MEMORAL SERVICE
FOR W. S. STEVENS
Portrait Hung in Chapel that
Bears His Name; Judge
Robinson Speaks
A memorial service, most fitting
and proper, was held for the late W.
S. Stevens Sunday afternoon at the
little Methodist chapel in Boon Hill
township named in his honor and
which stands as a lasting monument
to the life of one who gave freely of
his means and of his time in advanc
ing the cause of Christ in that com
munity.
Sometime ago some of his friends
started a movement to place a portrait
of Judge Stevens and a marble tablet
in the church, and Sunday afternoon
saw the fruition of these plans. A
great crowd gathered at Stevens
Chapel at 3:30 o’clock to do honor
to their friends and neighbor—a
crowd so great that numbers were
unable to get into the church. Rev.
W. G. Farrar, pastor at Stevens
Chapel was in charge of the program.
After the congregation had sung
“How Firm a Foundation,” he intro
duced Rev. D. H. Tuttle, pastor of the
Methodist church of this city, who
conducted the devotional exercises.
Judge F. H. Brooks, was then called
upon to present the . speaker for the
occasion, Judge W. S. O’B. Robinson,
of Goldsboro, a life long friend of
Judge Stevens. Judge Brooks used
the following little poem by John
Oxenham as the basis of his remarks,
showing how Judge Stevens chose the
“high way” for his life:
“To every man there openeth
A way, and ways, and a waj^'
And the high soul climbs the high
way,
And the low soul gropes the low;
And in between on the misty flats,
The rest drift to and fro.
But to every man there openeth
A high way and a low,
And every man decideth
The way his soul shall go.”
Judge Robinson spoke of his early
acquaintance with the deceased, spoke
of his father, of how his fortune had
been swept away by the Civil War,
and how it was a struggle to get
along in those days. “No man or wo
man was ever great,” said Judge
Robinson, “without struggle, and the
struggle was what made the subject
of the memorial exercises great.” He
reviewed briefly his school life, his
attendance at the Wayne county pub
lic schools, his going to Judge Hughes’
school in Orange county, and later
studying law under Chief Justice
Pearson.
He told of his location in Johnston
county, his election as Clerk of the
Superior Court, and how by his kind
ly and accommodating manner he so
won his way into the hearts of Johns
ton county folks that though the per
sonnel of the Democratic ticket as to
other offices have changed, the same
clerk was elected year after year.
The speaker dwelt upon the friend
liness of Judge Stevens. He said that
if ever a man lived “by the side of
the road” that man was Judge Stev
ens. He said often the question has
been asked, “If a man die shall he
live again?” The inevitable answer
as exemplified in the life of W. S.
Stevens is, “yes.” “To live with those
we leave behind is not to die.”
At the conclusion of Judge Robin
son’s address, the congregation was
asked to sing “Blest Be The Tie That
Binds,” and during the singing of the
last stanza little Miss Dorothy Stev
ens, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. R. S.
Stevens, of Princeton, slowly unveiled
the portrait of Judge Stevens which
is a remarkable likeness. Below the
portrait is a marble tablet with the
following inscription:
“In memory of our beloved superin
tendent, Wm. Smith Stevens. May 2,
1852—Nov. 1, 1922.”
The benediction by Rev. D. H. Tut
tle closed the services.
$2,000,000 DEMAND BY
THE DEUTSCHE BANK
- HAVANA, Cuba, May 16.—The
Deutsche bank of Berlin has made a
demand upon the administrators of
H. Upmann and company, Havana
bankers, for a sum in excess of $2,
000,000, alleging that at the time of
the Upmann failure the German bank
had cash and securities to that
amount on deposit which were not
liable to be seized by creditors.
SCHOOL COMES f O
CLOSE AT KENLY
- . i
H. E. Spence Delivers the
Commencement Address !
—Seven Graduates
Last week was commencement week j
in Kenly, the exercises beginning j
Wednesday evening with a music re- j
cital. The program was well rend- ;
ered. Quite an enjoyable part of the j
program was a spring time operetta, J
the scene of which was laid in the j
land of “Once upon a Time.”
On Thursday morning the gradu
ating exercises took place at which
time seven graduates of the high
school received diplomas and twenty
were awarded seventh grade certifi
cates. The literary address was also
delivered at this time, Mr. H. E.
