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VOLUME XXXXIX?NUMBER 80 Williamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, October 6. 1936 ESTABLISHED 1899
SEVERAL TRUCK
AND CAR WRECKS
IN PAST FEW DAYS
Johnnie Jones Is Seriously
Injured in Truck Wreck
Near Jamesville
Automobile and truck accidents
were again in the spotlight In num
bers in this county over the week
end. the wreckage being reported
from ooe end of the county to the
other. While none of the wrecks
coat the lives of any one. two or
three people were critically hurt.
Probably one of the worst wrecks
of the past few days was reported
between Jamesville and Dardens a
bout 4 o'clock this morning. John
nie Jones, young Washington Coun
ty negro, suffered a skull fracture
when the truck in which he was
riding, ran off the road. The driver
of the machine and other passengers
were not t^dly hurt, according to
reports reaching here. Jones was
removed to a Rocky Mount hospital
just before noon, but there was lit.
tie hope for his recovery, reports
indicated. ?
Saturday evening, Frank Rollins.
Bethel man. suffered a broken arm
and other injuries when his car
crashed into that of Mrs Ernest
Mobley in Robersonville. No one
else was hurt, and Rollins was en
tered in a hospital for treatment.
Sunday afternoon two cars, one
driven by Jas. M. Mizelle. of James
ville. and the other by H J Ches
son. of Elizabeth City, crashed in
Everetts No one was hurt and very
little damage was done to the cars.
Mr Chesson was taking his wife to
a Durham hospital for treatment.
John Griffin and his wife. Vic
toria I. riding with Wm. Chance, all
colored of Everetts, were badly but
not seriously hurt last night about
9 o'clock a few miles from Everetts
on the Williamston Road when their
car was struck by another said to
.have been driven by Thos Spencer,
ffdt nlmi man- who wroks.fn a log
ging camp in Cross Roads Town,
ship. The driver of tne Spencer
car ran from the scene of the ac
cident. and the owner reported to
Williamston police about 1 o'clock
this morning: 1 He claims some one
stole hu car and that he was not
driving at the time of the wreck.
Griffin suffered a dislocated hip and
his w ife was cut^on Jhe knee and
leg and suffered an injury to her
shoulder. Others in the two cars
were not badly hurt, but the ma
chines were wrecked.
Short Session of
Board Last Night
Holding a brief session last eve
ning. the local town commissioners,
fit addition to hafidlihg routine wan.
ters. ordered the town delinquent
tax list advertised next week for
sale the second Monday in Novem
ber A special session of the board
is expected within the next few
days, when the new budget is to get
consideration, it was learned.
No definite report on tax collec
tions is available just at the mo
ment, but the treasurer reports that
town property owners have beer
making payments rapidly during the
past few days, and that indications
point to the bast collections and the
smallest number of delinquents ii
several years.
Local Tobacco Market Has
Best Sale of Season Monday
With 179.796 pounds of tobacco on
the floors, the WtUiamston market
reported its best sales of the season
yesterday, the offerings bringing to
farmers (42,74134, or an average of
(23.78 pa 768 pounds. 17ie bettei
types of tobacco were in greater de
mand here yesterday than at any
time this season, and there were
numerous averages above 40 cents,
with some as high as 57 cents a
pound. New orders were noticed
for all the better grades, causing the
prices to reach the highest point of
the season
Tobacco was on the floors here
yesterday from a larger territory
than at any time since the market
opened, and farmers were well
pleased with their sales. There was
a large quantity of the inferior
grades offered, and the prices for
those particular grades remain a
bout the same, some observers be
er to leave them at home for use
as fertilizer in the fields. These
types of tobacco seem to be in de
mand nowhere in the belt.
Sales today are holding up well,
farmers offering between 100,000
and 115.000 pounds on the three
warehouse floors. The market is
nearing the 3,000,000-pounds mark
and is maintaining a sales record
that compares favorably with that
of last season, considering the crop
reduction.
