North Carolina Newspapers

THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BY OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNTY FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK THE ENTERPRISE THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BT OVER 3.000 MARTIN COUNT* FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK VOLUME XLIX—NUMBER 85 Williamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, October 22. 1946 ESTABLISHED 1899 Saturation Point Reached In Taxes And Expenditures Oo\{“riHtr !i. {»re«£*i ( lierry Siii<l In Address Here To l*arlj Members Address-ing a First Congression al District democratic rally in the Martin County courthouse Mon day afternoon. Governor R. Gregg Cherry declared that public taxa tion and expenditures had reach ed a saturation point in this State. “Sober thought tolls us there is a saturation point where tax-pay ing ability will not let us go be yond,” the State's chief execu tive said, adding that he believed that point was some where be tween seventy and ninety million dollars. The governor prefaced the statement after he briefly touch ed on the requests advanced dur ing the budget hearings the early part of this month. "We are spending now about 70 millions annually. The budget requests for the next fiscal year call for expenditures of 05 million and 08 million the following year, We collected last fiscal year about 01 million dollars, and it is estimated that we’ll collect another 91 mil lion in the current fiscal year.” he explained, adding that he was try ing to keep Stab' on a sound fi nancial basis and wes looking to the future. “With the help of i good people we can carry on and succeed,” he said. While the governor strongly in timated that he favored calling a halt in budget expansion, he made no reservations in pledging an all-out program for secondary, farm-to market roads, school bus and mail routes. He soft pedaled tile school teacher problem when lu : aid, “1 believe thr legislature will help lift standards of the leaching profession.” While he did not mention teacher salaries other than to admit they were lev., he did declare, "We don’t plan to sell this State short. We plan to make it greater, and to do ll.at uc- inn.-,t provide better training for our youth.” Governor Cherry pointed out that an enormous amount of money was being spent for schools, that 84 cents out of every dollar went to teachers, that low sala. ies were causing many teach ers to quit the profession. ‘‘Schools are near and dear to the pc ople of this State,” he said, but at no time did the governor come out in support of a clear-cut re medy to solve the teaehei pi ob it m other than to express the be lief that "Iht legislature will help lift the standard of the teaching profession,” and assure his listen ers that we (the party) “do not ntim to sell lliis State short.” -* With a tidy surplus in the high wav fund. Governor Cherry brightened up and left no doubt whei e he stood about a program for rural roads, the by-ways that have been ignored and all but for gt i it'n, lo. these many years. “From 1021 to 1045 we spent $i:72,000,000 building 12.000 miles Hi n,.i..i ; >uJr. Fro.-., i1 ;,..n the State took over the 48,000 miles of county roads until 1045, onl\ $12,000,000 were spent on them. It is a disproportionate amount, but there has been creat ed a definite' program, calling for inoie attention to be given the secondary roads. Since January of this year we have let contracts feu 2.000 miles; of secondary road (.Continued on page eight) Recovering r roni Accident Injury Joe Hollis, old time woodsman anti logger, is recovering fairly rapidly from injuries received when a team ol oxen ran away w;t!i him on the Oak -City-Hassell highway earlier this month. Frightened by a passing train, the oxen jumped and ran away, throwing Mr. Hollis off the un leaded rart. His right thumb was almost torn from the hand and irveral stitehes were required to put it back in place. His l ight arm was badly eut and bruised near the shoulder, and he suffeied a severe head injury. Semi-conscious., Mr. Hollis was picked up about thirty minutes late, and carried to the Roberson vilie Clinic where his injuries were treated He is able to be up and about, but unable to resume his work, last reports stated. g Commission For Oak City Bank <----V LOSES $500.00 | v. Hard luck and near advers ity overtook L. A. Shaw, op erator of a small store near the fairgrounds, yesterday morning when someone pick ed up approximately $500 of his hard-earned cash from a public counter in a local bank. The young man was at the wall counter preparing to make a deposit when he turn ed and went to the teller's window to handle some