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THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BY
OVER 3,MS MARTIN COUNTY
FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK
THE ENTERPRISE
THE ENTERPRISE IS READ RY
OVER 3,000 MARTIN COURT!
FAMILIES TWICE EACH
VOLUME LV—NIJMBER 33
William st on, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, April 22, 1952
ESTABLISHED 189t
Discharged By Judge
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4
Jamesviile Case
Night Be Carried
To Supreme Court
Juclpe Frizzelle Rules That
November Court Consent
Judge Is Worthless
After being carried into the
courts on four different occasions
since last October, the hot James
villc election case is now right
back where it started as a result
of a ruling handed down by Judge
J. Paul Frizzelle in the Greene
County Courthouse at Snow Hill
early last Saturday afternoon,
leaving L. W. Hardison, L. H.|
Hardison and James W. Long
holdihg tight to the reins of the
town’s municipal government.
While the plaintiffs are said to
be considering an appeal to the
North Carolina State Supreme
Court, no action has been taken
in that direction. The plaintiffs,
listed as A. Corey and others,
find that the case could not be
considered by the high court be
fore September and that a deci
sion hardly would be handed
down weeks or months later or
posibly not over a month or two
before time for a regular elec
tion. Win or lose, there’s little
to be gained in a trip to the high
court in so far as the present con
tnfversy is concerned, one of the
plaintiffs said, adding that possi
bly a rulifrg by the high court
hight establishji precedent to be!
followed in the future.
After hearing the'complaint and
answer during the course <jf abut
thirty minutes. Judge Frizzelle
announced his ruliniLofferin^j^L
comment and making ho sugges
tions other than that he would
allow the case to go on up. I
In the signed order, the jurist,
just out of a lengthy hearing in-!
volving several hundred thousand
dollars, ruled that the consent
judgment signed by Judge W. H.
S. Burgwyn in the Martin County
Superior Court last November
was null and void, that there was
no authority invested in the court
to order a special election for the
Town of Jamesviile to be held
on January 2, (14), 1952, and that
the failure of the defendants to
deliver the books and papers in
their possession, was done in good
faith and that such failure was
not due to any willful, corrupt
r contemptuous disregard of or
disobedience to the order of the
court. The jurist then ordered and
decreed that the citation and rule
for comtempt isued against the
defendants discharged.
The defense, represented by At
torneys R. H. Cowen and Albion
Dunn, maintained that the law
provided for municipal elections
only in odd years, and Went on to
declare there were irregularities
such as absentee voting in the pri
mary. Counsel referred to a 1951
4r>\v. governing elections, in
town. Plaintiffs, represented by
Attorney E. S. Peel, maintained
that a provision had been made
in the town charter as recorded
(Continued on page eight
«Several Fined In
The Federal Cour.
Several Martin County persons,
charged with violating the liquor
laws, were fined in federal court
held at Washington Monday.
Lonnie Rogers, colored, was
given his freedom when the court
ruled that evidence against him
^ warranted a directed verdict of
not guilty. Rogers’ companions,
Chas. Sriith and Irvin James,
were given suspended prison sen
tences, Smith five and James
eighteen months. Smith was fin
ed $250 and James lost his Ford
pick-up truck, the court withhold
ing a fine possibly because the de
fendant was the father of eleven
children.
Reuben Rogers, Chas. Whichard
and Jesse Gardner were each giv
♦ en prison sentences, suspended
upon the payment of $250 fines
each. Judge Don Gillam first plac
ed a $500 fine on Rogers, but re
ports reaching here said the
Amount was halved.
i iu -.
f TRANSPLANTING |
^-— - - -
Farmer Toba Bowen, start
ing last Thursday, has trans
planted about three acres of
tobacco. He is believed the
first in this county and area
to start the task thU season,
but thousands of others are
making ready for the task,
and by next week, weather
conditions being favorable, a
large majority of the farmers
in this county will have start
ed transplanting their crops.
