*
OVER THE TOP
FOR VICTORY
wtth
UNITED STATES W/Ut
BOHDS*STAMPS
THE ENTERPRISE IS
WAS
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trmo;n$—uvt U
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VOLUME XLVII—NUMBER 23
Williamston, Martin County. ISorth Carolina, Tuesday, March 21, 1914.
I'"T VBLISHED 1899
Russians Drive Into
Rumania and Push
► On Toward J&w
•—
“Protected Area’" Is Ordered
I nrjje Str.io of Lpa- _
land's Coast Line
Adding more sweeping victorie
in the southern sector of the East
ern Front, Russian Armies hav
crossed the Dniester River into Ru
mania and are now promoting ;
push toward possibly the enemy’;
all-important rail base of Lwow ii
southern Poland. The Russians ar<
within fifty miles of the great rai
junction, the route having beer
partly cleared with the fall of Lesh
nyuv.
Enemy positions along the Dnies
ter are crumbling fast, the Russians
having captured Mogilev-Podolski
14 miles east of Oknista jurictior
through which tuns one of the twc
remaining German escape railroads
from the lower Ukraine The Ger
mans, it was said, had no chance tc
retreat and were “thrown into the
river.” By taking Mogilev-Podolski,
the Russians had advanced 550 miles
since the start of their summer of
fensive last July 12. In other sectors,
the march of the Russians last sum
mer and winter advanced as many
as 650 miles.
To the north the Russians are said
to have massed one and one-half
million men in preparation for a re
newal of the offensive toward Pskov
and on the Narva front and on a
more or less direct route to Berlin.
The fight in Italy is still a bit un
certain. Little activity in support of
a new attack in the Anzio beach
head has been reported, and on the
Cassino front the Germans are said
to be still offering a fanatical de
fense. British forces drove the Ger
mans out of Cassino’s Hotel Conti
nental, but the enemy brought in re
inforcements to challenge the gain.
Developments in the Balkans are
again in the spotlight, Hungary, a
former German ally, now being a
virtual prisoner of Hitler's forces,
possibly as a result of the country’s
indirect move for peace. While Fin
land, way up in the north, has an
nounced that peace negotiations have
fallen flat, there is still hope that a
settlement will be reached between
the Finns and Russia, late reports
stating that new peace moves were
being made.
General Joe Stilwell apparently
pulled a fast one on the Japs when
he established a base some 150 miles
behind the enemy lines in Burma.
Air transports moved in large num
bers of men and equipment, includ
ing mules to threaten a new Jap
march toward India.
The Japs are finding it next to im
possible to relieve their stranded I
men on various islands in the South I
(Continued on pagt six)
-**
Eleventh Graders To
Graduate This Year
As a result of special action taken ;
by the Martin County Board of Edu
cation, eleventh graders in the sev
eral county high schools will be elig
ible for graduation this year. Dis-1
cussing the problem at a special
meeting held here Wednesday, the
board members revoked a previous
motion requiring the pupil to earn
twenty units before he could be
graduated.
The order was rescinded when it
was pointed out to the board that
most of the high school boys are
subject to the draft, that if they do
not get their diplomas before they
enter the service they are not likely
to return io school and get them af
ter the war.
The board ruling, adopted about
two years ago, was rescinded for no
definite period, but it is generally
believed that the pupil with sixteen
units will be eligible f^r graduation
in 1945. In 1946, however, it is not
likely that there will be a graduat
ing class since the eleventh graders
at that time started the new twelfth
grade cycle.
Messrs. Geo. C. Griffin, J. D. Wool
ard, H. C. Norman and John W. Eu
banks, members of the board, were
present for the meeting.
Tire only other formal business j
discussed was an ^rder, directing the j
sale of a small piece of land ne . to I
the teacherage in Bear Grass Town-1
ship.
Falling Radiator
Breaks Boy’s Leg
Charles Gray Coltrain, 15-year-!
old son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Col
train of near here, suffered fractures
of both bones in his left leg yester
day morning when a 200-pound rad
iator toppled over on him in the lo
cal high school building He was re
moved to a Washington hospital af
ter receiving first aid treatment in
a local doctor’s office.
