North Carolina Newspapers

f THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BY OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNTY FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK THE ENTERPRISE VOLUME L—NUMBER 10 r.««»«rrgl ) ..-t-tiarti -'g-'-m, Ml William t ion* Jdo tin County. North Camlina. Tu< aday, Wav 2(K 10(7 THE ENTERPRISE IS READ B1 OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNTY FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK r,M \RI.ISUF.I) mg * Costs Boy His Life Willie C. Hassell Fatally Shot Here Saturday Evening —"■ Ljiverne Roberson Surrrml ers; Hearing Before Jus tire Hassell Tonight -• While densesttrating a cheap U. S. Dwl Head .32 calibre pistol in John Riddick’s fish market on Washington Street last Saturday evening. Laverne “Mutt" Rober son. 28, shot and mortally wound ed Willie Clyde Hassell, young < r 4 colored farmer of near Wiiliams lon. Witnesses declared the shooting was accidental, but the evidence will be aired at a hear ing before Justice John L. Has sell in his office this evening at 7:00 o’clock. While Roberson is charged with cairyir.g a conceal ed weapon and an assault with a deadly weapon w ith intent to kill, the preliminary reports would in dicate that he w ill be bound over to face a charge of involuntary manslaughter. Six or eight persons were gath ered around Roberson in the small fish market between the Blue Star Cleaners and the Red Front Grocery on Washington Street, watching him demonstrate the mechanism of the cheap pistol he had purchased a short time be tore from a boy whose name could not be learned immediately. The weapon accidentally fired, the bullet entering Hassell under his left jaw and plowing upward ly, apparently lodging in the brain. The victim was removed to a Washington hospital where he died at 11:30 that night. Roberson ran out of the market and went immediately to the local police station where he surrend ered to of fleet» Ballard and Keis ler. He was quoted as saying, “I have killed a man and 1 want to be locked up. I know you’ll send me to the loads or the electric chair, I don't care which. Just lock me up, please.” Investigating the case, Chief. Chas. R. Mobley questioned sev eral witnesses, including Rid dick, Gilbert Rcspass, S. T. Brown, Joe Willie Williams and Ruder Brown. The witnesses said they were standing in a semi circle with Hassell, watching Ro berson prank with the pistol. Ro berson and Hassell had had no words, and it was believed that neither knew the other personal ly. There was no argument, the witnesses declared. The victim of the shooting was the son of John Hester Hassell and wife ,and was about 19 years of age. Funeral services are be ing held this afternoon. Wild Life Club Holds Meeting -» Reporting to a meeting of the Martin County Wildlife Club in t lie courthouse last Thursday evening, canvassers reported 141 new members signed up during the past few weeks. The next meeting of the club will be entertained by Mr. Wilbur Barrett at a barbecue in Oak City sometime in June. A special speaker will address the meeting at that time, President J. C. Man ning announced. Membership prizes were award ed, as follows: First prize, 1 double barrell shot gun donated by Pittman’s Firestone Store, to J. R. Winslow ^ with 68 members signed. Second prize, 1 casting rod and reel donated by R. L Smith and Company and Western Auto Store, to Ben James for 23 mem bers.. Third prize, t thermos jug. by Williamston Hardware Co., to U. G Matthews. Jr., 23 members. Other prizes included: Fishing tackle box by Woolard Hardware to Frank Bailey, 16 members; A -j, hunting knife by A. O. Roberson and Co., to E. C- Harrison, 5 mem bers; fishing rule and scale by G. and S. Motor Co., to S. H. Grimes, 4 members; Gun cleaning rod by Thrower Applaince Co. to Calvin A>ers, 2 members. ■ ■ «■ "" Court clerks, school attend ance and probation officers and welfare authorities from twenty or more counties will hold a conference on the ad ministration of the juvenile court law of North Carolina in the Woman’s Club building here on Friday. May 30, it was announced this week. I Fifty or more representatives are expected to attend the conference. Several prominent speak ers will address the meeting, it was announced. Native Of County Dies Suddenly In Plymouth Friday -.. Funeral Sunday Afternoon lu Wu*hiii£tou for John E. Sexton -• John E. Sexton, native of the Jamesville Community of this county, diej suddenly in his auto