Hendersonville Police Department

These stories were selected from the Times-News from the year 1930.

The stories have been condensed.

02-25-30

Larceny of Clothing

Marks Pressing Club - Main Street

Arrested: Charlie Roper, Glenn Edney

Officers: Seth Edmundson, Clarence Edney

The suspects forced way through three locked doors. Took $300 worth of clothing, discovered by HPD officers in progress, foot chase of suspects from business down alley behind Main Street. Suspects linked to B&E of store of Stepp & Walker in East Flat Rock.

04-21-30

Shooting / Murder

Main Street / Third Avenue

Clarence (Fatty) Howard, of Tuxedo, a "Dry Raider", (a dry raider was a alcohol law enforcement agent, as this was during prohibition) was shot by Fred Swartz of the Catshead section, a few minutes after 9 A.M. Fanning Saltz, also a Dry Raider, and Howard were in a vehicle stopped at a red light when the attack occurred. Saltz and Howard were on the way to the Courthouse. Swartz first attacked Saltz. Swartz seized Saltz’s gun as Saltz was trying to draw it from his holster. After the shooting, Swartz ran to the jail and turned himself in. Howard succumbed to his wounds a day later, but was conscious and somewhat alert. (Note: Later in the year Swartz was convicted and sentenced to 20 years.)

04-24-30

Arson Attempt

N. Main Street / Terrace Hotel

Ralph Hartman, owner of the Carolina Terrace hotel, entered the hotel after returning from Florida (the hotel was closed for the winter) and found a burning candle atop a pile of papers. Chief Otis Powers investigated and found that someone had piled boxes up in strategic locations so the fire would spread.

04-26-30

Arson Suspect Arrested

Jim Ledbetter was arrested after found sleeping in his car in an alley near the jail. Ledbetters car had been identified by witnesses as being in the area of the attempted arson.

06-04-30

Police Officer Shot

Residence near Oakdale Cemetery

HPD officer Jess Maxwell was shot in his leg at a home near Oakdale Cemetery. Earlier in the day, a white man had went to the residence to confront a black man, Henry Stevens, for insulting his sister. (Apparently insulting a girl was illegal in 1930, and this story referred to "Negro insulting a white girl", obviously a racially accepted term of discrimination for some in 1930) A fight ensued between the unidentified white man and Stevens, and a gun was pulled by the white man. Three other men were driving by and saw the fight and stopped and broke up the fight. During the fight Stevens managed to get possession of the gun. Apparently the white man then left to file a complaint and get a warrant. Later that night, Officers Jess Maxwell, Clarence Edney, and Seth Edmundson went to the residence to serve the warrant on behalf of Sheriff Garren. After parking their patrol car they started walking towards the residence when Edney, who had been driving, noticed the patrol car coasting down the hill. Edney ran and caught the car and secured it better. Then the three officers returned to the residence. Upon entering the residence and telling Stevens that they were there to arrest him for Sheriff Garren, Stevens said "Well, the Sheriff will have to come after me if I go." Officers Edney and Edmundson grappled with Stevens. Stevens got Edney around Edney’s neck but Edney was soon freed. Edmundson and Edney had Stevens detained and were moving him towards the car when a shot was fired inside the house by Cora Stevens, the wife of Henry Stevens, that struck Officer Maxwell in the leg. Cora Stevens shot Maxwell with the gun earlier seized by Henry Stevens from the white man. Maxwell walked out of the house and said "that woman burned me", which was slang in that period for being shot. Cora Stevens was then blackjacked over the head, placed in the patrol car, and brought to the City jail.

Note: This had been the second time Maxwell had been shot on duty. The first time he was shot in the stomach in a fight at a black church in town. Henry Stevens was found not guilty of his charges for resisting arrest, but was found guilty of using unbecoming language to a woman and fined $50. Cora Stevens was acquitted of all charges, including the shooting, after defense witnesses testified she was not in the house at the time of the shooting. (The defense attorney was Monroe Redden.)

