D. W. WOODHOUSE
DEALER IN
General Merchandise
GROCERIES

Poplar Branch, N.C.

October 4, 1917.

Gov. T. W. Bickett,
Raleigh, N.C.

Dear Governor:

We’ve had a case before our Local Board where the party put in a claim for a widowed mother depending upon his labor for support. We thoroughly investigated the claim. I personally knew the facts in the case, which are as follows:

His mother owns a good farm near Shawboro in this County. Also, several acres of marsh land, for which she has been offered $30,000.00. She admits herself of owning thirty head of cows besides other stock such as sheep, ponies and hogs. We disallowed the claim on these grounds that she was able to take care of herself. She has a sixteen year old boy and three other children younger than he is with her. (This is the same woman who is supposed to have killed her husband about four years ago about the same property. The grand jury failed to find a true bill against her.) She has four sons-in-law who could be of good service to her, also two grown daughters living with her. She takes in northern sportsman during gunning season that is the way she makes her money off of her marsh property.

I wanted you to know the above facts in the case concerning Ross L. White and his mother Mrs. Maggie White. Senator E. R. Johnson and Sheriff R. E. Flora of this County, two local politicians, tried to get the Local Board to exempt him, also, the District Board. Now I understand they are going to circulate a petition asking you and the Adjutant General to have him discharged from Military Service. Mr. White has been certified back by the District Board and is now at Camp Jackson, S. C. Knowing you as I do I felt that I wanted you to know the situation of this case. You know if he is discharged from Military Service, by a petition signed by those who only hear one side of the question, will give all sorts of trouble to the Local Board here after. This Board is listening to no politicians nor playing no part in politics. We are useing our own judgement and trying the cases on their own merits. We want you to use your own good judgement in the case as you see it.

Yours respectfully,

D. W. Woodhouse
Chairman of Local Board.