North Carolina Newspapers

f THE ENTERPRISE IS READ Bl OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNT! FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK THE ENTERPRISE THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BT OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNT! FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK =3 VOLUME LIII—NUMBER 24 Williatnston, Martin County, North Carolina, Thursday, March 2.‘t. 1950 ESTABLISHED 1899 Alleged Perjury * Thrives Despite Judge's Warning \\ linos Sai<l To Have (Hummed His Story, Bill (iels By With Change -—«—— Addressing the Martin County Grand Jury in superior court this week, Judge Q. K, Nimocks, pre siding, urged the jurors to be alert ^to perjury in their room, the jur ist assuring the members of the august body that he would keep a careful eye on lying in the courtroom. It was not brought out in open court, but lying on a wholesale or unlimited basis was alleged to have taken place on the witness stand right at the judge's elbow Tuesday when a defendant was tt>efore the court on a drunker driving charge. Just before the trial was open eel, a witness for the State told the prosecution that the defendant was driving drunk. The witness e xplained that the defendant was so drunk that when he started te get into the car with him, he* (the witness) insisted that he be al lowed to drive, that the defendant |was too drunk to drive, that be fore the defendant stopped, he (the witness) saw him driving as a drunken man. Taking the stand, the witness said he saw the defendant in Rob ersonville, that while the de fendant was “under the 'fluence' of liquor, he was driving all right Asked why he took over the wheel, the witness said that the defendant insisted on the witness taking over the wheel. "I tolci him I did not like to drive an other man's car, but he finally persuaded me to do so, and I took over," the witness declared. Several hours and a number ol drinks later, Patrolman Parker answering a call, found the de fendant at the wheel of the eai stalled along a county highway gfl’he defendant was quoted as tell ing the patrolman at the timt that he (the defendant) was driv ing the car, but the witness went on to explain that when the cai L stalled he could not start it, thai another passenger pulled the de t fendant out of the back seat anc placed the man under the whee with instructions to start the car ! The patrolman came up at tha 'I'm;, the witness said. I The witness’ statement to the prosecution prior to the trial, 01 course, was not heard by the jury and when the witness got througl \ doctoring the facts there wasn' sufficient evidence in the mindi ? of the jury to support a convic ■ iion. (Cunturned on page eight) Magistrates File Quarterly Report —•—' Seven justices of the peace, ir compliance with the law, filec their quarterly reports in th< Martin County Superior Cour ; this week. Judge Q. K. Nimocks i presiding over the term, directec the jurors to inspect the report: •find see that every case was listec and that fines and forfeiture: wei c accounted for. t Reports were filed by J. B 1 Whitfield of Oak City, T. F. Res pass of Hamilton, Chas. R. Mob Icy, J. L. Hassell and R. T. John ; son, and J. S. Ayers, Jr., of Wil liamston, and H. S. Everett o I Robersonville. MEETING Meeting in the clerk of court’s office Saturday morn ing at 11:90 o’clock, the newly appointed members of the Martin County Board of Elec tions will perfect their or ganization, and discuss plana for copying the names of elec tors Into one registration book. No new registration is 4 likely to be called, but the books will be opened the lat ter part of April for the reg istration of new electors. Precinct election officials wilt not be appointed at the meeting this week, but their appointments are expected on April 8. 