mm THE ENTERPRISE
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VOLUME XL?NUMBER 11 Williamstoa, Martin County, North Carolina. Friday. February 5. 1937 ESTABLISHED 1899
MERCY PLEA FOR
WATSON WILL BE
PRESENTED SOON
Father of Convicted Youth
Directs Plea Through
Georgia Attorney
A plea urging that A W Watson's
death sentence be commuted to life
imprisonment will be addressed to
the State pardon board in Raleigh
within the next week or 10 days, it
was learned today from H. D Har
dison. attorney for the convicted
murderer of Thomas Holliday. young!
white man. in Robersonvillr the lat
ter part of last November
Other than writing for an appomt
lueut tu pteamt the plea by Attor-'
ncy Hard ison developments in the!
case have no official standing, it is
understood Approximately $20 has
been raised in various parts of the j
county to finance merry pleas to the
pardon authorities Attorney Har ;
dison has talked with members of|
the trial jury, but no petitions for
clemency have been officially ad
vanced. it was learned today
The convicted man's father re
cently visited his son in the State.
prison, but. as far as it could be1
learned, he was unable or did not I
know how to get the case before |
pardon authorities Following his
visit to the prison, the senior Wat-!
son appealed to an attorney in'
Athens. Ga The attorney. J C. ?
Sha. keltord. wrote to Hardison here
in part as follows "Mr Watson, sr .
was in my office today crying, and
I felt very sorry for him indeed,
and I am writing to ask you to aid
his son to the utmost of your ability
in securing for huYi life imprison
ment
I
The Georgia attorney pointed out
that the Watsons had nothing with
which to push the case and that the
family had a good reputation. Shack
elford added that he did not know
the boy.
Watson is scheduled to die in the
gas chamber four weeks from today.
He was sentenced by Judge M V.
Barnhill in superior court last De
Auto Supply Store
To Open Here Soon1
Another indication of the forward
progress of Wiiliamston is the an
nauncanent made today by Mr C
B Leggett of plans for opening a
complete and up-to-date auto sup
ply store soon in the Staton Building
neat to Clark's Drug Store Re
modeling operations are already un
der way The most modern of steel
wall deriving, display tables, and
other Hztures designed to provide
the gl rate at ease and convenience
for the patrons' shopping are be
?ng installed
"We believe the people of Wii
liamston and vicinity will welcome
a modern store where they can buy
just about everything for their car
and radio at popular prices." says
Mr Leggeit in making his announce
merit "We have made arrange
ments for purchasing more than
2.000 items through a nation-wide
group-buying organization of auto
motive stores Savings made pos
sible through this arrangement will
permit us to sell our merchandise at
prices as low or lower than the car
us uer would have to pay in Norfolk
or other targe cities"
The new store is being rushed to
i miqibtain as quickly as possible
and Mr. Leggett hopes to be open
for In? init within a few days
Martin Club Women Plan
Tours lor Spring-Summer
County home demonstra
tion dub women are making plans
for at least one and probably two
lours this spring and summer. Miss
lata Sterner home agent, said this J
And they are considering
their husbands along with
it was
The dob women are considering
; a special bus for the pro
tnp to the rhododendron fes
tival in Asheville in June and a trip
Reopening oi Schools Is
are being considered for
ot all whooh in this
Monday morning, but
ion will not be reached
morning, it was learned
from the board ot education here at
It - likely that the schools n >w
kwed and others, too, will not open
ftf MM weather Mfi
PERFECT GUESSER
Delivering It hogs to Rober
ta's Slaughter House here this
week. Farmer George Williams,
frees over Williams Township
way. said, "Oh, about, about J.
when asked to
weight of the swine.
the scales at exactly 3,800
Farmer Williams
was Just about as much surprised
as Mr. Roberson.
TU give the next man $10
if he can equal that record," Mr.
Williams said. "And I'll give
you Sit if you do it as well
again " the owner of the paek
repUed.
HEALTH REPORT
FOR LAST MONTH
IN THIS COUNTY
One Case of Typhoid Fever
Reported in Williams
Township
One case of typhoid fever black
ened the health record in this coun
ty during the past month, reliable
reports stating the victim, a grown
white person in Williams Township,
had not taken the anti-typhoid vac
cine made available at dispensaries
over the county last summer. The
case is the first one reported in the
county this year. Records are not
complete, but the number of cases
during all of last year is believed to
be less than half a dozen.
