- -r
* THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BY
OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNTY
FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK
THE ENTERPRISE
THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BY
OVER 3.S-V* MARTIN COUNTS
FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK
VOLUME LI—NUMBER 47
William*lon, Martin County, North Carolina, Thursday, June 10. 10 lit
ESTABLISHED 1899
Judge J. C. Smith
. Has Fifteen Cases
In County’s Court
Fines Imposed At Session
On Monday of This Week
Amount to $305
— ■ •
Judge J. Calvin Smith held the
Martin County hecorder's Court
¥ in session until 1:00 o’clock last
Monday before clearing fifteen
cases from the docket. A jury
case and thetrial of Leamon Ben
nett, colored man who faces sev
eral charges in the superior court
and who assaulted a fellow pris
oner in the county jail last Satur
day night, took up much time of
the court. Fines imposed at the
^ session amounted to $305.
Proceedings:
Judgement was suspended in
the case charging Sam Peel with
disposing of mortgaged property.
Charged with non-support,
Richard Ewell was sentenced to
the roads for six months, the court
suspending the road term upon
the payment of the cost and on
k the further condition that the de
fendant pay $50 now and $4 each
month beginning in August for
the next year for the support of
his family.
Tried by a six-man jury, Dalton
Brown,' charged with an assault
with a deadly weapon was ad
judged not guilty. Members of
the jury were, J. R. Rawls, W. N.
Perry, Ben E. Griffin, Jimmie Lee,
A A. H. Brown and R. N. Turner.
Pleading guilty of operating a
motor vehicle without a driver's
license, Chest Mooring was fined
$25 and taxed with the costs.
O. H. Stutts, charged with
drunken driving, failed to answer
when called and papers were is
sued calling for his arrest
Adjudged guilty over his own
1 plea of innocence, John Waylv
Gatling was fined $100 and taxed
with the cost in the case charging
him with drunken driving. The
court recommended that his li
cense be revoked for one year.
Charged with reckless driving,
Russell Bailey Wynne pleaded
guilty of failing to report an ac
and the court suspended judg
ment upon the payment of a $25
fine and costs.
J. D. Thrower, Jr., was adjudg
ed not guilty in the case charging
him with speeding.
Papers were issued for his im
mediate arrest when Walter Clay
ton Hall failed to appear and
answer in the case charging him
with speeding.
Richard Pritchard was fined $5
and taxed with the costs for op
erating a motor vehicle without a
driver’s license.
Pleading guilty of allowing an
unlicensed driver to operate a mo
tor vehicle without a driver’s li
cense, Isaac Evans was fined $25
and taxed with the costs.
Anticipating what was in store
for him, Laverne "Mutt” Rober
* son called relatives over the tele
phone, explained that he was just
before changing occupations and
told them good-bye. A short time
later Judge Smith sentenced him
to the roads for six months for
non-support.
Mayo Beacham, charged with
non-support, was found not guil
ty.
Charlie Edward Lassiter, charg
■ ed with speeding, pleaded guilty
and was fined $25 and required to
i pay the costs.
Adjudged guilty of an assault,
(Continued on page eight)
THE RECORD
SPEAKS . . .
Martin County motbnsts
are piling up more motor ve
hicles this year than they did
last, but they are more con
siderate of life and limb with
about the same regard or con
tempt for property.
The following tabulations
offer a comparison of the ac
cident trend: first, by corres
and last and for each year to
the present time.
23rd Week
Accidents ii.j'd Kiikd B&ut'se
1948 3 0 0 $ 160
1947 000 00
Comparison* To Date
1948 03 22 1 $12,000
1947 56 23 3 12,700 j
Bond Election For Water
Department Next Tuesday
■ •
Williamston citizens will decide
next Tuesday the fate of a propos
ed $100,000 bond issue for ex
panding the town's water supply
and extending water and sewer
lines. The election will be held in
the City Hall between the hours
of 6:30 a. m. and 6:30 p, m., the
present indications pointing to a
comparatively small vote.
While few if any persons want
to see the town go into debt, most
everyone recognizes the almost
imperative need for providing
adequate water storage and the
extension of water and sewer
lines. It is understood that there
is some opposition to the meas
ure, but little has been expressed
openly.
