44th Series of Stock in Building and Loan Association Will Go on Sale Saturday; March 4th
Advertisers Will Find Our Col
umns ? Latchkey to over 1,600
Homes of Martin County.
THE ENTERPRISE
Watch the Label on Your
Paper. As It Carries the Date
Your Subscription Expires
VOLUME XLII?NUMBER 17 WiUiamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday. February 28. 1939. ESTABLISHED 1899
Joe Johnson, Now
Resting In Jail, To
Face Trial Soon
Officers Working on Clues
In Effort to Connect
Him With Murder
Joe Johnson, young colored man
who was arrested for the alleged
robbery of C. B. Allen's filling sta
tion on the Hamilton Road about
ten days ago and who officers be
lieve is connected with the Paul Lil
ley murder case in this county, is
now residing in the Martin County
jail after receiving treatment in
Washington hospital for a bullet
wound accidentally inflicted by
himself. >?
While officers are believed to have
uncovered additional information
connecting Johnson with the mur
der of Lilley near here on Christ
mas eve morning, they have not yet
formally charged the man with the
crime.
Johnson has admitted he maneu
vered the Allen station robbery by
himself, and officers have uncover
ed clues that are expected to con
nect him with the Lilley filling sta
tion robbery a few days prior to
the murder. A bullet rifle with
which Johnson accidentally shot
himself on the night of the filling
station robbery, was found by Miss
Courtney Jenkins near the home of
her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Claude
Jenkins, on the Hamilton road a
short time after the Allen station
robbery the rifle was stolen from
the Lillqr filling station last De
cember, the officers stating today
that other weapons stolen from the
Lilley filling station had been re
covered.
Johnson, pleading guilty to the
Allen station robbery, waived pre
liminary hearing rights, but he is
said to be trying to make arrange
ments for bond. No bond amount
has been set by officers, but it is not
likely that the man can gain his
freedom before he faces trial in
the superior court in March. He has
employed counsel.
Following his return here last
week-end, Johnson has not been
questioned in connection with the
Lilley station robbery and murder,
officers explaining that they have
been working on other clues in the
case. Whether those clues will prove
damaging to Johnson, officers would
not say.
Lockjaw Victim Is
Recovering Here
T
After lying at death's door for
weeks with lockjaw, John Sherrod,
seven-year-old colored hoyr i?~now
recovering rapidly at his home on
West Main Street here. While he is
rot completely out of danger, the
boy is able to talk and eat, and rests
very comfortably most of'the time.
Reactions are not so frequent now,
and it is almost certain the victim
will recover.
The case is of unusual significance
in that the two other cases recalled
here by members of the medical
profession proved fatal.
Sticking a nail in his foot about
a month ago, the boy went almost
two weeks without medical atten
tion except for a few applications
of spirits of turpentine by his mo
ther. Doctors were called after he
had had convulsions for about 18
hours. He was given 80,000 units of
antitoxin for tetanus, and even af
ter that was administered he was
not expected to live for several
days. For almost a week the child
could not open his mouth, and he
was without food during that time;
He was able to drink a little water
through a straw.
Reporting on the other two cases
on record here, doctors state that
the first two victims received treat
ease while the present case did not
get attention until the disease was
almost in its last stage
Records show that nearly 75 per
cent of the cases prove fatal.
?
Local Girl Scouts Hold
Very Interesting Meet
The local Girl Scouts held a very
interesting meeting Thursday night
in the courthouse. The roll was call
ed by the scribe after which the
meeting was turned over to Miss
Mary Warren. After a brief business
discussion, Miss Roberson, of the
Martin County health department,
gave some interesting suggestions
on first aid and the group was
taught some at the requirements of
first aid study.
One new member eras welcomed
into the troop.
Pay Stops, Legislature Now
Likely To Get Down to Work
Thursday of this week. North Caro
lina's legislators are now expected
to settle down and go to work, Rep
resentative H. G. Horton, home for
the week-end. stating that he be
lieved that some of the lawmakers
would be ready to compromise when
they realized they were having to
paddle their own way around the
costly capital.
