North Carolina Newspapers

THE ENTERPRISE IS READ Hi OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNTV FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK f THE ENTERPRISE IS READ Ur OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNT* F AMILIES TWICE EACH t*£E* VOLUME LVI—NUMBER 68 Williamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, .4ugnst 25, 1953 ESTABLISHED 189! Tobacco Sales Pass Million Pound Mark —«— Sale On Monday Best Of Season On Market Here Prices For Medium Grades Reported Higher Thau On Opening Williamston's tobacco market passed the one million-pound mark and went on to chalk up its best sale of the season yes terday. Prices for all types seem-, -ed to be stronger and especially for the medium quality grades. Supported by a stronger de mand and with some improve ment fn quality, the market yes terday plugged ahead to record a $56.40 price average. Farmers ■Were jubilant and declared they planned to market their crop as rapidly as possible. However, grading work is progressing a bit slowly at this time and sales are comparatively light today. Just now much tobacco is being un loaded for sale the same day. Through yesterday the market here had sold 1,009,236 pounds for $548,611.00, an average of $54.35. Nearly twice as much tobacco was sold the first three days of the current season than was sold in the first three days last year, and the price this year holds about a $4.00 per hundred advant age. A review of the first two sales days on the markets in this belt follows: Steady to higher average prices Were paid for most grades of Eas tern North Carolina flue-cured tobacco during the first two days this year compared with the same period a year ago. Volume of piles was heavy, according to the Federal-State Market News Ser vice Quality of marketings show ed some improvement over early sales last year. Gross solos for the two days to taled 24,320,680 pounds and av eraged $52.97 per hundred This average represented a gain of $2.91 over the corresponding pe riod m 1952 Volume for the eom parabli sales last year amounted to only 14,405,462 pounds and av eraged $50.06 a hundred. Increases in grade averages ranged from $1.00 to $10.00 per hundred pounds hot most were from $2.00 to $6.00. The largest gains occurred for primings and lugs. A few eutti rs and other scattered grades show'ed losses of $1.00 to $2.00. The practical top price was $69.00 per hundred <\ W precentage of fair to fine quality tobacco increased slightly. Less poor and low leaf appeared on the floors. The proportion of cutters was larger. Color also im proved as less green tobacco was sold. Principal marketings consis ted of fair and good lugs, low and fair primings and leaf, and nondescript. Deliveries to the Flue-Cured Stabilization Corporation under the Government loan program on opening day amounted to around 6.5 per cent of gross sales. This compares with 15 per cent deliver ed to the Corporation on opening day last year. Alio ted selling time on the mar kets was five and one-half hours per day, or 2.200 baskets per day for each set of buyers. The total 1953 flue-cured crop in North Carolina is estimated at 799.9995.000 pounds as or August 15. This is 33.265.000 pounds or 4.0 percent less than the August 1 estimate of 833,260,000 pounds. Current estimates are based on the results of a special mid-month Suffers Henri Attack tt bile In Creensboro Suffering a heart attack while visiting in Greensboro last week end, Mr. Roger A. Critchor is be ing transferred by ambulance to a local hospital today. The at tack was described as light. Stolen (woods Recovered !\ear Sired If liter Creek Some of the goods stolen from the temporary bus station here last week were recovered near Sweet Water Creek yestrday. The recovered goods included clothing. (Continued on Page Eight) TRYING According to latest infor mation reaching here, high way engineers are trying to get the survey completed in time to include the by-pass or truck route around the town in the September let ting. Several obstacles that presented themselves during recent w'eeks have been clear ed away, and plans for the project are announced just about complete. It was also reliably learned that materials are being pur chased for the Sycamore Street project, and that work ’ is to be started on the sur facing job within the near future. Gall Twelve Men To Report Today For Service Test A Thirteenth Man Forced To Report For Final