Discussing the proposal this
morning, a town official explained
that the commissioners had made
a study of the present system, that
they are convinced some action is
needed without delay, that they
are placing the matter directly
before the people for them to de
cide what shall be done. “We are
not trying to frighten anyone, but
the present system is seriously
over-taxed, and should a real em
ergency present itself it could not
be adequately met,” an official
said.
There was a small fire just out
of town last Saturday afternoon
when the demand for water is
normally at a peak. When the
firemen withdrew from the scene
of the fire, the water supply had
been reduced to hardly more than
20.000 gallons, an amount hardly
large enough to last twenty min
utes in a real emergency.
These are just a few of the
facts the citizens are being asked
to consider when they participate
in the election next Tuesday.
Series Of Robberies
Solved In Oak City
m:\ui \<;
Charged with brutally as
saulting Haywood Cherry,
mill night watchman here on
the night of April 28, Frank
Crews and Henry Williams
are to he given a hearing be
fore Justice R. T. Johnson in
the courthouse Friday even
ing at 7:00 o’clock, Chief W.
E. Saunders said this morn
ing.
The victim was just releas
ed from the hospital this
week, one report stating that
his condition was much im
proved. Crews and Williams
have been held in jail pend
ing the outcome of Cherry’s
condition.
Jayeees sponsor
B^autv Pageant
Again This Year
P
— ♦ ■ ■—
Tweiily-six Entries Report
ed Already in tlie An
nual Beauty Contest
——<*b
The local Junior Chamber of
Commerce, sponsoring organiza
tion for the 'Miss Williamston of
1948 and Little Miss Williamston”
pageant, are busy at work receiv
ing entries and formulating plans
for this event. Ttie pageant is to
be staged at eight o’clock on Wed
nesday night. June 23rd in the lo
cal high school auditorium. Miss
Angela McLawhorn, Miss Wil
liamston of 1947, will reign over
the festivities along with Con
stance Chesson, Little Miss Wil
liamston of 1947. J. Paul Simp
son will serve as toastmaster. Im
mediately following the pageant a
public dance will be held in the
high school gym honoring the con
testants.
Through Saturday, June 5, 17
entries had been received in the
Miss Williamston contest and 11
entries in the Little Miss Wil
liamston contest. Entries for com
petition in each of the contests
will be received through Satur
day, June 19th. After that no en
tries will be accepted. Each con
testant in the Miss Williamston
contest will be sponsored by a lo
cal business firm. Already most
of the entries have been assigned
to their sponsor. A list of spon
sors and their contestants will be
announced at a later date.
The local Jayeees hope to give
Williamston a great deal of pub
licity through this contest. Ber
nard S. Harrison and Tbad Har
rison, co-chairmen of this event
have announced that arrange
ments have already been made to
of town newspapers and over the
radio. A few days prior to the
pageant the Jayeees and contes
tants will be on the air tor a 15
ii.uiut."”' '.. ’. ; , v..\b
be several announcements of the
event coming over the radio each
day for approximately ten days
(Continued on page four)
Arrest Three Men
For Stealing Meat
Anri Robberies
Willie Taylor, Tliimiiuii
Harrell ami James Daniel
Held For Bijs (lour!
-4~
Willie Taylor, 21, Thurman
(Pre-Wee) Harrell, 28, and James
Daniel, 40, all white, were arrest
ed late Tuesday for allegedly
stealing a quantity of meat from
Farmer Maurice Mobley and the
alleged breaking into and robbing
of the J. H. Aye' s and Joe Bunt
ing stores in Oak City last Satur
day night and Sunday morning.
The fust in the series was dis
night when the Mobley’s returned
to their home about two miles out
from Oak City on the Tarboro
Highway and found their smoke
house door open. Investigating,
they found seven hams and three
shoulders missing. Sheriff C. B.
Roebuck answered a call there
with Captain Sessoms from the
prison camp and Officer Edmond
Early, and it is believed that
while they were working on the
meat case, the robbers were busy
in Oak City.
Suspicion centered on Taylor
who lived on the Mobley farm,
but he could not be contacted im
mediately. The officers took a
stand near the Taylor home and
maintained a watch until about
three o’clock Sunday morning
and checked his movements along
with those of Harrell and Jackson.
