North Carolina Newspapers

Advertiser* Will Find Our Col umn* a Latchkey to over 1,800 Homes of Martin County. THE ENTERPRISE Watch the Label on Your Paper, As It Carries the Date Your Subscription Expires VOLUME XLII?NUMBER 8 Williamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Friday, January 27, 1939. ESTABLISHED 1899 Dozen Cases Are Called In County Court Last Monday Judge Warns Prosecuting} Witness Against Bad Practice The bad practice of procuring warrants while the grieved person' was made and then for them to re fuse to offer testimony for the State In its prosecution of those cases was attacked by Judge H. O. Peel in the Martin County Recorder's Court last Monday. Often prosecuting wit nesses called for warrants and then fall dowtt when the defendant faces the court; causing the general pub ?lie tu wolidei - how?this peison or that person could gain Jus freedom after a flagrant violation of the peace. Clyde Silverthorne, a more-or-less frequent defendant in the county court, was found not guilty by Judge Peel in the case charging him with an assault on a female. The judge incorporated in the case judgment a warning to the prosecuting wit ness, Mrs. Silverthorne. The court ruled that if Mrs. Silverthorne pro cured another warrant for her hus band and came into court asking for withdrawal of the charges or fail ed to give evidence to substantiate I the charges, then the court costs I would be assessed against her or jail sentence imposed. With an even dozen cases on its I docket, the court was in session af- [ ter the lunch hour. A big fight reaching serious pro portions on December 20 at Gold| Point was aired in the court Mon day. Harry Bell, charged with throw ing a ppp bottle into the store in Linwood Johnson and temporarily "knocking out" Mr. W. A. Vander ford, was fined $25 and taxed with| the costs in the case Leo Bell, a sec ond defendant in the case, was| found not guilty. Entering the John son "store atlegedly willT a pockeT knife ready for an assault, Charlie Bell, father of Harry and Leo, was shot by Mr. Johnson. The ball struck Bell on the chin and followed the skin around the bone, down his neck and lodged in his shoulder. The case was scheduled for trial on January 9, but Charlie wasn't doing so well and the case was postponed until last Monday when Charlie, ap parently in good health but a bullet heavier, appeared in court. Mr. John son was found not guilty. Robert Harrell, charged with an | assault with a deadly weapon, was| adjudged not guilty. . Pleading his innocense, Walter Hester was found guilty in ti e case charging him with bastardy. The court directed him to pay $5 a month for the upkeep of his alleged illegi and offer bond of $100 to guarantee the monthly payments He .appealed and the court required bond in the sum of $100. The case charging James Lillcy with reckless driving was continued by agreement. Young Lilley, it will be recalled, was returning on the Washington Road to his home after reporting the fatal attack made upon his father on the morning of December 24 when he fainted and his car crashed into another. Dawson Council, charged with anl assault with a deadly weapon, wasj found not guilty. Charged with larceny, John Hen ry Ruffin pleaded guilty of simple assault. Solicitor Elphonsa Johnson accepting the plea. The case was continued under prayer for judg ment. Sam Moore, colored, charged with drunken driving and operating a car without a driver's license, was fined $85 and taxed with the cost. James D. Oakley, colored driver of a coca-cola truck, was found not guilty in the case charging him with drunken driving. The case charging Preston Smith with permitting a drunken person to operate his motor vehicle, was nol prossed. ? Escapes Injury When Car Turns Over Twice ??? Mrs. H. L. Thompson, of California and Portimouth, Va., and a compan ion escaped unhurt when their car, a Ford sedan, skidded and turned over twice on the Washington high way, two miles from here last Tues day afternoon. The car, its top smashed in, landed bottom side up in a ditch. Damage to the machine was estimated at $450 After minor repairs to the run ning gears of the car, Mrs. Thomp son left here Wednesday to join her husband who is on his way to Ports mouth with the Pacific fleet. Mrs. Thompson and her lady companion had traveled all the way from the west coast and were nearing their destination when they had the ac cident. Illicit Liquor Manufacturers Prepare First Line of Defense Holding an equal chance when it came to matching leg for leg