THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BY OVER *3,000 MARTIN COUNTY FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEES THE ENTERPRISE THE ENTERPRISE IS READ B? OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNTY FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEE* VOLUME LIII—NUMBER 56 ESTABLISHED 1899 Williamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, July 18, 1950 # * ♦ I * ! Local Physician Victim of Suicide Thursday Night Dr. Edward Early, Jr., Was To Have Been Tried for Edward L. Early, Jr., local Ne gro doctor, ended his life at his office-home here on Washington Street late last Thursday night, Acting Coroner W. W. Biggs stating that the man consumed at least two bottles of chloroform and possibly took any number of sleeping tablets and other opiates. Facing trial in the Martin County Superior Court for the alleged murder of his secretary’. Odessa Keyes, last May 28, Early was found in a dying condition by his mother about 11:30 o’clock that night. She called for help and LeRoy Long summoned med ical aid and the police. Early died before they reached him. With few friends and virtually no practice, the doctor had been spending most of the time in Washington, D. C., with his par ents after he was released in $5,000 bond following the untime ly death of his secretary in the doctor’s office early Sunday even ing, May 28 Accompanied by his mother, he returned here last Tuesday' evening, reportedly to straighten up his affairs. A few people talked with him Wednes day, but as far as it could be learned he remained in his little office-home all day Thursday and saw only James Earl Watts, de livery bov for the Davis Phar macy. Shortly before noon, Early or dered two four-ounce bottles of chloroform, and Watts delivered it. Watts said he talked with Early a few minutes, that at the lime the doctor hqld a par tially filled bottle of chloroform in his hand, smelling it occasion ally. ‘‘Dr. Early told me that since the death of his secretary he had joined the church, been baptized and had quit smoking,” Watts | was quoted as saying. The doctor, | /according to the delivery boy, was brooding because his friends had I deserted him and he had lost his practice. Although the doctor1 talked all right, Watts said he be came suspicious and told friends that lie would not be surprised \ if Dr. Early killed himself. One of the chloroform bottles delivered by Watts was found capped and under the body Two other empty 4-ounce chloroform bottles were found on the dresser. Sleeping pills and tablets and other opiates were found scat tered around the room. At 11:00 o’clock that evening, Early called the drug store for more chloroform but the order was refused, the druggist explain ing to Coroner Riggs at an in formal hearing the next day that he knew the doctor hud had little or no practice, that the two bottles of chloroform delivered earlier in the day were more than sufficient for his practice. The suicide climaxed what could have been a successful ca reer for the man. Born in Wash ington, D. C., 34 years ago, Early was graduated from Howard University there and was gradu ated from medical school in Ten nessee when he was only 24 years old. Aflci spending .> few months in Durham and Tarboro, he came to Williamslon about ten years ago. With hardly mure than a dollar and a halt in his pockets, he soon built up a sizable practice (Continued on page eight) MKSEI Making trial runs the past two Sundays, the diesel lo comotive is just before taking over the rails between Rocky Mount and Tarboro. It is not known when the old steam locomotive will run out, but a change to the modern loco motive is anticipated within the next few months or possi bly weeks. Heavy track has replaced the light rails with the ex ception of few sidings be tween here and Rocky Mount and the change to the new type engine is expected just as soon as all the heavy rail is laid and engine deliveries are made. I | I Recent Weather Conditions Aggravate Crop Damages -... — Crops, materially damaged by excessive rains since the 6th of this month, felt the continued sting of adverse weather condi tion over the week-end in this county. However, the crop out look, except in some few individ ual cases, is still far from hope less. Rainfall, amounting to right at ten inches so far this month, has really soaked the earch, causing many actes of tobacco to flop, south and southeast of Williams ton. To aggravate that condition, hail and wind struck last Friday afternoon, damaging approxi mately 200 acres of tobacco in the Popular Point area. Adjust ers are making inspections to day, and no official estimate on the hail loss could be had. How ever, unofficial sources said that the damage would range from twenty to possibly as high as seventy percent. Flopped tobacco caused much concern, but farmers recognized there was nothing they could do SIGNED \_ > A contract for the construc tion of a second story on Wll liamston’s High School build ing