THt ENTERPRISE IS READ BT OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNTS FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK THE ENTERPRISE TI1E ENTERPRISE IS READ BY OVER 3.000 MARTIN COUNTY FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK VOLUME XLIX—NUMBER 99 ESTABLISHED 1899 Williams ton, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, December 10, 7916 •» '*4*1 Large Number In Its Honor Lists —•?— Only Ten Meet Honor Roll Requirements In The Hi);h School The names of 134 pupils appear on the honor roll in the local schools for the six-week period recently ended, Principal B. G. Stewart announced a few days ago. Only ten of the 134 were high school pupils, it was pointed out. A list of the honor pupils' names follows: Miss Baker’s First Grade: Car lyle Brown, Billy Carstarphen, Jimmy Cooke, Aaron Davenport, Lemon Whitaker, Constance Chesson, Dianne Cherry, Mary Claudia Cherry, Leona Coltraine, Betsy Davis, Judy Donabauer. Mias Hardy’s First Grade: Beth Spivey and Guy Thomas, Jr. Miss Morris’ First Grade: Ken neth Gurganus, James Danier Leggett, Danny Manning, Lee Ray Rogerson, Ronnie Reese, Eleanor Sue Eubanks, Sallie Grey Grif fin, Eugenia Glover, Carolyn Hol liday, Francis Johnson, Betty Modlin. Mrs. Carstarphen’s Second Grade: Jimmy Hardison, Charles Hudson, Clayton Weston, Carolyn Beauchemia, Nancy Godard, Mary Lou Jennings. Blanche Manning, Jane Peele, Mary Lee White. Miss Crawford s Second Grade: Ann Darden, Emma Jean Godard, Henry Handy, Ann Harrison, Al len Modlin, Joe Murphy, Billy Britton Thomas, Billy Thornton. Mrs. Davenport’s Third Grade: Joseph Clayton, Julian Batey, Iv erson Skinner, John C. House, Vi vian Pate, Faye White, Gerald White, Rudy Ward, Angerline Dickerson, and Ann Holliday. Mrs. Fronebcrger’s Third Grade: William Batey, Jon Clarke, Billie Dudley, Grady God ard, James H. Ward, Jr., Betty Carstarphen, Jane Biggs, Sandra Gardner, Joyce Lilly, Jane Man ning, Sandra Margolis, Annette Rogers, Elline Smithwick. Miss Manning’s Third Grade: Victor E. Brown, Jr., Billy Partin, Bobby Parham, Rodney Pittman, Billy Simpson, Sarah Harrison, Phyllis Jones, Joyce Baker, Jane Barnhill, and Jeannette Raynor.. Miss Everett’s Fourth Grade: Jean Coltrain, James Pittman and Doris Rogers. Mrs. Fussell’s Fourth Grade: Mary Elizabeth Britton, Frankie Everett, Patricia Harrison, Bobby Manning, William Moore, Edward RogerSon, Kathryn Spruill. Miss Jenkin’s Fourth Grade: John Dunn, Carole Gurganus, Joyce Manning, Janice Rogers, Robert Weston, and Melva Lee (Continued on page eight; —-o — Three Injured In Saturday Wreck —*— Three persons were painfully but believed not seriously hurt when two cars crashed at the in tersection of Sycamore Street and the Jamcsville and Washington Highways here about 8:30 o’clock last Saturday evening. Ernest Godard, colored, and driver of one of the cars figuring in the accident, received a bad head injury. Waverly Outter bridge, 12, and Verna Lee Out terbridge received neck injuries, but a six-month-old baby, an other passenger in the Godard 1935 Ford car, apparently was not hurt. Godard stated he was crossing the Washington Highway and was about to enter Sycamore Street when a car driven by David Gur kin of Williams Township struck his auto, knocking it around and into a telephone pole. The Gar kin car, a 1937 Chevrolet sedan, was traveling in the direction of Washington and when it came to a stop it was locked against the Ford, one car facing one way and the other in the opposite direc tion. Neither Gurkins nor his companion, Norman Godard, was hurt badly. The blow broke the telephone pole ft* two near the bottom and and again a few feet from the top, leavuy# a Urge number of tele phone wires dangling in the air. No estimate of the damage could be had immediately from the investigators, Officers John Roebuck and Chas. Moore, but it will run well into the hundreds of dollars. On Telephone Project Here While there were many slips between the promises and the ac complished acts, workers are maintaining a guaranteed sched ule for laying conduit on the main street, here for underground tele phone cable. However there is some doubt if the contractors can complete the project and get out of town by Thursday night of this week. No effort will be made just now to replace the broker concrete, the telephone company president promising a group ol disturbed merchant^ last Thurs day that sand would be used ir the top of the ditch until the dir' packed. Going before a special meetinj of the town commissioners las' Thursday afternoon, representa tives of most of the businesi houses on the main street