Since it is possible 6thers may fall
victims of the fever in lower Wil
liams, the county health office an
nounced this week that free vacci
nations are available at the office in
Williamston.
Other contagious diseases report
ed in January include 26 cases of
chickenpox scattered in Williamston,
Cross Roads, Griffns, Bear Grass and
Robersonville Townships; three diph
theria cases in Griffins and William
ston and 3 whooping cough cases in
Williamston.
Contenting on the record when
a^ked about the abserice of influ
enza epidemics in Martin County,
the health officer said, "The Al
mighty is just smiling on us." ln
I fluenza has gripped some sections
of the country this winter.
! Numerous cases of pneumonia
have been reported in the county so
far this winter, but comparatively
few deaths have resulted from it,
unofficial reports indicate.
PARMELE MAN
W RITES OF WORK
IN FLOOD AREA
Churches Converted Into
Hospitals; Relief Work
Well Organized
Writing to (lis father, Rev. J. T.
Wildman. in Parmele, Albert Wild
man, now in Booneville. Ky , after
siding relief work in Louisville dur
, uig the worst catastrophe in history
there, graphically describes condi
tions. in part, as follows:
"Tuesday night at 8:30 I left here
(Booneville, Ky.) with our car load
ed with National Guardsmen, along
with four other cars and a truck. By
detouring twice around water we
got to Shelbyville, 30 miles this side
of Louisville, at 2:30 a. m., where
our troops were put on duly direct
ing traffic and assisting in handling
refugees. I spent the rest of the
night there in a church and Wednes
day morning succeeded in securing
jin Shelbyville a permit to enter
[Louisville. Cars were stopped in all
|out lying towns and not permitted to
enler Louisville except on urgent
"fl^ur former church there is con
verted into an emergency hospital.
I thought I might be of help, but
they h?d .1 weu organized. They
were glad to get some blankets that
' I left with them. Everything in
Louisville is closed except stores
that are out of the flood area. These
stores ration out the groceries.
Carl and Selma are a greater dis
tance from the river, but water that
could not flow overland came up
through sewers in many low places.
They left Sunday at 2 o'clock. At'
that time it would have taken about
a maw feat of watei to teach their
We do not know, but think
the rise has been about 3 feet since
then Carl went to see the condi
tion of their house Wednesday aft
ernoon. but was .not allowed to get
near enough the house to see be
of their rescue efforts?they
do not want anybody in the way.
they left they put some
iwi the hade but left too haS
(Cootiooed oa page low)
Eason and Evans
Elected Officers of
Medical Society
Fall Meeting of the Second
District Group Will Be
Held in Williamston
Washington, Feb. 4.?Second Dis
trict physicians of the State Medi
cal Society, meeting in this city
Wednesday night, selected the 1937
officers from Williamston delegates,
naming Dr Joe Eason, president,
and Dr. William F. Evans, secretary
and treasurer.
Dr. Joshua Tayloe stated that ap
proximately 60 physicians attended
the business session held at the
Washinoton Country Club. A sulen
did program was also h^ard.
Dr Tayloe referred to the "es
pecially One" papers, listing Dr.
Joe Eason, Williamston, Dr. Robt.
Harden Hackler, city, Dr C S An
derson. Rocky Mount. program
speakers
Dr. Eason discussed "Undulanl
Fever." Dr. Hackler's subject was,
'Treatment of Certain Skin Lesions
with X-ray," and Dr. Anderson
spoke from the topic, "Abenumatuus
Goitre with Symptoms of Hyper
thyroidism."
Outlining the developing of a bet
ter and bigger county medical so
ciety, the State president stressed
"cooperation" among medical
groups, saying that the programs
could not be successfully carried
out unless a cooperative spirit ex
isted
Dr. Strosnider advocated adher
ing strictly to professional matters
in the respective medical organiza
tions. making it plain that other is
sues should not be included in the
piograms adopted. His remarks
were very favorably received.
Dr Tayloe. retiring president, an
nounced that the district fall meet
ing would bo held in Williamston.
