North Carolina Newspapers

THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BY OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNTY FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEES VOLUME L—NUMBER 26 THE ENTERPRISE Williamaton. Martin County* North Carolina, T.uv*dayr April.Ir-WIT ... .... .., ...... THE ENTERPRISE IS READ B1 OVER 3.000 MARTIN COUNTY FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK * ESTABLISHED 1899 County Young Man Ends Life At His Home Last Sunday ..... . ~ Allen F. Slocks. Veteran of World War II, Fires Shot Into Heart -« Alfred F. Stocks, veteran of WorLd War II and a hard wink ing young farmer of near Rober eonville, ended his life at his home last Sunday afternoon at 4:30 o’clock. A load of shot fired from a 12-gauge shot gun into his heart, the young man was found dead on a couch in the living room about thirty, minutes later by his younger brother, Wiley Stocks, 11 years old. Driving a nail into a piece of stove wood, the veteran pulled off his shoes, sat down on the couch and leaned against the couch arm. He fired the gun with the stick of stove wood, and the entire load entered his heart, the pow'der burns covering a fairly large place on his body. The tragedy came as a marked surprise to members of the fam ily who pointed out that he had made no threats to end his life, and apparently seemed to be get ting along all right. .He had been married and separated from his W'ifc. Sunday afternoon about 2:30 o’clock his step-father and mother, Mrs. Pearl Evans Stocks Roberson, and other members of the family decided to visit in the neighborhood. The young man said he planned to go to the show. A neighbor heard the re port of a gun at 4:30 o'clock that afternoon, but thought nothing of it until’the family returned home and discovered the body. Stocks was born in Pitt County near Winterville. spending most of his early life theie before go ing with his family to Tarboro. The family moved to Martin County about five years ago. Besides his young brother, mother and step-father he'is sur vived by three sisters, Mrs. J. Clifton Roebuck c-f near Robei sonville, Mrs. John T. Bunting of Parmele and Velma Stocks of the home. A brother, Pvt. Joseph G. Stocks, was killed while serving in the country's armed forces somewhere in Holland on Sep tember 23, 1944. Funeral services are being con ducted this afternoon at 3:00 o'clock by Rev. J. M. Perry, Rob- j ersonville minister. Burial will ! follow in the Robersonville Ceme- j tery. Drives Car Into Ricks Bus Sunday • Driving out of a side road three miles beyond Oak City on the Hobgood Road last Sunday even ing, Fred Henry Dolberry plowed his old model car into the side of a Ricks passenger bus operated by John Mobley. No one was hurt and no great damage result ed to the bus, Chief Edmond Ear ly.. . investigating.. the ..accident. ) stated that possibly $150 would offset the repairs. The bus sched ule was delayed for more than an hour and a half or until a relief bus could be dispatched to the scene. A young girl riding in the Dol berry car received a slight leg in i'-ky. Dolberry was quoted a-3 saying that he did not look and did not see the bus as he drove into the highway. A hearing in the case will be held before Justice J. B. Whit field in Oak City Wednesday morning. ROUND-UP ^ -» Local and county officers had another busy period last week-end when they rounded up and Jailed twelve persons, ten colored and two white, their aces ranging from 21 to 52 years. Three were detained for in vestigation and the oifirrs were charged with crimes ranging from public drunk enness on up to murder. One cech was charged with as sault, reckless driving, car rying a concealed weapon, drunken driving, issuing a worthless check and murder. Three were charged with 'luMr-'r <2iUu«MUit«M Gambling Act Leads To Killing In County RECORD i With the exception of those years when new registrations were ordered, the registration of potential voters for any kind of an election establish ed a new record here last Sat urday when approximately 325 persons registered with Registrar John E. Pope for the rapidly approaching municipal primary election here. On the previous Sat urday, 70 persons registered, boosting the number of new names on the books to 395. At the present time approxi mately 779 persons have their names on the books. Next Saturday at 6:00 o'clock the registration books close. .Any one planning to participate in the April 14 primary election should make certain that his or her name is on the books prior to