North Carolina Newspapers

Know Your Comity Do You Know that Johnston coun ty ranks first in North Carolina in the production of cotton, 52,0Cfo bales in 192-4? (Nine-tenths of a bale for every acre planted). Number 10 i KMITHFIELD NEEDS: —Bigger Pay Roll. —A Modern Hotel. —Renovation of Opera House. —More Paved Streets. —Chamber of Commerce. Forty-third Year Johnston County’s Oldest and Best Newspaper - — Established 1882 ... ■ ■ .-... .-. ... . - __ __' ...--JL... - _SM1THF1ELD, N. C„ FRIDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 6, 1925 Convicts Knock Guard In Head And Make Get Away From Local Camp k Willie Wili'ams, A Colored Man, Overpow 1 ers Guard, J. N. Nordan, Snatches Revol ver from Him And With Three Other Prisoners Makes His Escape. Four men escaped from the convict camp from here last night between eight and 8:30 o'clock after overpowering the guard and taking his revolver from him. According to information received from the camp, J. N. Nordan. the guard, was open ing the door of the prison camp in order to let the trus tees enter for the night when Willie Williams, colored, sprang through the door and knocked him down. A scuffle followed in which Mr. Nor dan received several hard blows and his pistol wrench ed from his hands. During the skirmish the pistol fired , but no one was hurt. After the guard had been beaten up and made practical ly helpless, three other con victs seized the high-powered rifle which is used at the pris ' on camp and made their es cape along with Williams. They were the only convicts at the camp except the trus tees who did not try to es cape. Early this morning no trace had been found of the fugitives. Authorities at other towns have been notified and the search is under way. Three of the prisoners wore shackles. Those who escaped were: Wiley Woodard, color ed, who was serving a term of three years; Albert John son, white, who was serving a term of eighteen months; Willie Williams, colored, and James Davis, colored, who was sentenced for something like five years. Davis is said to have escaped from prison four * times before. Will Issue Bonds , In Sum $100,000 Work On Street Paving Will Probably Start Early Next Spring. The paving plans for Smith field upon which the City Fathers have been working during the past few months begin to take more definite shape, and the prospect now is that work will begin in early spring. The finance commit tee composed of Messrs. R. P. Holding and J. D. Underwood, rec ommended to the town board at its regular session Tuesday night, the , issuing ' of a $100,000 worth of bonds to take care of the paving program. Their recommendation was approved. The bonds will be serial bonds, and will be retired with funds collected from property owners along the streets to be • paved together with one-third put up by the town itself. Increased taxation for this purpose is not anticipated. Certainly this year nor next year will extra taxation be necessary, and it is thought the fund will have augmented by that time sufficiently to take care of the interest and retirement. A number of our citizens are interested in seeing the paving get under way, and will be gratified to learn that details of the under taking will probably be settled within the next thirty days and the bonds advertised for sale. Agreed * “Do you thilnk they approved of my "sermon?” asked the min ister. i “Yes, I think so,” replied his i wife; “they were all nodding.”— The Progressive Grocer. —Compare your griefs with oth er men’s and they will seem less. Commissioners In Regular Session Pass Order To Hold Delin quent Tax Sale on May 1st Next Year. The sale of property for delin quent taxes for 1925 is scheduled to come off on the first Monday in May 1926 instead of November as this year, according to an order passed by the Board of County Commissioners at their regular meeting last Monday. The order is to the effect that the sheriff pro ceed and advertise ail taxes not paid by April 1, 1926, and reai estate be sold the first Monday in May, following as required by law. It was also ordered that the sher iff levy on personal property at any time after this date where it appears necessary m order to pre vent loss of time. Ordered also that the sheriff ad vertise a date in each township for attendance and collection of taxes for 1925 during the last half of November and first half of De- ! cember 1925. It is further ordered that a pen alty of one half of one per cent he added as on Feb. 1, 1926, and one per cent on March 1, 1926, and one and one half per cent on April I, 1926, and 50 cents cost be add ed after Feb. 1, 1926. Ordered that M. R. Barefoot of Meadow township be released of dog tax for the year 1924 for the reason that he nor any member of his family had a dog at tax listing time that year. Ordered that H. B. Marrow be authorized to employ two addi tional teachers not formerly in cluded in the school budget. Ordered that H. B. Marrow be authorized to purchase five new school trucks not previously al lowed