NEARLY 100ft MARTIN COUNTY SERVICE MEN NOW READING* THE ENTEPRISE IN ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD EACH WEEK. ~zzgzz_r~-_ VOLUME XLVII—NUMBER 97 THE ENTERPRISE Williamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Friday, December 8, 1944. NEARLY 1000 MARTIN COUNTY SERVICE MEN NOW READING THE ENTEPRISE IN ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD EACH WEEK: ESTABLISHED 1899 Twenty-three Cases "far lltfflftyimfcfir In Recorder’s Court Stale Department of Apxicul tiire Employee Tinvd $ 5 50 Iti^Q'nirV Last Monday Sandwiching a term of his cou.t in between a two weeks term of the superior court ending last week and a one-week term of the superior tribunal opening next week. Judge J. Calvin Smith made the best of the little time he had last Monday. He handled twenty-three eases, con tinued several for various‘reasons, imposed fines amounting to almost $500 and meted out several road sentences. Only a small crowd was present for the proceedings which were com pleted by 12:30 o’clock. The feature case on the docket was the one in v.’hich Hugh B. Mar tin, employee of the State Depart ment of Agriculture, was charged with drunken driving and operating a motor vehicle while his license was revoked. It was pointed out that Martin held the job with the understanding that Mrs. Marin was to drive for him. He pleaded guilty and was fined $100 for drunken driv ing, $50 for operating a motor ve hicle while his driver's license was revoked and taxed with the court cost. Judge Smith recommended that no license be granted the de fendant until one year after the termination of the present suspen sion. The car, a new Plymouth be longing to the State, was held by Corporal W. S. Hunt of the Highway Patrol until other representatives of the department called for it. Other proceedings: Judgment was suspended upon the payment of the cost in the case charging George Edward. Phillips with speeding. Russell Bailey Wynne was fined $15 and required to pay the costs in the case charging him with speed ing and operating a motor vehicle with improper lights. He pleaded guilty in the case. Charged with speeding, Jesse Ed gar White pleaded guilty and was fined $5 and taxed with the costs. Charlie Dearin Roberson, charged with speeding, pleaded not guilty. Adjudged guilty, he was fined $20 and taxed with the cost. He gave no tice of appeal and bond was fixed in the sum of $100. Pleading guilty, John Durant Beach, charged with speeding, was fined $15 and taxed with the cost. Robert Mitchell, charged with speeding, failed to answer when called and papers were issued for his arrest. William M Johnson, charged with speeding, pleaded guilty and was fined $10 and taxed with the cost. Charged with improper parking, Floyd Allen Whitfield pleaded guil ty and was fined $10 and required to pay the court cost. Charged with operating a motor ve hicle without a driver’s license, Les lie Roberson was fined $15 and re quired to pay the court costs. Johnnie Ix>e Spell was fined $10 and taxed with the cost in the case charging him with operating a motor vehicle without a driver’s license. Leroy Clark, pleading guilty in the case charging him with allow ing an unlicensed driver to operate a motor vehicle, was fined $10 and directed to pay the costs. Pleading guilty in the case charg ing him with drunken driving, Paul Herman Moore was granted a con tinuance of his case under prayer for judgment until January 8. Ellison Barrow was fined $100 and taxed with the cost in the case charging him with drunken driving. His license to operate a motor ve hicle was revoked for one year. Pleading guilty in the case charg ing him with drunken driving, A. P. Bullock was fined $50, taxed with the cost and had his license revoked for one year. In the case charging Fred Wilson and Joe Ashley with disorderly con duct and assaults wtih deadly weap ons, judgment was suspended upon the payment of $30 to Dr. V. E Brown for service rendered James Harrell Ellis, prosecuting witness, $22.50 to Nat Ellis for money ex pended by him for labor lost by pros (Continued on page six) -- Disorderly Charges Numerous In Court —®— A little crime wave of small con sequences, to be sure, swept the community during recent days wher nine persons were booked for disor derly conduct. A twelfth one wai booked for being drunk and down and in that condition he just wasn’ to be