North Carolina Newspapers

Watch the Label On Tow Pmr As It. Carries the DM Wkaa Tow flahecripthm Expiree VOLUME XXXVI—NUMBER 6 TOWN ELECTION IS ARRANGED FOR AT MEET MONDAY Convention Date Will Be Set at Next Regular Meeting of Board Arrangements for a town election were made here last night by the hoard of cocnmissionets in special session. The election will be held on May 2in the municipal office. Reg istration books will be opened Sat urday, April 1, by Justice of the Peace J. L. Hassell at his office on Main Street just across from the City Hall. Registration of new voters will be in tprder each Saturday through April 22. The following Saturday will be known as challenge day. Mr. J. E. Pope was named poll holder andi Messrs. Roy T. Griffin and A. T. Perry were chosen judges of election. No date has been set for the con vention, but the board will likely make arrangements for the nominat ing convention at the next regular meeting, to be held April 3. Little attention is ordinarily given the election for town officers, but much interest has developed at the last two or three conventions when a mayor and five commissioners were nominated. Mr. W. T. Meadows pitched his hat into the ring some time ago. No announcements have been made, either by the mayor or the mem bers of the board of commissioners as to their candidacies. SALES TAX BLOC WINS IN HOUSE Decisive Test Is Expected When School Appropria tion Bill Comes Up After registering a limited victory last week, the anti-sales tax group in the North Carolina General Assembly met with reverses yesterday when the bloc was broken by a vote of 53 to 48, the house returning to the original appropriations bill in the allotment to charitable and correctional institu tions. ' Tumbles from the Bowie knife band wagon were so many yesterday that aobody would give the chariot more than 24 hours of continued travel be fore it wyit utterly to pieces. The Bowie-Cherry coalition, which succeeded in rejecting the committee bill by a vote of S3 to 43 Thursday night, and ran roughshod over ad ministration opposition to institution al cuts was defeated in its efforts to further slash Stste hospital snd cor rections! institutions, and was over whelmed, 75 to 22, when it attempted to cut pensions of Confederate vet erans by 10 percent. The most decisive test was avoid ed, however, when the House adjourn ed until 11 o'clock this morning with out taking up the public school ap propriation, which the anti-sales tax bloc would cut to $12,500,000 from the $14,050,000 figures in the committee bilj on the basis of a State supported Sionths school with extended term presentative Claude Allen, of '"Granyille, stated that he would not vote a cent that was not jn sight Without a sales tax, and Htuyi- the* timbers "not to be swepf * off their emotional plea." "The sales tax issue is being settled *■ tart in this appropriation bill," de clared Mr. Allen. Representative J. C. Smith, of this county, voted to restore the commit tee bill figures for charitable institu- Small Demand for Herring Reported Just at This Time There'is very little demand for her- ring in these parti just at this time, / giving rise to two assumptions. The people are frowning upon the fish as a diet, or they are just too poor to buy them. The first is hardly true, as the herring furnishes good eating. The demand is probably small just now on account of the early season price. Taking fi«|i in small quantities necessarily calls for a higher price. When the fish start running in larger numbers, and. fishermen start tak ing them by the hundreds and thous ands, a marked increase in the demand will be experienced, it is believed. To Hold Regular Meet ot Woman's Club Tbursdi The regular meeting of the local Woman's Club will be held in the club room* Thursday afternoon at 4 o'clock it was announced today by the pres ident. An interesting program ia be. ing planned with Mrs. P. B. Cone in cMarg*, tit was stated. 