SHE ENTERPRISE IS READ BY
OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNTY
FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK
THE ENTERPRISE
THE ENTERPRISE IS REA*J ii
OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNT.
FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEE*
VOLUME LVI—NUMBER 90
William3ton, Martin County, North Carolina. Tuesday, November 10, 1953
ESTABLISHED 189*
Several Highway
Accidents in The
County Recently
Two Persons Painfully Bui
Not Badly Injured In
Two Accidents
Two persons were injured pain- j
fully but reportedly not seriously I
and property damage was fairly j
limited in a series of highway ac
cidents in this county over the j
week-end, according to reports re
leased by the State Highway Pa
trol office.
Lizzie Mae Riddick, about 14
years of age, was badly bruised
and skinned about her body and
suffered a several-stitch cut in
her head when she fell out of a
moving car last Saturday night.
Following overnight treatment in
a local hospital she was able to
continue to her home. Details of
the accident could not be had im
mediately. It was reported that
she was riding with her brother,
that the door of the car was not
fastened securely and that when
she took hold of the latch handle
the door flew open and she well
out, while the car was moving at
about 45 miles an hour.
Jesse V. Peele, colored, was
driving his 1940 Dodge on the
Jones road over in Williams
Township about 10:30 o'clock last
Saturday night when something
went wrong with the steering me
chanism, causing the car to go out
of control and into a ditch. Peele
was not injured and damage to
the machine was limited to about
$25
Driving toward Hamilton on
Highway 125 at 3:00 o’clock Sun
day morning, Charlie Cherry, Jr.,
colored of Poplar Point, lost con
trol of his 1949 Chevrolet when
he was blinded by the lights of
an approaching car. The machine,
aftei running off the road to the
right, swerved to the left and
turned over about one and one
half times, coming to a stop on its
top with Cherry pinned in it. Per
sons, living near the scene of the
accident, heard his calls for help
and before the car could be right
ed, Cherry broke a glass and
crawled out. He was removed to
a hospital where he was discharg
ed a few hours later following
treatment. He suffered only pain
ful bruises and abrasions, it was
reported. Damage to the car was
estimated at $500 or more.
L. C. Carraway, colored of Dur
ham, was arrested in Williamston
about (i;00 o’clock Sunday evening
after he allegedly struck a car
just this side of Gardner’s Creek
bridge and continued without
stopping. He was passing a car
being driven by Elizabeth Smith
Horton rtf Plymouth. Damage to
the Horton Studebaker was negli- ]
'(Continued on Page Eight)
Father 01 Local
Minister Passes
—$—
Russell W. Conklin, father of
the Rev. E. Gordon Conklin of
Williamston, died in the Subra
han Hospital Betheda, Maryland,
last Friday night about 10:00 o’
clock. Suffering with a heart con
dition, he had been seriously ill
■ since last July.
Funeral services were conduct
= ed in the Rockville, Maryland,
Baptist Church yesterday after
noon at 2:00 o'clock by the pastor,
the Rev. J. H. Gamble.
Mr. Conklin was born in Mid
dleburg, New York, 57 years ago
gnd moved when a young man to
Maryland where he made his.
home while woikmg witii the In
terstate Commerce Commission.
Besides his son here he is sur
vived by his wodow and a son,
Warren Conklin, of the home.
ROUND-UP
Thirteen persons were ar
rested and jailed during the
week-end round-up by local,
county and State officers. Six
were booked for public drun
enness, and one • each for
breaking and entering, speed
ing. drunken driving, reckless
driving and speeding 90 miles
an hour, hit-and-run driving
and operating a motor vehicle
without a driver’s license. The
thirteenth man was arrested
and jailed for Pitt County au
thorities.
Only one white man was in
cluded in the group. The
ages of the 13 ranged from 17
to 5b years.
