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THE JOHNSTONIAN-
THE JOHNSTONIAN AND JOHNSTON COUNTY SUN CONSOLIDATED
VOLUME 13,
SELMA, N. C., THUR'feOAY, AUGUST 14, 1930.
NUMBER 33.
Marshall Robbins Kills
Self After Murdering
Wife and Burning Home
Q[
A Hurry Call
D
Also Said to Have Threatened
Son—Said to Have Been An
gry at Wife Because She
Took Sides with ^ion in Dis
pute Over Tobacco.
BOLL WEEVIL DAMAGE
MAY YET BE HEAVY
Marshall Robbins, 6,5-year-old to
bacco farmer and well known resi
dent of Micro township, Johnston
•county, Monday shot and fatally in
jured his wife, threatened the life
of his son; s'et fire to his home, and
three hours later shot and killed
himself in one of„ the worst trage
dies ever recorded in this county.
The tragedy was thought to have
been the outcome of an argument
over a supply of tobacco which was
stored in his home and claimed by
one of Robbins’ sons, which rights
•Wiere said to have been disputed by
Robbins. Mrs. Robbins was thought
to have taken the side with her son,
which an,gered Robbins, who then
started the shooting.
The shooting occurred at the Rob
bins farm, four miles north of Sel
ma, about 11 o’clock in the morning.
Mrs. Robbins was shot in the face
with a shotgun while hanging out
some clothes in the back yard. The
.son, upon hearing the report of the
gun, ran to the scene of the shoot
ing, but his father threatened his
life, telling him to leave the place
or he would be shot, too, according
to reports.
Spreading the alram of the wife-
shooting to the neighbors of the
community, the son ran to the near
by home of Jasper Pittman, deputy
sheriff, and Officer Pittman in turn
notified sheriff’si headquarters, at
Smithfield, asking fpr seevr.al addi
tional officers to investigate the
case.
Meanwhile, after instantly killing
his wife, Robbins is said to have
set fire to the home and ran down
through a patch of woods nearby.
He was away from the scene when
the officers arrived, and the build
ings, household furnishings, two
automobiles and other farm equip
ment were in flames, being destroyed,
'took Gun with H'm
Robbins carried along his shotgun,
which would make his Capture hard
er for the officers, and soon after a
search was inaugurated, bloodhounds
were secured from Will Stevens, of
Smithfield, and placed on the trail
of the aged man. The officers, to
gether with a number of citizens of
the community, started scouring
through the swamp and woods soon
after noon, and after a search last
ing for more than an hour they
heard the discharge of a shotgun
about 30 yards away.
Upon reaching the scene of the
firing, the officers found Robbins
dead. He had unlaced and removed
his shoes, using his toes to pull the
trigger of the shot.gun, the end of
the barrel being placed besides his
face. Part of his face had been
decapitated as the result of the shot.
This happened about 2 o’clock, or
three hours after he had shot and
killed his wife.
The home, all outhouses, two auto
mobiles and all house - furni.shings in
addition to a large supply of tobac
co were destroyed by the fire origi
nating from the home set afire by
Robbins. Efforts to have the prop
erty were in vain.
Climax to Argument
Robbins was thought to have shot
his wife because she had taken the
side with her son, a young married
man who had been residing with
them until recently when he and his
wife moved into another house in
the community.
The shooting was the climax of
an argument over a supply of to
bacco stored in the old man’s home,
which the son claimed was his, ac
cording to reports.
County Coroner G. E. Parker was
called to the farm during the after
noon and after an inquest said that
it was a case of murder and sui
cide.
The bodies of Mr. and Mrs. Rob
bins were removed to the Bailey
Funeral parlor in Selma.
Robbins was well known in the
community and was considered a
hard working farmer, honest and
sincere. He was said to have been
a man of rather eractic mind and at
times became desperate. His wife,
who was 55 years old, was also
While the boll weevil scare in
Johnston County seems to have sub
sided to a considerable extent for
the past few weeks, reports are now
beginning to trickle in to the effect
that untold damage is in prospect
by this pest which is now beginning
to trickle in to the effect that un
told damage is in prospect by this'
pest which is now beginning to make
liis ‘ work on the green ■ boll very
noticeable in many fields. Some
farmers have been heard to say that
the weevil is now doiiy; more real
damage to cotton fields than at any
time this year and that they fear
the destruction of bolls will entail
a greater loss than that suffered
a year ago.
Tobacco Is Expected
To Average Around
15 Cents Per Pound
SELMA DRUGGIST
MOST POPULAR FIGURE
AT STATE ASSOCIATION
According to competent judges.
Star Harper, Selma’s well known
druggist and bachelor, was the best
known apd most popular figure at
tending the North Carolina Pharma
ceutical Association in Raleigh this
week. There were over five hun
dred druggists in attendance. Mr.
