I
\ ■'
Selma_ offers splen
did living condi
tions, pure water,
diversified indus
tries, varied re
sources, equable
climate and mod
em city conven
iences. Seima wel
comes you!
The J ohnstonian-Sun
The Johnstonian-
Sun is dedicated
to the best interest
of Johnston coun
ty and its sixty
thousand people.
Read the news and
advertisements in
its columns each
week.
Harmon Goes On Trial
For Life For Assault
Judge Erwin Oi*ders Venire of
Seventy Men From Which To
Select Jury—Trial Expected
To Last Through Thursday—
Pool And Rosser Defending
Harmon.
Charged with criminal assault on
his three-year-old step-daughter, N.
C. Harmon of Selma went on trial
Wednesday for his life.
Judge S. J. Erwin, who is holding
court this week, Tuesday ordered a
special venire of 70 men to be sum
moned, from which to draw a jury to
try Harmon.
The alleged crime was committed
on Saturday night, April 5. Harmon
was arrested the following day and
placed in the county jail where he re
mained in solitary confinement with
out benefit of counsel until April 16,
when Judge Erwin appointed W. O.
Rosser, Jr., and J. R. Pool to defend
him.
Youth 18 Sentenced
In Johnston Slaying
Negro Given Three to Five
Years M Johnston County
Court—Erwin Presides.
DRIVE TO HELP
OUR BOYS IN CAMP
Johnston County Unit of the
United Service Organization
Is Set Up With R. P. Holding
As President — Contributions
Are Being Asked For
The case was set for trial that
week, and a special venire summoned
but the case was continued on motion
of defendant through his attorneys,
who had not had sufficient time to
prepare their case.
It is understood that they are to
base their defense chiefly on a plea
of insanity.
The crime is reported to have taken
place around 10 o’clock at night in
Harmon’s automobile on the road be
tween Brown’s filling station and Sel
ma. In a confession, Harmon said that
his sister and the little girl had ac
companied him when he left home to
take his wife to a picture show. After
taking Mrs. Harmon to the theatre,
he drove his sister to her home about
four miles above Selma. On the way
back, alone with the three-year-old,
he is said to have stopped and com
mitted the crime.
Sheriff Rose, the first witness, tes
tified to the confession made, by Har
mon after he was brought to jail.
Deputy D. S. Strickland’s testimony
- was similar to the' Sheriff’s. Harmon
first denied any knowledge of the
crime, claiming that he had been
struck over the head and rendered
unconscious, but later admitted the
attack, said Sheriff Rose.
Woodrow Shirley, who was next
examined, testified that he went with
Mrs. Harmon in search of Harmon
and the child and found them about
3:30 a. m. in the car in front of the
home of Harmon’s mother. The child,
he said, was lying on the seat in a
puddle of blood. She was carried into
the house and one. of the women cried
out, according to the witness, that the
little girl had been attacked.
The doctor who was summoned or
dered her taken to the hospital. The
defendant, who came along with oth
ers, was taken into custody at the
hospital.
The little girl, rather small and
frail looking, sat in her mother’s lap
during the trial.
Solicitor Canaday expects to put
several physicians on the stand today
(Thursday) and predicts that the trial
will not be completed until Friday.
■The death penalty is being asked.
A one-week term of Superior Court
opened in Smithfield Monday morning
with Judge S. J. Erwin, Jr., of Mor-
ganton, presiding and Solicitor C. C.
Canaday of Benson as prosecuting at
torney.
Out of thirty jurymen summoned
for the petit jury, ten were excused
for one cause or another. In most of
the cases tried, the defendants enter
ed a plea, rendering a jury unneces
sary.
Junius .Pearce, eighteen-year-old
Negro, charged with fatally shooting
another Negro, James Davis, on June
1, in Kenly, entered a plea of second
degree murder and was sentenced to
the roads for a term of from three to
five years.
Two abandonment cases were dis
posed of. Braxton Keen of Selma
township, admitted the charge of
abandoning his wife, and prayer for
judgment was continued on condition
that he support her.
Willie Ed Little, also of the Selma
section, plead guilty to abandoning his
three small children, ages 2, 3 and 5.
Judge Erwin gave him a two-year
sentence, to be suspended on condi
tion that he not drink any intoxicat
ing liquor and pay into court four
dollars weekly for the support of the
children. His wife said that she did
not want him to support her.