de tail. When he returned to the counter a few seconds later the poeketbook and money were missing. Propose $100,000 War Memorial for County War Dead —*—<*>— Speriul Coiiimilltr Drafts RtM-nmmoiulations For Legion Post Meeting in the John Walton Hassell Post hut, American Li gion, a special committee Monday evening drafted recommendations for the establishment of a fitting memorial to lie built and dedicat ed to the memory of all Martin County men who died in past wars. In addition to the war memorial itself, the committee suggested that possibly the opening of a memorial cemetery for war dead should be considered, and the group is recommending to the Le gion Post that a committee be named to investigate the estab lishrti. at of a memorial plot. It was pointed out that possibly ul atives would iavoi having their war dead buried in a special plot in a J« pt cemetery in the county, that markers could be placed to tl.s memory of those whose bodies were lost. 1 he following recommendations are ot be submitted to a full meeting of the Legion shortly and a special committee is to be nam ed to take charge: 'Since it has been brought to our atti ntion that there never lias been a memorial of any descrip tion proposed or completed for tlie service men of Martin County who gave their lives in any of the past wars, and lecognizing' the fact that nothing the living vet erans of the county could do would be more fitting than to perpetuate the memory of our comrades who gave their lives that others might live in a free world, we the committee appoint ed to investigate the possibility of a memorial to be sponsored by the John W. Hassyll Post of the American Legion hereby recom mend that this post sponsor this worthy undertaking. "We do not recommend mere ly a shaft of stone or marble with a few names and dates inscribed upon it to become weather-beat en in a few years and then for gotten, nor do we recommend a building with marble walls for the birds to build nests in. We would like to see a memorial erected to our departed comrades ot this county that would not only hi an everlasting monument to their memory and would at the some time be of great service to (Continued on page six) Open Meeting In Baptist Church *.— Opening it senes of revival ser vices in the local Baptist Church Sunday, the pastor, Dr. Ira D S. Knight, Iasi evening turned the pulpit duties over to Rev. Paul K. Nickens, Baptist minister of Ply mouth, who will bring the eve ning messages during the remain der of the meeting which closes on Wednesday of .next week. Rev. Mr. Nickens. stating that his audience last evening was the largest he had ever preached to on a Monday night, took his text from Revelations, 'Let Us Arise and Go To Bethel.” The current revival follow’s two held in the local Methodist and Christian churches. Public Hearing Is Held In Oak City Monday Afternoon Petition \S ill He Plaeed Ito fore Stale (lotnniissiou W ednesda) Pledged a strong support by leaders and all other citizens in the community, Oak City will submit an application to the North Carolina Banking Commis sion at a hearing in Raleigh to morrow for the establishment of a branch in the county town by the Edgecombe Bank and Trust Company. Tentative require ments for the establishment of a branch in Oak City are said to I have been met in every detail, one report stating that approximately $240,000 in deposits had already been pledged and that arrange ments were virtually complete for housing the bank. Most of the preliminary details were handled over a period of two I months, and it is now fairly eer- ! tain that the application will re ceive favorable consideration when a large delegation appears before the commission in Raleigh tomorrow. Interest in the location of a bank for the thriving community center reached a climax yester day afternoon when State Com missioner of Banks Gurney P. Hood headed a public hearing in flu' school auditorium at Oak City. | Iiiton sled citizens almost filled the auditorium for the public : hearing, and there was little j doubt about there being over whelming sentiment Im the es tablishment of a branch there. Commissioner Hood said that men and women, white and colored, were there and all were interest ed. Ten or twelve persons spoke in behalf of the establishment of the bank * Representing the Edgecombe] Bank and Trust Company were, | Sam M. Clark, chairman of the i board; J. W. Forbes, president;! ciiid (i. Harold My i iek, cashier, and Directors Mayo, Pitt and Nash. Asked what chances the appli cants had, Commissioner Hood said, "Well, the evidence was all on one side, and none was heard against it.” Pointing out that he could not vote on the proposal, the commissioner