TEE ENTERPRISE IS READ BE
* OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNTY
FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEES
VOLUME L—NUMBER 14
THE ENTERPRISE
Williamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, June 3, 1947
THE ENTERPRISE IS READ B1
OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNT1
FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK
ESTABLISHED 1899
*To Business Here Last Night
Ask Resignations
Of All Employees
Effective June 30
—•—
New Members Feel Their
Way Along In Long Ses
sion; Taekle Problems
After subscribing to the oaths
of office before Justice John L.
Hassell, Williamston’s new mayor,
Robert Cowen, and new board of
commissioners, G. H. Harrison, N.
C. Green, K. D. Worrell. John
Hatton Gurganus and Ben D.
Courtney, last night :n the first
meeting of the new term buckled
down to business without delay
and discussed business matters
* and policies for three solid hours.
Pointing out that they were
new and literally in the dark, the
officials elected for the first time
felt their way forward and grasp
ed methods of procedure, making
timely suggestions and entering
freely into the discussions as they
went along. While there was
slight departure from the old
plans of procedure. Mayor Cowen
explained that it was the
policy of the new majority to ad
vance a rra;~ri
was the wi>h of all to work in the
best interest of the town and all
i upin . «.*. .g, ___
quite harm ft" «<■»**•*; ’n f it \*';k
liked so well that a second round
4~ was called for the night of June
Hi for a discussir.
Ivicin ncc
While the meeting last evening
was centered around a gel-ac
quainted-with-the-facts program,
tile board took definite action in
«.* umiiuei ui i iiuuuo, uuu ixjyj i\
under advisement and for further
study and consideration other re
quests.
The first motion of the term
came when Commissioner Court
ney moved to allow $125 a month
during July and August to the
youth center. It drew a second
from Commissioner Gurganus and
the issue passed without delay.
A petition, carrying the names
of a goodly number of colored
citizens, asked for a street light at
the corner of Hyman and Martin
Streets, fire hydrants and sewer
lines in that section near or back
of Woodlawn Cemetery. The
group also asked for better street
maintenance and a strict enforce
ment of the beer laws. It w>as
pointed out that certain materials
were still scarce, that steps had
been taken to designate the
streets and open the way for pos
tal delivery service. The signs,
ordered since last September, are
expected in about 3U days.
Pointing out that the town had
been too lax in the past in its
building restrictions. Mayor Cow
(Continued on page eight)
♦
Held For Theft
Of Pocketbook
♦
Jesse Jones, 13-year-old colored
boy, was detained yesterday by
local officers for the alleged theft
of a pocketbook containing $72 in
cash from Francis H. Leggett, lo
cal fisherman. Going into the
fisherman’s shack near the river
Sunday morning, Jones and his
alleged accomplice, Levi Glenn
Hill, slipped the pocketbook out
of the man's pocket as he slept.
When arrested early Monday
morning. Jones had $43,40 on his
person and Hill agreed to make
up the difference, one report said.
Jones was run down and caught
near the depot by Deputy Buck
Holloman after a spirited chase
around a block. Immediately fol
lowing the youth's arrest, reports
got out that the man who at
tempted to assault a local girl on
Haughton Street last Saturday
night had been arrested. When
the rumor got started, it gained
momentum and just a few hours
later the Chicago Tribune called
The Enterprise to have the report
verified.
Jones was turned over the juv
enile authorities and he was
transferred to the county home
where he is to remain until his
case can be handled after one
fashion or another.
Discuss Plans For County
Hospital At Board Meeting
Meeting with the Martin Coun
ty commissioners Monday after
noon. five county doctors—J. S.
Rhodes, senior and junior, Walter
Ward Chas. I. Harris and J. T.
Llewellyn—discussed plans for a
county hospital. Advised by tele
phone that the State Medical Care
Commission was preparing plans
to be submitted to the United
States Surgeon General when he
visits this State the latter part of
this month, the group delayed fur
ther action until those plans are
revealed. However, it was quite
evident that the commissioners as
well as the doctors are interested
in a hospital for the county, that
they are ready^ to submit the pro
posal to a vote of the people if a
cooperative venture is possible
with the State and federal gov
ernments.
