THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BY
OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNTY
FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK
VOLUME? \ LIX—NUMBER 40
THE ENTERPRISE
Williamalon, Martin County, North Carolina, Friday, May 17, 1946
THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BY
OVER 3.000 MARTIN COUNTY
FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK
ESTABLISHED 1899
Judge J. C. Smith |
Collects $125 In
Fines Last Monday
Crumtut? tv'fKiti (JrottsOu!
Of Controversy Over
Cart Path
Calling twelve cases, Judge J.
..Calvin Smith held the Martin
County Recorder’s Court in ses
sion until noon last Monday be
fore clearing the docket for the
day. Fines collected at the ses
sion amounted to $125, the reduc
tion in the number of cases and
decreasing revenue indicating
that the business of the court is
entering its usual spring-summer
slump. However, business in the
court continues to hold up well
compared with past records at
this season of the year.
A fairly large crowd was pres
ent for the proceedings last Mon
day, but interest seemed to center
in a case brought by Ed June,
against Richard Jones, involving
trespassing on a short cart path
claimed by the prosecuting wit
ness. A civil action is pending in
the superior court at the present
time in which Ed Jones is suing
to keep his cousin, Owen Jones,
off the path. Ed Jones went to
Greenville and employed Alhion
Dunn to prosecute the case. The
defendant, Richard Jones, son of
Owen Jones, pleaded not guilty.
He was adjudged guilty and Judge
Smith suspended judgment upon
the payment of the court costs.
Other proceedings in the court
last Monday:
The case charging Cleveland
Godard with non-support was nol
prossed.
A continuance under prayer for
I judgment until next September !)
j was allowed upon the payment of
I the court costs in the ease charg
ing Nenri Moore with operating a
'motor vehicle with improper
'brakes.
The case in which LcRoy Rob
f rsnn was charged with violating
he landlord-tenant law was nol
| prossed.
, Pleading guilty of operating a
ifiotor vehicle without a driver’s
license. Paul R. Perry was fined
t|20 and taxed with the costs.
I Charged with reckless driving,
Hutmie Council through his altur
oey, Sam Worthington of Green
ville, pleaded not guilty. He was
adjudged not guilty.
James Russell Clemmons, plead
ing guilty of opeiating a motor
vehicle without a driver’s license,
was fined $25 and required to pay
the costs.
Charged with operating a motor
vehicle with improper brakes,
Russell Joseph Dickens pleaded
guilty and was fined $10 and tax
ed with the cost. The court rec
ommended that his driver’s li
cense be suspended for ten days.
William Howard James, charg
ed with speeding pleaded guilty
and was fined $25, the court tax
ing him with the costs.
Pleading guilty in the case
charging him with speeding, Wil
liam Alexander Fischer was fined
$25 and taxed with the court costs.
Judge Smith recommended that
his driver’s license be revoked for
ten days.
Charged with operating a motor '
vehicle without a driver's license,
Theodore Sandy Brown pleaded .
guilty and was fined $20 and tax- I
ed with the court costs. Judge
Smith recommended that no li
cense. be issued the defendant for
a period of twelve months.
In the case charging LeRoy
Godard, disabled war veteran,
with speeding, the defendant
pleaded guilty and the court sus
pended judgment upon the pay
ment of the court costs. It was
pointed out to the court that the
defendant lost a leg in France.
Bonner Rally And
Barbecue Tuesday
Extensive plans have been made
for a big rally and barbecue at
the Swannee River Club, Gold
Point, next Tuesday evening for
the advancement of the candidacy
of Herbert Bonner for represen
tative from the First Congression
al District.
No formal program has been an
nounced for the event, but reports
state that 30 hogs are being barbe
cued for the large crowd which
is being invited to the free supper
to be served between 6 and 9
o'clock that evening.
The rally, as far as it can be
learned, will just about mark the
close of an intensive political
campaign in this county.
