VOLUME 42 SMITHFIELD, N. C., FRIDAY, JUNE 29, 1923 NUMBER 52 J. E. LEWIS IS GIVEN 6 MONTHS ON ROAD _ * Alson Fined $500; Unusual Interest Centers Around Liquor Case. t A case of more than usual interest was tried in Recorder’s Court here Tuesday when J. E. Lewis, manager of the Busy Bee Cafe, was arraigned be fore the court charged with having a ten gallon keg of whiskey in his pos session. E. J. Wellons was attorney for Lewis, assisted by Congressman E. W. Pou. Solicitor Harry P. Johnson was assisted by E. S. Abell. This case following on the heels of the Boyd affair of the previous week had aroused interest throughout the com munity and had created considerable comment. Chiefs Cable and Stevens were called to the witness stand first and told the story of the finding of the whiskey in Lewis’ garage under the floor. J. T. Barham was next called to the stand the gist of his evidence being that the liquor, in his opinion, was new liquor and not about three years old as was stated by the de fendant. John R. Morris, Editor of The Smithfield Observer, was the next witness, Lewis having told him the story of the arrest. Lewis himself was then put on the stand, the cross examination bring ing out certain facts concerning his life. He is a Greek, thirty-four years old. He came to this country w'hen a lad of thirteen years. He lived in New York for about a year and a half and then came to North Caro lina. He made his home in Fayette ville for ten or eleven years previous to locating in Smithfield. He has liv ed in this city about six years. He married an American woman and has six children. In regard to the charge against him he denied having the whiskey in his possession for the purpose of sale, denied having made trips of mysterious purport to the eastern part of the state, and denied ever having sold any whiskey in Smithfield. A-number of character witnesses were then examined some testifying tha this character was good and oth ers stating that it was bad. Among the character witnesses were promi nent citizens of Smithfield. The evidence all in, Congressman E. W. Pou, made the plea for de fence. Mr. Pou told the court that he had ceased to practice law years ago, that he would make a plea for mercy that having made this plea his con nection with the case was ended. He urged that Lewis had proven a good character, that this was the first of fense charged against him, that his wife and six children, the oldest be ing only eleven years would be left helpless. Mr. Pou said he knew Lewis was guilty on his own statement, that he came into court with reluctance, but because of many kindly acts on the part of Lewis he had consented to plead for mercy. He said the Vol stead Law was here to stay, that it would never be amended to permit the manufacture of wine or beer, that those who were violating the law had better quit because sooner or later they would be surely caught. Mr. Pou’s plea for mercy was ear nest and many in the court room were visibly moved as he begged the Judge not to impose a road sentence. Give him a stiff fine, but spare his family the disgrace of a road sentence were practically the words of Congressman Pou. Following this eloquent appeal, Hon. Ed. S. Abell addressed the court. Mr. Abell reviewed the evidence in the case. He reiterated the fact that the law of the land had been broken— broken by a man fully intelligent and capable of realizing the conse quences of such a course. That he was guilty and why the court should show any difference in dealing with the negro of last week and with the defendant in this case he could not see. He called attention to the im partial judgment as meted out by Judge Noble in the past, and asked that he pronounce the same unbiased decision in this instance. He made a strong plea for law enforcement. He called to mind the awful havoc which the hellish brew causes in breaking homes. He implored that the court take cognizance of the fact that night after night mothers lay awake VALUABLE REAL ESTATE SOLI) IN BENSON - i Entire Business Block In Heart Of i Town Sold To W. S. Murchison, j Of Raleigh One of the largest real estate trans- I actions ever made in Johnston county | was closed Tuesday at Benson when Mr, Alonzo Farrish sold to Mr. W. S. Murchison, of Raleigh, a Jsolid business block consisting of five large brick stores, one hotel, one large brick auto sales and service building and five valuable business lots, also eighteen houses and lots and about 75 vacant residential lots. It is not known just how much was paid for this property, but judging from the revenue stamps on the deed which ! was field Wednesday it is though ; rhat the amount was something like | $160,000.00. Mr. Murchison stated that is is his intention to sell the majority of this property and he will probably put on an auction sale of the houses and lots about the middle of July, and + he business property will probably he sold some time in the fall. This property which Mr. Murchison has brought, is considered some of the most valuable property in one of ! the best towns; and in one of the most progressive counties in the state. Picnic At McCnllers Mill On Saturday afternoon, the Eliza beth Epworth League gave a picnic at the McCullers Mill. The time was very pleasantly spent in swimming and fishing. About sunset a delicious supper was served. ---| awaiting the return of intoxicated