THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BI OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNT* families twice each week THE ENTERPRISE THE ENTERPRISE IS READ Hi OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNT1 FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK VOLUME LIII—NUMBER 85 Williamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Thursday, October 26, 1950 ESTABLISHED 1899 Thirty Cases In . Recorder's Court Monday Morning Judge Chas. Manning Long On Road Sentences This Week In a session lasting until about j J:00 o’clock Monday, Judge Chas. j H. Manning reached into the bag and pulled out a number of road sentences. In addition to the * “time” sentences, fines were im posed in the amount of $340. Proceedings: Continued and literally kicked around since last July 31, the as sault charge against Harvey Let Mooring was cleared from the calendar. The defendant was sen tenced to the roads for three months, suspended upon the pay ment of a $25 fine and costs. • Pleading not guilty of an as sault with a deadly weapon. Nym phus James was adjudged guilty and drew six months on the roads. Robert Jones, colored, was fin ed $15, plus costs,' for an assault wdth a deadly weapon He pleaded not guilty but apparently could not support his plea. Pleading guilty of non-support, Willie O Person was sentenced to the roads for six months, the court Suspending the road term upon the payment of the costs and $12 a month for the support of his family. He is to reappear for fur ther judgment the fourth Monday in October, 1951. Caught twice in one day for operating a motor vehicle with out a driver’s license, Eli Carr was doubly fined $25 plus double xosts. Joe Lanier, charged with an attempted assault, pleaded guil ty and drew sixty days on the roads. Charged with assaults with deadly weapons. Mary Glenn Tay lor and Flossie Whitehurst were adjudged not guilty. Judgment wijs suspended upon I lie payment of the cost in the casj charging Prim Sherrod with an 'assault. Adjudged guilty of an assault with a deadly weapon, Ernestine Williams was sentenced to jail lor thirty days, the sentence to be suspended upon the payment of tlie costs. Pleading not guilty, William Henry Bryant was found guilty of bastardy and was sentenced to ^he roads for six months. The sen tence w'as suspended upon the payment of the court costs and $3 a week for the support of his child. Mildred Graham was fined $25. Plus costs, for operating a motor vehicle without, a driver's license. Charged with violating the hq iui laws and being puohei.y drunk, John Rawls, RkJL) 2. Williamston, wi*s found guilty of being public ly drunk and was fined $25, plus costs. George Spruill pleaded guilty of bastardy and was sentenced to the loads for six months The sen tence was suspended upon the payment of the costs and $15 a month for the support of his child during the next two years. Kelly Moore was fined $25. plus costs, for being publicly drunk. He pleaded not guilty. Charged with violating the ^ liquor laws and being publicly drunk, Joe Bland was found not guilty. James A Warren appealed to the higher courts when he was fined $50 /or allegedly violating tile liquor laws. Bond was requir ed in the sum of $10Q, Raymond Albritton was fined $25, plus costs,. for operating a motor vehicle without a driver’s license. t Charged with the possesion' of (Continued on Page^2ight)~~ j I LITTLE NOTICED s-——-J The United Nations' fifth anniversary was little noticed here last Tuesday. No pro gram was planned and if there were any prayers, they were silent ones. A lone United Nations flag waved from a short pole in the yard of the county agri culture building, but rain kept it inside most of the day. The American flag waved proudly along the main street, but alone. Harvest Festival Queen Crowned queen of Williamston’s third annual Harvest Festival, Miss Jean Carol Griffin, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John A. Griffin of Griffins, is pictured with Mr. A1 Sweatt, executive director of the Williamston Boosters, Inc., sponsors of the event. The queen received a dinner ring and other gifts. Tobacco Market To Close Next Tuesday 9,640,624 Pounds Are Sold Locally So Far This Year Ineoine Mon* Than u Mil lion Dollars Greater Than In 19T9 Williamston’s tobacco market 1 will close the current season at i the end of sales next Tuesday, j October HI, it was announced by I the Tobacco Board of Trade yer ; terday And it goes without say ing that the market is closing one of its best, if not the best, sea sons in all its history. After handling more than 100. 000 pounds on Monday of this week, the market reported only small sales Tuesday and yester day, the warehousemen explain ing that by next Tuesday all far mers in this section will have mar keted their crop. Through yesterday the fnarket here had sold 9,640,624 pounds for $5,528,099.96, an average of $57.34 per hundred pounds. Last year the market sold 8, 910,898 pounds for $4,371,162, an average of $49.05. The total money received this year, exceeding last year's re ceipts by $1,156,937.96, is believed (Continued on page six) Club To Sponsor Halloween Party -A, Williamston's Womans Club will sponsor a big Halloween par ty in the Planters Warehouse here Saturday night, beginning at 7:00 o'clock, it was announced to day. Extensive preparations are be ing made for the event and hun dreds are expected to attend and participate in the special pro gram. There’ll be bingo, fishing, apple bobbing, fortune telling, penny pitching, a cake walk, doll show and quite a few surprises. The club