THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BY
OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNTY
FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK
THE ENTERPRISE
\
I
THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BY
OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNTY
FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK
% VOLUME LV—NUMBER 43
Williamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, June .1, l,f.r>2
ESTABLISHED 1899
Former RFsTBenl
Is Fatally Injured
In Norfolk Wreck
Funeral Arrangements For
Mrs. Leon Stalls Not
O Yet Completed
-®
Mrs. Daisy Gurganus Stalls, 48,
was killed instantly in an auto
mobile accident at a street inter
section in Norfolk last night at
10:30 o’clock. Her husband, Leon
Stalls, was slightly injured, and
their grandson, Edward Compton,
was not hurt. Few details of the
accident could be learned here
immediately, but it was reported
that another car, operated by a
^ sailor, ran through a red light
and crashed into the side of the
Stalls car, throwing Mrs. Stalls
to the pavement and fracturing
her skull.
The daughter of Mrs. Ida Glis
son Gurganus and the late Henry
Gurganus, both of Martin County,
Mrs. Stalls was born in Tarboro.
Following her marriage to Mr.
Stalls she made her home in Wil
liamston for a number of years
before locating in Norfolk in the
*ate twenties.
Surviving besides her mother
and husband are six children,
three daughters, Mrs. Russell
Compton of Norfolk, Mrs. Doro
thy Jones of Virginia Beach and
Mrs. Libby Hogshire of the home
in Norview; three sons, Leon
Stalls, Jr., of South Dakota, Bill
Stalls of Wilson, and Paul Stalls
of Norfolk; three brothers, Paul,
Claude and Haywood Gurganus,
* (>f Norfolk, and two sisters, Mrs.
Lillian Allsbrooks.
Funeral arrangements had not
boon completed early today, but
it is expected that the last rites
will be conducted in Norfolk to
morrow and that burial will fol
low there.
Johnny E. Bland
Died Suddenly
* Near Hamilion
f Fimerul Service To Be Held
Wediiewlay; Burial In
Robersonville
Johnny E. Bland, well-known
farmer of Hamilton Township,
died suddenly at his home there
at 7:45 o’clock Monday morning
following a short illness. He suf
fered a heart attack a few days
ago, but was thought to be im
proving until he started to get up
Monday..morning fte-..was®-partis
dressed when he was stricken
Bgain. Returning to bed, he died
p short time later.
The son of John and Mamie
Knox Bland, he was born in Pitt
County 46 years ago on January
23, 1906, and spent his early life
there. He moved to this county
%hen a young man and had lived
and farmed with Mr. Clayton
House near Hamilton for about
fourteen years.
He was married to Miss Annie
Leggett "and* sne Survives" w*tfT
eight children, six sons, Hubert
Bland of Williamston, Robert,
Edsel, Guerney, James and John
Bland, and two daughters, Sarah
Frances and Ellene Bland, all of
the home; four grandchildren; a
brother, Hosea Bland of Hassell,
•ind a sister, Mrs. Foy Rogerson of
Roberson ville.
Funeral services will be con
ducted at the Hassells Holiness
Church Wednesday afternoon at
3:30 o'clock with the Rev. E. A.
Killette. Free Will Holiness minis
ter of Pikeville, officiating, assist
ed by the Rev. R. H. Murray, Free
Will Holiness minister of Rocky
Mount. Burial will be in the Rob
ersonville Cemetery.
♦ -*
Maintain Drive
Against Typhoid
The relentless drive against ty
phoid fever is to be started in this
county next Monday by the health
department, it was announced this
week by Dr. J. W. Williams,
health officer.
Ok A schedule and the immuniza
tion centers appear in this paper.
There has been no typhoid fever
in the county in nine years, and
the health authorities are urging
the people to cooperate in keeping
it out.
CountyBoardSounds
Stern Economy Note
Holding Weliare
Budget For'52-53
To Same Figures
Officials In All-Day Ses
sion Monday Handling
Regular Business
The Martin County Commis
sioners sounded a stern economy
note in their regular meeting
Monday when they withheld an
increase proposed in the 1952-52
welfare department budget. While
no final action was taken, the
1951-52 figures for the depart
ment were tentatively approved
by the board in its all-day meet
ing.
