North Carolina Newspapers

THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BY OVER 3,0©« MARTIN COUNTY FAMILIES-TWICE EACH WEEK VOLUME LV—NUMBER 13 THE ENTERPRISE fTi/liamston, Marlin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, February 12, 1952 THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BY OVER 3.000 MARTIN COUNTY I \MILIES TWICE EACH WEEK ESTABLISHED 1899 For Attacking Wife Judge Sorry Could Jfot Give Nan 15 Years In Prison Small Children Believed To Have Been Coaehed To Favor Father “I’m sorry it isn’t in my power to sentence you to prison for fif teen years,” Judge R. T. Johnson on the Martin County Recorder’s •Court bench, said to the defendant when he sent James Perkins, self styled Negro preacher, to the roads for two years for the brutal beating of his wife, Ada Perkins, at their home near Williamston last January 5. On account of the victim's critical condition, the trial had been continued until Monday of this week when more than two hundred of her friends and relatives and his religious followers crowded into the court room to hear the trial. The victim, taking the stand, told the same story she had re lated to officers when they found her almost in a dying condition on January 17, twelve days after she had been brutally beaten by her preacher husband with a piece of stove wood. She told how her husband had knocked a hole in her head and how she was bruised on her arms ♦.nd legs. She told how she was denied medical attention until friends reported the attack to the sheriff and doctors were called to her aid. Neighbors were afraid to visit the home. The victim, threatened by blood poison, hovered between life and V «Uuthior days in a hospital, ofter being held almost captive in her home for twelve days, her head fractured and the skin actually rotting around sores on her legs. 0 The victim who mothered eight children in the first fifteen years of her married life, denied when cross examined, that she had hit her husband with a hair-straight ening comb. She declared that she had never fought back, that she ! just had to take the beatings, ad mittedly administered by Perk ins on previous occasions. Other attacks had been smoothed over for the -sake of peace in the faintly #nd the sake of the children, she paid. Perkins, adjudged guilty of as saulting his wife back in 1949, was Sentenced to the roads, the court suspending the road term on con dition that he refrain from at tacking his wife for two years. In July, 1950, he was back in court for allegedly attacking his wife, but was adjudged not guilty when his children went to his aid. Sheriff M. W. Holloman told what he had found when he visit I he home on January 17, and how arrangements were made to get the victim into the hospital. The officer said that Perkins, when first arrested, denied the at tack, but before entering jail the man adrnitted.it, declaring he did not take her to a doctor “because she was not hurt much”. Taking the stand in his own be half, Perkins talked about his trips to various churches. He says he went home or. the afternoon *f January 5 and told his folks that he had to visit a friend and (Continued on Page Eight) ■o i Fee System Nets $4,450 In County —*— The fee system netted Martin Cvunty $4,450.20 diming the ]®>nth of January, according to ( reports filed by the various de partments a few days ago. Fines and forfeitures in the county court accounted for al most three-fourths of the income. Of the $2,957.35 coming from the court, $1,960 was in fines. The ) clerk of court also reported $455.81 in miscellaneous .fees. The register of deeds reported $828.35 in fees, coming mostly from the filing of an unusually large num ber ot deeds, mortgages and other papers. The sheriff’s office re ported $208.75, most of which came from serving various.papers during the month. I_PROCLAMATION ! WHEREAS, it is recogniz ed by Christians everywhere that the many problems con fronting us today can be solv ed only with the help of Al mighty God; NOW THERE FORE, I, Robert Cowen, May or of the the City of Williams ton, do hereby declare Friday, February 29th, as a day of prayer, and that we pray in our homes, or as we gather together in public, we remem ber the needs of our country, before God, the Ruler of the universe. (Signed) Robert Cowen, Mayor. Escaped Convicts Booked In County —*— Charged with speeding across Highway No. 11 at Council’s Store near Hassell last week,, Wayne Currie Cannady, 17, and H. C. Bradford, 