North Carolina Newspapers

Watch the Label on Your Paper, As It Carries the Date Your Subscription Expires. THE ENTERPRISE Advertisers Will Find Our Col umns a Latchkey to over 1,800 Homes of Martin County. J= VOLUME XLII?NUMBER 89 ffillianuton, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, November 7, 1139. ESTABLISHED 1899 Charg( je Abe Martin \Kith Violating the Slot Machine I ,aws KeleuM*<l Under 81.1MK1 lioud Following Hit* Arrent Sunday Morning Abe Martin, at one time a repre sentative of the McCormick Vend ing Machine Company, was jailed here Sunday morning for the alleg ed violation of the slot machine laws in this county. Arrested in Green ville, Martin was released several hours later under a $1,000 bond posted by L. B. McCormick. owner of the McCormick Vending Machine Company. He is slated to appear be fore Judge H O Peel let trial at the next Monday session Of the re corder's court. Martin's trial is expected to throw added light on the case tried in the county court two weeks ago when McCormick denied ownership of certain gambling machines and maintained that they were placed in this county by Martin without his (McCormick's) knowledge -During the trial, McCormick stated that lie did not know where Martin was, that he had made personal visits to New York in search of him and had offered a $100 reward for informa tion as to where he was located at that time. According to the evidence offer ed during the McCormick trial, Mas ter Mechanic Jasper, an employee of the McCormick Company, prepared four "race horse" machines for lo cations in Martin County, the de fense pointing out that tin- gambling feature had been stripped from each of the four machines. The defense maintained that tin- machines were loaded on Martin's truck, "that in stead of delivering those machines, Martin exchanged them for four others and then placed them on lo cation in this county The device.-, were in operation only a day or two before they were confiscated by the sheriff's office and charges were immediately brought against the McCormick Company. The warrant recently drawn by the sheriff's office charges Martin with having placed five of the gambling machines on location in the county, and he will be tried on all five counts, it is understood. After the machines were confis cated and before the trial was final ly held. Martin seemed to have mys teriously disappeared. McCormick claiming that he had bet n unable to locate him. A short time ago he was reported to be working in Craven , County, presumably for the Mr Cormick company, and his am st was effected last Sunday morning by i officers in Pitt County. McCormick appealed from tin judgment calling for a $500 fine and i payment of the costs ,,, the cas, against him here week before last. Bond was fixed in the sum of $2 000 darn (.rush iI Mold ay'n Mill Saturday ijlrrnoou Receiving his first call since en tering upon his new duties at this point, Patrolman W E. Saunders in vestigated a minor wreck at the Mobley mill on the Hamilton Road ! late last Saturday afternoon. No one) was hurt in the accident,?but con ; siderable damage resulted when two cars crashed there I Applying the brakes on his car just | as he was entering the mill bridge. Henry Lewis, colored, swerved into J the Ford driven by Fiank Williams Fenders were smashed and front i wheels were torn down, reports stat ing that the chassis on the Lewis car | was bent. The damage to the Chev rolet car was estimated at $100 and that to the Ford at $35 Lewis was said to have agreed to fix the damaged cars. Highway Accident Record x ??? No comparative review of automobile accidents, highway kill ings and resulting property damage has been offered since Septem ber, but the dastardly business continued in a big way during the period with the exception of a short time during the latter part of that month when no accidents were reported on Martin County high ways. A shift in the patrol personnel and duties away from assign ed posts, made iv next to impossible for the patrolmen to offer a week-by-week record of accidents. Patrolman W E Saunders, en tering upon his new duties the first of this month at this point, is offering his cooperation in the collection of accident records, and the people of this county can again get a word picture of the cost ly accident business in this county. Since the last report was made public, a life has been lost, 14 accidents followed in due course at scattered points over the coun ty, 15 were slightly injured, maimed or critically injured and $2, 000 damage was done to property. The property loss, not to even mention the human suffering and loss of life, represented an amount almost equal the money spent in advancing relief to the hungry and needy Details on the accidents are not immediately available, but in at least fifty per cent of them it is estimated