SMITHF1ELD NEEDS:
A Modern Hotel.
Chamber of Commerce.
JOHNSTON COUNTY NEEDS:
Equal Opportunity for Every School
Child.
Better Marketing System.
More Food and Feed Crops.
Johnston County’s Oldest and Best Newspaper - — established 1882
IF; IT’S FOR THE GOOD OF,
JOHNSTON COUNTY,
THE HERALD’S
FOR IT.
$2.00 PER YEA!
VOLUME 45
NO. 45
* * ¥
SMITHFIELD, N. C„ TUESDAY MORNING, JUNE 7, 1927
* * *
Separk and Stephenson
Break Jail; Get Away
Two More Prisoners Es
cape With Them; Bet
Out Through Hole
Made In Floor Between
Jail And Court Room
Robert Separk and Robert
Stephenson, charged with the
murder of “Mighty” Forsythe
near Clayton several months
ago, were unwilfing to take *
(heir chances of coming clear
in court and broke jail here
early Sunday night along with
Paul Adams and Rosser Par
ker, two other white prisoners,
and made their escape, leaving
no trace of their whereabouts.
A representative of the
Herald interviewed Henry
Jemigan and Senders Davis, two
prisoners confined in the compart
ment with Separk and Stephenson,
and they believe that plans for
escape were in the making for
several days before the thing was
accomplished. According to Jerni
gan and Davis, Separk and Steph
enson had a string- which they let
down from the window to the
ground whenever they chose, and
it is said that at various times
they pulled whiskey up to their
cell. It is thought notes were also
delivered in this manner. Sunday
afternoon the string was thrown
out and something was drawn up
to the cell, but Jernigan and Da
vis did not know what
Some plumbing work, which rc- j
quired a hole cut in the cement
floor, between the jail and the j
court room, was the occasion for
the prisoners to put into effect'
their plan for escape. The hole
which was made by the plumbers ,
on Saturday did not go through
into the court room, but stopped |
short of the wire screen ceiling
which held the plaster. Early j
Sunday night Separk and Stephen-!
son started their victrola and then j
went into the hall where they J
were wont to carry their bedding*,
on which they prostrated them- 1
selves to play cards. The victrola
played to the end of the tune, and
when the needle was not thrown
off Jernigan and Davis turned to
stop the machine. It was then that
they discovered something was
wrong. They went out into the cor
ridor just in time to see the last
one of the four disappearing
through the hole in the floor. They
had burst the wire screen and
plaster, had tied their sheets to
gether and swung to the floor of
the court room.
The alarm was given to the
trusties, who have the run of the
jail, and one of them by passing
throug*h a window of the kitchen,
got on top of the jail and thus at
tracted the attention of pedes
trians on the streot. It is said that
just as the prisoners got out of
the building that a high-powered
car, was heard to start on the
street in front of the courthouse
and go off at a high rate of
speed.
oeparK ana oiepnenson
been heard to complain about their
meals and had stated on Sunday
morning that they did not expect
to endure it much longer.
Some time ago Separk ipanaged
to prize the bars over his window
far enough apart that he was
able to climb out on the roof of
the courthouse. He was discovered
and for some time thereafter re
mained in close confinement. Re
cently, however, he is said to have
been given more freedom.
Mr. Jesse Daughtry, the jailer,
was at his home near town when
the prisoners made their escape,
being detained there on account of
sickness in his home. Harry A.
Watson, Jr., a young boy about 18
years of age, was in charge of the
jail.
J. C. STANCIL SMITHFIELD’S
NEW POSTMASTER
Mr. J. C. Stancil, who was re
cently appointed postmaster of
this city, took charge of the post
office last Saturday. Mr. Stancil
has been in New York state for
the past several years, though h»s
family lived in this city. He held
a position in the prohibition de
partment of the Federal govern
ment.
A Western Queen
[AuTOO.CT.nri;
Miss Blanche Grimes of Sanger.