callec for a restraining order in an ef fort to have the work delayed President Hill, appearing on the scene by coincidence or otherwise explained that the contractor; were scheduled to leave soon fo Florida, that if the work was no handled immediately the presen and admittedly inferior telephone service would obtain for anothe nine months, the president addini four months to the delay after I appealing individually to the [ commissioners the day before. I After hearing the company presi 1 dent’s arguments and accepting j his promise at face value, the | merchants withdrew their objec tions and agreed to suffer out the inconvenience in the face of the Christmas shopping season. Mr. Hill promises that not more than 300 feet of the main street will be blocked at any one time. Saturday afternoon the thorough fare was blocked from Smithwick to Haughton except for a one-way drive opening at Washington Street. Something was said about backlot parking. But the main entrance to the Harrison parking space was blocked early Satur day. Old junk machinery was i not moved and promised lights were never provided. No walks were provided over the ditch, and men, women and children ■ tracked clay they had picked up , in quantities on their feet w'hile » climbing over the mound of dirt ■ into stores. The project was just . about abandoned late Sunday, but t' local people are praying for con ;! tinued good weather and the • I scheduled exit of the air hammers > 1 and the mess makers. Few Cases Cleared From The Docket In Superior Court .—» Plan To Complete Triul of Criminal C.a«e» By Thursday Interrupted by the return of a true bill and the arraignment of Otis Ragland for a capital offense, the Martin County Superior Court cleared comparatively few cases from its criminal docket during the first day of the cur rent term Monday. After getting off to a late start, the court nol prossed or otherwise dismissed two false pretense charges and several defendtns pleaded guilty, the action making up for some of the time lost. The courthouse was well filled during the early part of the day, but the proceedings were not of sufficient interest to hold the crowd throughout the day, but a packed congregation was pre dicted for today. Judge Henry Stevens, past com mander of the National American I Legion, of Warsaw, is presiding, land Solicitor George Fountain of Tarboro is prosecuting the docket. The solicitor is being assisted by Private Prosecutor H. G. Horton in the Ragland case. The;court quit for the day Mon day at 5:35 o’clock after handling the following cases: The cases charging Joe Bell and Peter Williams with false pre tense were nol prossed. John A. Eberhart, sentenced in the county court to serve twelve months on the roads when he ap peared before Judge J. C. Smith on the third offense of drunken driving, appealed to the higher court. He pleaded guilty, and Judge Stevens told the defendant that he would give him a last chance. "I am sentencing you to the roads for two years, but you’ll be placed on probation for five. You are not to operate a motor vehicle for two years and you are not to use any intoxicating liquor of any type during the next five years. You are to pay a $50 fine and costs,” the judge said. Point ing directly to the defendant, the judge added, “I am convinced that you will serve those two years.” (Continued on page aix) CHRISTMAS SCENE | The unique Christmas scene, portraying the Nativ ity, prepared by artists con fined in the German prisoner of war camp here a year ago will be displayed on the Pres byterian Church lawn on Main Street here. Attracting much attention and wide ac claim last season, the scene is being handled by members of the local Junior Chamber of Commerce. The Jaycees inspected the materials Sunday and made ready Monday to locate the scene. I ATTENDANCE _ _ Its attendance running after a hit-and-miss method for several years, the local i school with the aid of the par ents and children, too, is mak ing splendid progress in maintaining respectable at tendance figures this year. According to a report just recently released by the prin cipal, B. G. Stewart, nearly half of the approximately 1,000 children enrolled in the white schools here or 410 of them, to be exaet, were neither absent nor tardy dar ing the second six-week period. Possibly the weather lent a helping hand, but it is appar ent that pupils and teachers, too, are making a noble effort to make every day count for something. Doctor Agrees On Man’s Mentality —>— Apparently mentally unbalanc ed, Thad Martin, 72 years old, was found' wandering in the woods in Goose Nest Township near the