Asked to endorse Washington
as a site fo*r a regional hospital,
the board delayed action on the
request until it could be learned
if the action would have any bear
ing on a county hospital for Mar
tin. It is fairly certain that the
county is not aphically lo
cated for the regional plant under
the present set-up.
The commissioners, while hold
ing forth until after 5:00 o'clock,
transacted very little business,
but they will come back on Fri
day of this week for a detailed
study of budget figures.
A contract for an audit of the
general county books was let to
Frank E. Butler at $500.
Irving Smith was reappointed
as a member of the Martin Coun
ty ABC Board for a three-year
term beginning July 1. subject to
the approval of the education
board.
The board approved a project
calling for 4,000 feet of paving to
the North Carolina Pulp Com
pany in the lower part of the
county.
Tax relief orders in very small
amounts were issued to Columbus
Boston, l,. Boston and Marina
Sanders of Jamesville, Nellie
Wynne of Robemonville and Iso
lene Meeks, Hubert and I. F. Rob
erson of Williamston for taxes
listed in error over a six-year
period.
Officers Baffled B
1»if . • Ti ll
tit!y»in 11»u» l lOKllip
| -X
| LAND SALKS !
Land sales fur unpaid 1946
Martin County taxes were
made by Tax Collector M. L.
Peel at the courthouse door
Monday of this week. Most
of the sales were tiwiur tu me
! count*, :r." that the
county will, if taxes aren't
paid within a certain time,
become the owner of the pro
perties.
The unpaid list, numbering
i 169 accounts and amounting
to $1,402.42, compares with
177 unpaid accounts and a
balance due of $1,619.55 on
June 1 of last year.
As of the first of this
month,, a total of $6,889.89
was due the county in real
and personal taxes, the col
lector declaring that the
amount would be reduced to
less than $1,000 before he is
through.
Makes Farewell
Talk To Board
—*—
After administering the oath of
office, first to Robert Cowen as
mayor, and to G. H. Harrison, N.
C. Green, K. W. Worrell, John
Hatton Gurganus and Ben D.
Courtney.as members of Wil
liamston's Board of Town Com
missioners, Justice John L. Has
sell, in his characteristic and able
manner, explained that he would
like to “sing his swan song.’’ He
congratulated the new mayor and
commissioners and wished them
success.
“I have been mayor for four
teen years and I had the coopera
tion and support of the old board.
Fourteen years ago Williamston
had 2,800 people. The 1940 cen
sus listed 3,986, and today I be
lieve there are more than 5,000.
It was good to be at the helm and
observe the growth of our town.
While I am retiring jfrom politics
I still have the interest of the
town and people at heart,” the re
tiring mayor said, adding that if
he could be of any service he
wanted the new mayor and the
board to call on him.
Taking over, Mayor Robert
Cowen expressed appreciation for
the mayor’s kind words, and went
on to explain that he believed all
the officials, new and old, had
the best interests of the town at
heart and that the matter of
speecn making would be dispens
ed with, “and let us get down to
work,” he said.
Strangers Fose
1Y6 i’Ul /I^CIllS
And Enter Home
.. .. -
\ ■» i i 4. nr ..
. H Minn ... w. m
(inn*, Hill Intriulrrs
Spurn Money
One of the most myslei ious
holdups ever recorded in the
crime annuls of this county and
one that is really baffling officers
was reported about 1:00 o’clock
last Thursday morning when
three strangers posed as Federal
Bureau of Investigation officers
and entered the home of Hiehard
Manning, respected colored citi
zen and farmer living near here
on the old Everetts Road.
Driving their car. a blue Plym
outh, into the yard the three men
got out after turning the machine
around and went to the door and
knocked. Answering the sum
mons. Manning opened the door
and was asked who lived there.
Giving his name, Manning was
told by the three men that it was
the right place. Drawing their
guns and flashing some kind of
badges, two of them pushed then
way into the hall and told Man
ning they were looking for a man
by the name of Frank, the victim
of the holdup telling officers that
he was so excited he could not
recall the last name. The two
nun explained that the man they
were looking had murdered a wo
man and stole $15,000 worth of
jewelry.
