Newspapers / The Smithfield Herald (Smithfield, … / Dec. 23, 1919, edition 1 / Page 1
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M VOLUME 38. SMITHFIELD, N. C. TUESD^fT DECEMBER, 23, 1919. Number 101 WAREHOUSE PLANS UNDERWAY Cotton Storage Warehouses to Be Built at Benson, Clayton and Smith field—A. M. Johnson, Employed by Committee to Handle Warehouse Project. The cotton storage warehouses for Johnston County are now beginning to take on life, according to Mr. S. T. Liles, president of the Johnston Coun ty branch of the American Cotton As sociation. The warehouse committee for the county, and the officers of the Cotton Association met last Saturday at Smithfield, with the state superin tendent of warehouses and the Federal superintendent of warehouses and out lined the steps to take to get ware houses built here for the 1920 crop. The committee employed Mr. A. M. Johnson, secretary-treasurer of the Cotton Association here, to take charge of the project and begin so liciting buyers for stock to build the houses right away. He will give his whole time to this project after Jan uary first. Mr. Johnson has turned down three other offers in the state for the work here in Johnston county. According to the officers there will be another intensive camapign to get members for the cotton association here. So far there are only 700 mem bers enrolled. Johnston County’s quota is 3150 with an additional 32 charter members, of which we have eleven. The plans are a 5000-bale warehouse for Benson, Clayton and Smithfield, by next October. These houses will be built so more can be added to them as the business grows. Trucks will be rented by the warehouse corpora tion to haul the cotton from the gins to the warehouses when the farmers desire it, says Mr. Johnson. The of ficial grader will be stationed at Smithfield and the samples sent to him there to be graded. The com mittee is now getting options on sites im the different towns for the warehouses. Notice to the Public. The picture service of Johnston county will discontinue operation for the next two weeks, December 22nd to January 3rd, inclusive, for the Christmas holidays. A schedule of the work for the new year will be published at a later date. LUCY H. LAWLEY, Director of Community Service. Miss Anderson Visits School. Miss Augusta Anderson visited the Community School that is being taught at the Stanley school house about three and a half miles from Four Oaks. She found the work pro gressing nicely, and she says it is sur prising to see how interested they are in the work. There is an enrollment of more than thirty. This school is being taught for all those above four teen years of age who cannot read and write or who can read and write but little. Miss Pearl Justice of Bun combe county has charge of this work in the county. This is the fourth school she has taught here. She usu ally stays two months in each com munity. About one hundred fifty have already learned to read and write in these schools. During the day Miss Justice visits the homes and helps the mothers who cannot attend school. Several of the mothers are studying' right along with their husbands and send their work in to the teacher. She not only teaches them to read and write but helps them in many ways. A great many sections of the county are asking for these schools. This is no doubt one of the finest pieces of work that is being put across in the county. The Board is planning to put on another Community Worker in the county the first of the year. A Birth Day Party. Master Alton Allsbrook delightful ly entertained a number of little folks Saturday afternoon in honor Of his eighth birthday. After the guests had arrived they were taken by Mrs. Allsbrook to the movies and then to Byrd Drug store and were served to ice cream. The guests then went back to the host’s home and were in given a sparkle to light. The little given a spargle to light. The little ■folks departed for home declaring they had had a lovely time. The guests were: Little Misses Rebecca Royall, Mary Ellen Lawrence, Daisy Young, Mfargaret Aycock, Lillie Koonce Patterson and Elizabeth Coats, Masters Donnie Ward, Sam Honey cutt, Bill Joe Austin, Buster Creech, Jesse Adams, Douglas Youngblood and Robert Coats. Princeton folks Found Preacher. Rev. and Mrs. W. G. Farrar have been kindly received on the Princeton circuit. A good poupding was admin istered Thursday evening, December 18, by the good people of Princeton and the surrounding community. Rev. and Mrs. Farrar feel very grateful for this expression of love and kindness. CHRISTMAS GREETINGS. This business of trying to get the children in school as per Chapter 100, Public Laws of North Carolina 1919 is as ticklish and serious as any you may wish to tackle, but it is not al together incapable of a little humor every now and then. As evidence of this, the Attendance Officer a few days ago sent a letter to a colored Offender and with the letter a small leaflet quoting from the Compulsory Act. Now, it happens that this colored offender bears the very name as does a very prominent citizen of Raleigh, and the letter naturally enough went to the man in the capital city. Very promptly indeed the Attendance Offi cer received the following letter in reply to the one intended for the darkie who is violating. “Yours