explained that a report on the public healing would he prepared and submitted to the commission at tire hearing to be held Wednesday morning at 11 o’clock in room 211) of the Laboi Building in Raleigh. For nearly twenty years. Hie Oak City community has been without direct banking facilities the citizens depending on the local merchants for change and quite a few banking favors. Much travel was made necessary to other centers when cheeks wi re V;, \ <• . ... I :.t.ft ' :• b. . banking transactions were to be consider ed. Young Man l>a<ll\ Hurt In Anhlnit George II. Manning. Jnmesville young man, was. ei'ielically hurt and his brothel'. Tern Brown Man ning, suffered bruises and shock and possibly a broken back when the 1941 Ford driven by Marvin Corey crashed into an electric light pole in Jamesville at 2:30 o'clock Sun iay 'morning. Ciii f y wn. not hurl. His back broken, George Man ning was removed to a Richmond hospital Sunday after receiving fust aid treatment in the hospital here. Traveling from Plymouth the car, said to have been running between fifty and sixtv miles an hour, w ent out of control, struck a gu.y wni‘ and climbed it well in to the air crashing agaii t and breaking the pole m two. The high-powered lines iell to one side, eliminating danger of elei (locution for all three in the car. One section of the town near the Fleming home was thrown into darkness for several hours Investigating the accident. Paul Holliday, Jamesville officer, esti mated the damage at about $750 to the car and possibly $100 or more to other piupeity. KmanisTIfu!) Has Ladies Night And Honors Teachers I \M-nlirlli \iu»iA»‘r^ar\ Of Organization Hero \!so Olisrrvnl I asl \\ e**k With their wives and the mem bers of the high school faculty as their guests and District Governor Jasper 13- Hicks of Henderson as thi ir speaker, the members of the Williamston Kiwanis Club Thurs day evening celebrated the 20th anniversary of its'beginning here. The meeting was held in the Woman's Club and presided over by 1’n sident Wheeler Martin who introduced Sam D. Bundy of Farmville, past distinct governor of Kiwanis and who was principal of the Williamston High school last veur. It was, Mr. Bundy said, his Iduty" to introduci Governor Hicks hut hi latyr agreed it was a privilege and with some genial ribbing and joke tolling he pre sent; d a man who proceeded to enU rtain Ins listeners the while hr brought home some important truths. Congratulating the club on the splendid work it has done in the community Mr. Hicks paid tribute to the women present by declaring that it has been truth fully said th;it the wives of Ki wanis members can break a club in 24 hours if they desired to do so. Their coopt ration and support through the years has meant much in the progress of Kiwanis, he said. A- the theme of his address Mr. Hicks mod the second object of Kiwanis: "Human Relationships.” He declared it a part of the firma ment of Kiwanis. It is, he said one of the most impel taut things in life, something to be given clr.e attention and developed as often and as much as possible. Speaking of human relations lie listed four important items in this category: Husband and wife, father 'nd son. employee and em ployer, and citizen and govern ment. Basically. Mr. Hicks declared, the observance of the Golden Rule is the important thing. It takes a lot of cooperation to have the proper understanding and friendly relations that are so nen -arv in the family. Mr. Hicks .-aid. lit told many jokes and re lated incidents to support and ern pha; i/.c his point... The making of friends he listed as one of the really big jobs of life. Most other thing- may wait but 1his task cannot be begun too soon, he de clared. To illustrate he told about a man who had .-pent his early life in acquiring an education, in be coming a military figure, in ac quiring a great deal of money, arid in the fear that money might not give him security enough, had bought many at res of land. At the t nd of d all, he said that he was now ready to go about the work of making friends. But he had put it off too long and con few <d to a friend that it was too late Friendships, the speaker re | * it o'. i■ • a ,d 111 . <. .. . job, Before Mr flicks arrived W. C. Manning led the Kiwanians and lie ii guests in the singing of sev ei a I familiar ongs. Mi Hicks ar rived m time for the meal which war served by the ladies of Holly Spring Methodist Church, anti also for the program t endered by three local girl . Misses Marjorie Gray Dunn, hllizubcth Parker and Katlu l ine Manning. They began bv singing a selection from Rob ei I Roius Stevenson's book, Gui don of Verses and followed with the "Rutie Man Who Wasn’t There ” They then gave a com mand performance of ‘‘Sliort'n’ Bread." 