THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BY
OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNTY
FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK
VOLUME XLIX—NUMBER 44
THE ENTERPRISE
Williamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Friday, May 31, 1946
THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BY
OVER 3.000 MARTIN COUNTY
FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK
ESTABLISHED 1899
Call Dozen Cases
On Monday In the
Recorder’s Court
Fines Amounting To $305.
Imposed by Judge
J, C. Smith
Handling an even dozen cases
Judge J. Calvin Smith in the
County Recorder’s Court
last Monday imposed fines
amounting to $305 and dished out
several road sentences. The ses
sion, attracting a fairly large
crowd, lasted until noon. Solici
tor Paul D. Roberson prosecuted
the docket.
Proceedings:
D. D. Hill, under a three months
suspended sentence for assaulting
a female, was carried into the
court for a similar offense and
drew thirty days on the roads. He
pleaded not guilty, but Judge
Smith adjudged him guilty and in
voked the old sentence which is to
begin at the expiration of the thir
ty days. Hill allegedly assaulted
a female on February 25.
Charged with assaulting an
other with a deadly W'eapon, Wil
liam Crews pleaded guilty of as
saulting a female. The plea was
accepted by Solicitor Roberson
and the defendant was sentenced
to the roads for a term of six
months. The road sentence was
suspended upon the payment of a
$50 fine and costs. Judge Smith
ordered the defendant not to oc
cupy a house in w hich the prose
cuting witness, Ora Ward, lives or
resides.
Judgment was suspended upon
the payment of the cost in the case
charging Kenneth Johnson with
operating a motor vehicle without
a driver’s license.
Charged with operating a motor
vehicle without a driver’s license,
Arthur Council pleaded guilty
and was sentenced to the roads for
six months. The road term was
suspended upon the payment of a
$30 fine and costs. The court re
commended that no driver’s li
cence be issued
nine months.
Chester Felton Davis, charged
with drunken driving, pleaded
guilty and was fined $50, taxed
with the cost and had his license
to operate a motor vehicle revok
ed for one year.
Pleading guilty in the case
charging him with operating a
motor vehicle without a driver’s
license, Abram Pippins was fined
$25 and taxed wuth the costs. The
court recommended that no driv
er's license be issued to the de
fendant for one year.
Charged with drunken driving,
Lester R. Meeks pleaded guilty
and was fined $50, taxed with the
cost and had his license revoked.
It was pointed out in open court
that the defendant, after he had
been sent home by the arresting
patrolman, went to Robersonville
where he admitted drinking a
bottle of beer and a “slug” of li
quor before going to the home of
Judge Smith to talk over the
charge lodged against him. The
judge, not in the best of health at
the time, was in bed, and during
his visit in the home Meeks
“chunked’’ a lighted cigarette un
der His Honor’s bed. Whi! .here
U'as no intention on his part to
make it hot for the judge, Meeks,
by his own act, helped build a
strong case against himself. “I’m
not holding that against you,”
Judge Smith told the defendant
and invited him to go see him
(Continued on page four)
V.
ABANDONED |
Hundreds of children are
picked up in the streets of
Warsaw every days—aban
doned by pareuts who can’t
feed them, according to infor
mation received by Hildreth
Mobley, local chairman of the
Emergency Food Collection,
from W'illiam Bird, foreign
correspondent who visited
Poland with Herbert Hoover.
“They are cared for in insti
tutions for a few days and
then dispersed into country
areas where they are little
better off. In one large insti
tution caring for these waifs,
we saw them at their noon
meal of lean potato soup,”
Bird said.
He pointed out that Warsaw
is by no means Poland’s most
destitute city. In Cracow and
Lodz, notably, many have
gone without bread for as
long as three weeks. When
there’s no bread, there isn’t
much else, he added.
<
DO THEY PRAY IN VAIN?
(Contributed to the Emergency Food Collection by Floyd Murray—
Journal. Beaumont. Texas).
The drive for funds to help
support life for the starving
overseas will get under way in
this section next Monday. Rob- 1
ersonville has already raised
several hundred dollars for the
cause, Chairman Marvin M.