with leaflet received, which reminds me of the proverbial ‘Mill Wash-out Story,’ which no doubt you have heard—that when a man was sent to see the effects of the flood, re turned with the report, that he found the dam by the mill site; but did not find the mill by a dam sight—I have found the school and the leaflet, but after a thorough search fail to find the children; and therefore refuse to be comforted, because they are not; out should my future efforts prove more successful, I will see that they are kept in school, regardless of the Demands of the Farm and Home. | Commending you for your zeal, I am ' jours” and so forth. Here is hoping that all the school folks, the parents, the pupils, and the teachers, may relax from their labors for a week or two and laugh,a great deal and be very happy, and that each may have this year a Merry and Peaceful Christmas. H. V. R. WHY DO PEOPLE GIVE CHRISTMAS PRESENTS? Since the Wise Men from the East opened their treasures and offered gifts, gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the Christ child in Bethlehem, peo ple have been giving presents on the anniversary of the birth of Christ. The custom is so old and has become so well established, that few people stop to think when Christmas comes around each year, just why they give presents. Doubtless, many give from force of habit, or just because it is the custom. But are there not good and true motives back of all this giv ing of Christmas presents ? It is most fitting that our Christ mas celebration should be marked by the giving of presents, because this festival is but the commemoration of the giving of the greatest of all gifts —the only begotten Son. And it was doubtless a desire to show gratitude and appreciation for this gift that first prompted the giving-of presents at Christmastide. This soon became an established custom, for there was no better, nor more appropriate way of observing the anniversary of the advent of Christ than by giving pres nets, which are tokens of love. This l^ads to a more superficial rea son for giving Christmas presents, namely, that it is an old established custom, which plays the chief part in our Christmas observance. What would Christmas be without the ex change of presents ? To those who do not enjoy fire works, frolics, merry making and holiday sports, Christmas would be dull almost to the point of boring. But, on the other hand, who cannot get real joy from giving a present when they know it will make the heart of a friend glad ? And then who, with even a spark of apprecia tion, is not made happy by the small est gift from a friend. Surely the ex change of presents helps, more than any other one thing, to make Christ mas merry and joyous. Giving, whether of service or of material things, is the most natural, and usually the most effective way of expressing love. But it is not custo mary to give presents on any day of the year, and so people usually wait until Christmas and present the tok ens of their love in the form of Christ mas presents. This shows that all Christmas presents are not given from force of habit or custom, but that many are given as concrete expressi ons of one’s love. And since any one feels at liberty, on Christmas day, to give any rela tive, friend, or needy person a present, the custom offers a splendid opportu nity to contribute to the happiness of people. Many people have, as one of the great purposes of life, the making of others happy. Such people are al ways glad when Christmas comes be cause the Christmas season offers an opportunity to make so many happy with a gift, a good deed, or a kind wish. C. WALTON JOHNSON. Asheville, N. C. British Columbia’s male population on registration day a year ago was 186,747. A police census of Washington City shows a population of 455,428. UNIVERSITY ALUMNI BANQUET At Smithfield Hotel Friday Night, December 26th. — Representative Speakers to Be Present. i The annual banquet of Johnston County Alumni of the University of North Carolina will take place in Smithfield Friday evening, December 26th, 1919, at 8 o’clock in the Smith field Hotel. In recent years the University has widened its scope of service to in clude the whole of the state. She is no longer the property of students and alumni but of every citizen of North Carolina. The Johnston Coun ty club wishes to extend to you a cordial invitation to be present at its annual banquet both because we want you there and because you have a right to be there. Johnston County is fully represented at the University this year and this being the first an nual banquet since our entrance into the recent war, we sincerely ask all the alurftni and friends of the Uni versity for their hearty cooperation in making this a most delightful even ing. Representative speakers have been secured. The alumni and all others who wish to attend will confer us the favor if they will secure tickets from the chairman previous to the banquet. And let’s make this the most success ful in the history of our club from Johnston County. J. A. NARRON, Sec. W. M. SANDERS, Jr., Chmn. FARM NOTES. (A. M. Johnson, County Agent.) Those of you who ordered nitrate of soda to be delivered at Selma and at Four Oaks should go to the mail box every day in hopes of getting the notice to be at the car to get the soda. I