North Carolina Newspapers

THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BT * OVER 3,900 MARTIN COUNTY FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK THE ENTERPRISE THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BS OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNT* FAMILIES TWICE EACH WERE VOLUME LI—NUMBER 60 Williamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Thursday, July 29, 1948 ESTABLISHED 1899 Recover Body Of Drowning Victim * * Early Wednesday No Formal Inquest Held for Johnny Wilder Who Lost His Life Saturday —- ■•» The body of Johnny Wilder, 35 year-old colored man who drown ed in Sweet Wai«>r Creek near here last Saturday afternoon, ,was • recovered early Wednesday morn ing. The body surfaced after of ficers, relatives and friends had dragged the creek and dynamited the water in an effort to find the missing man. Going to the creek about 5:30 o’clock yesterday morning to con tinue the search, Eddie Sheppard and Floyd Gorham found the body ^ which had surfaced sometime dur ing the night and held to about the same spot in the creek where he is believed to have drowned. The body was turned over to the Everett Funeral Home. Making an investigation, Coron er S. R. Biggs said he was satis fied that the victim had not en countered foul play, that there were no bruises on the body which was described as being in a state of decomposition. No formal inquest was ordered held. Wilder, a native of Bertie Coun ty, went fishing vyith James Wal ston Saturday afternoon. Using a boat they set two or three trot lines ,and started home late m the day. Wilder told Wilson to take the bicycle they had used jointly 4 on the trip to the creek, explain ing that he preferred to walk. He added that he would get the bi cycle at Walston’s home later. Walston said that Wilder had been drinking, but declared that he was “not out of the way.” * Wilder was reported to have been seen a short time later in the boat just below the bridge with his head between his knees as if he was sleeping. That'was the last time he was seen alive. Officers are of the opinion that Wilder went back to fish the trot hnes, that he encountered a wasp nest in a tree top that had fallen into the creek, and that he fell out wasps. K? was wearing a pair of , boots while fishing, but they were missing when the body was re covered, officers stating that the man could have pulled or kicked them off after falling into the water. The body was found just a few yards above the bridge and not far from the spot where he was last ^ seen alive. His was the fourth life to have been lost by drowning in county waters since last spring. Employed by White’s Tin Shop here for a number of years, Wild er was recognized as a dependable worker. He was a son of Guy and Ellen Dunstan Wilder and is survived by his widow, the former Roxie Everett, three daughters and a small son. ^ Funeral services will be held Fr'day at 2:00 o'clock. Tobacco Hurti hums In County yesterday A tobacco barn, belonging to Farmer Alvin Roebuck, was de stroyed on his farm near Rober sonville yesterday, resulting in a loss of more than $1,600, accord ing to unofficial reports reaching % here. Six other curing barns have 0 been destroyed by fire on farms in this county this season. I "1'H ANNIVERSARY 1 s___i Brown's Community Hos pital observed its nijith anni versary here last Sunday with a an informal and brief pro gram. Mrs. W. O. Griffin, fol lowing a welcome custom in augurated by her nine years ago, presented the staff with a large, and beautifully de corated cake which was greatly enjoyed and which featured the anniversary celebration. Dr. V. E. Brown, owner operator, and all members of • the staff express their grate ful appreciation fo their many friends for the kind remem brances expressed during the day and for the cAtperation and kindnesses [advanced down through the years. CITIZENS OF TOMORROW The Enterprise takes much pleasure in presenting another in a picture series of this section’s "citizens of tomonow". So far none has figured prominently in public affairs, l it as fu ture citizens they hate a tremendous assignment to handle in a muddled world. Certain they’ll do a better job than has been done or is being done, The Enterprise presents th« youngsters as the one great hope for the future. Top row, left to right, Lela