forty-fourth year
THE SMITHFIELD HERALD, FRIDAY MARCH 20, 1925
NUMBER 23
RETIRING board
LAUDS SUPT. POU
So Action Yet Taken To Elect
Superintendent State Prison;
Will Probably Be Considered
April 7.
PURCHASES EXPLAINED
Raleigh, March 16.—Outgoing and
incoming prison boards today left
memorials and organized, the retir
ing body paying high tribute to the
prison officiate headed by Superinten
dent George Ross Pou, urging his re
appointment with that of the entire
force. _
The new board took no action as to
the successor of Mr. Pou. Governor
McLean laid no recommendations be
fore it and not until its April 7 meet
ing will it act upon the new head. Un
til today it had been accepted that
Mr. Pou would be appointed again
and that Warden Busbee will be drop
ped. Tonight it is foregone that Mes
srs. Busbee a nd Pou will succeed
themselves.
The board, taking full cognizance
of charges against Superintendent
Pou, reports in detailed fashion on
them all. Governor McLean, inter
viewed by the newspaper men in his
office this afternoon, frankly told
them that he had not reached the
point of going into a prison super
intendent. He did not know then
whether he would make any recom
mendations or not.
The old board left this with the
governor:
“This the retiring board of direc
tors of the state’s prison, having
made a thorough investigation of re
cent charges made against the prison
management, and having determined
.no wrong doing on the part of either
the superintendent, warden, deputy
warden, chief clerk, prison physician
r a-sistant clerk,
“Now, therefore, this board of di
rectors desires to express its most
implicit confidence in the honesty, in
tegrity and ability of George Ross
Pou, superintendent; S. J. Busbee,,
warden; H. H. Honeycutt, deputy
warden; Hugh A Love, chief clerk;
Miss Josephine Rand, assistant clefk;
and J. H. Norman, Jr., physician, and
we respectfully urge and recommend
their reappointment to their several
offices by the incoming board of di
rectors.
"This March 16, 1925.
JAMES A. LEAK, Chairman.
E. B. FICKLEN,
A. L. BULLOCK,
R. M. CHATHAM.”
Setting forth that charges of “wil
ful negligence” have been made
against Mr. Pou and “lately given
great publicity in this state”, the old
board disposes of the attacks on the
purchases recently itemized and print
ed in the papers of Raleigh and Eliz
abeth City.
The report says that aU purcnases
go through the hands of the chief
clerk, Hugh A. Love, who submits
them to the various heads of depart
ments, the prison camps, central pris
on, farms or other places at which
supplies are received. In addition,
the hills are submitted to the chair
man of the state prison board as well
as all other bills of the state’s prison
“who fully approved or disapproved
them. This approval has been giv
en in every case by James A. Leak,
in whom this board ever has and now
lias the highest confidence as a man
of strong and high character and
standing, as well as a man of excep
tional business ability and experience,
not nly in his own community but
throughout the state of North Caro
lina. All these bills with the writ
ten approvals have been gathered to
gether and can be submitted to con
firm the above. The written records
show that the largest number of the
Tucker pharmacy bills bears the ap
proval of Warden S. J. Busbee as the
official who received into the prison
these items.
“This practice of many years stand
ing obtained until the middle ofi Jan
Uary, when Mr. Pou in conference
w’th his excellency, Governor A. W,
McLean, arranged a new’ system of
checking and auditing of all prison
h'lls before payment. Working under
(Turn to page five, please)
Twenty Million
(7SvrTocA»tfTgg.t
George C. Carson, miner, roust
about and general workingman of
Butte Mont., nineteen years ago
patented a device which big copper
interests, have since adopted-—but
failed to pay him. A court verdict
in his favor last week awards
royalties and damages estimated at
$:;b,000,000.
DARING BURGLARS
RAID SMOKEHOUSE
Around 2,500 Pounds of Meat
Stolen From Smokehouses In
Ingrams and Elevation
Townships
DISCOVERED ON MONDAY
A bold robbery took place in In
grams and Elevation townships Sun
day night when burglars broke into
several smokehouses and carried away
more than seventy pieces of meat,
according to news received here by
Sheriff J. P. Parker. Twenty-one
pieces were taken from Mr. C. S.
West and six from Mr. Jim Durham,
both of Ingrams township. On the
same night the smokehouses of Mes
srs. N. F. Lynk and Bennie Coates, a
few miles away in Elevation town
ship, were visited, eleven pieces be
ing taken from Mr. Lynk and thirty
four pieces from Mr. Coates. The
key had been left in the door of Mr.
