THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BY
OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNTY
FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK
THE ENTERPRISE
VOLUME L—NUMBER 51
Williamston, Martin County, ]\orth Carolina, Friday, June 27, 1947
THE ENTERPRISE IS READ B1
OVER 1.000 MARTIN COUNT!
FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEES
ESTABLISHED 1899
Local Man Before
Courts of County
At Least 22 Times
-*
Clyde Silverthorne Sentene.
ed To Serve 10 of Past
20 Years On Roads
Said to have been shell shock
ed, Clyde Silverthorne, white
man, returned to Martin County
after World War I to launch out
on a petty crime career that has
broken all records in the courts
of this county. Haled into the
county courts on twenty or more
$1 different occasions. Silverthorne
has tested the patience of five
county judges and no less than
three superior court judges dur
ing the past quarter century. He
has been in the county courts
twenty-one times and while there
is no way of telling, it is fairly
certain that he has been in the
justices’ courts at least fifty or
more times since he returned
y from service.
Records in the clerk of court's
office show that he has frequent
ed the recorder's court more than
any other one defendant. Isaac
Ampey. colored man. ran Silver
thorne a close race until about the
latter part of 1940 when Ampey
admitted he was no match for his
competitor and withdrew without
again entering the court.
His service record and illness,
feigned or unfeigned, drew sym
pathy for a long time, but the law
stepped in for the first time in De
cember. 1927. and a long, drawn
out muddle was started.
Charged with disorderly con
duct, Silverthorne was tried in
the county court on December 20.
1927. The case was continued un
der prayer for judgment. Six
months later, almost to the day,
“"■'"The main was in the courts charg
ed with being drunk and disor
derly. The case was again con
tinued under prayer for judgment
for four weeks. Returning four
weeks later, Silverthorne was
given a 30-day suspended road
sentence.
* nnargca wnn oeing nrumt anu
disorderly, lie was carried into
the county court again on Sep
tember 30, 1930. and his case was
nol prossed or literally dismissed.
In February, 1931, he branched
out in his crime career and was
booked for the alleged violation
of the liquor laws. He was sen
tenced to the' roads for nine
months and appealed to the sup
erior court. His case was con
tinued at the March term, that
year, but in June he was sentenc
ed to the roads for six months,
gaining an advantage of three
months by appealing. On or
about the latter part of June he
eyas hustled off to work the Edge
, combe County roads.
Clyde bad not been back home
very long before he was in the
courts again, but the case charg
ing him with being drunk and
disorderly was nol prossed on
May 31, 1932.
In November that same year he
was booked for being drunk and
disorderly and resisting an offic
er. He drew twelve months on
the roads, but the sentence was
suspended for two years. In April,
1933, and long before the suspen
sion period had expired in the
''November 10, 1932. case, Silver
thorne was back in court, facing
an identical charge. He drew six
months on the roads, the court
suspending the last two.
While he may have run afoul of
the law and aired his cases in the
J. P. courts during the period,
Silverthorne steered clear of the
county courts from 1933 until
July 7, 1936. Booked for being
drunk and disorderly, Silver
thorne had his case continued a
week and on July 21 he was sen
tenced to the roads for 30 days.
He dodged execution of the sen
tence at that time by asking per
A mission to enter the State hospital
(Continued on page seven 1
--o
TO ISSUE NEW TYPE OF
LICENSES NEXT TUESDAY
The State Highway Patrol
Safety Division will start issuing
the new type of motor vehicle
drivers’ licenses next week. Ex
aminer Boyce will be in the Mar
j tin County courthouse Wednes
day to issue the first licenses to
those drivers whose names begin
with A or B. Persons whose
names start with other letters will
be notified publicly when to re
port for the new type licein.es.
Local Tobacco Market To
Open Season August 25th
Williamston’s tobacco market. j
along with all others in this belt. [
will open the 1947 marketing sea- ;
son on Monday, August 25. a date
almost one week later than the
opening last year. The lateness
of the crop in this section was the
main factor supporting the later
opening, it was explained by the
fifteen-man committee meeting
in Raleigh last Tuerday. The
committee was made up of five
men representing the growers,
five representing the warehouse
men and five representing . the
buying companies. It was the
first time that the Tobacco As
sociation of the United States had
not determined the opening date.