22, have been booked tentatively for trial in this coun ty next Monday, according to Pa trolman B. W. Parker who help ed chase the two men down. Breaking out of a State High way prison camp at Gatesville, the two young men, one from Fayetteville and the other from Beelog, near Asheville, stole a 1950 Pontiac near Edenton and were spotted in this county. Rob ersonville police set up a road block and the two escapees ran through R. They continued to Gold Point and turned there on the .Hassell Road where Patrol man D. E. Perry was pressed into atftion by radio. He followed them across No. 11 and called for a road block at Fountain’s Cross Roads. Patrolmen Parker and Narron maneuvered in position and the boys were stopped with less than half a gallon of gas left in the tank of the stolen car. The car was returned to its owner and the boys were turned over to prison authorities. --■ TimeToTopdress Lading Pastures —» _ It iS time to topdress those old L.idino Pastures. In order that they may return maximum craz ing for those cattle and hogs, they, must be topdressed and February is a good time to do it. A good analysis to use is 0-14-14 or 0-10-20 or 0-0-27 whichever is available. The amount to use should be 800 to 1000 pounds per acre. This material should be ap plied in the afternoon when the pasture is dry to prevent excessive burning. Cattle and hogs should not be on the pasture at this time. In fact, the pasture shouldn’t be grazed until it is about six inches high and then should never be overgrazed. While hogs are cheap, one of the best ways to stay in the business is to have an abundance of good pasture as this is the cheapest source of feed for livestock. So let's take care of our pasture and liberally topdress them to keep them productive.—D. W. Brady, Assistant County Agent. -$ MEETING TODAY -* The Martin County family of the Farm Security Administra tion are holding their annual get- j together here today. KOtJND-UP I / Alleged law violators went on a rampage in this county last week-end and before Monday morning, thirteen of them had been placed in the countg jail. Five were booked for pub lic drunkenness, two each for drunken driving and violating the liquor laws and one each for violating the health laws, assault, disorderly conduct and reckless driving. Four of the, group tv cue white and the ages from 23 to t»0 years. 'Tiis- Enianlry Is - Still Unprepared For A Major War Another Three Years Need ed To Get Right For An All-Out War —« By Edward H. Sims Special Correspondent Washington.—The inside story on U. S. rearmament is an appall ing story of unpreparedness. Of the services, the Navy is perhaps more nearly prepared for a major war than the Army or Air Force— mostly because of the fact that it had a number of major warships in mothballs which needed only modernization to be brought into service. But the Air Force is sadly lack ing in both quantity and quality equipment now available and the Army still is not receiving deliv eries of some tank models, and only very few deliveries of mod ern medium tanks at all! Yet it has been twenty months since war broke out suddenly in Korea. What are rearmament pro spects? The Army will not be get ting any heavy tanks, probably until 1953. Top-notch mediums may not get into mass production until next year. The Air Force will not be getting any large-scale de liveries of improved fighters un til next year, probably won’t get any heavy bombers until 1954! All these delays even after twenty months—sound discouraging, don't they? Pentagon chiefs say rearmament takes time. They can say that again. They say we need another three years to be prepared for a major war. That surprises some, since they thought by now—after fighting the Communists in Asia for 20 months—we would be a world' power. But only in naval circles is the U. S. supreme. Reliable figures show the Rus sians are outbuilding us in fight er production six to one. And they are building planes equal to what we are building. Right now they are turning out an improvement over the MIG-15, which met our best fighter, the F-R6, on equal terms over Korea. The Russians are also building medium jet bom bers at a more rapid rate than we are in the U. S. Experts think it will be two or three years be fore we can catch up with them in production figures. Therefore those who brag about U .8, industrial power, about our supremacy in production methods, might well hold their tongues. We (Continued on Page