LOCAL' INTEREST
IN PLAYMAKERS
Scene Of “Fixin’s”
Laid Near Dunn; An
cestor Of Playwright
A Johnstonian.
PLENTY OF FUN PROMISED
(By G. Y. RAGSDALE)
Chapel Hill. Feb. 9.—In the clos
ing part of the story on the Caro
lina Playmakers in Friday’s issue of
The Herald we said something to
the effect that we believed the plays
being brought to Smithfield and to
be presented there in the auditorium
of the High School next Thursday
night at 8:30 are linked to the town
and its surroundings “by some trick
of fate.” Well, whether or not Fate
had anything to do with it, below is
what we meant.
First, there are to be presented
three plays; namely, Gaius and
Gaius Jr., by Miss Lucy Cobb, The
Black Rooster, by Miss Pearl Setzer,
and Fixin’s, by Miss Erma Greene
and Paul Greene. The authoress of
the first play is a sister of the well !
known Geology professor in the Uni
versity, Collier Cobb. They come
originally from Wayne County, near
Goldsboro. The thing about them in
teresting to Smithfield people is that
their great-great grandfather, Need
ham Brayan is buried near Smithfield
Those of you who have tramped in
the fields near the old sandpit back
of the school houses will remember
that there are several graves there
in a clump of trees. That is the place
where one of Miss Cobb’s forebears
is buried. It is also interesting to
note that one of her ancestors of the
same line gave the ground on which
the present Court House is built.
Next in line is Miss Pearl Setzer.
Miss Setzer hails from Hickory, the
former home of Mr. J. W. Setzer, now
living in Smithfield. Miss Setzer
does not know exactly whether or
not Mr. J. W. Setzer is related to
her, but she says if he came from
her home town that he must be
All of the family now living there
descended from one man of that name
and all living there now are related
Then the third family, or the
Greenes. Miss Erma wrote the play
in collaboration with her brother
Paul, now a teacher of philosophy in
the University, both of whom are
from Lillington, in Harnett County.
Another point of interest in this play
Fixin’s s that the scene is laid near
Dunn, and frequent mention of tli
town is made in the play.
Two of the plays we have never
seen, but we have read one and heard
both read at an author's reading of
plays which always takes place be
fore the tryout for parts are held.
Both of these, however, have been
presented here and with a good
measure of success. The third, Fix
in’s was presented here last night
and again tonight, and its success
was far above that of the other two
presented at the same time.
Miss Cobb’s play, Gaius and Gaius
Jr., is a story of antebellum days, laid
on the plantatiin of one of the South’s
largest land and slave owners, and
both of them are graduates of the
University. The old man is a blus
tering, self-conscious, head-strong
person, afflicted with heart trouble.
He and his son are, incidentally, of
very near the same stature. The eld
er Gaius has done many wrong things
in his life time and still does them.
His wife and son are not in sympa
thy with these things and he is the
object of frequent attacks by them,
but he never relents nor repents un
til he has what he thinks is his last
attack of the heart. The son is in
love with a woman, the father ob
jecting on the grounds that she is
not of a good family. He awakes
one morning, puts on a suit of
clothes, and finds that they do not
fit him, the suit being far too small.
He thinks again that he is on his
death-bed due to a swelling caused
by his heart. Another scene of re
pentance takes place, and he signs a
(Continued on page four)
The High Heel
Must Go, Say
Shoe People
Chicago, Feb. 10.—This year’s
shoes will have no skyscraper heels,
sharply pointed toes or stunted
vamps, accordnig to the styles com
mittee of the National Retailers as
sociation, which opens its annual
convention and style review here to-i
morrow. New features, buckles and
materials are introduced in the exhib-:
it of 15,000 pairs of shoes on dis-,
play. None but those conforming to
the styles committee’s slogan “free
dom from foot hurts” have been per
mitted. “Such terms as ‘French
heels’ and ‘French toe’ are fast dis
appearing,” asserted G. M. Spangler,
secretary-treasurer of the convention.
“To-day most of the models originate
in America and the growth of the in
dustry in the United States has elim
inated, to a great extent, the importa
tion of ideas from France.”
