VOLUME 38.
THE SM1THFIELD HERALD FRIADY, APRIL 18, 1919.
Number 31.
BAD TORNADO NORTH OF SELMA
Sweeps Over Northern Part of Selma
Township and tDoes Considerable
Damage—Blows Down Mr. Josiah
Sullivan’s Home, Hurting Several
People, But Killing No One—Sev
eral Houses Blown Down.
(By R. J. Noble.)
Selma, April 17.—A tornado passed
through the northern part of Selma
township Wednesday afternoon about'
four o’clock. Parties who saw the
cloud gather thought it gathered over
Smithfield and went in a northerly di
rection towards the old Watson mill
place, which proved true, for it first
struck the old Cox place, now owned
by Mr. N. E. Ward, where Mr. LeRoy
Hicks lives. Here it blew down the
barn and stables; then a new part re
cently built to the old home which was
put in two old poplar trees in the
yard. The oW house, built in the old
style, chimneys at each end, was
pushed off the brick pillars for about
five feet. Limbs of the trees in the
yard, even roots and pieces of the
house were carrie4 two hundred yards
away. Then the storm swept on to
Mr. Wells Carter’s, on the same place,
where it tore down his bam and sta
bles.
The next place struck was Mr. Bill
Sullivan’s on the edge of the old Earp
place, where the dwelling was pushed
off the pillars, chimney torn down,
and his barn and stables blown to
pieces, the roof and some of the corn
blown a distance of fifty yards. Then,
on to Mr. Herbert Sullivan’s, the tor
nado seeming to gather strength as it
went. A number of trees were blown
down near his house. A tobacco
bam, the stables and barn badly tom
and blown off the blocks. Several logs
were blown out of the stables. Still
gathering force, it next struck Mr.
Josiah Sullivan’s farm, uprooting his
lice orchard and blowing his place
to pieces except a shelter over his cot
ton and his tobacco ordering pit. Wit
nesses said the wind seemed to pick
up all the buildings—dwelling, smoke
house, bam, stables, tobacco barn and
all other outhouses—shake them and
drop them all in a heap. The build
ings are a complete wreck. The larg
est pieces are some, not all, of the par
titions of the houses where they were
ceiled on both sides.
There was nothing killed except
some chickens at Mr .LeRoy Hicks
and a dog-at Mr. Josiah Sullivan’s.
One of Mr. Sullivan’s mules was bad
ly hurt.
At Mr. Josiah Sullivan’s Mr. Sulli
van was badly hurt by the falling tim
bers as were six grandchildren of
Mr, and Mrs. Sullivan. Albert Mason,
a three-year old boy, was badly’ cut
on the forehead. Minnie, Ida, May
and Myrtle Mason and Leisy and Mil
dred Sullivan were also hurt. Physi
cians were called and rendered aid to
the injured. Today they are all re
ported doing well.
KENLY BRIEFS.
The Kenly people gladly welcome
Mr. Dewitt Hardison back to the com
munity. Mr. Hardison has recently
■returned from overseas and came to
Kenly last Monday.
The entertainment given at the
school auditorium last Thursday even
ing was a decided success. Miss Pau
line Griffin, of Wendell, very talented
in both voice and piano, and Mr. fetal
lings, of Wilson, violinist of unusual
ability, rendered several numbers and
were encored frequently. There
were other good numbers from home
talent.
A large number from here were in
Raleigh Tuesday to witness the aerial
flight.
Messrs .Fred Jerome and Julian
Baum, of North Carolina State Col
lege spent the week-end here with
Mr. and Mrs. C. T. Jerome.
Mr. Claude Edgerton and Mr. Ged
die Jerome were in Greensboro Sun
day.
Mr. Paul Edgerton, of Norfolk, and
Sir. Howard Grady, of State College,
spent the week-end at home.
Mr. and Mrs. Walter Whitley and
sons, of Fremont, w*re the guests of
Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Sauls last Sunday.
Mr. and Mrs. Lessie Best and
Misses Hulda and Fannie Best and
Janie Jones were the guests of Mr.
and Mrs. J. WT. Darden last Sunday.