that carelessness and negligence proved the main contributing factors. The record pripr to October 1 and the record since that time are, as follows: * Propyty Accidents Injured Killed Dsm4e ) 8.815 00 2,090 00 $10.905 00 4 Period ending Sept. 30 43 37 7 Period ending Oct 31 14 IS 1 i TOTALS 57 52 8 Town Considers New Street And Sidewalk Paving Plans A new program calling for the | paving of several sidewalks and streets is being considered by the town of Williamston in cooperation with the Works Progress Adminis tration, a report released at a regu lar meeting of the board of commis sioners last evening stating that fi nal plans would be made ready for submission to the State office of the WPA within the next few days. While a large number of streets and sidewalks are included in the tentative project list, it is understood that the work would possibly be handled in small units. If the pro posed project is approved, the lo cal authorities will possibly limit the work to the construction of side walks for the present, turning later to street paving work and the laying of several blocks of sewer lines. The proposed project will cost approxi mately $32.0t)0. it is estimated. It is believed that by using its present equipment, including trucks and concrete mixers, the town will have to make no sizable cash outlay. These details have not been definitely de termined. however, and if the cost is too great the town will likely fore go the project in its entirety. The proposed plans call for the paving of sidewalks on Grace Street and Marshall Avenue and paving on Warren, Elm. Hasselll, Grace and | Smithwick Streets and Marshall! Avenue, and for a sewer line, run ning from Haughton up Railroad Street to Elm and south on Elm al most to Washington Street. The meeting of the board last night was the shortest held in re-1 cent months, the only other official business being in the form of an or der directing K. G. St raw bridge to tear down a shed built to the rear of the old buggy factory building on South Smithwick Street. State fire authorities have ruled that no per mit could be issued for such con struction. and that there was nothing for the owner to do but tear it down. n< KKK IJCKNSK V. A warning was issued indi rectly this week to all peanut pictier operators in Martin County, urging them to comply with the law by procuring op erators' licenses and by keep ing accurate reports 011 picking operation*. A strict enforcement of the law requiring licenses and re ports is anticipated, according to information reaching here this week from Raleigh. The licenses are available in the office of the register of deeds along w ith report forms and in structions. I p until today only 41 of the more than 100 picker operators had procured proper licenses. Hamilton Native Died ^ esterdav J W Davenport, prominent Rocky Mount citizen, died at his liome there suddenly yesterday morning from a heart attack He had been in declining health since 1936 when he retired from active duty in the man agement of a large automobile bus iness and farming operations. Fum Tal services are being conducted at the home this afternoon by Rev. J. W. Kincheloe, pastor of the First Baptist church of which Mr. Davrn port v. a< a member for a long num ber of years Interments will follow in th? family plot in the Rocky Mount cemetery. Th< on of the late Clayton and; lie Mo< re Davenport, he was horn in this "county 62 years ago When a young man he moved to Rocky Mount and was 111 the employ of the A C I. Railroad Company. Three years later he entered business for j himself, success marking his activi ties In 1906 he married Miss Clar it? Johnson, of Lpuisburg. and she with three children, Mrs R. O. Sav age. Miss Vivian Davenport and Mr D W Davenport, all of Rocky Mount, survives. He also leaves a brother, Mrs J A. Davenport, and u sister, Mrs. R A. Fdmondson, both "of Hamiltoti. I I i. Harrison C.ontinncn In llos/iital It Richmond Although a bit nauseated by an almost constant dosage of medicines, Mr. C A Harrison was said to be showing some improvement in a Richmond hospital late yesterday. He is completing a three-weeks' stay in the hospital today, his many friends here hoping he'll be able to return home within the near future. Family of Twelve Is Homeless Following Fire Here On Friday \ irlnally All of Karthl) lie longings Were Dcntroy r<l ill Itlazr # Starting from a defective flue, fire last Friday night left eleven colored children and their aged grandmother homeless here, neighbors stating that the victims are facing the dreary winter months with nothing more than a bare hope to keep their souls and bodies together. The grandmother, Emma Latham Harvey, hardly had time to get the children from the burning building, and there was little aid immediately available as workers in the White Street neighborhood had hot