The long-promised revenue bill
that has been in hibernation during
a greater part of the time the assem
bly has been in session, is expected
out tomorrow or Thursday, and a
hill fflU'pg for the refunding of road
money to Martin and a number of
other counties is having a place re
served for it in the hopper this
week.
Eyes are centered on the revenue
bill, unofficial reports stating that
the appropriations group was still
about a cool million ahead of the
game, and that the already heavily
taxed oil folks are asking for a re
vision A hearing
was scheduled yesterday, and had
it not been for that the revenue bill
would possibly be in the open now
Yesterday, the revenuers upped the
income tax rate and brought the
figures nearer into line with the
appropriations after lifting the sales
tax on building materials and re
ducing beer taxes.
The liquor business is about
straightened out for another two
years, but not solved by a jug full.
It has been virtually agreed to by
the powers that be to up the state
liquor tax up from 7 to 8 1-2 per
cent on gross sales. An increase of
three per cent \cn? first prnpnae
but a compromise was effected The
Withrow proposal to call a state
wide referendum on the liquor con
trol and a proposal to open ware
houses for the distribution of li
quor by mail are definitely "out,"
Representative Morton said
"About the biggest thing the leg
islature did last week was to go to
Charlotte," Mr Horton explained
EARLY AND LATE I
t
If blue mold and the beetles
don't destroy their plant beds,
Martin County tobacco fanners
will have a plentiful supply
of plants from about the middle
of March until early June.
A few farmers prepared and
sowed their plant seed last De
cember, and since that time the
work has been carried on al
most steadily when the weather
permitted. Some of the plants
will be ready for transplanting
in a very short time, and it is
possible that early transplanting
records will be established this
season. Unofficial reports state
that there are a few farmers
who have not yet prepared their
seed beds, establishing what Is
a record for late plan tine.
Asks Cooperation In
Reporting Diseases
In order to prevent the spread of
communicable diseases in Martin
County the health department seeks
the whole-hearted cooperation ol
every physician, parent, guardian,
school teacher, or householder in
asking them to report every case ol
communicable disease under their
care. A partial list of these report
able diseases is as follows:
Chickenpox, diphtheria, dysen
tery, bacillary, German measles,
gonorrhea, infantile paralysis, in
fluenza, malaria, measles, meningo
coccus meningitis, pellagra, plague,
iabies, Rocky Mountain Spotted
Fever, scarlet ^ever, septic sore
throat, smallpox, syphilis, trachoma,
tuberculosis, tularaemia, typhoid
fever, typhus fev^r, undulent fever,
Vincent's infection, whooping cough,
yellow fever.
Only a few of these preventable
diseases need to be quarantined, but
in order to keep eternal vigilance
against their spread the N. C. State
Board of Health has ruled that all
must be reported to the county
quarantine officer within 24 hours
after diagnosis.
"No health department, state or
local, can effectively prevent or con
trol diseases, without knowledge ol
when, where and under what condi
tions cases are occurring." The livea
of babies, children and adults of
this community are too precious tc
be careless about letting an epidem
ic of some contagious disease sweep
through taking its toll in death, par
ticularly when such disease can be
prevented, usually by some simple
precautions. Your local health de
partment is anxious to help you
keep Martin County Free from such
Addresses Everetts
Parents-Teachers
The Everett* Parents-Teachers as
aociation met Thursday night, Feb
ruary 23, 1039 in the Everetts schoo
auditorium. Dr. Wilson made at
interesting and instructive talk, giv
ing statistics comparing the healtl
of the child of Martin County witl
that of New York State. Followini
his talk, a play was given by th<
fifth grade, "Apple Seed John." Th<
fifth grade had the most parent
present.