sons, and wives pray through long , nights of waiting before their drunk- : en husbands return in the wee sma hours. The burden of Mr. Abell’s plea was for justice that such condi- . tions might be changed. A silence pregnant with suspense greeted the words of Judge Noble j preliminary to announcing the sen tence. The judge stated that when ' he took the duties of his office little ! did he think of the unpleasant duties he would be called upon to perform, i “If I accept the plea of the defense, I cannot look that negro of last week in the face,” said Judge Noble. The defendant has been caught violating the law. It would be an insult to his intelligence, he stated, to believe the testimony of Lewis on the stand. Law must be enforced. If officials in North Carolina were doing their duty, whiskey would be $50 per quart it would be so scarce. He felt sorry for the defendant and his family. But, says Judge Noble, the disgrace which shall come to his wife and six little children will not be the road sentence which may be imposed, but the disgrace will be in the fact that he has violated the law. Then the judge stated that his decision was a fine of $500 and six months on the roads. Efforts were made to have the sen tence lessened but Judge Noble re mained firm and though contrary re ports have beep freely circulated the sentence now remains as imposed at the close of Mr. Abell’s speech in the court room. The defendant, how ever, took an appeal to the Superior Court. Other cases disposed of in Record er’s Court this week are as follows: State vs. Bud Hudson, charged with violating prohibition laws, was found guilty and sentenced to six months 1 on road and required to pay costs, j State vs. Charlie Martin and Sa \ vannah Martin, assault with deadly weapon. They were found guilty and j Charlie Martin was fined $25.00 and j costs. Judgment was suspended as ' to Savannah Martin. State vs. John Sanders, colored, 1 charged with violating prohibition I laws. Not guilty. State vs. Pharoah Jenkins, larceny. He was bound over to Superior Court under $500 bond. 1 State vs. Keely Terry, charged with blockading. Found guilty and : was given 18 months on roads and required to pay costs. State vs. Joe Redmond, assault with deadly weapon. Guilty; fined $25 and ' costs. I State vs. Isaiah Watson, Melvin Baldwin, and Ruffin Watson, charged with affray. Ruffin Watson found not guilty. Isaiah Watson and Mel vin Baldwin guilty, and each requir ed to pay one-half costs. MEMORI’L SERVICE AT M. E. CHURCH Missionary Society Gives Memorial Service for Miss Belle Bennett Sunday evening, the usual church service was omitted at the Methodist church here, and in its stead a most impressive memorial service to Miss Belle H. Bennett, a synonym of vision and achievement among women of the Southern Methodist church, was con- ( ducted by the local Missionary So ciety. For thirty-five years previous , to her death Miss Bennett led the hosts of Southern Methodist woman- , hood, her supreme service being the establishment of the Scarritt Bible and Training School at Kansas City, Mo. The members of the local auxiliary assembled in the primary room of the church and marched in singing a hymn. Those having a part on the program took their places inside the chancel the others occupying seats especially reserved for them. Mrs. J. D. Spiers, president of the auxiliary, presided over the service, reading the scripture lesson first. This was followed by a prayer dedi cated to Miss Bennett by Deaconess Emily Olmstead, which was read in concert by the members of the So ciety. Mrs. E. I. Poole then gave an interesting talk on the “Vision and Life” of Miss Bennett. Mrs. L. G. Patterson interestingly told of how the Scarritt Bible and Training School is carrying the gos pel to other countries. Mrs. Rosser Lane briefly told of the plans to en large the school and provide religious training for lay workers for various types of service at. home and abroad. A poem dedicated to the memory of Miss Bennett was read by Miss Thel ma Peedin and Mrs. L. T. Royall ex plained why a memorial should be raised to honor her memory. Mrs. J. D. Spiers, who was the last on the program, told of the plan for raising the necessary money for the estab lishment of this memorial, which was adopted by the Woman’s Missionary Council during its meeting in Mobile Ala. The sum to be raised by the lo cal society is $300.00 and $200 o this amount was pledged by members of the society and friends at the elo*« of the service. BIRTH RATE TAKES JUMP IN JOHNSTON COUNTS By CY Johnson On June 9th, 1923, Nanny.... Clayton, N. C„ Route 1, gave birth to four sons. They are black as ink, healthy and eternally calling for nourishment, Their mother, Nanny, of course is perplexed and worried over the task before her.