The first of the markets will
open the new season in Georgia
and Florida on Thursday, July 24,
followed by the Border Belt mar
kets on Thursday, August 7.
In addition to fixing the open
ing dates, the committee adopted
rules and regulations designed to
control the auction sales. The
schedule calls for a a four-hour
selling day on the markets in this
belt at the start, but the selling
time will be limited to three and
one-half hours after the Middle
Belt opens on September 15.
Sales will be limited to 400 bas
kets an hour and the maximum
weight per basket will be 250
pounds. The committee appeal
ed to the Federal Grading Service
to again administer the selling
regulations, and it is likely that
such an arrangement can be ef
fected.
The committee, slated to con
tinue functioning, is expected to
name a sub-committee to study
marketing conditions and offer
plans for avoiding congestion in
the markets. The group also took
a strong stand about mixing to
baccos in one basket, and urged
the farmers to discontinue the
questionable practice.
Last Quarter Liquor
Sales Third Highest
—
| 7.H02 VACCINATED
v>
Completing a special drive
to offer protection against
typhoid. Health Officer Jno.
W. Williams said this week
7,802 persons had been given
the vaccine, that several hun
dred more are expected to
visit'the regular clinics, and
iiraiih department office for
vaccine injections.
The health officer staled
that vaccinations against ty
phoid and other diseases
would be handled from 1 to 3
o’clock every Wednesday in
Robersonvillo, from 1 to 3 ev
ery Friday in Hamilton, and
from 9 to 12 every Saturday
and from 3:30 to 4:30 o'clock
every week day except Sat
urday afternoon in the health
department office at William
ston.
Represent ( lull
At Convention
—*—
Business and professional lead
ers from all sections of the Unit
ed States. Canada, Alaska and
Hawaii will descend upon Chi
cago Sunday, June 29, for the
32nd annual convention of Ki
wanis Internatioal.
Some 10,000 persons are expe ct
ed to attend the five-day meeting,
which will be based on the serv
ice organization’s administrative
theme for this year, “Build for
Peace, Patriotism and Opportun
ity."
Special features have been
planned for wives of Kiwanians
in attendance, while a teen-age
canteen will be established for
boys and girls.
The local Kiwanis club will be
represented at the convention by
Delegates W. H. Carstarphen and
L. Bruce Wynne, who will be ac
companied by their wives, and
who left Thursday for Chicago by
motor. They plan to return on or
about July 6.
JayceesTo Hold
Banquet Friday
■ »
The second annual ladies’ and
installation night banquet and
dance of the local Junior Cham
ber of Commerce will be held
here Friday evening of tnis week,
I at which time the Jaycees’ state
president, Ed T. Ellis, of Char
lotte, will speak to the members
of the local club and their guests.
In addition to the state presi
dent. John '‘Buddy” Redmond,
of Goldsboro, the eastern vice
president, will be here for the
event, and he is scheduled to in
stall the new officers.
The banquet is to be held in
the Woman's Club at 7:30, and j
the dance is scheduled to get
underway at 9:30 in the school
gym. Henry Williams and his
orchestra of Rocky Mount have
been engaged to furnish the
music for the dance.
Total Of $3,546,133
Spent For Liquor
July, 1935
Since
Sales Lusl Quarter $10,000
Greater I lian They Were
One Year Y^i*.
-t
Legul liquor sales reported for
the three months ending last
March 31 in this county were the
largest for any first quarter on
record, according to an official
#udit just recently released by the
Martin County Alcoholic Bever
ages Control Board. The sales,
exceeding those of the corre
sponding period in 1946 by more
than $10,000, were the third larg
est reported since the stores were
opened in July, 1935.
The audit shows that $192,829.45
was spent for liquor in the coun
ty's four legal liquor stores dur
ing tiie tirsC three months of tms
year, buns ling the total saies from
■'••ho. .tone the store;, were opened
marly twelve years ago to $3.
546,962.80. It is estimated that
beer and wine sales approximat
ed $150,000, boosting the county’s
alcoholic beverage bill for the
first three months of this year to
almost $350,000, not to mention
the illicit liquor business volume.
The sales last quarter are nearly
fight times larger than those re
ported for January, February and
March, 1936.