The pipes leading to the radiator
had rusted in two and just as he was
'f opening a door to go out of a room,
the radiator toppled over on him.
Several companions were with him
and they lifted the radiator off him.
According to their stories no one
touched the radiator but it is possi
ble that a jar toppled it over.
MISSING IN ACTION
S. Sgt. Edgar M. Taylor, left, and Lt. Jesse Wilson Price,
right were reported missing in action on February 22 by the
War Department, Sgt, Taylor in a raid over Germany and Lt.
Price, a navigator, over Denmark. Young Taylor is the son of
Mr. and Mrs. Monroe Taylor of RED 3, Williamston, and Lt.
Price is the son of Mr and Mrs. Jesse 1’. Price, West Main
Street, Williamston.
Few Cases Are Heard
In the Superior Court
CURB MARKET
Beginning this week, the coun
ty curb market will open each
Saturday morning in the build
ing back of the agricultural
building in YVilliamst^n. The
doors will open at 9:30 for one
hour.
By changing the market day
from Friday to Saturday, the
home agent believes that more
sellers will offer food and pro
duce for sale and that the num
ber of patrons will increase.
Among the items scheduled for
sale this coming Saturday are,
dressed chickens, meats, cream,
butter and eggs, collards, cakes,
etc.
Detailed Charge Is
Heard By County’s
Grand Jury Monday
——
Jmlfir (1. K. .. Ih Im
|ir(**»nl by Small Crimi
nal Docket before Court
Returning to hold his first term
of court in this county in five years,
Judge C. E. Thompson, of Elizabeth
City, made a detailed charge to the
grand jury Monday Finding very
few criminal cases on the docket, the
jurist declared that he was impress
ed with the marked improvement in
this county. "You have some mighty
good folks in this county, or else all
the had ones have moved to Pasquo
tank. the judge said, add!' g that
la certainly \va: gh d to m such a
small docket.
Touching brief!', on Hr inn ortance
of jury service. Judge Tl mpson
said that in ordei to carry out the
provisions of the constitution, the
court must have n pet table men
to seive as jurymen, and you gen
tlemen have been chosen to handle
the task,’ the jurist said. "In a free
and popular government, you men
are drawn by lot to administer the
law and to keep alive an inspira
tion for the enforcement of the law,”
he pointed out
The jurymen were reminded of
their oath and the jurist directed
them to inquire after all bills of in
dictment and other matters that
might be placed before them, show
ing diligence and exercising good
commonsense.
Judge Thompson in the lengthy
charge, briefly outlined the multi
tudinous duties of the jury and re
viewed the various types of crimes,
placing no particular stress on any
one of them.
In conclusion, the jurist declar
ed that liberty requires a firm and
diligent enforcersof the law. thatj
jTrial Of Criminal
Cases Completed
In Superior Court
-a
Verdict of Not (>nilty Direct
ed in Rape Case; Several
Olliers Nol I’rossed
Completing the trial of criminal
cases late yesterday afternoon, the
Martin County Superior Court or
dered a recess until next Monday
when it will hear scheduled cases on
the civil calendar.
Judge C. E. Thompson of Elizabeth
City, presiding over the term, com
plimented the county for its appar
ently good behavior. He went on to
•say that possibly most of the bad
folks had moved over to his county.
He did not even suggest that crime
was escaping detection.
A climax in the Monday proceed
ings was reached about the middle
of the afternoon when the court
room was cleared of everyone ex
cept the court officers, jury, wit
nesses and members of the bar for
ttie trial of the case in which Alonza
Hardison, colored man, was charg
ed with attempted rape. A true hill
was returned earlier in the day by
tin' grand jury, but the evidence of
fered before the petit jury was ap
parently so conflicting that the case
never reached the jury, the judge
directing a verdict of not guilty be
entered in the records. The prosecut
ing witness, Mrs. Robert Lee Dail.
took the stand and her husband tes
tified Fh was quoted as saying that
his wife had told him several differ
ent stories, and there is little doubt
but what tin cast had a sordid back
ground.
Judge Thompson had very little
comment to offer when he directed
the not guilty verdict, but lie did say
that because the prosecuting wit
ness was white and the defendant
was coloii d there was no reason to
find the defendant guilty in the case.
