North Carolina Newspapers

Advertiaen Will Find Our Col umn* a Latchkey to over 1,800 Home* of Martin County. Watch the Label on Your Paper, Aj It Carriea the Date Your Subacription Expiree. VOLUME XLII?NUMBER 24 Williamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Friday, March 24. 1939. ESTABLISHED 1899 Grand Jury Makes Recommendations Quarterly Report Judge .Thompson P r a ises Jury For Diligent Work ? Filing their report Tuesday after- J noon at four o'clock, members of the Martin County grand jury were highly commended in open court by Judge C. Everett Thompson, the jur ist expressing the hope that he might meet with the same men in months to come. Other than a few recommenda tions made by the jury, the report is recognized as a stamp of approval of the county administration. The jail, offices and county home were found in "food" condition, hut mn ditions were reported only "fair" at the prison camp, the jury pointing out the crowded conditions there. The report follows, signed by G. H. Harrison, foreman, in detail: All bills have been disposed of that came into our hands. We find that all justices of the peace have filed their reports, and all fines have been paid to the coun ty treasurer with the exceptions of Mr. J. T. Wildman, of Parmele, and Mr. J. A. Davenport, of Hamilton. We inspected the offices of the County Treasurer, Sheriff, and Clerk of the Superior Court, and found all records filed in good or der and general condition very good. We have also examined the office of the Register of Deeds and found that all bonds of the county officials have been filed and approved by the commissioners. We have inspected the jail and find same in very good condition. We examined the county home and went over same with the keep er and found general conditions good and plenty of milk for the pa tients and the inmates were very well satisfied with the treatments they were receiving We also visit ed the prison camp and found same in fair condition except a little over crowded. We have inspected all school busses of the county and beg leave to report the following: Everetta?All trucks were in good condition except Truck No. 15 which had a broken side light and horn out of order. Robersonville?All trucks were in good condition except Truck No. 23 which had broken brakes and Truck No. 10 which had six side lights broken and Truck No 21 which had one side light broken. Parmele?Hie only truck in this school was found in good condition. Hassell?The only truck at this school was found in good condition. Oak City?All trucks were found in good condition except Truck No. 2 which hart n ha/t tjrf on the ripht rear, and one broken side light, and No. 12 which had seven broken side lights, and the muffler was out of order. Hamilton?All trucks were-found in good condition. We found all other trucks of the various schools in good condition. There has been a complaint made to this jury from the highway pa trolman, W. S. Hunt, that one in mate of the County Home, R. S. Richardson, who is slightly deaf, has been givnig a lot of trouble about "bumming" on the highway which is very dangerous and we recom mend that some steps be taken to keep him off the highway. Former Resident To Hold Service A meditation on the Grace of Our. Lord, Jesus Christ, will be led by Mrs. William J. Gordon, of Spray, N C., Immediate post president of the Woman's Auxiliary of the Dio cese of North Carolina, at St Mar tin's church, Hamilton, on Tuesday afternoon at 3 o'clock. Mrs. Gordon, who is the wife of a former rector of this parish, and a former resident of Hamliton and Scotland Neck, being the former Miss Anna Clark, will conduct a series of these devotional medita tions at Trinity Church, Scotland Neck, next week and comes to Ham ilton from there. She is well quali fied to conduct meditations, having taught at Kanuga for several sum mers, and being often In demand to assist with preaching missions both in her own diocese and in East Car olina. Those who heard her at the annual meeting of the Woman's Auxiliary in Washington in Janu ary will remember her deep sense of devotion and her wholly religious nature. St Martin's Parish extends to the Church of the Advent and to all in terested persons a cordial invitation to hear this address on next Tuesday March 38th, at S p. m. Chas. H. Jenkins Firm Opens New Garage Building Here The Charles H. Jenkins Company, local dealer for Pontiac, Oldsmo bile, Buick, Cadillac, LaSalle cars and General Motors Trucks, open ed their new garage here this week with Mr. Charles Jenkins actively in charge. Modern in every detail with two of the most commodious and artistic showrooms in Eastern Carolina, this new firm stands to become one of Eastern Carolina's largest and most extensive auto dealerships. Mr. Jenkins stated this morning that he would spend a majority of his time in Williamston and would devote practically all his time to this branch of the Charles H. Jen kins Company. With branches in Washington. Au lander and Edentun, this firm will carry every product of General Mo tors with the exception of Chevrolet With a large n<(vt car lot Hi rectly in front of the building. Mr. Jenkins said he would have on dis play practically all the time, most