North Carolina Newspapers

the enterprise is read by OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNTY FAMILIES TWICE EACO WEEK THE ENTERPRISE THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BY OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNTY FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK VOLUME LIII—NUMBER 29 Williamaton, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, April 11, 1950 ESTABLISHED 1899 ♦Martin Farm Bureau Officers Re-Elected Under Secretary Oi Agriculture Is Invited To Speak • _ —®— Bifi Annual Meeting Witt Be Held In County Friday, May The Fifth Farm Bureau leaders, repre senting every section of the coun ty, last Friday night re-elected the organization’s officers and board of directors and made tentative plans for holding the big annual 1 ^meeting and barbecue to be held in the county on Friday, May 5. Under Secretary of Agriculture Albert J. Loveland was extended an invitation to address the meet ing. The United States depart ment official is expected to ac cept the invitation if there is no conflict. “We will be very for tunate if we can get the well known farm leader and prominent ^public official to address us,” a member of the Farm Bureau said. The meeting, one of the largest of its kind to be held in the State, is certain to attract a goodly num ber of dignitaries and more than 2,000 members of the organization in this county. Recognizing the able service rendered by the old officers, members of the organization last Friday night unanimously voted' for their re-election, as follows:1 Chas. L. Daniel of Williams, pres-' * ident; Sam T. Everett of Rober sonville, vice president; Mayo Hardison of Poplar Point, secre tary and treasurer; directors; George Oglesby of Hamilton, Henry Early of Goose Nest. S. T. Everett of Robersonville, Mayo Hardison of Poplar Point, G, H, Forbes of Cross Roads, H. U. Peel of Bear Glass, D. V. Clayton of Wiliiamston, J. Carl Griffin of Jamesville, C. L. Daniel of Wil liams, and Geo. C. Griffin of Grif- j fins. Speaking to the group and re porting on the State convention held in February, President Dan iel said that while his job offers no cash remuneration, he consid ered it a great honor to serve. I "The Farm Bureau, one of the greatest organizations outside the Church, has great opportunities to work for the welfare of all the ...»people. Organization can do more things than work for high prices. It can render a great service in promoting projects and upholding high ideals,” Mr. Daniel said, add ing that he looked to the mem bership for help and for sugges % tions. (Continued from page five) -- Farm Program In Great Confusion Just returned from a meeting of P.-M. A. officials in Raleigh, County Chairman Geo. C. Griffin, % in a short talk before a Farm Bu reau meeting in the agricultural building last Friday night, de clared that certain features of the farm program is now mired down in great confusion. He voiced the opinion that the recent muddling in Washington had done much to harm the farm program. Referring to the change in the cotton program, Mr. Grif fin said there is some doubt if its ^ regulations can be worked out before June, that a few states will reap most of the benefit from the change. “Back yonder allotments were determined and the growers voted all the way across the board for it. Apparently a few large growers Drought political pressure and had the cotton program roll ed and mulled over until we have got little or nothing,” he said. The peanut program change, £ while offering little to the grow ers in North Carolina, permits ex cess planting and the disposal of the excess for oil at oil prices, the P.-M. A. man said. ‘There is some consolation, however, in the fact that while growers in this State had their allotments reduc ed seven percent this year, grow ers in other states had theirs re duced as much as 35 percent.” mi.