SMITHFIELD NEEDS:
—Bigger Pay Roll.
—A Modern Hotel.
—Renovation of Opera House.
—More Paved Streets.
—Chamber of Commerce.
Mr. Farmer: It Will Pay You to Sell Your Tobacco in Smithfield This Season
miijfijelii
"We
Smithfielu
You Will Too
SMITHFIELD, N. C., TUESDAY MORNING, OCTOBER 13, 1925
Forty-third Year
* *
* *
Number 95
W. B. Cole Acquitted of Murder Charge
Wyatt Murder Trial Is
Continued Fourth Time
State Fair Week Consid
ered By Both Defense
and State Not The
Time For So Notable
A Case.
TO BE TRIED NOV. 2
The trial of Jesse Wyatt, charged
with the killing of Stephen S. Holt
of this city on the second of last
June, has again beela postponed.
This time the Raleigh fair inter
venes and {he case will not come
up until the week of November 2,
according to an agreement reached
at a conference held Thursday by
Judge Garland E. Midyette and
the attorneys on both sides. Solic
itor Evans and .J. Wilbur Bunn a id
Jones and Horton, representing
the defense, did not think that fair
week would be a suitable time for
a trial of the magnitude of the
Wyatt case. Juduge Midyett-a had
already arranged for the convert
ing of the two weeks civil term
beginning- October 0 into a mixed
term. It was decided to use the first
week for the trial of civil cases
e/id the second week for the Wy
att and other criminal cases.
The Wake County bar voted
twenty-four to five to dispense
with the court entirely during fair
week, but ; Judge Midyet' r held
that such action would hinder too
much the business of the courts
and the term will bo held with
the exception of Thursday, the
biggest day of the fair. It was
agreed at the conference held
Thursday that no further contin
uance will be sought by the de
fense on i ry technical grounds
The case, it will be recalled, was
continued in June and again in
July on technical grounds. The con
tinuance next week will be the
fourth, the case having been un
avoidably continued in September
because of the illness and death
of Armstead Jones, of the def -nse
coulnsel.
Barge Indian Potato
Mr. W. M. Hobbs of Smithfield,
Route 1, brought to town Saturday
a large Indian potato, known as a
wild potato, which he found half
buried in a ditch on his farm sev
eral days ago. The potato weighed
thirteen and a half pounds and
measures seventeen inches from
end to end. It is said by old people
that Indians made bread from these
potatoes. The inside of this pota
to is .of a white mealy substance,
while the outside is dark and
rough, resembling the hark of a
tree. Quite a number have exam
ined with interest this huge potato
since it was brought.- to this office.
Notice to Co-op Members
The regular meeting of the cot
ton and Tobacco Growers Coopera
tive association will he held in the
commissioners room of the court,
house here Wednesday, October 14,
at 2:30 o’clock. Every member is
urged to be present.
J. A. SMITH, Chairman
SELMA HAS GOLD
FISHING FROLIC
Selma, Oct. 12.—Several flays
ago, Mr. Geo. P. Briefz, super
intendent of the Selma cotton
lls. announced to his opera
tives and a Pew friends up in
town that on Saturday they
mi«rht go gold fishing.
Saturday dawned cold and
clear with a brisk north wind
blowing, but. nothing daunted,
the (ishermen wended their ways
to the reservoir hard by the mill.
The tackle used was the ordinary
hook and line with wriggly
worms, bits of fat meat and
bread for bait. The extraordi
nary thing about it was “how
they did bite!” Hundreds were
caught measuring from a few
inches to more than a foot in
length. Many a boy and girl
was made happy, the grownups
sharing the pleasure. Acquari
ums were rehabilitated and new
ones bought.
Three years ago five gold
fish were placed in this reser
voir and now it is thought to
contain thousands. It was deem
id best to remove some of them
hence the unusual fishing frol
ic.
New Feature of Johnston
County Fair Promses
To Arouse Unusual
Interest.
