TOWN IS SHOCKED
BY TRW DEATH
T. S. Ragsdale Shoots Himself
With Shot Gun Early Wed
nesday Morning.
FUNERAL YESTER ) \ V
The entire town and community
■was shocked Wednesday morning
when the news flew from lip to lip
that Mr. T. S. Ragsdale had fatally
shot himself that morning just be
fore eight o’clock. Mr. Ragsdale
had arisen in unusual spirits that
morning and was preparing to go
bird hunting. He had taken his gun
and had gone into a small dressing
room opening off his bedroom. Soon
afterward the family heard a report,
went to the room and found that a
shot had entered below his chin and
had gone through his head. Medi
cal assistance was summoned immed
iately but the shot evidently brought
instantaneous death.
About two years ago Mr. Rags- j
dale suffered a nervous breakdown,
but it was believed that he was much
improved. He had been attending to
his business as usual and on Tues
day followed the tobacco market here,
buying some tobacco. He had only re
cently returned from a business trip
to Valdosta, Ga.
The deceased was one of the most
prominent citizens of Smithfield, and
the news of his death will be a dis
tinct shock to many who will now
learn of it for the first time. He has
a number of friends and acquain
tances not only in Johnston County
but throughout the eastern tobacco
&elt. He was a life-long tobacconist.
He was born fifty-three years ago in
Granville County. He was engaged
in the tobacco business in Louisburg
before he came to this city in 1898,
the year a tobacco market was estab
lished in Smithfield. He was the first
proprietor of the Riverside ware
house which formerly stood on the
location now occupied by the San,ders
Motor Company. Since that time he
has been prominently associated with
the tobacco interests of Smithfield
and was at the time of his death
owner and proprietor of the largest
re-drying plant in this section.
In January, 1900, Mr. Ragsdale
was married to Miss Eliza Robinson,
uf this city. To this union were born
four children: George Y., T. S., Jr.,
Kate Nixon, and Hugh Ragsdale. The
little girl died in infancy. Several
years after the death of his first
wife in 1913 he was again married,
this time to Miss Elizabeth Hancock,
of New Bern, who together with the
three sons, survives. An orphaned
niece of the deceased, little Miss
Juanita Sorrell, whom Mr. and Mrs.
Ragsdale had taken in their home, al
so survives.
The deceased had been for a num
ber of years a member of the Bap
tist church. He was a member of the
board of deacons and was superin
tendent of the Sunday school until
a few weeks ago. He was liberal in
his contributions to the church and
was identified with its every move
ment.
The funeral was held yesterday
afternoon at three o’clock in the Bap
tist church, after which interment
was made in the city cemetery. The
service was conducted by Rev. S. L.
Morgan, pastor of the deceased, as
sisted by Rev. D. H. Tuttle, of Elm
City, formerly pastor of the Metho
dist church here. A large concourse
dist church here. Dr. J. L. Peacock
aso had a part in the service. A
friends was present t o pay a last
large concourse of relatives and
tribute of respect to the departed.
The floral offerings were numerous
and beautiful. The honorary pall
bearers were members of the board
of deacons of the BZaptist church
and were as follows: Messrs. M. A.
Wdllace, W. H. Lassiterf Lawrence
Brown. W. T. Holland, L. T. Royall,
J. A. Underhill, D. H. Creech, and J.
WT. Stephenson. The active pall bear
ers were: Messrs. P. H. Kasey, H. L.
Skinner, H. B. Marrow', J. J. Broad
hurst, N L. Perkins, F. H. Brooks,
R. P. Holding, and Dr. Thel Hooks.
Watch the date on your label—and
renew.
Johnston County
Tax Books Open
Mr. J. P. Parker, sheriff of
Johnston County, has asked us to
announce that hte tax hooks are
now ready and taxes may be paid
at any time.. Sheriff Massey will
for the present keep an office in
the judge’s room on the second
floor of the court for the purpose
of collecting the delinquent taxes.
The county commissioners at their
meeting here Tuesday authorized
the sheriff to send each tax payer
an itemized statement of his tax
es of 1924.. This plan was used
last year with satisfactory results.