have been notified that it has left Wilmington and hope I will not have to store any more after waiting several days for the owner to call for it as happened twice before last week. Call for it when-specified on the no tice please. Men who claim to know are advis ing that cotton will bring better pric es in January and February. A word to the wise, they say, is enough. And then also we will have cotton storage warehouses here to store it in next year. I am sure that those who put in all the woods and open pastures they can next spring and fall will have the laugh on the farmer who does not pretty soon. The Bug Specialists say that Mr. Boll Weevil will make his debut here in 1925. If you want to hurry the cotton warehouses along you can do so by joining the Johnston County Branch of the American Association. We need 2400 more to make up our quota. Don’t wait for the committee to see you. We can get soybeans for $2.60 a bushel f. o. b. Washington, N. C. now. I would suggest that you who want any will let me know very soon. Then if the demands warrant it we will order a carload before the prices go up. They will be no cheaper for there is less than a three fourths crop. We caught up with two agents here lately that should be a warning to us to look out for similar humans who violate our confidence in them but not until they have our money' and are gone however. Land is high enough alone and so is hand music but when you combine the two they are outrageously high and will soon play havoc with the poor buyer here. No person can show that it is a safe investment, in the majority of title transfers here. War Brides Number 2,289. New York, Dec. 18.—Two thousand, two hundred and eighty-nine war brides of American soldiers have reached the United States, according to the Youag Woman's Christian As sociation, and they represent 16 na tions. Eight hundred~and ninety-three do not speak English, but approxi mately half of the total number have trades or professions and are self supporting. The grand total includes 1,505 Freach brides, 426 English, 47 Irish, 49 Belgian and 46 Scotch. A Christmas Party. A Christmas party was given Wed nesday night, December 17, at the home of Miss Mamie Ennis by the Commercial class of Turlington Graded School in honor of Miss Maude Miller, their teacher. The guests were greeted at the door by Miss En nis and shown to the cloak room. Af ter several games of rook refresh ments consisting of fruit were served. Those present were Misses Mamie Peterson, Helen Rand, Lela Creech, Lillie Wrenn, Martha Johnson, Rosa Holt, Cheary Gurley, Messrs. Walter Haynes, Fulton Ward, Richard Creech, Morris Biggs, Tom Stallings, Dewey Stallings, Boyett Blackman, William Booker, and William Godwin. LET THE LAW TAKE ITS COURSE Mr. and Mrs. Ashley Beasley, Parents Of the Child Involved, Write On Godley Case. (News and Observer, Dec. 22) To The News and Observer:—Fre quent reference has been made in the News and Observer to the case of State vs. C. L. Godley, in which God ley has been indicted, tried, found guilty and sentenced to be electrocut ed, for rape upon a nine-year-old child. The News and Observer has published letters from Godley, also, as a matter of news has published the sayings and doings of others, and has stated that certain ministers of the gospel ere taking a special interest in the petition for commutation of sentence now pending before the Gov ernor. Now, for the father and mother of an outraged child, won’t you be so kind as to permit us to speak one word to the public, through your val uable paper in explanation and justi fication of Godley’s sentence and in reply to some statements published? (jooiey was indicted for the crime by an intelligent grand jury of John ston county. lie was tried by a petit jury of twelve honest citizens. He was represented by faithful and able counsel. That eminent and Christian jurist, Judge J. H. Kerr, presided at the trial and controlled the proceed ings and the conduct of the case. God ley was found guilty and sentenced to be electrocuted. He gave notice of an appeal to the Supreme Coi*ct, but abandoned the same, as no error could be found in the trial, and his case is now pending before the Governor up on petition for commutation of sen tence, upon the grounds of mental and legal irresponsibility at the time of the commission of the crime. The evidence upon which Godley was convicted was plain, direct, un mistakable and indisputable, and all the witnesses were of good character. Godley was seen to pick up this child from the street, in the suburbs of the town, about 1 o’clock p. m., put her into his automobile, and carry her on a back street, in a round about way, out of the town in the direction of Wilson’s Mills; was see* and recogniz ed with the child as he passed through Wilson’s Mills, then he went east about three miles, woods being on both sides of the road, and took the child from the automobile, under the pretense of gathering flowers, and carried her into the woods and com mitted the crime. Mr. John Tomlinson, a reputable citizen of Wilson’s Mills, and mail carrier, passed the vacant automobile and recognized it, “C. L. G.”, the in itials of Godley being stamped on both sides of the car and this was the exact spot and the identical place and time as described by the child, when