Everett announced Wednesday.
UNION SERVICES
v_>
Beginning Sunday evening,
most of the local churches
will hold union services, the
ministerial association an
nouncing the following sched
ule for June:
June 2, Baptist church, Rev.
John Hardy, speaker; June 9,
Christian church, Rev. J. W.
McGinnis, speaker; June l(i,
Episcopal church, Dr. Ira D. S.
Knight, speaker; June 23,
Methodist church, Rev. John
Goff, speaker; and June 31, j
Presbyterian church, Rev. B. J
T. Hurley, speaker.
Paroles Granted
Two County Men
Sentenced to two years in pris
on for aiding and abetting in an
illegal operation, Herman Man
ning of Oak City and Joe Martin,
formerly of this county, were
paroled by the commission in Ral
eigh this week, according to re
ports reaching here.
The case has a long history with
a beginning in Goldsboro where
the principal in the case, a Golds
boro doctor, was adjudged not
guiiiy. Ail the details of the trial
could not be learned, but it has
been established that at least one
and possibly two of the main pro
secuting witnesses were never
called to testify against the doctor
following the death of the young
woman, Beulah Brown.
Convicted in the courts of the
county, Manning and Martin ap
pealed. The lower court judg
ment was sustained, but sentence
was delayed until last January 2.
Manning was turned over to the
welfare department in this county
Wednesday and Martin was said
to have reported to the welfare
division in Pitt County.
Mayor Hassell
Has Five Cases
—»—
Justice John L. Hassell had five
cases in his court during the past
several days, most of them center
ing around alleged violations of
the motor vehicle laws.
John Rogers was fined $10 and
taxed with $6 costs for allegedly
operating a motor vehicle with
improper lights.
Charged with operating a motor
vehicle with improper brakes,
Raymond Rogers was fined $10
and required to pay $6 costs.
Kader Brown was fined $10 and
taxed with $8 costs in the case
charging him with operating a
motor vehicle with improper
brakes and defective lights*
Charged with disorderly con
duct, Charles Payne was sentenc
ed to jail for thirty days, the court
suspending the judgment upon
the payment of $6.50 costs.
Probable cause having been
found in the case in which he was
charged with false pretense, Peter
Williams was bound over to the
superior court in $100 bond.
National Peanut
Council Met This.
Week In Virginia
—»—
A<lvrrli*iii{{ and Korarrli
Advanrrd To Protect
Peanut IndiiHtry
Virginia Beach, Va.—Twin pro
grams of advertising and research
were set up to protect the South's
$200,000,000 peanut industry here
this week at the national conven
tion oTThe More
than 400 peanut farmers, proces
sors and shippers attended the
meetings, which heard in its key
not address Secretary of Agricul
ture Clinton P. Anderson.
Although government price
support stands ready to hack up
the 1946 and 1947 crops, Secretary
Anderson and a host of other gov
ernment and industry experts
warned the industry of a time
when the price of peanuts will de
pend upon the willingness of the
American housewife to buy and
pay good prices for peanut but
ter, peanut confections, suited
peanuts and other peanut pro
ducts.
Better and cheaper peanut pro
ducts through research, Secretary
Anderson said, and increased con
sumer demand through advertis
ing can maintain peanuts as the
South’s fifth largest and perhaps
its most profitable crop, provided
national income remains high and
farmers exercise proper rotation
and soil conservation.
A research program with a
permanent, full-time director was
announced at the peanut meet
ings, together with the institution
of a $1,000 prize and medal which
beginning next year will be
awarded annually to individuals
making outstanding contributions
to the industry. Also announced,
by Paul Mitchell of Experiment,
Ga., was the discovery of a new
stabilizing agent for peanut but
ter.
Arrest Three For
Alleged Robbery
•—•—
John H. Williams, 24, John
Moore, 27, and Romulus Moore, 18,
were arrested and jailed here
Wednesday by Patrolman W. E.
Saunders for allegedly breaking
into the G. and H. Builders’ Sup
ply Company on the Jamesville
Road and stealing two truck tires
last Monday night. No hearing
lias been scheduled in the case, as
far as it could be learned early
Thursday.
