FENNEL CASE IS
IN COURT AGAIN
Was Tried A Year Ago WHhen
A Member of The Jury
Became Insane
STATE VS. POPE TODAY
The greater part of this week in
the Johnston County Criminal term
of Superior Court now in session here
has been taken up with the trial of
Allen Pennell. The trial of Allen Pen
nel, charged with the murder of Irvin
Pennel during the early part of 1923,
came to trial for a second time in
the Johnston Superior Court on Tues
day afternoon of this week. This
matter was before the court for the
first time a year ago. At that time
the evidence had been completed and
the judge was making ready his
charge to the jury when it was dis
covered that one of the jurors had
developed insanity. This, of course,
necessitated a new trial, which is now
under way. Owing to a great number
of witnesses connected with this case
some two or three days will be taken
in completing the trial. The defen
dant Pennel is represented by Attor
neys Douglass and Douglass, of Ra
leigh, and S. S. Holt, of Smithfield.
The solicitor is assisted by W. H. Ly
on.
The trial of W. F. Pope, charged
with the murder of Elbert Strickland,
which occurred on May 6, 1924, has
been set for today, December 12.
This case comes up from near Four
Oaks. A special venire of sixty-five
men has been ordered for the trial of
this case.
On Tuesday a youth of fifteen years
was in court charged with larceny.
He entered a plea of guilty and the
court sentenced him to three years
at the Stonewall Jackson Training
School. Several othercases of minor
importance were disposed of on Mon
day afternoon and Tuesday morning.
InMemory of George W. Lee
In a weak way I will try to write
a few words of the life and death of
George W. Lee. On Thursday morn
ing just as the sun was rising to
brighten another day he ended his
life by shooting himself with a shot
gun. The reason for his untimely end
we cannot understand. It seemed for
two months that life was a burden to
him. He came to have a hope in
Christ and on the fourth Saturday in
October he united with the church at
Oak Forest, where he remained a
member until his death. Oh, it was
so hard to give up one we loved so ;
dearly, but God’s will must be done,
not ours. We can only hope he is at
rest. He is gone from this world of
sorrow but his going has left grief
and sorrow in our home. May God
in his tender mercy help and comfort
this bereaved family in this dark hour
of sorrow.
He was the only son of the late :
W. F. and Melia E. Lee. He was born
February 3, 1887, and died November ,
20, 1924, making his stay on earth j
thirty-seven years, nine months and i
seventeen days.
He leaves to mourn his loss a heart- ;
broken wife and four small children, >
Melton J., Fulton B., George V., and
Myrtle I. Lee, and a host of relatives
and friends. He was a prominent
farmer of Meadow towship. In his
boyhood days he was a bright schol
ar in school and when he grew to man
hood he made an excellent school j
teacher. He served as magistrate for j
four years and he did all he could to
help the township. He was a loving
husband and father, a kind neigh
bor to all, ever ready and willing to
lend a helping hand to every one in j
time of need.
He was tenderly lead to rest in the
family cemetery on Thursday after- ,
noon in the presence of a large crowd ,
of sorrowing relatives and friends who '
gathered to pay their last tribute of
respect to the deceased. A simple bu
i*al service was held at the grave.
Two songs, “Amazing Grace,’ and
“When Shall We Meet Again?” were j
sung and Mr. Ernia Blackman led in
prayer.
Oh, that home! that lonely home! ;
The voice we love is stilled;
A chair is vacant in our home
Two Stills Captured
By Local Officers
—
Two complete outfits for distilling
■ whiskey were brought in yesterday by
; officers but no arrests were made.
| Mr. J. H. Stancil, of Wilders town
I ship, deputy sheriff, bought in a 30
gallon capacity copper, outfit which
he, together with others, captured
jsarly yesterday morning about 12:30
o’clock near Pineville on Buffalo
Creek. The still had not been in op
eration for a day or two and no one
was at the still. Several barrels of
beer and other unfinished liquor were
destroyed.
