North Carolina Newspapers

I Advertisers Will Pnd Our Col ■m a Latchkey to Over Sixteen Itnlisil Martin County Homes VOLUME XXXIII—NUMBER 93 800 PAPERS ARE BANDLED HERE —W PAST YEAR Deputy Grimes Is of Opinion That This Is A Moving World 600 ARE CIVIL PAPERS Only Twenty-six Claim and Delivery Papers Were Served by The Officers in Past Year Approximately 800 civil and criminal summons were served in this county last year by Sheriff Roebuck and bis deputy, S. H. Grimes, this work com- \ ing in for a large share of attention at i the county's law center. From one end 1 ot the county to \the other, over all kinds of roads, the two officers | travelled to personally summon some j one to court or to call another before j the bar of justice. Hardly a day thru- ' out the year passed without some type I of summons wandering into the. sheriff's office demanding action.' And some times the officers would 1 have their pockets full of papers, an | over-night accumulation that would! require of them as much consideration it) mapping their course of travel as does the route of the milkman when, he starts out to leave a bottle of milk here and another one there. "And how far do you drive on an j average in serving one of the papers?" | Deputy Grimes was asked. "Well, I don't know, for some of I them arc handled right here in Wil-j llamston, and then there are others that require I" 40-mile drive or even 1 more," was the answer. It was point td out. that it was a common occur rence for the officers to travel several times one route in an effort to serve one paper. The deputy sheriff agreed that it was a moving world, that the people moved too, that when the two were in motion there was some mov ing going on. All kinds of stories grow out of these papers, some .pathetic and ap pealing ones, some queer ones and some unusual ones. During the lat ter part of 1929, a paper wa-> issued against a certain party. Before noon the paper was in action, but the party ' had moved that same morning to other parts. A report was made, and the issue' was temporarily dropped, j Last week the party moved hack to this county, and he was greeted with j the paper on his return. In serving criminal papers amulng the colored race, the deputy explained that, in many cases, the methods of j the sly fox are necessary, and as the opposum hunter hunts at night, so do* the officers in a number of cases. On more than one occasion when the .of ficer started to make an arrest the mother would not claim her own children, and more than once we have fcund a defendant hid under a bed, who, a few minutes before, was de clared unknown and not there, the of-' fieer continued. Criminal cases call fur work all hours of the night as well- as day, but they are limited in comparison with j the number of civil causes. However, the claim and delivery papers are j looked upon as the worst type of all. j The number of claim-and delivery J papers during the latter part of 1930 vas much less than the number in, 1929, Sheriff Roebuck stated, but some j of the 26 issued in October, November I and December, last, were of the worst kind. "It is an ordeal all right to go, to a man's home and take practically all of his earthly belonging, leaving a wide opening for hunger and actual want," the officer stated. "We hate to do it, but when the papers are pl:.ced in our hands, they must be, served," he continued. Only one claim and delivery paper was issued in Ro bersonville township during the last four months of 1930. Griffins was,' next to Robersonville with only two such papers. The other 23 were scat tered from the Washington county border to those of Pitt and Halifax. i As they do in collecting taxes, the officers work the year around serving a civil summons on this man or a cri minal warrant on another man. But, after all, this work is only a small one compared with the many other tasks. Deaths Lt>m Autos In the State Break All Records North Carolina's automobile death toll of 777 in 1930 was the greatest on record, but the number of injures was j less than in either of the two preceding years, according to figures released j yesterday by the State Department of Revenue. .A total of 87 deaths from automo- f biles in December brought the total for 1939 to 777 as compared with 675 in 1928 and 690 in 1929. However, there were only 4.418 injuries in 1930 j against 4,768 in 1928 and 4,5)84 in 1929. ( Of the 87 killed in December 30 were pedestrians, 26 died from colli- j sions with other putqmobiles, eight | from collisions with trains and. two each from collisions with horse-drawn vehicles and fixed objects while 19 died from non-collision accidents. Of the 30 pedestrians