North Carolina Newspapers

The Roanoke Beacon * * * » » » » and Washington County News ******* VOLUME LII NUMBER 3 Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Thursday, January 16, 1941 Advertisers will find Beacon and News Columns a latchkey to 1.500 Washington County homes. ESTABLISHED 1889 Town opics The Plymouth Methodist church installed a new furnace this week, and Rev. O. L. Hardwick, pastor, said today that attendants would always find a warm and comfortable church awaiting them. In the past, the old furnace was not adequate to keep the building comfortably warm. C. D. Loane and Bosie Horton have taken over operation of the old For est Inn, about two miles east of Plym outh, and will call it "The Pines.” They are renovating it throughout and will have a formal opening with in a week or so. Dining and danc ing will be features of the new es tablishment. There were 59 absences from the Plymouth schools yesterday, most of them believed caused by a mild form of influenza. In cluded were Principal R. B. Trot man and Miss Molly Edgerton, a teacher. Many absenres on ac count of illness are reported by other county schools, but County Superintendent H. H. McLean said today that it had not been considered necessary to close any of the schools so far. A district meeting of Methodist young people from Plymouth. Roper, Williamston, Washington and Bel haven will be held in the Methodist church here next Wednesday evening at 7:30. A splendid music program has been arranged by the local group, under the direction of Mrs. E. W. Furgurson. W. J. Barden, of Tarboro, sheriff of Edgecombe County, was here this week attending Washington County Superior Court with Don G. Gilliam, district solicitor, who was called back on business and remained for a few hours Tuesday. The Major Charles Louis La tham Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy here recently forwarded a contri bution to the general organiza tion for the Red Cross ambulance given to England and the allied' countries of Europe by the U. D. C. Joe Leggett, former local young man, was recently promoted by the Firestone Company and will begin training February 1 to become man ager of the credit department of a Firestone store in Hempstead, N. Y. He is very popular in his new work and led the Brooklyn district in sales last year. Fire Chief and Mrs. L. W. Gurkin, of Plymouth, Mr. Gurkin’s brother, former Mayor J. A. Gurkin, of Nor folk, Va„ and his wife, were in Dav tona Beach, Fla., last week, accord ing-:^ received here. -- Band Concert To Be Given January 31st The band concert announced for last Friday night was called off, but Director L. W. Zeigler this week an nounced that the high school band will present a concert in the high school auditorium Friday night, Jan uary 31, at 8 o’clock. Tickets for this concert are now on sale by the band members at 25 cents for adults and 10 cents for children. Chances in a turkey raffle are also being sold at 10 cents each. The drawing will be held during the concert and the turkey presented to the winner. Proceeds from the sale of tickets and the turkey raffle will be used for the payment of some bills and for the purchase of new equipment, the di rector said. At least $100 is needed for this purpose. The concert program is now being arranged and consists of numbers by the entire band, a saxophone sex tet, and a cornet soloist. Mr. Zeig ler said the full program would be announced later. Supporters of the band urge the general public to support this effort to show the band that the public is "behind it 100 per cent.” -<s> Program of Services At Methodist Church -$— The Rev. O. L. Hardwick will preach Sunday morning on the sub ject, "The Gospel Still Works.” At the evening hour the subject will be "Peter—Disciple, Apostle and Au thor.” Other services for the day include church school at 9:45: Jun ior League at 2; and Epworth Lea gue at 6:45. A new furnace is being installed this week, and the church will be warm Sunday morning. Everyone is invited to come and worship with us. Tax Supervisor Urges Early Listing To Avoid Rush; Work Proceeding Slowly With about half of the month crone there have been only 350 persons to list their taxes in Plymouth Township, according: to \V. Lin wood Hassell, who is sit ting: in the courthouse daily to list poll taxes and personal prop erty for taxation. Plymouth is the only township which has a special list taker. The other three townships are leaving the matter up to the three list-takers and assessors, who have been visiting the sites of all real estate for purpose of listing it and placing the valuation on it at the same time. Tax Supervisor E. F. Swain, of Creswell, urges the people in ev ery township to see their list takers and asessors and list their holdings so that the usual