VOLUME 41
SMITHF1ELD, N. C., FRIDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1922
NUMBER 97
A. M. NOELE TAKES
OFFICE OF JUDGE
Sketch Of Judge Brook’s
Record as Judge of the
Recorder’s Court
Tuesday saw the second judge in
the history of the Recorder’s court
take his place on the bench. Mr. A.
M. Noble, chosen in the recent elec
tion to succeed Judge F. H. Brooks,
took hold of his new position with the
manner of a veteran and began the
discharge of his duties in a manner
indicative that the Democrats have
made no mistake in electing him to
this place. It is a fact that Judge
Noble has had some experience along
this line having been Secretary of
Native Affairs in American Samoa
and Judge of the Court. A part of this
duties there was to hold court twice
each week. Therefore the successor
to Judge Brooks comes well qualified
to fill the position.
And it is well that Judge Noble is
well equipped to follow’ Judge Brooks
for seldom does a Recoi'der’s Court
have a man of the calibre of the re
tiring Judge to dispense justice as
Johnston county has had. A native
Virginian, he has come to our town
and become one of us, and practically
e\ er since coming to Smithfield he has
been in public life.
Judge Brooks came to Smithfield on
January 23rd, 1898, as stenographer
for the law firm of Simmons, Pou and
Ward, Hon. E. W. Pou being in charge
of the Smithfield office, Hon. James H.
Pou in charge of the New Bern office.
Hon. E. W. Pou was at that time So
Heitor of this District and naturally
Judge Brooks fell into politics, taking
a part in the campaign of 1898,
though only a boy of twenty.
In the memorable campaign of
1900, known as the White Supremacy
Campaign, Judge Brooks took a more
active part, and was indicted (along
with about forty other Democrats) by
the Republicans before the United
States Commissioner for intimidating
in the election held in Augqst of that
year. It was no intimidation of vot
ers, but an everlasting bombasting
given the Republicans and their negro
cohorts that prompted the prosecu
tion, and the case was dismissed with
out anyone being bound to the Feder
al Court. Ever since Judge Brooks
has been a militant Democrat, taking
an active part in every succeeding
campaign, being Chairman of the
Democratic Executive Committee for
four years.
For several years Judge Brooks was
County Attorney, and is at present
Attorney for the Town of Smithfield.
Judge Brooks studied law under the
late Judge W. S. Stevens during the
years of 1899 and 1900 with Allen K.
Smith, S. S. Holt and W. H. Harri
son. Allen Smith and S. S. Holt
dropped out after a short time, but
Judge Brooks gave up his position in
August 1900 and ; took the double
course in law at the University, under
the late Judge McRae and Mr. Thom
as Ruffin, and secured his license to
practice at the February Term 1901
of the Supreme Court. At the request
of Hon. E. W. Pou he.came back to
Smithfield and formed a co-partner
ship with Mr. Pou under the firm
name of Pou and Brooks, which lasted
until April, 1911, when Mr. Brooks
was appointed Judge of the Recorder’s
Court.
During the eleven years and eight
months of Judge Brooks’ service, he
has disposed of approximately 3013
criminal cases, imposing sentences to
the roads and jail amounting in the
aggregate to 3279 months or 273
years, and three months; imposed
fines amounting to approrimately
$15,000, besides the cases bound to
the Superior Court, and cases in which
judgment was suspended upon the
payment of cost. He has disposed of
many civil actions, involving many
thousands of dollars.
But not only does Judge Brooks
have an enviable political record to
his credit, but he has shown his public
spirit in other lines.
He made an enviable record during
the great World War by his untiring
efforts in behalf of every war emer
gency measure. He was Chairman of
the County Council of Defense, Coun
ty Food Administrator; had charge of
organizing the Smithfield Home
Guards; took an active part in the
Thrift Stamp and Liberty Bond cam
paign and Red Cross Drives. Since
“TURLINGTON DAY” WILL BE
OBSERVED IN THE SCHOOLS
The committe appointed recently
to plan ways and means of raising
the funds for erecting a bronze stat
| ue tf the late Prof. Ira . Turlington
i on the court'house squire, has decid
; ed as the first step towards this end
: t-> s't apart a day to be observed in
the s-cb'cls of the county, known as
: “Turlington Day.” January 20 has
been selected as the day, and the idea
I is for every school to observe an ap
| propriate program setting forth the
| life and character of Johnston’s lead
! or in education. The committee is at
work on program material which will
i be sent to the teachers in time, and
at the same time other plans will
be outlined.
