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VOLUME XLII NUMBER 6 Williamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Friday, January 20, 1939. ESTABLISHED 1899
Judge Metes Out
Road Sentences in
Court Last Monday
Nine Cases Called During
Short Session County
Court ?
Long road sentences and an in
creased fine for drunken automo
bile driving featured the judgments
handed down by Judge H O. Peel
in the Martin County Recorder's
Court last Monday. 'With Solicitor
D. E. Johnson prosecuting the dock
et, the court called nine cases and
disposed of its work in a compara
tively short session.
Charged with nonrsupport, Nym
phus James was sentenced to the
roads for six months. James failed
T"ply with f former judgment
of the court, and his arrest was or
dered by the court.
The court sustained the not guil
ty plea of Furnie W. Sparrow in the
case charging the issuance of a
worthless check.
Charged with violating the liquor
laws, Jesse Jenkins was sentenced to
the roads 'or three months.
Herbert Reeves, charged with
drunken driving, was fined $75 and
taxed with the cost. His license to
operate a motor vehicle was revok
ed for one year.
Charged with larceny and receiv
ing and destroying personal proper
ty, Azariah Williams was sentenced
to the roads for three months.
Called into court again for alleg
ed violation of the liquor laws, Jesse
Rogers pleaded not guilty. After
hearing the evidence, Judge Peel ad
judged him not guilty. Officers,
raiding the Rogers home a few days
ago, found a number of half-gallon
fruit jars. The containers had been
washed clean, and the State could
not connect him with the alleged vi
olation. Julius Latham, a second de
fendant in the case pleaded guilty
and was fined $25, if the defendant
fails to pay the fine and costs, he
is to serve three months on the
roads.
The case charging Foy Rogers and
Fate Smith with violating the liquor
laws was continued until January
20.
Alphonsa Ewcll, charged with car
rying a concealed weapon, was sen
tenced to the roads for two months.
In a second case charging him with,
violating the liquor laws, Ewell was
sentenced to the roads for ten
months, the sentence in this case to I
begin at the expiration of the first, i
Richard Melton, charged with vi
olating the liquor laws, pleaded guil
ty to the charge and was sentenced
to the roads for three months.
Gets Prison Term
For Rape Attempt
Willie Eborn, eighteen-year-old
Beaufort County Negro, was sen
tenced to prison for from 12 to 15
years by Judge Leo Carr in Beau
fort County Superior court this
week for an alleged attempt to rape
Miss Mary M. McCoy, of Hunting-]
ton, W. Va., between here and Wash
ington on the evening of November
24. The trial attracted considerable
attention, the crowds jamming the
small court auditorium to capacity.
Early on the night of November
24, Miss McCoy, accompanied by a
friend, Miss Ellen Ruth Baker, were
traveling from Kinston where they
visited relatives to Norfolk. Late
that night they reached Williams
ton and reported the alleged attack
to local officers and Sheriff C. B
Roebuck. The county officers inves
tiated and Eborn's arrest was ef
fected by Beaufort authorities a
short time later.
Miss McCoy told how Eborn had
attempted to criminally assault her
and how she and her Companion ran
to the Tidfhe Of a Colored man for
safety. "He threw me down in the
road, but lights of an approaching
car frightened him away," she said.
The girls, hitch-hiking to Norfolk,
later caught a ride to Williamston
and continued from here by bus.
Attempts to connect the girls with
houses of ill fame in Kinston were
refuted, and when one of the de
fense lawyers intimated that they
had been chased off of Kinston's
famous "Sugar Hill," Miss McCoy,
crying, told the attorney in Open
court he was lying.
Eborn is in the Martin County
jail awaiting removal to State's pris
on to Start serving the 12 to 15 year
term, the maximum sentence.
?e
Youth Suffers Broken
Leg Wheii Mule Falls
Mayo Holliday, young boy living
on the old Biggs farm at Skewarkey
near here, suffered a broken leg
yesterday morning when the mule
he was riding bareback stumbled
and fell on him. He was treated in
the offices of Drs. Saunders and
Brown and is getting along very
well today.