Mrs. H. F. Edgerton is still confined
to her room as a result of a burned
foot.
Miss Beulah Bailey has been con
fined to her bed for several days suf
fering from cold.
Kenly, April 17.
PRINCETON AND BOON HILL.
Princeton, April 16.—Miss Maud
Colwell, from Watha, N. C., is visting
Miss Jarvis Mitchell this week.
Messrs. William T. and George T.
Whitley are spending the week with
their sister, Mrs. Mattie Brittain, in
Northampton county.
Mr. Norman B. Hinton and children,
from Wilson county, were visitors in
town last Sunday.
Mr. and Mrs. A. M. Sanders, of
Smithfield, were the guests of their
daughter, Mrs. Ed. A. Holt, Saturday
and Sunday.
Mrs. L. D. Grantham has gone to
Sumter, S. C., to visit her daughter,
Mrs. Tom Briggs.
Mr. Conrad Parker, of Louisburg,
was a visitor in town Sunday.
The many friends and relatives here
were severely shocked on Sunday
evening to learn of the death of our
esteemed deputy sheriff J. Alf Wall.
At this hour many of our most promi
nent citizens had arrived in Raleigh
with the hope of seeing him before
his death. Among this number were
Sheriff W. J. Massey, W. C. Ryals,
Alca L. Massey, M. B. Lynch, and Dr.
Eason, and Mr. and Mrs. John R.
Woodard, Mrs. Woodard being a sister
of Deputy Wall.
Professor L. T. Royall, County Su
perintendent of Schools, was in town
on business Monday.
Miss- Carrie McGee, from Mount
Olive, is visiting Mr. and Mrs. Roger
A. Smith at their home in the country
for a few days.
Dr. Oscar Eason left here Tuesday
for Pinehurst, N. C., for a few days
in attendance upon the meeting of
the State Medical Association.
Mr. Leslie R. Massey has gone to
Black Mountain. His health has been
failing for several months, and it was
decided to take the tubercular treat
ment.
Mrs. Minnie Duncan, of Clayton,
was a visitor in town Saturday and
Sunday.
Mrs. P. H. Joyner, Mrs. George T.
Whitley and Mrs. Bessie Woodard
have been visiting in Goldsboro this
week.
A band of gypsy iortune reisers
passed through this town Friday.
They stopped at Mr. John Richard
son’s house and stole twenty dollars
from Mrs. Richardson. This gang of
thieves and highway robbers are trav
eling in two large fine automobiles and
one Ford car. An effort was made to
get the one who stole the money, tel
ephone messages were sent to adjoin
ing towns and some of the gang were
arrested at Kenly. Officers went af
ter theirf, but the identical one had
left the gang. This band came through
this township a year ago, and they
even went into the houses and stole
bed*quilts off the-beds. As they are
traveling in cars, it has been impos
sible to catch them before they get
away far enough for the one you want
to leave the gang. If they get into
your house you will undoubtedly have
'something stolen. When they left
Princeton they were going up the Cen
tral Highway toward Smithfield, and
in one hour they were arrested at
Kenly, exactly twelve miles in an op
posite direction.
This town is one of the best loca
tions in the State for a good drug
store with a registered prescription
clerk. There is a large territory
around the town from which to draw
trade. Competition is the life of
trade. A live druggist who will come
here and open up a business of his
own will make no mistake.
Mr. Wallace Knight, from Moncure,
was a visitor in town Monday and
Tuesday. Mr. Knight is a fine speci
men of manly young manhood—and
incidentally an officer in Uncle Sant's
European forces. Blood will tell. We
have never known this young man’s
mother, but we do know that she is a
noble Christian woman, because they
are the only kind that raise such gen
tlemanly boys.
When the devil gets some of oui
good old church members, won’t there
be something doing in.? Those
good old fellows who have been Amer
corner brothers in the church for the
past twenty years, and at the same
time have been active in making and
drinking booze, there will be a hot
time in the old place some of these
days.