Edgecombe County boundary early last Thursday night and was placed in the coun ty jail a short time later for his own protection. He had endang ered his life earlier that day when he wandered down the middle of the highway, a motorist stopping to lead him off. While his ac tions were not violent, the old man had wandered around the section, turning out team and other stock. He was carried to a State institution in Goldsboro Saturday morning by Deputy J. H. Roebuck. Passing on the old fellow’s men tality, Dr. W. E. Early asked, “You know me?” The old man replied, ‘Yes sir. You are Bro Jones and I heard you preach last Sunday.” The doctor was quoted as saying, ‘It’s no use asking any thing more. Give me the entrance papers and I’ll sign them.” -o Firemen Called Out Here Monday Morning -■ - Local volunteer firemen were called out yesterday morning when a flue burned out in the home of George Williams on the corner of South Pearl and Griffin Streets and filled the Ralph Spruill upstairs apartment with smoke. No damage was done. Firemen had a difficult time starting the truck, but after push ing it about a block the firemen got it into operation. PRECAUTION Fairly certain that no overt action will be taken against his prisoner, Sheriff C. B. Roebuck decided to take pre cautionary measures and con tacted the governor's office, and a patrol detail of pos sibly ten men will be assign ed here during the trial of Otis Ragland. f^#¥ur3 -Vet— Of Martin County Dies In Hospital Sully Jenkins Lost Right' Hand In Mill Accident Short Time Before -* Sully Jenkins, 26-yea,--old vet eran of World War II. died in a rarboro hospital last Wednesday afternoon about 4:00 o’clock, ap parently the victim of shock re ceived when his right hand was torn off less than three hours be fore in a planing mill accident at Hassell. The young colored man was said tc have been on the op erating table when he died. Sawyer and mechanic at P. C. Edmondson’s mill, Jenkins was adjusting a tap on the planer when he caught his right hand in the machine. The blades peeled it off to the wrist, and reports reaching here stated that the hos pital doctors were taking the damaged limb off just above the wrist. Said to have been very careful in working in and around the mill Jenkins forgot two wheels were turning close to the tap which he was trying to adjust. “I just forgot, and it was my fault,” he was quoted as saying as he was being carried to the hospital. It could not be learned how the hand was extracted, but it is be lieved he snatched it from the machine and ran almost 100 yards where Mr. Edmondson was start ing his car, preparatory to taking him to the hospital. First aid treatment was rendered and the accident victim was said to have lost no great amount of blood. Jenkins sat up in the car on the way to the hospital and talked with Ernest Edmondson who was driving the car. After reaching the hospital, a tourniquet was applied and Jenkins told Mr. Ed mondson that he was feeling all right at the time. Jenkins, a good worker and an able sawyer and mechanic, had i been employed at the mill five or six years except for about six months spent in the armed ser vice. He never married and com pensation will go to his brothers and sisters. A young white man, Leon Eu banks Barfield, was killed at the mill a few years ago when he ap parently slipped and he fell into a cut-off saw. Raise Money For Hospitalized Vets —•— Approximately $300 was con tributed by various citizens oi this county to finance the pur chase of Christmas gifts for World War I and II veterans whe are confined to the several gov ernment hospitals in this State Mrs. John A. Ward, chairman ol the Christmas cheer movement announced this week. Gifts have been packed and delivered to the hospitals for distribution to the veterans by organized groups ol Legion Auxiliary workers. “We wish to express our greal appreciation, to all those who as sisted in the work or made con tributions to a cause designed tc carry a bit of happiness to those who are still confined to hospit als,” Mrs. Ward said. No Developments In Attack Case Officers have been so bus) handling other duties that the) have not had time to push theii investigation of the attack mad< on them just off Highway No. 11 near Oak Oity on Monday after noon of last week. Some evidence has been gathered in the case however but it has not yet beer disclosed. Reviewing the activities lead ing up to the rifle attack on Offic er$> C. B. and J. II. Roebuck ant Saunders, Deputy J. H. Roebucl explained yesterday that he wa: making investigations alone earli er that day, that he picked up ; beaten