The Johnstonian-Sun
Selma Man Honored
By American Legion
Showing their appreciation for .the
many outstanding services as a mem-
her of the Selma Post of the Ameri
can Legion, the town of Selma and
to the community as a whole, Selma
Post No. 141, American Legion paid
honor to Adjutant R. A. Jones on last
Friday evening when a barbecue din
ner was given by members of the lo
cal post at the American Legion Hut
here.
The occasion was prompted by the
fact that Adjutant Jones was sched
uled to leave the following Monday
for re-entrance for active duty in the
United States Navy. Mr. Jones was
appointed by President Roosevelt in
1937 as lieutenant on the retired list,
an honary rating for previous serv
ice as commission officer during
World War N9. One. A few weeks
ago Lieutenant Jones received notice
to report for duty in the Navy.
Participating in the farewell din
ner Friday evening were more than
30 members of the American Legion,
together with a number of invited
guests, totaling around 40 in all. Dr.
E. N. Booker acted as toastmaster for
the occasion. Brief talks were made
by Mayor B. A. Henry, W. W. Hare,
J. C. Avery, M. L. Stancil, John C.
Diehl, Hunter Price, Ed Creech, C. A.
Bailey, and others. All who spoke
were high in their praise of the life
of and the services rendered to the
community by Mr. Jones, who pre
dicted that he would serve his coun
try to an even greater advantage in
whatever capacity he may be called
to serve.
Climaxing the program of speech
making, E. C. Perry presented the
guest of honor. In his presentation
speech Mr. Perry said he hoped those
present would not forget the other
noble young men who have gone from
the community into the service of
their country. He said he believed the
honor guest would be glad to have
those present convey through him
their high regards and best wishes.
Lieutenant Jones expressed his ap
preciation for the many nice things
said about him, and in speaking of
his earlier experience in military
training, he said he had always want
ed to have some part in promoting
the military interests of America.
It was evident throughout the pro
gram of the evening that all felt very
keenly the loss which the community
will sustain in the leaving of Mr.
Jones, who had become a part of al
most every outstanding organization,
whether civic, educational or reli
gious. For' a number of years Mr.
Jones served as town commissioner,
a post he resigned only a few days
ago. He made one of the best commis
sioners the town ever had. He also
served as a member of the Board of
Stewards of the Methodist church for
several years, and this was another
place where his ability was evidenced
in no small way. He was active in all
branches of church work.
Order Eastern Star
Installs Officers
At the regular meeting of Selma
Chapter No. 209, O. E. S., held Tues
day evening, officers were installed
for the ensuing year.
Installation officer for the occasion
was Mrs. Nannie Woodard, past ma
tron of Selma chapter. Those assist
ing in the installation services were
Mrs. Iva Mae Etheridge, acting
grand marshal; Mrs. Ida E. O’Neal,
acting grand chaplain; Miss E. Fran
ces Brown, of New' Hampshire, acting
grand organist, and Walter E. Price,
acting grand warder.
Mrs. Velma Peedin was installed
Worthy Matron of Selma Chapter
209 O. E. S., for the coming year.
After the installation a very im
pressive floral ceremony was con
ducted by the appointed marshal and
star points of the chapter, pledging
their support to the worthy matron
during the year. Mrs. Edna Boney
also honored the newly installed
worthy matron by presenting her
with a gift.
. Other officers installed were: W. D.
Perkins, worthy patron; Mrs. Nancy
White, associate matron; W. S. Earp,
associate patron; Mrs. Mary G. Price,
conductress; Mrs. Catherine Price, as
sociate conductress; Mrs. Hattie M.
Perkins, secretary; Mrs. Iva Mae
Etheridge, treasurer; Mrs. Rachel
Harris, chairman; Mrs. Mozelle Bai
ley, marshal; Miss Evelyn Spencer,
organist; Mrs. Margaret Spencer, as
Adah; Mrs. Ilia Adams, as Ruth; Mrs.
Nannie Woodard, as Esther; Mrs.
Elizabeth Creech, as M^tha, Mrs.
Wyllie C. Wright, as Electa, Mrs
Eoxie Creech, warder; Mrs. Claudia
Jones, sentinel.
At the close of the meeting re
freshments were served to all pres
ent. j
State Safety Engineer
Assists Investigation
Dr. E. N. Booker, Coroner of John
ston County, requested the North
Carolina Commissioner of Labor,
Forrest H. Shuford, to have the State
Safety Engineer with his Depart
ment, Mr. Murray M. Grier, to assist
him and his jury with the investiga
tion of the explosion and developing
the facts to be presented to the core
ner and his jury at the inquest hear
ing.
