THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BT OVER 5,000 MARTIN COUNT! FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK VOLUME LIV—NUMBER 91 THE ENTERPRISE Williams ton, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, November 13, 1951 .. ■ , -!i THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BT OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNTT FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK ' ■■■■-■ ' '"aa* ESTABLISHED 189$ I '■*''itwermatM Thought To Have Been Decapitated Found Near Noriulk Is Believed To Be Thai Of W aller Barr -♦ - ■ Walter E. Barr, native of Wash ington and for a numbei uf years a resident of Williamston. is be Jicved dead, late developments having uncovered gruesome facts and created one of the greatest murder case mysteries for Nor folk police in many years. The case had its origin on Oc tober 3 when Barr and his com panion, Mrs. Minnie Smith,wick, disappeared after leaving their rooming house in the 200 block of W, 28th Street in Norfolk to at tend a drive-in theater. Three days later on October 6, the body ol Mrs. Smithwick. 53-year-old widow of Worley Smithwick, for mer maintenance superintendent of the Methodist Orphanage in Raleigh, was found in Lake Smith near Norfolk. No trace of Barr could be found, and although re latives and friends of the man maintained he was not the type that would murder, Norfolk po lice charged him with the crime. His Plymouth car was found parked just off a busy street in Norfolk a few days later, police stating that there was evidence of a terrific struggle, blood stains, leeth chips and a hole in the top believed to have been caused by' u small caliber bullet. Acquaintances thought they saw Barr in this section of North, Carolina, but his wife, the former | Miss Elizabeth Howard who! makes her home here with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Furney Ho ward on Beech Street, still main tained that her husband had met with foul play. Weeks passed and there were no developments. Last Saturday afternoon a dog dragged the head from a clump of bushes in the Burton's Station section of Prin cess Anne County, and it was re covered by a colored youth and turned over to officers. A search of the area did not reveal any trace of the torso, but officers are still continuing their investiga I I I lion tnere. Early Saturday evening, an agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, called into the case several weeks ago, came here to get a description of the missing man’s dental work, Mrs. Barr was questioned along with a local den tist but« no definite description could be given. It was explained that Barr had had dental work done here, that he had some gold teeth, but no picture of the dental work was taken, and a definite description could not be had, but there was enough evidence to cause officers to believe that it was the man's head. It was learned that the head was sent to Richmond yesterday for laboratory tests to be made of the hair found in Barr's comb and of the hair on the head. No re port on the findings could be had. (Continued on Page Eight) I Art Exhibit Now At School Library The art exhibit, lot, the benefit played in the library room on the | second floor of the old high sc hool building today, Wednesday and Thursday is receiving praise ftoin early viewers. This collec tion of ISO Fine Art Prints is said to be the most artistic exhibit ever shown here. The originals of these are in the most fam ; ous art galleries of the world. I Portraits, landscapes, marine and pastoral scenes in the original ? colors are on display. This exhibit may be seen fro/n I 11:30 a. m. to 3:00 p. m. and 3:30 p. | m. to 4:30 p. m. each day as well §> ;iS from 8:30 to 9:30 p. m. Wed I ncsday evening. The exhibit was to have been 1 shown at the Woman’s club build [■ ing last week but failed to arrive i in time and is being placed at the f high school this week because the Woman's Club is booked for the *; present week with other activi 1 ties. Proceeds from the small admis sion charge will be used to pur chase prints for the classrooms at j the school. hct*i -Week Awarded posU-iumously t„ Harry Paul Roberson for heroic achievement beyond the call of duty, the Bion/e Stai Medal was presented to the young man’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Rob eison, at Everett, during military funeral rites held for their son in Williamston's Woodlawn Crni Mr nl Sunda?’ November 4. Colonel M. S. Ryan is pinning the medal on Mrs. Roberson while Ml, Robeison. standing just behind her, looks on. The soldier with his back to the camera, served as honoi guaid. 