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TOUR SUBSCRIPTION EXPIRES
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VOLUME XXVI—NUMBER 13
Needleman Taken From Jail and Mutilated by Mob
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Three Men Arrested Monday on Charges of Being Mob Members; Expett Other Arrests to Follow
Mob Uses Bolt Clippers
And Easily Gains Access
To Jail; Town Surprised
Victim Carried Mile Out of Town and Forced to
Submit to Serious Operation; Walked Back
to City Unaided; In Serious Condition -
At Hospital' in Washington
The most brutal, the most irrational*, and the
most deplorable act that has ever been committed
in Martin County occurred Saturday night when
Joseph Needleman, a tobacco salesman, was re
moved from the local jail and carried in the coun
try and castrated for an alleged criminal assault
upon Miss Effie Griffin, of Griffins Township, sev
eral days ago.
The jail was broken open Sunday morning
about 2.30 by a mob supposed to be residents of
Martin and Lenoir counties. .Mr. D. R. Gurganus,
the night policeman, observed several cars assem
bling near the courthouse, and he immediately
went to the home of Sheriff Roberson to get as
sistance in combating the mob, but before he could
get back to Main Street the mob had already se
cured Needleman and were out of town. The mob
first visited the home of Sheriff Roberson, but up
on his refusal to present the keys to the'jail they
proceeded to get the accused man by tearing down
the back wall of the jail and cutting the bolts to
the by a pair of powerful bolt clippers.
The cTOwd carried Needleman out to the Ske
warkee Church, and the road was blocked in both
directions until the cowardly and unmanly act
was committed by some member qf the mob. Evi
denly the nerve of thife mob was shattered by the
soberness and coolness of their victim, in that they
had trouble in getting some member of the gang
to use the knife. He voluntarily yielded to the
operation, and afterwards walked the mile to
town to receive medical aid.
Upon reaching town Needleman
asked that a "doctor"bo called. The
local physicians, Doctors Warren,
Rhodes and York, and Doctors D. T.
Tayloe and D. T. Tayloe, Jr., of Wash
ington, performed an operation
and dressed the man's wounds, and
about 11 o'clock Sunday morning he
was taken to the Washington Hos
pital.
Needleman displayed untold nerve
and courage in the face of the the
avenging mob. When he was asked to
take his choice of being shot or mu
tilated, he replied by saying that they
were the doctors and could act as they
pleased. He withstood the pain of the
operation by bracing himself in the
dirt and sand with the aid of his
hands and feet. After suffering the
agony administered by the brutes he
got up and walked back to town in
the cold, unaided by anyone. He
walked into the Britt Hotel and smil
ingly asked for a doctor. He con-
THE STRAND
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WATCH
TKRjS
• 1
SPACE
t_
THE ENTERPRISE
verged freely with the physicians and
spectator* bef re the opeiatlon, and
remarked about the cowardly act of
the mob.
Nothing has ever caused so much
excitement and commotion in the his
tory of the county. A great deal of
I speculation and criticism has been
made, all the way from condemning
the county for not providing a better
jail to Sheriff Roberson for negligence
and carelessness in not providing pro
tection in placing a guard over the
prisoner. Others hav* claimed that
he should have been removed to some
other county for protection. It now
seems that all suggstions of care
lessness have some merit in them ami
that they were not without* foundation,
yet those who knew the circumstances
and the poople related to the parties
had no idea of violence. Numerous
people, it is alleged, claim that they
had seen suspicious actions by several
people, casing them to suspect an
outrage by some unknown party.
