Number 88
salary system a big saver.
The People of Johnston County Had
Placed to the General County Fund
on December 1, 1916, the Sum of
Nearly Eight Thousand Dollars as
a Result of Paying the County Of.
ticers a Salary Instead of Fees.
When the county officers of John
ston County went in office on Decem
ber 1, 1914, they were placed on a
salary and all the fees received were
turned into the salary fund. The first
year of the new system did not show
very much gain to the county since
the Sheriff got a salary and also com
missions on the taxes for the year
1914. But the year closing November
30, 1916, showed a very substantial
gain to the County.
A careful examination of the
County Auditor's report of the sal
ary fund for the year ending No
vember 30, 1916, shows a saving to
the county, after paying premium on
the bonds of officials and all other ex
penses relating to the salary fund, in
cluding the salaries of the county offi
cials, the handsome sum of $7,824.41,
which was duly transferred to the
General County Fund.
The salary paid the Clerk of the
Court and his assistants was $3,600
for the year. The amount of fees
taken in in the Clerk's office was $4,
241.38, leaving a surplus to the coun
ty of $641.38. The best month in
the Clerk's office was last March when
the sum of $511.28 was taken in. The
lowest month was August when only
$230.23 was received.
The salary paid the Register of
Deeds and his assistant was $3,250.04,
with an additional sum of $300.00 for
extra clerical help, making a total of
$3,550.04. The amount of fees receiv
ed in the Register's office was $5,
123.70, leaving a surplus to the coun
ty of $1,573.66. The best month in
the Register's office was last Janu
ary when $760.85 was received.
The lowest month in the Register's
office was July when only $232.65
was received.
The biggest gain to the county is
in the Sheriff's office where a surplus
of $4,413.38 was placed in the Gener
al County Fund. The salary paid the
Sheriff and his assistants was $4,
099.97. The total amount of fees and
commissions turned in by the Sher
iff was $85, 013.35.
The Treasurer's salary for the year
ending November 30, 1916, was $1,
000.04. He turned into the fund as
fees and commissions the sum of $2,
525.44. This left a surplus to the cred
it of the county of $1,525.40.
The County Auditor was paid a
salary of $1,500 per year. He was
also allowed as pay for additional
clerical help the sum of $300, mak
ing a total of $1,800. The amount of
fees allowed him in his work accord
ing to the fee law was $2,120.14. This
left a net balance after paying his sal
ary the sum of $320.14.
The amount paid for the premiums
on the bonds of the county officers
was $630.50. Other expenses, $19.05.
The total amount of fees and
commissions paid in by the several
county officials was $22,524.01. The
total amount paid out for salaries and
premiums on bonds, etc., was $14,
699.60. This leaves a saving to the
county of $7,824.41.
This is a nice sum and a greater
surplus than the most earnest advo
cates of the salary system expected.
PERSONS LYNCHED IN 1916.
Fifty Negroes and Four Whites,
Tuskegee Institute Reports.
Tuskegee, Ala., Jan. 1. ? Fifty-four
persons were lynched in the United
States during 1916, according to re
cords of Tuskegee Institute here,
made public today. Fifty of the vic
tims were negroes and four white
persons, and included in the record
are three negro women. Sixty-seven
persons were lynched tn 1915, 13 of
whom were white men.
Lynch ings occurred in the follow
ing States: Alabama, 1; Arkansas, 4;
Florida, 8; Georgia, 14; Kansas, 1;
Kentucky, 2; Louisiana, 2; Mississip
pi. 1; Missouri, 1; North Carolina, 2;
Oklahoma, 4; South Carolina, 2; Ten
nessee, 3; and Texas, 9.
It is believed in Washington by
many that General Pershing's ex
peditionary force which has been in
Mexico for the past several months
looking for Villa will soon be with
drawn regardless of the outcome of
the parleys with Carranza.
YOUNG MAN KILLED BY ALTO.
. 1
James II. Freeman l,ost His Life
When the Big Car He Was Driving
Turned Over Embankment Near
Clayton Tuesday. Was Employed
by Mr. Alonzo Parrish.
