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VOLUME XLII?NUMBER 22 Williamston, Martin County. North Carolina. Friday, March 17, 1939. ESTABLISHED 1899
Special Religious
Program Comes to
Close Here Today
>
Dr. Waiter Johnson Speaks
To Ministers in the
Baptist Church
Last night closed the series ol
evening services conducted by Rev.
Henry B. Anderson and today at
noon closes the fellowship services
of the mornings and afternoons of
the week. The busy ministers have
come and gone but the conferences
have been attended by an average
of about fifteen each day. A note of
vital interest in making God real has
been sounded in the Baptists
throughout the' Southland and the
State leaders and pastors in North
Carolina are anxious to cooperate
in emphasizing first of all, the Lord
ship of Jesus in the churches. The
pastors are ready, or they are trying
to get ready, for the Lord to have
control of them. The interesting fea
ture of this retreat in Williamston
was this: Men of God, confused with'
the problems of the time and won
dering if there is a way out, have
been questing for the best that they
might share it with their people.
Dr. Walter N. Johnson, the great
stewardship teacher of our state, has
pointed the way out to us as follows
God real to us again. God real in
our immediate" situation,' the" team1"
ing of His disciples together in the
Spirit of Jesus to do what He wants
done.
He says a heavenly cowardice has
got into our churches and that we
need to call people to struggle ra
ther than to refuge. We are in an
unfinished universe and God wants
us to go on an adventure with him
in perfecting it . . . that is, our privi
lege is that of helping His children
to develop and bringing His king
dom on earth. We need power to
take hold of wheels, hammers, saws
and instruments in the hands of our
church people and we ought to be
more concerned about the lost in
side our churches than about those
on the outside if we are to have a
spiritual awakening, where it ought
to begin.
The ministers have been cordial
ly received and entertained among
us and they express their gratitude
to the good people here. We hop^
there might be a similar assembly
here a year hence.?Reported.
Judge Scores Hit
In Handling Case
Against Repeater
???
Court Handles Eight Cases
And Adjourns Until ?
April 3
Few weeks pass in the county rec
order's court but what there isn't an
unusual case to break the monotony
of the proceedings that generally
are of like nature week after week
and month after month. Last Mon
day it was the case charging Clyde
Silverthoroe, Williamston man, with
assaulting his wife and getting
drunk.
Silverthorne, a World War vet
eran, was jailed last week for chok
ing his wife, the mother of a six
day-old child, and dragging her out
of the bed. He is alleged to have at
tempted to land a blow with a
wrench on an officer's head. A
source of worry to the members of
law profession. Defendant Silver
thorne attempted his own defense.
Fellow prisoners in the jail coached
him the best they could, and when
the showdown came before Judge
Peel, Monday, Silverthorne did as
much in his own behalf p any law
yer could do under the circum
stances. He entered a plea of nolo
contendre, and quizzed the prose
cuting witnesses after a profession
al pattern.
The sad feature of the case was
the appearance of the defendant's
two small children. For many
months they are known to have wit
neased frequent attacks upon their
mother by the man, but directed
possibly by love for their daddy or
possibly through fear, they offered
testimony advantageous to him.
A climax was reached in the case
when Judge Peal made ready to
pronounce judgment which was de
layed through the trial of several
other cases. Silverthorne, with tears
in his eyas, directed an able plea to
the judge, calling attention to the
testimony offered by the two small
girls, and pointing out that the ar
resting officer was not at the scene
of the alleged crime. Judge Peel
listened to the defendant with pa
tience, but the facta surrounding
the crime urged him to action and
he bote down on Silverthorne, or
(Continued on page tfx)
Renewed Activity Reported
On Sweet Potato Mart Here
After a several weeks' period of
little activitj^the sweet potato mar
ket here showed renewed life thia
week when strong competition de
veloped and a stronger demand was
notieed. Quotations, ranging as high
as 95 cents, were quoted a number
of farmers, reports stating that the
crop is now moving to the market
from this county in a comparative
ly large way.