In addition to the campaign thru
the schools, the newspapers of the
county will cooperate in giving pub
licity to the deserved movement. It
i takes time to collect the facts which
! the committee is desirous of giving
j out to the public, and therefore they
| have been delayed in giving this mat
! ter to the newspapers. However, we
! have been asked to state that next
week will start the ball rolling, and
every one interested is requested to
lend a helping hand by talking about
the movement and by even contribut
ing if they sec fit.
Some money is already in hand, and
other contributions have been promis
i ed. It is desired that every citizen
of Johnston County and every school
boy and girl have a hand in thus hon
oring Prof. Turlington. Even though
the amount may be small any contri
bution from one cent up will be appre
ciated and due record made of the
same. It sounds like a big thing
when we think of raising $10,000, but
if everybody gives even a little, the
I sum will be raised quckly. Not only
I the county will be called upon to help
raise the fund but former pupils of
I Prof. Turlington scattered over the
I state and out of the state will be
given an opportunity to have a part
in it. Letters, pledging their co-op
eration and liberal support in the mat
ter have already been received from
old students, some of which will prob
ably be published at a later date, and
as the movement gathers momentum
it is expected that numbers of others
will write expressing their admira
tion in a Substantial way of their
teacher and friend. Students of Prof.
Turlington in each community are ex
pected to voluntarily help the drive
to a successful conclusion. Every
J one who came under the influence of
Prof. Turlington will surely enlist in
giving honor to one to whom honor
is due.
War Savings Forms Now Ready
Persons holding War Savings Cer
tificates of the 1918 issue should turn
them in to the post office where regis
tered before January 1, 1923. Those
wishing to have them paid through
the Smithfield office, will, if convenient
bring them betwixt 9:00 and 12:00 a.
m. and 2:30 and 6:00 p. m. All neces
j sary blanks are in hand. They can be
changed into Treasury Certificates or
cash will be paid on or about January
1, 1923.—Sarah A. Lunceford, P. M.
the close of the war he has conducted
the Near East Relief Campaigns in
the County for the alleviation of suf
fering in the Near East.
Judge Brooks is President of the
j Board of Trustees of Smithfield Grad
ed School District, which position he
has held for several years past. Dur
ing his term of office the District has
built a 14 room negro school, second
; to none in the State, and a handsome
white high school building, of twenty
i rooms, one of the finest school build
ings in the state. He has taken an ac
tive interest in the school work of the
county, having with the late Prof. Ira
T. Turlington, prepared the bill creat
ing Smithfield Graded School District,
and the bill providing for the erection
| of the “Turlington Graded School”
| building.
Judge Brooks is truly a public spir
ited man and is always ready to take
a hand in anything and everything for
| the uplift of his town and county, and
| to help his fellow man, and without
i undeserved flattery, and without re
i flection on Judge Noble, (as Mr. S. S.
! Holt stated at a bar meeting on Wed
; nesday of last week, when the bar
' adopted resolutions of commendation
and gratitude for the services of
, Judge Brooks), he could have been re
! nominated and re-elected had he not
voluntarily retired from the judge
ship.
TOWN GIVES $100
NEW BERN RELIEF
Committee Will Canvass the
Town for Contribution
Of Clothing, Etc.
Smithfield has a reputation for
conducting drives. During the War
she always went over the top wheth
er it was a Liberty Loan Drive, Red
Cross, or any thing else for the good
of humanity. Since* the war, Near
East Relief has received the same
consideration . The various churches
have put on drives for enlarged
work, and each time the quota was
subscribed. And now comes a call
from a Tar Heel City for aid for
3,000 or more homeless persons whose
possessions were swept away by the
recent fire. New Bern has handled
the situation admirably, but it is be
yond one city to alleviate the deso
lation and suffering occasioned by -,o
great a conflagration. Other towns
and communities are responding lib
erally to the distress call, and Smith -
field also extends a helping hand.
At the meeting of the town Board
Tuesday night, the city fathers vot
ed to send $100 at once to the strick
en city, and other plans are under
way to send later a contribution of
clothing for men, women and chil
dren, household furnishings or cash.
