North Carolina Newspapers

l\ FAT VAT WAE | Jb BOND DAT nor smoM—SAn mum THE ENTERPRISE OVER THE TOR FOR VICTORY Kith UNITED STATES WAR 80NDS-STAMPS i» VOLUME XLVI—NUMBER 99 William*ton. Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, December 14, 1943. ESTABLISHED 1899 Indications Again ^Point Tg Invasion —*— Stubborn Fighting Continues in Italy; Russians Gaining initiative at Kiev -» After talking for weeks and months about a possible attack on Hitler’s European Fortress from the West, observers, without any official mili tary authority, are now voicing the belief that an invasion of the Balkan territory is in the making. Much of the talk is based on the transfer of General Patton to Cairo where he is believed to be conferring with lead ers directly interested in any propos ed move that would carry an inva sion force into that, territory. There has been speculation as to the next assignment of General Pat ton’s Seventh Army since the com pletion of the campaign in Sicily. It is thought that some of the Seventh was infiltrated into the Fifth Army forces in Italy, but the main Seventh apparently has been lost to the pub lic eye since the Sicilian campaign. In Italy, despite rain and mud, bit ter fighting is in progress with Montgomery's men forging dogged ly ahead on the Adriatic end of the line. The American Fifth on the oth er end has broken up several at tempted German counterattacks. Following a month of reverses in the Kiev sector, the Russians are now believed to have stalled the Germans and apparently are taking the initiative. Driven from several inhabited points on Sunday, the Germans yes terday launched heavy tank and in fantry counterattack! south of Ma lin, 58 miles northwest of Kiev. They were hurled back by Gen. Nikolai F. Vatutin’s First Ukraine Army, which delivered counter-blows of its own and improved its positions, commun iques broadcast by the Moscow radio announced. A supplementary Moscow broad cast late last night declared that the month-long German drive toward Kiev, whirh met its first real setback Sunday, "net only has been frustrat ed but the Germans have been press ed back,” The war bulletins announced that inside the big Dnieper Bend, Gen. Ivan S. Konev’s Second Ukraine Army captured a number of unspe cified points in tightening a pincers around the rail and industrial city of Kirovograd. Konev’s right wing, moving westward from Kremenchug along the Dnieper, scooped up five fortified towns in a drive that re sulted in the capture of Cherkassy, according to an order of the day re leased this morning by Stalin. A thousand Germans were killed and eleven German tanks were wrecked in Monday’s Kirovograd Kremenchug fighting, the only other fronts besides Malin on which ma jor engagements were fought. Moscow reports hinted, however, that major Soviet operations might be imminent on all fronts. A Mos cow broadcast last night said that “operations of far-reaching impor tance are developing west of Krem enchug a..d in the Kirovograd diree (Continued on page six) Ship Bundles For Relief Of Greeks Twenty-two boxes, containing some twelve or fourteen hundred garments, are being shipped to es tablished headquarters in New York for transocean shipment for the re lief of suffering Greek citizens in the stricken country. ,Mrs. O. S. Anderson, who handled the project, explained that the gar ments donated by local merchants and individual citizens here and in the community, had a value of possi bly $VdO or more The shipment in cludes several men’s new suits, quite a few new dresses and ten ladies' coats right out of stock. The cloth ing for the most part was highly serv iceable and will certainly relieve suf fering for quite a few stricken Greek people, it was explained. Late reports from Greece state that possibly one out of every three Greek citizens has fallen victim of tuberculosis as a result of malnutri tion,'that Greek warriors hobbled on crutches from hospitals attired only in pajamas given they while they were receiving limited medical at tention. In October, one report stat ed that 1,800 people were dying weekly in a single city as a result of starvation, that possibly that figure will approximate 3,-600 now. —t Report Fine Farm Meeting in Chicago Returning early last Sunday morn ing from the national Farm Bureau Federation meeting in Chicago, Messrs. C. L. Daniels, Sr., E. V. Smith, D. V. Clayton, Carl Griffin and J. Lir.wood Knowles, represent ing this county, stated that it wfas a splendid eonventicn, that the trip was greatly enjoyed. Farmer Griffin got a bit bus sick while traveling over the mountains, but, as soon as he shook the Martin County sand ^ff his shoes, he held .his ov.’n svitfc tii? group ■ - ' ' 'rrppiJi ??iiTiy'\riJc»itrpu«*_'ieS'Tmufce in this county during recent months will be iittie changed,’’ R. H. Good man, chairman of