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Roanoke Rapid. Townabip HI4 HH K Al I I ij 31 PER CENT ij
|g 0|2 | • " JL JL JL*| V^jL JL^ Of Halifax County Population
svavavavv.vvawa™^^ OF THE TWIN CITIES-ROAN OKE RAPIDS-ROSEMARY i '
°LUME 17~__ROANOKE RAPIDS—ROSEMARY, N. C., THURSDAY, MAY 14th, 193U NUMBER 5.
:OMPLETE PLANS FOR COTTON FESTIVAL
)ead Engineer Pilots Freight
'ASSES THRU
•NFIELD AS
)RIVER DIES
loticed by Brakeman
After Several Min
l utes Running; Ha
lifax Inquest
HEART FAILURE
A freight train, with a dead engin
er at the throttle, thundered thru
Infield last Saturday afternoon,
raveling North.
Fortunately, the train crew happen
d to be in the engine cab when W.
Johnstson of Richmond, engineer
n a Northbound extra freight train
f the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad,
eemingly alive and in good spirits
hortly before the train reached En
ield, passed away suddenly as the
rain steamed thru Enfield, 4:30 p.
n. Saturday.
C. Y. Kitchin, brakeman of Rich
mond, says he noticed Johnston lean
ng far forward as they parsed En
ield but thought he was working a
ralve. A few minutes later he look
id at him again and he was in the
fame position
coining closer, sensing something
irong, kitchin saw saliva running
iom Johnston’s mouth. He grabbed
iim and brought the body to a sit
ing position. The engineer was dead
iad been since some time before the
Diakeman looked at him the first
hue. There was only a smalt sciatch
in the temple near the left eyebrow,
evidently mad.* when his head fell
forward and against a part of the cab.
Ihe train was running slower than
loual, the engineer having slowed up
lo pass thru Fnfield.
The train was stopped at Halifax
and Dr. F. W. M. White called. He
examined the body and called Coroner
Billy Williams. On the doctoj’s ver
dict of heart failure, no further in
quest was held and the body was
brought to Weldon to be prepared for
burial, the train proceeding on to
Richmond.
W. A. Falconer of Richmond was
the fireman, but knew nothing of
firing the engineerless train until
called by the brakeman. J. Y. Powell,
of Richmond was the other brakeman
cn the train. Johnston was about
40 years old. He had never had any i
previous attacks, according to the
| train crew.
Shooting Scrape Brings
Three Before Justice
Alex Bowser, colored, and
Moses Turner and wife, colored,
were tried by Magistrate W. O.
ihompson Wednesday night af
ter a family scrap near Bowling.
Alex is charged with firing a
shotgun at Moses and wife, miss
ing them. In the melee, Bowser
was struck in the head with a
rock, alleged to have been thrown
hy one of the Turners. Lillian
•‘arks and Ethel Hall, white wo
men, were sent on to Recorders
Court by Mr. Thompson on a
charge of being inmates of a dis
oredrly house.
COTTON
SPECIALS
I‘art of the advertising in this
issue was sold by members of
the Womans Club to local mer
chants who are cooperating with
them by featuring cotton spec
ials all of next week.
Readers are asked to read
these ads carefully and buy all
necessary cotton made articles
during Cotton Week.
This is the beginning of a na
tional drive by Southern commu
nities to “sell” cotton to the
„ buying public of the world. Get
cotton-minded.” Think cotton,
talk cotton, buy cotton.
HOSPITAL STAFF AND 1931 GRADUATING CLASS
—PHOTO BY VRIES STUDIO
Back row—Dr. F. G. Jarman, Mrs. J. N. Moss, Dr. R. P. Beckwith, Miss Clara Ruth, Dr. T. H. Royster, Miss
Irene Clark, Dr. Bahnson Weathers, Miss Avah Wood, Dr. J. W. Martin, Miss Agnes Temple. Front row—Mrs.
A. H. Moore, Mrs. Alice Wallis—Class: Miss Janet M. Harvey, Miss Mary Bertha Harris, Miss Mabel Alston,
Miss Nettie Patterson, Miss Janie Lassiter, Miss Lottie Matthews, Miss Cyretha Lyerly, Miss Eva P. Williams.
