North Carolina Newspapers

'■ - -,L ■=^-—^ THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BY OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNTY FAMILIES TWICE EACH W’EEK THE ENTERPRISE THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BY OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNTY FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK VOLUME LIV—NUMBER 76 William iton, Martin County, North Carolina, Thursday, September 20, 1951 ESTABLISHED 1899 Killer Sentenced To Prison For 30 Years J. Henry Williams Makes Disgusting Plea To Save Self Wife Killer Pleiuls Guilty Of Second Degree Mur der In Court Tuesday James Henry (Slick) Williams, 27-year-old Negro, was sentenc ed no serve thirty years in State Prison for the fatal stabbing of his wife, Hattie Mae Peel Wil liams, by Judge Henry Stevens in the Martin Count Superior Court here late Tuesday afternoon. The weight of the sentence apparent ly did not dawn upon the pro fessional “carver", but he walk ed starry-eyed back to jail with officers to await transfer to Ral eigh. Williams, in court numerous times for abusing and attacking his w'fr, returned from the roads on the morning of last August 25 and fatally stabbed the de feriseless victim early the fol lowing morning. He entered a plea of second de gree murder and the plea was accepted at 4:10 Tuesday after noon by Solicitor George Foun tain. In its showing before court, the State presented evidence by only four witnesses, Minnie Eu banks. Marie Griffin, Officer Ar thur Perry and Deputy Raymond Rawls. The evidence placed the charge close to first degree mur der, but the court reasoned that the plea fitted the case. The State showed that Wil liams, after leaving the road camp early that Saturday morn ing, went to his mother's home and then visited his aunt, final ly going to his wife’s home on White Street. He changed clothes and left, returning that afternoon. Later he attended a show and returned home about midnight. His wife, sitting on the porch with Minnie Eubanks, followed him into the house and she was heard screaming a few minutes later. "I heard her cry, 'Don't j cut me, Slick, don’t cut me’,” Wit 110,ss Minnie Eubanks said. The ! witness said the attacker called j her and told her to call a doctor. “She (the victim) struggled for her last breath and I told Slick it was too late to call a doctor, lhat I was going to call the law," j She witness said, adding that she found the man bent over the vic tim, the small paring knife, bent | end bloody, on the floor near j him. Mane urirnn, nearing uie screaming, turned off her radio and went to a window and saw the man grab at his wife, saw her fail irnd saw him working his hand up and down over her. The juglar vein was severed and the victim bled to death in a matter of minutes. Witness Rawls, giving the vie- ! tint a splendid reputation review ed William's record in the courts.! The wife was afraid to testify, against him at times. On one oc casion he was fined for attacking her. A third time, he ran away , ••and upon his return a fee."months , later attacked her again within| five hours. The officer said that the fellow seldom worked, that; he he’d no job. long ■•' a time. With little or nothing in its ia vor, the defense offered little ev idence other than a disgusting plea, packed with falsifications | by the defendant himself. Williams said that when he was returning home that night he saw his wife walking with another, man, that she ran and got on the j porch and was talking to Minnie Eubanks when he reached there. It had been brought out previous ly that the victim had been on the porch with the witness for some time. Williams then maintained that after a acasual greeting he walked into the bed room and to the ward-1 robe, that he planned to pack his ; clothes and get out. According ■ to his fantastic story, the wife went to the kitchen, got the smail knife and returned, advising him no* to leave. "She held the knife j and I held her hand,’’ the dofen- j (Continued on Page Seven) | PEANUTS !r Wilth some exceptions, far mers are reporting a fairly good peanut crop in the coun ty this year. Two or three areas are reporting a near failure for the sixth straight year, but Farmer Jim Staton Ayers this week displayed bumper samples of a quality crop grown on his farm near Hamilton. Quite a few far mers say the quantity is a bit short, but quality is “pretty good.” The new crop is bumping