Use Want Ads
If you have anythin* to sell a
Want Ad will find you a buyer,
quickly, cheaply.
VOLUME 46—NO. 43
Johniton County** Oldest and Best Newspaper - - Eatablighed 1882
Tell Your Friends
If they don't read the Herald they
won't see all the Johnston County
happenings.
SMITHFIELD, N. C., TUESDAY MORNING, MAY 29, 1928
$2.00 YEAR—5c SINGLE COPY
Five Men Now In
’ Jail For Investigation
Death Everett Eason
Appears Mysterious
—Found On High
way Knocked in
Head
Five young men, Paul Pilk
ington, Carl Childers, Bernice
Narron, James Narron and
Ausley Pijkington, are in the
Johnston county jail pending
an investigation concerning
the death of Everett Eason,
36-year-old .white man, iwho
Jived on the farm of James
Myatt, two miles pouth of
Smithfield.
About two o’clock Sunday morn
ing Eason was found in a badly
wounded condition on highway No.
10 near the Ivanhoe cotton mill.
Two men, J. O. Guthrie and1 P. H. |
Davis, of Goldsboro, who were/ j
passing along the road saw the j
body lying by the roadside and
turned back to Smithfield to noti- ;
* fy officers. Nightpoliccman Sutton j
went to the scene and the injured !
man was taken to the Johnston j
County Hospital. Eason never re
gained consciousness and died at
noon Sunday. Examination show- j
ed that he had been hit on the* 1
head and his brains were found to 1
be oozing out. A whiskey bottle
drained of its contents and a
hammer were found' near the
wounded man on the road.
The five men were arrested
when it became apparent to offi
cers' that they knew something of
the affair. They were said to be
under the influence of whiskey.
They advanced, however, the theo
ry that Eason was struck by a
hit and run driver.
A coroner’s investigation was
begun yesterday afternoon with
the following jury impaneled: R.
E. Holt, T. C. Jordan, W. J. Hunt
ley, H. D. Ellington, Kirby Rose
and Jack Hamilton. It was found
that a number of witnesses would
have to be examined and the in
vestigation was continued until a
time that will be named.
The dead man who had lived on
the farm of Mr. James Myatt for '
two years is said to be a man of
good reputation. He is survived by
a wife and five children. At the
hospital it was stated that there
was no indication that he had
been drinking.
The funeral was held yesterday
afternoon at two o’clock and in
terment was made at the Eason
graveyard near Branch Chapel
church. Rev. W. M. Ferrell con
ducted the service in the presence
of a large crowd.
Attends Louisburg Commencement.
Kenly, May 28.—Miss Emma
Matthews and Mr. H. F. Edgerton
attended the graduating exercises
at Louisburg College Wednesday
morning. Miss Miriam Ecfgerton
was among the number who grad
uated. The exercise was enjoyed by
a number in Kenly over the radio
through station WPTF, Raleigh.
, TWO FORDS COLLIDE
A collision at the corner of Mrs.
J. M. Beaty’s residence took place
Sunday afternoon between two
Fords, one being driven by Mr. J.
J. Parrish and the other 'by a
negro. Mr. Parrish’s car was over
turned pinning the occupants be
neath it. Mrs. Parrish, her baby,
her mother a^id Mrs. Eason, were
in the car ^th Mr. Eason. They
all escaped with slight injuries.
Tantalizer
There are exactly enough let
ters in the line below to spell
the name of a person in Smith
field or Johnston county, and
if the right one deciphers his
name and will present it to the
Herald office, we will present
him with a free ticket to the
Victory Theatre. Tickets must
be called for before the follow
ing issue
Tyree Woody recognized his
\ name last issue.