An unofficial report on marketing
activities gained here today shows
that approximately 21,0^0 bushels
of potatoes have been moved by
rain from this point to date, and
that approximately 50,000 bushels
have been moved from the county
by truck. Reliable reports indicate
that not more than 75 per cent of the
crop in this county nas been sold
and placed on the market.
The Corbett Package Company,
after going of
eral weeks ago, returned this week
and its buyers are planning to ship
several carloads during the next
few days. Individual truckers have
scoured "the county, but reliable re
ports maintain that farmers make
more money by selling to establish
ed markets. The margin of profit
depends to some extent upon the
quality of the potatoes, of course.
"1 sold a quantity of potatoes to
truckers for 57 1-2 cents a bushel
without the basket. I have been of
fered 95 cents a bushel w ith the bas
ket for the remainder of the crop
Figure the difference, allowing about
13 cents for each basket," Farmei
VISITORS
A representative group of stu
dents from the New Jersey State
Teachers' College are planning
to visit Williamston on Tuesday,
April 11. Mayor John L. Hassell
was advised yesterday. Appar
ently interested in places of his
torical interest and general eco
nomic and social conditions, the
young teachers are making a
tour of this entire section of the
State. ?
Scheduled to come here from
Plymouth on the afternoon of
the Uth, the fair ladies will be
welcomed by Mayor J. L. Has
sell who will call on the town's
old historian, Warren H. Biggs,
to show them the "high spots."
Plans To Transfer
Slate Test Farms
Fail in Committee
Action Is Likely To Draw
Farm Element Into
Politics
e
By a vote of 22 to 11. the House
Agriculture Committee in Raleigh
this yf'k ?""fused to favor a bill in
troduced last week by Representa
tive Fernando Whit, of Chowan, or
| dering the transfer of State test
farms from the Department of Agri
culture to the State College Exten
sion Division The minority group,
favoring thi* transfer and working
to get the bill from committee to the
floor of the house, said a report
would be filed by the eleven mem
bers.
The test farm squabble has both
ered the joint agriculture commit
tee of the legislature all session.
Representative Mull, of Cleveland,
speaking ayninst the hill and for an
amendment to prevent transfer of
agriculture funds if the farms were
transferred, said the measure would
result in "farmers putting up mon
ey for the operalion or siate col
lege We have no more control over
the operation of the college under
the Greater University than we have
over the moon."
Worthington, of Pitt, charged
that the measure was "brought here
by one organization which found it
self unable to control and regulate
the Department of Agriculture." He
did not identify the organization but
earlier in the session legislators
heard charges that the transfer of
the test farms was being agitated by
the Farm Bureau Federation.
In an address before the Martin
County Farm Bureau here a week
ago today, E. F Arnold, secretary of
the State Farm organization, left the
impression that if the committee
failed to give the White bill a fav
orable report some "talking would
be done," before the next elections
It is apparent then that farmers will
push the organization of their ranks
and make ready for what appears to
be their entry into the political field.
At least the future action will be in
teresting.
The statement of Pitt County's
representative, S. O. Worthington,
is not "setting" well with a number
of Martin farmers who are not so
much interested in who heads the
agricultural activities of the State
so long as they get results. "We are
getting tired of paying taxes on fer
tilizer, seed and nearly every other
article under the sun, and having
the politicians to handle the money
without the consent or even the ad
vice of the farmers," a county land
owner said this morning. Another
added that it was his belief that the
farmers should run the department
rather than a bunch of irresponsible
politicians, the farmer referring to
such men as O. M. Mull, one-time
champion of democracy as head of
the Democratic party in this the
great State of North Carolina, and
other members of the Agriculture
Committee opposing the transfer of
the test farms.
Su|>ervisor Grimes
Names List-Takers
For Nine Districts
List-Takers Will Not Meet
Until Wednesday,
April 5 *
The work: of the 1938 county tax
list-takers was formally approved
this week when County Tax Super
visor S. H. Grimes reappointed the
same group to handle the work this
year. One appointment, that of Mr.