return ed to their homes from work Very few contents were saved, the grand mother to whom all the children looked for support, stating from a sick bed in a neighbor's home the following morning that only three old mattresses, a trunk and chair or two were removed and that consid erable damage was done to the few articles saved from the fire. Catching the dry shingles around the old flue, the fire spread rapidly through the attic of the two-room house and its "L" A delay was ex perienced in sounding an alarm, and I by the time the call was answered | and the apparatus placed in opera tion, the main part of the hous was virtually burned down. The Harvey woman is looking longingly at the v irtual ruins with a hope of br ing able to throw a few pieces of tin over the old roof and patching up th< walls for a place of refugee dur ing the coming winter. Friday night, the few contents removed from the burning home were placed in a nearby church, the eleven children and grandmother being placed in about as many homes scattered throughout the community. Over come by exhaustion, the grandmoth er fell ill and was ordered to bed by | a doctor With the savings of a life time virtually wiped out and with thoughts of a dark future preying on her mind, she was still in a high nervous state Saturday following a sleepless night. Her welfare did not come in for | any great consideration, but the grandmother was greatly concerned Saturday over the welfare of I < r fa therloss offsprings, reports stating J thai the mother of the eleven is a pa tient in a state institution at Golds boro for treament. The main source of income other than that earned^ by the grandmother is the fund for aid to dependent children, but the head of the household pointed out I was a difficult task to feed eleven ryouths on eighteen dollars a month, buying ordinarily in bu'k to save a few pen nies, the grandmother had just a few hou.r earlier replenished the larder and all the food was destroy ed. Investigating the case, the welfare department states the family is in need of clothing, especially bed clothing and any other articles that can be conveniently spared by oth ers. No exact estimate on the damage has been offered, but according to Fire Chief Hall, the total loss will approximate $800 or $1,000 with no (Continued on page tlx) STAMP TRUCK Local stamp collectors will have their day on December 5 when the poetofflce department sends its philatelic truck here 'or an inspection of the little stickers that five a complete stamp history. The truek, V> feet long, carries one of the most complete and valuable stamp collections in existence. The display is certain to at tract much attention from local collectors, and all school chil dren are beinf extended a cor dial invitation by Postmaster L. T. Fowden to view the exhibits. Native Of County And Young Mother Ends Her Own Life Fiuimil Servires Were Held For Nfr*. T. <1. NA liitlev Uist Saturday Cruel tragedy struck suddenly for the second time in a prominent Mar tin County family last week-end when Mrs. Mary Everett Whitley i ended her own life in Northampton County, near Woodland Using a 12 guage gun. Mrs Whitley, a young mother, fired a load of shot into her side Thursday evening about se.v en o'clock at hor home, death following in a Roanoke Rapids hospital early next morning. When she was only seven years old. her father. George Everett, was accidentally drowned in Roanoke River at Hamilton on April 15. 1.025. Experiencing ill health for a num ber of years, and treatment in sev eral hospitals having failed to afford her any great relief, the young wo man became terribly, desponded at times, and several years ago she was said to have attempted to end her life by taking an excess-ive dose of medicine. However, in late months she apparently enjoyed bet ter health and never gave any indi cation that she was. even consider ing such aUrastic act Following the evening meal and while her husband went to visit his father who was eri tically ill. she took tin- gun and fa tally wounded herself A small son, a sister-in-law, Mrs Walter Johnson, and the Johnson children Were at the home at the time In a semi-con scious condition, she was removed immediately to the hospital where she died the following morning at 8 o'clock The last rites wore conducted Sat 1 urday afternoon bv Rev. James H Baptist church. Interment was in the I Brown ] Vt in the Robersonville j Cemetery at 3 o'clock. The daughter of Mrs Lester Ever ett Brown and the late George Ev erett,; Mrs. Whitley was born in Ham ilton Township twenty-one years] ago last July She attended school there and following her father's death the family moved to the \Vhit more farm, near Everetts. later mov ing to the old Stephen Outterhiidge homcplace in Hamilton Township, not far from Gold Point. About two years ago she married Mr T t\ Whitley, and after a stay of a little, over a year in the ILism H ( ainintiu , ity, she moved to Northampton County She attended the KoIh-i . mi < ; villi1 schools hut ill health made it | impossible lor her to continue her schooling after she completed the! ninth grade. Beside, her husband and her 13-. I months old son. Charles, and a grief | stricken mother, she leaves five brothers," Messrs. Richard, Clayton, Glover and Robert Everett, of this county, and C. I) Everett, of Both el, and two sisters, Mrs. Jam? Join of Wiiliainston, and Jean, of Hamil ton Township. Mrs Whitley, a do voiecj wife and mother, enjoyed a large friendship circle in the com munities where she had made her home, and over in Northampton County she was held in high ? st? em by everyone who knew her Mrs. Jones, a bride of last -Tires day, vi; ited the Whitley home a few hour, before the tragedy and found her sister getting along very well and apparently in good spirit. Fire Destroys dale And Apartments at Meat Parking Plant ? $5,000 Firr at the KoImtmhi Slaughter IIoiim* Leave* Twelve llomele** Fire, striking for the second time in two days in this community, de stroyed the cafe.-apaitrnent building at the Hoberson meat packing plant, near the Williamston fair grounds, late last Saturday night, burning out twelve persons and destroying all their personal effects. In a fire the evening before, Emma Harvey, aged colored woman, and her eleven or phan grandchildren were left homo leu. Starting from an over-heated stove, the cafe-apartment fire had gained much headway on .the second floor when occupants on the first floor discovered it "We tried to climb the stairs, but wen forced back by smoke and fir\," a "oanl said, explaining that not a single personal article or a piece of furni ture could bo saved from the second floor. Called to the scene, WrlliamstonV volunteer firemen poured walci from a small tapk on the fire hut failed in their effort to bring.it un der control, and the equipment was moved and later used in keeping the fire from spreading to the packing plant, nearby. During the meantime a wild move was started by an or ganized salvage crew to clear the stock of goods from the cafe. Most of the smaller articles, including canned goods, general groceries and light fixtures were moved to safe ty without any great resulting dam age. Heavy fixtures and ice boxes (Continued on page six) - Tobacco Prices Reach Highest Point of Season Here Monday Tobacco prices reached a new high |M>int on the local tobacco market when more than 300, 000 pounds of the golden leal were sold for an average right at 20 cents. Spirited bidding marked the sales ami the qual ity of the offerings proved to be exactly what the buyers wanted. There was a noticeable up ward trend in prices paid for the medium grades, and even the inferior types were in fa vor. The better grades of leaf sold as high as 43 cents a pound, and individual averages in the 30- and 35-cent range were fairly numerous. While a few farmers turned their tags, most of the sales proved satisfactory. The market blocked with pos sibly thirty or forty thousand Ih>ijiuIs unsold at the clusiltg hour yesterday. The block was cleared early this morn inn. and ^ales will be completed today possibly a few minutes before closing time. Reports from the market this morning indicated that while the general average will hardly reach the record of yesterday, prices for comparative grades are holding up well. Including the sales today, the market has sold right at nine and one-half million pounds for an average of around fifteen cents or more for the season. Farmers are fast completing their marketing activities, and indications now are that the sea son will end the latter part of this month or certainly in early December. $ 12,000 Appropriate*I For School at Parmele I\. II. Smith [Named Vssistant M art i 11 (oiinh Treasurer (!()iniiii^?i(iui'r> Mold Itc^nl.ti Muiitlilx Sessidii MollllilX A $12,000 appropriation for tlie construction of a ifrw high school building in Parmclo u a.-- approved by tin' Martin County Hoard of Com tiussioners m regular session here yesterday-, the authorities taking the action upon condition that the Works Progress Admmlil*ation will partici pate in the proposed project. Appear ing before the cotnini . loners, nielli hers of t-he county board of educa tion reviewed the need for a new building and pointed out that during the past eig >. a., the school debt in this county had been de leased by $ 1 (>0.000 It as estimated, the cilii a tion authorities pointed out, that the project will effect not more than a one and one quarter cent increase in tin1 tax r ate. The appointment of Kiel aid II South as asistanf Ma ft'hi <'unity tie.icuiiei was appio\((| l?\ the boa I'd. Mi Smith to'.ser\e m that olTieial capacity until the' return.