Mr. Bowen's crop in Cross
Roads Township is looking
fairly well, and the prospect
fo;' the crop generally is en
couraging at this time in the
county.
Red Cross Drive
Over The Top In
County's Chapter
Chairmen Skinner and Aus
tin Grateful for Splen
did Cooperation
The annual Red Cross Drive in
this, the Martin County Chapter,
went over the $4,200.00 quota last
week-end when the Dixie Peanut
Company added $25 to the special
Rift fund. Chairman W. Iverson
Skinner and Co-Chairman Pete
Austin were quick to express their
appreciation to all those who
made contributions and to those
who worked so diligently and
faithfully in the business sections,
residential and rural areas
•throughout the five districts com
prising the chapter!
With a goal of $4,200, the drive
lr.st week-end, had climbed to
$4,201.43 with one small area—
Smithwiek’s—to report.
Reviewing the drive up to that
time, the chairmen listed the fol
lowing receipts, by groups or dis
tricts:
Williamston special gifts, $2,
097.69; Williamston residential,
including individual employes,
$720.24; Jamesville Township,
$301.00; Williams, $100; Griffins,
$225; Bear Grass, $192.37; Color
ed school districts: Rodgers,
$45.69; Biggs, $65; Dardens,
$57 60; Burroughs, $33.35; Wil
liams Lower, $51.65; Williamston,
$274.14; Jamesville, $37 70.
Individual donations, not pre
viously reported, follow:
Williamston Colored
School District
Mrs. Ella M. Ormond, canvasser.
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ormond,
$1; Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Mason,
$1.
Mrs. Cleo A. Tyner, canvasser:
J. M Tyner, $1.50; Mrs. A. T.
Manson, $1; Mr. and Mrs. J. D.
Wallace, $1; Mrs. Virginia Lloyd,
(Continued on Page Eight)
Damage Suite In
Superior Court
Three damage suits', growing
out of two automobile accidents
and asking a combined sum of
about $6,500, were filed in the
I Martin County Superior Court
last week. The cases have not
been calendared and it isn't like
ly they'll be called before June
or September.
Nun C. Everett, Robersonville
man who was injured in awreck
at the intersection of Highways
17 and 64 ir, Williamston last
December 15, is asking $974 dam
ages in his case against George
James Owens.
Mary Wiggins, in a suit against
Wilbur Cannon, is asking $5,000,
alleged damages resulting in an
accident on the McCaskey Road
near Williamston March 7. In her
complaint the plaintiff says she
suffered crushed bones in a leg
and other bodily injuries, that she
was a patient in the hospital for
about a month and continues in
bed, adding that her injuries are
of a permanent nature. James
Wiggins, in a suit against the
same defendant, is asking $450
damages alleged to have resulted
i nthe same, accident.
Johnnie Griffin, 12-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Marion Griffin of Cross Roads,
and a member of the Everetts 4-H Club, walked away with top honors at the ninth an
nual Martin County Fat Stock Show held recently in Williamston. Holding to his
Black Angus, Johnnie sold the prize entry for $405, and declared a handsome profit on
the operation. The grand champion calf was purchased by Roanoke Lockers and the
Roanoke Chevrolet Company of Williamston.—(Royal Studio photograph).
Minor Wrecks On
County Highways
No one was reported hurt and
property damage was limited in
two or three minor accidents on
Martin County highways during
the week-end.
Losing control of James Ever
ett's 1950 Ford, Lonnie Everett,
colored of Oak City Route I,
ditched or swamped it at Bal
lard's Bride in Poplar Point at
1:00 o’clock Saturday morning.
The machine went wild and turn
ed over. Investigating the ac
cident, Patrolman R. P. Narron
estimated the damage at $175.
At 6:00 o’clock last Friday eve
ning, Milford Holliday was driv
ing a farm tractor with trailer at
tached on Highway 125 near Mill
Branch, not far from Williams
ton, when the trailer tongue
broke and the trailer swerved
and tore into a 1950 Oldsmobile
driven by Linwood O. Boyd c.
