TOE ENTERPRISE VOLUME XL?NUMBER 13 Williamston. Martin County, North Carolina, Friday, February 12,1937 ESTABLISHED 1899 WORK SLOWED IIP! BY REVENUE BILL IN LEGISLATURE Diversion of Highway Fund Looms Big In $75,000,000 State Revenue Problem The introduction of the revenue hill in the house this week almost brought to a stop the whirlwind dis patch of business in North Caro lina's General Assembly, placing be fore the leaders a teat of their abil ity in steering the business rapidly and undisturbed by opposition. The money question attracted attention in the house before the senate could catch up with its work in handling the liquor question. Indications are that the liquor problem will not sail through the senate as rapidly as it did through the house, but the wet forces are not yet greatly alarmed as to the safety of their measure as passed by the house. The committee han dling the liquor issue for the senate is meeting again today, reports in dicating no Anal action will be tak en before next week. The senate found time to pass the social security bill and immediately sent it to the house. The bill will make available to the aged, depend ent children and some others ap proximately $8,000,000, the Federal government contributing one-half, the state one-fourth and the coun ties one-fourth of the amount. Ef forts to have the state go it alone in matching the Federal fund were abandoned yesterday, and if there are no changes made in the bill by the house, each county will have to pay approximately $20,000 annually on an average for the aged people and dependent children. The revenue bill centered on di version of highway funds, and for a time it looked as if the admin istration forces would be routed. The eastern bloc Was against diver sion. explaining that every cent was needed to relieve the hog wallow loads in the rural sections. They also pointed out that it was neces sary to improve the roads are "un consolidate" the schools. A com promise is expected on the diversion problem today. The revenue bills calls for taxes that will raise $75. '?00,000 for use during the next years beginning July 1. The bill provisions are about 3 1-2 million short of the expected need, but an estimated surplus cuts the deficit down to around $622,530. Tlie bill calls for inheritance, li cense. franchise, income, sales, beer, wine, liquor, gifts, intangibles, gas oline and miscellaneous taxes and non-tax revenue of $2,800,000 to meet the costs of running the state during the next biennium. Auto Crashes Into Bridge Here Today E. S. Corey. Pitt County man, was badly bruiaed and cut at 1:30 this morning, when his car, a new Ford, crashed into the concrete guard rail on the Roanoke River bridge. El mar Williams, riding with Corey, was painfully bruised, but not seri ously hurt. Starting across the bridge, Corey apparently attempted to round the curve too rapidly, sideswiped sev eral of the road-side fence posts and crashed into the concrete posts, tearing down four and wricking the new car beyond repair. "Just riding around," Corey said when asked where he was going. Charge dwith reckless driving, the man was released under a $100 cash bond and he left here for a Green ville hospital after receiving treat ment by Dr. W. F. Evans. Colored Children Give To Red Cross "Many are too poor to think in terms at helping others, but their ympathies caused them to respond to the urge of the hour." Principal E. J. Hayes said in turning over a $5.71 contribution from the colored school to Harry Biggs, chairman of the Martin County Red Cross chap The Martin chapter has raised in xcew at $600 for the flood victims, ing the $300 raised by the Roberaon ville chapter and donations made by individuals to other chapters, will the $1,000 mark, it is ba Oonations totaling $5.71 in the lo cal colored schools were made by grades as follows: 1-C, 11c; 1-B, Sic; 1-A. He; 3. tOe; 1, 13c; 4-A, 38c; 4-B, 33c: 3. lie; 6. ?Tc; 7. $1; ?, 30c; ?, 63c; 16 and 11. $1.61. Little Encouragement For Road Petitioners HUNTING SEASON Hunters in this section, bar tag cold weather and obstacles of many kinds, are patting in ell the time they possibly can as the 19M-OT hunting season ncars Its close. Next Monday is the last day for the chief sport, that of taking- quail. The current season has been disappointing to hunters who complain of the small number of quail In the fields of this sec tion. Unfavorable weather al most placed the sport on a shelf daring the past several weeks, few hunters venturing into the frequent rains and muddy bant ing grounds in search of the quail. PROMINENT MAN OF COUNTY DIES IN BEAR GRASS Funeral Services at Home Tomorrow Afternoon At 2 O'clock Samuel Rogerson, prominent far met of this county and one of its leading citizens, died at his home in Bear Grass some time during last night, members of the family find ing him dead early