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PI/VMOUTII
EXTENDS A HEARTY
WELCOME TO
HOMESEEKERS
THE BEACON
OFFERS SPLENDID
OPPORTUNITIES TO
ADVERTISERS
a Year, In Advance.
FOR GOD, FOR COUNTRY AND FOR TRUTH
Single Copy 5 Ccntfc
VOL. 37
PLYMOUTH. N.C., FRIDAY, AUG. 20, 1926
NO. 37
LOCAL NEWS
A. P. Barnhill of Everetts, was
here Sunday,
Miss ,Tope Hardison is visiting
friends in Cofield.
V. E. Everett was in Wi'lian -
ston Monday night.
Roscoe •Tankard spent the
week-end in Bayview.
Mr. and Mrs. George W. Hardi
son spent Sunday in Cofield.
Everett Burgess of Elizabeth
City, was a week-end visitor here.
Mr. and Mrs. C. L. Walker of
Roper, were visitors here Sunday.
Joe Arps and Buster Adler
were in Tarboro Monday night.
T. C. Burgess returned Satur
day from a business trip to New
York.
0. H. Lyon and Dr. C. McGow
an were Sunday visitors in Dur
ham.
Lue Read and H V. Austin
made a business trip to Cherry
Monday.
Mrs. E. R. Buck of Washington,
has been visiting Mr. and Mrs.
J. L. Swain.
Rev. E. C. Harris of Washing
ton, was here Sunday visiting
friends.
Clyde and Lewis Hassell and
Miss Eva Owens spent Sunday in
Bayview.
Warren Cahoon of near Roper,
was a business visitor here this
week.
Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Miller of
v Rich Square, spent Sunday here
with relatives.
W. C. Sprui’l of Raleigh, is
here for a fejv days visiting rela
tives and friends.
Dt. W. H. Ward and L. P.
Hornthal were in Williamston on
business Monday.
J. R. Latham of the Long
Ridge section was a business
visitor here this week.
Mr. Ed. Moore and Miss Biggs
of Washington was in town Mon
day afternoon.
Miss Christine Ward of Mays
viile, is here the guest of Miss
Margaret Ward Jackson.
Mrs. George Wagner of Nor
folk, is here visiting Mr. and
Mrs. W. W. Satterth,vaite.
Miss Ethel Owens of Var.ce
boro, has been here visiting her
mother, Mrs. S. L. Owens.
Cyril Norman of Raleigh, spent
Sunday here with his parents,
Mr. and Mrs. M. W. Norman.
Mr. and Mrs. John H. Bonner
of Aurora, were week end visit
ors of friends and relatives here.
Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Mesick of
Pinetown spent Sunday here
with Mr. and Mrs S. B. Hilliard
Misses Gertrude and Laura
Norton and Mrs. Bob Everett of
Williamston have been visiting
friends here.
Mr. and Mrs. H A. Li\erman
and little daughter. Anne, are
visiting friends and relatives in
Poquosin, Va.
/ Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Hardison,
Mrs. S. L. Owens and Miss Ethel
Owens made a motor trip to
Rocky Mount Sunday.
Mrs. W. F. Ausbon, Frank
Ausbon, Misses Hermine Ausbon
and Elizabeth Respass spent
Sunday in Morehead City.
Mr. and Mrs. T. V/. Davis and
daughter, MissLorene, and son,
William S-- of Norfolk, have been
visiting Mr. and Mrs. Arthur
Vail.
Mr. and Mrs. Clarendon Wood
ard and Mr. and Mrs. W. O
Ralph and daughte- of Norfolk,
spent the week-end here with re
latives and friends.
James E. Griffin, Francis Man
ning and Jack Booker ot Wil
Hamston, passed through here
Wednesday on their way to Nor
folk, where they are spending a
few days.
PROBABLE CAUSE IN
BEACH BURNING
P. L. REA AND A. G. ATKINSON IN JAIL IN
DEFAULT OF BONDS OF $15,000.00 AND
$10,000.00, RESPECTIVELY, ON
CHARGES OF ARSON
The preliminary hearing in the
recorder's court Tuesday of P. L.
