Give Local Merchants First Chance With Your Christmas Shopping?Hundreds of Bargains Await You
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THE ENTERPRISE
VOLUME XXXIX?NUMBER 100 Williamston, M*rtin County, North Carolina. Tuesday. December IS. 1936 ESTABLISHED 1899
PROCEEDINGS IN
MARTIN COUNTY
SUPERIOR COURT
Trial of Criminal Cases Is
Expected To Require
Most of the Week
Activities in the first day of the
one-week term of Martin County
Superior Court Monday were recog
nized as secondary, as the judge and
officers put into motion machinery
for handling the cases charging Al
vin W. Watson and Willis Bullock
with murder Only 12 cases were
handled yesterday, the court side
tracking about 10 others today while
the Holliday murder case is under
way. The schedule the court will
follow after today is not certain,
some of the observers believing the
murder rase will extend well into
tomorrow
The Ollte Page manslaughter case,
already wearing a two-year crop of
whiskers, was again continued. Page
eras booked for trial in September,
1934. following the deaths of John
Lcavistrr and .Marshall Andrews,
two young white men, on the Stokes
road near Robersonville.
Permission was granted W. B.
Gay lord to withdraw an appeal on
condition that he pay the costs of
the case and comply with a judg
ment handed down by Judge Peel
?n the county court.
A verdict of not guilty was di
rected by Judge M. V Barn hi 11. the
presiding officer^ in the case charg
ing Herbert Brown, James Walston.
and Jack Lanier with trespassing
and attempted larceny. The trio
was ordered held under a new in
dictment charging them with con
spiracy to steal The case will like
(Contiaued on page six)
Mrs. Annie Riddick
Is Fatally Burned
Jta. Annie Riddick. widow of the
late Bill Riddick, who lived for a
number of years a short distance
irom here on the Washington Road,
was fatally burned at her home in
Robersonville yesterday morning at
7:30 o'clock. She died in a Rocky
Mount hospital early this morning
Mrs. Riddick was building a fire
at her home with kerosene, and it is
believed the fire blazed up and ig
nited her clothes. She was horribly
burned from her knees to her neck_
reports received here stated. Her
son was badly burned on both hands
when he tried to tear a burning
coat from her Mrs. Riddick ran in
to the yard, and a young Mr. Ward
threw his overcoat over her and
rolled her on the ground and put
the fire out.
Mrs. Riddick was the daughter of
the late Confederate veteran. David
F Robcrson. and wife.
George E. Bunch
Dies at Home Here
Saturday Morning
Stroke, Suffered While At
Work Friday Afternoon,
Causes Early Death
George E. Bunch, cabinet maker
and mechanic, died at his home here
last Saturday morning at 1:30 o'
clock following a stroke of apoplexy
suffered the afternoon before. He
was handling his regular duties in
the shops of the Williamston Supply
Company Friday afternoon when he
was stricken and removed to his
home.
The son of Mrs. Mamie W. Bunch
and the late E. P. Bunch, he w
born in Chowan County 47 years
ago. but had spent most of his life
bete. He was a veteran of the
World War and was in active serv
ice overseas in the engineer corps.
Mr. Bunch was permanently injured
while working on the Roanoke Riv
er bridge about 17 years ago, but
ikgiik his disability he carried on
until the tut When ""e young man
he married Miss Elizabeth Beach,
who survives with six children^
George, jr, 15 years old, James
Henry, Nina Mae. Nellie Fay, Ruby
Eetcllr. and Letha Murriel Bunch.
He also leaves one brother, William
Linwood Bunch, of Portsmouth, Vs..
end one water, Mrs. LUy Gurganua,
of Williams Township.
at the home by
Rev. J. H. Smith, of the local Ba
Ust church. Interment eras in the
ENTER UPON NEW TERMS OF OFFICE
Reelected without opposition.
Treasurer C. A. Harrison (up
per left). Reenter ef Deeds J.
Sam Getaiaser (upper risht).
sad Cereatr S. Reese Bices
(below) subscribed te the oath
ef office Monday December 7.