Spence, of Trinity College, Durham,
being the speaker.
Mr. Spence’s subject was “Dreams
and How They Come True.” “No
nation nor individual is better, or j
greater, or brighter than their dreams i
We live in two worlds,” said Mr. I
Spence, “a world of material things
and a world of ideals—loves, hopes
and dreams.” The speaker reviewed
several characters in history—Moses,
Samuel, Isaiah, Paul—pointing out
what dreams did for those men. He
stated that we are now living in the
best time for dreams to come true.
The only question is, who will dream
the dream that shall revolutionize the
world. He spoke of things which a
few years ago seemed impossible to ’
achieve—things which we now enjoy i
as a matter of coure. He predicted !
that, while now we have fireless cook- I
ers and iceless refrigerators, the fu
ture may see “quarrelless” women
and “squall-less” babies.
Having laid down the proposition
that this is the best age for dreams to
come true, Mr. Spence developed a
scheme by which they can
come true. Four words form the key
to unlock the door of fulfilment:
want, work, watch, wait. Greece was
great because she wanted to lead the
world in art. When she became satis
fied her ideals died and her greatness
waned. Rome wanted to be the cen
ter from which great roads should ]
radiate. Napoleon wanted to conquer 1
the world. William of Germany j
wanted world supremacy and failed*
i-nly because others had a greater !
\ision. All of these dreamed dreams, j
But it is not enough simply to w: nt j
a ti’ing, one must work. Lincoln and |
Garfield are examples of greatness j
1 y the route if hard work. This na- j
tion, acording to the speaker, is the !
g, latest country to wortc in and J
brings the greatest co apensati n.
But desire and work is not enough.
( no must waw -i for the time for real
a A 01. ’'There is a tide in the .iffairs
of men -which taken at the flood,
Duds on to fo-tune.” Boy« and girls
must not let the hour of opportunity
slip. Then after the opportunity h> s
come one must wait for ultimate suc
cess.” Youth, the speaker said is
ii.ipatient. Human nature is impa
tient. People are impatient for
everything except the paying of taxes
and death. It takes time for great
dreams to materialize. A weed grows
quickly, but it takes a hundred years
to grow an oak, and it takes five gen
erations to grow a man. Mr. Spence
called to mind the fact that we have
come a long way from the time when ,
men scratched a ground with a stick
to use of present day farming imple
ments; there is a long road from the
first musical instrument to a pipe
organ; a long way from a cave, the
home of primitive man, to the pala
tial residences of today; a long trail ;
from the ideals of womanhood ex
pressed in the serfdom of women to
the present time when women are re
cognized as equals of men. And be
cause of the nature of things it is for
youth to cultivate patience in accom- !
plishing their dreams. The speaker i
closed his address by quoting from i
the poem “Columbus.”
On Thursday evening the pupils of
the high school presented a play en-1
titled “Where East Meets West.” ,
MIDDLESEX ORPHANAGE CLASS
TO BE AT PINE LEVEL WED.
The singing class of the Middlesex j
Orphanage which is supported by the j
Free Will Baptist church, will give j
an entertainment Wednesday night, j
May 23 at Pine Level. The concert
which will consist of songs, recita
tions, etc. will be held at the school
house.
SEVENTY-THREE
DIE IN SCHOOL FIRE
Oil Lamp Explodes Turning
School Building Into A !
Funeral Pyre
Camden, S. C., Ma^ 18.—Kershaw |
county today counted the cost of the j
fire that last night destroyed the j
Cleveland school eight miles from i
here. Seventy known dead, men, wo
men and children and two missing
together with the dozens more or less
seriously injured were being counted
this morning. Five injured are be
ing cared for in a Camden hospital.
The exact number of injured could
not be ascertained this morning at
tention being given to the injured and
identification and care of the bodies
of the dead. Eye witnesses to the
horror were so shaken that but few
could talk of it. The blaze which in
some instances wiped out entire ,
families leaving none to care for the j
dead started near the close of the j
comedy, “Stoney Brook,” being pre
sented by the senior class of the school
as a part of its commencement ex
ercises.