and where she was outraged. Immediately thereafter, Mr. Leh man Johnson saw Godley with the child and recognized them. Two rep utable physicians, after a critical ex amination, testified as to the consum mation of the crime. We have been informed that God ley’s counsel, in their plea before the Governor, did not and do not deny the guilt of Godley, but claim that he is a moral and sexual pervert, and not mentally or legally responsible for his acts. A delegation of leading citizens of Smithfleld have waited up on the Governor and requested him to permit the law to be enforced, and that he do not commute the sentence imposed upon Godley. They stated to the Governor that they had never heard Godley’s sanity questioned un til after the commissio* of this crime. We now challenge any reputable man or woman to state that Godley was not then and is not now of sound mind. For years prior to the commission of this rape, Godley never did an hon est day’s work, but lived upon the in dustry of his faithful wife. Within two weeks previous to this offense, Godley assaulted three other innocent children of this community, with like intent, and only desisted by being frightened by the approach of some passerby; the Governor has this in formation before him, and if it is doubted the fathers and mothers of these children will furnish the proof. To commute the sentence of this man will encourage and lead to lynching. No man of Anglo-Saxon blood will stand with folded arms and see inno cent childhood defiled when he has reason to believe the law is impotent. Again, we wonder if those preacher men, who so feelingly and clamorous, ly prayed for the commutation of Godley’s sentence, even for one mo ment thought of sending up a peti tion for a little child, nine years of age, who will go through life with the “scarlet” letter indelibly stamp ed upon her brow by the debauched hand of a lecherous beast in the shape of a man. We wonder if those squeamish and morbid souls who are busying them selves to abort justice, have one time thought of the sorrow, the grief, the anguish and the humiliation of an humble father and mother, who con tinually cry in vain despair that the stain upon their innocent child be washed away. It is encouraging and consoling to pray when we have faith and hope that our prayers will be answered, but whence is the ray of light to come when we realize that even the giver of life cannot make clean the dfilement of our child? While the pulpit is much exercised and disturbed over the commutation of sentence, and not Godley's crime, we meekly and humbly beg our kind Father to give us strength to bear our sorrow alone. If the sentence of the Governor had been carried out on last Monday, as was at one time ordered, Godley would have died as he had lived, unforgiven and unre pentant, because in his letter he at tempts to deny his guilt. We request you to publish this let ter as information for the public. ASHLEY BEASLEY, MRS. ASHLEY BEASLEY. Smithfield, N. C. MICRO NEWS Micro High School closed for the Christmas holidays Friday, December 19. All of the teachers lef^ Saturday to spend the holidays at their homes: Miss Verra Parrish of Wilson’s Mills, Miss Nancey Smith of Winterville, Miss Lucile Eaton of Mocksville, Misses Leta and Malissie Wellons of Selma. We shall miss them in our midst and wish for each of them a hoppy Christmas and prosperous 1920. School will open the 30th of December. Miss Caroline Fitzgerald who is a senior at the Eastern Carolina Train ing School is spending the holidays with her mother, Mrs. H. Fitzgerald. Herman Wellons, Wales Blalock and Misses Effie Wellons and Lillian oHlland who are in school at Buies Creek, are home for the holidays. Many friends of Mr. Ernest Pierce will regret to know of his illness. We wish for him a speedy recovery. The oyster supper given by the W. W. was an enjoyable occasion Friday night, December 19. REPORTER. Honor of Mr. and Mrs. W. B. Beasley. Bentonville, Dec. 20.—At the old village of Bentonville, on the night of the 18th instant, Mr. and Mrs. C. C. Beasley gave a very delightful party at their home complimentary to their brother Mr. Wilbert Beasley and his newly wedded bride. The party consisted of Mrs. J. M. Beasley, Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Marsh burn, Mr. and Mrs. I. M. Stevens, Misses Ellen Weaver, Lillie Lewis, Florence Grantham, Luna Lassiter, Annie Lassiter, Bertha Blackman, Flonnie Weaver, Messrs. R. A. Weav er, Gerthie Weaver, G. P. Thornton, Faries Thornton, H. V. Rose, W. J. Colyer, Lacy Lassiter, Norman West brook, Harvey Westbrook, Terrance Blackman, Conley Langston, Allen Lee, W. A. Powell. The reception was inded a most cordial affair and was altogether in keeping with the well established characteristic which this kind and friendly host and hostess have so securely made for themselves in the hearts of their friends. The spirit of Christmas and Peace was manifestly felt by all present, and not till past eleven o’clock did the happy party shower the groom and the bride with good wishes and congratulations and diperse. Mr. Wilbert Beasley is a real hero of the World War. On the eleventh day of November at eleven o’clock A. M., 1918, he was on some meridian east of Verdun, France, helping to “slip the pill to Kaiser Bill.” And