Induction Twelve Martin County young men were instructed to report to day for pre-induction army ex aminations and a thirteenth one was ordered to report for final in duction into armed forces today. Rated delinquent when he did not report for induction earlier this month, Edward Anderson Chance of Parmole and Hampton, Virginia, was instructed to ac company the pre-induction group to the service center in Raleigh. Billy Jones Cherry, young white man, asked to be transfer red to Arlington, Virginia, to un dergo the pre-induction test. The draft board announced last week end that no call had been received for men to report for final induction in September, but that a pre-induction call for ten men is *o be filled September 15 The names of those called to report today follow', including nine white young mens White Edgar Ferrell Smith of Hober-1 sonville and Baltimore I William Orlando Griffin, Jr., | of Williamston Melton Thomas Andrews of RFD 2, Robersonville Melton Guy Lilley of RFD 1, Williamston Virgil Darrell Cannon of RFD 1. Hobgood Richard Bell Harrison of RFD 3, Williamston and Rocky Mount Odis Ward Whitaker of RF'D 3, Williamston Darrell Jones Manning of RF'D 1, Williamston (Continued on Page Eight) Georgia Tobacco Market Report - »,— * Average prices by grades for tobacco sold on the Georgia-Flori da flue-cured markets during the sixth week of sales were the low est of the season. The U. S. De partment of Agriculture reports volume of offerings light and quality inferior to earlier market ings. Only Statesboro and Virialia, Georgia are operating the belt this week. Weekly gross sales amounted to only 5,1.‘>5,970 pounds and averag ed $41 69 per hundred—$4.65 be low last week and at a new low for the year. Through August 21, or after 27 days of marketing, sea son sales reached 190,991,868 pounds for-an average of $51 06 Compared with the previous week losses in grade averages ranged from $1.00 to $7.00 per hundred. Most declines were from $2.00 to $4 00 with the largest de creases for leaf offerings. Poor leaf and nondescript again mcreased in proportion. Principal sales were poor and low quality leaf and nondescript. Receipts of the Stabilization Corporation last week under the Government loan program in creased to about 2 percent of sales. Season receipts are approximately 5.5 million pounds, representing 2.9 percent of gross saies. Local Han Ends His Life Early Monday Horning —,#— Perlie Thomas Believed To Have Been Troubled By Deeliuiiia Health Believed to have been troubled by ill health, Perlie Randolph Thomas, well-known building rniih'aetv.r," ended his life at his home here on Sunset Drive yes terday morning at 9:30 o clock by firing a load of gunshot into his head. He died instantly, the load if shot tearing away a large por tion of his forehead. It is believed that he fired two <hots, the first apparently doing little or no damage before tear ing through the side of the house. He told members of his family earlier that he wasn’t feeling well, out he went to one of his con struction projects and returned home a short time later after in structing his workmen what tasks to handle. Freddie McKeel, Mrs. Thomas’ nephew, was at home and VIr. Thomas asked him to go to i store some little distance away and get him some aspirn. The 13 /ear-old youth had gone less than a block before he heard the gun ' fire. Not knowing what it was, the lad continued to the store, and jpon returning he found the- body. Investigating the tragedy, Corn ier W. W. Biggs ruled no formal nquest was necessary. The son of the late John Wil liam and Martha Frances Jerni gan Thomas, he was born in Ber tie County 52 years ago on July 18, 1901 After spending his early life on the farm he entered the service and following his dis charge he located in Williamston 25 years ago. He was an able builder and was getting along well in his business, having com pleted several projects during re cent months. He was married in 1935 to Miss Dorothy McKeel. Surviving besides his widow are five brothers, W Guy, Grady and Charlie Thomas of Williamston and Duncan and Alec Thomas of Windsor; four sisters, Mrs. Nur ney White, Mrs. Lee Conner, Mrs. Charles Rose and Mrs. Fannie Leggett of Windsor. Funeral services will be con ducted in the West End Baptist Church Wednesday afternoon at 4:00 o’clock by the Rev. W C. Medlin, pastor. Interment will be in Woodlawn Cemetery Pole And Hydrant Clipped By Truck An electric 1 iftlit pole and a fire hydrant were clipped in two as if they were nothing more than match stems about 4 00 o’clock /ast Frid;.’ morning when a truck went nui of control here on West Main Street. Accompanied by his wife, Gar land Lewis, 22-year-old Elizabeth City colored man, was driving cast on the main street in a two ton Chevrolet of Elizabeth City. Just before reaching the Syca more intersection, he started to pass a car, and, going to far too his left, struck the pole about sixty feet from the intersection. He then clipped the hydrant off near the ground and then struck a tree. The tree ripped the body from the chassis and the run away truck came to a stop a short distance away. Neither the driv er or his wife was, hurt, Officers Chesson and Whitehurst said fol lowing their investigation. A water spout developed and before the hydrant could be fix ed, approximately 20,000 gallons if water poured out of the water main. Damage to the vehicle was esti mated at $450 and damage to oth i r properties was placed at about $500. Lewis was booked on a reckless driving charge. Local Man Champion Hot Pepper C roner -* George Moore, employee of the local municipal water department, .* advancing a strong claim to the tot pepper grower championship. Starting the harvest of one row j few days ago, Mr. Moore pluck ed thirteen well developed pods hom two stalks, leaving many more to ripen. The championship, aowever, hinges on the size of .he peppers, Mr. Moore* stating :ha1 they measured as many as right inches in length. Making Plans For Opening Schools Here September 1 Plans are announced just about complete for opening the white schools here next Tuesday, Sept ember 1 at 1:30 o'clock, the same hour all schools in the county are to observe in beginning the new term. Principal B. G. Stewart an nounced that pupils in the local schools '< ill report as follows First grade, grammar school cafeteria; second grade in Mrs. Froneberger’s room; third grade in Miss Manning's room; and fourth grade in Mrs. Coburn's room. The fifth to ninth grades, inclusive, will meet in the high school auditorium at 1:30 o’clock, and the 10th to 12th grades, in clusive, will meet in the high school auditorium thirty minutes later or at 2:00 o’clock. The schedule of fees: Primary and grammar grade pupils, $2.75, including 1.25 insurance; high school: books, library, science, $4.60; home economics, $2; agri culture, $2; insurance, $1.25; and typewriting, $9. Parents are asked to furnish certified birth certificates for those children born outside Mar-1 tin County and who are entering school for the first time. Those children attaining the age of six years between October 1 and 16, should have pre-school physical check-ups either at the health center or by their family physicians. The health center, corner of kav and Harrell Streets will receive pupils for the check ups on Friday of this week be tween the hours of 9:00 a. in. and 12:00 o’clock, noon. Confesses Murder In Oak City Last Week Killer Declares He was Jealously Insane* Al Time John Lanier ConfesMMl The Murder of Frank Cher ry Late Thursday Declaring he was jealously in sane at the time, John Lanier con fessed to officers last Thursday midnight the murder of Frank Cherry, 40, in Oak City the pre vious Tuesday evening The con fession came after continuous questioning by Sheriff M. W. Hol loman and State Bureau of In vestigation Agent Clyde Fentress following Lanier's arrest the night of the fatal attack. Lanier 31 years old, thanked the officers for the kind treatment he had re ceived, and apparently was re lieved after admitting the attack. The victim, struck by several buck shot fired from a 12-gauge gun, was pronounced dead upon hi* removal to a W llliamston hospital a short time after the shooting at Owen Jones’ cafe in Oak City at 9:10 o’clock last Tues day evening. In making his confession which came after he had talked with his mother and father, Lanier told his every act leading up to the fatal attack. Returning from the markets about 5:00 o’clock that afternoon he carried a Lee boy home and went to his farm to see about some tobacco his girl friend, and alleged common law wife was preparing for market. After the Roberson woman, se parated from her husband, and her children had gone home, Lani er said he attended to other iarm duties, and later started to the Roberson home While en route there he saw Cherry’s truck park ed and a few minutes later Lanier said he saw