Continuing into one of the
rooms of the small home, the in
truders happened to glance over
the door and removed a gun from
its rack, placing it in the hall
where the third visitor maintain
ed watch. The two men then
started a minute search of the
room, turning back floor rugs,
dresser coverings, ransacking bu
reau drawers.
Spying the small iron safe, the
intruders, unmasked and still
holding to their pistols, directed
the owner to open it. Manning
admitted that he was unsuccessful
in the first attempt to open the
safe. He finally succeeded and
when he pulled out the cash
drawer he was certain that he
was seeing the approximately
$150 there for the last time. The
visitors examined the money and
searched the money diawer, and
after having him pull out all his
papers they instructed him to put
the money back and close the
safe.
(Continued from page five)
W recks In County
During Week-end
-s
Pinned Under Car, Driver
Painfully Hurl On Street
Here Friday Night
One person was badly hurl and
several others narrowly escaped
injury in two automobile acci
dents in the county the latter part
of last week.
W. H. Rawls, seaman first class,
home on leave, was badly hurt
when the car he was driving went
out of control and turned over on
Washington Street here last Fri
day night about 10:30 o'clock.
Pinned under the overturned ma
chine, Rawls, who lives near Wil
liamston, was cut about the face
and hip. He also was painfully
bruised on his left leg and hip.
Removed to the local hospital he
was reported to be improving
yesterday.
Said to have had about three
beers, Rawls was driving into
town when he claims he was forc
ed off the street. His car, a 1934
model Ford, tore down a fairly
sizable post in William Stokes’
yard, plunged ahead and glazed a
telephone pole before turning
over in a clump of bushes in a
ditch a few feet away. Claude
Thomas Rawls, a brother of the
driver, was slightly bruised and
checked, but did not need medi
cal attention. Jesse Thomas
Moore, riding with the Rawls
hnvs did not tarry long at the ac
Icident scene, but it war. a::.r
j he escaped injury. Damage to the
car was estimated at about $100
by investigating officers, Mobley
| and Perry of the local police force
land Patrolman W. E. Saunders.
No one was hurt ’
I estimated at $1,050 bv Patrolman
I W. IT. auunuers, jesuueu ium
Thui'sd 1 v uf 1 f'l'nnnn at 3 00
land a s
ed near Ftiitlor’s Rridffe. a few
I o'11... of Hamilton.
j James Robert Rawls, driving the
| truck in the direction ot Wi!
I nauiMuii, .am itu to make a left
turn just as James Franklin Bag
well, driving the Packard, started
to pass. When the vehicles crash
| ed, the Packard swerved and went
into a ditch, springing the frame
and damaging other parts of the
body. Mr. Bagwell, accompanied
by Ins wife, were on thou- way
home in Washington from Balti
more. Damagi te the Packard
w'as estimated at $1,000 and that
to the truck at $50.
Open Swimming
Fool Here Today
—«—
Appointed manager by the
town board lust night, Miss Kuth
Manning started making arrange
ments early this morning for the
opening of the municipal swim
ming pool at 2 o’clock this after
noon.
The pool will open from 10 a. m,
to 12 noon, but not until after the
close of the Bible school the lat
ter part of next week, and from
2 to 6 p. m. and from 7:30 to 0 p.
m. daily and from 2 to 6 p. m. on
Sundays.
-«
Mayor Meets With
Department Heads
-H»
Meeting with the head's of the
various town departments, Mayor
Robert Cowon is discussing today
various policies and studying
plans of operation. The town head
was slated to meet with the head
of the water and street depart
ment^ this morning, and this even
ing at 6:00 o’clock a meeting is
scheduled with the police chief
and all members of the depart
ment.
J. Thos. Bailey
Died Last Night
—•—
Funeral services for John
Thomas Bailey, 78, who died at
the home of his daughter, Mrs.
Chas. Mizelle, near Wiliamston.
last evening at 7:15 o’clock, will
be held at the heme Wednesday
afternoon at 3:00 o’clock. Inter
ment will follow in the Mobley
Cemetery in Bear Grass Town
ship.