that time. Several Fires In The County Early Sunday Morning -4 Jamcsvillc Negro School Ami Storage Iloutic Here Burn —<» I Fire believed to have been of incendiary origin destroyed three buildings here and in Jamesville (early last Sunday morning, caus | ing a 4oss roughly estimated at | $8,500. Local firemen received their j first call at 12:80 that morning j when fire had gained conslder | abet headway in an old storage i house adjoining the Williamston 'Supply Company on Elm Stivet. | There was a long delay in sound j ing the alarm and by the time the fire-fighting equipment reached the scene, the fire was spreading ' ! to laige piles of lumber and to an I enormous sawdust pile. Fanned by a high wind, the lire was gain ing a substantial foothold in the sawdust pile and burning toward the main buildings when the fire- ■ men laid two large lines of hose and confined it to the old build ing, housing some seed cotton. Mr. J. S. Whitley, owner, estimat ed the loss at $200 to Ihe building and about $200 to the lumber. No insurance was carried un the building which the owners had planned to tear down, but the ' lumber loss was covered by insur- 1 ance. It is believed that prowlers j carelessly fired the building. Later that morning fire de stroyed the river cafe belonging to the Roberson estate at James- ! ville. No estimate on the loss there could be had. The owner was in the building sbotc-i - ilTgiu aiVd’fur su'uT nu'Tn e was m there at the time, that he propped against the heater while eating a meal. It is thought that some one fired the building. A short time later fire broke out in the Jamesville colored school, and according to reports reaching hero it is fairly certain that n was of incendiary origin. , The fire started in the six-room j structure in the front pari of the building and burned it to the ( foundation, including the coal and ! wood house, and a smoke iiouse nearby. A small home adjoining (Continued on page eight) ■-o Two Gan" Plows Stolen Friday -. — Thieves, believed to have been operating at fairly close range, stole two walking gang plows, one I an Oliver and the other a John Deer, from a tobacco barn shell-: er on Farmer J. F. Crisp's farm about one mile north of Oak City some time during last Friday night. The plows were loaded on a truck and carried away in the direction of Hobgood. A search in that section over the week-end failed to uncover a clue in the case. The plows, almost impossible to replace, were valued at about , I I Jno. Bell Negro, Fatally Shot By Sam R. Riddick — # Men Quarreled Over Quar ter; Riddiek Claims Aet Was In Self Defense -o Johnnie Bell, about 40 years old. was instantly killed by Sam uel Riddick in Jamesville about 1:30 o’clock last Saturday morn ing, first reports reaching here stating that a 25-cent gambling trick started an argument and led to the murder. Using a .45 calibre pistol, Rid dick shot Bell through the heart and in the left jaw, death result ing a few seconds later but not until the victim had staggered possibly twenty-five or thirty feet away from the spot where he was attacked. The bullet piercing the heart wont all the way through the body, officers find ing it in his clothes. The second bullet entered the left jaw. rang ed downward and came out just under the man's right shoulder. A third shot went wild. Details of the final attack could not be learned in their entirety, officers explaining that witnesses ■ to the argument were hesitant in ; telling what they knew. Assembling in the home of Eu gene Singleton in Jamesville Fri day night, Riddick, Bell, Dick Richardson, Mitchell Moore, ! Frank Green, Isaiah Smith and Richard Gray, were said to have engaged in a gambling game. Rid dick was alleged to have pulled a gambling trick, costing Bell a quarter. An argument started, and Frank Green succecdedi in getting Bell out of the house. He was leading him down the street I when Bell pulled out a knife and j declared that no one was going to I rob hirh out of a quarter, that he was going back and get Riddick, j Green, turning him loose, return ed to the home and warned Rid dick. Expecting Bell to enter the i front door, Riddick started to go out the back. Just as he opened the door, Bell unexpectedly groet j ed him. As far as it could be : learned no one witnessed the meeting, but Riddiek maintains that Bell pulled out a knife and attacked him, that he shot in self defense. A knife, said to have belonged to Bell, was found on the ground at the door along with three empty bullet jackets dis charged by the automatic