■
Hot ENTERPRISE IS BEAD BY
OVER S,«M MARTIN COUNTY
‘ MHDJES iWICE EACB WEEK
THE ENTERPRISE
THE ENTERPRISE IS BEAD Dl
OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNT!
FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEfll
VOLUME LI—NUMBER 75
Williamaton, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, September 21, 1948
ESTABLISHED 1899
Eight Criminal
Cases Heard In
Superior Court
First Civil Actions Slated
For Trial Wednesday In
Superior Court
After handling the opening for
malities yesterday morning, Judge
W. H. S. Burgwyn, exchanging
places with Judge Walter Bone,
* cleared eight cases from the crim
inal docket before taking a recess
for the day -shortly before 5:00
o’clock until this morning.
The court is attracting no re
cord-size crowds. It was thought
this morning that the criminal
docket could be completed by late
today, but others were of the
opinion that the trials would last
into tomorrow. When the court
* quit for the day, it had completed
the evidence in the case charging
Bill Winbush with assaulting
Johnny Bryant with a shot gun.
Judge Burgwyn dug deep into
the time bag and gave Willie
James Dickens the maximum for
assaulting Officer Edmond Early
in Oak City last July 31. Dickens
was sentenced to two years for
carrying a concealed weapon, two
years for resisting arrest, and two
years for attacking the officer, the
sentences to run consecutively.
Taking the stand, the officer said
he was called to a store where
Dickens was allegedly carrying a
butcher knife. The officer said he
went there and asked Dickens for
the knife, that when Dickens said
k he had no butcher knife a search
revealed a bowie knife on his per
son. Placing the man under ar
rest, the officer stated he asked
the man to accompany him to the
town jail, that Dickens pulled
back. The officer said he pulled
Dickens along and shot between
\ the man’s legs, one of the bullets
* burning the man’s skin. They
moved a short distance and Dick
ens, according to the officer, said
he was not going to jtjil that he
(the officer) would have to kill
him first. The officer then said
he brought his black jack into
play and the man then pushed him
down, breaking his hip. Dickens
« jumped on the officer and was
pulled off by others, one report
stating that the prisoner had the
officer's black jack in his hand at
the time.
William Howard Cherry, charg
ed with drunken driving, was sen
tenced to the roads for 90 days.
Admitting it was his second of
fense, Cherry pleaded guilty, the
judge declaring that it was the
second time in his court that a de
fendant had pleaded guilty of
drunken driving.
Goodman Spruill, charged with
(Continued on page eight)
Two Lose Lives At
Whichard’s Beach
Mrs. Isoline Whitaker Chase, a
native of Bear Grass Township,
and Mack Andrews, 44-year-old
Bethel man, were drowned at
Whichard's Beach in the Pamlico
River near Washington Sunday
afternoon at 3:30 o’clock. An
drews’s bqdy was recovered that
night about 10:30 o’clock, and
Mrs. Chase's body was found at
4 1:30 o’clock yesterday morning.
Few particulars of the tragedy
could be learned here immediate
► ly, but one report stated that the
two stepped into a hole.
The couple were in swimming
with her aunt, Miss Idell Whitak
er, of near Williamston, and James
W. Brown of Scotland Neck.
Mrs. Chase was born in Bear
“Tirass Township 22 years ago and
spent most of her life in this
* county, leaving last spring to
* make her home with her father in
Bethel. She was a daughter of
Lester Whitaker and the late Lil
lie Mae Hardison Whitaker of this
county.
She was married during the war
to Glenn Chase who farmed in this
county a short time before he got
into trouble about two years ago.
One daughter, Jean, her husband,
father, a half-sister and three
half-brothers survive.
Double funeral services are be
ing conducted at the home of Mrs.
S. A. Andrews in Bethel this after
noon at 5:00 o'clock by Rev. W. M.
Howard, Jr., and interment will
be in the cemetery there.
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 piominently in public affairs, t it as fu
ture citizens they have 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 the youngsters
as the one great hope for the future.
Top row, left to right, Janice, ten, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J.