the local county board said today in commenting on recent instructions received from Se lective Service. It was pointed out that fathers were at the bottom of the list, that all other available men had been called in this county, that it was impossible to meet the month ly quotas without dipping into the list of fathers. “Now, it is possible that mole changes will be ordered in the fu ture, but for the present our instruc tions are to maintain virtually with out change the policies in effect these past several months,” Mr. Goodmon added. That is, all youths becoming eighteen years of age who are not eligible for farm classifica tions or deferments will be placed ahead of fathers in the draft list. All single men and non-fathers whose deferments expire from time to time will be called ahead of fathers. “But this is what we have been doing for several months,” the draft board chairman said. While new regulations may be adopted that will call for drastic changes, current instructions say nothing about calling all single men Between the ages of’i§* and 22 years irrespective of their jobs. Farmers, as long as they maintain their pro duction units, v’iP. retain their “C” classifications. It was strongly suggested in the directive, however, that deferments and “C” classifications are to be scrutinized more closely with the view of calling those who are not measuring up to their obligations be fore fathers are called. It was also pointed out that deferments have been and are being based strictly on a list of critical jobs adopted by Se lective Service, has been and is still being deferred. The instructions just received here and which were wide ly interpreted, say nothing about changing these rules and regulations. Accompanying the instructions was a sheet showing the amounts a father’s dependents are entitled to under the allotment act. It is just one of those ironies of fate that such information should be included in the same letter carrying instructions for “delaying" the induction of fath ers. During the meantime, the draft board in this county has been in instructed to get possibly more men ready to answer the January draft call than were sent in answer to the current month call. ROUND-UP Last week-end was a quiet per iod on the crime front in this immediate section. Only two per sons were arrested and jailed during that time, the number reaching about the lowest point recorded in recent weeks. One was charged with being drunk and the other was charg ed with larceny and receiving. One was white and the other was colored, the gase being 27 and 37 years. Date Set For The Delivery of Truck Gasoline Rations * —»— Institution* To Register Soon For General Food Rations In This County Gasoline rations for trucks and based on certificates filed with the Office of Defense Transportation will be made available to the owners on and after Tuesday, December 28, it was announced by the County War Price and Rationing Board to day. According to a representative of the board, the “T” or truck gas rations were to have been mailed to (he owners, but so many trucks have changed hands without proper no tice being given the board that de livery by mail was ruled out. The owners will call for the rations be ginning December 28 at the ration ing board office in the county agri cultural building. The new truck gas rations become effective Jan uary 1st. Beginning on Wednesday of next week, December 15th, institutional users will register for general food rations. Applications are being mail ed direct to the institutions, includ ing hosptals, boarding houses, cafes and hotels. The operators of the in stitutions are asked to prepare the applications and mail or deliver them to the rationing board. If the appli cation forms are properly prepared, the food certificates will be mailed to the applicant maaiftfe a Rto the board unnecessary, it was explain ed. Considt able trouble has been ex perienced in recovering ration books from the men entering the armed services where no ration books are necessary. Arrangements have been made by federal authorities to have the names of all men entering the services turned over to the rationing board with the expectation that con tacts will be made in an effort to re cover the books. In those cases where deaths occur in a family, the ration authorities re e'entiy d'eiivered- ■ 'sjwe-iai envelopes with the undertakers, asking them to leave one with the bereaved fam ily with instructions for mailing the deceased person’s ration book to (Continued on page six) NO CHARGE * For the first time in years, it not in the history of the Martin County Superior Court, no charge was delivered to the grand jury here yesterday. Explaining to the jurymen, that they had already received instructions at a previous term for handling their duties, Judge Walter Bone, of Nashville, said