'I Ins wa.. especially well reteivt d by the audience. Metnbti of the school faculty, (Continued on page six) Diiiificrously Slubhvd In Oiil> l ily 11liti l. Gu: Bryant, Oak City colored man. was dangerously stabbed in tin bark twine bv Arthur Gotten, also eoloreiI. on 1he streets there la.-t, Saturday afternoon. The wounds, said o liavt linen several indies deep, were packed by a local phy sician. The two men were said to have quarreled over a woman. Placed under a $100 bond, Cot ten vvas scheduled to appear be forc Justice J. B. Whitfield i'oi u hearing. Manlfed fv Beaten In Gambling Brawl Saturday Evening Henry Crawford Jailed and Geo. Hardison Placed Under $500 Bond -» Action in an alleged gambling I den and illicit liquor retail joint in the rooms of Henry Crawford on the third floor of the Guaranty Bank here reached a climax last Saturday night when Bob Harrell was brutally beaten and another man, George Beach, badly bat tered himself when he fell in a dash for safety. Few particulars could be learned immediately, but police jailed Henry Crawford and bond was denied him pending the outcome of Harrell’s condi tion. George Hardison, said to have voluntarily admitted a fist attack on Harrell, was placed under bond in the sum of $500. A bad cut over one eye and his face beaten almost to pulp, Har rell told officers that he and sev eral others were engaged in a friendly card game in Crawford's room when an argument was started over a “queen.” Sensing the hostile atmosphere when Crawford threatened him, Harrell was said to have left his seat and started out the door. Just as he was leaving someone landed a blow on the back of his head, knocking him out. He was drag I ged from the third floor to the ! second and left there, his assail ' ants apparently thinking he was dead. While being dragged down : the hall, Harrell said he partly re covered from the first blow long I enough to, see and feel Hardison beating him in the face. He lost consciousness again and was found possibly thirty minutes lat er when Charlie Bullock entered the building presumably for a vis it to Crawford’s apartment. Police were called and they got medical attention for Harrell and he was later carried to his home near here. Beach, running to gel out of the brawl, was said to have fallen on his face and badly hurt himself. Crawford was later found in his apartment by officers who arrest ed and jailed him. It was report ed that about six quarts of liquor were found in the man’s posses sion, and he is being charged with operating a gambling den, assault with a deadly weapon and posses sion of liquor for the purpose of sa 1 e. Last reports from the victim of the brutal beating stated that ho had been running a high fever, that tie. eyes were forced shut and his lips and cheeks were badly swollen. However, he was ex pected to recover if no complica tions developed. A hearing in the case is tenta tively scheduled before Justice John L. Hassell for Friday night of this week. -1 Caught Trying To *4W£eve Shortage John Smallwood, 38, and Char lie Wiggins, 40, were trapped by Sheriff C. B. Roebuck and other officers last Sunday when the two men circumvented the law in an effort to relieve the meat short age While the larceny case was solved, one-half of the 75-pound pig stolen from the fields of Agri culturist W. G. Peele was never found. The theft was discovered early Sunday morning when farm sup erintendent, Pete Mendenhall, visited the pens and found where the animal had been killed. Of ficers picked up the tracks and followed them to Smallwood’s home below the river hili. When they entered the home, Small wood was busy parching peanuts, a job he held to without even troubling to find out what the law wanted. Smallwood’s wife did not stop her housecleaning. At first no lead in the case could be uii covered, but a few black hog hairs were found around the back porch, and a second search of the house was made. A tub appar ently filled with sweet potatoes was examined closely and one hall the pig was packed in the bottom. Smallwood was arrested then and there Charlie Wiggins, arrested a short time later, ad mitted helping Smallwood dress the animal, and he was placed in jail. t Democrats Rally In Courthouse W Sales Nearing Ten Million Pounds on Tobacco Market -$ Boosted by a large offering last Friday and a much larger deliv ery Monday than was expected, the Williamston Tobacco Market today is nearing the ten million pound mark for the curient seas on. Last week the market handled almost a million pounds for an average right at $55 per hundred pounds, or one of the highest weekly averages of the season to date. Through last Friday, the mar ket had sold 9,487,690 pounds for $4,836,872.34, a resulting average of $50.98 for the season, including everything—scrap, damaged, poor quality, medium quality, good and the best. In the first forty sale days last season the market here sold 10,365.446 pounds for $4,580. 