this morning. He had been in feeble health for some time. The son of the late James A. and Mary Rogerson, he was born in Bear Grass Township in 1857, and farmed all his life. A mere lad when the Civil War was being fought, he experienced the hard ships and wants of the people back home. But from that beginning, he cleared the forests and founded a home, and with the aid of his faith ful w ife provided well for his fam ily. Nearly 50 years ago he joined the Primitive Baptist church at Bear Grass, his quiet disposition and sound judgment figuring in his deliberations of every nature. When a young man he married Miss Armanda Peel who survives with six children: A. B. Rogerson, of Dinwiddle, Va.; Jas. S. Roberson, of Kenly; N. R., and C. G. Roger son, of Williamston; Mrs. Claudius Roberson, of Jamesville, and Mrs. W. S. Gurganus, of Williamston. Funeral services will be conduct is?limirsrsai_iLi__3_ixlzil^zilx. t-\i iuiiiui i uw gal ivi iiwii tat m u viuvn from the home by Elders B. S. Cowin and A. B. Ayers. Interment will follow in the family plot on the old home place. ? Destroy Liquor Plant Tuesday Raiding in the Reedy Swamp sec tion of Williamston Township, coun ty and federal officers Tuesday aft ernoon found and destroyed a liquor plant and 600 gallons of beer. The plant was not in operation at the time, and no arrests were made. Going into Hamilton Township yesterday, county officers wrecked an 80-gallon copper still while the spirits were running, destroyed much equipment and beer and 13 gallons of liquor. The operators escaped Basketball Tournament Started Here Last Night Martin County's basketball tourn ament got underway here last eve ning, but impassable roads upset the schedule and caused Farm Life, mud-bound, to forfeit the first game to the Bear Crass girls. Williamston's sextet defeated the Jamesville girls 25 to 13 and earned the right to meet Robenonville in the semi-finals tonight The win ners of the match will meet Bear Grass tomorrow night. Robersonville registered a 23-10 win over the Bear Grass boys and will meet the winners of the Wil liamston-Jamesville semi-finals. Addition To Jamesville Flood Relief Fund Made Jamesville's contribution to the relief of flood victims has been in creased by 50 cents?a donation by Mr. E. H. Ange?Collector Charles Davenport explained yesterday. The rwwaituantfttr keJ t.VUUIlllTUSj sm fSMl. Bear Grass Citizens Heard Wednesday By Highway Group 'No Money, No Money" Is1 Same Old Excuse Given ? County Delegation Addressing a direct appeal to th" North Carolina Highway and Public Works Commission for a surfaced road out of Bear Grass, a delega tion from that district received very little encouragement Wednesday, ac cording to information received, here. After explaining that the legisla ture was in session, that the com mission was to be reorganized, and that the political situation was un certain, the commission offered the same old story about there being no money, no money. And on the same day the Bear Grass citizens were in Raleigh pleading for help to lift their people out of the mud, effort., were being made to stop the expen ditur of $200,000 for a short cut from Elizabeth City through Camden and Currituck Counties, and nothing was even said about the millions the commission is breaking its neck over to get dumped into Albemarle Sound. The Bear Grass delegation was as sured that nothing would be done or nothing even attempted before next July to remedy the deplorable situation now existing in the rural sections of this and many other coun ties of the state. And no great things can be expected before July unless the commission ran lighten its own burden by passing it on to the federal government, it is quite] apparent. v' Assuming that the commission I had the money and was willing to spend some of it in Martin County, the delegation asked what road would be paved or surfaced "first The recommendation by the Martin commissioners was referred to by a member of the commission, who ex plained that a III31 law gave the county authorities the great power of making such recommendations. That such recommendations carry ] little if any weight at all is very doubtful unless they happen to co | incide with the commission's poli cies. Priority rights wil lbe given no project in this county until a per sonal visit is made by representa tives or members of the commission and a study is made, the Bear Grass delegation was advised. The commission did point out to |the Martin people that it would be well for them to advocate a road from Highway 17 through Bear Grass to the Stokes Road, with the possibility that some aid could be obtained from the federal govern ment. In the meantime, valid claims are being advanced by numbers of lead-1 ing citizens for roads in other sec tions of the county. ^ Mrs. Abernathy on Trial for Slaying Katherine Phelps Abernathy, 