Provisions were made to care
for 350 old agers, and extend aid
to 100 dependent children families
and to fifty partially and per
manently disabled persons. The
old age pension, averaging about
$24, will cost right at $100,800, oi
which the county is to pay $14,700
Aid to the 350 dependent child
ren, averaging $15 each pci
month, will cost $63,000, of which
the county is to pay $8,450 Aid to
the 50 partially and permanently
disabled persons, averaging $26
per month, will cost right at $15,
600, of which the county is to pay
$2,400. The board is holding the
administrative costs to the old
figures, leaving the superinten
dent's salary at $310 per month
instead of $330 as proposed. Sal
aries of case workers are to re
main at .4220 instead of $240 as
proposed. The senior stenographer
clerk retains a $200 salary instead
of the $220 proposed, and the
junior stenographer cler k’s salary
remains at $170 instead of $ 19C
as proposed in the new budget
The board is expected to meet
in special session later.in -the
month to study and adopt the
new budget for all departments.
The board apropriated $250 to
ward the erection of a jail in Oak
City with the provision that coun
ty prisoners are to be cared for
there when necessary.
A contract was entered into
with Frank Butler for auditing
the county books for $600.
^ resolution was passed, favor
ing the retention of the high
school department at Farm Life,
and one of the board members, H.
L. Roebuck, is accompanying a
large-delegation to Raleigh Thurs
day s-ppr-ar .before a full meet
ing of the State Board of Educa
tion.
The board went on record as
favoring the Abandonment of the
old road running from the Slade
fishery to the paved road near the
North Carolina Pulp Company
plant in Jamesville Township.
In his monthly report to the
board, Tax Collector M. L. Peel
(Continued on Page Eight)
Large Vote Cast
In Martin County
—*—
Martin County, while setting no
new record, piled up one of its
largest primary election votes last
Saturday, the count exceeding the
most liberal predictions by sev
eral hundred votes. It is believed
the race for the State House of
Representatives was one of the
main vote pullers.
According to unofficial but re
liable reports, the county cast
3,848 votes in the last Saturday
primary, including three or four
cast in the Republican column.
The vote for the 1948 and the
1952 primaries follows, by pre
cincts;
1948 1952
Jamesvillc _ 309 391
Williams „ 102 151
Griffins_ 254 363
Bear Grass 249 276
Williamston I ___ 371 535
Williamston II „ 521 698
Cross Roads . 157 180
Robersonville 486 571
Gold Point 126 107
Poplar Point 93 108
Hassell . 93 78
Hamilton 160 164
Goose Nest . -- 228 226
3149
3848
HEARING !
-/
A fairly sizable delegation
is forming and making ready
to go to Raleigh to appear be
fore a full meeting of the
State Board of Education in
behalf of the farm Life High
School. Headed by the local
committee and with Attorney
Clarence Griffin as its spokes
man, the delegation is to be
heard Thursday, it was re
ported.
An appeal had been direct
ed to a sub-committee, and
this is the first time a hear
ing has been scheduled be
fore the full board.
I
Han Fatally Shot
Playing 'Cowboy'
With Young Niece
Coroner W. W. Bifgpts Com
pleting Investigation In
Whitehead Death
Willis Hubert Whitehead, 30,
was fatally shot in the home of
his sister, Mrs. Jamie Copeland,
in this county and not far from
Palmyra, while playing with his
15-year-old niece, Janice Parker,
about 6:30 o’clock last Saturday
| evening. It was the only tragic
accident reported in this county
.during the long Memorial Day
'■ week-end.
! According <o a preliminary re
port releas'd bv Coroner W. W.
, Biggs, the shooting was accident
, al, but no final report is expected
j until following the completion of
his investigation later in .lie
| week.
Whitehead and his niece, vosi
dents of-Arlington,. Va-,-were vis
iting jn the Hobgood community
and came over to Martin County
to spend Saturday with his sister,
Mrs. Copeland. Whitehead and
his niece were playing cowboy,
and the girl reached for a .38-cali
ber pistol, and called him to “stick
’em up.” Whitehead raised his
hands and was quoted as saying,
"I’m dead now.” A second or two
later, the pistol fired, the bullet
plowing through the body in the
region of the heart and striking
the wall before dropping to the
floor. Whitehead died almost in
stantly. Coroner Biggs said
) Funeral services are being con
| duc ted in Scotland Neck this aft
ernoon at 3:30 o’clock for the vic
tim, and burial will be in the
family cemetery near Hobgood.
