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VOLUME XLVII—NUMBER 36
Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Friday, September 4, 1936
ESTABLISHED 1889
SEVERAL CASES
TRIED IN COUNTY
COURT TUESDAY
Eli Raynor Gets Two Years
On Roads for Assault,
Resisting Arrest
Added to the misery of Eli Ray
nor, middleaged negro, was a two
year road sentence on the roads im
posed Tuesday in recorder’s court by
Recorder John W. Darden.
Raynor had hardly recovered from
a couple of blows on the head ad
ministered Saturday afternoon by
Chief of Police P. W. Brown and
Sheriff J. K. Reid, when he resist
ed arrest. Raynor has a court rec
ord. He was accused this time of
assaulting Ida Young with a jug of
whiskey and resisting officers.
Eddie Jeannette, charged with as
saulting Henry Heath with a knife
and with being drunk an ddisorder
ly, was sent to the roads for three
months.
Rebecca Hedgepeth, Roper negro,
was sent to the county home to work
for one month on a charge of being
drunk on the streets of Roper. War
rant was sworn to by L. C. Snell,
policeman.
The case against Preston Bell, col
ored, was continued until next
Tuesday on account of the absence
of counsel, P. H. Bell. He is charged
with assaulting Henry Little witli a
brick.
Joe Manly was found not guilty
of carrying a concealed weapon, but
was found guilty of making a nuis
ance of himself on the streets of
Plymouth. Warrant was sworn out
by Bennie Dawson.
John McCloud, white, was order
ed to pay his wife $2 weekly for the
expense of a child she had accused
him of abandonment and non-sup
port. Judgment was suspended un
til January 1, 1937.
A nol pros was taken in the ase
of Gay Arnold, Spooke Arnold, Ben
nie Clarke, and Robert Lee Hill,
who were charged with accepting
stolen merchandise.
Eli Cooper, colored, was given 30
days in jail on a charge of being
drunk and disorderly.
A nol pros was taken in the case
of Herbert Jernigan, who was ac
cused of “knowingly and designed
ly obtaining $31.05 worth of mer
chandise from Mrs. J. T. Alexander
with intent to defraud.” This ap
peared to the court to be a civil
suit.
The case against S. B. Davenport,
who was charged with unlawfully
seizing the corn crop of J. E. Skit
tletharpe was nol prossed as it ap
peared that this was a civil suit.
-9
County Girl Gets
$150,000 Estate
—•—
Wealth came into possession of
Miss Ruth Burgess, foster daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. S. D. Burgess, of
Cherry, near here, with the an
nouncement that she had inherited
the estate of her father, J. H. Kin
caid, of Rich wood, W. Va.
The property is valued and ap
praised at $150,000. Mr. Kincaid
died July 29, leaving his entire for
tune to his daughter, Miss Burgess,
who was his only legal heir. Dr.
Jim McClung, of Richwood, has been
named her guardian and Wallace
Kincaid, of Summerville, W. Va.,
administrator of the estate.
Miss Burgess was adopted by the
Burgess family in 1916 and has been
living in Cherry since that time
with her foster father, who is a
councilman of the village. She is
well known in this county.
Mr. Kincaid was a hotel man, be
ing proprietor of the Oakford Ho
tel in Richwood at the time of his
death. His daughter is living at
this hotel now.
Fire Tower Will
Have 4 Employees
—•—
A salaried crew of four men will
be employed to stay at the new Are
tower here for about four months
in the year, it was announced by
J. D. Findley, new district forester
from Rocky Mount, who was here
last week visiting S. D. Darden,
county forester.
These men will be used for three
months in the spring and one month
• in the fall. They will observe for
est fires from the tower and then
will be rushed to the spot to pre
vent the spread of the blaze. It is
hoped that telephonic connections
can be made with other towers.
A dwelling and outhouse will be
constructed on the tower’s grounds
on the property of the Plymouth
Box and Panel Company. The
county has appropriated $1,240 for
this work during this year.
I HERE VISITING
\__'
Miss Billee Chesson, of Lake
Lure and Miami, model, night
club singer and church worker
and writer.
About Town
A syndicated colum of questions
and answers by Fred H. May asks
this one: “What North Carolinian
became a justice of the New York
Supreme Court?”
“Joseph Francis Daly, born in
1840 at Plymouth; studied law in
New York, admitted to the bar in
that state in 1862, for 10 years
judge of the court of Common Pleas
and from that to justice of the New
York Supreme Court.”
-•
A Southern picture for the artist.