Gordon G. Bailey, of Cross Roads,
is pending his recovery from a long
illness. If Mr. Bailey's health does
not permit him to accept the
appointment. the list-taker's post
will be assigned either to W. F
Crawford or George Taylor, Jr., who
have their applications before the
tax supervisor.
In eight of the ten townships, the |
old list-takers were the only ones
to ask reappointment. In Williams
Township where three filed for thel
job, Tax Supervisor Grimes an
nounced today that the old list-tak
er had been reappointed with the
approval of representatives of the
board of county commissioners.
The list of list-takers for nine of
O. W. Hamilton, Jamesville, L. J
Hardison, Williams; George C. Grif i
fin. Griffins; A. B Ayers, Bear
Grass; H. M. Burras, Williamston;
H. S. Everett, Robersonville; L. G.
! Taylor, Poplar Point; L. R. Everett,
j Hamilton; J. A. Ilawls, Goose Nest.
A joint meeting of the tax super
visor, list-takers and representatives
of the board of commissioners
scheduled to be held next Monday (
has been postponed until Wednes-1
day, April 5, Tax Supervisor S. H
Grimes explaining that the grand
jury and superior court would be in
session next week, leaving the jail
as about the only place for the tax
authorities to meet
Instructions for handling the list
i ing work will be given and a_dcii
nite schedule of values determined
at the meeting to be held on April
i 5. No matrial change in the old
schedule is predicted, and no size
able increase in property values is
} expected since no new valuation is
being considered in the county ffiis
year.
Light Poultry Loadings
Are Reported In County
Light deliveries to the coopera
tive poultry car were reported at
three points this week, County
Agent T. B. Brandon stating that
less than 7,000 pounds of the barn
yard fowls had been received by the
car during its stops at Jamesville,
Williamston and Robersonville.
Jamesville loaded 1,126 pounds, Wil
liamston, 4,558 and Robersonville,
1,121 pounds.
?
Accident Victim Rapidly
Recovering In Hospital
After running a temperature of
105 degrees and lying at the point
of death all last Tuesday night,
young Jimmy Mitchell, victim of a
main street accident here early last
week, is now recovering rapidly in
a Washington hospital. He regained
consciousness last Wednesday eve-,
ning, and is expected home within
a week or ten days.
SPRING
Next Tuesday mark* the be
(Inninc of sprlnc, by the calen
dar, of course. There'll be a few
more dayi borderinc on the
chilly ride, but when the calen
dar makers mf iprtaf h here,
one ana look ant far warm days
Sap ie ririni la the trees and
adding, the bright
to the
the spring artist already
Makes Able Talk
To Kiwanis Club
Here Last Night
Dr. O. H. Benson Offers Ki
wanians Valuable
Suggestions
Thursday evening in the regular
meeting of the Williamston Kiwanis
Club Dr. O. H Benson, a national
leader in Boy Scout activities and
an authority on rural scouting, was
the principal speaker
Dr Benson, who has been for
more than thirty years connected
with some national set-up that in
volved youth, pointed out some very
valuable suggestions on the use of
boy's free time He related his ex
pe nonce?as?a?county suporinten ?
dent of schools in Wright County.
Iowa, wherein he attempted to solve
this problem insofar as he was able
In order to utilize this free time
there was organized Four-H clubs in
each of the 328 schools in the coun
ty. The youths were induced to en
ter some project and carry it out.
much as is done in 4-H club work
in your county Dr. Benson was so
successful that his work attracted
the attention of Dr. Knapp of the
lederal government who was en
deavoring to do something to relieve
the areris in the 12 southern states
suffering from the effects of boll
weevil Dr. Benson went to Wash
ington and thence to Texas and oth
er states in the South. The boys ac
cepted the challenge and much of
their free time was spent in com
bating this sweeping menace.