During the meantime they learn
ed about the two store robberies,
and at 7:00 o’clock Sunday morn
ing they questioned Taylor who
maintained that he attended the
show in Hamilton Saturday night.
His story could not be picked to
pieces immediately, but Sheriff C.
B. Roebuck was convinced that
the man was misrepresenting the
facts. Tuesday afternoon, De
puty Joe Roebuck made a search
of the Taylor premises and found
two pieces of meat hidden in a
hedgerow near the Taylor home.
Portions of the meat had been cut
away. When questioned the sec
ond time, Taylor admitted the
meat theft and his part in the two
store robberies, involving the
other two men in all three alleg
ed crimes.
The robbeis gained admittance
to the Mobley smokehouse by fil
ing the hook chain in two.
At the Bunting store, they
worked the back door*by the jam,
reached inside and removed the
lock bar. They allegedly stole
several pairs of pants, pocket
knives, canned goods, ladies’ un
derwear and other merchandise
there. Doing to tne rear of tl
Ayers store, the robbers cut ot
a panel in the back door and sto
overalls, a radio, a dozen or moi
cartons of cigarettes, sdfittrcYgui
and other merchandise.
Not ail the meat has been ri
covered but the merchandise w;
(Continued on page '<;3ht)
Kerr Scott Makes
Hurried Visit In
Eastern Carolina
•
Declares All Unneressarv
Heads Will “Roll” If He
Is Made Governor
Making his first visit in this
county, Kerr Scott this week hur
riedly patched up his political
fences and confidently made
ready to go into the second gub
ernatorial primary on June 26.
The runner-up in the first round
on the 29th of May, Scott made no
public appearance in the county
during his short stay last Tues
day, but he contacted quite a few
(individuals, explaining that he
would like to spend several days
but that his plans called for con
ferences in several of the north
eastern counties and that he was
scheduled to be in Raleigh this
evening. Traveling alone, the
candidate enjoyed an informal
lunch in the home of Mr. and Mrs.
Bill Abbitt and made one or two
quick visits in other sections of
the county before moving on to
meet appointments in Bertie and
other counties northeast of here.
Trailing Chas, M Johnson, 161,
293 to 170,141, in the first primary,
Scott was confident as he continu
ed to lay his plans for the second
round. “Given a fair election, I
| feel confident we'll win." Scott
said, intimating that there were
reports of irregularities in the
voting and counting in some coun
ties on May 29.
During his brief stay here, Scott
talked informally of his platform
and activities in the first cam
paign. And apparently he knew
in detail what went on and who
was who, the candidate accepting
it as a seasoned politician. As he
talked about excess jobholders,
his pulse quickened. “The people
can expect the unnecessary heads
to ‘roll’ if I am made governor,”
Scott said, adding that such ac
tion would be among the first in
the order of business.
Asked Governor Cherry’s posi
tion in the race, Scott said that
Mr. Cherry had promised to re
jus&in ■xl--“Hi.d t .givr.. .bim,
credit for doing just that," Scott
said, adding, however, that it was
a bit strange that so many of the
department heads close to the ad
ministration were fighting him for
all they are worth.
The candidate briefly reviewed
his program as follows:
Taxes—Repeal sales tax on all
food. Remove discriminatory
taxes on farm machinery.
Bond issues—None, unless ab
solutely necessary after huge sur
.plus now' in banks without inter
est is used.
Roads—Repeal 'mud tax’ on
farm-to-market, home-to-school
and home-to-church roads.
Schools—Save them by paying
teachers living salaries, reducing
pupil load, and aiding construc
tion of new school buildings.
Health—Carry out State Good
Health Program.
Welfare—Better provisions for
aged and indigent.
Business—Fair taxes and equal
opportunity.
Labor—A square deal.
Veterans—State service pro
gram second to none.
Municipalities—Financial relief
by returning State revenue from
license taxes, helping maintain
(Continued on page five)
Finland Native
Works Fn Fields
Vidar Wolontis, native of Fin
land, reported to the local em
ployment office yesterday for
work in the fields of this section.
Following an interview with Mrs.
Miller Harrell of the commission,
the young man chose the Irish po
tato lields in Tyrrell County
where he plans to work for about
two weeks.
Studying to be a professor in a
university back in his country, the
young man has spent one year at
mathematics. During the summer
months he is spending his time
touring the States, working in
. various places.