The following young ladies have
consented to run as contestants
in the Popularity Contest staged
by the Johnston County Fair. Each
girl is started with one hundred
votes, the contest closes Thurs
day, October 29th. at the fair
grounds.
Miss Sarah Adams, Smithfield,
100 votes.
Miss Jeannette Holland, Smith
filed, 100 votes.
Miss Hilda Feeding Smithfield,
100 votes.
Miss Elizabeth Creech, Smith
field, 100 votes.
Miss Margaret Benton, Benson,
100 votes.
Miss I.eone Sanders, Pine Level,
100 votes.
Miss Clara Fitzgerald, Pine
Level, 100 votes.
Miss Lyda Edwards, Micro, 100
votes.
Miss Pearl Fleming, Micro, 100
' votes.
Miss Eloise Alford, Kenly, 100
! votes.
Miss Baez Watson, Kenly, 100
I votes.
Miss Mabel Barbour, Wilson’s
.Mills, 100 votes.
Miss Sue TJomliilson, Wilson’s
Mills, 100 votes.
Miss Gedrgeanna Ashworth,
Selma, 100 votes.
Miss Mary Evelyn Parker,
Selma, 100 votes.
Miss Alma Lee, Selma, 100
votes.
Miss Aldine Barnes, Selma, 100
votes.
M V;s Mary Massey, Princeton,
100 votes.
Miss Mac Stephenson, Prince
ton, 100 votes.
Miss Louise Wrenn, Clayton. 100
votes.
Miss Bernice Turley, Clayton,
100 votes.
Miss Ethlynd Hurley, Clayton,
100 votes.
The next count will be published
Thursday October 22nd. Watch the
papers. For tickets and further in
formation phone or see Miss Dora
Barbour, Smithfield, N. C.
1
Pigs Making Hogs of Themselves—Marketing Time Is Coming
PI'lil' BRED DIROC-Jersey piers belonging to Mr. J.'Lifo Lee, of Johnston County, taking advantage of
she self-feeder he has provided. Mr. Lee has l>*en very successful in raising prize irinning hogs.
J. B. DUKE DIES AT
NEW YORK ROME
Millionnaire Manufactur
er and Philanthropist
Passes Away After
Short Illness.
BURIAL IN DURHAM
James B. Duke, rich tobacco
manufacturer, died at his home in
Now York city Sunday afternoon
at six o’clock after an illness of
several weeks that followed a ner
vous and physical breakdown. He
died in the presence of his family
and Dr. Robert Z. Wylie. His d -nth
is said to have come as a direct re
sult of bronchial pneumonia con
tracted after the breakdown. Mr.
Duke had fallen in a state of coma,
but at times ho showed such im
provement it was thought he would
recover. He is survived by his
wife, a daughter. Miss Doris Duke;
a brother, Benjamin Newton Duke,
and a niece, Mrs. Anthony Drexel
Biddle Duke.
The funeral services were held
at his home in New York yes tor
day afternoon at four o’clock and
the body brought to Durham where
the family burial will take place
this morning at eleven o’clock in
the family mausoleum. A dispatch
from the Associate'll Proas has the
following to say about the wealthy
manufacturer:
For several years Mr. Duke had
not taken an active part in the
conduct of the many enterprises
in which he was interested. Actual
management was entrusted to men
he had trained, although he fre
quently went to his New York of
fice and kept in close touch with
business matters.
Mr. Duke always maintained
close relations with the farmers
whose products he purchased. In
his early years as a tobacco manu
facturer he instructed his buyers
to pay the farmers enough for
their crops to assure them a liv
ing, notwithstanding market condi
tions.
He became extensively interest
ed in the development of hydro
electric power and established
many large plants in sections of
his native state of North Carolina.
Recently he spent large sums in
an effort to discover a method of
producing cheap fertilizer for the
benefit of the farmer.