For the past ten years Mr. Grier
has been engaged principally with
the inspection of mines, quarries
sand and gravel pits throughout
North Carolina for the Department of
Labor, for the purpose of uncovering
the hazards and offering the various
safety measures to prevent acci
dents. One of the greatest hazards at
such operations -" is the handling,
transporting and use of high explo
sives.
• For the pas.t two years two large
hydro-electric dams have been under
construction in Western North Caro
lina, with thousands of tons of high
explosives being brought to the job
by motor truck from Birmingham,
Ala. This was a major construction
job, consisting of tunnel driving,
quarry and crushing plant operatio'ns,
power house construction, laying of
large steel pipe from dam site to the
power house, installation of turbines,
etc. Mr. Grier, making safety inspec
tions, teaching the 15-hour U. S. Bu
reau of Mines First-Aid Course, in
cooperation with Mr. Claud P. Demp
sey, principal first aid instructor. Bu
reau of Mines, and suggesting safety
rules and regulations applicable to
such a major construction job. Also,
the investigation of serious and fatal
accidents and suggesting safety
measures to prevent the recurrence
of such accidents.
During the past five years the U. b.
Bureau of Mines 15-Hour First-Aid
Course has been given to more than
2500 employees, white and colored, at
the various mines, quarries, sand and
gravel pits and mineral plants
throughout the State. Many of these
employees have taken a yearly re
view of this training course when ut
was offered at their operation by Mr.
Grier and Mr. Dempsey.
LAWYERS VISIT
WASHINGTON IN
EXPLOSION MATTER
CongressKian Harold D. Cooley and
Senator Josiah W. Bailey expressed
themselves to attorneys William I.
Godwin of Selma, and Norman^ C.
Shepard, of Smithfield, as being
sympathetically interested in the
plight of the victims of the tragic ex
plosion near Selma on March 7th.
Attorneys who have investigated
all the surrounding circumstances
have reached the conclusion that the
only remedy available to those who
were damaged by the explosion is by
an act of Congress. Both Senator
Bailey and Congressman Cooley indi
cated their willingness to introduce
the proper legislation and attempt to
secure its passage.
Mr. Godwin and Mr. Shepard went
to Washington after making an ap
pointment, on last Friday and after
lengthy conference with the Senator
and Congressman, will attempt to
prepare the necessary data for for
mal submission. Any legislation pass
ed should include all claims arising
from the explosion whether repre
sented by attorneys or not.
Some method of determining the
amount and extent of damage is now
under consideration by Honorable J.
Melville Broughton, Governor of
North Carolina, and arrangements
will undoubtedly be made to provide
for the filing and proving of claims
by those who are not represented by
attorneys. Announcement of the plan
decided upon will probably be made
by the Governor in Raleigh.
Coroner*s Jury Recommends
Munitions Convoy; Probe Ends
-
EXPLOSION VICTIM
BOBBY RAY LEWIS, 4-year-old son of Odie Lewis, of Raleigh—
He is recovering in Johnston County Hospital from wounds receiv
ed in explosion. His left leg was broken. Bobby Ray s mother,
Mrs. Minnie Lewis, was killed.
J. V. Chamblee’s Father Little River Baptist
Mother Mrs. Claude C.
Canaday Dies In Benson
Funeral services for Mrs. Sarah
Duncan, 89, mother of Mrs. Claude C.
Canaday, of Benson, who died at the
home of her daughter Friday after
noon, were held from the Benson Bap
tist church Sunday afternoon, con
ducted by the Rey. Forest L. Young,
pastor. Burial took place in the Hen
son cemetery.
Mrs. Duncan, the oldest resident of
Benson, was a charter member of the
Benson Baptist Church. A native of
Franklin County, she had resided in
Benson for the past 55 years.
Surviving are six children, Mrs.
Ora Marshbum of Rocky Mount, Mrs.
E L. Hall of Fayetteville, Mrs. J. E.
'Wall and Mrs. 'C. C. Canaday of Ben
son, Darius of Raleigh, and Norman
L. Duncan of Benson.
Junior Woman^s Cluh
Entertain Soldiers
Pisgah Church To Be^
Host To Association
The monthly meeting of the John
ston County Ministerial Association
will be held with the Pisgah Baptist
church, near Smithfield, on Monday
morning, April 6, 1942.
