THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BY
OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNTY
FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK
THE ENTERPRISE
THE ENTERPRISE IS READ Bi
OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNTY
FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEP.
VOLUME LVII—NUMBER 22
Williamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Thursday, March 18, 1954
ESTABLISHED 189‘.
Superior Court
In Recess Until
Nonday Morning
—•—
Tliirty-four Cases Cleared j
From Criminal Docket j
First Three Davs
—*—
After clearing thirty-four cases |
from the criminal docket, the|
Martin County Superior Court j
took a recess at 4:45 o’clock yes
terday afternoon until'next Mon
day morning when civil cases will
be called for trial, including nine
divorce actions. Quite a few cases
were continued for one reason or
another, but a court official
pointed out that the criminal doc
ket in this county is in good shape
with about a dozen or eighteen
cases on the docket.
Proceedings:
Charged with burglarly in the
first degree, Richard Dickens,
young colored man of near Oak
City, pleaded guilty of non-bur
larious breaking and was sent
enced to prison for three years.
Dickens broke into the Bunting
store in Oak City last Saturday
morning. It was brought out that
he went through the Kader Hardi
son apartment in an attempt to
escape from officers who arrest
ed him in the apartment kitchen.
Dickens had no one to say a good
word for him, and he chose not
to speak in his own behalf.
After arguing the question
nearly 45 minutes, the jury re
turned a verdict pi not guilty in
the case in which Cora Lee, color
ed woman, was charged with
breaking and entering and as
saulting John Cherry with a dead
ly weapon.
Entering a plea of nolo conten
(re, William Kuinth-y Carrawav,
rharged with the theft of $160
worth of clothes from Capt. E. B.
(Chuch) Simmons at the Wilson
Hotel in Robersonville last May
20, was sentenced to the roads
for twelve months. The road term
tvas suspended lor three years on
guaranteed good behavior, pay
ment of the court costs and $120
for the benefit of Mr. Simmons.
Carraway, it was brought out m
the evidence, was found wearing
Simmons’ shoes last July. Cana
way denied taking two suits of
clothes, but did not offer to ex
-pttun- v way : hierfmdPDhSE’;the wag?,-.
tain’s shoes were on the wrong
feet.
The case in which Willie Gor
ham stands charged with bastardy
and non-support, was continued.
Charged with false pretense,
Curtis O'Mary pleaded guilty of
issuing a worthless check and was
sentenced to the roads for two
years. The load term was sus
pended for three years on a guar
antee of good behavior and on the
further condition that he pay $500
to Chas. H. Jenkins and Com
pany at the rate of $35 a month
The case in which Elijah Man
ning is charged with assaulting
and inflicting serious knife injuri
es on the body of R. Clayton Wil
kins, was continued.
Charged with careless and reck
less driving, Leon Earl Tetterton
was adjudged guilty of following
another vehicle too closely when
he was tried in the county court
and lie appealed
was offered, there was the indica
tion that careless and reckless
driving was involved, and since
the defendant had been tried and
found not guilty on that charge
in the county court, Judge Mor
ris directed a verdict of not guil
ty, making it appear that the de
fendant could not be tried a sec
ond time on the same offense
after he had been found not guil
ty
The case in which Willie Gor
ham is charged with non-support,
was continued.
Another little 'heft '-me was
broken up m court this week i
when Gainor Edwards, William i
Henry Williams, Charlie “Dick”
Brown and William Arthur Out
law, Jr., were sentenced in con
(Continued on Page Six)
Receiving Treatment
For Accident Injury
-i>
Eugene Whitfield, 15 years old,
entered Martin General Hospital
here last night for treatment of a
shouldre injury received in a mo
tor vehicle accident near his home
on HKD 1, Oak City, earlier in the
evening.
Details of the accident could
not be learned immediately, but
it was said that he was hurt
when a truck was ditched and
turned over.
His injuries were said not to
be serious.
Proposed Roanoke Country Club House
Plans, matching those of the building above, have been tentatively adopted by the directors for
the proposed Roanoke Country Club house, President Chas. I. Harris said this morning. Seventy
three members have been signed, but definite action is being delayed pending the sign-up of
twenty-seven more members, it was explained. An option on a site about a mile from the town on
Highway 17 has been taken, and work will be started on the project just as soon as the membership
reaches the 100 figure, it was explained.