Hamilton. No one was hurt and
damage to the chi was estimated
at $200 py Cpl. M, C. Byrum who
made the investigation.
A 1935 mode! Oldsmobile, bad
ly worn and battered, was found
ditched and abandoned on the
Bear Grass Road near the Biggs
schoolhouse at 10:00 o’clock Sun
day night. The owner has not
been found. The car is believed
to have been bought in Norfolk
by Murray Norman, 502 Pendle
ton Street, Berkeley, Va. Investi
gating the accident, Cpl. M. C.
Byrum said clothing and other
articles were found in the aban
doned car.
Parked near his tobacco bed in
a field, a 1946 Ford caught lire
and was almost deso
Leggett Mill section of Bear Grass
Township early Friday evening.
The car belonged to Dclmus Leg
gett, and is believed to have
caught fire from a short circuit in
the wiring.
Even though there were a few
wrecks, the accident trend was
downward during the period.
District Bar Group To
Meet In Rocky Mount
The second judicial district bar
association will hold its annual
meeting at the Benvenue County
Club, Rocky Mount, on Friday af
ternoon of this week at 5:00
o’clock, it was announced today
by I. D. Thorp, president.
Composed of the counties of
Nash, Edgecombe, Wilson, Martin
and Washington, the association
will hear Honorable Leland Mc
Kcithan, president of the State as
sociation.
Firemen Are Called Out
Here Early This Morning
Fire, starting along a fence di
viding the Ward Coal and Wood
Cornany’s plant ar.d Whitley’s
lumber mill, did no damage at
12:15 o’clock this morning. Called
there, volunteer firemen had the
fire out in a few minutes.
ROUND-UP
There was little activity re
ported on the crime front in
this county last week-end, the
sheriff’s office stating that on
ly four persons were arrested
and jailed during the period,
one was hooked for breaking
and entciing-larccny, public
drunkenness, drunken driv
ing and operating a motor ve
hicle without a driver's licese.
All four were colored males,
their ages ranging from 25 to
45 years.
Woods Fire Burns
Leaf Plan! Beds
Fire,.starting from a new-ground
trash pile on the H. A. Bowen
farm near Williamston last Fri
day about noon, burned Farmer
Mack Bowen’s plant beds, wreck
ed a goodly acreage of timber and
threatened several buildings, in
cluding thy Bethany Holiness
Church.
Williamston’s fire - fighting
equipment was dispatched to the
church an a anil neighbors joined
in to cheek the fire.
His beds destroyed, Mr. Muck
Bowen is out looking for plants.
Any farmers who have a surplus
of plants are asked to lend Farm
er Bowen u hand in getting his
crop transplanted. He lives on the
old Garrett Road between the Pri
son Camp Road and the Washing
ton Highway near the Bethany
Holiness Church.
Attends Symposium In
""^TffitvmanAiray Hospital
—^—
Dr. and Mrs. Victor Brown
spent Thursday in Winston-Salem
where Dr. Brown attended an an
nual symposium of the alumni of
the Wake Forest Medical School
at the new Bowman-Gray Hospi
tal. Mrs. Brown attended a meet
ing of the Auxiliary Association of
which she is a member. In com
menting on the size of the new
Bowman - Gray Hospital Dr.
Brown stated that it was tremen
dous and probably larger in floor
space than even Duke Hospital
in Durham.
Locul Boy Stationed
With Byulius Command
-&
With U. S. Forces on Okinawa—
First Lt. Lawrence G. Lindsley,
son of Mr. and Mrs. L. P. Lindsley,
318 Church St., Williamston, N.
C\, recently arrived on Okinawa
for duty with the Ryukyus Com
mand.
He is assigned as Headquarters
Battery commander in the 705th
Anti-Aircraft Gun Battalion.
A graduate of Denver Univer
sity, Lindsley served during
World War IT in the China-Rur
ma-India Theater. He first enter
ed the Army in January 1942 and
was recalled to active duty in May
1951.
