BMITHFIELD NEEDS:
—Bigger Pay Roll.
—A Modem Hotel.
—Renovation of Opera House.
—More Paved Streets.
—Chamber of Commerce.
... .. v.
JOHNSTON COUNTY NEEDS:
County Farm Agent
Better Roads Feeding Highways
Equal Opportunity for Every
School Child
Better Marketing System
More Food and Feed Crops
S
VOLUME 44—NO. 27
* *
SMITHFIELD, N. C., TUESDAY MORNING, APRIL 6, 1926
* *
$2.00 PER YEAR
Sensational Case
Fails To Be Tried
More Than a Hundred
Witnesses Summoned
Here in Talton-Earp
Slander Case Which Is
Continued
The second week of a special
term of Superior Court for the
trial of civil cases opened here on
Monday, April 5th.
One of the most sensational
cases that has been called to the
attention of the public for several
years was called for trial yester
day, thfe first day of court. It is the
case of Mrs. Carrie llalton of
Smithfield against Mr. and Mrs.
Henry Earp of Selma. Mrs. Tab
ton in hor complaint alleges slan
der, and she is suing each defend
ant for the recovery of $50,000.
Both the plaintiff and the defend
ants have summoned a large num
ber of people to testify in their be
half, respectively, something like
a hundred and fifty people being
summoned here yesterday. The
plaintiff is represented by Doug
jas aim uougias, anti K. JN. Sims,
of Raleigh, and Winfield H. Lyon,
of Smithfield. The defendants are
represented by Mr. Jas. II. Pou.
of Raleigh, and Col. Ed S. Abell
and Judge F. H. Brooks, of Smith
field. There is little extrinsic in
formation that has so far come
to the public. At the time that
the alleged defamation took place,
some three years ago, Mrs. Talton
was residing in Selma, and about
that time her name was dismem
bered from the church roll. Dam
age which came to her as a re
sult of some talk which she al
leges the defendants had to say
about her brought about her dis
missal from the church. Other
damages are alleged. The trial of
this case was continued to a spec
ial term of court which has been
set for May, 1926.
LARGE CROWD ENJOYS
EASTER MUSICIAL
The Easter music festival given
under the auspices of the Woman’s
club at the Baptist church Sunday
afternoon was enjoyed by a large
audience, a number of out of town
people being present for the pro
gram. Miss Lallah Rookh Steph
enson presided at the piano, and a
chorus of twenty-five voices oj
more rendered a number of inspir
ing Easter selections. The anthems
were particularly beautiful, though
the special quartets, duets and solo
parts were fine. This department of
the Woman’s club renders a dis
tinct service to the community in
providing such worth-while music
programs.
Mr. H. S. Powell Wins Trip
Mr. II. S. Powell, local repre
sentative of the Delco-Light com
pany, is among the four or five
representatives in Eastern North
Carolina to win a trip to Dayton,
Ohio, by selling their quota of
goods in a given time. Mr. Powell
left yesterday for Dayton where
he will attend the twelfth annual
national convention of the Delco
Light company. He expects to be
away about ten days.
A Freak Egg
Mr. D. H. Stephenson, of Wil
son’s Mills, exhibited a freak in
the form of a hen egg here yes
terday. The egg was unusually
large, and on the inside was a
perfectly formed egg of normal
size. This is the second egg of this
kind ever reported at this office.
AUNT ROXIE SAYS—
By Me—
Ah sho loves ter live in town,
no wells fer chillen ter fall in and
perleece weah sieh purty goal but
tons.
TICKETS FOR THE
CAROLINA PLAYMAKERS
An error was made in the
first posters advertising the
Smithfield engagement of the
Carolina Playmakers in regard
to the price of tickets. Instead
of $1.50, reserved seats will be
only one dollar, and the price
for general admission will be
only fifty and seventy-five cents.
The Playmakers will be here at
the high school auditorium next
^Monday evening at eight o’
Clayton Women
Take Firm Stand
Organizations Pass Reso
lutions That Only Coun
ty Officers Favoring
Prohibition Will Gain
Their Support
The women of Clayton “have tak
en a decided stand for cleaner pol
itics. Through three organizations
of that city, an expression of their
stand as regards prohibition, slot
machines, and questionable period
icals, has been made public. Reso
lutions signed by Mrs. J. E. Mark
ham, representing the Baptist la
dies Mrs. M. Y. Self, the Metho
dist ladies, and Mrs. B. A. Hocutt,
the ladies of the Woman’s Club,
have been made public. It will be
recalled that Mrs. Hocutt was
made assistant chairman of the
Democratic Executive Committee
at the meeting held here recently.
