said. The report
says he chased the minister
around an automobile and by
standers prevented furth er
blows.
Following Sheriff Flora's attack on
the minister, Will Flora. a son of the
Sheriff. went to Gregory Station. the
home of G. c. Boswood and admins
tered a thrashing to Mr.. Boswood,
knocking him off a platform and badly
bruising him.
The fights grew out of campaign
charges made against Sheriff Flora.
An anonymous circular issued on the
eve of the election charged that he had
not settled with the County Commits
soners according to law and was be-
hind in his accounts in the sum of S15.-
COO The circular concluded with the
following language:
"He has expended much time,
vulgar language and profanity upon
those who object to having the
business of the County done in the
way he has been doing it. He has
collected the unlisted taxes of this
County for the years of 1919 and
1920 and there is no sign of any
settlement he has made of these
taxes in the Court House. He has
settled his other taxes for three
years, but in the settlements there
is no evidence of him having paid
this unlisted tax.
"If he has the credit to borrow
this fifteen thousand dollars, as
some of his friends say he has.
why don't he do it and stop this
talk. and then. with a clear cons
cience, his friends could support
him, but otherwise how can they
when this cloud is hanging over
him.
"As matters stand, common decen-
cy demands that he pay up or shut
up, and give a clear field to the
other two candidates who are be-
fore the people.
"He has been in Office twenty
years. either as Sheriff or Register
of Deeds. and if the County ever
owed him anything it has we'll paid
him for any service he has ever
rendered the County.
"He has been borrowing money
for several years to enable him to
settle up, so that he could get the
tax books, but at last the sum he
has got so large he is apparently
unable to borrow it any longer.
"His profanity is stencil in the
postrils of all decent people and
his vulgarity is disgusting in the
extreme. His language is highly
favored with cuss words and the
devil has O ine prospect for claim
ing him as his own.
Boost him if you cannot fer
winner, but for loser"
The circular was signed by "a Voter
and its very anonymity caused a reac-
| ton in behalf of Sheriff Flora in many
quarters. R. e. Flora is a rugged, up
standing, hard-hitting, hard-cussing fell
low, with a reputation for square deal
ing with his friends and he has an enor-
nous following in his county. Not be-
ing a pious man nor a prohibitionist he
carries the entire anti-prohibition vote
of the county, and that vote is big
factor in Currituck as in some other
counties.
Sheriff Flora was nominated for re-
| election in Saturdays Primary. Other
results in Currituck were J. Lee Dun
ton, of Waterlily, for House of Repre-
sentatives; B. b. Bell, for Clerk of the
Court to succeed himself; J. A. Taylor,
for Register of Deeds. The Office of
Trial Justice in Currituck is an appoint
i've Office and the Office of County Trea-
surer has been abolished.