James H. Freeman, recently of
Charlotte but who had only yesterday
morning signed a contract to sell au
tomobiles for Mr. Alonzo Parrish, of
Benson, in Raleigh and vicinity, was
killed about 5 o'clock Wednesday af
ternoon when a large auto he was
driving turned over an embankment
on the Smithfteld road just half a
mile east of Auburn, about 10 miles
from Raleigh. He lived for 15 minutes
and died after shaking hands with
and bidding goodbye to W. N. Hogg,
a friend who was riding in another
auto in front of the deceased. Coroner
Charles Seapark visited the scene of
the accident and, finding no inquest
necessary, turned the body over to a
brother, Horace Freeman, who car
ried it to Dunn to be prepared for
burial.
The large auto in which Mr. Free
man was riding alone turned turtle
down a 15-foot embankment when the
deceased drove too near the edge of
the road while passing another auto.
He was en route to Raleigh from
Benson. Mr. Hogg, who was driving
ahead of Mr. Freeman, turned in his
machine just in time to see his
friend's car disappearing from view.
Reaching the side of the wrecked
auto wnnin a lew seconds alter it
went over the embankment, Mr. Hogg
found Freeman pinned under the
heavy machine. To lift the auto from
the suffering: man's body was an im
possibility for Mr. Hogg but he re
mained by the injured friend's side
and did what he could to aid him.
Mr. Freeman was 24 years old and
leaves a wife living in Charlotte. His
mother resides in High Point and he
is also survived by a brother, Mr.
Horace Freeman, of Dunn. The de
ceased resided in Dunn a few years
ago and was employed as stenograph
er for Mr. Ernest F. Young. ? News
and Observer, Jan 3rd.
CLAYTON NEWS LETTER.
A Brief Chronicle of the Comings and
Goings of the Folks.
Clayton, Jan. 3. ? Mrs. Evangeline
Bagwell and Miss Bertie Taylor spent
Tuesday afternoon in Raleigh.
Mr. Otho Gulley spent Wednesday
morning in Raleigh on business.
Miss Alma Hall is visiting relatives
at Fremont.
Misses Gladys Barbour and Eloise
Turley returned Tuesday night from
Oxford, where they have been visit
ing for the past two weeks.
Mesrs. Edgar Stallings and R. G.
Gulley spent a few hours in Smithfield
last Tuesdav.
Mr. R. B. Whitley, of WentMl, was
in town one day this week.
Mrs. Sallie Cole and Mr. H. P.
Guess, of Cary, visited relatives here
last Sunday.
Mr. Clifford Gulley, of Raleigh,
spent last Sunday here.
Mr. Millard Mial, of Raleigh, Clerk
of Superior Court of Wake County,
was in town one day this week.
Mr. I). H. Williams spent a few
days last week with his daughter,
Mrs. E. L. Gulley, at Norfolk. He re
turned Monday afternoon accompa
nied by his grandson, Emmitt L., Jr.
Misses Blanche Ellis, Barbara and
Jessie Gulley spent several days last
week with Mr. and Mrs. G. Thurman
Smith at Lillington.
Mr. B. B. Poole left Tuesday after
noon for Wake Forest to continue his
work at the college there.
The many friends of Dr. V. M.
Barnes are very sorry to hear of his
serious illness. Dr. Barnes' home is at
Wilson. He went home to spent Xmas
and while there was taken ill. We hope
he is getting on nicely and will be
able to come back to town soon.
Mr. and Mrs. Chas. G. Gulley and
children spent a few of the holidays
with relatives at Warsaw.
Mr. and Mrs. Hugh A. Page and
Hugh, Jr., spent last week at San
ford.
Mrs. C. W. Carter recently visited
relatives at Keysville, Va.
There are ninety-six furniture fac
tories in North Carolina and the an
nual output according to the reports
made to Commissioner of Labor and
Printing, iv $13,420,000. The number
of wage earners in these factories is
reported to be 7,533.
