North Carolina Newspapers

i r I - i CONSIDER THIS! The Hearld has the largest circu- j lation of any newspaper publish- j ed in Johnston County. That’s I something to consider, Mr. Ad vertiser ! t $2.00 PER YEAR A MILLION BILLION YEARS— DEAD BANK BANDITS— AT THE AGE OF FORTY— AN $110,000,000 IDEA— The Reverend Dr. Cadman re marks that “This planet may ex ist for nearly a million billion years longer.” An anxious Chris tian asks, “Do you believe that the soul sleeps in the grave with the body a million billion years, •waiting for the judgment? If 1 really believed it, I think I should try to have a pretty good time while still in the flesh.” The Reverend Dr. Cadman tells the inquiring .soul that when you are unconscious a million billion years seems no longer than a min ute and a half, and tells the soul: “It is better to awake from a pro longed torpor with clean recollec tions in your conscious past than as a moral idiot.” The child that “can’t wait a week for Christmas” and the Christian that “can't wait a mil lion billion years for the judgment day” are both interesting, and both children mentally. Texas wants bank bandits, and wants them dead. Texas banks carry this sign: “$5,000 for each dead bank robber—not one cent .for 100 live ones.” Banks don’t want live robbers because they are hard to identify, hard to convict, hardly ever kept in the penitentiary after going there. This may discourage bank rob bing. It will impress on bank rob bers the fact that they must kill first, or be killed. Mr. Babe Ruth amazes “sport dom” by saying, “nearing advanc ed age of thirty-four,” that he be lieves in all year round training and expects to be “just as good at forty” as he is now. For such work as Babe Ruth does, hard hitting and running, forty should be the best age, and fifty about as good. It isn’t their work, but their play between times, that makes men old. Long ago, near Batavia, N. Y., a boy was born and soon had an idea. He once told this writer how he gave up smoking “extravagant five cent cigars,” saving money to carry out his plan and build his 'Two men slept in the upper, two in the lower berth, for fifty cents apiece. Abraham Lincoln was one of his first passengers, going from Chicago to Springfield, and was too long for the berth. The other man protested. The man sailing the tickets beside the car was George M. Pullman, and now the. Interstate Commerce Commission fixes the value of his Pullman com pany at $110,238,786, which is far below its real value. Get a good idea, stick to it, make sacrifices, and the idea will take care of you, later. Mrs. Hickman, mother of the Los Angeles kidnapper, will tes tify that she was once insane and attempted suicide, thus seeking to save her son by a plea of heredi tary insanity. It is not conceivable that any thing could save that murderer from the extreme penalty. A crime almost as great as his own was lightly locking this young tTimi ■ mil up and lightly letting him out b again on former' occasions. There is excitement at Red Lodge, Mont. Mrs. A. Pollard, op ening the gizzard of her Christ mas turkey, raised in that neigh borhood, found small gold nuggets. Prospectors are seeking desperate ly the spot where the turkey pick ed up the nuggets. To the turkey those nuggets were simply rough stones swallowed to help grind corn. To “proud man" those nug gets are the beginning and tho end of earthly ambition, ninety nine times out of a hundred. Wise turkey, foolish man. -♦ ATTENDS DIRECTORS’ ' MEETING IN RALEIGH J. W. Stephenson, director of the North Carolina Cotton Grow ers’ Cooperative Association from this district, went to Raleigh Fri day to attend the annual meeting. Girls at William and Mary Col lege cannot have dates unless they are over 80. In their studies, of course. Girls over 80 get few dates, Accomplice of Hickman Wclby Hunt, Kansas City youtl ivho has confessed his part, with Edward Hickman, in the hold-up and murder, on December 24, 1926 of Ivy Thoms, I.os Angeles drug gist. Hickman is the confessed kidnaper and slaver of Marian Parker, 12-year-old Los Angeles Hold! Recorders’ Court Three Days — ■■ ■*— Violation of Ihe Prohibition Law Figures in the Major ity of the Cases Recorder's court was in session here Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of last week, the follow ing1 cases being: disposed of: State vs. Wiley