f
VOLUME 38.
THE SMITHFIELD HERALD TUESDAY, MARCH 18* 1919.
Number 22
, GRAND JURY WANTS
NEW COURT HOUSE
Find County Offices in Good Condition.
Convict Camps Not So Good—Find
Court House Inadequate for th.‘
Business of the Great County of
Johnston—Visited County Home
and Recommend Better Buildings
Recommend That Adding Machine
Be Bought For Officials.
To His Honor, John H. Kerr, Judge
Presiding, at the March, 1919,
Term of Johnston County Superior
Court.
We, the grand ury, beg to submit
the following report:
We, the grand jury, beg to submit
dictment sent us and reported our ac
tion on the same to the Court. We
have reviewed the few reports of the |
Justices of the Peace which have been
sent in and have no criticism to offer
to these. We have gone over the
list of guardians and wards which
have been furnished tc us and, so far
as we have been informed the duties
have been performed faithfully.
We have visited the office of the
Clerk of the Court and find the same
in excellent condition, the records be
ing well indexed and properly record
ed and all business of this office is in
good shape, notwithstanding the fact
that the Clerk has been sick for some
time.
We have also visited the office of
the Register of Deeds and find same
in excellent condition and records be
ing properly indexed, careful file made
of all papers in which the county is
interested. The Register of Deeds’
office has recently installed a book
typewriter which will be a conven
ience as well as a time saver in re
cording papers.
We are of the opinion that the of
fices of the Clerk of the Court and the
Register of Deeds together are in
need of an adding machine with which
to expedite matters of business in
their offices, and this machine should
be installed in the office of the Clerk
of the Court as he is daily in need of
an adding machine in settlement of
estates, etc., and both offices have
need of same in making monthly re
ports, and we recommend that the
County Commissioners purchase an
adding machine for these offices.
We have also visited the sheriff’s
office, and we find that it is well kept
and all matters pertaining to his of
fice kept in good shape. We find all
the 1918 taxes have not been paid in
yet. The recent bill cf the Legisla
ture will make it easier for the sher
iff in future years and we feel sure
that the present sheriff has done the
best he could under the existing laws
and past precedents under collecting
taxes.
We also visited the auditor’s office
and found it in good shape and that
the courteous and efficient auditor had
all matters pertaining to the county
in good shape, so we could see in a
moment the condition of the county.
He showed us that the county had in
the treasury. March 1, 1919, $9,790.42
and owned $5,000 worth of Liberty
Bonds and $1,000 War Savings Certi
ficates. He also showed us that the
salary fund for the year ending De
cember 1, 1918, had turned into the
general fund $4,323.49, which is a sav
ing to the tax payers by the reason
that the county officers are paid by
Salary instead of fees as of old.
We visited the county jail and find
it is kept in as sanitary a condition
as the delapidated old building will
permit. There is no complaint from
the prisoners as to the fare and treat
ment received from the jailer.
We next visited the office of the Su
perintendent of Public Instruction,
but found he had gone to the country
on business and was not present to
show us the workings of his office.
We also visited the County Home
and found it to be in good condition,
considering the old buildings, and the
inmates well cared for and clothed.
We are of the opinion, however, that
this institution is of too great im
portance to the people of Johnston
to be housed in such buildings as are
now used at the County Home.
We visited the Smitlifield Road
Camp and find it in good condition,
except the sewage system is out of
order at the present, and we recom
mend that this be attended to at the
earliest possible moment. We under
stand that this matter will have early
consideration by the Trustees.
We also visited the Clayton Road
Camp and the condition there is not
the best; in fact, we are of the opin
ion that a new camp should be pro
vided for the prisoners in this town
ship as soon as possible.
In visiting the various county offices
we recognize the fact that they have
inadequate space for the business of
the county; also in viewing the court
room, the grand jury room especially,
we are thoroughly convinced of the
need of a modern,, up-to-date court
house building with a jail in connec
tion therewith. We earnestly recom
mend to the County Commissioners of
Johnston county that they erect a
modern up-to-date court house and
jail at the earliest possible moment
after the adjustment of prices have
been made in keeping with the peace
times and the labor conditions will
permit.
The grand jury wishes to say that
it listened with exceedingly great in
terest to the impressive charge of his
honor and was especially impressed
with the same. We believe with his
honor it has a lack of State pride and
we realize that it lacks county pride,
and we believe that his charge will
bear fruit in the county.