Mr. Getaiaser. r?plrttas M
years ef aurin to Martia Coon
four-year term, the
ef term harins
been effected by lectslatire act
ia IMS. This is Mr. Harrison's
Many Fail To Return
Social Security Forms
[KNEW THE ANSWER j
Eddie Sibkvjr, colored man
aad a fnqrat defen dial ia tlw
courts d this Meaty, was pa
tiently waiting at the bar of jus
tice ia this coaaty yesterday
while the Jary was ia its room
coasideriax a verdict in the case
ckarfiac him with breakiac
aad entering. Judge Barahill.
dariac the laU ia the proceed
iags. asked Sahhary haw maay
The jary bad set yet retaraed
bat Eddie was an the job and
replied. -This will aike three
times, Cap s "
Mrs. Roy Everett, 29,
Dies at Home Near
Everetts Saturday
Elder B. S. Cowin Conducts
Last Rites in Everetts
Church Sunday
Mrs. Roy Everett, 29 years old,
died at her home near Everetts Sat
urday morning at 8:45 o'clock from
pneumonia. She was sick only a
week
Mrs. Everett, daughter of W. T.
Price and his late wife, was Miss
Bert Price before her marriage 11
years ago. She was a resident of
the Gold Point community before
moving to Everetts to make her
home. Mr. Everett survives with
two sons, John Russell, 8, and Don
ald, 4. She also leaves besides her
father, four brothers. Sewell Price,
of Richmond; Joe Price, of Rocky
Mount; May Price, of Tarboro, and
Dennis Price_ of Gold Point; and
two sisters. Mrs. Arthur Johnson, of
Oak City, and Mrs. Charlie Tripp,
of Ayden
Mrs. Everett, an understanding
wife and a thoughtful and devoted
mother, eras held in high esteem by
all who knew bar.
Funeral services were conducted
in the Everetts Christian church
Sunday afternoon at 2:50 o'clock by
Elder B. S. Cowin, of the Primitive
the Everetts
Firemen Called to Home of
James A. Leggett Sunday
Starting from an oil stove in
kitchen. Ore threatened the Ja
A. Leggett home on Watts Street last
Sunday morning at 10:50 o'clock.
The blaring stove was moved from
the wall am
other than
The lire de
there. but
Those Failing To
File Blanks Liable
To Be Prosecuted I
Local Office Reports More|
Than 400 Forms Are
Yet To Be Returned
Employees in this district have|
been very slow in entering their ap
plications for account numbers un
der the social security act, according
to information received from the Id
eal post office today. Around 800
workers have already entered their
applications, but there are approxi
mately 400 others who have not re
turned the forms properly filled in,
it was stated. Those who fail to
file applications are subject to prose
cution under the terms of the act,
and it is understood that every
worker in certain designated groups
will be forced to pay 1 per cent of
his salary up to a certain amount,
regardless of whether he wants to
or not. Employers will also be taxed j
to support the old-age benefit pro
gram whether or not their em
ployees apply for account numbers, |
it was pointed out.
The time is short for entering thel
applications, and immediate action |
may forestall any trouble or incon
venience later on, it is believed.
Farmers and domestic workers
are not included in the group, and
they do not have to apply for ac
count numbers.
Reports have it that many people
in this county are paying a small
fee to a certain man in Washington
City with the assurance that he will
do all he can to help them get a
pension. It has been stated there
is little that the certain man can do
to aid anyone get a pension, and it
is quite certain that anyone send
ing him money would do just asl
well to go into the street or road|
and throw it away.
Bear Grass Basketball
Girls Lose First Game I
The Bear Grass girls' basketball
team lost the first game of the
tsaeoo to Hobos susiville by a SO-to
18 score a few days ago. While the
girls lost, the Bear Grass boys add
ed another victory by delating the|
Robereonville youths It to 14.
Last Friday both of the Bearl
Grass teams scored victories, the]
girls winning by a one-point marg
in, S to SI, and the boys 22 to 11.
