North Carolina Newspapers

♦ aw THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BX OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNTT FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK VOLUME LIII—NUMBER 49 THE ENTERPRISE THE ENTERPRISE IS READ B1 OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNT! FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK Williams ton, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, June 20, 1050 ESTABLISHED 1899 Slight Delay Is . Expected Id Trial Oi Murder Charge .1. »■—— Om'-Week Term of Marlin Superior Court I» Opened Momlny Admitting nothing, but choos ing to place their fate in the hands of the jury, defendants held the proceedings to a slow pace ^ in the early part of the current week term of the Martin County Superior Court. With Judge Q. K. Nimocks of Fayetteville on the bench, the jury batted a thousand the first day against the defend ants. Only a few of the cases sched uled for trial Monday were clear ed from the docket, and it looked this morning as if the court would ^not reach the Early murder case before Thursday with the possi bility that it would be Friday be fore it is called. The court is attracting fair sized crowds, and colored citi zens are expected to be present in numbers for the murder trial. Some have expressed themselves rather freely "off the record" in the case. Proceedings: • Pleading not guilty of forgery, Johnnie Haynes was found guilty of forging two checks, one for $4.26 with the signature, Thomas Stevenson, and the other for $35 with the signature, James Steven son. Sentence was not pronounced immediately. , Found guilty of the larceny of, two automobiles, one from Jim Taylor and the other from Ollie ^nige, Zeno Brown was sentenced to the roads for six months in »ach case, the sentences to run consecutively. Walter Walker, found guilty of breaking and entering and lar ceny of eight fountain pens from the Crystal Grill, was not sen tenced immediately. Walker, claiming to have completed a medical course, has been in the courts several times. (Continued on page eight) Grand Jury Ends Work On Monday Receiving no charge from Judge Cj. K. Nimocks in the superior imirt Monday, the grand jury im- , mediately entered upon its duties tk and by late afternoon had com pleted its work for the term. No ' school property or bus inspec tions had to be made, but the jury wrangled with bills of in dictment until late in the day. It was a great day in the jury room for tivce Wiggins men, the jurymen finning no trule bill in ; ! each of the three eases. William I Alfred and Clarence Wiggins ! • were charged with breaking and | entering, and Walter Wiggins was charged with assaulting An gel ine Cromwell. True bills, signed by L. G. Lind sJey, foreman, were returned, as follows: Clarence Lay and Louis Grant, flim-flam; Harrell Asby, larceny; Marvin Brantley, forgery, two counts; James L. Morrison, forg ery, three counts; James Savage, %ecret assault; Charlie Phillips, Jr., England Andrews and John Smith, breaking and entering; Jesse Outterbridge, carnal knowl edge. In returning a true bill in the Edward L. Early, Jr., murder case, the jury examined only two witnesses, the indictment, return ed into open court by the jury as a body, reading, that on May 211, 1950, the defendant "felonious ly. willfully and of his knowledge • forethought tiid kill and murder one Odeslie Keyes.” ROUND-UP . V ! <1 There was comparative ly little activity on the crime front in this section last week-end, the records showing that only three per sons were rounded-up and temporarily detained in the county jail. One was booked for non support, and the other two were charge with being > drunk and disorderly. Two of the three were white, and the ages of the group ranged from 25 to 36 years. Still Working On Solution ToPeanutAcreageProblem “We are still working on a so | lution to the edible peanut acre age problem,” Congressman Her bert Bonner said in a special com munication this week, explain ing that a compromise measure is being advanced whereby the Secretary of Agriculture would have authority to up peanut acre ages in states producing types of peanuts which, according to their historical averages, will be in short supply. Under an amendment passed by the Congress and saved from the veto to a large extent by Senator Frank P. Graham, farmers