Two forgery cases were also heard,
both defendants, Ruthie Baker and
Daniel Allen, admitting their guilt.
Ruthie Baker plead guilty to an at
tempt at forgery, having passed a
check for $1.50 with the name of R.
C. Moore signed to it; and Allen hav
ing passed two checks, one for $10.00
and one for $3.00 with the signature
of Noah Blackman. He was given a
four months sentence.
Liquor Raids Reported
By Johnston Officers
Deputy Sheriff D. S. Strickland re
ported two raids Monday morning.
He seized about a gallon of non-tax-
paid liquor in the home of Paul Surles
in Pour Oaks and put Surles under
bond for his appearance in Record
er’s Court.
Together with Deputies N. M. Nar-
ron, M. J. Whitley and Corporal V. R.
Mallard, Strickland raided a still in
Banner township Monday morning
and arrested two white men, Wilbur
and Howard Lee, who were at work
at a still in the barn of Wilbur Lee.
The still was of approximately thirty-
five gallon capacity. Four gallons of
whiskey and three barrels of mash
were confiscated. The men were citied
to appear in Recorder’s court next
week. Wilbur Lee assumed responsi
bility, admitting that the still was his
and that Howard was just there to as
sist him.
At a meeting held at the Johnston
County Club at Holt Lake on last
Friday evening a county unit of the
United Service Organization was set
up with R. P. Holding, Smithfield
banker, as President. At the meeting
Friday evening the following publi
city committee was named: Mrs. G)
W. Grier of Smithfield; W. J. Bare
foot and Ed Johnson, of Benson, and
Rev. D. M. Clemmons of Selma. This
committee will use the newspapers,
the radio and the churches as a means
of getting the information before the
public and help put the drive across.
The U. S. O. is a nation-wide organ
ization working in conjunction with
the Salvation Army, the Y. W. C. A.,
the Jewish Welfare Board and Na-'
tional Travelers Aid Association, to
raise funds to be used in providing
recreational centers near our army
camps for tWe benefit of the young
men in camp where they may have
clean and attractive entertainment
during their leisure hours in order
that they may not be attracted to
those places where religious and
moral standards are lacking, and
where only the reverse influences
prevail.
Every man and every woman in
Johnston county should feel proud to
have a part in helping to finance this
undertaking, and certainly there
should not be a single parent who is
not willing to help. If you have a boy
in camp or if your neighbor has a boy
in camp, you should be only too will
ing to make a contribution to this
cause in order that our boys may be
provided, with the right kind of enter
tainment during their leisure hours.
You will probably be solicited for a
contribution within the next few days
and if and when you are, don’t fail or
refuse to do your part. If no one calls
on you for a donation, you will please
carry or send your donation to Mr.
R. P'. Holding, Smithfield, N. C.
Have you made your contribution to
the U. S. 0. Drive yet? Very little
need to be said about this service—it
explains itself. All the money goes to
North Carolina camps, and will be
used for Religious, Recreational Ed
ucation work with our boys.
If you have not been solicited yet,
•see some of the following people and
make a nice contribution:
PUBLICITY COMMITTEE
Selma—Rev. D. M. Clemmons .
Smithfield—Mrs. G. W. Grier.
Clayton—Mrs. Hugh Page.
Benson—Prof. W. J. Barefoot
Mayor Ed Johnson.
CHAIRMEN BY TOWNS
Kenly—Mrs. R. S. Atkinson.
Wilson’s Mills—Howard Mitchiner
Pine Level—B. Oliver.
Princeton—Luby Mitchell.
Clayton—G. T. Page.
Benson—Ed Johnson.
Four Oaks—Tryon George.
Selma—R. A. Jones.
Micro—Charlie Fitzgerald.
Smithfield—Braxton Wilson.
Meets Death On Rails
New Packing Plant Is
Now Open For Business
Johnston County’s New Enter
prise To Be Known As “Caro
lina Packers”—Is One of Most
Complete Packing Units To Be
Found In South.