1 vt Roberson was fatally wounded in action near Chumang-ni, Korea on Feb ruary 14. 1951, dying four days later in a hospital. ’ riD Hold Funeral For Mrs. Ida Whitaker Sunday Afternoon -<§> Mrs. Wliilakrr Died Al Her Home In West End Last Saturday Noon --'$> Funeral services were conduct ed in the local Pentecostal Holi ness Church Sunday afternoon at 2:00 o'clock for Mrs Ida Virginia Whitaker A former pastor, the Rev. N J. Ward, of New Bern, conducted the rites and interment was in Wuodlawn Cemetery. Mrs. Whitaker, suffering a stroke some time ago, had been in declining health but she had almost recovered and was getting along very well and was active until last Thursday 'when she was fatally stricken. Removed to a local hospital, she died at 12:35 o’clock Saturday afte rnoon The daughter of the late John Ransom and Mary K Rawls | Swain, she was born in Cross Roads Township 68 years ago on April 13, 1883, and spent her ear ly life there. She located near Williamston some years ago, and was an active member of the local Pentecostal Holiness Church. In early womanhood she was married to J B Whitaker Sur- ! viving besides her husband are six sons, Earl, Dennis, Archie. R. T., Horace and Curtis Whitaker, all of Williamston: two daughters, ] Mrs Joe Martin of Robersonville and Mrs. Dan Gurganus of Wil liamston; three sisters, Mi s. Hoyt | Holliday and Mrs. J. E. Harrison, Sr., of Williamston, and Mrs. Buck Terry of Cross Roads; eigh teen grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Suffers Broken lli/t In Fall Here Friday Mis. Bettie Teel, well-known local resident, suffered a broken hip in a fall at her newly remodel ed home on West Main Street last Friday evening. She started to sit down in a chair and fell. Mrs. Teel, about 35 years of age, was removed to a local hos pital j TURKEY SHOOT I Those who would like to have a turkey for Thanksgiv ing- and test their skill with a gun at the same time, have a chance get on the firing line tomorrow and Wednesday in the annual “Turkey Shoot” of the local Kiwanis Club which is open to all comers and is to be held on Critcher property near the Standard Fertilizer plant on the Roanoke River. The firing will start at 7:30 p. m. and last as long as the turkey hunters wish to keep firing. Guns and ammuni tion are being supplied by the club. The second round of the event will be held next . week on Monday and Tues day at the same place and at the same hours. Weather Conditions Halt Peanut Harvest In County Delayed by unfavorable wea ther peanut farmers yesterday started the 1951 peanut harvest off in a big wav, reports declaring that the dust was flying from ternoon. But the harvest opera tions were just about halted by light rains falling early today, adding to the uncertainty of mar keting as well as harvesting activ ities. Reports indicate the yield is running between fourteen and seventeen bags in the county this year, compared with about a 11 bag average last year. While no bumper yield is in prospect, it is almost certain to be above the average and in those sections where failures or near-failures have been experienced for five consecutive years, the farmers are Ex-Slave Died Ai Home Here Early Monday Morning I Funeral Thursday for Far ihina Price, Aued 103 Years Carthina Price, ex-slave and ! highly respected neighbor and eit j izen, died at her home here on Rhodes Street yesterday morning j at 6:10 o’clock She would have been 10,'i years old the 26th of this month. Despite her advanced age, she was unusually active up until a short time ago, explaining that she ate so much she felt obliged to work to earn her keep. She was ill only about eight days and was confined to her bed only a short time during that period. Infirmities of age were given as the cause of her death. Born on November 26, 1647, she was a chattel of the late Samuel C. Whitley and lived on the Whit wonNMMnMwwwi hamston on Highway 125 lor a number of years. She lived through a smallpox epidemic that wiped out about fifty of the 100 Whitley slaves just before the Civil War, and safely weathered the war and the nearly four score and ten years after the war. She lived at peace with her neighbors, and was a devout member of the Sandy Point Prim dive Baptist Church. Even though she was born in slavery, and her lot was cast in humble surround ings, she contributed much to so ciety in her daily walk through life, setting a worthy example for others to follow. In early life she was married j to Wnit Price who died about 15. years ago. Surviving are four children, twenty-four grandchildren, forty three great-grandchildren, and twenty-three