Lynk’s smokehouse, which wras not
more than twenty feet from the room
where he was sleeping, but all the
others were broken open.
The theft was not discovered until
Monday morning and an automobile
or truck was tracked as far as the
Mercantile Farm near Clayton, but
owing to the high wind and the traf
fic on the road the trail was lost. The
searchers immediately telephoned of
ficers In Raleigh, Durham, Henderson
and other towns to be on the look-out
for the guilty party or parties.
It is thought that between 2,000
and 2,500 ponds of meat was taken.
•_
Stranded Youngsters
Borrow Sheriff’s Car
_
Goldsboro, March 16.—That Sheriff
Grant, of Wayne County, is as much
at home in the role of a gallant as in
s the part of a raider of stills was prov
en shortly after midnight Friday,
when two young women, Misses Irene
Page Stevens and Ruth Wilson,
knocked at his door and asked for aid.
In response to the summons, the
young women said they had been to
a basket ball game in which a team
representing their - school was play
ing and while on their way home the
engine in the car went bad. Lawrence
U. Stancil accompanied the young
women.
When the young women remarked
that their parents would be“wrorried
to death,” Sheriff Grant remarked,
'“My car is in the garage. Take it
and bring it back tomorrow.” l*he
car was returned the following day
with a note which read: “To the big
gest-hearted man in Wayne County,
from three people whom you helped
when they needed a friend.” —Rich
mond Times Dispatch.
NORTH CAROLINA
The economic and social develop
ment of North Carolina dumg the
past decade has been little short of
marvelous, and an inspiring example
to the rest of the nation.—University
of Virginia News Letter.
APPOINT RECEIVER
FOR DEFUNCT BANK
Farmers Bank and Trust Co., of
This City Named Temporary
Receiver of Princeton
Bank, Failed
TOTAL DEFICIT $10,000
A report of the bank examiners
filed with the Corporation Commis
sion at Raleigh on March 3 shows a
total deficit of more than $40,000 for
the Merchants and Farmers Bank at
Princeton which was closed several
weeks ago. The report showed .that
$5,578 had been loaned to a single
person when it is a violation of the
banking laws to lend more than $3,
750 to any individual. It also showed
overdrafts to the amount of $3,759.
56 and past due notes to the amount
of $11,753.90. The greater part of
the past due notes are considered
worthless and the overdrafts are
thought to be practically worthless.
The capital stock was reported at
$10,000 with a surplus fund of $5,000
making a total of $15,000. The bank
examiners found that $27, 907.63 had
been loaned to customers. When the
Commercial National Bank of Wil
mington failed, the Merchants and
Farmers Bank at Princeton lost $6,
152.78.
The cashier, Mr. George F. Wood
ard, and the assistant, Miss Lena
Woodard, we are informed are under
bonds in the sum of $12,000 and it is
understood that the cashier has given
over all his real estate, which is val
ued at about $15,000, to the bank.
The Farmers Bank and Trust Compa
ny, of this city, has been appointed
temporary receiver for the defunct
bank.
Baseball Team Plays
Mount Olive Today
The Smithfield high school baseball
team will meet the strong Mount Ol
ive team in Mount Olive today for
the first game of the season. The lo
cal boys have been working hard, but
will have a great deal more work to
do if they develop into a winning or
ganization.
There is one regular on last year’s
group championship organization
back in the fold. This is Marvin Ad
ams of Pine Level.
Among the most promising pros
pective players are Adams, of Wil
son’s Mills for the backstop position,
while Smith, formerly of Selma, Mar
vin Adams and Lefty Morgan show
some indication of pitching ability.
Young Elvin Johnson, although in
experienced ought also to make a de
pendable twirler in time. Willard,
“Fatty” Lawrence is cavorting around
the first sack and Dan Kirkman has
shown a very slight and pasing in
terest in the same postition. At see
NEW HOSPITAL FOR
JOHNSTON COUNTY
i-;
Drive To Complete Balance of
Fund Needed Next Week; Dr.
Marlowe, Skin Specialist
To Come Here
$38,100 NOW SUBSCRIBED
Plans are finally taking definite
shape for the building of a modern,
well equipped hospital for Johnston
County. Twenty-eight thousand one
hundred dollars have been subscribed
and signed up for by physicians, and
the town of Smithfield has taken ten
thousand dollars worth of stock. A
final drive to complete the amount
needed will be put on beginning next
Monday, March 23, lasting through
out the week, and by Saturday night,
March 28, the committees at work
hope to have every dollar needed
raised.
