THE ENTERPRISE
VOLUME XLVII?NUMBER 4 Williamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Friday, January 24,1936 ESTABLISHED 1899
PROCEEDINGS IN
MARTIN COUNTY
SUPERIOR COURT
Court Completes Scheduled
Work and Recesses
Until Monday
?
Completing its scheduled work for
the week, the Usrtin County Su
perior court closed down yesterday
afternoon until next Monday when
it will face a crowded docket for
three days. A number of cases have
been handled by the court or settled
by agreement during the week.
Clerk of Court L. B. Wynne explain
ing that there are very few civil
cases on the docket now more than
one year old.
Proceedings not previously report
ed are, as follows:
A judgment was given favoring
ti\e plaintiff in the case of Mrs. Net
tie Cowen against Sudie and George
Price, the defendants losing their
claim to a mule.
In the case of J. T. Brown against
Simon D. gyerett, a judgment in the
sum of $232.64, with interest from
February, 1923, was given .the de
fendant.
The petition of John R. Coltrain
to be dismissed as administrator of
hii father's estate was granted in his
case against W. F. Coltrain et al, but
a proposed sale of certain lands was
restrained or delayed.
A settlement was noted in the
case of George Baker et al against
D. G. Matthews and W. S. Rhodes
and the court ordered it off the
docket.
In the Case of W. J. Holliday a
gainst J. E. Sexton, the plaintiff,
kuing for a certain account, recover
ed nothing.
The case of S. H. Grimes against
Biggs was settled out of court.
Settlements were also effected out
of court in the cases of Slade, Rhodes
and Company against J. J. Powell,
and L. B. Culpepper against B. M.
White.
Yesterday J. B. Cherry was a
warded a judgment in the sum of
$437.20 and interest from July, 1931,
against J. R. Morris. The jury had
the case for several hours, it was re
ported.
A non-suit resulted in the case of
Wm. J. Gardner in his case against
the Tarboro Coca-cola Bottling
Works. The young boy was asking
$2,000 damages alleged to have re
sulted when he swallowed some
glass while drinking coca-cola from
a bottle sent out from the defend
ant's bottling works.
FHA Representative
Here This Afternoon
To See Applicants
Will Continue In Office At
Courthouse Until Noon
On Saturday
O. H. McMullan, representative of
the Federal Housing Administration,
after failing for some reason not yet
explained, to meet applicants for
housing loans in the courthouse here
last Tuesday, according to an an
nounced schedule, is in the court
house here this afternoon and will
be there until tomorrow noon, it was
announced by a member of the coun
ty committee yesterday.
A number of applications, asking
loans amounting to $39,000, were
filed with the Held representative of
the- housing administration here two
weeks ago today, but as far as it
could be learned this morning noth
ing has been heard from them by
the applicants. When the applica
tions were entered or reentered at
that time Representative McMullan
stated that a report, favorable or un
favorable, could be expected within
10 days or two weeks.
In the meantime, those applicant!
who applied to the association fpr
loans months and months ago are
becoming more restless. Many ol
them are said to have paid certain
fees and heard nothing from their
applications.
Mercury Drops To Twelve
Degrees Here Yesterday
After experiencing freezing wea
ther for a day of tyro, this section
. started thawing out gradually today
despite'warnings from weather fore
casters that the mercury would go
as low as Ave degrees. Unofficial
observers stated this morning thai
the mercury was averaging from
Ave to six degrees above the read
ing yesterday at the same time. A
lew of 12 was reported, unofficial ol
course, here yesterday, and thii
morning it ranged around 1A. Th?
mercury dropped from 44 to 16 dur
ing Wednesday night hen.
Some sections of the country hav?
reported readings as low as 90 de
greas below zero during the post day
or two.
Repairs Are Ordered Made To
Brick Warehouse by Directors
Preliminary plans (or repairing
the roof and foundation of the Plant
ers Warehouse, damaged during a
snow storm last December, were
made by the directors in a meeting
last Tuesday night. A committee
composed of Messrs. W. O. Griffin.