Yesterday afternoon Mr. Stancil
and Mr. C. Q. Stephenson went to
Boon Hilll township and captured a
still in full blast about two miles from
Brogden school. They happened on
the still about 1:30 o’clock and saw at
least two men working at the still.
The men saw the officers and ran,
juumped into the creek and got away.
The still taken was a 40-gallon cop
per outfit. A half-gallon of beer was
poured out, and a four-gallon jug
of “something” was burst.
Mr. W. E. Massengill
Dies At Age 69 Years
On Friday, December 5, Mr. Willis
E. Massengill died at the ripe age of
sixty-nine years.
Mr. Massenghl was the son of
Robert E. and Martha Massengill and
was born in 1855. His father having i
died prior to his birth, he faced the j
disadvantages of being reared by a i
widowed mother. The many hard
ships and trials of his boyhood left
their marks upon his life, resulting
in a strong and firm character.
At the age of twenty-two he was
married to Martha E. Lassiter. To
this happy union were born five chil
dren. The oldest, Arthellus, died
when a boy. His wife’s death pre
ceded his only five months.
The deceased is survived by three
sons, Messrs. W. A., T.- M., and W. C.
Massengill, and one daughter, Mrs.
W A. Allen. Two sons, Messrs. W. A,
I
and I. M., are in the mercantile busi- |
ness at Four Oaks, and one son, Mr.
W. C. Massengill, is a farmer near
Four Oaks. Mrs. Allen is the wife of
a farmer near Four Oaks.
Mr. Massengill made a profession |
of faith in Christ when just a young
man and lived a conscientious Chris
tion life until the end. He united
with the Four Oaks Primitive Bap
tist church several years ago and
was a faithful member until his health
failed three years ago. He was not
ed in the community for his moral
uprightness, never yielding to the
popular evils of the drink, dance and
curse habits. Early in his married
life he erected a family altar, thus
creating a Christian atmosphere in
which his children were reared, an |
act of his for which they are very !
grateful today.
Funeral services were held at the j
home of Mr. W. C. Massengill. The j
services were conducted by his pas
tor, Elder A. D. Johnson, of Coats,
assisted by Elder Macon Brantley, of
Spring Hope, and Rev. J. A. Ivey, of I
Four Oaks. The funeral was attend
ed by a host of relatives and friends,
the body was interred in the family
cemetery near by.
JAS. A. IVEY.
__—
Yelvingtoii’s Grove Free Will Baptist j
Church
We have our same preacher for next
year and he is one of the best of this
section. Let’s all come out and help
build up the OLD CHURCH as it
once was.
We have church on the second Sat
urday night and have changed the
day service from second Sunday aft
ernoon to the second Sunday morn
ing at 11 o’clock.
A MEMBER.
Baptist Church Sunday
Sunday school 9:30. Be on time
Preaching at 11 a. m. and 7 p m. by
the pastor. He invites all to be pres
ent and hear also echoes from the
great State Convention in Raleigh.
Which never can be filled.
Tho’ sad it is to give him up,
We know the Lord maketh,
We must not murmur at his will
For we know the Lord taketh.
Written by a heartbroken wife.
Community Christmas Tree
Plans Are Fast Taking Shape
BAPTISTS OF STATE
MEET IN RALEIGH
Seventy-fourth Annual Conven
tion Is Presided Over by Dr.
Spillman; Busy Session
LARGE ATTENDANCE
The State Baptist convention is in
session in Raleigh.this week, this be
ing the seventy-fourth annual con
vention. Dr. B. W. Spillman, presi
dent, is presiding, and the enrollment
Tuesday was reported to be 355 del
egates. The sessions are being held
in the auditorium of the Tabernacle
Baptist church.
The organization, with the election
of all officers except the president,
was brought about promptly with the
election of three vice presidents: Rev.
J. W. Suttle, Shelby; Rev. H. L.
Weeks, Durham; E. F. Aydlete, Eliz
abeth City; W. L. Gilmore was unani
mously re-elected Corresponding Sec
retary of the Board of Missions; Wal
ters Durham was re-elected treasur
er; and the election of auditor was
postponed pending a report to be
presented later affecting the office
of auditor.