4 Check Is A Check And Not Merely Evidence Of Debt A check when properly drawn on a bank and signed is a check and not merely an evidence ol debt, Judge Q. K. Nimocks, pre siding over the current term oi Martin County Superior Court, ruled this week. John E. Walker was charged with issuing two worthless checks on a bank in Bethel, the defendant maintaining in court that he gave the checks to E. Wr. Briley mere ly as an evidence of a debt. The defendant further maintained that it was agreed by both parties that the checks would not be tendered for payment, that they were to be held merely as evidence of a debt which the defendant admitted he owed. Judge Nimocks, quoting the law,, said that when a check is is sued it becomes a negotiable in strument, and that when a person ! signs a check, properly drawn, ' knowing he has insufficient : funds in the bank and when no provisions have been made to meet the demand, that person has violated the law. The jurist, declaring he almost | wished it were not so, explained | that he did not believe the crim inal courts should be made a col lection agency for civil debts. It was brought out during the trial that the checks were writ ten in 1948, and that warrants to force collections were not drawn until about a year later. There is a possibility that the I case will be carried to the Su preme Court. During the mean time, anyone signing a check as admitted evidence of debt and knowing he has insufficient funds in the bank, is violating the law, in the eyes of the court. SERIOUS Numerous reports coming from farmers in nearly every township declare that the to bacco plant shortage in this county is serious. The re ports say that the supply ranges from less than half a stand on some farms to no stand at all on others. Almost desperate and act ing in an effort to relieve the condition, farmers have re seeded their plant beds sever al times, some handling the work as late as this week. No ^ign of blue mold has been seen in the county, the farmers declaring there aren’t enough plants for the mold to light on. William Coucil, Oak CUy Citizen, Died Early Today Funeral Will Be Held At The Home Tomorrow Afternoon at 3:30 j William O. Council, well known I young man of Oak City, died in a Richmond hospital about 3:00 o’clock this morning. He had been in declining health for sev eral months, but his condition became critical only last Monday and he was removed to the hos pital the following morning. Death was attributable to a heart condition. The son of Mrs. Charlotte Cas per Council and the late W. O. Council, he was born near Oak City thirty-five years ago on Oc tober 11, 1914, and spent his early life on the farm. More re cently he had been employed by the Gannis Construction Coi.v i pany, working in several states. I Surviving besides his mother are his widow, the former Miss Edna Auman of Asheboro, a small daughter, Brenda Carol; three sis [ ters, Mrs. M. E. Hyman of Oak i City, Mrs. John Perry of Clymer, I Pa., and Mrs. Dick Mallory of ; Plymouth; and two brothers, Thomas W. Council of Dodge City, (Continued «, Thigs Eight) Power Officials In Meeting Here Meeting with emplo'ees i, , this district in the local ofn vs here yesterday aftu ru in, top of ficials of the Virginia Electric and Powei Company discussed employee relations and outlined the various phases of the com pany’s program. The meeting, lasting several hours, touched on any number of topics and offered a better understanding on the part of employees and officials of the company’s problems as well as those of the workers. Addressing the session were, W. E. Wood, executive vice president; M .C. Smith, vice president; E. H. Will, manager of operations, and Walter Matthews, representing the personnel department. The meeting was one of several being held in the V, E. P. Co. sys tem in two states. Secrcb Captured In Germany Tell Fantastic Story ,TM«" '•»! Bl* Money |„ , s, international Deal A fantastic story — nf American investors “lost th°^ shirts” tn ari ,osl then volvie,. ^.7,*.Hn. men* honking “ -T'™™ cuments in ‘ C#plurcd secret do w™ 8 ln Oermany after th( The S E C to,d the story to * jganjnation p,an for pz\'iz‘zs;~ j-ntSrsUnfair ‘° the ^ UoTy* short" in? a'‘d tU'“p,i^t !whaMhe S Ecd ^ here i( I n , *• C. said: r1nr-~rs ueai to take over lead ■ mines in “ z,n( uumany mid Pniann They organized a German , d ation and a Polish ™ °rpor which in I926 we e lak^P0ralJ0n Si'«i,„.Amwk c “k“ »nr bj ln‘ syndicate tST,'"™.0” !>™m on lhl!, bond a*,/ was only the start. tha Harnrimdaniti0n: ‘hC "pr‘>"’otcrs” Hamman and Anaconda-got f million of Sarn’c ran t ®01 * anH =.