06-23-30

Fatal Auto Accident Hwy. 69  (Now Hwy.. 25) near Haywood Road

Officers: Seth Edmundson (traffic officer), Clarence Edney, Sheriff W.A. Garren

Hampton Levi, driving a Ford flat bed truck carrying 17 passengers, and D.H. Brown, driving a Chevrolet Coupe, sideswiped each other. Geneva Levi, age 11 of Tuxedo, was killed due to a skull fracture. Three others were injured.

07-19-30

Toms Park Opens on Allen Street

A new city Park, Toms Park, was opened today. The park property was gifted by Charles French Toms. It consisted of a stream, a lily pond, and picnic tables and benches. Mayor W.M. Sherard and a few hundred people were on hand for the ceremony.

07-29-30

Dead at 16, man buried today at age 71.

Thomas Gosnell at the age of 16 was afflicted of white swelling and pronounced dead by a doctor. All arrangements had been made for his burial, and while he laid in his coffin it was noticed that the swelling in his leg had burst and was bleeding. It was then noticed that he was again breathing. So his funeral was placed on hold until a few days ago when he died at age 71.

07-29-30

Officers Rid City of Slot Machines

All slot machines were out of the City today except for two after an edict that all slot machines be removed by today. Two warrants were issued for the violators of the edict: Nick Lownes of North Main Street and Roetta Pike, owner of the Courthouse Cafe. In court both were given the opportunity to throw the machines out with the trash within the next two hours to avoid being convicted. Both did, ending the slot machine gambling within the City.

08-07-30

Armed Robbery by 4 Bandits

Gas Station @ Asheville Hwy. and Druid Hills

Four unmasked bandits robbed the gas station owned by Carolina Oil & Supply (operated by Howard Smith) at the intersection of Asheville Highway and Druid Hills Highway. A car drove up with four unmasked men. One stayed in the car. The other three entered the store and asked for cigarettes. When Howard Smith complied, the three men pulled out handguns. Smith grabbed the money and ran to try to throw it out the window but he was struck in the head with a handgun. The bandits then stole $60 in cash and a diamond ring. During the robbery, Brownlo Jackson pulled up to the service station for gasoline. Jackson didn’t immediately notice anything suspicious, but then one of the bandits came out of the store and held Jackson at gun point while the robbery was completed. The bandits then left towards Asheville. Mr. Smith ran out of the store with blood streaming down his face yelling for help. Mr. Jackson drove Smith to a neighboring home and then took out in search of the bandits. City officers and the Sheriff searched through the night but found no trace of the suspects.

08-30-30

Forgery

Williams Hardware - 7th. Ave.

Officer: Will Davis

Clem Duffie, BM, entered the hardware store, picked out 10 cents worth of fish hooks, and then presented a check for $1 that was payable to Clem from Frank Duffie. The clerk called the bank the check was drawn upon and learned that there were no funds in Duffie’s account to cover the check. Clem Duffie convinced the clerk to call the bank again and while the clerk did so Clem ran out of the store. He took refuge in the swamp area. HPD officer Will Davis, after responding to the call, searched and found Clem Duffie and placed him under arrest. Duffie admitted in the presence of Officer Davis and Chief Otis Powers that he had forged the check to himself.

12-10-30

Flour Stolen, Still Found Harris Street

Officers: Otis Powers, Clarence Edney

A freight car near the Lentz Brothers Wholesale Grocery was broken into and about 15 sacks of flour were taken. Chief Powers received a tip about where the flour was taken and he and Officer Edney went to find the suspect, Harrison Lindsey on Harris Street. Lindsey was apparently tipped off however, and had left before the officers arrived. However, the officers found about half of the missing flour and a small copper still at the residence.

12-17-30

Hotel Fire (total loss)

Carolina Terrace Hotel - N. Main Street (current site of Bruce Drysdale School)

At about 2 A.M. The hotel was discovered burning, probably of arson, and witness stated it was the biggest fire seen in Hendersonville in years. The Carolina Terrace Hotel had 100 rooms and was a Hendersonville landmark. It was a complete loss. Chief Otis Powers stated that tracks were found in the snow leading to the back of the building from Locust Street. (As you may recall, this hotel was also burned by an arsonist earlier in 1930) Chief Powers also stated: "It is a blessing that whoever set it on fire picked the night he did. That far he showed good judgment , for if we had had a dry night with as much wind blowing, it is hard to say how much of the City would have burned.