Joshua L. Coltrain, and G. H. Har
rison, was named by the directors to
handle the arrangements, and it is
understood that bids will be asked
within the next few days for the re
pair work.
No action was taken in connection
with determining where the liabili
ty rests, but the committee is under
stood to be considering placing the
contract in the hands of an attorney
with the possibility that the damage
will be charged against the original
renters.
Building contractors who have ex
amined the fallen structure are of
the opinion that the repairs can be
made for $2,000 or less, explaining
that 80 per cent of the roof can be
salvaged and nearly all the timbers
can be used again.
The directors and committee were
agreed that the building will be re
paired and ready for use long before
the next tobacco marketing season.
Local V eterans LoseNo
Time in SeekingBonus
TUG BOAT SINKS
Its hull pierced by a submerg
* ed log, the Diesel-powered tug
boat of the National Handle
Company, of Plymouth, went
down in the Roanoke River, I
miles below here early Wednes
day night. Tom Coffield, cap
tain, and his crew transferred
to a small power lifeboat, and
continued on here. The tug,
measuring about 45 feet in
length, was coming up the
stream for a raft of timber when
it struck the submerged log.
The captain headed the tug
into shore, and when it settled
only a small part of the bow re
mained above water. Work on
salvaging the tug was started
yesterday, but it could oot be
learned how long it would take
to raise the craft.
DELAY OF 2 YEARS
SEEN IN SECURING
FARM PROGRAM
| Make-Shift Plan Receiving
Attention of Congress
At Present Time
? v
A delay of two years in launching
a definite agricultural adjustment
program to take the place of the old
AAA loomed big in Washington yes
terday. farm leaders declaring, how
ever, that some make-shift plan
would be advanced immediately in
an effort to aid the farmer even
though the constitutionality of such
a plan is not certain.
In short, it appears that federal
agricultural authorities are planning
u soil conservation program under
which certain benefits will be paid
probably this year and next. Bp
ginning with 1938, it is proposed to
have 48 children of the Big A act
ing in behalf of agriculture in as
many states. The federal govern
ment will make grants direct to the
individual units which, in turn, will
be alloted farmers participating or
cooperating in some definite farm
program.
The temporary program now pro
posed, as it is understood here, is
receiving attention by Congress at
the present. This program would
broaden considerably the powers
conferred to the secretary of agri
culture under the 1935 soil conser
votion act by authorizing him to
make payments to producers out of
a $440,000,000 appropriation to be
proposed in a separate bill for con
servation and economic use of their
land. Opposition developed to such
a proposed appropriation, however,
and just now any and all agricul
tural plans are still ifl the air, so to
speak.
Congressman Lindsay Warren,
fully realizing that his potato bill
has no legal rating with the high
ccurt, said yesterday he would not
ask for funds for the enforcement
of the provision of the bill. Instead
he Is asking $1,000,000 for a survey
of potato marketing and production
problems so the industry rryiy benefit
in any new agricultural program by
Congress. Warren's move apparent
ly meant abandonment of plans to
enforce the measure which Secre
tary Wallace once said would be a
near impossibility.
High Water Causing Much
Uneasiness for Some People
Other than the uneasiness the ex
pected high water ia causing the
highway people, probably the worry
earned Henry "Chic" Manning is
the greatest. The young man is
afraid passage to Windsor will be
stopped over the Roanoke-Conine
route. His friends are consoling
him with the fact that travel will
be possible over tha river via Scot
land Neck.
Colored Ex-Soldier
Goes To Post Office I
For His Wednesday
Contention Is That Money
Will Have Little, If Any
Effect Orv Business
Local veterans of the Great War
aie already calling for their bonus
money. Postmaster Pete Fbwden
stating yesterday that Azariah Wil
liams quit work at noon Tuesday to
be the first to call at the local post
office for his bonus. The word got
around somehow that the money was
reqdy, and other colored former sol
diers started calling at the post of
fice.