^ acos Preferred stock and 51 percent of its “ stock, absolutely free the promoters ayma7orityh; C the common and preferred slocks and complete control nt c * zssszsgzx reimburse them for »n b“C0 l< $400,000. n>erican investor! On top of that, nearly as I'-'v^ aZ ,T‘h • «n. ^tly to the investors 61 ^Vv^/Vvv«<vsev% - --- oa pagt tic) Health Program FonheP.-T.A. r.r«nt»-Tc,ci„r, tWcJir^' onSy«;r‘r“ """ uikTt “i1*" • '»»■ Health Nurse. ThCoun,J open at 7:30. L Meeting y,il •JS.'*“ “ ye.,, ' »a ‘II >l0r P'^etcd of ot L „ *? *'• •>' best Leading Farmer Pledges Support To Frank Graham --O ■ - J. E. Winslow Says Graham Hail Bren Fighting For Farmers For Years Pointing out that Frank Gra ham, candidate to succeed himself in the United States Senate, had been fighting for. the good of the farmer for years, J. E. Winslow, former president of the North Carolina Farm Bureau, this week declared his support for the for mer University of North Carolina president. “I feel from experience gained in my work and associations of past years that it is my duty to support Frank Graham,” Winslow said. “1 think he will continue to help carry on our farm program, which has been made effective by nearly 100 percent of the farmers cooperating and supporting it, ♦hereby making better conditions for all our citizens as well as far mers.” Jeff D. Johnson, Jr., Graham's campaign manager, said that Winslow’s statement is typical of many being received at the Gra ham headquarters from farmers. "All of them," he said, “seem to appreciate what Senator Graham has done over a long period of years to improve North Carolina agriculture and the standard of living on our farms. We are humbly grateful for the splendid support of our farmers.” In his statement, Winslow said: "During the 10-year period, 1930-1940, which started with bankruptcy and depression for farmers and business men of East ern North Carolina, in our floun dering around and efforts to find some solution for our deplorable condition, four men other than thy actual farmers working to de velop a program that would help solve our problems stand out in my mind today. They are Dr. J. Y. Joyner, Josephus Daniels, Franklin Roosevelt and Frank Graham. "... At my personal request Franklin Roosevelt in his address at Chapel Hill talked for and i stressed the farm program that we were working for at that time i He and the other three were vit ally interested in the improvc ■ ment of the welfare of those wi were working for. : "During that time, Frank Gra • ham, in his masterful presentation of farm subjects at experimenl < stations, seed improvement meet ings and meetings that had to dc with better income for farmers ■ better farm living conditions and belter farming methods, and im provement of natural resources, was making speeches that covered ‘ objectives that we farmers were working for in our lough wuy that were to the point, logical and , convincing to the public, also as suring us that we were on the ’ right track for a better country , in which we could work and live, j with the expectation of better conditions for our children. "From my experience with men [ I and conditions, 1 am fully con j vineed that Frank Graham, if (Continued on page eight) ; | THE RECORD SPEAKS . . . i A year ago, ibe first futal highway accident for 1949 1 was reported. In the corre sponding eleventh week this 1 year no one was killed but five persons were hurt, one critically in an automobile accident. Except for the fatal accident last year, the record so far in 1950 is far worse than in 1949, and the wreck ing business can’t continue at its present pace without the , cost of life, sooner or later. Hie following tabulations offer a comparison of th^ ac cident trend: first, by corres ponding weeks in this year and last and for each year to the present time. 11th Week AeeldeaU Inj'd Killed Dam’ge 1950 2 5 0 $ 750 1949 1 0 1 900 Comparisons To Date 1950 30 20 0 $ 0,905 1949 24 1! 