The most dangerous years of a
growing boy are tlnwe between ten
and eighteen. The use they make
of their free time during this impor
tant period will leave permanent
character traits. There are about
628,000 boys and girls between the
ages of 10-18 in our prisons Many
of this number would not be there,
according to tin* speaker, if they
had known some fine, upstanding
and noble men in their community
Not having the opportunity of
knowing them they had met up
with the low-brows and the bums
around the congregating places in
their communities and had learned
the vicious things that lead to crime
and prison. During his thirty years
of service, Dr. Benson has visited
more than three hundred men who
have been condemned to death in
prisons in every state. "I have ask
ed these men three very definite
questions," said Dr. Benson, "and
their replies have been almost the
same." "When was yaur first crime?"
usually to 10 to 12 years of age
From whom did you learn about
crime?" always, some man What
do you attribute your becoming a
criminal?" usually, because 1 nev
er knew decent and respectable
men.
The"speaker said scouting offered
the means through its procedures to
bring boys into vital contact with
the best men of their communities
and area, during this most impor
tant period of their lives, and that
the real importance of earning mer
it badges was not in getting some
insignus, but that of bringing rfrp~
boys into touch with the vital men
who were their instructors and ex
aminers in merit badge projects.
Dr. Benson made a strong apolo
gy for scouting and its worthwhile
use of the free time of boys during
their most impressionable years
Many visitors were in attendance
Some from the Baptist ministers
group and several Lions. Charles
Bowers, manager of Belk-Tyler. was
presented his Kiwanis pin and made
a member of the club. The local
club will visit the Rocky Mount
club next month in a district meet
ing.
Former Teacher
Dies In Arkansas
Mrs. W. T. Person, a former teach
er in the local schools and a sister
of Mrs. Jesse T. Whitley, of this
place, died in a Lake Village, Ar
kansas, hospital last night of pneu
monia. Taken ill a few days ago
with influenza, Mrs Person was re
moved to the hospital early Wed
nesday, pneumonia developing. Fun
eral services will be held in the Ar
kansas town tomorrow afternoon
ahd interment will follow in the city |
cemetery there.
Mrs. Person was Miss Gladys
Benjamin before her marriage. She
taught school here in 1926 and
tirade many filends in this connmip
ity, and news of her death came as a
decided shock to local friends and
relatives. Besides her sister here,
she is survived by one daughter, Mr.
Person end her mother and father,
Mr. and Mrs. H. C. Benjamin, of
Lake Village.
Parents- Teachers For
Added "School Month
Mem 1 M r Of Sehool
Board Addresses
Group Wednesda\
Need for Added Month Is
Pointed Out By
R. L. Coburn
An added month to the regular
school term in this district was giv
en unanimous support by a goodly
number of local patents and teach
ers in a regular meeting of their
organisation in the grammar achool
building last Wednesday afternoon.
The meeting, presided over by Mrs.
| A J. Osteen, president, was devoted
largely to a discussion of the plan
for adding an extra month to tin4
tegular eight months term now sup
ported by the State.
Mr. H. L. Coburn, chairman of the
local school committee, spoke in
support of the plan In explaining
the bill recently introduced in the
! legislature with the sanction of the
board of commissioners, Mr. Coburn
stated that it merely provided for
the expression of the mind nf the
people at the polls. "Should suffi
cient interest be evidenced," said Mr I
Coburn, "a request for an election
will be made."
The need for additional schooling
was stressed by pointing out the dif
ficulties confronting not only grad
uates who enroll m college but
those who have insufficient preparS
tion to cope with life's situations.
"When one considers the fact that
about seventy-five per cent of oui
graduates receive all of their form
al training within our schools, it be
comes evident that we are not pre
paring them adequately for life
"The addition of an extra month'
will through the course of the child's
school life add eleven months ot
schooling, making possible a total
of 01) months as compared to the
present 88. Considered on this basis
the addition of the extra month will
add ;t yi-ar and thrf*? numtiw Q. tt>?.
present offering. This with the ad
dition of more vocational training,
should prepare our young people to
take their places in the world," Mr.
Coburn concluded.