has been signed by the Hardison Construction Com pany of Washington and work is slated to get under way at once. Orders for the materials were placed last week. No completion date is specified in the contract, and it could not be learned when the structure will be ready for use. Company towm Five-Year Period In This Section -»—— Virginia Klcclric DoiiIiIimI lift IliiftineMH In ISorlh nuftlern Carolina According to information just released by S. P. Woolford, dis trict manager of the Vepco Sys tem in the Albermarle District, most phases of the Virginia Eelec tric and Power Company's busi ness in the Albermarle district have increased at least 100 per cent in the last five years. To take care of this unprecedented increase in volume of business the company is making improve ments to its facilities in the Dis trict at a cost of over $1,500,000, A recent check of the company’s records at District headquarters in Williainston disclosed that from June, 1945 to June, 1950, the miles of pole line in the Dis trict had increased 105 percent - from 787 to 1,618 miles. During the same period the number of customers increased 116 percent - from 6,566 to 14,205. Over 1,500 families served by Vepco lines installed off-peak electric water heaters during the period, now numbering a total of 1,950 water heaters. Although it was difficult to ob tain construction materials dur ing the post war period, Vepco has built over 761 miles of rural line in Albermarle district since June, 1945. "Every employee in the district" says Mr. Woolford is proud of the district's record of efficiency in constructing these lines and is appreciative of the patience which rural customers showed while waiting their turn to receive service. "Naturally, the unprecedented growth in customers, lines and load has necessitated major changes throughout the district. During the five year period the number of . employees has in creased from 46 to 103.” Two-way Radio communications equipment has recently been in stalled on all Vepco construction and service vehicles and main stations located at Williainston and Elizabeth City. "The use of this equipment,” says Mr. Wool ford, “enables Vepco to quickly cyntact its personnel in the field and repair trouble with a mini mum of delay. Since the equip ment has been in service, the (Continued on Page Eight) about it. Rainsoakcd tobacco is causing one of the greatest har vest rushes ever heard of in this section. Reports said that one far mer housed tobacco from a com paratively small acreage every day last week. Barns are being crowded in many instances, and other barns virtually abandoned in the past are being repaired for use, the owners working to try and save the rapidly deteriorating crop. Tobacco was seen hanging on storage racks Sunday, the far mers explained there wasn't si0 ficient room to care for it in the barns. Some farmers were haul ing green tobacco across the coun ty to areas where barn space was available. It is the first time green tobacco has been seen mov ing on Sunday on the highways in this county. The rain-soaked leaf is not curing any too well, and farmers are certain that the crop has been damaged at least 25 percent so far this '. .son. Officers Installed By the Lions Club Here Thursday -r Juntos K. Bulluck To Heail Club As lit* New President James E. Bulluck, along with other new officers and directors were installed by Thomas S. Payne, Loins International Coun cilor for this district form Wash ington, during a regular meet ing of the organization last Thurs day evening. Mr. Bullock, the new president succeeds E. Ross Froneberger, under whose direc tion the club maintained a top position among the clubs in North Carolina. Other officers include: Ben D. Courtney, first vice presi dent; W. H. Abernathy, second vice president; R. L. Welch, third vice president; Clyde Manning, treasurer, and Charles Hamilton, secretary. Grady Luffman and Exum L. Ward, Jr., were added to the board of directors. Martin P. Moore, Jr., is the new Lion tamer, and J. I). Page took over as the official Lion tail twister. Councilor Payne was intro duced by Wheeler Manning, and following the induction, retiring President Froneberger turned the gravel over to President Bullock who presided during the remain der of the meeting. A letter form F. L. Jackson, Davidson College treasurer, was read by Secretary Hamilton, praising the behavior of the Will iam band members when they were guests of the college during their visit to the Lions conven tion in Charlotte. Professor Jack Butler, Past Band Captain Asa Manning and Band Captain Gloy den Stewart were guests of the club and Ljon Hildreth Mobley presented them with a trophy in recognition of the tie-position gained in the Charlotte parade. Two new members, Clarence Mangum and James L. Harris, were received into the club. President Bulluck, in a short inaugural tulk, expressed lus thanks for honor bestowed upon him, and called on all the mem bers for their support in main taining the high rating of the club. The fellowship prize svas a warded to Lion Julian H. Harrell Fanner Drive» Splinter Through Hit Foot In Field . — p.