The J ohnstonian-Sun
VOL. 25
SELMA, N. C., THURSDAY, JULY 30, 1942.
Single Copy 5c
Benson Boy Killed In
Bicycle-Auto Mishap
Erwin Man Fatally
Injured On Highway
Boatbuilders
Boy, Beisig a Deaf Mute, Cut
In Ahead of Car Which Was
Being Driven By E. D. Lang-
don of Benson.
Married Fifty Years
21-Year-Old Textile Worker Was
Struck Down On U. S. High
way 301 Near Four Oaks Fri
day Night.
Carroll Davis, 14, son of the Rev.
Stedman C. Davis, pastor of the
Benson Free Will Baptist church, and
Mrs. Davis, was instantly killed
Wednesday afternoon at 4:30 o’clock.
Young Davis, a deaf mute, and stu
dent at the School for the Deaf at
Morganton, at home on vacation,
while riding his bicycle was struck by
an automobile driven by E. D. Lang-
don, of Benson. The accident occurred
on Highway 301 on the southern edge
of the town of Benson. Langdon was
traveling north toward his home a
half block away, while Davis was
traveling south, each traveling in his
proper lane. Just before they met
Davis turned to the left on his bi
cycle, apparently with the intention
of stopping on the other side of the
highway. Langdon, seeing him coming
into his left, turned his car as sharp
ly as he could to the right, but could
not get out of the way of the bicycle,
which struck his left fender, killing
the boy instantly. The case was in
vestigated by Coroner E. N. Booker,
of Selma; Sheriff Kirby L. Rose and
Chief-of-Police Tommie Woodall, of
Benson.
In Court On Charge
Of Drunken Driving
There were three people tried in
Johnston County Recorder’s court
last week, charged with drunken
driving, as follows;
William B. Dismuke of Georgia,
was fined $50 and costs when he
pleaded guilty to a charge of drunken
driving. His driving license was or
dered suspended for one year.
Charlie Williams, 42, colored resi
dent of near Zebulon, was also found
guilty. His driving license was order
ed surrendered for a year and prayer
for judgment was continued upon pay
ment of $50 and costs.
Melvin Rhodes, 18 of Four Oaks,
Route 3, was found not guilty on a
drunken driving charge but was ad
judged guilty of careless and reckless
driving. Prayer for judgment was con
tinued on payment of costs including
$15 for benefit of R. M. Mason.
Mr. and Mrs, Jesse A. Brown, who
live about half a mile north of Selma,
celebrated their 50th wedding anni
versary on Saturday, July 25th. Mr.
Brown is 71 and Mrs. Brown is 68.
They have been farmers all their
lives and are still able to do good
work. Mrs. Brown is a sister of Wal
ter Hinnant of Selma, and Theo and
Fred Hinnant of Pine Level. Mrs.
Brown says that for many years she
could do any kind of work and as
much of i.t as a man and didn’t mind
it, but, while she can still do good
work, she has decided to slow up a
bit, since she feels that she has done
her share of hard work.
Carlie Franklin Porter, 21-year-old
textile worker, was found in a dying
condition Friday night about 11
o’clock on U. S. Highway 301 a mile
and a half south of Four Oaks. J. H.
Vann, J. W. Norris and S. W. Jones, I
truck drivers for the Johnston Cotton |
Company of Dunn, are reported to
have met a speeding automobile just
before finding the mangled body of
Porter lying on the highway. The
badly wounded man was taken to the |
Harnett County Hospital where he
died about an hour later. He suffered
a mangled and lacerated shoulder, a
broken leg and crushed basil skull, as
well as internal injuries.
Highway patrolmen were given a
description of the speeding car which
was suspected as the one which fa
tally wounded youg Porter, but all ef
forts to apprehend the driver seem to
have failed.
Porter had been working for the
Smithfield Manufacturing Company,
but had just accepted work with the
Erwin Co.tton Mills. He is reported to
have left Erwin Saturday afternoon
for Smithfield where he still main
tained his residence.
Funeral services were held Sunday
afternoon at the Old Field Free Will
Baptist church near Erwin by the
Rev. W. H. Lancaster. Burial follow
ed in the church cemetery.
Surviving are his wife, Mrs. Alma
Westbrook Porter; two children, Alma
and Kirby Porter; his parents, Mr.
and Mrs. John L. Potter of Erwin;
two sisters, Sarah Margaret and Ber-
tice Porter, and three brothers. Car-
son, Martin and William M. Porter,
all of Erwin.