North Carolina's Next
Gov. and First Lady
A Robesonian, Fred Brown, of Lum
berton, writes to the editor of the
Lumberton newspaper the following
letter—and appreciation of Governor
Elect A. W. McLean and his good
wife.
Now that the election of 1924 is
a thing of the past, we wonder if there
be any Robesonian who will ever for
get it. Robeson (still, we believe, the
largest county in the old North state)
has had her first recognition and has
lent to North Carolina for four years
at least her most loved and distin
guished son. A. W. McLean’s elec
tion to the highest office within the
gift of the people of North Carolina
shows at least two things:
First, it shows the possibilities of
a country boy born and reared on the
farm in what was once old Blue
Springs township. He became famil
iar with nature and her laws. Young
McLean at an early age character
ized himself as a student, and those
who knew him then will today testi
fy that he never was idle. When not
engaged in the work of the farm, or
in the woods dipping turpentine, he
could be found carefully persuing his
books and, the periodicals of that
day. True, like all boys, he gave some
time to training his social nature.
Having been born and reared in a
cultured Christian home, culture and
refinement and attendance upon the
services of the sanctuary became
a second nature with hime for no boy
ever had a better father and mother
than did A. W. McLean, though both
have for several years been gathered
unto their fathers, yet their memory
still abides as a sweet aroma, and
their children rise up and call them
blessed. WiJton McLean was raised
not at the feet of Gamaliel but en
joyed the tutorage and companion
ship of such saintly men as Rev. Hec
tor McLean (his grand uncle), who
for more than half a century preach
ed the gospel at old Antioch Presby
terian church, and Rev. H. G. Hill,
who was pastor at Center and Max
ton. His environments were the best,
but these would not have placed him
where he today stands had there not
had coupled with it that strong Scot
tish determination which surmounts
all obstacles and knows no defeat.
The history of A. W. McLean if
written would read like fiction. As a
student, lawyer, farmer, banker and
all-round business man, success has
been written on every page.
But Mr. McLean’s election not on
ly show's the possibilities of a coun
try boy, but it also shows that merit
will win. Of McCleanls deeds of phil
anthropy and charity the world does
n't know but little. He has been un
tiring in his service to humanity, to
his county, state and nation, and in
him Robeson county has a son and
North Carolina a Governor of both
national and international reputation,
and while many of us who voted for
him may probably not live to see the
close of his administration, yet wre be
lieve when the future historian shall
rewrite the history of the old North
State, that the administration of the
immortals, Vance Glenn, Aycock,
Bickett, Kitchin and others will not
equal the administration of Robeson’s
son.
• Mr. McLean is not only prominent
ly qualified in every respect for the
great office while he will soon oc
cupy but this article would be incom
plete if we failed to mention her who
will be the first lady of North Caro
lina. She, too, is a Robeson county
product, possessed of all those finer
traits of character, which go to make
up a typical Southern lady—unas
D. G. SMUG IS NOW
KEEPERJO. HOME
New Hoard County Commission
ers Continues Busy Through
Second Day’s Session.
C. Q. STEPHENSON JAILER
The new board of County Commis
sioners met here again Tuesday to
complete work left undone at the
session Monday. Official bonds that
were not approved at the Monday ses
sion were completed Tuesday, which
together with the regular routine
business consumed practically the en
tire day. Applications were consid
ered from quite a number who wished
the position as keeper of the county
home. Mr. D. C. Smith, of Micro
township, received the appointment.
Mr. Charles Q. Stephenson was ap
pointed jailor to succeed his brother,
Mr. J. D. Stephenson. Mr. F. L.
Pittman was appointed court crier
and he will also be janitor of the
courthouse. Mr. Jesse Daughtry was
the former court crier.
Among other items of business
transacted were the following:
It was ordered that Mr. E. D. Eudy
complete the bridge across Swift
Creek near the Burkett Jones place
which Rad been contracted for by
Mr. R. D. Johnson.