Henry Cantwell, Jehovah’s Wit
nesses minister of Brooklyn, is
conducting the rites.
Whitehead, son of Mrs. Mary
Simmons Whitehead and the late
(Continued on page eight)
SoHern Broken Ankle
White Chasing i Dog
— <j>
Mr. W. G. Peele, local insurance
man and agriculturist, suffered a
broken right ankle at the old fam
ily home in Bear Grass Township
early Sunday evening. The break
was limited to a small bone, and
he has been fitted with a walking
cast.
A dog was about to attack some
children, and Mr. Peele ran to
chase the dog away and turned
his ankle over, breaking the small
bone. He is confined to his home
at present.
Town Board Molds
Regular Meeting
Here Last Evening
Call For Paving Estimates
On Several Of The
Town Streets
-*
Holding their regular meeting
last night, the local town com
missioners crowded much business
into a short session and took leave
of absence for another month.
The officials were advised that a
ruling, in the underpass case on
West Main Street was expected
about week after next. The case
has been pending for several
months.
A petition was received for the
incorporation of several homes in
West End, including several on
the west side of Edgewood Ave
nue. Incorporation plans are to be
executed.
Street lights were requested at
the corners of Simmons Avenue
and Harrell Streets, Sycamore and
Hyman Streets and on Harris
Avenue.
Paving estimates were called
for on Sycamore and Railroad
Streets and School Drive. The
board was advised that no money
may be borrowed for the projects
in anticipation of revenue from
the highway fund next October.
It is likely that the planned pro
jects will have to be held in line
with the approximately $14,000 on
hand at the present time.
• Petitions were received for
curb and gutter on Vance Street
between School Drive and Biggs
Streets and on Beech between
Watts and Harrell Streets, and
on Smithwick between Liberty
and Vance Streets.
The hoard appropriated $1100 for
colored recreational facilities, the
iimoi'!. being rlrm! miy a i i
of t ie entire advalorem six oike
from colored property owners
Treasurer C. M. Cobb reported
aprortimatHv $11,570 on hand in
U.e regular fund, $10,731 in the
sewer rental fund and $14,300 in
the street fund. Taxes are due
in th(* aitiifuii(“0i' $4,j'5i .Si'" litco'fiu*
from parking meters last nonth
amounted to $589.09, and sewer
rental fees for the period added
(Continued on page eight'
County- Settled Politics For
Another Two Years Saturday
Representative Fined $50
In Obscene Picture Case
Jesse Robert Henderson, rep
resenting the Steede Amusement
Enterprises of High Point, was
fined $50 in the recorder's court
Monday for causing an obscene
moving picture to be shown in a
drive-in theater near Williamston
last March 15. A 60-day road
term was suspended, and the de
fendant was ordered not to bring
the film, "Battle of Burlesque”
back into this county ever. Judg
ment was suspended upon the
payment of the costs in the case
against John Mobley, theater op
erator.
Judge R. T. Johnson, hearing
the case, first ordered the film
confiscated and destroyed, but
there was some doubt as to his
authority and he released the film
into the custody of the company
representatives.
Very little evidence was offered
in the case, the court and others
having witnessed the showing of
the film by special arrangements
some weeks ago. Defense attor
ney, Hugh G Horton, said that he
saw the picture at the request of
his client, and while there was
some wiggling and twisting it.
was not as bad as what went ( 1
at carnivals sponsored by the
Lions Club. Jaycees and firemen
and where women cast off all
their clothes. The defense attor
ney went on to explain that North
Carolina has no censureship
board, that it had been passed
by other boards in other states and
that the film had been shown in
various theaters, mostly the drive
ins, in this State.
In defense of his client, Attor
ney Chas. II Manning said that
Mr. Mobley would not have shown
the picture if he had been warn
ed anything was wrong with it
Many Gather For
Election Returns
A record crowd gathered at
Tlic Enterprise office to get the
election returns last Saturday
night, and at one time almost
blocked the main street.