path and followed it al most to the still. The officer ex plained that he was unarmed ex cept for a blackjack and alone that when he saw what was go ing on at the still, he thought i best to get re-enforcements, tha he sheriff and patrolman answer cd his call. When the raid wa arranged there was no turnini back, the officers continuing thei march on the still in the face o 1 flying bullets. HundFcd (sitiaens Galled ! W* jury Service In Ragland Case Little Child Dies In Hospital List Friday Of Burns —•— Funeral For Two-Year-Old Dorothy Dean Griffin Held Sunday -» Accidentally burned at the home of her parents near here shortly after noon last Friday, Little Miss Dorothy Dean Griffin died in the local hospital a few hours later at 5:30 o'clock. Most of her clothes and part of her hair burned, the child was un conscious until an hour and a half before the end. She talked with her mother and grandmother, but doctors, examining her burns, said recovery was doubtful from the first. The daughter of Ben E. Griffin and Dorothy Coltrain Griffin, she was twenty-five months old on Tuesday, December 3, bright as she could be and unusually ac tive for one her age. Mrs. Griffin placed several pieces of wood in the heater and went to sweep the front porch. Dorothy and her older sister, Lin da, talked with their mother l through the window. After sweeping the front, Mrs. Griffin went to sweep the back porch. A few minutes later she heard the child scream and rushed into Un living room to find her clothes in flames. Mrs. Griffin threw a blanket around her and smother ed the fire. Picking the child up in her arms, she ran to the road and a neighbor brought them ti the hospital. Just how the child’s clothing caught fire is not known, hut il is believed that she fell against a red hot spot on the stove and fired her clothing. No furniture or furnishings were burned. Surviving besides her parent; and young sister is a brother, Wil liam Eugene, her maternal grand mother, Mrs. Coltrain Hadley, anc paternal grandfather, Mi W. W Griffin. Funeral services were conduct ed by Rev. John L. Goff at the home in Williams Township, neai Nurney’s store, Sunday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock, and interment fol lowed in the new family cemetery nearby. An unusually large num ber of friends of the little girl and the family attended the ser vices. Thieves Busy In Oak City Section —•— Thieves have been active in the Oak City section during the pasl few days, according to informa tion gained here yesterday fron Deputy Edmond Early. Eleven bags of choice goober; belonging to Floyd Harrell wen stolen from a tobacco barn slid ter on the Spencer Burnette fai n near Oak City last Friday night. Last Wednesday night niru bags of peanuts belonging to B l,. Johnson were stolen from a to bacco barn shelter on new high way No. 11. The theft was no discovered immediately and wa not reported until Sunday. Operating in the Jamesvilh section Saturday night, thieve: stole several bushels of swee potatoes from a curing barn. No arrests have been made ir either case so far. --o Five Murriayca In County Lust Wcek-eni -• 1 Five marriage licenses were is sued in the county last week-em i by Register of Deeds J. Sum Get ■ singer: i Joe M. Bullock of Roberson ■ ville and Burnell Wuolurd, o RFD, Washington. Maurice Hardy and Ellrsteci , Scott, both of Robersonville. Percy Gattis Hughes, Jr., an t Mary Frances Fowler, both o L Elizabeth City. Herbert Bullock, RFD 1, Rober s sonvilie, and Rosa Mae Wynne, c ; Robersonville. Charles Milton James and Del E la Margaret Griffin, both of Wil • liamston. | CABBAGE VMM.)! VIE | v "It was just like manna i from heaven," Mr Willie K. Parker said in telling about how food literally fell and flew into his lap and that of his son, Burke. Returning from Virginia one evening last week, Mr. Parker picked up a goodly number of cabbages after they had bounced out of a truck bumping across Chow an River bridge. "We had enough for ourselves and all the neighbors,” he said. The next day, the son was hauling a truck load of nails from Kinston when a small covey | of quail flew up at the side of i the road, and swooped down inside the body of the truck, | killing themselves. One or j two got away, leaving barely I enough for the family, Mr. Parker explained. IS peaks Briefly Fireman's Fxouse Is Timed Perfectly Willi Fire Alarm Monday Explaining that no charge i would be necessary since Judge W II. S Burgwyn had addressed them last September, Judge Hen ry Stevens of Warsaw, presiding over the one-week term of Mar tin Superior Court, Monday spoke briefly to the jurymen. “It