PROGRAM
10:00 O’clock —- Devotional — The
Rev. L. E. Godwin, Selma, N. C.
10:20 O’clock — Business.
10:40 O’clock —Topic— “The Church
and Present-day Amusements,’’ -
The Rev. A. D. Parrish, Zebulon.
11:10 O’clock — “An Inspirational
Message” — The Rev. G. W. Todd,
Smithfield, N. C.
11:45 O’clock — Closing Prayer —
The Rev. W. H. Walker, Princeton.
NO'TE: Pisgah Baptist church is lo
cated about 3 miles west of Smith-
field, on Highway leading to Angier.
You are cordially and urgently re
quested to be present for mutual
helpfulness. _
REV. C. L. GILLESPIE, President
Smithfield, N. C.
Double “V” For Victory
As Result of Explosion
Honoring 50 members of the 79th
Division of Fort Bragg the Junior
Woman’s club, of Selma, gave ^
dance Friday evening at the Woman s
club building. The building was artis
tically decorated carrying out a color
scheme of red, white and blue.
Music for the occasion was furnish
ed by an all colored band of the 41st
Engineers from Fort Bragg. Several
of the soldiers in the band were ori
ginally with Cab Calloway’s orches
Special entertainment was given
the soldiers by Miss Annie Hood
Hughes, who sang “The. Father of
the Land We Love,” and rendered
several'tap dance numbers. A jitter
bug contest was then held. Sergeant
Fred Case, of Fort Bragg, and Miss
Rosabelle George, were declared win
ners and awarded prizes.
Prizes were also awarded Lieuten
ant Tyree and Miss Martha Nelson
as the most graceful couple on the
floor.
After the contest the chaperones
were introduced by Miss Cassie Ab-
dalla. They were Mrs. C. E. Korne-
gay, Mrs. J. V. Chamblee, Mrs. R. G.
Lewis, Mrs. Mildred P. Spencer, Mrs.
R. A. Stevens, Mrs. A. Z. Thompson,
Sr., and the club sponsor, Mrs. R. D.
Oliver.
Dies Following Stroke
Funeral services for Junius P.
Chamblee, 74, father of J. V. Chamb
lee, superintendent of the water and
light department of Selma, who died
at Rex hospital, Raleigh, at 8 o’clock
Saturday morning, were conducted at
the home in Middlesex Sunday after
noon at 3 o’clock. Burial took place at
Brantley cemetery, near Samaria
church in Nash county, of which
county the deceased was a native. A
stroke of paralysis some time ago was
je cause of death.
Surviving are’ -three sons. A.. P.
Chamblee and U. V. Chamblee, of
Middlesex, and J. V. Chamblee,, of
Selma; two daughters, Mrs. Odie
Whitley, of Middlesex, and Mrs. Mor-
decai Brantley, of Spring Hope; two
brothers,-J. M* Chamblee, of Raleigh,
and J. R. Chamblee, of Zebulon, Route
2; two sisters, Mrs. S. V. Brantley, of
Zebulon, Route 2, and Mrs. W. H.
Wagner, of (Middlesex, Route 1, and
eleven grandchildren.
Pre-Easter Serviees At
Methodist Church Here
Former Selma Resident
Meets Accidental Death
The pre-Easter services will begin
at the Edgerton Memorial Methodis.t
church Sunday. There will be special
music and messages at both of the
worship services at 11 o’clock in the
morning and at 7:30 in the evening.
Services will be held Monday
through Friday. There will be two
services daily. Morning services will
be held at 8:15 and the evening ser
vices at 8 o’clock. The morning ser
vices will be twenty minutes long, so
that families and friends may attend
before they go to school and to work.
The special music for the services
will be under the direction of Mp.
W. H. Call, Mrs. M. R. Wall, and Miss
Etheredge. _
The special Easter project will be
the restoration of our beautiful stain
glass windows, which were shattered
by the explosion of March 7, about a
mile from the town of Selma. The
committee is composed of C. A. Bai
ley, chairman; J. C. Diehl, W. L. Eth
eridge, O. L. Hathaway , and W. H.
■Call, Treasurer. Contributions have
begun to come in to help us with our
work for which we are indeed thank
ful.
Union To Meet Sunday
The Little River Baptist Union will
be held with Antioch Baptist church
on March 29, 1942, and the following
program wilt be given:
11:00 a. m.—Union Sunday School.
11:50 a. m.—Song service, led by Dr.