killed, were children playing in the street. THE ENTERPRISE Error Made Reporting Oak —City Bond Interest Unpaid In reporting interest unpaid on an Oak City School Diitrict bond issue, the State Sinking Fund Commission apparently erred, it was learned here this morning fol lowing an investigation of the county's records. Referring to his files, Superintendent R. A. Pope submitted the check of 687.50 marked paid as of November 24, 1930, seven days before the in terest was due on December 1, 1930. The records show that the check was issued on the eigh teenth day of November. On January 14, Wright T. Dix ion, executive committee of the 1 State Sinking Fund Commission, i directed a letter to the county I treasurer calling attention to the unpaid interest. The matter was Seventeen Untimely Deaths In County During Past Ysar 5 PEOPLE LOSE THEIR LIVES IN CAR ACCIDENTS Twelve Others Either Ac cidentally Killed, Mur dered or Drowned * Untimely deaths in Martin county last year were theater by three than they were the year before, it was learned yesterday from a review of records filed by the Enterprise. The number of deaths resulting from auto mobiles remained unchanged, there being five each in 192 V and in 1930. Six of the remaining 12 untimley deaths reported during 1930 were classed as purely accidental, calling for nothing more than preliminary ex aminations. The remaining six were - of a different nature, but none resulted in death punishments. However, there were three convictions, advancing the guilt of the defendants in one way or another with the killings. The first of the auto deaths report ed was that of Mrs. Cius Roebuck, Everctts, May 22. She was struck by a trailer attached to a car driven' by E. G. Langley, of Wilson. The next deaths in the group came thick and fast, two negro girls, Marie Spruill and Anna Faulk, and a negro boy, Arthur Perkins, losing their lives when their car plunged through an open bridge and plunged to the bottom of Koanoke River here the night of June >. A fifth death was reported just a few 'hundred yards from the sqtne of the first. Henry Norman Clark, aged 13, was almost instantly killed when run down by a car driven by H. B. Lynch, of Ayden. The accident »ecurred near the Everetts school building on Highway No. 90. Accidental deaths, numbering six, follow: Mr. J. L. Roberson and Fred Har rison, 14 year-old colored boy, of near Robersonville, by an explosion early in March. Lloyd R. Roberson, young white man of Jamesville, died from injuries re ceived when he fell under a log wagon in May. Jasper Brooks, colored, drowned when boat capsized in (he Roanoke ' River, near Camp Point fishery. A colored boy by the name of Pe terson drowned while swimming in the Roanoke River at Hamilton. Howard Peel, colored, was struck 1 by a falling tree in Griffin\ township in October, dying two hours after-' ( Wards in a hospital. Guns and firearms figured in the six other untimely deaths. Peculiar cir-' curnstances surrounded one or, two, and the whole truth in none, it is gen-' erally believed, Was never given. The killings. Irving Gibson in town- j ship early in January. His wife, Mabel, was charged with the shooting but the case was dismissed on account of in sufficient evidence. Mary Spruill, colored, shot and .instantly killed by Hubert Wooten as she defended Iher 18-year-old son. James Salsbury, colored of Cross Roads, killed by George Knight in Ro bersonville early in September. Andrew Jackson, aged colored man, to have been killed accidental ly ai he fished in Roanoke River, near Devil's Gut in October. Lyda Bell Everett, II year-old ne fress, shot and instantly killed by a ' gun believed to have been fired by her brother in Bear Grass township early in December. llalvina Small wood, negrees, shot and instanly killed on the main street here the early part of December. | Several other Martin County people met with untimely deaths, but their deaths art not considered in the re view as the accidents occurred outside the county. Among those deaths are those of Clarence Ross, white 61 Oak City, and Mrs, Seth Williams, of Ro bersonville. Williamston, Martin County, •North Carolina, Tuesday, Jenuary 20, 1931. investigated by officials, and Dix on was called over long distance in an effort to correct the apparent mistake. Sunday, Oak City was advertised in a State paper as de linquent in the payment of interest on one bond issue. Interest coupons were received here January 1, 1931, marked "paid," clearly indicating that an error had been made somewhere. ."The Board of Education has for eight years given especial at tention to its obligations, and they have been met promptly," Superintendent