Liquor Sales in County
Decrease Last Quarter
DECREASE
A slight decrease in local au
tomobile and truck registrations
has been noted locally for the
current year to date as compar
ed with the number registered
in 1938.
After citing 100 auto and
truck owners to the mayor's
court, there are a few owners
who have not purchased town
tags for their vehicles. To date,
275 town tags have been sold as
compared with 350 for the whole
of 1938.
The 100 cases cited to the
court were settled without cost
or fine to the defendants, but
owners who fall to display the
1939 tags will be made subject
to prosecution in the courts in
the future, Chief Daniel said
yesterday.
Farmers Prompt In
Applying For Soil
Benefit Payments
??
Shortage of Forms Will De
lay Work in County For
A Few Days
Preliminary reports from the field
indicate that Martin County farm
ers are anxious to get their appli
cations in for payments under the
1938 soil conservation program. In
Bear Grass day before yesterday 80
per cent of the farmers in that dis
trict had placed their names in the
pot, and quite a few remaining ones
are making special trips to the of
fice of the county agent to file their
applications for the benefits. Far
mers in Cross Roads were described
as eager to apply for their payments.
Today, farmers are filing their ap
plications in Griffins and Goose
Nest Townships. Poplar Puint far
mers have been notified to make ap
, plications at the office of the farm
agent in the county agricultural
building
Apparently in greater need of the
benefits provided under the soil
conservation program, farmers are
not losing much time in getting their
applications properly filed, and it
is quite evident that few will miss
the opportunity to get the contract
payments this year, reports from the
county agent's office stating that
some farmers failed to apply in the
past years.
Using all available forms on hand
for preparing the applications and
unable to get an additional supply
from the estate office, the assistant
to the agent announced yesterday
that a delay of undetermined length
was certain before applications
could be received from farmers in
other sections of the county. An ur
gent request for additional forms
has been made to the State office
and just as soon as the proper ma
terials are received, the applications
will be prepared and made ready
for the farmers' signatures just as
rapidly as possible, Mr. T B Slade
announced tdday.
Martin County farmers are ex
pecting in excess of $100,000 in soil
conservation payments this year,
many of them hoping that the mon
ey will be made available in time
to make fertilizer purchases in the
early spring.
Carries Grudge For
A Number Of Years
Dayton Hardison, about 30 years
old, satisfied or partially satisfied
an old grudge he had been nursing
for a long number of years when he
attacked with his bare fists Wixie
Rogers on the corner of Main and
Washington Streets here last Tues
day.
"You used to beat on me when
we were in school, and I am going
to pay you back," Hardison was
quoted as saying as he walked up
to Rogers and planted a strong blow
with his fist on his old schoolmate's
nose. Several blows were exchang
ed, Officer J. H. Allsbrooks stating
that Hardison was scratched some
on the face.
Carried before Justice J. L. Has
aelL Hardison was fined $9 and tax
ed with the costs.
Rogers and Hardison were said to
have attended school at Macedonia
I
some years ago.
?
Mr. James Walter Harris, of Wil
liamston, R. F. D. 3, was a business
visitor here this afternoon.
/
Total of $460,406.28
Is Spent In County
Since Stores Open
Last Quarter Sales Off By
More Than $15,000 As
Compared with 1937
II
After showing a first comparative
decrease in the second quarter of
last year since the stores were open
ed in July, 1935, and then showing
_sr tl'Eht gam in the third quarter, le
gal liquor sales in this county dip
ped to a record low during the last
quarter, according to an audit of
sales just released by V. J. Spivey,
chairman of the Martin County Al
coholic Beverages Control' Board
Last quarter sales-totaled $40,710.30
in the four stores, the amount trail
ing the last quarter figures for 1JJ7
by $15,409.10.
While there was a slight return
to the use of home-manufactured
goods, the official audit of the legal
liquor system clearly indicates that
Martin County people consumed
the smallest amount of liquor dur
'? ing the months of last October. No
vember and December than, in any
I other fourth period since the stores
| were opened in 1935.
