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County Record The Community Newspaper of Orange, Texas
Vol. 52 No. 31
Week of Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Decision for appeal against Arnold to be rendered Wed. Debby Schamber For The Record
City officials and representatives for Robert Arnold are expecting to hear the results of the hearing on Wednesday by letter from the visiting Judge Elizabeth Ray. During a hearing Monday morning, in the 260th District courtroom, the judge heard arguments from both sides on why or why not the city should
be granted an appeal. If they were to win the appeal, both sides would have to ”start from square one” and unARNOLD dergo an arbitration hearing once more. However, if the city should lose, the decision would stand and Arnold would retain his job at the Orange Police Department. There is a possibility, the City could appeal the decision to a higher court. Arnold was discharged from his job at OPD following an incident in July 2010 when he shot and killed 28-year-old James Whitehead of West Orange. Whitehead had gone to the O’Reilly Auto Parts store on 16th Street to return a part for a pickup truck he was attempting to repair. However, the clerk refused to allow the return on the part. As a result,
Whitehead became angry and began cursing. An employee of the store call 9-1-1 for assistance in the matter. Arnold who was off duty and also a customer at the store reportedly told Whitehead to calm down which caused him to direct his anger at the officer by calling him racial slurs. Arnold walked out the door with Whitehead behind him. Whitehead was getting into the passenger side of his neighbor’s pickup truck,which he had arrived in, and the confrontation between Arnold and Whitehead continued. The situation escalated to the point where Whitehead was fatally shot by Arnold. An investigation into the matter was conducted by the Texas Rangers. The case was turned over to the Orange County Grand Jury. They decided to “no-bill” Arnold of
OC man indicted for child sexual Vergie Scales turns assault 101 years young ARNOLD PAGE 2A
Debby Schamber For The Record
Deputies from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office responded to Baptist Hospital in Orange con- HOOSIER cerning a sexual assault of a child on Tuesday, Sept. 25. Upon arrival deputies made contact with the caller who told the deputies that her two daughters told her that they had been sexually assaulted by a person who lives with them. The Criminal investigations Division was contacted and began an investigation into the allegations. The suspect was identified as, Jack David Hoosier, a 36 year old Orange County resident. Hoosier, who is a registered sex offender, was located and gave a full written confession to Investigators. The case was submitted to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office for review and disposition. The Orange County Grand Jury indicted Hoosier on Wednesday, Oct. 24 on four counts of Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child. Hoosier was arrested and is currently in the Orange County Correctional Facility. Bond has been set at $100,000 for each of the four counts for a total of $400,000.
• SHERLOCK BREAUX Page..................... 4A • Obituaries Page......................7A • CHURCH NEWS Page......................8A • CLASSIFIED ADS Page......................9B
Debby Schamber For The Record
In 1911, Calbraith Perry Rodgers made the first transcontinental flight across the United States. He flew the Wright Brothers “Vin Fiz” EX biplane from Sheepshead Bay N.Y. to Long Beach, CA. The trip took 84 days and stopped or crashed 70 times. Also, William Howard Taft was president, the Philadelphia Athletics won the world series 4-2 over the New York Giants and although, there were not a lot of them, the average cost of a car was $780. But, right here in Southeast Texas on October 31, Vergie Scales was born. She grew up in the Orangefield/Bridge City area. As a child, she was often with her grandparents who operated the Mansfield Ferry. According to Scales, the ride across the ferry costs 50 cents. She grew up learning to love hard work whether it was on a farm or interacting with adults since she didn’t have playmates of her won age to play with. She also fondly remembers driving the family Pontiac at age 8 up and down Mansfield Ferry Road. She would prop herself up to reach the pedals for her drive on the roadway. She didn’t drive far, but only to the end of the road near the cemetery. If there was not a funeral, she drove through the cemetery before turning around to drive back to her house. ‘A driver’s license was not a big deal then,” she said. Throughout her life education was always important. She started school at the age of four year old. She memorized the alphabet forward and backwards. During her school days she developed and honed her skills which would later help her in professional life. When Scales was 15 years
old, she met the “love of her life.” Grover Allen Scales was 19 years old and worked on the ferry. They dated for about a SCALES year before they married on March 19, 1928 at the home of their pastor in Orangefield. “He was a good man,” she added. The newlywed worked at the Post Office in Orangefield until the birth of her first child in 1931. During this time, she had two sons and three daughters. But, sadly, over the years, three of her children have not outlived their mother. The couple purchased a dairy and with the help of their children ran the dairy. After they sold the dairy, they bought hay-baling equipment and range cattle. In 1950, she worked as a newspaper reporter for a local paper. While a reporter she earned recognition and was Reporter of the Year. She wrote on various topics such as wedding announcements, obituaries and stories about community events. She also wrote feature stories. After she typed them up, she took them to the paper to be printed. She loved being a reporter and the chance to meet people. She continued to work as a reporter for 39 years. “When Mr. Quigley sold the paper, I decided to retire,” Scales said. Other home duties including gardening, mowing her yard, sewing and cooking were always a part of her life too. But, not all her time was devoted to reporting or family duties. She also loved to travel. When her husband became ill, she devoted more time to his needs. Before a massive HALLOWEEN BABY PAGE 3A
Making gift baskets for the silent auction are L to R- Mary Ann Scofield, Rosalie Clark, and Shirley Wolfford.