that he had talked with officers and that no new conditions had arisen that should be called to their attention, Several jurymen were late, and the judge issued a warning, adding that from now on it would be a mighty good rule to be here Armed Forces Take Eighteen More Men From Martin County » — Few Men Accepted from the Deeember Call To Have Holiday At Home ———• Out of an estimated thirty-one Martin County white men reporting to an Army induction center the lat ter part of November, eighteen were accepted. A nineteenth man was ten tatively accepted, but his name could not be learned. It is understood that this man will make the return ti ip possibly the latter part of January with the virtual assurance that he will be accepted. Out of the group one was accepted for service in the Coast Guard. He is the first man to answer a draft call and be accepted by the Coast Guard. The following seven men were ac cepted by the Navy: Clayton LeRoy Revels, James Marshall Stewart, Dennis Earl Hardy, Cecil McCullen Weeks, James Royal Carson, Elmer Loree McLawhorn and Herbert Grif fin Leggett. Stewart was transferred from New York for induction. The following men were accepted by the Army: Lawrence Ward Spen cer, Joseph Nathan Campbell( Del mas Whitehurst Clark, Waylon Ron ald Brown, Marvin Thomas Winber ry, Benjamin Russell Weaver, Clif ton Bert Moore, and Robert Bryon Jones. Murray White "Buck” Holloman and Chester Lee Crocker were ac cepted by the Marines, and Reuben Daniel Taylor was accepted by the Coast Guard. All of the men except those ac cepted by the Army have returned for active duty. Those accepted by the Army are scheduled to leave to morrow. Taken ill suddenly over the week-end and now undergoing treat ment in the local hospital for malaria and pus on the knee, Bennie Weaver will hardly be able to make the re turn trip tomorrow. Five of the men accepted out of the November call are fathers. According to unofficial informa tion, nine men were accepted by the services out of an estimated 40 an swering the December call week be (Continued on page six) Bangle Day Sales Total $37.61 Here ♦ Bangle Day sales, advanced in support of the drive against tuber culosis, amounted to $37.61 here last Saturday, it was announced by Mrs. C G. Crockett, Jr,, • chairman. .McLa whom, handling the largest sales, was awarded a prize of $1. Other children rendering their services in the anti-tuberculosis drive by selling the pins were William Bur roughs, Sarah Manning, Jimmy Os teen, Sammy Rigas, Jane Gray Sul livan, Lindell Ward and Margaret Ward. Three $5 contributors, Messrs. C. G. Crockett and G. H. Harrison and the Lions Club, were reported. Mrs. Ben Courtney, chairman of the seal sale, states that it is not too late for those receiving seals through the mails to remit, that these sales must be completed if the county is to reach its $300 goal. ■■ -♦ .. Hunters Are Warned To Observe Quail Lay Days Martin County hunters are warn ed to observe lay days for taking quail, game authorities pointing out that the bird may be taken only on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. To hunt quail on Mondays, Wed nesdays and Fridays subjects one to a $99 it was csglsised. iUV.iiXmiuir. Trade. In Countv Hasn't A .Chance, Officer. Says. • Four Liquor Plant t Wrecked And Man Arrested in Past Few Days ♦ “The illicit liquor trade hasn’t a chance in this county," ABC En forcement Officer J. H. Roebuck de clared yesterday following a series of successful raids during the psst few days. More than half a dozen li quor stills have been wrecked with in the past week in several sections of the county, while in other areas the officers are convinced there is little or no activity on the illegal manufacturing front. There have been attempts, more or less desper ate in their character, to revive the business in the face of an alleged shortage of the legalized brands, but for the most part they have been nipped in the bud, and what little activity there has been on the front was costly. Continuing their work last Friday, officers wrecked three plants in Bear Grass Township, pouring out four and one-half gallons of white liquor and about 400 gallons of beer. At least half of the beer was made out of sugar, the increase in that kind of “slops” causing officers to won der where the sugar is entering il legal channels. Tiie first of the three plants was located in open woods and could be seen from quite a distance. The two operators, firing the plant for all it was worth, took advantage of the setting and made their escape while the officers were still a quarter of a mile away. Apparently the tires on the still owner’s car had worn out and he had converted parts from his car to the illicit manufacturing busi ness. He had a small car heater rad iator for a cooling worm and made his steam connections with