The postmaster explained that
while the bonus bill was almost cer
tain of becoming law, it had not at
that time been passed by Congress,
and that it would be some time be
fore the money or "baby" bonds
would be available. As it is under
stood here, the bill is now before the
President, but its enactment is con
sidered certain, regardless of his ac
tion, because both branches of Con
gress passed the measure by more
than a two-thirds majority or by a
margin that will override a presi
dential veto unless many change
their stand. It is also understood
that the money for the "baby*' bonds
will not be available before next
July, and that the veteian will draw
no interest if he cashes his bonds
at that time. If he holds them un
til July, 1937, he will draw interest
from the date the bonds are issued,
it is understood.
It is contended by some that the
payment of the bonus will not have
much effect on business one way or
the other. It is further said that the
payment of the previous bonus had
very little effect, that the present
disbursement may be twice as big,
and therefore have twice as much
effect, but twice very little is still
not very much, it is explained.
Back in 1931, around 2,000,000 vet
erans borrowed about $800,000,000,
and a temporary increase was noted
in sales of automobiles, especially
second-hand cars, and textiles, foods
boots and shoes.
Regardless of the effect the pay
ment will have, Williams probably
expressed the sentiment of most
Martin County veterans when he ex
plained that he wanted his money
and wanted it now.
Fire Company Gets Call
Here Thursday Morning
Williamston's volunteer firemen,
while suffering ~a"l>it from the ner
vous tension during the past few
deys of freezing weather, have been
geeting along fine so far. They
have not been called out in the dead
of night, and up until noon today,
only one call had been received dur
ing the cold weather, and that one
amounted to nothing. A call was
received from Jas. Garfield on West
Main Street yesterday morning at
10.30 o'clock, but the apparatus was
not needed.
Local Doctor Is Named
County Director of League
Dr. J. H. Saunders has been ap
pointed county director of the North
Carolina League for Cripple Chil
dren, an organization that is con
ducting orthopedic clinics monthly
in Tarboro free to cripples in this
county. The next clinic will be
held in Tarboro on Monday, Janu
ary 27, at 1 o'clock in the Presby
terian Sunday school building.
The work of the league Is purely
charity, and the organization is
seeking to find and help to relieve
all those who are unable to secure
treatment for themselves.
Martin and Beaufort
Officers Get 9 Stills
In Concerted Drive
All Raids Centered Along
Martin-Beaufort Line;
Three Arrested
Directing a joint drive against il
licit liquor manufacturing along the
Martin-Beaufort line, officers from
the two counties wrecked nine plants
during the past few days.
During the first day the raiders
found two 75-gallon capacity liquor
stills, 45 gallons of liquor, 3 bags of
sugar, and 600 gallons of beer, Dep
uty J. H. Roebuck and Jailer Roy
Peel from this county reported. S.
\ Martin, white man. was caught
iiiving a mule and cart from the
still, and he was turned over to the
Beaufort authorities. The mule and
cart were not confiscated, it was
stated.
The next day, the officers found
three plants and destroyed a steam
still, a large copper kettle and sev
eral hundred gallons of beer. Two
men were seen leaving one still, but
when they saw the officers they left
their 10 gallons of liquor and fled
The owners were moving one plant
to another location, and very little
equipment was found at the old
stand, it was said. No arrests were
made on the second trip.
Finding the illicit business flourish
ing in their first raids, the officers
returned to the Bear Grass section
Wednesday morning and found a
100-gallon capacity copper still in
operation within one-half mile of
Bear Grass, The plant, including 18
formenters, 900 gallons of beer, 10
gallons of liquor and two large kegs,
was destroyed. Karo Rogers, white
man, was captured, but was allowed
his freedom until Tuesday week.