Jamesville, Griffins
List of Contributors
Contributing liberally and willing
ly, citizens in the Jamesville and
Farm LIfe-Grifftns communities .sent
the Martin County Red Cross chap
ter relief fund well over the $500
mark on Wednesday of this week.
Never before have the people of the
communities and others all over
Martin County responded more wil
lingly and cheerfully than during
the current appeal for funds that
suffering humanity might be aided
in the flood-swept territories in 12
states.
Charlie Davenport reported $55.81
collected in his community, and
Mrs. C. T. Roberson reported $29.25
collected in the Farm Life-Griffins
communities, as folows:
Griffins-Farm Life
? Marvin 11. Leggett, A. E.. W-. E
John E, and Herbert L. Manning,
Jno. A. and Rufus Hardison, Mr
and Mrs. H. Gabe, Oscar B? B. F.,
A. C.. J. F., and Geo A Roberson,
M. W. Bissell, Julius E. Moore, Mr
and Mrs. Paul Harrington and R.
Johnson Corey, alj one dollar each;
C. C. Coltrain, 25 cents; Geo. E.
Roberson, $5; Mrs C. T. Roberson,
$2, and Farmers Mutual Fire In
surance association, $5. Mrs. Rob
erson explained that other donations
had been made to other agents of
the Red Cross by people in that
territory.
Jamesville Community
P J Modlin, $2; R G Sexton, $1;
L. C. Gardner, 50 cents; Professor
J C. Eubanks, $1; a friend, 50 cents;
i H. C. Sexton, 50 cents; Willie H.
Modlin, 25 cents; Arthur Modlin, 27
cents; Sam Godard, 25 cents. G. M
Anderson, $1; Ernie Gardner, $1;
Clyde Brown, 50 cents; W. L. Brown.
$1; Luther Hardison, $1; Stewart
Ange, 50 cents; Mrs. C. A. Askew,
$1; Mrs, A. J. Holliday, 40 cents.
Mrs. Minnie Hardison, $1; Mrs. W.
jj. Holliday, jr., 25 cents; Mrs. C. C.
'Fleming, $1; Mrs. E. E. Warring
, ton, 24 cents; a friend, $3; a friend.
I lOeentsr Davenport and Hamilton.
,$5; W. W. Walters, 50 cents; Wen-j
'dell Pecle. 25 cents; Mr. and Mrs.
jO. G. Carson, 50 cents; Mr. and
| Mrs. R. L. Ange, 75 cents; Miss
! Adock, 35 cents; Miss James, 35,
j cents, a friend, 39 cents; Miss God
win, 50 cents; Miss Everett, 75
cents; Miss Opal Brown. 50 cents; j
Miss Annie Glasgow, $1; Mrs. C.
Davenport, $1; Mrs. Hill, 30 cents;1
Mrs. Mary Godard, 50 cents; Mr.
and Mrs. J. M. HasselT, il; Mr. and
Mrs. J. D. Mizelle, 40 cents; Miss
Hazel Martin, 30 cents; Carolyn and
Virginia Hassell, 25 cents; Profes
sor Jas. Uzzle, 25 cents; Russell Mar
tin, 25 cents; Earle Sawyer, 1 cent;
C. C. Fleming $2; Hugh Dudley, 25
cents; R. G. Harrison, jr., $1; Mrs.
Wright, 50 cents; Dr. W. T. Gibson,
$1; a friend, $8; H. M. Holliday. $1;
Colored M. E. Church, $320 and
Colored Christian Union, $5.
RULES ADOPTED
BY OFFICIALS OF
COASTAL LEAGUE
Schedule of Play To Start
In Early May, President
Goodmon Announces
Meeting here last Tuesday eve
ning, Coastal Plain Baseball League
officials adopted by-laws conform
ing to those of the National Profes
sional Baseball Association, deter
mined uniform admission charges
and tentatively set the opening
playing date. R. H. Goodmon stat
ing that arrangements were virtu
ally completed for the operation of
the league with the possibility of
only one change in the franchise for
the coming season. Siiuw Hill was
not represented at the meeting, but
it is expected that the tarn will
havp a
have a club in the circuit again
The schedule, calling for approx
imately 100 games was tentatively
set to start on May 10 and end on
August 20 Uniform admission
charges were agreed upon as fol-'
lows: Main gate. men. 30 cents.!
women. 30 cents; and children. 10
cents; grandstand; men, 10 cents;
women, no admission charge; and
children. 10 cents. The same week
ly schedule in effect last season will
be followed again this year, it was
said.