an ex haust pipe. The second plant was equipped with a tin still and two worms. The third plant was complete with a 30 gallon oil drum for a still. Visiting the Oak City area Sunday, enforcement officers joined local po lice but made little progress there. Going to the Hassell area later, they found a gallon of illicit liquor in the dresser drawer of Sam Henry Tay lor, colored. He is to appear for trial (Continued on page six) -- Pageant Witnessed By Big Crowd Here ——— The junior and senior glee clubs of the Williamston High School pre sented an inspiring Christmas pag eant, “For Unto Us a Child Is Born,’’ to a large audience assembled in the local high school auditorium last Sunday evening. Every seat in the spacious high school auditorium was taken as the fourth in the annual series of Christmas messages began with the prophecy of the coming of the Christ Child as told by J. D. Lil ley, who played the part of the pro phet. From that point the story of the Christ Child was told in song by choruses of one hundred and twen ty voices and by narrator, Angela McLawhorn. The pageant was cli maxed by the scene of the “Nativity” and the singing of “Silent Night.” Colorful costumes and a brilliant stage setting, along with a splendid cast of young people, made this year’s presentation of the Christmas pag eant outstanding among the four pre sented in recent years. The scenes from the stage were dramatized against a starlit blue background. In the foreground were beautiful palm trees representing a “Hill in Bethlehem.” The musical numbers were well received. Bobby Taylor’s singing of “He Shall Feed His Flock,” from the Messiah, was especially well receiv ed as were other solos, duets, and trios. The solo part in ' O Holy Night,” a favorite number of prev ious pageants, was sung by Helen Weaver. The pageant was presented under the direction of Miss Kathryn Mew born with the assistance of faculty .members in the grammar and high schools. i THE RECORD SPEAKS . . . Although the number of acci dents on county highways so far this year is one below the count for the corresponding period in 1942, the accident picture is darker this year than last despite tire and gas rationing and laws calling for greatly reduced speeds. The count was boosted by one last week. The following tabulations of fer a comparison of the accident trend: first, by corresponding weeks in this year and last and for each year to the present time. aOtli Week Comparison Accidents Inj’d Killed Dam’ge 1943 1 1 0 $ 200 1942 0 0 0 000 Comparison To Date j 1943 00 42 5 11,535 • -1842 6i & 4 *’ 7,808 funerabSatwclay For War \ irt 1111 i n County j Sgt. Rufus MoMey Victim Of Airplane Crash December 4 ■ ■■ » — Body Is First Recovered from Jaws of War and Return ed To Native Soil -$ Funeral services were conducted at the gradeside in the old Mobley Cemetery on the Bud Mobley farm in Cross Roads Township last Satur day afternoon at 3 o’clock for Tech nical Sergeant Rufus N. Mobley, young Martin County man who lost his life when a big United States bomber crashed near Elverson, Penn sylvania, late in the night of Decem ber 4th. Rev. Dennis Warren Davis, pastor of the Christian Chapel Church, conducted the last rites and paid a sincere tribute to the memory of the young man who had made the supreme sacrifice for his country. Young Mobley was the fifteenth Martin County man to lose his life during the current struggle, and his body was the first to be recovered from the jaws of the present war and returned to native soil for burial. The rites were simple and yet im pressive. A large United States flag draped the casket and a military es cort stood at attention while the body was being lowered to its last resting place near the grave of the young man’s father who was buried there last April. The flag was recovered and given to the soldier’s mother, the military escort stating, “I present to you for safekeeping this flag for which your son gave hi? life to pro tect.” Tile young man’s body, accom panied by CpI. Arnold I. Bernstein, reached here last Friday afternoon and lay in state at the Biggs Funer al Home until 2:30 P. M. Saturday. The casket carried a seal and was not opened. Traveling under Army orders, Cpl. Bernstein, personal friend and who had served with Sgt. Mobley, identified the body at Reading, Pa., and continued to this county. Talk ing with one of the ill-fated bomber crew members who survived the crash just to die six days later Cpl. Bernstein said that the plane, mak ing a routine flight from Will Rog ers Airfield at Oklahoma City to Reading, Pa., arrived at its destina tion, but a heavy fog at that point made a safe landing impossible and the pilot was advised to go to the field at Philadelphia. The big bomb er circled in an effort to gain altitude for the trip to the other field, but crashed in the tree tops on