( PROGRESSING |
sy
The Red Cross fund drive is
making splendid progress in
this chapter, according to a
preliminary report released
this morning by Chairman
Hngh M. Martin.
The employee group in Wil
liamston has exceeded its
goal. The residential areas
are nearing their quota along
with Jamesville Township,
Mr. Martin reported.
‘‘The drive is really encour
aging and we hope to have a
fairly detailed report early
next week,” the chairman
said.
Roy B. Barham,
Batner Chaplain,
Ta Speak Here
^ ill Appear On P.-T. A.
Program In Hipli School
Al 7:45 Moiulav
—<*•—
One" lii ‘fTP'lhosT OulstiiiiuiTi'g
ipeakers ever to appear before the
iVilliamston Parents-Teaehers As
iociation will address the meeting
if that organization in the high
•ehool auditorium here Monday
•vening, March 22. at 7:4.1 o'clock,
chaplain Rov G. Barham from the
Mcoholic Rehabilitation Center at
3utner war secured for the March
nogram after several weeks of
ntensive effort on the part of the
nogram committee which found
hat he was in greater demand as
i speaker than any other member
if the Butner staff.
Chaplain Barham's talk will be
ntroduced by a film, "Preface To
\ Life.” A former chaplain in
he Armed services, Chaplain
Jarham has had a wide experi
■nce in dealing with many prob
ems and is an expert on the sub
ects he will touch on in his talk.
Because of the nature of the
oogram, P.-T. A. officials are ex
ending an invitation to the pub
ic to hear the speaker and see the
ilm he is bringing with him. At
tendance is not to be limited to
5.-T. A. members but goes to all
jei sons in this area. The business
lession of the organization will be
if short duration and the entire
nogram will not be long.
A door prize, seat prize and at
endance prize will again be of
ered and members are urged to,
itteod and bring then friends and
leighbors.
Another 3ounain
The Courts Today
—•—
After getting through by the
"skin of their teeth,” when they ;
appeared in the Martin County
Superior Court here Tuesday in
connection with a series of rob
beires, five teen-agers are facing
another round in the superior
rourt tliis afternoon over in j
Washington
The five young men, Onward [
Reason, William Roberson, Janie;;!
E. Moore. Bobbie Mims and Wil- j
liam Barnes, are implicated in one j
jr more of eight robberies and
me larceny ease over in Beaufort
bounty.
The youths are being accom
panied to Washington by their at
torneys and relatives.
Boys Taken Off Probation
By Judge Morris Yesterday
Placed on strict probation Tues
day in connection with a series of
robberies in this county, two
youths, Onward Reason and Wil
liam Barnes, were recalled into
open court yesterday afternoon
and sentenced to state’s Prison
for not less than three and not
more than four years by Judge
Chester Morris who explained
that there had been new develop
ments in the case.
Probation Officer Harry Doug
las, completing his investigation,
pointed out that the two young
men had been given bad conduct
discharges from the armed forces.
"If they could not be supervis
ed in the armed forces, I don’t
propose to thrust them upon so
ciety,” Judge Morris explained,
adding that the record convinced
Evidence Paraded
In Superior Court
-fy- -
WhflWWT* mother •prh.-***vT*!3F
conviction in the bastardy and
non-support case against John D.
Skinner, a 14-month-old child pa
raded up and down before the
jury and all around the bar in the
Martin County Superior Court
here yesterday afternoon, offer
ing what was described as dam
aging evidence against the de
fendant. And the little bit of hu
manity went on to wet down the
damaging evidence at the foot of
the witness stand.
Eliza Williams, an expectant
mother, offered some mighty
damaging evidence, to be sure,
but the innocent little tot climax
ed it when she innocently and
without pre-trial planning, pa
raded before the jury, wearing a
cute little smile and displaying
features described as resembling
those of the defendant.
Spectators in the courtroom and
the jurymen, too, smiled along
withas the
tiny tot wobbled around the bar.
About the only person in the court
room wearin ga serious expres
sion was Sheriff M. W. Holloman
who literally held his breath for
fear Judge Morris might instruct
him to nurse the little brat while
the mother offered testimony
from the witness stand.