56th Pioneer Infantry
Reunion August 1-2
Georgia Tobacco Sells
Above ^41 Price Levels
Relatively Gopd Offerings Aver
age 30 to 35 Cents at Season’s
Opening
Wm Be Held At Johnston Coun
ty Counrty Club — R. L. Mc
Millan, Past - Oommander of
the North Carolina American
Legion, To Deliver Principal
Address.
Frank O. Higgins, left, and his
father, Andrew Jackson Higgins,
New Orleans shipbuilder, in Wash
ington for a conference with Presi
dent Roosevelt. Higgins, whose
contract for Liberty cargo ships
was cancelled, wants to build seven-
ton flying boats.
Dick Holt Resigns
Johnston Draft Job
How To Tell Amount
Of Gas You Can Get
Selma Delegation Heard
By Parole Commissioner
Think James E. Tharringtom
Should Be Made to Serve More
Time For the Murder of John
McMillan — Benson Lawyer
Is Spokesman For Selma Dele
gation.
Selma Kiwanians Are
Given Reading Contest
The new gas rationing program
seems to be puzzling a lot of people
these days, but it should be easy to
determine the amount of gas you are
due to get by the class of card you
hold. The allotments are made on the
following basis;
A, B, and C coupons (for passenger
cars)—four gallins.
E coupons (motor boats, washing
machines, other small non-highway
power equipment)—one galloii.
R coupons (tractors and other large
non-highway units)—five gallons.
SI and S2 coupons (service trucks,
government owned cars, etc.) five
gallons.
Direct News From The
Georgia Tobacco Mart
A postal card, addressed to The
Johnstonin-Sun, was received this
(Thursday) morning from Mr. W. A.
Parrish, written at Douglass, Ga., on
July 28, which reads as follows;
“Tobacco is selling good. Smoking
tobacco is selling from 30 to 35 cents.
All farmers satisfied. Sure glad it is
selling good. Anything that will
smoke is selling good. Looks like we
will get good prices at home.”
WANTED!
The American Legion Post
and the American Legion
Auxiliary of Selma are col
lecting old phonograph rec
ords to be turned back to the
manufacturers, where they
will be made into new records
for use by our boys in the
armed forces. Any one having
broken or worn records that
are unfit for use, please rarry
them to the office lof Dr. E. N.
Booker in Selma and place
them in the container which
will be found on the porch to
his office. .
The Boy Scouts and Junior
Legion Auxiliary will canvass
the town fior these old records,
so please have them ready.
Those having such records
may call Miss Dorothy Jean
Creech or Mrs. W. L. Ether
idge who will send for them on
Friday or Saturday of this
week.
A Selma delegation and an attorney
from Benson Tuesday protested a
petition recently filed with the State
Paroles Commission asking the re
lease from prison of James E. Thar-
rington, sentenced in Johnston Coun
ty July 31, 1938, to 25 to 30 years for
the “jealousy” slaying of John Mc
Millan in Selma on March 30, 1938.
Acting Paroles Commissioner Wil
liam Dunn heard the protest at a
hearing held in his office.
Tharrington, a Smithfield banker,
and McMillan, a Selma filling station
operator, both knew Mrs. Rosalie
Hales King of Selma, a divorcee. Ac
cording to trial testimony, Tharring-
ton had become infatuated with Mrs.
King and sho.t McMillan while he was
escorting her to her apartment one
night.
L. L. Levinson, Benson attorney
and spokesman for the Selma dele
gation, asserted that the sentiment of
that community were about 99 per
cent against the release of Tharring-
ton from prison, qn grounds that the
prisoner has not yet served enough
time.
Levinson contended that ’ the crime
was too serious” to free Tharrington,
who has served four years of the im
posed sentence. He said that the Mc
Millan family and the majority of
Johnston County residents are oppos
ed strongly to a parole, until Thar
rington has served a good deal more
of the sentence. ;
After the talk, Levinson recognized
members of the delegation, all of
whom spoke briefly against the peti
tion. Members of the delegation were
B A. Henry, mayor of Selma; the
Rev. D. M. Clemmons, pastor of the
Selma Baptist Church, G. C. Hinton,
R. E. Suber, E. B. Creech, J. C. Avery,
William Creech, J. H. Staneil, and J.
T. Talton, Jr., who is from Clayton.
J. W. Bunn, Raleigh attorney, filed
the" petition in Tharrington’s behalf
and stated at the hearing that he was
seeking a parole at this time because
“I think he will make a good citizen.
One of the most amusing and en
joyable programs in many weeks was
put on at the Selma Kiwanis meeting
on last Thursday evening by Program
Chairman C. E. Kornegay.
An envelope was given to each
Kiwanian present containing two slips
of paper on which was written a
paragraph of tongue twisting words.