last minute rush may be avoided this year. The list-taker here is also mak ing the farm survey for Plymouth Township. This year the farmers report the acreage they planted to various crops last year, while in other years they had reported their intentions to plant. Negro Caught Attempting To Break Open Safe Here Friday Is Given Two Years County Teachers In Meeting Here M. P. Jennings, of Elizabeth City, superintendent of Pasquo tank County schools, spoke on the relation of the school to parents and the general public at the meeting of the Washington Coun ty unit of the North Carolina Ed ucation Association here yester day afternoon. County Superintendent H. II. McLean presided in the absence Principal R. B. Trotman, who Is ill at his home. Practically all of the white teachers in the county were present. Dr. S. V. Lewis, district health officer, and Dr. Walter Wilkins, who is in charge of the state supported coordinating health unit in the county, spoke on the work they are doing in the coun ty. Arthur J. Spruill, of Near Roper, Found Dead of Exposure Coroner Investigates Possi bility of Foul Play; Final Rites Wednesday The lifeless body of Arthur J. J. Spruill, 56, white, was found astride a three-foot fence near his home about two miles east of Roper early Tuesday morning. Exposure was apparently the cause of the well known farmer’s death. A son, John Spruill, about 25, who lives in a store a few yards from the home of his father, found the body about dawn early Tuesday, when he went out the back door of his home. Mr. Spruill was a tenant on the farm of W. A. Blount. The family missed him Monday night, when he failed to return home, but no par ticular alarm was felt for his welfare until his lifeless body was found the next morning. It appeared that he had already managed to climb over a much higher fence between the small fence and the roadway. A brother, Weston Spruill, late Tuesday afternoon made affidavit that Mr. Spruill was the victim of foul play. Coroner W. H. (Jack) Peele summoned a jury, composed of C. A. Cratch, C. M. Beasley, H. A. Liverman, H. L. Horton, W. S. Nur ney and W. B. Cox, and conducted an inquest. However, the inquest had not been completed this morning, al though it was understood the jury had found no evidence of foul play. No formal verdict had been returned up to noon today. The funeral services were held at the home yesterday afternon, with the Rev. Griffith Hamlin, Christian minister, officiating. Interment was made in the Holly Neck cemetery. Mr. Spruill is survived by his wid ow, Mrs. Mittie Marriner Spruill; one daughter, Mrs. Charles H. Shelton; one son, John W. Spruill; two sisters, Mrs. H. D. Davenport and Miss Ida Spruill, all of Roper; and two broth ers, Grover Spruill, of Westover; and Weston Spruill, of Skinnersville. No Immediate Plans for Henovation oi Old Brinkley Hotel Properly Here There are no immediate plans for renovation of the old Brink ley hotel property here as a ho tel, according to Dr. L. W. White, of Suffolk, owner, who was in Plymouth Monday on business. There have been jierslstently re curring rumors here to the effect that the old building was to be made over into a modern hotel structure. However, Dr. White said that he had advised his rental agent here, P. W. Brown, that he might be interested in converting the second and third floors of the old building Into apartments when ever it is considered feasible. Dr. White said that usually ho lets were ouui as a community undertaking, with local people purchasing stock to aid in financ ing such promotions. He also stated that whenever local peo ple agreed to do this, he would be glad to cooperate with them, but he said it would be almost as expensive to repair the present structure as it would be to build a new one. Some time ago Dr. White had some rough estimates made of the cost of renovating the building, but he decided to drop the mat ter and await developments look ing to the establishment of a < ommunty-sponsored modern ho tel here. Joe‘Spruill Pleads Guilty To Entering Two Local Stores -4> Had Already Robbed Fash ion Shop and Was in Byrd Store When Captured Joseph Spruill, colored, charged with breaking and entering The Fashion Shop and Byrd's Cloth ing Store last Friday night, was sentenced to two years in the Slate penitentiary by Judge W. C. Harris, of Raleigh, late yesterday afternoon, when Defense Attor ney P. H. Bell entered a plea of guilty for his client. Chief of Police P. W. Brown, Police man Paul Basnight and Corp. T. B. Brown, of the State Highway Patrol, captured Spruill last Friday night, when he attempted to flee from Byrd’s Clothing Store, where he was trying to break open an iron safe when cornered by the officers. An earlier report had reached the police that the Fashion Shop had been