A committee from the Khvanis Club
has been appointed to collect the ar
ticles, each member of the commit
tee to have charge of a certain dis
trict of the town. The fire districts
have been chosen as a w-ay of divid
ing the town and the committee is
as follows: Mr. W. N. Holt, in charge
of 6th, 7th, and half of the eighth
district; Mr. Arthur Narron, 4th, 5th,
and half of the third; Mr. M. Waite
Jordan, 1st, 2nd and half of the third;
Mr. Jno. Morris, 9th, 10th, and half
of the eighth. Persons will call at
each house next week, and everybody
is asked to have some contribution
ready. With winter coming on, with
the men and women out of employ
ment for a time, there will be dire
suffering unless a good many people
rally to their assistance. Smithfield
will do its share.
SMITHFIELD AND JOHNSTON
CO. URGED HELP NEW BERN
To the Good People of Smithfield and
Surrounding Vicinity:
Believing in the sympathetic sense
of our people, with reference to the
recent unfortunate conditions that
have been caused by the great fire in
New Bern, N. C., I, as a citizen of
Smithfield and Johnston county, urge
that the people of our community and
county come to the relief as far as
possible. The dire circumstances ren
dered by the above referred-to fire in
New Bern call for assistance. They
are calling for help; they need it. We
must give a helping hand. All towns
and cities surrounding us realize their
conditions, and they are helping, and
we must.—John A. Narron.
NEW FIRE BREAKS
OUT IN NEW BERN
NEW BERN, Dec. 6.—Destruction
of the New Bern Collegiate Institute,
a negro school by fire today, added
approximately $15,000 more damage
to the catastrophe of last week. The
school was situated in the negro
district. The origin of the fire was
undetermined.
Governor Morrison and State
Highway Commissioner Frank Page,
who h^ve been making a personal
survey of the disaster, tonight de
parted for Raleigh. The Governor
declared the fire was the worst he
had ever seen and stated that much
more financial aid would be neces
sary to alleviate the distress of the
homeless victims.
Union Meeting
The next session of the Primitive
Baptist Smithfield Union will be held
with Salem church, Johnston county,
Saturday and 5th Sunday in December,
1922. Elder J. T. Coats is appointed
to preach the introductory sermon and
Elder L. H. Stephenson his alternate.
Brethren, sisters, friends, and especi
ally ministers are cordially invited to
attend.—J. A. Batten, Union Clerk,
Wilson’s Mills, N. C., Dec. 6, 1922.
With long dresses coining back in
to style, a lot of men who wanted
outdoor work will now hunt inside
jobs.
THE NEW BERN FIRE
SUFFERERS IN NEED
Employment be Given in Re
Building Lumber Mill
and Road Construction
New Bern, Dec. 5.—Best of all the
news promising relief from idleness
among the hundreds of homeless ne
' gro laborers here was the statement
j of A. R. Turnbull, president of the
Rowland I,umber company, lessee of
the Roper Mills which were destroyed
j Friday, before the board of aldermen
today in which he declared he meant to
j rebuild the mill immediately if he
; could reach an agreement with the
Roper owners for the sale of the mill
| site.
| At the time of the tire the Rowland
j company had close to 500 men on its
payroll here, or a thousand including
. the men in the woods which has fed
I the mill with a supply of timber. This
payroll has meant the release of $25,
! 000 a week, no trifling amount for
New Bern. The loss that local labor
i ers have felt through loss of their
I jobs and the cutting off of the large
' payroll constitute the largest single
■ blow that came with the fire, and the
| city fathers were highly pleased over
i the encouraging news Mr. Turnbull
! gave them.
It will cost a quarter million dollars
| to replace the burned section of the
! Roper plant, the official said. “But our
[ loss has not been in fire damage; it is
| the loss in business that is hurting us.
I It will require eight months to rebuild,
j In the meantime, we are losing an im
I mense volume of business,” Mr. Turn
i bull said.
( raven county commissioners, the
city aldermen and a committee from
fhe chamber of commerce headed by
Senator F. M. Simmons have been or
ganized to present a request to Frank
Page to expedite the completion of the
state highway in this section of the
state in order to put to wrok the un
employed of this city.
W. A. Scott, Deputy Insurance Com
missioner, stated today that there
were absolutely no grounds for re
ports of incendiarism in connection
with the fire here last Friday. Mr.
Scott has been in New Bern since Sat
urday investigating the fire for the
State Insurance department.
“I have found that the fire started
from a terra cotta flue which had been
in use for years,” he said. “We found
at least six witnesses who saw it
when it was burning around the attic
and under the roof. There is no evi
dence of incendiarism.
“As to the Roper mill fire a negro
named Ernest Gibbs has been detain
ed pending an investigation. He is
not charged with setting fire to the
mill but with being an escaped inmate
from the insane asylum at Goldsboro.