The Williamston store forged
ahead in the percentage of sales, but
there was a decrease in income of
I nearly $7,000 compared with the
I figures for the fourth quarter, 1937.
The first figures below represent the
sales for the corresponding period
last year, by stores: Williamston,
$27.686 35 and $20,833 60; Koberson
ville, $17,728 35 and $11,599.40; Oak
Citv $5,857.70 and $4,839.40; James
vilie, $4,707.00 and $3,637.90. The
sales at Williamston represented
5118 per cent of the total, those at
Robersonville, 28 49 per cent, those
at Oak City, 11 40 per cent, and
those at Jamesville, 8 93 per cent.
Out of the $40,710.30 cash" sales;
rttre-dsnaTtrratfrtZSJtBJ^ror 63.58
per cent to distillers in several
states Operating expenses, includ
ing salaries, rents, administration
and several other items, amounted
to $3 563.41 Net profit from opera
tions was $11,263 57 or 28 65 per cent
compared with $16.224.B2 in the
fourth quarter for 1937. Net prufit
from operations, by stores was as
follows for the quarter: Williams
i ton $6,050.77; Robersonville, $3,U7,
I 13; Oak City, $1,197 89; Jamesville,
I $887.78.
The division-ot-profits was made
I as follows: Martin County, $6,197 32;
State of North Carolina 7 per cent
Ion gross sales), $2.849.72; Town ot
I Williamston, $918.48; Robersonville,
$463.03; Oak City, $174.63; James
ville, $126 63. In addition to the prof
I its division, the board set aside
| $875.57 for law enforcement during
I the period.
Operating expenses were listed by
stores as follows Williamston,
I $981 05; Robersonville, $789.33; Oak
City $387 25, and Jamesville,
$341 95.
The board ended the calendar
year with assets of $22,171.81. rep
resented in the following items, cash,
$5,134.35; inventories, $15,49863 and
fixed assets of $1,538.83.
A record of sales from July, 1935,
when the stores were first opened,
to the end of the fourth quarter
1938, and net profits for the several
periods, is as follows.
Sales Profits
22,249 35 $ 2,743 11
37,379.29 9,887 99
25,274.96 4,759.91
21,584 05 3.425.70
27,864.59 5,619 98
44,727.00 11,661.14
29,771.20 6,563.07
31,640.98 4,484.77
30,259.05 2,854.43
56,179.40 16,224.82
33,325.61 7,694.35
26,96835 5,853.82
32,502.15 7,739 45
40,710.30 11,605.38
$460,406.28 $101,119.92
Faculty Will Present
Play On January 26th
Members of the local faculty are
working nightly on a play which
will be presented on January 26 in
the High school auditorium. The
play, which is a comedy, is entitled
"Her-Step Husband," is being pro
moted to raise funds for the school
libraries.
Rehearsals are going forward rap
idly and the play promises to be
successful. The public is asked to
keep the date in mind and make
plans to attend. Remember this
is a worthy cause. Will you do your
'part?
To Start Drive Next
Week For Boy Seout
Movement In County
Civic Clifbs Out To Raise
$300 For Important
Work
?
Recognizing the importance of
proper training and companionship
offered through the Boy Scout or
ganization. the local Kiwanis and
Lions Clubs have accepted the task
of raising $300 for advancing this
valuable work here and in the
county this year.
Mayor John L. Hassell today pro
claimed the period of January 22
II y "Boy Scout Week." and he
with those sponsoring the campaign
for funds appeals to the citizenship
of Williamston to liberally support
the movement.
"Few investments will offer
greater dividend not only to the
youth but also to the town and coun
ty than a few hundred dollars spent
in training the lads of our town and
county." D. V Clayton, cashier of
the Guaranty Bank and Trust Com
pany, said as a member of the Lions
committee charged with assisting in
the task of raising the town and
county quota
"This is not a begging scheme,"
one member pointed out, adding
that the sponsors were asking the
thinking people of the town and
county to invest a few dollars in
building up one of the greatest as
sets any town or county can possess
?character citizens and community
leaders of tomorrow.