18 year-old girl who was married by Justice J. L. Hassell here last month, went on trial in Hopewell, Va., this week (or killing her brother-in-law, I Howard Watkins. there last August. Released under bond during the Christmas holidays, the young wo man had been living, following her marriage to C P. Abernathy, in the upper end of this county with her mother, Mrs. Johnson. She returned to Virginia last Sunday to face trial. | Abernathy, released from the Hopewell jail last Christmas on con-1 dition that he leave and not return, was arrested in this county last! month for allegedly forging checks to Virginia, where he stood trial and \ is now serving a two-year prison sentence. The girl, courted and won by Ab ernathy while the two occupied near by cells in the Hopewell jail during lbs tatter part of te.t year uiS .he "had no idea" Abernathy forged a check to obtain funds to take her on a wedding trip. "If I had known that I never would have married him," she said "Ain't it all a mess?" Katherine said she shot Watkins during a scuffl eat their home fol lowing a date she had with him to "win a bet" from her sister, Wat kin's wife. TO HEAR WATSON LENIENCY PLEA ON FEBRUARY 19 Supported Only By Jury's! Recommendation That Mercy Be Shown Supported by a trial jury recom-) mendation for mercy, Attorney Henry D. Hardison will address the I State Pardon and Parole Board in Raleigh on Friday. February 19. at | 11 o'clock, and urge tliat the death sentence be changed to life impris-J onment for Alvin W. Watson, the| young white boy who was convict ed in the Martin County Superior | Court last December for the murder. of Thomas Holliday, young white | man. in Robersonville the latter part of last November. Hardison will be I without petitions or any recommen-, dations for mercy other than that made by the jury and entered in the court judgment when he ad dresses his plea to Edwin Gill, of the pardons board, in behalf of the doomed man The trial judge, M. V. Bamhill. while in sympathy with young Wat son when the case was before him in December, is not expected to take much or any part in the drive for commutation of the death sentence. It is believed the judge would sign a recommendation for commutation of the death sentence if he could be | assured beyond all doubt that Wat son would never be given his free dom. That cannot be assured, mak ing it appear doubtful if the judge 1 will be of any assistance in saving , the convicted man's life. Solicitor | Gilliam's action will be determined i by the wishes of the murdered man's , family, and reliable reports clearly state that they will take no part for ] or against the plea in Watson's be half. They are of the opinion that ] Watson had a fair trial and are will ing to abide by the action of thej state and its agencies. Generally speaking, the case is all1 but forgotten by the public, the fate of Watson taking a secondary place in the march of time. There are jsome, however, who continue to keep up with the case as the death date. March 5, draws near. Attorney Hardison said yemerday he had advised J. C. Shackelford. Athen, Ga., attorney, of the hearing date, asking him to participate in addressing the plea to the commis sion as a representative of Watson's parents There is some doubt as to whether the family will be repre sented directly, their financial plight j being such that a visit to Raleigh. will be next to impossible. Since the hearing is scheduled just two weeks from the day set for the execution, it is believed by many j that Watson will receive a reprieve 26 jJCElNSESTl) i MARRY ISSUED | IN PAST MONTH Trend Upward In Issuance! Of Marriage Licenses In This County Twenty-six marriage licenses were issued in this county last month, 11 to white and 15 to colored couples. The number was larger by 3 than the issuance for January a year ago, and 7 larger than in January, 1931, the degression period. One of the licenses attracted at tention in state papers of Virginia and North Carolina. The wedding of Katy Catherine Phelps and C. B | Abernathy, the outgrowth of a jail romance, was featured in several papers. Licenses were issued to the fol lowing: =Whlte Ernest M. Jones, of Columbia, and Edna Mae Beddard, of Ayden. Grover Staton Harrison and Kath leen Woolard, both of Washington. T. E. Goodrich, of Hassell, and Myrtle Bryant, of R' beisonville. Clifton P. Abernathy, of Rich mond, and Katy Catherine Phelps, of Palmyra RED. John Calvin Barrett and Ruby: Elizabeth Hughes, both of Jackson. Garland Bailey, of Martin Coun ty, and Kathleen Martin, ol Beau fort County. John Oakley, of Martin County, and Vera White Bryant, of Edge comb* COunty. Raymond J. Williams and Laura Florence Price, of Martin County. Tommy Jones and Margaret Ann Jones, both of Oak City. Rufus H. Taylor and Rosa Lillian Ross, both of Martin County. Joseph S. Griffin, of Martin Coun ty, and Ethel Rouse, of Onslow ! County, i (Continued on back pegs) THIRTEEN CASES] TRIED IN COUNTY COURT MONDAY Was First Session in Two Weeks: Docket Larger Than Usual - The solicitor sick in a hospital, and, his assistant detained at home by? illness in the family, the Martini County Recorder's Court had to draft the services of Attorney Whet 1 er Martin to prosecute the docket at its last Monday session. No ses sion of the court had been held' since January 25. and the docket oX 13 cases was slightly larger than usual. Judge 11. O. Peel continued five of them under prayer for judg ment. Thomas Burns, charged with an) assault with a deadly weapon, again] failed do answer, and Gus Coine!