The text of the resolutions is as
follows:
“The enforcement of the Eigh
teenth Amendment is the.immed
iate and insistent challenge to the
people of this nation. Its lax en
forcement in too many localities
is the greatest menace to temper
ance. The country cannot live half
law breaker and half law observ
er. Where law is not observed an
archy prevails. The law must be
respected in the homes and en
forced in the courts or the crime
wave will engulf us. The hour has
struck when all officers of the
law, from the lowest to the high
est, should gird themselves to up*
hold the majesty of the law. Real
ization of a sober nation waits upon
zealous enforcement and upon law
abiding citizens. Governments find
their strength in obedience to law.
“Conscious of the great wave of
crime sweeping over Johnston
county—Therefore, we, the mem
bers of the Woman’s Club and the
members of the Woman’s Mission
ary Society of the Baptist church,
and the members of the Woman’s
Missionary Society of the Metho
dist churcn ot Liayiun, assemoieu
each in regular session, do declare
by unanimous vote, that we will
not support in the coming Primar
ies and election any man, regard
less of party, who will not declare
himself in sympathy with the
Eighteenth Amendment, and who
will not promise to make a faith
ful effort to enforce the prohibi
tion law. Realizing that one man
cannot enforce the law in every
section of the county, we call upon
each candidate for office of sher
iif to promise if elected, that he
will appoint as deputies only such
men as are avowed prohibition sup
porters.
“We also declare ourselves as
unalterably opposed to the opera
tion of slot machines in our coun
ty and state. We regard the slot
machine as a snare and menace
to our boys, and look upon it as
the kinder-garten in the training
school for gamblers. We call upon
every citizen in whose place of
business such a machine is operat
ed to consider this appeal- end for
the security of our boys—your boy
_to play the part of a good citizen
and remove such danger.
Our attention has been directed
to the sale of certain periodicals
which are detrimental to both
mental and moral development.
We therefore petition the proprie
tors of news stands to offer for
sale only such literature as will
tend to the mental and moral de
velopment of the reading public."
Every good gardener in North
Carolina should enroll in the
State-wide garden contest and
help his county to win one of the
f major prizes.
Cleveland School
To Be At Oakland
Grant School Elections at
Four Oaks and Meadow
—Jones District Asks
Annexation to Smith
held
The County Board of Education
composed of W. G. Wilson of Wil
son’s Mills, P. B. Johnson of Ben
son, and J .W. Woodard of Beulah
township, met in regular session
here yesterday and took certain
steps for the furtherance of edu
cation in Johnston county.
The Board entered into a dis
cussion of the location of the
j school house to be built in Cleve
land township. After a thorough
discussion the Board found as a
fact: First that the center of the
roads in this territory is the one
and nine-tenths miles of road be
tween Shiloh and Oakland, second
that the geographical center of the
territory is one-tenth mile east of
Oakland church, and third that the
center of population of the terri
tory is slightly east of Barbour’s
store. With these facts before the
board the members each prepared
their ballots on locating the school
at Oakland, Shiloh and a point be
tween these two points. The first
ballot taken showed that the Oak
iana sue was unanimously chosen.
The board then introduced the su
perintendent to proceed to secure
a site.
The Board then granted two pe
titions for elections, one in Mead
ow No. 2 and one in Four Oaks
District in Igrams No. 8.
A delegation appeared before
the board from the Jones District
asking that an election be called
on the question of annexation to
the Smithfield special chartered
district. The board understood that
the board of trustees of the Smith
field Graded School District would
sign a petition requesting said
election on this question. In order
| to see whether there was any
chance to carry said election the
board directed those appearing to
present them with a petition sign
ed by the voters of the Jones dis
trict stating whether they want
! to annex or not at which time said
matter will be disposed of.
The committee from the Royal
Elevation District appeared be
fore the Board and were granted
the right to pay from their local
tax into the Four Oaks District the
tuition of all students from the
Royal District who intend to con
tinue school into the Four Oaks
District for the remainder of this
term and to pay the county for
tile operation of the truck or
trucks the last two months.