R. A. Pope stated this morning. "It is apparent that more care should be exercised in an effort to limit apparently mis leading information reaching the press, he added. SMITH SUBMITS A SECOND BILL Would Require Officers To Cease Acting as Collec ing Agents for Checks | J. Calvin Smith, of Robersonville, representing Martin county in the General Assembly, introduced his se cond bill in the legislature last Fri day. The representative would have a ! law requiring officers to cease acting as collecting agents for bad checks. While the law is accepted as a lo cal meaure, it is considered a worth while one. In cases originating in the past, the holder of a bad check would or could ask for a warrant against the giver. The warrant is placed in the hands of the officer, and often the giver of the check would pay the amount of the check and costs at tached to the officer and the matter would be dropped right there. The purpose law would require the defen dant to enter into the court for prose i It is generally .admitted that the court is playing the role of a collec tion agency when officers collect monies for bad checks without the defendant having t& enter the court. TAX RECEIPTS J INCREASE HERE Number Paying Accounts Is Greater Than for 1929 Levy - Town collected to date are slightly more than , they were on the 1929 levy back in January, P>3o, it was learned yesterday-afternoon from the treasurer's office. While the total collections are,- only slightly greater than \vere those.on the 1929 levy at a similar time last year, the number of, property owners making settlement so far was said to be far greater than the number paying on the 1929 levy as of January 19, 1930. Saturday of next week, the .par period ends, and after that date all j settlements will be made with a one per cent increased added during Feb- J ruary and a subsequent increase dur- j ing March' anil "April. To avoid the penalty, many taxpayers in the past have effected settlement by February 1, and it is believed that collections i will be greatly increased during' the! lasf few days of this month. 179 Cases of Communicable Diseases in C In his report for the year 1930, Dr. Win. E, Warren, county health of ficer, states that*there were 179 com municable diseases reported in the county during the period, that| diphtheria led the lilt with 44 cases.' One hundred and twenty-one of the J cases were reported by attending phy-l sicians; 41 cases vnie reported By] householders and 17 cases were call ed to the attention of the Health of-' fice by teachers. While there is a decrease in the num-, ber of most of the various types of diseases reported, pellagra apparently was increased, the report showing that there were ten cases called to the at tention of health officials. This num ber is considered very small and in-' crease is not large/but it is generally balieved that peltagra is developing rapidly insist* first stages in this coun ty. Much has been said about the| disease, but unlike other counties in| the east where hundreds of cases have been reported and many resulting deaths, Martin maintains a very low. MORE BILLS ARE INTRODUCED IN ASSEMBLY HALL Bill Introduced Asking for Modified Gross Receipts Tax to Raise Funds TAXES A MAIN ISSUE Proponents of Bill Do Not Think Modified Tax Would Be Passed On To The Consumers Many members of the legislature left Raleigh last Friday for the week end to visit their families, hut judging from the papers, the old mill continued to grind, accepting more and more bills and turning out very, very few new ones. They have already introduced bills taxing everything and everybody. Yes-j terday, they started down the list again, including on the start theatres, soft drink, billboards and numerous other items. Apparently the tobacco trusts are so well represented that no kind of tobacco tax was mentioned ex cept one calling for five cents on the 11,000 poufids sold in the warehouse. | And apparently that is directed against I the farmer. YHALU j Taxation sources continue as ,the center of much of the argument, and one that is puzzling to all. Last week a bill was introduced calling for a tax on practically everything, and it was I claimed by the originator that the plan would finance the proposed State wide school term of six months dura tion, and probably would make pos sible an eight-months term. Senator Baggctt, of Harnett, last night made ja short speech in behalf of his bill pro posing State support of the six-months 1 school term., The speech -drew humor | ou.s remarks front Senator Hallet (Ward, of Beaufort, who praised com panies but wondered "how the devil jhe expects to get anywhere." | The