RUSSO-RUM AXIANS GIVE WAY. I
Compelled to Retire Further on Ik)b
rudja and Moldavian Fronts. I'e
trograd Tells of Some Success. Re
ports Effective Stands by Retreat
ing Slavs and Allies at Several
i'oints to North.
The activities of the war for Tues
day is thus summarized by the As
siciated Press in Wednesday's Co
lumbia State:
Again the Russian and Rumanian
forces along the Moldavian and Dob
rudja fronts have been compelled to
give ground before the advance of the
Teutonic allies. At several points on
the Moldavian front, however, Petro
grad reports the dispersal of bands
of invaders under counterattacks.
The drive of the Austrians and Ger
mans eastward from the Transylva
nian Alps into Moldavia has given
them additional points of vantage
while Field Marshal von Mackensen's
army operating northward into Mol
davia, is approaching the bridge
heads of Fokshany and Fundeni. Be
tween the Buzed river and the Dan
ube, however, the Russians and Ru
manians tontinue to hold their posi
tions. In Dobrudja the Russians have
been thrown back on the town of
Matchin, opposite Braila. In the light
ing on all these fronts, according to
Berlin, more prisoners and much war
material have falltn into the hands of
the Teutonic allies.
Aside from the Rumanian theatre
comparative quiet continues on all the
fronts, although there have been
somewhat spirited engagements on
the French line and in Galicia. Along
the entire front of the Austro-Italian
theatre there have been vigorous ar
tillery duels. The situation in Mace
donia remains unchanged.
The operations on the front in
France continue to be carried out
mainly by patrdl parties and by the
artillery wings of the beligerent ar
mies. Near Vermelles and north of
Ypres German patrol parties succeed
ed in reaching the British trenches
but later were driven out with heavy
casualties, according to the London
war office. On the entire Belgian
front the artillery duels were violent
while in the Verdun sector near
Harsmont and Bezonvaux there has
been considerable shelling by both
sides.
In Galicia in the Brody sector the
Austro-Germans launched attacks
against the Russians but were repuls
ed, Petrograd reports. The Russians
attempted enterprises to the south of
Riga and near Dvinsk and Stanislau
but did not succeed in making gains,
(Berlin says. .
KENLY HIGH SCHOOL ITEMS.
Kenly, Jan. 4. ? The State High
School of Kenly re-opened on Monday
morning of this week with very good
attendance; also several new students
have entered for the spring term. All
the teachers were here promptly
Monday morning, each having enjoy
ed a pleasant vacation.
The entire week is being devoted to
review and examinations. The teach
ers are of the opinion that the stu
dents have done splendid work dur
ing the fall.
There are several cases of mumps
in the community still. Up to the
present time, however, no very serious
case has been reported.
Monday morning in chapel the Rev
erend C. P. Jerome, newly appointed
pastor of the Methodist church here,
addressed the students and teachers
of the school on, "New Year Resolu
tions." "Above everything else," said
Mr. Jerome, "I urge you to resolve
to make other people happy during
this entire year." Mr. Jerome has
moved his family here, and the com
munity has extended to them a most
hearty welcome.
Mr. Andrews, Superintendent of the
school, states that plans are being
made to arrange for a series of com
munity lectures, to be delivered twice
a month in the school auditorium, on
Sunday afternoons, and to be deliver
ed under the auspices of the school.
"It is my purpose," said Mr. Andrews,
"to give the people of Kenly an op
portunity once every two weeks to
hear a great statesman of North Car
olina to discuss what he considers
one of the most vital problems of ed
ucation and life." Mr. Andrews is
now corresponding witn Doctor Clar
ence Poe, of Raleigh; President W. L.
Poteat, of Wake Forest College, and
several other prominent men.
AT THE CAPITAL OF BANNER.
__
Benson Graded School Opens With
(?ood Attendance. Mr. John Par
nell of the Johnson Chapel Section,
Dies in Fayetteville Hospital. A
Full Budgett ot' Personal Items of
Interest.
