North Carolina Newspapers

THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BY DYER 3,090 MARTIN COUNTY FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK THE ENTERPRISE -- --~*=3£ THE ENTERPRISE IS READ HI OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNTS FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK VOLUME LV—NUMBER 93 Williamaton, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuentlay, November 25, 1952 ESTABLISHED 189f Grinding Out Few Cases This Week In Superior Court -—#■— Tribunal Expected To Be In Session Part Of Wednesday Contrary to the way past schedules were handled, the Mar tin County Superior Court with Judge Susie Sharp on the bench, is currently holding close to afix ed task, grinding out slowly but surely cases of a complicated and tedious nature. The court is al most certain to go into session again tomorrow, something that has seldom ever happened the day before Thanksgiving since * the court was created by special act more than a dozen years ago for the trial of civil cas.es only. The court, as far as numbers are concerned, is establishing no record this term, but up until today more conscientious and real hard work hacf been done than at any other sitting in re cent years. Cases, literally bent with tedi ous testimony and technicalities, have been the order' of the day Qfnce the term was opened right on the dot on Monday of last week. Only a few cases are to be con sidered during the remaindbr of the term, with the possibility that the bases of Cherry against Roanoke Tobacco Warehouse Co., Corey against Wallace and Evans against Brown will be called be , fore adjournment is ordered. Yesterday the court spent the entire day hearing the case in 41 volving a boundary line, brought by Critcher Lumber Company against Will Roberson and Robert J. Sydenstricker. All the evi dence was completed at 4:00 o’ clock and the attorney argued to the jury until 4:45 o’clock. Dis missing the jury for the day. Judge Sharp heard a motion in another case before quitting for the day. This morning the jurist rharged the jury, but no verdict was returned immediately. Last week, after the jury gave the plaintiff a judgment in the sum of $250 in the case of W. R. Powell against Lelia Gainor. At torney Paul D. Roberson moved that the verdict be set aside as being contrary to the greater weight of the evidence. The mo tion was granted, and a new trial was ordered. Powell was suing for $1,400 damages alleged to have resulted in an automobile accident last May near Gold Point: A greater part of lust Friday was devoted to the trial of the rase brought by Thurston Daven port against his former wife, Hattie Rodgers Davenport Reid. Davenport was asking for a share in the property held by the de fendant, claiming that he had "worked hard" in helping amass the property. The jury found that the defendant “did not ob tain money from the plaintiff by (Continued on page eight) Wasn't Quite So Dry After All —•— This section had a mighty dry spell up until the rains came two w'eeks ago to lay,the dust ind in terrupt the peanut harvest. But the season wasn’t quite as dry as q many pictured it. Farmer C. D. Carstarphen re ported he walked one hundred yards down the mouth of Sweet Water Creek when the dry season reached its peak. The old creek was mighty low, but Farmer Car starphen was in Rattling Gut in stead of the creek. Farmers Grady Godard and Lucian Hardison, hearing about the unusual exploit, checked and reasoned that Farrn i*j| Carstarphen was in one place wmen he thought he wras in an other. The creek and the gut are not very far apart and both empty into the Roanoke. | SERVICE | A special Thanksgiving ser vice will be held in the Janesville Christian Chnreh * Thursday evening at 7:3d •’clack, it was announced to day. The pastor, the Rev. ■a raid L. Tyre, will con duct the service and a cordial In vitation is extended to all to attend the service. t! Thanksgiving Service Will Be Held In Local Church The Reverend E. Gordon Conk lin. pastor of Memorial Baptist Church, will be the speaker at a Community Thanksgiving service at First Methodist Church on Thursday morning at ten-thirty. The annual event attracts hun dreds of worshipers each year The offering taken enables the churches through the Williamston Ministerial Association, to carry on worthy endeavors in keeping with the spirit and ministry of Jesus. A hospital bed is maintain ed for use in homes where tem porary illness requires the use of such a bed. During the past year a wheel chair was purchased and has brought added comfort and convenience to several who have used it throughout the year. More recently the local minis ters have sponsored a