/
«•— •*.•.•/•»..*»• .* >*V& <'/»*•
Jamesville Man
Was An Accident
Glenn Currie Krleu^eri Last
Saturday Under Bond In
Sum of $200 Cash
Glenn Currie, young white man
jailed last Wednesday for alleged
ly attacking William Ruffin, col
ored man, with a shot gun late on
Sunday night. May 25, was releas
ed last Saturday morning under a
$200 cash bond. Rail was allow
ed after reports from the hospital
where Ruffin was carried, stated
that his condition was improving
and that he would be able to re
turn home shortly. Ruffin, with
at least eighty small shot in one
foot, was treated in a Williams
ton doctor's office and was later
removed to the hospital when in
fection set in.
Currie, after somewhat of a
fantastic fashion, admitted to
Sheriff C. B. Roebuck in jail last
Friday that he shot Ruffin, but
claimed it was accidental. “You
know 1 shot the man,'’ Currie was
quoted as saying, and then he ad
vanced the fantastic story. “I was
sitting at home with my wife
when a man peeped into my win
dow,” Currie said. "1 grabbed
m.v gun, ran out and told him to
stick his hands up. I was march
ing him down the much used path,
a short-cut across a block in
Jamesville, and as I was walking
the narrow board across a ditch I
d and fell and the gun fired
i slippei
' plaining that hi
j or. the nw.: .1 “ ‘
he was walking. “1 wa
the* man , uj i iv.fi i
| day,” he said, d
eyes wi re fixed
marching
I-, ! '.i li 1 i I<> 111
daring that he
,.,,i mi th(, ...
until .Officer Holliday came to Ins
| Rel'nro Currie's release, his
1 i • i. w rr i rr, ,»i v i mn
Iv.
eu'i iijuiiuiv uraien, sup
posedly by the attacker's wife and
„ '„,u..i..i. n was said the*' l* "1
declared /‘Tony" miked ton much.
Tlnrinu
the meantime, officers
had ti(/ntened their evidence
against the accused man. It was
reliably learned that Currie had
beer, seen along the path just n
stmt, time before the attack, Hint
he had a club, and explained that
if that did not work, he had
something else, flashing his light
on a shot gun, nearby.
The accused man has been in
the courts before, once in this
county for shooting a man named
Williams following an argument
in a poker game, and once m Pitt
County where tie was sentenced
to prison for robbery.
lirlnrns lloino I rani Long
Slay (Ivor In (irrmnny
-<*
1st Lt. Mary L. Taylor, former
nurse with the Martin County
Health Department, landed in
New York last Saturday after a
stay of about fifteen months with
the Army Nurse Corps in Ger
many. She is visiitng her mother,
Mi Louise Taylor, here on War
ren Street.
I TRAVELS FAST |
NS
News travels fast, but rum
ors travel faster. When offic
ers arrested a pocketbook
thief here yesterday morn
' ing, it was rumored that the
man who attacked Miss
Louise Corey on llaiigliton
Street last Saturday night
had been arrested.
A short time later, press as
I sociations were calling the
sheriff, explaining that the
attacker had been arrested,
that the police department
would not reveal his name.
Three calls were received by
the officer in less than an
hour. And to climax the
whole affair, the Chicago Tri
bune called the Enterprise
later in the afternoon and
wanted to know all about the
alleged crime and the mob
lynching. So many calls were
coming from the outside, that
quite a few on the inside
w ere about* to ticlievc that
some one had been arrested
and lynched. The rumor was
without any foundation, and
the reaction in press circles
more than anything else re
flects a mad trend toward
things sensational whether
loundcd or unfounded.
Haughton Street Late Saturday
Plan Construction Of Two
Schools Without Contract
Considering three sets of bids
too high, the Martin County
Board of Education in session
Monday decided to build two
small school houses, a 4-room
frame building at Jamesville, and
a six-room frame unit at Everetts,
without a contract. The superin
tendent was instructed to get bills
of cost for lumber and start con
struction work as soon as possible. I
The action virtually rules out for
the present, at least, all other pro
jects included in a tentative ex
pansion program.
The first of the bids received |
for the Everetts building almost
a year ago called for an expendi
ture of about $140,000. The sec
ond bids received showed a mark
ed drop, and while the third set
was still lower, the board was of
the opinion that they were still
too high. The lowest bid consid
ered by the board this week was
$67,400 for gem ml construction
of the two buildings without heat
ing, lighting or plumbing.