President Goodmon is contacting
all old players and hopes to sign
several, or most of them, for play
this coming season It was reliably
learned, however, that Gaylord. left
fielder; and Cherry- pitcher, had
signed contracts with Reidsville for
the coming season
Tentative working agreement
with one of the major league clubs
is pending, Mr Goodmon explain
ing that definite developments were
expected to follow within the next
few days. Until an agreement is
effected or rejected, no skipper will
be chosen to manage the Martins
Commenting on the new season
prospects. President Goodmon stat
ed that a more stable brand of ball
is almost certain, and that the oper
ating costs would be decidedly low
er than they have been in past sea
sons.
9 ?
$5,000 Damage Suit
Filed Against Hose's
A suit asking for $5,000 damages.
! $2,500 actual and $2,500 punitive,
was Died in the Martin County Su
,porior Court here yesterday for
Jimmie Watts, 13 years old. by his
father and next friend. J W. Watts,
against Rose's 5. 10. and 25 Cent
Stores. Inc.. and J S. Livingood and
Russell Jones The suit is the first
asking any sizeable sum filed in the
court of the county so far this year.
The complaint?alleges?that -the
young boy was walking along the
sidewalk in front of the defendants'
store on the evening of November
25 and was "suddenly, secretly and
violently pulled into the store,
knocked to the floor and was beaten
in the face and on the body and
kicked on the body by two of the
defendants."
Livingood and Jones were fined
$5 in Justice J. L. Hassell's court on
November 28 for the alleged attack
on the young boy.
Several local school boys were
smearing store windows here that
evening advertising a football game
scheduled the following day when
the attack is alleged to have taken!
place.
The case is not likely to reach'
the court for trial before April
I
Noted Singer To Appear
| In Concert Here Monday
Giovanni Sperandeo. the fa
Italian singer, assisted by his wife
at the piano, will present a concert
of unusual merit and interest in the
high school auditorium here next
Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock I
The Sperandeos have appeared in]
many of the leading cities and have
received praises of the highest type
for their inspirational performances
in all of them. The price of admis
sion is purposely kept low so that
everyone may have the oportunity
to hear them.
Start Work on Forester's
Home Near Hassell Soon
Work on preparing the grounds
for the construction of a home fori
Keeper Goodrich at the Hassell Ore
tower eras started this week by CCC
boys. County Fire Warden Henry
Hardison said yesterday the
would be ready for occupancy
time before early fall
The home will be similar to the
one built in Griffins Township and
is to cost approximately $2,000
Tobacco Compact Bill Becomes
Law; Legislature Appears To Be
Headed for Earlier Adjournment
JURY LIST DRAWN
FOR MARCH TERM
SUPERIOR COURT
Names of Fifty-Four Citi
zens Drawn at Board j
Meeting Monday
Fifty-four Martin citizens were
drawn by the county commissioners
in their regular meeting last Mon
day for jury service during the two
week term of superior court conven
ing March 15 The court will han
dle both criminal and civil cases.
Judge J Paul Frizzell. of Snow Hill.
| is scheduled to preside over the
court
j Names of those drawn for jury
service are as follows
Jamesville Township Elmer Mod
line, G. C. Lilley, Edgar Brown.
Williams Township Henry Griffin
and Joe B. Lanier.
Griffins Township Henry Gabe
Koberson and W. D. Daniel.
Bear Grass Township Henry
White. John W. Green. W. Eli Rob
crson. James R. Cherry and B. S.
j Cow in.
Williamston Township: John R
Peel. W E. Dunn, J. H Saunders,
jr. S. C. Ray. R. Edw ard Peel. Noah
.D Griffin. George G. Taylor
Cross Roads Township: J. S
Wynn
Robersonville Township: H. S. Ev
erett. Augustus Williams. W Hubert
Everett. T. J. Rober?on. G. C. Tay
lor. Edgar Ballard. Merlin Carson.
J Griffin Coburn.
Poplar Point Township Lester
Williams.
Hamilton Township: R. H. Weav
er.