Rea and A. G. Atkinson, charged
with arson in connection with the
burning of the buildings on Rea’s
Beach on Wednesday morning of
last week, drew a record attend
ance.
Probable caisc was found against
each and bond for Atkinson was
fixed at ten thousand dollars for his
appearance at the October term of
superior court, and upon failing to
give same, he was placed in jail to
await trial. Fifteen thousand dol
lars was required as a bond for
Rea,, which, as we go to press, has
not been provided.
C. B. Wade, special investigator
from the insurance department,
Junius D. Grimes represented At
kinson, W. L. Whitley appeared as
council for the insurance depart
ment, and Van B. Martin for Rea.
Examination for the prosecution
was conducted by Whitley, with
occasional questions from Carl L.
Bailey, prosecuting attorney for the
county. Strict account of the pro
gress of the hearing was kept by
Wade.
The first witness to mount the
stand was W. F. Ausbon, local in
surance agent, who issued a policy
in the sum of six thousand one
hundred and fifty dollars, which
purported- to cover approximately
three-fourths of the actual value of
the propc .1 y insured according to
an appraisal made by him at the
time of issuing the policy, which
was originally for $5,750.00 issued
in 1925, and an endorsement of
$400.00 covering bathing suits and
piano in May 1926, bringing the
total of insurance up to $6,150.00.
Sheriff Reid, upon being question
ed. stated that five buildings were
destroyed by the conflagration,
they being the fish house, light
plant house, Clayton dwelling (un
occupied), pavilion and dwelling,
and that all were in bad state of
repair, and that on a whole they
were worth approximately $200.
each.
Atkinson 1 estihes
Atkinson took the stand, and af
ter being advised by the trial judge
that he was not forced to answer
any questions of an incriminating
nature against himself, spoke fluent
ly with apparent confidence and
evident unconcern. He stated that
he had known and been associated
with Rea for about forty years. A
few years ago the beach property
was sold to J. R. Hollis, who re
tained control until December of
last year, when it again came into
the hands of Rea. A fishing in
dustry had been operated for a
number of years, and upon regain
ing the property Atkinson, so he
claims, was asked to inspect the
seine and report the condition to
Rea. He testified that he found
the fishing material in almost a
worthless condition, and upon re
porting to Rea he was offered one
hundred dollars in cash, deed to a
lot and assistance in building a
house upon same il he would aid in
i the destruction of the property by
burning it, He claims that he
made no answer to the offer and
that Rea repeated the offer insis
tently once or twice each month.
Continuing his evidence he stated
that Rea fixed the time for the fire,
which was designed to destroy the
entire beach property, for the
Fourth of July which would un
doubtedly offer a splendid oppor
tunity because of the festivities
that were to be held there that day.
Still he, Atkinson, would not enter
into the agreement.
The witness asserted that Rea
broached the subject to him severa
al times after the Foyirth, and that
each time he became more insistent
and that many times when Rea
attempted to arrange a meeting
with him that he paid no attention
whatever to his efforts.
On Tuesday of last week they
met at the beach and the proposi
tion was gone over, and in the con
versation Rea stated that he would
wait no longer, that it must go up
that night whether he received a
cent of indemnity from the insur
ance company or not. The witness
stated that Rea told him that a
party wanted to purchase theprop
perty, but would not buy it with
the buildings there, as they would
not suit his purpose. Rea is claim
ed to have stated that it was much
cheaper to destroy them than it
would be to tear them dow n and
remove the timber, etc., and that
they must be destroyed that night.
Going among the buildings with
Rea the witness stated that he was
shown the preparations for the fire
that had been arranged, which con
sisted of five gallons of gasoline and
numerous rubbish piles of inflam
able matter that had been placed
in advantageous places.