'Mrs. C. J. Sawyer will attend and address the meeting during the afternoon. A large attendance is urged by the officers. Refreshments will be served. THE ENTERPRISE Over 200 Applications for Seed Loans Are Forwarded Applications for seed and feed loana are continuing to be made in large numbers in thia county, according to Roy Hahrne, field representative for thia, Washing, ton, and Tyrrell Counties. Up until the week-end 223 applica tion had been forwarded to Wash ington by Mr. Hearne. Martin led the list with 165 applicationa and Waihington County waa sec ond with 47 requests for loana. Tyrrell reported 11 applicationa, Many more applications, calling from S4O to 9300 each, are now in the hands of the county commit tees, and each day from 30 to 40 application* are inspected and for warded to Waahington. By the end of thia week it ia believed more than 550 applicationa will have been entered in thia county alone. The total number for the Judge Parker Makes Able Charge To Jury f DISTRIBUTE SEED J v J Welfare authorities will dis tribute seed in the various com- s munities of the county this wesk, it was announced today by the county welfare office. Tomorrow the authorities will distribute s»ed to the needy at Dardens and Jamesvilie. Thurs day they will be in Oak City and in Hamilton in the afternoon. Robersonville and Parmele will be visited Friday. In addition to the seed, the au thorities will give out cabbage plants. Only those people on the welfare list are eligible to re ceive seed, the suthorities stating that no promiscuous distribution could be expected. The needy in the several communities are urg ed to call for their packages. SENIOR PLAY FRIDAY NIGHT Large Crowd Expected To See Annual Production In High School Here Arrangements for the presentation of the annual senior play in the local high school next" Friday evening are nearing completion, and it is believed that the show, "A Fortunate Calam ity" will attract a large crowd. The plot of the play is taken from an actual happening in a little village on the Ohio River a few years ago. A wealthy father left his wife and two daughters a farm at his death. One daughter, seeking a place in society, desired nothing but riches. The oth er child, a plain girl, cared little for the bright lights, riches, and sought her happiness with a young man of little means. The situation develops into an interesting plot which the fol lowing characters will unravel Friday evening: , v Kate Van Tyle, an educated cook, MyrnH Brown; Mrs. Marion Merkle, a rich widow, Ruth Roberson; Alta Merkle, a wealth-seeking daughter, Louise Green; Ruth Merkle, a plain girl, Sara Cone; Albert Campbell, a dishonest son-in-law, Pete Fowden, jr.; Bernard Gullion, an honest young man, Billie Watts; Joe Brown, a rev enue officer, Irving Griffin, Dinah Johnsing, an honest coon, Woodrow Tice. • Zangara Electrocuted In Miami Prison Monday Guiseppe Zangara, who attempted to kill President Roosevelt in Miami a few weeks ago, was electrocuted in the Dade County prison of Florida yesterday morning for the fatal shoot ing of Anton J. Cermak, mayor of Chicago. Zangara apparently was unconcern ed over his abrupt ending and talked little. He never offered but one ex cuse for the attempted murder of the President. The man said he tried to kill President Rosevelt because he had "stomach pains." • Local Fire Company Gets Call at 9:30 This Morning ♦ The local fire company was called to the home of Mr. and Mrs. John Peel on Main Street at 9;JO this morn ing when it was thought burning soot in the chimney h*d fired the home. Smoke and soot brook through the chimney in several places, but no damage resulted from fire. Williamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, March 21, 1933 season may not reach 1,000, but if the requests for money contin ue to come in all next week as rapidly aa they have come in dur ing the paat week and are now coining in the number of applica tiona will be in the neighborhood of 1,000 all right. Plenty of blanks are now on hand and thoae in the aeed loan office at the courthouae here .are handling the requeata aa rapidly aa they poaaibly can. Over 1,500 farmers of Pitt Coun ty made application for govern aeed and fertiliser loana laat week. it was reported by the county ■gent there Saturday. Three hun dred of the applies tionm have been completed and forwarded to the Waahington office, and the re mainder will be forwarded as toon as complete information on need* and plantings is secured. ORDERS REVIEW OF GUARDIANS' WORK AND BONDS Orders Jury To Inspect All School Trucks and "Fire" . Incompetent Drivers Coming; into this county yesterday for the first time to preside over the two-weeks term of superior court, Judge R. Hunt Parker, in one of the most able charges heard here in sev eral years, interestingly reviewed the jury system and made clear a number of duties the members of the grand jury should and must perform. A targe attendance, including the mem bers of the local junior and senior classes and their teachers was present for the charge, which lasted for an hour. Back in 978, the