Princesses At Recent Festival Here
Representing towns and communities throughout this section ot the State, seventeen young
ladies attended Williamston’s sixth annual harvest festival here. From the list of seventeen prin
cesses Miss Peggy Waters of Windsor was chosen queen. Miss Elizabeth Walker. IJnJh stunt
queen of Enfield, is along in the front row and the new queen is directly behind her in the third
iow The names of the other princesses are: Misses Jean Vaughan of Ahoskie, Nancy Waid of
Bear Grass, Lois James of Bethel, Miriam Joyner of Enfield, Carolyn Ashley of Edenton, Ann bty
„ns of Jamesville, Mary Waldo House of Hamilton, Eve Russell ot Hertford Ina Faye Wejls ol Ply
mouth. Penn Strandberg of Rocky Mount, Carolyn Chessnn ot Roper, Hudy Staton
Neck, Mary Eleanor Tew of Tarboro, Jane Martin of Robeisonville,
and Patricia Wynne of Williamston.
Pat Mayne
of Scotland
of Washington,
Farm Bureau-Crop Groups
To Meet Wednesday Night
An important meeting of the
Martin County Farm Bureau
membership and leaders in the
CROP (Christian Rural Overseas
Program) movement will be held
in the courthouse Wednesday
evening of this week at 7:30 o’
clock. it was announced by Chas.
L. Daniel, Bureau president, and
Mrs. Elizabeth P. Harrison, secre
tary of the CROP committee. The
public is invited and religious
leaders are urgently asked to
attend.
Preparatory to the holding of
the State meeting of the North
Carolina Farm Bureau convention
m Raleigh early next week, the
Martin County unit of the or
ganization will hear a grass roots
discussion of the farm program.
If Martin County farmers are in
terested in the farm program, in
cluding acreage control and sup
port prices, they should attend
f HOLIDAY J
v_ _'
Wednesday, Armistice Day,
is being observed as a limit
ed holiday here. The banks,
post office and ABC store
will be closed all day, and the
Virginia Electric and Power
Company will close its of
fices for a half a day, beginn
ing at 12:00 'o’clock.
Other business will be con
tinued as usual. No mail de
liveries are to be made in the
town or rural areas, it was
explained.
No program marking the
Armistice Day anniversary
has been planned locally.
Add County Fees
To The Treasury
--
The county fee system, plus
liJiL..- Ill tin IIIHH
ty court, added $6,547.04 to the
Martin County treasury last
month, according to reports filed
with the board of commissioners
a few days ago.
Clerk of (^ourt L. B. Wynne
turned into the treasury what is
believed to be a record amount.
Fines in the county court during
the month amounted to $3,305 and
court costs added up to $1,964.
Miscellaneous fees, those receiv
ed mostly for recordings, added
up to $332.79, making a total of
$5,602.29.
Register of Deeds J. Sam Get
singer also reported a record
amount in fees. More papers are
being recorded this fall than in
any other corresponding period
in years. Most of the papers re
present purchases of automobiles
and appliances, it was learned.
The register’s office reported
$645.25 in fees during the month.
Sheriff M. W. Holloman report
ed $299.50 in fees,; representing
service mostly on civil papers.
the meeting and offer resolutions
to that end. If they have other
suggestions relating to the farm
program, they are invited to at
tend the meeting and take port
in the discussions. Agriculture
Secretary Ezra Taft Benson claims
that the farmers do not w'ant gov
ernment interference, that they
should be allowed to "go it alone”.
It is generally conceded that Mar
tin County farmers do not agree
with Mr Benson. But they must j
register their disagreement and j
they will have an opportunity to
state their position at the meeting
Wednesday night.
Martin County is being asked to1
contribute 1,000 pounds of pea
nut butter to the destitute vic
tims of war and poverty over
seas. Plans for handling the hu
mane and urgent task will be for
mulated gt the joint meeting, it
| was explained.
Native Of County
Dies In Nashville
—♦—
Funeral services were conduct
ed in the Nashville Baptist Church
yesterday afternoon at 3:30 o’
clock for Mrs. Annie Robbs Arm
strong, a native of Martin County,
who died at her home there last
Saturday night. The Rev. Dur
ham Ipock, assisted by Dr. W. R
Cullum of Wake Forest, officiated.
Interment was in Pineview Ceme
tery at Spring Hope.
Mrs. Armstrong was born in
Hamilton 82 years ago, the daugh
ter of the late Mart n County
Superior Court Clerk James A.
Hobbs and wife, Debbie Long
Hobbs. In early womanhood she
was married to Frank Armstrong
I and later made her home in Hob
i good foi many years. She also
lived in Virginia a short time, but
in late years she had made her
home in Nashville with her
daughter, Mrs. Itimous Valentine.