FARM PICTURES I
Arructmoib are now under
way far the filming of farming
activities by the I'nited States
Department of Agriculture in
this county, according to infor
?nation coming from the office of
Agent T. B. Brandon. Special
representatives of the depart
ment are expected here the lat
ter part of this or early next
week to take moving pictures of
peaaat and potato digging and
cotton picking. Pictures of pea
nut pickers in operation will also
be made if aay of the machines
are running when the movie
men reach the county, it was
No Term of Court Is
Likely in December
With no judge available during
the first week of December, it is
likely that no special sjcssioa of...tjj.e
Martin County Superior Court will
be held at that time in accordance
with instructions or recommenda
tions by Judge H. A. Grady, who
recently' completed a regular term
of court here It may be that some
arrangements can be made to get a
term is uncertain, it was unofficially
learned today.
The commissioners are expected
to dnnia the situation further be
fore filing another request for the
special term. While the county au
thorities are likely to hold a special
session some time during the month,
no further action in connection with
requesting the court term is expect
ed before the first Monday in No
vember, it was said.
Locals Hold Elizabeth City
Team To 13 to 0 Score Here
Coach Larry Wade's football boys
held the strong Elizabeth City elev
en to two touchdowns here last Fri
day afternoon, scoring a moral vie
tory. even though the 13 to 0 score
was against them. The members ol
the Green Wave offered some good
defensive ball, and had the visitor!
6 to 0, when a pass was intercept
ed for the other touchdown. The
locals engineered a long drive with
Roberson leading, but failed tc
Next Friday Roanoke Rapids gendi
its strong team against the Greer
Wave bra.?.
CHANGES LIKELY
REGELATING N. C.
SHAD INDUSTRY
Curtailment of Season For
Taking Fish Is Being
Considered Now
According to reports from Raleigh
recommendations that the shad fish
ing season be sharply curtailed will
soon be made to the State Board of
Conservation and Development as
an initial step in the program to re
habilitate the industry in this State.
At present the season starts more or
less at will when the shad begin
running in for spawning late in Jan
uary and has had a closing date of
May 1. Under the new recommen
dation^-however, the season will be
definitely limited from February 15
to April 15, about a month's cut
from what has been allowed.
The greatest drop in the shad
catch in years has led the special
committee at work on the subject to
jfuggest the curtailment, the belief
being, according to reports, that a
shorter season will give the shad
more time to reach their spawning
grounds. The United States Bureau
of Fisheries, cooperating in the for
mation of the program, has suggest
week-long closed period-midway
of the season.
Other drastic features in consider
ation by the committees work in col
laboration and which may ultimate
iy become recommendations have tc
do with the setting aside of natural
spawning areas as fish preserves and
closing, on a rotating basis, of en
tire rivers for whole seasons against
shad seining.
Members of the special state com
mittee on the shad program include
J. L. Home, jr., Rocky Mount; James
L. McNair, Laurinburg; E S. Askew,
Windsor; R. Bruce Etheridge, Man
H. F. Prytherch, of Beaufort
Williamston Fair
Operates at Loss
Closing last Saturday night, the
Williamston Fair reported an oper
ating deficit of approximately $2,00C
it was reliably learned here today
The management did not carry rair
insurance, and there was unfavor
able weather during a greater part
of the week.
Handling the last details in con
nection with the fair today, Manager
Harvey Walker said that plans will
be advanced shortly for another ex
hibition next fall. The manager ex
plained that he had enjoyed splen
did cooperation from -the people of
this section in handling the fair and
expressed his appreciation.
Premiums amounting to approxi
mately $1,000 have been paid, most
of the money going to exhibitors in
this county. All other accounts have
been or are being settled this week
by the management.