Patrol Opening
Rookie School
Col. James R. Smith, command
ing officer of the State Highway
Patrol said today that a training
school for rookie patrolmen will
get under way June 1 at the Pa
trol Barracks in Chapel Hill.
Graduates of the school will
fill approximately 30 vacancies
now existing in the Highway Pa
trol.
Col. Smith said that applicants
must be citizens of the United
States; be between 21 and 31 years
old; weigh at least 160 pounds; hi
of good moral character and havi
no criminal record; have a high
school education or its equiva
lent; and have no relative now
employed by the Highway Patrol
Starting salary for trainees ac
cepted by the Patrol will be $2,
668 a year.
Calling For Bids
On Road Project
-;*)
The State Highway and 'Pudlit
Works Commission has called fm
bids on road projects in 37 coun
ties, including about six miles ir
this county. The projects cover
about 300 miles of roads market
for improvement, mostly black
top.
The project proposed in tbi;
county starts at a point about one
quarter mile from Bear Grass or
the Bear Grass-Everetts Road ant
runs about three miles to the Roe
buck fol k or Lum Gurganus’ sta
starts at Fulford’s station in Beau
fort County on the Bear Grass
Stokes Highway and soon enter:
this county, connecting with the
other part of the project at Gur
ganus’ store and continuing t<
connect with the Prison Camp o
old Williamston-Greonville Roac
at Cross Roads Church.
The project is to be finances
mainly from bond money. Tin
bids are to be opened next Tues
day for review by the commissior
on May 1.
Engineers Will Meet
In Wilson Tomorron
Th East Carolina Engineers Clul
will entertain their ladies at theii
annual Ladies Night" banquet u
Wilson tomorrow night.
The pnncinal speaker at 1b<
hanquet, to be held at the Cherrj
Hotel at 7:30 PM, will be Mr. Sila:
Lucas of Wilson. Mr. Lucas, at
torney and former solicitor of the
general county court of Wilsor
County, has been entertaining civ
ic, professional and fraternal orga
nizations with his wit and humot
for the past twenty years. His top
ic at this meeting >.vi!) be “Om
Quadrennial Convulsions".
Several members from the Wil
liamston Chapter of the Club art
expecting to attend the meeting.
4
Primary Election In County
A nnounce Pre-School Clinic'
Schedules In This County
Beginning next Monday, rep
resentatives of the Martin Coun
ty Health Department will con
duct a series of pre-school clinics
in this county. Whenever possible,
mothers are asked to accompany
their children to the clinics, the
doctor explaining that a personal
contact can accomplish more than
a letter. Parents arc asked to
submit cards, showing their
children have been vacillated.
The schedule in the white
schools follows
April 2H, Farm Life, 10 a m
and Hassell, >2 p. m.; April 29
and 30, Williamston, 9:30 o’clock
each morning; May 1, Roberson
ville, 9:30 a. m. and 2 p. m.; May
New Minister For
Hamilton Church
Answering a call from the Ham
ilton and Everetts Baptist Church
es, the Rev. Claude L. Gatling
will enter upon his new pastorate
next Sunday. The minister and
Mrs. Gatling are moving today
to Hamilton where they will make
their home. A son, Cpl. Stanley
L. Gatling, is in the armed forces
at the present time. Mrs. Gatling
is the former Miss Virginia Bate
man.
A native of Milwaukee, North
ampton County, Mr. Gatling has
been in the ministry eight years,
preaching at Elk Hill and Smyrna,
j Virginia, during his college days,
j He was graduated from the Uni
versity of Virginia and has held
pastorates in Centerville, Va., and
Republican, Bertie County. He
comes to this county after serving
the Bertie church for more Hjun
two years, and is succeeding the
j Rev. E. R. Stewart who is now
in Hickory, Virginia.
! Mr. Gatling, a progressive min
ister and forceful preacher, re
cently concluded a successful re
vival in the church at Hamilton.
He promises to continue the able
work handled by the Rev. Mr.