However, there are always numbers'of
the "I-wasn't-surprised" and "Mold
you-so" parties springing up after any
thing has happened. The pity of it
is that they didn't express some of
these suspicions before it was too late
to the proper authorities. The sheriff
says that nothing appeared that indi
cated even the slightest danger of any
disorder taking place. Tho fact that
it was thought that somo of th*s ac
cused man's friends had spirited him
away when the news of the jail break
ing was first learned would seem to
bear the sheriff out in his supposition,
Needleman stated tha* there were
about ten men in the mob that per
formed the deed, the others standing
guard an the highway ." Sheriff •Robert
son insisted that Ncedleman reveal to
him the names of the paitics involved,
but he claimed that he could not defi
nitely say, as he did not know any
mqpibers of the mob. However, after
the sheriff left the doctor's office he
gave the doctors the names of three
men whom he claimed to have recog
nised. Johnny Gurkin, John A. Grif
fin, of Griffins Township, Martin
County, and Fernie W. Sparrow, jr.,
I 7 -- •
Williamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, March 31,1925
Statement From Sheriff H. T. Roberson
Asks Investigation Before Condemnation
 ' ~ - ~ \ ----- —;—.• 7 . - : ■■■
To the People of Marnn bounty;
Since the fearful tragedy which occurred in. our county
tfcrly Sunday mornHfg I am told many rumors have been cir
culated in the county which would indicate that I had ;,been
careless in not providing further protection for the prisoner,
Joe Needleman, who was the victim of the mob.
No one regrets more than I that such a violent act- has been
performed which caused such a blot on the good name of the
county.
Nothing had appeared to even cause the slightest suspicion
that there would be any violence, and for that reason I follow
ed exactly the same course in takili care of this prisoner that
I have always followed by putting him in the county jail.
• -
All I ask of my fellowmen is a fair and impartial investi
gation of the entire matter. lam willing for the people to
know all my acts and assure them that 1 have at all times tried
to carry out the laws as required of me as an officer.
Very Respectfully,
H. TV ROBERSON, Sheriff.
SCOUT MEETING
AGAIN TONIGHT
Prospective Scout Leader* Taking
Training Course Under
Regional Director
Scout Executive John H. Wilcox,
for the Pamlico Council, boy Scouta
of America, was here Tuesday night
anil hail a meeting with a number of
men who are interested in this phase
of work. Two patrols were organized.
Th# Eagle Patrol, with Simon Lilley
as patrol leader, and the Rani Patrol,
with Rev. E. D. Dodd as patrol lead
er. This is a kind of a training
course that is being given by Mr. Wil
cox for the benefit of leaders of the
Roy Scout organizations in the coi.n
ty. It is hoped that a larger num
ber of men will attend these meetings
from all sections of the county and
get the benefit of these interesting
meetings that'are being, conducted by
Mr. Wilcox that these leaders may go
out and perfect a number of organi
zations throughout the county. The
meeting wHI be held : at - the- frraded
school building each Tuesday night.
Come Tonight.
NEGRI) HURT IN
DRINKING SPREE
Hit on Head With An Axej Now in
Critical Condition at Kocky
Mount Hoapital
Walter Wilson, a colored man, was|
hit with an axe on Saturday, March
21, by Monk Clark, another colored |
resident of Everetts. The blow was
a result of a general drinking spree
indulged in by the two negroes. Wil
son is now in the Rocky Mount Hospi
tal, and his condition is regarded as
exceedingly critical.
He was hit by Clark with the axe,
and for several days his condition was
not regarded as dangerous, until he
began having fits Saturday. Blood
clots and a fracturSd bone were found
to be pressing the brain.
He who hesitates may not be com
pletely lost ,but its' a safe bet that a
few of his arms and legs will be miks
ing soon.
of Kinston, to whom Miss Griffin was
married Sunday, were# urrested yes
terday and are being held in the jail
at Greenville without bond.
Needleman, who now lives in Kin
ston, is a traveling salesman for the
P. Lorillard Tobacco Co. His parents,
it is understood, live in New Jersey.
He is about 21 years of age ami ap
pears to be a bright and intelligent
young man. *He was . arrested last
-Thursday- in- Kdeilton, later being
brought here and placed in jail await
ing trial in June, for an alleged as
sault upon Miss Griffin on Friday,
March 20. Miss Griffin claims that
Needleman assaulted her at the point
of a gun, and tfiat she, through fright
of further mistreatment, failed to re
veal the act to her parents. It is
further stated that he threatened to
kill her should she ever relate the
story to anyone.
HOSPITAL REPORTS RESTFUL
NIGHT FOR NEEOLEMAN
At 5.30 (his morning (Tuesday)
Joe Needleman, victim »f the mob
Saturday night, wan reported as
having had a very good night's
rest by the head nurse of the
Waiihingtan Hoapital.