St. Mary ‘Gift Shop’ open soon Staff Report
For The Record
The Altar Society of Saint Mary Catholic Church, located at 912 Cherry, is preparing for its annual “Gift Shop” in the Parish Hall. It will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 15. The ladies are busy getting ready for this festive occasion and some are making beautiful and unique gift baskets that will be available on that day as part of the Silent Auction. The “Gift Shop” will also have a delicious gumbo luncheon served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The luncheon includes Larry David’s world famous chicken gumbo, potato salad,
crackers, dessert, and tea all for $7. The food may be obtained in “to go” containers, eaten in the Parish Hall, or delivered to places with five orders or more. Canned foods such as jelly, picante sauce, pepper jelly, and tomato jam were prepared by members of the Altar Society this summer and can be purchased. Frozen foods, candies, handmade craft items, Raffle Tickets, and baked goods will also be sold. A new feature this year is Mrs. Santa’s Workshop providing specialty gifts handmade by Shirley Swoboda and Alice McCray. Put this special day on your calendar and get in the holiday spirit with a visit to the “Gift Shop.”
Halloween is creepy here Debby Schamber For The Record
Those searching for ghosts or things that go bump in the night can do so right here in Orange County with it’s rich history of eerie places and scary happenings. The Lutcher and Moore Lumber Co. headquarters building off Childers Road along the south side of the Sabine River was built in 1913 and served as the headquarters until the company ceased operations in the 1930s. For more than a half century, the mission style building has been the home to Port of Orange administrative offices. Some employees have heard strange noises while others have sworn objects have moved. Although, “Old Lutch” has not been seen at the Port Of Orange in a number of years there were reports of a seeing his ghost in years past Employees have reported seeing the ghost on the stairs. There have also been reports of the sounds of children playing in the annex which was built in 1956. But, there are no children present when they are heard. Nearby, downtown Orange has a story to tell as well. The history of the legendary Hanging Tree in Orange has some uncertain stories of its demise and if a convicted murderer actually hung from its branches. However, one thing is for sure, some people have a definite opinion either way.
The Pin Oak tree was located in front of the D. Call and Sons Grocery at Fourth and Front Streets. Its broad branches were said to be perfect for supporting hanging bodies. During the decades of the
until August 1881. Robert Saxon, who was hired in the plot to kill Sheriff George W. Michael, was hung by an angry lynch mob at the tree. The hanging was said to have been ordered by “Judge Lynch.” Another man was lynched
Although, “Old Lutch” has not been seen at the Port Of Orange in a number of years there were reports of a seeing his ghost in years past.
1880s, the citizens ignored the laws they helped enact. The lives of three men were snuffed out by the hanging tree. The long limb, known as the “gibbet limb” projected its greenery in the general direction of the store. It was reported to be purposely endowed by nature to symbolize a “trails end” for murderers. According to historian W.T. Block, in spite of four decades of unsettled social conditions, the hanging tree was not used
in 1889 after he was removed from the county jail by a masked mob of more than 300 men. The body of the man was left hanging for days and was riddled with hundreds of bullets. Historians differ on what happened to the tree. Some say it was diseased and merely fell apart. However, sometime after 1892 two men wanting to put an end to the horror of the tree’s history cut it down, acHALLOWEEN IS PAGE 3A
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