modified gross receipts tax, so low that it is not expected to be ! passed on to the consumer and be |come a "nuisance tax" features the budget revenue bill which was intro duced in both branches,of the Gen eral Assembly last wight and which is estimated to raise $3,000,000 a 'year in new taxes and additional taxes but which does not contemplate the raising of but' $33,222,360 for two years as against $.11,398,900 originally estimated for the revenue act of 1929. However, due to business conditions, actual collections for this biennium are now estimated at $28,209,765 and this shrinkage in collections from present ■sources is expected to continue into the next biennium. lit otlier -words, the bill is a com panion bill to the budget appropria tion bill already introduced, which reduces appropriation made in 1929 by $2,000,000 a year, the additional revenue being made necessary in part by the fact that the 1929 Gen | eral Assembly had a surplus of $2,- 000,900 available while this General 1-Asseuibly must replace an estimated ' deficit of $1,250,000. Now the o.nly gross receipts taxes collected by the State are in the j franchise taxes upon busses, telephone \ companies and power companies, the rates being 6 per cent, 3 1-2 per cent anil 2 per cent respectively, and other ' franchise taxes being levied by a dif ferent sort of ' measurement. In the bill introduced last night a gross receipts tax is added to the J present license tax upon the follow | ing at the rates given: moving picture film producers, five cent, moving pictures, six per cent, or three per ! cet if above tax on distributors had I been paid; other theatres, three per ! cent; coca-cola, flavoring and fruit ex ! tracts, used by soda fountains, ten per ! per centagc of such cases, the health report shows. Typhoid fever, though limited to a very, very few cases, still continues with us, the health officer stating that the cases were limited to those who ' had not properly availed themselves l of the treatment against the fever, j "Tests," Dr. Wm. E. Warren stated, t-have shown that 95 per cent of thoss} who avail themselves of the treatment j against typhoid fever never have it, ! and 85 per cent of thoac taking the, treatment against diphtheria are free ' from the disease." campaigns were conducted in this county last year and years before that in an effort to stamp! out typhoid fever and diphtheria. Thej attack against the fever has met with almost Complete success, but the num-| ber of diphtheria cases indicates thta there is a need for a more concerted action In the stampingof that disease, disease. II The health officer stated that, »s a j whole, the report reflected favorable i health conditions, that it was a mark : ed improvement over past record*. The report in detail, as report- "Big Mill" Dam Dynamited by Unknown Parties Yesterday Colored Man Killed by Auto Near Dardens, THELTON JAMES HIT AS HE WALKS INTO HIGHWAY L. P. Hornthal, Driver of Death Car, Exonorated by Coroner's Jury Thelton James, 19 year-old negro, was almost instantly killed late last Sunday afternoon when he was struck by a car driven by Louis Phillip Horn thai, Jr., of Plymouth, a short distance from Dardens. Hornthal, well known here, stopped his car, and after investi gating the man's condition, hurried back to Plymouth for a doctor to re port the case to officers. Before the doctor reached the scene of the acci dent, James had died. Officers and the cornor here were notified, and an inquest was ordered. After examining several witnesses, the jury, composed of Jno. Bland, Chas. Cowen, Harry Jones, Chas. Hinson, Jno. Long and Dennis Coburn, ex onorated Hornthal, declaring in its verdict that the killing was accidental, that Hornthal was not responsible in any way for the happening. In his story to the jury, Herman James, a friend to Thelton, stated that he and Thelton started to cross the road, that he saw the Hornthal car coming from Plymouth and two .others traveling toward Plymouth. He realized that he could not cross safely until the cars passed, and he warned against his friend's attempt to cross. Hornthal stated that he was driving between 35 and 40 miles an hour, that it was just about dark and there was a drizzling rain falling, making it hard for him to see. He did not see the colored boy, but the evidence given atfe jury proved that he was driving on his side of the road at a normal speed. ♦ To Bridge Tar River at Tarboro at Early Date Wilmington, Jan. IH,—The State Highway Department yesterday made the first move toward the expendi tures of the State's share of the na tional emergency relief appropriation for budge and road construction. Application