“A lop-eared mule with head down
shambling along in a lazy manner
with Rev. John Ransom, 70-year
old well-known and well-liked
negro astride him humming the fol
lowing words to a ’home made’
tune: “Dere aint no fun like fun
when I was young.”
W. C. Davis, of Virginia Beach,
was here this week visiting his
brother 3. D. Davis. Incidentally,
both of the men are coal and wood
dealers in their respective localities.
Mr. Davis stoped through here a
bout three years ago but hasn’t
been back for an extended visit be
fore in a decade.
-®
W. L. Whitley, local attorney, tells
of the J. P. who was told that a
Superior Court judge roasted him
and said if he had him in his court
he would put him in jail. The low
ly magistrate sent word back to the
jurist: “Humph, if I had him in my
court I would put him in jail.” A
magistrate has as much authority,
as far as his jurisdiction goes, as
has any higher court.
-4
Members are urged to be present
at the first meeting of the Woman’s
Club to be held Friday, September
4, at Legion Hall. A special contest
is being planned for the coming
months.
Rev. C. T. Thrift, jr., who, with
his wife, is visiting his parents at
the Methodist parsonage, is expect
ed to preach at the Methodist church
next Sunday morning at 11 o’clock.
He is a ministerial student.
-» —
New Routes for
School Bus Drivers
Bus drivers for the schools in
Washington County have new routes
as the result of a trip to Plymouth
by J. H. Gentry, of the State School
CorAmission, who spent three days
here last week measuring and lay
ing out routes.
School officials were not apprised
of his coming and their coopera
tion was not sought. Inexperienced
people picked up by Mr. Gentry, one
said to have been a carpenter and
another a boy, were used by Mr.
Gentry to recommend routes.
This system has 20 busses, with 5
at Plymouth, 6 at Roper, 9 at Cres
well and Cherry.
-»
Jack Swain Offered
Game Appointment
Jack Swain has been offered the
job as game protector of Washing
ton County to succeed Miller War-j
ren, who has held this job for about
two years.
Mr. Swain was the successful ap
plicant. J. T. Terry and Hugh Allen
also stood the examination hejfl here
last Thursday. E. B. Warrenton, of
New Bern, and Rupert West, of
Moyock, gave the examination.
However, Mr. Swain advised the
press Wednesday that he had not
definitely accepted the appointment
but it is thought that he will take
the place. This job pays $60 month
ly- _ _
NIGHT CLUB STAR
TEACHES CLASS IN
SUNDAY SCHOOL
Miss Billee Chesson, Model,
Singer, Writer, Church
Worker, Is Visitor
——m
How a beautiful young girl poses
as a professional model, sings the
lyrics in gay night clubs, and teaches
a Sunday school class exemplified in
the life of Miss Billee Chesson, 20,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Ches
son, of Lake Lure, N. C., and Miami,
Fla., who was here here recently
with her parents visiting the place
of their nativity.
Included among the advertisers
for whom she has modeled is the
Fulf Refining Company, which took
20 poses of her and her dog.
As an entertainer she has sung at
the Sea Breeze Bath and Tennis
Club at Daytona Beach, Fla., and
the Hangar Aviation Club and Five
o’clock Club at Miami. She also
plays the guitar and piano.
Her voice has been heard over
the air waves with well known or
chestras, including Lloyd La Brie at
Daytona Beach. Her venture in
pictures has been a small in “Jam
boree at Sevier Springs,” which
starred Pete Desjardines, world
champion Olympic diver for eight
years.
She has been correspondent from
the Lake Lure area for the Asheville
Citizen-Times for three summers.
She also wrote a column under the
name of “Aunt Betty” for the For
est City Courier, Rutherford Coun
ty. She is studying and gathering
material for stories for children to
be combined in book form.
Church activities include the
chairmanship of the social commit
tee of the First Christian church in
Miami, and she taught in a vacation
Bible school at the Christian church
in Kinston. She was one of the
pioneers of the Young Peoples Con
ference, attending the first one that
was held near New Bern.
For 12 years she has taught Sun
day school classes and served as
choir director and pianist of the
Lake Lure Baptist church, a mecca
for vacationists in the Lake Lure
section. She majored in voice at
Meredith College and has since,
studied voice in Miami.
“I just drifted into entertainment
work. I have ambitions to be law
yer and a missionary. But I believe
now that I will write a book on
stories and entertainment for chil
dren.
“Show girls or entertainers hard
ly have the energy left to rise early
mornings to attend church services.
Many are the times when I have
never slept after performances and
have gone from work to church; es
pecially, on Easter Sundays.