* Today's Tantalizer:
F.oohnothonpste
i
|~ Rig Rill Parses On
\Viltiam ("Big Rill") Haywood
former "uncrowned king of the
I, ^,n the United States,
died in his self-imposed exile at
Moscow in his sixty-sixth year
Haywood had heeti a fugitive from
American justice since 1921, when
•ie came to Russia to escape serv
'”8 sentence for obstructing the
Dr. Corey Delivers
Memorial Address
Kinston Minister Declares
That We Must Forever
Abolish War; Appropriate
Program Carried Out
"I believe if wc are to honor the
dead heroes we must forever abol
ish war," declared Dr. A. E. Corey,
pastor of the Christian church at
Kinston, who delivered the Memor
ial Day address here in the court
house Sunday afternoon to an ap
preciative audience. Political par
ties, stated Dr. Corey, are talking
about various issues, prohibition,
farm relief, and other things, but i
no party has touched this thing !
of war, a thing which Dr. Corey j
thinks is one of the paramount is- !
sues before our people.
Dr. Corey stressed the fact that i
the Memorial Day occasion was I
observed not only to commemorate j
the sacrifices of America but of all j
the allied nations. He closed his ;
remarks with the thought that hu
manity cannot settle things.—it
takes God.
Dr. Corey was introduced by F.
H. Brooks, who lamented the fact
that so few people had gathered
to honor the heroic dead. How
ever about 150 persons were pres
ent, about twice as many, Dr.
Corey said, as was the rule for
most such occasions in his exper
The program of the afternoon
opened with the singing of the
‘Star Spangled Banner/ during
which members of the American
Legion brought in the national
flag and the American Legion ban
ner. The invocation was pronounc-!
ed by Rev. S. L. Morgan, pasior
of the Baptist church here, after
which Mr. A. M. Calais sang a
solo entitled ‘My Pal.’ The pro
gram closed with the singing of
‘America’ and the benediction by
Rev. D. E. Earnhardt.
D. Carlton Stephenson, com
mander of the Pou-Parrish Post
of the American Legion, presided
over the meeting.
CARLTON STEPHENSON
PRESIDES OVER MEETING
RALEIGH, May 28.—General
Albert L. Cox, State Commander
of the American Legion, was the
principal speaker at the dinner con
ference of members of posts of the
fourth district here last Friday
night at 8 o’clock in the Yarbor
ough Hotel. Carlton Stephenson, of
Smrthftcld, district committeeman,
presided.
Other speakers on the program,
which was interspersed with hum
orous skits and music by the Brax
ton orchestra, were Major O. E.
Beezley, William Duncan, and Dr.
H. O. Lineberger, commander of
Raleigh Post.
This dinner, an annual affair,
was very largely attended.
The recent rains have been most
beneficial to alfalfa, lespedeza and
clover but terrible on tobacco and
cotton. Fanners, of Union county
report fine stands of lespodeza.
I
U. B. Blalock Speaks
On Go-op Marketing
Princeton. Smithfield, and
Glendale Schools Win ir
County-Wide Essay Contesl
I The county-wide meeting of cot
ton farmers of Johnston county
! held at the courthouse Saturday
J was featured by an essay contest
i on the subject: “How Does Co
operative Marketing Affect the
Farmer." A preliminary contest
! had been held in eight schools and
I only the winners in these schools
j appeared in the contest Saturday,
j Each of these winners received a
fountain pen, donated by business
men of Smithfield. Saturday the
judges selected three winners as
follows: first place, Miss Katie
Lee Hamilton, of the Sanders
Chapel section, representing the
Princeton school; second place,
John A. Wallace, of the Smithfield
school; third place, Miss Rena
Woodard, of the Glendale school.
The first prize was $25 in gold;
the second prize, $15 in gold, and
the third prize $10 in gold. Others
besides the winners participat
ing in the contest were: Miss
Irene Edgerton, of the Kenly
school; Marvin Johnson, of the
Meadow school; Miss Cleve Whit
ley, of the Archer-Lodge school;
Miss Claudia Woodall, of the Four
Oaks school. Wilson’s Mills rep
resentative, Miss Ruby L. Dodd,
was not present.
The program of the day began
with an invocation by Rev. S. S.
McGreggor which was followed by
a recitation of the essays. Mr.
U. B. Blalock, general manager of
North Carolina Cotton Growers’
Cooperative Association, was then
introduced, who spoke interesting
ly about the aims, purposes, and
achievements of the cotton associa
tion. Mr. Blalock is not discourag
ed because the association has not
made any greater progress than
it has, and1 it is the purpose of
its promoters to keep at work un
til the effects are far-reaching.