A pastors’ conference was held
Tuesday morning. The Convention
opened formally on Tuesday aft
ernoon, the devotional service be
ing conduucted by the Rev. W.
H. Horton, of New Bern. Rev. A.
Paul Bagley, of Wake Forest,
preached the convention sermon at
the evening session, using as his sub
ject, “The Power We Need”.
One of the features of the session
Wednesday morning was the address
by Dr. Pegues, head of the depart
ment of Theology of Shaw Univer
sity. Addresses by Mr. J. W. Bailey
and Mrs. W. N. Jones also featured
the morning session. The only ripple
of excitement of the day was called
forth by the discussion of Greek Let
ler Fraternities at Wake Forest Col
lege for another year. Fraternities ,
were recognized at the college two
years ago but there seems to be a
differnce of opinion as to whether
they have a place in Baptist Colleges )
or not. The fraternities will be rec
ognized for another year at least.
Other work of the convention on (
Wednesday included the passing of a
resolution to ask the legislature to
repeal the boxing law, the passing of
the recommendations of the State
Mission Board which included the
principal one, that the convention co
operate with the Negro State Bap- ;
tist Convention in the employment of
a teaching evangeist to help buuild
up negro work in the state.
The report of the orphanage was j
presented and Mr. J. M. Kesler, the
superintendent, commended the ef
fective work of Mother’s Aid. A ,
splendid tribute was paid to the work j
of the Woman’s Missionary Union,
Rev. J. A. Ellis, who gave the report,
declaring that its achievement was
one of the most romantic stories in
Baptist history.
Before the session adjourned Dr. |
Chas. E. Maddrey was presented with
a watch and chain and knife in rec- ,
ognition of his service during the
Seventy-Five Million Campaign.
Miss Massengill
Wins In Contest
In the advertising matter used in
connection with the sale of Mr. Chas.
Davis, which is now going on, a mis
spelled word contest was conducted.
Words in the advertisement appear
ing on November 28 were misspelled
and the readers were given until De
cember 5th to find them and send
them in with the proper corrections.
Miss Daisy Massengill, of Four Oaks
Route 1, proved to be the successful
contestant and will be awarded a
pair of shoes. In the advertisement
the following nine words were mis
spelled: triumphantly, Hanes, wor
steds, blankets, misspelled, sheeting,
before, bargain, Clark’s O. N. T.
)£J ... ..
Committees Appointed To Pro
vide Community Christmas
Tree; Good Program.
ON CHRISTMAS AFTERNOON
i At a meeting of a representative
, group of ail the organized social for
ces of Smithfied held in the Metho
dist church on Monday night, De
cember 10th, it was finally decided
that Smithfield will have for the
; ythird time a Community Christmas
Tree. It is believed that something
like seventy-five children will receive
gifts this year. The tree will be dis
played in the court house. A program
committee composed of the Reverend
George Manley, Mr. George Rags- j
1 dale, and Misses Irene Myatt and Vir
ginia Puckett was appointed. Mrs.
J. J. Broadhurst and Mrs. H. L. Skin
ner will have charge of purchasing the
gifts and the Kiwanis Club will as
! sume the financial responsibility. Mr.
j E. L. Woodall will have charge of
erecting and decorating the tree. It
was decided that the program would
be held on Christmas afternoon be
| tween five and six o’clock. The pro
: gram committee has decided to ren
| der an entertainment which will last |
about thirty minutes in which they
hope to display as accurately as pos- i
sible the true Christmas spirit. The
event for this year now bids fair to !
be the best yet attempted, and it will j
probably attract a larger attendance
than any of the similar events which ]
have been held here. The public will
be welcomed.
J. A. King Dies At
Smithfield Hospital
Mr. J. A. King, originally of Ohio,
but who has spent the past two years
in Smithfield, died at the Smithfield
Memorial Hospital early Wednesday |
morning following an attack of a
la grippe. Mr. King was about six
ty-two years of age. He was mana
ger of the sales stables of H. G.
