6 THE enterprise is read Bl
OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNTT
FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK
THE ENTERPRISE
THE ENTERPRISE IS REAP El
OVER 8,06# MARTIN COCNT1
FAMILIES TWICE EACH WKKS
VOLUME LIII—NUMBER 99
William Hon, Martin County, North Carolinat Thursday, December 14, 1950
ESTABLISHED 1899
County Boy Missing
• In Action In Korea
W. F. Strickland
Has Been Missing
Since Nov. 26th
Youth Enlisted In Service
Al Willianision Twenty
One Months Ago
Sgt. 1 c Woolard F. Strickland
has been missing in action in Ko
rea since November 26, his par
ents, Mr. and Mrs. Henry T.
Strickland of near Parmele were
advised by the Department of the
Army last week-end.
No other details were offered in
the telegraphic message, but Maj
• or Edward F. Witsell, in a letter
this week, pointed out that the
term “missing in action" is used
only to indicate that the where
abouts or status of an individual
is not immediately known. He
also explained that every effort
is being made to clear up the sta
tus of missing personnel, but that
under battle conditions the task is
difficult.
The young man is the seventh
» from this county to be listed
among the casualties in the Ko
rean war. It is believed that he
was in the Yalu River sector when
he was missed from his regular
assignment, lie is the second
youth from this county to be in
cluded among the casualties since
the Americans suffered reverses
in North Korea.
Sgt. Strickland, 21 years old last
* April, enlisted in the service at
Williamston 21 months ago, and
left this country last July for
Korea.
Before moving with his family
to the Parmele community, the
young man lived with his parents
on the W. B. Daniel farm between
Everetts and Williamston, and at
tended school in Williamston, lat
er attending the Robersonville
H High School.
Nan Jailed For
Secret Assault
H (' Council, 26-year-old col
ored man, was placed in the coun
ty jail Tuesday for alleged secret
ry assault. Unable to arrange' bond,
il looks as if he'll be a guest of
the county until next March.
Secreting himself behind a barn
i"> Lester Council’s farm on High
tra.v No. 11 between Bethel and
Hassell, Council allegedly shot
Samuel Randolph with a shot gun.
rbe victim was well peppered
with the shot, but his condition
is not serious. He was treated in
the Robersonville Clinic and was
discharged.
According to Deputy Dennis A.
Roberson, the trouble started last
Saturday night when Council
went to Randolph’s home and as
saulted Lillie Mae Brown, a
truest in the home. Asked out of
the house, Council went into the
yard and started shooting a shot
gun. Randolph, taking his gun,
retaliated, a few shot striking
Council doing little damage.
Council, biding his time, se
creted himself behind the barn
and when Randolph went to Les
ter Council’s hume, he fired upon
him from a distance of about for
, t.v yards.
Given a hearing before Justice
11 S. Everett in Robersonville
Council was placed under bond
in the sum of $750.
Subscribes To
Surveyor's Oaih
Elected surveyor of Martin
County in November 7 election,
O. B. Roberson of Robersonville,
this week subscribed to the oath
of office. Roberson did not report
and qualify on December 4 when
other county officers were sworn
in. The oath was administered by
Judge Walter J. Bone who was
presiding over the one-week term
of the Martin County Superior ,
Court.
Roberson was quoted as saying
that he had not surveyor’s in
struments, but that he planned
to purchase them.
| STORE HOURS I
Beginning next Wednesday,
Williamston stores will re
main open until 9:00 o'clock
each evening through the
following Saturday.
Local merchants, carrying
the greatest stocks in many,
many years, are appreciative
of the patronage and coopera
tion of all the people in this
section, and cordially,^ask
their continued patronage this
season and in the seasons to
come.
Shop in Williamston, save
the difference and make for
a better town and community.
Congressman Are
Said To Have Run
Out On Nui Plan
Ones To The South Got
Their 100,000 Acres
Ami Then Ran Out
Rep. Porter Hardy, Jr., of Vir
ginia accused three Georgia, Ala
bama and Texas Congressmen of
, “running out" on a legislative
agreement they made with the
Virginia-North Carolina House
delegation.
