OFFICERS CAPTURE
DISTILLING OUTFIT
Largest Whiskey Still Ever Cap
tured in Johnston Seized
Monday in Bentonville.
WAS VALUED AT $3,000.00
The biggest whiskey still ever cap
tured in Johnstor County was siezed
Monday by Deputy Sheriffs J. J.
Eason, J. D. Stephenson and W. L.
Ellis, of this city, Robert Keen, of
Four Oaks, and J. Mang Wood and
brother, of Meadow township, The
still was located about a mile and a
half beyond the home of Mr. J. J.
Rose, near a creek in Bentonville
township. It was a large copper out
fit of about 200-gallon capacity.
The officers approached the still
bout sunset Monday afternoon and
found two white men and four ne
gros who broke and ran as the offi- j
e£rs came upon them. One man, M.
D. Cline, a young white man from
Durham, was captured and brought
here to jail, where he still remains.
The others made their escape. At
the first sign of commotion raised
by the officers at the still, two white
men who were at an old house near
the still sprang into a big six-cyl- j
inder automobile wwhich was on the
opposite side of the house from the
officers, and fairly shot down the
road in their mad flight. Several arti
inder automobile which was on the
in the house.
The still was complete in every de
tail. Besides the 200-gallon copper
istill which had two doubling worms,
ten vats six feet square and three
feet deep filled with something like
4,000 gallons of beer that was being
run, thirty-seven half-gallon fruit
jars containing corn whiskey, were
found. Ten dozen empty half-gallon
fruit jars, axes, a pitchfork, and
other things were around the still.
The outfit was valued at about $3,
000.
The names of the four negros and
the three white men who escaped are
not known, although the officers
have some clues upon which they are
working. It is thought that all the
white men and some of the negros
were from Durham, and had sought
this out-of-the-way place to make a
supply of whiskey for the State Fair
which is being held in Raleigh this
week.
Trinity Alumni Meet.
Rev. I). H. Tuttle, president, is
calling for a meeting of the Trinity
Alumni Association o f Johnston
County at G:30 p.m on Monday, Oc
tober 20. The meeting will be held
in the Busy Men’s class room of the
Methodist church. After the meet
ing they will be expected to attend a
motion picture “A *'»_■» r at Trinity
Colege” to be given at the Victory
Theatre. Every member is expected
to be present.
There will be prayer meeting at
Pisgah Baptist church Sunday night
at 7:30 o’clock. Everybody is invited
attend.
Bentonville Fair To
Be Biggest Yet
A communication from Mr. J.
Harvey Marshburn, secretary of the
fair, indicates that prreparations are
now under way for the greatest
community fair yet held in Johnston
County. The date of the fair is Oc
tober 23rd, and the place is Oak
Grove school house, which is located
about the center of the old battle
field. Hon. Frank Page and Col.
Fred A. Olds, of Raleigh, are expec
ted, na deverybody is invited.
The Bentonsville township fair is
doing more for the community than
showing farm and live-stock exhibits.
It is endeavoring to solve one of the
greatest problems that can concern
the general welfare of any people;
namely, that of providing some
means of road improvement which
will give an easy outlet to the rail
road centers and the county seat. A
visit by the public to this splendid
agricultural and historic section of
the county will stimulate road de
velopment for this section, and the
attractive township fair which will
be held there next Thursday will
offer a most timely advantage for the
occasion.
Baptists And Methodists
Forget Creeds In Hymns
c? J
___m
To Establish Auto
License Bureau Here
Through the efforts of Mr. W.
Ransom Sanders, Secretary of
State W. N. Everett is establishing
a state automobile license bureau
in this city. It will be located in
the show room of the Sanders
Motor Company, and this firm
will have charge of issuing the
licenses. This will be quite a con
venience for Smithfield and the
surrounding country. It will be in
operation in about ten days.