great-great-grand children. Funeral services will be con ducted Thursday afternoon at (Continued on Page Eight; J more encouraged as they start threshing operations. Comparatively few peanuts have started moving to the mar kets in this area. In fact, few in quiries have been made so far, hut activities around the buying cen ters are picking up gradually and if favorable weather holds for a few days, the market is certain to experience a rush. It has been pointed out that peanuts with more than ten per cent moisture will not be accepted by the markets, that peanuts with ten percent moisture will be pen alized two percent. It is then ap parent that the grower can store Ins peanuts under his own shelters and lose nothing, and, at the same time, pick his time to market his crop. The price is supported and will remain stable. HOUND-UP There was little activity re ported on the crime front in this immediate section last week-end, officers stating that only three persons were ar rested and detained in the county jail, two for public drunkenness and one for for gery. Wm. Ruffin, forging three checks on the account of George Wood, cashed one for $12.50 at Clark's Cafe in Jamesvilie, and two at 1). L. Roberson’s here, one for $6 and the other for $18. Unable to arrange bond, Ruffin con tinues in jail. Harrison Rogers Passes Suddenly i —»— i Harrison Rogers, suffering a heart attack at* his home on the i: Gomer Harrison farm in Bear j: Grass Townshin earlv last Friday I1 AMgyuppm ..■■!iwp ! at 6:00 o’clock while en route to ja Wiiliamston hospital. He was born in Bear Grass ' Township fifty years ago and ' i farmed in that community all his ' ; life. He was a modern woodsman and a member of Christian Chapel J at Cross Roads. Funeral services were conduct ed Sunday afternoon at 3:00 o’clock in the chjrch at Cross Roads by the Rev. P. E Cayton. Interment was in the Mobley Cemetery in Bear Grass Grass Township. Surviving are his widow, the former Miss Lou Allie Wynne; two daughters, Mrs Marvin Hats lip of near Roberson ville and Hattie Mae Rogers of the home; six sisters, Mrs. Jack Johnson of Scotland Neck, Mrs. Revels Mor rell of Florence, S. C , Mrs. Jesse Wynn of Bear Grass, Mrs. Wil liam Leary and Mis Jesse Leary, both of Bear Grass, and Katie Rogers of Tarboro; a number of nieces and nephews. 1 i i t 1 c \ f c t I f Y c t FreakAedsksiS Reported In The County Recently Two Victims Have ringer* Almost Cut Off; Foot Badly Broken Not all the accidents in this section recently were on the high ways, reports from various sourc es stating that there were quite a few mishaps, several of them of a freakish nature. Coming here from RFD 3, Greenville, with his parents to visit relatives Sunday afternoon, Edward Frizzell, eleven months old, almost lost small portions of two fingers when he got them caught in a lawn mower. He was reported to be getting along very well yesterday. Last Saturday morning while her sister was using an axe to tear down a dog pen at their home on Pine Street here, Little Barbara Speller, two and one half-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Speller a five-stitch cut in the forehead. Although the blade went right to the skull, the little victim was hardly dazed and was up and about yesterday. While working on a ear engine Sunday afternoon, Mack Nichol son of North Haughton Street almost lost part of a finger from his left hand when he got it caught in the fan belt. It was sewed back on in a local hospital a short time later .and was re ported to be doing all right yes terday. Walter Brown, colored, had his right foot badly broken and man gled rind his loft foot bruised and torn in a log train accident dur ing a logging operation for the At las Plywood Corporation near here last week. He is a patient in a local hospital Robert Bell, rid ing the train with Brown, had part of the flesh torn from his right leg in the same accident. He is able to be out following hos pital treatment. It was reported that a rail broke, causing the cars to jack-knife. Mrs. Bettie Teel suffered a broken hip in a fall at her home on West Main Street Friday even ing. She underwent an operation in a local hospital yesterday and was reported to be getting along well today. Nary Gray Passes Ai Her Home Here —•— Retired Supervisor Of Nr fjro Schools Had Horn In III Health For a Year Mary Satlcrwhite Gray, 61, dipt! at her home here on South Smithwiek Street yesterday after noon at 3:00 o’clock following a heart attack suffered the day be fore. She had been in declining health for about a year, but was getting along as well as usual un til the latal attack Sunday. She