charged with disorderly con duct. Luther Respass, drunk and down was required to pay $8.50 costs ir Justice Hassell’s court. Isaac Hill charged with disorderly conduct, wa, fined $2.50 and taxed with $5.51 costs. Charged with disorderly con duct, the following defendants wen required to pay the designated costs Lency Woodard, $8.50; Harve; Mooring, $8.50; Joe Mobley, $6.50 Joseph Taylor, $6 50; Lorenzo Spel: $8.50; Walter Moore, $6.50; Ale> Bunch, $9.50; Clyde Moore, $8.50. Local Youth Sacrifices Lite r or Ills Lountry tmtWSSlONKR ’<■-: John Henry F.dwH_ known and popular YVilnamsfoh business man, this week was ap pointed bv Clerk of Court L. B. Wynne to succeed C. D. Car starpLen .resigned, as a member of the Martin County Board of Commissioners. Subscribing to the oath of office today, Mr. Ed wards will he welcomed by the board at its next regularly sched uled meeting on the first Mon day in January. Final Report Filed On United War Fund Campaign In County Total of S I (uSTTm or Near Iy $1,300 in Kxress of Quota liaised Recently Filing a final report this week, Chairman N C Green announced that $10,831.98 has been raised in Martin County for the United War Fund, that the money had been turn ed over to the State chairman and possibly by now was being used in support of the many agencies main tained by the fund in various parts of the world. Commenting on the drive, Mr. Green stated he was greatly pleased with the response, that he wished to express his sincere appreciation to everyone who had a part in the work, especially did he express his thanks for the noble effort advanc ed by the canvassers in the various ! districts. A busy man himself, Mr. j Green finds it next to impossible to express personally his appreciation ' for the noble work. The county raised a total of $10, j 831.98. or $.1,294.98 in excess of its assigned goal. The surplus was for (warded to the Slate office. It was ; pointed out that the county will be ! given credit for the surplus when the next drive is launched next year. Ten of the twelve districts, in cluding the colored citizens, exceed ed their quotas, and although two did not meet their goals, they raised goodly sums. Williamston led the list with $5,306.27 or $1,000 in excess of its quota, and the amount does not j include several hundred dollars rais ed by the colored citizens. Hassell possibly holds the percentage rec ord, the small but determined dis ! trict almost doubling its quota. The tabulation below gives an official picture of the 1944 drive in the coun ty, by districts or groups: Quota Amt. raised $4,277.0 $ 5,306.27 450.00 454.37 650.00 850.47 450.00 500.00 135.00 162.42 300.00 480.54 350.00 438.28 275.00 282.67 100.00 175.02 150.00 114.12 1,500.00 1,158.22 900.00 909.60 $9,537.02 $10,831.98 According to the latest report from the State office, 67 counties have reached and passed their goals. Ug to December 1, a total of $1,686,478 had been raised and reported in the State. Quite a few of the contributions are yet to be acknowledged in this county. Several hundred names arc already in type, and the remaining ones are being typed. They will be printed just as soon as possible. -—---— Sheriff Returns Home From Second 11 oh pita » , After trying out two hospitals i Sheriff C. B. Roebuck returned home , Wednesday and is getting along ven ; well at this time. Overcoming a stub ) born illness in a Washington hospi ■ tal, the officer then went to a Dur s ham hospital for the treatment o : an ulcer in his right eye. Vesterda; r he returned to the Washington insti ; tution for a check-up, and will pos , sibly make one or two more shor visits there. During the meantime hi plans to get out for brief periods. Williamston Griffins Jamesville Bear Grass Poplar Point Goose Nest Cross Roads Hamilton Hassell Williams Robersonville Colored Jus. W. Ward Killed In Action Last July In Raid over Munich -'Ss Missing for Months, Young Man Reported Killed in Message Yesterday -Si Second Lieutenant Janies Willis Ward, missing over Germany since last July 12, was reported killed in action in a raid over Germany on that date by the War Department in a message received by the young man's parents, Mr. and Mrs. John A. Ward, here yesterday. The message read, “Report now received from the German government through the In ternational Rod Cross states your son, 2nd Lieutenant James Willis Ward, who was previously