Pupils Gather Books for
Local High School Library
More than 3,000 second-hand books
were donated to the local high school
the several grades canvassed the
town for discarded editions. Teach
ers are classifying the books this
week, Principal L. W. Anderson stat
ing that moat of the books could ba
used to advantage in the library.
e
Missionary To Preach In
Local Church Wednesday
Rev. W. H. Turner, recently re
turned missionary from China, will
preach in the Pentecostal Holiness
church on Haughton Street here
Wednesday night. The public is cor
dially invited to hear him in his last
message before returning to China
to continue-his work there.
SHORT MEET OF
COUNTY BOARD
HELD MONDAY
Only Pressing Business Is
Considered In Regular
" ' Authorities
The Martin Coupty Commission,
ers held a short meeting Monday
and recessed subject to call by the
chairman. Only those matters of
pressing importance were handled
by the authorities, much business
being postponed to await the atten
tion of the board chairman.
Commissioner Joshua L. Coltrain,
in the absence of Mr. John E Pope,
was made chairman pro tern, and he
led the discussions. Louis and Fan
nie Moore, Bear Grass Township
citizens, were allotted $3 each month
ly. Recommendations were made
for state maintenance of a road lead
ing from the residence of N. T. Tiye
to the home of W. Hardy Hardison
in Griffins Township.
Current monthly bills were in
spected, and reports tiled by the
home and farm agents, superintend
ent of county welfare and others
were reviewed.
Just when the commissioners will I
meet again could not be learned.
Commissioner Taylor explaining
that the chairman was empowered
to reconvene the body any day to
handle business postponed at the
short session yesterday. It may be
that the business will be continued
until the next regular meeting the
first Monday in November
Commissioners V. G. Taylor, of
Cross Roads; Joshua L. Coltrain, of
Williams; C. C. Fleming, of James
ville; and?R. L. Perry, of Bear
Grass, were present for the meet
ing.
List ol 4-H Club
Winners at Fair
Martin County 4-H club boys
made a very creditable showing at
the Williamston Fair last week, As
sistant Agent M. L. Barnes, in charge
of club work, stating that the young
farmers earned *102.5(1 in premiums
and apparently enjoyed the compe
tition The boys hud 58 entries in
the several departments.
-Com winners: Heighten Croom,
Robersonville club; Herbert Culll
pher and Clarence Modlin, Everetls
club; Joseph Daniel and Thomas
Daniel, Farm Life club; Slqde White
Hamilton club; Milton Malone, Bear
Grass club.
Poultry winners Cleo Grillui, of
Jamesville Club; Garland Warren
and Forest Staton, Robersonville
club; Benjamin Daniels, Farm Life
club; Norwood Bailey, Everetts club
Calf Club Winners: Joe Powell
and Leslie Taylor, Robersonville
Club; Leo Smith. Everetts club.
Swine Club winners: Earl Rob
erson and Bernice Rogerson, Bear
Grass club. .
S
Sixteen Cases On Docket
For Trial in County Court
After suspending activities during
the past two weeks while the su
perior tribunal was in session. Judge
H. O Peel convened the county re
corder's court this morning Six
teen cases awaited action, the num
ber being considered quite small,
considering an accumulation of
charges during two weeks and fair
week coming in the period.
Although his condilioir ts much
improved, Solicitor W H Coburn
continues in bed and his brother and
law associate, Senator R L Coburn
is prosecuting the docket in the
county court today.
Local Woman's Club To
Meet Tomorrow at 3:30
Holding the first meeting of the
fall scasuii, the local Woman's Club
is expected to have a large number
of members present tomorrow aft
ernoon at 3:30 o'clock in the club
hall. Mrs. C. W Beasley, of Cole
rain, president of the 15th club dis
trict, will address the meeting.
The club is planning a busy sea
con ahead, and the organization of
ficers are urging the support of mem
bers and the public in general.
School To Present Play At
Bear Grass Friday Night\
Sponsored by the Bear Grass
school patrons, the play, 'Here
Comes Arabella," is to be presented
in the school auditorium there Fri
day night of this week at 8 o'clock.