Declaring they found the tires
near the highway late Tuesday,
two of the three arrested tried to
sell them that evening at a local
filling station. During the mean
time, officers picked up the trail
and made the arrests next day,
-*
Stops Over Here
Mr. Ben Rosen of Passaic, N. J.,
spent Wednesday night here with
Mr. and Mrs. M. M. Levin en
route to S. C,
Vacation School
^ill Open Short
Term On Monday
—<i—
First ‘Assembly Scheduled
In Baptist Church At
9:00 A. M.
The annual Union Vacation
Bible School sponsored by most
churches of Williamston,
will open Monday morning, June
3rd, with the processional and as
sembly at the Baptist Church, It
is hoped that every boy and girl
from the town and surrounding
area who is from four to 16 years
of age will be present for this
opening session and continue with
us throughout the school, which
will be held each morning, Mon
day through Friday for two weeks
from 9 to 12 a. m.
A choice faculty of Christian
leaders from the various churches
will direct the activities of the
school, with Miss Ethel Guest, of
the Baptist Church, serving as
principal and the following as de
partment superintendents: Be
ginners, Miss Patricia King; Pri
maries, Mrs. Hildreth Mobley;
Juniors, Mrs. Clyde Manning; In
termediates, Mrs. G. G. Woolard.
The places of meeting for the
various departments follow; Be
ginner, Episcopal Parish House;
Primary, Baptist Church; Junior,
Woman’s Club; Intermediate,
Baptist Church. Young girls serv
ing as faculty helpers are being
assigned to gather the beginner
children on the various streets
and bring them safely to the
school. Anyone wishing this ser
ivice for their child should call
Miss Guest at the Baptist Church.
It is hoped that this will be the
most effective school we have yet
held and the Christian people of
the town are sincerely requested
to support it by helping to enlist
the attendance of every child.
1 DONATIONS
v-__>>
Although the canvass is not
scheduled to get under way
until next Monday, the Emer
gency Food Collection is al
ready receiving support local
ly, Chairman Hildreth Mob
ley announcing yesterday that
Mrs. A. R. nunning led the
list with a $10 cash contribu
tion. Immediate action on the
part of others is sought, and
then an extensive canvass
will be launched.
Reports from Robersonville
state that Professor Marvin
M. Everett has already rais
ed several hundred dollars in
that community.
“We hope to raise six or
seven hundred dollars locally
Chairman Mobley said.
County Young Man
Is Electrocuted In
Accident Tuesday
-9
Funeral Thursday In Oak
City For E. Dealt
Edmondson
Ernest Dean Edmondson, Oak
City young man are. an employe
of a road construction firm, was
electrocuted in Edgecombe Coun
ty near Tarboro last Tuesday aft
ernoon at 3:15 o’clock. He was
killed instantly.
Driving a truck out of a sand
pit into the Tarboro-Oak City
Highway during a heavy rain
storm, Edmondson struck and
knocked down a power line pole
and the wires. He was not hurt
in the vehicle-pole accident, but
the young man got out of the
truck, stepped on a livp wire and
was killed. The body was remov
ed to Tarboro and a coroner’s in
quest was held, reports reaching
here stating that the tragedy was
accidental.
A farmer during the early years
of his life, Edmondson later oper
ated a filling station in Oak City
for a few years and a few months
| ago sold the station to go with the
road construction company. He
was hauling sand for the Oak
City-Bethel Highway when he
: met his untimely death.
The son of Mrs. Maude Ed
I mondson, of Oak City, he was
born in this county on July 6,
1906. He was married to Miss
Irene Davis and she survives with
seven sons, Ernest Dean, Jr., Ed
j ward Earl, Milton Ray, William
Allen, Otis, Thomas Richard and
| an eight-months old baby, lh' also
I leaves several half-brothers and
hall sisters.
Funeral services were conduct
ed at. the late home Thursday aft
ernoon at 3:00 o’clock and inter
ment was in the cemetery at Oak
.City.