— Removing his shoes to buttle the mud and water while priming to bacco in his field near Jamesvillc last Tuesday, Farmer Colon Mar tin stepped on a partly submer ged lightwood stump and drove | a splinter through his foot. He was put to sleep while doc tors cut the splinter out. IMPROVING CriticaJiy ill following an op ; eration for appendicitis last Thursday morning at 6.00 o'clock, Little M:ss Vickie Martin, du igh ter of Commissioner and Mrs. C C. Martin of Jamesville, was re ported improving in the hospital here this morning. She was taken ill suddenly and the appendix had ruptured. / No One Hurl In Minor Accidents On County Roads Six Marines Had Only A Short Time To Meet Cherry Pt. Deadline No one was badly injured, but property damage pushed to a figure well in excess of $1,000 in two automobile accidents on county highways and streets Sun day afternoon and evening, ac cording to reports coming from the highway patrol office early Monday. Six U. S. Marines, returning from a visit with friends and rel atives in Baltimore and Philadel phia and trying to meet a 0:00 o’clock Sunday evening deadline at their base at Cherry Point, escaped injury when their 1948 Chevrolet skidded and went out of control within the Oak City town limits on Highway 125 at 1:30 o’clock Sunday afternoon. Several of the Marines were bruised and battered a bit, but there was no blood, and they were able to continue on their way. Investigating the accident, Pa trolman R. P. Natron said that the car skidded on a curve, ran off the road and turned over on its side in a ditch during a heavy rain. The top was mashed into the shape of an accordian, the windshield was knocked out along with glasses in the win dows. William A. Cabet of Phil adelphia and Cherry Point was driving. After recovering from the shock the boys righted the wreck and drove away. They had gone only a few miles before a tire went flat. After Patrolman Narron had helped them get the fixed, they continued on their way about 3:30 o’clock. Damage to the car was estimated at $400. Driving a 1948 mail truck be longing to C. S. VanLandingham about 8:00 o'clock Sunday even ing, Nathaniel Augustus Mobley lost control and ran into a 1942 Plymouth car parked on its left side of the highway about one half mile this side of Dardens on Highway 84. No one was in the car belonging to George Moore of Jamesvillc. Investigating the accident, Pa trolman J. T. Rowe said that the car was parked about 12 inches from the hardsurface, that the damage to the truck would run about $300 and that to the car at about $800. Mobley, booked, for drunken driven, was detained. Minor Wreck On Road In County Driving a truck belonging to Edgar Davis of Hamilton, Lonnie Green narrowly escaped injury when he dozed off and the truck went out of control and turned over on its side in a ditch be tween Hamilton and Palmyra last Tuesday afternoon. Slab wood, loaded on the truck, tore through the glass of the cab and almost penned the driver in, Patrolman B. W. Parker, making the investi gation, said. Damage to Ihe truck was csti I mated at $50. I Automobile (.at( hen On Fire Here Thursday I —* Starting from a simi I. t n\ ui'if fire damaged Pritchard Lindsley’s Chevrolet sedan at the corner of Haughlon and Church Streets last Thursday afternoon at 4:15 o'clock. Seeing sparks fly from under the dash board, Hilly Allsbrooks, the driver, parked it and pulled the wires loose. Residents in the neighborhood dashed water on the fire and had it out by the time volunteer firemen reached the scene with the truck. ROUND-lIP _ Ten persons were rounded up and temporarily detained iu the county jail last week [ end by local, county and I state officers. Three of those I jailed were booked for pub lic drunkenness, and two each for assaults, drunken driving and liquor law vio lations. A tenth one was held for investigation. One of the ten was white and the ages of the group ranged from 20 to 40 years. President Making Report To Nation On War Tomorrow hulioations I’oinl T« ('all For Mori* Monos Ami Larger Forres President Truman is almost certain to call for a sizable in crease in military appropriations and several hundred thousand more men for the armed forces in a message to the Congress Wednesday morning at 11:00 o’clock. At 9:30 o'clock Wednes day night, the President will re port to the nation, outlining that action "deemed necessary to cope with the Korean war crisis." An administration official said the President is expected to ask Congress for upwards of $5,000, 000,000 in new defense funds and call for new high limits on author ized manpower in the armed forc es perhaps some 770,000 above present strength. Salient features ot the emer gency program as described by this official. 1. A request for new military funds or .contract authorizations totaling $5,000,000,000 to $000, 000,000. 