in the school budget. Ordered that Miss Minnie Lee Garrison be paid $25.58 for expen ses incurred in placing the John ston county exhibit at the state fair. Ordered that Herman Rollins be released of $2.00 poll tax for 1924 which was charged by error as he was not 21 years old at time of listing for that year. Ordered that the road commis sioners of Micro township be al lowed to use what funds they have in hand for road purposes. Ordered that where C. P. Ellis has submitted affidavit that his gin plant was destroyed by fire on the 6th day Jan. 1925, and tha' said tract of land and gin plan\ is listed at $22,300, that said prop erty be listed at $20,000 releasing said property of $2,800 valuation because of the fire. Ordered that report of Mrs. D. J. Thurston, county superintend ent Public Welfare, be approved for record. Ordered that Children’s Home Society at Greensboro, be paid $33.34 for allowance for Septem ber and October. Upon petition by tbe Board j of Education and the school com mittee in Banner School District No. 3, an election is hereby called to be held in said district) for white people to be held on Tues day, December 22, 1925. Ordered that Commissioner J. T. Edgerton be authorized to make a trip to Whitakers to make a pur chase of 24 cheap grade coffins for the county of Johnston to be used in emergency cases for the poor. Ordered that W. C. Massey be J. L. LIVtKMOKE Jesse L. Livermore, spectacular •took plunger, who after a year’s ab sence has resumed operations anc has made tremendous profits, ac cording to Wall street. Busy Session Of Recorders^ Court Around Twenty Cases Dealing With Various Offences Disposed Of. A little punch was administered here Tuesday to the “wheels of justice” in the Recorder’s court, and something like twenty cases were disposed of. John Murray, a show' man who had fallen into, the tails of the law from Selma on a charge of fornication and adultery, was call ed. He failed to appear and his bond was forfeited. Talmadge White was charged with an assault. He made no re sistance to a verdict and was fined SI5.00 and costs. Handy Smith and Roland Bare foot, beardless youths of Meadow' township, were tried for an affray in which they had recently had a part. They offered a plea of guilty and prayer for judgment was con tinued during good behavior, upon payment of costs. Vivian Hinton, negro man of Clayton, was charged with oper ating a car while drunk. Prayer for judgment was continued upon payment of cost conditioned upon the ground that defendant would not operate a car in this State dur ing the ensuing 12 months. Earl Stephenson, a white man of Clayton township, was in court on charges of reckless driving and operating a car w'hile under the in fluence of whiskey. He was found guilty and taxed with the cost. R. F. Dale, a white man of Selma township, was charged with the abandonment of his dependent children. He was found guilty and required to give a $500 bond for a guaranty for the support of chil dren. He was unable to give bond and was committed to jail. Nelson Hayes, white, of Benson, was charged with drunkness and disorderly conduct and disturbing public worship. He was found guil ty on the counts and sentenced to serve four months on the county roads. The road sentence was sus pended during the future good be havior. Carl Glover, Bat Creech, Clifton O’Neal and Waylon Johnson, white men of O’Neals township, were found guilty of an affray. Prayer for judgment was entered against each defendant and they were dis charged upon payment of cost. Fletcher Wimbley and G. W. Parker, white, of Meadow toum ship, were found guilty of an af fray. They were discharged upon payment of costs. paid $134.01 for special research work on tax books. Ordered that State Auditor be paid $1,020.01 for blind and deaf pupils in state institution from Johnston county. WILLIDEDIGATE 8ENS0NGHURGH Benson Methodists Pay For Splendid Structure —Dedication Sermon By Bishop Denny. HISTORY OF CHURCH Benson, Nov. 5.—An approach ing event of more than commun ity wide interest is the dedication of the First Methodist church here on November 8th at eleven o’clock. Bishop Collins Denny of Richmond, Va,, will preach the dedicatory sermon. It is to be a great day for the community and many out of town people are expected. The chgrch was erected in 1917 1918 during the pastorate of Rev. J. T. Stanford at a cost of $45,000 and is perhaps the best ever built in the North Carolina Conference by a congregation of less than a hundred members. Constructed of red pressed brick and trimmed in Indiana limestone it is a beautiful, commodious and imposing struc ture. Ample provision has been made for all the requirements of a growing church for years to come. Methodism was first organized in Benson in 1890 with six charter members, two of whom still sur vive. The are: Mrs. Cassandra J. Johnson and Mrs. Phoebe A. Holmes. The church was then a part of the Four Oaks Circuit and as such was served by the follow ing ministers: D. B. Parker, W. A. Forbes, E. M. Snipes, J. M.j