“I purposely refrain from drink
ing. Dissipation takes away the
freshness that adds to feminine
charm. Also while others are in
ebriated I like to study them at their
worst and their best.
“I have had an opportunity to
make connections with Earl Carrolls
organizations, but I never took ad
vantage of this. Friends of mine say
it takes a lot to stand the gaff and
measure up to the work,” Miss Bil
lee told the reporter.
-»
Site Is Named for
Sound Crossing
—»—
It was stated yesterday by the
State Highway Commission that
the Plymouth delegation would
be given a hearing relative to
the location of the bridge across
the Sound at the September
meeting of the commission. No
definite date was set for the
hearing.
Thirty-five business men and mer
chants met here in the city council
chamber too late Tuesday night to
do anything about the location of
the bridge, as it was announced on
Wednesday that the State Highway
and Public Works Commission had
already chosen a site to span the
Albemarle Sound.
Plans are already being prepared
by engineers of the highway com
mission looking forward to a site
east of the toll ferry between Eden
' ton and Mackeys Ferry. Approach
es and the bridge will cost about
$1,150,000, with $500,000 coming
from Federal aid funds.
It is not thought the contract
will be let at the September meet
ing to be held about the middle of
this month, but that it will be let
at the October meeting. This will
be a toll-free bridge.
Billows from the turbulent temp
est are expected to beat hard against
the bridge supports that will be laid
to hold the bridge. Waters in this
body gets almost as troublesome as
the ocean, when northeast winds
blow up the waterway.
Hotneand
ciubNews
By Mary Frances Miser.heimer
Monday, colored club.
Tuesday, Hoke club
Wednesday, Roper.
Thursday, Chapel Hill.
Friday, Beech Grove.
Saturday, curb market, 8:15.
Miss Lula Watson has led curb
market sales for the past two Satur
days. Mrs. S. A. Parrisher, of Coun
ty Bridge Club, led the sales last
Saturday. Total sales for the month
of August amounted to $161.32.
To those who patronize the curb
market we give our thanks for their
support.
Mrs. Tom Bateman, of the Cool
Spring Club, won the prize offered
by the president, Mrs. Joe Snell, for
knowing the club collect at the last
club meeting.
The Piney Grove Club had a
good meeting Thursday. The regu
lar meeting was held, after which a
surprise shower was given to Mrs.
Ambrose. A large number attended
During the month of September,
school lunches are to be main proj
ects studied. It is important that
the correct lunch is given to chil
dren going to school. To those who
haven’t lunches to pack, special
study in nutrition will be given.
During the week of September 21
three group meetings are to be held
for the purpose of scoring yeast
breads. Loaf bread and rolls will
be displayed at these meetings and
judged by Miss Sallie Brooks, nu
tritional specialist, of Raleigh. Sev
eral prizes will be awarded. Start
making yeast bread now and win
first or second prize.
Cross Road Club members report
having made yeast bread a large
number of times.
Canning leaders, urge the mem
bers to can a large amount this year
so as to win the trip to Raleigh next
year.
Legion Post To
Install Officers
—®-—
J. R. Maddrey, of Rich Square, a
district commander of the American
Legion, will be the principal speak
er at the installation services which
will be held in the hall here Sep
tember 11, when new officers of the
James E. Jethro Post will be in
stalled.
Prior to the installation a supper
will be served at 7 o’clock. Legion
naires from other posts have been
invited to attend. Lost post mem
bers are urge dto attend.
New officers are: P. W. Brown,
commander; W. V. Hays, first vice
commander; B. G. Campbell, second
vice commander; M. W. Spruill, ad
jutant; J. R. Carr, sergeant at arms;
and the following committee offi
cers: H. A. Williford, finance; Dr. C.
McGowan, publicity; J. B. McNair,
athletics; R. L. Tetterton, service;
Goldie Simpson, Americanism; D.
A. Hurley, chaplain.
''You Always Said You Got the 'Breaks'
-a
Happy is the cock-sure driver who
feels that Lady Luck rides with him
and that he will always get the
breaks. Happy, that is, until the in
evitable emergency arises and the
fickle lady ducks out on him.
At high speeds, it doesn’t take
much to make a car leave the road
way. A moment’s inattention, a
badly banked curve, a hole in the
pavement, a sudden swerve—any of
these may prove fatal to the driver
who depends on his luck.
Almost 3,400 persons were killed
in that way last year, according to
Travelers Insurance Company rec
ords. Nearly 65,000 others were in
jured. In nearly every case the
driver had only himself to blame,
for no other cars were involved.
Good drivers don’t depend on luck
They depend on skill and everlast
ing alertness.