Williamston, with sales of $ 100,
153.25, accounted for nearly 52
percent of the gross business,
while Jamesville handled a little
less than ten percent of the vol
ume.
A comparison of sales, by
stores, for the first quarter in
1946 and the first three months in
tliis year follows:
1940
W'mston $ 96,894.40
R’ville 45.315.60
Oak City 21,383.60
J'mville 18,828.10
1947
$100,153.25
48,233.00
25,756.70
18,686.50
$182,241.70 $192,829.45
Taking in $192,829.45 gross, the
(Continued on page seven)
-o
Harbersho/t Moves To
Locution On I\eiv Street
Unable to find a spot on either
ol the town’s principal streets,
Jenkins' Barbershop is scheduled
to move to its new location on
Harrison Street next Monday.
Heretofore the street has been
known as the alley between
Roses's store and the old Harri
son Brothers property.
The business is the first to lo
cate on the new street and marks
the conversion of a backlot into
a business thoroughfare. The
shop may be reached from three
directions: through the passage
way between Roses’s and Dard
en’s store, by the Lindsley Ice
Company plant and from Rail
road Street.
The shop was just recently con
structed of concrete block and
concrete btick.
Albemarle Union
Meets July 2 In
Everetts Church
National City Church Pas
tor To Address Delegates
Wednesday Morning
The several churches compos
ing the Albemarle Christian Mis
sionary Union will hold a conven
tion in the Everetts Christian
Church on Wednesday of next
week, reports from the conven
tion president. Rev. Elmore Turn
er. stating that a large attendance
and a good meeting are expected.
The convention program is be
ing centered around the theme,
"Marching Forward With Christ,”
and lists several prominent speak
ers.
The first of the two sessions is
scheduled to get under way that
morning at 10:30 o’clock when
Rev. J, M. Perry, Robersonville
minister, leads the devotional ser
vice. Mrs. George Taylor, Jr., will
welcome the delegates, and Mrs.
J. Walter Lollis, secretary of the
convention, will read the minutes.
The host church is preparing a
program of special music for both
the morning and afternoon ses
sions.
Rev. J. Warren Hastings, pastor
of the National City Christian
Church, Washington, D. C., is to
deliver the morning sermon at
11:50 o'clock. His topic will be
“Under Divine Order.” Rev.
Hastings is a prominent national
figure in the denomination and
his address will be heard with
much interest, no doubt.
Following the announcements,
the host church will serve a picnic
| lunch at 12:45 o’clock,
j With Rev. John Goff piesiding,
I Rev. r A.- Lilley will lead the at
ternoon devotional and Miss Etta
Nunn will deliver a missionary
address. Dr. H. A. Hilley, presi
dent of Atlantic Christian Col
lege, Wilson, will address the con
vention, speaking on the theme,
"Forward Through Higher Edu
cation,” the convention adjourn
ing at 3:40 following reports by
various leaders.
Hoad Mystery
Coes Unsolved
Notified that a young white
| woman was lying apparently un
i conscious beside l! S Highway
I 17, a few miles south of here,
| Sheriff C, B. Roebuek and I)e
puty Buck Holloman conducted a
several-hour investigation about
midnight Wednesday. Reports
from the offiee of the sheriff
Thursday noon said the officers
had been unable to make any
headway with their investigation,
that the mystery remained un
solved.
Travelers, seeing the woman
beside the road with one leg
drawn up under her body, stop
ped and made a hurried investi
gation. Thinking possibly that she
was trying to ‘‘pull a trick” on
some one, the traveler whose
name could not be learned, drove
away and reported to the patrol
radio station. In the absence of
regularly stationed patrolmen
here, the county officers investi
gated. It is possible that the wo
man was drunk.
Receive Bi(k For
Improved Road In
Griffins Township
— —<$— —
J. S. Hill Conipuny Iaih
HitMrr on Project To
Cost $129,616
-9
Bids for the grading, bitumin
ous surfacing and construction of
bridges on a road in Griffins
Township, running from John A.
Griffin’s store almost to Smith
wick's Creek and via N. T. Tice's
and others to Highway 171 in the
Farm Life community, were re
ceived by the North Carolina
State Highway and Public Works
Commission in Raleigh last Tues
day. The low bid, submitted by
J. S. Hill Construction Company
of Washington, N. C., calls for an
expenditure of $1211,616.10.