Mrs. J. F. Thigpen in speaking of
the proposal, pointed out the fact
that it would mean much to chil
dren beginning school, particularly
those m the primary grades. In re
ferring to inadequate preparation
for college, she cited the large num
ber of local students now enrolled
in preparatory schools
At the conclusion nf ?'"? d""MP
sion, Mrs. Osteen asked for an ex-1
prcssion of opinion from the asso
ciation, and,, hy n large.-majorityr
those present expressed themselves
as favoring the plan
Soil Checks Received
For Farmers Of Couth
More than $37,100 is being distri
-uted to -344 farmers in 4he corn
this week, the office of the court
fcgent explaining that approximat
ly $135,000 was yet due under t
soil conservation program.
On Tuesday, nearly $15,000 in s<
conservation checks were receiv
and the money is being handed o
rapidly. While no other checks ha
been received since Tuesday, ad<
tional ones are expected daily
Escapes Camp, Martin
Colored Man Rearrested
Jasper Wiggins, Martin County
colored man who was serving a two
to-three year road sentence in a
Bladen County camp was re-arrest -
ed early last night following his es
cape with two other prisoners from
the camp early yesterday morning.
Wiggins, still in stripes after a
year in the service, sawed his way
to freedom, but was captured in
Fayetteville just a few hours later.
AUCTION gALES
Introduced in thin section Just
a short time ago, the livestock
auction market maintained by
the Williamston Stockyard, Inc.,
is raining an increasing atten
tion throughout this territory.
Changing its sale day from
Wednesday to every Tuesday,
the management explains that
new buyers have been added to
Ui market, including Swift end
Co., Richmond Market, of Rich
mood; Greenburg Market of
Danville; Neuholf Market, of
Salem. Vs.; Williams Market, of
Oroenvllle; Graves Market, of
Washington. and Robersoa's
Market, of Williamston.
JURIST
Judge ('. Everett Thompson,
popular member of the North
Carolina Su|H?rior Court bench,
will preside over the two weeks
term of superior court conven
ing here next week. The jurist
is from Elizabeth City.
Fishing Delayed
By lli^li ^ aters
In Roanoke Riyei
Fleming Plans To Start]
Seine Operations
Next Week
Seine fishing, ordinarily under
way at this time rn the Roanoke
River, is being delayed by high wa
aterfl m the stream. Mr C C. Flem
ing stating yesterday that the bat
tery at Janiesville was still under
water and that it would possibly be
the latter part of next week before
he could start operations there
Th huge net, costing several thou
sand dollars, has been tarred and
made ready for use, the fishery op
erator stating that he could not tell]
definitely when he would be able to!
start operations until he could ex
amine the battery after the high wa
tors recede and determine the ex
tent o 1 repairs that will be necessary
to the plant It is possible that the
net will be dipped into tins water for
the first time on next Thursday.
Reports from the Hampton fisher
ies in the lower part of the county,
near Plymouth, state that the nets]
have nut lwi-n m:uli? ri?mly fur I
and that fishing operations there an
not likely to get underway before)
week after nevf ?
Preparing for his 41st season at]
not offer a prediction when asked |
what were the prospects for a fav
orable season at the Janiesville fish
ery this year "One can never telll
what to expect," the fisherman who|
is now well in his seventies, aukF
The law of averages is in Mi
Fleming's favor, however, and a
very successful season is due Last |
year, the fishery netted around a
half million herrings, or about one
fourth of a normal catch for a sea
son About seven seasons ago, thej
fisher# operator's luck came in on |
an ill wiyd Fish were taken in fair
ly large numbers, but they were--so
small that the plant workers called I
them Hoover herrings. High waters)
have interrupted the fishing opera
tions for weeks during the main J
fishing periods in several seasons]
since that time. In other years, thei
fish did not come up the stream in]
plaining that it had been some time
since he dipped up a normal catch]
of about two million herrings in
single season.
County Officers Wreck
Two Liquor Distilleries
-?????
Branching out into u wid<- terri
tory this week, Special Officer J. II
Roebuck and assistant, Julian Roe
buck, captured two liquor stills and
arrested two men ?
Going into the Hassell section of
Hamilton Township last Tuesday,
the officers found and wrecked a
50 gallon capacity copper still and
poured out about 200 gallons of beer.