pistol. No one in the home moved to report the killing, but neighbors hearing the shots, called Con stable Paul Holliday who made an investigation. The officer, search ing in the backyard of the Single ton home, stumbled over Bell's body lying on the woodpile. County officers were notified and j ihebISliijg *a»-&vc5tig8tedu Sfeey traced 'Riddicf' ' to " ins' home in' Jamesville and learned that he had been there, that he left a few minutes later after telling his wife what had happened. Officers trailed him to the home of his father-in-law, Joe Pierce, in the Free Union section. Early that (Continued on pajju eight) Officers Wreck Three Oil Drums Three oil drums, used as stills in the manufacture of illicit li quor, were destroyed in this county during the past few days by ABC Officer J. II. Roebuck and deputies. The first of the plants, crudely equipped, was destroyed near Hassell where the officers confis cated two gallons of illicit liquor. A second plant was wrecked in Bear Grass last Monday along with 100 gallons of cheap beer. The following day the officers wrecked a small oil drum, but found no beer. The owners had jUit moved the equipment to a; new location, the officers explain ed. In between the still raids, the officers made a search in Wil liemston Township and found four gallons of white liquor hid in the woods, but ownership could Local Undertaker And Minister Hurt In Auto Accident -—«-— fcn Koutr to Funeral Wlien Car Strikes Theirs Monday Afternoon »—-— S. R. Biggs, local undertaker, and Rev. John L. Goff, local min ister, were painfully but believed not seriously hurt yesterday aft ' ernoon when an automobile driv en by Anthony Lanier crashed into theirs on Highway 64 just be yond Sweet Water Creek. Treat i ed in the local hospital, the minis ter, it was found, had no bones broken but he was bruised and suffered severe shock.. He was unconscious for a short while fol lowing the accident. Thrown for ward by the almost head-on im pact, the undertaker mashed the steering wheel almost against the steering post ar(d was bruised in ternally, but no ribs were broken. En route to the old Manning fam ily cemetery in Griffins Town ship where the body of J. E. Man ning was to be interred, the un dertaker continued on his mis sion, but left shortly before it was entirely completed. He is confin ed to his home. Leading the funeral procession, Patrolman W. E. Saunders saw Lanier approaching apparently at a fast rate of speed and signaled him with his caution light to slow down on the “S" curve beyond the creek. A beverage truck, meeting the procession, had turn ed off the hardsurface, and La nier, who claimed the brakes on his Plymouth car failed, appar ently became excited and turned to his left. The front part of his cai- struck the left front wheel of the Chevrolet, owned and driven by Mr. Bigigs, knocking it partly off the highway. Sensing the approaching dang er, the minister threw his arm over his face, his elbow and head breaking the windshield. The funeral procession was de layed about fifteen minutes while the road was being cleared and while the minister was transfer red to another car for removal to the hospital. Lanier, explaining that he had been instructed by his father to come to town and learn why a log truck had been detained, was for mally changed with reckless driv ing., speeding, operating a car with inadequate brakes and with out a driver’s license. At a hear ing luie yesterday afternoon lie was placed under bond in the sum of $1,000 by Justice J. S. Ay ers. The bond was arranged by Lanier’s father, Wiley Lanier, a respected farmer of Williams Township. No estimate on the wreck dam age-could be had immediately, but it will possibly exceed $300 for each car. Little Damage At Plant Fire Here • Damage estimated 2$ $50 rr.mil \ cd when fife inYea'teriod the bath'; house at the Standard Fertilizer Company plant on Roanoke River here shortly after 0:00 o’,clock last Thursday evening. While its origin could not be determined, the fire is believed to have been started by spontane ous combustion. Discovering the foe, lift; watchman employed <•>. i tinguishers and held it fairly well in check until volunteer firemen reached there and put it out with a small stream of water from a tank on the truck. i EASTKK SEAL SALES j V. ' --/ | The annual Easier Seal Sale got under way in the county yesterday, the lead ers stating that they hoped to raise during the next few (lavs several hundred dollars to support an aid program for crippled children. This year the llclphia ! feeble's Circle of the Preshy- j lerian Church in YVillianiston I is cooperating with Miss 1 Mary W. Taylor, Chairman of the Martin County League for Crippled Children, iu putting on the drive for funds. The public is urged to par ticipate in this appeal for funds to be used for crippled j children of both races hi Mar lin County. Ten File For Places On Local Board of Town Commissioners Purchase Blount Property And Plan New Hotel Here Purchasing the Blount Proper ty, corner of Main and Smithwick Streets last Saturday, Messrs. Sid A. Mobley and Robert L. Coburn are making tentative plans for the construction of a new hotel here. Consisting of the George Reyn olds Hotel. Harrison and Carstar phen insurance offices, Ann's Va riety Store, Hotel Barber Shop and a sizable lot facing Smith wick Street, the property was sold by Mrs. E. P. Cunningham, the former Miss Carrie Dell Bolunt, to Mobley and Coburn for $50,500, according to unofficial but reliable information. The transaction was completed last Saturday when Mr. and Mrs. Cunningham came here from Smithfield. The sale involving Main Street property was the third unusually large one reported here during re cent weeks, D. E. Darden having ! Prison Camp Here Rated Among Best By Disciplinarian Disciplinarian II. II. lion* eyrnll Makes Inspection Sunday Afternoon Making a periodic' inspection of tin' State Highway prison camp here last Sunday, II, H. .Honey cutt, disciplinarian for the Stale's prison system, found everything in order at the camp, and while he could not afford to make a public declaration the dean of the business strongly intimated il was one of the best district camps | in the State. The kindly old gentleman, pa tient and most understanding, lis tened to the stories of quite a few i of the inmates. One, serving a | fifeen-year term, pleaded for a j | transfer to the western part of the State, explaining that he would like very much to be nearer home and his rapidly aging parents. His story, along with many simi lar ones, were heard with a sym pathy marked by understanding for a fellowman temporarily in trouble. Captain John Delbridge, superintendent of the camip, and his force were complimented for i their strict but humane system of discipline, for the condition of the camp. Accompanied by Mrs. Honey cutt and a relative from Raleigh, Captain and Mrs. W. II. Stell of Tarboro. the former warden of State’s Prison intentionally or un intentionally with strong empha sis on, the first, timed his inspec tion with Cook Onnie C Cotton’s dinner bell. i>iU'V%'itig"aiinusC'Tff,T tirely from the prison farm laid - cr, Cotton, who is “quitting” the camp on or about the 21st of this month, prepared a meal fit for a king, topping it with old-timey j sweet potato custard. Cotton did not way so in so many words, but it was apparent that he was cook ing ini ' i-‘Hj nt'Cl iujii a vve </ .to the considerate disciplinarian. Calling the till inmates in for dinner, Captain Delbridge offered j an impressive example of discip- , line in ins camp. Four cooks iin- 1 (Continued on page etghll -— Cow Crippled By Auto In County A milch cow being ied by Willie Anne Rogers on the Rear Crass Everetts Road early last Friday evening was run down and crip pled by an automobile driven by James Taylor Everett ot Everett Driving in a curve, Everett, oper ating a 1930 model ear, ran up on the cow suddenly, striking her and breaking her front leg . The car then swerved and continued into a road ditch.- No one \v,io hurt. Called to investigate the as i dent, Patrolman W. E. Saunders killed the cow belonging to Fan- \ nie Mason. A hearing in the ease I v. purchased one-half of the Harri son Brothers building and J. S. Whitley having bought the Staton business property a short time ago. < Plans for a new hotel just back of the present hotel building are now being considered. Builder’s plans have been ordered, and the project will receive more consid eration within a short time, it was learned. It is understood that the new owners of the property, recogniz ing the urgent need for enlarged hotel facilities here, will propose the formation of a stock company to finance the construction of a new and modern building. Quite a few local people are interested in a new hotel for the town, and it is fairly certain they will co operate with the new property owners in advancing construction plans. IMPROVING Attendance figures, shat tered by influenza in the local schools week before last, are gradually returning to normal, according to re ports heard yesterday. Holding