into a comparatively large carry over, and it is possible that the Commodity Credit will be called upon at market ing time. Women Of Parly In This District Neel Wednesday —•— Governor Urges Coil limit'd Support For The ‘,l*Go Forward Program” Meeting in Washington yester day afternoon, women of the De mocratic Party in this district heard Governor Kerr Scott and other Stute leaders. The meeting was well attended. Among those attending from this county were: Mr. and Mrs Chas. N Meakin, Mrs. H. D. Harrison, Mrs Kader Lillev, Mrs. Hill Abbitt, Hugh Horton, Mrs. S. R. Biggs, Mrs. E. S. Peel, Mrs. J. Eason Lilley, Mrs. Geo. M Peel, Mrs W T. Rose, Mrs V G, Taylor and Mrs, Jatjk Hardison of Williamston, Mrs. F. A. Ratvls and Mrs. J. C. Kirkman of Jamcsville, Mrs. Herbert High smith, Mrs. Fred Taylor, E. G. Anderson, M;s. Earl Fleming, Mrs. Alvia Roebuck, Mrs. A. P. Barnhill and Mrs. Oscar E. Rob i Orson of Roberson villc ' ll you are a Democrat, be one,” | wcie the words of Governor Scolt as he called on all loyal Demo-' (Continued on Page Five) I 1 Motorcade Comes Here Tomorrow —m The local Jaycecs arc urging 1he people of Williamston and vi cinity to take advantage of the Crusade For Freedom motorcade which will arrive here Friday morning at 10:30 to present a 45 minute program in front of the Roanoke Dixie Warehouse of what is being done to get the truth about freedom to Red terrorized peoples of Europe and Asia. Ra dio Station W1AM will broadcast from the motorcade. This is part of a national and state wide campaign to acquaint the people with what is being done by this non-profit, wave peace, organization. Natien-wide publicity is being given to the Crusade as it launch es its fall program The Crusade now has three weapons for piercing the Irory Curtain, the ne west being the bal loon operation One of these will be launched during the program The other weapons are the Free dom Bell in Berlin and the Radio Free Europe in Munich which broadcasts every day, hour after hour spiking Communist lies with the Truth. In launching the Crusade for Freedom, General Eisenhower said "Radio Free Europe has the simplist, clearest charter in the world: Tell the Truth General Lucious Clay, leader of the Ber lin Air lift, is directing the Cru sade for freedom. Your contribu tion, great or small, will help him expand Radio Free Europe into a network of freedom sta tions." Bernard Harrison, local Jaycee president, urges everyone to have a part in the battle for Truth by contributing to the Crusade for Freedom. George Corey is the lo cal chairman for the Crusade for the Jaycees. Lee Bonner Given Twenty Years For Williams Murder —#— To Call Third Murder Cane For Trial During The Afternoon After all the evidence was heard and parts of two days were spent on the trial, the case in which LeRoy Bonner was charg ed with the murder of Osborne Williams in Everetts on August 10, came to an unexpected close early this afternoon when the de fense entered a plea of guilty of second degree murder. He was immediately sentenced by Judge Henry Stevens to serve not less than eighteen and not more than twenty years in State Prison Only one witness was called by the State Wednesday and this morning there was an array of witnesses for both the State and the defense. It was brought out that LeRoy Bonner was employed to keep peace at a party given in the Eve retts lodge hall on the night of August 11. Bonner talked softly and carried a big stick, a baseball bat. Several Williamston boys tried to crash the party. Williams went to the door and said he wanted to get Peggy Hines. He was refused admittance.' During the meantime, a bottle was thrown into the hall. Bonner was hit on the hand and William Wal lace >as cut on the face. Walter Perkins moved on Williams, and Williams backed away, threaten ing Perkins with a bottle. He la nd the crowd back. Bonner went for his bat and claimed Williams his bat and claimed Williams swung on him and the fatal blow was delivered. Solicitor Geo. Fountain said he planned to call this afternoon the case in which Dallas Lee James, Jr., 17-year-old colored boy, is charged with the fatal shooting of Grover Peel near Dardens on August If). The court is certain to continue in session through all of tomor row with the possibility that a Saturday session will be held. The grand jury, completing its work, found no true bill in which | Geo. L. Leggett, Jr., was charged with hit-and-run