POU STRONG FOR
TAX-EXEMPT BONDS
Tells Congress South
Cannot Improve Its
Roads And Schools
If Change Is Made.
MAKES A STRONG PLEA
Washington, Feb. 7—Representa
tive Edward W. Pou, head of the
Carolina delegation in the house,
warned the members of that body to
day that the proposition to adopt a
constitutional amendment to prohibit
the issuance of tax-exempt bonds. It
would make it impossible to improve
roads or schools and greatly add to
the burden of the people. He used
North Carolina as an illustration.
“There should be no misunderstand
ing about this amendment you are
asking to vote for,” said he. “It saves
nobody a single dollar, but it adds to
the burden of the people. It is a pro
posal to add new taxes to the already
enormous burden which the people
are forced to bear.
“The rule providing for the consid
eration of this proposed constitution
al amendment strikes at the very life
of those states of the nation which
find it necessary to issue bonds. I
I feel constrained to say this about
this proposed constitutional amend
ment. The people of the district I
represent have honored me with their
confidence over a long period of
(Continued on page four)
World Figure May
Visit Smithfield
Many Smithfield people are becom
ing interested in a proposal to bring
to Smithfield n March Dr. Wlfred T.
Grenfell, of Laborador, who is known
over the entire world as the mission
ary doctor of Laborador, and one of
the most interesting characters in the
world today. He is to be in Golds
boro under the auspices of the Ki
wanis club March 11. A letter has
just been received by Mrs. S. L. Mor
gan from the Alkahest Lyceum bu
reau at Atlanta, as follows:
“Your yetter of December 10th in
quiring for lecture engagement by
Dr. Grenfell has been referred to us.
We have but one open date in Dr.
Grenfell’s tour this year—that is
March 12th. His terms are $300 per
lecture. We might arrange to re
duce this price to some extent—pos
sibly as low as $250.00 if you think
you can handle the engagement suc
cessfully there at Smithfield. We en
close, herewith, circular and shall be
glad to hear from you as soon as
you have investigated the possibili
ties.”
This is printed that the matter in
detail may be brought promptly to
the attention of our community. Ac
tion will have to be taken promptly,
if we secure Dr. Grenfell. The cost
would be a trifle if the churches and
the clubs of the town would interest
themselves. It seems a privilege too
great for our town to miss it.
Impressive Statue of Lincoln
Dfidtrwftod &
Underwood
3 M
This splendid bronze statue of Abraham Lincoln stands in front of the
Court House in Newark, N. J., and is regarded as one of best In the coun
try, although many cities have wonderful Lincoln memorials.
Woodrow Wilson Memorial
Service Held Here Sunday
NO HEARING IN
GATLING CASE
Brought Back To Raleigh From
Florida Sunday Night;
Does Not Talk
Raleigh, Feb. 11.—Lawrence Gat
ling, brought back ti Raleigh late
Sunday night from Jacksonville, Fla.,
and now safe behind cell bars in Wake
county jail, will not be given a pre
liminary hearing but will be called
for trial at the regular March term
of Wake Superior Court on a charge
of murder for the killing of his wife
Helen Gatling and Owen Stephens
on the night December 30 in Gating’s
home on Fairview street, ear Hayes
Barton.
The action of the grand jury in
returning a true bill against Gat
ling at the January regular term
of court precludes any form of a
hearing as the latter court proced
ure is merely to pass the case to the
grand jury. Gatling was indicted
without delay in order that he could
be more readily brought back to
this city if caught elsewhere.
Gatling was brought back here
Sunday night by Captain N. Warren,
of the Raleigh police, and Deputy
(Continued on page four)
IN HOSPITAL AS RESULT
OF MIXING BOOZE
AND GASOLINE
J. W. Wilson of Angier was taken
to the Smithfield Memorial hospital
late Saturday afternoon after an au
tomobile accident in which he suffer
ed a four inch gash on his head. The
automobile accident occurred in front
of the Grantham place, two miles
from town on the Raleigh road, when
the new Ford in which Wilson was
driving had a head on collision with
a Ford drven by Joe Capps. Capps
was on his way to Smithfield while
Wilson was going to Raleigh. Ac
cording to report, Wilson had taken
too much liquor, and arrest was made
by the sheriff. Three hundred dol
lars were found on his person, which
amount was taken charge of by the
sheriff as bond for his appearance
j in Recorder’s Court today.