The bracket on which hung a lamp
over the stage gave way the lamp fell
to the stage and exploded. Burning
oil splashed over the stage igniting
flimsy draperies.
Men, women and children made a
rush for the single exit f.on lb
room. The scene according to per
sons present was indesci’ible. Moth
ers with babies in their arms were
trampled under foot. Cooler heads at
tempted to quell the panic without
avail.
rrhen the stairway collapsed, hurl
ing the mass into the lower floor
pinning many under a screaming,
squirming mass. Some were pinned
by the falling timbers. Mothers trap
ped cn the second floor hurled ’heir
cnildven to safety in eagerly awaiting
arms of persons who had escaped and '
then fell back into the flames giving
their lives that their children might
'.ne.
Camden, S. C., May 18.—Bathed in
the glory of a setting South Carolina
: i n, sixty-two bodies that less than
twenty-four hours before had been
fun-loving men, women and children,
'ab- today were placed ir one big
grave in Beulah Methodist chureh
>ird Three thousand South Car. -
iir.ians, led by Governor Thomas (1.
McLeod, gathered from all parts of
the State to pay a last tribute to those
v.ho had perished in the burning of
tr e Cleveland school house last night,
stood with bared heads throughout
the brief, simple funeral service.
Tears stood in the eyes of many.
(Continued on page four.)
SAM BROWN COMMITS
SUICIDE IN SELMA
Well Known Resident of
Sanders Chapel Sends
Bullet Thru’ Brains
—
Taking a seat on the sidewalk
in the shade of a maple tree in !
the town of Selma Friday af- i
ternoon, about 2 o’clock, Sam j
Brown, aged about 46 years, de
liberately and without ceremony
placed a .32 Owl Head pistol to
his temple, pulling the trigger
brought an abrupt end to his life
on earth, and plighted his soul
into eternity, leaving no message
or indication of the motive for
the act, according to information
received here last night. He
was taken to the home of a
daughter where he died about 5
o’clock.
Mr. Brown was a resident of the
Sanders Chapel community between
Goldsboro and Smithfield, and was in
Selma on business or visiting. He is
survived by a wife and several chil
dren.
i
While no reason for the suicide
was indicated by Mr. Brown and none
has been advanced by friends or rela
tives, it is thought by some that bad
health, might have been the cause.
About 8 months ago Mr. Brown be-,
came despondent on account of bad
health, and at that time made threats 1
of suicide. However, since that time
nothing unusual has been noticed, i
Domestic affairs have been rumored ;
as possible cause, but as yet nothing
definite has been given. He was en
gaged in fanning.—H. T. Hux, In
Goldsboro News.
GREAT BARBECUE
AT HOLT’S LAKE
Gov. Promises Hosts a Fish
Hatchery; R. R. Reynolds
Out for Lieut. Gov.
By BEN DIXON MacNEILL,
in News and Observer.
Smithfield, May 18.—With such
an assemblage of great and near
great in attendance as would have
made ene eyes of those who might be
impressed with such assemblages
fairly pop out of their sockets, Holt
Lake was thrown open for its fourth
season of fishing, swimming, boating,
picnicking and allied pastimes this
afternoon at a monster barbecue giv
en by the management.
“Everybody of any consequence in
North Carolina is here,” said some
body. Numerous somebodies were
probably parent to the same state
ment. Officially and politically it
came mighty near being true, for all
that. The Senator and several con
gressmen were inexplicably absent.
The Governor and the Council of
State, together with a host of lesser
d’gnitaries attended.
IS
^---probable Candidafe^X
/or [ieuieiymt Governor
Purely social although the occasion
was declared, it appeared inevitably
that there would be some speech
mowing before it was over, and it ,
was even so. More than that, a |
full fledged candidacy was launched !
when Capt. R. R. Reynolds, of Ashe- j
ville, mounted a flag-draped platform
that somebody just happened to pro- |
vide in case it should be in de- j
manci, and launched himself for .
Lieutenant Governor.
The Governor had already spoken,
filled though he was to the very !
collar-button with perch and barbe ;
cue, promising Holt Lake one of his
fish hatcheries when Captain Rey
nolds came forward. Then the ora
tory broke loose and lasted until
sundown. It was a great occasion,
and a considerable time was had
by all, particularly Judge F. H.