any kind and model used car a cus tomer could wish for. A twelve-foot driveway separates the two large showrooms and the offices are directly back of the right showroom. There is ample space in the back for repairing at least ten or twelve cars "at the same time. The formal opening of this firm in Williamston will be announced soon and even now Mr. Jenkins said he would be glad to have the people of this entire section visit this new gar ?P Farmville - W ood ward Firm Adds To Its Plant r~ I MORE CHECKS v : With millions to write, the AAA of the 1'. S. Department of Agriculture continues slowly to prepare cheeks for Martin far mers who participated in the 1938 soil conservation program. Forty-eight checks, amounting to $1,987.49 and representing 29 applications, were received this week by the office of the county agent for distribution. To date, farmers in this county have re ceived a total of $46,032.74 in soil benefit payments, or about one-fourth of the amount ex pected under the last year's soil conservation program. Offer No Reason For Removal Of Countv Road Map Highway Authorities Will Meet Commissioners In Early April Questioned about the sudden re moval of a map showing the pro posed route for an improved road I in Griffins Township, State High way authorities have not yet offered a reason for the unexpected action, it is understood. At least two let ters have been received by county authorities from representatives of the highway commission, but they merely stated that the matter would be discussed further when the coun ty commissioners meet here in early April. Posted in late February, the map was removed on March 13 under or ders of Engineer Gardner, of the highway commission's office in Tar boro. At the time, local highway representatives stated they were merely acting under orders, that they could offer no reason why the map should be removed. Withholding approval of the pro posed road route, the commission ers in a special meeting ruled that the map should be displayed public ly in the county for thirty days. This action had the sanction of the dis trict highway commissioner on Sat urdsy, ifsrch 11, On the following Monday, the map was torn down, some saying it was sent to Tarboro and later to Raleigh. Highway department representa tives maintain that while the proj ect is certain to be delayed, it will not be abandoned. No action in ad vancing -the^ project is now likely before the commissioners meet in regular session Monday after next To Continue Drive For Scout Funds D. V. Clayton, David Hix and James Manning, meeting here yes terday with assistant Scout Execu tive George Tomlinson, made plans to renew a drive to raise the funds needed to promote Scouting in Mar tin County for the next twelve months. Committees from the Lions and Kiwanis Clubs were appointed to canvass the town several weeks ago. The committees that functioned have met with fair success but there is yet a considerable sum of money to be raised to guarantee scouting for another year. Messrs Manning, Hix and Clay ton are asking that all who are call ed on for donations make as liberal a contribution as possible. New Planing Unit And Third Boiler Will Be Installed Employment Will Be Given To Around Thirty More Men ? Adding a modern planing unit and a third boiler to its plant here, the Farm ville-Wood ward Lumber Com pany is now rushing to completion a plant enlargement program that will create jobs for around thirty additional men and jump its mill personnel up to around 85 persons Manager Dean Speight said yester day An unofficial estimate on the cost of the enlargement program is not available, but it is thought that the new equipment will represent an added investment of approximately jinnnn Discontinuing its plant at Farm ville, the company will center most of its sawing and planing activities at the local mill. At the present time most of the rough lumber turn ed out by the local plant has been shipped to the company's plant in Hobgood for finishing. In addition to its enlargement program, the company is planning on adding an extra shift and step up its daily production from around 25,000 to 35,000 feet. The added hours will greatly increase employ ment opportunities to local labor. The company is operating strictly in accordance with the federal wage and hour laws. Upon the completion of its en largement program about the first of May, the company will be one of the largest manufacturing concerns in the county. Including the number of men working under contract in the logwoods and truckers, the com pany upon the completion of vthe addition to its plant will have around 150 employees. Missionary Meet Held In Raleigh The annual spring missionary in stitute of the Disciples of Christ of North Carolina was held in the Hill yer Memorial Christian church in Raleigh on Wednesday from ten to three o'clock Mr. and Mrs C Man ley Morton, for many years mission aries to Puerto Rico and who are home on furlough, were the princi pal speakers. Mrs. W. B. Ryan, o? Greenville, one of the leaders of the state in children's work was a speaker Message from the'adult conference was brought by Mrs. Huell Warren, of Winston-Salem. Dr. Howard S. Hilley in enumerat ing the fine