Harper is a former president of the
association.
TELLS OF DISASTROUS
HAIL IN VIRGINIA
Elder H. F. Hutchens returned
Monday from attending an asso
ciation in the vicinity of Danville,
Va. Mr. Hutchens says that the
drouth in that section is something
serious, but that the section of
country in which the association wa.s
held had been visited reecntly by
one of the wmrst hail storms that
he has ever seen any sign of. He
says that the crops were almost
ruined by the drouth prior to the
storm, but that there is absolutely
no crop left in the path of the
storm which covered a scope of coun
try for several miles.
HYMN BOOK OPENS AT
AN APPROPRIATE PLACE
A Live Sunday School
At Selma Mill Village
I About 15 years ago Mr. Geo. F.
Brietz organized a Sunday School
at the Chapel on Selma Mill 'Hill
with a total of 51 members. Thi‘
was indeed a fine beginning and no
doubt gave much encouragement to
Mr. Brietz at that time, but it is
very evident that Mr. Brietz did not
kt this splendid beginning cause
him to become over confident and
then leave the school to take care
of itself; instead of doing that he
has keep contantly at work with the
people in the vicinity of the mill
and today this has become one of
the livest Sunday schools around
Selma, none excepted. On last Sun
day afternoon there were 149 pres
ent.
Mr. Brietz bas been Superintend
ent from its first organization up to
the present time and has been a
tireless worker in an effort to helfi
on Sunday the same people with
whom he has to work during the
week as superintendent of the Sel
ma Cotton Mill;
Last Sunday afternoon Rev. D. M.
Sharpe taught a class of 21; Mrs.
G. F. Brietz taught a class of 24;
Stanley Armitage taught an inter
esting class of boys; Mrs. Kathierjme
Kemp taught a class of 21.
On next Friday night this .school
will be entertained at, a Brunswick
Stew and gam.es will be played on
the lawn. This entertainment is be
ing sponsored by the officers of the
school.
Mr. Vance Sewell is secretary;
Mr. Tew ha-s charge of the singing
and Mrs. Kemp is pianist.
Deputies Take Big
Still in Wilders
Said to Be the Largest Distillery
Ever Captured in Johnston Coun
ty. Much Beer Destroyed.
Last Saturday about noon Deputy
Sheriffs E. A. Johnson, L. D. Parker,
of Smithfield; Hannibal Godwin and
Brad McLamb, of Benson, and Jim
Ellis, of Clayton, went up into Wil
ders Township and captured one of
the largest whiskey stills ever cap
tured in Johnston County. The still
was a copper outfit and of about
200 gallon capacity. They captured
the entire still complete, which, al
though not in operation at the time,
showed signs that it had been in
operation not long since. There was
destroyed aobut 32 barrels of beer.
No one was at the still and no ar
rests have been made as yet. The
still was in the Pineville section
where previous captures have been
made within the last few months.
LAND AT AUCTION
What came very near being a se
rious accident took place here last
Monday morning when one of
White’s ice' cream trucks ran into a
Ford sedan just on the south edge
of Selma.
L. H. Hill, a local citizen, was
driving the Ford sedan and just as
he was entering State Highway
22 from a side street the ice cream
truck struck the left front wheel
and fender and after carrying the
car for several feet turned it over
on the side, crashing the wind
shield, breaking practically all the
windows and completely wrecking
it. Mr. Hill escaped with minor in
juries, but it seems almost a mir
acle that the accident did not prove
more serious. Some damage was
done to the ice cream truck but
the driver was unhurt.
A very singular incident in con
nection with the wreck was the
finding of a hymn book which had
been thrown from the wrecked car
and which opened at the song:
“Nearer My God To Thee.”
well known in the community.
The couple are survived by four
sons, Jesse, Herschel, Ralph and
Manuel Robbins, and one daughter,
Mrs. Edna Morris, all of Johnston
County.
An estimate of the farm damage
as a result of the fire could not be
obtained tonight. Hundreds of per
sons fro all sections of eastern
North Carolina visited the scene of
the tragedy during the afternoon.
The remains of Mr. and Mrs.
Robbins were taken to Holly Springs
Tuesday afternoon where the funer
al services were conducted from the
the Free Will Baptist church by its
pastor. Rev. W. M. Fernell, after
which they were interred in the
church cemetery.
Hundreds of people from Selma
and the surrounding country view
the remains of this aged couple at
the Bailey Undertaking parlors Mon
day evening and Tuesday morning.
Tonsil and Adnoid
Clinic Here Sept. 1
Dr. Wade H. Atkinson, of Wa.shing-
ton, D. C.. to Be in Charge—
Will be Assisted by Other Promi
nent Physicians.