S. Holliday, Williamston; Earnest, thirteen, son of Mrs. Jennie
Godard, Williamston; Rebecca, six, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A.
L. Perry. Williamston; Bottom row, Fredie, five, son of Mr. and
Mrs. A. D. Coltrain, Williamston; Barbara, five, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. C. F. Perry, Williamston; and Neil, eight, son of Mr. and
Mrs. J. S. Mallory, Oak City.
Party Loyalty And
Civil Rights Issue
Discussed By Judge
Pays Compliment
To County In His
Charge To Jurors
Judge W. H. S. Burgwyu
Opens Two-Week Term
Of Court Monday
#■ ■ ■
Opening a two-week term of
the Martin County Superior Court
Monday, Judge W. H. S, Burgwyn
paid a compliment to the county
and discussed party loyalty and
civil rights in his address to the
grand jury.
Exchanging benches with Judge
Walter Bone who was scheduled
to preside over the court this week
and next, Judge Burgwyn first
called for excuses from those who
could not serve. He pointed out
that oftentimes big property own
ers or operators asked to be ex
cused, and that are the main ones
who criticise the courts, the jurist
pointing out it \vas the duty of
every citizen to serve the county
when called for service.
Briefly outlining the duties of
the jurymen, the judge said it was
their duty to look after as best
they can the welfare of all citi
zens. It was at that point that the
jurist complimented the county by
saying, “Martin County has a
great history. It has produced
some of the most distinguished
men in the State, not only in the
State but also in the national
field.” He mentioned Asa Biggs,
H. W. Stubbs and the Moores,
"and there are many others,” he
said.
“Martin County, like mine, is
largely agricultural. Your people
make their living on the farms
and a large number are land and
homeowners.”
Continuing he said, “You are
not supposed to become petty de
tectives, but you are to look after
the welfare of citizens. When you
know crimes have gone unpunish
ed you are to make present
ments," the jurist warning the
grand jurymen it was not in their
province to try a case, but merely
to investigate and return true bills
of indictment when probable
cause of guilty was found.
He directed the jurymen to in
spect all county properties and
stressed the minute inspection of
school busses. “The law says all
children shall attend school, and
they should not be crowded into
busses. The busses should be in
good mechanical condition and
they should be driven by compe
tent drivers," the judge instruct
ing the jurymen to stop all busses
not in good mechanical repair or
which were not being handled by
competent drivers. He also direct
(Continued on page eight)
r\
JOB OPENINGS 12 blk
V-/
Job openings, while not
quite so plentiful as they were
at one time, arc still unfilled
in construction work and
highway building, Manager
Kelly Gay of the Williamston
Employment Office an
nounced yesterday.
Applicants for construction
and highway work will be in
terviewed at the office in the
Tar Heel Building here for
immediate placement.
Made Foreman Of
County Grand Jury
Jessup Harrison, Williamston
young man was made foreman of
the Martin County Grand Jury in
superior - Court Monday. Suc
ceeding Jim Peel who retired as
foreman after serving for a year,
the new jury foreman is slated to
serve one year.
Eight other members scheduled
to serve during the next twelve
montjis include: Thurman Roger
son, Claude Keel, G. E. Coburn,
Ernest C. Jones, Leonard C. Ben
nett, J. H. Forbes, S. D. Roberson
and C. A. James.
Mr. Oscar Daniel of Everetts
was appointed officer of the grand
jury.
Minor Accident
On Local Street
No one was hurt but damage es
timated at $150 resulted when a
large transport truck plowed into
the side of a 1948 Oldsmobile at
the Lndsley Ice Company alley on
Washington Street yesterday aft
ernion at 3:00 o'clock.
Lyman Morris of Middleton,
Ohio, was driving out of the alley
and struck the car driven by
Aaron Windley Boyd of Hamilton,
Chief W. E. Saunders reported.
Start White Cane Sale
Here IS ext Thurmluy
Plans are complete for conduct
ing the White Cane sale here dur
ing the week of September 23-30,
it was announced today by Wheel
er Manning, president of the local
Lions Club, the sponsoring organi
zation.