support that the college had obtained from the State said that the new college chapel can be completed with the addition of three thousand dollars. He hopes to ob .tain that, amount this spring from generous disciples over the state. Dr. W. B. Holder, a former mis sionary to Africa, now working in the department of Home Missions, spoke in the afternoon. Among those attending from Wil liamston Christian church were the following: Mrs. George H. Harrison, Mrs. A. R. Dunning, Mrs. W. L. Manning, Mrs. J. O. Manning, Mrs. R. L Smith, Mrs. H. O. Jarman, Mrs. John L. Goff, Mrs. R. W. Bondur ant, Mrs. Henry Harrison, Mrs. J. G. Corey, Mrs. C. B. Roebuck, Mrs. H. T. Taylor and Rev. John L. Goff. Court In Ret'ess After Hearing A Few Civil CaSes Nine Cases Are Set for Trial Here During Week After devoting a greater .part of the first three days of a two weeks' term of Martin County Superior Court to the trial of criminal cases. Judge C. Everett Thompson called the first civil action Wednesday af ternoon. After handling four cases on the civil calendar, the court | caught up with its schedule for the week and took a recess early yester day afternoon until next Monday morning at 9:30 o'clock. Interest in the court proceedings waned when the criminal docket was completed Wednesday alter noon, the large number of spectators witnessing the trial of criminal cases vacating the courtroom immediate ly after the judge pronounced sen tence on Joe Johnson, one of the last defendants to be tried this term. Next week, the court will call nine civil cases for trial. Three others, in volving issues, will likely be called and a fourth will likely be placed in the hands of a referee for considera tion. A compromise settlement was ef in r?si? Alf-T V :inrt W M | Davis against Cora 11111 involving a property line dispute. A correction in judgment was or dered in the case of Standard Fer tilizer company against W. E Allen end others. Suing to recover payments on certain notes, lienry Everett was awarded a judgment in the sum of $155.74 with interest from date in the case against D. G. Matthews. A Corey was appointed to survey ci rtain lands to determine boundar ies in a case brought by Goldie Hy man against Dora Williams. War Feeling In D The Countv Home No serious consequences are an TTcipaied, bUl IIU'M1 is u strong war feeling in the Martin County horn' according to county officers who were called there this week to in tervene in a quarrel between an aged inmate and an ailing patient. The incident, marked by danger ous threats but nothing more, cen tered around a cap worn by one of the home employees. "That cap looks just like the one the hoys w'uiv in the World War," "Skeeter" Hodges remarked to old man Leo Hack, half German inmate in the home. "Well, I'm glad it hasn't got any writing on it ubout liquor." Hack replied "I'm glud it hasn't got any German signs on it," Hodges fired back at him. Said to have rolled up his sleeves Hack picked up a chair and started cn Inmate Hodges. Sheriff Roebuck was called to quiet the two. Hodges agreed to shake hands with the old man and forget the incident. "No, I'll never shake hands with Hodges. I'll go to ? on a fire truck firut," Hack told the sheriff, adding that he was half German and proud of it. Two Killed in Auto W reck Near Bethel I ?Bay Stokes, Ayden white man, and Mack Harris, Negro of Kinston, were killed instantly, and Alfred Couverz, colored, were critically in jured Tuesday night when the car in which they were riding ran off | an embankment near Bethel. The three men, said to have been| under the influence of lUjultl, we driving from Greenville and were about a mile out of Bethel when the car left the road and crashed down the embankment. The sur vivor of the wreck stated that the trio was going to Richmond. Suffering a broken neck and other I injuries, Courvez is not expected to| live. Stokes, 45, and Harris, 68, never I knew what happened, death was so| sudden for them. Stokes was well known in this section where he painted signs for a number of Arms during the past several years. Organ Concert In Local Church Tuesday Evening\ ? Carl Hinnant will appear in an| organ recital in the local Presbylei ian church next Tuesday evening at eight o'clock. Mr. Hinnant, a console artist, will play a new type of organ and the general public is cordially invited to hear him in a concert of semi-classic and sacred music. Nineteen Defendants Sentenced To Prison Added Premium Ls Placed On Honesty By Su| >erior Judge Law Violators Will Re. member Judge's Visit Here a Long Time When ho completed the trial of the criminal docket in the Martin County Superior court here Wed nesday afternoon about 3:30 o'clock, Judge C. Everett Thompson, of Eliz abeth City, left little doubt in the minds oTtlie people and none what ever in the minds of the defendants as to how he felt about breaking m to stores and smokehouses a n d stealing the property of a law-abid ing citizen. The spectators wer | agreed that the jurist places a prem [turn on honesty and righteousness, and that those sentenced in the court this week will long remcmbci the judge from over in the first ju dieial district. Completing his charge to the grand jury last Monday, Judgc Thompson