It was ordered that Mr. Ira B. Ray
nor, chairman of the Banner town
ship road commission, meet and com
pete with the Harnett County road
man in making Johnston County’s
part of the road to the Harnett
line as good as that in Harnett, and
also to co-operate in building a bridge
over Mingo.
It u^as ordered that the register of
deeds give public notice that it is the
intention of the board to create a
bridge' commissioner for each town
ship in the near future.
It was ordered that William M.
Fancher, veterinarian who has been
doing work in the county in the ex
amination of cows for tuberculous,
be paid 222.50 for his salary and ex
penses for November.
Other bills and minor items were
disposed of.
Dwelling Near Depot
Burned Yesterday
The fire alarm yesterday called
out the fire company about 11:30
and it was found that the two-story
dwelling near the depot occupied by
C. L. W. Smith was on fire. The fire
company worked heroically and put
; out the fire before the building was
| burned to the ground. The furni
ture upstairs and part of that on the
first floor was burned, however.
The fire represents a considerable
loss which is sustained by Ashley
Smith, colored, who owned the build
ing and by C. L. W. Smith, his son,
part of whose furniture was burned.
The loss is partly covered by insur
ance.
Henry Ford Asked
To Renew His Bid
Washington, Dec. 2.—Henry
Ford was asked today in a tele
gram sent by Senator McKellar,
Tennessee, and Senator Heflin,
Alabama, Democrat, to renew his
offer for Muscle Shoals. Late to
dady the motor manufacturer had
not replied to the message. He
was asked that if the senate
agreed to accept his bid which was
withdrawn would he be willing to
accept the Muscle Shoals.
FORD REFUSES TO BID
Washington Dec- 3.—Henry
Ford today declined to commit
himself on the proposal to renew
his Muscle Shoals bid.
suring. yet a leader, cultured and re
fined, yet nothing superficial; and,
like her husband an humble follower
of the meek and lowly Nazarene. As
the people of North Carolina shall
look upon their next Governor and
wife, they may truthfully exclaim,
“Behold two Israelites indeed in
whom there is n oguile.”
GROWERS DELIVER
COOPS MIG BALES
Members of Cotton Asso- '.u^.n
To Receive Second Payments
Before Christmas.
DELIVERIES IN COU\ V
Receipts of cotton in Johnston
County by the North Carolina Cot
ton Growers Association have been
considerably larger this year up to
December 1 than they were last ear
for the same period. The market
opened September 1, and according
to figures given us by Mr. J. G.
Lawton, field representative of John
ston County, a total of 5,476 bales
had been delivered to the different
points in his district up to November
30. Nine hundred and fifty-two new
members delivered this amount, all
of whom will receive their second
payment sometime before Christmas.
An itemized statement of the de
liveries follows: eight persons deliv
ered 179 bales at Wilson’s Mills;
216 members, 1366 bales at Benson;
18 members, 104 bales at Angier; 108
persons 373 bales at Four Oaks; 86
members, 419 bales at Pine Level; 18
members, 73 bales at Fremont; 150
members, 1285 bales at Smithfield;
103 members, 463 bales at Kenly; 9
members, 35 bales at Coats; 37 mem
bers, 157 bales at Selma; 34 members,
204 bales at Princeton; 16 members,
42 bales at Goldsboro, 23 members,
77 bales at Micro; 74 members, 516
bales at Clayton; 24 members, 82
bales at Wendell; 16 members, 29
bales at Garner; 13 members, 73 bales
at Middlesex.
Dies As Result of
Motoring Accident
Pinehurst, Dec. 3—R. R. Sharman, |
of Youngstown, Ohio, died here to
night as a result of an accident in
curredd while motoring here from his
home in Youngstown when the auto
mobile in which he was riding ran
off a railroad bridge near LaOrosse,
Va„ and dropped 30 feet below. Mr.
Sharman was accompanied by his
wife and apparently neither of them
sustained serious injuries. They
boarded a train and proceeded to
Pinehorst- Mr. Sharman subsequent
ly developed pneumonia from which
he died tonight. He was 57 yaers of
age. He was the head of a large ,
printing establishment in Youngs
town and had been comig here ev
ery writer forssa.T ddayeiffisssn pacn
ery winter for a number of years.