COTTON ESTIMATE
MAY BE TOO HIGH
k. r. Stevens Thinks Govern
ment Report Too High by
500,000 to 750,000 Bales
COTTON BELT RETURNS
“The government report on the
1924 cotton crop is far too high by
possibly 500,000 to 750,000 bales,”
says Mr. Harry P. Stevens of this
city, who has just returned from a
trip through the cotton belt of the
South as far as Texas. Mr. Stevens
came to this conclusion after talking
with those familiar with the exist
ing conditions on 27 million acres of
the 1924 crop.
“The opinions of the Big Cotton
Dealers,” further reports Mr. Ste
vens, “vary, of course, but there was
an appraent unanimity that the pro
duction of the cotton belt West of the
Mississippi River would not exceed
7,000,000 bales. Now if you will take
the estimates for the Government as
of October 1 for all cotton produced
East of the Mississippi River, you
will get a total production of 12,053,
000 bales for 1924. There is a wide
diversity of opinion relative to the
merits of the Government reporting
system as to its accuracy. We do
kno wthis, however, that these re
ports, whether accurate or inaccur
ate. create a sentiment that sends the
price either up or down.
“As to the physical condition of
the cotton crops along the way tra
versed. T could only judge in a lim
ited way. I am fully persuaded,
however, that in Louisiana, East,
Southern and Central Texas where
they had an extremely dry, hot sum
mer, that the crrop will be consid
erably shorter than a year ago and
that the staple will be of a very in
ferior quality.
“Western Texas is expected to
make the largest crop in its histo
ry. Here is where the big crop must
be made or lost.
“I am reliably informed by a very
acurate observer that the rains of
early September apparently did
much good in that section. Then in
their wake came numerous boll weev
il, boll worms and grasshoppers. Cot
good the last week in September,
ton in that section was just opening
therefore, the bumper crop prospects
for 1924 will be determined by the
outcome in that Western Belt, where
thousands and thousands of acres of
prairie lands this year are expected
to produce ‘King Cotton’. ”
JOHNSTON AT FAIR
Number of Farm Exhibits From
Johnston at Dunn Fair.
Among the farm exhibits at the
Dunn Fair from Johnston county
last week were those put on by Mr.
Seth Lee of Peacock’s Cross Roads;
Mr. S. P. Honeycutt, of Benson; Mr.
L. Parker, of Benson, R. F. D. Mr.
Lee had an exhibit of pure bred Du
roc Jerseys which created quite a
bit of comment. Mr. Honeycutt took
the blue ribbon for the best individ
ual farm display. Mr. Parker had an
exhibit of Italian bees. He had an
observation hive and honey both ex
tracted and in the comb.
Watch the date on your label and
renew when your time expires.
Novel Feature Turns Atten
tion From Noisy Midway;
50 Singers In Chorus.
R. E. THOMAS HAD THE
CENTRAL PLACE OF DAY
Shouting Baptists and singing
Methodists, regardless of creed,
united in the common accomplish
ment of raising a tunc, and acres
of space in which to do it—the John
ston county choir, fifty strong,
turned the attention of the Fair
throngs yesterday from the midway
attractions to home-made music, and
drowned out the melodious wails of
the merry-go-rounds with hymn
tunes raised with a pitch pipe and
sent forth with the pure joy of sing
ing.
They were present from every
Baptist and Methodist church in
Johnston county, and there was no
denominational choice of tunes. R. E.
Thomas, who represented the John
son Union church, moved up on the
platform and led some singing that
started with all decorum out of a
hymn book, but soon graduated into
tunes that everybody could keep up
with by the clapping of the leader’s
hands.
And the leader, sending forth a
leading note every now and ther to
guide his forty-nine followers, kept
time with his hands and the hymn
book until the latter got in his way,
and then he got rid of it to give him
self more leeway. He was singing,
and in earnest about it.
The tunes wrent on back beyond
i the familiar hymns in churches to
day and centered on the Fiful that
can be sung without accompaniment
other than the rolling bass and the
tuneful tenor, while the women car
ried the soprano along at a lively
clip.