with the ground agents, illicit liquor man ufacturers in this county are said to be forming a first line of defense against the federal agent in the air. Unofficial but fairly reliable reports declare that the illicit liquor manu facturers are going to camouflage their plants, use a smokeless fuel, \ and trust the air raiders will not fly too low. "No, 1 don't believe any body in this county is mean enough to fire upon a plane, but if I were going to fly over some sections I'd make it is a point to fly high," a re port quoted one man as saying .It is understood that liquor manu facturlng has been at a virtual; standstill throuflhout the Martin County countryside this week, the operators spending most of their time camouflaging their plants in anticipation of another air raid. The R. F. D. liquor world was greatly disturbed last Saturday when a government plane made an inspection tour of several sections of the county, spotted liquor plants and directed ground raiders to them It was reported shortly after the last Saturday raid, the first of its' type ever made in the county, that a frequent but unannounced sched ule would be maintained by the federal agents in cooperation with the enforcement bureau in this county in the future. As far as it could be learned no raid has been made from the air this week, but that another one is scheduled short iy. HOLIDAY The Williams ton office of the State Employment Service, in accordance with feneral orders of the Unemployment Compen sation Commission in Raleigh, will not be open on Saturday, January 28th. All State employ ment offices in this State are to cloee on tomorrow to allow the personnel to take the merit ex aminations scheduled for that day at various points. Many of the examinations were held last Saturday, Janu ary 21st, but most of the em ployees of the local office are to take examinations that are to be (ivfn on the 28th. Many peo ple from the rank and file of the citlxenry at large are also taking the remit examinations in order to get on the eligible lists for future Jobs that may be open. Place Marker For New Post Officel The "corner" stone for Williams ton's new postoffice was laid this week, reports from the contractors stating that work on the building is progressing well ahead of schedule Supervisor C. H. Riddle state* that construction work will likely be completed in early June and that the building would be ready for oc cupancy on or about July I. Several masons started laying brick this week and the stone setters are al most through with their work. Sev eral pieces of the granite had to be reset at the direction of the super vising engineer, but the extra work caused no great delay in the gen eral building activities. They still call it the corner stone. 1 but the marker bearing the inscnp tions, Henry Morgenthau, Jr., Sec retary of the Treasury; James A Farley, Postmaster General, I amis A. Simon, Supervising Architect, and Neal A. Melick, Supervising En gineer, 1938, is several stones re moved from the east corner of the building. "That's where they put them now," Mr. Kiddle explained as the marker was being placed. Three Are Arrested For Investigation! Nicodcmus Barrow, Sam Moore | and Alberta Brooks, all colored, were arrested in this week and are | being held for investigation in con nection with the theft of about 3001 pounds of ham and shoulders from Herbert Manning's smokehouse in I the Farm Life section of Griffins Township early last Saturday night. I Their arrests were made when it was learned that the trio had been seen riding in the Farm Lafe section on the evening the meat was stolen. The meat robbers, after breaking into the smokehouse and stealing the meat, are said to have broken into the Manning home. Nothing was missed from the home as far as it could be learned. ?? 1 No hearing has been scheduled in the case so far, Sheriff C. B. Roe buck said this morning. Former Resident Is Sent To Prison ? B. J. Sessoms, 48-year-old white] fanner, of Edgecombe County, and a former resident of Robersonville, pleaded guilty to incest with his 12 year-old daughter. Ellen Sessoms, in Superior Court in Tarboro Monday afternoon and was sentenced to 12 years in State's prison by Judge C. Everett Thompson, of Elizabeth City. Sessoms admitted his guilt, and witnesses, including the child, testi fied that her father attacked her in an open field near their home. She will become a mother next month. Reviews Activities Employment Oil ice Here In Past Year Jobs Are Found For 1,273 People By Office Here In