Frances, six, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J H. Harrell, Williamston; William, six, son of Mr. and Mi's. W. C. Griffin, Williamston; Jean, five, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. E. M. Trahey, Williamston; Bottom row, Henry Roy, eight, son of Mr. and Mrs. H. C. Oakley, Williamston; Martha Vick, four, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Leggett. Williamston; Kenny Boy, four, son of Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Manning, Jr., Williamston. PETITION ) v-* A paper, supported by three signatures and petitioning the North Carolina Slate Board of Elections for a place on the November election ballot for the Wallace-Taylor ticket, has been placed in the hands of Sylvester Peel, chairman of the Martin County Board of Elections. The names on the petition were not disclosed, but one report stated that they had been pro'perly cheeked and that the'paper is being for warded to the state board. Husband Is ^Not To Mol(‘st Wife —» Declaring that they had had s-“•;X Fannie Multin appealed to the courts ia.st Tuesday night for pro tection against her husband, James Mullin. The prosecutjr.g witness said that her husband ran her and their small adopted daughter away from home in Bear Grass last Saturday, that she found a home in Wiiliamston. That night Mullin, while in a drunken condi tion, came to the new home, at tacked the little girl, choked and slapped her (the wife). Mullin said he loved the little girl, that he would not have hurt her for anything, explaining that lie was drunk at the time. Hearing the evidence, Justice Johnson fined Mullin $10 and tax ed him with the cost. Witli a 30 day road sentence hanging over his head, Mullin is not to molest his wife during the next twelve months. •0 |Dies hi An Auto On Local Street —•— j Theodore Rhodes, 44-y<jpr-old 'colored farmer, died suddenly in j an automobile on Washington | Street in front of a doctor’s office here at 3:15 o’clock last Sunday morning, the apparent victim of a heart attack. Attending a tobacco barn on the Harrell Everett farm in Poplar Point Township earlier that mght-, Rhodes was said to have imbibed fairly freely of intoxicants and followed them with a liberal help ing of water melon. Suffering with what was thought to have been indigestion, he took a dose of soda. When his condition grew worse he was placed in an auto mobile and delivered to the doc tor’s of lice, dying before the doc tor could see him. Rhc les, a dependable worker and one who never gave anvone trouble, had lived and worked on the Everett farm for 27 years, Sur viving are his widow, two daugh ters and a son. Funeral services were conduct ed in the Poplar Point Baptist Church yesterday afternoon. In terment was in the church ceme I tery. Polio Victim Has Operation While interest is centered in the current spread of polio, work con tinues almost unceasingly to re store those victims who came down with the malady one, two and three years ago. In some in stances the work, made possible by the March of Dimes, is still cur rying on with even older cases. Young Miss Joyce Christine Lil lcy, lulling victim of the disease several years ago, just recently underwent a major operation in Duke Hospital. ‘ Surgery consist ed of left subastragular arthrode sis, achilles tendon lengthening and transplantation of posterior tibial tendon," the report recently received by the Martin County <J:: a p 1 !• Full!'id ^ young girl has the limb in a cast but the operation and treatment are expected to restore most of | her faculties in time. The bill for $884 is being accepted by, the ; chapter. More recently a patient was hospitalized in a Durham hospital 1 It was first thought the child had I polio, but a complete diagnosis re I vealed the child was victim of an j other disease. 13ut the bill was ac cepted by the Foundation. There are other old cases re ' reiving treatment, and while the funds of the chapter are almost depleted, no call for special funds Should ounty chapter will exhaust all its funds and then call for Foundation as sistance, it was explained. Naomi Little, two-year-old col ored child who lives near Rober sonvillc received treatment in a .Durham hospital from the early part of this year until June at the expense of the Foundation fund in'this county. tlCJJiCM-.CI, 11W veil* *».»* D|./V.V.