California, ruled supreme as Queer
af the California Raisin Festival
Wld this year at Fresno and at
tended by thousands of visitors
C.W. Beasley Dies
Funeral Is Held at Resi
dence Here Friday Af
ternoon ; Interment In
Oakland Cemetery
Smithfield was shocked last
Thursday afternoon when it be
came known that Mr. C. W. Beas
ley had passed away at Rex Hos
pital, Raleigh, following an oper
ation. Mr. Beasley had been con
fined to his 'bed at his home here
for about ten days, but it was
not generally known that he was
seriously ill until Wednesday of
last week when he was carried to
Rex Hospital. It was found that
an operation was necessary, and
even then the physicians held out
only a slim chance of recovery. He
died about five o’clock Thursday
afternoon. The body was brought
to this city and the funeral serv
ice was held ait the home of the
deceased on North Second street
Friday afternoon at four o’clock.
Rev. D. E. Earnhardt, pastor of
the Methodist church, conducted
the service, assisted by Rev. S. L.
Morgan, pastor of the [Ehptist
church. A large crowd was pres
ent to pay a last tribute of re
spect to the deceased, and a beau
tiful floral offering attested the
sympathy which was extended to
the bereaved family. Interment
was made in the Oakland ceme
tery. The pallbearers were: J. A.
Wellons, R. C. GUlett, Daniel
Jones, Dr. A. H. Rose, W. M. San
ders, B. L. Jones, W. N. Holt, F.
K. Broadhurst and J. A. Narron.
The deceased was forty-nine
years of age. He was a native of
Johnston county but he went to
Norfolk, Va., where he lived for a
time. About fifteen years ago he
came back to Smithfield and
bought a half interest in the brick
yard, across the river, from Mr.
W. M. Sanders. The firm was
known as Sanders and Beasley,
and Mr. Beasley had active charge
of the business until his death.
| He is survived by a wife and
jtwo sons, Messrs. Clifton and
■Charles Beasley.
Tantalizer
There are exactly enough let
ters in the line below to spell
the name of a person in Smith
field, and if the right one de
ciphers his name and will pre
sent it to The Herald office,
we will present him with a
complimentary ticket to the
Victory Theatre. Tickets must
be called for before the fol
lowing issue.
Jesse Meacham recognized
his name last issue.
Toffay-s -Tantalizer:
jsnoshiunnstepnc
Cotton Co-ops To
Receive Payment
About One And a Half
Million Dollars Will Be
Distributed In Final Set
tlement
RALEIGH, June 3.—Approxi
mately one and one-half million
dollars will be distributed; this
month in the final settlement with
members of the North Carolina
Cotton Growers Cooperative Asso
ciation, according to General Man
ager U. B. Blalock.
All of the 120,000 bales deliv
ered to the association last season
(1926) has been sold, and the last
shipments are now going out from
the warehouses, Mr. Blalock ex
plained in a report to the members
today, and the office force is now
working day and night to make
the necessary calculations of the
amounts due each member.
Thirty-eight per cent of the 1926
crop was sold directly to mills,
33 per cent exported and 29 per
cent to merchants and exporters.
The average netted members for
short staple cotton was 12% to 13
cents.
Aitnougn one-iourth less cotton
was delivered to the association
last year than in 1925, the oper
ating expense per bale was in
creased only four cents, Mr. Bla
lock points out, the operating cost
in 1926 being $1.98 as compared
with $1.94 for 1925. The carrying
charge for short staple cotton was
reduced from $3.59 per bale in
1925 to $2.32 in 1926, he explain
ed, so that the total expense cost
per bale in 1926 was $4.30 as com
pared with $5.53 in 1925. The to
toal. expense includes the operat
ing cost and the carrying charges.
“We have practically cut the
total cost per bale to half what
it was in 1922,” said Mr. Blalock.
“In 1922 our total expense was
$8.11 per bale as compared with
$4.30 last year. This reduction has
been made possible by increased
efficiency of our personnel and by
the reduction of interest rates
from 6 to 4 Vi per cent.
“We have been able to borrow
money for our members at 4Vi
per cent, and we have reduced
storage and insurance rates from
50 cents per bale to less than 35
cents,” Mr,. Blalock said.