We wish to thank the Court, the
Solicitor and other officers who have
assisted us in the performance of our
duties.
Respectfully submitted,
W. T. BAILEY,
Foreman.
THE REVALUATION LAW.
To the Taxpayers of North Caro
lina:
The General Assembly, just ad
journed, has imposed a responsibility
upon the Corporation Commission as
a State Tax Commission which it feels
unable to properly meet without the
support of the tax payers of the
State. As Chairman of the Commis
sion, I desire to take the people into
the confidence of the Commission and
acquaint them with the purpose of
the General Assembly and request of
them their full co-operation in aiding
us in the proper discharge of our du
ties.
For many years it has been the ’aw
that every person’s property should
be assessed for taxation at its full
value in money. Notwithstanding this
lav/, nearly everybody in the S "ate
has escaped a full valuation of bis
property for taxes. The General As
sembly, just adjourned, has said in
passing the Revaluation Act, that an
end must be made of this condition
and that hereafter property must be
valued for taxes at its true value It
places the responsibility upon our
Commission to see that this is done
and it must and shall be done. It is
the purpose of the General Assembly,
upon a proper valuation being made,
to lower the tax rate, and it will meet
after the property has been assessed
for that purpose, so that the burden
upon the tax payers will not necessa
rily be increased. This is assured to
us as a Commission and we in turn
desire to assure the tax payers of the
State that a full valuation of their
property will not mean greatly in
creased amount of taxes. The Act
under which this assessment is made
provides that the State, no county or
municipality shall collect in excess of
ten per cent more taxes after this re
valuation is made than is being col
lected in 1919 under the present valu
ation. ,
I call upon the people of the State
to assist the Commission in the selec
tion of a splendid business man in
each county as county tax assessor.
He should be a man of fine judgment,
good business ability, having a good
knowledge of values, both in town and
country, and one in whom the public
has confidence as to his honesty and
integrity. It is not a political office,
but one strictly business and we trust
our political friends will understand
this and only suggest the most com
petent men. After the County Super
visor is selected by us, we trust every
tax payer in each and every county of
the State will fully co-operate with
him to the end that he will be able
to assess each person’s property at its
true value in money.
W .T. LEE,
Chairman,
New Magistrates for Johnston.
The Legislature appointed several
Justices of the Peace for Johnston
County as follows:
Pine Level Township—N. G. Wiggs
O’Neals—G. R. Whitley, J. W. God
win, and S. B. Strickland.
Ingrams—A. D. Ford and W. M.
Stanley.
Beulah—A. G. Hooks, W. A. Barnes
and N. R. Pike.
Pleasant Grove—D. A. Holland
and Claude Stephenson.
Wilders—Bruce Barnes.
Cleveland—C. T. Young.
Micro—J. H. Broadwell.
Clayton—J. H. Johnson.
Smithfield Negro Back From
France.
William Smith, a Smithfield negro,
has just returned from France, where
he spent more than six months in the
army. WTien asked if he saw any
fighting over there he said he was in
the battles of the Vosges and in the
Argonne Wood. He said he went over
the top and when asked if he eve’
grappled with the Germans in a hand
to hand fight, he said that he never
could get close enough to them for
that.
SMITHFIELD BOY
WINS THE D. S. CROSS
William C. Harbour, of Smithfield
Township, Cited for Extraordinary
Heroism Near Busigny, France
While Rescuing a Severely Wound
ed Comrade He Received a Wound
From Which He Died.
The President of the United States
through the commander-in- chief of
the Army, General Pershing, has
awarded the Distinguished Service
Cross to William Clarence Barbour
for extraordinary heroism on the bat
tlefield. The order of the citation is
as follows:
Pvt. (First Class) William C. Bar
bour (deceased), company C. 119th
infantry. For extraordinary heroism
WILLIAM CLARENCE BARBOUR
in action near Busigny on October
Private Barbour, voluntarily left his
place of comparative safety and ad
vanced into the open face of close
range machine-gun fire, to reseure a
severely wounded while engaged in
this self-appointed task, from which
he later died. Home address, Mrs.
Mandy Barbour, mother, R. F. D. No.
1, Smithfield, N. C.”
Private William Clarence Barbour
was the son of the late John Henry
Barbour and Mrs. Mandy Higgips
Barbour, who lived near Smithfield.
He entered the military service July
16, 1917, at Goldsboro. After a short
stay at Camp Wadsworth, he was s^nt
to Camp Sevier, where he received his
training for overseas service. H
vas a member of Company C, 119th
infantry and went to France some
time in May, 1918. He saw much se
vere fighting before he met his deafh
in France last October.