driving. The ease in which he is charged with drunken driving goes back to the county court. A continuance was granted in the case in which G. B. Whit field is charged with receiving stolen goods when it was pointed out that the defendant's wife was ill and could not appear in court and testify. Examining Dr. W. J. Highsmith's report on the pa tient, Judge Henry Stevens, pre siding over the term, said it was one doctor's writing that he could read readily. Other proceedings in the court: Pleading guilty of larceny of (Continued on Page Seven) Tobacco Sales Go Over Six Million Mark Here Today Tobacco sales -went over the six million-pound mark here this morning with one of the largest blocks in the history of the mar ket still holding firm. Warehouse men in the business for many years, said today the current marketing rush was the greatest they had ever seen. Early last evening, tomorrow’s sale had been placed on the floor in its entirety. Deliveries were being made but there was no space immediately available, meaning that next Monday’s sale will be placed on the floor quick ly, beginning sometime tomorrow. Nothing more has been said about a marketing holiday, but sales are being cut back. How ROOT KNOT ---> A field demonstration of certain methods of fumigat ing soils for tobacco root knot control will be held near Greenville, Friday, Septem ber 21st. Mr. H. R. Garriss, Plant Pathology Specialist, State College, and other specialists will be present, it was an nounced by S. A. Tuten, as sistant farm agent of Mar tin County. The farm is located one mile south of Greenville on highway No. 11. The demon stration will commence at 1:00 P. M. Tobacco growers, in par ticular, are urged to attend this demonstration. Painfully Hurl In Accident Here Mr. James C Blythe and his six-year-old son, James, were painfully bruised when an auto mobile, driven by James Edward Moore, struck their motorcycle and knocked lliom off near Grif fins Quick Lunch on Washing ton Street last Friday afternoon at 5:20 o’clock. Moore, traveling out of town, started to make a left turn to the lot near Griffins Quick Lunch, just as Mr. Blythe and his'son approached from the opposite direction. Neither ve hicle was traveling fast, but the motorcycle driver was thrown several feet and somersaulted a number of times, witnesses said. About the time one member of tlie local police department was investigating the Washington Street accident, another was inves tigating a minor accident on the main street near Haughton. Chas. Dugger started to drive out of a parking place and his car bump er struck James Oliver Raby's fender, causing about $20 damage. Dugger accepted the responsibili ty. ever, the cut is not believed suf ficient, reports declaring that the receiving stations or redrying plants arc literally choked with tobacco. It is possible that the glut will be reflected in prices. However, the price trend con tinues firm. Through yesterday the market here had sold 5,755,164 pounds for a general average right at $51.00 per hundred pounds. Last Monday's sale continues to hold the record, official reports listing 296,416 pounds sold for an aver age of $56.19. No estimates are available, but the current crop is disappearing out of the farmers’ hands in a hurry, some believing that two thirds of the crop has been sold. Second District Nasons Will Meet -—#— Colerain — Most Worshipful Herbert M. Foy, Grand Master of Masons of North Carolina, will address a meeting of the Masons of the Second Masonic District at Colerain, Monday, September 24, at 6:00 P. M. There will be a meeting of the officers of the dis trict at 3:30 P. M. presided over by Right Worshipful Wilber L. Mclvcr, Grand Secretary, from Raleigh, N. C. At 6:30 a barbe cue supper will be served at the high school cafeteria. All Masons of the district are invited. The lodges of the second district include Skewarkee Lodge of Wil liamston, Charity Lodge of Wind sor, Unanimity Lodge of Edenton, Davie Lodge of Lewiston, Wic cacon Lodge of Harrellsville, Ahoskic, Aulander ,und Colerain Lodges. Grady 1. Carrikcr of Col erain is District Deputy Grand' Master. Rev. A. D. Leon Gray, Super intendent of Oxford Orphanage, will be present and will speak In the interest of the Orphangc. A large attendance of Masons from Williamston is expected. -i> Recommended for Oak Giiy Position —•— Rupert II. Rawls has been re commended for permanent post master in Oak City by Congress man