-of Mr Hani en. Although the board was in session a g it ate i i it of the day, very little bn iir was bundled other than the a! i ointment of Mr. Harrison's as .hint and the appropi ?Jut-ion of $12. 000 for the I'arinele .schoul building The had condition of rural road wa pointed out by-Cross Roods citizen who appealed to the hoard in an of fort to get the State Highway forces to drain and widen what'is known as "Ciiiss Lane.' a distance of about one mil< The road begins at the W K Roebuck farm and runs southeaster ly to a colored school. The board also recommended that the State Highway and Public Works Commission complete the road be gin 11 tug at tin ? Hall fax County line and running thence into the interior of this county via the old Hopkins. Mayo and Bryant farms. Ths road was deserted by.tho highway forces after it was staked off in February of this ycai Adjustments wife ordered hi the tax valuations for the Jones lands owned by J H Cherry m Williams Township m accordance with an established survey. The listings were reduced from 120 to 72 acres of land and tlie value was decreased from $1229 to $510, and are applicable for the tax years of 1930, 1937, 1938 and 1939 The boaid also ord-i red adjust ments made in the tax values on lots in Williamson on the Critcher. and Co wen and Charlie Stokes lots in , Williamston It was pointed out to the board that the properties had j been doubly listed from 1929 through i 1937 Considerable time was spent n viewing the regular monthly repor submitted by the heads of 'the va ious departments, and heard a di cussion centering around the coi finement of town drunks and othi common prisoners in the county jai No mention of the discussion wi made m the official minutes and ? far as it could be learned no acti> was taken in the matter. HOLIDAY Saturday, November II, Ar mistice Day, will not be observ ed a* a general holiday here, but several business firms will suspend operations for the day. The two banks, postoffiee, the Virginia Electric and Power Company offices will be closed all day, it was announced this morning. No mail deliveries will be e fected either in tlie rural com munities or in the village and no window service will be of fered at the poetoffice. MKKTINCi A special ami important meeting of the Martin County Farm Bureau Federation, sched uled l'or Friday evening: of this week, will he held on Thursday night at 7:30 o'clock in the county agricultural building. K. (?. Arnold, southeastern director of the American Federation, and F. F. Arnold, secretary of the State Federation, are slated to address the meeting. \ 11 farmers, regardless of membership in the organization, are urged to attend the meeting. Sc\cral Wrested (ker llie \\ eek-end Out of mm' persons arrested and jailed in. the county last week-end,] seven of them were charged with drunkenness Justice J I. Hassell's! office was a clearing house for sev eral of the group yesterday morning, I the. alleged violators of law and or I tier getting oil with the mere costs) in mole of the eases ?lack "Everett. well known colored .man, imbibed too freely of the spir its last Saturday evening and lie fell into the hands of the law Kidurg with IJoy Boston, who was hooked on a reckless and drunken driving charge, Everett was arrested by .Of ficer E Ranicy. Pulling away from I 'the officer and hat king up in a cornel, Everett with a quivering j tongur explained to the officer that} he was going to have him fired j Sttaightened up by a few hours in jail, the defendant was all right when | In* faced Justice llassell and accept I ed the $5.50 ease costs Boston was) hound o.Ver to the county coin t for I trial under a $100 bond James Scott and Herbert Mason were taxed with the costs, $5.50 each, } in the cases charging them with drunken Mess'.' ' ('hai ged U lth opei ating a cai with : improper lights and without a dnv j er's license, Joe Mohley was fined ' $10 and taxed with the costs WiInter Brabble was fined $7.50 | and taxed With tin* costs for* hunting , on posted land withoiil-a permit -4> I'misiimrr Dor* ,V?/ II mil Mimry Ironi 1,11/11111 Slnrr* Ues Moines, la. Iowa social wel i fare officials nominate for "most ar- j dent dry" the old age pensioner who asked them'today to stop his benefits j j Immediately since, although on pen j mum lolls three years, he learned ] unly three days ago that part of the j money came from profits of state li j quor stores. County Board Of Education Holds Vloetinji Monday i!...'P. ?r "? \?lvamr Plan* for (lon?lruo lion of S2 MMHI School ItiiiMiiig at I'arinclc Mooting in regular session hero yesterday the Martin County Board of Kdiuatibn advanced plans for the const ruction of a $24,000 high school bui|ding for the colored population in the Parmele district. Carrying their plans before the.county com missiotters, the hoard was granted a $12,000 county appropriation With a ?greater' part of the remaining $12. 