Bawls and Rogerson featured in
both games tor the Bear Crass girls
snd Rogers and Rawla for the boys.
Recently Jamasville forfeited a
double header to Bear Grass, II
aufasnalhaHy bewailing 2 to 0.]
I HKKK IVKW HKIJ1
FOR POSING AS
SECRET AGENTS
Arrested In Robersonville
Last Thursday By State
And County Officers
Charged with impersonating s
cret service officers and believed
wanted on very serious charges in
this and other states. Louis Jailer.
44, and Albert Lucks. 39. of New
Jersey; and Henry Berham. 29, ol
Long Island. N Y, were arrested
in Robersonville last Thursday
night by Lieutenant i Lester Jones
and W. S. Hunt, ol the highway
patrol, and Joe H. Roebuck, of the
sheriff's office. The three men. pos
sessing polished manners, are being
detained in the Martin County jail
temporarily pending an investiga
tion by agents of the Federal Bu
reau of Investigation
Lucks, a native Austrian, is si
to have married a Wluchard girl
from Robersonville about four years
ago in Florida^ and was visiting
Robersonville accompanied by his
two friends, who gave their names
as Berham and Jailer. Berham first
said his name was Kelvin Jacobs.
Officers are of the belief that the
three men were in this section try
ing to lure girls to the big cities for
immoral purposes, evidence found in
the possession of at least one of the
three indicating they are connected
with some white slave ring or that
they have a ring of their own.
Several years ago several girls are
said to have left this county for Mi
ami and New York and are believed
t obe associated with the three men
arrested last week One of the girls
had not been heard from in about
three weeks, the officers finding
letter in the suitcase of one of the
men that had been apparently
tercepted and never delivered to the
girl. The letter was written by
relative in this county, urging her
to write to her parents Berham
maintained, when questioned in jail
last Friday evening, she had left the
to live with a man in a New York
hotel. It was later learned that she
was in a New York hospital, offi
cers withholding reasons for her be
ing in the institution
County officers refused to com
ment on the case when questioned
today, but they are pushing for a
complete investigation and some
startling crime discoveries are pre
dicted by them. Numbers of long
distance calls have been made, ap
parently by parlies in New York, to
Edward N. Howell
Passes Mondav at
Poplar Point Home
Informal Tea Held at the
Rectory Following the
Church Service
Edward N. Howell, prominent
farmer and well-known county citi
zen of Poplar Point Township died
at his home there yesterday after
noon at 3 15 o'clock from a com
plication of ailments Mr Howell.
61 years of age. had been in declin
ing health for about 10 years, but
his condition was not considered crit
ical until about tarn weeks, when
he suffered a relapse, the end com
ing gradually.
The aon of the late Zeph and Sal
lie Thomas Howell, he was born and
reared in the Spring Green section
and spent all his life there with the
exception of one year in Edgecombe
and three years near Williamston
Mr. Howell was married twice, first
to Miss Anna Knox and next to
Mrs. Eetta Roebuck, both of wham
preceded him to the grave. He was
a member of the Free Will Baptist
church, was regarded as an upright
and hard-working citizen, and en
joyed a large friendship throughout
his section of the county He had
farmed all his life
?Flv* CWIdfen_ Mrs. Monroe Tay
lor, of Poplar Point; Mis. Edith
Crawford, of Gold Point; Roland.
Oscar and Gordon HoweU. all of
Poplar Point, survive He also
leaves one brother. John Howell, of
Greenville, and two sisters. Mrs
Vicey Edmondson, of this county,
and Mrs Mamie Croat. of
Rapids
Funeral aei
this afternoon by Bee. Tarn Pollard,
of the Free Will ]
interment followed
Thomas family
Willis Bullock Goes on Trial for
Killing Thos. Holliday in Robbefy
At Robersonville on November 22
Memorial Dedicated
At Episcopal Church
Bishop Thomas C.