Stewart during his stay in this
county.
Tlu people of this county join
his members in wishing him a
successful ministry and in wel
coming him and his family to
their midst
Last In Concert
Series Held Here
-4— .
John Sebastian, recognized ar
tist and soloist with leading sym
phony orchestras in this country
and Canada, last evening gave
the third and final concert in the
second-year series sponsored by
the Martin County Community
Concert Association. The high
school auditorium wa.. nmifin ta
bly filled,- and the musician was
well received, sharing honors
with Albert Malver at the piano.
It was one of the few times it
not the only time a true master
of the harmonica ever appeared
m a concert here, and before his
I program was completed he had
given tin- harmonica a rightful
place in the family of symphonic
instruments.
While the program for the most
part was a bit heavy, Mr. Sebas
tian proved himself in every in
stance and went on to win over
his hearers with do Falla’s Ritual
Fire Dance and a special arrange
! merit by his assistant. To climax
the program, he offered as one of
’ several encores a regular old lira
down tune, mimicking the coun
1 try artist to the delight of the
audience.
Mr. Malver, the artist's accom
panist for the past nine years,
and an artist in his own right,
pleased the audience when he
played several humbers, two of
which were encores.
The association will launch its
third-year series this fall, it was
announced.
Its sessions interrupted when
several attorneys attended federal
court in Washington yesterday,
the Martin Superior Court resum
ed its trials this morning.
t
2, Oak City, 10 :i m., and Ham
ilton, 2 p. ni., May 5, Jamesvillo,
10 a. m., and Everetts, 2 p. ni ;
May (i, Bear Grass, 10 a. ni.
The schedule in the colored
schools follows:
May 7 and 8, Williamston, 9:30
a ni , May 9, Robersonville, 10.,
a m. and Everetts, 2 p. m.; May ;
12, Parmele, 10 a. m., and Hamil- |!
ton, 2 p. m.; May 1.3, Oak City, j '
10 a. m.; May 14, Jamesvillo, 10 a. !'
ni.; May 15, Williams, 9 a. m.;j!
May 10, Dardens, 10 a. m., and
Burroughs, 2 p. m.; May 20, Biggs, '
10 a. m.; May 21, Rodgers, 10 a.
m„ and Salsbury, 2 p. rn.; May
22, Smithwick’s, 10 a. m., and
Spring Green, 2 p. m.
-
I SPEAKING TO CLUB I
Judge Hubert Otive, candi
date for Governor, is address
ing a regular meeting of the
Rotary Club here today. Ar
riving here late last night,
Mr. Olive is doing a bit of
effective campaigning on the
grass roots level today. He is
leaving this afternoon for E
lizabeth City.
Native Oi County
Dies In Hospital
Mrs. Itculah Roberson Edwards,
a native of this county, died in a|
Rocky Mount hospital last Satur
day night. Funeral service:; wore
conducted at the home in Snow
Hill Monday afternoon at 4:110
o’clock by the Rev. W. D. Young,
pastor of the Calvary Methodist
Church in Snow Hill. Interment
was in the Snow Hill Cemetery.
Mrs Edwards, daughter of the
late Luke L. and Nettie Green
Roberson, was born near Wil
liamston 112 years ago. At an early
age she was married to Ade Mi
zeilo and spent most of her early
, - Vtf y - * - v, . i t. i n * •V''' c -
mole and making her home there
for some time before her mar
riage to E. E. Edwards and locat
ing in Snow Hill about thirty
.years ago. Following the death of
Mr. Edwards in 11)39, she had
served Greene County as its reg
ister of deeds .and was held in
high esteem m her adopted com
munity,
Surviving ar two daughters,
Mrs. John Hardy and Mrs. Tom
mie Cameron; one son, Edgar E.
Edwards, Jr., all of Snow Hill;
one sister, Mrs. B. F. Manning of
Robcisonville; two brothers, W.
K. Roberson of Richmond, Va,,
and S. L. Roberson of Roanoke
Rapids; and two grandchildren.