389.89, or an average of $44 20 per hundred pounds. While the sales this season are trailing those of a year ago by nearly one mil lion pounds—877.756. to be exact —the farmers have received $256,482.45 more than they did during the comparative period a year ago. Varied reports were heard about prices on the market yes terday. Some said they noticed very little change in the price trend, but the general opinion was that the price figure was weaker than it was last Friday when one of the highest averages of the season was recorded. A government report released over the week-end stated that an all time high record of tobacco pro duction was being marketed this year, that the production was nearly two and one-quarter bil lion pounds, or 12 percent great ter than any previous record. It is possible that the increased pro duction is having its weight. Jas. Henry Terry Died In Hospital Here Thursday —$— Funeral Service* lleltl In |{o*e Of Sliuron ('liureli Friday Afternoon Jus. Henry Terry, well-known county citizen and Bear Grass Township farmer, died in the lo cal hospital last Thursday aft ernoon at 5:00 o’clock. He had been in declining health for sev eral years, but was getting along as well as usual until last Tues day. He was busy in the peanut fields when he was taken ill. hut his condition was not considered serious until Thursday noon when he was removed to the hospital in a Riggs ambulance. Pneumonia developed during the meantime and that with complications was given as the immediate cause of his death. Mr, Terry was horn in Beaufort County 50 years ago on Septem her 23, 1890 When a small child he moved to this county and lo cated in Bear Grass Township ere he lived and farmed the remainder of his life. In early childhood he joined the Rose of Sharon Free Will Baptist Church and was promi nent in its leadership, remaining a loyal attendant upon its serv ices and a willing and liberal supported of its program. He was a friendly neighbor, a thought ful husband and father and a good, substantial citizen who val ued the fulfillment of every obli gation to his fellowmen. He was married in February, 1918, to Miss Maude Davenport and she survives with seven children: three sons, Charlie I. Terry, James L. Terry and Joseph M. Terry; four daughters, Mrs. Hyman ClaiU, all of the coun'v, and Mrs. Russell Jones of Virginia (Continued on page six) Nest Of Liquor Raiding in the Stingy Point section of Robeisonville Town ship just off Highway No. 11, ABC Officer J. H Roebuck, assisted by Deputy Roy Peel, found and de stroyed a nest of illicit liquor stills last week. Five plants, all equipped with crude 50-gallon ca pacity oil drums for kettles, were destroyed along with approxi mately 800 gallons of molasses beer. The plants were all located m a small area, the officers ex plained, adding that they stumbled over four while looking fut one. Kailiei in the week, the offic ers wrecked two plants in Bear Grass Township. The plants were equipped with oil drums and the officers poured out about 150 gal lons of molasses beer. That same day, the officers found and cap tured a 50-gallon capacity copper kettle in Griffins Township and poured out 100 gallons of molass es beer. -t KOI MM r A varied list of law viola tions was recorded in the book in this community over the week-end when local and county officers and highway patrolmen jailed ten persons. Two were charged with drunken driving, two for lar ceny and receiving, two for assault, and one each for in vestigation, breaking and en tering, drunkenness and dis orderly conduct. The ages of the group, in cluding two white men, rang ed from 'll to 51 years. Hugh l>, Bennett Died at His Home Saturday Morning I'tim-ral Ser\ ires < iomliicl <‘<l Monday Aflrrnnoii Near Oak fitly -—<m Hugh Burroughs Bennett. popu lar Martin County citizen and well known farmin', died at his home near Oak City last Saturday morning at 11:15 o’clock following a long illness. In declining liealla last December he was forced to retire from his farming activities, and had been an invalid since the early part of this yeai . lie under went treatment in several ho; pitals, including a .