Coming to this country from
Helsinki, Wolontis said that the;
food situation, critical during the
war years, was much improved
now. i
Three Murder Cases On Courl
Doeket For Trial Next Week
Sixteen Cases On
Docket For Trial
In Superior Court
—<»
Lemmon J. Color
ed Man. In
Four (luges
Sixteen cases, including three
murder charges, are being placed
on the docket for trial during the
one week of superior court here
next week. While most of the
cases are of a more or loss trivial
nature, there arc several big ones
even in addition to the three
charging murder.
The Martin County Bar is ex
pecting the court to complete the
criminal docket by late Tuesday, a
report stating that a few divorce
cases and several civil actions had
been scheduled for trial on Wed
nesday and Thursday. There is
some doubt, however, that the cri
minal docket can be cleared in the
first two days of the term.
Leamon J. Bennett, defendant
in four cases, is very likely to oc
cupy the court's time for at least
half a day. He is said to have
summoned witnesses from two
counties. Bennett was arrested in
Robcrsonville last November 12
for operating a motor vehicle with
improper equipment. Ho appeal
ed from a county court judgment
and pleaded nolo contendre at the
March term when the plea was
ordered stricken out and the case
continued. On February 2ti, Ben
nett allegedly attempted to hold
up John Slade on Williamston’s
East Main Street. He appealed
and the case was continued. On
February 29, he was booked for
carrying a concealed weapon and
assaulting Chas. K. Moore, local
officer, with a deadly weapon. On
June 5 he was booked for as
saulting Joe Mabry in the county
jail.
two previous terms, the case
charging Henry Lee Fred Shelby
with violating the motor vehicle
laws is again slated for trial. Shel
by was am sted in Robcrsonville
on September 25 for various in
fractions of the vehicle laws. He
appealed from the lower court.
Charged with operating a picolo
without a license, Charlie Butler
is going into the court on appeal
from the county tribunal.
W. F. Coppage, adjudged guil
ty and fined on a speeding charge,
is appealing from the county
court.
Roscoe L. Moore is booked for
trial for being drunk and disord
erly in Robcrsonville on March
27, his case having come up on ap
peal.
Burley Nelson is charged with
breaking and entering a Rober
sonville filling station and steal
ing on May 18 cigarettes and cash
money. '
Harmon Roberson is charged
with the larceny of an auto from
James David Lilley on the
streets of Williamston on March
21.
j Lenndora Coburn is facing the
I court for assaulting with a knife
j and almost cutting Thelma Louise
Brown Little to death in Rober
sonville on May 15. The victim
was not expected to live for sev
eral days.
—o
Justice Johnson
Hours Few Cases
JUSliCC 1' 1 \Jf olI I liCUCd". •" v”
cfit 1 cases in his court here this
week.
Judgment was suspended upon
the payment of the com1 in the ease
charging Daisy Mae Riddick witli
operating a motor vehicle with
improper lights. <•
Chas. E. Hardy, charged with
not stopping upon entering a
costs.
Operating a motor vehicle with
out state licenses, John C. Harper
.was lined $5 and ■ e/j nixed to nay
the costs.
Charged with improper parking
in Bear Grass, Joseph Wynne was
lined $10 and taxed with the costs.
He appealed to the higher courts. J
CONDITIONS
Crop conditions in Martin
County yesterday were de
scribed as fair to critical. In
some section where the rain
fall has not been excessive,
the crops look very good. In
other sections where the rain
fall has been excessive, the
crops look very good. In
other sections where the rain
fall has been excessive during
the past ten days or two
weeks, the crops look bad,
farmers stating that tobacco
is yellowing. In still other
sections the tobacco crop has
been damaged by fifty per
cent, peanuts are grassy anil
corn is turning yellow.
As a whole, however, the
corn crop outlook is the best
in several years in this coun
ty.
New Ford Car To
Go On Display
Here Chi June 18
Ku'liciil riumt't'* \iinoimc
«'<l Ity Manufacturer In
Doi^ii, K«|iiipiiu‘iil
The 15)49 Ford, which reveals a
radical departure from traditional
Ford styling and engineering, was
made public today by the Ford
Motor Company. The ear is to go
on display Friday, June 18.