Last year he established the
Duke Foundation, setting aside
$40,000,000. Under its harms Trini
ty college at Durham, N. C., chang
ed its name to Duke University,
and an active program of expan
sion was begun.
James Buchanan Duke was born
in 1856, near Durham, N. C., and
received his education in the coun
try schools. Ilis first connection
with the tobacco industry began
(Continued on page eight)
COLORED MAN IS
SERIOUSLY BURNED
George Vinson of Wilson’s Mills
Badly Burned When He Start
ed Fire Wi;h Gasoline.
Saturday morning about 5:30
o’clock George Vinson, a colored
man of Wilson’s Mills, was ser
iously burned while making a fire.
In an effort to get' the fire start -
. i d, according to reports received
, here, he decided to pour gasoline
• r :,i the wood which was slow in
beginning to burn. When he began
pouring the gasoline from the .two
! gallon can the flame blazed up
and enveloped him from his waist
up. He tore his clothing off in an
f ffort to extinguish the flames but
he was seriously burned about the
body. At last report he was still
living but was in a critical condi
tion. He is about fifty years of
age.
LOCAL TALENT OPERETTA
ON FRIDAY EVENING
An Ltdinn operetta entitled “The
IVast of‘the Red Corn,” under the
direction of MBs Frances White,
public school music teacher in the
graded school, and sponsored by
the Business and Professional
Women's Club, promises to be an
unusual production and one which
will appeal to music lovers of
Smithfieid.
The program will be given Fri
day evening in the opera house at
eight o'clock.
The singers will toll of the cel
ebration of “The Feast of the Red
Corn” held each year by the maid
ens of the Wunta tribe of Indians.
The one who finds first the red
. car of corn has her dearest wish
granted by the Sorceress, an old
squaw of the tribe. This year the
Queen joins the maidens hoping to
find the red ear of corn, in order
to wish luck to the King who is
away in Wars.
The old squaw tells the maidens
that the Four Winds have whis
pered to her that there will be no
wish granted this year because
[some one has committed a griev
ous offense. The younger sister
of the queen is suspected of being
the culprit. Events intervene to
i keep her front being burned at the
stake. The queen finds the Red
Ear, and sees a vision of her King
I who is alive and on his journey
home.
“The Unfolding Life” Is
Theme of Program Giv
en at Sunday School
Sunday Morning.
62 HOMES 100 PER CT.
Rnlly Day at the Methodist Sun
day school was responsible for the
unusually large crowd Sunday mor
ning and the exercises were char
acterized by many as being excep
tie. iahly good.
“The Unfolding Life” was the
theme of (he program which was
participated in by every depart
ment of the Sunday school from
the Cradle Roll to the Home De
partment. Appropriate devotional
exercises opened the Sunday school
at 9:30. The lesson was taught as ,
usual and the special program be
gan at the close of the class per
iod. As the choir sang, “Onward
Christian Soldiers,” two Intermed
iate boys bearing Christian con
quest flag and the United States
flag led a processional that in
cluded every member of the Sun
day school. A religious survey of
the town had been made in prep
aration for Rally Day, and a un
ique feature of the program was
the awarding of sixty-two hundred
per cent horn ■ certificates which
means that sixty-two homes rep
resented in the Methodist Sunday
school have every member attend
ing Sunday school. A bouquet of
chrysanthemums was awarded the
oldest member of the school pres
ent., Mr. Charlie Linsday, who is
77 years old and a regular attend
ant. The youngest person present
was Master John Holland, the sev
en months old baby of Dr. and
Mrs. N. T. Holland. The program
proper began with salutes by the
congregation to the Christian con
quest and U. S. flags. Mr. T. C.