R. E. Earp.
12:00 m.—Words of Welcome, by A.
A. O’Neal.
12:05 p. m.—Business of Union; Roll
Call; Reading of Previous Minutes;
Appointment of Committees; Col
lection for Expenses of Union and
Orphanage. Special Music by Mrs.
W. T. Durham and children.
12:20 p. m.—Sermon, by Rev. D. M.
Clemmons, of Selma.
1:00 p. m.—Announcements, by W.
O. Hocutt.
2:30 p. m.—Devotional, by Rev. C.
S. Creech. Special Music.
2:45 p. m.—-Address—“He WillDi-
rect Thy Paths”—by Rev. G. J.
Griffin, of Zebulon.
Song.
3:20 p. m.—Address — “Needs For
Christianity” —by Rev. Preston
Parsons of Wilson.
Song and Report of Committee
place for next Union.
4:00 p. m.—^Adjournment.
Mr. William Wright Tucker, who
had charge of the pumping station
for the Atlantic Coast Line railroad
in Selma, before going to Fayette
ville, where he held a similar position,
was accidentally killed Thursday of
last week, when a heavy steel door
fell on him at the pumping station.
Funeral services were held for the
61-year-old man at the home of Bruce
Costin, in Warsaw, Friday afternoon.
The Rev. G. Van Stevens, pastor of
the Warsaw Baptist church, was in
charge of the services. Interment fol
lowed in the Warsaw cemetery.
The jury empanelled by Coun
ty Coroner E. N. Booker to hear
evidence in the matter of a col
lision between an automobile and
a munitions truck, and the sub
sequent explosion of the muni
tions truck on the morning of
March 7, was discharged from
further duties Wednesday after
noon after it had finished its de
liberations and turned in a ver
dict in the matter.
This concludes one of the
most important inquests ever
lendered by a coroner’s jury in
Johnston county, it having to do
with a matter that cost the lives
' of at least seven people and was
'responsible for the destruction
I of much property effecting an
area of several miles wide.
The material damage to the
immediate community has been
roughly estimated at half a mil
lion dollars.
The verdict of the jury reads
as follows; ^
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA,
COUNTY OF JOHNSTON.
In the Matter of the Death of
George Stroupe, Cecil E. Propst,
Mrs. Minnie Lewis, Claude Mitchell,
Mrs. R. L. Holleman, Willie Howell,
and Miss Jessie Holloway.
Be it remembered, that on the 7th
day of March, 1942, I, E. N. Booker, '
Coroner of Johnston County, attend
ed by a jury of good and la'wful men
composed of M. L. Stancil, Jack B.
Wooten, John O. Ellington, G. Ira
Ford, J. N. Wiggs and H. B. Marrow,
by me summoned for the purpose, ac
cording to law, and after being by me
duly sworn and empanelled, at Smith-
field, in Smithfield Township, John
ston County, did view the remains of
George Stroupe, Cecil E. Propst,
Claude Mitchell, Mrs. Minnie Lewis
(Mrs. Odie Lewis) and the bones in
the ashes of the fire from the Hotel
'Talton that were presumed to be the
bones' of Willie "How'ell and Miss
Jessie Holloway; the jury did not
view the remains of Mrs. R. L. Holle
man, who did not die until March 10,
1942. The jury was duly instructed
by the coroner as to its duties.
The jury and the coroner duly re
convened again on March 17 and
March 20 at which times it examined
all persons known to have evidence
bearing on the deaths under investi
gation.
From all of the evidence it appear
ed that the following persons are
known to be dead:
GEORGE STROUPE
CECIL E. PROPST
MRS. MINNIE LEWIS
CLAUDE MITCHELL
MRS. R. L. HOLLEMAN
WILLIE HOWELL
MISS JESSIE HOLLOWAY
We find that the decendants, witn
the exception of Mrs. Minnie Lewis,
(Continued on page eight)
Seen and Heard Along
THE MAINDRAG
:By H. H. L.
Dr. Carter To Address
Johnston Federation
Former Selma Lady
Dies In Richmond
Boy Falls From Tree
Breaking His Arm
Mrs. Albert Bone of Selma, has
two V’s for Victory as the result of
the Munitions truck explosion ^ on
March 7th. She received cuts, bruises,
eye injury, both feet broken, and two
1 V-shaped cuts on her forehead. Mrs.
,.rdau2hter^’'El5ne^' StSl V-shaped cuts on her toreneaa. mrs. ana weir iucui...o. , to you it may sound'helping us to counteract tne emouon- | aiternoon “--"^tting higher
meeting while there. ^ HO Uncle &am. j
The Johnston County Federation of
Churches, originally scheduled to be
held in Carters Chapel Baptist church
Sunday night, March 29th, hqs been
moved to the Pleasant Plain Free
Will Baptist Church, it was announc
ed by the Rev, E. G. Holland, presi
dent of the organization. The Pleas
ant Plain church is larger and a large
crowd is expected.