The Fitzgerald District pre
j sented a petition requesting that
j their district be consolidated with
Pine Level and Micro so as to di
vide their district at Burnt Stock
ing Branch. This petition was
granted and that part of Fitzger
ald District lyong between the Mi
cro District and Burnt Stocking
was ordered consolidated with Mi
cro at a rate of special tax '20
cents on the $100.00, and that part
of Fitzgerald District lying be
tween Burnt Stocking and Pine
Level is ordered cnosolidated with
the Pine Level District at a rate
of 25 cents.
The board ordered that notes
maturing with the Eyer and com
pany and the demand notes held
by the banks in Smithfield be ne
gotiated in a loan with Eyer and
company at the rate of interest of
$.049.
Whereas one or more of the
Kenly, Micro, Pine Level and
Princeton high school Districts are
contemplating taking action in the
form of calling an election to in
crease their revenue so that high
schools may be maintained in
these districts ne^t year at an
early date, the Board adjourned to
meet in an adjourned meeting with
the Board of Commissioners in or
der that these elections may be
granted promptly when the peti
tions are presented, since said elec
tions must be called within the
next few days to enable any of
these districts to maintain a high
school next year.
Club work gives the rural boy
and girl a greater vision of the
beauty of rural life and the build
ing of a better citizenship.
A Famous Trio, All Set To Go
j
Lined up on the mark we have Tony Piansky, Georgetown Uni*
verity and Intercollegiate Penn relay champ; Emerson Norton, In
door College High Jump champ and Charlie Hoff, Norwegian Pole
Vaulter, ready for a trial run at Georgetown University, where Hoff
tr^€d * * meeting with Harold Osborn for
the world decathlon championship.
Benson Debaters!'
Win Over Erwin
Triangular Debate Held
In Benson Friday Night
—Other Benson News
Benson, April 5.—Benson affirm
ative team won over the negative
team from Erwin Friday night in
the triangular debate held in t&e
school auditorium. The subject was:
“Resolved. That North Carolina
should levy a state tax on prop
erty to aid in the support of an
eight months school term.” Both
teams had good debaters and they
-showed they had spent a good deal
of time and done some hard work
in preparing them. Benson was in
the triangle' with 'Howland and
Erwin. The Benson debaters were:
Miss Alice Jones and Mr. Milton
Allen; negative, Miss Pearle
Reaves and Mr. Gerald Pleasant.
The judges were: Rev. J. E. Kirk,
Dr. W. T. Martin and Mr. Lore,
principal of the Dunn high school.
A representative number from
the twelve B. Y. P. U.’s in Johns
ton county met in Benson Sunday
afternoon and heard a splendid
program given by the various lead
ers. The meeting was presided over
by Miss Eva Johnson, of Smith
field. An interesting demonstration
was given by the Benson B. Y. P.
U. The quartet from Buie’s Creek
furnished the music.
Mr. Arthur Jernigan. proprietor
of the East Filling station, and
Miss Bessie Watson, of Elevation
township, were married on the 15th
by Rev. Starling Massengill. Only
a few intimate friends witnessed
the ceremony. They will make their
home near Poplar Springs school.
The Boys Athletic association
met Tuesday afternoon and organ
izea a tennis and baseball team. De
Leon Britt was made captain and
Fuller Moore manager. The pros
pects for the season are good.
“Victory” was selected as their
motto.
The Juniors gave a delightful
program in chapel Friday morn
ing. De Leon Britt conducted the
devotional exercise. Questions and
answers were given by Fuller
Moore and Ransome Whittenton;
reading, Beatrice Jones; piano
solo, Lydia Wells; life of John
Howard Payne, Gladys Pleasant;
Junior-Senior song, Juniors; dram
atization of “Home Sweet Home;
jBoola Song, school.
The Wake Forest Glee club will
give a concert in the school audi
Itorium next Friday evening at 8
o’clock under the auspices of the
Kiwanis club.
Father and Son night was ob
served at the regular meeting of
the Kiwanis club Tuesday night.
R. C. Wells was in charge of the
program. The principal speakers
were Attorney L. L. Levinson and
Judge Ezra Parker. There were
about thirty young boys present.