robbed, and while they were in vestigating a second report readied them that there was some kind of “hammering noise’’ going on in the Byrd store, which was heard in the post office lobby next door. Investigating the report, it was found someone was attempting to open the iron safe. The officers closed in and when Spruill made an attempt to flee through the glass front door, after throwin an axe thru it, he was spied by Chief Brown. He called on the intruder to halt, but the man only increased his speed. The officer fired a single shot at the pavement close to the negro's feet. He stopped immediately and was ar rested by the chief. After he was taken to the police station, Spruill confessed to the rob bery of the Fashion Shop and led officers to the Plymouth High School gymnasium, where 47 pairs of ladies’ hose, underwear and other ladies’ wear apparel were found hidden be neath the floor. The value of the stolen goods was placed at about $100. Officers were surprised when the negro was identified. A native of this county, Spruill’s family is composed of well known and respected colored people. The young negro himself was generally recognized as one of the best of local young colored citizens. He lacked only a few units of gradu ating from the Elizabeth City Nor mal school. None of the members of his family has ever been arrested before, according to officers. -® Episcopal Men’s Club Elects Officers Monday -9 p. Bruce Bateman was elected president; S. A. Ward, vice president, and R. A. Duvall, secretary and treas urer, of the Men's Club of Grace Episcopal Church at a business meet ing held in the community hall last Monday night with about 14 mem bers present. The following were named on im portant committees; Membership; H. A. Williford, chairman, Lloyd Gilbert, Eddie Blatz, John Leggett, J. Lloyd Horton; Entertainment: T. W. Earle, W. B. Rodman and Julian Brinkley. Other committees are to be appointed later. The organization plans an inten sive drive for members and is expect ing a very succesful year for the church and the club, according to of ficials. —-« Joe Garrett Released From Custody Here This Week Joe Garrett, 28, colored, who was taken into custody last week pend ing investigation of an attempted rob bery of the post office here early Sun day morning of last week, was re leased this week by Chief P. W. Brown, when it was found there was insufficient evidence to connect him with the robbery attempt. Fingerprints taken from the pump handle used in forcing an entrance were blurred and Garrett could not be definitely connected with the crime. The circulars addressed to lo cal business men, found in Garrett’s pocket, were said by him to have been taken from the wastebasket in [the lobby. Judge W. C. Harris Adjourns Superior Court Wednesday N. H. Harrison, Jr., Wins Verdict in Suit Against Dardens The January term of Washington County Superior Court came to a close here Wednesday afternoon, when Judge W. C. Harris, of Raleigh, adjourned the session. Tire next terms of court is a one-week session in April, for the trial of civil actions only. Proceedings in the court this week follow: The case of N. H. Harirson, jr., vs. Mrs. Gertrude A. Darden, P. H. Dar den. Mrs. Neva C. Darden and S. F. Darden, resulted in a judgment that Mr. Harrison was the owner of the 431 acres of land in Plymouth town ship. The defendants were given un til February 15 to remove their prop erty from the land. A case growing out of this action was set for the first part of the April term of court, to hear claims for bet terments, improvements, rents, dam ages, etc., while the Dardens had pos session of the land, a period of sev eral years. The cases of P. H. Dar den and C. L. Weeks vs. N. H. Harri son, jr.; and N. H. Harrison, jr. vs. Roanoke Railroad and Lumber Co., et al, were also related to the Dar den and Harrison case, and its dis position cleared them from the cal endar. Divorces were granted, on the ba sis of two year's separation, to: Fran ces E. Lucius from Justin O. Lucius: Eva Boss from Robert Boss; Wildred Tetterton Petty from S. L. Petty; and Martha Creasman from Charles E. Creasman. In the case of McCoy Davenport vs. Edgar H. Harris, et al. a judgment was entered that Davenport collect $71.57 and costs of the action from Harris and his sureties. A non-suit was entered in the case of Joseph Heckstall vs. Kieckhefer Container Corporation. Attorney H. S. Ward notified the court that he was unwilling to fur ther prosecute the case of H. L. Browning vs. the James E. Jethro Post of the American Legion, and the case was removed from the docket. Edwin Wesley Halsey, in his case against L. R. Powell, jr., and the Sea board Air Line Railway Company, was awarded $250 as damages. -* Four Men Charged With Robbing N. S. Station at Mackeys