The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1955-06-03
SUPERIOR COURT IN
DARE GRINDING OUT
REPORTS DIVORCES
One Murder Case; Two Divorces
Granted; New Jail in Manteo
Recommended by Grand
Jury

Court day came to Dare County
to start another of the regular
semi-annual terms, Monday, and as
usual, all the parking places were
blocked, with none left for people
who come to trade at the stores.
Judge Clifton L. Moore of Burgaw
presided. In three days few cases
were disposed of, due to lengthy
civil actions before the court, and
delay in picking jurors.
Wednesday was consumed with
the trial of John Davis Scarbor-
ough, who pleaded not guilty of the
second degree murder in March of
Ephriam Daniels, Jr., whom he
killed almost instantly on a public
road near Manteo, with a single
bullet from a % calibre rifle fol-
lowing a drinking bout. Scarbor-
ough was represented by w. H.
McCown of Manteo, and Forrest
Dunstan of Elizabeth City. The
case went to the jury of seven
women and five men late Wednes-
day afternoon
There had been no agreement
on Scarborough's case by the jury
at late hour Thursday afternoon,
and as predicted earlier, a mis-
trial was to be expected, whereby
the county will be subject to ex-
pense of again trying the case.
Judge Moore had been we'll prim-
ed by courthouse advisers before
opening court, and he told the
Grand Jury in his charge that the
old Jail should be replaced by
new one, which was what the
spenders are urging at the court
house. When the Grand Jury ten
dered its report, prepared for it
by Register of Deeds Melvin Dan
iels, it recommended the existing
Jail be torn down and a new one
these, columns, it would do.
built, as we predicted recently in
The Grand Jury report slipped
up also again in commenting on
the recent county audit saying,
"The audit shows the finances of
the county to be in good condition,
and all funds accounted for" The
Grand Jury didn't read the audit,
or it might have written it's own
report; otherwise it would have re-
ported the improper handling of
one $500 item, and it would have
shown that there was up to year
ago more than $1,200.00 in fines
and costs during the past seven
years still carried on the books,
some of the parties being dead or
departed and who never will pay.
Prior to seven years ago, there
were several thousand dollars
more uncollected, and now forgot
ten.
The Grand Jury didn't know the
law about publication of the county
audit each year. The law requir-
ing this is on page 292 of the
laws of 1947, and is entitled Chap
ter 252. 1t specifies an audit be
made each year, but as many as
two years have gone by before an
audit was made, and the board has
MT published an audit in the past
eight years. The Grand Jury could
have been little more thorough
and found out why the county
board doesn't want their audit out
in public. They do not want the
public to read the auditors. COM
ments about how work is carried
on.
In this weeks court for the sec
ond time, a mistrial was ordered
in case in which Melvin Leon
Evans was charged with driving
while drunk. A case against John
Herbert Bowser, charged with nom
support of an illegitimate child,
was continued. A nol-pros was or
dered in the case of Margaret
Scarborough Evans, charged with
driving while drunk. She had NOV
ed to Texas. Non-suits were or
dered in the case of Henry Arm
strong and James Tilden White
hurst, charged with violation of
the game laws.
Roy Ambrose's case alleging vio-
See COURT. Page Five