were allowed to increase their peanuts acreage this year to that planted in 1947 with out penalty, but subject to support oil prices for the difference in the actual 1950 allotment and the 1947 plantings. The original bill, Congressman Bonner explained would have set up a peanut program similar, to the tobacco program — hasing acreage allotments on types ac cording to demand. It met with opposition from congressmen rep resenting the runner-type peanut areas which may have suffered acreage cuts under the proposal. Congressman Bonner today mailed copies of the compromise measure to various farm leaders in peanut producing North Caro lina. He said he wanted the opin ions of the farm leaders before action was taken on the compro mise. Robber Caught Here Early Last Saturday SPEAKERS '1 Supporters of Frank P. Graham for the United States Senate are discussing some vitally important issues in the current U. S. Senate race over Radio Station WRKF this week. H. S. Ward delivered an old time political address at 12:15 today. Wednesday evening of this week at 6:45 o'clock, Elbert S. Peel, local attorney, will speak on the same station, followed by Attorney Clar ence W. Griffin at 12:15 on Thursday of this week. Chas. Whitehurst Died Ai His Home Here Late Sunday Fum‘r:il liriiifx (ioudurld In Aurora Methodist (Hum'll at 3:04) Charles Henry Whitehurst, mill engineer and an employee of the Williamston Lumber Company for the past two years, died at his home at Skewarkey Sunday night at 11:15 o’clock two hours after suffering a heart attack. He had been suffering with heart condition for about fifteen years, but hud been fairly active during that time. He was in his usual health two hours before his death. The son of the late William and Sallie Hill Whitehurst, he was born in Beaufort County 70 years ago on May 13, 1880, spending his early life and marrying Miss Ada Sparrow there. He later located in New Bern where he spent a number of years before coming to Williamston fourteen years ago with the Saunders and Cox Lum ber Company. He made many friends in Williamston. Surviving besides his widow are three daughters, Mrs. F. F. Dickinson of Ahoskie, Mrs. Har lan Troth of Atlanta, Mrs. P. W. Luebke of «anta Anna, Calif.; one (Continued on Page Eight) Green Wave Band Due Back Today -e The Williamston High School Green Wave Band is expected to arrive back home some time today frorft their three-day trip to Char lotte where they appeared on Monday in the parade of the Lions State Convention. They left here Sunday morning in two chartered busses, several private cars and a truck after a brief devotional service in front of the high school building. ,A large number of parents and friends were out tp see them off. No word had been heard from them early this morning, but it is likely they will not arrive home before late today, Director Jack Butler having said they weuld be in no hurry coming back, planning to stop and see anything en route hat was of interest to the young iters. {Walter Walker Is Found Guilty In Court on Monday —t— Three Pluqcs Of Buftiueat* Entered Here I-jimI Snturday Night A series of robberies was nipped in the bud about 4:00 o'clock last Saturday morning when Walter Walker, young colored man and an old law violator, was trapped jin the Crystal Grill on Washing ton Street by Officers Willie Modlin and Verble Jones. Walk er, adjudged guilty ot the Crystal Grill robbery in the superior court Monday, was also charged with breaking into Eddie Watts Brown's Little Savoy Cafe, but the change there was not sustained by the court. The Branch Bank and Trust Company was also entered some time during Saturday night, Chief John R. Roebuck Stating that ap parently a small boy was the rob ber. A side window, only large enough for a child to crawl through, was found broken. Pap ers were scattered on the floor and the telephone wire was cut, the robber apparently mistaking the wire for a burglar alarm sys tem. Nothing was missed from the bunk. The Little Savoy was entered through a rear window. The rob ber prized open the piccolo and took all the change. Nothing else was missed there. When the offi cers, patrolling Washington street, saw a Screen window torn away, they stopped at Tom Alexander's Crystal Grill and saw' Walker in side the building. The man had not hacf time to take the money out of the piccolo but he had