With exception of 1925 when
the cotton cooperatives were
caught on a declining market, the
average netted members for the
five year period has been as much
or more than the outside prices
after paying all operating ex
penses, Mr. Blalock declared, and
more important than that has been
the placing of a premium on qual
ity cotton and the elimination of
country damage.
“We set up a fifteen-sixteenth
inch pool for the first time last
fall and we are paying our mem
bers 88 points or nearly a cent a
pound more for 15-16 inch cotton
than for 7-8 inch. We are paying j
a premium of a cent and a half j
for all inch staple, which is an
achievement never before attempt
ed on a systematic scale,” Mr.
Blalock said today.
JAILER DAUGHTRY RESIGNS
As ve go to press, we have
reliable jinformation that
Jailer Jesse Daughtry has ten
dered his [resignation Ho the
sheriff. It is unofficially re
ported that the next jaii'er will
be R. E. Holt. Mr. Holt was
city night policeman until June
1st.
SMOKEHOUSE ROBBED
Mr. Arthur Batten, who lives on
Smithfield* route 2, was in the
city Saturday and told us of his
smokehouse being robbed of over
700 pounds of meat. The robbery
took place Friday night, and the
recent rain made it easy to discern
tracks around the smokehouse out
to the road. Car tracks were also
visible, but there seems to be no
clue that is likely to identify the
robbers. Not a single piece of meat
was left in Mr. Batten’s smoke
house.
Five weeks ago Mr. Batten had
the misfortune to be hurt when a
Dodge automobile hit the mule and
wagon in which he was riding
along the road. Mr. Batten was
taken to the hospital where he
stayed for five days, and he still
. has to go on crutches, J
| A Haven for Ministers and Families
The new J. C Penny Community Home near Jacksonville, Fla., har
just been dedicated and thrown open to retired ministers with farm
lies, where rent, light and heat are free. Twc«My-two apartment*
which house 80 families, a chapel and civic center make up the com
munity. It is a memorial to Mr. Penny's father and mother, his
father having been a Baptist minister. Above is the Chapel; insert it
of Mr. Penny;.and, below a typical group now living there. It ii
non-denominational
Red Cross Flood
Fund Is Growing
Local Contribution To Re
lieve The Distress In the
Mississippi Valley Total
$373.75 To Date
The relief work for the flood
sufferers of the Mississippi Val
ley is steadily moving forward. We
gratefully acknowledge the fol
lowing contributions since last
week's report:
A. M. Noble _ $5.00
Smithfield Grade School._ $88.25
Mrs. W. J. Woodard_ $2.00
Mill Creek Christian church $14.25
R. R. Ilolt -----—. $10.00
Amount previously report
ed . $$309.25
Total amount sent __$378.75
Jim Smith, drayman of Smith
field, conveyed one box of clothing
gratis. +
The drive for relief is now na
tion-wide, and 600,000 people, are
depending on public charity for
their daily bread. Anyone desir
ing to make contributions to this
cause may do so by sending* dona
tions to Judge F. II. Brooks, Ira
W. Med 1 in, C. J. Thomas, E. S.
Edmundson, The Smithfield Herald
or H. V. Rose. Every penny will
be gladly received and acknowl
edged in this column.
H. V. ROSE, Chairman,
Smithfield Chapt Red Cross.
Bellanca Pilot
Lands Safely
BERLIN, June 6.—“For the
second time in Jess than a
fortnight an American airplane
has spanned the vast AtVantic
ocean and landed safely on
the European continent.
The non-stop flight of the Bell
anca monoplane Columbia, piloted
by Clarence D. Chamberlin with
Charles A. Levine as his compan
ion ended at Eisleben, Saxony, 110
miles southwest of Berlin at five
o’clock this morning (midnight
New York Daylight Saving Time)
when the fuel supply W’as ex
hausted.
WIN NEW RECORD.
The fliers failed to achieve their
goal, but they established a new
long distance’ sustained record,
having* covered about 3,800 miles
from Roosevelt Field, N. Y., to
Eisleben.
Starting from Roosevelt Field
at 6:05 a. m., Saturday they had
been in the air 42 hours when
forced to land at Eisleben as com
pared with 33Ms hours for Cap
jtain Lindbergh's flight to Paris.