But it was R. E. Thomas who had
the central place of the day. Smil
ing a smile that would have made
anybody sing, he pitched his tunes,
and called for action, specifying a
little more tenor or a litle more alto,
as-his ear caught a breakdown, and
clapping his hands, up above the
choir which was informally grouped
around him on the ground, in rhyth
mic and good old-timey fashion.
And as the crowd gradually for
sook midway and the lunch-stands,
there were conjectures as to what it
was all about, until S. P. Honeycutt,
(Continued on page four)
DEMOCRATS START
COUNTY CAMPAIGN
Messrs Baxter Durham, Charles
Ross and A. L. Brooks To
Speak Next Week.
BROOKS HERE WED. NIOHT
T h e Democratic campaign i n
Johnston county is well under way,
and if the initial “speakings” held
at Peacock’c Cross Roads in Meadow
township and at Oak Grove in Benton
ville township Tuesday night are any
indication democracy will come out
with flying colors at the polls on
November 4*h.
Hon. Baxter Durham, nominee for
State Auditor, was at Peacock’s
Cross Roads Tuesday night and made
a rousing speech. He discussed na
tional, state and county issues and
about a hundred were out to hear him.
Also a number of the county candi
dates were present and made talks.
Among these were Messrs W. T. >
Adams, Alonzo Parrish, W. J. Mar
sey, G. A. Martin and E. F. Ward.
Owing to sickness in his family,
Solicitor Clawson L. Williams was un
able to be present at Oak Grove, but
Messrs. P. B. Chamblee, J. A. Keen,
D. M. Hall, H. P. Johnson, P. D.
Grady and If. V. Rose were on hand,
and the cause of democracy did not
languish. A good crowd was present
and a healthy interest was manifest
ed in the coming election.
Candidates upheld the issues of
the campaign at Plainfield School
and Mill Creek on Wednesday night
and at Micro last night.
Tonight, R. S. McCoin is scheduled
to speak at Pino Level, and a meeting
will also be held at Rehobeth School
in Elevation township.
Next Monday evening at 7:.'!0
o’clock Auditor Baxter Durham, of
Raleigh will speak at Mt. Zion, and
on the same evening Mr. Charles
Ross of Lillington will speak at Sandy
Springs school house. Tuesday even
ing Mr. Ross will be at Wilson’s
Mills, and Mr. Durham will be at
at Brogden. Both of those men are
good speakers and large crowds
should greet them at each appoint
ment.
Hon. A. L. Brooks, of Greensboro,
will speak in the Court house here
Wednesday night—a fine opportuni
ty for voters to hear the campaign
issues ably expounded.
All township chairman in Johnston
county are requested to send in to
Mr. W. T. Adams a list of all town
ship candidates at once.
National Pig: Oirl
MISS GOLDA FOSSETT
has the distinction of running the
greatest hog show in the world, as
Secretary and Manager of the Na
tional Swine Show held annually at
Peoria, 111., where some 1G00 cham
pion porkers from all over the U. S.
compete.
DEATH CLAIMS A
USEFUL CITIZEN
Mrs. Laura Creech Passes Away
At Her Home in Four Oaks
Wednesday Morning.
MOTHER OF C. A. CREECH
Friends throughout the county
and state were grieved Wednesday
when they learned of the death of
Mrs. Laura Creech which occurred
at her home in Four Oaks Wednes
day morning at 2:45 o’clock. She had
been ill for some time and her death
was not unexpected. She had recent
ly passed hre sixty-seventh birthday.
Mrs. Creech was the widow of the
late Ezekiel Creech, one of the pio
neer settlers of Four Oaks and one
of its first city fathers, who died
twenty eight years ago. Mrs. Creech
was one of the founders of the Four
Oaks Baptist church and was per
haps the first member of any church
in the town of P’our Oaks. She was
a daughter of Mr. James Hardee
Poole, a citizen of Johnston County,
whose family is one of the oldest and
best known in the county.