.1
Candidates for Commissioner
Very little talk has been heard
heard about it, but the race for
county commissioner, after all,
will possibly have a more direct
bearing on the affairs of more
Martin County people than either
of (lie other two contests on the
May 25 primary ballot. Pictured
above are Joshua L. Coltrain, left,
the incumbent of Williams Town
ship, and Leslie W. Hardison of
Jamesville, candidates for Mai tin
County commissioner from the
Jamesville-Williams District. It is
the only county commissioner con
test this year, but the candidacies
are subject to a county-wide vote.
Sam Bundy Resigns
As School Principal
RAINFALL
Heavv showers falling since
I last Sunday have all but in
terrupted farm work and
many other activities in this
section. Nearly three inches of
rain fell from Sunday up un
til last Thursday afternoon
j here, boosting the total for the
first fifteen days to
inches. Last month 3.87
inches of rain fell in this im
mediate vicinity.
The rains have had very lit- i
tie effect on the river at this
point so far, and no flood
warnings had been received
up until late Thursday. The
stream is about six inches be
low its banks and was on a
stand Thursday afternoon.
*
Russell H. Teel
Dies In Hospital
In Massachusetts
-#
Funeral For WilliantHlon
Native In Fanihridge
Saturday
Russell H. Teel, native of Wil- !
liamston, died sudde nly in a Cam
bridge, Massachusetts, hospital
last Wednesday evening at 7:30
o’clock. He had been in declining
health for six years, but was
thought to be getting along as
well as usual until he was fatally
stricken following the evening
meal Wednesday. Apparently he
had been in the hospital a very
short time because in a mother’s
day message to his mother here he
said he was getting along all right.
The son of Mrs. Bottle Mobley
Teel, ol Williamston, and the late
James A. Teel, he was born at the
old home on West Main Street
here on March 17, 1892. When a
young man he went to Petersburg,
Va., where he engaged in the in
surance business for several years
or until he entered the first World
War. Following the close of the
war he located and married in
Cambridge where he engaged in
an'interior decorating and paint
business. At the outbreak of the
current war he volunteered for
work on defense projects, but he
was forred into virtual retire
ment on account of declining
health.
Accompanied by his wife he vis
ited here two years ago and was
planning to return for another
visit this spring.
Surviving are his widow, moth
er and one brother, Val L. Teel,
of Williamston.
Funeral services wiil be con
ducted in Cambridge Saturday
afternoon at 2:00 o'clock and in
terment will follow in the Cam
bndge cemetery. His niece, Mrs.
Thurman Matthews, and Mr. Mat
thews, left here early Thursday
to attend the last rites.
BANK HOLIDAY
Local banks will observe Meck
lenburg Independence Day next
Monday, May 20, a; a holiday.
Several Teachers
Resign Positions
In Local Schools
l*rin< i|»al Ami Teaelier Ap
plieatiom To lie Taken
Up Sa!i>riJay
I Meeting in called session Thurs
day noon, Williamston's local
school committee accepted the
resignations of Principal Sam D.
Bundy. Mrs. Jessie H. White and
Sam Edwards, high school teach
ers, and Miss Patsy King, eighth
grade teacher, and perfected its
organization for the coming year.
Robert L. Coburn continues as
chairman with Ray H. Goodman,
Sr., and Claude B. Clark, Sr., as
members.
In his letter of resignation,
Principal Bundy explained that
he planned to locate in Farmville
where he was considering an offer
as secretary of the tobacco hoard
of trade and other duties. He also
pointed out that he had been un
able to find a home here since he
succeeded E. G. Bourne, resigned,
during the 1944-45 term.
Professor Edwards is resigning
to accept the prineipalship of the
LaGrange High School.
Mrs. White, who planned to
withdraw from the teaching pro
fession after a long number of
years of faithful service, and Miss
King stated that they accepted
positions to help relieve the teach
er shortage in the local schools
during the emergency. The resig
nations were accepted, the board
expressing its appreciation for the
work handled by the volunteers.
All other teachers were re-elected,
it was learned.
Recessing until Saturday morn
ing, the local board is scheduled
to consider applications for the
principal’s position and two or
more of the teacher openings
along with plans for adding new
courses to the curriculum
The meeting Thursday morning
was the second held during the
current term, but in its reorgani
zation the board is expected to
schedule regular monthly meet
ings with planned inspections of
schools’ activities and properties
at certain intervals. ,
THAT MAN
A partial survey of grocery
stores in this immediate area
shows that bread consump
tion has been decreased very
little in the face of pitiful ap
peals coming from the starv
ing millions across the seas.