Benson, Jan 4. ? Mr. W. C. Lassi
ter, of Elevation, was a visitor to the
city Monday for a few hours.
Mr. Howard Creech has accepted
a position in Dunn with Hood &
Grantham, Druggists, of the city
Miss Meta Harper, of Dunn, spent
Sunday in the city with relatives and
friends.
Mr. Alonzo Parrish was a visitor
to Richmond, Va., Friday and Satur
day of last week.
Misses Maud and Jewel Hall, of
Fayetteville, left for their home yes
terday, after spending some time
here with their grandmother, Mrs.
Sarah Duncan.
Mr. J. M. Langdon, of Pleasant
Grove township, was a visitor to Ben
son Monday on business.
Mr. Walter Strickland left Mon
day for Snow Hill, after spending
the holidays in and near Benson with
relatiuves.
Mr. W. H. Royal went to Wilming
ton Monday and Tuesday on business
for the guano concern by which he is
employed.
Mr. B. T. Barnes and family have
moved to the farm of Mr. Barnes
near Coats, after living in Benson
three years. They have many friends
who regretted to have them leave.
Miss Elsie Morgan left today for
Greenville, where she is attending the
East Carolina Training College.
Mr. Dallas Langdon, of Coats, has
accepted a position with Mr. P. B.
Johnson and will move his family
here in the near future.
Mr. Junius Warren has accepted a
position with the Benson Drug Com
pany. Mr. Warren worked for this
company a few years ago and has
many friends who are glad of his re
turn.
Mr. N. A. Townsend, of Dunn, was
a visitor to Benson for a few hours
Saturday.
Misses Vada and Alta Boon left
Wednesday for Oxford where they
will resume work in college, after
spending the holidays here with their
parents.
Mr. Leary Wood left Monday for
Durham, where he is attending Trin
ity College this year.
Mr. Jesse T. Morgan left Tuesday
for Chapel Hill to resume his college
course, after spending Christmas here
with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jesse
Morgan.
Mr. Herman Jernigan returned
Tuesday to A. & M. College, Raleigh,
after spending his vacation at home
with his mother, Mrs. Cornelia Jer
nigan.
Mr. J. M. McLamb left this morn
ing for Raleigh to see his daughter,
Mrs. Bradley McLamb, who is in Rex
Hospital.
Mr. Ed. Johnson, of Elevation
township, was a visitor to Benson
Monday on business for a few hours.
Mr. W. R. Denning wore a long
smile yesterday when he came to
Benson, the cause being that on the
previous night twin sons were
brought to his home and both are
getting on nicely.
Mrs. Nellie Hood and Mr. Norvell
Bryan left yesterday for Arizona
where they will spend the balance of
the Winter months.
Rev. and Mrs. Arthur Goodrich and
children are here from their home in
South Port, N. C., to visit their pa
rents, Capt. and Mrs. J. W. Goodrich,
for a few days.
Messrs. J. F. Woodall, J. M. Mor
gan and C. W. Hall attended the Re
corder's Court at Smithfield Tuesday.
Mrs. Bradley McLamb was taken
to Raleigh last Monday where she
was operated on at Rex Hospital for
a tumor. She is a daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Joe McLamb, who live near
Benson.
Mr. John Parnell, who has been in
Highsmith Hospital at Fayetteville
for the past several days for an op
eration, died there Monday night and
was brought to Johnson Chapel and
buried Tuesday afternoon. He was
about sixty years old and leaves a
widow and one child.
Rev. George E. Spruill, of Troy, N.
C., preached at the Baptist church
here last night to quite a large
crowd. His sermon was interesting
and instructive.
Miss Willie Lou Baucom, of Dunn,
visited friends in the city Tuesday
and Wednesday of this week.
Mr. and Mrs. F. A. Edmundson, of
Greenville, N. C., and Mr. John
Croom, of La Grange, recently spent
several days with Capt. and Mrs. J.
W. Goodrich at their home here.
Mr. W. C. Flo' irs, son of Mr. R.
L. Flowers, who lives near here, was
married Sunday afternoon to Miss
Lillie Pearl Raynor, daughter of Mr.