Citizens of the county will be inter
ested to learn that Dr. W. A. Mar
lowe of Chapel Hill and Durham will
come to Smithfield to live and has fa
ken considerable stock in the new
hospital. Dr. Marlowe is coming to
this hospital as pathologist and der
mathlogist. He is at present asso
ciated with Dr. Bullitt at the State
University and is doing pathology at
Watts Hospital at Durham. He ex
pects to go north and take special
work oexore locating: m Bmithheld.
A hospital committee composed of
W. X. Holt, chairman, E. J. Wellons,
L. G. Stevens, W. W. Jordan, Dr. W.
B. J. Orr, Mrs. H. L. Skinner, Mrs.
T. J. Lassiter, Mrs. W. H. Lyon,
and Mrs. H. B. Marrow, has been at
work for the past few weeks prepar
atory to the final drive which has
been' Set for next week. The drive is
being put on at the present time in
order that work may go forward on
the building during the summer
months. Subscriptions may be made
to cover a period of six months. As
was announced some time ago, a lot
has already been purchased on the
Selma-Smithfield highway, and ten
tative plans for the building provide
for a thirty-five bed hospital.
Soliciting teams have been formed
and when you are called upon next
week, it is hoped that every one will
be ready to say, “Yes, I’ll do my bit.”
All good citizens of Johnston County
should be in sympathy with this
move and should pride themselves
with the honor of having an oppor
tunity of helping Johnston County
take this forward step. Watch the
thermometer in The Herald next
week and see how the drive progress
es.
ond base Boyette has been perform
ing fairly well in practice, while
James Kirkman is out for short. Tom
Watson has been showing good form
at third base. Gillett, Talton and Mor
gan have been chasing flies in the
outfield.
It is timely at this season of the year when winter is beginnin
ing to ebb awray that wo should turn our civic thoughts to bright
ening and renovating old landmarks, cleaning up our premises,
making our proprty more tidy in it’s appearance to the public
eye, as well as making it safe from fire hazard and consequent
destruction by negligently permitting our premises to become
a refuse depository. The paint bucket and brush would do some
effective work at this time with the proper application. We cer
tainly want our city tidy and on it’s best bow during the coming
Exposition. Let’s all co-operate together to the end that our
city will look its best in the future.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, John A. Narron, Mayor of the City
of Smithfield, do hereby proclaim and set apart the week of March
23rd to 28th, inclusive, as Clean-Up-Week. The city garbage wag
ons will call upon the homes and business houses during this week
for the purpose of co-operating with citizens of the city in haul
ing away refuse. Be sure that all refuse is properly deposited in
receptables for that purpose. I further urge and request all citi
zens to paint up their premises as far as possible and make their
homes and places of business tidy and clean.
' Done in the City of Smithfield this the 20th day of March in the
year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and twenty-five, and
of the Independence of the United States of America one hundred
and forty-ninth.
Bj- the Mayor:
JOHN A. NARRON
W, L. FULLER.
City Clerk.
*
Tornado Kills Hundreds
People In Western States
Rev. M. F. Ham To
Come Here In June
Judge F. H. Brooks, appointed
to conduct the correspondence with
Rev. M. F. Ham, Evangelist, rela
tive to a revival to be held here
in the near future, is in receipt of
a telegram from Mr. Ham’s sec
retary stating that his organiza
tion will he here to hold a meeting
during the month of June. Mr.
Ramsey, singer, was here last Mon
day and spoke to a mass meeting
at the Methodist church, in regard
to the matter. An invitation was
extended to Mr. Ham after this
conference. The meeting will be
held in the Farmer’s Warehouse,
which will have been put in readi
ness for the Eastern Carolina Ex
position, thereby reducing the ex
pense attendant upon such a re
vival.
COOPS ARE PAID
IN THREE STATES
Sum of $1,890.00 Distributed In
Settlement of Two Crops To
Organized Tobacco (irovvers
FINISHES 1922 PAYMENTS
(By S. D. Frizzell)
Raleigh, Mar.17.—Tobacco farmers
in three states shared in the payments
of SI,890,000 made from the ware
houses of the Tobacco Growers Co
operative Association Monday of this
week.
The tobaceo association has now
paid for the last pound of bright to
bacco delivered by its members in
1922. It has completed final settle
ment with all of its members in South
Carolina and Eastern North Caroli
na for their deliveries of the 1923
crop and has paid the Virginia and
North Carolina members of the old
bright tobacco belt in full for 35
grades of the 1923 crop, before all of
its warehouses have closed for re
ceiving tobacco of the crop of 1924.
This week’s payments by the to
bacco association which extended all
the way from central Virginia into
South Carolina attracted crowds in
all three states and brought satisfac-1
tory reports from markets in all
three states.