“The relief committee has the refu
gee situation well in hand. Everyone
of those who were rendered homeless
by the fire are under cover and are be
ing fed. None of the fire victims are
suffering at present. Relief in all its
branches is on a well organized basis
and we now are beginning to inaugu
rate a definite policy of rehabitation.
“The thing that is receiving our
greatest attention at present is sani
tation. Every effort to prevent an
outbreak of typhoid or influenza is be
ing employed. All the homeless are
being inoculated with typhoid vaccine
today as a precautionary measure.
“Three thousand refugees are still
being cared for at a cost of $1,000 per
day. This amount represents cash dis
bursements only and does not include
the many donations of supplies which
have been made by local citizens and
outside towns.
“The Red Cross yesterday sent $10,
000 worth of socks, sweaters and oth
er articles of clothing. The war and
navy department have come forward
loyally to the assistance of the relief
committee. Special thanks is due
General Bowley of Fort Bragg for the
generous manner in which he has re
sponded to every request for help. In
addition to supplying emergency per
sonnel the General equipped and rush
ed to New Bern a relief train of eight
freight cars packed with tents, cots,
mattresses and other eqhipment which
has been invaluable.—News and Ob
server.
With the fishermen getting' back
from vacations, the poor fish will
soon have to hunt for food.—Nash
, ville Tennessean.
NORTH CAROLINA STILL
LEADING IN BIRTH RATE
I
Washington, Dec. 5.—A declining
birth rate and an increasing death rate
for 1922 as compared with 1921 were
forecast today by the Census Bureau,
which based its calculation on records
for the first six months of the year
for the registration area of the coun- |
try, comprising about 82 per cent of
the total population of the United
States.
The birth rate for the first six
months of this year was 22.7 per 1,000
population, while for the same period
of 1921 the rate was 24.8 and for the
whole of last year 24.3. North Caro
lina had the highest rate for the half
year, it being 30, while Virginia was
second with 27.5. Vermont had the
lowest rate, 18.1.
The death rate for the six months
1 ending June 30 this year was 12.6 per
: 1,000 population, while for the same
period of 1921 the rate was 12, and
for the whole of last year, 11.6.
j In the mortality rates announced by
i the bureau for the first six months of
i the present year North Carolina is be
I low the average, this 12.6, and for the
! same period in 1921 it was 12, while
| for North Carolina the rate for the
, first six months this year is 11.8 as
! against a rate of 12 for the first six
months of last year.
Contempt of Court Case
The case of Claude Stephenson
| which was before the Recorder’s Court
last week charging him with making
fraudulent entries on the registration
books of Pleasant Grove township in
the recent campaign has attracted con
siderable attention throughout the
county and continues to do so.
The decision of the court, which ex
honorated Mr. Stephenson, seems not
to have pleased some of the Republi
cans of the county. Mr. II. N. Lucas,
defeated candidate for a seat in the
House of Representatives, contributed
a signed article to the Eastern News,
a Republican newspaper printed at
Benson, in which he severely criticis
ed the court for the manner in which
the trial was conducted and for the
judgment rendered. The author of the
article either lacked sufficient discre
tion to know where the line between
the freedom of the press and personal
abuse lies, or he deliberately took the
bit in his teeth and went along. At
1 any rate he found himself before
Judge Brooks on the 2nd of December
to make answer to a charge of con
tempt of court.
The judge imposed thirty days con
finement in the county jail upon the
author of the article, from which
judgment appeal was taken. The mat
ter is now on its way to the Supreme
Court and the would-be legislator is
under a $500 bond.
At the time of Mr. Lucas’ hearing
the judge caused notice to be served
on the Eastern News that an article
retracting the gist of Mr. Lucas’ ar
ticle is in order. It is expected that
the next issue of the paper will pub
lish the desired article.
I -
WILSON GETS EASTERN
CAROLINA EXPOSITION
The Executive Committee of the
Eastern Carolina Chamber of Com
merce in regular session Friday af
ternoon, in Greenville, among other
things awarded Wilson the big Ex
position that this organization ex
pects to hold early in 1923 The
dates set for the big winter show are:
March 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, inclusive.
The award was made on a competi
tive basis, due to the fact that the
Eastern Carolina Chamber of Com
merce takes in about 40 counties and
several of the towns in these coun
ties were desirous of getting this big
event for 1923. Wilson’s bid was
$5,200.00, a house to hold it in and
lights and water. Chairman H. H.