*H* J I is contemplated just now. SI an emergency arise, the ec Draw Juries For The County Court —*—— Special juries were drawn this morning to hear two cases in the Martin County Recorder’s Court, one next Monday and one the fol lowing Monday. ~ Tire niSi'iica of the jurymen, in cluding that of a colored citizen, drawn for service next Monday, include: Jasper Silverthorne, Wheeler Manning and John A. Manning, Jr., of Williamston, Ro land Rogers and C. B. Bailey of Bear Grass, William H. Peel of Griffins, Spencer Burnett, Colored of Goose Nest, Thurman Nichol son of Poplar Point and William Nathan Cherry of Cross Roads. The names of those drawn to serve on August 9 are, as follows: A. S Roberson, Jr., of Hamilton, H. E. Daniel of Jamesville, J. H Ayers, Jr., and J. A. Everett. Jr., of Goose Nest, Arnold L. Rober son of Griffins, Mrs. Gilberl Smith of Robersonville,. Gilbert Rawls of Bear Grass, B S. Harri son of Williamston and Hugh Leggett of Cross Roads. Bond Set In Gun Attack at Hearing Tuesday Evening Unable to Raise $500 Bond Bill Winbush Continues In County Jail Charged with firing two loads of gun shot into Jimmy Bryant’s baqk early in the morning of July 18, Bill Winbush was piaeed under bond in the sum of $500 at a pre liminary hearing held before Jus tice R. T. Johnson in the court house here Tuesday evening. Un able to arrange bond, Winbush was returned to jail to await trial in the superior court during the term opening the third Monday in September. Evidence offered at the hearing was contradictory, making it ap pear that tempers, aggravated by hot weather, and the free use of intoxicants played a part in the attack. The witnesses could not agree on but one thing; all of them declared that when Winbush yell ed "gangway" David Bryant ran all over ^himself to make room, that he did not stop until he fell into a canal ditch near a tobacco barn where the attack took place on the Harrell Everett farm. The victim of the attack said that he went to William Purvis' tobacco barn on the night of July 17, that he and Winbush played cards with others. “Winbush bor rowed 25 cents from me and paid It back. I lost it and wanted to borrow from Winbush. Some words followed and Winbush went to his home half a mile away, got his gun and returned. I got up and started to run, Win bush firing on me when I was only a few steps away. He reloaded his gun and shot me again," Bry ant said, pointing to a plaster cov ered wound on his right shoulder. Bryant later said that they had nc words, that Winbush shot him for no reason at all. David Bryant, cousin of the vk tim, could tell little about thi trouble and attack, but he gave a good word description of his ac lions when W-inbwsh • yelled .,‘Vlflngwa^^ _ .—in.. Justice Johnson said it was hard to believe that a man would walk a long distance for a gun, return and shoot a man without some provocation. He then asked Win bush ll he cared to tell his side oi the story. • "I went to Purvis’ barn about 5:30 Saturday afternoon and Johnny came along about dusk staggering from one side of the path to the other,” Winbush dc j dared. “He called me and threat 'ened my life, but I told him to leave me alone and we returned to the tobacco barn where I sat on one end of a tobacco truck and Bryant on the other. Something was said about cards and Bryant went to his home and got a deck,’ Winbush said. Something was said about Bry ant having a “corner” on the queens in the deck, but despite that he lost over $(j. Winbush then said, "Bryant took cards and went into the barn yard, but came back and he wanted to borrow the 30 cents I had borrowed and won An argument followed, and I told him he had been nagging me long enough, and I got up and went foi my gun.” Aftei the hearing revealed only confusing accounts of the attack, a discussion was centered on the $500 bond and Winbush’s release, Landlord Everett stated he was ready to sign Winbush’s bond, but Bryant said that if Winbush went back to the farm lie (Bryant) would • throw up his crop ' and (Continued on page eight) -—o Meters Almost Ready For Uie 1 he installation of parking met ers is almost complete but it could not be learned today when they would be declared officially in use. Possibly packers will start using the meters as rapidly as tin gadgets are installed, but there is a possibility that no violation will be checked until the installa tion is