The contract for the project has
not been let. but apparently the
bid was in line with expectations,
and the deal, no doubt, will be
closed shortly.
Provided the contract is execut
ed .the contractor will likely start
work on the project within the
next month or six W'eeks, a re
port received here yesterday from
the construction company’s office
stated. It could not be learned
when the project is to be complet
ed.
After years of delay, explained
away for one reason or another
the project is now nearing real
ity, opening the way soon foi
J badly needed and long over-din
| road projects in this county.
The project in this county was
one of 82 subjected to bids by the
commission last Tuesday at whicl
time 150 bids were received anc
opened. The Griffins project wa:
.the only one listed of its type ir
this section of the Stale!
Reports indicate that the bids
calling for the improvement o,
205.68 miles of road, were lowei
than some had expected and in
dicate a return toward pre-wa;
(Continued on page five)
HOT POTATO
S--J
All lion James, colored man
who was ordered in superior
j court last week to the roads
I to serve a two-year term,
proved to share the fate of
the proverbial hot potato.
No prison camp captain
wanted to hold him Ions,
knowing well the prisoner
would prove a greater prob
lem than holding a hot pota
to.
Helpless as a baby and de
manding much attention, the
prisoner was removed to the
prison camp near here one
evening and shuffled oil' to
the Warrenton camp the very
next day, leaving Captain
John Del bridge wondering
what the county officers had
against him. James convict
ed on a lit|uor law violation
charge for the nth time, did
not stay long at Warrenton,
reports reaching here stating
that hr was quickly bundled
up and passed on to Central
Prison, Kaleigh. No report
has been received from the
man since his entry there, but
it is fairly certain that he is
I doing all right.
Sugar Finds Its Way Back
Into Illicit Liquor Trade
Sugar, on the list of scarcities
during the early part of the war
and limited, more or less, to legi
timate business until rationing
! was lifted a short time ago, has
found its way back to the illicit
liquor trade, ABC Officer Joe 11.
Roebuck for this county said yes
terday.
To be sure, no supply of unused
sugar has been found at an illicit
liquor manufacturing plant in
years, but the officer, assisted by
Deputy Roy Peel, last Tuesday
found two barrels of sugar beer
at a plant in the river swamp
near Poplar Point in Hamilton
Township. It was the first sign of
sugar found at a liquor still in
this county in several years, the
officers said, explaining that mo
lasses will continue to be used
mainly in the manufacture of the
illicit spirits. However, the more
exacting manufacturers will use
sugar. So far no questionable
sugar dealing has been reported
in the county, but just as it was
back in the old monkey rum days
when molasses was unloaded by
the carload someone will move
forward to develop a racket.
The officers found and captur
ed an apparently fairly new plant
in the swamps, including a 50-gal
lon capacity copper still complete
with worm and connections.
Tuesday afternoon, a short dis
tance from Robersunville in the
general direction of Parmele, the
officers found and wrecked the
second plant of the day. It was
equipped with a 50 gallon capac
ity oil drum for a still. The oper
ator was converting from molass
es to sugar, the officers explain
, ing that they found two barrels of
molasses mash an^l one barrel of
suear beer.
Charge Parents With
^Neglecting Children
Take Action When
Neighbors Appeal
To The Governor
Fii>l Charge Of Ils Kind
Ever Aired In Courts
Of This County
-*—
In one of the first cases of its
kind ever heard in the courts of j
this county, a mother and father
were sentenced to prison by Judge
J. Calvin Smith in the county re
corder's court last Monday for al
legedly contributing to the delin
quency of their children. The ac
tion was taken after neighbors
had appealed by letter to the gov
ernor, explaining their plight and
begging for relief from a condi
tion that has plagued the com
munity year in and year out for
a long, long time.
The husband-father, Clyde Sil
verthornc, was sentenced to- the
roads for a period of eighteen
months, and court was hardly
over before the convicted man
was crated for delivery to the
camp at Halifax. The wife
mother, Bessie Silverthorne, was
sentenced to serve nine months in
woman's prison, Raleigh. Judge
Smith suspended her sentence for
two years on condition that she
send the children to school regu
larly during school terms and
"cooperate with the county wel
fare and home demonstration de
partments to thi- end that her
home and environment there will
be more conducive to the rearing
of her children, and a cleaner
house and surroundings maintain
ed, and further that defendant
supervise activities of her chil
dren and give them proper discip
line and instruction.”