Letter From L. Porter Johnson to His
Sister, Miss Blanche Johnson.
LeManc, Franco,
Jan. 14, 1919
My dear Sister:
Your letter received last night, and
you can’t imagine how glad I was to
hear from you. I know you wondpr
why I don’t write to you more often,
but to tell the truth, I have been
busy ever since the war ended getting
ready to go home. I wish I could tell
you just when I’ll be home, but you sec
I don’t know. Practically all of the
boys in my regiment think we will be
back in the States by the first of
March. I think, at least I hope, to be
back by April.
I am learning to like France very
well, but the weather, oh, my! It his
rained every day since the first of No
vember, and the mud is knee deep. It
is dreadful to have to stay in it, nut
I hope I won’t have to endure it al
ways.
Well, what are the people talking
about now since the war is over? I
must say I never want to see another
war, especially one like this one. From
what I have heard the Civil War was
bad enough, but it was nothing to
compare with this one. I shall never
be able to tell you just what I saw
while the war was going on. I wo aid
not take anything for it. You know, it
must be dreadful to be a slacker.
I guess you have heard what a g >od
record my division made. We sure
did some good fighting. I spent three
months in Belgium and I saw some
horrible things the Germans did to the
poor Belgian people. But the Ameri
cans sure put the finishing touch on
the Germans and I think they will be
have themselves for a while.
I have had good health since I came
back from the hospital. Remember me
to all my old friends and you may sav
to them I hope to be with them some
time soon.
Your brother,
L. PORTER JOHNSON
How long before a new courthouse
for Johnston county?
THE NEWS IN AND
AROUND BENSON
Two Marriages Within the Past Week.
Many Personal Notes—Revenue
Officers Find Plenty to Do.—Soldier
Roy Home After a Fifteen Months’
Stay in France.
Benson, March 17.—Deputy Collec
tor E. G. Richardson, of Raleigh, was
here Saturday on business connected
with his department.
t Mr. Howard Weeks returned to Ben
son yesterday after having: spent fif
teen months in France in the Ameri
can army. He has not yet received his
dischargee.
Miss Evelyn Boone returned Sat
urday from Winston-Salem, where she
is in college, for a few days’ visit to
her parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. D
Boone.
Rev. E. M. Hall, pastor of the Ben
son Methodist church, will move his
family here this week,
v Rev. G. W. Rollins returned this
morning; from Micro, where he con
ducted services yesterday.
Mr. James Raynor went to Chape’
Hill Saturday to visit his wife and
children, who are with relatives there.
( Mr. William Canaday, who has been
in Richmond for the past year or two.
is here on a few days’ visit to rela
tives.
| Mrs. W. D. Boone and children
spent Saturday in Raleigh shopping,
t Mr. and Mrs. June Johnson, of
Dunn, spent the day here yesterday
With his brother, Rev. Charlie John
son.
fe Mrs. A. T. Lassiter and children re
turned yesterday from a few days
visit to relatives in Cleveland town
ship.
J: Mr. Alonzo Rarrisn returned the
last of the week from Florida, where
he spent several days with his wife
and children, who are spending some
time there.
. Miss Bettie Yelvington is spending'
a few days here with her sister, Mrs
A. T. Lassiter.
Mr. Mack McLamb, who lives near
here, was married Wednesday of the
past week to Mrs. Susan Lee.
Miss Lessie McLamb spent the
Week-end here with relatives and
friends.
Mr. J. G. Dixon is preparing to erect
a five thousand dollar residence on
Church street on the site of his pres
ent residence.
Miss Irene Hodges, a daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. A. W. Hodges, was mar
ried Saturday afternoon to Darius
Johnson, of Smithfield. The young
couple drove through the country from
here to Fayetteville, where the cere
mony was performed. They left on
the night train after the ceremony
for a honeymoon. The groom is a
popular young business man of Smith
field.
Revenue Officers George F. Moore
R. L. Flowers and others connected
with the work have made several raids
from here in the past few days and on
each raid have brought in from one to
two stills. The liquor traffic seems to
be on the increase at the present time
near here judging from the number
of stills that have been recently taken
by the officers.