Twelve Months ? During 1938, the first full year of operation of the Willianiston unit of the State Employment Service, the local office placed 1,273 people in jobs and during that period served over 160 employers, business firms, contractors and others in filling or ders for qualified help. During the year new registrations amounted to 5,112 divided as fol lows: Martin County, 1,052; Beaufort j County, 2,189; Washington County 894; Hyde County, 234; Tyrrell County, 501. Beaufort, the most pop ulous county of the five that are served by the Willianiston office, led in registrations, placements and number of unemployment compen sation claimants during the pasi year. During the year 41,310 personal calls or visits by applicants, claim ants, visitors and employers were made in the local office and at the various extension service points ov er the five counties. Members of the Williamston office made 342 field visits or calls on employers, contractors, etc., during 1938. Approximately 43,000 original and continued claims for unemployment compensation were handled by this office during the year Checks were distributed to eligible unemployed workers in all the five counties. Industrial and domestic place ments are somewhat limited since the Williamston office serves an area that is predominantly rural, with main occupations being farming, fishing, lumbering and other rural ansL small town lines of business Considerable placement work was done in agricultur.nl, lumbering,' fish and oyster industry, and particular ly building construction, both pub lic and private. One of the Williamston Employ ment service workers was sent intol the strawberry section at Wallace | and into the potato section at Bay boro for special duty during the strawberry and potato harvesting seasons of the past year. Cooperation of'employers, contractors, public of ficials and business men during the past year was marked by increased use of the local office anjl its ser vice. The local employment service of fice receives applications from ev ery employable person wishing to register; assists people wishing to obtain Social Security numbers; maintains an active file of qualified I workers in each of the five coun-l ties; places as many as possible in private and public employment its area and elsewhere in the State;) handles claims for eligible unem ployed workers who have compen sation benefits due them; and in) various other ways serves the pub lic as a clearing house for the em ployment needs of this section. Plays World's Champion Checker Player To Draw * Joe Godard, local cafe operator and acknowledged checker player champion in these parts, reached out for new laurels last Tuesday eve ning when he met and played-Wil liam F. Ryan, world champion checker player, to a draw. The lo cal champion had victory in his grasp at one time, the world cham pion pointing out after the game the move that would have won. But it was no bad feat to tie the world renown checker player even if he was playing blind-folded. Wheeler Martin Ward and Julius Peel, observing the checker battle, learned' some intricate points about the game, they reported upon their return here. Re|)ort An Added Interest In Drive For New Members Showdown Scheduled Here Next Monday Night The campaign for additional mem bers of the Martin County Farm Bureau Federation underway for a little over two weeks is attracting added interest as representatives of the two membership teams start ?j final drive for new joiners. Trailing Charlie Daniel's team by a few points early this week, Cap tain Van G. Taylor went home and the next day personally wrote an appealing letter to his workers. Mr. Charlie Daniel isn't talking much,, still working. While the canvassers are still in- j tcrested primarily in building up a strong farm organization in Martin County, they are thinking a great deal about who is going to pay for that supper in the American Legion Hut here next Monday night. Limit ed to the members of the canvass ing teams, the supper will be financ ed by the losers in the contest. That everyone might enjoy the meal, the winners will not be determined un til after the supper. Mr. Daniel is advising members on, the opposing team to have their money ready and Mr. Taylor is advising the members of the opposing team to have their money ready. In case of a tie, pos sibly the boys will "dutch it." Admitting at the meeting last Monday evening in the agricultural building here that Mr. Daniel and his boys "have us on the drag with about thirty-five new