Herbert C. Bonner, according to an official announcement reaching here this week Mrs Bonner also recommended the continuance of Tom Pearson as assistant to the postmaster there The recommendations amount to appointment, and the new post master is scheduled to enter upon his duties the first, of October. Following the death of her hus band about a year ago, Mrs. J. A Rawls has been serving as acting postmistress there. She was not a candidate for the position per manently. Twenty-Five Civil Cases To Be Tried In Superior Court -;$> Continuance Almost Cer tain In I.’Cj.OIK) I)hiii «#r«* Action —.t Twenty-five eases, in addition to a dozen divorce actions have been placed on tnc calendar for trial in the Martin County Su perior Court next week. All of the current week was set aside for the trial of a large criminal dock et, including three murder cases. The divorce mill is to be crank ed up next Monday when several civil cases are to be heard also. A continuance is likely in the $35,000 damage suit being brought by Margaret P. Revels against Vincent J. Ferris. T. L. Rober son and Murph Whitaker are being made defendants in the case, and it is understood they have not had time to prepare and file answers, meaning that the ease is almost certain to be con tinued The suit was brought as a result of an accident last March 27, when Ferris' car crashed into the side of Pierce Brother’s store about eight miles from Williams ton on Highway 17, injuring the plaintiff who was inside the building. Other cases on the civil calen dar: U S. Hoffman Machinery Cor poration is suing Leander Bowen to recover $(>00 alleged due on account. The Williamston Lumber Com pany is suing Raymond Williams for $1,000, claiming that it is en titled to that amount as a result of a boundary line variation. In the case of W. H. Harrison against J. T. Hadley, the plain tiff is'suing to recover possession of a $75 hog. D. G. Matthews in his ease against Grant Spruill is suing to recover possession of two hogs valued at $100. Harrison Oil Company is suing J. IJ. Harrison. Jr., to recover $55! 95 alleged due on account. W. H. Everett is asking $2,000 damages of Win. Everett alleged to have resulted from a fire said to have been started by the de fendant. • Slade Rhodes Company is sock ing to recover $414.50 from Law rence Williams alleged due on a note. Alleging $(>lf>.50 is due him under a farming contract, Robt. Wilson is suing C. L. Nelson for that amount. As a result of an automobile accident at Butler’s Bridge on Highway 125 last October 22, George II Leggett is suing L A Glisson for $1,001) personal and $351 property damages. S. A. Mobley, in his case against Dixie Motor Company, is asking $100 a month rent for a ware house, alleged due from Decem ber 21, 1950. Annie Elizabeth Obet of New (Continued on Page f ive) Farmers Facing Challenge In Fighting New And Baffling Diseases Of Tobacco By II. R. Garrssx, PSsnt Pathologist, ami R. R. Bennett, Tobacco Specialist, j N. C. State College Extension Service Tar Heel tobacco growers now face the biggest challenge in their history. Diseases, notably black shank, ] have hit the flue-cured crop in North Carolina harder this sum mer than ever before. A large number of growers tried to go* by with non-resistant varieties and in many cases the results were disastrous. Even the black shank resistant varieties, such as Oxford 1, Ox ford 1-181, the Vestas, and Dixie Bright 101, were damaged heavi ly by attacks of the disease in a few fields in some counties. Heav ier damage was suffered by the moderately resistant varieties than by the three varieties carry ing higher resistance. As a result, many growers are asking: ‘'What next? Where do we go from here?” Research is being continued, and every effort is being made to find varieties with Rond quality. Rood yields ,atid higher disease resistance, Hut because the pro blem is complex and such a large volume of work is required to do- : velop even one acceptable vari-1 ety, progress along these lines isj slow at best. Growers should not expect, ini the very near future, varieties' with higher resistance than is! found in the varieties now avail able. What, then, can be done? The individual farmer can do much to help solve his own prob lem of tobacco diseases. He can follow practices which research and experience have shown will contribute to success with the crop. We have visited and observed a large number of tobacco fields in North Carolina this summer. We found black shank present in all but four or five flue-cured counties located on the fringe of the flue-cured area. We discovered that Dixie ■ Bright 101 was the predominating i black shank resistant variety us-11 ud by growers, with some acreage | planted also to Di\i< Bright 102.! Oxford Oxford I Ifli, and (lie i Vesta lines. I In general, Dixie Bright 101 ! has |!