000 to eofrie from 11 it Works Pro gross \?limmj t -1 ? :11 n.iv. No contract has: "been Id Tor the building'-/ a Tep ?resehtativr o f tiu board "Staling that " action by the Works Progress Ad mlnis'trati on "is now awaited. 1 Crowded comfit ions in. the school has been the cause for much con coi n for .cyeral years, and the con sohdation ot high schools I He re has aggravated the situation, it was pointed out to tlie commissioners by the board of education meeting as a joint group w ith tin- commission ers. At "the* pits< nl tore the school is holding classes in four different, buildings White most, ot the school is held in. an old brick building, st_u dents a're hoUscd in the old and di lapidated building constructed years ago, and the agricultural workshop. A few pupil are boused in the teach erage Willi an enrollment of about 350 pupils in the school, the board of education proposes to construct a building ltjl) by I 12 feet to Include four large classrooms, home eco nomics unit, an agricultural unit, of lice, library and auditorium. The building is to bo brick veneered and one story high The board confined its business to the one project and offered no schedule, for ttu Thanksgiving and Christina holidays in the schools. It is certain that the Thanksgiving hol iday will be Observed on the 30th, and that nearly all. if not all, the schools w ill close Wednesday for the lemaindei of Thanksgiving week. (lountN Farmer Dies Su<l<Jenl\ Saturday Archie 1. Cafraway. Cross Roads Township farmer. dud suddenly at In heme m (To Roads Township I.ist Saturday at ll o'clock lit art trouble was given as tin- itn na tliati tausr nf Ins death In i.nl mg*"ht-alth t?.i tin- past two years. Mi Cai i away had \ i 11?*tI 1datives in the eoinmumlv ami had just iv 111111??<I hoine and made i t ady to re life, when he wa talo n critically ill. death ? following a few nunutes he h i lie was ,'iO yt.ii s old. lit- u;i tla s??n of. the late John Car raw .^V and Wait, and had lived ! in tin, and 1'itl Cplintj all his life. I When a young man' In liavi i u d Miss htelI Clark, who invive; with four | children, the s oundest *.-?I whom is | about two months old lie also leaves three hit it he i and one sister 1 Mi t'airaway vva a member of the church at Chi i tian Chapel, and 1 was i rrogni/ed as a successful. far mer funeral t i vit . wa re 'conducted, at Two' o'clock Morn lay afternoon at ; the home hy Kev m i'erry In terment was in the Clark cemetery in C'ros: Road Township ? Loral Man (.rarely III In M asluniilon llos/iital Wilton A Knox, well known lo ral man, was reported gravely ill in a Washington hospital at noon to day Unconscious since' yesterday, he vva. aid to be in a' \< diened con (litit?n" and little hope/ was held for his recovery / (riven a blood transfusion by Mr. (J W liardison, yestt iday, Mr. Knox failed to show any marked improve ment afterwards Receiving hospital treatment at intervals during the past few weeks, he was removed to the institution last Thursday 4-H Club Members Planning Achievement Program Here The eream of Martin County's | youth is (gathering here on Satur day of this week for the fourth un | nual 4 H club achievement program, the club leaders announcing today that several hundred of the youths are expected to participate in the ; schedule of events A high spot in the program which gets underway at 10 o'clock that morning in the (ugh school building will be un ad dress by Miss Prances McGregor, assistant state 4 II club leader But j there'll be no dull moments when j I the youths themselves- take over the j program. * Commenting on the event, Assts ! lant County Agent J. P. Woodard | said, "Special awards will be made to I those club members who have gain i od recognition by winning cash prizes and awards. Certificates of achievement will be given to all who have satisfactorily completed this year's work. The banner clubs and banner club members will be an nounced. One of tl??* main features of tin- day will he tin- club exhibits which are bt inn put on by the indi vidual clubs C-asii p'ri/cs will be of fered for the winning exhibits. "The program Saturday will be in charge (d club members. Lunch will be served in the gymnasium by club girls Music will be played by the club hoys and the afternoon recrea tional program will he 111 charge of the boys and girls who attended the 4 H club recreational schools. "In 1935) club wdrk in Martin County and in North Carolina has reached ii new high level. Member ship in the State has increased to approximately 50,000. Martin Coun ty have over 500. More and better work has been done by individual club members "Every club member has been urged to come and bring his parents. An interesting program has been planned for everyone. Everyone in terested in club work is invited to attend."