The Wilmington morning star., 1944-04-27

and w. J. Rhodes, unlawful trans
action and delivering automobile
tires. were found not guilty by
Judge I. M. Meekins in Federal
court yesterday afternoon.
W. B. Cope, OPA investigator,
testified that he had seen persons
secure gasoline at Nelson's serv-
ice station, on U. S. Highway No.
II near Leland, and pay $500 for
five gallons without submitting ra-
ton coupons.
Garland Fodett, after signing a
statement to the effect that he sold
gasoline at Nelson's service sta
ton without receiving ration cou-
pons, denied on the stand that he
did, and said that he was scared
up when he signed the statment.
His sister testified that he had in
fantile paralysis when small, could
not read nor write, and was weak
minded.
Investigators Cope and Marvin
W. Hardy, VINO interviewed Rhodes
March when he signed state
ment saying that he bought tires
in New York at retail ceiling prices
by producing tire ration certificates
he received from the persons to
whom he delivered the tires, read
the statement and Rhodes confirm
ed it, adding that he sometimes"
obtained $500 over the ceiling price
for the tires.
Judge 1. M. Meekins referred to
the case of Joshua Allmon. David
c. Howe, charged with theft of gas
oline intended for military use, and
violation of the gasoline ration law,
as ''far reaching and the worse
one we had so far" as the most
ramified "black market" case eli
NAKED yesterday mornings session
of Federal court. Allmon was SEN
fenced to five years in Atlanta
penitentiary and Howe was melted
out similar sentence.
Corporal Robert Donaldson OF
Camp Davis, who was tried by
military court in connection with
this case, and sentenced to three
and one-haf years in prison, took
the stand, saying that he had
checked Short Allmon's deliv.
cries 10 Camp Davis, which gaso-
line Allmon later sold without re-
ceiving gasoline coupons. Donald
son said he remembered" Is
such deals for which he received
$500 each time, the total gasoline
involved amounting to about ST..
900 gallons.
In a statement signed by All
mon, and read by Paul E. Gatty
OPA investigator, Allmon admit
ted selling the gasoline which he
and Donaldson diverted to people
in the Wilmington section. HI
stated that he received abou
$4,000 in money and as he work
ed with Howe on a fifty fifty ba
sis. Howe received the same
amount.
AS the gasoline was in Donald
sons custody, Howe's counse
stated that he believed his Glen
should be charged with receivinc
stolen goods rather than for EN-
bezzlement. District Attorney
Charles G. Rouse replied that &C
cording to the statute it did no
matter to whom the gasoline be
longed. the important point bein.
that "it was intended for use b,
the military" fact which defen
dant Howe knew perfectly well
Amounts in single transactions in
: volved as much as $500 gallon
of gasoline.
M. L. Harris, who operates ,
service station about three mile
from Wilmington in connectio:
with tourist cabins, was sentenced
to one year in Jail for receiving
and accepting Large amounts" O
gasoline without ration coupon!
and for delivering the same tt
customers without receiving cou
pons for it. IAllmon said that Har
ris had purchased sat least 5000
gallons" Harris admitted one
purchase for $50 but said he
thought it was from a reputable
company and that he had intended
to give the coupons, but the
dealers had said they were in a
hurry and would return for them,
which they did not do. Harris
said he paid 16 cents a gallon fol-
the gasoline, a rate far below le
climate wholesale prices, the dis
trict attorney pointed out. Harris
said he did not know the gasoline
was from Camp Davis, although
he admitted that Allmon had saio
he had just come from Camp Da
Wis and wanted to sell what the
tanks at Camp Davis wouldn't
hold"
A Jail sentence of one year was
melted out to c. S. Carter, 81, o.
Wilmington, charged with receiv
| ing and accepting large quantities
of gasoline without coupons anc
delivering it to customers with
out receiving coupons. Carter op
crates the Shipyard Service sta
ton, and in a statement read by
Robert A. Richardson, OPA inves.
u