Daniels, T. H. Sutton, R. F. Tay lor and G. W. Starling. In the fall of 1915, under the supervision of the presiding elder, Rev. M. T. Plyler, considerable wisdom was exercised in 'tncTorm ing of Benson and Elevation churches into a new charge and in the choice of P.ev. J. T. Stan (Turn to page four, please) Building Houses For Crows and Sparrows Kinston, Nov. 4. — Rudolph Croom will build bird houses for crows and English sparrow's at his farm home near here. Croom is a Lenoir county health inspector. His neighbors will wonder “what has come over him,” he expects, but Croom says he has reason to be\ friendly to the bird “pests.” The inspector declares he is con vinced, after years of observation, ' hat the rural-dwelling sparows are useful creatures. “He is largely insectivorous. He prefers bugs to grain,” he declares. The maligned crow is a feathered gentleman, Croom asserts. “He destroys some little corn in the spring of the' year, but in tobacco season he worms the plants efficiently. Crows have saved me large sums in times when labor was scarce atid high priced.” Business Meeting Held At Baptist Church The members of the Smithfield Baptist church held their annual business meeting last Wednesday night with a largo attendance of the members of the church. Re norts were heard from all the of ficers and all the departments of the church, showing that much had been accomplished during the year. Contributions amounted to approx imately $0,000, and the member ship had been substantially in creased. New officers were elected as follows: The term of office of three of the deacons had expired, and those elected were W. T. Holland, W. H. Lassiter, and Jesse E. Coats, the first two being re-elected. Sup erintendent of the Sunday school, W. H. Lassiter; Superintendent of Christian Education. Geo. Y. Rags dale, who is also librarian; Super intendent of Missions, Mrs. J. M. Beaty; Superintendent of Young People’s Work, Mrs. N. L. Per kins; Church Clerk, J. E. Coate; Treasurer, D. H. Creech; Finan cial Secretary, Mrs. Lillie L. John son; Auditor, R. P. Holding; Pian ist, Miss Lallah Rookh Stephenson; Head Usher, W. H. Lassiter. Tax Sale Did Not Come Off The delinquent tax sale which was to have been held here last Monday, did not take place, be cause, according to Sheriff Par ker, folks paid their taxes so fast Monday and Tuesday that the hooks were not available for the sale. People are still paying, and it will probably be Saturday noon before Auctio neer ('rule starts his song of the tax sale. It takes some time to post the books but the sher | iff think;; they v "! b - in shape to conduct the sale Saturday. Atlantic Coast Line Flor ida Flier Crushes Into School Bus in Georgia. 21 ARE INJURED Waycross, Ga.. Nov. 2- Collis ion of the Everglades Limited of the At\in,tie Coast Line and a school bus at Nahunta, Ga., today resulted in the deaths of eight children and injuries to twenty one others. Victims of the crash were rush ed to the hospital here aboard a special train. Four of thm died on the way. The dead are: Thelma Wilson, 12; Anne Belle Wilson, 1(1; May Thorpton, 12; Doris Ilerin, 14; Au drey May Johns, 12; Durwood Dowling, 7; Hershal Louis, 11; and Riley'lliekox, 7. Reports from the Hospital Tale this afternoon indi cated that no more deaths are ex pected, although some of the re maining victims are in a serious condition. Elroy Strickland, W’ho was driv ing the bus, suffered a fractured leg. He stated to railroad officials here that he was driving in a misty rain and had all side curtains of the bus closed. As he approached the railroad track, he stated, he asked one of the boys on the bus to look north and see if there was a train approaching. Strickland said he looked toward the south. Just as the bus reached the cen ter of the crossing, the train crashed into it. Tlhe terrific impact of the heavy locomotive threw the bus a distance of twenty feet and strewed its occupants along the right of way. Three of the chil dren were killed instantly. The screams of their companions could be heard above the noise of th? train as it sped down the track toward (he station. Box cars, parked near the cross ing. the misty rain and the fatl| the bus curtains were up were con tributing causes of the collision, witnesses declared. No official ac count of the crash has been is sued by the railroad company and no comprehensive statement has been made by Strickland, the bus driver, or by the engineer of ttya Everglades Limited, which was rushing on its way to Florida when the accident occurred. A relief train was made up at Nahunta immediately after the collision and the child victims were taken to the hospital here. Fam ilies of the children, Everett Knox, principal of the school to which the children were hound, closed the building after the collision and ac companied the victims to this city. News of the crash spread rapid ly through this section and local citizens freely offered their serv ices to families of the children who were riding on the ill-fated bus.