After a long busy and useful life
she died as she had lived—honored
trusted and loved. She reared her
own monument while she lived, in the
hearts of all who knew her. Her life
was completed, if work done and
well done constitutes completion.
Her Christian life was beautiful from
its beginning to its close, and through
all the changes and sorrows that she
met in her life, her faith in God never
wavered.
Impressive funeral services were
held in the Four Oaks Baptist church
yesterday morning, at eleven o’clock.
The services were conducted by her
first pastor, who was also pastor of
the Baptist church here at that time.
Rev. John W. Suttle, now of Shelby.
He was assisted by Rev. J. A. Ivey,
pastor of Four Oaks Baptist church.
The floral designs were many and un
usually beautiful. Interment was
made in the Four Oaks cemetery.
The deceased is survived by eight
children: Mrs. John W. Sanders and
Mrs. E. B. Johnson, of Four Oaks;
Mrs. L. L. Levinson, of Bensbn;
(Contineud on page four)
HOLT GOES TO ROAD
Tobe Holt Convicted of Slander
of Mrs. Paul C. Duncan.
In Recorder’s Court Tuesday morn
ing, C. A. Holt, commonly known as
Tobe Holt, of Princeton, was con
victed of slander of Mrs. Paul C. Dun
can, who was Miss Minnie Straughn
before her marriage, and a member
of one of the oldest and most high
ly respected families of the county.
Judge Noble sentenced Holt to serve
twelve months on the public roads of
Smithfield. Holt was also convicted
of trespass on the premises of Mrs.
Duncan, and of carrying concealed
weapons, a pair of brass' knucks. He
was sentenced to thirty days on the
roads in each of those cases upon con
viction,
i
NINETY TEACHERS
IN SESSION HERE
Almost a Huundred Per Cent of
The Teachers of The Eight
Months School Present.
EXTENSION CLASS HERE
“A new school building does not
make a school,” County Superinten
dent H. B. Marrow told the ninety
school teachers who assembled in the
court house here Tuesday in the
first Teachers’ meeting of the school
year. Out of the eight schools repre
sented here (Kenly, Glendale, Micro,
Wilson’s Mills, Pine Level, Princeton,
Four Oaks and Meadow), every
school with the exception of Meadow
either has a new building or addi
tions have been made to the old one.
All are brick buildings except the one
at Meadow, and an election is pend
ing in this district.
Continuing his line of thought,
Supt. Marrow stressed the fact that
the teacher and not the equipment
makes a school. Comfortable build
ings are needed, but they do not de
termine the spirit of a school.
The meeting here Tuesday which
included only teachers of the eight
months schools in the county, had
almost a hundred percent attendance,
there being only two teachers who
were unavoidably detailed, absent.
The program for the day was in
formal, the object being to dissemi
nate necessary information concern
ing the schools and to give out blanks,
etc., that will be needed for reports.
Those besides Mr. Marrow addressing
the teachers were Miss Mary E. Wells,
rural supervisor, Miss Virginia Puck
ett, who has charge of the census
seports, and Mr. H. V. Rose, County
Superintendent of Public Welfare.
Before the teachers adjourned, quite
a number enrolled for the Extension
class which will be conducted here
once each week by Dr. Edgar K.
Knight, of the State Univeristy. An
nouncement had been previously
made that the class would alternate
between this city and Selma, but
owing to the increased enrollment
the change was made to the court
house on each Friday afternoon. The
class will study “Public Education
in the United States.”
BAPTIST CHURCH SUNDAY
Sunday school 9:30. Efforts will
be made in all services of the day
to round up the revival meteings and
to conserve its fruits. Opportunities
will be given to others who may wish
to unite with the church. The pastor
will preai’h at both services and call
for further decisions to follow Christ.