The Young Peoples Missionary
society of the Methodist church
met with Miss Irene Hudson re
cently. An attractive program was
put on by the superintendent, Mrs.
J. E. Blalock. Refreshments were
served.
Mr. D. W. Parrish gave a bar
becue Saturday at the baseball
park where he was having a trac
tor demonstration. Several Benson
people as well as a number from
the country were present at the
demonstration and partook of the
delightful barbecue.
Recorder’s Court
Tries Few Cases
Negro Who Caused Death
of Miss Leone Black
man Bound Over To
Superior Court
The following cases were dis
posed of here last Tuesday in the
Recorder’s Court:
Romie Hastings, the negro who
caused the death of Miss Leone
Blackman, of Selma, by the reck
less operation of an outomobile,
which lamentable event occurred
two weeks ago, was bound over
rto the Superior Court, charged
with manslaughter. His bond was
fixed at $1,000, and being unable
to give bond he was placed in the
jail for safe keeping.
James Johnson entered a plea of
guilty of violating the prohibition
laws. He was sentenced to the
county roads for a term of GO days
and required to pay costs.
Sandy Moore plead guilty to a
charge of driving a car in a reck
less manner. Prayer for judgment
was continued upon payment of
costs.
Julius Stanley was found guilty
of abandonment and prayer for
judgment was continued upon the
payment of costs.
Claude Langston, a negro from
Bensort, was found guilty of ab
duction and other ugly charges af
fecting his marriage status. He
was assigned to do four months on
the county roads and to pay the
costs. *
There were several other cases
on docket but owing to the term
of Superior Court now in session
here, only a few cases were dis
posed of.
SPELLING MATCH FEATURE
OF “OLD FOLKS DAY”
The last Friday in July is al
ways a big day for the Massey
school community, for it is then
that “Old Folks Day” is held. A
new feature is being planned for
the celebration this year—an old
time spelling match is to be held,
according to Mr. W. L. Creech, of
that section. The spelling book
used will be Harrington’s - Speller
and the words will be selected from
the long lines in the review of the
first part of the book and the re
view in the second part. A prize
of five dollars will be given the
j winner. Mrs. John K. Sanders, who
l won in a similar contest last year,
will give out the words. Old and
young will be allowed to enter the
spelling contest. Mr. Creech is anx
! ious that all who plan to attend
Old Folks Day this year get out
their spelling books, review the
words included in the assignments
mentioned above, and go prepared
to do some old time spelling.
New Line of Insurance
Mr. V. J. Underwood, who has
been in Smithfield for the past
sev^n years, is now representing
the Federal Life Insurance com
pany of Chicago with Charlotte as
the branch office of the state. Mr.
Underwood has only the accident
department at the present but later
will have the life and fire insur
ance also. Mr. Underwood repre
sents a good company and no doubt
will receiVe his part of the patron
age hero.
Shooting Affair
At Wilson’s Mills
Arthur Haynes Is In Hos
pital In Serious Condi
tion From Shots Fired
by Father-in-law
Mr. John Tomlinson, of Wilson’s !
Mills, mail carier on route No. 2,
is in jail pending the outcome, of
a shooting affair which took place
early Friday morning, and his son
in-law, Arthur Haynes, is in the
Johnston County Hospital in a se- j
rious condition.
Haynes was shot through the
mouth and abdomen, the shots hav
ing been fired from a 32 German j
automatic pistol. According to our j
information Friday morning about |
four o’clock Haynes, who had been i
sitting up with a sick relative, went |
to the home of Mr. Tomlinson who j
sells gasoline and aroused him to ,
get some gas. They got into an
argument over money and when
they went out to get the gas,
Haynes is said to have chunked
Tomjinson with a coca-cola bot
tles. Tomlinson then fired the shots
that put his son-in-law in the hos
pital.
Mr. Tomlinson immediately gave
himself up to Mr. Boyd, deputy
sheriff in Wilson’s Mills township.
Haynes has been in the courts
charged with gambling and drunk
enness and about a year ago was
ordered out of the state. On ac
count of his wife’s health he was
allowed to come back to the county
a short time ago.
NEGRO COMMENCEMENT
TO BE HELD ITHURSDAY
The commencement c* the negro
schools of this county will be held
here Thursday at the Johnston
County Training School. An inter
esting program has been planned
for this occasion. The commence
ment address will be made at elev
en-thirty o’clock by H. L. Trigg,
principal of Wake County high
school at Method.