Food and ice water were provi
ded for Atkinson at the close of the
day, so he claims, but around eight
o'clock he still had not decided to
ignite the buildings and went to his
home in Roper, a distance cf four
and a half miles. Remaining home
about twenty minutes he reflected
oyer the situation while smoking a
cigar and being confident that Rea
would start the fire if he failed to
show up, he started back to the
beach, reaching there after twelve
o'clock. It had been agreed upon
that a low burning lantern placed
in the yard beside a stump would
reveal the fact the beach was un
occupied, so the witness stated. So,
beginning with the fish house at the
western limits of the beach he be
gan the fire, and continued to fire
■them until finishing with the dwel
ling at the eastern limits. Using
gasoline as an aid he ignited a mat
tress in an up-stairs room of the
dwelling and left. No satisfactory
results came from this, he claims,
as the fire went out. Ensconcing
himself in the woods nearby, he
waited until expected crowds came
to the scene. Going on with his
evidence he asserted that he saw
Rea go into the dwellirg and start
another fire, which destroyed the
building.
George Wilkins, colored man
employed on the adjacent farm of
A. L. Alexander, stated on the
stand that Mr. Rea was sitting
around a tobacco barn when he
went there at twelve o'clock to be
gin his part of the night watch, and
that it was the first time he had
seen him there this year. In a
short while Mr. Rea went to sleep
on a bench, and did not awaken
until he aroused him after dis
covering fire in the direction of the
beach, a distance of about three
quarters of a mile.
No rebuttal testimony was prof
fered by council for Mr Rea.
PLANS SHAPING
FOR PIC-NIC
j If interest and work will have
anything to do with it that
Charitable Brotherhood pic-nic to
be held in Roper next Thursday
will be one of t he most enjoyable
affairs ever held in this county.
S. J. Barco, president of the I
Roper lodge, has selected a corn-!
mittee on program that really;
knows how to do it right. He
I has put R. W. Lewis, T. W. Dil
| Ion, R. T. Chesson. W. J. Has
I sell, C. E- Mizelle, E. M. Ches
j son and J. C. Knowles to work
preparing for the event, and they
are all trying to outdo each
other. A tentative program;
given us this week begins with a i
sermon at 11 o’clock by Rev. I). J
W. Arnold followed by dinner. ■
! In the afternoon C. A. Singleton,
grand president of the order, will
begin the speaking, and will be
followed by J. F. Jackson, grand
vice-president, D. J. Sprui l, Jack
Edv/ards and Jack VVeede.
Gaylord Grove has been select
ed for the occasion and every
body is invited to attend and to
carry basket lunches. Invita
tions are not only extended to
'members of the order, but to
everybody, and the committee
sincerely hopes that the people
will come out and have a good
time with them.
Washington Making Bid For
Le&ion Convention
Frank Weir, Washington came
into our office Tuesday afternoon
his face as full of color as a har
vest moon. Bursting into the
back ro'mi he llung a voluminous
at us with a command “Look
at that!”. As soon as we re
covered cur equanimity we look
ed, and found that (he object of
his excitement was a special
American Legion edition of the
Washington Progress which pur
pose was to prevail upon the
state conventioh now in progress
in Hickory to select. Washington
as the convention city for 1927.
The edition is splendidly edit
ed, well arranged and carries an
especial appeal to the ex-service j
men and women. It is cur hope j
that our sister city will be select- j
ed for the next convention, and
we are sure that should the
legionnaires make a visit there
they will be entertained in an
elaborate manner.
M”. and Mrs Daye Woodard
and children and Mr. and Mrs.
T. S. Lucas left yesterday for a 1
motor trip to Finley and Toledo,
Ohio, and while away will visit
many other points of interest.
RECORDER’S
COURT
Recorder’s court here Tuesday
was attended by much larger
than usual crowds, and judge
Norman disposed of the follow
ing cases:
Columbus Rhodes, larceny,
guilty assigned to public roads
for three months,
Annie M. Pettiford, larceny,
for probable cause held for
Superior court.
John Mack Pettiford, resisting
officer, etc., guilty, assigned to
public roads for three months.