That afternoon the sheriff and Depu
ty Joe continued their activities in
the same township, and found and
destroyed a 100-gallon steam still
and equipment. The plant was cold.
Yesterday, four federal men of
fered their assistance and with the
deputy they found two more plants,
one of them a copper still of 100
gallon capacity, being located near
the town of Bear Grass. Around
1,400 gallons of beer were poured
out, and the plants destroyed. Sig
nals were fired as the officers ap
preached the second plant, and the
operator left his repairing activities
and escaped capture.
Following the raid last Monday,
the Beaufort sheriff arrested Colum
bus Ward, colored, for carrying five
gallons of liquor from a still that
day. Ward was the first man to en
ter Martin's new jail several years
ago, and he was booked at that time
on a liquor law violation charge.
Good Week for
Loeal Basketball
Lofal basketball teams bave had
a very successful week so far, the
three teams, two high school and
the all-stars, winning four out of
five games played.
Frosty's and Dallas' Sanitary Gro
cery stars lost the first game of the
week at Greenville Monday to E. C.
T C.'s b^ys by a 34 to 24 count.
Tuesday night the grocers turned
back Greenville's all-stars 36 to IB.
On Wednesday night, they snowed
under Washington's Black Hawks,
an all-star aggregation, 5S to IS, at
Washington.
Williamston's high school girls
took their first game of the season
here last night by defeating Windsor
by a one point margin, the final
score standing 13 to 12. The local
high boys added another victory to
their list by defeating the Bertie
lads 28 to 14.
President's Ball
Plans Complete
Arrangements, handled on a rath
er elaborate scale, arc just about
complete for the President's birth
day ball in the high school gymnasi
um here next Wednesday night, it
war announce dtoday by a commit
tee of the local Woman's Club, or
ganization sponsoring the gait event.
The President's birthday falls on
next Thursday, but the committee
explained that it was impossible to
get an orchestra on that date, and
that the dance would start on Wed
nesday and continue well into the
following day.
A similar event was sponsored
here last year, when considerable
money was raised for use in promot
ing prevention and control of infan
tile paralysis. About one million
dollars was raised over the country,
and the proceeds this year will be
ured for th esame purpose as they
were in 1039, it was explained.
Washington Osteopath Charged
With Murder in Connection With
Death of Mrs. Kathleen W. Lilley
Farm Planning Committee
To Hold Meeting Saturday
Farm planning committeemen, rep
resenting nearly every community
in this county are scheduled to meet
in the county courthouse here to
morrow at 9:30 o'clock when prob
lems of vital concern to the agri
cultural industry will be discussed.
B. Troy Ferguson, of the State Ex
tension Division, Raleigh, is schedul
ed to meet with the farmers, it was
announced today by Assistant Agent
Murphy L. Barnes
Members of the county committee
met here last week and acquainted
themselves with the program that
has promise of becoming an im
portant factor in promoting the in
teiest of Martin County farmers.
No large number of farmers is ex
pected for the meeting since it is
designed principally to outline, in a
fairly definite way, the program to
be followed over a long period of
time in connection with the advance-1
ment of the farming industry.
Roanoke Expected To
Be Near Record Level
3redict Crest To Be
Reached Next Week;
47 Feet at Weldon
Weather Bureau Says Mark
Likely To Be Highest
Since 1912
An official report released late
yesterday by Lee A. Denson, of the
State Weather Bureau, Raleigh, pre
dicted that the Roanoke River would
reach and probably pass by an inch
or two the 15-foot mark on the gauge
in this point about next Tuesday or
early Wednesday. According to the
late report, the river Will be about
1 foot higher than it was last Sun
day a week ago, when a crest of
about 14 feet was reached
While it is impossible to predict
exactly the extent of the rise, the
I late report indicated the stream
would not go as high as it was first
believed it would. Highway forces,
however, are not taking any chances
anci are making preparations to
guard the Roanoke fill as far as it
is possible to do so. It was first
thought the water would cover the
highway between the end of Main
Street and the bridge, but, judging
from the report reaching here yes
terday, it will be posible to main
tain traffic over the route without
danger. However, it is apparent that
the fill is facing its greatest water
since it has been there, and that
the water will almost reach the top
of the causeway Soon after the
causeway was completed, flood wa
tei came within one foot or there
abouts of the top. Traffic was not
blocked, but it underwent a sharp
decrease along about that time.
