The coastland times with which is combined the pilot and herald of Belhaven and Swan Quarter. [volume] (Manteo, N.C.) 1959-1973, 1960-01-22


hope of saving the vessel.
MAYOR COOK RISES
TO SUPPORT HIS
TOWNS POLICEMAN
Absent When Kill Devil Hills
Board Suspended Jack w.
Balance Saturday Night
Hon. Rudolph H. Cook, Mayor OF
the town of Kill Devil Hills has
arisen in vigorous defense of his
chief of Police Jack w. Balance
who was suspended from duty by
the town Board in a meeting held
Saturday night, which MIR. Cook
did not attend. Mr.. Cook considers
Mr.. Balance an efficient and
valued officer and says the COM
plainant against Mr.. Balance has
renowned his charges and claims
for damages from the town.
Mr.. Cook said that Henry Starr
Everett, erstwnile motel operator
of Mays Head had brought a
complaint against the town and
asked for damages as the return
for damages to his pride, and some
TO his epider1nis sustained in the
process of removing a pair of
handouts which he had been previ-
ously attached securely to Mrs.
Balance, by her husband, following
social evening at the Balance
home last week, when it was said
the policeman was off duty for
the day.
Mr.. Balance had gone to Man.
teo to rouse the Sheriff's office
and bring two deputies and the
highway patrolman to the scene,
leaving the hand-cuffed couple to
await his return with key. Some
how, the pair managed to drive a
car to the home of Deputy Sheriff
George Frank, and predecessor of
Mr.. Balance as policeman. Mr..
Frank is reported to have declined
to interfere in the activities of a
brother officer, and the couple
went southwark where they reused
out Jim Scarborough in the mid
nights hours, and who, with blow
torch and hacksaw separated the
couple.
When news of Mr.. Everett
complaints and request for balm
reached the town Board, it trickled
out into the community, where dur
ing a season with other diversions
at a low ebb, it soon reached a
mighty stream, perhaps magnified
out of proportion by the confluence
of the Manteo brooklets of gossip
which followed the return to town
of the Deputies, which made the
reports more amusingly spicy.
Members of the KDH town Board
got into something Of a other as
phone calls came demanding the
officer be fired. The Board met
and had their Policeman in con-
ference and rendered him am OPP
portunity 10 resign. This was de-
clined. They met and decided to
suspend him until a later date, for
further hearing of charges.
Mayor Cook gave this newspaper
the following statement dated on
the 18th.
Statement by R. H. Cook, Mayor
of Kill Devil Hills, N. C.
This is in reference 10 Chief OF
Police Jack Balance, and some
pertinent facts know concerning
him. Mr.. Balance was on duty for
a period of forty two days with
out a single day off, doing patrol
duty during the day and answer
ing police calls and sleeping with
a police telephone at his bedside
every night. During the past eight
months during which Mr.. Balance
has been Chief of Police, we have
had fewer break-ins and less
trouble than in any other eight
months period that know of. Mr..
Balance is also the Building In
spector and issues the building per-
mits and the town has no record
of any improper building permit
issued by Mr.. Balance. Mr.. Bal
lance has been most loyal and
faithful in the performance Of his
duties and has not shown partiality
to anyone. It is hoped that Mr..
Balance will be back at his old
lob within a few days, as all
charges and complaints against
Mr.. Balance have been withdrawn
in the form of an affidavit by the
complaining parties and such af-
fidavit is in the mayors posses
sion. AZ
Mayor Cook also tendered this