He listed the Congressmen as
W. R. Poage, of Texas; Stephen
Pace, of Georgia, and George
Grant, of Alabama.
These representatives and oth
ers, he declared, agreed to support
a peanut quota separation law
sought by Virginia-Carolina far
mers in return for support of leg
! islation adding 100.000 acres to the
peanut quotas in the souteast and
Southwest for 1950.
“They got their 100,000 acres,”
he said, "and they ran out on us.”
As a result. Hardy said in a mass
meeting before about 300 Nanse
I mond County farmers, Virginia
and Carolina still are “lumped to
gether" in peanut allotments with
"the trash that is grown in the
Southwest.” •
The Congressman, whu pre
! viously has referred publicly to
j Georgia-Alabama peanuts as
1 "those no-account Runners," add
ed; 'I'm so sick and tired of gad
gets and compromises I don’t
know what to do.' ”
Hardy dwelt principally on ef
forts to obtain legislation separat
ing peanut quotas into three types
j —Runners, grown chiefly in Geor
gia and Alabama; Spanish, pro
1 duced in Texas and Oklahoma and
Virginia, grown in Virginia and
North Carolina. Legislation to that
effect is now pending in the Sen
ate, but unless some changes are
put into law, all peanut quotas for
1951 will be eut 16 1-2 per cent in
1951.
Another bill, which originally
had the type provision, has passed
the House, but that measure, said
Hardy has been severely amended
j through the efforts of Southeast
I ern Congressmen.
He decried the fact that Virgin
ia growers already cannot supply
I ‘he demand for their type peanut,
yet face a reduction in acreage
next year.
Father Attacks
Son In County
Pleading with his father in be
half of his daughters, James Lan
gley, young colored man, was at
tacked by the elderly Langley
man at their home in Cross Roads
last week-end.
The father, using a large pock
et knife, cut the muscle in his
son’s right arm and then cut him
across the left arm. Langley, 77
years old, early this week swore
out a warrant for his son, and
Deputy D .A. Roberson learned
how badly the boy had been hurt
and that he received no medical
attention. After the son was
treated in a local hospital, a hear
ing was held before Justice H. S.
Everett who placed the father
under bond in the sum of $100.
The case will be tried h *hc
recorder’s court.
Clear Few Civil
Cases Wednesday
In Superior Conrt
—*—
Three Divorces Grauted In
Short Time Before
Adjournment
After clearing the criminal doc
ket Wednesday, the Martin Coun
ty Superior Court, working on a
mixed docket, granted three di
vorces in quick order and ap
proved judgments reached by
agreement.
Three divorces, based on two
year separation grounds, were
granted in the following cases: C.
M. Burden against Estelle Bur
den, John Dam Moore against
Rosa V. (Spruill) Moore, and
Vinoa Woolard against Willie
Woolard.
The court approved the sale of
certain property own«i by the
Edward L. Early estate, as fol
lows: a house and lot on Wash
ington Street to John Wier for
$3,750; and the Crystal Grill on
the same street to Frances G.
Early for $7,500
A judgment, allowing the
plaintiff $500, was entered in the
case of Johnnie I*. Marslender by
his next friend, W. H Marslender,
against J. M. Heath, when the
defendant failed to file answer.
The suit grew out of an accident
on Highway 17 near Williamston
last July 4.
In the case of W. L. Manning
against N. P. Roberson, the court
appointed W. C. Rodman, Jr.,
surveyor, to make a plat of cer
tain lands in contention.
Two lawyers in the case of Wal
ler Bailey et al against Velma
Bailey ct al were allowed $50
fees each.
The Cowen versus Jenkins
case, involving a boundary line
and pending in the courts for
several years and around which
volumnious evidence had been
heard, was finally entered in the
records. The court sustained the
findings of the referee, declaring
the defendant the owner of the
land in dispute. The court order
ed the line be pAiperly marked
at corners "A" and “B" and in
the middle with concrete mark
ers, the cost borne equally by the
litigants. The referee was allow
ed the further sum of $65, and
the twu surveyors were allowed
$30 each.