His daughter and son in-law Dr. and
Mrs. C. M. Reed, were at his bedsine
when he passed away.,
Proprietor Busy Bee
Cafe In Toils of Law
J. E. Lewi.s, proprietor of the Busy
Bee Cafe, was arrested yesterday
morning:, being charged with giving
bad checks. The warrants were is
sued from Princeton, and the case will
be tried today (Friday) before C. H.
Holt in Princeton.
J. W. Wyatt Loses
His Home By Fire
Yesterday morning about 7:30
o’clock Mr. J. W. Wyatt, who lives
near Selma, had the misfortune to lose
his two-story dwellinghouse and prac
tically all furniture by fire. The
family was at breakfast when a
neighbor gave the alarm that the
whole top of the house was on fire.
The blaze had gained such a headway
that it was impossible to save the
building. The loss is estimated at j
?2500, which is partly covered by in
surance. Mr. Wyatt is connected with
the Selma Johnstonian.
Sam Hogwood Now
All Time Firemar
Mr. Sam Hogwood has been ap
pointed all time fireman and began
his duties December 1. Mr. Hog
wood is anxious to give good service
and asks the citizens of the tow'n to
co-operate with him by keeping trash
and rubbish cleaned up.
Oldest Senator
Senator Francis D. Warren, of
Wyoming, 82 years old. is now the
oldedst lawmaker in the upper
branch of Congress. He has been
mentioned as the next Senate leader
since the death of Senator Lodge.
Mr. S. A. Braxton
Organizes Band Here
The first meeting led by Mr. S. A.
Braxton, o fRaleigh, in an effort to
organize a band here was held Wed
nesday night in the Junior Order hall.
About fifteen were present at the
initial meeting and all were enthusi
astic for the organization of the
band. Mr. Braxton has promised to
give one lesson a week here, one ev
ery Wednesday night, and everybody
who has an instrument or is inter
ested in the band is invited to at
tend. The next meeting will be held
next Wednesday night, December 10.
Mr. Braxton is an experienced
leader of the 120th Infantry band in
Raleigh, and of the Raleigh high
school band. He is also leader of
several bands in other towns. He
hopse to have a 35-piece band here
within the next six months. Smith
field has for some time been striv
ing for a good band and it is hoped
that this effort will be successful.
All who are interested are urged to
be present at the next meeting Wed
nesday night.
County Treasurer
In Auditor’s Office
The new treasurer of Johnston
County, Mr. Geo. T. Scott, has given
bond and has taken over the work
of the treasurer from the Firt &
Citizens National Rank. Mr. Scott
may be found in the auditor’s office
in the court house.
Death of a Little Boy
The funeral of the little son of Mr.
and Mrs. Oscar Creech, who live on
Smitlifield, Route 1, was held yes
terday afternoon. The service was
conducted by Rev. H. R. Faircloth,
pastor of Hopewell Free Will Bap
tist church, and interment was made
in the Hopewell cemetery. Little
Malton was exactly two years old.
having died on his birthday. Several
weeks ago he was taken with pneu
monia, and his death was caused by
complications following that di-ease.
He leaves behind his sorro ving fa
ther and mother three brothers and
a sister.
Death came with friendly rare.
The opening bud to Heaven c n
veyed,
And bade it blossom there.
Sheriff Appoints
Township Deputes
Township deputies have been ap
pointed in fourteen townships in the
county, the van ncies yet to be filled
being S’nithfn ,<1, Bentonville, and
WiL.on’s :r b.
Thot e v. l.< ■ received appoint
ments a»' i bows: Banner, Her
be j 1 Me Ingram", Rowland
Van ith; E > . Sant Jones; Mea
dow. C- 1-J: -1 :n; Boone Hill, F. J.
Larigi y; i Lit el, J. F. Hinnant;
O’Neals, J. 1. sit utt; Wilders, J. H.
Stanc! 1; Beulah. Leonard Boyett;
Micro, Jasper Pittman; Clayton, B.