Mrs. Beasley, the bride, is none the less a heroine, for on that day she was at home in Greenville, South Car olina, “keeping the home fires burn ing” and praying for her soldier and his cause. We wish them as great a measure of happiness and success as they are brave and good. R. Basket Ball Game. One of the most exciting basket ball games of the season was played on Micro’s court Friday afternoon, December 12, between the Micro and Permona high school boys. Both teams did excellent work, the ball being handled with skill by every player. Every good play was hearti ly supported by the cheers from the onlookers. The line up was: Right forward, Smith, H., for Micro. Right forward, Talton, J., for Permona. Left for ward, Flowers, T., for Micro. Left forward, Hill, J., for Permona. Center, Anderson K., for Permona. Smith, L., for Micro. Guards, Right, Hill, B., for Permona. Right, Creech, P., for Micro. Left, Taltoa, E., for Permona. Left, Blackman, A., Micro. After a hotly contested game the score was 6 and 11 in favor of Micro. Congressman Martin, of Louisiana gave 100 of his brother congressmen a Christmas present of five pounds of sugar each Saturday. The sugar was grown in his home state. COMMUTES SENTENCES OF ALL LIFE TERMERS IN PEN Raleigh, Dec. 19.—Governor Bick ett today issued a sweeping order commuting to 30 years each the sen tences of all the life termers in the • North Carolina state prison. “I am opposed to eternal punish ment in this world,” said the govern or, explaining his action, and insist ing that the prison sentence depriv ing a man of his freedom should not also deprive him of his hope. Included in the commutations are 35 prisoners—23 negroes and 12 white. The white prisoners include two women—one, Sara Wykok, con victed in 1879 of murder. The life terms of Ida Bell Warren and Samuel Preston Christy, whose trial and conviction in Winston-Salem in 1916 attracted national attention, a~e among those commuted. BENTONVILLE news. Ebenezer M. E. church will have a Cnristmas tree on next Wednesday night. Miss Julia Rose returned home Thursday night from Greenville where she is attending school to spend the holidays. Messrs. Carl Westbrook and Green Flowers arrived home Wednesday from Durham where they are spend ing this session at Trinity Park to spend the holidays. Mr. Lacy Lassiter and sister, Miss Luna, of Smithfield, spent a few hours in our burg Thursday night. Messrs. H. V. Rose and W. V. Collier of Smithfield attended a party at Mr. and Mrs. C. C. Beasley’s Thursday night. Mr. and Mrs. Fuller Boykin of Clay ton are spending some time at Mrs. Boykin’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. D. J. Williams. Since their arrival Mr. Boykin has contracted pneumonia. We rre *orry to note that Mr. J. V. Massey and three of his children are confined at their home with typhoid fever. Bentonville, Dec. 19. MEADOW SCHOOL. School closed Friday, 19, for a va cation of one week. All are expect ing good time during the holidays. Friday afternoon all the school joined in a Christmas celebration. The second and third grades gave a very interesting program under the direction of Miss Ellen Eldridge, teacher of the second and third grades. The children did themselves and their teacher great credit. The program was well rendered. The exercises closed with a song, “Christmas Bells,” by the grammar grades, directed by Miss Cooke. After the program the presents were delivered by Mr. Lee Barefoot and Mr. Dehna Smith who were dressed to represent Santa Claus. The Christmas tree was beau tifully decorated and the little folks seemed to thoroughly enjoy them selves. Miss Ellen Eldridge is spending the holidays with friends and relatives in Benson. Miss Hfay has returned to her home. Miss Hay will not be with us after Christmas. Miss Cooke is spending the holi days with her parents at Godwin. The school is fuller than usual this year and the attendance has been very good in most of the grades. The average daily attendance for the past month was 160. Miss Mace Carpenter is spending the holidays visiting friends and rel atives. . School will open again Monday,. December 29. All children are ex pected to be in school the first day. C. N. freedom. They are slaves who fear to speak For the fallen and the weak; They are slaves who will not choose Hatred, scofliing, aid abuse, Rather than in silence shrink From the truth they needs must think. They are slaves who dare not be In the right with two or three. —James Ruessell Lowell. President Wilson has announced the appointment of Henry M. Robin* son, of California, represeating the public; John P. White, of Pennsylva nia, representing the miners, and Rembrand Peace, of Pennsylvania, representing the operators, as the committee to settle the differences ex isting between the miners and ope rators. Mexico has no shortage of sugar. The exportation of sugar is prohibit ed. A Lesson. “The hen is certainly giving a les son to the world in not being puffed up with pride from prosperity.” “How so?” “Notwithstanding her product is one of the highest priced on the mar ket, she is still content to scratch for a living.”—Baltimore American.
The Smithfield Herald (Smithfield, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Dec. 23, 1919, edition 1
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