Brooks, who appeared in the role
of stage manager and hat-holder.
Holt Lake, if there anywhere be
those in North Carolina who do not
know it already, is a vast sheet of
water three miles out on the National
Highway, covering somewhere be
tween 1,100 and 2,600 acres of John
ston county and providing a home
for more fish, if local statisticians
are to be believed, than any similar
piece of water in the earth. And
it is empty now to what it will be
when the Governor is through with
his fish hatchery.
It is a beautiful piece of water
as any one would want to see, and
the plans of the three owners, A.
H. Gray, James H. Abell and R. C.
Gillette will make it even more beau
tiful. Golf courses and all the ap
purtenances of a first-class resort
will be added to its natural beauties
and qualities. Already it is tremend
ously popular throughout the central
section of the State, particularly
with those who have a bent for fish
ing.
Today they had three or four
hundred succulent perch taken from
the pond and fried in grease previ
ously fried out of good country
bacon, done at the hands of John
Jones, whose hands are master hands.
Moreover they had barbecued pig
and corn bread, great heaps of it
spread out on tables under the trees
and the multitude did eat until their
abdominal expense was increased
prodigiously.
Then Judge Brooks who used to
preside over the recorder’s court
here, herded the throng toward the
(Continued on page four.)
BOARD BANS LASH
AND DARK CELL
A Sweeping Revolution In
Methods of Discipline
Of the Convicts
Raleigh, May 17.—The North Caro
Mna state prison board today oroere 1
drastic, changes in the method of dis
cipline for prisoners under the su.te’s
penal system, in fulfilling one phase
cf Governor Morrison’s promised ‘‘ac
tion” in a prison betterment under
taking.
What it did:
Abolished corporal punishment and
the dark cell.
Pr >vided for the reclassification of
all prisoners so as to give gi eater
privileges to those of good '.on '.uet
Adopted rules for the mainte nee
of discipline almost identical with,
those of the federal government’s
penal system.
Recommended to the governor the
placing of all prisoners now serv
ing fixed terms under an indetermi
nate sentence, thereby insuring ap
preciable cuts in the sentences of
prisoners who make good prison roc
ords.
Reward Of $400 Offered
Besides, the board reinforced its
denial of charges of inhuman treat
ment and excessive use of the lash on
prisoners by adopting a resolution
urging the governor to offer the
maximum reward authorized by law
for evidence sufficient to convict any
employe of the state’s prison sys
tem from whipping any prisoner con
trary to statutory regulations or of
cruelty or inhumanity to any prison
er prior to this date. Governor Mor
rison issued notice of the offer of a
$40 reward, the max'mu
lowed.
The changes ordered by the prison
board were contained in a list of
recommendations submitted at th;
afternoon’s two-hour meeting by
Supt. George Ross Pou. The full list
of recommendations was adopted.
Superintendent Pou wrote that “up
on my appointment the governor re
quested me to study and experiment
to ascertain if the use of corporal
punishment could be abandoned,’’ and
with the new system recommended
Mr. Pou belivese it can.
Hereafter prisoners will be punish
ed acording to offense in the follow
ing manner:
Grades Of Punishment
(A) Reprimand; (B) Loss of one
or more privileges; (C) Reduction
in grade; (D) Addition of time to
minimum sentence; (E) Double I
shackles; (F) Confinement in solitary j
cell and hard labor; (G) Confinement |
(Continued on page four.)
PROGRAM BE GIVEN
IN THE COURT HOUSE
Prominent Speakers—Music
Furnished by Kiwanis
and Woman’s Club
Next Thursday evening, May 24th,
at eight o’clock the citizens of the
town and surrounding county will
have the privilege of attending a
good entertainment at the court
house which will be given under the
direction of the Kiwanis Club and
the Woman’s Club of this city.
Several outof-town speakers have
been secured for this occasion, and
since the town is considering voting
on bonds to build an adequate hotel
for Smithfield, they will discuss ev
ery phase of the hotel proposition. |
Among those who will speak on this !
subject and discuss its benefits to the
town and to the individual are: Mr. j
S. H. Boyd, and Mr. Cherry, of Wil- j
son, and Mr. M. C. Winston, of War- ;
renton.