Hon. Chas. R. Ross, Of
Lillington Beautiful
Eulogy To A Large
Audience.
MEETING AT COURT HOUSE
In keeping with the proclamation
issued by the governor of North
Carolina, and that of the mayor of
this city, Smithfield did honor to the
departed Woodrow Wilson, in a spe
cial service Sunday afternoon held
at the court house at 3:30 o'clock.
A brief devotional program, of which
a solo by Miss Frances White, of
Meredith College, director of the
choir at the local Baptist church,
was a feature, preceded the memorial
address, delivered by Hon. Charles R.
Ross, of Lillington.
Mr. Ross always a most pleasing
speaker, with the world’s outstand
ing character as a subject, his eulo
gy was unusually fine. He stated
in the beginning that it is fitting
when a great man passes for men
and women to gather to do honor to
his achievements. God chooses men
upon whose lives he writes his mes
sages to mankind. Such chosen are
His living epistles. “But,” he said,
“we are yet too close to the life of
Woodrow Wilson to properly place
him in the world’s gallery of great
men.” It is like viewing a mountain
scene at too close range. Although
familiar with the things close at
hand, the gorges, the mountain caves,
the mountain verdure, the effect is
not the same as when viewed from
a distance. The picture is not so
| complete. Just so a few years hence
Wilson’s place in history will be
rounded out.
Nevertheless, in close range of Wil
| son’s achievements, we can pronounce
him great in a number of fields of
endeavor. “We approach the lives of
men, to measure them,” said Mr.
Ross, “by different standards.” But
by what ever standard we use, Wil
son is great. As an author Woodrow
Wilson is great. His books are in
every public library. In his books
of economics and history, he caught
the truth of a great democracy and
portrayed it—a fact that has made
(Continued on page four)
4 Women Break
Eve’s Tradition;
Keep Bok Secret
New York, Feb. 9.—Five persona
kept the secret of the identity of the
Bok prize winner, and four of them
were women. The man was Dr.
Charles Herbert Levermore himself.
Dr. Levermore said today that on De
cember 26, Miss Esther Everett Lape,
secretary of the American peace
award, informed him of his success in
the $100,000 contest. One of Miss
Lape’s office associates ulao knew
he had won. he said. Then he told
his wife and his stenographer. The
latter had typed the plan, anyway,
he explained, and would have recog
nized it in the newspapers. He pledg
ed her to secrecy.
“She must have done the same
thing I did,” Dr. Levermore said with
a laugh, “that is, tell a number of I
whoppers.”
AMERICA CANT LET
GERMAN BABIES DIE
—
They Should Not Be
Made To Suffer Be
cause of the Unfortu
nate Flag Incident.
WILSON WAS INTERESTED
New York, Feb. 10.—The churches
of America, despite the German em
bassy’s failure to half staff its flag
the day of former President Wilson’s
death will continue plans for the re
lief of starving children in Germany,
Rev. Samuel McCrea Cavert, a gener
al secretary of the Federal Council
of Churches, said today.
“We are not willing to allow a
slight, even to so honored a leader
as Mr. Wilson,” Rev. Cavert said, “to
serve as an excuse for letting little
children starve. They, at least, can
in no way be held responsible for
the action of the German ambassa
dor.
“Mr. Wilson, himself, we may be
sure, would have been the last man
in the world to condone an attitude
of resentment or callous indifference
toward them. Only a few days be
fore his death he expressed deep
solicitude for the suffering in Ger
many.
“We truly honor his memory by
sharing his spirit of genorous good
will, not by making a slight to him
a protest for turning a deaf ear to
two and a half million children who
are crying for br*«d.”
Mr. S. R. Brady Dies at
Home Here Monday
People not only in Smithfield but
in the county will receive with sor
row the news of the death of Mr.