to fairly low levels for a week or more in the Jamesville and Bear Grass schools, the attendance fig ures are said to he improving there from day to day. The first influenza cases in the Oak City School were report ed yesterday, but with bet ter weather, the disease is not expected to wreck the at tendance figures there or any of the other schools in the I county during the remainder of the term. ! ' Crowds Attending Special Services The first in the series of pie . Easter religious services attraet 1 eel unusually large crowds, chil dren from the school and adults from the1 town and community overflowing the Watts theater for the service there yesterday morn ing and again this morning at 10 o’clock. Rev. John Hardy occu-| pied the Methodist pulpit in the | first of the evening services last night, and lie was heard by a group that almost filled the house. Injured in an automobile acci dent, Rev. John L. Goff will not be able to handle his assignments in the special pre-Easter worship g: am. but Use other minktors *wiil take over'aiifi "carry dfi tiVe" program. The injured minister may be able to return to the pul pit Sunday morning, it was learn ed. Services will be field through Friday at 10 a. m. in the Watts and each evening at 8:00 o’clock in one of the several churches. A sptoico’ piogi.an 0.1.5 LH'&U planned for Friday evening in the Moth- I odist church. , Auxiliary Holds District Meeting ■«-—— An impressive program was presented at the First Area Con ference ot the American Legion Auxiliary, Department of North j Carolina, in Greenville last week, i Mrs. John A. Ward, of Williams ton and vice president of the dis- ' trict unit, called the conference to orth r, and she recognized vari ous auxiliary leaders, including Mrs. W. O. Griffin, also of Wil liamston. Mr Thomas W. Hud, depart ment president, delivered the main address. Following all ad dress by Mrs. Arclia Adams,' awards were presented and an open discussion was held. Mrs. Bird, in her addres.-, point ed out that rehabilitation was the main service of the organization, (Gontaiw'vd ori fj-gS oigltt} | Others Planning To Announce For Places On Board —♦— Turn* For Filin*: for Mayor Ami < iommissioiicrs Finis Friday al 6 I*. \l. Town politics, limited in past years to a brief nominating con vention, went into high gear yes terday when additional candi dates filed for places on the local town board of •commissioners, boosting the count to ten for com missioners. Two, John L. Has sell, the incumbent, and Robert L. Cowon, young attorney, are in the race for mayor. The five old board members, G. H. Harris, N. C Green, V. D. Godwin, L. P. Lindsley and Roy T. Griffin, filed last week-end to succeed themselves. John H. Uur gainis, K. D. Worrell and Ben D. Courtney, formally announcing their candidacies for places on the board of commissioners last week, filed yesterday, paying their fil ing fees to the town clerk, G. H. Harrison. A. J. Manning and Dillon S. Cobb also filed yester day for commissioner. Manning bad considered entering tlu* race for* several weeks, but Cobb's candidacy came rather unexpect edly. H. Leman Barnhill, mentioned prominently as a potential candi date last week, has neither filed nor formally announced his can didacy for commissioner, accord ing to a report coming from the clerk late yesterday afternoon. James C. Cooke was also men tioned as a potential candidate, hut no developments in bis can didacy had been reported up un til early this morning. C. D. Car jstarphon is still being mentioned as a likely candidate for mayor or commissioner, but as far as it could be learned today he has reached no definite decision rela tive to his c .ndidacy. The time for liling ends on Ki i day of this week at 6:00 o’clock p. m., and further developments on the political front, it is believ ed, will take place before or about that time. While no big guns have been fired on opening the campaign. Candidate John Hatton Gurganus last week-end publicised the town, asking the people to regis ter and support him. No issues have been injected into the cam paign so far, but rumors have it that some arc brewing, and pres-j erit indications point to an active and hot political contest. No can didate has started passing out cig ars or kissing the little children as yet, but there has been some | handshaking, a lot of talking and some back-stage maneuvering, it, is believed. The rnmpahm ivrmd . , * * | 'J® **f'J* "i, \i nuui fa >ti. more1 week days but a lot of fur can be made to fly during that brief time. That interest in