Ransom Raynor. Rev. W. Y. Wood
performed the ceremony. The young
couple will make their home with Mr.
and Mrs. R. L. Flowers for the pres
ent.
Dr. N. M. Gibbs, a specialist in St.
Lukes Hospital, of New Bern, N. C.,
spent a few hours at the home of Mr.
and Mrs. J. W. Whittenton yesterday.
The Benson Graded School opened
Tuesday with a large attendance, af
ter the holidays, rll the teachers hav
ing spent the holidays at their homes
in various parts of the State. The
measles which threatened to stop the
school before the holidays, had dis
appeared and most all the children
are back in school.
ITEMS FROM FOUR OAKS.
Mr. l)oon Massengill Hurt by a Run
away Mule. Death of a Child. John
Parnell Died in Fayetteville. New
Year Party.
Four Oaks, Jan. 3. ? Mr. and Mrs.
W. C. Harmon have returned to Elec
tric, N. C., after spending the holi
days with Mrs. Harmon's father, Mr.
J. T. Thornton.
Miss Gladys Adams returned to
Louisburg Tuesday, after spending
the holidays with her mother, Mrs.
C. R. Adams.
Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Creech, of
Norfolk, Va., are visiting Mr. Creech's
mother, Mrs. E. Creech.
Mr. Herman Creech, of Tarboro,
spent Sunday here with relatives.
Attorney J. B. Adams and Mr. L.
C. Barbour attended Recorder's Court
at Smithfield Tuesday.
Mr. and Mrs. Louis Levinson, of
Coats, visited relates here Sunday.
Mr. Bob Beasley, of Bentonsville
section, had the misfortune to break
his leg Tuesday by a tree falling on
him.
Mr. Doon Massengill, of near Four
Oaks, received very severe injuries
Tuesday, when a mule he was driving
ran away with him. He is resting well
at present. We wish for him a speedy
recovery.
Mr. and Mrs. T. C. Barbour lost
their nine-weeks-old baby Tuesday
night by pneumonia. It was taken
Sunday and grew worse until the end.
The interment was in Four Oaks Cem
etery Wednesday afternoon. Our sym
pathy goes out to the parents.
Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Barbour went
to Smithfield Tuesday.
Mr. and Mrs. N. L. Perkins, of
Smithfield, visited here Tuesday.
Miss Margaret Sfrwy*r, of Norfolk,
Va., who has been the guest of Miss
Leela Sanders, left Wednesday for
Smithfield, accompanied by Miss San
ders.
Mr. J. E. Benson and family have
moved to the Mrs. Ella Baker farm
near town.
Mr. Strickland, the News and Ob
server's special representative, was in
town Wednesday.
Mrs. Fred Royal from Emporia, Va.,
has returned home, after visiting Mrs.
J. S. Strickland.
M iss Eula Parrish, of Coats, is the
guest of Misses Flora and Irene
Strickland.
Mr. John Parnell died Monday in
Highsmith Hospital at the ape of 60
years, following an operation.
His remains were brought here
on the early train Tuesday and taken
to the family burying ground near
Four Oaks.
Among the out-of-town guests at
tending the New Yetfr's Party, given
by Miss Florence Adams, we note the
following: Misses Margery Godwin,
of Dunn, Margaret Pou, Margaret
Moore and Mabel Wellons, of Smith
field; Alta Boone and Mildred Par
rish, of Benson; Mesrs. Wm. Wellons,
and Wm. Sanders, of Smithfield, and
Wm. Newberry, of Dunn.
Senator Overman has introduced a
resolution in the Senate asking that
the Secretary of State be requested
to ask the Republic of Cuba where it
got the North Carolina bonds for
which it is now asking permission in
the United States Supreme Court to
sue the State in order to get payment.
He also wants to know what Cuba
paid for them and if some other party
or parties is to profit in the suit
should prove successful.
THEY CALL FOR HEAVIER TAX.