members ahead." Mr. Taylor sent.out the fol lowing letter to his team workers: "At the meeting it was decided to close the campaign next Monday night with a good, nice turkey ^up per alid the losing club pay the bill. "Now I know there isn't a mem ber of my team who minds paying his part for Ihe eats, but I am beg ging you, if we have to foot the bill, to make the other boys work for them this week. "I am still holding my goal at 210 new members, and I believe we should get that many and win out j with a full stomach and no puy. "Now, it isn't the eats we are wor rying so much about. We just don't want to lose, so let's go after it dur ing the next few days with the de termination to win and meet m Wil liamston next Monday night for a final checking, a good supper and a little fun. Meet me there with your head up. I will be looking for you." INegro Charged With o n Hit and Run Driving ? Wilbcrt Cunningham, colored truck driver fur the A. F Amory Fish Company, of Newport News, was arrested here early Tuesday evening for hit-and-run and drunk en driving. Unable to raise bond, the man continues in the county jail. He will be tried for alleged drunken driving in the recorder's court in this county next Monriayraint un the following Monday he will face a charge of hit-and-run driving in the courts of Bertie. Driving a large fish truck with a semi-trailer, Cunningham tore into and ripped the side off of a Chev rolet sedan driven by Mrs. W. W. Trueblood, of Hertford, on the riv er fill about eight o'clock Tuesday evening Mrs. Trueblood and her companions, Mrs. Charles Skinner and Mrs. J. R. Delaney, also of Hert ford, escaped unhurt. Cunningham claimed he stopped after striking the car, but other reports state that he did not stop and continued to Williamston where he was arrested a short time later by Patrolman W. S. Hunt Another man was employed to drive the truck and deliver a big load of fisli to Wilmington. Char"ne3~lVith Violating State Forest Fire Laws Probable cause appearing, the case charging Wiley Roberson, Rober sonville Township colored man, with violating the State forest fire laws, was placed on the county court docket by Justice J. L.. Hassell here Wednesday afternoon for trial next Monday. No bond was required of Roberson. Roberson is alleged to have set fire to some grass lands on January 10 without notifying adjoining land owners and without stationing soma one at the fire to keep it under con trol. It is understood that no one actually saw Roberson fire the grass land H',"i.s state that the fire burned over L<i acres, that the forest ser vice spent $18 bringing it under con trol. Bill To Have State Refund Road Money To Several Counties About Ready lor the Legislative Hopper Hundred Fifty-Six Names On School Honor Roll Hi mv ??& List Is Largest Reported During Past Several Terms The names ot l!>tl pupils appear on the honorlist for the term recently ended in the local schools. Principal D N. IIix pointing out that the list was the largest reported in recent terms Names of the honor pupils: First Grade Ann Lamm, June Bowen, Margaret Wynne, Rush Ron-1 durant, Madaline Chesson, Charles Carver. Elizabeth Whitley, Jessie M. Nelson, Martha Mackenzie, Jack Gray, Warren Goff, Rachel Chessor, Clara Whitfield, Hubert Barber, Ul cus Bonds, Eugene Bowen, Marvin Cherry, Garland Hardison, Pritch ard Lmdsley. Luther Pate, ltusselt Warren, Elsie R. Bowen, Rachel Beach, Ruby Bunch, Dorothy Dav enport, Josephine Davenport, Rita Stephenson, Alice 1' Williams. Second Grade: Sally Hardison, Jack Booker, James G. Godard. Zaek Piephoff, Hilly Edwards, Paul Peele, Jr . John Watts, Landy Grif fin, Julian Mason, Grimes Peel, Mel en Howard, Ilattie Moore, Dorothy Rogerson. Third Grade: Eunice Ann Britton, Bety Sue Olark, Mary Lou Coltram, Chloe Ann Davenport, Barbara Mar golis, Ann Mizelle, Gertrude Mc Lawhorn, La la Peele, Laurn F Peele, Doris Savage, Margaret Ward, John Gurkins, Eugene Corey Grace, Grace Burroughs, Eugene Andrews, Ruby Beach, Mary L Pate. Betty | G. Perry, Hollie l.illey. Fourth Grade: Jeanette Andrew;. Lucy Andrews, Louise Griffin, Glor ia Hayman Edward Heath, 1-uiiim Griffin, Elizabeth Hopkins, Dorothy Leggctt, Elizabeth Manning, Letitia l^axwell, Elizabeth Parker, Eliza belli Taylor, Burnell White, Hugh Horton, Charles Siceloff. Fifth Grade: John Daniel, Hal Die kens, Jr., Jesse Gurganus, Wilbiu Jackson, Billy Myers, Erwood Old, Sylvia Green, Frances Griffin, Pearl Newbern, Dora Twlddy. Sixth Grade: Curtis Hopkins, Fred Wheeler, Joseph Wynne, Isabclle Anderson, June Goff, Albert Knox, Lillian Maxwell, Anne Meador, Vio let Philips, Betty Rogers, Alberta Swain Seventh Grade: George Cunuing -bamr Donald Dixonr-Coni ad Uelsili I'it Fred Harriisoo Hiehanl Marco lis, Burke Parker, Luther Peel, Jer ry Raynor, J. D. Woolard, George Wynne, Lucille Jones, Daisy Man ning, Lcnora Melson, Nancy Mer cer, Delia J Mobley, Julia C Wa ters, Susie !