Each slip was numbered. The program
chairman requested that each Kiwan
ian rise and read the paragraph when
the number of that certain paragraph other members of the draft board.
Smithfield, July 28—B. R. (Dick)
Holt has tendered his resignation as
a member of Johnston County Draft
Board No. 1 at Smithfield and an ex-
officio nominating board has reccom-
mended Will F. Grimes of Smithfield,
ex-sheriff of the county to fill the
vacancy.
Grimes was recommended by com
mittees composed of H. V. Rose, clerk
of court; H. B. Marrow, superinten
dent of the county schools; W. J.
Huntley, mayor of Smithfield and L.
L. Levinson of Benson, chairman of
the county board of elections.
Holt, who served as chairman of
the board, revealed that his resigna
tion was due to pressing business
duties. It is expected that he will be
succeeded as chairman by either W.
M. Gaskin or Rufus W. Sanders,
was called by him. Mrs. D. M. Clem
mons and Kiwanian David Ball were
appointed as judges, and were asked
to judge the contes.tants upon the
speed and accuracy with which they
read the Tongue Twisters, and we
might add here that some of them
were really what the name implies.
When each contestant had finished
reading his two paragraphs it was
found that there was a tie between
Howard Gaskiill, Matt Wall, and Hay
den Wiggs. All these were asked to
retire from the room and .then one at
a time was called back to read the
final paragraph, which was the most
difficult of them all. In the final run
off Howard Gaskill was declared the
winner and was awarded the prize of
the evening.
Tonsil Clinic For
Negro Children
A tonsil clinic for indigent colored
children of the county will be held
during the month of August at the
Furlonge hospital in Smithfield. Dr.
C. W. Furlonge will perform the
operations.
The clinic will be limited to school
age children. Parents of children
needing tonsils’ removed, who are
without means to finance an opera
tion, are asked to notify Dr. Furlonge,
who will give them full details re
garding the clinic.
69 Men Sent to
Bragg by Local
Fort
Board
Former Selma Girl
Dies of Malaria Fever
Ruby Lee Pittman, the 15-year-old
daughter of George R. Pittman, died
at their home, near Raines Cross
Roads, Wednesday afternoon at 5:30,
after an illness of two weeks with
malaria fever. Her mother met her
death several years ago when a
Coast Line train struck a car in
which she was riding.
Funeral services will be conducted
at the home this (Thursday) afternoon
at 3:30 o’clock by the Rev. J. H. Wor
ley, assisted by the Rev. O. L. Hath
away, both of Selma. Interment will
be in the Sullivan cemetery near the
home.
Out of the original quota of 80
white men to be sent to camp by
Draft Board No. 1 on Tuesday of last
week, 69 men were sent as follows:
Robie Daniel Porter, Benson; Wel
don Bruce carroll, Benson, Route 1;
Henry O.ttis Langdon, Benson; Har
vey Darius Parker, Benson, Route 2;
William Lathan Johnson, Benson,
Route 2; Willie Marshall Gibbs, Ben
son; Lee Milbry Bailey, Benson, Route
1; Aaron Lester Guin, Benson, Route
1; Charles Britt Smith, Benson;
Charlie Rayford Byrd, Benson, Route
2; Carson B. Webb, Benson, Route 2;
William Daniel Carroll, Benson, R. 1;
Grovlen Raynor, Benson, Route 2;
Charles Halbert Anderson, Benson;
John Thel Smith, Benson, Route 2;
Louis Caudle, Benson, Route 1; Wil
liam Robert Johnson, Benson;
Harvey John McGee, Garner; Eddie
Paul Wall, Kenly, Route 2; Ronald
Elbert Barbour, Four Oaks; John
David Barbour, Jr., Smithfield, Route
2; Buddie Baker, Four Oaks; Robert
Rollin McLamb, Four Oaks, Route 3;
Hubert Beckwith Jordan, Smithfield,
Route 1; Ollie James Messer, Coats,
Route 1; James Earl Holland, Angier,
Route 1; Willie Henderson Martin,
Princeton, Route 1; Herman Mmston
Stewart, Four Oaks, Route 1; ihel
Hooks Ragsdale, Smithfield;
Ira David Wood, Jr., Smithfield;
Harold Sanders Kilpatrick, Smith-
field; William Smith Stevens, Smith-
field; Walter Leon Hobbs, Smithfield,
Lunda Lee Parrish, Angier, Route 1;
Hubert Onslow Johnson, Raeford;
Nichlous Spurgeon Bailey, Raleigh,
Route 2; James Otis Keen, Four Oaks,
Route 2; Isaac Alston Coats, Dunn,
Route2; Elton Linwood Allen, Four
Oaks, Route 3; Arie Lawhon, Four
Oaks, Route 2; Marshall Lee Gilbert,
Dunn, Route 2; Herbert Rudolph
Medlin, Smithfield;
.Garland Rayford Hinnant, Clayton;
Clarence Lee Howell, Four Oaks,
Route 1; William Junior Pendergraft,
Princeton, 'Route 1; Arthur Paul
Southerland, Smithfield, Route 1;
Harold Lee Beasley, Four Oaks, Route
1; Clyde Barbour, Four Oaks, Route
3; Roney Narron, Smithfield; Ransom
Temple, Four Oaks, Route 3; George
Edward Futch, Smithfield, Route 1;
Sherwood Reardon, Four Oaks, Route
James Elton Lee, Four Oaks, Route
3; James Henry Hamilton, Smithfield,
Derwood Tyner, Four Oaks; Ritchard
Aaron Hayes, Four Oaks, Route 1,
Rupert Lee, Four Oaks, Route 2, Ed
die Ransom Allen, Four Oaks Route
Valdosta, Ga., July 28.—Prices av
eraging 30 to 35 cents a pound were
paid Georgia farmers today for first
offerings in the tobacco auction sales,
apparently averaging a few cents
above 1941 openings.