Warrants Issued This Week For Theft of Candy on December 11 -® Warrants were issued this week for four men charged with forcing an entrance into the Norfolk Southern freight station at Mackeys on De cember 11 and stealing a single case of candy consigned to a Columbia drug store. J. H. Lumpkin, special agent for the Railway Express Agen cy, signed the affidavits for the ar rest of the following: Dennis G. Wool ard, 28, of Beaufort County; Lenneth Fayette Williams, 25, of Wilmington; James Ambrose Willoughby, 28, of Fayetteville; and Jack Cason, 31, of Norfolk. Captain J. L. Pettus, rail road detective, was named on the warrant as a witness for the state. The affidavit charges the four with "breaking and entering the Norfolk Southern freight station at Mackeys, where Railway Express Agency trans fer freight was stored: and did take, steal and carry away one case of can dy consigned to a Columbia Drug Store, and did convert same to their own use.” It was understood here that Wil liams and Willoughby were in Nor folk, where they had been appre hended, and Cason and Woolard were probably in Fayetteville. When they will be brought here for trial is not known, as the young men are reported to be members of a group of robbers which has been operating in North Carolina and Virginia. It is stated that they were wanted in a I number of counties and that they would be carried to counties holding prior warrants for trial first. It is reported that one of the stol en cars operated by the gang had tires the treads of which correspond with tracks made by the car used by robbers of the Ores well ABC store in December. There are at least seven mem bers of the gang, which used stolen cars in looting numerous places of business in this section during recent weeks, according to reports. Officers broke the case when Steve Cromwell, confessed member of the gang, was shot by a deputy in Bel haven Saturday, January 4. when three men attempted to break into the railroad station there. Seriously wounded, Cromwell exposed most of the gang members and authorities began making a series of arrests to land them all behind bars. Cason and Woolard were arrested, along with a woman, Billie Ham monds, m Fayetteville, last Saturday night. Bug” Veachey was also ar rested, but he and the Hammond wo man are not charged with participat ing in the robberies in this county. Check of Tax Books With Draft And Election Registration Yields Names of 827 Who Failed To List Darden Is Member Of 12 Committees in House This Term Is Chairman of Committee On Fisheries; Member of Finance Committee Representative Wilbur M. Darden, of Washington County, landed the chairmanship of one committee and membership on three major and nine minor committees of the House of Representatives Monday of this week, when Speaker O. M. Mull, of Cleve land County, announced the appoint ments. Mr. Darden is chairman of the com ! mittee on fisheries, which has a mem bership of 23. This group will be a great factor in proposals for improve- j ment.s to the fishing industry of the j state, since it will pass on all bills in- ! troduced for this purpose. It is ex- j pected that Mr. Darden will devote considerable attention to the work of this committee during the session. He was a member of it in 1939. his j first term. Mr. Darden has membership on the powerful finance committee; with Ju diciary No. 1 and the agriculture com mittee following in order. President of the Eastern Carolina Cattle Breed ers and Feeders Association, Mr. Dar den is expected to use his agriculture committee membership to further consideration of livestock problems in the state. His other assignments include mem bership on the following committes: conservation and development; coun ties, cities and towns; expeditures of the house; journal; oysters; pensions; roads; library; public buildings and grounds. At the 1939 session Mr Darden was a member of the following commit tees: finance, agriculture, Judiciary No. 2, counties, cities and towns, journal, commercial fisheries, and en grossed bills. Observers consider that Mr. Dar den made an excellent showing in se curing his committee assignments. The house has 120 members and 46 committees. The county representa tive was one of the early supporters of O. M. Mull, of Cleveland County, who was unanimously elected speaker of the house, and was therefore in the good graces of the man who made the committee appointments. Grand Jury Visits And Reports on 13 Schools in County jurymen Recommend Spe cific Repairs in Number Of Instances -® A report of the grand jury received by Judge W. C. Harris, of Raleigh, presiding over superior court here his week revealed that 13 schools in the county had been visited by the jurors, who listed their criticism and recommendations regarding each one