Cherry walking away from the Roberson home. “I had warned Cherry that I would get him if he ever return ed to the Roberson home, and when I saw him that night I got furiously mad and went home for my gun, Lanier was quoted by Sheriff Holloman as saying Lani er declared he did not examine the shell, explaining that it was one he found when he moved in to the house. When Lanier re turned he found Cherry’s car parked back of the Jones cafe. After parking his truck several hundreds yards away, he took a stand near the back door of the cafe and fir"d on Cherry when he came out the back door, Lani er maintaining thot. he had not planned to kill him. After firing the fatal shot, Lani er returned to his truck, placed the weapon in the back and went (Continued on page eight) Artr Office Ilnurs At Health Department For the past several months the local offices of the Martin Coun ty Health Department opened each morning at 8:30 and closed at 4:30. Effective at once a change will be made in office Hours: Open j at 9 A. M. and close at 5 P. M. As has been the custom for sev eral years, the Department will J remain open only a half clay on Saturday. MAKING PLANS J Meeting this evening at 7 :30 o'clock in the Methodist Church educational building here, farm leaders will map plans lor launching the an nual Farm Bureau member ship drive, it was announced by President Chas. L. Daniel and Secretary W. Mayo Hardi son. No date for launching the drive has been fixed, but it is expected to get under way within the near future. Farmers Vote On Peanuts Saturday Farmers in 44 eastern North Carolina counties will vote next Saturday (August 29) “for or against the annual assessment of ine cent per 100 pounds on the peanuts sold as farm stock’ each year for a three-year period, 1953, 1954, and 1955.” Some 19,750 farms in the 44 county area have peanut allot ments. Eligible to vote in the pea nut assessment referendum to be leld on that date are all farmers engaged in the production of one acre or more of peanuts for mar ket. This includes owners of farms an which peanuts are produced in 1953, tenants and sharecroppers. If several members of the same family participate in the produo lion of peanuts in 1953, the mem ber, or members having an in dependent bona fide status as operator, tenant, or sharecropper, ind entitled to share in the pro ceeds of the crop is eligible to vote. If a husband and wife are joint owners of a farm growing peanuts rod share in the proceeds ot the crop, both are eligible to vote. Absentee voting is not permitt ed Votes must be cast at the de signated place and at the desig nated lime. The referendum poll ing places will be the es' Wished PMA polling places in each coun ty. Every voter is expected to vote in the community in which his main farming activities are lo cated. If there is no polling place in the conynunity, he must vote at the polling place designated for the nearest community. The polls will be open from 7 a. m. to 7 p. m. A “yes” vote of two-thirds or more of those voting is necessary to carry the referen dum. Native Oi County Elections Head Gilbert Peel, a native of this county, has been named chairman d the Pitt County Board of Elec lions, it was announced lust week vlr. Peel, son of the late Plenv Peel, one of the county’s staun chest Democrats, has been active n Pitt County for number of ('ears, devoting considerable time md support to the Democratic Party there. IJe succeeds J. II Harrell who .ecently resigned after serving is chairman for sixteen years. Mr. Peel’s first task will be to nake arrangements for the special Kind election on October 3. Alleged Allacker Released in $500 Bond Al Hearing Wayward Record Admitted Ely Twelve - Year - Old Girl Last Thursday A serious charge brought against Earl Daniels, 20-year-old Williamston colored man, lost much of its'sting at a prelinlnary j hearing held before Justice W. M. Tetterton last Thursday evening when 12-year-old victim Dora Wallace admitted a wayward re cord beginning back in Pennsyl vania. That the young girl was at tacked was admitted by the ac cused, who told officers that he had been with the girl on two oc casions since she came here from Philadelphia more than three weeks ago to visit her aunt. The girl said she was attacked or-lv once, and there were inconsisten cies m other evidence offered by her. She said that she went to the movies with Daniels at the Carver Sunday afternon of August 16, that following