--—-<$
To lneo/l hisuranve Mtwl
In Chicago Next Week
-- ■
Mr. C. G. Gurkin of Jamesville
leaves this week to attend the
25th regular quadrennial head
camp or national convention of
Modern Woodmen of America,
which convenes June 4 in Chicago.
The sessions will continue from
Tuesday through Friday.
Mr. Gurkin is making the trip
as a prize-winning district man
ager for the society.
Mr. Gurkin said the Chicago
convention is one originally
scheduled for June, 1045, but was
postponed in compliance with the
government’s directive in effect
at that time prohibiting such
gatherings.
County Property Values
After reaching an all-time high point last year, prop
erty values as assessed by the list-takers for 1946 reflect
a fairly sizable loss, Supervisor M. L. Peel announcing
this week that values of personal property dropped from
$5,643,568 in 1945 to $5,230,884 this year. Only two town
ships, Cross Roads and Poplar Point, reported net gains
in values of properties owned by both white and color
ed citizens. Williamston, Robersonville and Hamilton
reported big losses, the first two townships explaining
that very few pearluts were held in storage as compared
with the holdings a year previously. While the loss is not
at all serious, it is likely that it will influence the tax
rate to some extent.
A review of real property listings is scheduled tor
next week, and it is to be followed by a review of com
bined property values in the county, exclusive of cor
poration property listings.
WHITE
Jamesville
Williams
Griffins
Bear Grass
Williamston
Cross Roads
Robersonville
Poplar Point
Hamilton
Goose Nest
Totals
Jamesville
Williams
Griffins
Bear Grass
Williamston
Cross Roads
Robersonville
Poplar Point
Hamilton
Goose Nest
1S45
$1,019,423
100,359
293,508
250,973
1,397,472
206,203
1,019,182
113,625
310,920
370,121
1946
$1,000,569
107,561
294,337
250,848
1,191,155
207,464
883,173
117,888
261,617
357,469
Gain
Loss
* 18,854
7,202
829
* 125
*206,317
1,261
*136,009
4,263
* 49,303
* 12,652
$5,081,786 $4,672,081 *409,705
COLORED
1945
45,461
16,920
20,204
281.24
91,210
25,218
133,163
11,354
71,550
118,578
1946
48,204
151.68
19,560
25,278
93,121
28,989
134,239
12,553
70,351
111,340
Gain
Lobs
2,743
1,752
644
2,846
1,911
3,771
1,076
1,199
1,119
7,238
Totals ..\ $ 561,782 $ 558,803 * 2,979
*—Denotes loss. _ *,
Pci.
*01.8
07.1
00.2
00.0
*14.7
00.6
*13.3
03.7
*15 8
*03.4
*08.0
Pet.
06.0
*10.3
*03.1
*10.1
02.0
14.9
00.7
10.5
*01.6
*06.1
$00.5
I
Drop In Postal Income At
Office Here Last Quarter
Postal income at the local office ,
dropped iast quarter for the first j
time in recent years, according to,
information- coming from Post- i
master V. E. Dunn a few days ,
ago. After showing fairly steady I
gains quarter after quarter over a
period of years and r
ing a first class rating at the close
of business last December 31, the
office lost $766.48 in stamp sales
in January, February and March
as compared with income for the
corresponding period in 1945.
However, it was pointed out
that revenues continue unusually
high, the postmaster announcing
that stamp sales last quarter
amounted to $8,654.77. The small
reduction is not traceable to any
decline in the general business
volume, but it is due almost en
tirely to a withdrawal of Martin
County mi'n from overseas by the
armed forces. In the flvwt. three
months last year the office sold
15,050 air mail stamps for $903.00
to relatives and friends of service
men overseas, with some few ex
ceptions, of course. Last January.
fpfcg uai y and March the office
sold only 3,650 air mail stamps foi
$219.
While the stamp sales decreas
ed, the money order business
climbed to what is believed a
record figure for a first quarter.
The money order business jumped
from $46,409.25 in the first quar
ter of last year to $68,904.21 last
quarter. While the figures are
quite impressive, it is estimated
that one-fourth possibly more was
returned because mail order hous
es did not have the goods ordered
by the patrons of the office.