RECORDER
TRIES FIVE
FROMHERE
Woman Given 24 Hours
To Leave State; Knife
Wieldler Gets 60
Days
WEAPON TOTER
■■i/i -
Recorders Court had a busy day on
Tuesday and disposed of a number of
cases. The tax payers failing to list
were much in the limelight and li
quor charges were still on hand.
A white man from Rosemary, Rich
ard Ivey, had to pay a fine of $50
and costs of the action for carry
ing a concealed weapon. John Grif
fin, white man from Roanoke Rapids,
plead not guilty to driving car while
drunk. Prayer of judgment contin
ued upon payment of cost. Jake Da
vis and O. C. Mason, white men of
Rosemary, charged with possession
of liquor. Prayer of judgment con
tinued upon payment of cost. Judge
Daniels sentenced Cfitff Barn.es, a
white man of Roanoke Junction to
60 days on the roads for assaulting
Willie Moore with a knife. Lillian
Parks, white woman of Rosemary,
plead not guilty to running a disor
derly house. Sentence- to 6 months in
jail, capias to issue if caught in the
State in 24 hours.
Ned Thomas, colored of Weldon,
got a 8 months suspended sentence on
payment of cost for asaulting his
wife, Bessie Thomas.
Judge Daniel made Grady Jordan,
white of Gumberry, pay a fine of
$75 and cost of the action, and revok
ed his driving license for 4 months
for driving car under the influence
of whiskey. The case of Henry Miles
for the same charge wsa dismissed.
James Edward Copeland, Jr., white
man from Scotland Neck, was
charged with abandonment and non
support of his wife Mrs. Laura Cope
land and child. The defendant was
instructed to pay his wife $12.00 a
month and he was put under a $250
guarantee bond.
Four colored men from near En
field, Walter Smith, Ray Whitaker,
Dock Whitaker and Charlie Whitaker
were charged with transporting li
ouor and having in their possession
•1 barrels of mash. Charlie and Ray
Whitaker were dismissed. Dock
Whitaker and Walter Smith were giv
en 8 months sentences, capias to is
sue upon notice of solicitor.
George Johnson got 60 days on
road for carrying concealed brass
knucks.
The following are the cases for
failing to list taxes: In each case
judgment was suspended on payment
of cost of the action and upon pay
ing the back taxes. Quinse Christian
burg, Joe Harrel, Emory Pittman,
Abram Mitchell, Otis Anthony, C. L.
Raugham, John Bell, Warren Dunbar.
The following two cases were con
tinued: Bryan Wyinn, James Bell.
James Kelly remanded to Juvenile
Court. _
The graduating exercises of the
Roanoke Rapids Hospital were held
Thursday night in the High School
auditorium. Invocation was made by
Rev. J. E. Kirk, pastor of the Rose
mary Baptist Church. Hon. D. McK.
Johnson of Enfield, was introduced
by Dr. T. W. M. Long and made the
address of the evening.
The Florence Nightingale pledge
was repeated by the class, followed
by the presentation of diplomas by
Dr. Long. Dr. John Martin and Miss
Wood presented the pins to the
graduates. Music was furnished by
the Rosemary Concert Band and a
general invitation was given to all
present to attend a reception and
dance at the new Nurses Home on
Jackson Street. The members of the
class are: Miss Lottie Eva Matthews
Seaboard, N. C.; Miss Margaret Janet
Harvey, Littleton, N. C.; Miss Eva
Petway Williams, Warrenton, N. C.;
Miss Mable Alston, Weldon, N. C.;
Miss Janie Lee Lassiter, Roanoke Ra
pids, N. C.; Miss Bertha Mae Harris,
Roanoke Rapids, N. C.
Advertising of Tax
Sales Is Postponed
County delinquent tax notices,
due to be published in the first
week in May have been post
poned until the first week in
September by action of the coun
ty board of commissioners.
Because of the depression and
the inability of citizens to pay
at present it was deemed advis
able that this action be taken.
Mrs. A. G. Harris of Fairfield, N.