Mr. Mayo Hardison was the
first to start the running account
on the score boards, bet si vovul
of the elections officials were do
laved in getting their returns in.
"I tried for an hour to gel the
number, but it was busy time
after time,” Registrar Giadv God
ard explained
The office was swamped by per
sons calling in for inhumation
early in the evening, and the task
of compiling the returns was de
layed considerably.
A few off-remay ks were heard,
but the election “party” went iff
fairly smoothly despite the rain
ROUND-UP
r
v
Despite politics and a lone
week-end holiday, crime was
rather limited in the county
during the past week-end.
Only seven persons were ar
rested and detained in the
county jail, two each for as
sault, public drunkenness,
and lar ony and one for
dtunken driving.
< Two of the seven were
vd i •• : ml ages of ,ho groun
ranged 1 em 18 to 55 years.
Mr. panes Kin” Haenlcrs
Local Hospital Sal n i day
Mr. James Iv King re-entered
a fktMSrdsy--f.fr
treatment. 111• was reported this
morning to he holding his own.
Mr. King just recently returned
lrom Duke Hospital.
Kiwanians Crash Win Column In Little League
Winning their first victory last Thursday evening the representatives ot the Kinwanis Club in
the local Little Baseball League have served notice they’re still in the loop. The names oi Kiwanis
team members are: Bottom row (left to right) John Woolard, Frankie Roberson, Carlyle Brown,
Joe Whitaker, Bobby Perry. Second row, Boyce Ross, Arlan Mizeli, Roger Mobley, Ralph Bowen,
Carroll F. Brown. Third row, Alton Nicholson, Melvin Bowen, Arnold Howard, Hugh Raynor, Don
Skinner, Jr.
Unofficial Vote — Democratic Primary In Martin County. May ill, 1952
PRECINCTS
Jamesville
Williams
Griffins
Bear Grass
Williamston No. 1
Williamston No. 2
Cross Roads
Robersnnville
Gold Point
Poplar Point
Hassell
Hamilton
Goose Nest
TOTALS
|! House of
Represent’ves
County
Judge
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County 1
Com. || Bd. of Education
Governor Lt. Governor Inc Com. $up. Ct. Short Trm Supreme Ct., Regular Term
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Miss Second Race
For The House By
A 29-Vote Margin
-<»
Jmlp- l{. T. Johnson
Tin* donutv I’itkct
\% ii!» 2844 Voles
Going to the polls in greater
I numbers than was expected, Mar
tm County voters last Saturday
(settled their polities for another
two years m an election that wax
ed warm in spots.
The settlement just was effect
ed when A. Corey, Jamesville
I candidate, polled, a majority of
only 29 votes over his opponents,
E. G. Anderson of Robersonville
and Elmer N Modlin of James
ville in the race for the State
House of Representatives. The
House race was the only one
where a second primary was pos
sible on the county ticket.
R. T. Johnson, candidate te
succeed himself as judge of the
Martin County Recorder’s Court,
led the ticket with 2,844 votes
and LcRoy Harrison of Beat
Grass followed closely with 2,754
votes in the four-way race foi
places on the Martin County
Board of Education.
The winners on the county
ticket include:
A. Corey for the State House
of Representatives, K T John
son for jinb e of the Martin Coun
I tv Recorder’s Court, Jimmy C
; Gorkin of Griffins for county
coniiiii." a nor from 111 - Gr.ltm
(’•car G r, ,1 s r cl, 1. Re I lar
■ii; ii of Bear Grass, C. U. Royer
|of Williamson, and Cecil Powel
! of Gold l’onit for places on Uu
Mai tin County Board of Kaueu
tion.
While the board of edueatio
members are appointed by 111
legislature, the nominations made
in the primary have been recog
nized down through the years,
and there is reason to believe the
appointments will follow in due
course about next February or
(Continued on Pagt}. Eight)
hurl In Sunday
Night Accident
li ving Bembridge, young white
man, w ,s painfully but apparent
IJ,y not. seriously injured in a mo
j tovchn !e aceiden't on Whitibv s
I Mrirlgi in Poplar Point Towushin
late Sunday night. He suffered
cuts and bruises on the front anti
back of his head.