Asked to help raise the State
goal of $25,000, the local club will
keep open booths here Friday and
Saturday. The white canes sell for
10 cents and up. In addition to the
cane sale, the Lions will enroll
members in the State Association
1 for the Blind at $1 each. One
third of the amount raised will be
1 retained at home for work among
■ blind persons in this county.
Native Of County
y
Dies In Hospital
In West Virginia
Funeral Services Wednes
day for the Former Miss
Edith Taylor
Mrs. W. O. McCluskey, III. the j
former Miss Edith Taylor of Wil
liamston, died in a Wheeling, West
Virginia, hospital Sunday morning
at 11:30 o'clock following a short
illness. Suffering with asthma,
Mrs. McCluskey entered the hos
pital a week ago. Pneumonia de
veloped and when her condition
showed no improvement she un
derwent an operation late last
Saturday and never regained con
sciousness.
The daughter of the late Henry
D. and Laura Peel Taylor, she was
born near Williamston 34 years
ago on March 16, 1914, and located
with the family here when quite
young. Graduated with honors
from the local high schools, she at
tended Woman's College of the
University of North Carolina,
Greensboro, and accepted a posi
tion in the Guilford City. During
the early part of the war she was
married to Mr; McCluskey and
while he was in service they made
their home in California for sev
eral years, locating in his home
town of Wheeling at the close of
the war.
Surviving besides her husband
are two children, Taylor and Judy
McCluskey; three sisters, Mis. A.
R. Smith of Atlanta, and Mrs. Her
man Gardner and Miss Virginia
Taylor, both of Greensboro; and
three brothers, Harry C. Taylor of
Great Bridge, Virginia, H. D. Tay
lor of Williamston and Dr. Cecil
G. Taylor of Baton Rouge, La.
Funeral services will be con
ducted at the home in Wheeling
Wednesday afternoon and inter
ment will folloxy in the McCluskey
family plot there.
Mr. and Mrs. Dick Taylor aiyl
their daughters, Miss Lib Taylor,
and Mrs. Rex Foster of Norfolk,
and Mrs. Daisy Purvis left over
the week-end to attend the last
rites.
-o
Roberson vilie Man
Sworn In At Bar
Z. Hardy Rose, Jr., Roberson
ville young man, was sworn in as
a member of the Martin County
Bar Association in open court
Monday before Judge W. H. S.
Burgwyn.
Presenting him to the bar, At
torney B. A. Critcher said the
young barrister was a Martin
County boy and that he lead his
class at Wake Forest. “We are
proud of him and we arc cel-tain
he’ll add honor to the bar in this
county,” Critcher said.
“It’s an honor to swear you in,
and had I known before hand it
was to be done, I would have call
ed on you to address the jury,"
Judge Burgwyn said, recalling the
time he passed the bar examina
tion. “I wired a friend that morn
ing that I had passed the State
Bar. Later that day I received a
message, congratulating me, the
friend adding that it was the first
time he had ever heard of me
passing a bar.” Several hours j
later, the jurist stopped by the lo
cal ABC store on his way up town.
The judge declared that theje
gal profession had less jealousy
than any other, and that he was
convinced the Martin County Bar
gets along better than any other
one in the State. "1 believe you’ll
enjoy being a member of it,” he
told the young lawyer.
Parent-Teacher
Group Meeting
The Martin County Parent
Teachers Association Council met
Friday morning at 10 o’clock in
Mrs. Lissie Pierce’s workshop for
the purpose of instructing mem
bers in their work fur the yea -.
Mrs. W. H. Bryan of Ahoskie,
director of the 9th district of
which Martin County is a mem
ber, conducted a school of instruc
tion for local unit presidents and
officers. The Council was well at
tended with every school in the
county except one represented.
Cases Of Little
Consequence .On
Courts Docket
Man Gets Six Years For At
tacking Offieer Early
In Oak City'
Cases of little consequence, for
the most part, have been placed on
the civil calendar during the cur
rent term of the Martin County
Superior Court. The first of the
eivil actions are scheduled for
trial on Wednesday of this week.