The butter mixture sold by some
farmer in town last Saturday was
fearful. It must have been lard and
tallow. Some of it will be sent to the
State chemist. This kind of mixfhre
has been brought to town severa
times before.
HONOR MEMORY OF J. ALF WALL
It Is Suggested That the County
Commisioners Take Suitable Steps
to Ereet a Monument to the Brave
Officer Who Lost His Life in the
Path of Duty.
To the People of Johnston County:
A few nights ago while the citizens
of Johnston county were going peace
fully about their affairs enjoying that
peace and security that conies to all
law abiding citizens, who realize that
the protection of law and order
through vigilant and conscientious of
ficers is watching over and caring for
them; one of those faithful guardians
of the law surrendered up his life at
the hands • of a dastardly assassin.
Without the ceremony and excitement
of battle; without any spectacular ef
fects; without the encouraging shouts
and cheers of his fellow citizens he be
came a martyr _£o the cause of right
eousness and good government.
These brave and vigilant guardians
of our peace and safety who make the
supreme sacrifice that we and our
families may enjoy that peace and
safety are heroes of the finest type.
They are usually the recipients of
meager salaries and less apprecia
tion; they go about their daily duty
of overseeing our safety without the
stimulus of an appreciatiove word
from those whom they protect, impell
er! only by a good officer’s desire to
fully discharge his duty they go
forth to face *danger unafraid, and
when it is required of them to sacri
fice their lives for their people they
do so with the courage of a warrior.
Alf Wall made the supreme sacri
fice just as gloriously as those noble
boys who fell on the battle front. The
boys at the front fought to protect us
from the foes without; Alf Wall died
to protect us from the foes within.
He fell in line of duty and with his
“fighting clothes” on. He made the
supreme sacrifice for you and for me
and for every other citizen of John
ston county. The hearts of his family
bleed today as a sacrifice for your
safety and my safety; that your fam
ily and my family may continue to
enjoy the protection of good govern
ment'through fearless and efficient of
ficers.
We shall not be able to adequate
ly express our gratitude for the no
ble sacrifice made by this officer, but
we can in some suitable^way do hon
or to his memory, and if we fail in
this we are terribly lacking in grat
itude and civic pride. No monument
high or rich carven stone can do jus
tice to the sacrifice made by Alf Wall,
but such a monument can nreserve the
memory of his heroic sacrifice and in
spire those who shall follow after him
to seek to emulate his character and
fidelity to trusts. This monument
would not only do honor to the mem
ory of Alf Wall, but it would be some
assurance to those who “still live
and serve” that their efforts are ap
pieciated.
I hope that our Boar.d of Ctounty
Commisisoners will take this matter
up and make some appropriation for
this purpose and offer to the law abid
ing citizens of Johnston county an
opportunity to give expression to their
gratefulness by contributing toward
ihe erection of a monument suitable to
the memory of our friend and officer,
who made the supreme sacrifice while
discharging his duty as your officer
and my officer.
PAUL I). GRADY.
Kenly, tf. C., April 14, 1919.
Meeting at Beaty Chapel.
A protracted meeting will begin at
Beaty Chapel on Sunday night, April
20, at eight o’clock. The meeting will
continue for several days, with ser
vices each evening at eight o’clock,
new time. The pastor, Rev. Jk. E.
Lanier, will be assisted by Rev.
Charles E. Stevens, of Four Oaks, who
will do the preaching. The people of
the mill village and the surrounding
country are given a cordial invitation
to attend these services.
Th? Victory Liberty Loan campaign
will open next Monday. Johnston
county’s quota is $381,600. Mr. J.
Dwight Barbour is the county chair
man, and Mr. Ransom Sanders is the
chairman for Smithfield township.
Mr. D. Brown, at Princeton, has
left the Woodard shop and formed
a co-partnership with Mr. W. C. Ty
ner and they will run a general wood
and blacksmith shop in the Duncan
building near the Ledbetter stores.
The firm name now is Brown & Tyner.
GREENSBORO COLLEGE AIDED.
-Mr. J. A. Odell Gives That Amount
for Auditorium and Conservatory
for Music Department at Metho
dist Institution.