threw the court machin '??Xjnto_actjon. tin- wheels of jn. tice turning slowly but surely Be fore very many cases had been heard and after the first few sen tences had been pronounced, the spectators strained their necks to make certain that the,jurist meant years and not months Judge 1 hompson, by Tuesday afternoon was the talk of the town, and the number of spectators in the color ed portion of the courtroom inereas ed to tax the capacity of the room W bile Judge Thompson was at trading attention with his judgment measuring pot, the State was doing some good work in getting the do tendants before him. Sheriff C It Roebuck and Ins deputies backed Up Solicitor Don Gilliam and in sever al eases the defendants changed their pleas and admitted their guilt without offering any testimony in their own behalf,. Only lour of the ZH^TeremtTmrc faeing trial were found not guilty. The court suspended judgment in two or three cases, but when tin eiiininal proceedings were complet ed Wednesday afternoon, eighteen defendants were sentenced to prison or to the roads for a total of near ly three-quarters of a century, an average of a little more than four years for each one. Proceedings not previously re ported: Doc Whitfield, charged with non support, was found not guilty. llilllV lll ll, Villous (odd I' n,. gro, was sentenced to the roads for twelve months for attacking Karm W A. VanUerfoid Willi a botTTe last December. In returning a vet diet-of-guilty, vbe- jury roeoinniend ed mercy, and Judge Thompson sus pended execution of judgment and ordered the defendant placed on probation for three years. Joe Johnson, booked on two rob bery counts, was found guilty ol lobbing the C. B. Allen filling sta turn on the Hamilton Koad and wa, sentenced to the roads for from five to seven years Johnson pleaded not guilty when the case was called, but admitted his guilt when the State completed its evidence. The case charging him with the robbery of the Paul l.illey filling station cuse -ore-Niivnnilinr 7fl i f yi ,,, W1| nolprossed with leave. No action wa. taken against Johnson by the grand jury in connection with the Paul Lilley murder case However, more is expected to be heard about the case later on. - Marshall Teel, young~~17eg~ro. was sentenced to the roads" for not less than three nor more than five yeais ill the case charging him with break ing and entering and larceny. John Hogers in his case against Malethia Rogers was granted an ab solute divorce on the grounds of two years of separation. Simon E Parker, charged with drunken driving, gained his free (Continued on page six) Small Home Burns On The Jamesville Road Joe Jones, aged colored man, nearly lost his life when his home was destroyed near here on the Jamesville road last Sunday after noon. Dozing around a heater fire, Jones Je tec ted atfre?111 the lunf of-hor one-story four-room house. Jones, 70 years old, crawled to the top of the house and exhausted himself in an effort to put the fire out. Neighbors rushing to the fire, removed the old man to safety. A permit was issued here this morning for the construction of a ten-room hospital on West .Main Street between the I). .>1. Koberson and I. M. Margolis homes. No detailed information of the project has been released other than the building will be of brick construction and that the one-story structure will have ten rooms. The builders are planning to start construction work immed iately. Mrs. Dies At Daughter's Home Wednesday Funeral Services Are Held Yesterday By Rev. W. B. Harrington Mrs Allie Chcsson Riddick, aged ' county native, died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Henry HardLson. near Hardens, Wednesday morning at 8:05 o'clock-, following a long per iod of declining health. Despite her advanced age of 81 years, Mrs. Rid dick was able to be up until about five weeks before her death. Infirm ities of age and complications were assigned as -the cause of her death. The daughter of the late Malachia Corprew, of this county, and Ellen Bateman Corprew, of Washington County, Mrs. Riddick was born .in the community where she lived a long and useful life In early wo manhood she married John E. Rid dick who died a number of years ago For more than half a century she was a faithful and devoted member of the Primitive Baptist church at Jamesville, and enjoyed a large friendship circle throughout her community. Funeral services?were conducted yesterday afternoon at 3:30 o'clock by Rev W B. Harrington, county Baptist minister, assisted by Rev. Garland Bland, at the Hardison home, the old Riddick home place. Interment was in the family plot in the Methodist churchyard at Dar dens. She is survived by eight children, three daughters, Mrs. Annie Ilardi son, of Hardens; Mrs Evelyn Rid dick, of Portsmouth; and Mrs Ma mie Teachey, of Florence, S G , and five sons, John Riddick, of Alton, 111.; Hillary Riddick, of Portsmouth; Arthur Riddick, of St Louis, Alton Riddick, of Florence, S. C\, and Her leaves fifteen grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. Appropriation Hill For \\ cevil Control The Agricultural Appropriation l>ill on which debate started in the House today contains a provision of fered by Representative Lindsay Warren for an