Goose Nest Township: Paul V
Raw Is. T H Council. A W Out
ter bridge. Mc. Downing. T L Brown
and S. W Casper
Second Week
Jamesville Township: Pete Har
rington
Williams Township: Will Rober
Griffins Township: J. Ulysses Peel.
Bear Grass Township: Roy Har
; rison. Lewis T. Holliday.
Williamston Township F L. Rog
!ers.
1 Robersonville Township Claude
Keel. A E. Smith. Lester House and
| Sevnmie James.
I\?plar Point Township: S
White and L. G. Taylor.
Hamilton Township: P C. Ed
inondson and Hcrheit Everett.
Goose Nest Township J H A>
crs. E. K. Harrell. Harvey Medford
and W R. Everett.
Hamilton (fives
$i>4 To Red Cross
Contributing $42.40 last week.
Hamilton citizens boosted their do
nations to the Red Cross- flood relief
fund by an additional $11.60 yes
terday. the total from that commun
ity now being $54 The amount was
credited to the Martni County chap
ter and forwarded yesterday along
with contributions from Jamesville
and Griffins to the national head
quarters by Chairman Harry Biggs
| Hamilton contributions not prev
iously acknowledged: D W Downs
$2.50. C D. Perkins. 50c. S M Ewell
$1. J. B Everett 50c. Miss M. B
Jones 10c. Mr. AHigood 50c, Hamil
ton Methodist church $4.50, Mrs. P
C. Manning and daughter $1, and
J. S. Ayers $1.
President Excites Capital
In Address To Congress
Excitement ran high in the Na
tion's Capital this morning when
President Roosevelt, in an address
recommended the retirement of all
court justices when they reach the
age of seventy and increasing the
number of justices on the United
| States Supreme Court to fifteen
members instead of nine, at present
1 According to reports, the President
.explained that- I hoar justices 70
years or older are living in the past.
Presbyterian Auxiliary To
Meet In Church Tonight
The Woman's Auxiliary of the
Presbyterian church will hold its
regular meeting Friday night at 7 W
in the church. The Klf-denial offer
?ng for home an
mill be taken.
I FLOOD DONATIONS I
i v /1
A total of approximately $900
has heen contributed by Martin
County etUseus to the American
Krd Cram to advance relief a
snflering humanity in the
I areas in It central states.
The exact amount of donations
could not be learned, a goodly
number of Martin people enter
ing wear contributions with Red
Cross chapters outside of the
Ir.u chartered in this county.
The Martin rhapter reported
tcday that approximately $550.
to nearly " limes the orginal
quota, hail (K-eii forwarded to
Vi aslung tun. The chapter at
Robersonville is understood to
have raised more than $200.
'Site on West Main
Street Purchased by
Biggs Funeral Home
? Modern Funeral Home To
I Be Opened Within the ]
Very Near Future
Purchasing the home now occu
pied by the W. R Ingrains on West
Main Street, S. R Biggs, of the
'Biggs Funeral Parlor, will remodel
the building and open a modern fu
neral home there within the near
future, it was learned this week.
Plans for the remodeling work are
complete, and alterations to the out
side of the building wil be started
at once. Mr. Biggs explaining that
changes to the interior would be
made just as soon as the present oc
cupants move to their new home on
Elm Stret about the first of next
month
The front porch wil be torn away
and replaced by a stoop, and the
front of the house will be altered,
Mr Biggs stating the yard would
be improved and other changes
made at once to the building ex
terior
Present plans provide for an of
fice. reception room, display room
and a small chapel in addition .to
the embalming quarters. It will
probably be some time in April be
fore the alterations are completed
and the building made ready for the
funeral home Mi Biggs pointed
out that he planned to make addi
tional improvements from time to
time and make available to this sec
tion a modern undertaking and fu
neral home equal to those in other
towns and small cities
The Security Life and Trust Com
pany. owners of the building now
occupied by the Biggs Funeral Par
lor. are planning to convert it into
business offices, Mr. L. T. Fowden,
agent, stating today that no action
would be taken in this connection
within the rext week or two.
?