DROP IN INCOME
FROM FISHING IS
CAUSE CONCERN
-•——
Number Suggestions Made
To Raise Supply of
Shad, Rock
-*
Fishermen's per capita wealth has
dropped considerably in North
Carolina and Washington County
on account of the decrease in the
catches that are being made in the
streams including Roanoke, Middle
and Cashie Rivers.
There is an estimated 15,000 peo
ple in this State that are dependent
upon the fishing business and they
don’t know how to do anything else
and efforts are being taken to draft
regulatory measures to increase the
hatching of fish and replenish the
supply.
There are numbers of fishermen
in Washington County who have
suffered and there are many who
have been catching the fish for
their own use who have been im
pressed with the scarcity of these
denizens of the deep. The catch has
dropped from 10 million to one mil
lion pounds in a generation.
A pledge has been received from
the Federal government that it will
render assistance multiplying three
fold any re-stocking efforts ever un
dertaken in the State. A propaga
tion specialist is to make an ex
haustive survey of shad and the
enemies of the migratory fish.
A suggestion has been made that
a migratory fish hatchery be con
structed on the Roanoke River near
Plymouth. These waters are es
pecially conducive to shad and rock
and such roving fish. A local
hatchery could be operated in con
nection with the one at Edenton.
Drastic measures including rais
ing the pounds for two days of the
week; taking the nets out earlier or
not permitting them to be placed in
as early; and more protection for
the shad when he gets up the
stream. These fish must be pro
tected and their propagation in
creased if demand is to be met.
If this county should become suf.
ficiently interested and could se
cure WPA funds to construct a
hatchery then the Federal govern
ment might operate it and then a
“need more fish consciousness” must
be educated into the sport and com
mercial fishermen.
Over 100 Enrolled
In Home Economies
Training in the art of housekeep
ing is being offered to the girls in
Washington County this year, as
three new home economics teachers
went to work today outlining
courses and planning the year’s
work and enrolls the girls.
Miss Irene James, of Weeksvilie,
will have more than 40 of the 82
girls in the Plymouth school in her
courses, while Miss Maud Newton,
of Red Springs, will reach about 30
of the 51 girls in Roper, and Miss
Rose Beaman enrolled 40 of the 73
girls in Creswell.
The three new home economics
teachers cost about $2,400 a year,
which amount was included in the
Washington county budget this year.
These courses will reach about 150
of the 206 white girls enrolled in
county high schools.
3,200County Children
Back in School Today
NEW PRINCIPAL
E. W. Joyner, of Rich Square,
principal of the Plymouth city
schools, who succeeds L. W. An
derson.
Serious Offense Is
Alleged Against
Williamston Man
Warrant Issue for Don Har
dison Charges Assault
On Local Girl
-»
A warrant has been issued here
for the arrest of Don Hardison, of
Williamston, 21 years of age, who is
charged with attempted criminal
assault on Miss Ada Weede, 20,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Weede
Hardison took the young lady for
a ride to a filling station for a soft
drink during intermission at a Cres
well dance. Miss Weede alleges
that he struck her in the face while
she was sitting in the rear of a
pick-up truck, but apologized for his
act and then took her back to tire
dance.
They found that the dance had
stopped and the people iiad gone to
their homes. She missed a date
with a friend and was forced to re
turn home with him and two other
young men. The others were
dropped in town.
On the way to her home in the
Long Acre section from Plymouth
Hardison is alleged to have attacked
her again. She struggled with him
until almost exhausted, when she
saw a shadow of a man who fright
ened the assailant away. She ran
to the home of a neighbor, where
she stayed all night and went home
the next day.
It was learned here that the war
rant will be served as soon as Har
dison recovers from injuries sus
tained when an automobile which
he was driving was in collision with
another vehicle, injuring him seri
ously and killing three others.
The bond required for his appear
ance at the October term of Wash
ington County Superior Court is
$500.
Public Wedding
Tuesday Night
-*
Marching to the accompaniment
of the strains of the wedding pro
cessional by Hal Prince and his Vir
ginia Vagabonds, a couple was mar
ried in the New Theatre here Tues
day night, with over 500 people wit
nessing the first public wedding
ever held in Plymouth.
Clarence Waters, son of Mr. and
Mrs. L. C. Waters, of near Plym
outh, was married to Miss Pearl
Hardison, daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Lloyd Hardison, of near James
ville, with Magistrate Walter H.
Paramore performing the ceremony
Little Phyllis Davidson, daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Davidson, was
the ring bearer.