— Associated Press. Utopia Tramp (to kind-looking gentle man: “Can you spare me a little money, sir?” The gentleman gave him a dime and asked what he would do with it. “Well,” said the tramp, “I shall have a bath first, then get a good suit of clothes, then a good break fast, and I shall put the rest iri the bank.”—Good Hardware. W'ateh the date on your label and don’t let your subscription expire. Armistice Day In Johnston'County Ex-Service Men Guests of Honor at Celebration to Be Held In Clayton. Something near five hundred ex service men are expected to be in Clayton next Wednesday, Novem ber 11th, to take part in the Arm istice Day celebration, and a com mittee made up of men and women from every township in the coun ty are busy at work to make it the biggest patriotic event ever staged in the county, and in this way to show their appreciation of the part these veterans took in the recent great war. Heretofore Clayton has given a barbecue to its local men on Armis tice Day, but this year it was de sired to make the event a county vide one, and to invite all the ex service man in the county to Clay ton, and this year the program of events will be planned on a larger and broader scale. The program as near as it can be announced at this time, pro vides for a public speaking by some leading citizen of the State. The speaking will be held near Horne’s store at 11 o’clock. Every body is invited to the speaking From here the ex-service men will march to the new ball park, where a barbecue dinner will be served. The dinner will be for the soldiers only. During the day there will be music by a brass band, and Other things are being planned for the entertainment of the honored guests. Everything on the program, with the exception of the dinner, will be free to the public, and a largb crowd of visitors are expected to go to Clayton for the celebration. Ministers in the county are here by requested to make announce ment in their pulpits Sunday con cerning the celebration. The Native Come-Back A small town plumber in Maiine who had been called out to one of the palatial summer homes in his vicinity to repair a leak in the water pipe, entered the place and began to work. “Norah,” said the woman of the house imperiously to her maid, “see that my jewel case is locked at once!” “George,” said the plumber, re moving his false teeth in a signif icant manner and handing them to his helper, “take these back to the shop! It seems this place ain't safe.” From Everybody’s Magazine for November. Cole Damage Suit May Wait A Year Unless Special Term of Civil Court Is Called It Will Have to Wait. Raleigh, Nov. 3.—Unless there is a special term of civil court called for the trial of the Cole dam age case, the folks who are excit ed about it will have to calm a year, according to Clerk “Truvy” Royster. Mr. Royster says there are -100 or more civil cases on the local cal. endar and they will have to go off before the Cole case can come on. The fact that ? 150,000 is at stake will not necessarily hurry the is sue. Mr. Cole is not going to rush things and Mr. Ormond cannot. It is not likely that special term will be called. Governor McLean hurried the criminal case and had a judge working on it within 45 days. That issue was settled with i judgment of not guilty. But the finding of the Union jury turns out not to have been very gener ally popular. A wait of one year will take a world of popular interest away. It should work to the advantage of Mr. Cole who got off lightly at the other hearing and then ran into a very savage public senti ment. The defendant is said to be in Arkansas, but his friends do not believe the recurring rumor that he is going to move away from Rockingham. COL. W. C. PROCTER Col. William Cooper Procter, mil lionaire soap manufacturer of Cin cinnati, who successfully sued Col. A. A. Sprague of Chicago for $50,000 because they Jointly signed a note for $100,000 for money to help finance the campaign to nominate Gen. Leonard Wood for the Presi dency in 1920 and Sprague declined to pay half of it. Noted Speaker at Methodist Church Oliver W. Stewart of In diana To Speck at M. E. Church Sunday. The pulpit of the Centenary Methodist church Sunday morn-' ing, at eleven o’clock will be ocuj pied by Mr. Oliver W- Stewart, a man of unusual ability who will speak upon a subject of vital in terest not only to the people of this community hut throughout the nation. Mr. Stewart', President of the Flying Squadron Foundation, In dianapolis, Indiana, one of the speakers of the Flying Squadron, which is to hold a series of meet ings in Raleigh, is said to have few equals on the American platform. The Chicago Tribune, comment ing on one of his addresses said: “He was applauded repeatedly and at the conclusion of his speech was cheered long and laud. His speech was the oratorical feature of the proceedings.” There are those that think the prohibition issue dead. All such will be disillusioned upon hearing Mr. Stewart’s address, it is said. He will point out the critical sit uation in which the country finds itself at the present time, and will offer a remedy. The meeting is free to the pub lic. Everybody is invited. Mr. Stewart was a former mem ber of the Illinois Legislature, is a speaker of rare ability and for many years was associated with ex-governor Hanly of Indinana in the work of the Flying Squadron Foundation in the interest of Pro hibition and Law Enforcement. Mr. A. M. Sanders Is Laid To Rest The funeral of Mr. A. M. San ders held at the home Tuesday afternoon was largely attended. The service which was conducted by his pastor, Rev. A. J. Parker, was simple but impressive. Mrs. Leroy Thiern, of Raleigh, Mrs. N. 