That’s bad for the hungry, but
what’s far worse is a report
stating that a family had pur
chased 1,000 pounds of white
flour to make certain of its
supply.
In the face of the pathetic
stories that man, in the eyes
of the world, is the meanest
man humanity will ever have |
to tolerate.
Expect Bi" Vote
In District For
Primary, May 25
—i—
Review of Congressional
Vole In Many
Contests Muled
Preliminary reports, many of
them admittedly based on guess-'
es, indicate that something ap
proaching a record vote will he
cast in the First Congressional
District in the May 25 primary.
While Martin has only one strictly
county contest, other counties in
the district have races which
along with the congressional card
will draw the voters to the polls
in numbers.
Martin County has a potential
voting strength of about 6,500
votes, according to reports com
ing from ten of the thirteen pre
cincts. No reports apparently can
be had from Bear Grass, Gold
Point and Poplar Point. It is
problematical how many of the
estimated 6.500 electors will par
ticipate in the primary on Satur
day, May 25. No contest was held
in this congressional district two
years ago, but in 1942, Martin
County cast only 3,143 votes, a
number about 1,500 below the
record cast in the 1940 general
election. It is now estimated that
the vote next week will push on
toward 3.750 or possibly 4.000.
A revciw of the vote cast in the
district’s fourteen counties for the
three candidates for congress four
years ago follows:
Bonner Blount Edwards
Beaufort
| Camden
i Chowan
I Cun iluek
, Dare
; Gates
1 h i third
| Hyde
I Marlin
j Pasquotank
| Pei quintans
Pitt
| Tyrrell
! Washington
3,937
860
937
1,361
822
670
1,491
1,008
2,448
2,400
924
4,856
352
1,262
405
298
357
385
17
231
300
388
664
307
309
3,030
71
50
40
139
96
9
133
78
31
56
104
818
948
18
56
23,328 -7,073 2,576
J. C. Leggett, Jr.
Dies In Hospital
J. Claude Leggett, Jr., two
months old, died in a Greenville
hospital Thursday morning at !):()()
o’clock. A victim of heart trouble,
the infant was removed to the
hospital when he was two weeks
old and had been there since that
time. During the past two weeks
he had been getting along very
Well, but suffered another attack
early Thursday mornihg. He was
born on March IB and besides his
parents is survived by a sister,
Martha Vick Leggett.
Funeral services will be held at
the graveside in Wood lawn Ceme
tery here Friday morning at 11 00
o’clock by the family pastor, Rev.
B. T. Hurley.
4-H Club Council
Plans Box Supper
The approximately sixty mcm
ht /.s of the Martin County 4 ft
Counci1 will hold a box supper in
the Bear Grass gymnasium next
Wednesday evening at 8:00 o’clock
to raise funds for the 4-H club
camp to be held in Virginia next
months, Miss Garncttc Crocker,
assistant home agent and club
leader, announced today. The
public is invited.
Club boys and girls are holding
their third recreational program
in the Oak City gymnasium Fri
day evening of this week.
Colored School
Plans Exercises
Special exercises, including an
address by Dean J. B. McRae,
State College for Negroes, Fay
etteville, will be held in the local
colored school Friday evening at
8:00 o’clock, Principal Edgar J.
Hayes announced. No graduation
exercises will be held this year,
but promotion cards will be dis
tributed to the pupils next Mon
day morning, the last day of the
term.
Tire several school clubs held
their anniversary program Wed
nesday noon, and a special pro
gram was booked for Thursday
night, including dramatic and
glee club exhibitions and one-act
plays and a musical program.
| Boys Turned Back
| W hen They Report
For Pre-indurtion
i —*—
I New Law Rule. Out Teen
Age Lroup ami Delays
Fall For OiIhts
^^A^^woximately fifteen Martin
County white men, culled to re
pent for pro-induction examina
tions, missed a trip to the recep
tion center at Fort Bragg last
Wednesday by only a few hours.