JUDGE DANIELS FILES
FOR HIS RE-ELECTION
Judge Frank A. Daniels, of
Goldsboro, has, in accordance with
the State primary law, filed no
tice with Hon. Walter Neal, chair
man of the State Board of Elec
tions, of an application to have
his name placed on the ballot for
renomination as Superior Court
judge of the Fourth Judicial Dis
trict, composed of the counties of
Wayne, Johnston, Harnett, Lee
and Chatham.
Fiddlers Convention at Corinth
There will be a fiddlers conven
tion at Corinth school house on
Friday night, April 9. A prize of
$5.00 is offered to the best fiddler,
$2.50 to second best. $3.00 is of
fered to the best performer on the
guitar. Come and bring your in
struments and your friends. Ad
mission 10 and 25 cents.
MRS. EUNICE PENNY, Teacher.
School Closing
School closing exercises will be
held at Rock Hill school Saturday
night April 10, beginning at sev
en-thirty o’clock. A play will be
given entitled “Jumbo Jum.” A
string band will furnish music.
Philathea Class Social
The Philathea class of the Bap
tist Sunday school will hold its bus
iness and social meeting Thursday
night with Mrs. W. C. Pearce at
eight o’clock.
LET THE WATER WALK
INSTEAD OF THE WIFE
Running water indoors is still
just a dream on most American
farms. Five years ago, when the
last census was taken, nine out of
ten farmers figured it would cost
too much.
Probably half of them figure the
same way today. Yet a workable
water system can often be install
ed at less than the cost of a new
binder. And there is hardly a farm
which cannot afford some improve,
ment over the worn an-killing meth
od of floundering with heavy buck
ets, year in and year out, to and
from the well.
One Ohio farm wife trudged
thousands of miles before it was
found that a hundred feet of pipe
made it possible to move the pump
into the kitchen and let the water
do the walking.
LOCAL BOYS PLAY AT
EAST CAR. EXPOSITION
Members of the Benson Ki
wanis band and six of the Riv
erside Serenaders left yesterday
morning for Greenville where
they were engaged to play for
the parades yesterday and to
day. This is a distinct recogni
tion of Johnston county music
talent, and the youthful musi
cians were elated at the pros
pect of playing. The boys from
here who are to play are: Bill
Joe Austin, Trent Hunter, Wil
liam Lassiter, Thomas J. Las
siter, Percy Pittman, and Wal
ter Lassiter.
Mrs. Pettway Dies
Norfolk Hospital
Former Resident of This
City Is Operated On
For Goitre and Never
Rallies
Sad news came over the wires
yesterday when Mrs. J. M. Beaty
received a telegram announcing
the death of Mrs. W. M. Pettway
which occurred in a Norfolk hos
pital yesterday morning at 11:35
o’clock following a second opera
tion for goitre. Mrs. Pettway had
been suffering with goitre for
some time out ner condition oe
came acute several weeks ago and
she underwent an operation. On
account of her heart, the opera
tion was not completed and yes
terday she went on the operating
table the second time. Mrs. Pett
way lived here for a number of
years, and a message states that
her body will be brought here for
burial. The body will leave Nor
folk Wednesday morning arriving
here on train 89 which is due here
at 2:35 o’clock. The funeral will
be held immediately at the Baptist
church after which interment will
be made in the old cemetery.
She is survived by her husband,
one son, Mr. Raymond Pettway and
two daughters, Miss Olivia Pett
way and Mrs. Ballard S. Walton.
MRS. BA ROOD Y DIES
FOLLOWING STROKE
A sad death occurred heer yes
terday at the Johnston County
Hospital when Mrs. Dora Baroody
passed away, after a few hours ill
ness following a stroke of paraly
sis. The deceased was the mother
of Mrs. Zaidy, wife of the proprie
tor of the Smithfield Fruit Store.
The funeral will be held this after
noon at four o’clock at the Episco
pal church conducted by Rev. Wal
ter Clark and interment will be
made in Oakland cemetery.