members will maintain a food booth. Prizes will be given for the best costumes. A 10-cent admission fee will be charged. | STILL PENDING ' v. J Contracts for the construc tion of a new colored high school building here, an addi tion to the local white school and a gymnasium in Rober sonville are still pending, it was learned today. Considered too high, the bids received some months ago are being held in abey ance until changes can be made to bring the costs in line. Representatives of the county board of education were in Raleigh yesterday to discuss the proposed changes, but approval was delayed by the illness of a representative of the State Planning Com mission. Native Oi County Dies In New Bern Mrs. Della Coltrain Perkins, na tive of this county, died in the Neuse Forrest Convalescent Home near New Bern Tuesday morning at 9:00 o’clock. She had been in declining health for months. Mrs. Perkins was born in Wil liams Township, this county, 79 years ago, the daughter of the late John and Nancy Griffin Col tram. She married in 1892 to Dave R Perkins who died in 1924. She had made her home in Pitt Coun ty for about forty years, and was a member of the Robersonville Primitive Baptist Church. The funeral service was held at the home yesterday afternoon at 3:00 o’clock by Elder A. B. Ayers, and interment was-in the Perkins family cemetery near Stokes. Surviving are a son, Church L. Perkins of Greenville, a daughter, Mrs. J. R. James of Stokes; one grandson; two brothers, Ira Col train of Jamesville and Janies H. Coltrain of Williamston; and two sisters, Mrs. Walter Mobley and Mrs. A. F. Lilley of Williamston. TO VISIT HERE Christopher Crittenden, director Department of Archives and His toary, Raleigh, will make an offic ial visit in this county next week. Benjamin Johnson Died In Oak City Tuesday Morning Funeral Service Held There Yesterday Afternoon for Prominent Citizen Benjamin Louis Johnson, prom inent county citizen and a leader in the Oak City Community for many years, died at his home there early Tuesday morning fol lowing a long period of declining health, lie was very active in managing his farming operations until about two years ago when feeble health forced his retire ment. He was confined to his l home most of the time during the past five months and his con dition was critical for about ten days, death being attributable to the infirmities of his advanced years. The son of the late Joshua L. and Martha Daniel Johnson, he was born near Gold Point in Kob ersonville Township 87 years ago on May 28, 1888, and spent his early life on the farm there. In 1905 he located in Oak City where he operated a mercantile business for about ten years or until he found it necessary to be out of doors much of the time on ac count of his health Mr. Johnson, championing wor thy causes and exemplifying high ideals and Christian character in his daily walk through life, serv ed his community in many ways, including years of service as a member of the local school board, and as a member of the Conoho Primitive Baptist Church the greater part of half a century. In 1907 he was married to Miss Sallie L. Worsley who survives with one son, N. W Worsley of Oak City; two daughters, Mrs James L. Johnson of Washington and Mrs. J. L. Hassell of Oak City; one brother, C S. Johnson of Rob erson viile. Funeral services were conduct ed at the home yesterday after noon at 3:00 o’clock by Elders W. E. Grimes, E. C. Stevenson arid Robbins. Interment was in the Oak City Cemetery. Liquor Traffic j On the Increase There is an apparent increase | in the illicit liquor traffic in this county, observers pointing out that part of the decrease in legal beverage sales is being offset by a greater consumption of the home-made brands. The manufacturing front is showing new life, enforcement of ficers stating tha* -he Free Union 1 Section, after slowing down for a period, is stepping up its opera j tions. A short time ago, ABC officer J. H Roebuck and Deputy Roy Peel wrecked a 150-gallon capaci ty copper kettle in that area This week the two officers wrecked three plants there and confiscated two copper kettles, one with forty gallon capacity and the other with a capacity of 100 gallons. A third plant was found within 500 yards of the first, but no kettle could be found there. The officers pour ed out more than 1,000 gallons of sugar mash at the three places yesterday, and wrecked fourteen fermenters .including a 400-gal lon box. Last week the officers raided in Bear Grass and wrecked two plants. One was equipped with a 200-gallon capacity submarine type still and the other had a 100 gallon copper kettle. The raiders poured out approximately 1,000 gallons of mash and twenty gal lons of white liquor. One of the plants was extensively equipped with equipment and materials HIGH RATING Volunteering for service in the U. S. Navy a short time ago, hi wood Kay Boyd, son of Mr. and Mrs. A. W. Boyd of Hamilton, made the highest score ever made in a qualifi cation test in this district, the recruiting officer announced here yesterday. Making a perfect score, the young recruit left last Wed nesday to enter the electron ics field in San Diego. He was accompanied by Fritz Wool ard, Jr., another recruit from Aulander. Call Eight Cases ' In Justice Court In Past Few Days Man Placed (hitler Bond In Holdiery-Assault (law By Justice Mobley ! Willie Moore, young colored 1 mar,, was placed under $750 bond 1 by Justice Chas. R. Mobley here last Tuesday in the case in which ■ he was charged with robbing and ! assaulting "Peg" Northern with ! intent to kill. Unable to arrange