John Mack Pettiford and Al
fred Pettiford, affray, guilty,
judgement suspended upon pay
ment of cost
Leslie T. Davenport, assault,"
nolo contendre, fined $2f.00 and
cost.
A preliminary hearing was
given P. L. Rea ai d A. G. At
kinson on a charge of arson, re
port of which appears elsewhere
on this page.
To Preach Here Sunday
A telephonic communication
from Rev. Theodore Partrick an
nounces that there will be ser
vices in Grace Episcopal church
at the usual hours Sunday.
An invitation is extended all
to attend.
Entertained Little Friends
Master Wiliford Whitley enter
tained eighteen of his little friends
Wednesday afternoon with a de
lightful party at his home on Main
street. Various games were play
ed on the lawn and interesting
stories told by some of the larger
children. The children were later
invited into the dining room where
delicious ice cream and cake were
served. At each place was found
an attractive candy favor.
Those present were Cornelia and
Edith Edmondson, Mary Elizabeth
Bray, Douglas Ausbon, Elizabeth
Willoughby, James Harrell Ward,
Rebecca Ward. Meredith Johnston.
Louis Ward Alexander, Frances
Alexander. Katherine Midgett.
Elizabeth Read, Lillian Reid Mc
Gowan, Shirley Powell and Eliza
beth Martin.
Mesdames H. V Austin and
Jack Read went to Washington
Wednesday.
Mr. and Mrs. Louis Horton
were in Vanceboro Tuesday.
Miss Dorothy Swain of Mack
eys, is here visiting relatives
Mr. and Mrs. J. L" Swain and
little son, Jack, were in Mat-keys
Sunday.
SK1NNERSVILLE NEWS
Mrs. Lela Styson spent Tues
day in Edenlon.
W- E. Blount and C. L Everett
were in Plymouth Tuesday.
G. L. Davenport and Joe White
motored to Creswell Tuesday
afternoon.
A revival meeting1 will begin
at Holly Neck Disciple Church
Sunday, August 22nd.
Master Carlton Brown Shaffer
left Sunday for his home in Nor
folk, after visiting his uncle, C.
V. White.
Mrs. Mol lie Alexander and
daughter, Miss Inez, were guests
of M r . Alexander’s mother, Mrs,
Walter White, Monday.
Wilbert Blount left Saturday
for New York after spending
some time with his parents, Mr.
i and Mrs. W, E. Blount.
Mr. and Mrs. George Swain
and little daughter, Doris, of
Suffolk, Va., spent the week-end
with Mrs. Henrietta Swain,
Rev. and Mrs. R. L. Hethcox
and family of Creswell, were
guests of Mr. and Mrs. G. L.
i Davenport Monday afternoon.
The members of Oak Grove
Church gave a pic-mc Wednes
day afternoon at five o’clock at
Heavtwell Jethro’s landing, com
plimentary to their Sunday
School attendance.
Miss Emma Gray Morehead,
county demonstrator, met a small
number of the ladies of this com
munity at Albemarle school house
Wednesday, August 11th. The
meeting was called toord-rby
Mrs. Ida Brickhouse. and Mrs.
C. L Everett read the minutes
of the last meeting. Then * The
Old North State'’ was sung by
the members. Officers elected
were Mrs. Ida Brickhouse, presi
dent, Mrs. C. L. Everest, secre
tary, and Mrs. C. V. White,
booster. Canned fruits ar.d veg
etables that had been put up in
Plymouth and Creswell were
sho ,vn, and among them was pre
served carrots, which created a
great deai of interest
Schools to Begin September1
8th.
Announcement is made that
the Ply month graded schools will
begin their 1026 ’27 session on
Wednesday, September 8th, and
the superintendent is anxious
that ail concerned be advised of
this fact.
Next week we hope to carry a
tentative schedule of the woik
planned for the coming session,
and to also give the names of the
teachers and other information
of general interest in the schools.
Mrs. C. L. Murphrey and Mrs.
j M. E. Blount and children of
Norfolk, arz visiting Mrs, A. R.
| Dupree.
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■- The Champion—and* Challenger
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