The association has been interest
ed in securing national legislation
to help the farmer, and is at work
trying to lower the freight rates
in North Carolina. Another aim is
to secure the sale of cotton by net
weight instead of gross weight.
At the conclusion of Mr. Bla
lock’s speech, Mr. J. A. Smith,
field secretary for Johnston coun
ty, introduced his co-worker from
Wayne, Mr. Jones, who in turn
presented Miss Inez Davis of the
Eureka high school, champion es
sayist of Wayne county. Miss Da
vis recited her essay and was giv
en a generous applause.
Mr. M. G. Mann, in charge of
the field service of the associa
tion, was then called upon for a
few remarks, and he commended
highly those who have written and
delivered their essays.
At this point, Kev. Chester
Alexander gave the decision of the
judges, and the prizes were award
ed, Mr. B. J. Holleman present
ing the fountain pens to the win
ners from each school; Mr. W. W.
Jordan, the cash prizes to the
county-wide winners, and Mr. F.
II. Brooks, the $10 gold piece to
the Princeton school for having
the post parents of students pres
ent in the meeting. Mr. Brooks
also presented a box of candy to
Miss Davis of Wayne county.
After the presentation of these
prizes, the attendance prizes were
given away, a small child drawing
the numbers from a box. The
prizes for the men were awarded
as follows: a slicker from the At
kinson company, of Selma, to Mr.
Parrish; a pair of work shoes
from W. J. Huntley to Mr. Sid
ney Johnson; ten gallons of gas
and a gallon of oil from C. W.
Beasley & Son to Mr. Alton
Capps. The ladies’ prizes were: a
porch rocker from Crumpler
Jones Furniture company to Mrs.
Howard Oliver; a bedspread from
J. D. Spiers Furniture company to
Mrs. W. N. Parrish; $2.50 in mer
chandise from J. E. Gregory &
company to Mrs. E. B. Hales.
At the conclusion of the pro
gram in the courthouse, the school
children present repaired to the
courthouse lawn where they were
served ice cream conts with the
compliments of the Kiwanis club
of Smithfield and the Pine State
Creamery. The school children
were also given tickets to a mati
nee at the Victory theatre.
Disastrous
Fire Entails
Huge Loss
Barns and Stables oi
I J. W. Stephenson Gc
Up In Flames Early
| Sunday Night
| A disastrous fire entailing a loss
! of around $15,000 occurred Sunday
night about eight o’clock when the
barn, stables and shelters on the
plantation of Mr, J. W. Stephen
son just across the river were de
stroyed. The church services of the
town had just begun when the fire
siren went off, and in a few min
utes the Stephenson plantation re
sembled a Johnston county fair
from the number of cars parked by
the roadside and the number of
people who had gathered to watch
the blaze. The city fire department
was on the scene in a short time,
j but the buildings were too far
j gone to render any assistance with
j chemicals, and there was no way
j for any water connections.
| Mr. Stephenson had nine mules
I in his stables, and several cows,
j One mule burned up and two oth
| ers so badly injured that they
I were killed yesterday morning.
| Two milk cows also perished in
I the flames. Two hundred barrels
i of corn, a year’s supply of hay,
! about a thousand bundles- of fod
der, and about fifteen hundred
pounds of meat were burned. The
meat, however, was not the prop
| erty of Mr. Stephenson, but be
, longed to Barney and Richard Da
j vis, who live on the place, and
! Clifton Beasley who owns a store
; nearby. A lot of tools were stored
in the barn, but the most of them
were saved, only about a hundred
dollars worth of them being lost
in the fire. About a hundred bags
of fertilizer stored in one of the
houses was saved, but a lot of
fodder in the loft of the same
building was destroyed. The silo
which adjoined the barn was empty
and being built of brick, the dam
age was slight.
During the fire an explosion
took place due to a drum of cyl
inder oil stored in one of the out
houses, catching fire and burst
ing. The residence where Mr. Da
vis, the tenant, lives was in dan
ger and all the furniture was re
moved to a place of safety. The
weather-boarding was blistered
but the house remained1 intact
when the fire had died down.