was born in Granville County and following her gradua tion from St. Augustine College in Raleigh in 1915, she came to this county in 1016 as supervisor of elementary education in the Martin County Negro Schools. The marked progress of the schools during the thirty years she was supervisor serves as a monument to her untiring efforts. years ago when :,he found it diffi cult to operate her ear, but she continued to work with tlx- youth of the county as a teacher in the local school and later in veterans work until May of iast year. As supervisor and teacher she stressed Christian leadership anti helped advance friendliness and understanding among the races. She never resorted to the sensa tional way of doing things, but followed the Christian pattern in -olving the problems as they pre sented themselves Irom day to Jay. Few persons in this county have leaded more drives for the bene 'it of suffering humanity than she Jid. Once convinced that her ser vice was needed in the name of humanity, she worked whole heartedly for every good cause md seemed to find happiness in rer work whether it was for one if her own race or some less-for unate soul across the seas. She was a leader in civic com (Continued on Page Eight) Citizen Calling"For Jamesville Election --- NEARING GOAL v Meeting in the county courthouse last Friday eve ning, Farm Bureau leaders were advised that the mem bership drivf was nearing its goal in this county and that the 2,000 members would he safely in the fold before the next meeting is called. More than 1,700 members have been enrolled, leaving less than 300 to go before the goal is reached. Native Of County Died In Norfolk Saturday Evening Funeral Being Meld This Afternoon In Jainesviile For F. (1. MS illiams --<§> Fernando Cleveland Williams, retired farmer-builder, died in Norfolk last Saturday night at 11:00 o’clock of a heart attack suffered about two hours earlier. He had been in declining health for almost five years, suffering with asthma which was aggravat ed some time ago by two slight heart attacks. Leaving Jamesville Saturday morning with his daughter, Mrs Laverne Stallings, he was going to visit a son in Cape Charles. His son met them at Little Creek and they were sitting m the ear when he suffered the attack short ly after 9:00 o’clock, and died cn route to a Norfolk hospital. He was horn in Griffins Town ship 0(i years ago on January 29, 1885, and spent most of his life there, locating in Jamesville about twenty years ago where he con tinued to farm and work as a builder. He also engaged in saw mill work until ill health forced Ins retirement. In early manhood lie was mar ried to Connie Griffin. Two dan gliters, Mrs. Laverne Stallings of Scotland Nock and Mrs. Clara Bell of Jamesville, and three sons, Hoy and Wesley Williams' (Continued on page eight) j Elect Several To Church Positions —$—. Several Martin County people were elected to positions in the Christian church during the 107th annual convention of the North Carolina Disciples of Christ held in Kinston last week. Mrs. John 1/ Ooff of Williams ton was elected second vice pres ident of tile 1932 Convention, El bei t S. Peel was elected a mem ber of thi; board of trustees through 1954 Mr Robert llaislip of Oak City was named to the Rural Church Commission, and Mrs G. G Woolard of Williams ton was elected to a place on the Intel rat ial Relations Committee. Sherwood L Roberson of Rob ersonville was made president of the State Men’s Christian Fellow ship or Layman’s League. ton who attended the convention were Allen Martin, Mary Anna Willard, Billy B Thomas, Lelia Mac Goff, Sally Roberson, Wan da Jones, Nancy Manning, Jean (AJtrain, Sail,'/ Grey Griffin, Mar tha Roberson, Betsy Roberson, Beth Spivey, Betsy Davis, Mary Lou Cox, Rita Lamb, Dianna Cherry, Sandra Modlin, A. J. Manning, J B Nell, J C. Man ning, V. J Spivey, John L Goff, and Mesdames Redden Leggett, W O Griffin, LeRoy Taylor, Roy Griffin, George Prole, D. It Dav is, C. B. Roebuck, J. B. Bell and J. L. C.off The convention urged its mem bers to consider the stand of all candidates for the State Legis lature on the matter of alcoholic beverages and a state-wide re ferendum on that subject Church es were asked to be conscious of the rising trend toward militar ism in our country and were re quested to make known their op position to universal military training. I Sixty-FiveTaSe Conrt Action To Force Town Vote I’rcM’iil itonnl Is Short Of Hri|iiii'<'«l (Quorum *■"" 4^ 1 Pointing out that the present town board of commissioners is short of a possible quorum and complaining that no primary or election was held in