Young, superintendent of the Sun
day school was the leader in the
(Continued on page eight)
Twelve-Year Old Girl Picks 328
Pounds of Cotton On Birthday
Floy Williams, daughter of Mr. W. M, Williams, of Smithfield,
Route 1, who was twelve years old last Tuesday, said she was
going to pick more cotton on her birthday than Minnie Hicks, the
twelve-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Geo. W. Hicks, of
Cleveland township, picked on her birthday. Mr. Williams told
his daughter that it she would pick nurse than Minnie Hicks did
he would give her a dollar. That night when her cotton was
weighed it was found that she had 328 pounds. According to an
article in a recent issue of The Herald, little Miss Hicks picked
271 pounds on her birthday. Both these young ladies are to be
congratulated upon the profitable way in which they celebrated
their birthdays.
Five children in Mr. WfHints’ family on the same day picked
1,381 pounds of cotton.
Verdict of Acquittal Returned
By Jury After Three Ballot*,
BIG COMMUNITY
FI IS SUCCESS
Variety and Arrangement
of Products Made Good
Showing—Old Relics
On Display.
With exhibits thnt would com
pore with county fairs and oven
some of those at the big state
show, the Meadow Community Fail
held last Friday exceeded all ex
pectations. Secretary W. V. Black
man and his co-workers have ev
ery reason to be proud of the suc
cess of the occasion, for to assem
ble and arrange such a display of
products was no little task. The
exhibitors themselves deserve cred
it for the selection and arrange
ment of products entered to com
pel*' for the prizes.
The Meadow school grounds was
an admirable place for the holding
of a fair. There was plenty of
space for the exhibit of farm ma
chinery, Doleo-Lighting system,
Singer sewing machines, cold drink
and barbecue stand-. Fven a side
show was there which helped to
carry out the Fair I atmosphere.
The exhibits were arranged in the
old school building, each division
having a separate room for the
displays. The farm and field pro
ducts were particularly good and
the entries were so numerous that
the entire space of a large room in
the building was completely filled.
Cotton, tobacco, all sorts of feed
crops, vegetables, meat, in fact,
anything you will find grown on
the farm, was represented. Anoth
er room was devoted to pantry
supplies and canned goods. The
long rows of canned fruits and
vegetables upon white stands dec
orated with ivy were good to look
upon. Cakes, home made butter,
eggs, biscuits, home made candies,
and other good things were suit
ably arranged in this room. Also
a display of honey belonging to
Mr. L. Parker of Benson, Route 2,
in this room attracted quite a bit
of attention. The fancy work de
partment included everything from
colored embroideries to quilts made
in the most intricate patterns. Of
particular interest was the junior
department, a room devoted to ex
hibit:. of children under sixteen
years of age. In many instances
the work shown there compared
favorably with that of the grown
ups.
But of all the rooms that de
voted to old relics was perhaps the
moist popular. There the folks
loved to linger and look at uten
sils made in the long ago. and talk
over the improvement that had
been made in the last century. We
say the last century because there
were a number of articles on dis
play over a hundred years old. A
milk piggin, lit) years old; an old
wooden churn, a spinning wheel,
sleigh and harness, (lax tackle, an
old fashioned reel, old bedquilts
made of home woven materials,
and a flax wheel were all on dis
play. An old fashioned iron attract
ed attention. It resembled a mod
ern electric iron in shape, with a
place to put hot colds inside. The
iron had belonged to David Voa
eock, grandfather of Sarah N. Hol
ly, and was bought in 18i-r>. A dis
play of old dishes in an old time
leather bound trunk which belong
ed to Mrs. Holly, was also on
display. The dishes were originally
owtned by Mr. J- C- Hood, grand
father of our townsman, Mr. T.
R. Hood- A sugar bowl, gravy bowl
and laddie of unique design, bought
in 1827. An indigo stand carried
one back to the time when indigo
was grown around here, from which
(Turn to page eight, please)
Cole Will Not Get His Freedom Un
til Judge Has Proof of His Sanity;
Hearing Will Be Held At Wilkes
boro Today, I P. ML; Only A Few
Person Are In Court Room When
Verdict of the Jury Is Read.