Darst in Charge;
Governor Attends I
Hold Funeral Services Thisi
Afternoon; Interment
Near Hassell
An impressive service with Bish
op Thomas C Darst. of the Eastern
Carolina Diocese, in charge, was
held in the Church of the Advent
here Sunday afternoon at 3.30 o'
clock _ when memorials were conse
crated to the late Thomas B. Haugh
ton. rector of the church for more I
than a quarter of a century, and to |
the late Colonel and Mrs. Wilson G
Lamb, and to the late Mrs Ida Lamb |
Hassell Jeffries, wife of C. A Jef
fries. of Kinston. Mrs. Jeffries. a|
native of Williamston, was a mem-1
ber of this parish
Colonel Lamb was a leading fig
ure in the church here for half a I
century, much of the history of the |
palish centering around his activi
ties as layman and officer during |
that time
The ministry of Rev T B ll.iugh
ton during the 30 years he was rec
tor of the church here is remem
bered well by the older people of |
tl.e town
Following the service, a tea was
held at the home of Rev and Mrs.
E. F Moseley on Haughton Street,
a street named after the Rev Mr
Haughton.
The out-of-town guests in attend
ance included Governor and Mrs. J. |
C. B. Ehringhaus. Mrs. Matilda Eh
ringhaus Jolly. Haughton Ehring
haus, Mr and Mrs Spottswooc^ Boyd |
and Mrs. Edwin W Overby. of Ra
leigh: Mr. and Mrs Justin Randolpn,
Mr and Mrs. Norman Cordon and
Frank Bryan, of Washington. Also
Mr. and Mrs George C. Wood and
Benbury Wood, of Edenton; Mrs. W.
D Bradford Morton^ Mrs Malissa
Morton Clark, Mrs T. Henry Myers
and Mrs John Bonner, of Washing
ton. C. A. Jeffries. A. H. Jeffries. C
O Jeffries, and Mrs Ida Hassell I
Jcffi ics. Mr and Mrs. S. C. Sitter-1
?on and Mr. and Mrs. John Daw
son. all of Kinston; Luke Lamb. I
Wilson G Lamb and Wilson Iaiml>!
Bullock.
Kills Bear With Auto
Crank Near Jamesville\
James Rogers, colored, killed an
80-pound black bear with an auto
mobile crank about 3 miles below
Jamesville early last night. Rog
ers struck the bear with a car onl
the highway and stunned the beast I
Taking an automobile crank, Rogers |
killed the animal as he started drag
ging himself into the road. A sec
ond bea'r escaped from the path of J
Bnfs* tar ?
Reports state that bears have reg
ular paths leading across the high
way in that section and that several I
have been killed recently by hunters [
there.
Cash Needed Now To Insure
Christmas Joy Drive Success
)*T drive
?Tt
af eertsia mm
leys VB HTIi
part is afort aad sflered
jr, a review af the ae
dearly
iK lac I In ?n Mdllm mt life
aad a few articles without
which the ^Mt af CkiWm is
rmrj, el
8 SHOPPING DAYS
There are only eight more
shopping days before Christ
mas and that day just cannot
be postponed. So shop now if
yoo will make the little ones in
the home happy on Christmas
day and add to the spirit of the
holiday season by selecting gifts
for friends and relatives. WU
liamston stores have thousands
of appropriate gifts to select
from this season, so remember
the home merchants in these last
tew days before the day of days
arrives.
EXTEND TIME TO
APPLY FOR SOIL
PLAN PAYMENTS
Farmers Who Have Failed
To Enter Applications,
Urged To Sign Now
With 75 per cent already entered,
the office of the county agent is mak
ing the last call for applications fori
soil conservation payments, the time
for receiving the applications hav
ing been extended on account of un
favorable weather last week. Any
farmer .who is qualified to partici
pate in the payment distribution and
who has not applied for his payment
is urged to do so immediately. De
lay in filing application for the pay
ment will mean a delay in the dis
tribution of the money. Applica
tions are being made in the office of
the county agent.