*'•—. nwwiwpp* rwr-mm ENCOURAGING v Preliminary reports coming from all parts of the county were said this week to be very encourgaing for an ex tensive drainage program in this county. More than 500 persons have signed petitions, asking the commissioners to place the proposal before the people in a special election. Briefly, the plan calls for the drainage of the main creeks and streams in the county, the project to be fi nanced with a county-wide tax of not more than 10 cents on the $100 property valua tion. Dual Shooting In Cross Roads Area Late Last Sunday K. D. Smith unit Geo. Hen* ry Want, Both Colored, In Greenville Hospital An argument, said to have start ed over a 14-month-old $10 debt, was climaxed by a dual gun at tack near James Mizelle’s small country store in Cross Roads Township last Sunday afternoon. K. D. Smith, 30, was shot through j the left thigh and George Henry j Ward, 32. was hit in the chest. Smith used a .32 caliber pistol, and Ward retaliated with a .25 au tomatic. Both victims were re moved to a Greenville hospital for treatment and both arc ex pected to recover. Knocked to the ground by the bullet, Smith was subjected to j further assault when his victim, aided by Ward's brothers, JcSse and John, pounced on him. Jesse used a brick. John kicked him and Jesse used his fists. Jesse and John were jailed and ordered held by Sheriff M. W. Holloman pend ing the completion of his investi gation. A former resident of the Cross Roads section, Smith left his home in Pitt County Sunday to attend a ball game in his former neighborhood. During the game he was said to have brandished a pistol, firing wildly two or three times. After the game Ward ask ed about the $10 debt and an argument started. Smith fired first, it was said, and Ward im mediately retaliated. Farm Meetings In The County —*— By R. McK. Edwards, Negro Farm Agent Three meetings on corn and cotton production and blue mold control will be held at the follow ing schools during this week: Hassell, April 11, 8:00 p. m.; Oak City, Wednesday, April 12 at 8:00 p. m.; and Williams Lower School, Thursday, April 13 at 8:00 o'clock p. m. Farmers living in those areas are urged to be present. Four hundred and seventy-five 4-H club members, representing eight 4-H clubs in this county, joined in celebrating National Ne| gro Health Week which was Apr* 2 to 9. Nine other 4-H clubs will present similar health programs at their regular meetings during this week. -<* Holograph Will Filed In Court ■ ■ • Thought at first to have left no will, Dr. Jesse E. Ward, late of this county, expressed his wishes in a writing probated in the sup erior court a few days ago. In the briefly written will, dat ed August 3, 1947 and unwitness ed, the doctor left all his “earth ly possessions, both leal and per sonal. to Mrs Clclle Kvvtt Ward to have and to hold so long as she may live or care for them.” The paper added, “This would include i everything that I may possess.” i Eight Plaintiffs Seeking Divorce In Superior Court Ninth Plaintiff la Asking Alimony Without A Divorce Eight divorce cases have been placed on the calendar for trial next Monday when Judge W. H. S. Burgwyn opens a two-week special term of the Martin County Superior Court. No criminal cas es will be heard during the term, but a goodly number of civil cases are scheduled for trial. All of the divorce cases are bas ed on two-year separation grounds, one including adultery to support the claim to absolute divorce. In a ninth case the plain tiff is seeking alimony without divorce, the defendant counter ing with a charge of adultery. In his case against Annie E. Moore, the plaintiff, Wallace C. Moore says they were married in 1940 and separated in August, 1947, that no children were born to the union and that the defend ant is believed to be living in Philadelphia. Mozella Salsbury in her case against LeRo.v Salsbury says they were married on December 25, 1937, separated in September, 1947, and that no children were born to the union. In the divorce case, Joe Moore against Mary Moore, the plain tiff says they were married in August, 1940, and separated Jan uary 15, 1948, that three children born of the union are living with and are supported by the plaintiff, that the defendant is believed to be living in Bridgeport. Conn. Suing for divorce, Wyoman J. Allsbrook, in her case against Ro bert A. Allsbrook, say they were married November 12, 1938, and separated on November 28, 1947, that the one child born of the un ion is living with her. The plain tiff asks custody of the child. Married in 1942 and separated in January, 1948, Alton Clay Ro berts is seeking a divorce from Mildred Roberts, stating that no children were born to the union. While the parties have been separated, more than two years, the case of Ruby Bullock Ross against Willie bdward Ross charges the defendant with adul tery, but no respondents are nam ed in the complaint which alleges that he was intimate with other women before and after separa tion. The one child, born of the union, lives with and is supported by the plaintiff. Arthur