E.G. Moore Begins
Work In Benson
In Charge of Branch Of
fice of The Eastern Car
olina Chamber of Com
merce; Celebrate Open
ing With Banquet
BENSON, June 4.—One hun
dred business men from Johnston,
Sampson and Harnett counties
gathered here last night for the
formal opening of the branch of
fice of the Eastern Carolina Cham
ber of Commerce. The meeting
was marked by a new spirit of
co-operation and faith in the pos
sibilities of eastern North Caro
lina.
The gathering was held as a
banquet at the North State Hotel.
Dr. A. S. Oliver presided and in
troduced the speakers, all of whom
pledged their support to the cow
hen-hog program, to which the
branch office will devote its atten
tion during the next year. The lo
cal office will be in charge of E.
G. Moore, la, native of Eastern
Carolina and a graduate of State
College.
N. G. Bartlett, secretary oi me
sectional organization, outlined- the
work which will be attempted in
the three counties during the next
year. In the course of his remarks
he called attention to the prog
ress which has already been made
in Eastern Carolina in diversified
farming, and prophesied a quick
ening of interest in the three
counties during the next year.
Livestock as a sideline will be the
chief goal of the branch office, he
stated.
The Kiwanis Club of Benson at
tended the meeting in a body as
did the Rotary Clubs -of Dunn and
Clinton. Representatives from
Clayton, Farmville, and Smithfield
were also present in good num
bers. Many other business men of
these towns also attended the
meeting.
Dr. Oliver gave a brief history
jof the creamery which was start
ed at Benson fifteen months ago.
I With a small beginning, the proj
ect has now reached the output
of 1.500 pounds of butter each
! week. The dreamery hias done
jmuch to point out the possibilities
of livestock farming m this sec
tion, and new cream routes will be
! established by the local office, it
is planned.
i Other speakers included George
Metts, of Dunn; lTwight Barbour
of Clayton; Howard McKinnon, ol
Clinton; T. C. Young, of Smith
field; John Holmes, of Farmville
L. A. Bethune, of Clinton; F. Grov
er Britt, editor of the Dunn Dis
patch, and W. M. Gaskin, of th<
I Smithfield Herald.
Recorder's Court
Has Full Docket
Several Criminal Cases
Tried Tuesday And
Wednesday of Last
Week
Several criminal cases were tried
in Recorder’s court here last week,
the following being disposed of:
Harvey McKeller entered a plea
of guilty to a warrant charging
operating a car while under the
influence of whiskey. He was sent
to the county roads for a term of
CO days and was required to pay
the cost of the action. He was also
forbidden to operate a motor ve
hicle again within the next 90
days.
Richmond Sanders was in court
for operating a car while intoxi
cated and for assault. He enter
ed a plea of guilty and was sen
tenced to the roads for 60 days.
He was also taxed with the cost
and forbidden to operate a car
again in 90 days.
joe 'leader ana Wiley Morris
were charged with larceny. Joe
Tedder plead guilty and was sent
to the roads for 30 days. «Wiley
Morris was convicted of aiding
and abetting, and he received a
60-day road sentence.
Clyde Hunter, Joseph Haley,
Robert Haley 'and John Oliver
were found guilty of larceny. Clyde
Hunter was sent to the roads for
30 days and required to pay one
fourth the cost. Joseph Haley.
Robert Haley and John Oliver re
ceived a 00-day road sentence each
and were taxed with one-fourth of
t<he cost each.
Ed Jennette was found guilty
of possessing beer. He took an
appeal from a 60-day road sen-;
tence.
Walter Liles, Jesse Temple and j
Horace Phelps were charged with
oprating a motor vehicle while in- j
toxicated. Walter Liles entered a
plea of nolo contendre as to op- j
crating a car while intoxicatedj
and was sentenced to the roads j
for 60 days, the road sentence to:
be suspended upon the payment;
of a $50 fine and one-third the |
cost on condition that he does not j
violate the prohibition law again
in twelve months. He was forbid
den to operate' a car again in
North Carolina in the next 90 days.