The seventh grade went sight see
ing in Raleigh last Thursday, visit
ing the capitoL governor's mansion
state hospital, penitentiary, airport
and other place* of interest
Building and Loan
Increases Home
Loans In January
Home loans made by building,
savings and loan .associations of
North Carolina greatly exceeded
those of January of last year, ac~
cording to John B. Craven, of Lex
ington, president of the North Car
olina Building and Loan League
A total of $1,625,000 worth of
fwjme loans were made during this
month, of which $670,000 was for
the construction of homes, and $355,
000 for the purchase of homes. The
balance of $600,000 in loans were
made for refinancing, repairs, re
modeling, and other miscellaneous
purposes. This splendid showing,
during January, substantiates for
this month the optimistic predictions
of building, savings and loan lead
ers throughout the State that 1030
will be even better than 1938, unless
there is a sudden increase in con
struction costs or a severe drop in
business within the State.
Continued emphasis upon the
practical value of home ownership
today is producing tangible results
as shown by the fine January rec
ord of these home financing insti
tutions.
Start Construction
Of Oak City Cvm
???
The work startrd in full force on
the school gymnasium Monday, Feb
ruary 27th. Much interest is shown
by Messrs B M W0Mey and J II
Ayers in promoting the project Mr
Worsley has donated more than any
one individual in lumber and has
been very considerate in helping to
get the lumber on the yard. Other
donations are coming in, some in
the hands of Mr J E Mullen will
be passed on to Treasurer J H. Ay
ers. The community is back of the
project and all are anxious to see the
building completed
The parent-teacher association
will meet Wednesday night at 7:30
at the school auditorium. A special
program is being arranged and
special business will be considered
All members will pay dues if it is
convenient at the meeting
A number of high school pupils is
out with flu, however it jf in light
form and hope they will soon be
back
Miss Annie Minton. of Lcwistun,
accepted the unexpired term of Miss
Helen Watkins, home economics
teacher, who resigned to accept
work in Tennessee. Miss Minton is
a graduate of Woman's College,
University of North Carolina and
has had four -years experience in
Rich Square.
The junior-senior banquet is plan
ned for Friday evening, March 31st.
Much interest is being shown in
making this a very enjoyable event,
for both pleasure and education.
School work is going along in av
erage style, the senior examination
sent out by the State was given last
Tuesday. Two seniors were absent
on account of illness.
Plan Special Program
For Kiwanis Meeting
A special humorous and musical
program is being planned for the
regular meeting of the local Kiwan
is club Thursday evening It was
announced today that Edmond
Harding, Washington man, would
come over for the meeting and bring
hit accordion.
Local Building &
Loan Association
To Open Stock Sale
Stock in the Forty-Fourth
Series Available
Saturday
?
With quite a few applications al
ready received, the Martin County
Building and Loan Association i.s
expecting a large stock subscription
in its 44th series opening here on
Saturday of this week. While no
record sale is anticipated, officers of
the organization feel certain the sale
will exceed 500 shares, reports stat
ing that much interest has already
this week.
Most of the stock already spoken
for was engaged by prospective
builders, who, in several cases, are
supplementing stock already in
force, but present indications are
that most of those participating in
the series opening Saturday are do
ing so for the methodical saving fea
ture. The organization's saving plan
offering a unique and attractive
system for laying aside small
amounts each week is growing in
popularity In addition to offering a
systematic savings plan, the organi
zation offers one of the best invest
ment returns available
Williamston's building program
has advanced by leaps and bounds
during recent years, and the Mar
tins County Building and Loan or
ganization has within the past tu >
years financed me construction oF
nearly 100 homes. The building pace
is likely to slacken in the future to
some extent,, but reports state that
there still exists a general housing
shortage here.
Offering one of the most advan
tageous plans for financing building
construction, the organization will
sell this week a large block of stock
to young couples who are anxious
to build, but who will buy stock and
carry it for two or three years be
fore actually starting the construc
tion of their homes
Headquarters for the association
ing and Trust Company building
a
Storm Victims Arc
(Jothcd In Bertie
Rallying to the aid of the Berth?
County storm victims, a liberal peo
ple throughout northeastern North
Carolina and Virginia have literal
ly flooded available storage houses
with clothing, reports from the Ber
tie capital yesterday stating thaj.