Families living below the hill are
making arrangements to move out
on short notice, and oil boats have
been running on a double schedule
to fill the several distribution tanks
while the docks are above water. An
oil shortage was experienced by at
least one company during the last
freeze and high water two weeks or
more ago, but customers were sup
plied from plants inland.
The water will extend well up
lower Main Street, observers explain
ing that it will reach the fartherest
point since 1912, when canoes were
paddled where the Texaco ftWtng
station operated by George Harris is
now located.
Nearly 100 convicts and a large
number of trucks were brought into
use by the highway department this
morning in building up low spots in
the river fill. It is possible that a
thousand or more loads of clay will
b. dumped on the upper side of the
causeway during the next day or two
in an effort to hold the water back.'
A rise of 15.8 feet would place the
water even with the concrete on the
fill about middle way of the cause
way, and that an additional rise of
one foot would have to materialize
before the water would flow over
the dam, highway engineers said
following a survey this morning
Demonstrate Meat Canning
At Courthouse on Thursday
A meat canning demonstration
v/ill be held in the home agent's of
fice Thursday, January 30. Every
one interested In canning meat is
welcome to attend. The demonstra
tion will be given by a representa
tive of a jar manufacturing com
pany. The demonstration is sched
uled to begin promptly at 2 p m
Kindly watch for further announce
ments.
TWO IAILS
1
J
Martin County now has two
Jills?one to keep robbers and
other law violators in, and the
other to keep robbers out. The
old jail, out of use since the
costly bastile was completed
several years ago, has been re
paired and converted into a
storage house for whiskey, and
the small house with its two
stories is just about running
over with the spirits.
The old jail was repaired at a
cost of $295, and the move gives
Sheriff C. B. Roebuck and jailer
Roy Peel more room to enter
tain and accommodate their
company. Cp until yesterday,
two rooms in the new jail were
used for liquor storage, causing
crowded conditions at those
when the law was too lightly
regarded by too many.
SUPREME COURT
UPHOLDS JUDGE
MOORE'S ACTIONS
Judgment Giving Pittman
$2,500 Affirmed by the
Court This Week , 1
Judge Clayton Moore, local man,
was upheld in two cases included in
the long list of opinions handed down
by the State Supreme Court this
week, the jurist batting 1.000 for the
day and maintaining an average well
over .800 for the time he has been
on the bench. Probably few judges
in the state have a better average
One of the two cases originating in
this county and going to the high
court on appeal was that of Frank
Pittman against John Downing. The
court upheld the $2,500 verdict giv-1
en Pittman in the Martin County
Superior Court, when it failed to
find that the plaintiff and defendant
were working on a joint enterprise
fc S. Peel, attorney for the plaintill
Pittman, explained that another
plaintiff, Boyce, had agreed to a set
tlement, the $1,000 verdict returned
him by the jury being reduced to
$800. Pittman, riding in the defend
ant Downing's car, was seriously in
jured summer before last when the
Downing car crashed into a car driv
en by Boyce. Pittman is now con
nected with his father in business
at Scotland Neck. ,
The other case in which Judge!
Moore was upheld was that of Utah
Little against N. K. Harrison, trus
tee, and Marion Green. The court |
ir this county favored the defend
ants, the high court affirming the
judgment. Little claimed that cer
tain lands were sold under deed of
trust before sufficient time for the
sale had elapsed, further claiming
that a debt moratorium should have
delayed the sale.