She had been in feeble health for
shine time, but was fairly active
until a short time ago when a
heart condition developed.
She visited Williamston often
when her father was clerk of
court, and came here for a last
visit for the premiere showing of
"12 O'clock High”, a war picture
which was centered around her
son, Major General Frank Ann
strong.
Mrs. Armstrong was a faithful
member of the Baptist Church and
was active in North Nashville
Home Demonstration Club.
Besides her daughter with
whom she had made her home
for a long time, and her son is
now stationed at Barksdale Air!
Force Base, Louisiana, she is sur- ;
vived by a sister, Mrs. J. D. Ho- i
well uf Washington.
Federation Day
Held In County
Last Saturday
-«.—
Hour Grails Haw Oiilwtuiul
iiifi Glut) of Year And
Gets Defense Bond
——«>
Martin County Hume Demon
stration Club Women held their
annual Federation Day on Fri
day November 6, 1953, at the Bear
Grass Presbyterian Church with
the Bear Grass Club as hostess.
The meeting was presided over
by Mrs. Walter Wynne, county
council president. Miss Sarah
Wobhleton Hive the devotional,
using John 3-16 as her topic. Mrs.
Wynne extended greetings to all
the visiting club members and
guests.
Mrs. Cecil Powell, Secretary of
the County Council, called the
roll by clubs, there being over
one hundred club members pre
sent. Minutes of last Federation
Day were read and approved as
read.
After the singing of "Song of
Peace”, Mrs. Wynne introduced
Mrs. V. I. Hockaday of Roanoke
Rapids, 21st district chairman of
Federation of Home Demonstra
tion Clubs. Mrs. Hockaday gave
a very interesting report on her
recent citizenship and education
meetings held at the United Na
tion Building in New York. She
also told of her sight-seeing tour,
which brought back many mem
ories to the fifty Martin County
women who toured New York in
the early summer.
Lunch was served in the Sun
day school rooms next to the
church. After lunch, Mrs. Thad
Harrison, the home agent, led the
group m singing several selec
tions. Mrs. June Harris, Mrs. Seth
Davis and Mrs. Williams gave the
county report. Mrs. Julia Mi/elle
read a report and Mrs. Harrison
gave out the awards. Bear Grass
C1 uiwuA- J.i A. V’ '• auJ s.t wf. > qs> ,
elub for the third consecutive
year, was awarded a $25.00 war
bond. Mrs. Harrison extended an
invitation to all the women to
visit her new home, at the close
(Continued on Page Eight)
Rains Relieving
Drought in Area
—«—
While the prolonged drought
has not been broken in its en
tirety, rains since last Thursday
morning have greatly rel evcd the
situation. Slightly more than an
inch—1.14 to be exact—fell last
Thursday and Friday morning.
Another quarter of an inch of rain
fell last night to bring the total
up to about 1.38 inches this month.
A storm off the coast last Satur
day dropped the river at this point
to 2.2 feet, the next lowest reading
on record, Bridgekeeper Hugh
Spruill said.
George L. Brown
Died In Hospital
Saturday Evening
Funeral Service Held In
. Community Church
Monday
George Littleberry Brown, re
tired farmer, died in a local hos
pital last Saturday night at 8:45
o’clock. He had been in declining
health for almost two years and
his condition was critical for sev
eral months. He was a patient in
the hospital for about six weeks.
Mr. Brown was born in Conetoe,
Edgecombe County, 75 years ago
on June 18, 1878, the son of the
late Joseph and Martha Lee
Brown. After spending his early
life there on the farm, he moved
to Martin County in 1912, locating
near Robersonville and marrying
Mattie Elizabeth Coburn who died
about a year ago. About 1919 he
moved to the Blackstone, Virginia,
section, where he continued to
farm. Returning to this county
a few years later, he located neai
Williamston where he continued
his farm work until declining
health forced his retirement. lle
was an able farmer and a good
neighbor.