Acting as if he had a house full
of children of his o\yn, the jurist
did not let the incident trouble
him as he pushed the trial to a
hurried conclusion.
■ynw^»k..j»»viniar~"—..v
I COMPLIMENTED J
Martin County citizens,
serving as members of the
juries in the superior court
here this week, were highly
complimented by Judge Ches
ter Morris when they were
dismissed for the term yes
terday afternoon.
“It lias been a real pleasure
to work with you men this
week,” Judge Morris said,
adding that he didn’t know
when he hud served with a
group of men w ho had more
sincerely grasped their duties
and served better their coun
ty and fellow citizens. “Your
county and its citizens can be
proud of you and the work
you have done here this
week,” the judge said.
I him they could not be controlled
by probation, and to place them
'on probation would be abusing
! the system.
The probation officer indicated
I that the two boys had cooperated
with him, but Judge Morris ex
plained that the record left him
[nothing else to do but sentence
I them to prison.
It was rumored that another de
1 fondant in the series of robbery
leases did not cooperate too well
I with the probation officer when
the investigation was being made.
In at least four other cases, the
voiAths apparently realized the
seriousness of their acts and their
acts indicated they were ready to
do their best to live up to the
probation terms and make good
citizens.
INCLUDED
The construction of a new
railroad bridge on Williains
i ""ton's' West Mum"Street is in
cluded in the list of projects
to be let to contract on March
30, according to information
released by the State High
way and Public Works Com
mission this week. The proj
ect, pending for several years,
is expected to cost $200,000 or
more, according to unofficial
reports heard here.
The bids will be reviewed
by the full commission in ear
ly April.
The project is one of twen- i
ty-five the commission will
consider letting to contract in
April.
i
Fire Destroys
Hamilton Home
—*.—
Fire believed to have started
by defeeUvv 'vising destroyed the
six-room, two-story home of Mr.
and Mrs. Dewey Stalls in Hamil- |
ton shortly after 7:0 o’clock Tues- i
day evening. When discovered the
fire was burning in an upper room j
and had gained so much head- !
way that only the refrigerator
and electric cook stove could be j
removed from the kitchen along [
with a few items of furnishing
from the other rooms.
The home in its original form I
was built three quarters of a cen- j
tury or more ago and the old tim- i
bers burned rapidly. The house j
•4/wd— ''ii-d'-j &■”?&&&
years and it with the contents was
worth between $12,000 and $13,
000, according to Mr. Stalls. Less
than $5,000 insurance was carried
on the property, it was unofficial
ly learned.
Fire departments from Robcr
sonville and Williamston were
called and trucks were dispatch
ed there. Water was thrown on
the Hamilton theater building
housing Dr. Highsmith’s offices
and the C. B. Roebuck apartment
upstairs. The main fire had gain
ed too much headway to be cheek
ed with the limited water supply.
The family, visiting in Hassell,
had been away from home hardly
more than thirty minutes when
the fire was discovered. It was
about two years ago that the
family was in Philadelphia and
their home was burned Lr. Hamil
ton. .
Farm Bureau To
Make Plans For
Annual Meeting
-
Bill Lilth* Will Discuss Pari
ty Plans Friday At
Special Session
Plans for holding the annual
Martin County Farm Bureau
meeting will be formulated and
timely topics will be discussed at
a special session of the organiza
tion members in the Martin Coun
ty courthouse here tomorrow
evening at 7:30 o'clock, it was an
nounced yesterday by President
Chas. L. Daniel.
The Farm Bureau will arrange
its plans to have the annual meet
ing barbecue coincide with the
fat stock show next month, it was
pointed out.
“You have heard, no doubt,
about the controversy about flexi
ble and rigid parity. Mr. Bill Lit
tle (field representative for the
North Carollha Farm Bureau)
will discuss parity and state the
North Carolina Farm Bureau’s
stand on parity," Mr. Daniel ex
plained in a letter released this
week.
The Farm Bureau Federation on
the national level is said to favor
flexible price supports, and some
leaders in the North Carolina
Farm Bureau have been charged
with favoring the Benson plan al
so.
There is no doubt about the
position of the Farm Bureau
members in this State and in Mar
t'n County, and Mr. Little’s dis
eussion of the issue will be wel
comed, no doubt.
