THE ENTERPRISE IS READ B¥
OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNTY
FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEER
THE ENTERPRISE
THE ENTERF'rJSE IS READ HI
OVER 3,00# MARTIN COUNT*
FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEKB
VOLUME LI—NUMBER 41
Williamaton, Martin County, North Carolina, Thursday. May 20. 1918
ESTABLISHED 1899
I
t
Officials Reject
Offer of Property
For A New Street
Latest Plans Call for Paving
The South Bloek Of
Smithwick Street
In a special session last Tues
day evening, Williamston's town
commissioners rejected an offer
by Mr. Jos. B. Cherry .to give a
right-of-way for straightening
South Smithwick Street in ex
change for tax receipts. Not cer
tain what other property owners
would do, and reasonably convinc
ed that they could not legally can
cel tax claims in the sum of ap
proximately $1,700, the commis
sioners abandoned plans for relo
cating the south end of the street
as it leaves the intersection with
Railroad Street at White's tin
shop.
Holding a petition signed by
those owning fifty-one percent of
the property facing the old street,
the board ordered that the present
street be improved and paved,
the improvement to include curb
and gutter, street paving and a
sidewalk on the lower or north
east side. It is roughly estimated
that the project will cost approxi
mate $3,500 Final action is ex
pected at the June meeting after
definite cost estimates are prepar
ed.
Preliminary budget figures
were studied following a review
of the expenditures in relation to
the 1947-48 budget to date. It was
pointed out by Treasurer Dan
Sharp that all departments were
running well within their current
budget estimates except in one
instance where new equipment
was added unexpectedly. The
heads of the department are to be
called in to go over the proposed
budget figures for the next fiscal
year, the officials calling for the
completion of the figures in time
to complete and have the tax
books ready as soon as possible at
the close of the fiscal year.
Advised that the supply of
available lots is rapidly dwind '
ling, the board is planning to ex- j
plore the possibility of extending
the boundaries to include adjoin
ing property to the northwest.
The next meeting of the board
will be held early in June.
It was pointed out that work on !
a new deep well is going forward,!
but that the outlook now is not as J
favorable as it was when the 450 |
foot hole was opened. Several i
layers of fine water-bearing sand
were found, but the contractor
has been unable to run a produc
tion test, it was learned.
T—
Man Accused Of
Robbing Drunk
u
-»
Losing $10 and not knowing
liow or where, George Montford
went to the police, alleging it had
been stolen by Sylvester Scott, his
neighbor. Montford claimed he
was on Scott’s porch, that he
dropped the money and Scott
picked it up advising him that
he (Montford) was too drunk to
carry that money around.
Scott explained that Montford
later called for the money, that he
gave it to him and that Montford
I was still so drunk he did not re
member it.
Justice J. S. Ayers was of the
opinion that Montford was so
drunk alung with the others that
no one knew where the money
went and Scott was found not
guilty.
W. C. Chapman, charged with
being drunk and disorderly,
pleaded guilty of being drunk and
claimed he was so drunk that he
did not recall being disorderly.
In fact, the man was so drunk
that he could not give his right
name for about 24 hours. He
could remember his initials, but
did not know what they stood for.
He was sentenced to the roads for
thirty days, the trial justice sus
pending the term upon the pay
ment of a $10 fine and costs.
Horace Moore was fined $7.50
and taxed with the cost for being
drunk and disorderly. In a sec
ond case in which he was charged
.-with.. issuing. .jyjecte,..
Moore said he had paid $2 on a $5
check. He was sentenced to. the
roads for thirty days, the justice:
su? pending the 1* rra upon the
payment of the check and costs. ^
For County Commissioner
Messrs. Henry S. Johnson, Jr., (left) and Nat W. Johnson
(right) are bidding for the Hamilton-Goose Nest District seat on
the Martin County Board of Commissioners being vacated by
Commissioner H. A. Haislip at the end of the current term. The
two candidates are numbered among the most prominent young
business men in the county. Not to be confused with Mr. Henry
A. Johnson of Gold Point, Mr. Henry S. Johnson is a Hamilton
business man and farmer, and Mr. Nat YV. Johnson is in business
at Oak City.