There are 39 characters in the play
and all of them are people of the
community. Rehearsals are now be
ing held, and a large crowd is ex
pected to witness the performance.
AMI
rl
~y?*t V.IAIhA-Hyk'!
Attention, driven! Let'* talk a
High on the list of traffic sinners
m the man jehoae eyes wander all
ova- the landscape whan they should
be an the rand ahead and whose
mind, if any, is always on vacation
te Innlnsm of driving.
Not only does he risk his own life
nd the livea of his wife and kid
try other driver on the road at the
Traveler* Insurance Company
statistics show that 3.400 persons
were killed last year when motor
ists drove off the roadway. Another
4.000 met death when they got over
on the wrong aide at the road. Most
accidents at that type wouldn't hap
pen to alert drivers. ,
Enlist today in the ranks of safe
dilseis. Eyas front! Atten?shun!
County Claims for Refunds
Will Be Argued Thursday
Attorneys E. S. Peel and Robert
L Coburn will press Martin Coun
ty's claim to $562,260.09 road refund
money in Raleigh Thursday of this
week. The representatives of the
county win go before the road debt
commission, of which Carl L. Bailey,
of Plymouth, is chairman The com
mission was appointed by Governor
J. C. B. Ehringhaus several months
ago.
A number of other counties in
this section of the state will also
send representatives to appear be
fore the commission and press
claims for a return of money ad
vanced the highway commission
for the construction of roads Hear
ings have been held in Ashevtlle
during the past week or two, a num
ber of counties presenting claims to
road money refunds.
While there is little hope that this
jand 43 other counties making grants
to the commission 15 or 16 years ago
I will ever recover a penny, it is be
| lievcd by some that the lawmakers
will allow a cent or two tax on gas
oline to the counties It has been
I argued that the counties make the
state, and that it is foolish to have
a rich highway commission and poor
1 counties. ?
Local Men in Battle
With Windsor Negro
19 LICENSES TO
MARRY ISSUED
IN PAST MONTH
Issuance Among Largest in
Any Month This Year,
Bureau Reports
Nineteen marriage licenses were
issued in this county last month, the
issuance being numbered among the
largest reported. by the license bu
reau for any one month so far this
year The l!? licenses were issued,
? tn white and 12 to colored CQU
ples, as follows:
White
Johnnie Edward Martin, jr., and
Margaret Louise Ramsey, both of
Greenville.
William L. GdVg^hus and Sudie
Louise PoclT hoth of Martin County.
Paul A. Nelson, of Stokes, and
Jesse Bell Swain, of~Williamston.
Harvey Gardner and Mrs Lula
Moore, both of Martin County.
Warren Farmer and Lillian Terry,
both of Martin County.
EmmeK Willard Dodson and Flor
enee Elizabeth Pascal, both of~Ner
folk
Joe Ashley Jones, of Pitt County,
and Annie Elizabeth Bryant, of
Washington County.
Colored
James Davis and May West, both
of Williams ton.
Louis Jones, of Winston Salem,
and Lillie Bell Moore, of Martin
County.
Willie Outlaw and Alice Spivey,
both of Windsor
Isaac Grimes and Rebecca Spruill,
both of Roper.
both of Williamston.
Nathaniel Bonds and Sarah Mer
cer, both of Plymouth.
Rev. Claude Winstead, of Wash
ington; and Ethel Johnson, of James
ville
Charlie Butler and Annie Mildred
Hardison, both of Martin County.
Nathaniel Stokes and Katie Mae
Cromwell, both of Martin County
William Arthur Baker and Beulah
Bell Mitchell, both of Martin Coun
ty
Milton Godard and Katie Cooper,
both of Martin County.
4
Sidelights On Bertie Battle
As Told by Sheriff Roebuck
The-snipera'- battle" over in Bertie
Sunday, although crowded with ex
citement and danger, had its humor
ous side, so says Sheriff C. B. Roe
buck, who with several other offi
cers from this county took part in
the siege.