mobile near Plymouth last Friday afternoon, apparently the victim of a heart attack. Employed by the North Carolina State High way and Public Works Commis sion, he had just quit work for lunch and went to his car, telling fellow workers he did not feel well. A short time later he slump ed over the steering wheel of the car, dying before medical aid I could be summoned. The son of the late Robert G. j and Betty Mobley Sexton, he was j born near Jamesville 58 yi ars ago. | He spent his early life on the 'farm, and following his return" ifrom World War 1 he went with the old North Carolina State ■ Highway Commission, working in Ins home community for a few years before locating in Washing ton where he had since made his home Surviving are his widow, the j former Miss Martha Holliday of ; Jamesville; two sisters, Mrs. R. L. j Stallings .of Jamesville, and Mrs. Garland Anderson, both of James ville; six brothers, Milton Sexton of Zebulon; Charles, Herbert and Lawrence Sexton, all of James- j ville. and Will and George Sex ton. both of Plymouth. Mr. Sexton was a member of the Washington Christian Church and his pastor, Rev. Elmore Turn er. conducted the last rites at the late home on Brown Street Sun day afternoon at 3:00 o’clock. In terment was in Washington's Oakdale Cemetery. Among those from here who at tended the service, were, Mr. and i Mrs. R. E. Peel and daughter, Ed- ■ wina; Mr. and Mrs. Charles Peel, 1 Mr and Mrs. H. O. Peel, Mr Her- j bert Peel. Miss Mildred Peel and | -M.. and--Mi a. Elbert Sv'Fttl. • f ■-a> Farm Life School Finals Thursday —*— The first in the series of com mencement exercises in the Farm Life School was held in the audi torium there last Sunday after noon when Rev. C. W. Bazemore, home missionary leader for the Roanoke Baptist Association, de livered the sermon to the seniors and a comparatively small con-1 gregation. On Wednesday evening of this week, the seniors will hold their class exercises, "The Isle of Our Dreams,” and Representative C. B. Martin will deliver the com- j mencement address at the gradu ation program Thursday evening. Both events will be held at 8:15 o’clock in the evening. The public is invited to attend the exercises. -« Name Lester J. Griffin To Farm Life Committee Lester J. Griffin was named by the Martin County Board of Edu cation at a special meeting last week to the Farm Life School Committee, succeeding P. E. Get singer, resigned. former Prisoner Expresses Thanks For Holiday Gift Worked On County Farm While A Prisoner of War In Williamston Camp Receiving holiday gifts from Farmer Lester Bryant of this county, the Fritz Rickard family of Lubeck-Travemunde, Achter deck 15-B, Germany, some weeks ago expressed appreciation and briefly described conditions in their homeland. The letter, writ ten in German, was translated by the Home Service department of the Red Cross, and was just re cently delivered to the owners. The letter follows: “Many cordial thanks for your lovely Christmas parcel. We have been wanting to thank you for a long time, but we do noi speak your language: we hope some body will translate this letter. “Mr. Bryant, jiow kind of you to send the package for the feast. It made the day a real holiday. We had nuts, rice, candy and all the other lovely things. My hus band and Gerhard were so very happy about the cigarettes. Our joy was mimense. Once before, dear Mr. Bryant, you made our boy very happy, when during his time as a prisoner he worked for you one afternoon. How kind you were to our son; Immediately after he returned to us from prison-camp he told us about you and your kind soul. One doesn’t forget a person quickly who has been so kind in hours of distress! “When our boy, after his re turn, found us in the North of Germany, and saw our needs and our hunger, he right away thought of you. “Oh, Daddy, oh Mammy!’’ he explaimed, “I’m go ing to write to Mr. Bryant, he is going to help us! Mr. Bryant is a man of great spirit.” And you, Mr. Bryant, you DID help us! You talked to others about our dis tress, and they too helped us. You supplied *our children and my husband and son with clothing and underwear. How could we ever thank you enough? Would we live in the U. S. A., I could work on your farm every day, and could repay you for your sweetness. My daughters, and husband and son are so very hap py about your gifts. Oh how won derful to fee! that in remote dis tance there are good Christians thinking of us with loving thoughts! “Our son told us that your daughter was ill at the time. Is she better now? How dreadful for so young a child to have to suffer already so much! For us parents, too, it is very sad to see our chil dren suffer. For the last four years we do not know what be came of our youngest son. Then we had the news that he had been wounded. Afterwards we didn’t hear anything anymore. How much did we suffer over our child's destiny! Many a night I spent crying into my pillow, begging the Lord to leave me my child! my heart seemed to be breaking. “We had not yet regained con "ciousness when, the .letters. ..fx'yn our Gerhard ceased to arrive, a few months later my husband dis appeared likewise. I did not learn anything about his whereabouts for a year. In the meanwhile my three daughters and I had to leave all our possesions and to walk from the East to the North of Ger many. During the escape we had Russian tanks behind us, above and over us American and Eng lish aviators and pilots. Never (Continued on page eight) -—*-— Home Damaged By Fire Here Friday • Believed to have started from burning soot leaking through a defective kitchen flue, fire dam aged the Godard home occupied by Lee A. Osteen and family, cor ner of Simmons Avenue and Haughton Street, here last Friday afternoon at 4:00 o’clock. Most of the roof over the kitchen was damaged, firemen checking the fire before it- reached the main part of the one-story house. No official estimate on the damage could be had immediately, but the loss will possibly exceed $300. Firemen used two lines of hose on the fire before bringing it un der control. TiundredTSixTy-1> ive Girts And Boys Finishing School One hundred and sixty-five boys and girls are finishing the high schools in the county this week and next, the number of graduates holding to about the same figure reported in the spring of 1945 when the last regular | graduation exercises were held. Four special students were gradu ated in the county last year, but most of the pupils were carried over when the 12th grade was es tablished. The first in the series of exer cises—commencement sermons— were preached in several of the schools Sunday afternoon and evening. Most of the graduation exercises will be held on Wednes day and Thursday of this week. Williamston and one or two other schools, their term interrupted by influenza epidemics last winter, will complete the term next week. ROUND-UP ~ -/ Local, county and state of ficers had a busy time last week-end rounding up kill ers, wife beaters and a larger than-usual number of drunks. Thirteen persons were arrest ed, but most of them were re leased from the county jail after being detained a short while. One, Laverne ‘‘Mutt’’ Kob erson, a 28-year-old colored man was jailed for fatally shooting Willie Clyde Has sell, colored, last Saturday night. Seven were booked for public drunkenness, one for assaulting a female and one was detained for an in vestigation. Three others were charged with assaults with deadly weapons. Four of the thirteen arc white and the ages of the group range from 23 to 51 years. Assign Numbers For Dial System —»— Special representatives of the Carolina Telephone Company are assigning new numbers to all lo cal telephones preparatory to a switch to the automatic dial sys tem the early part of next month. Subscribers are also being ac quainted with the operation of the automatic telephones. Daily demonstrations are being held for the public in the lobby of the Virginia Electric and Power Company here where Mrs. Mary C. Clayton shows how the tele phones are used and the actual working of the automatic system. The demonstration is quite inter esting and the public is invited to observe it. Possibly as a result of miscalcu lations concrete on Washington Street is being torn up the second | time for a short distance for und eiground cable, but it is fairly certain that the main street will not be touched agaku^ruv:.