Radford, charg ed with violating the prohibition laws. The defendant was found guilty and was sentenced to jail for a term of 30 days to be work ?d on the roads of Johnston coun ty and pay cost. The road sentence to be suspended upon payment of $25 fine and cost. State vs. Edgar Powell and Rob ert Powell charged with violating the prohibition law. Defendants were found guilty of possession. They were fined $25 and one-half the cost. Both took an appeal. State vs. John Hughes, charged with violation of the prohibition law. Guilty of possession and sen tenced to jail for 60 days to be worked on roads of Johnston coun ty and pay cost. Appeal to Su perior court. state vs. in. l,. riugnes, cnargeq with violation of prohibition law in operating: motor vehicle while intoxicated. Guilty on both counts. Sentenced to jail for term of GO [lays to be worked on the roads of Johnston county and pay cost. Road sentence to be suspended upon payment of $50 fine and cost, on further condition that defend ant does not operate a motor ve hicle again in North Carolina dur ing next 00 days. State vs. John Woodall charg ed with obtaining marriage license by fraud. Guilty. Defendant is dis charged upon payment of cost. State vs. Walter Stancil charg ed with larceny. Capias for de fendant and subpoenas issued re turnable January 11. State vs. Nathan Layton, charg ed with larceny. The defendant is ordered to serve the jail term as found in a previous judgment. Committed to roads for 12 months. State vs. Roland Smith, charged with possession of intoxicants. Sen tenced to jail for term of GO days to be worked on the roads of Johnston county and pay cost. This sentence was changed and the de fendant ordered to the ea^e of keeper of the county home and Worked there as the keeper sees fit. State vs. Fred Watson and Tom Watson, both colored, charged with manufacture and possession ol liquor. Each sentenced to jail foi term of four months to bo worked on the roads of Johnston county and pay one-half cost each. Roar sentences to be suspended upor I payment of $100 fine each anc one-half cost, and on further con dition that defendants do not vi olate prohibition law again in twe years. (Continued on l’age 4) SELL STOCK OF GOODS | OF ROMANES & COMPAN\ I The stock of merchandise o: Romanus & company in Clayto' was sold Saturday under execution After homesteads had been laid off the stock brought $200. 'j * Farm Relief Likely To Come In 1928 Eggs In Iowa 18c; 12 Bring SOc In N. Y. WThile helping her father pack eggs for the eastern market some time ago, Mirian Fairbanks, aged 14, of Monticello, Iowa, wrote her name and address on one of eggs, along with a request that the buyer write her a letter telling what he paid for them. Recently Mirian received a let ter from Beatric Ganis, 14, of 144 South 4th Street, Brooklyn, saying that Beatrice’s father had bought the eggs and paid GO cents a dozen for them. Mirian’s father sold them for IS cents a dozen. Property Sells At Good Price -♦ Auction Sale Will No Doubt Be Confirmed; Hillcrest Goes on Market Saturday Whether it is an indication that better times in the real estate realm are dawning or whether the town property in question was particularly attractive, is not for anyone to decide, but the fact re mains that the auction sale of town property held here last Friday by Honeycutt, Abell and Gray, selling agents, was entirely satisfactory to the parties disposing of the property. There is hardly any doubt but that the sales will be confirmed. The property was sold by M. F. Sturm, of Greensboro, trustee for three fertilizer firms. Included in the property were three houses and lots. One of these in Brooklyn, known as the Grover Phillips lot, was purchased by W. J. Huntley. Another near the home of I). H. Creech was bought by Mr. Zaidy who runs a fruit store here. The third house and lot was hid in hy a Mr. Burroughs. Those purchas ing the vacant lots which are lo cated near the old veneer plant were Henry Crumpler, Thomas Jordan, Ransom Sanders and a Negro by the name of Dublin. Tomorrow the development known as “Hillcrest” will be sold at auc tion. Honeycutt, Abell and Gray are the selling agents for this | property which formerly belonged to J. A. Myatt. The property has been divided into lots and streets | laid off. It is outside the town I limits but has all city advantages. hM mi FIELD MAN IS IS INJURED IN ACCIDENT GOLDSBORO, Jan. 8.