Contracts Approved
For School Projects
| TAKK NO CHANCES
V ..- - ■>
Abram (Buddy Kowe) Fon
ville’s debtors are said to be
taking no chances on their
creditor getting out of jail
where he is being held for
the murder of Lewis Rid
dick and the serious wound
ing of Willie James Melton
here on the morning of May 8.
One of the man's debtors
was said to have sent him
several dollars on a debt a
few days ago, explaining that
the last dollar would be paid
this Saturday.
It will be recalled that
Fonviile went wild with a pis
tol when he called on Mel
lon and Riddick to pay up
their gambling debts, and
that he fired away when they
did not come forward with
the cash.
Report Business
Bureau Progress
—*—
The canvassing committee for
ttie Williamston Business Bureau
advises that the merchants and
professional men are a little slow
in returning the letters that were
mailed to them last week.
No doubt this is caused by then
not knowing the purposes and
aims of the organization. Several
firms have called in to ask ques
tions and the members of the
committee are glad to have them
call and to explain what the as
sessment covers and what the
Bureau hopes to accomplish.
It is the intention of the can
vassing committee to organize
groups and have at least two
members visit each potential
member and outline the purpose
of the Bureau.
Two good examples of such an
organization was displayed in Ra
leigh when they had their "Trade
In Raleigh Day”, and in Rocky
Mount when they had tneir "Gal
lopade.” With the cooperation of i
all the firms and professional
men, Williamston can have a simi- I
lar organization in its Business j
Bureau.—Reported.
Prise Stork Show Beef
On Sale in Store Here
— »
Prize beef of the recent Martin
County Fat Stock show is being
placed on sale in the Colonial
Stores market here this week-end
at no advance in prices.
I
Some of the beef was placed on |
sale a ^few days ago by Ward’s
Market here
Senatorial Candidate
Maker Short Visit Here
Accompanied by Sheriff Horton
Of.JPeib.hcp^Mr. Cantpen.1
Pamlico County business man and
prominent farmer, mad a short
visit here today in the interest of
hi- candidacy for the Stale Seri-1
ate. .- i
School Cafeteria
For Robersonville
Included In List
Commissioner* In a Joint
Session With Board
Of K«1 neat ion
The Martin County Commis
sioners meeting in joint session
with the County Board of Edu
cation Tuesday approved three
school construction projects in
this county, the list including a
cafeteria for the graded school
in Robersonville, an addition to
the school it Bear Glass and a
new high school unit here.
No contracts have been formal
ly signed as vet, but the success
ful bidders are being notified and
the preliminaries will be. handled
as quickly as possible with the
expectation that eontsruction ac
tivities will get under way with
in a comparatively short time. It
is fairly certain however that
none of the buildings will be
ready for use at the opening of
the 1948-49 term late next sum
mer.
The program, calling for an
addition to the school at Bear
Grass, a one-story high school
unit in Williamston and the Rob
ersonville cafeteria, will cost ap
proximately $116,446, exclusive
of the plumbing, heating and elec
trial wiring of the cafeteria which
will be handled, in all probabil
ity, by the education board forces.
The Bear Grass general con
tract is being awarded to C. B.
Mooney and Sons of Edenton for
$41,065, The Bear Grass heating
contract, calling for an expendi
cost around $16,000 or more.
The commissioners discussed
the program for almost two
hours, and it was pointed out that
it can be financed from reserve
funds and without a special bond
issue. However, there is a pos
sibility that the tax rate will be
affected slightly.
ture of $7,444, was awarded to C.
L, Russ and Sons of Greenville.