< Although the local communica tion system is being rebuilt al most in its entirety at a reported cost of $140,000. company repre sentatives are not yet able to ad vise potential subscribers when more telephones will be made available. Of the 165 candidates for gradu ation, forty-one are in the colored high schools at Williamston and Parmele. Parmele is all set to graduate 20 girls and one boy. and Williamston has 17 girls and one boy slated for graduation in its colored high school. Seventy-six girls and 48 boys are completing the six white high schools in the county. The follow ing shows the schools, number of boys and number of girls graduat ing in each: Bear Grass, 1 and 5; Farm Life, 5 and 6, Williamston, 8 and 20; Jamesville, 5 and 9; Ro bersonville, 15 and 18; and Oak City, 14 and 18—a total of 48 boys and 76 girls in the white schools. Despite admitted obstacles, the schools are completing at least fairly successful terms with brighter prospects for the 1947-48 term. Funeral Services Sunday Afternoon For H. P. Leggett dd —$— Ktlircd IliiiMvt' Died In the Local Hospital Friday After Loup; Illness Funeral services were conduct ed m the Biggs Funeral Home here on West Main Street last Sunday afternoon at 1:30 o'clock for H. Pearl Leggett, retired builder, who died in the local hos pital Friday afternoon at 2:05 o’clock. Rev. John L. Goff, pas tor of the local Christian Church, officiated. Interment was in Woodlawn Cemetery here. Mr. Leggett, a victim of an heait ailment, had been in declin ing health for several years. He had received hospital treatment for fairly long periods during the past two years. His condition be came serious last Wednesday and he returned to the hospital, but little hope was held lor his recov ery at that time. The son of the late Robert and Rebecca Leggett Leggett, lie was born in Beaufort County 66 years ago last month. In early youth he joined the church at Old Ford, and located in the Farm Life sec tion of this county a quarter cen tury ago, coming to Williamston twelve or fifteen years ago. lie was a builder by trade, but was forced into virtual retirement two (Continued on page eight) -« Warehouse Mails Dividend Cheeks —.»— Ordered by a meeting of the board of directors a short time ago, a four percent dividend is be ing distributed to holders of stock in the Roanoke Tobacco Ware house Corporation Ibis week. The total dividend amounted to $1,100 and checks were mailed by Secre tary Treasurer c D Cai starphen, yesterday afternoon to the ap proximately 100 stockholders. Nearly one-fourth of the divi dends went to the estates ol the original purchasers. R. L. Coburn is president of the company whose stock is con trolled by a lew individuals. Poor Prospects Aggravated For Current Tobacco Crop -1 Tobacco transplanting:;, delayed throughout the county by cold weather earlier in the season, is getting under way in scattered sections of the county this week following a rain last Saturday evening. However poor prospects for the current crop have been ag gravated in most areas by hot and dry weather and damaging blue mold attacks. Virtually all the tobacco iand l\ps been prepared to receive the plants, but most farm ers have no definite idea when they’ll be able to transplant their crops. Inspections over a 15-mile high way stretch last Sunday revealed only an acre or two that had been transplanted, and reports at that time indicated that transplanting could hardly be expected to get under way oil any appreciable scale within a week or ten days. “It. is fairly certain that much to bacco will be transplanted in June in the county this season,” num bers of farmers said yesterday. While the blue mold has about spent itself in most sections of the county, the plants arc growing very little, farmers reported’. In those cases where the plants have shown some growth, the diy weather is making transplanting almost useless. However, a few farmers are going ahead with the tu.->k, hoping for showers day after day. That portion of the crop already in the field is making only fair progress, most of the early plant ings calling for a considerable amount of resetting. U)imty i»oes uver The Top In Drive | For Cancer Fund Total of $1,554.56 Raise*! In Ten Townships Dur ing the Campaign ——• The 1947 Cancer Drive in Mar tin County was a success us far as reaching the quota is concerned, according to a final report releas ed yesterday by the county chair man, Wheeler Manning. Assigned a 50 percent larger quota this year than last, the va rious township chairmen, in co operation with their respective canvassers, various organizations and the general public, raised the $1500 quota and went over by a few dollars. Chairman Manning states that he would like to thank every per son in the county that had a part in helping reach the goal for this year, and to especially thank those individuals who so willing ly and unselfishly served as town ship chairmen and the canvassers | that served under them. The drive this year came at a some | what inopportune time, when most