judge explained, the jury system was originated and grew into the English common law and finally into the present system of grand juries in 1160. The system has changed in methods, but the principle virtually remains the same. At first ftie system required services of citi zens as jurors as well as witnesses. "The grand jury is a body Jthat stands alone in its functions to pun ish the guilty and protect the inno cent," the jurist said. It is not sub ject to the court further than in its organization and the discharge of its '{luties. The grand jurors are re quired to conduct full, free, and secret injuiry into alt matters of -crime that may come before them from the court, or into matters which they may know themselves or that may come from reliable sources. After describing two kinds qf wrong, Judge Parker explained that no court except justices of the peace handling "petty misdemeanors,,has jur isdiction until a true bill of indict ment is presented by the grand jury in open court. This condition makes the grand jury the fountain head of the criminal law, and upon th£~ dili gence, the fearlessness,\»nd willing ness of its members depend the law and order of every community. A careful and well-defined sum mary of the duty of a jury was given. IHe told the members to investigate every bill turned over to them by the solicitor, and to call to the atten tion of the solicitor any law viola tions suspected by them for inves tigation. He pointed out that fail ure to present true bills knowingly or for favoritism or fear was grounds for contempt. The high spot in the charge was probably reached when the young jur ist declared himself a friend of the helpless orphan. He instructed the jurymen to present the name of every orphan in Martin County, with or without guardian, together with the name of the guardian where appoint ments have been arranged. He stated that the orphan was the ward of the court and must be protected by the court from ignorance, neglect, and mis treatment. The jurymen were or dered to examine the bonds of every guardian and see that they were sol vent for double the liability, and that > renewal of the band is effectefe.every three years. If these provision* are not met, the guardian should be re moved. The court instructed the jury to examine the accounts of every guardian, determining if the accounts live been properly filed. He further ordered that the name of every guar iian who has failed to file such re >orts be carried in the report of the ury. When guardians report cash and (Continued on page four) 13 TRUE BILLS RETURNED BY JURY MONDAY Jury Will Have More Busy Days To Complete the Assigned Tasks The grand jury reported a busy day yesterday when its members returned 13 true bills in open court, a new rec ord for one day. The body will have to work rapidly, however, if it com pletes the tasks assigned it by the judge. True bills were returned as-follows Nicodemus Barow, felonious assault. George Wright, felonious assault. Bruce Moseley and Robert Hollis, larceny and receiving. T. C. Poole, Joe Berry, and George Bailey, housebreaking and larceny. Jesse Bland, housebreaking and lar ceny. T. C. Poole s»nd Joe Berry, house breaking and larceny. Berry and Poole are scheduled to face trial on two other similar counts. J. P. Watson, larceny and receiv ing. Watson, failing to appear yes terday morning, forfeited his SI,OOO bond. When he failed to report to day Judge Parker ordered his im mediate arrest. Deputy Grimes left this morning for Roseboro to bring Watson here for trial. Jake Spruill, housebreaking.- Will Brayboy, felonious assault. Ananias KeeJ/ housebreaking and larceny. George Andrews, felonious assault. Of the 13 true bills returned, 9 of them had to do with 'housebreaking or larceny, or both. George Perkins, larceny and receiv ing. True bill returned today. The names of the grand jurors are as follows: T. S. Critcher, foreman; Jesse S. Lilley, C. M. Hurst, J. J. Gregory, Kelly Bunting, W. A. Flem ing, R. A. Haislip, R. O. Martin, A. E. Turner, W. S. Bailey, J. E. Con gleton, John I). Mizelle, H. J. Ether idge, A T. Lilley, K A. Taylor, L. G. Taylor, IJ. W. Etheridge, C. F. Perry. *—, DEATH OF MRS. LUCY MODLIN Former Native Died Last Friday Afternoon In Berkley, Va. Mrs. Lucy Modlin, daughter of Mrs. Alice Godard and the late Salmon Godard, died at her home in Berkley, Va., last Friday afternoon following a long illness, during which time she suffered some' internal trouble. Funeral services were conducted from the home, and the