1 5,400 Grand Jury Files Quarterly Report In Superior Court -* Itoily Supols V<l<liliotu<( Fire Prevention mill (.on lr«l In 'Pin* Schools Filed in the Martin County Su perior Court this week over the ^ signature of Lawrence G Linds | ley, foreman, the quarterly grand jury report offered a few sugges tions and reflected "good" condi tions, as a whole, in the ole home county. Other than suggesting the pur chase of a suitable table for the court reporter and additional fire prevention and control methods in the schools, the report was of a routine nature. The school busses were report ed in good condition, the report, submitted by Cpl. T. Fearing ol the Highway Patrol, showing that only one bus had defects, and in that instance a switch was loose. The report read, in detail, as follows: All bills of indictment present ed were passed on by us. We examined the office of the Clerk of Court and found it to be in excellent condition with guard ians' reports and accounts filed as required. The Sheriff's office and Tax Collector’s office were visited and records examined and found in good condition. We found the Register of Deeds' office in very good condition. The reports of the Justices of Peace were cheeked and found fil ed with the Clerk of Court and all fines paid to the County Treas urer. We hereby recommend that a suitable desk and chair be pur chased for the use of the court reporter in the courtroom We found the County Jail clear and in good condition. There is one white inmate and nine color ed inmates. The jail at Robcr sonville and the jail at Oak City were inspected and found to bi clean, with no inmates at present We found the County Home 11 good condition. There were foui colored men, five white women one white man and one prisonei used as a helper. We found the T. B. Sanitoriun in good condition except foi cracked plaster in the living quar ters of one of the nurses. There are three colored men j six colored women, three whiti women and one white man as pa tients. The Prison Camp was found h be in very good condition. Then are 71 prisoners now in camp. itii- office ol flic Supe: intend ont of County Schools was visited and found to he in very good con dition. We visited the ^schools of flu county and found the following. Parmele School needs genera repairing, however, if it is usee i in the future present plans are foi a complete repair this summer. Williams Lower School needs additional room. Everetts Colored School ha; flue leaks that need repairing. J. C. Manning, Superintendent of Schools, met with the Grant Jury and discussed improvement; needed at several of the school; and assured us that they wen either being taken care of m would la. taken care of at once. The Grand Jury suggests that additional Fire Prevention and Control facilities be installed where necessary. Otherwise we found the schools of the county to be in excellent condition. -—t Trackers Apply For License Here --— Going before a representative of the North Carolina Utilities Commission here yesterday, Al ton Grimes of Robersonville and J. O. Manning, Jr,, of Manning Truck Lines, appealed for perma nent licenses for intra-state oper ations. John Hill Paylor, repre senting the commission, presided at the hearing which was also at tended by truck firm representa tives from other counties. The truckers have been operat ing with temporary licenses, and are now asking that they be made permanent. Half Of Red Cross Fund Raised So Far Williams District First Id Chapter To Pass Its Goal Total of $ I. IH.t. 15 Kaiitod Ami lioporti'il, Chair man \\ nolard Savs -1> After dragging along for more than two week.;, the Red Cross Fund Drive is gaining momenturr in this chapter, the chairman Garland G. Woolard, stating yes terday that the outlook is more promising now than it was ever last week-end. More than hal the quota of $2,1172 has been rais ed, and hardly more than half o the‘canvassers have reported s< far, the chairman said. To date, $1,485.15 has been rais ed and reported, the chairman ex plaining that late canvasses wil materially boost the total. Williams Township where thi ! drive was headed by Mrs. Irvin; Roberson was the first district ii the chapter to go over the top The people there raised $7.25 ii excess of their $50 quota, it wa pointed out. Mrs. Roberson wa assisted by Mrs. Henry William a,nd Mrs. Grady Godard in tha district. While it is outside this chaptei Poplar Point was reported to hav exceeded its quota over in ,th Robersonville Chapter to hold dis tinct honors along with William; the two being the smallest town ships in the county. Reviewing the reports receive to date, the chairman said tha Jamesville had submitted $105.7; Bear Grass, $120, and William $57.25. A total of $1,104.08 has bee raised in Williamston and repo ed to date by the following ea vassers: American Legion, ! Gene Kimball, $33.75; John Gurganus, $33; Mis. Vella Wynt $15; Mi. Bob Newell, $78; M Bob Newell, $6.50; Mrs. Kel Davenport, $18.55; Miss Eli/abe Manning, $11.79; Mrs. W. O. A bin, $20; Mrs. W. O. Griff $15.25; Mrs. John A. Mannir $21; Mrs. Lucy Mobley, $12.1 Mrs. Joe G. Corey, $25; Mrs. Ji sic Mae Riley, $0 50; Mrs. Hel Roane, $12; Mrs. Frank Margol $7; Mrs. Lee Reynolds. $58.1 Mrs. D. R. Davis, $18; Mrs. Lem Barnhill, $55.75; Chas. Mannii $37, Mrs Vernon Bunting, $443 Mrs John Roebuck, $13.81; M Bill Spivey, $20.50; Mrs. J Harris, $26; Stuart Davis, $13.’ Mrs. Neil Ripley, $7.22; M David Keel, $13.21; Leman Bar lull, $20; Mrs. Dell Courtney, S J Sam Getsinger, $47; Mrs. A1 Jones, $3.50. Special gifts insi Williamston amounted to $3! Outside the town, Mrs. John Gi kin solicited $10.35, and Willi; Williams turned in $5.47 collect in Poplar Point. — Minor Accident Tuesday Evening -■■■ ♦ No one was hurt and little prt IM'it.v damage resulted when a automobile, driven by Henry V Evans of Windsor, ran down bicycle rider on Highway 1: about three miles south of Wi liamston early Tuesday eveninj Alonza Bryant, the bike ride was thrown off, but he fell into bed of sand anH was not badl hurt. Evans said hi was blinded b the bright lights of in approach mg eyr and did no’ see the bieyel in time to avoid striking it. H skidded his ear <02 feet befor and 18 leet after striking the bik< Patrolman M. F. Powers, the in vestigating officer, sl id. 1 a I, i n (I A it ill i rati on » I'ur Maintenance Mai -»— - Applications will be receive until Saturday noon for the posi tion of maintenance man for th I local unit of the National Guarc j Parties, interested in the $2,500 yea; job, are asked to con tat Thud Harrison or Elbert S. Pee Jr., without delay. W ROADS \ ____j Surfacing of the road from Rear (trass to Everetts will not be included in the Hat of projects to be considered by the Highway Commission the latter part of this and early next month, but will come up later, according to an official report received here yester I day. Bids have been called for on roaus in the county, as follows: One from a point In Everetts northwest to a point 0.2 miles south of No. 125 (Spring Green): one from a point in Gold Point north west to a point in Oak City: and one from a point on N. C. 125 1.5 miles north of Oak City to a point on the flam ilton-Palmyra County Road. The Bear Grass-Everetts project is expected to come up soon along with others. Divorce Cases On : The Trial Docket | In Superior Court ! All liiiscd on Two-Year Sep ' urution; Alimony Willi ',! on! Divorce Awketl ; 'Seven divorce cases have been placed on the calendar for trial in the Martin County Superior Court I'during the two-week term open *; ed on Monday. All of this 1' week of the term is being given s i over to trial of criminal cases, and the divorce actions along with several civil cases arc scheduled - to be called on Monday, March 27 Judge Q K. Nimocks, Jr., of '! Fayetteville is presiding over the I- two-week term. All the divorce cases are based on two-year separation grounds. v In another case the plaintiff is h I asking alimony without divorce. -1 Several of the divorce cases i. have been pending for some time, i, The number of cases on the calen k dar is among the smallest in re - cent years, dropping from a peak n of about 24 listed four years ago. i, A. J. Stark,, in his divorce case h against Ouiila Stark, says they n were married on January 12, l!)4(i, I, and separated in July, 1946, that l; no children were born to the a union <•' In his case against Annie E. >1 Moore, Wallace C. Moore says i. they were married in 1940, separ - ated in August, 1947, that no chi 1 ; dren were born to the union and e that the defendant is now a rcsi e dent of Philadelphia. ). Married on December 1, 1945, - and separating about a month lat n er on January 4, 1946, Elfie Ed d mondson Edwards is asking an absolute divorce from George Thomas Edwards, the plaintiff stating in her complaint that no children were born to the union. Declaring she was abused by I the defendant following their marriage on February 16, 1940, the plaitiff, Mildred Norman, says ii she was forced to leave Alphonsa ■ Norman on August 31, 1041, and a i she is now asking a divorce. », Lois