the campaign j is reaching an all-time new high j is evidenced in the registration1 last Saturday. Over three hun dred additional names were plac- j ed vi. tilt, books, tii,. ugi.d.a., J. E. Pope, stating that tin people lined up t<) await their turns. Most of those registering are new comers, or persons who moved Idle Within the past five or six years. Quite a few visited the rigistrar’s office to make certain their names had been placed on ! the books, some found them there and some did not. Youth Vrvvd Irom i.ast ijti'r l ivi‘ Iaui(( Months J. I). llincs, young son of Mr. and Mrs. Emmett limes, shed his plaster cast last Friday in a Dur ham hospital after holding to the forced position for five months. Extending from his waist almost lo his toes, the ea: e was u ed In coil eel a hip injury received while playing ball m the school j here. lie v\ a a earned to Durham in a Biggs ambulincc Friday for the shedding. His legs held a part by a cross bow for five months. th< youngster is already able to touch Ilia Iocs together, and plana to "cl afccut on iTUldii- ihortly. Nati v e Of County Dies In Hospital Friday Afternoon --— Funeral Service Ifeii! Sun day For Jo*. E. Man ning in Norfolk -a Funeral services were conduct ed in the Derry Funeral Chapel in Norfolk Sunday afternoon at 2:00 o’clock for Joseph Edwin Manning, native of this county, who died in a hospital there Fri day evening at 6:00 o’clock. Rev. Chits. Richardson and the Rev. Dr. Carroll of Norfolk conducted the service, and the body was brought late that afternoon to [the Biggs Funeral Home here where it lay in state until yester day afternoon when it was re : moved to the old family cemetery in Griffins Township for burial at 2:15 o’clock. Revs. W B. Har rington and Daniel Hardison and Eldt r P. E. Getsinger conducted the graveside service. Mr. Manning had been in de clining health since he suffered a heart attack about two years ago, and his condition had been criti cal for about ten clays, The youngest son of the late John Wiggins Manning and Sarah Margaret Daniel Manning, he was born in Griffins Township on November 3, 11172. After attend ing school in his home commun ity, he studied at a military school in Scotland Niclr and later at Shenandoah Normal College in Virginia and the University of North Carolina. A recognized lan guage scholar, he taught in the Beaufort County schools several terms with his brother, the late A. J. Manning. He also taught in this county for several years. H<‘ was married to Miss Vic toria Louise (Brint) Hardison of Jamcsville in 1 !'07 and located a short time later in Norfolk to en gage in the insurance business. Three children, Joseph T. Man ning of Fun to Gorda. Florida, Ed win Manning of Norfolk, and Mrs. DcWitt Wiight of Hillsboro, sur vive the union. Mrs. Manning died ip l'J22 and he was married in 1932 to Mrs. Laura Mordiea who survives. Mr. Manning was a member of the Maple Grove church in his community for a long number of years and of the Wesleymen’s Bible Class, Epworth Methodist Church, near his adopted home, for a long period. He is well re membered here and made many friends during his slay in Norfolk. Hits Parked Car Sunday Morning Speeding and driving reckless ly, Isaac Battle, Windsor colored man, ran into J. E. King's Buick car on East Main Street about 3:3U o'clock last Sunday morning. One report said that the Buick was wrecked beyond repair, that Bat tle possibly damaged his Chevro let car to the extent of $300 or $400. Battle was driving cast on ttf#ear'.was psteks, ed on his left. He knocked the Buick around and onto the side walk Battle, placed in jail, was re leased later and appeared in the count;, court where he pleaded guilty of reckless driving and speeding yesterday morning. It w: - pointed out ily.u. 1 ac cepted llie damages and the court fined him $30 and the costs. Pronouncing sentence in the case, Judge J. C. Smith warned about the new law expected to be ratified' in the State Legisla ture this week and calling for “stiff” fines the revocation of li censes in reckless and drunken driving cases. HOLIDAY ] — According (n a report re leased yesterday bv a circu lator of a petition, most of the business houses here will ob serve Easter Monday. April 7, as a holiday. No definite an nouncement has been made to that effect, however. Public offices will not ob-‘ serve the day as a holiday since it is the lirst Monday in the month and meetings are scheduled by the various county and town boards. All schools in the county are closing for the day. it was learned.