Surviving are seven sons, Wal
ter, Ernest, Lee, Jesse and Her
bert Brown, all of Williamston
Joe Henry Brown of Norfolk anr
Harvey Brown, U, S. Army, sta
tinned in England; four daughters
Mrs. Martha Nelson Holliday, Mrs
Alice Roberson, Miss Bettie
Brown, all of Williamston, and
Mrs. Nellie Baggett of Windsor
five sisters, Mrs. Bettie Harrel
and Mrs. Julia Moore of Scotland
Neck, Mrs. Claude Warren ol
Williamston, Mrs. Mollie Moore ol
Rocky Mount and Mrs Hannah
Landing of Creedmoor, and twen
ty-five grandchildren.
Funeral services were conduct
ed in the Community Christiar
Church Monday afternoon at 3:3(
o’clock by the Rev. Dallas Ayers
Interment was in the Roberson
ville Cemetery.
Farmers To Get
Farm Prospectus
—<*>—
Mil i t i n County agriculture
workers and leaders will get th<
latest information on what to ex
pect on the farm front next yeai
at a meeting to be held in th<
courthouse, Friday, November 13
F B. Brandon, county agent foi
the State College Agriculture
Extension Service, said today tha
a series of 101 meetings will bi
held m 9!) of the state’s 100 roun
ties this month, “to give the faint
people information that will helf
them adjust to the farming pic
turc next year." Brandon saic
j meetings will be held In ever}
county except Craven.
The meetings will be conductec
by five teams of farm manage
ment and marketing specialist!
from State College under the su
pervision of C. B. Ratchford, ii
charge of extension farm manage
ment and marketing, the agen
said.
The outlook for tobacco, cot
ton, feed, feed grains, wheat, pea
nuts, soybeans, forest products
beef, hogs, sheep poultry, dairy
ing, fruit and nut trees, veget
ables, farm costs, home furnish
ings, housing and househnlc
equipment, will come in for riis
cussion, according to Mr. Brand
on. i
The five teams of specialist
made up of Ratchford, I). I)
Brown, Charles Williams, Guj
Cassell, G. S. Abshier, J. M. Hunt
;ir* rr*rvmm-w ltnv
cil, John Curtis and W. Turner
will conduct the meetings.
Scout Citation
For County Nan
A. B. Ayers,' Jr., of Bear Grass
was recently given a citation b>
the East Carolina Council of th<
Boy Scouts of America for hi;
work in support, of the Council’s
1953-54 budget.
He was awarded an especially
engraved statuette for the com
rnunity having the largest p< reeni
of increase in the number of dol
lars collected in 1953 as comparer;
to any previous year. Mr. Ayers
was not present at the recent
meeting of the Council, and tht
statuette was presented to R. F
Lowery, Wasmarty District Cam
paign chairman.
It was announced at the meeting
that 89 percent of the Council’s
budget of $73,174 had been raised
Officers Investigate CarrollRoberson
, t ., . p Accidentally Shot
LiOIIIIiY Attack CilS(l Hunting Saturday
Victim Is Attacked
Three Times Near
Old Farm House
Aged Woman Was Hitch
Hiking from Bethel
To Williainston
-*—
After an extensive investigation
conducted during the past five
days, officers today explained
they had been unable to establ
ish a valid lead in the triple rape
of a 68-year old woman between
Williainston and Everetts last
Wednesday afternoon. The in
vestigation is being continued and!
more suspects are being brought
under watch. Sheriff M. W. Hollo
man said today.
Planning a visit with her i
daughter near Williainston, Mrs.
Jannie Bell started hitch-hiking
from her home in Bethel Wednes
day afternoon. She caught a ride .
to Robersonville, and when it j
looked as if she would be strand- 1
ed there, she started walking to- ]
ward Williainston After walking I
only a short distance, Mrs. Bell
was picked up by a white youth
who was driving a nice two-door
car of greenish-blue color. A short
distances east of Everetts, the
boy turned off Highway 64 into
a dirt road. Mrs. Bell insisted that
it was the wrong road, but the
boy merely said it was the way
they were going. He drove on
across the iiailroad and to a de
serted farm house, parking in
the back yard.
The aged woman told officers
the young man raped her three
times in the front seat, that she
tried to get out of the car before
it was stopped at the deserted
spot. After the third attack, Mrs.