accordance with a special legislation act of 1951, sixty-five Jamesville citizens last week went into the Martin County Superior Court in an ef fort to force an election. It is claimed by the plaintiffs that they asked for an election. I that some kind of petition was cir dilated but nothing was heard from it. The action is being taken against L. W. Hardison, mayor, and Lu thor Hugh Hardison and James Long, Commissioners of the Town of Jamesville, b> the following plaintiffs: A. Corey, 11 B. Gaylord, A. II Roberson, C. C. Fleming, A W Lilley, P. C. Blount, Jr. J C Kirkman, Mrs. Arthur Wallace Lilley, Mrs. J. C Kirkman, Mrs ! Camille Rawls, Mrs. Clair Flem ing, O. W. Hamilton, Mrs. O. W. Hamilton, J. M Hassell, W J. Holliday, Jr., C. Glass, J. C. Wil liams, Mrs. Addie Williams, J. O Davenport, Sneede 1, Davenport, Della G. Hootcn, Ben Peele, Mrs. Ben Peele, Benny Styons, Mrs. Benny Styons, Muriel Holliday, Mrs. J. li. Holliday, 11. A. Sexton, Mrs. P C Blount, Mrs. W. W Walters, Mrs. P C. Blount, Jr., Mrs J. 11. Mizelle, R. E. Gurgan us, E. D. Brown, Mi s. E D Brown, Mrs. Henry Griffin, Mrs. Betty L. Hassell, J. T. Coltrain, T T Coltrain, Mrs Lizzie Smithwiek, Joe Davis, Mrs. Joe Davis, Bob Moore, Mis. Mae Waters, Mrs. Clyde Brown, Mis Della Askew, C. A Askew, Eva Gray Askew, Henry Modlin, C. T. Games, W B. Gaylord, Mrs W. B. Gaylord, Mis. W. C. Ellis, It E. Lamb, Elizabeth Lamb, Mrs. Mae Roberson, James it Holliday, Dallas G Holliday, G. M. Anderson, Arnold C. Brown, Mrs Arnold C. Brown, J. 11 Mi zell, W R Price, Effle Holliday and W. C. Ellis. The complaint, as filed in the superior court last Saturday (Continued on Page Five) Endorse Plan To Widen Underpass -*.— Members of the Lions Club heard reports of the Vocational Camporee held at Chapel Hill n zcently when three of the boys attending spoke at the club meet mg last Thursday evening. Three members of the local Hoy Scout Explorer group, Wade Hunting, Jimmy Snead and Tommie liar ns, related their experiences at the camporee and entertained the, Lions with their accounts of the event. The boys were presented by Scoutmastci Hack Gaylord, head of Lions sponsored Troop A motion carried that the Lions endorse a resolution calling for immediate steps to be taken to change the underpass on West Main St here, in order to elim inate (he existing traffic hazard Lion 1). V. Clayton was award ed the first place prize for being high salesman in the club’s an nual white cane bangle sale, while Charles A Hamilton won the second place award. The win ner sold his bangles for $23.25, while the runnei up had a total of $10 75 President. Hen Courtney prais ed the work of Lion E. H. Shuli er during his stay here the past four years, while pastor of the local Methodists churches. Lion Shullcr expressed regret at having to leave the local club but stated that he hoped to transfer his membership to a club near his new pastorate. Plans were announced for the possible organization of a Lions Club quartet or quintet, under the direction of Dr. Paul Burgess. Six Acctf.ents-tts. Highways- Streets In Past Few Days Tv.4 about one half mile east of Parmele, the 1951 Chevrolet driven by Mrs Katherine Leg gett James was struck from the rear by a 1949 Ford driven by Jeremiah Wallace of Everetts Saturday morning at 9:90 o'clock. No one was hurt, Patrolman 13. W Parkei said There was no damage |to the Chevrolet and repairs to the F'ord will cost ap proximately $50, according to the patrolman. Saturday afternoon at 3:30, James William Long stopped his 1949 Chevrolet on Haughton Street for the traffic light at the main intersection. Ulysses Brown, driving a 1943 Plymouth alleged ly' with improper brakes, plowed into the rear of Long's car, caus ing about $50 damage to his and about $10 damage to the other car, according to police who made the investigation. Robert Klton Taylor lost con trol of In 1950 Ford pick-up ruck ■ I1 1 Point some thru nunrvg last Saiuraa^^ light and turned it over not far lorn where the Brown Paving Company’s asphalt plant was io (Continuod on Page Eight) Starts Law Suit to Recover Damages —<*,— Miss Chloe Price of near Wil liamston last week filed a suit in the Pitt County Superior Court against David Smith. Wilson man, to recover $5,145 damages alleged to have resulted in an automobile accident in Greenville on Septem ber 2. Miss Price was badly hurt and asks $5,000 personal damages and $145 for hospital bill. She is one of several plaintiffs who were riding in the defend ant's car when it crashed into an other vehicle on a Greenville street. The several plaintiffs are asked for combined damages in the sum of $24,450.50.