'll. Holland and Miss Irene My att sang “One Sweetly flalumn Thought.’’ Other songs used were favorites of the family: “How Firm a Foundation,” and “Rock of Ages.” The profusion of flowers were carried by nieces of the deceased, and the mound was completely cov ered by these silent offerings of sympathy. Among those attending the fun eral from a distance were: Mrs. Walter F. Woodard a'nd son, Thomas, Mrs. James Ed Woodard and Miss Sallie Hadley, of Wil son; Mrs. Leroy Thiem, Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Ross Pou, Mr. and Mrs, William Bailey Jones and Mr. Ren ders, of Raleigh; Mrs. Emma El lington. Mrs. B. A. Hocutt, Mr. and Mrs. R. W. Sanders, Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Sanders, Jr., and Mr. Oscar Smith, of Clayton. i NEXT WEEK Three Days of Lectures, Musical Numbers and Other Entertainment In Store, GIVE POPULAR PLAY Next week our citizens will hav an opportunity to see six program of the Swarthmore Chautauqua which is scheduled to give a serie of lectures, entertainments arid musical numbers is the high schoo auditorium beginning Thursday afternoon and lasting three days. The Chautauqua is brought to Smithfield by twenty guarantor? but the Parent-Teacher Associa tion, one of the guarantors, i conducting the sale of tickets at) . the net proceeds will be trirned into the treasury of the association for the use of the school. Superintend ent N. C. Shuford will have charge of the sale of the junior tickets and every member of the school will b allowed t» enjoy the entertain ments on a junior ticket. The program as advertised prom - ises three days of worth while amusement. On the opening da the Llera Mexican Sw'ftnaders-Jwil! appear both afternoon and eve ning. Mexican music is famous for its appeal to the aesthetic an spiritual nature, and this is th> first American tour of these to1 ented musicians- Senor Felipe Llera, Senora Julia Llera and Fe lipe Antonio Llera, boy soprano will appear in native eofefcumes. Senor Llera is one of the most popular composers in Mexico to day. This group has already been secured by the Victor Talking Ma chine company to record native mu sic. On Thursdi*' evening in addi tion to the music concert Marion Ballou Fiske, who for thirteen years has given entertainments in every state in the union and prac tically every province of Canada will be on the program- Mr' Fiske is a combination of cartoon ist. entertainer, story tdfcer and lec_ turcr. If she were not good she would not still be so popular after thirteen years. On Friday afternoon and eve ning the Davis sisters, known a “Sammies’ Sisters” during th war, will give concerts. They b< gan their musical training ati t years of age. They are artists the trumpets, mellaphone, Fh gel horn and Euphonium. On Fid day evening J. Franklin Babb, wwv has spoken before Rotarian ^nt Kiwanis clubs repeatedly, will le ture. He does not really give a let ture—he calls it a HomoUgue * man’s talk. Three times dupiing th past year he was called bask t<? speak at the New Jersey Ki\\ani club, twice at the New York Cit;. Kiwanis club, three times to Brcftjb ton, Mass., three times to Provi dence, R- I.„ and eight times to the Newark, N. J-, high school. He is a poet of no mean ability, his poems having been published in some of the leading magazine of the country. On Thursday and Friday after noons the junior CJiautauqiw. leader will work with the childrein, and on Saturday afternoon ttiey wil’ present a concert. A leittwy to b announced later will ajso be a pal" of the Saturday afternoen pro gram. On Saturday evening a corned; drama. “Give and Take.” will p*o wide a full evening program. Tki screaming farce on modern bus< ness and economic life has a laug? for nearly every line. The play ha long runs in New York, Philade' phia, and Chicago. It has bee< played recently in Ashevi-lle wher it was widely advertised, tick? for the performance being one tk> lar and a half—ttrt? price of ; adult season ticket for the thrt days Chautauqua. ^ Baptist Church Siwday Sunday school 9:30 a. m. T> pastor will preach at M a. m. art 7:30 p. m. The subject in th morning is “Christ's Challenge i the Heroic.” The church begins a new year with new officers, am ! all members are invited earnest! j to attend all the services. A cordis | invitation and a wa’m welcome to visitors.