Cherry is suing Fannie Cherry for divorce, stating they were married in November, 1940, and separated in January, 1947, that no children were born to the union. Mildred Norman is suing Al phonoa Norman for divorce. Suing for alimony without di vorce, Frances G. Early in her case against Edward L. Early, says she was abused and beaten and that her life was threatened by the defendant. They were mar ried on July 4, 1841, in Edgecombe County, that two of the three chil dren born of the union are living with the plaintiff in Washington, D. C., where she is employed in the Census Bureau, and that one is wdth the defendant. At a hear (Continucd on Page Eight) Record Crowds Present For Easter Services In County Possibly all previous attendance records were broken Sunday when thousands crowded into the various churches in the county for regular worship and hundreds participated in special sunrise services in Woodlawn Cemetery here, the orte at Robersonville and the Tice Cemetery in Griffins Township Sunday. Approximate ly 500 persons attended the early morning service here. While the weather was none too favorable and there was no bright sunrise, the service was very impressive. All the ministers of the town par ticipated and a combined choir sang for the special service which also featured a solo by Rev. Stew art B. Simms. Sunday school attendance fig urges were increased by more than a third in some instances, : pushing the 300 mark in several. ! The churches were filled for the | morning worship services. 1 The special groundbreaking for ! the proposed new Christian ! church building, corner of North Haughton and Church Streets, was attended by 150 or more per sons Sunday afternoon at 3:00 o - | clock. The pastor. Rev. John L. (Goff, was in charge of the serv | ice, and Rev. Elmore Turner, pas tor of the Washington Christian ! Church, made the principal ad dress. Mrs Jos. A. Roberson, a member of the church for fifty five years, and one of its three oldest members, broke the ground, j The church leaders explain that ; plans for the new building are ; almost complete, but a definite date for starting construction 1 work has not been fixed. Badly Slabbed In Cafe Here Sunday —«— DeSoto Jones, young colored man of near Williamston, was badly stabbed by Harry Stokes in the Crystal Grill on Washington Street here Sunday night. Details of the attack could not be learned immediately, but blokes was or dered held under a $150 bond un til a hearing could be arranged. Stokes, claiming he used a fin ger nail file, drove the blade of the weapon deep into Jones’ left thigh. Unable to get a doctor in Williamston, the man was remov ed by Deputy Sheriff Kaymond Rawls to the Ward Clinic in Rob ersonville where Dr. V. A. Ward closed the wound with a dozen stitches. Infant Die* Near Here Early Monday Morning -♦—— In delicate health most of its life and suffering an attack of in fluenza and pneumonia, Zariie Cclcia Fate, six weeks old, died at the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Chas. A. Pate, Jr., in Williams Township at 7:00 o'clock yesterday morning. Funeral services are being con ducted at 2:30 this afternoon and interment will follow in the An drews Family Cemetery in Wil liams Township. John H. Woolard Dies in Greenville John Hyman Woodard, father of Mr. Garland Woolard and Mrs. I W. C. Windley of Williamston, I died in a Greenville hospital last I evening at 7:00 o’clock of a stroke of paralysis suffered several days ago. He had been in declining health for some time. The son of the late W. K. and Elizabeth Leggett Woolard, he was born near Stokes in Pitt County 72 years ago, and made his home there until twenty-eight years ago when he located in Greenville. He was a well known farmer of Pitt County and a lead ing citizen in Greenville for many years. In early manhood he was mar ried to Miss Lou Chauncey, who died in 1921). He later married Miss Laura Ellison, a native of Williamston. Surviving besides his widow and two children here, are a son, William .1. Woolard of Plymouth; three daughters, Mrs. Paul P. I Batchelor, Mrs. Joe B. Gaston of Greenville and Mrs. W. C. Shreves of Falls Church, Va.; two sisters, | Mrs. Lizzie W. Crandall of Green ville and Mrs. Brown Hardison of near Stokes; and twelve grand I children. j Mr. Woolard was a member of (Continued from page five) \ Approve Negro High School For The Oak City Section I After detailed and on-the-spot ! study, the State Board of Educa tion last week