( (formed verv .-at i. (a.dm ilv j in that good .-yield, good quality, and satisfactory resistance are in evidence throughout llir Slat. . However, in a few instances in se veral counties, Dixie Bright 101 as well as other black shank re sistant varieties did not live satis factorily. In one county when about half Ihc acreage was planted to Dixie Bright 101, growers on about 20 forms out of 1,000 lost from 1(1 to 10 percent of then tobacco in cer ain fields or parts of fields. In mother county, about 15 farmers >ut of H00 lost a high percentage jf the plants of resistant varieties o black shank. These percentages of failure or jartial failure, although severe in ndividtial eases,'were small when •ompared to the overall perlonn tnce of resistant varieties. Examination of fields where re sistant varieties did not survive satisfactorily has led us to a nuin her of conclusions \Vr jrrc'rot Ham !:i it !')«■ consideration <>f all growers: I. No varieties available today eat* be counted oil to live 100 pei cent on ?i.ais heavily infer ted witli black shank. This has been re cognized till along. However, pro per rotation will support the re sistancc of varieties that are available and will contribute to the successful production of re sistant varieties on disease-infest ed soil. A two-year rotation will help in many cases, but in badly infested soil and where other con ditions are unfavorable for tobae ■o (nematodes, wireworm, fcrtili eet injury, unfavorable weather), i three- or four-year rotation will Ire required in many eases. In •ase after ease this year, county igonts and others have seen that roth resistant and non-resistant /arictics survived better in fields ivhere rotation was practiced than p. fields: where tobacco followed obaeeo. 2. There are spots in vat ious iclds in the State and conditions (Continued on Page Six) Little Curl Deserted By Parents In Court •/ FEATURE j t--/ A special fcautre of the National Kids’ Day Observ ance will be selling of special buttons by the local Boy Scouts. The sale will take place Saturday, September 22 according to an announce ment by V. J. Spivey, Pres ident of the Kiwanis Club, sponsors of the National Kids’ Day observance. Funds raised in this button sales will be used in under privileged child work. Many Candidates For Princess Oi Harvest Festival Twelve Hands K\|>eete«l for The Kvenl Here .Ite^in ninp October 2nd Plans for Williamston's Fourth Annual Harvest Festival, which Rets underway Tuesday night, Or tober 2, with a street dance, are almost complete, it was announc ed yesterday Various committee heads have been appointed, and with Rood weather, this popular event should attract larger crowds this year than any event ever staged in Willlamston 01 the vi cinity. The street dance of Tuesday evening will feature both square and round dancing, with music for the square dance- being fur nished by Otho Willard and his string band. The music for the round dancing will be by Dick Levin and his sextet. The street dance committee is headed by Bernard Harrison and the dance itself will be hold on Washington Street from 9:00 PM to 12 mid night, with a special section set aside for the colored folk. A speaker of national impor tance is expected to address the visitors on Wednesday afternoon, Octoboi it, Pillowing the tremen dous Festival parade which will start promptly at 2:00 PM Due to definite word not having been given up to yesterday, the name of the speaker will not be releas ed until early next week The Festival parade will fea ture about twelve bands, many floats and exhibits and a number of "Pruieesses". Communities and schools who arc sending Princess es arc listed below, along with the names of the representative, where it has been released: Alios kic, to be announced; Bear Grass, Betty Lou Rogorson; Bethel, Jean Cullipher; Edenton, to be an nounced; Farm Life, Line.ttc Col train; Jamesville, Jean Ellis; Oak City, to be announced; Plymouth, Mary Lou Voire], Robersonvillc, to be announced; Scotland Neck, to he announced; Washington, to