The plumbing contract for Bear
Glass, going to Jack Sullivan of
Rocky Mount, calls for an expen-1
diture of $3 785, The electrical I
wiring contract there goes to the'
Durham Electrical Company, the
amount boosting the total cost
of the Bear Grass building to
$53,894.
C. B. Mooney and Sons are
also being awarded the contract
for the general construction on
the Williamston High School proj
ect, calling for an expenditure of
$40,300. The heating contract,
going to C. L. Russ and -Sons,
amounts to $4,023. Jack Sullivan
gets the pumbing contract in Wil
liamston for $3,387, and the elec
tric wiring contract, going to the
Sts to •
$1,300, Roosting the total cost of
the unit project to $49,010.
The general construction eon
(Continued on page six)
Jud«;e J. C. Smith
I ^
I Has Fifteen Cases I
In Countv’s Court
j
—«—
Man Gets llis Initials Mixed j
L|» In Driver’s License
Law Violation
I
Judge J. Calvin Smith handled j
fifteen cases in the Martin County
i Recorder's Court during a com-I
| paratively short session last Mon
] day. A fairly large crowd was
present to hear the proceedings.
Fines in the sum of $205 were im-!
posed and several road sentences l
were meted out.
Hopie Brooks, charged with op-1
crating a motor vehicle without
the new type driver’s license, was
adjudged guilty and was fined
$25, plus the costs. Brooks ex
plained to the court that he
thought he was to get his new li
cense when the "H" for Hopie
came up instead of the "B" for J
Brooks. The twisted wrinkle did
not save him j
A rather patehtic case was air
ed in the court when Junius Eb
ron, 70-year-old colored man and
a pensioner in the State of Vir
ginia, was called to answer for
the second time a non-support
charge. Returned to the county
last week by Deputy Murray Hol
loman, Ebron depends mainly on
a small pension for his support.
Last November he was in the
court for not providing support
for his wife and children. He was
directed to pay $20 a month and
prayer for judgment was con
tinued at the November session.
He was brought back when it was
learned that he had not made the
first payment. During the mean
time, his wife has been working
in a basket factory to support tile
children. He had very little to
say for himself, and calmly ac
cepted the twelve-month road
sentence.
Oscar Rollins, drunk and disor
derly, was fined $10 and taxed
with the costs. The court directed
him to pay $7 medical bill for
Minnie V Gainor, and he drew a
five-day jail sentence. He is to 1
pay $10 for his jail board and '
keep.
Charged with being drunk and 1
disorderly and resisting arrest, '
Johnnie Jones pleaded not guilty. '
Adjudged guilty he was sentenced 1
to the roads for twelve months, ^
the court suspending the road ‘
term upon the payment of a $50 '
fine and costs and $35 to Officer '
W. Edmond Early for clothes da- 1
maged by the defendant. He is to 1
violate no criminal law during the 1
next two years. '
Charged with an assault, Rob
ert Bellamy was adjudged not i
guilty. f
J. Leon Wynne, charged with I 1
drunken driving, called for a jury j
trial and his case is to be called on
May 31.
Charles Fowler, charged with
non-support, pleaded not guilty
and was adjudged not guilty. The
State, in the case, maintained that
the plaintiff was forced to move ■ j
out of their home when the prop- j
erty was sold, that she stored their ;
household goods in Rocky Mount |
when no suitable living quarters i
could be found in Parmele, that1 *
she was forced to live with her ^ '
children in other states, and that1J
the husband'had failed to provide (
(Continued on page six) 11
FOR COUNTY BOARD OF EDI CATION
__ + V
.I-H'i 1 UCC' .men Pictured above J. D. Woolard (left) of Williamston, Cecil B. Powell teenter)
j ,. 0 .. oi?J’ and Honi\ C. Norman (right) of Robersonville arc in the race for the two upon
mgs on the Martin C <>unty Board of Education. The race is not limited to districts and the two high
men in the May primary irrespective of residence, will be recommended for appointment bv the
next General Assembly. All three men are well known in the business field in this seetion.