was my loss when 1 could not hold your September court,” he said, explaining that Judge Burgwyn wanted to exchange and that the move was made as a matter of ac commodation. “It is always a pleasure to come to Martin Coun ty. Your court officials are com teous and nice, and Martin is a splendid' county and one you ought to be proud of. Edmond Early was named officer of the grand jury. Turning to the petit or trial jurymen, Judge Stevens told them that their selection was a matter of lottery, that it was the most impartial and fair system known. Getting down to the time to hear excuses for jury duty ex eruption, the judge warned that they had had 20 days’ notice to arrange their business and serve their county. “You render no greater service in peace time than by serving as jurymen,” he said. And just at that point, Williams ton’s fire alarm sounded. Fire man Wheeler Manning was ex cused then and there when he was pointed out as a member of the fire department. Connie B. Clark, electric service man who has the duty of cutting wires from burn ing buildings, was excused to at’ swer the call, but Judge Stevens instructed him to return. N. C. Everett and J. W. Peel were excused to pick peanuts, and William Lambert was released when he explained that he com pieted only last June a year of service as a grand juror, Mel chant I). E- Darden was retained after he explained that he was the only man in his department stole. “The women are running the country,” Judge Stevens said and then instructed the clerk to empanel the jury. To Grand Jury In Arrest Man For Entering Home Lafayette Pearsall, 22-year-old colored man, was arrested and I jailed here Sunday by Officer Chas. Moore lor allegedly enter ing the home of Chas. Grimes and ■ stealing a pocketbook containing f about $1‘J. Pearsall is alleged tc have crawled through a window i of the home Saturday night and found Grimes taking a nap with I his clothes on. Pearsall, according I to the officer, reached slowly and steadily into Grimes’ pocket and • extracted the wallet. Grimes 1 opened his eyes just in time to see Pearsall run to and jump out the - window. Pearsall is booked for I rial in ' the superior court tins week. Victim Recognizes Her Assailant In (lourt Yesterday -- Officers Work Lair Into INiiilil Koiindini; l p S|»(‘ eial Vt*nir«* For Trial —-— Preliminary arrangements were virtually complete by early VTonday afternoon for trying In lay in the Martin County Super ior Court Otis Ragland, young Negro man. charged with crimin ally assaulting Mrs. Floyd Moore at her home in Williams Town ship on November H. A special venire of 100 county citizens was ordered by Judge Henry Stevens and officers worked late last night rounding up the men arid instructing them to appear in court Tuseday morning at 9:30 o’clock when a jury is to be sel ected in the case, Ragland, thicklipped and heavy set fellow with a dent in his fore head, was arraigned before Judge Stevens shortly before noon Monday. When he was led into the courtroom with several officers accompanying him. Mrs. Moore aparcntU recognized him. She broke down and wept and was helped from the courtroom. Faces, expressing sympathy and understanding were grim. There was no commotion and the court room was quiet. The grandjury considered it nr ct ssury to question only one wit ness, Sheriff C. 13. Roebuck, and the group a few minutes later re turned a true bill if. a body a! 11:11 o'clock. Judge Stevens explained in open court that it was his duty to appoint a lawyer when he was advised that the defendant was without money. He further ex plained that it was the duty of the appointee to the court, county and state to accept and give In best service, that a man's life was involved. Hugh G Horton was first appointed, hut lie explained that lie had been employed as pri vate rosecutor. 11. L. Swain was then appointed and when hi said he did not want the job, the court said that if there was no other reason, lie would be in structed to represent the defend ant. Clerk of Court L. B. Wynne then read the bill of indictment drawn by Solicitor George Foun tain and returned by the eighteen grand jurors shortly before the attorm y appointment w'as made, The bill, as read try the clerk: Jurors for the State upon their oath present: That (His Ragland on the bth day of November, 194k, with force feloniously assault Mrs. Floyd Moore, and forcibly and against tier will, did ravish and carnally know against tin form and statute in such ease and provided, and against the peace and dignity of the State. ’ Ac cording to the charge there can lie no compromise in the case. Rag land