separately as follows: Plymouth white: Leak over stage in auditorium. Walls in one class room separated from side walls. Some bricks about to fall out over door on second floor. Sanitation good. Roper white: Leaks in the recently constructed new' roof. Five outside doors in fairly good condition. Com mode frames in such condition can’t keep lids on. Toilet doors need re pairs. Creswell white: Leak in roof over auditorium. Grounds should be cleaned. Rest rooms dirty and need attention. Cherry white: Needs painting. Plymouth negro: Sanitation good. Roof over first grade and library rooms leak. Plaster needed in boy’s rest room. Seats are needed Deep Bottom: Deplorable condi tion. Doubt expressed that it will stand up through winter. Building uangerous and seems to be hopeless One dangerous heater. Roper colored: Toilets good shape. Ground clean. Seats needed. Inside building good condition. Rail on out side steps needs repair. Macedonia: Excellent condition ex cept front porch. Needs sills and flooring. Toilets in good condition. Pump used is not sanitary. Mt. Delane: Fair condition. Crowd ed. Two-room building with only one exit. Another door should be built by next fall. Pump not staisfac tory. Back Woods: Window sash gone. No place for water. Not enough seating room. Steps in need of re pair. Leaky roof. Sound Side: Need new heaters in third and fourth grade rooms. Oil stove dangerous. Back door sills gone. No knobs on doors. Creswell negro: Deplorable condi tion. No equipment. Outside toilets in terrible condition. Sanitation not good. Cherry negro: Needs painting More seats needed Roof to toilets in bad shape Next Draft Call Is Due February 17 The Washington County draft board is making preparations to meet the third call for men on February 17, S. A. Ward, jr., clerk to the board, stating that addi tional men are being examined in anticipation of the call. To date, about 35 men have been examined by Dr. Claudius McGowan, the board's examining officer. Ten of these have been called into service and only three have been rejected on account of physical disability, leaving about 22 in line for the call to service. Two Replacements Leave This Morning For Service in Army List of Volunteers Exhaust ed, First Two Selectees Chosen Today Since the number of white volun teers for military service under the terms of the Selective Service Act has been exhausted, the first two selectees from Washington County left here this morning for Fort Bragg, near Fayetteville, where they will be in ducted into service as replacements for two men who failed to qualify out of the seven who left here last week. The replacements leaving today are Will Hardison Swain. 28. white, of Creswell. Order No. 11; and Frank Ramsey Kennedy, jr., 23, white, of Plymouth. They went to Fort Bragg to take the places of David Albert Hurley, jr., 22. white of Plymouth; and Willie Edward Garrett, 31, white, of Plymouth, who returned home last Thursday after failing to pass the physical requirements. Four of the other five men who were inducted into service from this coun ty last week arrived at Fort Jackson, near Columbia, S. C., Sunday and were asisgned to Company K of the 120th Infantry. They are Henry W. Lewis. 31. of Plymouth; Wilson Henry Vail, 21, of Roper; William Roy Nor man, 25, of Plymouth; and James W. Sitterson, 21, of Plymouth. S. A. Ward, clerk to the local se lective service board, said that the board now had on hand 42 returned questionnaires that would be classi fied within the next fews. The board, composed of E. S. Blount, J. R. Man ning and Clyde Smithson, has attend ed to its work in a very efficient man ner. and it has been advised by state selective service officials to reduce the speed in which it was issuing and classifying questionnaires, since it is not necessary to work much faster than the quotas are assigned. Two new colored volunteers enrolled this week with the local board clerk. They are David S. Simpson, 27, of Plymouth; and Willie Blount, 26, of Plymouth. Three colored men, all volunteers, will leave Thursday of next week for Fort Bragg, as follows: Linwood Blount, 24, of Plymouth; Walter Norman, 22, of Plymouth: and Luther Moore, 18. of Plymouth. Two Badly Hurl in Smash-Up Tuesday Both men were critically injured and two machines were damaged into the hundreds of dollars Tuesday when an automobile operated by Ben Lil ley, white, of Jamesville and Sam uel P. Sawyer, 54, white, of Elizabeth City, were in collisslon between Plym outh and Roper. Mr. Lilley was rushed to a Wash ington hospital after treatment here at the Plymouth clinic. Mr. Sawyers is confined to his bed at his home. The extent of the injuries of the two men is not defintely known here. Corp. T. B. Brown investgated the wreck but said that no warrants had been issued