During the first week last year', the
average price on the 15 markets in
I J-he State was 20.38 cents a pound.
I Low grade and medium brought
prices today ranging from six to 12
:ents a pound.
50-Cen't Top
A high price of 50 cents a pound
was paid on the Hahira market for
some baskets and other markets re-
I ported .top quotations ranging from
40 to 48 cents. The average price for
first sales at Hahira was 35 cents.
Statesboro, with a million pounds of
leaf on hand compared to 750,000
pounds for the opening last year, re
ported a price average of 32 cents,
or 10 cents a pound higher than .the
average for opening sales the pre
vious season.
Two Douglas warehouses paid six
to seven cents above opening sales
last year with the range there av
eraging 38 1-2 cents. The top price
in Douglas was 41 cents and only a
few grades sold under 20 cents.
Vidalia and Baxley reported morn
ing averages of 38 cents a pound
while Tifton, Adel, Moultrie, Nash
ville, Waycross, Metter, Pelham and
Blackshear markets sold the leaf at
prices averaging from 30 to 33 cents.
First sales at Hazelhurst brought an
average of 28 cents.
Nashville’s top price was 48 cents
and Tifton reported some sales at 45
cents. A million and a quarter pounds
of tobacco were on the warehouse
floors in Nashville when sales began.
On the local market, the highest
price for first offerings reached 41
cents a pound. E. C. Westbrook, to
bacco specialist of the Extension
Service, said farmers here appeared
satisfied with the returns and that he
saw only one ticket turned by a grow
er who thought his leaf was worth
more than offered. Prices were slight
ly higher than last year here, West
brook said.
Live Oak and Lake City, Florida,
markets reported higher prices for
initial offerings with an average of
37 cents at Live Oak and 32 cents at
Lake City.
The auctioneer' babble started the
new crop toward cigarette factories
and cash flowing through this section
for the State’s third money crop.
Farmers collected $11,408,000 for 56,-
086,028 pounds last year.
Acreage this year was expected to
approach that of 1941 when some 65,-
000 acres were harvested. Some trou
ble was experienced this year with
getting plants started due to ram
damage. Blue mold also reduced the
number of plants in some sections and
caused transplanting to be strung out
from late March until late May.
Westbrook said cigarette consump
tion was climbing at a rapid rate and
this would help producers obtain a
satisfactory price. _ _ _
Opening offerings consisted princi
pally of fair to choice lugs and prim
ings with relatively little low quality
and nondescript tobacco. Volume ex
ceeded normal openings.
The flue-cured crop was estimated
July 1 at 740,000,000 pounds com
pared with 650 000,000 pounds pro
duced in 1941. The next opening date
is August 6 for .the South .Carolina
and border North Carolina markets.
Mr. W. M. Gaskin, president of the
reunion association, which has 190ft
members scattered through many
states, announced this week the’high-
lights of the reunion of the 56th
Pioneer Infantry .to be held at the
Johnston County Country Club Sat
urday and Sunday of this week.
A business meeting will open the
convention Saturday night at 7
o’clock when officers w'ill be elected
for the new year and a place will be
chosen for the next reunion.
R. L. McMillan, Raleigh lawyer, and
past-commander of the north Carolina
American Legion, will deliver the
principal address at a luncheon Sun
day.
