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 I<oan
stock. $750 worth of General Mo
tors Stock, and several bond issues
and notes.
Mizelle, leaving no brothers or sis
ters, was buried in Jamesville fol
ic ?wing the holding of the funeral
services in the Wiliiamston Metho-1
idist church.
Farm Life Donors j
To Flood Relief
?Ttu* Farm l.ife School forgfj a
hoad with a marked support for the
relief of flood victims yesterday
when contributions amounting to
$4139 were turned into the county j
chapter for transmittal to headquar-1
ters in Washington City The fund
credited to the Martin County chap j
ter is now in excess of $600.
Contributions in the Farjp Life I
iliool ranged from 1 cent to $5. the
grandchildren of Mr Simon D. Grit
fin. one of the oldest citizens in the
county, donating the latter amount.
No attempt is made here to givfc the
individual donations, but the names
of taking pan in Hie humane un
dertaking arc:
First and second grades Mary OIo
lalley. Henry Leggett Thelma Clyde
Manning. Rachel Gurkin, I>ella
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