Community Kindergarten. The fees paid by i the parents have paid the salaries 'of workers and helped with the I daily running expenses. Some items of equipment needed in the | kindergarten program have had to • he purchased with funds which the ministers have obtained from I other sources. This Thanksgiving ! offering is one of the Association's , best sources of income. A spokesman of the Ministerial Association pointed out. however, that many churches take special ! offerings at Thanksgiving for the support of chosen denominational projects and stated that envelopes containing such offering may be placed in the plate Thursday morning. These envelopes will j be given to the local church treas urer indicated on the envelope. All ministers in town for the day will participate in the ser vice. The public is invited to at i tend. CARLOAD OF CORN v_/ Martin County farmers, supported by cash contribu tions in the various towns and communities throughout the county, shipped a solid'car load of corn last Saturday noon for overseas relief under the Christian Rural Overseas Program. Although the crop is mighty short in the county this year, Martin farmers shared liber ally of what they had, and when no corn wras available, cash was offered, County Chairman Mayo Hardison ex plained. A detailed account of the project will he announced later by Chairman Hardison w'ho declared the undertaking was successful beyond expec tations and quite timely for the Thanksgiving season. Former Resident Dies In New Bern —*— Andrew J. Roberson, native of this county, die'* in a New Bern hospital at 6:00 o’clock last Sun day morning. He was 79 years old and left the county about fifty years ago, locating in Crav en County where he farmed until declining health forced his re tirement. Funeral services were held at the graveside in the Pine Tree Cemetery near Askin Monday afternoon at 2:30 o’clock by the Rev. B. F. Ringold, Free Will Baptist minister of Bridgeton. Mr. Roberson was married to Sallie Purifoy of Craven County in 1904, and she survives him. Also surviving are four sons, Chester W. and James R. Rober son of New Bern, and Samuel J. Roberson of the home; a daughter, Esther Bell Roberson of the home; two brothers, H. G. Roberson of Raleigh and Samuel R. Roberson of Rooky Mount; and a sister, Mrs. Edith Phillips, of Pollocks ville. Turkey Shoot Well Attended The first in the two-day shoot ing matches planned here by the local Kiwanis Club attracted a goodly number to the lot next to | the Standard Fertilizer Company ' plant last evening. Master David Modlin, using his i grandfather’s gun, took one of the prizes when he hit the target squarely on the nose. Only one or two of the goodfy number f professionals qualified for prizes, it was declared. The second match is scheduled for this evening, and the public is invited to participate, and help support the club's Scout program. Marriage Livenne* Are h*ned In The County j ' ■ 4* — Three marriage licenses were i issued in the county over the past j week-end to: Clarence Mayo Weathersby of I RFD 1, Bethel, and Dorothy Har-! re 11 of Palmyra. Samuel Mansfield Fishel of Vaughan and Dorothy Ruth Ever ett of Robersonville, and, Julius T. Sadler of Tarboro and Beatrice Turner of RFD 1, Pa! nyra. Plan Polio Fund Drive In County —— Thi' appointment of directors for the month-long 1953 March of Dimes, which begins January 2 was announced today by the Lions and Kiwanis clubs, who will di rect the campaign. W. Marvin Baker of the Lions club and L. Bruce Wynne of the Kiwanis club will co-direct the annual drive in Martin County and will be assisted by volunteer community leaders to be appoint ed later. Mr. Baker will head the county activities and Mr. Wynne will lead the town’s collections. In making the announcement the two clubs emphasized the drive will need volunteers, both men and women, throughout the county and urged every citizen to offer his help in the campaign. This, they said, is because of the unparalleled need of carrying the March of Dimes appeal to every business organization and Individ* iual in the county. Upon his return from a zone meeting of March of Dime cam paign leaders held recently in Greenville, Mr. Baker said, "What happened to the nation last sum mer and fall was more than a vio lent upsurge of polio incidence. It was a national calamity that will ed out all previous standards of comparison. “For months and years to come, thousands of men, women and children will require the skills that money and modern knowl edge can muster to help restore them to useful lives. Add to this the total of those stricken in other years and it becomes appar ent what an enormous financial burden is now