Eevry member of the tobacco asso- j
ciation who received a check this
week was also handed a full state
ment of his account with the associ
ation which showed the amount of
money which he has invested in ware
house stock and in the reserve fund
of the association, in addition to the
cash received from the crop. These
statements show that the prices re
ceived by the organized farmers for
their tobacco compare very favora
bly, grade by grade, with those of
the auction floors and the payment of
cash to the co-operative farmers at
this season is a feature which is now
proving very helpful to the members.
According to the present plan of
financing the payment for the associ
ation warehouses, the members will
hold all the stock in properties which
are valued at over three million dol
lars, by the end of their present five
year contract.
The association has received 445
million pounds of tobacco since its
warehouses first opened in August,
1922.
S. H. S. Baseball
Schedule Announced
The baseball schedule of the Smith
field high school is as follows:
S’field vs. Mount Olive Mar. 20, there.
| S’field vs. Dunn, Mar. 27, there.
S’field vs. Selma, Mar. 31, there.
S’field vs. Dunn, April 3, here.
S’field vs. Mount Olive, April 10, here.
S’field vs. Selma, April 17, here.
S’field vs. Four Oaks (pending) Apr.
17, here.
Two or Three Towns Virtually
Wiped Out; About 1,500
Killed or Injured.
GREAT DAMAGE IS DONE
Chicago, Mar. 18.—A prelimi
nary tabulation at 9 p. m„ of
towns that had made reports of
the casualties in Illinois, Indiana
and Missouri, nave a total of 951
dead and 2,099 injured with vir
tually no record of the heavy
damage done in rural regions.
Chicago, Mar. 18.—More than 1,500
persons are reported killed or wound
ed by a tornado which swept through
southern Illinois and Indiana late to
day causing great property damage
and virtually wiping out two or three
towns in its path, from Missouri to
the northeast. Wires were down in
every direction under the fury of
the wind and it was impossible to
check the reported casualties tonight.
West Frankfort, 111., a mining
town, on the face of tonight’s reports
suffered the greatest loss of life, es
timates of the dead running as high
as 1,000.
Murphysboro, 30 miles southwest
of West Frankfort, with a popula
tion of 11,000 suffered severely with
a casualty list reported as high as
250. Great havoc Was wrought to
building in this city and fire broke out
in the debris. On report of this sit
uation an effort was made by Gover
nor Len Small to send troops to Mur
physboro while relief trains and Red
Cross workers prepared to depart
from Chicago and St. Louis for the
storm area.
While railroad dispatchers from
previous experiences thought that
first estimates of the casualties might
prove excessive it seemed certain
from reports originating in many
places on the edge of the storm’s
path that the dead might number in
the hundreds. No reports had been
received at a late hour of damage in
the rural regions.
Among the other towrns and cities
to report damage and loss of life
were De Soto, 111., with 150 casualties
reported; Parrish, 111., with all but
three of a population of 500 report
ed either killed or injuured; Princeton
Ind., with an estimate of 100 casual
ties; Griffin, Ind., with 20; Gorham,
111., with 87; Carmi, 111., with 150;
and Crossville, Bush, and Hurst, 111.,
reporting serious damage and nu
merous casualties.
Darkness descended over the des
olated area shortly after the wind
had twisted its way to the northeast
and the streets of the demolished
towns w'ere filled with frantic inhab
itants clamoring over the piles of
wreckage, while the bodies of the
and friends. From the recess of the
jumbled timbers came the cries of
injured persons, pinned beneath the
wrickage, while the bodies of the
dead could be seen far down in the
debris whence it was impossible to
extricate them.
The twisting wind apparently as
sumed its dangerous proportions in
eastern Missouri shortly after 1 p. m.
It wiped out most of Annaplis, Mo.,
and then tore its way across the Mis
sissippi river, into Illinois, apparent
ly lifting its devastating force and
spreading over the river delta until
the various twisters descended some
25 miles west of the Mississippi.
It was around 3 o’clock when the
tornado again touched earth with
its mighty swish, swinging through
Murphysboro and De Soto and laying
those places waste in the twinkling
of an eye. The wind rushed on close
to the earth for 15 or 20 miles and
then apparently lifted until it came
to Carmi, 111., near the Indiana line.
After taking its toll in that region
the storm again rose only to descend
once more, 20 miles of the state line
at Princeton, Ind.
j The churches and school houses
were turned into hospitals and mor
gues and despite the difficulties
faced by the rescuers, hundreds of
persons were gathered into these
places of refuge before darkness set
tled over the scene.—Associated Press