Just a short time before Congress
extended the draft law for forty
five days, Selective Service issued
instructions delaying the process
ing of all men. Teen-agers have
been eliminated from the draft,
meaning that only four in the
group scheduled to leave last Wed
nesday are now subject to call,
and most of them will be ruled
ineligible, it is believed. One re
cently became a father. Another
had not reported he was a father,
and still another was physically
unable to report.
Volunteering some weeks ago,
two young men, William Cleo
pheus Myers and James Alphonso
Ward, possibly would have escap
ed service for about two more
years had they decided to take
their turn in the draft.
Names of the men called to re
port last Wednesday and their
addresses follow:
Henry Harold Williams, Jamcs
ville.
John Fleming Thigpen, Wil
liamston.
j Clifford Neville Mobley, Oak
City.
Gordon Manning, Williamston.
Noah Saunders Roberson, RFD
1, Williamston.
Cyril Ilarvey Gardner, Rober
son ville.
Arthur Nichols Brown, Jr., RFD
I, Palmyra.
William Stanley Wur/i/jf it¥9
J, Williamston.
Johnnie Pittman Taylor, RFD 3,
W illiamston.
Daniel Marvin Perry, RFD 1,
Jamesville.
Russell Kail Keel, Roberson
ville.
Daniel Martin Jones, RFD 3,
Williamston.
| William Archie Johnson, RFD 1,
Robersonville.
John Donald Price, Jr., James
ville.
Eleven of the group arc only
eighteen years of age, and one is
I nineteen years old. Five of them
| are listed as farmers.
Election Board
Member Resigns
Alvin W. Hasty of Roberson villi’
this week resigned as a member
of the Martin County Hoard of
| Eleetions, it was learned Wednes
day from E. S. Peel, chairman of
the Martin County Democratic
Executive Committee. In his let
j ter of resignation, Mr. Hasty ex
plained that on account of the ill
ness in his family he would not
be able to handle the duties. He
was appointed a member of the
board bv the State Board of Elec
tions just a few months ago.
Up until Thursday noon, the
Di mocratic Executive Committee
had not recommended a successor,
but various politicians in the
county had been consulted, it was
learned.
It is quite likely that the posi
tion will not. be filled immediate
ly, that Chairman Sylvester Peel
and Republican Member Wade
Vick will handle the duties of the
board without assistance during
the coming primary.
Chauffeurs Must (wet
Licenses Ity June 30
Safety Examiner Boyce of the
North Carolina Highway Patrol
stated this week that chauffeurs
must apply for and have their
drivers’ licenses by June 30, that
no extension will be allowed.
Taxi drivers, operators of for
hire trucks and common carriers
of passengers or property must
have special licenses, it was ex
plained. The office for issuing li
censes in this county is open each
Wednesday and Saturday jn the
courthouse.
C.ar Stolen In Atlanta
From Former Residents
The Cadillac sedan belonging to
Dr. and Mrs. E. T. Walker, form
er Williamston residents, was stol
en in Atlanta last Monday night,
friends learned here this week.
(Army-Navy Inductions Delayed
By Order Of Selective Service
Registrations Likely To Go
Unchallenged In Cojjjtfy
Registration books will be open
ed on Saturday of this week in the
thirteen political precincts for
the challenge of names improper
ly listed, but it is quite likely
that not a single name will be
challenged. Mr. Sylvester Peel,
chairman of the Martin County
Board of Elections, stated a short
time ago that during his eighteen
years of service as chairman not
a single registration had been
challenged.
It is fairly well established that
there are technical irregularities
in some of the registrations, but
not certain how the votes will be
cast none of the campaign manag
ers is expected to question those
irregularities and the voters are
not expected to take the initiative.
Comparatively few new electors
were created in the recent regis
tration, according to reports from
ten of the thirteen precincts, but
if the long precedent of accept
ance of the registration is broken,
then the challenge will center
around those names. Ten pre
cincts reported a total of 231 new
registrations recently, as follows:
Jamcsville, 31; Williams, (i; Grif
fins, 17; Williamston No 1, 41;
Williamston No. 2, 43; Cross
Roads, 6: Robersonville, 51; lias
sell, 13; Hamilton, 14; Goose Nest,
!). No reports could he had im
mediately from Rear Grass, Pop
lar Point and Gold Point.