DR. W. H. CARTER
DR. CARTER COMING
TO COUNTY SUNDAY
Principal Speaker at Meeting
of Federation of Churches of
Johnston County — Holly
Springs F. W. B. Church
KENLY—Dr. William Howard Car
ter, minister of the First Full Gospel
Tabernacle Church of Goldsboro will
deliver the principal address at the
Federation of Churches of Johnston
County at a special meeting Sunday
night, June 29th at 7:30 p. m. At the
Holly Springs Free Will Baptist
Church 3 miles North West of Kenly
it was announced by the Rev. E. G.
Holland today.
The Bob Pittman Vocal Union un
der the direction of Clarence Capps
will meet in the afternoon for the
regular “fifth Sunday sing.” Some
20 or more groups are expected to
participate. Officials of the Church
are expected one of the largest
crowds in the history of the church
for the “SING” and Dr. Carter’s
sermon.
George Williams Shirley Meets
Instant Death Whe« Hit By
Southern Railway Train Sun
day Morning Near Neuse
River.
and
Johnston^s Red Cross
Plan Intensive Drive
Kenneth Gurley of Pine Level, and
Smithfield, president of the Johnston
County chapter of the Red Cross, is
calling a meeting of all volunteer Red
Cross workers. The gathering is to be
held at the Legion Hut Friday after
noon in Smithfield.
Mrs. Thel Hooks, chairman of the
production committee of the chapter,
announces that part of the material
for Red Cross garments ordered sev
eral weeks ago has come, and this
general meeting is being called pre
liminary to the opening of the sew
ing room at the Legion Hut in the
near future.
All the chapter officials and leaders
in the various branches of the organi
zation in Selma, Benson, Pine Level,
Wilson’s Mills, Four Oaks, Princeton,
Kenly and Smithfield, as well as ev
ery man and woman who will volun
teer to do Red Cross work, are invit
ed.
Selma Boy Returns
After 2-Year Absence
D. H. (Dannie) Wilson, after spend
ing two years in a CCC camp in the
southern part of Utah, arrived home
here a few days ago. This is Dannie’s
first visit to his parents, Mr. and Mrs.
D. H. Wilson, since he left for - the
West two years ago. He says he likes
the West all right, but North Caroli
na better.' He is a graduate of the
Selma high school and popular with
the younger set in Selma. “It took us
four days and nights to make the
trip,” he stated, “but I enjoyed every
minute of it.”
4-H Club Leader Gets
Trip To Washington
Braxton Coats, president of the
Johnston County 4-H club council,
went to Washington, D. C., last week
to attend thei National 4-H club con
vention. He was the guest of the At
lantic Coast Line Railway for the en
tire trip.
Mr. Coats is a son of Mr. and Mrs.
J. B. Coats of near Smithfield.
Johnston NYA Projects
To Hold Open House
The sixth anniversary of the estab
lishment of the National Youth Ad
ministration will be marked by the
holding of open house on all NYA
projects in Johnston county as a part
of a state and national obserance, on
Thursday, June 2G, State NYA Ad
ministrator John A. Lang announced
yesterday.
The National Youth Administration
is now operating four projects in
Johnston county, including construe
tion of a community building in Sel
ma, and home-making projects for
girls in Smithfield and Clayton which
teach sewing, cooking, nutrition and
preparation of food and household ar
ticles for the need.
This week marks the opening of
Johnston county’s new packing plant,
located on Highway 301 two miles
south of Smithfield, which is to be
known as Carolina Packers. This
plant was erected at a cost of approx
imately $65,000.00, and is said to be
one of the most complete packing
units in the South.
J. A. Jones, general manager of the
company, has announced that the new
packing plant is now ready to buy
cattle, hogs, lambs, etc. Current mar
ket prices 'will be paid each day for
the offerings, and when the volume
reaches the necessary proportions to
keep the plant operating full time, it
will mean thousands of dollars will
flow from this live-stock marketing
center each week to be distributed
among farmers and cattlemen, not on
ly in Johnston, but in adjoining coun
ties. The more hogs and cattle the
farmers of Johnston county have to
offer the gTeater will be their share
of the cash paid out each week. The
plant will operate six days each week,
and a farmer may carry his livestock
to the plant any day he chooses, have
it weighed and receive payment in
full before leaving the plant.
The plant will carry a complete
line of packing house products, such
as beef carcasses and cuts, pork and
pork cuts, smoked ham and bacon,
boiled ham, sausage, etc. They will
sell wholesale and retail.
The company also plans to operate
a truck service to make contact with
meat markets and grocerymen over
an area of some 75 miles throughout
Eastern North Carolina.