The 75 per cent w ho have already
applied for payments represents a
bout 800 farmers, the office of the
county agent stating that approxi
mately 1150 farmers are eligible to
participate in the soil payment dis
tribution
Around 500 of the applications re
ceived last week have been forward
ed to Raleigh, and as soon as they
are checked there, checks will be
picpared for distribution. None of
the conservation money will be
ready for distribution within the
next few weeks, it is believed.
Ford Coupe Belonging To
M. L. Barnes. Stolen Here
The Ford coupe belonging to As
sistant County Agent M. L Barnes
was stolen from in front of his home
on Haughton Street last Sunday eve
ning No trace of the car has been
found.
Parent-Teacher Croup To
Postpone Meet To January
It was announced today that the
parent, teacher association meeting
originally scheduled for this week
would not be held, due to examina
tions being underway at the local
school. The next meeting will be
held in January, it was stated by
Mrs. John F. Thigpen.
Watson Is Expected
To Testify Against
Him During Trial
Alvin W. Watson To Go
On Trial for His Life
Tomorrow Morning
Willis Bullock, young white man
ot Robersonville charged in the
first degree with the murder of
Thomas Holliday, young man at a
filling station in Robersonville on
November 22, went on trial for hi*
life in the Martin County Superior
Court here this morning, the wheels
of justice turning slowly while the
stage was set for hearing the grap
hic details of one of the most brutal
killings recorded in the crime an
nals of this munty For three hour*
after court convened at 9:30, a spec
ial venire of SO men and member*
of the regular jury were examined
for jury service in one of the few
cases that has been called in this
county in recent years carrying a
possible death penalty.
The State accepted all but six of
the men called for jury service, but
the defense, represented by At
torney Haul D. Roberson, junior
member of the Martin County bar,
rejected 38. At 12:40 this after
noon, the jury, made up entirely of
farmers from Goose Nest, Poplar
Point, Williams, Jamesville and
Griffins Townships, was completed.
The first man acceptable to both
sides Was Farmer laktan X Hardi
son, of Williams Township. He was
followed into the box by E. W.
Jones, of Poplar Point, the name* of
the other jurors being. W. Robert
Everett_ Fred White, L R. Beech,
Jasper H. Harrell. L H. Lilley, Geo.
C. Griffin. Chas. Pate. P. E. Man
ning, H. Z Hyman and M. E. Hy
man
Judge Barnhill. presiding, did not
order a recess after the jury was
chosen although the dinner hour
had been reached for some. Eleven
witnesses were immediately sworn
in, J. B Whitehurst. einplovec at a
filling station where young Holli
day's lifeless body was found early
in the morning of November 22, tak
ing the stand first. The case had
not progressed very far, however,
before Judge Barnhill ordered a re
cess for lunch.
While the State is expected to of
fer considerable testimony, includ
ing that of J. J. McCarthy, of the
Federal Bureau of Investigation lab
oratories, Washington, D. C., it I*
apparently depending on Alvin W.
Watson, charged with murder in
(Continued on the back pags)
Mrs. J. F. Nicholson
Dies at Home Near
Here Last Friday
Last Rites Are Conducted
By Elder Wm. Grimes
Saturday Afternoon
Mrs. Martha L Nicholson, widow
of Joseph F. Nicholson, died at her
home on the McGaskey road, near I
here, last Friday evening at 9 o'
clock from an attack of pneumonia.
Mrs. Nicholson, 73 years old, was
very active around her home until -
a little oyer a week ago, when she r
was taken sick.
She was the daughter of the late
William Keel and wife, Louise Jolly
Keel, and had lived in this county
all her life. She had many friends
throughout this section and was
held in high esteem by all who
knew her. She was the mother of
a large family, to whom die had de
voted tender care, pnaetasing an un
derstanding that endeared her to her
children and friends.
Eight children. Mias Myrtle Nich
olson, Mrs. Laura Taylor. Mrs. Effie
Gardner, and Luther. Will, Eli. Joe
and Grover Nicholson all of WU
Mrs Nicholson never joined I
church, but she eras a believer
the Primitive Baptist faith, and
dcr William Granaa. of that
ination, conducted the laat riles
the late home Sunda
X o'clock. Burial waa in the