a hill or mountain near Elverson. Nine per sons, including young Mobley, were killed instantly when the plane crashed and burst into flames. There is no doubt that all nine of the men were killed inUie crash and not burned to deffflTOf the twi crew members who were thro.vn clear of the crash and came out alive, one died six days later. No late report could be had from the eleventh man. Technical Sergeant Mobley was born on November 11, 1919, the son of Mrs. Effie Roberson Mobley and the late Louis N. Mobley, natives of this county. He lived in this county as a child and upon his graduation from the Conetoe High School he entered the service when he was sev enteen years of age. He had served his country faithfully, spending much time in foreign lands. He returned to this country and had been at Will Rogers Field only a few weeks where he was crew chief on one of the (Continued on page six) -- Infant Dies In The County Last Friday —«,— Donnie McNeil Harrison, six months old, died at the home of his parents, Mr. Oliver Harrison and wife, Mrs. Martha Stokes Harrison, in Bear Grass Township last Friday afternoon at 4:30 o’clock of pneu monia. The child was taken sick Thursday, pneumonia developing that night possibly following an at tack of influenza. Earlier Thursday, ihe little child was said to have been in apparently good health. Besides his parents, he leaves the following brothers and sisters, Oliv er, Jr., Rhoda Pearl, Sallie Ann, Floydia Mae and William Gerald. Funeral services were conducted Saturday afternoon at 4 o’clock by Elder B. S. Cowin, and burial was in the Harrison family cemetery, near the home. —-*-— Local Parent» - Teachers To Hold Meeting Tomorrow The WUliamston Parent-Teacher Association will hold its December meeting at the grammar school au ditorium Wednesday afternoon, De cember 15th, at 3:30. A special Christmas program by Miss Lamina Baker’s second grade will feature the meeting. The young people will present a pageant, ‘ The I Story of the Christ Child.” | All parents are urged to be present at the meeting. CAPTAIN Charles L. Daniels, Jr., Mar tin County young man serving with the U. S. Air Forces in the Mediterranean theater, was re cently promoted to the rank of captain, it was indirectly learn ed here this week. It is under stood that Captain Daniels has already flown twenty-five or more missions, that ordinarily they are transferred back to the States when they have handled fifty missions. Superior Court Is Expected To Close Term Hen4 Today •—*— Greater Part of Monday Spent Hearing Gase Against Kelly Salsbury --—• Tho regular term of the Martin County Superior Court was rapidly drawing to a close early this after noon despite the fact that a greater part of yesterday and some little time this morning were spent in hearing the robbery charge lodged against Kelly LeRoy Salsbury, color ed man. Large crowds were attracted into court yesterday and today, many of them coming to hear the evidence in the case charging Robert Lee An drews with the murder of Walter Wallace Bailey. A true bill was re turned in the case by the grand jury yesterday. After working a full day, the grand jury completed its duties and recess ed until March unless called into extraordinary session: Proceedings: The case charging Elbert White hurst with being drunk and disor derly and damaging public proper ty was gam continued. Pleading guilty in the case charg ing him with hit-and-run driving Arthur Council was sentenced to the roads for twelve months and direct ed to pay the costs and $100 to Mrs. Mamie Raynor, the prosecuting wit ness. Council, accompanied by sever al colored friends, ran down and painfully injured Mrs. Raynor in Poplar Point Township last August. The case charging Ernest Everett Staton with larceny was continued, subject to the defendant’s accept ance for service in the armed forces Charged with breaking and enter ing and an assault, Simond Jenkins pleaded guilty of forcible trespass, and was sentenced to the roads for three months. The sentence was sus pended upon the payment of the court costs and a guarantee of good behavior for two years. The grand jury did not find a true biil in the case charging D. D. Hill with holding up and robbing John nie Smallwood at the point of a gun on Wllllamston’s lower main street last month. Smallwood claimed he was relieved of $4 by the defendant. Robert Lee Andrews, middle-aged colored man, was sentenced to State’s Prison for not less than three and not more than five years when he pleaded guilty of manslaughter He was foirni.iiy cnarged with murder, but the manslaughter plea was ac cepted bv Solicitor Donnell Gilliam Much evidence was offered in the case, and the defendant proved good character, a factor that, possibly may (Continued on page six) DEADLINE Tomorrow, December 15, is the last day for farmers and a few