At the meeting of the board of trus
tees of Greensboro College for Wo
men held Tuesday afternoon, an
nouncement was made that J. A. Odell
of Greensboro, had given the col
lege the munificent sum of $100,000 to
be used in the construction of an au
ditorium and conservatory building,
It is understood that the plans for the
building will be prepared at once, and
that the actual work of construction
will begin at the earliest date possible.
The location has not been definitely de
termined ojj, but the new building
will be located on the front campus, in
proximity to the main building.
The announcement of Mr. Odell’s
generous gift will be received with
gratification by Methodists through
out the State. The need of a large
autditorium and a conservatory for
the steadily growing music depart
ment has long been felt and the in
stitution, thus equipped, will be en
abled to render even greater service
in the future than in the past.
The report of President S. B. Tur
rentine was one of the finest in the
history of the institution, setting
forth the steady growth and develop
ment of the institution, improvement
and development in various lines, in
physical equipment, raising of fund#,
and increase in student body. The
report showed that there is this year
an increase of 37 students over last
year, the total number enrolled being
807. In this connection it was point
ed out that already applications for
entrance at the fall term were so nu
merous that two of the dormitories
were assigned and the third was rap
idly being taken up.—Greensboro
News.
THE NEWS IN CLAYTON.
Clayton, April 16.—Mrs. H. P. Yel
verton and lijttle Miss Jane Hall Yel
verton are visiting at the home of
their father, Mr. J. F. Hall.
Mr. Vick Austin spent Tuesday in
Raleigh on business.
Mrs. Ashley Winstead, of nejfr
Nashville, visited here during the
week.
Garland Young, Bruce Poole, Elsie
Gattis, Aubrey Gattis and James
Hail are five more home boys who
came in Monday night with dis
charges. All of these have seen act
ive service in France. We give them
a hearty welcome home again. It
looks good to see the familiar faces
again, yet we can’t forget those who
are being kept oversea still.
Mrs. J. H. Austin and children, of
Four Oaks, are here spending some
time with Mrs. M. E. Gattis.
A great number of the town peo
ple attended the burial of Mr. Alf
Wall near Archer Lodge Monday af
ternoon.
Mr. Clyde Wall has accepted a posi
tion in the grocery department of J.
G. Barbour & Sons.
Mrs. H. G. Coats returned last week
from Rex Hospital, where she had
an operation. She is getting along
nicely now.
Mrs. Walter Priddy, of Wichita
Falls, Texas, is here on a visit to her
mother, Mrs. Ashley Horne.
Miss Margaret Hunter was the
guest of Mrs. A. Horne during the
past week-end.
Mrs. L. D. Debnam, of Selma, was
in town visiting her mother, Mrs. J.
A .Griffin Tuesday,
Mis»«Duba Ellis, who, since January
1, has held a position at the Farmers
Bank, has resigned. Mr. Devan
Barbour, one of our returned soldiers,
has accepted the position.
Mrs. Bennette Nooe spent a few
hours in Raleigh Monday.
Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Massey, William
Massey and Mrs. Bass have moved out
to Mrs. R. B. Ellis’, where they will
board until they can make 'different
arrangements. Mrs. Massey sold her
home on Main street to Mr. R. W.
Sanders. Mr .and Mrs. Sanders will
move in right away.
Mrs. Henry E .Austin and little son,
Henry, Jr., will arrive today from
Kentucky. They will spend some
some time here with Mr. L. F. Austin.
Lieut. Henry E. Austin is at present
in Siberia, but hopes to be home the
early part of May and will join Mrs.
Austin and 1oaby here. (
Messrs. Gilbert Jones and Otho
Ellis, of Wilson’s Mills, were in town
last Sunday visiting friends. t
THE NEWS IN SELMA.
Death of Gwynn Hood Driver—Real
Estate Deals Show Activity.
Many Persons.! Notes.
Selma, April 17.—Tuesday at the
Central Hotel Mr. and Mrs. W. I. Hol
land entertained a host of friends in
honor of the Selma Graded School
faculty. The entire faculty was
present. Most of the business men of
the town and others were among1 the
large number to enjoy the supper of
barbecue, turkey, chicken and other
good things prepared for the feast.