R. Flake Shaw, president of the
organization in this state, points
out that North Carolina farmers
are against the flexible plan, but
some doubt has been expressed
about Mr. Shaw's Position.
It lias been said that the Farm
Bureau and the Republicans are
“sugar-coating’’ the Benson flexi
ble price support plan, li has also
been said that someone is working
somewhere to lop off about four
billions of dollars from the farm
. i-s’ income,.
A showdown on parity is ex
pected next month in Congress.
The meeting in the courthouse
ooijjij row rvi'nine^i^ . ^cn
to the public, and farmers and
other interested citizens are urged
to attend.
Former Resident
Died Last Night
Mrs. Annie Bright Gardner, 65,
wife of C. H. Gardner, died at the
home of her daughter, Mrs. Thel
bert Hardison, near Stokes Wed
nesday night.
Funeral services will be con
ducted Friday at 2:30 p. m. at
Oak Grove Christian Church by
the pastor, the Rev. John E.
White, assisted by the Rev. Robert
Lee. Burial will be in the Rober
sonville Cemetery. The body will
be taken to the church at 1:30 p.
m.
Mrs. Gardner, daughter of the
late E C. and Mary Huff Bright,
was born and reared m Washing
ton, N. C., where she was married
in 1906 She later lived in Mar
tin and Washington counties. She
had lived with her daughter for
the past two years. She was a
member of Oak Grove Christian
Church.
Surviving are her husband;
two sons, Richard L. of Roper and
Cyril H. Gardner of Roper; three
daughters, Mrs. Thurman Ange of
Williamston, Mrs. M. M. Johnson
of Lake City, Trim, and Mrs.
Hardison; 12 grandchildren; five
■g1.*----’.1 ' ■ », ... t.S-Vt'.g
Charles, and Leo Bright, all of
Chicago, III., and Jack Bright of
Washington, N. C.; one sister, Mrs.
F. L. Sawyer of Washington, N.
C.
Martin County Native
11 rati a \(.H/I In Pender
C. Wade Mobley, son of Mr. and
Mrs. W. I,. Mobley of Bear Grass,
was recently elected president of
the Fender County Unit of the
North Carolina Education Asso
elation This unit includes Super
inteiident T. '1'. Murphy who is the
oldest superintendent in the
state, five principals, and approxi
mately one hundred white teach
ers of the Pender County Schools.
Mr. Mobley is serving his first
year as principal of the Long
Creek Graded School.
Judge Morris Places Keys To
Penitentary In Boys' Halids
Youths Placed On
Strict Probation
In Superior Court
One In Group Of N'iiu* (iels
Dirrelnl Verdict Of
Not Guilty
Five Martin County teen-ag
ers, pleading guilty of participat
ing in one or more of four daring
robberies in this county, were
placed on strict probation in the
Martin County Superior Court
Tuesday The judgment handed
down by Judge Chester Morris,
| the presiding jurist, received gen
eral approval from the public.
Two other youths, connected with
the robberies, escaped the strict
probation terms. John Albert
Cherry, convicted of aiding and
abetting in the Henry Thomas
store robbery, was sentenced to
the roads for eighteen months,
suspended upon the payment of
a $100 fine and costs. He is to sur
render his operator's license for
twelve months and remain of
good behavior. The other youth
escaping probation was Harold
Barnes who entered a plea of nolo
contendere. The court directed a
verdict of not guilty in his case.
Placed on probation Tuesday,
Onward Reason and William
Barnes had their cases reopened
yesterday, and Judge Morris sen
tenced the boys to State's Prison
for not less than three and not
more than four years.
After spending nearly two
hours in the trial of Cherry and
handling the preliminaries in the
other cases, Judge Morris made
some timely comments and the
courtroom was steeped in silence
as the jurist made ready to pro
nounce sentence.