priz ed the machine open. Walker was running from window to door and from door to window trying to get out. When he went near the win dow, the officers grabbed and pulled him out. Searching him they found $13.64 in cash on him, $2.50 in dimes and the remainder in nickels and four pennies. The officers quoted the man as saying, "You got me.” Officer Jones said Walker was not drunk at the time. In court yesterday, Walker pleaded not guilty of entering the Little Savoy, and Judge Q. K. Nimocks, presiding, allowed a motion of not guilty as tb break ing and entering there. The jury, reasoning that the court allowed that motion, found him not guilty of stealing $13.65 from the piccolo in the Little Savoy. Walker, ad mitting he was in the Crystal Grill, maintained he was drunk. He was found guilty of breaking and entering and of the theft of eight fountain pens, valued at $8. The jury deliberated the issues 1 for about thirty minutes, and Judge Nimocks did not pass sen- 1 tence immediately. Several breaking and entering : cases have been reported hero in reent months, but two wre dis- < misse dthis week by the grand jury and others were of little or > no consequences, officers pointed 1 )Ut. i Native Oi County Died On Saturday At Ahoskie Home ; Millard T. Liliey Buried In Woodlawn Cemetery Here Sundnv Afternoon -—« Millard Tilman Liliey, a native of this county, died at his home in Ahoskie at 4:00 o’clock Satur day morning following a long period of declining health. Dur ing the past several months he had undergone operations and treatment in a Durham hospital, and his condition was critical for weeks. The son of Alexander and Mary Coltrain Liliey, he was born in this .county 41 years ago on April 20, 1909, and spent most of his life in this county. After spend ing his early years on the farm, he moved to Williamston and was employed by the municipal water and street departments, resign nig two years ago to go to Ahos kie where he served as superin tendent of public works. He was married to Miss Emily Casper of this county. Surviving besides his widow, are his parents of Williamtson; one son, Wayne Casper Liliey of Ahoskie; two j brothers, David Franklin, Liliey, U. S. Army, Fort Bliss, Texas, and ! Harold Brinkley Liliey of Will iamston. Mr. Liliey was a member of the Presbyterian Church in Ahos kie, and the funeral service was conducted there Sunday after noon at 2:30 o'clock by the pas tor, Rev. George M. Pickard. In terment was in Williamston's Woodlawn Cemetery. Mr. Liliey was well known in his native and adopted comftiuni- ■. ties, and was held in high esteem as an employee and citizen of the i town of Ahoskie. Funeral services were attended | by a large number of people from Ahoskie and from this communi ty, and the floral offering was extensive. Two Badly Hurt In Car Accident Two persons were hurt, one of them believed seriously, when their ear,a 1947 Oldsmobile, went out of control and turned over on U. S. Highway 17, about two miles south of here shortly after 9:00 o'clock this morning. The names of the aged couple could not be learned immediately, but they were driving a New York car. Mr. and Mrs. John Baker of Jacksonville, Fla., were driving north, and the New York car, traveling in the same direction, passed them. The Bakers were running about 4« to 50 miles an hour. The left rear tire on the New York car blew out, throwing the machine out of control. It skidded some distance down the highway sideways and struck the shoulder, turning over two times. The aged woman, a passenger in the car, was thrown out, witnesses declaring she almost became en tangled in the telephone wires. She was found lying unconscious a short distance from the car which came to a stop in Farmer Fisher Harris’ peanut field. Investigating the accident, Pa trolman M. F. Powers and B. W. i Parker said the accident victims were Mr. and Mrs. Henry Steffen, 179 W. 102nd St., New York City. Following an examination in the 1 local hospital, Mr. Steffen was re- ' leased, but last reports stated that Mrs. Steffen had not regained consciousness. Bible School Ends Term Next Friday •' • — The Colored Union Vacation Bible School is closing a suecess ul two-week term on Friday nurning of this week at 10:00 >'clock in the Mt. Shiloh Baptist Jhurch. Parents and friends of .