for permission to con struct a bridge across the Tar river at Tarboro in Edgecombe county to replace the existing span was filed by the commission yesterday with the dis trict arnty engineer. —~ .. The bridge will be located about 50 miles from the headwaters of the river,, It will have a 34-foot clearance over an average river depth of 6.5 feet. The cost was not given. cent; on bottled drinks, three per cent; cold storage dealers, one per cent, out door advertising sign boards, three cents per square foot; tobacco ware housemen, fiive cents per l.OOOpounds; de™ers in" typewriters, adding ma chines, etc., one per cent, ice cream manufacturers, one per cent. The pre sent State tax of eight cents upon building and loan shares is increased to 15 cents but cities and counties will no longer be permitted to collect two cents each as heretofore. Ed in the various townships, follows: Whooping Couf^h —Griffins, 10; Jamesville, 1; Cross Roads, 3; Wil -1 hams, 5; Robersonville, 1. German Measles—Williamston, 3. ' Septic Sore Throat —Hamilton, 1. 1 Cerebro-Spinal Meningitis—James ville, 5; Williamston, 1. Measles—Robersonville, 1. t Pneumonia—Williamston, I; James ville, 4; Griffins, 1; Bear Grass, 1. 'I Typhoid Fever—Robersonville, 3; I Cross Road, 3; Griffins, 1; Williams | j ton, 1. Diphtheria—Williamston, 18; Rober t sonville, 8; Hamilton, 3; Cross Road, , 3; Jamesville, 2; Griffins, 1; Poplar p Point, 1; Goose Nest, 7; Bear Grass, 1. . | Chicken Pox—Goose Nest, 4; Ro i bersonville, 2; Hamilton, 4; Williams, I 5; Bear Grass 11; Williamston, 2. Pellagra—Williamston, 6; Roberson ville, 1; Bear Grass, 1; Williams, 1; i Griffins, I. Scarlet Fever—Williamston, 10; ' Cross Road, 5; Robersonville, 9; Jamesville, 1; Bear Grass, 2. Infantile Paralysis—Griffins, 1. 2,851 STATE AUTO j TAGS SOLD HERE ♦ Revenue from License Sale Here Around $15,000 Less Than in 1930 The sale "of automobile licenses 10, , cally was brought to a close her? last ; Saturday night, the managers of, the : bureau reporting a decrease in sale\. of . 918, or a percentage drop of around 25 . per cent as compared with the 1930 i sale. The bureau, closing here .last ..Saturday, sold 2,851 of the new tags I for $45,218 as compared with 3,769 . tags the year before for approximately . s>o.(>oo Goifipleting the sale here last Sat urday, the- bureau managers stated that the revenue had tar exceeded their ex pectations, that the number of tags sold was. greater by 10 per cent than they had guessed. Outside the No. 4 class—E class last | year—the decrease numbered only 16, leaving a shortage in the $12.50 sale of J>o2 licenses. The changes in the Chev rolet's rating from 4 to the 3 class held |up the 3 class, and had much to do I with the drop in the 4 class. "****" j In the $12.50 class, the local bu : reau sold 1,859 licenses; in the sls [class, 120 tags; in the S2O class, (>l4 'plates; in the $25.00 class, 1.14; six ill the $30.00 class; 107 in the $35.00 class; seven in the S4O and only five l in the $50.00 class. j Applications for licenses were made at the local bureau yesterday, but they were too |!te to be handled, the ap plicants being referred to the depart ment at Raleigh. Very few cars arc seen on the high ways in this section carrying the old 1930 plates, but it is believed that there are several hundred stored for the time being under shelters and in garages, the owners unable to buy the re- Iquired licenses. "TEN PREACHERS I HAVE KNOWN" Subject of Paper To Be Read In The Baptist • Church Sunday | "Ten Preachers'! Have Known" will be the subject of a paper—the first installment of which will be read be tore fife evening congrega:tirm of the local Baptist church—next Sunday ( evening at 7:30 o'clock by the pastor. iThe second installment will be read the following Sunday evening. These three-minute biographical sketches will be presented' as "short subject" features and their reading will be interspersed with music by the choir and congregation. | Oyer the several years of his life and pastorate the local pastor has come in contact, in one way or an -lother, and has known either directly or jindirectly, some of- the ntost noted of the pulpiteers of this generation. It is thought that his i>ersonal reactions to these successful churchmen will be of interest to his congregation at this [ t jme. | Among the personalities treated in ,these papers will be an Army Chap |lain. Doctor Harry Emerson Fosdick, I Doctor George VV. Truett a North Carolinian, Aimee Semple McPherson , and others. One section will be devoted to as old-timey country preacher, largely unhonorcd and unsung who, in the jmountains of Western North Caro lina, laid off