Taylor of the Executive Committee
said immediately after the meeting
that plans will be begun immediately
towards getting things in readiness
for the mammoth exhibition of the
agricultural and industrial possibili
ties of Eastern North Carolina.
Card of Thanks
We wish to thank our many friends
for the numberless kindnesses shown
( us during our recent sorrow in the
! loss of our loved one. We also appre
| eiate the sympathy shown and the
1 quantities of lovely flowers.—Ray
mond Johnson and Family.
N. C. BAPTIST HAVE
SUCCESSFUL YEAR
Summary of Reports Shows
Million Dollars Collected
In Cash in Year
A summary of reports to be made
at the State Baptist Convention rt
Winston-Salem on December 12,
which was issued yesterday by Dr.
( harles E. Maddry, corresponding
secretary of that body, shows that
the denomination has raised $956,
656.96 for benevolent purposes dur
ing the past year. This falls only
a trifle short under the goal of $1,
000,000 which was set for the year
and makes a total of $.‘1,280,671.08
paid in cash by North Carolina Bap
tists during the three years of the
Seventy-five Million Campaign. The
quota for the State for the full five
year period is $6,140,000.
Definite settlement of the contro
versy over evolution that has been
disturbing the denomination for the
past year is expected at the forth
coming convention by Dr. Maddry,
who predicts that the “sober, conserv
ative judgment of the Convention will
prevail.”
The statement, which declares the
achievements of the past year the
greatest since the convention was or
ganized in 1830 follows:
onnety-two years ago, the Bap
tist State Convention of North Caro
lina was organized at Greenville. At
this very first session a State Mis
si. n Board was organized and an
earnest effort was put forth to evan
g lize the North Carolina of that day.
At this time there were about 15,000
white (Baptises in Nortth Carolina.
Fifteen years later, in 1845, there
were 21 district Association, 400
churches, 218 ministers and a total
membership of 31,066, and a ga'n
in baptism for that year of 742 The
growth of the Baptist work since
1845 has been rapid. We are report
ing to this Convention 2,250 church
es, 325,000 church members, 2,174
Sunday Schools, 265,406 enrolled in
Sunday Schools, 1,025 Baptist
^ oung People’s Unions with a mem
bership of 40,183, and 2,112 Woman’s
Missionary Societies.
“The State Mission Board has em
ployed 202 Missionaries this year.
These missionaries have served 356
churches, delivered 15,393 sermons,
and 3,023 other addresses. They have
organized 12 new churches and built
12 new houses of worship. They
have witnessed the conversion of
4,910 souls, and baptized 3,845 con
verts. They have repaired 88
churches and paid on building en
terprise of church houses $96,420.32,
while they have collected on pas
tors’ salaries $89,051.65. They have
collected a total of $43,085.86 on the
75 Million Campaign. These 202
State Missionaries have collected a
total of $309,615.81 for the objects
of the Kingdom. The State Mission
Board has paid these missionaries
the total sum of $56,342.53.
“The Corresponding Secretary will
report the total amount collected
for the 75 Million Campaign of
$956,656.96. It was hoped very much
that the total received for the year
will reach the $1,000,000 mark. For
the three years of the Campaign
just closing, North Carolina Bap
tists will report $3,280,671.08 col
lected on the 75 Million Campaign.
North Carolina’s original quota was
$6,140,000. It is believed that at the
end of 5 year period we will easily
have raised this total of more than
$6,000,00-.—News and Observer.
Selma Cotton Mill Aids Fire Sufferers
Mr. Geo. T. Brietz, superintendent
of the Selma Cotton Mill, sends us the
following communication:
We hand you herewith a list of ar
ticles of clothing and cash contribut
ed by the employees of the Selma Cot
ton Mill for the relief of the New
Bern fire sufferers. We have thought
that this might be of passing interest
to the public. 92 ladies dresses, 12
children’s dresses, 81 pieces under
wear, 9 ladies’ cloaks, 2 sweaters, 25
pair hose, 12 ladies cloaks, 11 union
suits, 2 hats, 7 men’s coats, 10 vests,
60 p^air trousers, 40 shrits, 1 overcoat,
6 caps, 8 pair shoes, 3 pair overalls,
5 ties, 7 collars, 5 pillows, 4 quilts, 5
sheets, 1 bolster and case, 1 blanket,
6 pillow cases, 5 towels, $18.00 cash.
Now is the time of year to worry
about where your summer money
went.—Zebulon News.