A sales staff of six men will be em
ployed, including the following:
Alfred Brandon of Durham, who
comes to Carolina Packers from
Schenk Packing Company of Greens
boro. Mr. Brandon, who will still re
side in Durham, has had 18 years of
meat selling experience.
L. H. Teachey of Raleigh, who has
been with Wilson and Company of
Wilson for about 14 years.
F. M. Dunbar of Newton Grove,
who for several years has been con
nected with the Lindsay packing
company at Newton Grove. Mr. Dun
bar will reside in Fayetteville.
L. D. Grantham of Mt. Olive, an
experienced salesman, whose head
quarters will be at Kinston.
M. D. Dunn, another veteran sales
man, who will continue to reside at
his Wilson home.
William H. Britt of Bentonville
township and Smithfield, whose terri
tory will embrace Johnston county.
George Williams Shirley, 45, and
an employee of the Selma Mills, was
killed instantly early Sunday morn
ing by an east-bound passenger train
on the Southern Railw’ay, two miles
west of Selma, near the Neuse River
bridge.
Shirley and son. Junior Shirley,
left home about dark and went to the
river fishing. The son returned a few
hours later, leaving his father at the
river.
The accident occurred on a sharp
curve. The body was horribly man
gled, and thrown down an embank
ment.
Surviving are his "wife, nine sons,
Edward, Wilbert, Junior, Herbert,
Marvin, Harry, Horace Shirley, all of
Selma; Woodrow Shirley of Smith-
field, and Roland Shirley of Lucama;
two daughters. Misses Ellen and Pa
tricia Shirley of Selma; three broth
ers, Joe, Tom and Prank Shirley.
Funeral services were held from the
home Monday afternoon at 3 o’clock,
conducted by the Rev. D. M. Clem
mons, pastor of the Selma Baptist
church, assisted by the Rev. O. L.
Hathaway, pastor of the local Meth
odist church. Interment took place in
the Crocker cemetery, two miles east
of Selma.
Floyd C. Price, Sr.,
Attends Convention
Mr. Floyd C. Price, Sr., of the firm
of Floyd C. Price & Son, attended the
annual Merchants Convention held in
High Point, Monday and Tuesday. Mr.
Price reports a big attendance and a
good time. Governor Broughton and
Congressman Harold D. Cooley were
among the speakers. Mr. Price served
on the credentials committee.
Solicitor W. 1. Godwin
Has Tonsils Removed
Solicitor William I. Godwin, of
Johnston County Recorder’s court, un
derwent a tonsil operation in John
ston County Hospital this (Thursday)
morning. He is getting along fine and
will be back in his office in a few days.
Important Notice To
Draft Registrants
All draft registraints should read
their Questionaires very carefully be
fore filling them out, and if they have
any complaint to make they should
remember that they have the right to
bring same to the attention of the'
local draft board. There seem to be
many draftees who fail to understand
what it is all about. The local draft
board is always ready to furnish any
information they can to make the
young draftees u'hderstand their
questiqnaires, and those who .may
have claims for exemption should
make same known to their local board
if they do not ' understand how to
make claim for this exemption in
their questionaire.
M. B. Lane, Jr., and Erwin Godwin,
of Washington, D. C., spent Sunday
with relatives here.
Submarine Victim Has
Uncle In Smithfield
W. T. Dance, of Smithfield, is an
uncle of William T. Crute, 19, who
was known to have been stationed on
the ill-fated submarine 0-9 which
went down -with its 83 officers and
men off New Hampshire coast last
Saturday. Young Crute’s parents live
at Princeton, Va., who anxiously
await some official , announcement
from Naval authorities.
Making garments for refugees and
others in the war-torn countries of
Europe is the major part of the pro
duction committee, but there are oth
er services to be rendered which will
be explained at this meeting. Besides
volunteers for knitting and sewing,
volunteers are heeded to use their
cars, to help check, pack, tag and
ship the garments, and furnish pat
terns, scissors, needles, thread and
buttons.
Members of the sewing committee,
headed by Mrs. Hooks, are Mrs. Ed
mund Aycock, Mrs. Lena Granhtam,
Mrs. B. M. Brannan and Miss Emily
Young. They are cutting out gar
ments and checking materials to be
given out Friday. Mrs. Hooks an
nounced that three sewing machines
had been loaned for the sewing room.