carried by the Na tional Foundation for Infantile Paralysis.” Represent County At E. C. College Among the 797 members of the East Carolina College freshman class are a number of students from Martin County. The largest enrollment of first-year students in the college’s history come from 71 North Carolina counties, from New York, South Carolina, Penn sylvania and Cuba. Students from this county in- . elude William C. Barnhill, Rob ersonville; Alice L. Coburn and Jeane Cullifer; Samuel S. Biggs, Peggy R. Cherry, Helbert L. Dan iels, Gerald M. Elks, Robert F. Goff, Diantha E. Griffin, William ; F. Griffir, David C. Gurkin, i George T. Hardison, Billie B. Har- ! risen, Betsy P. Horton, Berry J. McLawhorn, James D. Page, Ray mond A. Robertson. John R. Rog ers, Patricia 'Taylor, and Benja min A. Ward, all of Williamston, Doris E. Bullock oi Palmyra; Lae) S. Bunting of Oak City; Barbara j J. James, John R. kiatthews, Jean . Ann Mobley, Ralph S. Mobley, ’ Mariann Roebuck, Francis J. Smith, and William F. Taylor, all t of Robersonville; and Thomas L. [ Kirkman of Jamesville. I LATE EDITION C _ Suspending operations for 1 Thanksgiving, The Enterprise i will not isiue its Thursday edition until Friday. The i: office will be closed all day a Thursday, but operations v will he resumed Friday morn- a ing. 7 Twenty Cases In Recorder's Court Saturday Morning -- INo Session of the County Court Will Be Held On Snturday This Week Judge R. T. Johnson and Solici tor Clarence Griffin handled twenty cases during the last Saturday morning session of the Martin County Recorder's Court. Fines, assessed during the morn ing, amounted to $445. Proceedings: Pleading not guilty of violating the liquor laws, Dorothy Fagan was adjudged guilty and drew six months in Woman’s Prison. The prison term was suspended upon the payment of a $100 fine and costs. She is to violate no liquor law or have illicit liquor in her house during the next three years. Adjudged guilty of fornication and adultery, O. K. Harrison and Olivia Land were taxed with the costs. In court for the second time within a few days on a charge of operating a motor vehicle without t driver’s license, Leon Taylor was sentenced to the roads fyr six months, the court suspending the road term upon the payment of a $50 fine and costs. The de fendant is to violate no motor ve hicle law during the next twelve months Charged with non-support, George Davenport was found not guilty. Pleading guilty of non-support, Charlie Daniel, colored, was sen tenced to the roads for six months. The road term was sus pended upon the payment of the court costs and $(i a week for the support of his children. Judgment was suspended upon the payment of the costs in the cases in which George Reaves was charged with allowing an un licensed driver operate a motor vehicle, and Mamie Lee Reaves was charged with operating a mo tor vehicle without a driver's li cense. Clarence Earl Taylor was tax ed with the costs in the ease in which hr' was charged with care less and reckless driving. Pleading guilty, Miles Lester joss was fined $100 and taxed with the costs for drunken driv ing. He loses his license to op erate a motor vehicle during the Text twelve months. Charged with public drunken ass, Jesse James Leary pleaded ,'uilt.v of not properly displaying i motor vehicle license tag, and was taxed with the court costs. Pleading not guilty, Sam Rid dick was adjudged guilty and was fined $100, plus costs, for drunken driving. He loses his license to jperatc a motor vehicle for a year. Exil Davis Harper of Plymouth was fined $25, plus costs, for run ning 75 miles an hour. Pleading guilty of operating a motor vehicle without a driver’s license, Thomas Victor Esters was fined $25, plus costs. John Smith of Jackson Heights, V Y., was fined $20 for speeding. Charged with driving 75 miles in hour, James Earl Purvis of iVilliamston was fined $25, plus •osts. Dewey Robert Garguilo of (acksonville, N. C\, George Oli ver Howard, Sr., of Jacksonville, •"la., Norman E. Herring of RFD , Greenville, Edward Lee Whit icld of Robersonville, George Sdward Brooks of Village, Va„ oid Charlie Crofton Sexton, Jr., if Norfolk, were each taxed with he costs for exceeding the speed imits. 