C., is the guest of her sister, Mrs.
T. M .Jenkins.
Stores Will Close On
Wed. Afternoons
The Rosemary Merchants As
sociation met Tuesday afternoon
and voted to close all places of
business in the South end of
town on Wednesday afternoons
during June, July and August.
They will close at one p. m. and
open the following morning.
Drug stores will alternate so one
will be open each Wednesday af
ternoon.
A committee was appointed to
see the merchants in the North
end for the same purpose and a
petition is being taken around
today. The Power Company, Na
National Loan & Ins. Co., and
Bank are said to have agreed
yesterday. Final announcement
will be made in The Herald next
week. W. C. Allsbrook reported
late thip afternoon that over
half of the stores in the North
side had agreed to clo,-c, and the
rest would be seen Friday.
CENTRAL SCHOOL P. T. A.
The Parent Teacher Association of
Central School will have the last
meeting of the year next Wednesday
afternoon at 3 o’clock in the school
auditorium. All parents are urged
to attend.
PRICE CORRECTION
In the grocery ad of J. H. Matkins
sugar is priced at ten cents per pound.
This should have been five cents per
pound, an error in proof reading, but
caught later by the alert Mr. Matkins
before the last run of The Herald had
been made.
CURB MARKET HERE GROSSES
$2470 IN LAST TWELVE WEEKS
The work of the Home Demonstra
tion Clubs of Halifax County, with
particular stress on the curb market
here was to'd to the local Womans
Club in the,- May n onthly meeting
by Mrs. J. R. Neville, leading county
club member. Her speech is given
in full here because of the feeling of
better understanding between coun
tiy and town which has been engen
dered since the starting of the mar
ket. The other work of the county
women during the year is interesting
and worthy of note. Her speech fol
lows :
A few Saturdays ago as 1 was go
ing to market I thought what a won
derful thing this is for farm women
and I just wished I could tell every
body about it, and I also wished I
could in some way get the town peo
ple to buy from us to really know
what their pennies and dollars are
doing for us as they spend them with
us each Saturday.
A farm womans hours are long—
ve have to do our dailj round of du
ties day by day from May time on to
May.
Our friend in town can gee her
meals at a restaurant if necessary,
her cleaning may be put off until to
morrow if more convenient than to- j
day, but we can’t milk the cow |
enough one day for two or feed the ,
pigs and chickens enough Saturday
to last until Monday should we wish
to go away for the week-end.
The Home Demonstration Market
gives the farm women a greater in
centive to work. It isnt half as hard
tc milk the cow twice every day if
you know you can dispose of your
surplus products.
It used to be when we needed a
few extra dollars we would take a
few chickens, some butter and eggs
to town—'after trying the stores, ho
tels, some private homes and hear
ing the same old story—I’m sorry,
but I’ve just bought up, or I don’t
reed any today, we would come home
tired out, the gas all gone and put
the butter back on the pantry shelf
and turn the chickens loose in the
same old yard. But the picture is
changing now. The curb market gets
the buyer and seller together as noth
ing else does.
Our Curb Market was twelve weeks
*old the 25th of April. The first Sat
urday we had 25 selling on it and our
sales were $100.13. We doubled this
the next Saturday making $208.94.
(Continued on inside page)
Halifax Men Appear
In Investigation Of
Senate Bribe Charge
W. L. Long of this city and
A. C. House of Weldon were yes
terday called before the Senate
committee which is investigating
charges of alleged or attempted
bribery in regard to the luxury
tax bill defeated in the Senate
last Week.
Mr. Long was called because of
a certain Conversation alleged
to have taken place in his hotel
room between two lawyers from
Goldsboro, while Mr. House was
called because the room was re
gistered in the name of E. C.
House, Weldon.
Mr. Long testified he needed
some place for rest and quiet
where a crowd was not continu
ally coming in his room and he
got room 346 in the name of E.
C. House, a fictitious name. He
said he knew nothing of the con
versation in question and was not
in the room when it took place.
Senator Umstead had the extra
key to the room, he said. Mr.