Eight) Jury To Make - Investigation ■ — The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Car olina, has announced that a spec ial grand jury will be called to convene in the Federal Court Building in Raleigh, North Caro lina, on February 21, 1952 and will remain in session for at least thirty days. The purpose of this Grand Jury js to inquire .into. Jh.e racketeers, gangsters, organized crime, and other violations of the Federal laws within the Eastern District of North Carolina. There is a furthur purpose of great importance and that is to give to any citizen in North Car olina the opportunity to be heard before this Grand Jury and report any information relating to viola tions of Federal laws in North Carolina. Without the aid, assis tance and cooperation of the gen eral public, law enforcement can not be successful. However, law enforcement can succeed with the support of the people, and the United States Attorney, Post Of fice Drawer 2597, Raleigh, North Carolina, is soliciting information from the citizens of the Eastern District of North Carolina and they are urged to report such Federal law violations or any in formation concerning same that they might have. All communi cations received on this basis will be handled in a confidential man ner and be used to the" best ad vantage possible. The United States Attorney re iterates that he is most anxious to have any citizen appear before the Grand Jury and give informa tion pertaning to any violations! of Federal laws. A fairy A re GaHed-But Few .4 re Chosen For The Draft Many arc bring called but few ire being chosen from this coun ty for the armed forces, aecording to unofficial information received here a few days ago. On January 28, thirty-nine Mar . tin County young men reported to ar. induction center for pre-in duction examinations. It was re ported that twelve out of thirty three were found acceptable, that six other cases are pending. On9 was accepted out of the eleven who were making their second trip to the pre-induction center. As far as it could be learned on ly four were rejected on account of physical defects, the others CANDIDATE The first candidate in the 1952 State political line-up to make a personal appearance here was Mr. Luther Hodges of Leaksville. One of three announced candidates for lieutenant governor, Mr. Hodges stopped here a short while yesterday afternoon en route to Plymouth where he was to appear in the interest of the Crippled Children’s fund. The candidate, possessed of a pleasing personality, said he was impressed by this section and was pleased with the reception he was receiv ing from town to town. There has been one or two faint murmurs on the local political front, but there have been no public developments as yet. Recover Stolen Car Near School A 1947 Chevrolet, stolen from Mrs, Annie B. Miz.clle some time during lest Saturday night or early Sunday, was recovered near the Burroughs-Spring Hill School in Williamston Township about 10:00 o’clock Sunday morning by Patrolman B. W. Parker and of ficer Chas. R. Moore. The machine running hot on account of defec tive wiring done by the thief, had been abandoned on the dirt road. Mrs. Mizelle, a nurse in the Martin General Hospital, parked the car when she went to work at 11:00 o’clock Saturday night, removing the key. She missed it the next morning at 7:00 o’clock. Other than damage done to the wiring system, the car was not hurt. A warrant, charging Luther Respass with the theft was issued, but his arrest was not effected im mediately. Respass was tried tor stealing a cargo truck from Til-, mon Coltrain here some months ago and is believed to be on pro bation. —-s> Farms Fewer Bnt Larger —•— The 1950 census showed that we have 713,000 fewer farms than in but the acreage is larger. Here arc some of the findings: 1950, about 5,300,000 farms com pared with about 6,000,000 in 1940; average size, 210.5 acres in 1950, 174 acres in 1940 3,500,000 farm tractors in 1950 compared with 1,500,000 in 1940; 80 per cent of the farms electrified in 1950 compared with 30 per cent in 1940. failing to measure up to minimum : education standards. The rate of rejections is about as high as it lias over been from World War I right on through World War II up to the present time. No report has been received on the examinations the thirty-two young men from this county un derwent last Thursday, and none is expected within the next ten days or two weeks. There is a call pending for thir ty-seven more men to report for pre-induction tests on February 27, but no final induction call has been received for March. The February final induction call was cartcelled. Native Of County Died Last Week In Virginia City Funeral Held In Norfolk Last Thursday For Jack lliirsl, 47 -«>— Norfolk, February 5.