last rites were held at the cemetery here by Rev. K. F Moseley r of the Church ot the Ad vent. Burial was in the Baptist cem etery at 2 o'clock today. Mrs. Modlin is survived by four children, one son, Earl Mason, and three daughters, Dorothy, Delsie, and Hazel. She also leaves her mother, Mrs. Alice Godard, of Wjlliamston; one siste,r Mrs. Bartha Lassiter, of Smithfield; and two brothers, Joe and N. S. Godard. Born and reared here, Mrs. Modlin spent most of her life in this gection, going to Norfolk several years ago to make her home there. MUCH POULTRY BEING SHIPPED Plans for Cooperative Ship ment During the Next Week Not Complete Poultry shipments from this sec tion to the northern markets are un usually frequent this season. While only one cooperative shipment has been made so far this season, individ ual operators are working regularly in this county. leadings were reported here yesterday and another by indi vidual operators is scheduled for to morrow. A cooperative shipment is being considered for next week, but there i» some doubt as to whether the plans will materialize or not, the operation of a car depending upon the market. Officials of the Roanoke Mutual Ex change, which organization is coop erating with Agent Brandon in mak ing shipments, will make a definite announcement within the next day or two, it is understood. The schedule .will be made in ample time for deliv eries at three points should the au thorities decide to operate a car next week. Two Men Arrested At Still Today in Bear Grass Two colored men, ttafned Lilley, were arrested in Bear Grass Township thia morning and placed in jail for thealleged violation of the liquor laws. A hearing is scheduled before the local commissioner this after noon. Tax Listers Hold Monday; Prepar PEANUT „ PRICES NOW COMPETING WITH ORIENTALS Only Solution Is Increase Consumption of Peanuts On Domestic Markets The price of American peanuts has been so low for the past two years that notwithstanding the low ebb of foreign trade, which has almost ruin ed the eport business in most lines, they are obeihg e ported t foreign countries in far greater quantities than ever before. Where once the Ameri can grower demanded and had enact ed a tariff 'on low-priced foreign pea nuts imported into this country, now the price of the American peanut is so low that not only is the tariff pro-, tection needless but American exprt ers of peanuts can undersell in the very countries from which the farmer once demanded' protection. > Government report shows a radical reversal of'exports and imports of peanuts and peanut oil seems to have taken place last year. Net imports of peanuts during the calendar year 1?32 amounted to oitly 76,643 pounds a gainst a net total of 7,500,000 pounds for the calendar year of 1931. Ex ports of peanuts from the United States on the contrary during 1932 reached a total of 7,000,000 pounds compared with- the total of not quite 2,000,000 pounds the previous year. Movement of peanuts front the South eastern section during the year ending September 24, 1932, almost doubled that of the preceding year. The •am.', renditions appear to have existed as" to imports and exports of peanut oil. Net imports of peanut oil into the United Slates during 1932 were on the minor side of the ledger, re-exports totaling more than im tmrut. in i>3l net nnpwti uf peanut "il into the I nited States rmchxl a total of 9,783,000 pounds, while the total for 1932 wa« 1,500,000 pounds, with re-exports slightly more than 2,0(10,000 pounds. This situation is probably the result of the low price of peanuts enabling the United States to compete with producers in foreign countries Commenting on this condition, the Suffolk News-llerald, published in Suffolk which is the center of the peanut industry in this country, has the following to say: "Some may attribute this swell in exphrt trade to the tariff, but the fart is we are turning the tables on the Oriental growers and taking their business - only because we are under selling them. Without'any tariff pea nuts could not lie imported into the eastern market at least and undersell the domestic product at presgjit prices. hx'cej>t that,, importations help reduce the surplus we cannot see that it has been directly profitable eltbl-r to the grower J," or the exporters. "However, it may be possible for our exporters to hold some of this new trade long enough to clean up the domestic-surplus and since there is no longer competition from for eign growers, stabilize the market for the domestic product. As we have had occasion to say recently, the real problem of the peanut industry is to increase consumption by increasing demand more than cutting acreage and thereby repressing the production. If we can .continue the balance of trade for peanuts and peanut oil on our side it will ease the situation here for all concerned.'