1{rligiuuH Services In The County Thanksgiving Day Several special religious serv cos are planned in connection vith the more serious side of "hanksgiving. Local Episcopalians will have ommunion at 9:00 o'clock that norning, followed by a union 'hanksgiving Day service in the acaI Methodist church at 10:10 ’clock. Smithwieks Creek is holding a ommunity Thanksgiving serv :eice at 11:00 o’clock that morn ig Piney Grove is planning a com- i lunity-wide service that evening i t 7:00 o’clock, and the James- I die Christian Church is holding 11 special community service at 1 :30 o’clock that evening 1. Several Are Hurl In Auto Accident Sunday Aiternoon —— Property llimiu^- In Four Aeridents PhsI Wcek*eiicl Kstimutcd At $2,000 Several persons were Injured,; none of them believed seriously, j in one of four automobile acci- j dents on Martin County highways ! and streets last week-end, ae- ! cording to reports coming front members of the highway patrol and police officers. The Rev. Elmore Turner of Washington, Mrs. Turner and their three children were injured when their car. a 1951 Chevrolet, was in collision with a Ford, driv en by Earl Warren of Parmele, Sunday afternoon at the intersec tion of the Prison Camp Road and the road from Everetts to Bear Grass. Mrs. Turner, receiving bruises on her right side and severe shock, is expected to be able to leave a local hospital for her home to day. A daughter, Patricia, II years old, suffered a shoulder in jury, but was able to continue to her home following treatment in the hospital. Michael Turner, 7, received a blow on the head, and Catherine Turner, 6, w’as burised about the head and legs. The minister suffered bruises about the body. All the victims except Mrs. Turnci were able to con tinue to their home Sunday eve ning. Warren, driver of the other car, was not injured, according to a report released by Patrolman B. W. Parker who made the in vestigation. Traveling from Robcrsonville toward Washington, the minister realized he was on the wrong route and backed into the Ever etts road to get on the right road. When he started across the Prison Camp Road he pulled into the path of the Warren ear which struck the preacher’s ear in the right side. Patrolman Parker estimated the damage at $900 to the Chev rolet and $300 to Warren Ford. Property damage, estimated at $500, resulted in an accident on Highway 84 about three miles east of Robcrsonville last Friday. Ivey Lee Carson, driving a 1947 Ford, was making a left turn into Herbert Colt rain's yard when his ear was struck by a 1951 Hudson driven by Clywoud Ashley Man ning, Jr., who was approaching from the opposite direction. Pa trolman B. W. Parker, making the investigation, estimated the dam age to each ear at $250. No one was said to have been injured in the accident. No one was hurt and damage was limited to about $250 last Saturday morning when a 1952 Pontiac driven by Luther Modlin was in collision with a 1941 Ford driven by Goldie Williams at the intersection of Washington and Sycamore Streets in Williamston. Both cars were traveling into town on Washington Street and the crash happened just as Wil- ; hams started making a left turn into Sycamore Street ahead of ; the Modlin ear. Investigating the* accident, Officer Chas. R. Moore | estimated the- damage to Modlin's f Pontiac at $175, and that to the i Ford at $75. # Minor damage, estimated at i hardly more than $35, resulted | when Mary Hadley Bcucham i strated to back a 1949 Plymouth i from the curb in front of Roe’s | store on the main street in Wil- , liamston last Saturday evening and was in collision with a 1942 , Ford driven by Karl Leamon Wal- < lace of Everetts. No damage was : done to the Beacham car, Officer ( Chas. R. Moore said following an ! investigation. Property losses in automobile ^ accidents in the county mounted last week, the four wrecks re ported during the week-end, ac -ounting for a lose ;.--t-imated at Employe Of Enterprise j Suffera Heart Attack r -*- j Mr. Gilbert Hoskins, young t High Point man who joined the , mechanical staff of The Enter nice a few weeks ago, suffered i heart attack just before report- f ng for work last Friday tnorn- V ng. Following treatment in hos >itals here and in Rocky Mount ie was returned to his home in ligh Point where he will be con ined to his bed the next five or | ix weeks. Santa Claus Is Coining To Town Next Monday 4 P. M. Santa Cltius is coming to W.l liamston next Monday afternoon at 4:00 o’clock with 1,000 little token gifts all packed us little stockings. Sponsored by the Williamston Boosters, the visit will formally mark the opening of the Christ mas shopping season. Merchants are making ready for the big event, and even this week ex pectancy is running high among the youngsters. Santa will be greeted by Pro fessor Jack Butler and the Green Wave Band. Main Street will be closed to traffic for a short time, giving the band. Santa and thous ands of kiddies the right of way for a brief time. Homer Barnhill is arranging Santa’s visit, and the merry ole gentleman will ride one of the fire trucks into town, stopping just about, in front of t.ho Watts Theater for a short sta.v. He's