Boy Scout work while fimited to
comparatively few in the past is
rapidly spreading here and in the
county. Troops are active now in
Jamesville, Robersonville and Wil
liamston. These youths, considering
the limited support and the few
opportunities they have had in ad
vancing scout work, m general,
have done a remarkable job. "We
can't fail them longer*" one of the
canvassers said.
Under the auspices of the Lions
Club and the Kiwanis Club, a drive
is being made to raise the necessary
funds. Messrs. Irving Margolis, Ed
win Peel andJames Herbert Want
are representing the Linus Club and
Messrs. Wheeler Martin, Bill Hunt,
D. N. Hix and C. B. Clark, Sr., have
been appointed from the Kiwanis
Club When any of these people call
on you, please have your contribu
tion ready. Any amount that you
contributed will be appreciated
Washington Weed
Conference Favors
Two-cent Payment
Two-Cent Payments and
Penalty Asked By To
bacco States
conference .iield.
in Washington City last week for
the purpose of going over the sit*
uation in relation to tobacco as a re
sult of the referendum to carry last
December.
North Carolina, Virginia, Ken
tucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida,
Indiana, South Carolina, Missouri
and Ohio had representatives at this
conference. C. T. Hall, J E. Wins
low, K. L. Corbett, E F Arnold, G
T. Scott, John Broome, Flake Shaw
and E. Y. \Floyd represented North
Carolina.
At the conclusion of the meeting
it was decided to set up a represen
tative committee. C TV Hall, J. E.
Winslow and R. L. Corbett repre
sented North Carolina on this com
mittee. The committee organized by 1
electing C T. Hall, North Carolina,j
chairman; Mr. Johnston, of Ken
U*ckyr vico chairman and -Mr?Dan
iel of Georgia, secretary. An execu
I tive committee was also set up with
C. T Hall and J. E. Winslow repre
senting North Carolina.
The conference went on record as
favoring securing enough mAney to
pay cooperating tobacco growers
two cents per pound on their al
lotted poundage and to make a study
of possible amendments that would
improve the present law. This com
mittee also recommended that pen
alties on over planting under the
soil conservation act be reduced to
two cents pe^pound on the first tea
per cent above the allotted acreage
and the regular eight cents per
pound deduction above this amount.
James L. Coltrain Quite
III At Home In Griffins
?Jamr, fa Coltrain, well-knuwH
county citizen and a prominent
Griffin* Townahip farmer, suffered
an attack of pneumonia this week
and .'--'inues quite ill at his home
there llis condition, however, was
repotted much improved at noon
today compared to what it was yes
terday morning.
Plans Formulated at Meeting In
Raleigh To Push Claims To Road
Refunds hy Highway Commission
Fanners Continue Plans On
Big Scale For Tobacco Crop
The trend toward an increase in
tobacco plantings is becoming more
evident in this county day by day
as farmers continue preparations for
the coming season. Approximately
90 per cent of the fanners are hav
ing more seed cleaned for planting,
and purchases of plaint bed fertiliz
ers are larger, as a whole, than they
were a year ago.
Quite a few farmers point out that
while they are increasing their plant
beds, they do^pot intend to mater! I
ially increase their acreage to the
leaf crop. If the plants are available
at transplanting time, human na
ture will, under normal circutn
stances, dictate an increase, it is
reasoned by many
Many growers have already sow
ed their plant beds, but the work,
delayed during the past few days
by weather conditions, will hardly
J reach a peak before next week.
IThose who sowed their plant beds
earlier in the month are making
preparations for preparing supple
mentary beds next month.
To date, the FCX here has clean
ed almost fifty bushels of seed for
152 farmers or enough to sow al
most a million and a quarter square
yards of plant beds. A second clean
ing station was opened in Kober
sonville this season, and some few
farmers have gone out of the coun
ty get their seed cleaned Possibly
[around 75 bushels of seed have
been cleaned for planting in the
county to date. It is conservatively
istimuted that 350,000 seed weigh
one ounce, and at that rate, Martin
farmers will sow more than a bil
lion and a half of tobacco seed, an
amount sufficient to cover approxi
mately 375 acres Approximately
20,000 acres of plants can be trans
planted from these beds. And it is
estimated that less than half the far
mers in the county have their seed
cleaned.