—J. I). Richardson, of Smithfield, suf fered painful cuts and bruises while on the highway one mile from Goldsboro before dawn on Saturday morning when he was caught under his sedar. ! which turned over near the ce ment brrdge over Little river, j Night workers at the city water | plant heard a sound of breaking glass, momentary silence and then :he loud groans of a man in pain. Jumping into an automobile at the plant they hurried to the spot from .vhich tlie groans came. They found the car on its side, the man pinned under, while a railing at he side of the road approaching the bridge was torn away. Mr Richardson said somebody hit hii car, but no other car was seen. 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 issu* “Chickie” Day recognized his name last issue. Today"* -Tantalizer: jlarermeo U. S. Economist Finds Farmers Had Good Year In 1927; Still Agricultural Prob lem Written specially for The Herald. By ROBERT' FULLER WASHINGTON, Jan. 9.—What relief will 1928 bring for Ameri ca’s farmers? This is perhaps the most vital question the counltry faces as the new year gets under way. Summing up for 1927, A. B. Genung, economist, United States! Department of Agricultural, terms it the best 'year since 1920. But; he points out that this does not mean all farmers have done well or that agriculture is back at the pre-war level of prosperity. But taking the country as a whole, Mr. Genung says, it is fair to record 1927 as a year of moderate gen eral improvement. All told, 1927 stands out as one of remarkably well balanced production,” Mr. Genung concludes. “There were neither acute short ages of any important crops, nor were there any undue surpluses such as bore down the market for cotton a year ago. The feed grains were abundant and hay a record crop, the great crops like wheat and cotton yielded fairly well, yet not so overwhelmingly as to rum their prices, while the livestock in dustries have come through in profitable fashion and with their position a strong one for the im mediate future.” But good crops and fair prices during 1927 have in no sense dis posed of the farm problem. “So long as we take one-third of farm receipts, less other expenses, for taxes, and so long as out of every dollar the consumer pays for farm product the farmer must pay sixty-six cents to get them to him, there will be a farm problem,” Senator William E. Borah, of Ida ho, points out. “And so long as proposed reme-1 dies deal with neither one of these problems, there will be little re lief,” adds Senator Borah. “No i industry in the world can stand uv under such economic creeping paralysis. Good crops and fair prices may assist in paying back taxes and reducing the mortgage, but they will not under such cir cumstances give permanent re-' lief.” Congress will grapple with the farm problem again this year, and the farmers once more arc being assured that “Congress is going to do something for the farmer.” Legislative leaders are agreed that something must be done to bring about agricultural relief, but they differ on the method of solution. Supporters of the McNary Haugen bill, passed last year only to be vetoed by President Coolidge, are working hard to get the measure through again and believe they will be able to pass it over the presidential veto, if necessary, this time. But opponents of the McNary-Haugen bill are just as bitter against it as ever. Establishment of a Farm Board, made up of able men who under stand the problems of agriculture, has been proposed. This Farm Board would function primarily to aid in minimizing price fluctua tions due to unpreventable sur pluses, and to adjust production to market demand. In addition, the board would help the business or ganization of agriculture in every way possible. From the interest being taken in the problem of agricultural re lief, it seems likely that 1928 will see Congress “doing something for the farmer.” SPENDS HOLIDAYS NORTH; TO WRITE ARTICLE LATER J. N. Royall, ot Pine Level, route one, was in the city Saturday. Mr. Royall and his little son, Vernon, have recently returned from Audo non, N. J., where they spent Christ mas with Mr. Royall’s son, Paul Royall. While away, they visited several places of interest including Philadelphia, Atlantic City, and Valley Forge. Mr. Royall has con