Million Dollar Fire in Atlanta
Dam ape estimated by railroad offi
cials at approximately $1,000,000 re
sulted from the complete destruction
by fire Sunday night of the Southern
Railway Freight Transfer at Inman
Yards. The Inman Yard plant was
said to be one of the largest freight
transfer stations in the South, and
was the receiving and re-routing point
for freight from the extreme South
billed for northern cities.
The Little Matter With Germany.
It is said our bill against Germary
totals $750,000,000 and we are holding
$800,000,00 worth of German stuff. In
ether words, we are holding enough
to pay our claims and give Germany a
few barrels of canned beef and seven
carloads of sauerkraut in change.
When the allies get through with Ger •
many she will feel like an old grav
goose after the down harvest has
been gathered.—Houston Post.
Sugar Beets.
Sugar beets at $10 a ton are at
tracting the interest of Colorado
farmers to the extent that there’s in
prospect this year in that State bee!
acreage aggregating at least 100,000
acres. In view of the fact that Color
ado beet acreage of 1918 was but 97,
000 acres, this is held to mean an in
crease of farm leceipts of over $5,
000,000.—Denver dispatch.
The New Hampshire Senate hao
voted down a bill that would permit
baseball, golf and other games on
[ Sunday. The vote was close, 12 to 10.
TOWN ELECTION ON MAY SIXTH
New Registration Ordered—Walter
M. Grantham Appointed Registrar
At their regular meeting held on
Tuesday, March 4, the town aldermen
appointed the following election offi
cers for the regular election to be held
in Smithfield on Tuesday, May 6:
Registrar—Walter M. Grantham.
Pollholders.
First Ward—I). T. Lunceford.
Second Ward—C. Yr. Johnson.
Third Ward—J. T. Gurley.
Fourth Ward—H. H. Radford.
An entire new registration is order
ed. To be able to vote in the May
election one must register in the ward
in which is now living.
CLUB NOTES.
Now is the time to get busy with
the spring garden. The following
vegetables should be planted in
March: carrots, potatoes, beets, let
tuce, onions, radish, spinach, kale
mustard, turnips, beans and garden
peas for a succession. If you care to
have early canteloupes, cucumbers
squash, and watermelons, sow the
seed in three-inch pots, four seed to
the pot, and place in a sunny window.
Transplant to the open about the 25tl
of April. The three-inch pots are in
expensive, and can be secured at any
hardware store.
If it is difficult for you to produce
English peas on your garden plot it
may be that the soil needs lime. Eng
lish peas are legumes, and the soil re
quirements are the same for them as
for other plants of their class. The
following varieties grow well in this
section: Alaska, Telephone, Cham
pion of England, and Prize Taker.
There is a greater need for prac
ticing economy in dress this seasor
than ever before. For one reason
prices of material and garments have
advanced even more than those of
foods,, because of the shortage of two
of the standard fabrics, wool and lin
en. The following suggestion may
prove helpful in buying this season
1. Buy only materials and gar
ments that are really needed.
2. Buy good standard material.
3. Do not buy imitation types of
material; for example a cotton serge.
4. Materials that have been in stock
for some time are superior in quality
to the new goods and are less expen
sive.
5. Note the following things to de
termine the wearing qualities of any
material.
a. Evenness and strength of fiber.
b. Firmness of weave.
c. Fiber content. Use burning test
to distinguish between animal and
vegetable fiber. Test for cotton in
wool material by boiling sample ten
minutes in a solution of lye in the
proportion of one tablespoonful to a
cup of water. The wool is destroyed
d. Fastness of color. Test by laun
drying.
e. Presence of weighting in silk
Test by burning sample. Residue in
the form of the original material is
the weighting.
These tests should be made on the
samples before purchasing.
MAMIE SUE JONES,
Home Demonstration Agent
The Priscilla Club.
Kenly, N. C., March 15.—The Pris
cilla Club enjoyed an unusually de
lightful meeting last Thursday after
noon when Mrs. A. J. Broughton en
tertained for them.
The guests were met at the door by
the hostess and were shown the cloak
room, from where they were ushered
into the parlor.
The fact that St. Patrick’s day is
near at hand was impressed upon the
guests as they entered the spacious
parlor, which was beautifully decor
ated for the occasion. It seemed as if
some magic power had suddenly open
ed a door and turned them into Ire
land amid the shamrock and clover
leaves.
After the guests hall arrived quite
a pleasant hour was spent embroid
ering, crocheting and knitting.
Later on in the afternoon delightful
refreshments were served by the host
ess assisted by Miss Beulah Bailey.