•hildren are invited to attend the he commencement exercises and eview the work handled during ,he school term, Director Geo. T. Jyman announced. The school enrolled 262 pupils md the classes were located in our churches, the ages of the >upils ranging from 4 to 15 years. New Hospital Incorporated As Non-Profit Organization Marlin General Is Name Selected for The New Hospital Will Operate Under A Slate Charter; Six Trustees Named This Week Ntnv nearing completion, the new hospital on Williamston’s Liberty Street is being incor porated under the laws of the State of North Carolina this week under the name, "Martin Gene ral Hospital" in accordance with the laws of the State of North Carolina, it was announced by a representative of the hospital. No definite date has been fixed for the opening of the hospital, but all legal requirements have been met, making it ready for business when the facilities are made a vailable. A large portion of the building has been completed, and it is possible that a part of it will be occupied in July with the general opening following in early August. Recognizing the need for in creased facilities for meeting the hospital needs of the people of this county and section and to make the facilities available to rich and poor alike, the four or ganizing doctors Chas. 1. Har ris, Jr., Jas. S. Rhodes, Jr., John T. Llewellyn and G. G. Himmel wright -- and the six trustees — James H. Gray, Sr., of Roberson ville, George C. Griffin of Grif fins, Leroy H. Taylor of Popular Point, Elbert S. Peel, Herbert S. Whitley and Chas. 11. Maiming — , created the institution as a non profit corporation. The charter reads, in part: “The corporation is to have uid issue no capital stock. It is t non-profit corporation. Those jnable to pay because of their 'inuncial condition are entitled, io far as possible, to hospitaliza ion and treatment without com pensation, and irrespective of heir creed or race; and the cor poration will, so far as it is finan cially able to do so, furnish such pospitalization to the unfortunate, poor and indigent without re nunciation.” It was explained that any pro its made by the hospital will go ;o provide more services to the j poor and for the purchase of new ; equipment for the better treat nent of all patients. The four physicians have in- j zested a large amount in the 1 ouilding and the six trustees with he aid of the four doctors, are naking arrangements for the pur chase of extensive and modern equipment It is hoped that public contributions by citizens through >iit the county will help finance he equipment costs. Anxious to lave a part in the undertaking, nost of all the contributors arc equesting their donations be us ed in equipping individual rooms, rhe management states that it ,vill cost approximately $110,000. 10 to equip the hospital plant, lhat the public willingness to participate in the project and extend liberal gifts had been story mcoui aging, and that all contributions along with any in he future are greatly welcomed. 'A liberal support will go a long vay in helping us to help others,” i representative of the hospital explained. Dan C. Sharpe, for several tears treasurer and clerk for .he Town of Wilhumston, has peen named administrator for the lospital, and he will, beginning n July, serve under the direction (Continued on page eight) I MISSES | -1 Judge J. Calvin Smith, Itobersonville attorney, this week missed his first term of Martin County Superior Court in thirty-four years. However, lie sent his regrets. The former Martin County Recorder's Court Judge has been quite ill at his home for more than three weeks. Late reports state that he is able to sit up some, but cannot get up town, as yet. Veteran Farmer Training Program In Local School [ World War U veterans in the Williamston area who are interes ted in enrolling in the Veteran Farmer Training Program are re quested to meet at the Williams ton High Sshool on Thursday of this week at i!:00 P. M The pur pose of this meeting is to inter view all veterans desiring on-the farm training under Public Law 346 (G. 1. Bill) and P. L. 16 so that a veteran farmer training class can be organized July 1, 1950, at Racial Letters Flooding Parts Of East Carolina Franklin HoohcvcIi, Jr., J and I'rnntim-ni Minister Brand Claims Untrue -»— Several thousand form letters, j printed in Raleigh and addresso graphed in a local office and mailed in the post office