>Wobbleton, Evelyn Ed mondson, Elsie Coltrain, Francis Thomas. - ?? Eighlli Grade Millie Biggs, Jane Carrow, Evelyn Griffin, Joseph Gur ganus, Theron Gurganus, Robert Jones, Patsy King, Mary O'Neal Pope, Madelyn Taylor, Emma It Ward. Ninth Grade: Billy Bowen, S C. Griffin, Billy Mercer, Mary C. God win, Susie Griffin, Elizabeth Par ker, Daisy Peaks, Roosevelt Col train. Tenth Grude: Doris Bullock, Mar jorie Dunn, Kallierine Manning, Carolyn Lindsley, J. E. Boykin, J. D. Nicholson. Eleventh Grade: Bill Ballard, Junic Peele,?Dirie "DrniteTr Doleia Gardner, Sally G. Gurkins, Dorothy Manning, Louise Melson, Doris Moore, Irene Perry, Mary Revels, Virgil Ward, Reid White, Susie Whitley, Margaret Jones. Baptist MitHS^rs In Meeting Here Northeastern Carolina Baptist ministers were in a one-day busi ness conference in the Memorial Baptist church last Wednesday when M A. Hudgins, secretary of the State Baptist Convention discussed with them a number of current top ics relating to the work of the de nomination. Included in the discus sion topics were, the circulation of the Biblical Recorder, State Baptist paper recently purchased by the Convention; the Hundred Thousand Club; a method for paying off tl^e church's south-wide debts, and a proposed Ministers' Retirement plan. There were twenty-five or more ministers present for the conference APPLICATIONS Applications for soil conser vation payments are still being received in this county, unoffi cial reports coming from the of fice of the farm agent today stating that efforts are being made to complete the work some time next week and get the requests for the cash into Raleigh soon tnercaher. Applications are being re reived in Jamesville and Ruber sonville today, and farmers in this township will apply for the payments about the middle of next week. Those farmers finding it inconvenient to apply for their benefit payments when the committeemen sit in the several districts are asked to file their claims in the office of the county agent as soon as pos sible. Criminal Assault Case Against Roy Bowers Blows l p ??? ' Pitt Court Accepts Plea of Simple Assault Upon County Girl Hoy Bow.ers, young Pitt County white man, charge with criminally asaulting a Martin County high school gnl, near Parmelc, last Oc tober, pleaded guilty to simple as sault in the Pitt County Superiorl Court this week, and was released! upon payment of the cost. Arrested in this county soon af ter the alleged attack upon a Cross! Koads Township girl, Bowers was denied bond by Justi^ J. L. Hassell at ii private hearing csj] Sunday morning following the alleged at j tack It was later learned that the alleged crime was committed in Pitt County, just across the boun-J dary line Bowers was given anoth ei hearing, and the solicitor ruled the cast.' was bondable after talking with the alleged victim and a State witness. Bowers was released in! $3,500 bond. During the meantime the victim of the alleged attack was reported to have muri led and moved to Nor folk, and it is understood she did not apfM'ur to prosecute the case in the court at Greenville this week. According to the complaint filed with Martin County officers by the girl's father. Bowers criminally as saulted the girl while two friends icmauieu in Mowers' eat' a short dirf tance away afraid to offer assist ance. In -support" of the simple assault plea, the defense is said to have pointed out that the victim of the alleged attack "re-entered the Bow era car and rode to Parmele where gasfrltnc was purchased and that he carried her home about an hour la ter. The cost in the case was only about $44. Bowers was in the courts of this county last year when lie and a young friend went on a dynamiting | laid and blew up a house in Par I melc and continued to Roberson j ville and Bear Grass where they al ! most shook residents out of their I beds with heavy dynamite blasts, 'March Of Dimes* Is Underway In County Lining up a strung group of chair men throughout iW- county, Leslie T. Fowden, general county chairman "today predicted the "March of Dimes" would meet with a marked sticcras this year. Offered at 10 ecnt? sold principally under the