It was pointed out that no bond !
issue would be needed to finance 1
the construction of the two build
ings, that the projects could be ;
financed from current funds with ■
help from the commissioners. If 1
the new plan of construction
proves successful, other projects i
will be considered later, it was in
timated.
Getting their time mixed up,
members of Williamston’s local
committee did not appear before
the board in the interest of an
expansion program in the local
school plant.
The board discussed its budget
figures for the next fiscal year,
and the estimate was approved by
the county commissioners subject
to a few minor changes. The ten -
tative budget, calling for an in
crease to satisfy larger teacher
salaries and current operating ex
pense, provides for a 50-cent tax
levy, one Iwo cents above last
yc ar’s budget requirements.
Change To New Dial
in On Thursday
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I.’— c_:* ■ * *
• >>•■■■«■ I-V/ V VI |
-»
I... I
in. juiir 3tli Will I'iiki- !
Hut A IVh iVliiiuii'M
j »
Following the installation of the I
most modern equipment during
! recent weeks, the Carolina Tek
I phone and Telegraph Company
will change its exchange here
from the common battery system
! to automatic or dial service at 10
I o’clock Thursday evening of this
week, Manager W. E. Thornton
announcing that the switch will
take only a few minutes.
Special nlsil UVlaa. i._
I fered to individual subscribers i
and no trouble is anticipated in i
..fr^wting iiie change and m..i:.
taining smooth operations from
the beginning.
All the subscribers will have to
do is remove the small piece of
cardboard from the dial after 10
o’clock Thursday night, crank up
the gadget and let it go. Until
then the subscribers will continue
to use their telephones in the
same old manner. When ihey :
start to make a call and hear the j
dial tone at or after the designat-!
ed hour for the change, subscrib
ers will throw away their old di
rectories and consult the new ones
now in the hands of the users.
While the change-over is to be
handled after a formal fashion,
the event will be limited to a very
few spectators because of limited
space in the office, it was explain
ed. Prominent officials of the
company, including John R. Por
ter, chairman of the company's
hoard of directors, are planning lo
attend the ceremony along with
u few special guests.
“We hope to hold open house
for all subscribers and interested
I parties at a later date,” Manager
Thornton said, but until all con
struction work is completed it will
be impossible to accommodate
more than a few at a time, he ex
plained.
The demonslialion of the auto
matic system held in the lobby of j
the Virginia Electric and Power j
Company was witnessed by linn- j
dreds during recent weeks. But
after seeing it, one could hardly j
figure out the working of the me
chanism.
Preparatory to switching to the j
new system the company has re-!
built it sentiie plant here at an j
i estimated cost of about $144,000.
Preliminary plans were altered
lor the present when shipment of
(Continued on page eight)
r
KOI Mt-i »
"N
J
Fourteen persons were ar
the week-end, th:.—her not
lliciuumg m vi>».«m
me street .. Satin'
ftav nil!lit. Anil the iairiv
numerous arrests do not re
flect :'.rt:;i! the serious
trend crime is taking:, offic
ers explaining that much of
“:r •.'ieir-tions are traceable to
wine and beer joints and con
temptible rascality on the
part of an apparently increas
ing number of thoughtless
people.
Seven of those jailed were
hooked for public drunken
ness, two lor forgery, two for
operating motor vehicles
without drivers’ licenses, ami
one each for assault,
with deadly weapon and dis
orderlv conduct
Two of the fourteen were
white and the ages of the
group ranged from 1!> to 17
years.
Bible School Well
Attended Monday
The Union Vacation Bible
school started off with consider
able enthusiasm in the Baptist
Church Monday morning. There
were 1 BO boys and girls along
with 27 workers. These were di -
vided into th(> following groups:
Beginners, with 211 pupils, under
the direction of Mrs. Ernest Eth
ridge, Mrs. Joseph Griffin, Mrs. O.
G. Sutherland, Mrs. Richard El
liott, Mrs. Roy McClees, Miss
Elizabeth Whitley and Miss Mary
O’Neal Lindsley. Primaries, 54
pupils, under the direction of
Mrs, Marvin Britton, Mrs. W. E.