Stubbs. The deceased is survived by
one daughter who lives in Brookville,
Indiana. She was unable to reach his
bedside before his death and the body
was prepared for burial by the local
undertaker and shipped to Brookville
yesterday morning.
Parent-T eacher
Meeting at Smith’s j
The patrons and the teachers of
Smith school district had their first
meeting Friday night, December 5.
There were a number of parents
present and a few visitors.
The meeting was called to order by
the president, Mr. John A. Smith. The
first number on the program was a
song, “Old Black Joe.” It was followed
by Scripture reading and prayer.
The principal of the school discussed
business and the importance of regu- j
lar attendance.
Among the visitors present was the
president of the Parent-Teacher Asso- :
ciation of Knightdale, Mr. Dan Flow- [
ers. He made a very interesting talk
giving an explanation of this meeting,
its purpose and its benefit to the j
s*ool. After all business and school j
problems were discussed delicious ba- j
nana sandwiches and hot coffee were i
served.
We feel that these meetings will |
prove beneficial to our community for ;
we see results of our first meeting |
already. The school interest and
spirit has been aroused among the \
patrons.
REPORTER.
Smithfield, Route 1, Dec. 11.
Smithfield To Play
Clayton Here Tonight
The first basket-ball game of the
season will he played here tonight in !
the Banner Warehouse between
Smithfied and Clayton The fame!
will be called at eight o’clock. It is
hoped a good crowd will be out to
see the game.
Clover helps to restore poor soils,
find many Tarheel farmers.
Indian Leads Senate
Sen. Charles Curtis of Kansas is
the new Republican leader in the
Senate, elected after senior Sena
tor Warren of Wyoming declined.
Senator Curtis is more than half
American Indian.
Would Give Land For
Duke University
Charlotte, Dec. 11.—A fifty acre
tract of land nine miles from Char
lotte is waiting as a gift for the site
of Duke University if Trinity College
does not accept the terms of the
Duke Trust fund of $40,000,000
which will be formally created by
Jas. B. Duke in a few days, it became |
known today. Mr. and Mrs. Morris !
Moore, owners of large estates in |
North Carolina and Florida, let it be j
known that they will present this;
tract as.a site for the Universty I
should it be decided to establish an '
entirely new institution.
Dispatches from Greensboro last
night said the board of truustees of
Trinity College would hold a special
meeting on December 19. It is re
garded as more than likely the trus
tees will accept the terms of the
:rust that Trinity change its name to
Duke University and thus get the
aenefits of the $6,000,000 building
und and thirty-two per cent of the in
come of the trust.
In Memory of Little Christine Creech
Life is a fast flowing stream that
moves onward at ? rapid pace toward
the ocean of eternity, l ut death is
only a shining stream to transport
the soul to the arms of Jesus.
On Thursday afternoon, December
4, just as the clock tolled the hour
of two the Death Angel v». the
home of Mr. and Mrs. Carmel Creech
and took from them their darling
little girl, Christine. She had suffer
ed two weeks with that awful dis
ease, diphtheria. All was done for
her that could be done but nothing!
could stay the icy hands of death. She j
lived only five years and ten months, j
then her spirit took its flight to |
realms above there to begin that;
beautiful life with our Heavenly Fa
ther, where earthy pains and sor
rows are forgotten, banished by the
light of God’s countenance.
Oh, iow sweet to think how pure
her little life was, nothing to stain
her soul. To know her was to love
her. God saw she was prepared to live
with him so he reached down and
gathered the little jewel in His arms
and now she is safely resting on the
golde* shore.
The funeral was preached on Fri
day afteroon by Rev. W. D. Stencil
after which her little body wae aid
to rest in the cemetery at Bethany i
Baptist church in the presence of an i
unusually large gathering of sorrow
ing relatives and friends. The floral j
offerings were many and beautiful,;
all tokens of love and sympathy. May
the bereaved ones find balm for their
wounded spirits and come forth from ■
this dark hour of trial with a new'
vision of Him who doth ail things
well.