The case, called after Judge
Smith had suggested that specta
tors withdraw from the court
room, attracted quite a few peo
ple. many of whom had been the
inevitable victims of the man’s
raidings, verbal attacks and
threats over a long period of
years. Few withdrew from the
courtroom, however, and the trial
was under way without further
delay.
Going"to ihe bat without coun
sel, Silverthorne, experienced in
the courts, offered a strong de
fense, hut the good neighbors tore
it from under him, leaving the de
fendant high and dry and without
a leg to stand on. lie pleaded
guilty when charged with disord
erly conduct and was sentenced to
the roads for thirty days, the sen
tence to run concurrently with
the one imposed in the other case.
Charged with contributing to
five of his nine children’s delin
quency, Silverthorne entered a
plea of not guilty. Asked about
not sending his children to school,
the defendant said, “you can’t
1 charge me with that on account
of the ‘stature of limits’.” The
court ruled out the time limita
tions, and there was little doubt
about his having neglected the
children. But he fought the
charge and called arresting offic
ers to task, shaking a finger in
their direction and shouting, “You
told me I had to stop cussing,”
the defendant going on to say
that he had been cursed by of
ficers while he was under arrest.
For thirty minutes or more in
criminating evidence was offered
by five or more state’s witnesses,
and then the shocking blow fell
upon the defendant’s head. Pro
(Continued on page eight)
l.nral Jay eve Is Numed
Committee Viee Chairman
-#
Ernest Mears, president of the
local Junior Chamber of Com
merce, was recently appointed to
serve us eastern vice chairman of
the 1947 State Beauty Pageant
committee. The committee is
composed of three members from
three sections of the State, and a
chairman, the stale chairman this
year being Bob Howard of Wil
mington. The main purpose of
the committee is to see that each
town in the state has a represen
tative to compete for the title of
"Miss North Carolina" at the
state-wide contest to be held in
August.
PATROLMAN
T. W. Fearing, State High
way Patrol corporal, is to
be stationed in Williamston,
according to unofficial infor
mation received here this
week. Succeeding ('pi. VV. T.
Simpson, resigned, CpI. Fear
ing has been a member of
the patrol for about eight
years, and comes to his new
post from Kinston where re
ports state that he has ably
handled his duties as a pa
trolman.
A native of Elizabeth City.
CpI. Fearing married Miss
Catherine Morton, formerly
of Williamston. The officer
was here Wednesday looking
for living quarters.
Youth Loses Life
In Swimmiif Hole
Charlie Bonds, 16-year-old col
ored boy, was accidentally drown
ed in an ole swimming hole in the
Daniel and Staton Mill Fund, a
few miles from here, last Wed
nesday noon. The body was drag
ged from about twelve feet of
water at 3:30 o'clock by Farmer
Lucian J. Hardison who used a
special hook.
Accompanied by his brother,
Roosevelt, 18, and a friend, Jesse
Brown, 20, Charlie went to
the swimming hole between the
highway bridge and the old mill
dam. Bonds could not ,-wim and
was w ading around when he step
ped into deep water, the witness
es sliding that he made frantic ef
forts to save himself. Neither the
brother or Brown could swim
very well and they were unable
to rescue him.
Bonds, son of George Bonds and
wilt', lived on the Staton farm
about two miles from here.
The drowning was the first re
ported in (lie county this year
County officers, called lo the
scene, investigated the drowning
and finding no evidence of foul
play, they ruled that no iormal
inquest by a coijki s juiy would
be necessary.
Job Openings An*
Listed By 0!!i<r
Mine informal ion on the fob
lowing jot> openings is available
at the N. C. State Employment
office on the third floor of the
City Hall: Salesman, .stenograph
er, engineer, clerk, service sta
tion attendant, cook, veneer lathe
operator, circular head saw opera
tor, cut-off saw operator, fireman,
truck driver (logging), laborers
(railroad, highway, logging, saw
mill, and building).