Monday evening Mr. Perry Morgan,
the State B. Y. P. U. leader, will be
present for an important meeting in
which this and other near-by church
es will participate—a rally meetnig
for the group of churches. The young
people are specially invited. A cor
dial welcome to all.
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
Sunday school at 10 o’clock Sun
day morning.
Morning prayer and sermon at 11
o’clock.
Evening prayer and sermon at 7:30
Youth Challenges
Mrs. E. C. Gregory
Spencer, Oct. 15.—Mrs. Edwin C.
Gregory, of Salisbur, vice chairman
of the Rowan Democratic Executive
Committee has been challenged to a
joint debate on the merits of Davis
and LaFollette by a ninth grade
school boy in Spencer, Ralph G. Sim
merson. The challenge came about
when Mrs. Gregory made an address
to the women in Spencer one evening
this week when young Simmerson
gained admittance and took excep
tion to the statements made by Mrs.
Gregory as to Mr. Davis, Mr. LaFol
lette and on the questions of prohibi
tion and child labor legislation. In
a letter addressed to Mrs. Gregory,
Young Simmerson says that if the
vice chairman of the Democratic Ex
ecutive Committee believes Mr. Da
vis to be such a great friend of la
bor she would certainly be willing to
defend him in a debate with a school
boy. The challenge is good for any
date in Rowan county and it is spec
ified that the audience is to be the
j judge. u__
New Branch of Atlantic Coast
Line May Come By Smithfield
Dreams of all recent presidents
of the Raleigh Chamber of Commerce
for another railroad connection for
the Capital City have been brought
within 17 miles of fulfillment, bar
ring some unexpected hitch in nego
tiations already completed between
the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad and
the Montgomery Lumber Company,
owner of the 22 miles of railroad be
tween Spring Hope and Rolesvelle.
Frank S. Sprull, of Rocky Mount,
attorney for both the rail roads,
stated over long distance telephone
last night that the purchase price
has been agreed upon and the nego
tiations completed except for details.
Mr. Spruill stated he was not at lib
erty to mention the price involved in
the transaction.
Application has already been made
by the Atlantic Coast Line to the
Interstate Comerce Commission for
authority to make the purchase.
Permission of the rate making body
is required by act of Congress but
no difficulty in this respect is an
ticipated by the two railroads.
While the new move makes the
dream of Raleigh much easier of re
alization, bringing the objective 22
miles nearer and putting the termin
us in Rolesville, only 17 miles away,
the present plan of course involves
only the road now actually in exist
ence, which has been made profita
ble by the success of the granite
quarries located near Rolesville.
In contemplation of the materiali
zation of the plan to bring the rail
i
road here, the 1921 General Assembly
passed an enabling act authorizing
the creation of a special tax district
composed of the City of Raleigh and
the territory between Raleigh and
and Rolesville, which when created
is authorized to vote upon itself a
bond issue of $700,000 for the pur
pose of financing the project.
No action has been taken along
this line, but the acquisition of the
short line by the Atlantic Coast Line
is expected to greatly sitmulate the
movement to procure another trunk
line for Raleigh.
The road by way of Rolesville to
Spring Hope, which is on the Rocky
Mount -Norfolk division of the Coast
Line is only one of two possibilities
for getting another railroad for
Raleigh. There is another easy means
of linking the Coast Line system
with the Capital City, by way of
Smithfield, which is only 28 miles
from Raleigh and through which
run both the main line of the Coast
Line and a branch to Goldsboro.
Some of those who have been
greatly interested in the project be
lieve that when it comes the Coast
Line will come by Smithfield, point
ing out that the Rolesville route
would not only let the Coast Line
into Raleigh, but would also serve its
two chief competitors, the Southern
Railway and the Seaboard Air Line
Railroad, by opening up to those
carriers valuable .territory now cut
off from them. The Smithfield route
does not furnish that possibility.
—News and Observer. Oct. 14