These are being furnished by Mrs. A.
S. Johnston, Mrs. B. G. Mattox and
Mrs. Hooks and will be placed in the
hut where the cutting tables will be
set up.
Seen and Heard Along
THE MAINDRAG
:By H. H. L.
New Bridge Being Built
Across Neuse River
According to an announcement by
WPA officials, made a few days ago,
a new bridge is being constructed
across Neuse River between Wilson’s
Mills and Little Devine. While^ this
project is under the sponsorship of
the State Highway Commission, it
is manned by WPA laborers and su
pervisors. The new bridge is 361 feet
long.
The announcement further indicat
ed that the road leading from Selma
to Wilson’s Mills will be completely
resurfaced wdthin the next 30 days.
MRS. W. A. PEEDIN
FINDS FREAKISH EGG
Mrs. W, A. Peedin of Selma, exhib
ited a hen egg at the office of The
Johnstonian-Sun last Saturday which
is quite a freak of nature. The egg is
of medium to rather small in size but
rather flat on one side which presents
the appearance of a sunflower.
Mr. T. B. Brown, of the firm of
Pittman’s Hatchery, is back on the
job after an illness of several days.
Selma Man s Brother
Loses Home In Fire
Mrs. Connelly, mother of Mrs. Ev
erett Gordy, of Quantico, Md., was
burned to death when the larg^ nine-
room residence of Mr. Gordy was de
stroyed by fire on last Sunday nigbt.
The other inmates of the home had a
narrow escape from being burned to
death, according to a message receiv
ed here by Mr. E. M. Gordy. proprie
tor of the Brick Hotel, and brother of
Mr. Everett Gordy. All the household
and kitchen furniture 'were destroyed.
Special Services At
Great Swamp Primitive
Baptist Church
Primitive Baptist Correspon
of Eastern North Carolina will hoi
a two days Union Meeting with Great
Swamp Church, Greenville, N. C., on
Saturday and Sunday, June 28th-29th.
Elder A. L.'Harrison, of Front Roy
al, Va., former mederator of the Ke-
tocton Association; Elder T. R. Craw
ford, Cairo, Ga., Associate Editor of
the Zion’s Landmark; Elder Ben H.
Seekford of Washington, D. C., and
others are expected to attend this
meeting.
Misses Marie and Ethleen Brown
Daisy Adams, and Bernard Lee spent
Sunday at Carolina Beach.
Salesmen! Salesmen! Salesmen!—a
decade ago they were called “drum
mers”—“began arriving at my store
as soon as the doors opened yester
day morning,” said MR. W. R. SMITH
of SMITH & CAMERON, “and they
kept coming until 6:30—I was as
tired when I went home last night as
I would have been if I had ploughed
all day,” continued MR. SMITH—^the
name selected for WALT GODWIN’S
new station just below Selma is
“WALTZ COURT”—very appropriate
plenty of good music and you can
“waltz” all you want—watch this pa
per next week for full announcement
of the grand opening of this hand
some station — EDITOR STANCIL
and this writer were shown through
this up-to-the-minute station and cafe
Monday morning—‘ I’m tired of wear
ing this corset,” said HOWARD
CAPPS—the upper part of his anat
omy has been in a plaster cast for
the past few days as the result of in
juries received in a truck wreck—“the
thing itches and I can’t get to my
hide to scratch,” said HOWARD—■
GOVERNOR 0. A. TUTTLE will tell
the members of the Selma Kiwanis
club tonight all about his trip to the
annual convention of Kiwanis Inter
national, held in Atlanta, Ga., last
leek—don’t miss this meeting, Ki-
js GOV. TUTTLE will have an
inter?^^g message for you—we en~
joyed nSl^y^alk of MRS. J. H- SPIL-
MAN, of Raleigh, on last Thursday
evening—she was introduced to the
K. club by MISS ANNE NOBLE, a
former citizen of Selma—come again,
ladies—! ?@ ** @ ! * said RALEIGH
GRIFFIN this morning when a match
flared in attempting to light a cigar
ette, sticking to one of his fingers—
this popular and'efficient cashier of
the local bank, belongs to the official
family of the First Baptist church,
sings in the choir, etc., and of course
didn’t say anything bad?
/J