Any future action to remedy the
sad situation rests with society, but
whether v.eifaie authorities or oth
ers will lend a helping hand remains
to be seen.
The court machinery wheels turn
ed rapidly during the day, and in
one case the prosecution had, accord
ing to one report, cleared the charges
from the slate before the grand jury
reached it. The case charging James
Garland Rogers with reckless driv
ing resulting in the death of Herbert
Harrison was nol pressed. When a
preliminary hearing was held in the
case last January or soon after Har
rison was fatally injured on Janu
ary 2, 1944, in an automobile acci
dent on the Williamston-Washington
Highway, evidence considered very
damaging at the time was offered.
(Continued on page six)
*
STOCK SHOW
Flam are being completed
this week (or the first independ
ent livestock show ever to be
held in the county. Sponsored
by the various civic organiza
tions, including the Roberson
ville Rotary Club, Oak City
Ruritan Club and Williamston
Kiwanians and Lions, the show
will be held in Williamston on
Thursday, April 27. Representa
tives of the organizations met
with Assistant County Agent L.
L. McLendon Monday evening
and advanced tentative plans
for holding the show.
Considerable importance is
being attached to the show, and
already many fanners in the
county have expressed an in
terest In It.
(Continued on fji/ge nx)
-«
County Teachers In
Meeting Last Friday
Led by Charles Spencer of the
State Department of Education ap
proximately ninety Martin County
teachers assembled in the high .
school auditorium last Friday after
noon to discuss the role of health
and physical education in the gen- 1
eral education program. High school ;
and elementary teachers met sep- !
arately for group discussions which
were followed by a demonstration of |
physical education activities in the
local gymnasium.
Students from county high schools |
participated in the various game,
activities along with the teachers.
Miss Doris Leach, president of the |
local unit of the North Carolina Ed
ucation Association, presided over
the meeting.
'County Young Man
Has Been on Thirty
T, Sjt;. !\larnl Hard} Hopes
Fin Early End of War anil
l"1,i or MTs iirlmai'Wnof*’-'
Martel Hardy, one of throe broth
| ors ir, the service, has been on quite
a few bombing missions over in
Italy, according to a letter received
Irom the young man a few days ago.
He entertains the hope, possibly
along with quite a few others, that
the war will end soon and that he’ll
be able to return home.
His letter, addressed to the editor,
reads, as follows:
"In one of your past editions, I
| read where the boys were welcome
to write to the home town paper. I
take this pleasure in writing a few
words to the folks back home.
"I left the States along with my
crew on September 2(1, 1943. We
came over by boat, ana a man can
i rally get tired of water, coming
j ever on a slow boat. Wo landed in
C asablanea, Africa, and were flown
up to our air base, then in North
Africa. Here we joined our com
bat group. We flew our first com
bat mission the last part of October.
While in Africa, I saw quite a few
historic places. We visited the old
Roman town of Carthago, and many
places that have made history in the
present war. We later were to leave
our base for a new one.
“Leaving North Africa, we moved
| into Italy where we are now sta
tioned. I have seen the best of the
German fighters and ■ flak” guns. It
is no bed of roses.
‘‘My advice to the people back
home who have friends overseas is
to write as often as possible. Mail
means a lot when you are thousands
of miles from your loved ones. I’d
like very much to have this war over
and be back home. Hope my parents
are getting along all right. All of
us boys are in the service, two over
j seas. We are all hoping this war
will end so every one can go back
home. I sure would like to have a
coca-cola. I can almost taste them
now.
'I have been on thirty bombing
missions. Hope I’ll be able to come
home the early part of summer. So,
(Continued on page six)
rake Still Within
Town Limits Here
Recognizing the value ol' a conven
a nt market and finding a ready and
big demand in that market, illicit
liquor manufacturers set up a plant
within Wilhamston’s town limits a
short time ago. However, they are
believed to have operated only a
short time and failed completely in
quenching local dry throats before
ARC and local officers wrecked the
outfit. The plant was located just
this side of the canal running from
the railroad underpass on West Main
Street and emptying into Whitley’s
Canal
The plant was equipped with a
tin kettle and cheap manufacturing
materials. The officers poured out
two barrels of sugar beer.
Boy Scouts, off on a hike, were
with officers when the plant was
wrecked last Saturday afternoon by
two heavy dynamite blasts.