increase in appropria tion of $25,000 for investigation of the tobacco moth and tobacco wee vil $ 13,000 has formerly been ap preprinted for this purpose, the in vestigation being carried (in in Iiichmbnd, Va For the first time the tobacco moth appeared in the pack houses on farms last summer and has work ed great -havoc on tobacco just be fore it is placed on the auction floor. Mom hem?of congress from North Carolina and Virginia appeared be fore the appropriations committee and strongly supported the increase which is greatly desired by farmers Jamesville Young Man Patient In Hospital e Injured in an automobile accident in New York City while enroute to his home in Jamesville, Dr. S. Wal lace Fleming is now in a Washing lop hospital for treatment. Receiving a slight injury, Mr. Fleming continued to his home and became quite ill last week-end when an infection developed. He waa re moved to the hospital the early part of this week, late reports from his bedside stating that his condition is slightly improved today, but that he fnlimi-s gravely ill A student doctor in Boston, young Fleming was on his way home to spend the spring holidays with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. C. C. Flem ing, when he fell victim of the au tomobile accident. State Farm Bureau Making Plans For Politieal Activity ??? j Former County Man Men tioned for Commis sioner Defeated in their efforts to have State test farms placed under the supervision of the State College Ex tension Division and ?aken away from the Department of Agriculture State Farm Bureau leaders are ap parently already turning to the po litical front and making ready for tl'v BMU?activities.?E. F. Arnold, secretary of the State Farm Bureau Federation, intimated in a speech in this county a short time ago that the fight would possibly be carried to the people if some action was not taken to establish a test farm lor peanuts and place test farms nn der the educational college. In keeping with the unannounced plans of the organization, Farmer B B. Everett, native of this county bu: a big farm operator of Halifax, has been mentioned as a candidate of the farm organization for State Commissioner of Agriculture Mr. Everett denies the circulated reports that he will run for Commissioner Scott's job, but it is apparent that the Farm Bureau is grooming a man to offer Mr Scott opposition in the 1940 contest. The following story, pertaining to the Everett family and w move shake up the department of agricul ture, appeared in the News and Ob server this week: EVERETTS?Th Everett family of Martin County has done its part in supplying lawmakers R O .Ev erett, of Durham and J A Everett of Martin, representatives, and the late S J. Everett of Greenville, sen ator The present representative devot ed his full attention to cotton, to bacco and peanuts on 5,000 acres of I arm kind and to a general mer chandise store at Palmyra, leaving law-making to his brothers When he joined the Farm Bureau and be c .Miw a State director of that organ ization, he heard so much about al leged "duplication" of agricultural services he decided to come to Ral eigh and do something about it. Hi- won in the primary and suc m'drd?in getting?a berth on the House Agriculture Committee. But there he was stymied, and for six weeks or more has been unable to "report progress" Giving up hope of action there, he bolted the com mittee and tried to force considera tion on the house floor of a bill that would transfer test farms and test farm funds from the Department of Agriculture to the experiment sta tion at Slijte C ollege He was like wise stymied on the floor, for the bill was bounced back to the com mittee where the whole controversy has been .confined. The Farm Bureau's fight to trans fer test farnjs to State College and^ Eveictt'x diii'ctofshlp In the b u reau~ have started the rumor around Ral iiitends to run for commissioner of agriculture against W Kerr Scott next year, supported by the Farm Bureau. The same rumor has been heard about Representative W. W Eagles, of Edgecombe, chairman of the House agriculture committee and a Farm Bureau leader in his county. Jail Is Emptied By Judge Thompson Martin County's jail is virtually empty, and the inmates did not break out. When Judge Thompson completed his work here last Wed nesday, a clean sweep of the hoose gow had been made. Nine men were moved out to the 1)1 ISOII camp near here. A tenth man v as carried to a Northampton camp, and six others were moved to Ral eigh. Officers have been doing a thrivinjt passenger business since Tuesday, making two trips to Ral eigh and four or five to the road eamps. The names of ttie ten men sen tenced to the roads are: Marshall Teel, Robert Brown, Charlie Wig gins, Clyde Silverthorne, Herbert Brown, Jeff Whitehurst, Lawrence Biggs, Ben and Bryant Oixon, Isaac Sutton, all colored, and Clyde Sil verthorne. The names of those going to State's prison are: J. B. Thomas, T. F. Jackson, Solon Jackson, white; Joe Johnson, Willie June Williams and Nicodemus Barrow, colored. a Aged Colored Man Dies At Poplar Point Home James Slade, aged colored man, died at his home on the T. B. Slade farm in Poplar Point yesterday morning. He had lived there all hi* life.