completed. Standard have been placed for approximately 146 meters in th« Main ar,d Washington Street busi j ness sections. | judge J. C. Smith Has Thirty Cases In County's Court J Tribunal Completi-il |gu*£ i‘fi| Dockt l In W eds By !N o o n Monday -». Faced with its largest docket in i recent weeks, the Martin County J Recorder's Court threw the wheels of justice into high gear and by noon Judge J. C, Smith and Solicitor Paul D. Roberson had handled* thirty cases. The seasonal financial slump was re flected in the income, the court collecting only $300 in fines from the numerous defendants Proceedings: Charged with non-support and appearing in court after his case had been continued for judgment, Charlie Ben Roberson was sen tenced to the roads for .twelve months, the judge suspending the sentence upon the condition that he pay the costs and $12 a week for the support of his seven chil dren. Melvin D. Bennett, charged with speeding, failed to answer when called and papers were is sued for his arrest. In the ease charging him with drunken driving, Tommie Griffin was fined $100 and taxed with the cost, the court recommending that his license to operate a motor ve hicle be revoked for twelve months. The case charging Etnas mul berry with operating a motor ve hicle without a driver’s license was dismissed. Pleading guilty of speeding, Harvey Whichard, colored, was fined $13 and laxed with the costs. Lawrence V. Gatling, Raleigh man, was charged with drunken driving and carrying a concealed weapon. He entered a plea of nolo cvntendre, neither admitting nor denying, the charge in the first count. 11c pleaded not guilty of carrying a concealed weapon. On the first count he was fined $100, taxed with the cost and lost his license to operate a car for twelve months. On the second P/eacurig guilty of‘"M"tffunEen driving and operating a motor ve hicle without a driver's license, William Howard Cherry had his case continued until next Monday. Charged with drunken, driving, Raymond Doleon Davis called for a jury trial and the case was set for trial on August 0. Clinton Spivey failed to answer when called in the case charging him with drunken driving. Auroli Rogers was sentenced to the roads for six months in the case charging him with non-sup port. The l oad term was suspend ed upon the payment of the costs and on condition that he pay $10 a week for the support of his chil dren during the next twelve months. Maintaining his innocence in the case charging him with an assault with a deadly weapon, La layette Pearsall was adjudged guilty and drew four months on the roads. Judgment was suspended upon the payment of the costs in the ease charging J. T. Perry with an assault Facing the com t on a charge of an assault with a deadly weapon and obtaining gas without paying for it, William Price, Jesse Wynne and Edward Mobley, three white (Continued on page eight) TIIE RECORD SPEAKS . Motor highway ar< ulcnts continue to increase in this county, the record to date holding well above the figures for the corresponding period in 1947 with one exception. The number of fatal accidents is one less so far. The following tabulations offer a comparison of the ac cident trend: first, by corres j ponding weeks in this year | and last and for each year to the present time. 30th Week Accidents Inj'U Killed Dani’ge 1948 3 1 0 $ 450 1947 3 2 0 725 Comparisons To Date 1948 79 41 2 $10,025 .1947 60 31 3 14,525 Closing Swimming Pool As A Polio Precautionary Step Meeting this morning, members of the local recreation committee decided to close the municipal swimming pool as a precautionary measure against the spread of polio. The pool will suspend op erations possibly for the remain der of the season Saturday even ing. It was learned that the pool has had very patronage these past few days or since the board of health suggested a voluntary quarantine on the movement of children sixteen years old and un der. The extension of the quaran tine on a voluntary basis is being considered, but it will not effect assemblies in Sunday schools and other public places immediately, it was reliably learned Some ac tion of a more or less definite na tun; is expected next, week with the possibility that a lan h strict ban on assemblies will go into el' feet. It was pointed out, that the swimming pool offered the great est danger and the authorities dal not. hesitate