here, are flooding this part of East Caro lina, stirring up the racial issue and telling a half-cocked story. At the same time, other question able tactics are being employed by what has been described as a desperate opposition. It has also been established that Smith for ces caused to be registered many Negroes, and arranged lavish en tertainment for them, just to turn now and inject the racial issue into the campaign. The first barrage released in the form of the racial letters aver the week-end by the Smith Committee l'or Martin County warmed over the dish of the Civil Rights Committee. The claim therin has been, out of fairness, lad been branded as unfounded ay all members of the committee, deluding Franklin Roosevelt, Jr. The second issue in the letter was about home rule for Wash ngton, I) C. The record shows that Frank Graham voted to give the people of the District of Co lumbia home rule. But there was i proposed amendment, directing the District to vote on segrega tion. Frank Graham explained that it was not democratic to gi\e I i I 1 i the people home rule and then I turn around and tell them what j to do. Page No. 2 of the letter re news the vote in u few precincts, ji ahain polied ovei whelming majorities in a few precincts vhere the colored voter was in ’ lie majority. Reports from Char lotte state that while Graham was carryiny one precinct there, \ Smith carried several where the \ colored voter predominated. A report from Raleigh reads: Three Raleigh precincts have ' seen Negro boxes. They gave a ' sig majority in their three pre ,'incts. Who else could they vote for? Smith ran them into voting or Graham, although Smith would like to get the Negro vote j lor himself. Make no mistake ' ibout that.” The report adds that the Negro role was comparatively light in i North Carolina, the best estimates I Racing it between twenty-five ind thirty thousand in the entire State out of a .total of more'than >00,000. The report further reads: Smith is frantic! Smith is also ' 'llthless. His policy in every- { hing he goes after — is to rule 1 )V ruin ’That's why he dees not mind J ■ippmg the State apart us fur as ' 'ace relations arc concerned. He 1 would tear clown all that has been lone toward amicable race re- ' aliens over the past fifty years ' n order to satisfy his vain per- 1 >onal ambition. His supporters are >iicukingly passing out imaginary cartoons beyond all that is good ' jnd decent. They are stirring up late even among children, poison- * nf{ their minds with false tales. “Everyone who wants to be fair 1 cnows that FrankGraham always 1 las lought against abolition of j (Continued on page eight) I the Williamston High School. The Farm Training Program has approved the school and there will be a maxium of 20 Veterans enrolled on July 1, 1950. The enrollment may be increased January 1, 1951 if additional ap plications are received. Veterans, interested in the pro- i gram are asked to meet with Ho bart L. Austin, of the Veterans Administration, and members of the advisory committee in this section. | FIRST PULLING 1 Establishing what is be lieved to be a new early rec ord, Farmer William S. Rog erson harvested the first of the 1950 tobacco crop on his farm near Mr. Eli Bowen's store last Saturday on the Williamston-Hear GrassRoad in Williamston Township. Just a few hundred sticks were pulled, reports stating that the lower leaves were beginning to “burn". While weather conditions will have much to do with it, harvesting is not likely to get under way on any appre- j dal scale in this county be fore next week or the week following. County Resident Died In Hospital Thursday Night . —•— Funeral Held Here .Sunday Afternoon At 2 I*. !Y1, For Lorey F. Tone -» Lorey F. Tuwe, a resident of his county for thirty years, died n a Washington hospital last Thursday evening at (1:30 o'clock Suffering a heart attack the early >art of this month, he had been i patient in the hospital since hat time and little hope was told for his recovery following he attack. Mr. Towe was born in Bertie ,’ounty (18 years ago and spent lis early life there before going 0 Spring Hope. After spending 1 short time there, he moved to dartin County thirty years ago, pending most of that time with dr and Mrs. Leonard Bennett on heir farm in Bear Grass Town hip. However, he farmed near iVilliamston and in other parts if the