bond, Moore was returned to jail to await trial in the superior court ! in December. It was alleged at the hearing that Moore, claiming Northern owed him a quarter, knocked the one-legged man down, took his victim's pocket knife and left a 15-stitch gash around his head. It was also al leged that Moore pulled,$3 from Northern's pocket. Murray Wallace, charged with assaulting Ins wife, was booked by Justice Mobley for trial in the county court. Bond was arranged m the sum of $100. Justice II. T. Johnson heard the following cases Charged with improper park ing on the highway, Ernest C. Mooring, Jr., was found not guil ty Erah Ayers, charged with being drunk on the highway, was taxed with the costs. Jim Jarman was taxed with 1 $7.85 costs for being drunk on the highway. j Charged with operating a motor j vehicle with improper equipment, Samuel Manning was found not I guilty. William Brown was taxed with ] the costs for an affray. I Wclton Arnold, charged with an i assault, was bound over to -the j county court in $200 bond. Al j lodged to have threatened the lile ol his wifi- and other members I of his family, the defendant was i also placed under a $200 peace I bond for two years. . — ’ . ... I Receive Bids On Road In County • I The J. S Hill Construction I Company of Washington was low i bidder on a road project in this j county, it was announced follow | ing a meeting of the North Caro I lina State Highway and Public ! Works Commission in Raleigh | Tuesday. The company submitted la bid in the sum of $56,449.40. No ! official statement has been rc j leased, but the bid calls for the grading of the road leading from ja point a short distance from Eve retts ubout right and one-half miles through Bear Grass to Cor ey’s Cross Roads. A previous bid on the project was rejected when the commission ruled it was too high Bids on 35 projects were re ceived by the commission this week. The total was $2,818,179.07, an amount $114,220 08 below en gineers estimates I Draw Jurymen ior I Recorder's Court Thirteen county citizens were drawn this week for jury duty in the recorder’s court next Mon day when John Hayman will be tried for assaulting his wife and H. L. Roberson wdl be booked i ffire An old Williamston man re cently retired from the railroad service in Suffolk, and Preston Charles wrote the following .story under a Suffolk date line: Fifteen years ago J. R. Ellison, Atlantic Coast Line Railroad agent for Suffolk, was preparing to retire. The ACL said every em ployee had to quit work at 70, and he was getting on toward that age. So, to supplement his pension money after quitting the railroad, he bought a piece of property .just across the street from the ACL station on East Washington. The idea was to start a wood and coal yard after he retired and ai ve out a new career for himself in the business world. Llut he didn't have to retire after all. The Federal government took over the railway pension fund and put out a new ruling; any railroader who was willing and able, and his work was sat isfactory, could stay on as long as he liked. So Mr Ellison stayed on as agent here, not to retire until September 30, 11)50 at the age of 32 a little over 02 years after he first started working on the rail road. His career as a railroader, inci dentally, began 1888, when he was a boy of 20 He went to wea k as a check and transfer clerk for the Norfolk Southern Railway at Williamston early that year and a year later was made agent for the NS at Centerville. « His first job with the ACL | was at Williamston, N C., hu home town. He was taken on there as clerk-operator at the hand some stipend of $30 a month 11c: served successively as agent at Jamesvillc and Parmele, then m 1898 or 1899, he isn’t sure which, he got a transfer to the transpor tation department and became a conductor. A few years of that was enough, j “I decided 1 liked three meals a day anil sleeping home nights," says Mr Ellison So he took a job that would fill the bill. It turned I out to be the post of agent at Suf I folk. That assignment started April 1, 1904, and it never ended for him until he retired. That is, except for one month he spent soli if years ago as agent at Petersburg "1 took that job,” he explained in an interview, "on the condition that they'd keep an extra man on here a while so if I didn't like it I could come back. 1 didn't, so I came back." What was wrong with the job'.’ , It wasn’t the job so much; it was being away from Suffolk. "I've never lived in a place 1 liked half as well as Suffolk," ho declared "And I've never seen a place, either, that would suit me as well.” Like most any veteran railroad man, Mr. Ellison declares he loves the work Hut unlike most, he isn't at all sure he’d go into it if he had it to do over again. He went into it because it seem ed like a good job at the time, and he had learned telegraphy al ready from an operator at Wil liamston. So from then on, it was railroading for him. All the same, if the choice of work his anything to do with health, railroading has done all (Continued on page eight) FEW KECJISTEK Complete reports could not be had immediately, but judg ing the trend in those pre cincts where reports were re leased, less than a dozen new names have been added to the registration books for the November 7 election. Those whose names are al ready on the books do uot have to register again, but those who have never regis-, tered and those who have reg istered but moved to new pre cincts will have to register if they are to participate in the election. Saturday of this week is the last day to regis ter. _J