to call for its dosing. At the same time it was pointed out that confusion would result if I assembly is continued in some in stances and banned in other in stances. Apparently there is no determined opposition to tile vol untary ban, but leaders in various fields are of the "opinion that the ban should be observed not after a haphazard fashion. No eases of the disease have been reported, but should polio make its appearance in the coun ty health authorities can be ex peeted to clamp down with a ban. Congregation Ban Has Some Effect —*— - A limited quarantine advanced on a voluntary basis as a precau tionary measure against the spread of poliomyelitis in tins county is havint! some eftect, but is not measuring up to expecta tions, according to an unofficial report heard here today. Whether an iron-clad quarantine will be clamped on the movement of ehil dren sixteen years of age and un der depends on the response re reived by the appeal. No cases have yet been reported in near by counties. Should the disease make us appearance in this court ty it is cuite likely that a quarun tine would be ordered. The t umber of polio cases is pushing on toward the 1,000 mark, but health authorities believe a climax has been reached. How ever, the epidefflfi*' rs’TTRWJ: (fT count 1,200 victims before it is more or less fully checked by cooler weather in September and Octobr r. "'SO' far tins’ year, 8,t>t)3 c,,..i f,wstrf, "i c'pvrrt cal nr this coon try, the count being the greatest since 1931 when 4,138 cases were reported. The worst epidemic on record was recorded in 191(1 when there were 9,345 cases. Authori ties are of the opinion that the total number of cases this year will exceed the count recorded in 1931. The National Foundation for In fantile Paralysis is sending to this State $100,000 to help in the pres ent emergency, it was announced this week. -o--— Painful I v Hurt In Farm Accident —•— Mrs, Lizzie Rogers was painful ly hurt in a farm accident in the Bear Grass community late last Tuesday afternoon. Pitching in to help with the farm chores while others were busy with the tobacco harvest, Mrs. Rogers was leading a cow to the barn when a dog frightened the cow and the animal jumped. The lead rope caught around Mis. Rogers' foot, snatch id her down and broke her left thigh. Given first aid treatment Mrs. Rogers was removed to the local hospital where she was reported this morning to be getting along as well as could be expected. Australian Style Immigration Law — —• — Tokyo. “White” Australia’s im migration laws are going to stay as they are, four members of the Australian Parliament told the Tokyo Correspondents' Club a few days ago. The four, touring Japan, said the policy was "not anti-anybody but pro-Australian.” (Australia admits only "quali fied” members of the white race. One qualification is that immi grants must be able to read and translate language problems. The examiner may, if he desires, dis qualify the immigrant if he can not translate from Sanskrit, Hin dustani or some other language not widely known,) I A\ i k | V.---v Aii average price of around $3fi per liuodred pounds for tobacco was predicted this week for the seven North Carolina border markets opening next Tuesday. It is also predicted that the aver age for the season on the bor der will be 34 percent above the $42.5!) average reported there last year. It was pointed out, how - ever, that initial sales do not always reflect a true picture of conditions, that the price figure generally levels off after the first few days. ] Justice Hassell Hears Six Cases —«— Justice John L. Hassell handled Sax” eases in his court here this week, about half of them going on up to the county court for final j action. „n ; , < h,rrgrCC rv-i-th 3; ■ ii ’ ■ —i • <* | ul doily I'lTnUtU t.Avas lioee aU>i j taxed with $5.50 costs. In a second I ease, Davis was found not guilty j of disorderly conduct. Will Stilley was fined $5 and tv j quired to pay $5.50 costs for alleg i ed disorderly conduct. Charged with assaulting a fc ! male with u deadly weapon, liar ry Wilson w;is bound oviy to the | county court under $100 bond Virginia Gibbs, charged with the larceny of $2, was bound ovei I to the county court under $50 I bond. I Dallas Whitley, adjudged gud i ty of simple assault, was seiitene j ed to the l oads for thirty days, the court suspending the