Race lor Postmaster
Withdrawing From
-A , - ...
Completely worn out in leading
the fight for a federal ballot that
would permit servicemen to partici
pate in elections back home, Con
gressman Herbert C. Bonner made
a short visit in his district over the
week-end to get a bit of rest arid to
give further consideration to the ap
pointment of a postmaster here.
Narrowed down to two applicants,
the appointment is still pending, but
some action will be taken shortly, it
was learned from the congressman.
According to unofficial informa
tion received here this morning, one
of the candidates, Mr. John D. Lilley
was considering withdrawing or had
already withdrawn, leaving the
field virtually open to W E. Dunn,
Williamston man and World War J
THE RECORD
SPEAKS . . .
No runs, ro hits and no errors,
Highway Patrolmen said in an
nouncing there were no accidents
on Martin County Highways last
week. It was the first time in
recent weeks and one of the few
weeks so far this year that not
a single road accident was re
ported in the county
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. 1
11th Week Comparison
Accidents Inj’d Killed Dam’ge
1944 0 0 0 $ 000
1943 1 0 0 50
Comparison To Date
1944 13 4 1 2775
1943 8 4 2 1000
Three Hundred Fanners In
County In 1-A Classification
~ —111 tik rn
Approximately three hundred
Martin County fanners between the
ages of ’.8 and 25 years, inclusive.
draft classification, it was unoffi
cially learned this week. The action
I was taken in accordance with defi
nite instructions from Selective Sere
ice which is pointing its linger at all
single men and non-fathers in that
age group Only in extremely ex
ceptional cases and where the reg
istrant is producing sixteen war un
its will deferment be considered by
the draft authorities.
No new classifications have been
mailed to young men in industry,
but the draft board is scheduled to
start reviewing those cases at a
meeting here this evening.
The release of the new classifies
° mmwucHHUb* ' a
11um lisl has brought a varied rear
! tion and quite .1 few farmers are
i appearing in tin draft and war board
offices and asking about the advis
It. has been pointed out that the
county draft and war boards have
little or no power to continue a far
mer in that age group in a 2 C class
! ification where sixteen war units
j are not bging produced It is fairly
certain that appeals will be useless,
; or next to useless.
For the most part the fathers of
i the registrants are pointing out that
- hey hardly know what they can do
I in maintaining their farm sehed
| hies. A lew were quoted as saying
jthey would do the best they could,
while .» few others are going to
I abandon their fields and not hit an
1 other d-lick
Chapter Gives Almost
$7,000 To Red Cross
Most of tho Chapter
Townships Already
Have Reached Goal
-—
Fluid Drive (lliairman Spivey
Believes Total Will
Exreed $7,700.
-•
Given a quota of $(>,200, the Martin
County Chapter of the American
lied Cross late yesterday had al
ready raised and reported $6,874.86
m support of tire organization’s 1944
war fund. Chairman V. J. Spivey,
explaining that the drive was still
in progress in several scattered
areas, advanced the belief that the
total would exceed $7,700 or about
$1,500 in excess of the original quo
ta. In those districts where the origi
nal goals have not been reached the
drive is still making progress, and
m those districts where the drive
has not yet been announced com
plete, donations are still being re
ported.
Up until late last evening a total
of $0,1174 (10 had been reported as
follows: Williamston, $4,593.74; Wil
liamston white schools, $254.97; Bear
Grass, $533.85; Griffins, $534.50;
Jamesville, $005.53; Williams, $118,
colored citizens in the five town
ships, $170 77 Williams Township is
about $32 under its quota, but the
chairman, Mrs. K. J. Hardison, has
been sick and could not complete
the canvass. Only two reports have
been submitted by the colored chair
men, Dardens reporting $127.00, and
Woolard’s, $38. In addition to those
amounts, about $10 was given to
while canvassers to be applied
against the $300 quota the colored
citizens in the five townships are
being asked to meet.
No actual count of the number of
contributors has been made, but
Chairman Spivey has already turned
in several thousand of them and they
are being put into type and made
ready for publication as rapidly as
possible, more or less, in the order
they were reported by the canvass
ers. Several pages would be needed
to carry all the names at one time
and since that is out of the question
they will be worked in to the best
advantage possible and as quickly
as possible, but, sooner or later, The
Enterprise hopes to publicly ac
knowledge every donation down to
the last penny.