Mayor J A Pritchett had issued :? I
general order advising that suffi
cient clothing had been received and
thai no more needed in the J
present emergency. "They have
enough clothing to outfit nearly ev
eryone of the 06 victims six tunes,' I
a Windsor citizen said. '
The urgent need is for cash money
to finance the construction of homes
and farm out-buildings, it was
pointed out Several thousand dol
1 a is have been raised, but the
amount on hand is inadequate to fi
nance the construction (if buildings
necessary to rehabilitate the home
less.
According to an indirect report
received here today, the R J Rey
nolds Tobacco Company has ad
vised the relief heads in Bertie that
it would contribute $75 to each fam
ily that lost their home in the storm.
During the few days following
the storm, truck loads of clothing
moved through here from several
towns in this section, several Jew
ish merchants delivering in person
a solid truck load of virtually new
goods to the sufferers
LIBERAL
U> > right good ul? world al
ter all. one is bound to admit
after turning over in his mind
the reports coming Irom Bertie
County's storm stricken area.
Jimmie Ceggett, Williamston
Scout, received I2S lor the tor
nado victims when he cited the
facts and needs to five New
Yorkers traveling through the
area one day last week. Bert
Parker, another local youngster
in the Scout group, reports that
he and other members of the or
ganization raised In ezcess of
120* in cash for the Bertie
storm victims.
Official reports on the rehabi
litation work are not available
at this time, hot it is understood
that the people of eastern Car
olina and those in other sections
of the country have generously
to the pleas for
Thousands Visit Storm Area
In Bertie County on Sunday
?Anxious to duo the handiwork of i
the wrathful elements, sight-seers (
crowded into the Bertie County tor
nado-strieken area last Sunday af
ternoon by the tens of thousands
Highways wore blocked by cars es
timated to number 5,000. and
through-traffic was stalled for as
much as an hour and a half. Sever
al thousand pepple, bent on glimps
ing the ruins that stretch over a
three-mile course just north of the
town of Windsor, turned back at
Windsor. Travel was reduced to
twenty minutes to the block in the
town of Windsor, reports stating
that a line of cars numbering an
even thounund formed-jusfwesi of
Windsor and stretched several miles
on the other side.
Filling stations did a rushing bus
mess. reports stating that the "pop"
boxes were drunk dry and the wa
tor supply in the rural spots was
threatened Big-bottled drinks, sev
^*44*.ui i. removed fi-nm an hp box.
tasted good to those caught in the
traffic jam for an hour or more Bus
schedules were delayed more than
thirty minutes, and late that after
noon it looked as if nothing but. a
second tornado could clear the traf
fic jam. Fifteen automobiles broke
down and aggravated the traffic
problem which proved a "jonah" to
fifteen or more highway patrolmen
A larger passenger bus, its engine
running idle for long periods, was
forced out of commission and an
extra had to be pressed into ser
vice.
It was estimated that between
twenty and thirty thousand people,
some from a distance of 150 miles
away, crowded into the stricken
area during the afternoon. Relief
agencies, headed by the Scouts, did
not let the crowd slip by and more
than $1,000 was collected, according
to unofficial reports reaching here.
County Officer Fired
w
On in Making Arrest
Jackson Brothers
Are Arrested For
Thtd't
Deputy Hoy Peel Holds His
Ground in Face of
Gun Fire
Deputy Hoy Peel barely escaped
with his life late last Saturday af
ternoon when aiding Sheriff C B.
ftoebuck effect the arrest of two
men, T. F. Jackson and Solen Jack
son, charged with the theft of about
250 pounds of meat from Farmer L
H. Matthews, near Parmele. Closing
in on the alleged rogues, Sheriff
ftoebuck ordered them to halt, ex
plaining that the law of the land
was after them. Deputy peel was
made a target as he ran from in
front of a car toward one of the two
men The pistol bullet whizzed by,
missing the young officer by inches
Removing his gun from its holder,
Peel did not back ground and did
not open a return fire "Throw >
town your gun and up with your
lands," Peel commanded with a
/oice which he later described as a
ait uncertain. T. F. Jackson, who i
attempted to shoot the deputy, sur-i
rendered, but the other man tore
,ntn the woods-* long a lonely road ?