Bell said she got out the door
and started running down the
road, her attacker in close pur
suit. The young man turned back
when he saw workmen in a near
by field, got into his car and drove
away.
Mrs Bell told Sheriff Holloman
that she walked back to the high
way, a distance of approximately
one-half miles, and continued to
her daughter's home. Her daugh
ter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs.
Dave Bowen, carried her to a
hospital here for examination and
treatment. She had lost right
much blood, was panfully bruised
and her clothes were torn, the
officer said.
Excited, sick and upset, the vic
tim and members of the family
did not report the attacks until
the following day.
Sheriff Holloman said that no
defenite license number of the
car could be had, the officer ex
plaining that tlie victim was so
badly upset she could offer few
facts to support an investigation.
•-— --- l
Former Resident
Of County Passes
—♦—
Funeral services were conduct
ed in the* Ashely Grove Baptist
Church near Murfreesboro last
Saturday afternoon at 3:00 o’clock
for Willie Oscar James, formei
Martin County resident. The Rev.
H. E. Johns, pastor, conducted
the rites, assisted by the Rev.
"‘"15Truin' Sasseff <f*t dnway" i5unal*
was in the church yard.
The son of the lute Alonzo L.
and Louisa Crandell James, he
was born in Pitt County 57 years
ago. When a young man he came
to Mai tin County and located in
the Everetts community where he
was married to Miss Estelle Mob
ley. After farming a number of
years, hi was employed by the
late J. S. Peel in the mercantile
business at Everetts before going
to Hertford County about twenty
ago to engage in business and
farming.
Surviving besides Mrs. James
are two daughters, Mrs. W. G.
Monsees of Yorktown, Va , arid
Mrs. W. T. Williams of Murfrees
boro; two sons, William Edward
James of Conway, and Robert
Earl James of Murfreesboro. He
also leaves six grandchildren; one
sister, Mrs. W. B. Peele of Green
ville; and three brothers, Sollie
James, Zeno James, and Jasper
James, all of Stokes. *
SATURATION
A saturation patrol was
maintained on the main and
secondary highways in this
county last week-end when
officers traveled the routes
from 8:00 p. m. until 1.00 a. m.
Starting last Friday evening,
the patrolmen kept up the in
tensive patrol. Two hours aft
er the intensive patrol was
ended, there was a wreck on
the highways.
During the period the nine
patrolmen were in action in
the county, fifteen alleged
violators of the highway laws j
were cited to the courts, most
ly for speeding and drunken
driving.
Other “saturation opera
tions” will be handled from
time to time and without ad
vance notice, it was learned.
Starts Duties As
District Solicitor |
Subscribing to the oath of of- !
fice before Associate Justice M V. I
Barnhill of the North Carolina
Supreme Court in the hull of the
house of representatives in Ra
leigh shortly after 11:00 o'clock
last Friday morning, Elbert S.
Peel, local attorney, entered upon
his new duties as second district
solicitor in the Nash County Su
perior Court at Nashville yester
day. lie is succeeding George
Fountain of Tarboro, the district
solicitor who was made a special
judge and who subscribed to the
oath of office along with Attorney
Peel.
Relatives and quite a few
friends were present when the
oath was administered, including
Mrs. Peel and sons, Junie and Bill
Bob Peel, Clerk of Court L. B.
Wynne, Mayor Rob;. Cowen, R. J
and Francis Peel, Mrs F. M
Manning and Governor Bill Um
stead.
Solicitor Peel’s new duties will
keep him busy about twenty-six
weeks oui of the year, making it
possible for him to maintain the
partnership with his son, Elbert S.
Peel, Jr However, the firm will
limit its practice to the civil
courts.
Youths Get Free
Trip To New York
——«*—
Henry Handy, Jr., and Billy
Marshall, two local newspaper
carriers, leave tomorrow after
noon on a free trip to New York
Each of the two lads added forty
now subscribers to their list dur
ing a recent contest conducted by
their paper.