Nearly one-fourth of the names
added to the books in Williums
ton’s two precincts were put there
by colored citizens. Unofficial re
ports maintain that a meeting of
colored leaders was held in the
'county last week, that an outside
leader attended and urged mem
bers of his race to boost the regis
|tration among the colored popula
tion. Not certain of his politics,
one colored registrant was said to
have asked his employer if he did
right by registering as a democrat,
I the registrant explaining that he
did not wish to do anything
against him.
Nine Defendants
In Mayor’s Court
Here This Week
-<9y—
Duetor Hound Over To
County Court Following
Wild Hide Cant Week
period of limited
activity, nine defendants were
carried into Justice John L. Has
sell's court here during the past
few days. Two of the nine were
bound over to the county court for
trial.
Charged with operating a motor
vehicle while under the influence
of either alcohol or some narcotic,
Dr. Edward Early, Jr., was bound
over to the county court for trial
in $100 bail. The charge was
lodged against the defendant by
local police after a wild ride on
Washington Street here last
Thursday evening. After missing
one or two cars by inches, the de
fendant struck one or two others
and stalled his ear on a cement
block near Duk Inn, one report
declaring that instead of ducking
in pedestrians ducked out of the
way, going in all directions. No
one was hurt, but considerable
damage was done to thu defend
ant's car.
.Other proceedings in the may
or’s court:
Charged with creating a dis
turbance at the colored school,
Essix Wilson, Clarence Earl
Stephenson and Lewis Freeman
were fined $2.50 and required to
pay $8.50 costs each.
Leo Jlooker, charged with oper
ating a motor vehicle with im
proper brakes, was fined $10 and
taxed with the costs.
1 Changed with failing to stop up
on entering a main highway,
James Albia Williams was taxed
(Continued on page eight)
-*.
(.ontin mu Critically
III In The HoH/rital
His condition becoming serious
following months of declining
health, N. S. Riddick was remov
ed last week-end to a Washington
hospital for treatment. Although
he was slightly improved Thurs
day noon, his condition is still re
garded as critical.
MORE CHECKS
Representing: 1,039 applica
tions, 1,537 cheeks have been
delivered to Martin County
farmers in recent months un
der the provisions of the Soil
Conservation program for
1945, it was announced this
week by the office of the farm
agent. The checks amount
to $39,945.84, and range in
amount from $1 to about $150.
There are approximately
300 applications pending, the
office explaining that pay
ment was expected in most of
those cases within the near
future.
I
I
MEETING
Meeting in special session
here next Tuesday afternoon,
members of the Martin Coun
ty Hoard of Education will
discuss plans for rebuilding
the colored school destroyed
earlier this week in Everetts.
The sehool authorities will
also study the proposed bud
get for the next term, and dis
ci:.-.s other sehool business, it
was learned today.
County Young Man
In Vehicle Wreck
In Japan Recently
—.o
Pfe. Simon IVrry Snffrrril
ExIniHivc Cnls Ami
Farr llrnisrs
-*_—
Pfc. Simon A. Perry, Jr., Mar
tin County young man who is sol
diering over in Japan, was badly
but not seriously hurt in a motor
vehicle wreck in Osaka, Japan,
the first of this month, according
to information received by lus
parents, Mr. and Mis Simon Per
ry, on RFD 3, Williumston, this
week,
Assuring his parents that he
was getting along all light, the
young man said, in part:
“1 had a wreck with a jeep to
day and I was cut all over the face.
They carried me to the hospital
and it took seventeen or eighteen
stitches to close the wounds. I
bled like a stuck pig for a while,
but the bleeding soon stopped,
and I think I will soon be all
right.
“1 Wii.' a bit worried ho- a whil*
because I thought I would have
to pay for the jeep. I knew if i
did I would be in the Army twi n
ty-two more months trying to
earn enough money to pay the
bill.