county several years. He Harried and farmed all his life, le was a dilligent worker and vas highly respected by all who mew him. He was a regular ihureh attendant, visiting various •hurches in the county. He leaves no immediate rela ives other than several nieces ind nephews, including Mrs. Mil lred Foreman of Norfolk Funeral sei vices weie onnduc* id at the Biggs Funeral Home (Continued on page eight) Cancer Center To Close 2 Months The Northeastern Carolina dancer Detection Center will be; 'losed during the months of July ind August. The clinic which is held every 'Tiduy afternoon at the Health 'enter, Elizabeth City, will rc ipen in September. \ All those persons interested in 'xaminations on the last clinic lutes June 23 and 30 are urged to >c present. Examinations are tree to all voinen 33 or over, all men -10 ir over, and to anyone with a ympton or “danger signal", re iardless of age. Priorities will be sent on re |uest to all who live twenty miles r more from Elizabeth City. Ad dress your request to Cancer Cen cr Clerk, Health Center, Corner, 'edar and Harney Streets. Young Nan Hurl By Lightning Bolt In County Monday ThrtM* Work Animal' Kill* <1 Vml Aim'll Damaizc ( !aii> <mI Hv Hail Storm Ben Alexander Daniel, young county farmer, was partially par alyzed when lightning struck, killing the mule he was plowing and tearing the plow out of his hands and to pieces on Mrs, Levi Davis' farm, a few miles below Jamesville Monday afternoon. Suffering severe shock, the young man was said this morning to have partially regained the use of the paralyzed side. He was carried bodily from the field. The mule, a splendid work ani mal, was killed instantly. About one hundred yards away, lighting killed two fine work horses in their stalls, reports stating that the bolt did not file the barn or do any other material damage. Returning home from measuring land in the Warren Neck area, Mr. Gurkin visited Mr. Daniel and then went to his home to see the team When he opened the door to one stall he found a dead horse, and when he opened the door to the second stall he found the other animal dead. While lightning was striking m the Jamesville area, hail and wind played havoc in other sec tions of the county. A complete survey had nut been made early today, but incomplete reports in dicated heavy damage had been dyne in the upper part of the .•minty, also near Witliamston, a fairly sizable streak in Cross Roads and Bear Grass Town ships. Hail struck and damage crops .in the farms ot C B. Harrison, Buddy Rogers, Kneezei Harrison, Rosseil Rogers, C. B Harrison, Roy Harrison, the Cowm Bro kers and others in the Bear jrass section. Mr. Cowin esti nated the damage on his farm at >0 percent or more, adding that i large oak tree was blown down, lamagmg a barn when it. fell. Hail also struck the farms of luck Ayers in Cross Roads and Sidney Beacham Repot ts ol hail damage were touring into insurance offices ’arly this morning, and it is be ieved that most of the damaged Tops were covered by insurnuce. Lightning struck the home ot dr and Mrs, Beaman Whieharc n Robersonville, but damage was (Continued on page eight) — Painfully Hurl In Car Accident Mrs. Ucorgc Million and Mis 'hos, Karl Martin wore i>;iinl'ull\ nit believed not seriously hurt a tin automobile accident on the iver fill between Conme Creek Iridic and the Bertie highland ast Thursday afternoon. The oung daughter of Mrs Ballou vas not hurt. The victims were 1 eated in the local hospital for iruises, minor cuts and shock, drs. Ballou continuing to her mine on Hassell Street a short une later. 1 he accident, according to re Ports, happened when a car stop Pi'd m front of the Ballou car driven by Mrs. Martin. To avoid striking that car, Mrs. Martin turned to the left and crashed nto another. A forth car plowed nto the wreckage. Drivers and lassengers m the other ears were lot hurt. The ear, contributing o the accident, was driven a vay without offering assistance, t was stated. RAINFALL --> Following one of (he driest Aprils on record, the rains came very timely in May to give this section an almost idea! season for that month ami the early part of June. I-ess than one inch of rain fell in April, but 4.19 inches fell last month During fhe first half of this month, 1.79 inches of rain fell here, ac cording to Hugh Spruili, keeper of the official gauge on Roanoke River.