The Martin sheriff and several oth
ers were in a packhouse 150 yards
from Dennis Thrower's shanty. Ar
thur Gillam, Bertie lawyer, ventured
to look out of the window of the
packhouse toward Moore's home and
was met with a volley of shots. Oth
ers seeing what had happened to the
lawyer, found refuge in a pile of
unshelled field peas, the sheriff ex
plaining that they went under the
peas and vines as iats would scat
ter under a pile of corn in a barn.
While the sheriff gets much fun
out of telling how the boys sought
shelter under the field peas, he does
not deny going under himself andi
finds it a bit difficult to explain how
he got shot in the back
1
Bear Grass Church Men To
Hold Meeting Friday Night
The men of the Bear Grass Pres
byterian church will meet lor their
regular monthly meeting Fridav
night at 7 p. m , in the community
house. All the men of the church
are urged to be present,
Crazed Black Shoots
11 Persons During
6-Hour (?un Fight
Sheriff C. B. Roebuck, One |
Of Victims. Escapes
With Slight Injury
Eleven persons were shot, one ser
iously. by a crazed negro near Wind
sore Sunday morning, the affray at
tracting a crowd estimated to num
ber nearly 2.000 people. Sheriff C.
B. Roebuck, called from tKor iHHmty
byBerTie officers, was hit by sev
eral shot, but they barely penetrated
the skin, and he is getting along
all right J M Waters, Windsor
hief of police.. was shot and his con
dition is cntioiiL His lung was punc
turetl by four of the sh"0t " Sergeant
^ w Wnith, nf the Highway Pa
trol. was struck bv several shot and
suffered a fractured jawbone and the
loss of several teeth Others struck
{during the several-hour siege were
not badly hurt.
lining
3 o'clock Dennis Tlirower. 30-year-.
?Id negro, ran his mother and broth
er away Several hours later Offi
^*er Smallwood was called, and he
was fired upon by Thrower Sev
eral shots were -exchanged before
the officer returned to Windsor and
[secured help. Chief Waters was the
next victim and Sheriff Dunstan was
peppered a few minutes later. An
other call was made for help, mem
bers of the highway patrol and offi
cers from here and several other
i-ounties responding. Machine guns,
tear gas and dynamite were used
without success in the attempts to
ul the man, and about 2 o'clock,
the house was fired by J. C. John
son, daring Windsor youth, who
[crawled to the back porch with sev
eral bags saturated with gasoline,
officers firing a volley of shots into
the windows of the house during
that time.
Thrower continued to hold his
fortress as the fire gradually eat its
way into the house Just as the
structure started to fall in, he ran
out with a pistol in one hand and
shotgun in the other. Officers
opened fire and brought him down
With more than 60 shots in Ins body.
Tlirower fell so near the fire that
few-clothes ignited and Iheskin on
his body was burned off
Tiaffu uu the highway was turned
off a short distance this side of the
Thrower home and routed around
the haitleg'uund Scleral turn tiavol
ing the highway early that morn
ing, were fired upon by Thrower,
but as far as it could be learned no
car drivers or passengers were
struck The car of Officer Small
wood was battered by shot.
Waters continues in k Wuidsui
hospital, reports from there today
stating that recovery is possible If
pneumonia does not develop. Welch,
after receiving treatment, was dis
charged from the hospital late Sun
day.
?
Hamilton Sehool- To fif'vp.
Play There Friday Nightl
"Glad Rags", a 4 act musical com.
[ cdy will he presented Friday eve
rung, October 9,- at 8 o'clock in the
Hamilton School auditorium. The
play, given under the auspices of
the school, is being directed by Miss
Eugelia Good, of Greensboro.
"Glad Rags" is a new and entire,
ly different musical comedy full of
laughs from the very beginning.
The rast, chosen from local ama
teurs. is supported by old maid
stenographers, new stenographers,
who are also chorus girls, and ten
models.