“I was out on the Osaka High
way looking for some fellow on
patrol. It was raining and the
road was slippery. My jeep start
ed skidding and plunged into a
Japanese truck parked on the
higway. The jeep turned all the
way around and threw me out. No
one was in the Japanese truck
and I was the only one hurt.
“Don! worry over me because
I will soon be all right. The doc
tor said that he could probably
take the stitches out Saturday.
“Tell everyone ‘hello’. And I’m
hoping to see all of you soon.”
Mr. and Mrs. Saunders
Return To Washington
Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Saunders are
returning to their former home in
Washington this week after living
for a long number of years in Wil
liamston while Mr. Saunders was
principal owner and operator of
the Saunders and Cox Lumber
Company.
The many friends of Mr. Kim,
as he is familiarly known to his
acquaintances here, regret to see
him and Mrs. Saunders leave.
■ Congress Extends
I Draft Act At Last
Minute this W eek
Draflini; of IVrii-aj;*1 (irimp
Itii 1***1 Out Hy law
l.alr Tuesday
Acting just a few hours before
the law was to have expired, Con
gress last Tuesday night continu
ed tiie Selective Service Act for
45 days until Julv 1, but the ex
tension was accompanied by
•mendments which virtually de
stroy tiie effectiveness of the sys
tem, according to observers in
Washington. No clear picture of
the draft status could he had im
mediately following passage of the
measure, but teen-agers and
fathers were eliminated as poten
tial draftees, it was pointed out.
The processing and induction of
men into the tinned forces was
halted by a Selective Service or
der issued late Tuesday by Major
General Lewis 15. Hershey wdio
did not know tit the time what ac
tion Congress would take. Calls
for pro induction and final induc
tion are being delayed pending
receipt of additional instructions
by the draft hoard here, Chairman
H. li. Goodman said yesterday.
Reluctantly signing the measure
late Tuesday night, President
Harry Truman said it was a ‘'bad
bill,'' hut he reasoned that it was
the lesser of two evils, the other
being no draft at all.
Hershey, in later instructions to
draft boards, said that youths It!
'.\}Wt I o,
I ter for the draft hut cannot he in
j ducted until they reach their 20th
birthday.
Although the legislation permits
the induction of men 20 through
30, Ih r.-hey said that those 20 and
older will continue to be deferr
ed.
“Calls will be filled with men
... in the tige group 20 through
2i>,“ his telegram said.
More detailed instructions are
being prepared and will be for
warded its soon its possible, it said.
The bill was the work of the
House. That chamber refused to
accept a simple extension resolu
tion passed by the Senate and
i wrote in the induction bans.
The Senate was forced to take
up the revised measure under
pressure to meet the deadline: It
i had only two alternatives. Either
it had to accept the House proviso
or allow the act to expire. It
reluctantly chose the first course.
General Hershey did not like
the bill, but he pointed out to the
President that chaos would result
if the act were allowed to die.
The law not only covers an im
portant segment of Mr. Truman’s
war powers, hut it guarantees vet
erans the right to return to their
jobs after their discharge.
The extension provides that
only men in the 20-30 age bracket
can be inducted. Selective Ser
vice -aid this pool numbers only
172,000 men and that a large per
! centuge of these would have to be
rejected for physical reasons.
I Secretary of War Robert P.
iPatteison said the bans would
force the Army to keep "non-vol
unteers”—-draftee: -in the Army
longer, probably two years in
(Continued on page eight)
Named Directors
Warehouse Group
Two Martin County tobaccon
ists Bob Edmondson of Williams
ton and Hubert Adkins of Rober
sonville- were named directors of
tlie Eastern Carolina Warehouse
men’s association at a meeting of
the organization held in Kinston
Wednesday. U. H. Cozart, Jr., of
Wilson, was named president of
the association for the coming
year.
The warehousemen adopted un
animously a resolution endorsing
tobacco acreage control and pledg
ed their support to the referen
dum scheduled to be held in July.
"The termination of acreage con
trol would terminate in economic
disaster,” ihe association declared
in shaping its resolution to be dis
tributed to warehousemen in the