Officers Destroy
Still And Fifteen
Gallons of Liquor
——
First Copper Kettle Taken
By ABC. Men In County
In Some Time
Raiding in the Flat Swamp sec
tion of Robersonville Township
last Tuesday afternoon ABC Of
ficer J. H. Roebuck and his as
sistant, Deputy Roy Peel, found
and wrecked the first copper still
in several months and poured out
fifteen gallons of high grade illicit
liquor. The plant was cold at the
time and no one was found there,
the officers declaring that the
signs pointed to extensive opera
tions in recent weeks.
The fifty-gallon copper still was
connected with a 20-gallon doub
ler and a fifty-gallon cooler.
There were six fifty-gallon capac
ity fermenters and three hundred
.’i'.jlhxgs. of •boUrr.^tean.-ayeragw
I beer or mash almost ready for the
I kettle. Officer Roebuck stated
that the beer was not made with
j molasses, that the operator used
j either sugar or a good quality sy
rup in making the mash.
After wrecking the plant, the
officers picked up a trail and fol
lowed it about 150 yards to a field
hedgerow and found a five-gallon
jug and ten one-gallon jugs filled
with liquor. The find was spilled
on the spot, and the copper ket
tle was confiscated.
(Continued on page six)
--«
Kiwanis Festival
In Ahoskie Soon
—»—
A hoskie. — Dangling before
those who buy admission tickets
to the annual Kiwanis Festival in
Ahoskie June 19-21 is the know
ledge that the holder of a certain
ticket number will leave the fes
tival owning a brand new, hard
to-get, 1946, V-8 Ford tudor se
dan.
The tickets now being sold by
members of the club are for gen
eral admission to either the first
or the second night of the Festi
val and do not include admission
to the Saxie Dowell dance to be
held June 21. However, the hold
er of the winning ticket need not
be present in order to win the
Ford.
The decorations committee, un
der the guidance of R. V. Massey,
is already at work converting Far
mers Warehouse from a drab to
bacco sales floor into a wonder
land of lights and gaily-colored
paper.
Saxie Dowell and his orchest
tra have been engaged to climax
the festival with a dance on June
21. Ahoskie Kiwanians, who use
the funds raised at the annual fes
tival to carry on their work
among underprivileged children,
are anticipating the biggest and
most successful festival in the
club’s history.
Draft Culling Eighteen
County Men For June 5
—- * ■ ■ ■
The Martin County Draft Board
recently received a call for eigh
teen colored men. They are to re
port for pre-induction June 5, it
was learned.
Most of the men will he called
from the 4-F group, a recent
change in the Selective Service
Act having eliminated teen-age
hoys. There are few others avail
able.
I COMMISSIONERS 1
v-_>
Not a single new business
item has been placed on the
calendar l'or consideration
when the county commission
ers meet in regular session
here next Monday. However,
the authorities will be in ses
sion until about noon, if not
longer, handling routine mat
ters.
The meeting next Monday
will hardly get around to the
l!)4ti-47 budget, Clerk J. Sam
Getsinger stating that pos
sibly the commissioners
would be called into special
session about the middle of
the month to discuss the
figures.
Mrs. Mary Corey
Died Thursday At
Home ot Daughter
Funeral Servin' Friday lu
The Smithwicka Creek
Coiiiiiiunity
-»
Mrs. Mary Griffin Corey, widow
of John Gray Corey, died at the
home of her daughter in the
Smithwiek's Creek Community of
Griffin’s Township Thursday
morning at 9:00 o’clock. Mis.
Corey had been in declining
health for many months, spending
a greater part of the last seven in
bed.
The daughter of the late John
Daniel Griffin and wife, Ann Har
dison Griffin, she was born in
Griffins Township 75 y. ,.rs ago
and lived there all her life. When
a young woman she was married
to John Gray Corey and continu
ed to live in that community She
was held in high esteem by all
who knew her.
Surviving are one daughter,
Mrs. Annie Bell Perry; a brother,
Dawse Griffin, and a sister, Mrs.
Cletie Griffin, all of Griffimj
Township, twelve grandchildren
and six great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be con
ducted at the late home Friday
afternoon at 3:00 o’clock hy Rev.