Oh, ’■ -v/ sad to now behold
The lone and vacant chair
That here we ne’er shall see
The one that once sat there;
But list a voice we hear,
Tis sounding sweet and clear—
Our loved one’s in that heavenly
choir
With angels br:ght and fair,
And list he calls to us
From heaven’s happy home:
“My precious ones, O dear one and all,
Oh, come to meet me—come!”
C. L. C.
IE ESTABLISHES
TRUST FOND MIC.
Six Million Dollars Goes To
Trinitq College If Changed
to Duke University.
OTHERS SHARE IN FUND
DUKE GIVES $40,000,000 TRUST
FUND
What’s in a name? There seems to’
be six million dollars in one if Trin
ity College should see fit to change
it’s name to“Duke University.” J,
B. Duke, multi-millionair of North
Carolina has established a trust fund
for charitable and educational pur
poses in North and South Carolina,
one of his ambitions being the creat
ing of a “Duke University”. Duke
tend Trinity College and if this in
funds have already been used to ex
stitution sees fit to change its name,
the amount named will be available
for further expansion. Otherwise,
the sum will be used to create a new
“Duke University.”
The trust embraces properties val
ued at at aleast $40,000,000.
Amnog the securities thus set aside
are abuot three-fourths of Mr. Duke’s
holdings in the Southern Power Com
pany, the income of which during the
next few years will aggregate ap
proximately $2,000,000 a year.
Other benefits besides Duke Uni
versity given by Mr. J. B. Duke in his
trust fund include funds for maintain
ing and securing hospitals primarily
in the states of North and South Car
olina on the plan of paying to the hos
pitals a sum not exceeding one dol
lar per day for each free bed occu
piea ana m assisting in bunding and
equipping hospitals.
Ten percent for the benefit of
white and colored orphans in North
and South Carolina.
Six percent for assisting in build
ing Methodist Episcopa, churches in
the sparsely settled rural districts
of North Carolina.
Four percent for assisting in
maintaining Methodist Episcopal
churches in the sparsely settled rural
districts in North Carolina.
Two per cent for pensioning super
annuated preachers and widows and
orphans of deceased preachers who
have served in North Carolina con
ferences.
Five per cent to Davidson College
Davidson, N. C. Davidson is a Pres
byterian institution.
Five per cent to Furman University
Greenville, S. C. Furman is a Bap
tist University.
Four per cent to Johnson C. Smith
University, Charlotte. Johnson C.
Smith University formerly was known
as Biddle University and is a negro
school.
. . Music Department Meets
Monday evening the music depart
ment of the Wqman’s Club met at the
home of Mrs. F. H. Brooks and quite
an enjoyable program was given. At
this meeting the opera “Martha” by
von Flotow, was the subject of study.
The story of this opera was interest
ingy told by Mrs. A. S. Johnston and
Mrs. L. T. Royall, and a number of
airs from it were played by Miss Ra
chel Creech. A sketch of the life of
the composer was given by Miss Fan
nie Bett Brown. During the evening
several solos, duets and choruses were
rendered. Those taking part in the
program were: Misses Frances White,
Irene Myatt, Lucile Johnson, Helene
Ives, Lallah Rookh Stephenson, Helen
Jones, Mary Pruden, Mrs. C. V. John
son and Mr. Paul Eason.
Miss Thelma Peedin, chairman of
the music department, had charge of
the program, which was thoroughly
enjoyed by all present. Before the
(close of the evening- a delicious iced
lirink with w'afers was served.
Tobacco Co-op Warehouse to Close
For Holidays
The Tobacco Growers Co-operative
Warehouse will close Friday, De
cember 19, for the Christmas holi
days. It will re-open Monday, Janu
ary 5, 1925.
A. G. JOHNSON,
Warehouse, Manager.
i jflfwpi* *#W*§«•••■