No cases are scheduled for Friday
of this week, but next Monday
most of the day is likely to be tak
en up with divorce hearings. Sev
enteen marriages are under attack
and it is certain that most of if
not all the "freedom appeals" will
be recognized.
A brief review of the eivil eases
follows:
Mrs. L. H. Chapman is suing
Robt. C. Peel for possession of a
tenant house on the Hadly farm.
In the ease of Elizabeth Pierce
against Ben Biggs, a boundary
line is in dispute, the plaintiff
claiming $550 damages.
The Hardison-Williams cow ease
is scheduled again, the plaintiff
seeking to recover $50 which has
already been tendered by the de
fendant.
T. S. Critcher is suing C. D. Pitt
man for $218.91 damages alleged
to have resulted in an automobile
accident,
A boundary line is involved in
the ease of L). G. Matthews against
Veneer Products Co., the plaintiff
asking damages in the sum of $1,
404.90.
The A. C. L. Railroad Company
in its case against R. S. Critcher
is seeking to recover possession of
a lot or lots along Railroad Street
in Williamston.
In his ease against J. S. Peel, K.
B. Crawford is asking possession
of certain kitchen equipment.
A claim and delivery is involved
in the ease of Standard Fertilizer
Company against Jos. C. Lamm.
Clinton Industries is suing Rob
erson Slaughter House to recover
$438.58 damages alleged to have
resulted in a highway accident
near Williamston.
Edward Hollis is suing James II
Everett for possession of a house
in Poplar Point.
A claim and delivery is involved
in each of the eases of Eli Bowen
against Ephriam Woolard and J.
D. Laggett against Vernon Gur
ganus.
N. W. Worsley is suing James J.
Peterson to recover $325 damages
alleged to have resulted in an
auto-Truek accident between
Hamilton and Oak City last Feb
ruary.
James A. Mendenhall in his case
against James E. Taylor is asking
a judgment in the sum of $463.62
and interest thereon for merchan
dise sold the defendant.
The case of the Martin County
Board of Education against Mattie
Elizabeth Sterling is on the calen
dar, the plaintiff seeking to have
certain property condemned in
Robersonville for school purposes.
The case of W. V. Ormond
against D. G. Matthews involving
a contract, is on the calendar for1
reference.
Milton James is suing Willie
Boston to recover possession of
two steers valued at $500.
A landlord -tenant controversy 1
is involved in the case of Roose
velt Green against Roscoe B,
Hunt.
J. S. Ayers is suing to recover
$218 on account in Ids case against
John Coltrain. ,
In the land-lord-tenant dispute
of Jos. E. Smallwood against Geo,
(Continued on page five)
I HOUNIMU* I
An even dozen persons
were rounded up and tempor
arily detained in the county ,
jail for alleged violation of
various laws. Four of them
were while and the ages of j
the group ranged from 1!) to
48 years.
Three were hooked for
drunkenness, three for as
sault, one for drunken driv
ing, two for disorderly con
duct, one for breaking and
entering, one for investiga
tion, and one to appear as a
witness.
Prices On Market Yesterday
Second Highest Of The Year
Over Six Million
Pounds Sold Here
So Far This Year
Market Sold 326,842 Lbs.
Yesterday for Averapc
Of $51.59
Growing out of a slump that
saw prices drag along in the low
forties two weeks ago, the Wil
liamston Tobacco Market forged
ahead yesterday to officially re
port its second best sale of the
season. Prices climbed to an av
erage of $51.59 for the $326,842
pounds sold during the day, top
ping last Friday’s average by more
than five cents a pound and ap
proaching within a cent and one
half of the record set on opening
day, August 19.
Farmer Roy Taylor of Poplar
Point, averaging well up in the
sixties, said that prices are higher
and went on to explain that the
quality of the tobacco was better.
