The coastland times with which is combined the pilot and herald of Belhaven and Swan Quarter. [volume] (Manteo, N.C.) 1959-1973, 1961-04-07
A NEGRO FORGER
FIGHTS IN JAIL;
APPEALS SENTENCE
Set Fire in Cell and Assaulted
Officers; Gets Eight Months
Sentence

Within "a hours from the time
he had departed for Currituck to
begin an 8-months sentence for
damage to public property, to-wit:
the Dare County Jail, and assault
on Policeman Russell Sears with a
deadly weapon, to wit: a razor
blade and fork, and Deputy Sher-
iff D. F. Thyme with deadly wea-
pom, to wit: a paint can or corn
beef jar, James Perkins, Jr., was
back in the county Jail again.
The negro, who was being held
on charges of forging some 10 or
more checks in denominations
ranging from So to SIS, is said
to be from Indiana, but more re-
Gently from Currituck and then
Manteo. He claimed, after the Cur
rituck prison camp for felons
wouldn't take him (due to his con-
victions on misdemeanors) and aft
er he had spent the night in the
Currituck County Jail that he
would appeal from the sentences
on which he was convicted in Man.
teo Tuesday.
Deputy Sheriff Donis White
stated that Perkins had 10 days
to complete his appeal, which he
hadn't made when sentenced, and
also that he is subject to indict-
ment on other charges,
| One of the other charges is
breaking Jail. Prior to setting fire
inside his cell, which resulted in
Officers Sears and Thyme going
to the Jail and subsequently being
assaulted by Perkins, the Negro
had walked out to temporary free
dom when the main door to the
cell block was left open by the
Jail attendant. Perkins had clever
ly jammed the door to his cell with
paper or cardboard which prevent
ed it from being locked, so when
the attendant was in another sec
ton of the block, the Negro slip
ped out, hid temporarily in a
broom closet and later headed for
temporary freedom, by strolling
out of town to the westward.
On the charges of forgery, a fell
ony, Perkins was scheduled to be
tried in May term of Superior
Court.
Other cases in court in Manteo
Tuesday included charges against
Leland Erskine Gibbs of Barco
for operating an auto with no in
surance, without having auto prop
erly registered as required by law
and for improper use of a dealers
license tag. Found guilty, he was
fined $50 and costs.
| Melvin Shafter Austin, Jr., Fris-
CO, charged with drunken driving
was found guilty and fined $1OC
and costs of court.
William Jackson Midget OF
Manteo was fined $25 and costs
for being drunk on the streets OF
Manteo.
Annie Pierce Daniels was fineG
$40 and costs for failing to stor
at a highway stop sign.
i Rev. Simms Again
During the session of recorders
court on March 90, j. C. Simms
Norfolk, negro preacher, was
fined $50 and costs and given q
6O-day suspended sentence. He
took an appeal to Superior Court
and bond was set at $500, and he
is scheduled for re-trial in May.
Simms was charged with engag.
ing in rude and disorderly conduct
on the premises of and in the
presence of the congregation oil
Haven Creek Baptist Church nea,
Manteo, while the congregation OF
said church was assembled for di.
vine worship.
| 1t is not the first time that the
Negro preacher has had trouble
with the local Ravens Greek
Church. He was ordered by the
court some time ago to stay off
the premises when his appearance
there had disrupted the church
membership.
For travelling 81 miles an hour
in q EEn,;1o no~o nE-I1 r,