Names of contributors in Wil
liamston Township whose donations
have riot been previously acknowl
edged, follow:
Mr and Mrs. Ben Andrews, $1;
Mrs. Joseph Roberson, 50c; Mr. and
Mrs. Hugh Spruill, $1, Mr and Mrs
L. L. Matthews, $1; Mrs. J. A. Hob
erson, 50c; C. A James, $5; Mrs. Del
la Cowen, 25c; Mannings Laundry
and Employees, $15; V. A. Lassiter,
$2; Guy Thomas, $5; W. J. Miller, $5;
John Miller, $1; Clyde Manning, $5;
Dr. W. C. Mercer, $10; If. P. Mobley,
$5; Dr. A J Osteen, $12; Chas. H.
Jenkins employees, $8; Minnie Bul
lock. $2, Pittman’s, $18; Bus Station
vContinued on page six)
Prisoners of War
At Work on Farms
Prisoner of war labor was placed
on farms in this county today under
a new blanket work contract recent
ly executed by the Martin County
Farm Bureau. A wage of 30 cents
an hour for general farm work has
been established, it was officially an
nounced, and farmers needing labor
are directed to apply to Farm Bu
reau heanrjiiai ters in the county
agricultural building.
The first prisoners to be made
available under the new work con
tract are unlodmg cars of hay and
corn on the Roberson Slaughter
House farm today. If weather con
ditions are favorable about twenty
prisoners of war will report tomor
row for pasture work on the V. G.
Taylor farm in Poplar Point Town
ship,
C~ ss
AIDS CODE WOKE
( apt. Win. II. Peel, Hamilton
young man, recently iierfected
a device that is proving of in
creased value in code signalling
down at San Antonio’s Aviation
Cadet Pre-Might Center.
County Yoiinj* Man
Invents Device l or
Airfield Code Work
Is Sucre ssfnllv Used
At San Antonio Aviation
Cadet Center
William II Peel, son ol Mr and
Mrs. Harper Peal of Hamilton, re
cently perfected a device that is aid
mg code work at an Army an field
The work of the young man is re
viewed in the lullowing story re
leased a short time ago by the San
Antonio Aviation Cadet Center:
The learning of blinker code
signalling has been made faster and
easier through a device perfected by
tap!. William II Peel of Hamilton,
N. C., head of the code division of
the San Antonio Aviation Cadet
Center's Pro Flight School for
Pilots.
Airmen in combat areas, when
radio silence is required to avoid
detection by the enemy, send dot
and-dash messages by blinking
lamps which are placed on the
planes and also at ground positions.
All prospective pilots at the cade;
center are required to learn this sys
tern of communication. Recently
then proficiency requirement in tv
ceiving was raised from four words
per minutes to five word per min
ute.
The only system previously used
at the cadet center for testing stu
dents in this subject was to install
a small neon bulb at one end of the
classroom and excite long and short
flashes (the equivalent! of dashes
and dots) of light through a con
nect, m with an electrically-operated
mechanism known as a ' keyer . The |
(Continued on page six)
PRK-INDIJCTIOIN « VI I.
According to unofficial reports
heard here this week, a pre-in
duction call for colored draft
registrants has been received in
this county. The size of the call
could not be learned, hut it is
thought that it is a comparative
ly small one. It was also learn
ed unofficially that the men will
likely leave the latter part of
next week for their pre-induc
tion tests. *
So far no official audit of the
group of white men reporting
on March id for pre-induction
tests has been received in this
county. About all, if not all the
white men in the Navy man
power pool in this counfy are be
ing notified to report for induc
tion next Monday.
bounty Boy Writes
Vhont ^rmv Life
«OTWWJiwi '■!- V *
r,,i.
Joe J. Johnson, Jr, Tells
U»ont Hi> First Year
In th, fnllowing U tter to his moth
. t'l, CpI, Joe J Johnson, Jr., tells
s °f his t'rst year in the Army or from
'he tune tie entered the service at
. ! Fort Bragg until he reached Las Ve
’’ | gas, Nevada:
C i ^nst ;l f'-w words to let you know
L what, this Army life has done for
„ mJ’• [ left that wonderful town of
Williamston on February 16, 1943.