James Moore, 19, was the lirst
man called to stand up The court
: sentenced him to six years in
I State’s Prison. He was then plac
ed on probaiton foi five years,
the court explaining that in addi
tion to the usual probation terms
special provis'Voio?"TiTu.sV be met
during the five-year probationary
period The defendant is to sur
render his driver’s license for
three years. He is not to be seen
loitering on any street after 9:00
o’clock p. m. during the next four
years. He is not to be observed
day or night during the four-year
period visiting a pool room or
billiard parlor. He is to attend
some religious services each Sun
day unless prevented by sickness
Ur other unavoidable reasons and
appear at each March term of the
superior court during the next
four years and show that he has
not violated the terms of proba
tion. He was fined $25, taxed with
his propirtionate part of the court
costs and directed to pay $75 for
the benefit of Dewey Leggett,
who told the court that hi' lost
about (>0 bushels of corn, that
about 47 bushels were traced to
a Greenville buyer.
James 1-!. >i .• iiu ru
line of di fendants, was sentenced
to prison for five years for par
ticipating in three of the four rob
beries. The Hi-vear-old lad, plac
ed on probation for five years, is
to operate no motor vehicle foi
three years, stay off the streets
after 9:00 o’clock at night, remain
out of pool rooms, attend religi
ous services each Sunday and re
port to the court each March for
(Continued on Page Six)
John Adams, the colored
man who “jokingly” shot and
almost killed Angelin High
smith at the Little Red Roos
ter,-a picclo joint near Has
sell, may have received a su
spended sentence, but he
chose to tell Judge Chester
Morris in superior court here
yesterday that he did not
know who lent him the pistol
used in the last January 2 as
sault.
“You ve been here this
week and you have heard me
say that if there’s anything I
detest it is lying ” Judge Mor
ris told Adams. “You have
lied on the stand,” the jurist
told Adams, just before sent
encing him to the roads lor
twelve months.
! f FINANCIAL STUDY 1
IV-/ j
Town Treasurer C. M. Cobb j
and Attorney Clias. II. Man- |
nine conferred with member?
of the Local Government
I Commission in Raleieh yes
j terday in connection with a
i proposed $200,000 local bond
issue for financing a street
paving program here.
The town representatives
are expected to report the
results of their study with
the commission members at
the next regular meeting of
the board of commissioners.
Schedule Thirty
Civil Cases For
Trial Next Week
j Court Not Likely To Attract
Much Attention During
Its Second Week
Scheduled to dear its criminal
docket this week the Martin
County Superior Court ts ex
pected to call thirty civil cases for l
trial next week, the county be- j
ing in addition to nine divorce ac
tions that occupy a first position |
on the calendar for trial next i
Monday. The second of the two- ]
! week term is not expected to at- j
tract much attention. With pus- '
sibly one or two exceptions the I
civil eases are of minor import
ance and for the most part only
small sums are involved.
A brief review of the cases on
the civil calendar follows:
The aged boundary line case of
I N, Roberson against W. 1.. Man
Ining Is back on the docket after
I prolonged referee hearings.
I In the case of Mrs. Annie L.
, Roberson against D. C. Williams,
I Jr., the plaintiff is asking *17,000.
j damages, alleging the defendant
j misrepresented the facts in a tim
! her transaction, and failed to in
i corporate certain stipulations in
! a timber deed. Tim i as- has fcteM '
continued on ... three oc
casions.
A title to certain property in
Williamston is involved in the
case of J. tl. Cherry against J. F.
Thigpen and others.
; J. S. Crandall is suing Garland
j Wynne for $70 alleged due him.
Critcher Brothers are suing Atlas
; Plywood Corporation for $1,200.
| 84.
I A boundary line is involved in
the case of K. S. Bunting against
Codetta Dewey and others, the
plaintiff asking $1,250 for timber
alleged wrongfully cut on plain
tiffs land.
In the case of Jasper Roberson
against Mrs. Beatrice Corey and
Mick Revels, the plaintiff al
leged a lease has been broken
and he is suing for possession of
certain lands.
A boundary line is involved in
the ease of Mrs. Selma II. Heath
I ...
• ■ ■ •{CVsiJ-ir.m-r! from Page Six,'--'
Brother Of Local
Resident Passes
Grovel' Cleveland Carawan,
brother of Mrs Roy Peel of Wil
liamston, died suddenly at his
I home In Helhaven early Monday
| alternoon following a heart at
|tack.
The son of the late Win. and
[Annie Neal Carawan. he was:
■et/crr W-K ."RW* Vr.-OJVey—
and moved to Helhaven 34 years
ago where he was a member and
elder in the West Helhaven Chris
tian Church.