Yesterday morning by noon the
framework of temporary stables
had been erected in order to house
the stock that was saved. There
was no insurance.
Township Meetings
Are Held Saturday
The township meetings in John
ston county held Saturday iby Dem
ocrats to nominate township offi
I cers and to select the township
| executive committees, passed off
I without any friction in spite of the
j fact that in some instances the
Hull-Smith candidacies were in
jected into the meetings. In a
number of instances, the crowds
were said to be larger than usual
due no doubt to the presidential
question. Reports from the various
townships are meagre, but it seems
that in only a few precincts was
the matter taken up. In some in
stances anti-Smith voters were
said to have packed the conven
tions, but the disposition of the
matter seems to have been to de
clare, according to custom in
Johnston county, that all Demo
crats in good standing will be rec
ognized as delegates in the county
convention. Such a resolution was
passed in the Smithfield township
meeting.
Probably a hundred were pres
ent on this occasion to transact
the business in hand. Mr. W. F.
Grimes, chairman of the township
executive committee called the
meeting to order, and Mr. J. W.
Stephenson was made chairman of
the meeting. After a few prelim
inary remarks the members of the
(TURN TO PAGE 6, COL. 7.)
Closing Exercises
Four Oaks School
i *
; Ninety Seventh Grade Pupils
Receive Certificates; Twen
ty-four Graduates of High
School Get Diplomas
! FOUR OAKS, May 28.—School
■ closed Friday evening after a very
successful year. The commence- '
ment exercises this year were es- j
pecially good, the class day exer
cises on Thursday night being un
ique and beautiful.
On Friday night, Rev. Abram E.
Corey, of Kinston, delivered an
inspirational message on “Be Not
Conformed, But Be Ye Transform
ed.”
Diplomas were presented to
twenty-four graduates of high
school and ninety certificates were
! awarded to those completing the
’ seventh grade.
I The school band, under the di
I recti on of Rev. A. L. Brown gave
a very enjoyable concert. The au
dience was deeply impressed and
felt an honest pride in their
achievement, as this band has only
been organized about two months.
The monthly meeting of the
Woman’s Missionary Society of
the Baptist church met Monday
afternoon at the home of Mrs. W.
P. Massengill. The president, Mrs.
J. H. Strickland, presided over the
meeting. Circle Number Tw’o with
Mrs. G. L. Creech as leader had
charge of the program. The sub
ject for study was, “Woman in
Missionary History.” Those taking
part in the program were: Mes
dames J. W. Sanders, S. M. Boy
ette, J. H. Strickland and Miss
Pauline Lee. The hostess served ice
cream sandwiches.
Mr. and Mrs. J. T. Hatcher and
the faculty of the school entertain
ed the seniors at the teacherage
Tuesday evening at a lovely party.
The rooms were decorated in
roses, carrying out the colors of
the class of ‘28. Heart’s dice was
played at seven tables. Miss Lu
cile Stanley was awarded high
score prize, a memory book. De
licious block ice cream and cake
were served.
t The two societies of the school,
the Vance Senate, and the Aycock
Assembly held a joint meeting last
Friday night, May 18 in the school
auditorium at which time the new
ly-elected officers for the coming
year were duly presented. A short
program was rendered. The
Vance Senate twice won the lov
ing cup for making the most
points during the year. Senator C.
C. Canaday of Benson presented
the trophy.
At the close of the meeting a
delightful social hour wras enjoy
ed. Refreshments consisting of
punch and assorted sandwiches
were served.
PLACED IN JAIL AS
RESULT OF SHOPLIFTING
Ellen Murphey, a colored wo
man, was placed in jail yesterday
by Chief of Police C. R. Cable when
she was discovered taking a dress
from the Lorraine Shop. She
was trying on a hat when Miss
Addie Talton, proprietress of the
shop, saw her concealing the gar
ment in her dress. Chief Cable
was called and the negress was
carried to the lockup. She will be
tried in the mayor’s court.