j bringing ,< pack well stacked with I Christmas favors, a supply con sidered ample to meet the demand of every little boy and girl. Boost ers Secretary A1 Sweatt explain ' ed. Plans have been completed for the installation ol the holiday lights in the main business do I tricts, but up until this morning I all ol the material had not leach i'd here. It was shipped last week and win kmen are slated to start the installations in time lor turn ing on the lights next Monday , evening. Lights or no lights, weather per mitting. Old Santa will make his scheduled visit to Williamston at 4:00 o'clock next Monday, and a ; hearty invitation is extended to | all to be pi a sent. General Holiday For Thanksgiving —»— The town-wide observance o Thanksgiving as a holiday will 1>< featured by the union religion: service to be held in the Methodis Church at 10:110 o'clock Thursda; morning. The Rev. E. Gordoi Conklin, pastor of the Baptis church, will deliver the message and the host church is preparint the program, it was announced A large congregation is expectei to attend the service. With the possible exception ol one or two heavy industries, al business activity will be suspend ed for the one day here, including the peanut market. The schools arc closing Wednesday afternoor lo remain closed until next Mon day. There'll be no postal deliv eries either in the town or rural ureas, and all offices, stores am business houses will be closed al flay or observe Sunday hours, ii was 'announced. The season for hunting quai •pens that morning, and sports men arc expected to turn to tin fields in large numbers Special deer hunts are being planned in iust about all the swamps in even part of the county. Farming activities arc depend lit upon weather conditions, but it is likely that a general holidav will be observed on most farms The Smithwicks Creek area is molding its annual union Thanks giving religious service in the ■hurch there, and the pastor, Eld •r P. E. Gctsmger, is extending a welcome to all to attend and take jart in the service. Augustus Perry Dies In Halifax -—«— Augustus M. Pony, I'm mcr to bacconist on the Willianuston mar <et, died at Ins homo near Soot and Nook early Sunday morning, seventy-nine years of aye, Mr. ’erry had retired as a tobacconist ind auctioneer. A native of Chatham County, io located in Halifax many years igo, and was associated with the narket hero for several seasons. Surviving are his widow, the ormer Miss Fannie Boll of Hali ax County; a son, Julian S. Per y, of Richmond; a sister, Mrs. T. I. Perry, of Burlington; and three mothers, R. G., Garland and J Won Perry, all of Pittsboro. Funeral services were conduct d in the Scotland Nock Methodist ’huroh "yesterday afternoon at 1:30 o’clock by the Rev. J D. Ay ock. Interment was in Scotland Jock’s Sunnysidc Cemetery. •-— Governor t ml Hitt Burly WuAr Brief Slop Here —^—. En route to the eoastland and uok hunting. Governor Ken ifm top here this morning about :00 o'clock, breaking an early norning drive from Raleigh, ifter exchanging greetings with he Bill Abbitts and other friends, lie party continued to Currituck HOLY COMMUNION I - Service of Holy Commun ion will be held in the lucul Episcopal Church Thanksgiv ing morning at H o’clock. The public is cordially invited. m \i{i\i;r Its activities just about halted hy rains during the past two weeks, the local pea nut market continues to mark j time, late reports slating that only a lew hundred bans are moving (he cleaners and warehoused here at the pres ent time. It isn't likely that threshing operations can be resumed lie lore the latter part ol this week. The market will observe Thanksgiving day as a holi day. i I Robbers Entered Lindsley's Store I —*■ Breaking .through a side glass door, robbers entered Lmdsles s Checkerboard Store on. Washing ton Street here during Rundav night and carried away eight guns and oilier articles valued at about . $800. A. hurried inventors cheek showed missing two 12 gauge Re mington pump guns, one 20 gauge Remington automatic, one Hi gauge Savage automatic, one 12 gauge Remington automata', one I double barrel 12 gauge Stevens, a double barrel 12-gauge Fox gun,1 j a 10-gauge M os berg bolt action j g in, two Daisy air rifle: I'oui I plastic gun eases and some othci , i items. | Working tin'll was- through* the | I d room, the lubbei went to the j j 11not of the main store and took! I the guns, ran s ing them out I I through the hole knocked in the Ismail glass panel without unlatch- j 1 mg the dooi. Local poliee and agent; from the State Bureau uj Investigation are working on the ease, but up untij this mm mug nu lead had been established. i {Library Observes Book Week Here • A display ol children' book: | in the window of the local office' of the (employment Seeui ity l!mil mission office last week marked the Willlumstiin public hbrai v ’ - observance of National Hook Week. The Children^ Book Cnun ell of New York ha spoil or-il the na t Iona I event lor .’