Donaldson Mobley is su . ing George Mobley for a divorce, , stating in the complaint that they •, were married in November, 1944, a and separated on May 15, 1947, Y that no children were born to the union. Y In tile ease of Leneve S. Bunt . ing against John Thomas Bunting, u the plaintiff says they were niar b lied on September 23, 1944 and u separated un July 1), 1947! that no children were born to the union. Suing Joseph Pipkin for an ab solute divorce, Doris Griffin Pip kin says they were married on August 25, 1945, and separated on January 27, 1946. that the one * child born to the union is m her j custody and is supported entirely by her. 3 In the ease of Desse M. Brock against R. J. Brock, the plaintiff. . pointing out that they were mar t ried Oo August 4, 1940, and sep ( arated oil January 14, 1950. is asking alimony without divorce. Superior Court L Nearing End Of Criminal Docket -♦- — Musi Ot \\ cilnr><lay «‘<l In Trial of Drunken Driving Dogged by long, drawn-out eas | cs of little consequence, the Mar tin County Superior Court has been unable to get into high gear so far this week, but despite lag ging operations the tribunal is ex pected to complete the trial of the criminal docket tomorrow. Di vorce and civil cases are schedul ed for trial next Monday. Padded with numerous jurors, the attendance upon the court has been exceptionally large so far this week, considering the minor nature of the cases placed before the tribunal. More Negro citizens have serv ed as jurors this week than pos sibly at any other term. At least four served as members of the j jury in several eases. After disposing of two minor I cases yesterday morning, the court started work on the one in which Harold Chaunccy was , charged with drunken driving. Evidence was completed in the ease about 4:00 o'clock and the defense counsel and solicitor ar gued to the jury until about 5:00 o’clock when Judge Q K. Nim ocks, presiding, ordered a recess until this morning. When court opened this morning, Judge Nim ocks started his charge to the jury, and a verdict was not ex pected immediately. The docket this week listed charges rather than real cases, and most of the defendants up until now have gained acquittals. Charged with robbery, Rosco Moore was tound not {guilty. The man was charged with robbing I $00 from Andrew Andrews. | Charged with bastardy, Floyd . Melton was found not guilty. , Up until about noon today, the court had not passed judgment in the cases charging the young I Meeks and Price boys with break j ing into th ■ Robersonville Pool Room, and John Walker with is ! suing worthless checks. | About six cases were on the docket early today for trial, one report indicating■ that the drunk en driving ease against Quincy James would require considerable time. John E. Walker, charged with issuing two worthless checks, was found guilty, but judgment was n it pronounced immediately ! Irving Riddick, charged with drunken driving, was found not ! guilty. Pleading guilty oi the fhcit fit several hams and shoulders from Farmer Warren Farmer, Percy Williams was sentenced to the roads for six months. Changing his plea from one of i not guilty to guilty, John T Whit field was sentenced to the roads for ninety days for allegedly re ceiving stolen meat The mad term was suspended upon the payment or the court costs. In the ease in which William Aaron Jones was charged with the temporally larceny of an au tomobile, (lie court, at the con clusion of the evidence, directed a verdict of not guilty he entered in the records. In the case charging him with manslaughter, Herman Roberson, 27-year-old colored man, pleaded guilty this morning, but judg i merit was not pronounced imme diately. Roberson was driving an automobile when it was wrecked near Hamilton last October, fat ' ally injuring his uncle, Isaiah Roberson. ! CENSUS SCHOOL v A .special school for train ing census enumerators will he opened in the Skewarkey Masonic Lodge Hall over the Woman’s t'luh here next Monday morning at 8:041 o’clock, Kvan (irillin, crew leader lor the census, an nounced this morning. All enumerators who have hern appointed to census jobs are being advised to attend the | seh« oi which will run weral days. The enumerators are sched uled to start the actuah cen sus survey on April 1,