' Native o! County Dies at
Son's Home in Norfolk
Mrs. Ifattic Frances Kirhy, a na
tive of this county, died at her home
in Norfolk last Friday at an ad
vanced age Funeral services were
held Sunday afternoon and inter ]
ment followed in the Forest Lawn
Cemetery. Norfolk
Mrs Kirby was Miss Hattie Fran
ces Had ley before her first marriage
to a Mr. Phillips, who died a num
ber of years ago FolTawiftg he?
marriage to Mr Kirby, she assisted
him in managing a hotel where Har
rison Brothers St Co. store is located I
on Main Street. The family moved
frqm here nearly a quarter of a cen
tury ago.
Rev. J no. L. Cot! Accepts i
Call To Christian Church
Tendered a rail a few days ago
by the Williamston Christian church
Itev. Jutiii I.. Ouff, New Bent inin
ister. has accepted the pastorate and
will enter upon his new duties here
about the first of April F. S Peel
chairman of the church pulpit com
mittee. announced this week. The
minister, well known here and in
religious circles over eastern Caro
lina. plans to move his wife and four
children here about that time
Cleveland Bradner, ministerial
student at A. C College. Wilson,
will occutoy the pulpit to the church
here this Sunday, both morning and
evenu*. it was announced.
Slate Supervision of
County Liquor Sales
Approved bv House
Farm Measure Now To Go
Before South Carolina and
Georgia Legislatures
North Carolina's General Assem
bly, as the fifth week of the current
session draws..-to a close is fast put
ting behind it major problems, giv
ing greater hope for adjournment
earlier than was first predicted.
Tobacco control was enacted into
lav. with the provision that South
Carolina and Georgia pass similar
legislation The liquor question was
virtually settled, when the House
passed a law extending the provis
ions of the law now effective in 17
counties with the possibility of a
few minor changes, such as hours
the stores may be kept open.
Many new bills are being intro
duced in the house these days, but
nearly all of them are of a local
flavor. One of them, however, would
Iauthorize state-owned gasoline ter
jminals and another would prohibit
the parallel construction of compet
ing power lines.
While the legislature is making
progress, it yet has one of its big
gest problems before it that of rec
onciling the appropriations and rev
enue bills. Then there is the social
security question for consideration.
"It's up to South Carolina and
Georgia now." legislative leaders
said, following the passage Wednes
day evening of the compact bill for
tobacco control. Georgia is not so
strong for the passage of the com
pcat law. it is understood. There
are too many farmers there who
have no base acreages. Those who
?have a base acreage heartily favor
[the proposed bill there, but others
who have none are against it.
'The tobacco compact bill passed
by the senate contains many of the
safeguards for the protection of
the small farmer advocated by Dr.
Clarence Poe. Raleigh farm leader,
and the North Carolina State grange.
"The hill now makes the percent
age of cultivated acreage being
planted in tobacco a factor in de
termining allotments. It provides
for publicity either through a news
paper or by posting in five public
places in each townrhip the follow
ing information: The name of each
grower, the number of cultivated
acres, the number of tenants, the
tobacco acreage allotment" fVir*
percentage of cultivated land alloted
for tobacco. It also provides that
those farmers whose base acreage is
3.2 acres or less may not be reduced
by the committee."
The liquor control bill adopted by
the house incorporates "90 per cent
or more of the recommendations of
the liquor study commission," as
serted Judiciary Chairman Blount.
As explained by Bryant, the bill
provides' liriefly for:
A vote on legal liquor sales in
every county in which the county
commissioners or 15 per cent of the
electorate call for a vote
Establishment of legal liquor
stores in wet counties under virtu
ally the same system as in the 17
wet counties in the east, with the
exception that the county boards of
health and education would join the
commissioners in selecting the con
trol boards
Creation of a state commission to
supervise the operation of county
stores, composed of a chairman em
ployed at $6,000 a year and two as
sociate members paid $25 for each
working day. all appointed by the
governor and paid from the state's
general fund.
The substitute Till does not levy
any state tax on liquor nor provide
for state manufacture of spirits, but
the bill's supporters yesterday had
inserted in the revenue bill a 7 per
cent gross sales tax on legal liquor
sales.
The majority report of the liquor
study commission recommended an
80-20 split of profits between coun
ties and cities.
County Officer Captures
Still in Goose Nest Area
Raiding with Halifax officers yes
terday along the Martin-Halifax
boundary. Deputy J. H. Roebuck
captured a 40-gallon copper still and
four barrels of beer in Goose Nest
Township, not very far from Hob
good. The plant was cold, and no
arrests were made.