2. A proposal for legislation au thorizing 100,000 more men for the Army above the present legal limit of 837,000, and 00,000 more for the Navy which now cannot exceed 000,882. An increase may also be order ed for the 502,000-man Air Force. The three services are now some 550,000 men short of their combined authorized strength of 2,005,882. 3. Announcement by Mr. Tru man that he is delegating to the Defense Department authority to order selected reservists to duty, instead of asking for volunteers as a present. 4. No action now on mobilizing any of the 27 National Guard I divisions. Some authorities have speculated that six to nine divi sions will be called up shortly, along with reserves. According to some reports, Mr. Truman may give Secretary of Defense Johnson authority to call up National Guard units if nee cesaary., Mr. Truman’s message is not expected to ask for rationing or price and wage controls, but some government officials have pre dicted the President will seek controls over steel, curbs on consumer credit, and possibly a tax increase. They expect the re quest to cmpnasizc voluntary control procedure. Girl Attacked Her Step-Father • —<>—— Threatened with scalding if .she did not report for work in the peanut fields, Mary M. Flowers, 12-year-old colored girl, acted first by attacking her step fath er, T. K. Dawson, 50, on a farm on Ihc Itiver Hoad near Palmyra last Saturday morning, slie sent him to the hospital, last reports from the institution in Tar boro stating that he would be a patient there for at least two and possi | hly three weeks Moiling a pan of water and mix »mg in it a libera! portion of box iye, Hie gn 1 took a stand by the door and dashed the hulling box lye water into his face as he started to enter the house. Some of the water got into his eye but it is not bclived he will lose his sight. However, the burns were severe arouijd Ins nose, mouth and chest, some striking the thighs and knees with telling ef fect. Dawson, rendered almost crazy | by the pain, ran almost a third of a mile for help, crying for mer cy and pleading for help. The sheriff’s office was notified and an investigation is being made but no action is anticipated until the victim is able to leave the hospital. Local Man (untinncn (Juile III In llus/nlal ’— ——'• Mr. U. S. Courtney, prominent local citizen and business man, continues quite ill in the hospi tal here. However, this morning his condition was better than it was last week-end. He isn’t able to have company. Over-All Insurance Plan Discussed Here Slate Committee To Include One r County In Plan! Farmers Show Much Inter est In Coverage At Meet ing Hehl Monday A fnultiple insurance plan for multiple crops was discussed with a group of Martin County farmers at a meeting held in the court house Monday. Explaining the plan, W. A. Kitchin of the State Production-Marketing Admin ns tration committee, said that the government proposed to include one eastern county in the pro gram for next year, that possi bly one of the three counties of Halifax, Edgecombe and Martin would be singled out to inaugu rate the program. Similar pro grams are in effect in other sec tions of the nation, but so far peanuts have not been included. The plan, providing mainly in surance against actual produc tion losses, does not necessarily conflict with old-line insurance, it was said. According to a report released following the meeting, the multi ple insurance plan would offer protection on just about all the basic crops on a farm against losses from hail, wind, insects, weather conditions and even fire after the crop is harvested. In' other words, if it costs $250 to ‘ produce an acre of tobacco, the insurance would be based at the rate of one and one-half percent, or $3.75 an acre. If there should be a complete crop failure then the farmer would receive $250. The multiple feature combines all cash crops on a farm. If the farmer planted four acres of to bacco, five acres of corn, two acres of cotton and three acres of peanuts, and the cost of produc tion of all the crops was figured at $1,200, then he would pay an insurance premium of $10. If the farmer met with failure after em ploying normal farm practices and he sold his crops for only $500, then he would receive $700 in insurance. It was explained that if one of the crops failed and the others sold for more than the estimated cost of production, then there would be no insurance, Mr. Kitchen adding that the plan was designed to cover only the cost of production. The amount of insurance due i in case of crop failures would j be determined when the crops | are sold. If the cost of produc-1 lion is not covered by the sale of j the flops then the insurance | would make up the difference. A farmci could house his tobacco and have it destroyed by fire just before marketing time, then he would receive full credit for the loss, provided the other crops did not sell for enough to com pensate for the loss. Production costs as figured by the Bureau of Agricultural Ecu nomics are to be accepted, it was pointed out. Congress is interested in a plan m so far as it will not necessarily i prove a burden to tin g-wet.i) nunt, and at the same time pro feet the farmer against crop fail ures It could eliminate the gam hie in farming, hut the plan does not mean that the grower will be protected beyond the cost of production. To try the plan, the I’.