The principal address will be deliv
ered by Dr. William Howard Carter,
pastor of the large Tabernacle church
in Goldsboro, and a native son of Sel
ma. Dr. Carter is expected to speak
at 8:30 EWT Sunday night.
Others appearing on the program
include the Rev. J. H. Worley, who
licensed Dr. Carter to preach when
Dr. Carter was only 13 years of age.
Rev. Mr. Holland extends a special
invitation to all singing groups n
Johnston county and to all ministers
and their members
George Kerney Driver, 11-year-old
son of Mr', and Mrs. J. M. Driver,
who live two miles north of Selma
on Highway 301„ fell from a tree on
his father’s farm a few days ago
breaking both bones in his right arm.
The young man was taken >to the
Johnston County Hospital, where Dr.
Davidian “set” the broken bones. He
missed school only two days, his fa
ther said, and they were the only
days he missed since he started to
school.
Mrs. E. R. Walthall, 28, who was
the former Miss Margaret Straughan
of Selma, died in Grace Hospital,
Richmond, Va., on Saturday, March
21, following an operation for appen
dicitis.
Funeral services were held from
the Blirely Funeral Home in Rich
mond Monday afternoon. Burial took
place in Maury Cemetery.
Surviving besides her husband, are
one brother, J. R. Straughan of Rich
mond, Va.; and two sisters, Mrs.
J. F. Ellington and Mrs. N. P. Alex
ander, both of Durham.
Mrs. Walthall was married to her
last husband on November 15, 1940,
and they were making their home in
Richmond, Va., where they were re
ported to be living happily together.
Corinth -Holder People
To Hear Dr. Watson
On Thursday, April 2, 1942, the
Corinth-Holder school faculty, Zebu
lon, N. C., will have as their guest.
Dr. James Watson. Dr. Watson, Di
rector of Mental Hygiene State Board
of Charities and Public Welfare, is
very well known for his outstanding
work in mental hygiene and we feel
that we are fortunate in having him
with us. We also feel that Dr. Wat-
lectures will be beneficial in
NEW HOUSING PLAN
WILL HELP FARMERS
If you are a farmer and own some
land on which to build a house, and
need help to finance a building pro
gram, you should get in touch with
W. T. Woodard, Jr., county welfare
supervisor in Smithfield.
After Mr. Woodard has outlined the son s
new housing plan to you it may soundhelping f >r^eract the emotton-
MR. AND MRS. ZIT YOUNGER
bicycling down the Southern railroad
tracks-TAM CORBETT going by on
his new wheel —■ MR. AND MRS.
WALTER PRICE are seen on .the
Maindrag daily on their new bikes--
in fact, about everybody is bicycling
these days, which shows their patri
otism—glad to see our good friend,
BILL NORDAN on the Maindrag al
ter having been confined to home
limits for some time by lUness--
TROY HENRY, also of .the firm ot
HENRY & NORDAN, has been on
the sick list for several days—glad
these gentlemen are im'pro''’n^
OTHO DAVIS and PARSON CLEM
MONS are about the happiest mm in
town—the large windows in the Bap
tist church, blown out by the explo
sion, have been replaced—these Bap
tist leaders didn’t res.t until they got
the funds and the windows—congra.-
ulations-the Methodist bo/s are not
Idle either the loss at the local
church was immense, around.
worth of glass broken—it is hop^
of windows in the town are still mi
nus glass—it’ll be a long time before
the old town will be back to normalcy
matt wall has to burn lights in
his office all day since all the la^ge
plate glass windows in .the town
were knocked out-around 175, m the
entire building will have to be re
nlaced—L. GURKIN is still doing
Sssatthe old stand-a roof has
been put on his garage and his cot
tages repaired—you can’t keep a good
man down—his loss was heavier than
Tny other individual - LAWYER
HOBBS was in the state capital on
Tuesday and paid his respects to
North Carolina’s Governor—Ameri
can Legion Auxiliary’s cake sale will
be at Selma Drug Company Friday
afternoon at 2 o’clock-better buy