-day of several weeks in Duke. His condition showed some improvement early in the summer, but his condition had been serious for several months and critical for the past few weeks 'Hie U o,,*i Dorah Burroughs Bennett he \\,e born near Williamston -fli years ago on May 17, 1897, and lived and farmed near here and in Bear Grass Township until a few years ago when he located on a faint neai Oak City. He was a member of the Bap tist church at Kvcretts for almost a quarter century. Mr. Bennett was a hard worker and an accom modating friend to his fellow man. On September 2S(, 11)18, he wa., married to Miss Maudi Phelps of this county and she survive.-, with four children, three sons, Chit f Machinist’s Matt Klbert Gray Bennett, U S Navy, Miami, and Hugh. B. Jr, and Milton Bennett; two daughters. Mrs. liuby Lillcy and Miss Sarah Brown Bennett and a grandson, Harold Brinkley Lillcy, Jr., all of the home; four sisters, Mrs. Lcuinon Hopkins of Robersonville, Mrs. W. M. Hardi son of Poplar Point, Mrs John nie Savage of near Williamston and Mrs. Jesse Rogers of Bear Grass, three brothers, K K lien nett of Murfreesboro, Leonard C. Bennett of Beai Grass and Vance Bennett of L\ t i i its Funeral services were eonditc i d al the late home Monday after noon ai ,i 00 o'clock by Rev W. B Harrington, county Baptist mill - istcr, and Rev. Mr. Haynes, Hob good Baptist minister Interment was jn WuouJawn Cemetery here. Hoftl Big i‘ Mondav Gov ernor Cherry Aik! Many Ollier Notables Speak I’aiiy l.ra«lt‘rs Warn against 0\rr i onfitl* iht; l’l«Mlge Hrllrr Hural Koatls Overflowing the Martin County | courthouse here yesterday after noon for their "off-year” rally, i First District Democrats were I warned against over-confidence and urged to repair their political fences, State Democratic Execu tive Committee Chairman Wil ! liam Umstead declaring that ! strong support from this section would I e needed in both the State ' and national contests two years I from now. tioing on the air promptly at | 3:30 o'clock, the meeting attracted ; a large number of notables in j high-ranking guvei mnent posts, i heard Governor K. Gregg Cherry : review the work of the party in this. State and promise the rural population better roads. Party i leaders in twelve of the district's fourteen counties reported to the I convention, all of them declaring | that opposition is non-existent, that the party has no cause for tea r. Opening the meeting, Elbert S. Peel, chairman of the party's ex ecutive committee in this county, explained that the visitors were meeting in the party's banner I roiw'ty or Democracy's bulwark. And he offered election figures to prove the claim. As an ardent disciple of Thomas Ji l lei son and Franklin D Roosse veil, Mayor John L. Hassell warmly greeted and welcomed the approximately 300 democrats. "It has been eight years since a rally was held here, the mayor said, adding. “Much history has ■ been written during that time. » I Farnklin Roosevelt was re-elected for the third and fourth term. A great war was fought, and the j flag of the party still flies without j a cloud on the honzon. The par ty will never tie destroyed be came of its everlasting princi ples.” he concluded, referring briefly to Martin County's strong I stand for Demon acy. Taking charge of the meeting, | Chairman Umstead said he was . impressed by the large crowd (the ! largest to attend any of the seven 'district rallies so far held in the I State) and explained that the ral ly wo-, planned to arouse interest in tin party and h nd help to dem ocratic candidates. “Although I there i. little opposition in off year election, we will need help for president and governor two year , from now,” he said, add ing, "We must not sleep, but must keep awake.” It was a direct ap peal to northeastern democrats ter help, the chairman pointing out that conditions here were dif i i Vt 111 11 on i' ifidf.r s.,c . pari of the State where they had too many republicans. Kepei ting on conditions in the various counties, party chairmen and members virtually read the (Continued on page eight) Loc:il Car Mashed On Wake Road Hot I' ends of tin' Uemge Coreys’ jnevv Chev i olet wi re smashed as a result of an accident Saturday ; noon about 7 miles from llaleigh Inn tin Wake Forest highway I when their ear w as sandwiched | between two other ears There was a steady line of traf fif going to the game. The line stopped suddenly, the driver be hind the Coreys’ car failed to stop I and Ini the new ear so hard that I despite the fact (bat Mr, Corey’s j loot was still on the brake, the ; cai skidded three ,\ arris, going in to the car in front of them Dam ! age to the Corey ear was estimat ed to lx1 a little less than $200. The driver ot the car tailing to top had 1o have Ins ear towed m and Uie car in front of the J Corey» escaped with a lew dents | in the trunk lid. None of the occupants were limit and all except the driver of I the ear which failed to stop con j turned to tile game.