While the court consumed
hardly half its allotted time, ar
rangements were advanced this
week for a special term to be held
in January to hear cases pertain
ing to a county drainage project
in Bear Grass and Cross Roads.
Special Program
Sunday Evening
Religious worship, for the most
part, will be centered in a1 special
Christmas program by the high
school music department Sunday
evening at 8:00 o'clock in the high
school auditorium. There'll be no
regular services in most of the
churches at that time, and a large
attendance upon the special pro
gram is certain.
Following the Scripture read
ing and invocation by Rev. E. R.
Shuller, the audience will sing
several of the well known carols.
Part II includes several numbers,
featured by soprano soloist, Miss
Jean Mobley.
The band will render several
Christmas selections, and the glee
club and band, under the direction
of Miss Royster and Mr. Butler,
have been assigned numbers in
part four of the program.
Jaycees Install
Nativity Scene
Braving freezing weather and
other obstacles, members of the
local Junior Chamber of Com
merce have about completed the
installation of the Naticity scene
in the Presbyterian church yard
on Main Street. The lights will be
turned on shortly.
Prepared (by German prisoners
of war while they were in camp
here in the middle forties, the
scene, rated among the most im
pressive to be found, was placed
in the care of focal Jaycees who
have successfully struggled with
its installation each year.
Favorable Rate of Interest
On $200,000 Town Bonds
The last hurdle in the town's
improvement program for its wa
ter and sewer systems was suc
cessfully negotiated Tuesday
when $200,000 worth of bonds
were sold at a very favorable in
terest rate.
Ranging from 2.25 to 3.25 per
cent, the interest average was
2.3012 percent. While the rate
for Williamston’s bonds is about
three-quarters of one percent
above the interest figure for near
ly $6,000,000 worth of Charlotte
bonds, it is more than one per
cent below the percentage fee for |
bonds sold by two or three others
towns in the State at the same
time.
Williamston has issued quite a
few bonds in the past forty years,
but the rate the recent issue car
ries is the lowest on record. Most
of the bonds issued in the past
carried six percent interest, but
they are rapidly being retired,
and it isn’t likely that the new
issue will materially alter the tax
rate.
The bond sale was handled by
the Local Government Commis
sion in Raleigh, and II. S. Dick
son and Company of Raleigh and
Charlotte were the successful
bidders.
Contracts for the expanded
water and sewer systems were
closed some time ago, and work
on both projects is well advanced.
FORCED
Increased paper costs and
"jumping" operating costs is
forcing a slight increase in
The Enterprise subscription
rate, the management ex
plained this week.
The new rate, carrying on
ly a 50-cent increase on a
year's subscription, is effec
tive January* 1. Until that
time, subscriptions may be
renewed at the old price and
advanced for any length per
iod desired. If a subscrip
tion expired in January, Feb
ruary or in any month next
year, the subscriber may re
new now at the old price and
have the subscription advanc
ed from the expiration date.
The management regrets
that such action is necessary,
. but after battling against an
increase for years despite war
and rising costs, action is ne
cessary. It is taken with the
understanding that a reduc- j
tion will follow when other
costs come down.
County Receives ;
$3,361 In Fees
Martin County received $3,-'
361.07 in court tinea and costs
and special fees last month, ac
cording to reports filed with the
board of commissioners at their
regular December meeting.
A large portion of the income
was derived from the county
court, fines amounting to $753
and costs adding up to $555.35.
The superior court accounted for
$167.65, and miscellaneous items
in the clerk’s office added $255.32
The register of deeds turned
in $412.25, including $330 for re
cording papers'. The remainder
was derived from the issuance of
marriage licenses, certificates anil
handling other types of papers.
The sheriff's office collected
and turned in to the treasury
$215.50 in fees.
1
MEETING
The local Parent-Teacher
Association will meet in the
grammar school auditorium
next Monday evening at 7:30
o'clock.
A goodly number of the pri
mary pupils, under the di
rection of Miss Lamina Bak
er, will present a Christmas
program.
Holiday Schedule Planned
For The Christmas Season
A holiday schedule for Christ- I
mas and New Year’s has been an
nounced by the Williamston Boos- j
ters, the executive secretary ex
plaining that while the schedule j
may not fit all cases, a majority
of the business operators bad fav
ored it.