reported missing in action was killed in action onJ'ily 12 over Germany. The Sec ol War extends his deep sym- i pathy.” Signed by Dunlop, acting Ad jutant General, the message explain ed that a letter would follow, but offered no details of the young man’s death. Several indirect reports telling about the costly raid over Munich had been received here after Lt. Ward had been reported missing. Forty-six bombers were lost on that, the third straight day of action for Lt. Ward and his crew. His plane, a B 17 on which James Willis was co pilot, had its tail shot off and one motor shot out, witnesses in the formation stating that they last saw the ship going down in smoke. Just four days before that, Lt. Ward in a letter to his mother urged her not to take any government message she may receive too seriously, that he was getting along all right and did not want her to worry about him. De spite the discouraging reports, his loved ones still maintained hope for his safety and return. It could not be learned, but it is believed that all members of the crew perished in the crash. Born in Williamston on March 17, 1922, the young man attended the lo cal schools, and following his grad uation from the local high school in 1941 he accepted a position with the North Carolina Pulp Company where he made friends readily and was in line for promotion when he resign ed to answer his country’s call. On the day of Pearl Harbor, three years ago to the day when the mes- | sage announcing his death was re- j ceived, the young man immediately ! after hearing the news of the attack went home and told his mother that j he just had to join the Army Air j Corps, He was ruled out on account; of his tender ago—he was only nine- j teen—and a year of college train- j ing was required at first. Persistent' effort finally gained for him a trial, and he reported for training on Au | gust 25, 1942. Completing his basic I at Nashville, 'lenn., he was transfer | red to Maxwell Field, Alabama, and three months later hi’ was sent to Newport, Arkansas. During the meantime, he was showing his abil ity for leadership, not only in his work but also in good sportsmanship. He won the admiration of his super ior officers and gained the respect of his companion cadets. At that time he was assigned cadet leadership roles, and his heart and soul were centered on the task of helping his country. On January 7, 1944, he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Army Air Corps, receiving his pilot’s silver wings. After a six-day furlough spent at home with his parents, he went to the 18th Replacement Wing at Salt Lake City, and on to Dalhart, Tex as, where quick action and heroic (Continued on page six) -- | Youth Recovering From Face Wound —*— Receiving a bad face wound in the battle for Peleliu out in the Pacific, George Norman White, son of Mrs. W. A. White, RFD 1, Oak City, is continuing to show improvement in a government hospital in Norman, Oklahoma. In a recent letter to his mother, the young Marine stated he didn’t know just what had happened. “I am getting mail from everybody. Some I know and some I don’t know. My name must have gotten in the paper somehow,” the young man was quoted as saying. The people in the hospital area have been unusually f nice to the young man and others in the hospital, it was stated in the let ! ter just recently received j "I just can’t get used to everyone I being so nice to me since my terri ! ble mission overseas," he added. | The young man’s mother, greatly [ impressed by the thoughtfulness and kindness shown her son by friends and many others unknown to her or ! the youth, in a note to The Enter prise this week expressed her sin cere appreciation to everyone who had remembered and befriended her 1 son. Twenty-nine Martin Louiiiy T!o for?3 Men Called By Services Over Half of Croup Comes ■ Fr»m«Non*Fnrm vtipjs tions; Fight Married -- Twenty-nine Martin County color ed men were jailed to a service cen ter this week for pre-induction ex aminations. Five of those called were transferred to other boards and three failed to report. Nearly two thirds or nineteen of the group came from non-farm occupations, and eight of the group are married. The sail was for the most part cen tered on the two extremes of the eligible groups. Thirteen were just eighteen recently, two arc in their early twenties and the ages of the others range from 25 to