the armor of a soldier of the Civil War and put on the whole armor of the Gospel, spending Un rest of his useful as an obscure, though powerful, mountain preacher. He was the first pastor Mr, Dickey ever had. To these services the general public will be cordially invited. » v Attendance Honor Roll at the Li/ley's Hall School I' 1 ■ Perfect attendance honor roll for the second month of Lilley's Hall School,. announced : by the scho>l'» | principal, yesterday: | First grade, Charles Gurkin; second I grade, Lettie Hines; third grade, Vergil Lilley, Edith Hines, fourth grade, Matilda Gray Peele, Ruth M. Lilley, Ola L. Lilley, Zora B. Lilley, William Lilley and Lillian Smith wick; fifth jgrade, Carrie Lee Lilley, Daniel Taylor Lilley; sixth grade. Joseph Lilley, Lawrence Lilley, Evan Lilley, Gladys Lilley and Albert W, Lilley. Watch die Label On Your Paper Aa It Carrie* the Date When Your Subscription Expiree ESTABLISHED 1898 CHARGES TEAR AWAY PORTION " OF SPILLWAY Dam Recently Constructed, Mill In Operation Less Than Two Weeks COST PLACED AT $2,200 Owner and Nearby Neighbors Fail To Hear Reports of The Two Blasts I he old I'oster or Daniel and Staton mill dam was wrecked * late Sunday night or early Monday morning when unknown parties set off two blasts of dynamite, one tinder each of the con- Crete abutments to the spillway. Com ing as a distinct surprise aiul great fiHaucial .shock, the owner, Mr. li. C James, yesterday stated that he was at a loss to understand the act, that asfar as he knew, no one held malice against him, and that he had heard no complaints from owners of property adjoining the mill pond. Costing approximately $2,200, tfie dam was completed only a short time ago, ajul a head of water was on hand just week before last. Mill operations had been under way only a few days, Mr. James stated. The owner, living only a few hun dred yards from the dam, failed to hear the blasts when they went off, and he did not discover the destruc tion until he went to the mil! early yesterday morning and found all the water gone. Neither did near-by neighbors hear the . blast*, causing them to wonder just how the 'dyna mite was used. Mr. Jule James, brother to the own er of the mill, stated yesterday that no estimate of the replacement costs bad been made, that he did hot know : what action they would follow in han- dling the situation l-or nearly 100 years the old mill dam had blocked the waters of Sweet en Water Creek, yielding ■ only to Hood waters, and then only every so many years. Several years ago, the dam yielded to high waters, and not until recently was it replaced. WILL BRING BIG AUTO TIRE HERE Tire, 12 Feet High, To Be JSeen Here Latter Part ** Of This Month Arrangements for 'bringing the largest tire in the world to this town and section were completed last week by Mr. I'aul Jones, manager—of the Central Service Station here. Sent out by the Goodyear Tire and Rubber company, the tire is on a tour, in the Southern States and advanced reports front those dealers,who have been visited by the giant tire, it is a jcttrosity worth seeing According to the schedule announced by Mr. Jones, the tire will reach here j Wednesday of next week at 3 o'clock, 'remaining here over night. It will be (brought here following a showing in | Washington, iKwas stated. \ ery few details relative to the size of the tire, its construction have been announced at this time, but accord ing to Mr. Jones, it stands 12 feet high and weighs 3,900 pounds. The tire is attached by a yoke to a truck and is pulled from town to town included in the scheduled tour. Drunk and Disorderly, Two Men Are Fined Harry Lee Wiggins, colored, apd 'Clyde Sitvertliorne, white, were fined $lO and taxed with the costs for be ing drunk and disorderly on the street here. Silverthorne was jailed last Thursday and Wiggins went into the cooler Sunday. Justice of the Peace John L. Maxell, before whom tjhe | two defendants were arraigned, allow \ ed the defendants the remainder of the 1 week "fa raise the fines and costs. At the end of that time, ten days on th; | streets will lie in order if the fines and I costs are not paid. : I •~ J Says Tobacco Association Assured In This Section mately six million pounds of weed pledge?! by tobacco growers of eastern ' I Carolina to the Co-operative Tobacco Marketing Association of this section, actual formation of the association is virtually assured according to Dr. Carl C. Taylor, dean of the graduate school and marketing expert at State College who is recognized as one of the leaders in organizing the new association. W. C. Manning and Norman Har rison are attending to bnainess mat ters in Raleigh Today.