in the case as both men continue under the care of physicians and are unable to leave their beds. Judge Gives Them Unlil March 1 To Comply With Law Those Who Fail To List by Then Will Be Subject to Prosecution A list containing the names of 827 persons in Washington County who failed to list their poll taxes and per sonal property for 1940 was submit ted by the grand jury in its report to Judge W. C. Harris in superior court here Tuesday. The judge or dered publication of the list of names for two weeks, notifying those delin quent that they would be given un til March 1st to appear and list for 1940 and all prior years. After that time those who fail to appear will be prosecuted in the courts. The names were gathered in a check of the tax books against the selective service registration and the poll books used in the last general election. The work was done by the tax colllector's office here in record time on orders from the grand Jury, after the latter had been Instructed to take such action by Judge Harris in his charge at the opening of court Monday of last week. The judge then pointed out that although it was not a criminal offense to fail to pay taxes, the law was specific in requiring ev ery man, white or colored, between the ages of 21 and 65, to list: his poll taxes and personal property It is expected that between $1,500 and $3,000 in tax revenue will be add ed to the county's income as a result of the check made last week. The poll tax alone in the county is $2 per year, and many of those cited to file tax returns will also have personal property subject to taxation. It was unofficially reported that some of those required to iist by the order will owe poll taxes as far back as 10 years or more. However, not all of those whose names appear in the list will be re ported delinquent, a number of them became 21 years old since Jan uary 1, last year, and others moved into this county since that time, al though they had been here long enough to register for the draft or election last fall. The plan that Judge Harris has in mind is that the names of the non listers be published for two weeks, allowing them until March 1, 1941, to list or present their reasons for not listing last year. In the event they fail to appear by that time. County Prosecuting Attorney S. A. Ward will be instructed to issue warrants for them to be tried before John W. Dar den in recorder's court, where those who delay will likely be assessed with at least the costs and the amount of taxes due the county. It is also expected that the list turned in by the grand jury will be checked by the tax collectors for the several towns in the county, and per sons who live within the corporate limits of any of them will also be re quired to list for their town taxes. The complete list, as ordered pub lished by Judge Harirs. appears on page seven of this newspaper. -— Shorter Ferry Route Possible by Summer Dare County Times) That a prospect for cutting the Al ligator River ferry route in half is in the offing was revealed this week by Representative C. Earl Cohoon, of Tyrrell County, who states he has been advised by District Highway Commissioner E. V. Webb, of Kinston, to the effect that a drag-line machine will be placed again on the Dillon Ridge road project, which will con nect with Sandy Point, on the Tyr rell side of the river, as soon as the weather conditions permit. Completion of this road will short en the distance from Columbia to the river and likewise permit a ferry crossing in 30 minutes, or half the time now required to go from East Lake to Fort Landing. This site would also be used in event of the bridg ing of Alligator River. Judge Harris Says County Should Employ Jailer To Care lor Prisoners Judge YV. C. Harris, of Raleigh. { presiding over the second week of the January term of Washing- | ton County Superior Court, said here today that he was "aston ished" to find that officials had made no provision for a jailer to take care of prisoners and the jail j itself. The judge said he intended to confer with J. R. Campbell, fore man of the grand jury, about the matter. However, the grand jury handed in its report Tuesday morning and was excused, so It may be too late for the group to j act as a body on the matter. Judge Haris said that there should be a jailer to take care of prisoners at all times, as Sher iff J. K. Reid is called away at intervals. The judge also cited the fart that the sheriff's deputy lived 30 miles away in CresweU. It is understood that when a jailer is employed, his compen sation comes either from fees in cluded in the court costs or as salary or wages paid by the coun ty from its general fund. Judge Harris also said that re ports had reached him that the jail and cells were not kept in good condition by the janitor.