“New standards of beauty, com
fort, economy and performance in
the 1849 Ford passenger cars ad
| vance them far ahead of others
i in the low-priced field,” J. R.
Davis, vice president and director
i of sales and advertising, said,
! “Styling of the new Ford definite
ly establishes it as the car of the
I year.”
1949 Ford passenger ears, Ford
! Motor Company has expended
more than $37,400,000 in tools,
dies, jigs and fixtures.
The modern design has been
molded along functional lines, re
sulting in a long, low, sweeping
silhouette. The grille is distinc
tive, the hood massive but short
j or and the body so wide the rear
i fenders have been eliminated.
There are clean, unbroken lines
from front to rear.
There is more room in the
"lounge car” interiors than in
many cars with much larger over
I all dimensions. Front seat widths
have been increased six inches
I and the rear seat nearly eight
inches. The body has been moved
five inches forward with the seats
cradled between the axles for a
much smoother ride.
A new type of suspension sys
tem—"hydra-coil” springs — re
places the traditional transverse
springs and the front axle.
A new heating system available
in the new Fords brings year
around comfort to driver and pas
sengers. Fresh air is scooped into
the car through large intakes just
(Continued on page five)
Detain Woman For
State Of Virginia
Arrested in this county last
Monday afternoon for public
drunkenness, Emma “Duck" Tho
mas Enide, 30-year-old white wo
man, is being held in jail for Vir
After serving most of a three
year sentence in a woman’s peni
tentiary in Virginia, she was pa
ruled. One report stated that the
probation period had just three
months to run when she was ar
rested by Patrolman J. T Rowe
on Highway 171 Said to have re
sisted arrest, the woman is now
to finish the thrue-vear prison
term.
Virginia authorities in a later
report ...said they did not want
her, that Martin County could ;
have her. Bond was then fixed
in the sum of $fjO, but up until!
early today it had not been ar- [
ranged. *
-o
Three Case*? Wen*
Slated For Trial
Fifty Years Wo
—#—
Kvidnic*' «*f First l)i»jjr«‘i*
Stroup In Our If Not
In Two Fam's
For the first time in fifty years,
if not longer, three murder cases
have been booked for trial at a
single term of the Martin County
Superior Court. When the three
cases are called by Judge R. Hunt
Parker of Roanoke Rapids during
the term opening next Monday
morning at 10:00 o’clock, it is
fairly certain that strong evidence
will be offered to support a first
degree charge in one and possibly
in a second.
According to old court observ
ers it was back .just before the
turn of the century that three
murder eases were docketed for
trial at a single term of court in
this county. There have been two
murdet cases booked on several
occasions and the appearance of a
single ease was accepted b.v some
as nothing out of the ordinary.
But when three killings arc to bo
aired at one term of court, one
can’t help but recognize the ten
sion and strain under which man
travels today and the indifference
toward human life.
The first in the murder series
vyas committed in Jamesvillc last
April 10 when ('has. H. Daniel,
young colored man, shot and kill
ed Him Quinerly, aged colored
man. Daniel claims he shot in self
defense. At the prcliminun hear
ing it was brought out that Daniel
was drinking heavily, that pos
sibly he did not know just what
was happening at the time. He has
been unable to raise the $2,500 re
quired bond.
Karly iri the morning of May 8,
Abram (Buddy Rowe! Fonvilie
TTOmi if crdHTany
wounding Willie Melton and a
short time later shooting and kill
ing Louis Riddick. The drastic
action allegedly was taken over
gambling debts. Fonvilie, a young
colored man, waived preliminary
hearing and he continues in jail
staring a first degree murder
charge squarely in the face.
A week later on May Id, Rich
ard Percy Brown shot and killed
his friend, William (Lus) Midget!,
claiming that he thought Midgett
was William Brown and that he
was afraid of Brown. Bond was
arranged in the sum of $8,500 by
relatives, and Brown is now at
liberty at his old home in or near
Roanoke Rapids.
Private prosecution has been
employed in at least two of the
cases, and the trials are expected
to attract large numbers of color
ed citizens.
Three Are Hurl
In Wreck Today
Three Jamesville young men,
Edward Lee Martin, Luther Hugh
Hardison and Clifford Corey, were
painfully but believed riot badly
hurt when their ear, a 1 it47 Chr\
lor, went out of control and turn
ed over on U. S. 17 about seven
miles north of here this morning
at 2:35 o'clock.