Sheriff Roebuck gave chase, sturnbl
t'd and fell and lost his pistol and
lastilight Leaving light and pistol.;
he sheriff got up and continued to I
?base the small black object
through the dark woods. The race
iyas ended in less than 50 yards, hut f
Iackson did not want to give up and 1
the officer had to tussle with Hi.s|
man a short while before he could :
subdue him.
The Jacksons, young county white
Tien, are alleged to have raided
Matthews' smokehouse, near Par
nele, some time during last Friday
night The robbers carried away
tbout 21 hams and shoulders weigh
ing about 250 pounds They hid the
Tieat and left it in the woods about
15 steps from the road and about
ne and one-half miles from the
Matthews home and just a few hun
Jred yards from the Jackson home.
Investigating the theft Saturday
norning, Sheriff Koebuck followed
neat which he returned to the own
?r. Believing the thieves would re
urn for the meat, the officers start
ed a long watch at the spot where
he meat was found. About 11
I'clock the Jackson men diuvc down
he old Robersonville-Parmele road,
?bt out and looked for the meat, ' I
swear we hid it right there," one
j( the two said when they found
the meat gone. "Yes, and some
scoundrel has swiped it," the other
replied. Those were not the exact
words the Jacksons used, but the!
sheriff realized that he could not
rxpect any compliment, and ignor
ed the remarks.
While the two continued to look!
for the meat, the officers stationed
themselves at the car on the road
side. When the Jack sons returned,
the sheriff started around the back
of the machine and Deputy Peel
around the front, and then it was
that the young officer was fired
upon.
The two men declared they were
not looking for meat, that they
(Continued on page six)
APPLICANTS
It appears now that there will
he no shortage in the personnel
tor listing property tor taxation
in this county in April. Accord
ing to John E. Pope, chairman
of the Martin County Hoard of
Commissioners, quite a number
of people have applied for
places as tax-list takers. Includ
ed in the list of applications are
those of most of the old list
takers, it was learned.
Farm Bureau Plans
Bijj County Meet
Meeting here lasi evening, a Mar
tin County Farm Bureau Federation
committee perfected plans for hold
ing a tug meeting of the organiza
tion's membership in a Williamston
tobacco warehouse on Friday,
March 10 at 0 30 o'clock A free sup
per will be served, the committee
announcing this morning that |K?s
sibly a dozen or fifteen pigs would
be barbecued for the bureau mem
bers.
Invitations are being issued to
State farm leaders and heads al
Farm Bureau Federations in ad
joining counties, the arrangement
committee stating that the meeting
would possibly be the largest of its
kind ever held in the county
Speakers for the event will be an
frounced within the next few days
During the meantime, the office of
tjie county bureau is eommunicat
ing with each of the nearly 500
members, urging them to attend,
and bring new members with them
The supper is being arranged with
out cost to the membership.
Messrs V (I. Taylor, chairman, S
T Kverett, C. A Roberson, C L
DanicJ, H. L Roebuck and J R.
Winslow attended the meeting last
night and made arrangements for
the supper and program next week
Tug Boat Sinks In
Mouth Of Roanoke
The steam tug. "Winthrop,'
caught fire and sunk in the mouth
of the Roanoke River, a few miles
below Plymouth, late last Thursday
night Captain P. P. Walker, owner,
and his crew of four men, escaped
in a life boat and spent the remain
der of the night in the river low
lands, making their way to Plym
outh early the next mm mug
Discovt i ed soon tftw iiiciiiIm is ol
the crew had their midnight lunch,
the fire is believed to have started
when the tug struck the side of the
river channel and knocked down
the kitchen stove When discovered,
the fire was burning rapidly. The
boat was beached.