Internal Revenue Agents Begin New
Collections on Incomes. Unmarried
Persons With $3,000 and Those
Married Having $4,000 Must Nov*
Pay 2 Per Cent.
New Federal taxes on incomes, es
tates, munitions manufactures, corpo
ration stocks and certain businesses,
became effective with the new year
Monday and revenue collectors are
making vigorous efforts to obtam
early returns.
The taxes are provided by the emer
gency revenue bill enacted by Con
gress Septembr 8th.
Unmarried persons with net in
comes of $3,000 or more and heads of
families with incomes of $4,000 or
more are subject to pay a normal
tax of 2 per cent, instead of the pres
ent rate of 1 per cent, and additional
taxes arc imposed on incomes of
more than $20,000 by a graduated
scale running from I to 13 per cent.
A tax of 2 per cent is made on the
income of corporations with stock val
i?'d at $75,000 or more; the former
rate was 1 per cent.
A graduated tax of from 1 to 10
per cent is laid on estates of $50,000
or more when they are transferred.
Munitio" manufacturers are taxed
12% per cent of their net profit.
Corporations are subject to a spe
cial excise tax of 50 cents a year for
each $1,000 of fair value of capital
stock in excess of $99,000.
Among the new annual taxes on
special businesses are these:
Securities brokers, $30; pawnbro
kers, $50; custom house brokers, $10;
ship brokers, $20; theatres, $25 to
$100, according to seating capacities,
with rates one-half as great in towns
of 5,000 or less; circuses, $100; other
public amusement shows, excepting
chautauquas and educational exhibits,
$5 for each alley or table, tobacco
manufacturers, sliding scale of rates
determined by scales.
Special taxes heretofore collected
from commission merchants and com
mercial brokers are abolished. ? Wash
ington Post.
Masquerade Party at Kenly.
Kenly, Jan. 3. ? On Monday evening
the young men of town delightfully
entertained the young ladies at a
masquerade party in the hospitable
home of Mr. and Mrs. W. T. Bailey.
The home was lavishly decorated in
holly, mistletoe and beautiful ferns.
The young ladies went to the various
homes in town and at these homes
were met by their masked escorts,
neither lady nor gent knew who their
escort was to be. The guests were
greeted at the front door by Miss
Adna Lee Bailey and Mr. Carl Hales.
After a few moments of conversa
tion they were directed to the punch
bowl filled with delicious frappe.
The firct feature of amusement was
guessing who each one was by his
costume and movement. The costumes
represented some character either in
a book or in every day life. Another
form of amusement was an old-time
Virginia Reel. This was followed by a
few unique stunts where the guests
impersonated the characters they
were supposed to represent. The cli
max was reached when the young
people unmasked and they realized
who had been their partners all the
evening.
Those present were: Miss Grace Je
rome with Mr. Jesse Sauls; Miss Beu
lah Bailey with Mr. Marvin Revell;
Miss Lillian Edgerton with Mr. Fred
Jerome of Norfolk; Miss Gladys Kir
by with Mr. Wyatt Whitley, ?f Fre
mont; Miss Frances Hales with Mr.
Hal Gilbreth; Miss Agnes Hales with
Mr. Addie Flowers; Miss Marie Kir
by with Mr. Torey Barnes; Miss Inez
Edgerton with Mr. Rudolph Kirby;
Mrs. Harry Johnson with Mr. F.
White; Miss Louise Alford, of Smith
field, with Mr. Yates Edgerton; Miss
Elsie Townsend, of Wilson, with Mr.
Howard Grady; Miss Gladys Jerome
with Mr. Harry Johnson; Miss Eunice
Jerome with Mr. Dobbin Bailey; Miss
Bessie Sasser with Mr. Tyra Bailey,
and Miss Bcttie Revell with Mr.
Ralph Hales.
More Fine Porkers.
Mr. J. R. Talton, of Oneals, comes
forth with some fine pips. He has
killed three fifteen months' old pifrs
weighing 328, 344 and 350, respective
ly. One two years old tipped th?*
scales at 540. They were three-fourths
Big Bone Poland China and one
fourth O. I. C.