approved the con struction of a Negro high school for the Oak City section, the ac tion upholding plans advanced by the Martin County Board of Edu cation and solving, temporarily at last, a problem that has been hanging fire for some months. The State Board acted after sending representatives to make a study of the problem, and after Dr. H. L. Trigg, Negro member of the board, made a personal survey. The school at Parmele is to be continued, and plans for the one to be built at Oak City have not been formulated. While the action taken by the board last week solves the prob lem on its present surface, the i board itself indirectly admitted jtltut it could hatdly.be permanent i when the possibility was cunsid [ ered for consolidating Oak City and Parmele anti using the build ings for elementary departments. It is fairly certain that the open ing of a high school for Negroes in Oak City or vicinity is going to materially affect Parmele en rollment, Opponents to the Oak City building saw this and report ledly carried their argument into the private chambers of the gov ernor and other officials in Ral eigh. It is expected that the proper ties at Parmele will have to be re novated, meaning that much money could be spent on a build ing that might be vacated later on, partly if not in its entirety. Accidents and Disturbances Mar Observance of Easter _A_— 1 — _ Automobile accidents, stabbings and shootings marred the observ ance of the Easter holiday in this county, but up until early to day no fatilities had been report ed. In other parts of the State, however, death claimed more than twenty lives, including five young men in the Raleigh area. On the other side of the blot ter, religious services and events highlighted the day, reports stat ing that record throngs were pre sent for special and regular wor ship. Oliver Harrison, Jr., young Bear Grass man, was gravely in jured in a freak automobile acci dent late Friday afternoon near; the Gomer Harrison home. Twoj colored men, K. D. Smith and George Henry Ward, were pain fully but believed not seriously hurt in a dual shooting at James Mizelle's store in Cross Roads1 Township Sunday afternoon Both of the men were carried to a Greenville hospital for treat- j meat. Two others, Jesse Ward and i John Ward, both colored, were placed in the county jail for and alleged part in the assualt. DeSoto Jones, young colored man, was painfully stubbed at Williamston's Crystal OriM Son day evening and Harry ‘Stokes j was charged with the assault. Fire of undetermined origin destroyed the home of Essie Clem j mons and badly scorched the Mitchell home nearby on Broad Street, just back of Woodlawn Cemetery Saturday afternoon. There were two automobile ac cidents in the town during the period, one on East Main Street Saturday morning and a second one on West Main Sunday morn ing. County officers were called to Jamesville late Sunday night to to quiet a disturbance there, pre liminary reports stating that someone threw a pop bottle I through ■? ‘-•♦off* v.'indo’v. Almost a dozen persons were arrested and jailed during the period, some for drunkenness, drunken driving, assult and speeding. ».'V» %■ ■ "" -f V-*—ner-m W"***’'* Young Han Badly Injured In Auto Accident Friday Several Highway Accidents Reported In (anility During Week-end A young man was gravely in jured, another was painfully hurt and property damage soared in a series of seven highway accidents in this county during the Easter week-end, according to incom plete reports coming from police officers and members of the high way patrol late yesterday after noon. Oliver Harrison, Jr., young Bear Grass farmer, suffered a broken back and internal chest injuries in a freak accident near Mr. Gom el- Harrison's home in Bear Grass Townsh.p last Friday afternoon. Engaged with another man in rul ing wood, Mr. Harrison had walk ed to the road and was on his way home when Ernest Harrison stop ped and picked the two men up. The victim was said to have in sisted that he would be all right riding on the front bumper of the Model A coupe. They had gone only a short distance when the bumper broke, throwing the man into the path of the car which was said to have been running hardly ) more than ten miles an hour at the time. The wheels apparent ly did not run over the man, but he was caught in the running gear and rolled over and battered. Given first aid treatment in the Ward Clinic at Robersonville, he was later removed to a Washing ton hospital where