Sanitary Conditions in
J
County Are Improved
Town Of Everetts
Is Sotting Record
For Entire Conntv
More Than Five Hundred
?Privies Are "Ptanted"
In This County
Nearing the close of its first year
of operation in the county, the Mar
tin Health department can look
back on an unusually good record
established in the improvement ol
general sanitation during the eleven
months beginning last February.
A complete review of the activi
ties as they relate to the privy
building project ?is not available
just now, but after making a pre
liminary survey of the work, Sum
that the general public had coopei
ated splendidly toward advancing
the program Mr l.i-onaril I'.stimnti
thai more than 5U0 sanitary privies
?have been "planted" in the county
during the past eleven months, and
he believes that sanitary conditions
as a whole, are the best they have
ever been. He pointed out however,
that there is vast room for improve
ment, but in the review of past ac
tivities there is found much eneoui
agement for striving harder than
ever to continue the work
One of the most encouraging re
sponses to the program has been
reported 111 Everetts Ruling out as
too expensive a water and sewer
system, the town and even the sur
rounding community is lining up to
establish a recognized sanitary sys
tem through the construction of in
dividual privies. "K\/b*y home on
one entire street in the town will
have recognized sanitary facilities,"
Mr. Leonard said, and added that he
believed the entire community
would cooperate nearly 100 per cent
parent that Everetts is out to set a
record in the construction of sani
tary privies. *T
Just now the health department
in cooperation with the Works Pro
gress Administration is operating
two construction plants, one at Wil
liamston and a second in the upper
part of the county. Activities are be
ing centered at the present time
around the activities at the station
in the upper part of the county
where an order for approximately
75 privies have been placed.
Conferring with County health
officials a few days ago, Farmer
Rpbert Everett, of Goose Nest, read
ily recognized the value of the san
itation movement and the health
board's plan in advancing it Agree
ing to furnish the materials and
IrufUiport&llOh for the~"wbrker5r Mr
Everett is placing around 75 of the
sanitary units on his farm in Goose
Nest Township.
A complete survey of the sanitary
work carried on by Mr. Leonard
will be made available soon, and it
if certain to prove interesting as
well as informative.
SCOUT WEEK
Whereas, the Boy Scout or
ganization is one of the finest
of its kind in this country for
building the youth of our land,
and Whereas, to carry on this
organization it needs encour
agement from every source.
Now, 17 IT 17 liassell, Mayor
of Williainston, do declare the
week of January 22-29, as Boy
Scout Week in Williainston in
order that our citizens may be
come more Scout minded and
aid in this worthy cause.
J. I. II ASS MX, Mayor.
Several Are Hurl
In (lar-Seliool Bus
W reck Near Her?
Ar<
Not Badly Hurt Early
Yesterday
Hoy Coltrain, young local man
was painfully but not seriously hur
and three school children wen
slightly scratched and bruised in at
automobrHr school bus crash tr
front of the Martin County honn
near here yesterday morning at i
o'clock Coltrain suffered a broker
bone in his left hand and a bad kne<
injury. Bill Burroughs, Burnel Whiti
and ffaiss Minnie CIiesson, passen
gers in the school bus, were able t<
continue to school after they wen
given first aid treatment. The dnv
er of the bus, Ellis Chesson, and oth
er passengers in the school bus wen
pot hurt.
A fog, described as one of tin
heaviest in this section in months
made driving difficult during tht
eatTv morning hour. Mr. J. T. Barn
hill, driving toward Everett*, stop
ped while the school bus was taking
on children in front of the count)
home Mr. Coltrain, also drivini
toward Kveretts and running abou
| 30 miles an hour, turned to his lefi
to pass the BarnhiU car and unabh
To" see The bus through the fo|
he was unable to avoid the crash
Coltrain turned his car sharply U
the left, the right fender add bump
er plowing into the right fender or
the bus.