*! advanced the bond of $100, the court having reduced it from $150. Gu"s. however, did not get out o! the courthouse by paying just that amount, for the court fined him $2."> and taxed hun with the costs in a case charging reckless driving. Harvey Whitfield was fined $50, taxed with the cost and had his li cense revoked for one year in the case charging hun w itti drunken uu tomobile driving Charge ! with v iolating the liquor j laws, Wlut Clements was given a' three-months suspended road sen tence. I Edgar WeMon was fined $10 and taxed with the cost on a disorderly |conduct count, lie was found no guilty of carrying a concealed weap on, J U. Kogersnn was found not guil ty of an assault. Mack Lewis, charged with non support, was directed to pay $3 a week to the court during the next six months: D. Harris, facing a similar charge, was directed to pay $4 a week for three months and toi appear before the court at the end* I of that time for further judgment. Humors of Added Theatre Unfounded Reports that "outside interests" were going to erect a new theatre building 111 Williamston are appar ently without foundation. It may ' be that out-of-town interests are considering the possibility of open-1 mg a new amusement house here, but rumors to that etTect could not | be authenticated today. A local | property owner whose name was j withheld is said to have received two letters inquiring if certain lots were for sale. __ Plans for the construction of an other theatre here, considered by Watt*, opei a tor of Uie one theatre here now, during the past months, have not been abandoned.) it was learned this week. Mr. Watts purchased a lot on Haughton Street .a year or more ago and asked for bids which were turned down on two different occasions because they were considered l**o high. Asked this m >: ning if she w a: selling her Main Stret home prop erty to a prospective Theater and j Oiling station builder, Mrs Jim Sin I ton said. "You never can tell; 1 like! the country very well." Whether the] Statons plan to sell then home toj a theater builder and move to the! country could not lie learned Migrating Sparrow Killed By Maurice Roberson Carrying a U. S. Biological Survey tag on its leg. an English Sparrow was- killed near here fe*few days ago by Maurice Roberson It U though* the bird, now not so numerous in this section as it was back in the "good old horse and buggy days." was tagged in Washington and that it had migrated south for the win ter. - Army EngineersMaking Survey of Roanoke River Started last week, a survey of the Roanoke is progressing rapiuly, re ports received today stated. A pro posal. supported by Representative Lindsay Warren, would deepen the channel at the mouth of the stream to 12 feet instead of 10. and im prove the river for navigation pos A group of ten Army engineers are making the survey. Christian Missionary Group To Meet Monday Afternoon The Woman's Missionary Society of the local Christian church will meet with Mrs. F. W. Hoyt. jr., on Monday, February IS. at 2:20 p. id. ft her home on Main Street Martin Gets Decision In Boundary Dispute REOPEN SCHOOLS Five schools. Oak CM;. Hamrl too. Hassell. Iain i illi and I'arm 1 iff. arc scheduled to re open next Monday after an en forced holiday. The reopening is dependent upon weather de vi li.pmnb and road conditions, school authorities explained. The three schools in the up per part of the county have been closed for I wo w eeks or more. Jamesville and farm Life closing down last Krnl.i*. when road conditions became too bad for the busses to travel. $35,000To $40,000 Estate Is Left bv Lite H. ^. Mizelle Most of Heirs To Estate, Live In Wiliiamston and Jamesville Districts H. W Ml/die native of tins coun ty. who died in a Raleigh hospital last November, left an estate valued at between $35,000 and $40,000, ac cording to an inventory filed with the Chowan County Superior Court clerk recently by Dr N. B Mamner. i of Belhaven, first cousin of the do- ' ceased and administrator of the es tate. There are 23 cousins who are ex pected to share in the estate divis ion. including a number in Wiliiam ston and Jamesville Township. Some of them are said to have hardly; known