sented to write an article for the Herald relative to his trip. B. & L. Makes Good Showing Annual Meeting - o f Stock holders Held Yesterday; Assets Increase Nearly $90,000.00 The annual meeting of the stockholders of the Smithfield Building and Loan Association held in the commissioners’ room of the courthouse yesterday morning, was featured by the excellent report read by the secretary, J. H. Abell. “The year 1927,” said Mr. Abell, “has been marked by continued growth along all lines. Assets have increased nearly $90,000, and al though it was a year of consider able financial depression, the as sociation has grown steadily and is continually getting in better po sition to be of real service to the town and community. The associa tion has loaned through the year about $100,000, of which amount about $35,000 has been used for construction purposes, the balance for refinancing, etc. During the year, the period required to ma ture serial stock has been reduced from six and a half years to six years and four months.” The secretary expressed in the meeting his appreciation of the support that had been given by the directors, and especially by the president and vice president who have often laid aside their personal duties to give attention to the affairs of the building and loan association. Some comparative figures for the years 1926 and 1927 were of interest to those presnet, and it was brought out that every precau tion possible is taken to protect the interests of the members of the association. Particular care is taken with loans. Only first mort gages are considered and the mat ter is passed on by about three persons or committees before a loan is completed. After the mort gage loans are made they are fully protected by fire, wind and storm insurance, thus minimizing any loss by destruction of proper ty. The conditions as of December 31, 1927, follows: ASSETS Cash in banks ..$ 2,479.27 Mortgage loans_... 207,234.46 Stock loans . 15,795.00 Real Estate . 7,581.95 Furniture and Fix tures .. 301.46 TOTAL $233,392.14 LIABILITIES Installment stock $131,271.00 Paid up stock 73,700.00 Due shareholders. 204,971.00 Notes payable .. 14,000.00 $218,971.00 Surplus . 14,421.00 TOTAL . $233,392.14 After the report was heard and adopted, a nominating committee composed of George Ragsdale, W. M. Grantham and L. G. Stevens, was appointed who retired and in a short while returned to the meet ing with the recommendation that no change be made in the list ol the hoard of directors. The recom mendation was adopted and the di rectors are as follows: II. I>. Mar row, J. II. Abell, A. J. Fitzgerald J. P. Rogers, N. B. Grantham, W D. Hood, R. R. Holt, W. W. Jordan and J. E. Gregory. The directors will hold a meeting at an earlv date and elect the officers for the coming year. 1 Before the meeting adjourned the fact that next week will b< National Thrift Wieek was called t< the attention of those present, anc it was decided to observe the wee! I in Smithfield by each membe: making a special effort to inter :est someone else to begin savin*, j through the building and loan as sociation. AIAAJHUIj LAUSBIJ iiv DEATHS IN *27 IN N. Y. NEW YORK, Jan. 8.7.—Chronic alcoholism caused the death of 770 persons in Ne wYork City last year and the rate was the highest in eighteen years, Health Commis sioner Harris said today. Ahighbrow is a person who can stand boredom without complain ing*. Delegates to Pan-American Conference c; Photo shows President Coolidgc with member! of tfic American delegation to the Sixth International Conference of American States which opens at Havana, Cuba. January 16 They called at the White House to discuss plans for participation in the conclave. Left to right arc: Judge Morgan O’Brien; Charles E. Hughes, former Secre tary of State; Secretary of State Frank B Kellogg; President Cool Idge; Henry P Fletcher, United States Ambassador to Italy; former oenator Oscar Underwood; J. G Scott; and Dr L. F. Rowe, director of the Pan-Amefican Union. Honorable Mention ftegro Farm McKay McNeill of Johnston County Shows Superior Knowledge of Corn Grow ing at Negro Short Course RALEIGH, Jan. 9.