* But th nurse has taken them in charge and says that she is going to raise then, black rascals anyhow. And this is the way she is doing it. At six in the morning two are taken from their box (the family is too poor to have a real crib) and put to the mother and allowed two hours to get their fill then returned to the box when the other two go to the mother for the same period. And to avoid getti lg them mixed, as U which is which, a red ribbon is tied about the necks of two. Of course they get their bath when need ed and Bee Bttnd insect powder is freely used to keep off the skeeters and other varmits, so the nurse says. They have not yet been named ex cept one name for the four “Quar , tette.” The nurse wants them named ' according to their voices she says. , That is the one with the low voice to be named Bass, the next lowest | Baratone, the other two first and second Tenor. Her ambition is to ' make them singers. The nurse says | she is going to bring them to Cleve i land Township Community Fair this next October and expects them to j take first place as quadruplets. I 'reglected to say that the mother is 1 a goat and the kids will be sometime. j --- In Honor Of Miss Fox ! Wednesday evening Mr. and Mrs. ■ E. L. Woodall entertained quite a ! number of young people at their home I in Brooklyn in hono/ of their guest, , Miss Jean Fox, of Chacatawissa, Fa Music and dancing were the features . of the evening. At a late hour a delicous ice course was served. About fifty guests were present. SHORT COURSE FOR THREE COUNTIES Johnston Represented by 50 Club Boys and Girls At Wilson Fifty Johnston County club boys and girls and twice that many from Wayne with eight or ten from Wil son County have been in Wilson this ' week attending a short course in | Home Demonstration work. These j three counties arranged with Atlant ic Christian College to use their building for this course and Tuesday afternoon found school trucks from Wayne, and Johnston unloading boys and girls and supplies on the college campus. Those who are conducting the course are Mrs. Estelle Smith, the district agent, Miss Janie Roberts of Wayne, Miss Minnie Lee Garrison of Johnston, Mr. B. F. Fergueson of Wilson. Mr. A. K. Robertson, of Wayne, and Mr. N. B. Stevens of Johnston. Miss Bridge, County Home Agent in Harnett, has been assisting | in giving demonstrations. .The following clubs in Johnston j County sent representatives: Prince ton, Wilson’s Mills. Wildwood. Sel- | ma. Batten. Creech, Pomona, Pine Level, Kenly, Glendale, Micro, and ; Royall (Tlevation). Ladies who are assisting in making the boys and girls comfortable and giving them n good time are Miss Lillian Edger-1 ton, of Kenlv, Miss Ila Mae Hardee. ! of the Wildwood section, Mrs. A. J Whitley, Jr., Smithfield Route One, j and Mrs. Clifton Beasley of this city. | A number of courtesies have been j extended those attending the course, j by Wilson people. On Tuesday even ing the Rotary club had picnic lunch 5 on the campus with the club boys and j girls contributing ice cream and j drinks to the menu. The entire ! school wore guests of the Wilson j Theatre Wednesday afternoon when ; a well-known picture, “The Inside of I the Cup,” was presented. The daily program consists of deni- j onstrations in various lines of home j making, but recreational features are , net neglect* .1 Wednesday afternoon : just before the supper hour. Miss , Maty E. Well, assistant county super- | • : 4 ef . schools, delighted the boys and girls with .several stories. Wednesday evening was devoted to club activities, each club telling something of what they were doing Last night was stunt night and fun revailed. The short course closes today and he Johnston County folks expect to be back in Smithfield by four o’clock. At whmh time the Kiwani s club will servt lemonade to the group on the court house square be fore they disperse for their homes in various parts of the county. NORTH CAROLINA GETS INCREASED ALLOTMENT Mr. Albert L. Cox. of Raleigh, N. C., State Aide to the Secretary of War for procurement of candidates for Citizens’ Military Training Camps has received the following wire from Mr. Clark Howell, Jr., of Atlanta, Georgia, who is the Corps Area Aide to the Secretary of Wa.”: “Additional quota assigned Southern States of six hundred by War Department for Citizens’ Military Training Camps. Three hundred more qualified applicants needed from your state before July tenth. Please give all addi tional publicity possible through newspapers and local representa tives. The old Southern States lead the country, let’s show the War Department we can produce the needed applicants.” The above wire means that in addi tion to the three hundred vacancies mentioned there is room for 250 more men from North Carolina at these training camps, making a total of 650 vacancies in all in this state. North Carolina, though second in popula tion among the eight Southeastern states is very close to the bottom as regards procurement of candidates for these camps. Application blanks and information can be obtained from Mr. Albert L. Cox, Raleigh, North Carolina. Circle Number Pour of the Meth odist Missionary Society met with Mrs. J. C. Bingham Wednesday af ternoon. The devotional and busi ness session was followed by a so cial hour. During the afternoon fruit punch was served. CANNOT ACCEPT IT. S. SUGGESTION No Provision in Customs Law Under Which They Could Re fuse Clearence to Ships. Washington, June 22.—Cannadian government has informed the state department, through a note from the British ambassador here, of its inabil ity to adopt the suggestion put fow ard by the department last March that clearenee papers be declined to vesselswith cargoes of liquor destined to ports in the United States unless a permit authorizing its importation was presented. The department in announcing to day receipt of the note explained tha tit had addressed a note to the British ambassador for transmiss.