people, especially in the I rural areas, are busy on the farms, land it also followed several other ! drives. Shown below | quotas, and the I each. Township Jamesville Williams Williamston Griffins Bear Grass Cross Hoads Robersonville Oak City Hamilton Poplar Point Hassell are the township amount raised in ((uota Raised $100.00 $ 97.00 35.00 57.10 600.00 610.57 75.00 105.56 75.00 75.90 75.00 50.00 300.00 311.80 100.00 159.93 75.00 38.40 30.00 13.30 35.00 35.00 . $1500.00 $1554.56 The drive in the Hassell com I inunity was a success, according i to John W. Eubanks who served las chairman for the community. Assigned a quota of $35. Mr. Eu banks, assisted by E. I,. Bradley and J A. llaislip, collected the full amount. In Cross Roads township where ; a quota of $75 had been assigned, Mrs. A. P. Barnhill and her aides rasied a total ol $50. Shown be low is the amounts collected by the canvassers and other organi zations: Mrs. A. P. Barnhill, 12.03; Mrs. Dillon Peel, 6.50; Cross Roads Christian Church and Sunday School, 13.50; Everetts White School, 8:15; Everetts Colored School, 2.80; Coin collector at. Bill Bullock’s Station, 7.02. Williamston Township was one of the seven townships in the county that raised or exceeded its goal in the 1947 cancer drive, ac cording to the chairman. The campaign in Williamston was handled by Mrs. P. B. Cone and members of the Woman’s Club. Mrs. Elbert E. Sherman canvassed the business asection of the town and collected a total of $497.27 which was the bulk of the juz,'vnt donated in Williamston. Other canvass, rs and the amounts that each raised are as follows: Mrs. H L. Swain, 7.00; Mis Lo rene Mahler, 18.30; Mrs. Leman , Barnhill, 12.00; Mrs. James Bui-! lock, 22.70; Mrs. L. J Bullock, 11.35; Mrs. David Modlin, 12.25; Mrs. J. D. Thrower, 4.35; Miss Patsy King, 24.35; and Mrs. Walt er Martin, 3.00. -o Starts Civil Case | Against Officer According to information re ceived here over the week-end, a civil action has been started by Ollu Ray Boyd, Pinetown man and a former candidate for gov ernor. against. Lester Jones, North Carolina Highway Patrol officer. Few details could be learned, but a hearing has been tentatively scheduled before Justice John I. Smith ni Greenville on Thursday of this w eek. The suit, one report states, is based on remarks allegedly made by the patrol officer at a JP hear ing in Williamston a short time ago. Boyd was suing a highway patrol mechanic for alleged dam ages and Jones was a witness in the tJ.c. Soaring Costs Block Expansion Program PENALTY f The penalty on tobacco planted in excess of 1947 al lotments has been fixed at 19 cents a pound, according to an official announcement released this week by tile Triple A office in this coun ty. It has been pointed out that the grower who plants in ex cess of his allotment forfeits all claims to support prices offered by the Stabilization Cooperative. Enforcement Unit Continues Drive On Manufacturers Light Illicit Liquor Plant' Wrecked In Less I lian Two Weeks The illicit liquor manufactur ing business flaring up on a larg er scale than usual, was the tar get of a concerted drive by en forcement officers recently, ABC Enforcement Officer J. H. Roe buck stating that eight plants were wrecked in the county in less than two weeks. During the period beginning May ti and end ing May 15, the officers found and wrecked almost as many illicit plants as were found during the entire month of April. Several of the plants were equipped with copper kettles and had fairly large storage facilities. After wrecking five plants a short time earlier. Officer J. H. Roebuck assisted by Deputie Roy Peel and Holloman returned to the Hassell section of Hamilton Township on May ti and tore up a 50-gallon oil drum used for a still and poured oul 150 gallons of cheap beer. A well equipped pHint, includ ing a 100-gallon capacity copper kettle, seven fermenters and other material, was wrecked in Gr iffins Township on May )!. The officers poured out 300 gallons of beer and confiscated 35 gallons of molasses. The officers were aid ed in the raid by representatives of the Beaufort County ABC Board. Joined by the Beaufort officers and federal agents, the county of ficers raided on May 0 along the Martin - Beaufort boundary and found a still of the submarine type. The kettle had a copper bottom and a wooden top. There were seventeen fermenters, 4U0 gallons of beer almost ready for the kettle, 25 gallons of molar, c.s and four gallons of