his condition continues critical. Making an investigation, mem bers of the highway patrol de scribed the accident as a freak ; one with no apparent reckless I ness on the part of the car driver. | No one was hurt but property damage, estimated at $250, result ed when the 1959 Chevrolet driv en by Miss Catherine White of Windsor, and Joe Peel’s 1940 Ford crashed at the East Main Street stoplight last Saturday morning at 9:00 o’clock. Police Chief Jno. Roebuck made the investigation. Saturday afternoon about 5:45 o’clock, L. L. (Zeke) Rhodes of near Williamston lost control of his two-ton Chevrolet truck on the old Greenville or Prison Camp Road in the Everett curve near Robersonville. The machine turn ed over and pinned him under I neath the body, breaking his shoulder. Three others, riding in i the truck, were not hurt, Patrol man B. W Parker, making the investigation, said. The truck had to be lifted off the man. No esti mate on the property damage could be had immediately. Sunday morning at 9:00 o’clock, Theodore Watson, driving a Pon tiac out West Main Street, start ed to make a right turn. Seeing two children in the intersection, he stopped and Jos. Melton Terry ran into the rear of the Pontiac with his 1949 Mercury, injuring no one but causing about $550 damage to his car and about $900 to the Pontiac, according to pre liminary estimate made by Chief John Roebuck who made the in vestigation. The Watson car al most turned over, the officer ex plaining that a guide wire caught it and blocked the turn. Sunday afternoon at 4:1a o cloek, James Hardy Council started to turn his 1940 Ford off Highway 125 into the Oak City ball park and he was struck by a car owned by Donald Jernigan of Windsor and driven by Mary Dickens of Scotland Neck. No one was hurt and Council accepted the damages, estimate at about $75 by Patrolman B. W. Parker, the in vestigating officer. Suffering some kind of attack, a young Plymouth man named Hardison lost control of his 1941 | Oldsmobile a short distance be- ; yond Gardner’s Creek early Sun- j day night and was thrown to the | highway. The car ran to and fro! on the highway two or three ' times and finally plowed into a ditch bank on the left, causing j about $100 damage, according to I an estimate gained from Patrol man John T. Howe who made the investigation with Patrolman B. K. Burton. Hardison, picked up by a Biggs ambulance, was re moved to Brown's hospital for ex amination and treatment. It was reported that his injuries were i negligible. A short time later that same j * Continued on phige five) Officials Named To Hold May Elections HONEST MAN Finding a roll of paper money on a Williamston street last Friday, a young ■nan who asked that he be given no publicity, turned the cash over to Sheriff M. W. Holloman. The officer said the owner may get the money by report ing to him and offering a sat isfactory description. The a mount was less than $50, it was learned. Elmer R. Chesson Died Late Sunday Following Stroke Well known Farmer In This Community For A Number of Years Elmer R. Chcsson, well known farmer of near Williamston, died at 11:30 o’elock Sunday night, a few hours after suffering a stroke of paralysis. He had been in de clining health for some time, but apparently was getting along very well Sunday when he and three of his sons, Ellis, Larry and Shel ton, went to visit his mother in Roper. Returning home early that eve ning, Mr. Chesson suffered a stroke of paralysis just this side I of Plymouth and received medi cal treatment in a local doctor’s office. His removal to a hospital was advised, and he was pro nounced dead upon arrival at Edgecombe General Hospital in Tarboro. The son of Mrs. Annie Waters Chesson and husbann, the late Mark Chesson, he was born in Washington County 57 years ago in January, 1893. After spending his early life near Roper, he moved to this county with the family and lived and farmed near Williamston. He was an indus trious farmer until declining health forced his retirement a few months ago. Mr. Chesson was married to Miss Ora Cherry, and was highly regarded as a neighbor and friend Surviving besides his widow and mother, are six sons, Wesley Chesson of Boston, Ellis Chesson of Robersonvjlle, Elmer, Jr., Hu bert, Larry and Shelton Chesson ! of the home; four daughters, Mrs Margaret Peed, Mrs. Annie White and Miss Madeline Chesson of Williamston, and Mrs. Minnie Ward of Monroe; four brothers, Jack Chesson of Roborsonville, Willie, Fred and Bruce