SHOWS LARGE EGG
Mr. O. Bullock of this city
brought a large egg to this office
yesterday. It measures eight inches j
around one way and six around
the other, and it weighs a quarter
of a pound. It was laid by a Rhode
Island Red hen, which was purchas
ed last year in a lot of baby
chicks from D. W. Peterson.
..■
Has JPlenty Spring (Vegetables.
Mrs. Z. R. Martin of this city
has served from her garden this
spring two varieties of onions,
mustard1, kale, turnips and greens,
rape, spinach, two varieties of
headed lettuce, Irish potatoes, as
paragus, two varieties headed cab
bage, garden peas, radish, squash
and a liberal supply of strawber
ries, beets and snap beans. Mrs.
Martin won in the county-wide
garden contest last year.
EDWARD W. POU
Representative in Congress from the Fourth District for
twenty-eight years.
C. H. Grady Sure
Of Tax Reduction
—«—
Believes Next General Assem
bly Will Take Much of the
Tax From Real Estate
Taxation seems to be the great
question before the taxpayers and
voters of Johnston county today.
Almost every member of the Dem
ocratic party is looking forward to
some tax reduction at the coming
session of the General Assembly of
North Carolina for 1929. The can
didates for the House of Repre
sentatives and the Senate are all
interested in seeing that there is
some manner of reduction in the
taxes that are levied directly on
property. The three candidates for
the Senate have all pledged them
selves to this program.
Mr. Chas. H. Grady, one of these
candidates, feels that experience is
the best asset that a candidate can
have in securing relief in the Gen
eral Assembly. Mr. Grady has
served two sessions in the General
Assembly, and in an interview with
a representative of this paper
states: “We all know that a tax
fight made by the agricultural
counties will of course meet oppo
sition from the richer counties.
The experienced members of the
General Assembly will be placed on
the important committees where
the real work is done in the Gen
eral Assembly. The candidate that
can secure the best committee ap
pointment will be in a better po
sition to assist the taxpayers in
Johnston county than others.
Committee appointments are made
with a view to the experience that
the member has had in the Gener
ai /vssemoiy.
Mr. Grady thinks that his ex
perience would entitle him to the
best committee appointment and
would naturally place him in a
better position to serve the peo
ple than either of the other can
didates. Mr. Grady states that he
was the first candidate to come out
with the proposed tax relief, and
he says that apparently this is
the best proposition as both of tht
other candidates have also adopt
ed the plan of indirect taxation
as their platform.
Mr. Grady states that he has
already secured the assistance of
several other members of the next
General Assembly who have no op
position in the next election and
they together plan to secure
enough support to put over the in
direct tax system before the Gen
eral Assembly meets in January.
ABDALLA BUYS STOCK
SMITH FIELD SHOE STORE
The Smithfield Shoe Store was
sold under bankruptcy yesterday
at noon, and Abdalla-Vinson Store
company of Selma bid in the stock
of goods for $1,000. The bid wil
[remain open for ten days.
Dr. Gulley Makes
Address At Micro
—«—
Compares the “Good Old
Days” With the Present—
Other Exercises Feature
Commencement
Dr. N. Y. Gulley, dean of thef
Law School of Wake Forest Col
lege, in the commencement address
which he delivered at the Micro
school Thursday morning, stated
that the thing folks must do now
is, “to catch step, lock arms with
God, and go forward in the build
ing of character.”
Dr. Gulley used as his subject^
“The Good Old Days are Gone
Forever.” Since he was celebrating
his seventy-third birthday on June
3, he is well qualified to speak on
such a subject, and the people o<f
his native county, Johnston, gave
him an undivided attention Thurs
day as he gave reminiscences! otf
the past and compared the “good
old days” with the present. He
told of the times when the chief
text book was the old Bluebackf
Speller. When they had' gone
through it once, they went back
over it again, and again, even unto
eighteen times if necessary. He
reminded the boys and girls pres
ent that those good old days are
gone forever. He told them that
the little red school house that
we hear so much about was not
in reality red—«it was just a log
school house. And oftentimes the
pupils had to go to the w'oods and
cut the fuel to keep themseliv^st
warm. He reminded the young folk
again that those good old dtajls
are gone forever.