Wednesday afternoon in the Free
Union section of Jamcsville Town
ship, the officers wrecked a 75-gal
?capacity?coppei?kettle and
poured out 700 gallons of beer. Er
nest Boston and Harry James, col
ored, were arrested. A third man
at the plant escaped.
Boston and Jamas are slated for
trial in the county court the early
part of April.
Peanut Theft Riii"
Believed Broken
Bv Gountv Officers
?
Two Local CuluieU Men Ar
rested Yesterday
Afternoon
A peanut theft ring, operating in
j?t-least two counties, was believed
to have been broken yesterday af
ternoon with the arrests of Herbeit
Brown, colored preacher and truck
driver, and Jeff Whitehurst, anoth
et local colored man Johnny Jones,
Bertie colored man, who stands
charged with cooperating with the
two alleged thieves, has not been ar
rested
Believed to have started opera
tions curly this year, the group is
charged with the theft of about 140
bags of peonuts from a local stor
age house, officers believing the
group is also implicated in the theft,
of a few bags of goobers from far
mers in the upper part of the coun
ty
Arresting Brown and Whitehurst
here yesterday afternoon, Sheriff
C B Roebuck and Officer J. H.
Allsbrooks are still working on the
case in an effort to uncover infor
mation that will clear up a series
of robberies. Whitehurst denies the
robbery charges, but Brown, realiz
ing the law is fastened tightly to
have got the old sly fox thus time."
With Whitehurst and Brown in
charge of the robberies. Jones was
placed in charge of sales. Using
Jones' truck. Brown and Whitehurst
would steal a few bags of peanuts
from storage in the Planters Ware
house and deliver them to the base
in Bertie: Jones would sell in var
ious farmers' names.
| Some time during Wednesday
night, the robbers loaded about thir
ty bags of peanuts on Farmer John
ny Gurkin's freight truck and de
livered them to Bertie The peanuts
were sold yesterday, but officers re
covered the money and peanuts.
^ Whitehurst was said to have made
the delivery alone, and operating
the truck without oil. he had trou
ble with the engine The machine
was deserted near the Main and
Kim Street intersection oarlv vaster
day morning, and officers soon es
tablished a clue that led to the ar
rest of the two men. A hearing will
be held in the case by Justice J. L.
Hassell this evening at 7 o'clock.
In addition to the peanut robber
ies, two other similar eases were
filed with the sheriff's office yester
day and today. Some one broke into
Arthur Harrison's filling station in
Bear Grass Wednesday night and
stole a few cigarettes and other ar
ticles. Last, night some one broke
into the country store of L) A. Lee
in Bear Grass Township and stole
a lew dollaiV worth of canned
goods
Twenty-Two Cases
Slated For Trial
In Superior Court
Judge Thompson to Preside
Over Term Beginning
Next Monday
A medium-sized docket and one
of very little public interest faces
Judge C Everett Thompson, of
Kli/ubclh City, when he opens a
two weeks' term of Martin County.
.Superior Court next Monday. White
the docket is slightly larger than
the average for the past two or three
terms of the court, the cases sched
uled for trial are not likely to com
mand very much public attention, '
Members pf the Martin County
bar association apparently expect
ing a quits disposition of the crim
inal docket have scheduled civil
cases for trial next Tuesday, the
second day of the term. The addi
tion of quite a number of cases dur
ing the past few weeks and since
the civil calendar was prepared is
likely to carry the criminal docket
into a second-day trial and delay
civil case proceedings.
Judge Thompson, just a short
time on the superior court bench,
comes to hold his first term of court
in this county next week.
Quite a few of the cases were ap
pealed from the county court, and
a large percentage of the defendants
stand charged with larceny.
The docket:
Willie June Williams and James
Hunter, breaking and entering. The
defendants were bound over to the
superior court by ? justice of?the
peace.
S. E. Parker, drunken driving, ap
peal from the county court.
H. W. Spruill appealed to the
higher court whan he was edludgBd.
guilty of drunken driving and fined
(Continued on page six)