TOBACCO PENALTY ]
-■---s
Penalty on tobacco produc
ed in excess of quotas has
been fixed for 1948 at sixteen
cents a pound, according to
unofficial information receiv
ed here this week.
This year's penalty is a drop
of three cents from that of
1947, when the penalty was
19 cents per pound. County
tobacco acreage allotment
was also reduced this year.
The penalty figure is based
on 4(1 percent of the average
market price, calculated to
the nearest whole cent, for
the kind of tobacco for the
preceding market year. Last
year’s flue-cured tobacco
brought an average price of
41.2 cents per pound.
Hold Meeting In
West End Church
The revival services being held
his week at West End Baptist
'hiuvh, Williuniston, are meeting
vith much success. The Hcvcr
nd Paul B Niekens, pastor of
jUdford Memorial Baptist Church
n Plymouth, is the visiting min
ster, and is bringing the mes
age each evening this week at
ight o’clock continuing through
iaturday evening. The revival
rill not close at this time, but the
iastor, J. Thad Ashley, will
‘reach the closing sermons Sun
lay morning at 11 o’clock and
iunday evening at i! o’clock.
There has been a large attend
nee at each of the services with
cople attending from Williams
on and the surrounding territory.
-«
Fo Colled Hooks
For Leper Colony
Boy Scouts of Troop 27 will
tart collecting old discarded
looks Monday, May 24 for dis
libution to a leper colony in the
Tiilippine Islands.
Local people are asked to co
iperate with the boys by donat
ing a lew old books. Books suit
hie for junior and senior high
chools use, and especially gen
ral fiction, travel, adventure and
‘iography are needed.
Candidate for Governor 7 b
Make Motorcade Visit Here
■ ■■—- A--—
Climaxing the six-man race for
governor, R. Mayne- Albright will
stop his motorcade here next
Monday afternoon at 3:00 o’clock
for a twentv-minute program in
front or near the City Hall, it was I
announced by his Raleigh head- \
quarters yesterday. The stop will '
be one of about thirty the 38- j
year-old candidate for governor j
will make in a wide swing |
throughout Eastern North Caro- j
lina in the last few days of the
rough-and-tumble campaign.
Moving in from Tarboro, the [
motorcade, headed by Albright’s j
car-trailer, “The Challenger,” will j
stop near the City Hall, marking,
the candidate s second visit to this j
section. TYieT-ah'dfflatr* 'vtll speak ■
briefly from “The Challenger,”
and move out of here at 3:20 for M
Ply mouth., filing from there u>
Washington and on to an over";
light stop in Greenville 'J'hc* mo
torcade, including Albright sup
porters from various parts of the
State, will swing on down to the
L'arteret and New Hanover coasts
ind work back through Lumber -
ton, Fayetteville, Smithfield into
Raleigh. From there the candi
Jate will make a la d tour of the
campaign into the Piedmont and
.vest, closing a day ahead of the
primary.
It has been claimed that tho
nan s trailer campaign is rolling
jn to what may be the “biggest
political upset in North Carolina
iistory ” It is rumored that there
s a definite “swing to Albright”
n all parts of the State. No such
innoimof-rieht Has been' ofiiciaily
nade, but the Albriglit camp is
-laiming that the "opposition is
■ mecding ;h;-i re \ ill in in 'is
leeond primary.'’
Announce Finals Program
In rFhe Williamston School
j The first in the series of events i
I on the local school commence
' meat program will be held Sun
day evening at 8:00 o'clock when
Rev. John W. Hardy, rector of the
Church of the Advent, preaches
the commencement sermon in the
high school auditorium. It is cus
tomary here to rotate the sermon
assignment and the Episcopal
j minister gets it this year. Special
music will be rendered by the
high school glee club. There’ll be
! no services in the several church
' os when members of all denomi
j nations gather at the school to
I worship at the special service for
! the seniors.
i A high spot in the finals pro
j gram but one not so eagerly anti
I cipated, is the examination soiled
i
ule which gets under way next
Monday and lasts through Wed
nesday.