The bride’s sister served as brides
maid, while Melvin Boyd was best
man. A bevy of beautiful damsels
wearing frocks displayed in an ear
lier style show served as escorts to
the bride, who march up the aisle
of the theatre to the stage.
The bride was attired in a beauti
ful appropriate gown presented by
the Woman’s Shop, while the ring
was presented by Don G. Davis, jew
eler, and Shep Brinkley presented
the couple with $50 for a wedding
trip, and over $200 worth of gifts
were presented by other donors.
The groom was attired in full eve
ning dress, tails, top-hat, and all.
They wil live near here after a
> -»
Little Reduction in
Enrollment Is Made
By New Age Ruling
—♦_—
Around Dozen New Teach
ers, Two New Principals
In County System
Enrollment in the public schools
in Washington County which open
ed today was given at 3.200 by H.
H. McLean, superintendent of the
county school system, who says that
the fact that children must be six
years of age before October 1 did
not make any material reduction in
the number of pupils entering the
first grade.
Change in principals brought in
about as many students as were
barred from entering by the new
age limit. Last year a child could
enter who reached six by January
1st. If there were 25.000 reduction
in the State this year figuring on
a basis of population, this county
would show a reduction of about
50 pupils in its school enrollment.
The 20 school busses were in
good mechanical condition. The
teachers were in their places de
spite four last-minutes resignations
reported during the past week-end.
The buildings were in good sanitary
condition as workers had been
working on them for the last three
weeks. Health conditions were
good.
There were about i dozen resigna
tions among the teachers who were
employeds in the county last year.
Important among the new teachers
are principals, E. W. Joyner, of
Rich Square, who takes over L. W.
Anderson's place in Plymouth, and
G. A. Wilson, of Bath, who assumes
the job left in Cherry by A. W.
Davenport.
Names of white teachers are:
Plymouth: E. W. Joyner, princi
pal; L. W. Zeigler, Thelma Getsin
ger. Louise Brinkley, Katherine
Lyon, Irene James, J. O. Cooper,
Newie Jickett, Ruth Modlin, Nellie
Tarkenton, Mae Wilkinson, Kather
ine Brandon, Mrs. Kathleen Harri
son, Selma Braxton, Gladys Bonner,
Edna Glover, Blanche Mosely, Ethel
Perry.
Roper: D. E. Poole, principal; R.
B. Forbes, Cordula Lanier, Edwina
Burche, Maude Newton, C. H. Floyd,
Mrs. E. L. Owens, A. C. Carstarphen,
Mrs. D. E. Poole, Naomi Gibson,
Carolyn Brooks, Isabel ickett,
Aycris Willis.
Creswell: C. H. Aderholdt, prin
cipal; W. S. Reddick, Mrs. Sexton
Holmes, Rose Beaman, A. H. Tuck
er, O. O. Rudisill, Mrs. Ray Arm
strong, Mary Mercer, Grace Still
man, Lillian Lackey, Ruth Miller,
Gladys Rountrye, Alma Sikes, Mary
F. Clark.
Cherry: G. A. Wilson, principal;
Rupert Ainsley, Mrs. C. N. Daven
port, jr., Mary Peterson, Sarah
Watson.
Names of colored teachers:
Washington County Training
School: W. H. Berry, principal;
Madelon Watson, Annie Miner, W.
W. Walker, Henry Hawkins, Lucy
Simmons, Abbie Brandon, Sophia
Spruill, Sadie Bell, Margaret Heath,
Eva Stewart, Romain Godley, Re
unice Walker.
Morrattock: Emma Walker and
Mary Austin.
Brooks: Lena V. Smith and
Gladys Ferrebee.
Deep Bottom: Ernest Owens and
Armenta Page
Macedonia: William Hurdle and
Anna Mitchell.
Roper: J. J. Clemmons, principal:
Elma Wilkins, Katherine Rouson,
Darius Spruill, Daisy Clark, Annie
Hurdle, Thelma Tann.
Mt. Delane: Cora Hornablew and
Minnie Freeman.
Backwoods: Jacksie Riddick and
Maggie Boyd.
Sound Side: Theressa Hill and
Azelia Ferebee.
Creswell: Pete Littlejohn, prin
cipal; Mildred Garrett, Edna Wilk
ins, Martha Berry.
Cherry: Lucille Brown.
Pritchett: Martha Lee.
Three To Attend
State Blind School
Three blind children from Plym
outh on September 10 for the State
School for the Blind and Deaf at
Raleigh. They are Walter and Ir
vin Ange, children of Mr. and Mrs.
I. E. Ange, and Mildred Jackson,
daughter of Mrs. Bill Jackson.