Jamesville Teams Continue
Winning Record Unbroken
e
Jamesville's basketball boys con
tinued unbroken their winning rec
ord laat Tuesday night when they
defeated Windsor at Windsor 16 to
6. and increased the number of vic
tories to ten. The Jamesville girls
also triumphed over Windsor the
same night, winning by a 28-to-12
score. A few days earlier, the teams
defeated Conway's boys and girls In
a double-header here.
Tonight Jam Seville goes to Eliza
beth City for ? double bill.
Is Released Under
$2,500 Bond Pending
Hearing Next Friday
Man Also Face Charge Of
Practicing Medicine
Without License
| Charged with murder and the prac
tice of medicine without license, Dr.
George R. Clay, osteopath and head
of the Pamlico Osteopathic Sanitor
ium, in Washington Park, was ar
rested last Tuesday evening in con
nection with the sudden death of
Mrs. Kathleen Lilley there last Mon
day a week ago. Clay was released
under a $2,500 bond, signed by Buck
Taylor, filling station operator, a
short time after the arrest. He was
to have been given a preliminary
hearing in the Beaufort County re
corder's court this morning, but it
was continued, prosecuting attorneys
stating that the initial trial will prob
ably be held next Friday or Friday
week The continuance was grant
ed at the request of the prosecution,
it was stated.
Mrs. Lilley entered the sanitorium
0:1 Friday, January 10, after han
dling busines matters and talking
jwith a number of friends here that
afternoon. She was said to have
been getting along very well when
she entered the institution for treat
ment, and her condition was not
considered at all serious. The fol
lowing Monday morning, the family
received at their Jamesville home
news of her sudden death, reports
at that time stating that she died of
pneumonia. It was believed by the
Martin County coroner at the time
that there had been foul play, ap
parently, but the arrest was delayed
following an investigation that last
ed several days. Few of the facts
learned from the investigation have
been made public, but one of the
charges alleges that Clay "did kill
and murder Mrs. Kathleen Lilley by
prescribing for her and administer
ing to her a powerful and danger
ous drug, she being a patient in his
core and he not being a duly licensed
physician under the laws of North
Carolina." A second warrant charges
I that Clay "did practice medicine
without being duly licensed to do so
as provided by law."
Attorneys E. S. Peel, of William -
ston, and H. Clay Carter, of Wash
ington, haye been employed to as
sist the prosecuting attorney, E. A.
Daniel.
Colored Cook Held
For Theft of $150
Robersonville, January 22nd.?
Piobable cause appearing in the
cose charging her with the theft of
around $150 from the J. W. Bailey
tome here last Sunday a week ago,
Annie Teel, colored woman, was
bound over to the superior court
by Justice of the Peace J. L. Has
sell in Williamston yesterday after
noon. The $200 bond required by
the trial justice was stood by Gus
CofTicld, local colored man, and the
woman was released until the third
Monday in March, when she will be
tried in the superior court.
The defendant cooked for the
Baileys and is alleged to have stol
en the money, while the family was
eating Sunday dinner. It was point
eo out in the hearing that the money
was hidden in a bedroom of the
home, that no one but the cook and
members of the family had access
to the room during the time the mon
ey was said to have been stolen.
According to reliable information
received here, the Teel woman ad
vised officers that she would de
liver the money if they would return
her to Robersonville. The officers
brought her here, but upon her ar
rival she failed to make good her
promise, it was said.
e
Returned Missionary To
Speak At Local Church
Mr. Herbert Smith, a returned
Missionary from the Congo in Africa
will speak at the local Christian
Church Wednesday afternoon, Janu
ary, 20, at 3 o'clock and T o'clock
p. m.
Mr. Smith comes from Bolenge,
Africa, where he has labored for
several years In Dr. Royal J. Dye's
old mission field. He will have a
facinating message from the heart
of the dark continent, and the pub
lic Is cordially invited to hear him.