Including Sunday, the sched
ule provides a three-day Christ
mas holiday—Christmas Day and
the day after Christmas. New
Year’s Day will also be observed
as a holiday here. The post of
fice wi!! close Christmas Day but
will be open the day after Christ
mas, and New Year’s Day will be
observed as a holiday by the
postal service.
All schools in the county are^
closing for the holidays at noon
next Wednesday and are to re
open on Tuesday, January 2, at
the usual hour.
In keeping with an old custom,
and one anticipated throughout
the year, The Enterprise will sus
pend operations next Wednesday
until Thursday, December 2a,
giving the force a full week’s va
cation. It is planned to issue the
first edition next week on Monday
and follow with a second edition
on Wednesday. The immediate
submission of church program,)
Christmas programs and other
general announcements of news
along with advertising will be
appreciated by the management
and all the boys in the shop. ‘
John D. Ward, Jr.
Died In Hospital
— - - -—
John D. Ward. Jr., died in a lo
cal hospital yesterday morning at
10:00 o'clock after years of de
clining health. Suffering with a
heart condition, he had received
treatment at intervals during the
past year and entered the hospi
tal here several weeks ago. His
condition had been critical for
some time.
The son of the late John D. and
Sabrina Gurganus Ward, he was
born in Williamston 50 years ago.
Alter completing the local schools
he attended a business college in
Poughkeepsie, New York, and
was employed as a bookkeeper for
J. L. Hassell and Company here
for several years before locating
in Norfolk. He later operated a
filling station in Bertie County,
but had made his home in Bear
Grass Township in recent years, |
ill health having forced his retire
ment.
Funeral services will be con
ducted at the Biggs Funeral home
here this afternoon at 11:30 o’clock.
Interment will be in the family
plot in Woodlawn Cemetery. Rev.'
E. R. Shuller, local Methodist min
ster, will conduct the rites.
Surviving are two sisters, Mrs.
John Naneck of New York City j
and Miss Lucille Ward of Bear
Grass; three brothers, Wheeler M. |
Ward of Williamston, Norman 1
Ward of New Bern and Evan Ward
of Richmond. I
Regular Report •
By Grand Jury
— -♦—
Completing their work Tuesday,
members of the Marlin County
Grand Jury filed their quarterly
leport and left for home. Nine of
the eighteen, completing fheir
year of service as members of the
jury, will not return next March.
They will be replaced by nine
others.
The report, filed ot'er the signa
ture of Billy Griffin, foreman, was
routine in its findings. All justices
of the peace had filed reports and
accounted to the treasurer for
fines collected. The county jail
and home were found in good con
dition. The county home, accord
ing to the report, has two colored
male, one colored female, five
white female and two white male
inmates. The county TU sanitar
ium has seven patients now, two
white men, two colored men and
three colored women.
Marriage License
Issuance Al New
Low In November
Fourteen Couples Marry In
County Against Average
Of Twenty-four
— r—
Marriages hit a new low in
number for November in this
county last month when only
fourteen licenses to wed were
issued by Register of Deeds J.
Sam Getsingcr. There have been
as many as forty-four licenses
issued in November during the
past twenty years, and only once
did the number fall as low as
fifteen. However, the bottom fell
out in November of this year,
Cupid apparently finding it quite
difficult to meet living costs in
dividually without taking on a
mate. During the past twenty
years, an avearage of 21 marriage
licenses were issued during the
month of November in this coun
ty.
Marriage licenses were issued
last month, nine to white and five
to colored couples, as follows:
White
Gilbert L. Angc and Lula Dean
Napier, both of Jamesville.
Charles M. Bowers of Washing
ton, D. C., and Patricia Ellen King
of Williamston.
James Bunch and Elvie Jean
ette Bowen, both of Williamston.
Mayhbw Taylor and Zula Marie
Silverthorne, both of Williams
ton.
James Roy Hoggard and Nettie
Ruth Byrum, both of Ahoskie.
Vernon Elliot Brown and Edna
Louise Warren, both of Robcr
sonville.