S. Pleasant, Jr.; Cleveland, Sam Lee;
Selma. H. T. Cfc-pln.
DESPERATE NEGRO
IS ARRESTED HERE
Chiefs Cable and Stevens Cap
ture Negro Wanted In Ral
eigh and Wilson.
ESCAPED FROM RALEIGH
Smithfield’s chief of police, C. R.
Cable, and the night policeman, Will
Stevens, figured in the arrest of a
negro desperado, Kid Wiliams, want
ed at Wilson for shooting a police
man, selling whiskey and skipping
a bond, here Tuesday night. Chief
Cable was in Raleigh Tuesday attend
ing- Federal court. He learned from
the Raleigh chief of police that Wil
liams was at large after having es
caped from Raliegh officer who un
dertook to arrest him. The Raleigh
jofficer had had quite a scuffle with
Williams in a Raleigh*pressing club.
| He had resisted the officer and the
i officer had been forced to attempt to
hit the negro with his blackjack in
an effort to stop his attempt to es
cape. In the encounter the officer’s
foot slipped on a brick and he dropped
his pistol. The negro picked it up
with his free hand, struck the offi
cer twice in the mouth with the pis
tol in an effort to release his hold
on a chain which was around his
wrist. The negro succeded and fled.
The Raleigh chief of police asked
Mr. Cable to be on the lookout for the
negro who was reported to be coming
toward Smithfield.
Accordingly, after reaehing Smith
field on Tuesday night Chief Cable
made investigations and found that
Williams was at the home of John
Allen colored, on Market street near
the depot. He, together with the
night poiceman, Mr. Will Stevens,
called at Allen’s house about ten
o-closq- .Some colored women an
swered the door and denied his be
ing there. The officers demanded
that they be alowed to seareh the
house and went upstairs where they
had seen a light burning. It was nec
essary to force th edoor to the up
stairs room but they found the man
wanted. They arrested him and car
ried him to the chief’s office. A tel
ephone message to Raleigh officers
started four officers on their way to
- Smithfield at once- Hewill be tried
first in Wilson and then in Raleigh.
FOUR OAKS NEWS
Four Oaks, Dec. 3.—Miss Luna
Lewis ami Mr. and Mrs. R. C .Cana
day attended the “Vanity Box” in
•Raleigh Thanksgiving.
Mi. ses Smith and Mary Moore, of
A. C. College, Wilson, and Mr. Wil
liam Manning, of Williamston, visited
Miss Sallie Adams Thursday.
Miss Doxey, a member of the gram
n ar school faculty, spent Thanks
giving in Greensboro.
Miss Laeta Potts, of Smithfield, spent
last week end here with Mrs. R. C.
Canaday.
Mr. ant) Mrs. B. B. Adams, Mr. and
Mrs. Wrn. Adams spent Thanksgiving
in Pinehurst.
Mrs. Sterling Gates, of Farmville,
spent several days here with her pa
rents last week.
Miss Eula Mae Farmer, of Clay
ton, spent the week end here with
Miss Annie Lou Alston.
Mr. Thomas Adams spent Tuesday
in Fayetteville on business.
Miss Ethel Belle and Lucile Owen
st ent Thank, giving here wiht Miss
Hicks Stanley.
Mrs. C. E. Parrish entertained at
her home Saturday night in honor of
her niece, Miss Beulah Lee Sadler.
Those attending the party were:
Misses Marvel Sanders, Willie Mas
, sengiil, Lucile Stanley, Catharine
Barbour, Maude and Pauline Strick
land, ar..l ile.-.srs. Newitt Williams,
Hubert Allen, Ed Keene, Wilton
; Strickla d, ar.d Hugh Sanders.
Miss Beulah Lee Sadler, of Golds
boro, s* ci . the week end with her
aunt, Mrs. C. E. Parr h.
BOX PARTY NOTICE
Time will be a bcx party a: Pearc
es school house Fi iday right, De
cember 12. Public is cordially in
vited.
i
F. E. LEE.
MISS JESSE GURLEY.