J. D. Massey, a live young business
man of Selma, has recently sold his
interest in the Selma Manufacturing
Company to N. E. Ward and has ac
cepted a position as traveling sales
man for the Simmons Hardware Com
pany of Philadelphia. For the pres
ent Mr. Massey’s home will remain
Selma.
Gwynn Hood Driver, a member of
the fifth grade in the Selma school,
died April 10, of inflammatory rheu
matism and Bright’s disease. The fu
neral services were conducted by Rev.
Mr. Proctor. Gwynn was a bright boy
of good habits. We regret to give
him up. His mother has the sympathy
of the school, and especially his grade.
Mrs. Peedin and little daughter,
Betsie, are visiting Mrs. Peedin’s sis
ter, Mrs. I. W. Mayerberg, this week.
Miss Louie Delle Pittman spent the
week-end with Miss Bess Hyman at
Hobgood.
Dr. Vick’s mother and her daughter
are visiting Dr. and Mrs. Vick this
WetK.
Misses Miriam Brietz and Esther
McNeil spent the week-end in Golds
boro, Miss Brietz visiting Miss Nell
Miller and Miss McNeil was visiting
Miss Lena Griffin.
Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Edgerton and
daughter, Bettie, and Miss May Tur
lington, of Wilson, spent Sunday in
Selma with friends.
Mrs. Hugh Pearce and children
spent Saturday and Sunday visiting
Mr. Pearce’s mother.
Real estate deals are showing some
activity in Selma for the past few
days. Mr. N. E. Ward has purchased
the beautiful home recently occupied
by J. H. Griffin’s family on Railroad
street, from W. A. Green. Mr. Ward’s
family moved into the newly purchas
ed property Monday. Mr. Griffin’s
family also moved into Mr. Ward’s
home Anderson street.
Mr. J. W. Short has purchased the
home of Mr. and Mrs. N. E. Edgerton
and will move in next week. Mr. Ed
gerton has purchased a handsome
home in Raleigh and will move to
Raleigh soon. Mr. Edgerton will con
tinue his business connection in Sel
ma, however, and in the true sense
of the word will continue to be a cit
izen of Selma.
Mr. Charles Raines, of Port Nor
folk, has purchased the J. H. Griffin
property on Anderson street. Repairs
and improvements are being made on
the house. As soon as these are fin
ished, Mr. Raines expects to move his
family to Selma.
Corporal E. D. Wilkinson, of Col
umbia, S. C., is at home on a furlough
visiting his parents, Mr. and Mrs.
George Wilkinson.
Mr. P. C. Worley and son Sidney
have gone to High Point to purchase a
stock of furniture.
The death of Deputy Sheriff Wall
was a heavy toll to pay for the sake
of determination on the part of a*few
blockaders and law breakers to turn
out a run of white lightning. But th#
sacrifice will not be in vain if the in
dignation arouse among the law abid
ing citizens of the county is serious.
It is costly indeed to give up the life
of a good man, a husband and father,
for a few gallons of whiskey. But it
has put the issue squarely up to the
people of the county, shall the law
abiding citizens rule, or shall the law
breakers ruin ? If the law breakers
get in the saddle then it will be dan
garous for a man to live in the county,
who is not in accord with their views.
We need not try to dodge this issue.
It is squarely up to us, if we love the
life of a worthy fellow man.
Two More Men in Jail.
Deputy W. A. Parrish and Mr. W.
H. Sevens arrested two more white
men who are charged with being with
the blockaders last week when Mr.
Wall was killed and brought them to
jail yesterday. They are J. H. Evans
and his son, Adolphus Evans. Mr. J.
H. Evans runs a country store near
Bethany.
TO HOLD MEETING IN SELMA.
Committees Appointed From Every
Township to Meet on April 28 to
Formulate Plans For Celebration
in Honor of Our Soldiers.
aeinia, April 15.— The Selma
Smithfield committee on arrangements
for the' celebration in honor of the
home coming of the soldier boys has
made the first step towards uniting
the whole county on the proposition.