Milton P. Bennett of Palmyra
and Beulah Evelyn Gardner of
Williamston.
Robert Eugene Hamilton of
Plymouth and Frances Elizabeth
Griffin of Jamisvill^.
James Fenton Mizellr of Wind
sor and Sybil Miland Holder of
[Merry Hill.
Colored
Claro Dickens and Doris Jones,
both of Oak City.
John Little of Williamston and
Lydia Ford of Everetts.
John Robert May and Ethel
May Outlaw, both of Stokes.
Lowell Purvis, Jr., and Charlie
Mae Bell, both of Robersonville.
Clcophus Bell of Williamston
and Nancy Ann Butler of Wash
ington.
Home Lighting
Contest Planned
Williamston’s annual home
lighting contest is again being
sponsored b.y the Williamston
Boosters this year, according to
Al Sweatt, managing director of
that organization. Plans are going
forward and early next week, a
full list of pr izes will be announc
ed, hs will rules governing the
contest.
Indications are that the contest
will be conducted along similar
lines as the one last year, but there
will be a grand prize for the best
decorated home, regardless of
whatever type of decoration it is.
This grand prize will be a Wcst
inghousc pop-up toaster, given by
the Worrell Appliance Company.
Thi- contest will be judged by out
of town persons, so that there will
be absolutely no chances l'or fav
oritism
Everyone is invited to enter in
to the contest.
Numerous Cases
In County Court
While the county court was idle
during the time the superior
court was in session this week,
quite u few cases accumulated.
However, up until this morning
only twenty-five had been placed
on the docket for trial next Mon
day. Quite a few were set for
trial the early part and middle of
January.
The defendants stand charged
with violations of at least ten
different types of crimes, includ
ing one traffic violation, five as
sault, two drunken driving, four
speeding, two careless and reck
less driving, one bastardy, two
non-support, three public drunk
en, on< affrqy and two hit-and
run eases.
Superior Court Ends
Regular Term Here
1 FOR THE NEEDY
^ - — — >
The Goodwill Club of Wil
liamston. N. C. In sponwrinf
a drive to see that Santa
eomes to see all the children
in Williamston whose parents
are not able to pay for the
visit. The colored citizens, and
other Interested croups are
asked to brine toys, money or
whatever they would like to
pive, to the ffflce of the sup
ervisor, or to the home of L.
M. Jackson, who is chairman
of the drive.
Anypne who knows of such
families are tf report them to
Mr A. t>. Williams, P. O. Box
41. Wiltyamston. N. C.
Disease Resistant
Seed For Tobacco
Needed In County
—f.—_
Sf«l Sflcrtion Can Mean
Success or Failure
With 1951 Crop
Because Black Shank and
|Granville wilt arc now prevalent
| to some extent in every major
j tobacco-producing county in the
I State, it will be more of a prob
lem than fcver for Tar Heel grow
bfti to choose thit right variety of
tobaCco for next year.
Tobacco Specialists R. R. Ben
nett of the State College Exten
sion Service and C. J. Nusbaum
of the Agricultural Experiment
Station say that rotation and use
■ of resistant varieties are the two
measures being used to fight
I these dread diseases. Rotation,
,they point out, helps by reducing
infestation in the soil and giving
support to resistant varieties.
TJie resistant varieties, all re
leased by the Experiment Station
a year ago, are Dixie Bright 101
and 102, which hive resistance to
both black shank and Granville
wilt, and Dixie Bright 27, which
has resistance, to Granville wilt
only.
Dixie Bright 101 has shown
, moderate resistance to black
shank and high resistance to j
j Granville wilt, ami Dixie Bright.
27, which has resistance to Gran
ville wilt only.
Dixie Bright 101 has shown |
moderate resistance to black
shank and high resistance to
black shank and high resistance 1
to Granville wilt It yields about
like 400 and Yelluw Special, is
of good quality, and cures to a
bright lemon color. The leaves
are spaced moderately wide apart
on the stalk and are somewhat
tender under very favorable j
growing conditions. Plants should
be spaced about 18 to 20 inches
in the drill and tupped high. The j
variety seems to be adapted to a
wide range of soils and growing
conditions.