Chesson of Williamston; and three sisters, Mrs Walter Knowles and Mrs. Myrtle Lillev of Roper, and Mrs. Cliff Hunter of Plymouth. Funeral services are being con ducted at the home near here on the old Everetts Road this aft- 1 ernoon at 3:30 o’clock by Rev Hilary Worthington, Methodist] minister of Roborsonville and pus- ] tor of Vernon Church in Mr. Chesson’s community. Interment i will be in the family plot in the Robersonville Cemetery. Smith Manager Not Announced As far as it could be learned here, no manager for Willis Smith, candidate for the United , States Senate, has been named for this county. The candidate’s headquarters in Raleigh last week j sent a representative here in j search of a manager, it was re ported, but if the mission was successful no announcement was publicly made. It was reported the representative was directed to other fields. A lone Smith lapel button made its appearance on the street after the representative departed. If other buttons were left they were made conspicuous by their ab sence. -Jtv r.NIEKS HOSrlTAL Kalph N. Early, son of Mr. and i Mrs. Henry Early of Oak City, en- ! tered Duke Hospital yesterday' for treatment and possibly a ma-1 jor operation T •**«£»./ -ip-OT All Democrats To Serve In Precinct Posts On May 27 County Flections Hoard Hold Meeting In Court house Cast Saturday Meeting in the courthouse last Saturday morning, Martin County Elections Board members- -C. D. Carstarphcn, chairman of Wil liamston; Hassell Worslev, secre tary of Oak City; and Wade Vick, Republican member of Rnberson ville—named officials to hold the May 27 primary election in the county's thirteen precincts, and opened on Saturday, April 2!), in accordance with law. Since there is no State or dis trict Republican contest to be considered in this county with the likelihood that no Republican ticket will be advanced within the county, the primary on May 27 will be strictly a Democratic Party affair. The law provided for the election of Democrats on ly to preside over the family dis putes or contests, it was explain ed. Republicans will be entitled to representatives among the pre cinct officials when the general election is held next November, however. Quite a few changes were made m the election officials, most of tlu' old ones having asked to be relieved of the duties. The following precinct officials were named by the board last Saturday, Chairman Carstarphcn announced: Jamcsville, F. C. Stallings, reg istrar; J I-. Knowles and Annie Mae Lilley, judges of election. Williams, Joe Lawrence Col tram, registrar; R. J Hardison and Chas. L Daniel, judges of election. Griffins, Oscar Peel, registrar: ' Delmus Rogers and A B. Ayers, Jr. , judges of election. Williamston No. 1, Wendell Peel, registrar; Joe G. Corey and and Julian 11 Harrell, judges of election. Williamston No. 2 , S. Harcum Grimes, registrar; Chas. R. Mob ley and Reginald Simpson, judges of election. Cross Roads, II M (Buck) Ayers, registrar, W 1, Ausbon and Oscar Ayers, judges of elec tion Hobersonville, Allen Osborn-., registrar; T I. Roebuck and J il. Roberson. Sr. , judges of election. Gold Point, Harry Roberson, registrar; J. W. Taylor and H L. Warren, judges of election. Popular Point, W. Slade White, registrar; Luther Leggett and Herman C. Harrison, judges of election. Hamilton, Wade Everett, reg istrar; G. A. Oglesby and George Haislip, judges of election Hassell, E K Edmonson, reg istrar; C B. Burroughs and Geo. W. Ayers, judges of election. (Continued from page five) -» Home Destroyed By Fire Saturday File of undetermined origin de stroyed the small home of Essie Clemmons and badly scorehed the nearby Georgia Mitehell home on Broad Street here at -4:00 o'clock Saturday afternoon, causing a combined loss that will probably run in excess of $2,000. The Clem mons home was only partially in sure, and none was carried on the contents. Insurance is expected to cover the damage done to the Mitchell home. Members of the Clemmons fam ily were in one part of the house and the fire started in another part, gaining much headway, be fore it was discovered. By the time an alarm could be turned in, smoke was rising high into the sky. Firemen, guided by the smoke, reported diroclely to the fire while others carried the fire fighting equipment there. Battling the fire for more than half an hour, firemen were only able to cheek the fire after it had burned most of the standing tim ber, and managed to save the Mitchell home. T "jwr.—W9MV.. Vf Tft?*'