liquor. The plant was still hot when the offic ers found it at 10:30 that morn ing. Returning to his old Hunting ground in the Free Union section <« •' v i 1It— »iijww>.4ttiny' Roebuck, assisted by Deputy Hoy Peel and Constable Paul Holliday, on the 10th captured a modern (Continued on page eight) -• Justice Hassell Hears Five Cases -o Justice John L. Hassell heard five cases iu his court over the week-end, and announced that several other cases were tenta tively scheduled for consideration early this week. Charged with operating a motor vehicle with improper lights, Har ry Best was fined $5 and taxed with $7 costs. Jesse Lawrence Brown, chary ed with operating a motor ve hicle with improper lights and inadequate brakes, was fined $20 and required to pay $0 costs, Oscar A. Frazer was fined $!i and taxed with $tl.50 costs for dis orderly conduct. Charged with operating a mot or vehicle with improper brakes, Norman Council was fined $0 and required to pay $0 costs. Ernest Winchester, charged with operating a motor vehicle with improper lights, was fined SO and tJ..ud with $f> ecH.. Education Board Fakes i\o Action On Building Bids Waul $8,000 IVr Room fur On- CuiiMlriM'lion Of School Vl Everetts For the second time within a year, a replacement and expan sion program for several of the Martin County school plants has been blocked by high construction costs, the Board of Education last Thursday taking no action when bids were submitted for the con ! struction of a six-room school for ! colored children at Everetts. Almost stunned by the cost fig ures, members of the board dis cus ed the bids for more than two hours without taking any formal action, but apparently it is the sentiment of the board that no school expansion program will be attempted just now or as long as building costs hold to their pres ent. levels. It has been pointed out that no program can be at tempted under such conditions without a general bond issue, and it is the consensus of opinion that a bond issue would not carry in the county at this time. While the board took no action i at the special meeting last Thurs day afternoon, it is likely that all i the bids will be rejected at a re ; gular meeting to be hold on June 2. It is also cotnsi red likely ! that the board will attempt the , on-truction of a building in Ev eretts with private building con i tractors. The construction of a | building to replace the one burn led in Jaimesville will possibly be ! handled in the same manner, but I the problem there is awaiting ac j t lore to be taken in connection | with the Everetts project. i The lowest bids received for the six-room cinder block build jing at Everetts amounted to $54, 704, the highest running up to j $60,123. The lowest bid for gen eral construction was submitted I by the P S. West Construction j Company of Statesville and calls j for an outlay of $43,537. The highest, $51,120. was submitted by a New Bern construction firm. Z. A Norris of Wilson submit ted tin lowest bid for the plumb ing and calls for an expenditure e! $1,274. A New Bern firm sub mitted a bid in the amount of $5, 110 for the plumbing. The lowest bid for the wil ing was submitted by tiie Durham Electric Company, calling foi an outlay of SI.895. The highest bid, submitted by a Henderson firm, amounted to $3, 893. a figure jut about twice as large as the low bid placed for the wiring contract. Architect E. G. Flannagan rec emmi ruled that tlie low bids bo accepted, but the board consider 'd ail tin1 bids out of reason and delayed action. Last August plans were submit ted for the construction of ail eight-room school with an audi torium and home economics de partment tor the colored children at Everetts. The first project was to include heat, water and lights, but the project was forgotten when construction cost estimates approximated $144,000, and new plans were called for. After re vamping the plans and reducing the provisions to an almost abso lute minimum, the board still con siders the cost.; most unreason able. -j, Shirt Sleeves And Overcoat Together —I—' v/lulc it is everyman to his own liking, the fact that Dr. John Biggs was in his shirt sleeves ami John Wicr was in his- overcoat on the streets here last Friday morning made one i bit uncertain about the weather. Mr. Wicr declared the coat did not feel bad, and Mr Biggs de clared he was very comfortable in his shirt sleeves, going on to ex plain that "old” men had to take protective measures against U19 weather. ft