W. B. Harrington, county Baptist
minister. Burial will follow in
the Tice Community Cemetery in
Griffins Township.
--*
Produce Freight
Truck Turns Over
A large produce transport
truck, loaded with nearly 600 lias
kels of string beans, turned over
near here on the Washington Road
shortly before 5 o’clock yesterday
morning.
Investigating the accident, Pa
trolman W. E. Saunders stated
that damage to the truck amount
ed to about $100 and added that
damage to the cargo was slight.
Norris Wilson Dryden, of Re
hoboth, Maryland, was driving
the truck, a 11146 Ford, and he was
accompanied by Benson Bell, one
of the owners. It was stated that
a back spring broke, causing the
driver to iose control. No one
was hurt.
A few hills of tobacco were
damaged when the truck went in
to a field and turned over on its
side. Another truck was dis
patched here to pick up and de
liver the beans, valued at $1,000.
The tfuck was en route from
Soutli Catolina to northern mar
kets.
Father Is Jailed
For Adultery And
Leaving Children
(’omnion Law Wife Vlso
I’laced In Lou nlv Jail
Here This Week
Charged with adultery and de
serting his children, Jasper Wil
liams, 34-year-old white man,
was arrested and placed in the
county jail here (his week by
Sheriff C. 13. Roebuck and Con
stable Edmond Early of Oak City.
Evelyn While Storey, living near
Palmyra with Williams allegedly
as his common-law wife, was also
arrested and jailed. Unable to
raise bonds amounting to $300, the
two defendants continue in jail.
They are to be given hearings be
fore Judge J. C. Smith in the
Martin County Recorder’s Court
next Monday.
Williams married in this county
and later moved to Norfolk. Some
time last year he and his wife sep
arated and the five children were
returned to the home of Williams’
father in this county. A warrant
was issued by the grandfather,
charging Williams and his wife
with deserting the children. Dur
ing the meantime, the Martin
County Welfare Department
found homes for the children.
More recently, Williams is al
leged to have taken the Storey
woman, a mother of two child
ren, as his common law wife.
When the Virginia law picked up
their trail, the couple came to
Martin County allegedly to con
tinue their illicit relations in
Goose Nest Township where he
rented a farm not far from Pal
myra about the first of March.
Williams is said to have gather
ed up three of his children and
moved them into his new home.
The arresting officers carried the
three children to (he home of a
relative, reports stating that the
Storey woman left her two chil
dren in Norfolk.
Call For Special
School Election
Meeting last Wednesday even
ing, the Kubersonville local school
committee, W. 11. Gray, Mayo Lit
tle, Herbert Roebuck, N. C. Ever
ett and J- M. Dixon, completed
plans for petitioning the county
authorities foi a special election
in which the citizens of Roberson
ville Township will have an op
portunity to vote for or against a
special school lax in support of
the minimum state-supported
school term.
The petition will be placed be
fore the county commissioners at
(heir meeting next Monday, and
plans are being made to hold the
election on July (i. it was learned.
Open Municipal
Pool Saturday
Plans have been completed for
opening the local municipal swim
ming pool Saturday morning at
10:00 o’clock for the summer. Miss
Ruth Manning has been named to
manage the pool and she will be
assisted by Mrs. C. 1). Carstar
phen, Jr. Collin Peel has been
employed as life guard and Miss
Louise Hines will be in charge of
the baby pool, it was announced.
It was also announced that the
pool will be closed durin Bible
school hours next week and the
week following.
Season tickets are being placed
on sale a! slightly increased rates.
Single admission charges will re
main unchanged.
-—-^
A mad dog, the second re
ported loeally in recent
weeks, was killed on Last
Main Street last Sunday
morning by Officer John Koe
huck. The dog, saliva pour
ing front its mouth and run
ning wild, was a mixed hound
and the name of its owner
could not be learned. Several
other dogs, said to have been
mad, have h»en killed in this
county since March.
After bogging down to some
extent, the drive to stamp out
rabies is expected to get
“biting teeth" within tile next
few days when the authorities
propose to indict the owners
or kill stray dogs.