COMMENCEMENT
HERE APRIL 25
General Hides for Group Center
Rallies and the County Com
mencement to be Held Here
Introduction
These rules ure practically the same
as rules sent out during September,
1924. AH schools are provided for
and expected to participate. Actual
results growing out of the year's work
ii. each teacher's class 'room should be
presented in the commencement. W"
are not to neglect class-room work,
nor to prepare a tinsel of tin-foil pa
rade, nor to present a show or parade,
but we are to endeavor to show
fathers anil mothers and friends re
sults obtained during the year. This
commencement is to offer an oppor
lunity to live teachers -dead ones can
not participate- -who wish a chance
to compare the results of their school
touching with that of like teachers in
similar situations.
Therefore, schools are grouped as
follows:
Group I. Contains schools of six or
I ladi't teachers:'Jamesville, Itoberson
ville, Williamston, Oak City, and Ev
eretts.
Group If. Contains schools of three
ieac'.ers, not to exceed Ave teachers:
I'armele, Hamilton, Hjtssell, Hear
Crass, Sandy Kidge, Farm Life, and
Gold Point.
' Group 111. Contains schools of twi
teachers or lev-,..via: All other schoc-U
of the county not men'ioned above.
No scbool in droups I and 11 wii.
be allowed lo compete with schools
in Group HI ixcept in .tocllinp; co,
test A, ;»Mmetic con;tst C, and
slory-lelliiig contest H. Success in
ibe afitfve-meii'ioneil contests depends
t more Cn the t.b.lity of the individual
1 pupils than on the size of tHe school.
Awards
Each committee shall purchase rib
bn . e; : follows for awards: For first
|it'i-e, blue and white; for second place,
red and white; and for third place,
ureen and white. These awards shall
be male for group-center contests, ani
•he ckin'y-wide contest*. At group
cer.itr or county-wide contests the
ATTENTION OF
"A SUBS-RIBKK H
Yesterday werWetved letter -
signed "A Subscriber," relative to
the happening of Saturday night.
If this subscriber will be kind
enough to sand in his or her name,
we will be glad to publish the
-- article. We do not care to pub
lish the name, but it is necessary
that we know the author Before ,
publishing any communication. '
THE EIfTERPRISE.
MAN KILLED IN »
STILL EXPLOSION
Two Others Hurt; One of Them Not
Kxpected to Live; Happened in
Greenville
A very serious accident happened at
Greenville Saturday morning when a
liquor still exploded, killing cine man
anil wound others, one of which
died yesterday, and the other is not
expected to live.
The still was one of the steam type,
and not being carefully guarded by the
operators it ran too high, causing the
boiler ID burst. When the boiler went
up the brick work was demolished,
casting brick in every direction. Fly
ing brick was responsible for the kill
ing of the two men and the wound-,
ing of the other.
winniiii' school shall he determined for
each group of schools. Art" Count y
viilc commencement the winning
school in each contest shall be award
ed I point u, the second order of choice
steM: be- awarded. a. paints j»td tho :
I third 01 (let* of choice shall be awarded
two points, iflank tabulation of score
sheets will he furnished both for de
tail cpntest scores and for. ho sum
mary of scores. ■
Athletic Contests at Group-Center
Commencements »
1. The principals of the group-cen
ter schools should arrange an athletic
program to suit the schools in their
groups.
2. A play period for both boys and
girls should be arranged by the prin
cipals of the group-center ijchool for
rally. ' Some icacher who has the
interest and ability should be appoint
ed as game leader. Each school will
be expected to give some dinging
game, such as ."The Farmer in the
Doll," "Clap Partner."
Judges will decide which school
gives the best performance. For sug
p;e.4ted games see Clark's "Physical
Training in the Elementary Schools.'
Dramatization Contest H
I. This contest will be held at the
grouj>-center commencement,s only.
2 ThW' participants in the cont.es
must b» chosen from the first, second
third, and fourth grades. »
8. Any group of children taking
part in this contest must be chose.)
entirely frofri one room.
4. Stories dramatised must be se
lected from Curry-Clippinger's lead
ing. texts or books on tl\s? adopted lis
of the State,
5. No dramatization should exceed
eight minutes in length.
6. Elaborate costumes will not be
permitted." Only suHi costumes t'f
might be used in a class-room drama
fixation will be considered suitabV.