The first course consisted of pressed
chicken, pickles and sandwiches, but
in the shape of a shamrock, colored
green, and ornamented with green
cherries. Lastly green mints were
served and favors of the shamrock
and pipe were given.
Later the guests reluctantly took
their leave declaring Mrs. Broughton
a most charming hostess and this +ne
most pleasant club meeting of the sea
son.
The 113th Field Artillery with Colo
nel Albert L. Cox commanding is ex
pected to arrive in New York today
from overseas. Arrangements are
being made for this regiment to par
ade in Raleigh. Quite a number of
Johnston county boys are in this reg
iment.
BAD ACCIDENT AT
BENSON MONDAY
Jesse McLamb Hurt Very Badly When
Shifting Train Hit Truck on Which
He as Hiding—Two Others Hurt
Eight Year Old Boy Hurt by Stalk
Cutter.
Benson, N. C., March 17.—An eight
year-old son of Mr. Junius Ennis,
who lives a few miles west of here,
was very badly hurt today when he
was running a stalk cutter and got
caught in the machinery. He was
taken home and Dr. Parker called to
render medical assistance. An exam
ination revealed that he was severely
cut and bruised in several places. Ho
will be confined to his home some
ti me.
An engine shifting cars here today
ran over a Ford truck loaded with
wagons and driven by Mr. Jesse Me
Lamb, who is employed by J. H. Boon
& Son, hurting Mr. McLamb very
badly and completely demolishing the
ti-uck and wagons with which it was
loaded. Master William Boon, the
young son of Mr. Boon, was riding on
the truck also. He jumped when ho
saw the engine, which was backing
upon them at good speed, and a wagon
wheel struck him. He was hurt about
the head and ear, though the physi
cian cannot say how badly he was in
jured. Archie Ray, a colored man
who was on the machine, was also
badly hurt, being cut and bruised and
hurt internally. The truck on which
the parties were riding at the time of
the occurrence was carried a distance
of two hundred feet before being
thrown from the engine. A long
freight was standing on the track and
it had been cut into for a crossing on
Harnett street, leaving space for
passing of traffic. The engine, which
was backing, was coming from the
south, and the truck came on the
crossing just ahead of the engine,
which could net lie seen by those on
the truck till it was upon them. It
is said by those who were near that
no sounding was given by the engi
neer to warn any passerby of the ap
proaching train.
Mr. Noah Raynor, a son of Mr. J. I
Raynor, was married yesterday after
noon to Miss Agnes Stephenson, a
daughter of Mr. Haywood Stephenson
of Pleasant Grove Township. Miss
Stephenson has been teaching at
Beasley’s Grove School below Benson
near the home of the groom. The cer
emony was performed by Rev. W Y
Moore, at his home near here. Tha
couple will make their home at the
present with Mi1. J. I. Raynor, father
of the groom.
New Chairman of A. R. C. to France
Dr. Livingston Farrand, the new
chairman of the Central Committee
of the American Red Cress, has just
sailed for France to be gone until the
latter part of April. Having set in
motion at headquarters plans for the
future of the Red Cross, Dr. Farrand
goes abroad to study organization
problems in Europe and to confer with
Henry P. Davison, formerly chairman
of the War Council, who lis now at
Cannes arranging for the internation
al conference of Red Cross societies to
meet at Geneva thirty days after the
declaration of peace.
Dr. Farrand has made arrange
ments to have a number of American
health experts join him at Cannes for
the purpose of conferring with similar
experts from the allied countries rela
tive to matters that are to be taken
up at Geneva.
SOLDIERS GET FIVE
CENTS PER MILE.
Public Law 300 approved February
28. 1919, entitles enlisted men honor
ably discharged from the Army, Navy
or Marine Corps after November 11,
1918, to five cents per mile “from
place of his discharge to his actual
bona fide home or residence or origi
nal muster in to the service at his
option.”
Men discharged hereafter will re
ceive five cents per mile to place of
induction into service. Men already
discharged will eventually be reim
bursed for the difference between the
travel pay they then received and the
amount to which they are now enti
tled. All discharged should delay ap
plying for such reimbursement until
specific instructions have been issued
bv the Director of Finance as to how
this application should be made.
These instructions cannot be given
until an expected opinion of the
Comptroller of the Treasury has been
rendered construing the words quoted
above. As soon as specific instruc
tions are received from Washington
they will be published.
A. M. JOHNSON,
County Chairman Home Service.
Letter postage will again be two
cents after July 1.