President Gaskin told a Johnstonian,
Sun reporter today that members of
the 1st World War regiment would
begin arriving Friday. Hotel accom
modations in Smithfield, he said,
would be .taxed to the limit and Smith-
field residents had been asked to open
their homes to the visitors for lodg-
Expected to arrive early to assist
local committees in arranging for
the convention is James K. Dunn,
secretary of the association, whose
home is in New Brighton, Penn.
Officials originally expected from
500 to 600 war veterans to attend the
reunion in Smithfield, with a large
delegation from Pennsylvania and
other northern states as well as
North Carolina. But tire and gas ra
tioning will probably cut attendance
to a third of the first estimate.
A big welcome banner has been
strung across Market street in Smith-
field and merchants have been asked
to put their flags out during the week
end.
The 5Bth Pioneer Infantry was as
sembled and organized at Camp Wads
worth, Spartanburg, S. C., leaving
this camp in August, 1918, for duty
overseas.
The regiment was composed of rnen
from many states, the majority being
residents of North Carolina, South
Carolina, Pennsylvania anl Maine.
The 56th Pioneer Infantry was or
ganized at Camp Wadsworth, S. CX,
and left this camp in August 1918 for
duty overseas.
Boyette Reunion
Has Been Postponed
The Boyette family reunion, which
is held annually, Friday before the
second Sunday in August, at the home
of S. A. Boyette, Route 2, Kenly, N,
C., has been called off for the dura
tion of the war.
Seen and Heard Along
THE MAINDRAG
ZlSBy H. H. L. ■—
Selma Boy Is
Promoted To Corporal
William H. Thorne, son of Mr. and
Mrs. John W. Thorne of Selma, Route
1, has been promoted from the rank
of Private First Class to Corporal, it
,s announced , today by his com-
3; George Wilbert Boomer^ Smith-
Gunter Field,
manding officer ■ at
Montgomery, Ala.
Cpl. Thorne joined the Air Corps
.in August, 1941, at Fort Bragg,_ and
helps keep ’em flying now as Painter
at Gunter Field, a basic flying school
of the vast Southeast Air- Corps
Training Center, where American and
British aviation cadets win their
wings.
field. Route 2; Robert Elton McLamb,
Four Oaks, Route 3; Lawrence Ray
Davis, Smithfield; John Henry Fowl
er, Willow Springs, Route 1.
DRAFT BOARD NO. 2
Smithfield Farmer
Loses Bam of Tobacco
BILL WINSTON, an old Selma
boy, piloted the big plane tha't
brought the King of Greece to the
United States recently—the King is a
“swell fellow” BILL wrote his mother
—it will be remernbered this same
boy is the fellow who taught LIND
BERGH to fly ,and the same man to
bring the bodies of WILL ROGERS
and WILEY POST to .the United
States from Alaska, where they met
their deaths—BILL is a close relative
of MISSES MARGARET and STEL
LA ETHEREDGE and ANN ASH
WORTH, of Selma—he has recently
been made temporary commander of
Camp Young, Indio, California—BILL.
CREECH says it will be only a few
more days until he will be back hom»
again—H. W. BROUGHTON, former
coach of the Selma High School, is in
town for a few days — “PROF.
BROUGHTON is Drill Officer at
Camp Allen—he has charge of .the
Sea-Bees (construction battalion)—43
men are given military training for
three weeks, after which they are
sent to do construction work in for
eign territory—he says he’s getting
along fine and enjoying the work—
WALT GODWIN is planning to open
up a stock of goods in the corner
store room next to GREGORY S 5 &
10c STORE-no empty store buildings
in this good town—now, over in
Smithfield you won’t find any .trouble
in renting a store building, as there
are at least half a dozen empty ones
in one block—EARL FUNDERBURK,
former member of the local school
faculty, has been transferred to Eliz
abeth City, MRS. FUNDERBURK’S
EARL is in Uncle Sam’s
Smithfield —Fire destroyed a to- home town-
sticks of 1 Navy—^MRS. E. N. BOOKER and
bacco bam and about 700
to
l - oacco uaiu auu -- ^ tti-VW\V>T\ rAC!
Th. following whit, men wot. sent ,»b»co belonging to Hobart U. jf BETTY “J
Fort B»gg*Sat«day, J.l, 25, ty [ ,.m-,Smi.hlieM ._fe_w day. agm
at the Royal
Beach, of
Draft Board No. 2 at Selma; 1 loss is estimated at around $500. The I few days
Jesse Willard Ray, Route 2, aay- barn was new and the tobacco was! Palms rt^up’^of Selma is
• Judson Carr Whitley, Clayton; 1 said to be some of Mr. Lee s best, No 1 which 0. A. TUTTL .
(Contiiiwed o» »*«« I insurance was carried. \ manager.
- r'