No participant in the dramatization
Ktimilrf 'b«ralkiwed to wear a eostume
which can not be improvised on one
day's notice. Stage setting should he
simple. Only material actually avail
able in the home or school room should
be used.
La Follette is unfortunate in a way,
Firit he found he could not run the
Republican party ,*nd now he wake*
up and flndH he cant* rvon run with it.
Two Well-Known Men of
(iriffins Township in Jail; *
Other Man From Kinston
Johnny (iurkin, John A. (irifltn, and F. W. Sparrow
Held- in Greenville Without Bail; Three
4 Suspects All Relatives of Alleged Victim
of Attack; All Claim Good Alibis
Solicitor Donnel C.illiam, of Tarboro, was called
to our city yesterday to investigate the jail break
ing and the action of the mob Saturday night. He
went fully into the -details of the case and found
sufficient evidence to advise the sheriff to procure
warrants for three men. Sheriff Roberson swore
out warrants before Justice of the Peace A. T.
Caw ford for the aT rest of Fernie W. Sparrow, of
Kinston, and Johiv, (iurkin and John A. (iriffin,
both of Martin County. The sheriff and several
deputies went.at once and arrested the men, tak
ing them to (ireenville, where they are now in jail.
Sparrow is a resident of Kinston, a young' man
about 21 years of ago. He married Miss Effie Grif
hn x the young lady upon whom the assault is al
leged to have been committed. They |(\>ere mar
ried at the home of the parents .of the young lady
Sunday March 29. The police of Kinston speak
well of Sparrow, and say that he is well thought
•of in his home town.
John (lurkin is a brother-in-law &f Miss (iurkin,
and is about 2f> or :>0 years old. He is regarded
as one of the most respectable young farmers in
this section. He says that he will be able to pre
sent a preponderance of evidence to prove that he
was not-in the gamr. It is stated that he was
at the home of Elder Stone, and he will be able to"
show or prove by numerous people that he spent
the night af the home of Mr. Stone.
Young lriflin, who is only about 18 years old, is
a brother of the young (Iriffin girl. He will be
able to offer an alibi similar to that of Mr. (iurkin.
MECTINO LAST NIGHT
KI'WOKTH LEAGI E
The K (Jworth League held its uyual
meeting ut tho ' Methodist Church last
night at h o'clock. This being the an
nual lime for the election nuw ofli
cers, the following were chosen:
President, Evelyn Harrison; vice
Sophie Little; Secretary,
Mrs. Jack Hooker; Treasurer, Eliza
beth Gurganus; corresponding secre
tary, Hill Harrison; first department,
I'attie Kdmondson; second department,
Mrs. J. A. I^eggett; third department,
Mary Clyde Leggett; fourth depart
ment, Josephine Sykes; Kpworth Era
agent, Janie Edwards. —Christine
Dodd, press agent.
Mlnnwota Honors
v.
Si
ADVERTISERS WILL FIND OVR
WLI'MNS A LATCHKEY TO IMO ||
HOMES OF MARTIN COUNT* H
ESTABLISHED 1898
ltumor has it that the State will be
able to show by testimony of one
John Hubert Jones, who was traveling
the road where the deed was commit
ted, thut Gurkin was in the mob. He
claimed that he stopped, not knowing
the fads of the situation, asked if
lie could render any assistance, think
ing,that thwy were having car trouble,,
nnd Gurkin ordered him to move on.
The otlicl'T&ttre making every etfort '
U) apprehend and take into custody
guilty parties and every thread of
evidence is worked out to the
end that justice may be done and the
law vindicated,
Gurkin, Griffin, and Sparrow are
now in the Greenville jail, being held
without bond, pending the outcome of
Needleinan's injuries.
THIEVES RAID
SMOKE HOUSE
A. J. Manning Loses Several Hams
Miid Numerous Strip* of Bacon;
Tunneled tinder Building
Thieves visited the smoke house of
A. J. Manning Saturday night and
escaped with several nice hams and
numerou* strips of bacon. •
Tlie thieves Were oft ihe mole type,
entering the building by the under
ground or tunnel route. At the time
of this writing no clue to the guilty
party or parties has bren discovered.
P~ -y
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