Farmer John Hardison of Farm
Life, averaging light at 66 cents
a pound, said prices were possibly
the best of the season. Mr. Har
dison went on to explain that had
weather conditions been favorable
ho would have made more on his
crop this year than he did last in
the face of the 28 percent general
reduction.
Other farmers said prices were
higher today than they had been
any time this season.
At the close of the marketing
day yesterday, the local market
had sold 5,997,360 pounds in the
22 marketing days for an average
of $40.04. The six million-pound
mark was reached and passed ear
ly this morning, reports from the
market at that time stating that
prices were holding firm and that
a fair-size "break” was on the
floors.
Farmers are now busy digging
peanuts and from 70 to 75 percent
of the crop in this section has been
marketed, warehousemen stating
that with a few possible excep
tions the large sales are now a
thing of the past for this season.
On the local market yesterday
price tops moved right up to 70
cents with 68- and 69-cent piles
bobbing up fairly frequently.
On the Border Belt prices con
(Continued on page three)
Continue Plans for Peanut
Festival Here Next Month
■ •
The Steering Committee for the
Booster Festival and the chairman
for the various festival activities
met with Mr. Lynn Taylor Friday
afternoon in the Court House to
complete plans for the three day
event scheduled to be held here
on October 14, 15 and 16.
The major issue under discus
sion was the choice of bands to be
featured in the parade on October
15. Washington and Elizabeth
City High School Bands have been
asked to participate and have ac
cepted. Tentative plans were
made to ask a military band here.
The two most favored are the
Fort Bragg band and Cherry Point
military band and it is very likely
that one will bo chosen to appear
in the parade. It was also indi
cated that Pinetops Colored High
School Band was under considera
tion.
Plans have been made to feed
the out-of-town band members
and Miss Bessie Griffin has agreed
to serve the band members, who
are expected to number around
300, sandwiches and lemonade fol
lowing the performance.
The plan for changing the name
of the festival from "Harvest Fes
tival" (which Robersonville is us
ing for their festival) to the Wil
liamston’s Annual Peanut Festi
val was discussed and agreed
upon.
Wayward Youths
Get Road Terms
In Court Monday
■ '
K1iM‘ralil(‘ Krntrtl of Futher
Offered In Court Aw A
Defense For Sons
Three brothers, their ayes rany
iny from u scant 16 to 23 years,
and a 20-year-old companion were
sentenced to the roads in the Mar
tin County Superior Court Mon
day by Judge W. H. S. Burgwyn
for breaking into and robbing the
store of Tom Clay, colored mer
chant of Parmele.
J. R. Whitehurst, 16, was sen
tenced to the roads fyr six months,
the judge ordering the youth plac
ed on probation for two years. A
brother, W. C. Whitehurst, Jr., 17,
was sentenced to the roads for six
months. Another brother, Wilmer
Whitehurst, 23, is to serve twelve
months on the roads, and the com
panion, Bill Mozingo, 20, of near
Robersonville ,was sentenced to
the roads for six months.
It was very evident that Judge
Burgwyn was hard pressed to find
a solution to the problem after de
fense attorney, Clifton Everett,
explained that the three brothers’
father had served most of the last
twenty years in prison, first for
murder and more recently for
beating his wife and running his
family away from home. ‘T re
member the time when not more
than one out of ten defendants
was white. Look at it now," Judge
Burgwyn said. "They have a bad
background. Their mother did all
she could, but that colored man,
trying to make an honest living,
must be protected,” the jurist add
ed just before pronouncing sen
tence.
The boys made poor witnesses
for themselves. One could not
answer immediately where he at
tended church and did not know
the preacher's name. The 16
year-old lad, a bright youngster,
did not attend school. He was
working in a body repair shop for
$20 a week.
The Mozingo lad, moving to this
county from Pitt about two years
(Continued oi\ page mx)
Burglar Enters
Parniele Home
Forcing tiis way into the {tome
of Mi*. .1. W Grimes in Fariiitlf
late larjt Sunday night, a burglar
made off with $5 in cash and left!
the occupants unharmed.