—Jack Hurst, 47 year-old owner of the Granby Cue Club, scene of the 1952 City Billiards Tournament, died at a local hospital today at 12:30 a. in. Jack was admitted to the hospi tal Saturday morning for an op eration on his stomach. Funeral services for Mr. Hurst will be conducted at the Hollo mon - Brown Funeral Home Thursday at 3 p. m. Interment will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery. He was the son of Mrs. Mar garet Brown Hurst and the late William K. Hurst. In addition to his mother, he is survived by his wife, Mrs Dorothy Brady Hurst; a son, Wil liam Kenneth Hurst of Norfolk; five sisters, Mrs. George Cox of Winterville, N. C., Mrs. Earl Brown, Miss Donna Mae Hurst, Mrs. Mary Dell Seymour and Mrs. Curtis Clark all of Green ville, N. C.; one half-sister, Mrs. J. F. Crisp of Oak City, N. C.; and two half brothers, Dallas Hurst of Washington, D C., and Willie Hurst of Robersonville, N. C. Mr. Hurst was a native of Oak City, N. C. and a resident of Nor folk for 30 years, residing at 1820 LaSalle Avenue. He was a mem ber of Oak City Baptist Church and attended Williotvood Presby terian Church. Jack began a movement in re cent years to popularize billiards for women in Tidewater. He com pletely renovated his upstairs os- ( tablishment at 448 Granby Street with modern equipment and be gan to sponsor tournaments for both men and women His emporium has been tabbed as one of the finest in the South by billiard notables, including W'oi Id Champion Willie Mosconi. Under Hurst's free instruction, female participation in Norfolk has steadily increased in the past two years. His was the only es tablishment catering to women in Norfolk and the only one selected to represent Virginia in the World Tournament, now in progress. Midway 1951 Hurst inaugurat ed a free membership system for the Granby Cue Club, including military personnel. Tournaments for women in downtown depart ment stores were popularized by Hurst with tables and trophies donated free of charge. Jamesville’s Town Rooks Handled As Hot Potatoes While Jamesville's newly elect ed mayor and town board of to.. missinners have perfected a work ing organization for handling the county town’s government, the of ficials so far have been unable to gain possession of the town books and credentials. The books, passed around like hot potatoes, arc now back in the hands of one of the old board members—or they were there late yesterday. The books were turned over to the clerk of the superior eouit iast Friday, and he turned them ovei to a rep- j resentative of the old board, and) the representative turned them; over to Luther Hugh Hardison, i member of the old board. The new board's attorney served notice on the old mayor, L. W. Hardison, and the two members of the old board, James Long and L. W. Hardison, to turn the books over to the new officials. The papers were placed in the hands of the sheriff Mon day. Just what action will follow from now on out is not certain. Accepting the oath of office last Thursday, the new officials helrl their first meeting that evening in the school house, perfecting an organization and handling other minor duties. They plan to hold their next meeting on the third Monday evening ol this month. i Former Resident Died Early Last Saturday Evening Fiuirral Held In Washing ton for Mrs. J. 1VI. Saund ers Smidav \flcriiooii Mrs. J. McKimmon Saunders, a Williamston resident for several years, died suddenly at her home on Riverside Drive in Washington Park early last Saturday evening. Suffering with a heart condition, she was taken gavely ill sudden ly and died a few minutes later. The former Miss Olive Tayloe Gallagher, she was born in Wash ington September 24, 1H81, the daughter of the late Charles and Olivia Tayloe Gallagher, and spent most of her hie there. When Mr. Saunders purchased extensive timber holdings in this area and constructed a large mill here, the family located in Williamston, re turning to Washington several years ago. During her stay here she was active m various fields of endeav or, finding peace and contentment among her flowers and the many friends she made. She was a life long member of St. Peters