be announced; Willlamston, to be announced and Windsor, Ann Byrd. Each of these Princesses will ride in an individual conver tible automobile in the parade and Mrs. Wheeler M Manning will act as chaperon for the girls, as sisting llieni in rehearsals and other matters. The Hassell School Rhythm Band is scheduled to appear in the parade and although not definite, the Rhythm Hand horn Farm Life school may participate again this vear. This is the rhythm band which proved so very popular in last year's parade. The parade will be formed and managed by "Blue" Manning, who has so cap ably directed all ol toe previous Harvest Festival parades. On Wednesday evening, Oclo (Conlinued on Page Seven) ff illiainuton /\-T. .4. To Meet Monday Evening -«— Tli*' fin I inerting of this sc ho listic year will be held by the iVilliainston Parrnts-Teachers As iocintion in the Grammar School luflitorium Monday evening at i:45 o’clock. A brief program and get-ac luainted social period will be uld with refreshments in the aietenu. 9 Alleged Allacker Walks Out Of The Court A Free Nan —»— Verdict of Not Guilty I)i rccleil In Case Against Prince Lynch - A little colored girl, quite small [or her eight years, was deserted m the Martin County Superior Court here yesterday by her pa rents, Navin and Queenic Hawk ms, who took the stand in be half of a self-admitted drunkard who was charged with attacking Ins victim in the Hawkins home early in the morning of August 11. The mother had not been on her daughter’s side all the while, and after the father had sworn out a warrant charging Lynch with attempting to rape the girl, Dianne Hawkins, he (the father) said on the stand in open court that he had some doubt if the gill was attacked. In the face of the contradictory evidence, Judge Henry Stevens, without a motion by defense counsel, directed a verdict of not guilty, and the alleged attacker, Prince Lynch, 21 year-old Negro, walked out of the courtroom a free man. The little girl, confronted by the overwhelming testimony, ei ther slacked or unstackod, still held to her story, saying in a weak voice that Lynch had at tacked her, adding that he offered her ton cents not to say anything about the attack. Although she was quoted pre viously as saying that she called to her mother for help and that she asked to be treated for abra sions on In i frail little body, the witness said on the stand that she did not tel! her mother about the attack. On cross examination, the girl said Lynch was drunk, but not too drunk to walk. She denied having told Brenda Brown that Lynch did not attack her. She also denied that her father had given her $1.25 to hatch up the charge against Lynch, the little girl explaining that he gave her and the other children a nickel each when he returned home Sat urday afternoon to buy candy, and that she told him then about the alleged attack. Dr J T. Llewellyn who exam ined the child that Saturday night, said he was told by the girl that a colored man was at tacking her when she woke up. At that time the girl had 99.8 degree temperature, the doctor stating that he found abrasions on the upper part of both thighs and the lower pari of her abdo men There was no sign of an ac complished act, however. The ex amining doctor also said the child walked with difficulty. On cross examination, the wit ness said the injury was not fresh, hut he was of the opinion that it was less than 24 hours old He described the wounds as being similar to brush burns or where the skin was rubbed •igains* pavement, lie virtually ruled out (hat the injury could have been caused by riding a horse or straddling a see i-a A turn in she -I'-ase eartte when the sorry father took the stand. ll<' told about what the child had told him, explaining that the child had called for help hut got no answer from her mother, how the little girl walked with difficul ty when he left Sunday after noon to return to hie job in New Bern. On cross examination, Hawkins denied having given the child $1.25 to tell the story on Lynch. He said he asked his wife why she had not helped the child, that the wife said she did not hear her. The father then admitted that he told the defense lawyer to work hard for the defendant, that he (Hawkins) did not believe Lynch had anything to do with the girl. He then claimed that the child told him last Monday morning that Lynch did not trouble her. He said he employed no lawyer (Continued on page eight)