> I yea i The window, arranged b.\ Mrs J C Cooke, secret a r\ -11 eastl rei of the public library, and Mis. Ethel Anderson, librarian, lea lured a gaily-colored poster bear ing the message "Heading Is Kim’ national theme for the week and an exhibit of children’s hooks cov ering varied interests In the library, Mrs Anderson also arranged bulletin hoards car rying out the "Heading Is Fun" theme 1/orv ire i llcinlin ft Clinic More and more Martin County i people are attending the Cancel Detection and Diagnostic Clinics in Rocky Mount each Wednesday morning at t):00 o'clock, according to reports reaching here. Operated b.v the Edgecombe* Nash Medical Society in coopera tion with the State Board of Health and the American Cancer Society, the clinics are free to the I people of this and other north-! eastern Carolina counties. Special Law Held Unconstitutional By Supreme Court -e "Sol known If Jnrv System W ill lie Revived in Lower Lourt j * ! A special Martin County law jut< matically placing cases on the Superior court docket when the ■iI' l'cndants asked for trial by jury 1.i i been declared unconstitution ■I by the North Carolina Supreme Court. The particular Martin County law was not cited, but it amio directly under the ruling handed down by the court recent ly it. a case reaching it on appeal from Greene County where a si milar law was placed on the books by socciaI legislative act. It is not known just what action now will be taken. Whim a de fedant. booked for a misdemean or. calls for a jury -trial, his case cannot be legally placed on the - up-i ior court docket. However, it is possible to bring a formal in dictmi nt by the grand jury against the defendant, clearing the way for its appearance in the higher court It is also possible to go ahead and try the defendant in the lower court, and let him go in to superior court by way of an ap p< al if the lower court finding is adverse to his cause. The Greene County law, enact ed in 1951, says that when a de fendant demands a jury trial in any criminal case in the county recorder's court, the judge shall send the ease to Superior Court. There it shall be heard upon the warrant issued in the lower court. That law and others like it are "repugnant to the declaration plainly inherent" in Section 13 of Article I of the State Constitution, said the court That section says that a person charged with a mis demeanor cannot bo put on trial in Superior Court upon a warrant from a lower court unless he has been tried upon that warrant in the lower court and has appealed. For that reason, the court void ed the road term given to Ransom Thomas of Greene County. Thom as had been accused of possessing non-taxpaid illegal liquor. He had demanded trial by jury in the Greene County Court and the judge had automatically transfer red the case to Superior Court. There the case was tried with out an indictment ever being con sidered by the grand jury. Thomas was found guilty on the possession charge and given a road term. lb appealed to the Supreme Court on the contention that his conviction and sentence became invalid when he was tried upon the original warrant rather than upon an indictment found by a grand jury The Supreme Court agreed completely, although it meant repudiating past decisions which "either expressly or impli edly uphold similar statutes" that allowed untried misdemeanor eas es to be transferred to Superior Court for trial on the original warrant Employment Days For The Farmers —<i>—. Officials ol thi* North Carolina Employment Security Commission in Williamstnn today reminded farmers and farm workers to take* advantage ol the opportunity of lrred them on the Faun Employ ment Days, Deeember 5 and De cember It!. On these two days, applicants I n larm jobs and farm employers will be given a chance to meet in the local Employment Security d'l'iee The farm applicants will ie interviewed and the farm etn tloyers will place their orders for workers and tenants. After ESC personnel match the arm orders with farm applica ions, the tenants and workers and lie farm employers are given an ippnrtunih to consult each other SERVICE The South w icks Creek Pri mitive Baptist Church will hold its annual union Thanks giving religious service Thursday morning at 11:00 o’clock, the pastor. Elder P. E. Getsinger announced to day. A cordial invitation is ex tended to all to attend and part in the service program.