Mrs. Grimes, hearing someone
prowling around the home, left
her bedroom in the back of the
house and went to her daughter's
room in the front part of the
house. While she was talking with
her daughter, the intruder entered
a back door, went to Mrs. Grimes's
bedroom, found her pockethook,
took $5 and left a $20 bill. He de
parted quickly.
Deputy Buck Holloman answer
ed the call and he and Capt. Arth
ur Sessoms of the prison camp and .
members of the highway patrol j
carried bloodhounds there but
were unable to track the burglar.
! REGISTRATION
v_ ->
One thousand, seven hun
dred and twenty young men
registered tor the draft in this
county during the special reg
istration period ending last
Saturday, the count falling
more than 300 short of ex
pectations. The list included
573 veterans of the last year,
302 non-veterans, 066 single
men, 148 18-year-olds and 31
transients. The registration
was about even among the
races, or 852 white and 868
colored.
Registrations are now being
handled in the draft board of
fice on the third floor of Wil
liamston's town hall.
Slightly Hurt In
Street Ac cident
Mrs. Harrell Everett was pain
fully bruised but not badly hurt
when she and her infant son, Jim
my, were run down at the inter
section of Mam and Haughton
Streets last Friday afternoon
about 5:30 o’clock. Mrs. Everett,
suffering bruises on both arms,
was able to be out Sunday after
remaining in bed over Saturday.
Jimmy, thrown from his carriage,
apparently was not hurt.
Driving west on Main Street,
Vernon Hopewell started to make
a right turn with his jeep and was
going very slowly when he struck
the victims. He explained that
the sun partially blinded him, that
he did not see Mrs. Everett and
her son until he was right at them.
The carriage was slightly damag
ed.
Officers On Raid
Saturday
Nij'lit
Raiding in the Farm Life .sec
tion of Griffins Township late last
Saturday night, Officers J. H. Roe
buck and Roy Peel interrupted an
alleged gambling game and dried
up the place in a hurry.
Going to the home of Bud
Brown on the Roberson farm, the
officers found a large party in
progress. They got into the thick
of the activities in time to see
Chas. Moore, colored man, throw
a jug of liquor out the window
and to scoop up a small amount of
money from a gambling table. '
Brown and Moore are being cit
ed to court.
Mailed Out Over Six
Hundred IJ next inn nuirex
■ ■- -
Six hundred and sixty-four
draft questionnaires have been
placed in the mails for delivery to
registrants in this county, Miss
Mildred Everett, draft board
clerk, announced yesterday.
The registrants are returning
tlii‘ questionnaires very promptly
with a very few exceptions, it was
stated. The office of Hai rison and
Carstarphen and the Red Cross
are among those assisting the re
gistrants in preparing the ques
tionnaires where help is needed.
Anti-Rat Drive
Gets Under Way
An all-out rat extermination
program, supported by a $1,200
town appropriation, was launched
here yesterday in cooperation
with the county, state and federal
health divisions.
Three representatives of the
state department, Messrs. Jones,
Brown and Barden, reported here
yesterday and immediately map
ped plans for the drive with Sani
tarian W. B. Gaylord and Chas. R.
Mobley who will carry on the
work for a six-month period.
More than 100 traps were set
late yesterday to take rats for cer
tain types of test. Biologist Bar
den is examining the rats and
testing their blood and the fleas
found on them to determine if
they are carriers' of disease. A
fairly large catch was reported in
the traps planted ai the fertilizer
plant, the wholesale district, pea
nut plain.■ and one or two stores.
Just as soon as a study of the
rodents is completed, plans will
be made to go after them with all
kinds of traps and poisons, includ
ing some of the most powerful
known. The drive will be exend
ed outside the town limits.
Quite a few fleas were found
on the first rats examined this
morning, but the types had not
been determined at that time.
Mr. Brown said that he had
found conditions here more fav
orable for rat breeding than in
any town he had seen so far. He
is appealing to the people and the
authorities, urging them to do.
something about the conditions,
explaining that good sanitation is
more effective than all the gaft**
enui poisons for controlling rata.