Epic copal Church in Washington and the funeral service was conducted there at 4:00 o’clock Sunday after noon by the lector, the Rev. W. T. Waterhouse. Interment was in Washington's Oakdale Cemetery. Surviving are Mr. Saunders and a son, 1st Lt. J. McKimmon Saun ders, Jr., stationed with the United States Army in Korea, add to Mrs. Saunders funeral . . Among those from here who at tended the funeral were, Mr and Mrs. Wheeler Martin, Mrs. Fran ces Parker, Miss Mary Smith, Mr. and Mrs. M. S. Davis, Mrs. J G Staton, Mrs J. W Andrews, Mrs. P. B. Cone, Mr. and Mrs Henry Handy, Mr. and Mrs. Bill Glover, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Wes ton, Mr. and Mrs. Earl Wynne, Mr. and Mrs. F. U. Barnes, Mi ami Mrs. Francis Barnes, Mr. and Mrs. Leslie Carrow, Mrs. Janie Knox, Mrs. J II. Saunders, and Mr. and Mrs. J. 11 Saunders, Jr. ■-o Kiwanians Hold Regular Meeting —— The Kiwanis Club of Williams ton held its regular dinner meet ing on Thursday night at the Woman’s Club. During the business session, the secretary announced that in No vember, 1951 the Club made the district attendance honor roll for the first time in over three years. It was further pointed out that attendance thus far this year is running above the average for the same period in the past sev eral years. Program chairman L. B. Wynn then introduced Mayor Bob Cow on, who spoke briefly on plans to form a Little League baseball organization in Williamston. The teams in the proposed league would be sponsored by the va rious civic clubs of the commun ity. A committee of three was ap pointed by President Reg Simp son to meet v. ith Mayor Gowen and similar groups from the oth er clubs. This committee is to re port its findings to the club at a Jater meeting. The next scheduled meeting date for the Club is February 21, 1952. Represent County At Parly Meeting Martin County's part, uncertain right up until the last minute, was ably played by volunteer repre sentatives at the Jefferson-Jack son Day dinner in Raleigh last Saturday evening. The county’s quote of $300 was also met, ac cording to unofficial information reaching here. There was no fund canvass conducted throughout, the county, but contributions were made by a number of party fol lowers in and around Huberson villc, it was learned. Among those representing the county at the meeting were Messrs. E. G. Anderson, Paul D. Roberson, Joe R. Winslow and Hugh G. Horton. Most of the political maneuver ing was said to have been center ed around two of the guberna torial candidates; Hubert Olive and W. B. Umstead. Terr Vehicle Wr In County Recently miwtim; A very important meeting:, one that has a topic vital to everyone in this section, is to be held in the Martin County courthouse on Thursday of this week at 2.00 o'clock in the afternoon. Business men, farmers and leaders in other fields are be ing urged to attend the meet ing and discuss ways and ■ means of improving the coun ty's agricultural possibilities for the present and future. Several timely and impor tant topics are to be discussed, it was announced. Several Fires In i Section Yesterday —<*>— Fanned by strong winds, grass fires destroyed two tobacco barns and other property and threaten ed a number of farm buildings in the rural sections of the county yesterday. Williamston's fire department received three calls for help anil forest fire wardens were on the move from one section to an other. Farmers were battling other fires without help, it was reported. The local fire department was first called at 3:30 o’clock to W. G. Peele's Mary Cherry farm near Williamston when a glass fire, sweeping across a broom straw field, threatened to catch a tenant house and barn. The fire was slopped a few feet from the barn. The second call came in at 4:00 o'clock when sparks from burn mg grass fired a quantity of pea nut hay under a tobacco barn shelter on the Clayton Revels farm in Bear Grass Township Two connecting tobacco barns, a wagon, hay and other property were burned on the Revels farm No estimate on the loss could be had immediately. A third rail was received from the owners of a farm on High way 125 in Poplar Point Town ship, but the firemen had not re turned from the second call and the fon ,t fuo wardens wore rall ied. Firemen verc called out again shortly before 6:00 o’clock last evening when a grass bush fire between Watts and Higgs Street 'and back of the legion hut and courthouse threatened to spread. After letting the fire burn away