Bembridge lost control of his
11)50 Chevrolet pick-up truck he
entered the bt idge and tore down
part of the bridge railing. He was
knocked unconscious, according to
a story told Cpl M C. Byrum,
the investigating officer, and did
not comp to until about O'00
Damage to the vehicle was es
timated at $500 by the officer.
There were two other accidents
in the county during the week
end, There was a minor one on
Church Street here Saturday af
ternoon at the alley between Os
car Davenport and a Peaks boy.
Damage to the vehicle- was less
than $100
Damage, estimated at $700, re
sulted when two cars crashed at
a street intersection m Koberson
villc late last Saturday night. No
one was reported injured.
Died In Hospital
Here Early Today
•uh. . . ...
Funeral W«*<lm*>»«lay \ftrr
uoon to Thr Riddick s
Grove Baptist Church
Irving D Coltrain, well-known
young farmer and a leading citi
zen of Williams Township, died in
a local hospital this morning at
3:45 o'clock. He had been in de
clining health for a long time, suf
fering with a heart condition.
However, he was getting along
very well Sunday and attended
a family reunion and dinner in
the county. Late that day he was
taken ill, and his condition be
came critical over night.
The son of Joshua L. Coltrain
and the late Mrs. Martha Peete
Coltrain, he was born in Williams
Township 48 years ago on May
89, 1904, and spent all his life
on the farm there. He was mar
ried to Miss Clyde Hardison on
October 37, 1933
Mr. Coltrain was a member of
the Riddicks Grove Baptist
Church since boyhood, and was
faithful in its support and in at
tendance upon its services. Pos
sessed of high ideals, he was a
thoughtful neighbor and an ac
commodating friend, one whose
company was enjoyed by all. He
attended school in Williams
Township. Surviving besides his
widow and father, are his step
mother; a son, Sgt. Reginald Col
train, stationed with the Martin
County National Guard unit in
Fort Hix, New Jersey; a brother,
Joe Lawrence Coltrain, of Wil
liams Township; and two sisters,
Mis. Tom 1 helps and Mrs. li ving
K< berai n, l>< Hi < i Wildnmston.
’ em .:.I s ever will be coll
ude 1 m (he 11 Idr kV. Grove
i •aptis Cm rco We n< iay at 2:30
\ lock l \ his pa ;! r, the Rev.
W. B liar iugh'0, and interment
wild" in W' oh In wn Cemetei y
here.
I
0 jtfioH Taken On
Extensive Timber
Acreage In Easi
<*•
Second Larj;e Land Deal In
Eastern Carolina During
Iteeenl Weeks
—^
Following tlu- proposed sale of
thousands of acres m Dare Coun
ty to the west Virginia I’ulp and
Paper Company, an option lias
been taken by the Continental
Can Company on several hundred
thousand an. • f o?!.u ’and.
ev.stei-n North Carolina, according
■ ■ - j.jnui recently in
the Virginia press. The story,
written by Frank Sulivan, fid
lows:
The majority holdings of the
Roper Realization Company, Inc.,
representing approximately 270,
00 acres of cutover and timber
lands lying principally in Eastern
North Carolina, have been taken
under option by the Continental
Can Company for possible pur
ernge commissions, according to
the Wall Street Journal Confir
(Continued on Page Eight)
Umsiead Wins By
Margin Oi 25,000
! -<t>
William B. Umstead, carrying
(>2 of the State’s 100 counties —
Martin not included—won the
North Carolina gubernatorial
nomination by a margin of ap
proximately 25,000 votes in the
primary election last Saturday.
The Durham attorney trailed
Ins opponent, Judge Hubert Olive
of Lexington, during the early re
turns, but gradually took over the
lead early in the evening and late
Saturday night victory was assur
ed.
Luther Hodges, retired indus
trialist of Leaksville, led the
ticket for lieutenant governor.
Waldo Cheek, popular State In
surance Commissioner, won easily
over his opponent, John N Fred
erick, Charlotte insurance man,
and R. Hunt Parker led the ticket
for associate justice.
It is not certain that there'll be
la second state-wide primary, but
two contests, those of lieutenant
governor and supreme court jus
tice, were without majorities.