In answer to many inquiries
about foreign employment, the
State Employment Service has 1120
job openings listed for work in
Korea with the U. S. Corps of En
gineers. The jobs call for a wide
variety of workers, ranging from
highly trained engineers and
other professional men to skilled
mechanics in vaiious construc
tion and building trades. Age
range is It! to 50 and applicants
must pass a physical examination
given by the army.
-«
Market Boosters
Postpone Meeting
—1>—
A mass meeting, scheduled to
have been held in the county
courthouse, Thursday night, June
2(i, at 8:30 o’clock, has been post
poned, K. Edwin Peele, secretary
of the Tobacco Boosters, an
nounces.
Tentative plans are being made
for holding the meeting on Thurs
day night of next week when im
portant problems relating to the
local tobacco market will be dis
cussed.
The delayed announcement,
calling off the meeting, was ne
cessary when it was learned that
the Boosters committee chairman
was unavoidably detained in an
other town and could not return
in tunc for the meeting.
Has Twenty-Three
Cases In County
Court This Week
-o
Fines And Forfeitures Run
Income l p To Nearly
$500 tin Monday
Idle while the superior1 court
was in session lust week. Judge J.
Calvin Smith and Solicitor Paul
D. Roberson found an accumulat
ed docket waiting for them when
they resumed activities in the re
corder's court last Monday. Judge
Smith, culling twenty-three cases,
held the court in session until 3:30
that afternoon. Fines amounted
to $370 and one defendant forfeit
ed his $100 bond to boost the
court's income for the day to $470.
Proceedings:
The case charging Vernon An
drews with non-support was nol
prossed.
I
Having pleaded guilty at a pre
vious session in the case charging
them with the theft of a truck
generator, Whit Moore Donald
and John Earl Edmonds were dis
charged upon the payment of the
trial costs. The young men were
placed on probation in the super
ior court when they pleaded guil
ty of house breaking and larceny.
The case had been continued un
der prayer for judgment pending
the disposition of charges aired
in the superior court.
Liuwood Powell, charged with
larceny and receiving, failed to
appear and his $100 bond was ord
ered forfeited.
James Thomas Rogers, pleading
1 guilty in the case in which he was
charged with an assault with a
j deadly weapon, was sentenced to
■ the roads for sixty days, the court
suspending the sentence upon the
payment of a $60 iirie and the
trial costs.
Charged with gambling and an
a sault with a deadly weapon,
Alex llornc pleaded not guilty.
Adjudged guilty, he was lined $25
and taxed with the costs.
Pleading guilty of an assault
with a deadly weapon, Alex
Bunch was sentenced to the loads
for sixty days, the court suspend
ing the sentence upon the pay
ment of a $25 fine and the case
costs.
William Wright, charged with
an assault with a deadly weapon,
failed to maintain his plea of in
I tiocence and drew sixty days on
i the road ' The sentence was sus
| pended by Judge Smith upon the
j payment of a $25 line and the
trial costs.
George Perry w as sentenced to
the roads for ninety days after he
was adjudged guilty of assaulting
another with a deadly weapon.
.Judgment was suspended upon
the payment of a $25 fine and the
case costs,
Charged with an assault with a
deadly weapon. Prank Brown was
sentenced to the roads for six
months, the court suspending the
sentence for a term of two years
upon the payment of a $50 fine
and the costs and on the further
condition that the defendant mo
lests no person desiring to lish at
Gardner’s Creek. The defendant
is not to be intoxicated off his
premises during the period of
suspension.
Charged with an assault, James
H. Crabtree pleaded guilty of a
] simple assault and the court sus
I pended judgment upon the pay
ment of the costs. In a second case
dun ging him with an assault, the
defendant pleaded not guilty. He
was adjudged guilty and judg
ment was suspended upon the
payment of the case rjsts. It was
brought out during the trial that
the defendant’s wife called her
daughter, instructing her to leave
(Continued on page eight)
-o
Slurt ('.oustruction (hi
Smilliu icL Street Homo
The Claude J. Goodmans start
ed construction work on a six
room, one-story home on North
Smithwick Street this week.
Building Inspector G. P. Hall an
nouncing that a permit calling
for a $i!),00l) structure had been
issued.
IMPROVING IN HOSPITAL
A patient in Duke Hospital for
the past several weeks, Mr.
Wheeler Martin this week was re
ported to be improving and it is
possible that he will be able to
return home in about two week*
i