Rockingham, October 11.— (Special to The Her
ald).—William B. Cole, charged with the murder of
his daughter's former lover, William W. Ormond
was acquitted of the charge of murder by a jury
which has been considering his case behind locked
doors since Saturday at noon when it filed into court
shortly after 9 o’clock this morning.
Although acquitted of the charge of murder, Cole
will have to face a hearing on a charge of insanity.
The hearing will be held at Wilkesboro Tuesday
at 1 p. m.
When the jury had been polled, the foreman of that
body in a clear voice, following the question as to
whether they had found a verdiot, announced that
they found the defendant, William B. Cole, not guil
ty on the charge of murdering William W. Ormond.
Immediately after the jury had given its report,
Cole was returned to jail where he will await the
hearing on the insanity charge which he will hav
to face.
The jury which decided the fate of the rich mil
owner, retired for deliberation of the ecase at 12:4
c’ciock yesterday afternoon, following the charge
delivered by Judge T. B. Finley . Shortly after se
en o’clock last night, the jury came into the cou
room, and asked that Judge Finley read to them th
1 conclusions of his charge.
Following the re-reeading of this part of the
charge, the jury again retired for further delibera
tions.
JUDGE BROOKS 70
DELIVER SPEECH
Pitt County People Will
Tender Thanks For
Bountiful Crops
October 23.
Johnston county’s idea of set
ting aside a special day of thanks
giving for bountiful crops has tak
en a hohl upon other counties in
North Carolina, and upon Friday,
October 23. Pitt' county will ob
serve such a celebration. Not long
ago Nash county followed suit and
the Pitt celebration will be the
third of this kiml to be held in
ihe state this year. Judge F. H.
; Brooks, who conducted the pro
igram at the Johnston county cel
ebration, has accepted an invita
tion to deliver an address at Green
ville on the 23rd. The day will be
observed as a manifestation of
appreciation for God’s hle.yings
which have so richly been bestow
ed upo.i the people of Eastern
North Carolina. The event is be
' ing looked forward to by the re
ligious element ot Pitt county as
the greatest day in the life of its
people. A minister who will preach
a sermon at the opening of the
service has not yet been determin
ed.
Messrs. II. R. Easom and W. M.
Ferrell, of Selma, spent Tuesday
in the city on business.
Mr. Paschal Parson and son,
Larman, of Sampson county, spent
I Tuesday in the city.
ihe jury had the ease approxi
mately twenty-one hours. Immed
lately after the verdict' was ren
dered, Cole was remanded to jai
to await a hearing at Wilkesbore
Tuesday at 1 o’clock when Cole
must rhow why he should not b*
committed to the criminal divis
io-:i of the state hospital for the ir
sane at Releigh. Cole made no con
meat on his acciuittal. Rev. A. L
; Ormond, father of the slain ex
service man, made no comment
other than, “What isn’t right now
I will be right some time.”
It had been agreed that the court
house bell be rung when a verdict
had been returned, but Judge Fin
Icy ordered the sheriff not to ring
the hell in order to prevent any
possible violence to the defendant
Only thirty-one persons including
the prisoner, heard the announce
meat of the verdict. Not' a single
woman was present. Cole shook
hands with the members of th
jury, and James H. Pou, senior
counsel for the defense, thanked
the jury on behalf of Mr. Cole and
his family. Judge Finley thanked
the jurors for their patriotic serv
ice, and the sacrifice which they
had made to serve as jurors.
On the firs’ ballot taken after
the case went to the jury at 13:412
on Saturday, the vote stood eight
to four for an acquittal.
“Three times during the after
noon and night* the jury prayed.
When the jurors went to bed at
ten o’clock Saturday night the vote
had changed 11 to 1 for acquittal.
The jurors stated that one vote
changed after each prayer. This
morning after breakfast the jurors
again prayed for guidance and the
unanimous vote for acquittal was
secured.
“Locked in the jury room the
twelve men agreed that the name
of the man who held out against
(Turn to page eight, please)