—Few white people realize that there is a small group of trained agricultural workers serving a part of the col ored population of North Carolina in an efficient and successful way. At the present time, the North Carolina State College employs 18 local negro agents who are locat ed in those counties with a large percentage of colored farmers. These men are well trained and go quietly about their job teaching the more progressive members of their race new facts about farm ing through the demonstration method. Last year, these 18 agents conducted nearly 7,000 different demonstrations and got reports from nearly all of them. This work is done under the supervision of Prof. C. R. Hudson of the farm demonstration staff, assisted by L. E. Hall, colored district agent. J. C. Hubbard, local agent of Bertie county was awarded the gold medal offered by district agent Hall for the best all-i'ound work during the year 1927; J. I). Carlton of Rowan won the silver medal and S. T. Brooks of Robe son won the bronze medal. J. W. Jeffries of Alamance county won the silver loving cup for being the best judge of dairy cattle this year. Jeffries has a calf club among the boys and girls of his county and each of the 23 members owns a pure bred Jersey animal. In a story writing contest held while the negro agents were at tending their annual short course at Raleigh recently, awards were made for the best written story and for the most accurate knowl edge of corn growing exhibited in the article. W. L). Brown of Hert ford county wrote the best story, with McKay McNeill of Johnston second and A. I). Herring of Har nett, third. E. F. Colson, of Duplin displayed the most accurate knowl edge of corn growing, McKay Mc Neill of Johnston was second and E. C. Lackey of Iredell third. , According to Prof. Hudson, these colored agents have been very suc cessful in -their work during the past year and good results are be ginning to appear in the territory where they are employed. Little Ben Wellons. Jr. Dead. News reached here Thursda\ afternoon of tne death of little Ber Wellons, Jr., three-mcnths-old sor of Mr. and Mvr.. Ben F. Wellons ol Charlotte. The baby had nevei been sick in its 1 ife until Monday night when it was taken ill with < fever. Tuesday and Wednesday tin child continued ill pneumonia hav ing developed ami on Thursda; morning he v:a> carried to a Char lotte hospital where he died Thurs ' day afternoon. Interment was mad in Charlotte Friday afternoon. Mr. and Mrs. Wellons and th ilittle baby spent Christmas her /with Mrs. J. W. Wellons, ar.d ha returned home only a few days oc fore the baby was. taken sick. ; Mr. and Mrs. E. J. Wellons |tended the funeral leaving: her for Charlotte Thursday evening-. I Tom Tarheel says his radio ha saved him money this past yea by giving him late market infoi ■ mation. Fite Complaints With Boar;! Commissioners Citizens Ask' Election On $750,000 Bond Issue But Find Funding of Debt Is Mandatory -4 The County Board of Commis sioners had rather a hectic day yesterday listening to complaints of high taxes and explaining the con templated $750,000 bond issue. By the time the commissioners were ready to do business the commis sioners room was filled with citi zens from various parts of the county. Representatives from Wil son’s Mills, Wilders and Pine Level townships had petitions with them asking the commissioners not to issue the $750,000 worth of school bonds, notice of which had been published in the county paper in compliance with the new County b inance Act. The representatives wanted a chance to vote on the matter at the polls. After hearing the protests, the board of commissioners called upon County Superintendent H. B. Mar row to explain the bond issue. Mr. Marrow made it plain that the is suance of these bonds is inevitable. The County Finance Act which went into effect at the beginning of this fiscal year, requires all counties of the state to fund all outstanding indebtedness. Johnston county's debt for school buildings amounted to $750,000. This debt came about in this manner: In 1925, the board of county commis sioners adopted a policy which has been followed since, of not allow ing school districts to issue bonds for the reason that county bonds can be sola to much better advan tage than district bonds.