almost 30 years. Names, ••egistrations and last-giv en addresses of the men called Wed nesday follow: Bruce Rodgers, RFD 1, Oak City and Norfolk. Robert Jasper Rodgers, RFD 2, Williamston. Sam Andrews Moore, RFD 2, Jamesville. James Andrew Whitaker, RFD 1, Jamesville. Louis Leggett, RFD 1, Roberson ville, and RFD 3, Washington. James Andrew Moses, Williams ton and Newark, N. J. James Henry Mayo, Hassell. James Edward Thompson, RFD 1, Oak City and Emporia, Va. George William Mayo, RFD 2, Williamston and New York. Raymond Henderson, of RFD 1, Jamesville and Baltimore. Herious Little, Parmele and Brook lyn, New York. Joseph Harrell, Robersonville and Baltimore. Sam Rodgers, Robersonville and Greenville. Jas. Earl Foreman, Robersonville. Frank Williams, Williamston. Elsie Bryant, RFD 2, Williamston. William liymoh Williams. RFD 2, Williamston. Oclavious Manning, RFD 2, Wil liamston. Wallace T. Purvis, RFD 1, Rober sonville. Charlie Edward Davis, Jamesville. George Cromwell, Jr., RFD 1, Bethel. (Continued on page six) Mrs. Lovie J. Lilley Dies At Her Home In Williams Township -*— Funeral Services Were Held At Home Sunday After noon l»v Key. Lilley - Mrs. Lovie Jane Lilley, wife of Mr. A. Thomas Lilley and well-known woman of Williams Township, died at her home there last Friday morn ing at 4 o’clock following a long period of declining health. A victim of arthritis she had been confined to her bed for some time and her con dition had been critical for several weeks. The daughter of the late John Washington and Nancy Jane GrilTin Coltrain, she wuS born in Williams Township tifi years ago the first oi last April. Following her marriage to Mr. Lilley forty-six years ago they lived in Griffin Township, buy ing and locating on a farm in Wil liams Township a short time later to make their home. Mrs. Lilley, un usually energetic, devoted her lifi to her work in the home and or their farm. She asked few favors arid while she was not at all pre tentioes she had many friends am: never hesitated to lend aid to one ir need or distress. She leaves no children. Besides her husband she leaves three brothers, Dawson Coltrain of Wil liamston, Ira T. Coltrain of James ville and James Horton Coltrain ol Williams Township, and three sis ters, Mrs. Della Perkins of Piti County, Mrs. Aggie Mobley of Beai Grass, and Mrs. Alexander F. Lille) of Williamston. Mrs. Lilley was a member of thi Fairview church for many years anc her pastor, Rev. Fernando Lilley o: Washington conducted the last rite: at the home last Sunday afternooi at 3:00 o’clock. Interment follower in a new cemetery on the farm nea: the home. Husband Of Local Girl Is Promoted To Major Rani -« i David H. Armstrong was recent ' ly promoted from the rank of cap ’ tain to major in the parachute in 1 fantry somewhere in France, hi • wife, the former Miss Blanche Bar risen, was advised here a few day ’ ago. Major Armstrong who led a para chute unit in Italy and jumped int ' France, was said by his cornmandin 1 officer to be doing a fine job. A shor i time ago, he was observing the fron r lines and saw some soldiers firin - apparently from friendly lines. H - moved up and instructed the men t j cease firing. The g*oup was cam r ouflaged Germans, but the me obeyed the order. Sale Of "E " Bands Just-Short Of $245,000 Quota In County Peanut Marketing In Comity Rapidly Nearing Completion Peanut marketing, taking up where tobacco left off, is progressing rap idly in this section, the latest esti mates indicating that eighty per cent of the crop has already moved out of the farmers hand and that nine ty per cent or more of the crop in this immediate section has been pick ed. With jus' a few more days of fav orable weather, the crop will have been harvested in its entirety and by Christmas !»5 per cent or more of tlie production will have moved out of tiie farmers' hands, it is estimated. In the territory as a whole, sev enty to seventy-five per cent of the crop lias been marketed, according to reliable estimates. Prices are averaging right around nine cents a ling, a few salt's having been made for as much as $0.60 per hundred while a few have sold for as little as $8.75 per hundred pounds. There is little doubt but what the crop this year will bring the farm ers more money than any other pea nut crop in many, many years. Re ports state that some few farmers have sold their crops for as much as $200 