The boys will he picked up here
tomorrow afternoon by a repre
sentative of the paper and go to
Suffolk where they are to board
a special coach about 7:25 o'clock
When the boys get off the train
at fi:25 o'clock Thursday morning
they will be moved l>jy special
conveyance to their hotel where
they are to make ready for three
hig days in the city. The schedule
calls for extensive tours over the
city, including stops at the Em
pire State, broadcasting studios,
Statue of Liberty, a ride across
the harbor, Radio City Music Hall,
a swim in an indoor salt water
MAMr ■•—*•>•<*» *»*
pool, Chinatown, following a fen
vision show Saturday night, the
boys will leave by train at 12:30
o’clock, reaching Norfolk at 10:55
o’clock Sunday morning.
Henry and Billy are anxiously
looking forward to the trip which,
promises to be a big event in their
young lives.
Quite a number of boys in other
•sections of eastern North Carolina
and Virginia are making the trip
with the two from Williamston.
tcccphi Position H illi
l ornI Furniture Firm
Robert (irad.v of Kinston has
accepted a position with the Wool
ard Furniture Company here and
entered upon his new duties last
week.
A graduate of East Carolina
College, the young man is a
brother of Ed Grady, executive
secretary of the Williamston Boos
ters, and was with a radio'station
iii Kinston before coming here.
\ «>n I li l mlri'^oo Opera
lion \n<l Is Kxpet'tnl
To Krcovcr
Carroll Saunders Roberson, 14
year-old farm youth, was critical
ly wounded when accidently shot
on the farm of his father, John H.
Roberson, in the Roberson Chapel
community of Williamston Town
ship early last Saturday afternoon.
Removed to Duke Hospital, Dur
ham, he underwent an operation
immediately, and reports from
the institution this morning point
ed to his' recovery provided no
complications developed.
The young man, large for his
age, started out with his brother.
Raymond, of Williamston, shortly
after the lunch hour to go hunting.
When they reached a fairly wide
ditch several hundred yards from
the house, the older brother, Ray
mond, jumped the ditch and laid
his gun down. Carroll was to re
lay his gun to the brother and
then jump the ditch Taking his
410 gauge gun by the barrel, the
lad handed it to his brother who
had barely touched the stock when
the weapon fired. Just how it hap
pened, neither of the boys could
say. Apparently the safety was
not well fastened and slipped just
as the gun was being transferred.
Just about the entire load of the
No. 5 shot struck the boy in his
right side just below the ribs. A
few of the shots pierced the lung,
part of which had to be removed
m the operation. It is believed
that no other vital organs were
badly damaged. Although he lost
considerable blood, the victim re
mained conscious until he was put
to sleep for the operation.
The older brother yelled for
help and while he was heard,
members of the family thought
the boys were calling to the dogs
and did not heed the plea. A few
minutes later Raymond ran to the
house, reported the accidental
shooting and collapsed. He was
placed in a local hospital for treat
ment of shock. Members of the
family were unable at first to
place the wounded lad in the car
and had to go for more help. He
was delivered to a local hospital
where he was given first aid treat
ment and prepared for the ambul
ance trip to Durham. Both the
young men were said to have been
worried over the condition of
each other more than they were of
their own.
The victim, if all goes well and
doctors think it will, is expected
home in about two weeks.
Hearings Held In
Industrial Cases
A representative of the North
Carolina State Industrial Com
mission held two hearings in the
courthouse Monday afternoon, and
investigated others.
In the Jesse Bonds case, the re
presentative declared the five
children of the deceased were the
rightful heirs and they are to re
ceive approximately $7,320. Bonds
was fatally burned while working
at the Nello Teer asphalt plant in
the lower part of this county last
March 31. He died in a Plymouth
hospital July 22. Other issues in
the case had been agreed upon, it
was reported.
Jennis Price, pointing out that
he suffered a burned foot while
employed by the Coastal Grading
Company, asked medical expes
.’. .*•**«- v ***** * \ ■■ -2 ,S --
weeks’ time lost as a result of the
accident. No decision was an
nounced in the case immediately.
Commissioner Robt. L. Scott
heard the cases.
( BUS STATION
Representatives of the sev
eral bus lines operating busses
though here are looking for
a terminal today. It is hop
ed that some arrangements
can be made to provide tem
porary service, at least.
During the meautime the
traveling public is being ex
posed to the elements at the
open-air station on South
Kim Street.
An appeal was made to the
Utilities Commission last Fri
day, and members of the com
mission were shocked to learn
about the condition that has
existed here for weeks.