On the invitation of the Selma
Parent-Teacher Association and with
the complete endorsement of local
physicians, Dr. Wade H, Atkinson,
of Washington, D. C., has consented
to operate a tonsil and adnoid clinic
in Selma. Active operating will start
on Monday, Septemer 1 and continue
throughout the week. 'The clinic
will be conducted in the high school
building. Dr. Atkinson will be
assisted by Dr. Warring, of Cincin
nati, Ohio, and Dr. Elyson, of Wash
ington, D. C., in addition to the
help of local physicians.
School children throughout the
northern end of the country will re
ceive preference. Parents desiring to
take advantage of the clinic should
consult any of the local doctors, all
of whom have offered to give their
services free in this work.
The same general plan as pre
vailed in the clinic of two years ago
will be continued. Any person de
siring further information can con
sult the local physicians, Mrs. E. V.
Woodard, president Parent-Teacher
Association, or any of the school
officials.
This work is undertaken with the
singular purpose of pi’omoting the
general health of the school pupils
in the immediate territory. Every
doctor conencted with the clinic in
any way is giving his services abso
lutely free of any charge.
We are calling attention to an ad
vertisement in this paper in which
416 acres of land has been subdi--
vided and will be offered at public
action on Wednesday, August 20th,
1930 at 10:00 A. M. This land is
known as the F. K. Broadhurst
farm about six miles west of Smith-
field. Read the ad for full particu
lars. -
Christian Adventists
To Hold Meetings
The Advent Christian churches
will soon start a series of revival
meetings to be distributed among a
number of their churches in this part
of the state, giving one week to
each church. They are as follows:
Beginning at Hickory Grove on
the third Sunday in August, Four
Oaks, N. C., Route 4.
At Stone’s Creek church on the
fourth Sunday in August, in Ben
son, N. C;, Route 2.
At Holly Grove church, Benson,
N. C., Route 2, on first Sunday in
September.
At Banner’s Chapel, Benson, N.
C., Route 2, on the Second Sunday
in September.
We have been asked by a number
of people when these revival meet
ings will be held and the dates and
places above will answer that ques
tion to all concerned.. We hope
that each of these meetings will
be well attended, and I am sure
that the public will receive a most
hearty wielcome at each one of the
meetings. Elder N. W. Harrison, of
Durham, N. C., is expected to as
sist in these meetings. Everybody
welcome.
ELDER W. Y. MOORE, Pastor.
Selma’s First Born
Son Subscribes To
Johnstonian-Sun
FROST IN NEW ENGLAND
Floyd Gibbons, noted headliner for
the Literary Digest, in his news
flashes over the radio Tuesday night
said that there had been frost in
some of the- New England states
this week.
Mr. Ira T. Rains, the first white
boy born in the town of Selma, and
the oldest citizen of the town, sub
scribed to the Johnstonian-Sun Tues
day morning.
Mr. Rains thinks this is the best
paper that is published in Johnston
County, as it gives more information
pertaining to taxes, court?! etc., than
any other paper.
He is very sorry that he has not
been a subscriber years ago. Mr.
Rains has been an employe of the
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Co.
for the past 30 years or longer.
The Average in This Belt Last
Year Was 19 Cents—Quality
- of Greater Part Sold This
Year Was Very Poor.
Smithfield, Aug. 11.—The tobacco
markets in South Carolina, and in
the border counties of North Caro
lina opened last week and like the
Georgia markets they started off
somewhat lower on the average than
last year. The Georgia markets are
said have improved. since the open
ing.
Mr. N. L. Perkins who is one
of the proprietors of the new Peo
ples Warehouse here, and who is al
so interested in a warehouse in Lum-
berton, spent last Sunday at his
home here, after having been on
the Lumbertorl market all of last
week.
iMr. Perkins' who knows tobacco
like a book, and who • is a close ob
server. says he made a special effort
last week to get from the buyers,
circuit-riders, and others connected
with the tobacco trade, some idea
as to what might be expected after
the opening of the markets in Smith-
field, Wilson and other eastern North
Carolina towns.
After talking with several of the
“higher-ups,” and watching the ac- j
tions of the Lumberton market, Mr. \
Perkins says he has reached the i
conclusion that under existing con-1
ditions the average for all tobacco
sold in this belt should not be under i
15 cents per pound. The average
in this belt last year was 19 cents
per pound. If the average for the
same grades this year should be 15
cents that would mean that the
prices" this year would average about
20 percent off from last year prices, i
The average of the crop of course
will include all grades, good, bad,
and indifi'erent, some of which will
probably sell for 50 to 75 cents
while some of the trashy grades will
probably sell for one or two cents.