Built at a cost bf $28,000, the tug
was partially insured.
New Crop Allotments Are
Before Group in Raleigh
The 1939 acreage allotments avail
able to Martin County farmers un
der the soil conservation program
ar? now in the Raleigh offce of the
State College Extension Service for
approval. Few changes were made
in the allotments as compared with
those of last year, it la understood.
Colored Woman Is
Beaten .Nearly To
Death on Saturday
??
Tom Moore Is Jailed For
Brutal Attack On
Rosa Ellison.
Claiming she tried to take his life
with an ice pick, Tom Moore, young
local colored man. attacked and
nearly beat to death Rosa Ellison.
28-year-old colored woman, at her
home on East Main Street, near the
river, here last Saturday evening at
8 30 o'clock
Using a cane bottom chair. Moore
broke the woman's arm, fractured
her skull and bruised her almost
| from head to foot Twenty-three
stitches were necessary to close one
wound on her head Treated in the
offices of Drs Saunders and Brown,
the victim of the attack Was remov
ed to her home where she is getting
along as well as could be expected.
She is expected to recover
Said to have been drinking,
Moore locked the doors to the hut
and in administering the beating he
soon broke the chair into a dozen
pieces. Neighbors refused to inter
cede, and Henry Crawford, white
fisherman, happened along and he
called the police. When Officers
Allsbrooks and John Roebuck reach
ed there they could hear the licks
as they fell upon the victim The
woman was virtually unconscious
then, and as each blow fell she could
do no more them- grunt. Officer Roe
hni'k v.:nd?"We had to break in?a
door to gain an entrance, and al
most had to choke Moore off the
woman," the officer added The El
lison woman would have been kill
ed within two or three more rpin
utes, offices believe.
After the chair was broken and
splintered, Moore took a broken
standard of about 20 inches in
length and with a nail in the end of
it and continued the attack. "It was
the piece- he was using when we
>roke in on him," the officers said.
Each blow tore the flesh and bruis
ed the body, and the officers did not
-expect the victim to live until they
got her to a doctor. She was uncon
scious for quite a while, and yester
day remembered little about the
facts leading up to the attack or the
attack itself.
Moore, as he rode up town with
the officers and the victim, insisted
that he had not hurt the woman
"much" and declared she was just
"putting on " The alleged attack
upon him by the woman with an ice
pick was reported to the officers by
I Moore after he had been jailed.
The estranged wife of Arthur El
lison, of -Jumesv+llt-, -tlitr woman
I came to Williamston about five
years ago, and was reported to have
1 lived with Moure?as hlfi common "
law wife Moore is a Beaufort Coun
ty Negro, hut has made his home
here for the past several years.
A hearing in the case is pending
the recovery of the injured woman,
officers stating that he will likely
he hooked for an assault with a
deadly weapon with intent to kill.
The ease may he placed on the su
perior court docket for trial in
March.
Officers described the attack as
the most brutal they had ever seen.
Attendance Upon
Schools Is Normal
?
lowered considerably by influ
enza during the past month, attend
ance in the schools of this county is
now approximately normal, Super
intendent J C Manning said this
morning following a visit to fivg nf
the larger schools yesterday. Up
until a few days ago, attendance fig
ures held to a low point as' a gener
cral rule throughout the county, but
at no time did the officials consider
ii necessary to suspend classes. The
schools m?Plymouth were closed
last week on account of the large
number of influenza cases, but they
will be reopened next Monday.
After reporting a slight decrease
a few days ago, local doctors now
state that the number of influenza
cases H increasing slightly, but the
presence of the disease is far from
alarming On an average, the doc
tors are reporting from twenty to
twenty-five new cases of influenza
in this immediate territory daily.
+
Spain's Civil War Reported
Drawing Slowly To an End
Spain's two and one-half-year-old
civil was, marked by untold suffer
ing and strife, is reported drawing
to an end. The Loyalisti (govern
ment forces) have been whippe In
to submission, and the winners have
been recognised by both England
and Franca.