Dixie Bright 102 has shown
high resistance to both black
shank and Granville wilt in North !
Carolina It is a moderate \ l'ldcr,;
about like Oxford 26, is thinner ‘
than Oxford 26 and of high qual
ity. The leaves are spaced wide'
apart on the stalk. Plants should'
be set about 18 inches in the
drill and topped high. Dixie
Bright 102 dries easily during
curing needs to dry rather rapid
ly for best lemon color
The third new variety, Dixie
Bright 27, is not resistant to black
shank but has resistance to Gran-,
ville wilt about equal to that of |
Oxford 26. A strong feeder, its |
yield is greater than that of Ox- i
ford 26, especially on light soils. ^
It is not as brittle as Oxford 26,!
especially on light soils. It is not j
as brittle as Oxford 26 and its’
leaves are close spaced on the |
stalk. Spacing of 20 to 22 inches
in the drill is advised.
Bennett and Nusbaum point out
that many growers have exper
ienced heavy losses with the first
appearance of black shank in cas
es where nuii-resistant varieties
were being used They urge grow
ers to consider the use of a re
sistant variety in communities
where black shank or Granville
wilt is prevalent even though the
(Continued on page six)
Van R. Page Goes
To Snpreme Court
In Robbery Case
Fc* Civil Cases Cleared
From Docket Before
Court Quits
Opening a one-week mixed
term last Monday, the Martin
County Superior Court yesterday
afternoon folded its tent and
quietly stole away after clearing
1 the criminal docket and handling
a few civil matters. After hearing
repeated appeals from his moth
er, wife and sister, one defendant
was given until January 2 to
start serving a road term. Judge
Walter J Bone, presiding over
the term, heard the requests for
leniency, but the road term was
unchanged except its beginning
date.
j The Van R. Page case in which
the defendant is charged with
conspiracy to break into and rob
I the Jake Mobley filling station
and store near Robersonville, is
to be aired in the North Caro
lina Supreme Court provided
Page raises a $100 appeal bond
j within the next few days, After
he does that he'll then have to
raise a $2,500 bond before he can
get out of jail. No bond had been
arranged early today. Convicted
by jury following a trial thai
lasted parts of two days, Page
was sentenced by Judge Bone to
serve not less than three and no;
mor* than five years on the roads
Page, it will be recalled, had
his case delayed at the Septembct
term on a legal technicality, bu;
he was unable to arrange bond
and he continued in the county
jail. Since September he had
changed lawyers. Should the ap
peal be provided and the appear
ance bond is not granted then
Page will have to wait the high
court’s decision next spring.
Murray Boyd, charged with set
ting woods on fire, did not report
for trial and the court ordered
papers issued for his arrest.
Tin- case charging James A.
Warren with violating the liquor
laws, continued until the March
term.
James Woolard, convicted m the
luominuca on page six)
Voting Slow In
Farm Elections
Voting was off to a slow start
in the farm elections in this coun
ty this morning, according to pre
liminary reports received from
several of the balloting places
Williamston and Poplar Point
combined had cast less than 100
votes shortly before noon today,
and the size of the vote was pro
portionately the same in several
other districts. However, the vote
is expected to pick up during the
remainder of the day, and be
tween 1,300 and 2,000 votes are
anticipated. As far as it could be
learned peanut quotas were re
ceiving a strong support.
In addition to the peanut vote,
the farmers are choosing their
community committeemen for
next year. Tomorrow, a county
convention will be held for the
election of the county P.-M. A.
committee.
Car-Truck Wreck
On River Road
No one was hurt but damage
estimated at $250 resulted in a
ear-log truck accident about three
miles this side of the Halifax
County line on the River Road
shortly before noon Tuesday.
Mr. Eary T. Smith drove his
1950 Dodge out of his driveway
and was driving slowly to the
side of the road when the log
truck driven by Irving Coleman of
Scotland Neck, struck from the
rear. The $250 damage was con
fined to the automobile, Patrol
man M. F. Powers, making the in
vestigation, reported.
-r
t