House was shown to have no con
nection with the hearing. He
was a guest of Mr. Long in
March at the Sir Walter Hotel.
GRAND JURY
REPORS TO
HIS HONOR
Inspection o f County
Property Made Pub
lic; Report of In
dictments Secret
ADVISE NEW WELL
The report of the Halifax Grand
Jury to Judge Clayton Moore was
handed in Saturday. It is as follows:
We, the grand jury, respectfully
report that we have acted on all bills
and presentments presented to our
body and returned same into this
court.
We have visited the jail in a body
and found same in good condition
with the exception of an inadequate
water supply and an unsanitary con
dition of the bedding furnished the
prisoners. We recommed that all
mattresses and blankets be fumigated
immediately and fumigated period
ically in the future.
We inspected the court nouse m a
body and found the building in good
condition with the exception of an
inadequate water supply, due in part
to the use of county water supplies
by other buildings connected to the
county water systsem. We respect
fully recommed that either an addi
tional well or water supply be pro
vided to insure adequate supplies of
water at all times for the court
house and jail or that water line3 to
buildings other than county property
be disconnected.
We find in an examination of hte
books and records of the office of the
Clerk of the Court, that cross index
to judgments is in an unsatisfactory
condition and that this condition un
less remided will steadily grow worse
We respectfully recommend that
the Clerk of the Court be directed to
investigate the cost of installing a
proper cross index to judgments and
report his findings to our body at
the June term.
We visited the county tubercular
sanltorium and county home in a
body, and found b*»th in excellent
condition. The buldings and sur
rounding grounds were clean and well
kept, the inmates appeared to be well
taken care of, the live stock appear
ed to be in good condition and the
land under cultivation being prepar
e for coming cr>pa.
We find, however, that the pro
perty lines of the County Farm have
never been definitely established. We
respectfully recommend that the
county attorney be directed immedi
ately to secure from the county re
cords a description of such property
by metes and bounds sufficient to en- ]
able a survey of the farm to be made
end that the Board of County Com
missioners immediately authorize
that a survey be completed by the
(Continued on back page)
NEXT WEEK CELEBRATED
HERE WITH SPECIAL PRO
GRAMS ON WED. AND FRI.
Cotton Queen Contest All Week; Cotton Dress
Contest, Fashion Show, Textile Exhibit,
Coronation Ceremonies
MAN FROM
WELDON
IS SUICIDE
—
J. A. Johnston, Business
Man and Farmer, Dies
By Own Hand
Friday
LEAVES NOTE
John A. Johnston, well known
young business man of Weldon com
mitted suicide some time Friday.
His body was found behind some cot
ton of the Weldon Warehouse and
Storage Corporation about 4:30
o’clock.
Two young colored men were in the
office of the warehouse at 1:15. They
left the office but had to come back
;n about 15 minutes. He had left
the office. They found a note ad
dressed to his wife. This was in his
automobile.
The note read in part:
“I regret to hurt you this way but
I cannot stand this mess any longer
j and this is my way out of it.”
The note was taken to Mrs. John
ston by the chief of police who on
learning the contents of it organized
a search which resulted in locating
the body.
Coroner W. C. Williams was noti
fied and summoned a jury but dis
missed it after learning of the note
and its contents, holding that it was
a clear case of suicide.
Mr. Johnston was about 32 years
old the son of Mrs. John A. Johnston.
He had a number of interests. He
farmed on a big scale. He was man
ager of the warehouse and storage,
concern, and he owned a store where,
electric refrigerators and other elec- j
trie articles were sold. His father,
also named John A. Johnston, died i
some years ago. He had been marri
ed about two years but had no chil
dren.
He shot himself through the neck,
apparently having placed the muz
zle of a shotgun under his chin and
pulling the trigger with a stick. The
stick was made from a piece of white
pine board, the large end whittled
down for a hand-hold and the small
end cut to a thin edge.
JOE MACK COMING
The Reverend Joe Mack, former
pastor of the local Presbyterian
Church, will be here this Sunday to
preach at both morning and evening
services. Many of his friends in the
community will welcome this chance
to hear him again and renew old
friendships. A special invitation is ex
tended to all visitors.