^ FARM HOME NEAR HERE IS BURNED! Hollis Family . Lose AH Its Earthly Belongings In Sunday Night Fire Fire, believed to have been started by lightning, destroyed the home and all the contents of the Bill Hollis family on the Wildcat road, near here, shortly before midnight Sunday. Members of the family, discovering the fire aboiit midnight, lan from the house in their night clothes and bare ly escaped before the burning timl>ers fell. Neighbors furnished the family with enough clothes to hide their bodies. t ■ According to a story told here by Hollis yesterday morning, no one was stunned or injured by the light ning bolt. The section was visited by a severe electrical and rain storm late in the night, but there is some doubt as fo' whether the blaze was started by lightning. * The building was of the one-story type and was valued at several hun dred dollars. No insurance was car ried, and the loss was complete. [ SPRING IS HERE- I While the weather was a little antagonistic, springtime was of ficially recognized as the new sea son Monday night at 8:43 o'clock. The trees have already started budding and the flowers are in creasing from day to day. Farm ers are now making ready to en ter upon one of their busiest sea sons of the year, and life in gen eral seems to be taking on a new lease. Sunday was a regular summer day, including even a thunder shower, and while the' sky was overcast yesteoday, the mercury was well advanced on the scale. There may be a few more cold days and nights between now and May, but once springtime makes its appearance this section hardly ever experiences any severe cold weather until the fall. PROCEEDINGS IN SUPERIOR COURT Very Small Number Cases Are Heard During the Session Yesterday With Judge R. Hunt Parker on the bench, proceedings in the superior court here yesterday were featured by the businesslike and stern manner in which they were carried on. However the wheels of justice turned very slow ly as to the number of cases heard, the court disposing of only four actions during the first day. Happenings the first day resulted in readiness on the part.of every one. this morning, and today tlu' court is continuing its'work smoothly. Finishing his charge to the grand jury, judge Parker ordered the case charging Hubert Clark with bastardy placed on the civil calendar for trial. The case charging \V. A. Respass with housebreaking and larceny and receiving was continued till the June term. The jury found S. 1.. Rogers not guilty in the case charging him with an assault with a deadly weapon. Nicodemus Harrow, colored, was sen tenced to the roads for a period of two years when he was found guilty of an assault where serious damage was done. Judge Parker ruled that the stick claimed to have been used by Harrow in his attack upon Mr. Buck (Jardner several months ago was not a deadly weapon. The court took a recess about 5 o'- clock in the afternoon after starting work on the case charging George Wright with an assault with a deadly weapon. George Wright was sentenced to the toads for a period of two years when lie was found guilty of an as sault with a deadly weapon. Probably the most spectacular cases called -so far were those charging T ('. I'ocde, J«»e Berry and George Bailey with robbing the Harrison Wholesale Company store here, apd three cither cases charging Poole and Berry with various robberies at Oak City, Hamilton and Everetts. Pleas admitting guilt were entered in all the cases just before noon today, the court' recessing at 1:05 after Judge Parker remonstrated with the young men for the crimes. Heavy senten -1 ces were predicted by the crowds as they filed out of the courtroom for nooii-day meal. According to reports coining from the courthouse judg ment will be withheld in all the cases pending the arrest and trial of Wat son, Roseboro merchant, charged with aiding and abetting larceny and re ceiving. SCHOOL NEWS AT OAK CITY i£hildren Rapidly Recover i From Tonsil Operations Performed at Clinic Work On Senior Play The senior class is at present prac- I ticing a play entitled, "Out of the Ark ! Came Noah," which is to be present ed some time in the near future. Recover From Operations Practically every