He told ol how in the past if
one had a bale of cotton to sell he
hitched up early in the morning
and started to town. Perhaps Ral
eigh or Goldsboro was his desti
nation, and it was necessary to
camp overnight going and coming
in order to make the trip. It was
hardly necessary to remind his
hearers that those good old days
were gone forever. He told of
raising cotton in years gone by
when cotton was practically all
the farmers raised. He pointed1 out
the change that has come about.
! Farmers cannot now depend upon
! one crop for a living. They must
raise a variety of crops. He spoke
| of the change in the public school
system. For eight or nine years
| Dr. Gulley has been a member oi
the board of education of Wal^e
* county. He said they started f
I consolidation program severa
years ago, and he told of how the
; movement has grown. In one sec
tion of Wake county there wen
i three little schools. These wer<
j consolidated and a brick venee
building was erected, necessitatinj
a thirty cent tax. The new build
I ing was burned and the board o
Turn to page five, please _
Member Road Board
Tells Of Work Dore
C. P. Harper Explains How
the Road Board Operates
Under County Unit System
By C. P. HARPER, Road Com.
There are many people who
have never read the bill which was
made a law by the last General
Assembly. Changing the load sys
tem from a township unit to a
county unit. Therefore they do not
understand the system under which
we are operating. The law divided
the county into five districts. A
commisioner was selected for each
district and while he is virtually
in control he must have the co
operation, advice and approval of
the other members of the board.
The commissioners in the future
are to be elected by the people.
Assets namely, machinery, money
and all records were assembled and
machinery and money was distrib
uted throughout the county where
it was most needed. The law pro-'
vides for taking over the convict
system, repairing and building of
bridges, maintaining and building
roads. It abolished the township
road tax and in its place provided
for a county-wide levy of thirty
cents. It provided for the paying
of township road bills from funds
coming into county treasurer from
1926 taxes. It also provided for
the taking over of $618,000 town
ship road bonds by the county,
thereby relieving some of the
township of this burden of taxa
tion. Under the law each commis
sioner receives $300 per year, a
total for the five commissioners)
of $1500.
The bill enacted may have ita
defects, but it was a wise, progres
sive piece of legislation. The
great majority of the counties of
the state are adopting the unit
system.
On going into office, one of the
first acts was to assemble the
township records, employ a com
petent auditor to set up a system'
of bookkeeping by which to be
guided. It was found) that the coun
ty had very little modern road
building machinery. It has been
necessary to invest approximately
$32,000 in equipment to be used
both in building and maintenance.
The commission employed an en
gineer who is also purchasing’
agent and general superintendent.
His duties are many and cover the
entire system. We employed a sup
ervisor or foreman who works with
the man and directs the work in
each district. We employed a me
chanic and established a machine
shop at Smithfield. He goes to any
section of the county when ma
chinery breaks down or repairs it
when it is brought to the shops.
We employed capable bridge build
er who with his helpers builds and
repairs bridges when needed any
where in the county. We have a
competent young lady who keeps
our records in our office in the
courthouse.
we nave a convict system di
vided into three camps averaging
eighteen men to each camp. Our
convict boss who is also a practi
cal road builder has direct control
of all convicts. Camps are kept in
a sanitary condition. Convicts cost
| approximately $1.67 per day for
I each man but we make them work.
Many miles of roads have been
constructed and straightened. We
learned the importance of drain
age and many ditches have been
cut and others kept open. We
adopted a standard width of thir
ty feet and are widening some of
our narrow roads as rapidly as
possible. We are hauling sand,
clay or gravel as the character of
the soil may require. The county
has 1,400 miles and the mileage
is being slightly increased. We
take into consideration the rights
of the land owners.
We never damage anyone’s prop
erty where it is possible to avoid
doing so.
We are building a highway sys
j tern for all the people and the
i county and not for any one town or
community. Polities does not en
. ter into our road building pro
• gram.
- We are operating on a road bud
■ get of $194,000 for the fiscal year
: and we cannot spend in excess of
. this amount The money is propor
? toned1 to each district on the basis
TURN TO PAGE FOUR COL 7