goes on trial for his life meaning he will he found guilty and sentenced to die or he will hi found not guilty. After the bill of indictment wa read with the defendant standim before the bar of justice and hi right hand raised the clerk askt ■ him how ht pleaded. According to law, a person cannot pleat guilty in a capital case, but bi baa he could be stopped, Haglanr mumbled something. Observe., understood him to say that he wa: guilty of something, but that pus sibly he was trying to deny part of the charge. The court inter (Continued on page eight) KOI M>-1 I* v. Crime broke loose in this immediate section last week end when seventeen alleged violators of the law were, rounded up and placed in the county jail. Nine were hook ed tor public drunkenness and disorderly conduct, two lor breaking and entering, I one as a material w itness, and I one who was mentally unbal anced. Most of those jailed were colored men. The ages rang ed from tender yeats up to seventy-tw o. S/ta du!*' I)ivof(*e Vctions For Trial lei Court Thursday Ml Bui On<* of th«* Cases BummI On Two Y ears ()f Separation Twelve divorce cases have be en scheduled for trial in the superior court before Judge Hen ry Stevens on Thursday of this week, it was learned Saturday following a meeting of the Mar tin County Bar Association mem bers. All but one of the dozen actions are b«; < d on two years’ separa tion. Several of the cases have been in the courts before, Judge W. II. S, Burgwyn denying abso ii’. r separation when he presided over a special term of the court last month. Charging adultery. Lester S. White is suing Leila Faye White for divorce. The plaintiff says that he and the defendant were named en .June 11, 1943, while he was in the armed service. He further state s that he last saw his wife on new year’s, 1944. that in Fabruarv. 1945. a child was born to the di fondant. No answer has been made to th complaint. lfi her suit against William Whitehurst. the plaintiff, Della Whitehurst, ays they were mar ried- Ft bruary 2, 1923, and that lilies separated June fi. 1940. She also states that nine children wene born to the union, and alleges ! that -he supported them, that, | now, mo. t of them are self sup porting. After being married ten years, Jamies Washington, in his divorce action against Mary Washington, were st pa rated on 1 February 2, 11)44. At the Nov ember term Judge Burgwyn de 'nud the plaintiff a divorce be | cause it was brought out in the evidence that the plaintiff had slapped the defendant. ‘I’ll not give any man a divorce who beats his wife and runs her away from home,” the judge was quoted as I saying at 1 he time. Delia Major is suing Cap Ma im for divorce on separation grounds The couple were mar ried on July Hi. 1941, and separat ed m August. 1944. One child was burn to the union. In the case of James E. Straw l»i klge against Venita (Benette) Strawbridge, the plaintiff says they were married on October 22, liiHfi, and separated on July 14, 1944. The defendant in her an swer to the complaint, alleged the plaintiff abandoned her and their li year old child at her mother’s home without provisions or money, that the plaintiff was con victed of abandonment and non support, and -ns no reason why a divorce -hould be allowed. Lettic Brooks is suing LeRoy Brooks for divorce. They were married on December 4. 1939, and separated on June 16, 1942. In the ra e of Emmett Thomas against Etlu I Thomas, the plain tiff s;e s the y were married in Ov teber, 1938, that they separated in Seplembc 1944. and that he was i.1 1 tamed mi page eight) -o (/mews Destroy I1: Mini; u j > apparently in antici pation n( i big holiday business, tin illicit liqu>.r business was dr.i 1 . stin uing blow last week by ABC Oili it J 11. Roebuck, Deputy le v Reel and other offic ers. .Tix pi .nts were wrecked during tin pei ioci and 1,250 gallons of niche -is beer was poured out. A fifty gallon capacity still was wricked along with seven t'er iiifi'liM not far from Oak City late Tuesday. A anted by Pitt County ABC Officers Ward and Taylor,'and Deputy W K. Parly, Deputy Roe buck wrecked three plants on Wednesday one in the Hassell section of Hamilton Township and two in Robotson\ ille Township. They poured out 750 gallons of chi ip beer that day. 1 ,i ? Thui: cUfV ihs3 officer? dis~ rupted plans in the Free Union section at J a nj'.s vi lie Toyvnship yvhen they captured a 100-gallon capacity still and poured out 300 gallons of molasses beer. Later iliat day the officers went to the Mill Neck section of the same township and destroyed a 50-gal lon capacity oil drum and poured out 200 gallons of cheap beer. .v