direction of the school people of the county. Proceeds from the sale will be used in a relentless drive against in fantile paralysis, orte-half of the funds being destined for use in pro motion of research work and the other half to be used for charitable purposes in the county. Names of the chairmen for the sale of the buttons are; Messrs. L. W Anderson, Robersonville; Dillon Peel, Kveretls; T O Hickman, Bear Crass;!H. MT Ainsley, Oak City; B B. Castelloe, Hamilton; J. T. Urzle, Jamesville; C. B. Martin, Farm Life. George Haislip, Hassell, and D N. Hix, Williamston. Martin County has been assigned a quota of 2,000 buttons for sale. The small pins will be offered for sale through Tuesday of next week. To Introduce The Proposed Pill In House This Week Martin County Has Valid Claim To Around - $400,000 ig a special proposal a few day ago, Representative Hugh G Horton will place before the State House of Representatives the latter part of this or some time next week the bill for the refunding of money advanced by counties for the con struction of State highways Plans for pushing and claims, including one entered by the county for ap proximately $400,000, were formu lated at u meeting of county repre sentative.4 called by the Eastern Carolina enamber of Commerce in Raleigh a few days ago. The bill, as drafted by Representa tive Horton, follows: An act to provide for the reim bursement by the State To the coun ties of funds contributed or donate! by the counties to the state and used in the construction of the stale highway system or made by such county or counties in the construc tion of the highways forming a part *of the state highway system and turned over to the state by such county or counties .and to set aside and appropriate for this purpose one-half of one per cent of the pres ent gasoline tax and to create a board to administer this act. The General Assembly of North Carolina do enact: Section 1. The State- shall, in the manner herinafter provided, repay to the counties of tin- State the amounts, together with interest thereon at five per cent per an num, paid over by such Counties to the State Highway Comimssmn and used in the construction ot the State highway system, as constituted un der Chapter 2 of the Public Laws of one thousand nine hundred and twenty-one and other roads or high ways taken over by the State High way Commission prior to the rati fication of Chapter .145 of the Pub lic Laws of one thousand nine hun dred and thirty-three". The Counties shall submit to the board named to administer this act, their claims with adequate proofs of payment, and af ter the verification of the claims from tin- recprds in the office of the State Highway Commission, the Same shall be certified and accepted by the board as the amount contrih uted. In the event the county or counties donation or contribution consisted of roads built by said county or counties in accordance with the plans and specifications of the State Highway Commission and was accepted by said State High way Commission ~and is now in use by the State Highway Co/nmission without same having been rebuilt by the State Highway Commission, then, in that event, if the county or counties and the board herinafter named cannot agree on a fair, just and equitable valuation of said roads the following method of determin ing their value shall be used, name ly: The Board herinafter named shall select a reputable engineer to examine and appraise said roads and the county or counties may se lect a reputable engineer to assist in the valuation of said roads, and if they cannot agree on the valuation to be placed on said roads, they shall choose a third reputable engineer, and the report of the majority of said engineers shall be accepted and be binding upon the board herein after named, and the county or counties that have filed claims con sisting of loads lonstiuited by^hem ?Sec 2, The Slate shall not hflL_ bound to pay any part of the prin cipal of the same herein assumed until after January 1, 1940, and shall only be liable for such inter-, est thereon as shall accrue on defer red installments on principal from and after sai4 January 1, 1940, and the whole amount for which the (Continued on page six) Firemen Called Out At Ten o'Clock This Morning The local volunteer Tire company was called out this morning at 10 o'clock when an over-heated chim ney caught the old Waters home on East Main Street on (ire. Very lit tle damage was done, and the (ire fighting equipment was returned to the station within five minutes.