per acre and in some instances the price has been even higher. The outward appearance of the crop this year is not the best, but the meat content is the highest ever reported in this section for the crop, as a whole. The meat content, on an average, lias been fairly stable at 65 per cent, and the oldest peanut men declare that 72 was the top figure in years past. This season the meat con tent has been known to run as high as 77 per cent and possibly higher. Schedule Murder Case For Trial Next Week Very Few Cases Are On The Docket For Trial Next Monday -- Intcri'Hl Outers Around Mur der Charge Against Cherry iiikI Manslaughter Case -1, The trials of Bryant Cherry, charg ed with murder, and of Jesse Griffin, facing several charges including manslaughter, will hold the center of attention next Monday when the Martin County Superior Court opens a one-week term for the trial of both criminal and civit cases. Very few cases are on the docket and aside from the murder and manslaughter charges, the court is not expected to attract very much attention. There are several divorces pending in the court, but none had been placed on tin- docket early today for trial next week. Judge Leo Carr of Burlington who presided over the September term, is scheduled lo return and hold court next week. Climaxing a brief drinking party, Bryant Cherry shot and fatally in jured John Dave Davenport, ■ white man, on the Jamesville Hoad early in the evening of last October 2. When a hearing was held before Jus tice J. L. Hassell a few days later, 'probable cause of murder in the tirst degree was declared and bond was denied Cherry. A very short time la ter, the justice ruled that bond was allowable and the man was releas ed in $2,000 bail. Quite a few wit nesses have been summoned by both the defense and prosecution, but it could not be learned if the defense through his counsel, 11. G. Horton, would submit to a lesser degree. Neither could it be learned if the State would press the first degree charge. Possibly the case charging Jesse Gi if fin, Beaufort County white man, with drunken and reckless driving, hit-and-run and manslaughter, will attract more attention from the gen eral public than the Cherry murder case. Griffin, almost helplessly drunk, run down and killed two voung girls, Minnie Pearl and Mary Alice Mendenhall, and injured their; mother, Mrs. S. Walter Mendenhall,] on the Washington Road on the eve ning of September 28. He drove | away from the scene of the double tragedy and was apprehended by Patrolman W. E Saunders Within an hour. After a stuy of several days in the Martin County jail, Griffin was j released under bond in the sum of $5,000. Other cases on the docket: Charged with vagrancy during the months of May and June, Leamon (Continued on page six) District Masons To Meet Here Tonight -—~ Masons of the second Masonic dis trict will meet here this evening when State Grand Master Julius C Hobbs of Wilmington and Senior i Grand Warden W. J. Bundy of | Greenville, will address the group, it was announced yesterday by District I) pu'y Grand Master V J. Spivey. More than 100 representatives from j the lodges at Hamilton, Windsor, i Lewiston, Aulander, Colerain, Har t reilsviUe and Edenton are expected t here for the meeting, and all Ske 4 warkey Lodge Masons are asked to - be present and welcome the visitors. > A barbecue supper will be served - in the Woman’s Club hall at 6:30 and i the Masons will repair to the lodge hall upstair* for their meeting. WOUNDED | j Sgt. Tyree It. (Bill) Tyson was wounded in action in Germany presumably between the first and middle of last month, ac cording to a message received by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Tyson, in Oak City this week. Few details were offered, but it was learned that be was wound ed in the arm, that he was in a hospital somewhere in France and that he was getting along very well. In liis message dated November 23 and addressed to Mr. and Mrs. Tyson, the son told them not to worry. Entering the service in Octo ber of last vear, Tvson had been overseas about six months, mov ing into combat area on or soon after the invasion of the conti nent. lie was in General Court ney Hodges' First Army. County Bookmobile Will Make Regular Schedule Next Week \ had been on the “Princeton” since it i had been commissioned. He had seen ' much action prior to the Philippine battle.