On Thursday the seniors are
holding their class day exercises
at 8:00 o'clock in the high school
auditorium. The program for the
event has not been announced.
An awards day program will be
held Friday morning, May 28, at
9:15 in the high school auditorium
where special achievements will
be recognized.
That evening at 8:00 o'clock the
graduation exercises will be held
in the high school auditorium.
Ur. W. E. Marshall, of the depart
ment of political science, East
Carolina Teachers' College,
Greenville, will address the sen
iors, their parents, patrons of the
school and other friends.
I Few Participate
in Drive On Hats
-•——
A preliminary report on the
anti-rat campaign in this county
indicates that comparatively tew
t individual farmers are participat
ing in it. Approximately 175
1 armors ordered 504 pounds of bait
! and pre pared yesterday to ‘'plant" [
jit.
However, it was explained that I
, the incorporated towns are going
I ahead with an effective drive.1
j Robersonville handled about 160
! pounds last Thursday despite the
I rain. Wilhaniston is making!
| ready to spread between 800 and!
1,000 pounds within the next few
days. Everetts, Jamesville, Ham
! ilton and (dak City have ordered
! 100 pounds each, and Parmele and
Hassell are planning to use about
75 pounds of the special poison
in the drive to reduce the rat'
| population.
-u
Justice Johnson
Hears Four Cases'
—«,—
Justice It. T. Johnson heard
four cases in his court the early j
j part of this week.
Charged with “beating" a board j
| hill, J- 13. English was found not!
| guilty.
Probable cause appeal ing in the
I’case charging him with assaulting;
I a female, Roscoe Morrow was
hound over to the county court
under bond in the sum of $25.
Judgment was suspended upon!
the payment of the costs in the
cases charging Lelon Roberson
and C, 11. Rawls with not stop-j
J ping before entering a main high- ,
way from a side road. It has been
a common practice for motorists j
to slow down and move into the
main highways without stopping, I
but the law calls for a complete,
stop. I'
, I
■ o— — —* ! i
Slurl (onslruetion II or/,
On Storage House Here
-*
Work on the foundation was
started yesterday for a storage'
warehouse on Railroad Street be ;<
tween Elm and Pearl ,S reels bv t
Mr. Sid A. Mobley. h
The structure, 65 by 150 leet.'i
hud! ^'’.sjRi.^eilidei Mocks
aurwrrodr wflT Be oF'cemciit..I
THE RECORD
SPEAKS . . .
Only one accident was re
ported on the highways of
this county during the 20th
week, but the record is lead
ing the figures recorded in
two columns up until the
same time last year
The following tabulations
offer a comparison of the ac
cident trend: first, by corres
ponding weeks in this year
and last and for each year to
the present time.
Accidents Inj’d Killed Dain'gc
2,0th Week
194(1 I 1 0 $ 350
1947 0 0 0 00
Comparisons To l>atc
194(1 55 21 1 10,915
1947 49 20 3 10,725
Announce Safely
Slogan Winners
--dft—
Winners in the Safety Slogan
■ontest, sponsored here recently
n.y the American Legion Auxil
lary in the elementary grades of
both the white and colored
schools, were announced a few
days ago.
In the white schools, Sandra
Margolis w ni fust pri/e Other
winners were Anne Davis Peel,
Janice Holliday, Sarah Everett
and Billy Glover.
In the colored schools, Marjorie
Langford took first honors. Other
winners were, Nellie Gray Rog-:
■is, Herman Davis, Joseph Man
>on and Eva 1), Lynch.
The winners were awarded cer
ificates.