PROGRAM
COTTON
FESTIVAL
Nominations and voting for
Cotton Queen begins early Mon
day morning. May 18, and con
tinues until Friday noon, May
22nd.
Two P. M., Wednesday, May
. 20, Health Play by county chil
dren at High School auditorium.
Three thirty P. M. Wednesday,
Cotton Dress Revue, with award
ing of prizes.
Four P. M. Wednesday, Textile
Display and Silver Tea at form
er location of Shell Furniture Co.
Eight P. M. Friday, May 22,
Crowning of Queen by King Cot
ton, Fashion Show, Plantation
Melodies and Dancing, at High
School Auditorium.
Monday morning will usher in Na
tional Cotton Week and this commu
nity will lake the lead in this sec
tion of the State by staging a Cotton
Festival with programs concentrated
on next Wednesday and Friday.
The Womans Club is sponsoring the
Festival here for Halifax County and
committees under the direction of
Mrs. R. P. Beckwith and Mrs. George
Hayes have been working hard to
make the event successful. Addition
al advertising in this issue as an ad
vance notice of the programs here
next week is due to the cooperation
oi the various merchants.
The public here and in other parts
of Halifax County and that part of
Northampton County which sells
cotton and other products in the Twin
Cities are urged to do their share by
visiting the different stores, by at
tending the interesting programs
which have been worked up and by
entering the contests which have
l*een started to stir up interest.
i hat contest which will be the most
fun and in which everybody will par
ticipate is the voting for the Cotton
Queen. Nominations and votes may
be secured at Rosemary Drug Co. and
Taylor-Matthews Drug Co. starting
Monday morning. You may nomi
nate any maid or matron in Halifax
County. Votes may be purchased at
the rate of ten cents for 100 votes.
After a list of nominees have been
started, the public will be kept in
formed as to the relative standing of
those entered.
The voting will continue until Fri
day noon when the ballot boxes will
be closed and the final count made.
The winner will be made Cotton
Queen and will be crowned Friday
night. It isn’t a question of whether
a girl or woman wants to be queen;
her friends, husband or sweetheart
decide they want her for Queen, they
set out to get her enough votes to
win for her.
Wednesday afternoon will be a busy
one. The Home Demonstration Clubs
of the County under the leadership
of Mrs. Hazel Wheeler are cooperat
ing in the Wednesday program. They
are combining their Better Health
Day and Cotton Week Program. They
will meet with Mrs. A. J. Jones in
Tillery Wednesday morning at 10, go
to Mrs. F. W. M. White’s residence
st Halifax at 10:45, eat lunch at the
curb market store here at noon, and
render a Health Play at the High
School auditorium at two.
Following this play will come the
Cotton Dress Contest with the cotton
Revue. Girls and women will wear
the home made dresses and prizes
will be given in the following groups:
Children, ages 2 to 6, any kind of
frock; ages 6 to 12, school or sports
dress; ages 6 to 12, afternoon dress
es; ages 12 to 18, school or sports
dress; 12 to 18, afternoon dress. Wo
men: house dress, sports dress or
suit, afternoon dress. Cotton hose is
to be worn by the models with all
dresses except afternoon dresses
when silk or rayon hose and slips
may be used.
After the Cotton Dress Revue, the
crowd will go to see the Textile ex
hibit in the old L. G. Shell building.
Exhibits of manufactured cotton
goods will be shown, with the pro
ducts of the local mills featured. The
Womans Club will have a silver tea
during the exhibit. To all these pro
grams on Wednesday afternoon, the
entire public is urged to be present.
The biggest single event of the
Festival Week will take place next
Friday night at the High School au
ditorium when the entire county is
urged to be present to see who won
the popularity contest for Cotton
Queen of the Festival. There will be
a splendid and varied program and
the admission fee will be ten cents.
The program will begin with special
music and singing. The next event
will be the fashion show when beau
tiful live models will show the latest
creations in ladies wear. Then will
I come Plantation Melodies, a scene
(Continued on back page)
“WE GROW COTTON - WE MANUFACTURE COTTON ■ LETS WEAR COTTON”