child that under went the tonsil operation in the clinic held last week has returned to school. i These particular children will be | watched carefully in school to note Many improvement in work as well as i in their general make-up., Sam* Number Teachera i The six-month* term for Oak City school ended last week and the av ' erases were the same as those before; - and unless there is a change made by - the legislature, the same number of teachers will be present next year. Advartiaara Will Fnd Ota- Cot ama a Latchkey to Otw Sixtaaa Hnadrad Martin Coostjr Homaa ESTABLISHED 1898 UNIFORM VALUES FOR PERSONAL PROPERTY FIXED Listing Work temporarily Postponed Pending the Action of Legislature — •* The listing of property for taxation in Martin County for the year 1933 was yesterday ordered temporarily postponed, pending the outcome of legislation in the general assembly now ** in session. The several list-takers re cently appointed met and discussed uniform values with the supervisor, 1. C. Griffin, and will start listing just as soon as they are instructed by the commissioners, it i* understood. Blanks and other equipment were turned over to the listers and com plete details have heeti made for han dling the work. The list-takers will list property as of April 1, but it is certain that the work will hardly get under way be fore the week * following, or even lat er than that. Uniform values for personal prop erty were decided upon as follows: Corn, $2 a barrel; meat and lard, 7 cents pound; peanut hay, 10 cents bale; sweet potatoes for market, 40 cents bushel; soy beans for market, SO cents bushel; peanuts, 50 cents bag; cotton, $25 bale; No. 1 horse, SSO; No. 1 mule, $125; sheep, $2 each; goats, $1 each; hogs, 3 cents pound; milk cows, SSO; poultry, 25 cents each; automobiles, 90 per cent of sale value for new cars and downward, the same schedule of values to be followed in listing trucks; canoes, $25 downward. ! Unless the legislature orders a new j valuation of property, the values of jail real estate will remain unchanged | except in those cases where losses i have resulted or where improvements were made as of April 1 next. I lie following list-takers were pres jent for the meeting: I Jamesville Township, F. C. Stal lings; Williams Township, L. J. Har dison, (iritlins township, (Jeorge C. (irilVm; Bear Grass Township, A. H. A.vers; VVilliamstbn, Koyt T. griffin; [Cross Roads, G. G. Bailey; Rober sonville Township, J. I) Rawls; Ham ilton Township, T. It. Slade; Goose Nest Township, J. A. Rawls; and 1 Poplar Point Township, 1,. G. Tay lor. ♦ Two Hurt In Oil Truck Wreck Near Windsor R. H, Harris, local representative ,of (he Standard Oil Company, was slightly hurt and his colored helper, ( aesar Purvis, was badly bruised when the oil truck was ditched near Windsor last Saturday morning. The . colored uian was-burt internally when lie attempted to jump from the truck | and was mashed by the door. Mr Harris, driving the truck, was trying to overtake his own car just I ahead and was running about 35 miles an bouto-when the steering apparatus 'failed to respond to his touch of the wheel. He brought the machine al iinost to a stop before ditching it. A few gallons of gasoline were spilled, land the truck was damaged but very little. Court Proceedings Puzzle Witness Here Yesterday Summoned to the courthouse yes terday as a witness, Little Charlie Moore, the mechanic de luxe, wanted to know what in it was all about. A fine of $5 for contempt of court was imposed, the judge ordering him into the custody of the sheriff until the amount was paid. Probably Charlie yet doesn't know what it's all about. Several witnesses were questioned and threatened with fines yesterday when they failed to appear when called. Most of the cases were ex plained, and the fines were lifted. Everybody connected in any way with the court or the cases reported for service on time today, some reaching the courthouse a full hour ahead of the judge. More Than 5,000 Bales of Cotton Ginned Tli County Martin County raited 5,188 bales of cotton last year or 2,169 more balc3 than were grown in 1931, it was learn ed from a government report releas ed this week. The crop in this coun ty was one of the largest reported in several years or since way back yon der when the boll weevil first made its appearance. An increase oi the crop over last year is now predicted in this county for the coming season. While the county reported an in crease last year, the State, at a whole, sliowed a decrease of 91,502 bales.