There is of course nothing cer
tain about the prices as there are
so many things that might come
to pass that could bring about com
plete changes in the outlook and
thus effect the prices; and cause
them to change. Mr. Perkins says
that the quality of the greater part
of the tobacco sold in Lumberton
last week was very poor. Some of
it he says was hardly fit for any
thing except fertilizer, while there
were a few lots of fairly good to
bacco, but very little of it was prop
erly graded. He says he sold to
bacco last week all the way from
two cents up to above thirty cents
per pound'. The average of all sold
on the floor of his warehouse was
$8.84 per 100 pounds, while the
average for all the four Lumberton
Warehouses last week was $8.75 per
100 pounds.
Mr. Perkins says that the prices
for the lowest are equally as good
or better than last year, but that
the better grades seem inclined to
lag behind. It is not expected that
the buyers will be willing to pay
their full limit in prices for the
better grades until later in the
season when the weather is cooler.
The latest estimate by the North
Carolina Department of Agriculture
as announced over the radio Monday
was for an increase of 9,000,000
pounds in the crop as a whole in
this state, notwithstanding the short
age in the Western part of the
state. The reason given for the pre
dicted increase is the increase in
the acreage planted.
It is said that there are several
things that are at present hurting
our tobacco market in the bright
belts. First of all there are now
large stocks of tobacco on hand
which had to be brought over from
the big crop last year.
Then there are two countries, India
and China which are numbered
among our very best customers, that
are at present doing very' little buy
ing. In India there is an upris
ing bordering on revolutionary war,
and in China they have both civil
war and famine.
Another thing that is liable to
have some effect is the great drouth
that now effects a large part of our
o\vn country. This drouth, the worst
ever known, has already ruined the
crops over large portions of several
Men Tell Fish Stories
But Selma Woman
Gets A Real Fish
It is the delight of many men to
go fishing, and then come home and
review their experiences with allur
ing fish tales that are seldom war
ranted- by bringing with them the
fish as evidence of their catch, but
not so -with Mrs. W. P. Sellers, a
60-y'ear-old Selma lady who spent a
short while, on the banks of the
Neuse last Tuesday afternoon at the
Southern Railroad bridge about two
miles west of Selma. Mrs. Sellers,
after casting her hook in the waters
of the Neuse and patiently waiting
for some time, had decided that
about all there was to fishing’ was
i the name, and when she had decid-
I ed to. pull in her line and call it
I a day minus any fish, something
suddenly swiped her hook and car-
I ried it away as though a shark
I had grabbed it, almost pulling her
j over into the river. She called to
parties nearby to come to her as-
^ sistance and after much effort the
I fish was landed high on the bank.
. He was such a large one that she
! decided that she had all the fish she
I needed at one time, so she returned
j to Selma and had the scaley mon-
I ster weighed and to the astonish-
j ment of her friends she had caught
: a fish out of Neuse River that tipped
I the scales at twelve pounds.
I Mrs. Sellers says that she goes
fishing- almost every day and likes
the sport, but her greatest regrets
now are that she will not be able
to persuade President Hoover to
desert his fishing camp up in the
dry hills of Virginia and mo-ve it
down here on the banks of the old
Neuse where he could find some
real sport.
SELMA PEOPLE ATTEND
BANQUET AND BALL
IN RALEIGH TUESDAY
The following from Selma attend
ed the banquet and ball given in
honor of the North Carolina drug
gists at the Sir Walter hotel in
Raleigh Tuesday evening: Dr. E.
N. Booker, Dr. C. P. Harper, Mr.
and Mrs. E. V. Woodard and daught
er, Miss Lillian Louise, Miss Dorothy
'Gardner, Miss Fannie Howell, Mr.
A. J. Holliday, Mr. Leslie White,
Mr. E. G. Hobbs and Mr. Billie
Blackman.
ANTHONY-GEORGE.
Mr. A. E. Anthony, prominent
business man of Laurinburg, and
Miss Mary' George, popular young
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. L. George,
were married on last Wednesday
morning at 11 o’clock in Raleigh.
They will make their home in Ijau-
rinburg.
[ states in the Ohio and Mississippi
i Valleys, including Arkansas, Mis-
I souri, Kansas, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio,
Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Vir
ginia.
It has badly damaged the crops
in the 'Western portion of our own
state and the end is not yet.
These people who have no crops
and who are now selling their live
stock because they have no feed and
in many cases not even drinking
water except that which Is hauled
or shipped in from distant points,
can not hope to be able to buy much
of anything for at least another
year, and this will cause less to be
consumed.
In some of these drouth-stricken
states large quantities of both
burley, and dark tobacco, are usually
gro-wn, and the crop failures there
will probably cause higher prices for
these grades. But as they are not
used for the same purposes as our
bright flue-cured tobaccos it is not
expected that their crop failures -will
cause any greater demand for the
grades grown here.
A traveling man who passed
through Smithfield a few days ago
is reported to have said that in his
home county in Kentucky which had
usually been one of the leading to
bacco counties of that state there
had been no rain sincie last March,
and that not a pound of tobacco
would be produced in tha;’ county
this year.