Pea,I I'itf.s Sucked ind
Dtinifti'd Into Pasture
Two dead pigs, weighing about
50 pounds each, were sacked and
dumped into Farmer R. II. Hardi
son's pasture in Williams Town
ship sometime last week. The find
was reported Friday, and the sher
iff’s office is puzzled to determine
why anyone would go to the trou
ble to sack the pigs and throw
them into another farmer’s pas
ture.
It is possible that the owner was
too lazy to bury the pigs and just
dumped them off las hands.
rweniy File For
Oiiices in County
Before Deadline
’.outfit for (!nniniiitNioiu,r,
Kilurutioii Board, Judge
And Representative
Before the filing deadline last
Saturday evening at 6:00 o’clock
wenty candidates got their names
nto the county political pot, but
mly four contests developed, one
or the North Carolina State
louse of Representatives, anoth
■r for judge of the Martin Coun
y Recorder’s Court, another for
■ounty commissioner from the
driffins-Bear Grass District, and
dill another for the three seats on
he Martin County Board of Ed
leation.
The other candidates, including
d. G. Horton for State Senator
'lorn this, the second senatorial
district; R .11. Smith for treasur
:-r; J .Sam Getsinger for register
if Deeds; Clarence W. Griffin for
county solicitor; J. H. Edwards,
2. O. Martin, H. L. Roebuck and
H. S. Johnson, Jr., and O. B. Rob
erson for surveyor, filed and
without opposition were .declared
the party nominess. Their names
will not appear on the primary
ballot May 31.
With only two contests definite
ly scheduled up until late Friday,
increased activity picked up dur
ing the day Saturday, the big sur
prise coming when four candi
dates filed for the three places on
the Martin County Board of Edu
cation. Despite the increased ac
tivity at the lust minute, county
politics is expected to attract no
great Interest between now and
during the May 31 primary, and,
so far, State politics has created
comparatively little interest in
this immediate area.
A three-way race developed
Saturday for representative in the
General Assembly when E. G. An
demon of Robersonville and El
mer Mofllin of RFD 1, Jamesville,
filed, A. Corey having officially
placed his name on the books
ea rlier.
J S. Ayers of RFD 1, Oak City,
a former resident of Everetts and
Wililamston, filed to challenge R.
T. Johnson’s seat o.i the Martin
Countv Recorder’s Court bench.
A third contest centers around
the county commissioner for the
Griffins Hear Grass bi&trE'ct
where Jimmy C Gurkin of Grif
fins is contesting the seat of W.
M. Harrison of Bear Grass.
With three places open on the
Board of Education and two of the
old members, Geo. C. Griffin and
J. D. Woolard, retiring, four can
didates moved in to bid for the
three seats. Cecil B. Powell filed
of RFD 1, Robersonville, to suc
ceed himself, and C Urbin Rogers
of Williamston, Mrs. Frances Rob
erson Lawton of Robersonville,
and LeRoy Harrison. wt.Besvr Okys&---«
entered the race for the first time.
Mr. Harrison, well known Bear
Grass business man, filed only
after it was pointed out that his
services weie badly needed and
that he eijuld help his county. He
was the last to get his name on the
books before the filing deadline at
6:00 o’clock Saturday afternoon.
There was a little ripple on the
county’s political sub-division
front wiu'ii Harry C. Jones filed
(Continued on Page Eight)
Fainfully Injured in Fall
From Ladder Monday
—<$
Mr. Arthur C. Harrison was
painfully but believed not serious
ly injured in a fall at his homo
in Bear Grass yesterday morning.
Painting his house, Mr. Harrison
fell when the ladder slipped and
suffered a broken right arm and
severe bruises about the head and
body. He is recovering in a local
hospital.
-— ,|l
Janieseille Merchants To
Observe Half IhdUlayg
Beginning this week. JamesviHit
merchants will observe each WedMP
lesday afternoon durinj
ner months as a half
vus announced