MRS. JNO. E. POPE
DIES IN HOSPITAL
AT WASHINGTON
Funeral Services Held Here
Yesterday Afternoon In
Episcopal Church
Mrs. Nannie Biggs Pope, highly
esteemed local citizen, died in a
Washington hospital Sunday after
noon at 4 o'clock following a period
of declining health of nearly six
months' duration. A heart attack
was given as the immediate cause of
her death. Experiencing failing
health. Mrs. Pope was operated on
about six months ago. and while her
condition apparently improved after
that, she never fujy recovered, and
spent much of the time in the hos
pital She reentered the hospital a
week before her death.
The daughter of the late Samuel
Romulus and Sallie SmallwooJ
Biggs, members of this section's
most prominent families, Mrs. Pope
was born in Williamston on March
I 14. 1885 She attended the local
I schools and completed her education
at the State Normal College in
(Greensboro She taught in the~to
|cal schools for several years, her
heerful and kindly disposition en
dearing her to her pupils. Hers was
a sweet life, one that was lived for
others and marked by unselfishness.
In the home she was a thoughtful
wife and a good mother, devoting
her time and energy freely for the
comfort of others. She complained
little during her illness, but had un
til the last a cheery greeting for her
friends and acquaintances.
On October 4, 1916, she was mar
lied to Mr. John E. Pope, chairman
of the Martin County Board of CoffT"
miss loners and local insurance man,
death coming to her on their twen
tieth wedding anniversary and mark
mg lhe close of a useful life.
Mr. Pope, with two sons, John,
jr., and Wajren, survives. She also
leaves one sister,- Mrs. Robert Bo
gart. of Washington, N. C.; and five
brothers, Messrs. Warren H. Biggs,
S Rome Biggs, Jack W Biggs, and
Robert Biggs, all of Williamston;
and Charles Biggs, of Raleigh.
When a young girl, Mrs Pope
joined the Church of the Advent,
EpiscopiiLiiere^ajid the funeral serv
ices were conducted there yesterday
afternoon by the rector, Rev. E. F.
Moseley, and Rev. R. R. Grant, Meth
odiat minister. Interment followed
in the family plot in the local ceme.
tery.
Negro Struck by Car
On Fill; Badly Hurt
John Henry Rascoe, employee of
the Saunders and Cox 11.ill bete, was
tically?hurt?when struck?by a
small truck as he walked the high
way toward Windsor late last Satur
day night, reports from a Windsor
hospital staling that little hope was
held for his recovery.
Walking on the river fill, about
one nule from the bridge, Rascoe
was said to have stepped from the
side of the road into the path of a
pick-up truck driven by M. W Britt,
Merry Hill farmer. Turner Gilliam
and Arthur Miller, walking with
Rascoe, warned him to look out for
the truck, but he paid little atten
tion to the warning and staggered
into the road. Patrolmen investi
gating the accident, exonerated the
Truck driver.??? ?
Rascoe, about 30 years old, was
on hi* way to his home in Indian
Woods
Plan Series oi Services In
Church at Poplar Point
Beginning next Sunday afternoon
at 2 p. m . a week's meeting will get
underway at the Poplar Point Mis
sion of the Presbyterian church. The
meeting will he conducted by Rev.
T. Picphuff -and?Rev. John C.
Whitley, recently ordained minister
of the Presbyterian church, and co
worker with Rev. Z. T. Piephoff in
Martin County. The services will
begin each evening, beginning Mon
day at 7:30 p. m. The meeting will
1 oine tn a close en Sunday night,
October 18
Miss Mattie Whichard Dies
In Rocky Mount _ Hospital
Miss Mattie Whichard, sister of
Mrs J. A. Everett, of this county,
members of a prominent Eastern
North Carolina^/ family, died in a
Rocky Mount hospital Sunday night
at 11 o'clock.
Funeral services are being con
ducted from the home of her broth
er, J. R. Whichard, at Bethel, this
afternoon. Interment will follow at
the old home place In Pitt County,
near Bethel.