'iucrnsvy S«/«• /«> /{««
11 rid In lioldshitrtf
A large Guernsey sale is being
icld in the Farmers Warehouse
n Goldsboro Friday afternoon of
his week at 1:00 o’clock. Sev
'isI farmers from this eount> are
dunning to attend.
\ T. A. TimJ)IN GIIN At.
MEET OF YEAR MONDAY
---
The Wilhamston Parent-Teach
•rs Association will hold its last
nceting of the yea: Men lay ir;T’
it 0:00 in the grammar school i
lUditorium Election of eflicers
ill he in the nrineip.d business of
fie meeting
Speedsters Have
Another Day In
Court This Week
Our DrCrtulaul !Sai«l T<»
Ha\ r !',> plo'lrd When
Fared Vt i | li Facts
-.
There has been a marked re
duction in tile number of speeding
cases in the county recorder’s
court, but a few are still being
tagged by active patrolmen. Four
speed law violators were booked
in the court this week, each draw
ing a $25 fine, plus costs.
Maintaining he was not guilty,
Chailcs Maronna, (1(1, of St. Pet
ersburg, Florida, released a ver
, bul lashing against the court, de
claring it was a racket. Almost
lighting mad he was said to have
called Patrolman J. T. Rowe a
liar, a casual observer stating that
the man barely escaped without
being held in contempt of court.
The patrolman declared he was
careful in checking the defend
ant's speed and his story was ac
cepted by the court. Maronna paid
the $25 fine and costs, and while
he may consider the bill exhorbi
tant, Clerk L. B. Wynne expressed
the opinion that the man got off
light.
Wiley C, Harrell. Virginia
Beach druggist, was fined $23 and
taxed with the costs. He did not
like it a bit, but he whs more re
served than was Maronna.
Paul C. Skrmetta of New Or
leans admitted he was violating
the speed law and settled up by
paying a $25 fine and costs.
Daniel C. Stateler of Lake
Wales, Florida, was fined $25 and
required to pay,the costs in the
speeding case brought against
him.
C baric A. Zihak of Michigan
was fined $10 and taxed with the
i osts when he pleaded guilty of
violating the speed law.
Killer Released
In $:!.r>l!0.0() Bond
-O
Richard Percy Brown, local col
ored man who shot and killed his
Mood friend William (Lus) Mid
gette on Jamesville Street here
last Friday evening, was releas
ed under bond in the sum of
$3,500 yesterday afternoon.
A mortgage was placed on the
properties of lus brothers in Hali
fax County to satisfy the bond
which was f'xed at a preliminary
hearing held by Justice J. S.
Ayers in tin courthouse last Mon
day evening
One reporl said that Brown,
once out of jail, started to his
home to get his clothes and turn
ed away when he saw two ears
parked nearby. Messengers were
then sent and they also turned
back, the report adding that
Brown left without his clothes to
visit relatives in or near Roanoke
Rapids until his trial is called
during the week of June 7. It
isri 1 believed that anyone was
waiting for the man, that ap
parently he was seared.
During Ihe meantime, Bill
Brown, who allegedly chased
Percy Blown and who it is claim
ed carried a shot gun and a pis
tol for Percy Brown, planned to
leave town should Percy Brown
gam his Irecdom. Percy Brown’s
disappearance yesterday has re
lieved tension in some quartets,
one report maintained.
Ihe body of Brown's victim
\\ as removed to Washington
County, his native home, foe
burial Tuesday' afternoon.
Officers W recked
Two Distilleries
Raiding in Hamilton and Goose
Nest Townships yesterday after
noon, ABC Officer J H. Roebuck,
Deputy Roy Peel and two federal
agents from Elizabeth City found
and 'a reeked two crude liquor
plants. Both were equipped with
50-gallon capacity oil drums and
no bet. r was found at either plant.
One had just been moved
new location and the oth
not been used recently.
The illicit liquor business
a slump just now, tti
stating that they had been._
find only four miimi f m—t»
pavury::;,