The Woman’s Club will contribute j
much toward the evening’s entertain- !
ment. A few readings have been i
prepared and the Music Department
will render several special selections j
among which will be quartets, duets i
and solos, also a few Irish songs. ,
The Stephenson band will furnish j
much of the music during the even- i
ing.
The program promises to be well |
worth while and every citizen of the ’
town, man or woman, is not only in
vited but urged to be present. Be- |
sides a splendid entertainment put j
on under the directions of the two !
clubs, a question of vital interest to I
every citizen of Smithfield will be
discussed on this occasion. The pub
lie in general is cordially invited.
DEATH MISS WEST
SHOCKS THE TOWN
Her Sudden Death Casts A
Gloom Over Entire City:
Funeral at Dover
A gloom hangs over our city be
cause one of the teachers of our
graded school, Miss Hazel West, of
Dover, has been suddenly taken from
our midst to finish the purpose of
her life in God’s Garden above. Just
as the bells were ringing for Sunday
school Sunday morning, the news
spread quickly that Hazel West was
dead. Two weeks ago tod^y she was
taken with an acute attack of ap
pendicitis and was operated on at the
Smithfield Memorial Hospital. The
operation was without complications
and last Friday she was able to be
removed from the hospital to the
home of Mr. and Mrs. L. E. Watson
where she boarded. She was ap
parently improving rapidly and Sun
day morning remarked that she felt
the best she had felt since her op
eration. About a quarter of nine
o’clock she raised up in bed and was
suddenly taken with a heart attack.
Physicians were summoned but in a
half an hour she had passed away.
A sister, Miss Gladys West, who was
supplying for her in the graded
school, was at her bedside when the
end came, and a brother who was
passing through the city enroute
from Greensboro to Dover arrived in
the city a few minutes before she
died.
The body was prepared for burial
and then taken through the country
to her home at Dover Sunday after
noon, the funeral taking place yester
day afternoon. Quite a number of
friends acompanied the remains to
Dover, and quite a number attended
the funeral yesterday. School was
suspended yesterday as a tribute of
respect.
The funeral services were held at
the Methodist church in Dover, the
house being filled to overflowing witE
sympathizing friends and relatives.
The choir sang “Abide with Me” and
“Sun of My Soul,” after which Mr.
Paul Eason sang “One Sweetly Sol
emn Thought.” The service was con
ducted by the pastor, Rev. E. B. Bell,
assisted by Rev. D. H. Tuttle. Rev.
Mr. Tuttle paid a splendid tribute to
the deceased whose Christian graces
made her life beautiful. As the cas
ket was borne from the church the
choir rendered “Christian, Good
night.” Interment was made at Beth
any Church about three miles of Kin
ston, the old home church of her fa
ther.
There hgneath the sheltering trees
“She sleeps where the daisies nod,
And the clover hangs its head,
Where the wild birds come and the
wild bees hum,
Above her lonely bed.”
Hazel West was the youngest child
of Mrs. Laura West, of Dover. She
was twenty-three years old, just in
the prime of young womanhood. She
was educated at the North Carolina
College for Women at Greensboro and
had taught school for three years. For
the past two years she had taught the
fifth grade in Turlington Graded
school and had been re-elected and had
accepted the same position for next
year.
Her future was full of promise and
we dare not ask why she was taken
from us in her prime, unless, as flow
ers are picked before the frost finds
them, the Heavenly Father wished to
gather her unt(/TIimself. She was a
member of the Methodist church and
was active in the service of the Mas
ter. Since coming to our town she
has been organist and secretary in
the Senior-Intermediate Department
of the Sunday School and the young
people of that department will miss
her presence. With a most attrac
tive personality, with a gentleness
and thoughtfulness for others which
was especialy noticeable she made
friends wherever she went. A life,
though short in its span, that imparts
such lessons is well worth living
MR. COON TO SPEAK AT
PEACOCK’S CROSS ROADS
Mr. Charles L. Coon, County Super
intendent of Schools of Wilson Coun
ty, will deliver the commencement ad
dress at Peacock’s Cross Roads next
Friday.
Mr. Coon is an able school man and
all interested in rural education should
hear him. The speaking will begin at
10:30 o’clock.