Martin, owner and driver of the*
car, was cut on the head, and his
injuries were said to be more seri
ous than those of the other two.
Hardison was cut on the left arm
s.nd H" re was_an abrasiftn on one
shoulder. Corey's left foot was*
cut and his right leg was badly
bruised. They were given first
aid treatment in the hospital here.
Martin said they were driving,
toward Williamston ai about fifty
miles an hour that they met an-1
other car and he lost control of his j
own. Patrolmen M. F. Powe.s andj
cident, said the car ran off the
road and traveled about {JO yards'
on tin shoulder, tliut ;! was pulled,
1 W]f JiuUi^.lUAJ.ikiaOtgy.ii.h(3.tray-!
eled about 100 ymds before turn-J
ing over and coming to a stop in a
ditch. The car was wrecked be
yond repair, Patrolman Powers
said.
Plan* Few Cases
On Civil Docket
In Superior Court
Sown Pivorro Cases Aim!
Si\(.i\il Yctions Slated
For Trial
While there is some doubt if the
criminal docket can be cleared in
time, seven divorce cases and six
civil actions have been calendared
for trial in the superior court here
next week Several of the civil
cases involving sizable damage .
suits were set preemptorily for
trial at the direction of the court
last March. Judge Hunt Parker
of Roanoke* Rapids is to preside
over the mixed term.
All of the divorce cases are bas
ed on two-year separation
grounds, but some of them are
being contested.
Elizabeth Howell is suing John
ny Howell for a divorce. In her
complaint she says they were
married in August. 1923, and sep
arated in March, 1943, that three
of the children are living with
her and that a fourth one is mar
ried.
In the divorce action brought by
Emmett Thomas against Ethel
Thomas, the plaintiff says they
were married in October, 1938,
and that they separated in June,
1944, admitting that two children
are living with the mother in
Alabama Contesting the action,
the defendant says there are three
children, and they were abandon
ed by the plaintiff, and that she
and her husband lived together
until about the middle of 1945.
The suit was started about two
years ago.
Grover Williams is suing Josie
I,ee Williams for a divorce, setting
out in the complaint that they
were married in August, 1945, and
separated in January, 194ii.
In the divorce case of John
Long against Ada Long, the plain
tiff says they were married prior
to 1937 and that they were sep
arated oij May ti, 1937.
Magnolia Ambrose is suing
James Claude Ambrose for di
vorce, stating that they were mar
ated May la, 194(1, that no chil
dren were born to the union In
Ins answer, the defendant admits
the allegations.
In the action of Georgia May
Moore against Sam Andrew
Moure, the plaintiff says they
were married June 1,
separated January 8,
two children born to
are supported by her.
Calendared several
fore, the divorce action of Beautie
Andrews against Mattie Lee An
drews is again slated for trial, the
plaintill saying they were marri
ed January 1, 1940, and separated
in June. 1944, that the defendant
left him and went to Philadelphia,
saying that she would never live
with him again.
The Martin County Board of
Education is starting proceedings
to condemn about five acres of
Stevenson land in Robersonvilla
for school use.
Margie Sullivan is suing Amos
Cox and Vance Harrington for
if 10,000 damages alleged to have
resulted in an automobile-truck
accident near Bethel on the
Greenville Highway on the even
1935, and
1944, that
the union
times be
Continued on Page Five)
Oak ( it v Youth
M ins { (duable
(.onlest heard
Qcoi ■ \ -' 1 h .1 member of
tlie Oak City l1’. F A. Chapter was
leeently notified by the state ex
ecutive secretary that he had been
UeThtK ' i ‘ ":V ■ C L of the ' ll - * r 1, ■ £
la vested; - Imprevoment Contest
and would be presented with a
cheek tor s 2a.00 which is to pay*
111 ay t . til National F. F. A.
Convention which is to be held in
Kansas City, Mo., October 14-20.
J L. Hassell, his instructor, will
also he raven SI25.00 to pay his
the convention. This is
pi ire of this sort ever to
In a Martin Con
of Oak City, a rising senior
City High School, and an
lished breeder of
bogs. . w