S. R. Brady, whch occurred at him
home here yesterday morning about
four o’clock. Mr. Brady was Deputy
Clerk in Sheriff Massey’s office, and
had a large circle of acquaintances
all of whom held him in high es
teem. He moved to this city from
: Princeton about five years ago when
Sheriff Massey was inducted into of
fice.
The end came after a lingering ill
ness with heart trouble. For twenty
or more years he had known that he
had a leaking heart, but never had
any serious attack until last Sep
tember when he was stricken with
inflamatory rheumatism. Since that
time he was unable to attend to his
duties, though not confined to his
bed continuously. ,
The deceased would have been for
ty-three years old had he lived until
March. He was born and reared in
Boon Hill township, where he lived
until he came to this city. He made
a profession of relgion in a revival
conducted by Rev. D. H. Tuttle sev
eral years ago, and joined the Meth
odist church being a faithful and con
sistent member until his death.
The funeral services will be con
ducted by his pastor in the Metho
(Continued on page four)
MEMORIALS HELD
IN VARIOUS CITIES
National Capital Pays
T ribute; Josephus
Daniels Speaks In
Philadelphia.
N. C. PAYS HOMAGE
Washington Feb. 10.—Tribute was
paid today to the memory of Wood
row Wilson in the Central Presby
terian church here, where he had
worshipped in his vigorous days.
President and Mrs. Coloidge and
many high government officials were
present to hear the Rev. Dr. James
H. Taylor deliver his sermon, “A
Great Man Has Fallen,” and to listen
to those hymns the dead President
loved. They sat nenr Mr. Wilson’s
flag-draped pew, which is to be in
mourning for thirty days.
JOSEPHUS DANIELS SPEAKS
IN PHILADELPHIA
Philadelphia, Pa., Feb. 10.—Jo
sephus Daniels was one of the speak
ers at a Woodrow Wilson memorial
service held in the Academy of Mu
sic here at 11 o'clock this morning.
He was not on the program, but
when Philadelphia friends found that
he was in the audience they insisted
on his speaking.
He said he regarded it as a sacred
privilege to join the service in mem
ory of his chief. He told of his last
meeting with Mr. Wilson and of ex
pressing to the former Chief Magis
trate a felling of disappointment that
his ideals had not come nearer to
realization and of Mr. Wilson's spirit
of hopefulness as displayed in his
response which was in substance that
thefe was no room for doubt that
the world peace he and his associates
had fought for would in time surely
come.
Wilmington Honors Wilson
There was a Woodrow Wilson me
morial servie last night at the First
Presbyterian church. Every seat was
taken before the organ prelude was
ended. The opening anthem was
"How Long Wilt Thou Forget Me.”
Then the quartet sang "The Son of
God Goes Forth to War.”
Other music included hymns loved
by the dead statesman. The closing
song before the benediction was “Day
Is Dying In the West.” After the
benediction the audience stood in
meditation and prayer.
The subject of the sermon by the
Rev. A. D. P. Gilmour, D. D., the
pastor, was “Woodrow Wilson, the
Christian.”—Wilmington Star.
JUDGE STACY PAYS
TRIBUT’ IN RALEIGH
“The power with which he lifted
the life and heart of a nation and
a world and inspired a new faith,
a new hope and a new courage will
live in history as the outstanding
achievement of Woodrow Wilson,”
declared Justice W. P. Stacy to an
audience of three thousand people
at the memorial services to the great
War President yesterday afternoon
in the city auditorium.
Touched by the tributes paid by
Judge Stacy, R. N. Simms, and Gen
eral Albert L. Cox, the great audi
ence sat in silence without the sac
rilege of applause, and poured out
its feeling and reverence in splendid
singing of the great hymns loved
best by the great President. Mayor
E. E. Culbreth presided at the meet
ing. —News and Observer.
In the presence of the greatest
i throng which ever gathered in the
National theatre, a mighty audience
of nearly 2,500 persons, jamming ev-:
ery foot of space in the largest au
ditorium in the city, Governor Cam
eron Morrison yesterday afternoon
led the people of Greensboro in a
memorial service to Woodrow Wil
son, the man who today “is in the
hearts of more men and women than
any man who was ever on the earth.”
"They say he has failed,” the gov
(Continued on page four)