the movie they went to the colored school build ing, inspecting the new gynasium before going to a wooden build ing where the alleged attack took place about dark. They walked front there to the corner where they separated and she continued < to a girl friend’s home. “Nothing iJ would have happened if 1 had not been willing,” the young witness told the court. Site was not quite certain when she told her moth er about the attack, but it was ex plained that the mother reached here from Philadelphia last Wednesday, that she learned of the attack soon after her arrival, and that a warrant was sworn out late that night On cross examination, the girl said she was attacked but again , maintained it was with her eon sent. She admitted that r-ho had had relations with other men back in Pennsylvania Apparently a bit dubious about the testimony offered by the young victim, Justice Tetterton found probable cause of guilt and bound Daniels, a married man, over to the superior court for trial during the September term. Bond was arranged. When the attack was reported to the authorities, the girl was represented as being under twelve years af age. A check on the birth showed she was. born in January, (Confirmed on i >***»' ettfhlt School Opening Has Its Dangers -4, A predicted 2,000 children un do! 14 will ho killed nr. (heir way to and from .school during the commg term. Thousands more will be injured, many for life. Hut it need not happen to your children if you take the responsi bility for getting them off to school with a safe start. In making this grim prediction the Institute for Safer Living of the American Mutual Liability Insurance Company, urges par ents to personally escort younger children to and from school un til good safety habits are establ ished. The following rules aie suggested. I. Work out and pse the safest route to and from school with ' our child, taking into considera tion not the shortest distance, but rather the safest crosswalks, and available traffic police protection. 2 Where there is no policeman, teach the youngster to stop on the curb, look both ways, and watch for turning traffic before walking across 3. If it is necessary for your chilli to walk on a roadway, teach him to walk on the extreme left edge of the road, always facing traffic. 4 Impress your children with the need for obeying all traffic officers, school crossing guards, school safety patrols or mechani cal signs and signals. 5. Insist on no playing in streets alleys, oi driveways. fi. No roller skating to and from school. 7 No hitching rides on motor vehicles when cycling to and from school. 8. If an older brother or sister is accompanying your younger i children to and from school, go over the route with both children, and insist on responsibility from] the older one, and recognition of authority by the younger one. i Henry D. Harrison Passes In Hospital f CHAIRMAN -) i J. Paul Simpson, local in surance man. has been named to chairman the Christmas Seal Sale in the county this year. He succeeds VV. (J. Peele, another insurance man who headed the seal sale during the past two ],eaVs. Minor Accidents On County Roads In Past F ew Days tnr IVrson Painfully Hurl As Car IMmiyrs lulu A Dilcli Lust Saturday —--# Two persons were injured, one >f them painfully, in automobile lceuients on the highways in this •ounty during the past few days, nembers of the N. C. State High yay Putrid said. The first in the series of three lecidents took place about one lalf mile west of Robersonville m Highway t>4 last Thursday aft ■moon about 2:00 o'clock. A P ’urdv, driving a power company rick-up truck west on the routes, ,vas checking the lines as he drove ilong about 15 miles an hour. Lar •y K Wibber, Rocky Mount man, vas traveling behind him in a sundry truck and apparently Hacked out for a second or two Pho laundry truck hit the rear of he pick up, shaking Wibber up i bii and causing about $100 to he laundry truck and about $25 0 the other vehicle; according to 1 report coming ft mi the highway rat rob While taking a driving lesson, art, Saturday afternoon, Marie Wynne Biggs started to turn into flachol Latham's service statiort >n the Prison Camp road and ran nto a ditch The ear struck a cul vert and threw Mrs. Annie B Vlizelle into the windshield. The victim was treated in the hospital or extensive cuts and bruises tbout the face and head. The driver was not hurt, the investi gating officer said Damage to the 1950 Plymouth