- Since this policy was adopted, the board of commissioners has authorized construction of buildings upon bor rowed money. The buildings con structed have cost approximately $720,000. Interest on this money since the first of the fiscal year has amounted to about $31,000, which has to be included in the amount funded. When the County Finance Act made it mandatory upon the Coun ty Commissioners to fund this debt, the thing- then that confront ed the local board was to do this in the most business-like manner. It was a question as to whether to issue funding bonds covering a period of fifteen years requiring about $100,000 per year to retire, or to issue school bonds covering a period of thirty years and re quiring only about fifty thousand dollars per year to retire. The com missioners chose the latter course, and in the meeting yesterday when uus pian was expiaineu to tnose, present and the thing: put to a ' vote as to how those protesting: ■ would have acted, only three or ' four voted that they would have ■ chosen the fifteen-year plan with • a $100,000 a year to raise. } When the matter had been ex plained, there was a different ? feeling: about it, although high .* taxes is still a subject of con 1 corn. It is only in the future that - counties may have recourse to the ballot box in preventing or carry - ing bond issues. This debt, accord* d ing to law, must be funded. If future bonds are advertised, pro test can be made and if the proper s number of voters register their r protest in a petition, an election (Turn to page four please) Little Chance For Bentonville Park ■-■v Congressman Pou Writes That Matter Is Up To The Secretary of War 1 Doubt if anything can be d no | toward having the Battlefield Bentonville in Johnston county s-. i aside as a National Military P is expressed by Congressman Ed ward W. Pou in a letter received iSunday by Governor A. W. Mc Lean, replying to the suggest .. ; of Governor McLean that Mr. P .< and Senator Simmons sec wi . can be done toward that end. “Before Congress convened " Congressman Pou writes, “I ha i a bill drawn providing for an appro priation to take over the Bard of Bentonville, and to convert the same into a Military Park. Up n investigation I found out that th entire matter is in the hands >* the Secretary of War. The com mittee having charge of these bills will not even consider a bill sim ilar to the one I had drawn. “Major Bulwinkle has been pu ting forth an effort to have Kings Mountain Battlefield made a M , itary Park, but he found out h*' was up against a rock wall. I! • interviewed the Secretary of War, who told him the Battle of Kin' Mountain was not of sufficient im portance to justify anything me • than a tablet. “It would give me the greatest of pleasure if I could put through a bill creating a National Military Park out of the Battlefield of Bert tonville, but it looks like we are up against an impossible proposition. However, I will talk with Senator Simmons and, if there is a chanr* at all,*I will take such action may be deemed necessary.” Governor McLean is also in re ceipt of a letter from W. A. Pow ell, of Benson, who gave the I on which the monument to the Battle of Bentonville now stands, expressing very great interest «n the suggestion and movement th. the area be made a National Mil itary Park. “I dsire to give every assistance possible in any way to the Daughters of the Confederacy and to you in getting this men tioned park on one of the most im portant battlefields in North Car olina,” Mr. Powell writes.—N v and Observer. LOCAL BASKETEERS STAGE WIN ANI) LOSE AFFAIRS Playing their first contest of new year and their fourth of tin present season, the Smithfield h ' school cagers bowed to the string Fremont high school quint, v.ir ners of the Peanut Exp -•! tourney, in Fremont Thu>■■•!:* v night by a score of 2d to 11. T'.n Fremont team got off to a g = start and .the strong efforts o the locals to check their ad van i in the final half only kept d the scoring. Friday night the Smithfield team was at home to the town live Fuquay Springs, the locals emerg ing victorious after an uphill f i *;ht 13 to 9. The two teams battled even terms in the first period b>. the half found the visitors lead me by an 8-5 count. In the last has? Fuquay was held to one lone f shot while the locals found basket for eight points. Tonight at the Banner wa - house there will be a double-lira: er. The boys team will play Ar-e\ {high and the girls will battle w : the Erwin team. The bargain • I is slated for eight o’clock. Aunt Roxie Opine:* Hy Me— '‘I kain’t tell which one man tn oys least—coughin’ uji flue# or axes.”