Jesse Temple and Horace Phelps
entered pleas of nolo contendre
as to being publicly drunk. Both
defendants were fined $1)0 ,each
and required to pay one-third of
the cost each.
Probable cause was found in the
case against William Henry Mor
ris, who was charged with in
cest, and he was bound over to
Superior court. In default of a
$2,000 bond, the defendant was
committed to jail.
J. Q. Tart was convicted of vi
olating the prohibition law. He
.was given a 60-day road sentence,
I the road sentence to be suspend
ed upon the payment of a $50 fine
land the cost, and on condition
[that he does not violate the prohi
bition law again in twelve months.
| The state failed to convict Hu
bert Pulley, who was charged with
operating* a motor vehicle while
intoxicated and in a careless and
reckless manner.
r or vagrancy n.. oaiuwin was
sent to the roads for thirty days
and was taxed with the cost.
For operating a car while in
toxicated, Starling Coates receiv
ed a 60-day road sentence, the
sentence to be suspended upon the
payment of a $50 fine and cost,
and on condition that defendant
does not violate the prohibition
law again in 12 months. The
defendant was required to pay the
prosecuting witness, W. E. Crowe,
the cost of repair to his car, $21.55.
The defendant was forbidden to
operate a car again in 90 days.
He was also found guilty of as
sault.
For vagrancy, Beatrice Holland
and Etta Holland were sent to
Samarcand for a term of from one
to thrde years.
Joe Hockaday was found guilty
of non-support and abandonment.
He was sent to jail for a term of
six months to be hired out by the
county commissioners. Three
fourths of the hire or proceeds
from the hire are to be paid int(
court for the use and benefit o:
JMs. Joe Hockaday and children
Four Auto Wrecks
Is Sunday’s Recori
Officers Capture j
Whiskey Stills
"
Brand New Very Com
plete Outfit—Among
The Captured; Two
Men Arrested And Pep
ers Out For Another
Johnston county officers were ac
tive in capturing whiskey {stills j
last week, three being the record.
On Thursday afternoon, W. W. j
Stewart and T. E. Talton captur- j
ed what they considered one of
the most perfect outfits ever j
brought into the Johnston county ]
courthouse. It was a brand new j
seventy-gallon still. It measured
three feet square and eighteen
inches high before it began to
bulge. The still was found on Lit- j
tie river in Boon Hill township,1
and was running full blast when!
the officers appeared on the scene.
Two men who were at the still
ran when they saw the officers, but
Turn to page four, please
Four Medals In
Annual Contest
Class Day Exercises Fri
day Evening; Dr. T. W.
Lingle of Davidson Col
lege Preaches Baccal
aureate Sermon
The commencement exercises of
the Smithfield school have held
right of way during the past week,
beginning* Thursday evening with
the annual contest in essays, dec
lamations, recitations and orations.
The contestants were pupils of
Mrs. A. R. Wilson, Expression
teacher, and they did both them
selves and their instructor credit.
The number taking part in the con
test was not as large as might be
desired, but the quality of the pro
gram was very gratifying.
The two contesting for the es
sayist medal given by Mr. W. N.
Holt, a member of the school board
were Misses Mattie Lee Grimes
and Frances Massey. The subject
of Miss Grimes’ essay was “Our
Home Town”, the subject of Miss
Massey’s being “Home.” The
judges awarded the medal to Miss
Mattie Lee Grimes. The essays
were judged fifty per cent for
subject matter and fifty per cent
for delivery.
The declamation contest had
three contestants, Joseph Stancil,
who rendered “Americanism;” Win
field Jordan, who gave “The Con
stitution”, and Durwood" Creech,
who declaimed “The Man With
The Hoe.” Durwood Creech was
the winner in this contest, and was
awarded a medal given by Hood
Brothers. Winfield Jordan was
commended for his clear enuncia
tion and interpretation.