others i? fii,. their income and victory tax returns. A last minute rush to beat the deadline is being reported in a number of offices where the returns are be ing calculated. No estimate as to the number filing could be had, but it is be lieved that a large majority of farmers in this county have com plied with the la< \ According to one estimate about 90 per cent of the farmers are paying victory taxes, and about 1ft jy- cent are paying ln i come taxes. Belies1* Tri-CoanU By-Recent \r rests five Men inuilxnl in Tiiefls And Koltbrrics [hiring Recen! Weeks The back bone of an ever-expand ing theft iiiiin operating in tnis, Washington and Hyde Counties was believed to have been broken with the arrest of five colored men in this and Hyde Counties last week-end. The theft two weeks ago of an auto matic shot gun, a single barrel gun and a 16-shot rifle and five gallons of gasoline from George and Tony Cooper at their camp on Roanoke River at Jamesville, was followed by the theft of twenty-two bags of pea nuts from Leman Ange, Jamesville Township farmer, last week. A third theft was reported at the parking lot of the North Carolina Pulp Company where thieves stole two wheels and tires from Roy Simpson, mill em ployee and resident of Pinetown. Officers had been working on the case for days, but their first clue was picked up m Hyde County last week following the arrest of Carl Sat terthwaite, Lugene Mackey, West Keech and Hertford Williams for questioning in connection with the robbery of three filling stations in Hyde County. Something was said about stolen peanuts, and from that point the series of robberies was un ravelled. It was soon learned that Raymond Wynne, colored of James ville, and Lugene Mackey and West Keech, both of Swan Quarter, stole the guns and five gallon can of gas oline. The theft of the peanuts was charged to Satterthwaite, Mackey, Keech and Williams. Living light on the Martin-Washington County boun dary, Mr. Ange grew the peanuts in this county and stored them in a building across the road in Washing ton County. Sheriff J. K. Reid, of Plymouth, is heading up that case while Sheriff C B. Roebuck of this county is working on the gun and tire cases even though the wheels and tires were stolen from a Washington County man working in this county. The stolen peanuts were traced to Washington and Mr. Ange is expect ed to demand payment from the pur chasers. The guns were recovered, the automatic from a man in Plym outh, the single barrel weapon from a man in Terra Ceia, and the rifle from a man near Roper. Following a preliminary hearing to be held in Hyde County in con nection with the filling station rob beries, the men will be brought here the latter part of this week for a sec ond hearing and then transferred to Washington County for a third hear ing. It is likely that the group will face trial in Washington County when the court convenes there next month. They are expected to go cm trial here next March and then face the courts in Hyde next May. At the present time, Wynne i being held in the jail here and the others are heir • detained in Hyde County. -- Man Wrecks Car He Owned Three Hours .♦— Arthur Dail, 28-yeur-old Pitt Coun ty white- man was painfully but not seriously hurt late last Saturday night when he wrecked his 1936 Plymouth sedan near the Flat Swamp Bridge. It was said the man had bought the car hardly more than three hours before from a dealer n Bethel, paying $300 for it. After in vestigating the accident, Corporal \V. S. Hunt of the Highway Patrol stat ed that the car was demolished, that it possibly could be sold as junk for around $100. Thought to have been driving at a rapid speed, Dail lost control of the car and it turned over, throwing him clear and about 75 feet down the road. It is believed that two color ed men were riding with the man and that they went through the wreck uninjured. After receiving first aid treatment in the Ward Clinic in RoDersonville, Hail was -brought to the local hospi tal where la received fuitbn- b at ment and was later released. He suffered painful cuts and bruises about the head The mar faces charges of drunken driving and operating a motor vehi cle after his driver’s license had been revoked. Roger Critcher, Jr. Machinist Graduate ■ & U. S. Naval Air Station, Jackson ville, Fla.—Roger Anson Critcher Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. R. A. Critch or, Williamston, recently graduated from the Aviation Machinist’s Mate School here as an honor student. Fin ishing with an average of 82.til, he was promoted to third class petty officer in the U. S. Navy. Kntering the service April 15, 1948, he received his recruit training at Bainbridgc, Md., before arriving at the Naval Air Technical Training Center here Critcher is uow a qualified avia* tkw* prcfeaVIy doc service with a Naval air unit.