, to begin a life that I had never
thought about leading. The group
" I left with which included William
Vick Andrews, Joseph E. Boykin.
Irvin Cullipher, James J. Jackson,
and James Warren, arrived at the
world s greatest heavy artillery
ramp down at Fort Bragg. We were
assigned to our barracks after we
■' bad been over to supply to draw
our bedding. At 5 o’clock in the
morning we hud to get up. Well, to
' most of us that was pretty early. Af
' ;l barracks clean-up we were march
cl over to eat breakfast. Then the
fun began if you can call trading
v your civilian clothes for the Army’s
| any fun. They didn’t have but two
« sizes—too large and too small. For
instance it takes a size 36 coverall
for me and I got 44’s. They took us
over to bo shot. We got everything
that they could give us at the" time,
smallpox, typhoid and one or two
others that I can’t think of. We stay
ed there one week before we were
shipped down to Keesler Field, Miss.
We arrived there at 11 o'clock p. m.
1 don’t think they wanted us very
bad lor there was no one to show
j us where to go or what to do. We
j stood around until 5 a. m. before we
were given bedding and showed a
bed in which to sleep. You can ima
gine just, how high my morale was
that morning. There I spent the next
seven weeks taking basic training. I
spent the first four weeks in Hut
City and the rest of the time in Tent
City H was really fun in those tents.
A big dew and you and your clothes
were as wet as water. This field has
been called the hell hole of the Army
by many a person hut in my opin
am it is much better than anything
these western states can offer. They
do have trees, flowers, game and
[things growing. That’s more than \
can say for the place I am now in
which is the state of Nevada. I left
j Keesler Field on April 7, for a place
the Lone Star State known us Am
arillo. Here 1 was to learn to be an
airplane mechanic. After a week’s
schooling of K. P. and two weeks’
(lulling details that the Army wants
done 1 started to school We went one
month from 8 a. m. to 4 p. m., one
month *rom 4 p. m. to '2 midnight,
and one from 12 midnight to 8 a. ni.
I went through school and graduat
(Continued on page six)
Mrs. j. I). Roberson
Died Early Sunday
-(to
Mr Bcttie Peel Roberson, highly
respected county citizen, died at
Ih i home near Robersonville Sun
lay morning at 3:30 o’clock follow
ing a long period of declining health.
She suffered a light stroke back in
1920, hut had partially recovered and
was able to attend to most of the
duties of her home until about two
weeks ago when she suffered a sec
ond stroke.
The daughter of the late William
and Jane Stalls Peel, she was born
m Cross Roads Township on Sep
tember 23, 1882. She was married to
.1 Dawson Roberson on December
211, 1904, and located near Roberson
ville in 1912. Mrs. Roberson was a
member ol the Primitive Baptist
Church m Robersonville for about
fifteen years, was a good neighbor
and held in high esteem by all who
knew her.
Besides her husband she leaves
one son, Hubert; four daughters,
Mi; Hebei Nelson, Mrs. Irvin Keel,
Mi; Elbert McGowan and Mrs.
Charles Evans; eight grandchildren
and two gn at grandchildren, all of
Robersonville. She also leaves four
sisters, Mrs Warner Bailey, Mrs. Bill
Keel. Mrs. Richard Daniel, all of Wil
liam; Ion, and Mrs. Sudie Lanier, of
Rnbensonville.
* held Mon
day afternoon at the home at 3:30
o’clock by Elders B. S. Cowin and
A B Ayers. Interment was in the
Robersonville Cemetery.
Loses Life In Car
Accident on Bridge
Kdward Floyd Pritchard, 29-year
okl colored man, was killed last Sat
urday morning at 4 o’clock in an au
tomobile on the Roanoke River
Hi idgc here. Fits neck was broken
and he died almost instantly.
Accompanied by and driving Ar
thur Little's car, Pritchard had just
driven on the river bridge when a
• ire blew out. The car turned over,
catching the man under it. Little was
not hurt.
The men, employed in Norfolk,
were on their way to spend the week
end at their homes in the Blount
Creek section of Beaufort County.