Damage to the Coltrain car wil
| run possibly as high as $125, ?ehnn
officials stating that the repair bil
to the bus was only $18.
Receiving treatment in the offio
of Drs. Saunders and Brown, Col
train, his hand in a cast, limpet
away without aid, and is now at th?
bedside -of his father, Mr. James L
Coltrain, who is quite ill at his hom<
in the Farm Life section of Griffin;
Township.
No other highway accidents wen
reported in this section during thi
heavy fog, but travelers reporter
driving was done with great diffi
culty.
11. (f. Morton \\ ill
Introduce Kill In
General Wemhlv
$,
County Attorney Maintains
Claims Are Just And
Should Be Met
All but ignored in the past by
spenal?cummissi.un..?and State ad
ministrative departments, claims to
refunds of monies spent in advanc
ing the State Highway System will
again He pushed by the several
counties in the State now :'holding
the bag " Meeting at the call of the
secretary of the Eastern Carolina
Chamber of Commerce in Raleigh
last Wednesday night, representa
tives from the counties advancing
millions of dollars for State road
building formulated plans to re- *
enter their claims through legisla
tive act to the road refunds.
Hugh U Horton, representative
from this county, was named chair
man of a committee from the House
of Representatives, to head the
drive for the refunds Members of
the committee are. Representatives
Mallison, of Pamlico and Worthing
ton, of Pitt, and Senators Corey, jof
Pitt, and Palmer, of Cabarrus
A draft of the hill which Repre
sentative Horton plans tf) introduce
in the House next week is being pre
pared at the present time. The pro
posed hill will ask that one-half of
one per cent of the taxi's collected
on gasoline be set aside for meet
ing the claims to the road refunds
The matter of determining the
amounts due the counties will be
removed from the all powerful
highway commission and placed in
the hands of a special group, the
North Carolina Highway Reim
bursement Hoard to be composed
of three practical business or pro
fessional men who are not connect
ed with the highway system. The
board, to be appointed by the gov
errior, will he charged with the exe
cution of the act upon its passage.
"The primary purpose of this act
is fo provide for the reimbursement
to the counties the amounts con
tributed for and, or roads built by
them to the construction of the State
highway system, and accordingly all
..such monies distributed ? hy 4he?
board created to said counties shall
he Used by said counties for the sole
, purpose of paying the principal and*
interest of such outstanding bonds
which represents the amounts or any
part of the amounts so contributed
I7y~ said counties and for none oth
er purpose whatsoever," Section 10
of the proposed act reads.
Martin County is claiming aborox
imately $400,000 as its part of the
road refunds County Elbert S Heel,
following his return from Raleigh
yesterday, said that he considered
the claims to the refunds were just
and should Tie met.
Attorney Peel and Representative
Horton would not comment on the
outcome of the re-newed claims,
"but we are going to continue the
fight with all our might," Mr. .Hor
Farm Bureau Group
Meet Here Monday
Meeting here next Monday eve
ning in the agricultural building,
the membership campaign commit
tee of the County Farm bureau will
make plans fill- a final ilrivo during
the week to strengthen the organi
zation ranks. All members of the
membership teams are expected to
attend thr meeting, compare notes
and advance plans for a whirlwind
finish in the drive that started near
ly two weeks ago
Lea by Farmers Van G. Taylor
and Charlie Daniel, fhembers of the
membership campaign teams have
canvassed the county While they
have encountered indifference in
many quarters, the drive for mem
bers will, it is believed, meet with
marked success. "I have gotten my
boys lined up, and we are working,"
Mr Van Taylor, leader of one of
the teams said. "We are not sleep
ing," Mr Charlie Daniel, leader of
the other team, said, adding that he
wax out to get 20 members him
self. Other canvassers are making
progress, and there is a possibility
the county unit of the Farm Bureau
will be able to boast MO members
when the contest is closed the lat
ter part of next week.
The winners in the contest will be
guests of the losers at a supper to
be held soon after the canvass Is
completed.