Four young ladies took part in
the recitation contest. Miss Ada
Ruth Stevens recited “The Stray
ing Sunbeam;” Miss Nellie Hood
Grimes, the “Garden Plot”; Miss
Gladys Johnson, “Tommie’s Pray
er;” Miss Dixie Johnson, “Bettie
at the Baseball Game.” The medal
in this contest was given by Mrs,
W. M. Sanders in memory of the
late W. M. Sanders and was
awarded to Miss Gladys Johnson,
All of these contestants aid well,
showing splendid ‘interpretation,
(Turn to page five, please)
The defendant was taxed with th<
cost.
Joe Hockaday plead g-uilty o
assault in court during Februar;
and a four months road sentenc
was suspended upon the conditioi
that he refrain from violating th
prohibition \am again within tw.
years. He was brought into cour
last Wednesday m a capias. Th<
court found that ihe defendant ha<
violated the former suspended sen
tence. Capiffi to issue for a tern
of four months upon failure U
comply with theUudgment in th
former case, F
Mrs. W. E. Albman, ol
Raleigh, Is In Johnstov
County Hospital In Serf
ious Condition I
Four automobile wrecks wap
Johnston county’s record’ for Suni
day, according to T. E. Taltorf
highway traffic cop, and as the ref
suit of one Mrs. W. E. Albmar$
of Raleigh, is in the Johns to
County Hospital with serious ir
juries. The wreck in which Mr
Albman was hurt occurred lnt
Sunday afternoon on highway 2
near Micro. She, with he* hu?
band and four children, was on he
way to Kenly to visit the family o
her brother, Mr. J. W. Dardei
They were riding on a Studebake
six. A Ford car, driven by Edgaf
Dixon of near Princeton, cam$
into the highway, and the StudVi
baker in swervine- to keen fro it
hitting the Ford, turned over. At 1
cording to eye-witnesses at a con
vict camp near by, Dixon v
driving* slowly while the Stud*
baker was going at a good rate c
speed. Mrs. Albman suffered
broken thigh and internal injure”
She was brought to the Johnsto
County Hospital. Dr. Royster wti
called from Raleigh Sunday ev*
ning to consult with local phy |
qians. Blood infusions were give
yesterday, but her recovery is cors
sidered hopeless. No one else w.iij
hurt. The Studebaker car was u 1
most a complete wreck, but thj
Ford was practically intact. Dix» |
was arrested and placed under }
$200 bond which he .gave. A so jj
of Mrs. Albman was sumn^onJ
from Raleigh, who made the tnj
in 21 minutes. f
Another wreck took place ju;|
this side of the overhead bridgj
near Selma when two cars had J
head-on collision. W. J. Danie jf
of Goldsboro, was driving a Fo|
coupe, and Arthur Jackson, of iSt-j
ma, was driving an Oldsmob If
eight. Both cars were badly da:i
aged but no one was hurt. ;
A third, wreck occurred in froijj
of the Johnston County Hospitj^j
when Alice Taylor, a negro worn:? .!
of Smithfield, ran into Paul Waj|
ner, of Selma, who was riding wiij|
his wife and two children. T*-J
fronts of both cars were torn • J
Alice Taylor was arrested but j
gave bond for her appearance 9
court. fl
The fourth wreck, which wa !
minor one, occurred near Prim?
ton.
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
LAW STILL IN FOR*
Mr. C. W. Lindsay, who is ? <
official standard weights and me.J
ures inspector for Johnston c.ouh
ty, informs us that the old law j
in force until there shall have b<*fo,
time to acquaint the public wi!|
the new law passed by the rec».-ii
legislature. Mr. Lindsay thorn-)|
that with the passage of the i • J
law his job was over, but u] I
writing to the commissioner of . m
riculture, W. A. Graham, he
ceived the above information.*- 1
i There were 13,274 club wo
land girls in North Carolina
1 summer who canned 940,210 qu
of vegetables, fruits and meats
fuse (Turing the past winter.
A woman begins to sit up
!t&e notice when other women
nice things about her husband
j Aimee Semple McPherson
had her hair bobbed—and
{Sampson—the Temple falls.
AUNT ROX1E SAYS
By Me—•
My oie man am do de mi
damage to d« cyar and de least!
hisself.” trrJ> J