Funeral services were conduct
ed in the church yesterday after
noon and interment was in the
Bclhaven Community Cemetery.
Surviving besides his sister
here, are Ins widow, the former I
Miss Annie Tripp; five sons.'
Thomas E,, C. Eugene, James E
and Grover Carawan, all of
Greenville and Elbe Carawan of
the home; three daughters, Mrs. I
Lillian Nixon of Hertford, Mrs.
Ruby Blanchard of Aydlett and
Mrs. Marie Dudley of Kinston; 21
grandchildren; three brothers,:
Staten and Harvey Carawan of
Rose Bay and Arthur W. Carawan!
of Pantego; one sister, Mrs. Luke1
Sawyer of Rose Bay.
Court Admits It
Knows Not What
To Do In Cases
('liolrr Morris De
clares Youlli ()( Land
Offer Problems
-*.
"I am going to give you the key
to the penitentiary for a long
time,” Judge Chester Morris told
seven teen-age boys when they
appeared in superior court here
Tuesday in connection with a
series of bold robberies in the
county from December 22 through
January 29.
The jurist, visibly worried over
the duty facing him and fitting
the cases into a disturbing pat
tern in this State and throughout
the land, was believed at one time
to have been right on the verge
of bundling possibly seven of the
nine teen-age defendants off to
prison. Earnest pleas on the part
of defense counsel apparently
substituted strict probation for
the prison terms.
An eighth defendant, John Al
bert Cherry, pleaded not guilty
when charged with breaking into
and robbing Henry Thomas’ store
at the Sherrod farm near Hamil
ton. The owner, taking the wit
ness stand, told how the store
was entered and explained that
goods valued at about $80, were
carried away. Sheriff M. W. Hol
loman told the jury that Cherry
denied the robbery, but later ad
mitted going there with six boy;>
maintaining that he did not entei
the building. The 17-year-old de
fendant offered no testimony and
chose not to argue his case before
the jury Judge Morris charged
the jury on the angle of aiding
and abetting robbery, and when
the jury returned into open court'
for instructions he told the memb
ers that j.t they believed the evi
dence, the defendant could be
found guilty of aiding and abet
ting. Less than fifteen minutes
later, the jury return ‘d its ver
dict announcing the lad .guilty .
Judge Morris, commenting th<»
jury convicted properly on th«
evidence offered, looked at Cher
ry and said that he didn't believe
the army wanted him any longer.
Cherry had entered the service
just as Sheriff Holloman was
rounding up the group. Without
further ado, Judge Morris sent
enced the lad to the roads for a
term of eighteen months, su
spended for three years upon
guaranteed good behavior. Cherry
is to surrender his driver’s li
cense for a year and pay a $100
fine and costs.
A ninth defendant, Harold
Barries, pleaded not guilty of
breaking into the Everetts school
on January 5. The plea of nolo
contendere was later submitted,
and Judge Morris directed a ver
dict of not guilty be entered in
the records. ‘T am going to let
him see what he can make of him
self," the jurist said. When the
hid sia-rferi to walk out of the
courtroom, Judge Morris cal'ed
him back and said, "You better
stay here, young man, and see
what happens to your associates.
The other defendants, James
Moore, Onward Reason, William
Barnes, Bobby Mims, William
Roberson, James H. Price and
William Hardison, pleaded guilty
in one or more of the four eases,
and a showing was called for from
both the State1 and the defense.
It was admitted by the State
that all the buys came from good
families but. it....was frankly ati* .
fni ftcT Tirar ti f?1 "twy {.-.•tit' 7 fHJsr pt
them, stayed out late at night,
prowling around the countryside
and apparently had not realized
the seriousness of their acts.
Sheriff Holloman told the court
I hat Moore and Roberson were
very cooperative following their
arrests, that Mims, alter denying
any connection with the o..b
(Continued on Page Five)
Suffvr* Anklr Injury
In Fall At Jamcnnlle
Mrs. Lee Holliday suffered an
inkle injury in a £*11 at her home
lear Jamesville la ! evening. The
lone was not broken, according
o information received here, and
ihe was able to return to her
tonic following treatment in a
ocal hospital.