A committee of three from each town
ship has been appointed and notified
personally by letter to meet in Selma
on Monday evening, April 28, at 7:30
to perfect plans and organize the
county for the celebration.
If the county will get behind this
undertaking as it should and is going
to do, Johnston can “pull off” a cele
bration equal to anything of the kind
that will be undertaken in the State.
Why not do it? Our boys have play
ed as valiant a part in the war as the
boys from any other boys, and John
ston is just as appreciative as any
county in the State. The celebration
is going to be the biggest day ever
made spectacular in the county. The
committees are as follows:
Banner, Edgar Parker, Dr. W. T,
Martin, Alonzo Parrish.
Meadow—J. Mangum Wood, Walter
Blackman, T. L. Hudson.
Bentonsville—Wade Martin, Kirby
Rose, E. T. Westbrook.
Ingrams—W. R. Keen, Rev. Charles
Stevens, W. J. Lewis.
Smithfield—J. A. Wellons, H. L.
Skinner, L. T. Royall.
Boon Hilt—Ed Holt, Dr. Oscar Ea
son, W. G. Rowe.
Pine Level—D. B. Oliver, Clarence
Godwin, N. M. Gurley.
Micro—Dr. M. Hinnant, Charles
Fitzgerald, Wade Pearce.
Beulah—Paul Grady, Luther Rich
ardson, Joe Darden.
Oneals—Preston Chamblee, Whalen
Brown, G. C. Earp.
Clayton—John Turley, C. W. Pen
der, J. R. Williams.
Cleveland—J. E. Jones, John 0. El
lington, George Wright.
Pleasant Grove—H. I, Ogb ri
D. Adams, G. Willie Lee.
Elevation—J. Shep Johnson, Paul
Johnson, R. F. Barbour.
Selma—L. I). Debnam, W. H. Call,
C. P. Harper, E. H. Moser, secretary.
This committee will arrange plans
to make the celebration of interest to
the whole county.
SILVER DALE DISTRICT NO. 2.
We are glad to say Mr. W. T. Mor
ris is much improved after a few days
of illness.
Mr. W. T. Anderson, of Wayne
county, near Mount Olive, is in to
see his son, G. W. Anderson, and is
looking well to be 78 years old.
Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Atkinson and
family spent last Sunday at Mr. Mar
tin Thorne’s in Live Oak section.
Mr. and Mrs. n. W. Anderson were
visitors to Mr. Zach Grady’s last Sun
day in Plain View section.
Mr. and Mrs. Preston Rose are all
smiles. It’s a ten-pound girl.
Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Richardson
spent Sunday afternoon with Mr.
Leroy Hatcher in Plain View section.
Mr. William Boykin and family, of
Micro section, ^nd also Mr. Lumas
High and Mr .W .T. Boykin and fam
ily, of Wilson county, spent Sunday
afternoon with Mr. S. J. Nichols.
Mr. and Mrs. Manly Brown spent
Sunday at Mr. Gideon Price’s in the
Hatcher school section.
Mr. Leather Morris, from Falcon
school ,is in to see his father, W. T.
Morris, who has been on the sick list.
Mr. and Mrs. Frank Woodruff and
family made a quick trip to Mr. J. H.
McCall’s at Batten’s Cross Roads Sun
day afternoon. ,
We are pleased to say Mr. Frank
Woodruff’s fine cow is getting along
nicely after a few days’ treatment
from Mr. Dock Parrish.
We are sorry to note that William
Pierce (colored) while burning brush
laid off his coat with some over $100
in the coat pocket, and both coat
and money were burned.
The patrons of our newly formed
district are feeling much encouraged
over our school, knowing it will mean
so much to our little neighborhood.
We have started on our school house,
have it framed and are getting in
readiness to dress the weatherboard
ing. We will complete the house
and be ready for our fall school, ex
pecting the best school we have had
yet. We had a very good school the
past term regardless of having to put
up with an old dilapidated tenant
house. BLUEBIRD.