term upon the payment of $5.50 costs and $4 to the prosecuting witness tor medical attention. --- Education Board To Meet Monday Meeting in regulai session here next Monday, the Martin County Board of Education will discuss l outine matters and consider da'cs for opening tlit: county schools foi the fall teim. The schedule will be a tentative one, representa lives of the board explaining that the pol'o epidemic trend could al ter the plans. Very little new business ha. been placed on the board calendar j for consideration, j ^ -o- ■ Turns Auto Over On Country Road ——<*— Joe Daniels, Beaufort County colored man, turned his ear ovei on the Holly Springs-Farm Lift Hoad last Sunday night. Having little value before the wreck, tin old 1937 model car was all fixed up for the jfunk pile. Apparently the drivel was lid mg to negotiate a curve wiuli driving too fast. The accident was not reported and Patrolman J. T Howe, learning of the wreck the next week, started a search l'oi Daniels. He is being charged with falling to report an accident on file highways. i Funeral Service Thursday at 3:30 For Asa J. Taylor -o \ oimj: Hear Ora-» Man .Made Supreme Saerifiee In Italy In 1914 I I I Funeral services for Pfc Asa J. Taylor, 21, ,h was killed in ac tion June 2. I!h4. in Italy, will be conducted Thursday afternoon at 3:30 at the Rose of Sharon Free Will Baptist Church near Bear Grass by Rev. Hamilton, pastor, and Elder A. B. Ayers, Primitive Baptist minister of Bear Grass. Following tire service in the church, a detail from the Murray R. Cargile Post of the American Legion will have charge of the graveside rites in the Jackson family cemetery not far from Bear Grass. The body, accompanied by a military escort, is being moved from a Robersonville funeral home Ihis afternoon in time for tile service at 3:30 o'clock. Pfc. Taylor was killed in action at An/.io, Italy, after serving less than a \ear with the 36th infantry division: Me was posthumously awarded the Silver Star medal for gallantry in action. He was a member of the Rose of Sharon Free Will Baptist Church in Bear Gi ass T< wnship. Surviving are his parents, Mr, and Mi George R. Taylor of near Bear Grass, five brothers, Heber, Oscar tnd George Taylor, Jr., of the home. Robert Taylor of j Grime: Umd and Leman Taylor of | Williamston, and four sisters, Louise of the home. Susie Gray Taylor and Lillian Taylor of Wil li,imston and Mis. Simon Harrison of near the home. Asa J Taylor was born in Bear Gras:- Township on April 12, 1923, the son of George Robert and An nie Jackson Taylor. He entered the sei vice on May 26, 1943, with Bernice Rogi rson. a neighborhood companion who also made the su preme saerifiee in Italy on May 26, f?M4 Following his basic training, at F.or.t Me? T< ! 1 tn, Alab; ma he ■■ H» w -m - (erred irom there to Italy. He was graduated -from the Bear Grass High School with high honors, and was a young man pos sessed of an admirable reputa tion and much promise for the fu ture o (iriiically Injured \\ hen Mil by Mule —*— (Robci sonvillc Herald) lii niamm Warren, son of Wil liam Warren, suffered serious in juries Monday night on the farm of David Grimes, Jr., as a result of a blow from a mule he was feed ing. The kick from the mule which landed above the temple on the left side of the boy's head, had sufficient force to throw the boy some distance. Mr. David Grimes accompanied the boy and his fath er to Rocky Mount where Benja min was placed in "Parkview Hos pital. X-rays were taken show ing thi skull to be completely cracked around the head and shat tered m some places and an opera tion was performed immediately removing some of the shattered hone from the jnain tissue. If infection does not set in, doc tors state that the boy stands a good chance of recovery. i oiu;sk,h r Amidst the pros and runs and friendly arguments over the installation of parking meters on local streets em erges a humorous comment, or is it reads serious? I.. It. Donaldson, North lluiigliton Street merchant and a disinterested observer of Die installations now in progress mi Die "River ltoad" (Main Street) and "Wall Street" t Washington), was quoted >esierday as saying-, "Wiihamston has a great deaf of foresight. Its officials know the Republicans are go ing in next January and they have already started install ing hitching posts for hot and mules pulling lloov carts.”