much of the undergrowth, fire men checked it near the railroad and at a little path. No damage was done, but residents on the south side were almost smoked out at one time. Other grass and woods fires were seen burning near Abbitt's Mill and on the Whitley farm near Williamston, but no damage j was reported. -* Robbers Entered Office Thursday —,— Forcing ;i side door, robbers en- I lin ed the Farmers; Warehouse here j and then tore through a window to j get into the Planters Nut and • Chocolate Company's office there | late last Thursday night or early j Fnriav morning' B'-iwi h" $20(1 and $300 was missed from the of- ] fire, according to Manager Ber nard Harrison, who explained that the money belonged to Inin per sonally. Local officers and SBI Agent ii.lvbtf.-wr.’ v‘.-oiirintg on thcensvyLut no developments have been re ported. Those few owners who are sporting old license tags on their vehicles are conscious ly or unconsciously violating the law. In addition to the law violation, the old tags can cause confusion, it was ex plained. Vehicle owners should remove the old tags and dispose of the old regis tration cards. Patrolmen Report No One Is Badly Hurt In Accidents I’ropi'rl) Damage Approxi mates $ I.OOO, According To First Estimates -<t>— Personnel of the North Caro lina State Highway Patrol work ed overtime, night and day, clear ing the highways in this county of vehicle accidents during the past lew' days. There were ten ac cidents and three persons slight ly hurt. * Preliminary reports listed no serious injuries but the property damage approxmate $4,000, ac cording to preliminary estimates. Several arrests were made and the charges are being aired in the county courts. The first in the series was re ported the early part of last week when three ears figured in an ac cident near the Old Mill Inn on Highway 17, about six miles south of Williamston. Leon King Thom as, game warden of Edenton, was driving his 1051 Ford north about 5:15 o'clock. Tommie Roberson, driving south, was forced off the highway when Hasco William Carver, Jr., of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, drifted across the center line with his 1950 DeSoto. Roberson, driving a Henry J., vent to the right shoulder, lost control of his machine and swerv ed back into the path of till Thomas car. Roberson’s 14-year old sister, Lollie, and Rose Clark, 10, were thrown out of the car. Examined in a hospital, they were found not to be injured. Damage to the Thomas Ford was estimated at $500 and that the Henry J. at $200 by Patrolman B. W. Parker who made the investigation. All was quiet on the highways m this county until last Friday evening when three mules broke out of their pen on the James farm and ran into Highway 003, about three miles South of Rob ersonviiie. J. S. Crandall, driving a 1052 Buick with hardly 300 miles on the speedometer, man aged to dodge two of the animals, but u third one ran into the car, knocking out the windshield and causing damage to the car esti mated at $450 or more. The mule suffered a broken neck and died almost instantly, according to patrolman Parker who made the investigation On Saturday the accidents started piling up fast and early. That morning at 1:30 o’clock Ver non Dail Whitfield was driving his 1938 Buick west on Highway (14 toward Everetts from Wil liamston and started to make a left turn when a 1947 Packard, driven hv William Alee Cherry struck the Buick, causing about $150 damage to the Buick and about $300 damage to the Pack ard, according to Corporal M. C, Byrum who made the investiga tion. Saturday afternoon a 1949 Chevrolet pick-up truck driven by (Continued on Page Eight) -®-— Pave 383 Feet Of 'Nile Of Pennies' -fc chairman of the Wiliiamston Par ents-Teaehors Association, report ed early today that the first day of the drive to pave a "Mile of Pennies" for the P.-T. A. had seen 3113 feet of the work done. Grades l through 4 joaveei^ 141 feet, grades 5 through 8, 172 1-2 feet, and the high school 89 1-2 feet. A number of posters on the pro ject were submitted and prizes were awarded for two which were tied for first place. One as by Edna Taylor in Mrs. Joyner’s 7lh grade and it will be placed in the window at E. & VV. Grocery while three boys in Mrs. By rum's 7th grade drew the other. Tney are Frankie Edwards, Billie Thornton and Clayton Weston. Their pos it i probably \vclF•tee-tested' sn the VEPCO window on Main Street. The drive will continue through Friday of this week.