-M. A advises that at least 1,000 growers ! participate in it. The State P.-M. A. committe is expected to select the county where the plan will be given a trial not later than the early part of next September. Quite a few farmers in this county could have participated in the plan this year to a great ad vantage. .. . ----- llillrn tty Snakr Nvnr J11 in ra villv Th 11 railny -4 Reaching down to pick up a loaf of tobacco behind a flue in a to bacco barn on their farm near (Jamesville, Mrs. Clureucc Barber was bitten on the hand by a I water moccosin. Treated by Plymouth doctors, she was reported yesterday to be yetting along very well. | IS'KW PRESIDENT "] James E. Hulluck, local business man, was installed as president of the VV i 11 - iamston Lions Club at a cere mony held here in the Wo man's Club hall last Thurs day evening. He succeeds E. Ross Froneberger. Former Resident Died In Everetts Saturday Morning FiiihtuI Ht*IJy Parker, Emmett Parker and Dal ton Parker, all of Sunbury, and Raymond Parker of Norfolk. Tobacco Diseases Appearing In Ail Sections Ci Slate -— \ilvi*e» lilenlifica Iion Of Disease Vml Take Prevail tiou*> By S. A. Tsiten Assistant County Agent Tobacco diseases of various kinds have appeared in many tobacco fields in Martin County this year It is estimated that ap proximately 5 percent of the en tire tobacco crop has been lost as a result of these diseases, The extent of loss on individual farms ranges from 10 percent to about 00 percent Most of the loss is credited to a disease known as Black Shank which, although rel atively new here, is not a new di sease in the flu-cured tobacco area. It was identified in western North Carolina in 1931 and has been gradually speading through the flue cured areas of Virginia, western and eastern North Caro lina and Georgia Black Shank appeared in Pitt County and west ern Beaufort county several years ago. It was found in the vicinity of Old Ford, Beaufort County, about three years ago and has slowly spread through that area and the southern part of Martin County The disease was als« found in the vicinity of Palmyra about three years ago This year black shank has been identified on farms throughout the county If no steps are taken to control the- disease and if it continued to spread as it has in other areas of the State, a good field tobacco in this county would be almost as rare five years from today as a grove of eoeanut trees is at the present tune. Briefly, the problem is this. Black Shank is here and if uncontrolled, it will continue to spread. The so lution is neither expensive nor time consuming First, a grower should carefully observe his crop this year If di seased plants are found, the di sease should, be correctfully iden tified If, for example, the Gran ville Wilt instead of black shank and Oxford 1 is planted on tht same land, it would still go down because Oxford 1 is not resis tant to Granville Wilt Incidental ly, a few eases of Granville Wii! have been found in the county Secondly, obtain seed, prefer ably certified, of a variety resis tant to the disease and if possi ble, rotate the crop in 1951; how ever, resistant varieties, especi ally Oxford 1 seldom go down more than 5 percent even on bad ly infested land Black shank in advanced stages tan hi- more easily identified than other major tobacco diseases The first symptom is rapid wilting of the entire plot. Usually the di sease is at tirst confined to a def inite part of a field and will spread to other parts of the field by surface drainage The stalk near and below the top of the row turns black In advanced stages, all roots are dead and the stalk can lie pulled up easily Gut tmg the stalk legth wise will show a pith separated into dry disc like layers similar in shape to gun wadding Varieties resistant to black shank are Oxford I, Oxford 3, Oxford 3 Oxford I is most popu lar because it has the best <|ual 11' i )1 lie! \ ,o u 1 e . ,i e ■ V, . ' ; M anil Veda 17. Two new varieties resistant In belli Haek hank and Granville wilt were released by the N G Kxpernnent Station in December 1919 Dixie Bright 101 has Granville Wilt resistance (Continued on page eight) f NO DKMXOPM MIN I'S v No definite instructions have yet been received for reactivating the Martin County Draft Hoard, Chair man Eugene Kicc said this However, preliminary morning. plans lor reopening the office are about complete, and Mrs. Henry Handy has been ap pointed clerk to the board, it was learned. The chairman said that he had not received a call for men, that possibly the first call would be handled by the district office for this eounty in Elizabeth City.