SMITHFIELD ENJOYS TALK
BY DR. A. VERMONT
Smithfield showed its apprecia
tion of a former superintendent of
schools, Dr. A. Vermont, last Fri
day evening by turning out in
large numbers to hear him give
a Travelogue on Paris and France.
iDr. Vermont who is a native of
Belgium and has traveled exten
isively in Europe, was able to
! make his lecture more than of
usual interest. The colored slides
■ which illustrated the lecture were
particularly interesting, many of
the pictures having been taken by
Dr. Vermont himself.
Almost of equal interest with
the Travelogue were the remarks
made by Dr. Vermont before the
lecture proper in regard to Smith
field and the splendid improvement
that has been made in the edu
cational facilities of Smithfield. He
told of the change from the big
frame building erected by the la
mented Ira T. Turlington to the
brick structure now known as the
Turlington building; and from
that to the more recent high
school building. He also spoke of
the commodious negro school.
The lecture was sponsored by
the Business and Professional
Women’s club, and twenty-seven
dollars net was turned into the
fund for furnishing a room at the
hospital.
Parker Motor Company Moves
The Packer Motor company, lo
cal agents for the Star automobile,
is moving its place of business
this week from Johnson Street tc
the building occupied by the Jo
Tex filling station.
Revival To Begin
At Baptist Church
Pastor Will Do The
Preaching; Mr. W. Fur
man Betts To Have
Charge of Singing
Rev. S. L. Morgan, pastor of
the Smithfield Baptist Church, has
announced a series of revival meet
ings to begin next Sunday, to con
tinue about ten days. He will do
the preaching and Mr. W. Furman
Betts, of Raleigh, will assist him
as soloist and «£ong leader. He has
a wide reputation as a leader of
ability and a delightful soloist.
This week the Woman’s Mission
ary Society of the church is meet
ing daily in the Week of Prayer
for Home Missions. The meetings
are at the church each afternoon
at 3:30, except today and tomor
row. Tomorrow the meeting will
combine with the regular prayer
meeting at 7:30, the women taking
a part in the program. Tonight at
7:30 Miss Sophia Berghauser, the
State Sunday school specialist in
primary and junior work', will
speak at the church on work with
primaries and juniors, and on the
daily vacation Bible school. She is
an authority in this field and a
good speaker, and everybody is in
vited to hear her.
Services At the Jail
Arrangements have been made
for holding services at the jail
every Sunday afternoon. Many
have felt that some plan ought to
be adopted thalt would insure
weekly religious services for the
prisoners, but for some time noth
ing has been done beyond holding
services occasionally by any that
were interested. The plan adopted
is to be led by the local pastors
and their congregations, all others
being invited to lend their assist
ance. The Baptist pastor and mem
bers of his congregation held a
service last Sunday afternoon and
will continue to be responsible for
a service every first Sunday aft
ernoon. The Methodist pastor and
his congregation will take the sec
ond Sunday in each month, and
the Presbyterian pastor and his
people will take the third Sunday
afternoon. Rev. H. R. Faircloth and
members of his congregations will
assume responsibility for the fourth
Sunday of each month. Tlie hour
agreed upon is 3:30 each Sunday
afternoon. Everybody interested
is asked to note the hour, and to
go and assist in the services with
out any special invitation.
Sam Stallings Buys Jo-Tex Station
Mr. Sam H. Stallings has pur
chased from Mr. S. B. Jones the
Jo-Tex Filling station on the cor
jner of Market and Fourth Streets.
He took possession on April 1, and
from no on the place will be known
as the Red Star Filling Station No.
1. Mr. Stallings also owns a filling
station on highway 22 at the edge
of town and this will be known
as Red Star No, 2.
ATTEND CONVENTION OF
CHEVROLET DEALERS
I Messrs. B. J. Holleman and C.
F. Gordon will leave tomorrow for
Charlotte to attend a convention
of the Chevrolet dealers of North
Carolina, South Carolina and Vir
ginia. The convention will be held
at the Charlotte hotel and a ban
quet will be given at the close of
the convention.
The Mirror
IS THIS TOUT
If the person who answers this
description will call at The
nerald office they will
receive a free ticket
to the Victory
Theatre.
You were seen in front Hood
Brothers drug store at 4:30 o’
clock Saturday evening. You
wore light grey coat, black satin
slippers, light hose. Your hair
is light and bobbed and is
least bit curly.
Miss Cora Belle Ives recog
nized herself in Friday’s morror