the man Included among the assets ??f the] estate are the former home in Kden ton of Mr Mizelle and his wife.j $5,613.78 in cash. 34 shares of stock in the Hampton Roads Fire Insur ance company. $8,000 worth of Tide water Building and Loan and $2.5o > worth of-Berkley. Building and Iella Frances Revels. Mary Dean Hardi son. Frances Roberson. Miss Evelyn Williams. Third grade* ? Bobby Manning. James Harrell Ellis. Mary Louise Gut km. Archie Revels. Trulah Har aison. Elgarie Manning. Willie !al ley. Margaret Roberson. A T. Whit ley, Grace Peele. Nadine Lilley. Si mon Hardison. llenry Roberson. Hannah F. Daniels. Mack Donald Griffin, Eason Lilley, Marguerite Lilley, Dqiothy Ree Corey. Mrs C B Martin ? Fourth and fifth grades: HazcT" Hardison. Grace Lilley. Elsie Ben nett Lilley. Reba F. Williams, Nellie F Lilley. McDonald Hardison. Doris Peel, Simon Lilley. jr.. Thelma Har chson. Paisley Corey. Dorothy Rob erson, Charles Gurkin. Willie Rev ! els, Noah Roberson, Miss Marguerite Cook. Mr. Smiuii Daniel GrtfTift and, grandchildren. Sixth grade Hazel Corey, Allie Hardison Evelvn Harrtimn Elbert Ward. Martha Aatha Roberson. Del la Lee Lilley. B F. Lilley. E. H Manning, Dalma Gray Manning. Charle Bembridge. Miss Pauline Askew. Seventh grade Vera Ruth Griffin. Cecil Brown. Harry Peel. Ek Hodges, Bruce Peel. Chloe Hardison, Robert Whitley. Kathleen Hodges, Julius Revels. Jesse Roberson. L*11m? (Continued on page six) Complete Report Is Filed Reeently by Special Commission Expect Legislative Act To Recognize Findings of Commission The boundary line dispute be tween Beaufort and Martin Coun ties pending for more than a year was virtually settled ^ few days ago wfier. the. oimmusioDerf of this county received the report fil eil by -a spertafr?coimmssKC Win posed of Attorneys W B Rdman jr., of Beaufort; Hugh G Horton. of Marnn. and II. G. Conner jr.. oi Wilson: Briefly stated, the com tmsion denies the claim of Beaufort County, and directs the marking of the line along the courses main t a tried hy authorities of this coun ty Starting its hearings or. August It*, last year, the commission beard evidence offered by a large r.um ter of witnesses, but no direc* visits were made t?? the disputed territory at that time ??n ac ount of nake in fested swamps. T'.ie bearing was tesumed on the 18th diy of tiie fol lowing November and adji unted. and again resumed on December 21 when final evidence w;.s . !cred in the dispute, uulud.'i, ( . ? eritatioa of Acts of the General Assembly, various grants, deed- and other in itruments recorded in Martin Coun ty and in the office of the Secretary of State No statute could be found establishing Beaufort County. ' Martin County was established on the 19th day of March. 1774, by the Governor. Council and Assem bly The lines of the county es tablished by said Act are Begin ning at the mouth of Kehukee Creek on Roanoke River and run ning a direct line to the Edgecombe County line, where it crosses Tar Ttrver Itoad that leads hy Nicholas Lloyds, thence down Edgecombe County line to Pitt County tine; thence along Pitt County line to Beaufort County line; thence along Beaufort line to the head of Welch's Creek, near Stewart Ham I ton's plantation, thence down Welch's Creek to? Roanoke River, thence up the river to the beginning." Tlie commission points out that the Act establishing Martin County. while calling for the Beaufort Coun ty line, does not identify the satd line, except at the two termini, the ?ne in the Pitt County, line and the In 1907, the commission goes on to say.?rtrrrr?a coTrrrvrr?\ .i- named b\ Beaufort. Washing and- Mar tin to establish and mart, a point at Welch's Creek for toe three coun ties. which was dune, did the mark er. established by Commissioners (Continued on the back page) Young Girl Dies at Home of Parents. Near Jamesville Marie Gardner. 16 years old. died at the hi urn* of her parents. Mr and Mrs. II. ?. Gardner, near JaroesviUe. Wednesday night. Funeral services were conducted yesterday afternoon at the home, and burial was in the family cemetery. 4-H Club ''Youth Receives Corn-Growing Prize Today Lacy Ward, young member of the Robcrsnnvill? 4-H club, was award ed a gold wrist watch during chapel there this morning by Assistant County Agent L T. Weeks. Young Ward earned the award for growing 61 bushels of corn on an acre in a contest conducted on a county-wide Rev. C. H. Dickey Seriously III at His Home In Raleigh Rev Chas H Dickey, recognized as one of Williamston's men for his long pastorate here with the Baptist church, is seriously ill at h? home in Raleigh, according to reports reaching here this week. Mr. Dickey, in declining health for sane time, has been unable to work dur ing the past several weeks. CORRECTION Proof-reading the of the Belk-Tyler last Tuesday, the imli r transposed prices in tarn 15-cent price should have der the item