was estimated at M25. Driving on a gravel road in the Dak City area last Sunday ninrn i (Continued on Page Eight) •-4— County Students Awarded Degrees Three Martin County young men and women were awarded tegrees .during the recent com mencement exercises held at East Carolina College, Greenville. Edward Dawson Higgs of Eve •etts was awarded a degree in secondary education Anne Carson -urgile, a formei teacher in the iVilliamston schools and now of Hobei'sonville, and Rosalyn Mizel e Walker, also of Robersonville, .vere awarded master of arts de grees, it was announced , Slvlvn (.nr Horovvrntl fly I'ntml l.osl II rrk A IMl Pontiac, stolen in Nor 'olk on August !1, was recovered 5y members of the N c. Highway 3atrol last Friday on Highway 17 tear Williamston. Glacia Wil iams, colored man of this county, vas arrested and the case was urneri over to the Federal Hu man of Investigation. The owner dairned the ear last week-end. Funeral Today In Local Church For Prominent Citizen .. ... In Ho*pituI Here At 9:15 Monday After Lon^ Illness -<* Henry D. Harrison, prominent local business man, died in a hos pital here yesterday morning at 9:15 o’clock following a long pe riod of declining health. He had been critically ill following an at tack suffered early in the morn ing of June 20, and had been in the hospital since that time. While his condition was slightly improved at times, little hope was held for his recovery. The son of Mrs. Henrietta Swain Harrison and the late James E. Harrison, he was born in Edge combe County fifty-eight years ago on November 5, 1894. His parents, a short time later, return ed to Martin County and locat ed on a farm near Williamston. After spending his early life on the farm he went with Harrison Brothers and Company here in 1918, resigning that position to go with the Standard Fertilizer Com pany as district sales representa tive He was with the Standard company for almost a quarter century, and made many business contacts throughout this section of the State. He was married to Miss Clyde Gurganus June 9, 1915, and was a member of the local Christian church since 1918. He was a mem ber of Skowarkey Lodge here for twenty-five years, and was active in its work and in the growth of the church. Playing the role of a community servant, he headed the Williams ton Volunteer Fire Department for many years, during which time and under his direction the department was modernized, and rated among the best in the State. He contributed liberally to all worthy undertakings and com munity events, never hesitating to extend a helping hand to the needy, and always showing a genuine interest in the welfare of others He was devoted to his family and friends, giving of his time in the serv'ce of others. De clining health limited his outside activities, but tie found happiness in the company of his friends and especially w ith his grandchildren. He was valued as a thoughtful and accommodating neighbor, one who would always go the extra mile in doing his part. Surviving besides his wife and mother are a son, Henry Davis Harrison of Tarboro: two daugh ters, Mrs. Tom Mann Carter of Richmond and Mrs. J. Thomas Barnhill, Jr., of Williamston; three sisters, Mrs George D. Wynne and Mrs Mary Coltrain of Williams ton and Mrs Norman Conrad of Miami, Fla , six brothers, James E., Wm Ira and Bernard Harrison, all of Williamston, C. B. Harrison of Rocky Mount, Louis Harrison of Pulaski, Va , and Robert Har hison of Tarboro; four grandchild ren, Sandra Harrison of Tarboro, Tom Mann Carter, Jr., of Rich mond, and Betsey Wood Barnhill and Jennie Wynne Barnhill, of Williamston. Funeral services arc being con ducted in the Christian church this afternoon at 4:00 o’clock by i he pastor, the Rev. John L. Goff. Interment will be in Woodlawn Cemetery where the Masons will he in charge of the graveside rites. Hardware Store Making Changes ---- Manning and Peel, formerly known as the Thrower Hardware and Appliance Company, have reeentlj completed a remodeling job and added to the front of their store on Washington St The changes include a new dis play arrangement inside and the addition of shelving and virtually a second flour, the new manager, A. J Manning, pointing out that the changes make it possible to add to the already large stock of hardware and appliances and display the good to a better ad vantage. Mr. Manning formerly operated the Sinclair Station, corner of Main and Smithwick Streets here.