Thornton, Mis. Gertie McLaw
horn, Mrs. Ruth Wheeler, Mrs.
Velma Coburn, Miss Lilybet
Muse, Miss Lola Peel, Mis. Jean
McLawhorn; Juniors, 5ii, under
the direction of Mis. W. 11, Spell
er, Mrs. Floyd Williams, Mrs.
John Hatton Gurganus, Mrs. R.
Vernon Bunting and Miss Betsy
Manning; Intermediates, 45, un
der Miss Palsy King, Mrs. A. It.
White, Mrs. John W. Hardy and
Rev. John L. Goff.
Despite the fact that many of
the young people are being de
nied the privilege of attendance
because of whooping cough the
Junior and Intermediate depart
ments are holding up lo the re
cords of previous years. The of
fering this year is being taken as
u missionary project through the
(Continued on page eight)
Search Conducted
Bv Officers Most
Of Ni«ht For Man
o
Loiiiso Lor o y Grabbed
Around Nook and Slap
pod by Attacker
-o
Louise Corey, 14-year-old
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edward
Corey, was attacked by a young
Negro as she walked along South
Haughton Street in front of the
Carlyle Langleys’ home with her
girl friend, Betty Rhodes Taylor,
at 11:30 o’clock last Saturday
night. She saved herself by
screaming and tearing away from
her assailant but not until he had
squeezed her neck and struck her
in the face either with his fist or
open hand. While Miss Corey was
struggling against the advances of
her attacker, described as a
"dude” wearing a two-toned
-hirt. her companion ran to the
front door of a nearby home and
called for help.
Apparently frightened by the
young girl's screams, the atfSeker
ran north on He ughton Street,
passing Leggett's Lane, a little
used thoroughfare, and turned
down Marshall Avenue where he
was ..eon b; Mr. and Mr-. George
Lee and Mrs M. D. Wilson who
were walking south or. Haughton
Street and by H. O. Peel who was
just leaving the home of his
brother on the avenue. No com
plete desenplion of flic attacker
could be had, hut it was agreed
i by those who saw him that he
I was wearing a two-toned shirt,
'strong beer-wine , oft or on bis
i their iv.-iv home alter leaving the
1 movies at the Marco theater, the
; young girls heard the man walk
ing fairly rapidly behind them,
and tliev agreed that he would
not molest them since there, were
two of them A few seconds later
the man grabbed his victim
around the neck, and he struck
: her when she screamed. The
print of the blow was left on the
young girl’s face which was sore
! the next day. It was believed that
the victim struggled with her as
sailant for Do.x-ibly a minute be
lull' ttui iii^ lOOnO ! i
’1 ne ponce department was nc
ia',,.,1 .1 ofl'ioorr inrlpdhiu
imp-' Inw
way patrolmen, the sheriff and
| quite a few citizens started an im
mediate search tor the attacker.
Several suspects were taken into
| custody and questioned, but they
I were released when they did not
answer to the description offered
| by the attack victim. A colored
mar believed to have been drink
ing, was seen on the streets with
his shot gun after officers went
.to his home trailing a suspect.
While feeling ran high, no trouble
was encountered. Officers had
the search well in hand and there
(Continued on page five)
-o
Youii«'(iirl Tries
To End Her Lite
--..
! After disappearing from her
l home in Oak City about 1:00
I o'clock on the morning of May 24,
Miss Ilene Bunting, 1!) years old,
1 returned with Deputy Buck Hol
; Ionian from Emporia, Virginia,
’ last Friday and according to re
ports reach here, tried tu end her
life by taking poison that night.
She was removed to a Tarboro
I hospital where she was expected
to recover.
Accompanied by Clara Jean
Manning. 14 years old, Miss Bunt
ing, according to information giv
j on officers, caught a ride with a
j stranger to Emporia on the 24th,
the two traveling by bus from
there to Richmond. They return
ed to Emporia where they were to
accept employment in the tele
phone office when relatives got in
tou«h with them and requested
their return.
It was reported that two young
l buys went to Vi*gink to bring iivf
girls home, but the gills wottltl
|not return with them. v’ {
?