North Carolina Newspapers

The Roanoke Beacon ******* and Washington County News ******* A home newspaper dedicated [ I to the service of Washington County and its 12,000 people. VOLUME LII—NUMBER 1 Plymouth, vV ashington County, North Carolina. Thursday, January 1, 1942 ESTABLISHED 1889 >< Town opiics Miss Carrie Smith, who ts em ployed in the registrar’s office at the Florida State College for Women in Tallahassee, Fla,, was here during the holidays visiting relatives and friends. She is well known here as the sister of Mi's. S. A. Ward, Mrs. Laura John ston. and Mrs. Corinne Austin. W. Ronald Gaylord, Onward Leg gett and Warnie Gurkin spent the Christmas holidays in Florida. They went down as far as Miami. When they left Miami the temperature was 86 degrees, and when they arrived in Jacksonville, 300 miles distant, the temperature was 42. P. W. Brown said that Joe L Nobles and Paul Basnight helped him to prepare the 35 Chrlsmas baskets distributed to the needy in the county the day before Christmas. Mr. Brown said it was quite a job to make the pur chases and prepare the baskets. The firemen were praised for the work done in gathering and re pairing toys for the distribution. There was no recorder's court this week. Recorder W. R. Gaylord was out of town. It is planned to hold a special session of the court tomor row morning, since the regular Tues day session will not be held next week on account of the superior court convening Monday. Attention of local people is di rected to the collection of waste paper by Boy Scouts for national defense. Sea Scout Roy Man ning, assisted by Scouts VVrenn Dupree, Robert Swain, Hany McLean and Jerry Polk, will make the collection on Tuesdays at 2 p. m.; Fridays at the same time the following boys will help in the work: Charles Bratten, James Hooker, and Joe Tetter ton. Citizens are asked to have waste paper ready for the boys every Tuesday and Friday at the same time. Two new members were enrolled in the Washington County chapter of the American Red Cross recently whose contribution has not been pre viously acknowledged. They were Mrs. Dewey Phelps and Mrs. T. P. Sanderson. Corporal S. S. Rasmusson, of head quarters company, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., returned to his post Saturday after spending the holidays here with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. S. M. Rasmusson. -- Letters Received by County Parents of Men in Pacific Area Mail Subject To Censorship And Most Letters Are Very Brief -<$> Censored letters from the Pacific war fronts are being received by par ents in Washington County from their sons, who, although writing almost stereotyped letters, manage to ex press in some individual manner the fact that they are safe and that things are well in hand in the sec tors where they are located. Mrs. Mattie Ange received a letted the day before Chirstmas from her son. Sergeant Paul S. Ange, who is stationed in Hawaii. He said that "the Japs were pretty thick for a while, but we fixed that. We cleaned the Japs up,” he concluded. David Albert Hurley, jr„ who is stationed at Fort Kam, near Hono lulu, wrote his father that “what we feared would happen, has happened, but we are going to lick the hell out of those Japs.” The letter was writ ten on December 19. Mrs. Maggie Swain received a tele gram from her son, Ray, on Decem ber 12, from San Francisco. He has been in the Navy for 16 years. He wired his mother a gift of $100 from San Diego on December 15. Mr. Swain was thought to have been at Pearl Harbor when the Japanese at tack took place. Mrs. W. B. Cox has received word that her son. Hubert Cox, stationed with the Navy at Pearl Harbor, is safe. She also received a telegram from Boston, Mass., stating that an other son, Bryan Cox, also in the Navy, was to have been married Tuesday of this week. Transportation of Colored Children To School Again Before Board Monday When the Washington County Board of Education holds Its reg ular monthly meeting here Mon day, there will be three men pres ent to again present the matter of furnishing transportation for colored school students from the Western Farm of the FSA Scup pernong Farms project to the Cherry school. The visitors will be Dr. N. C. Newbold, state di rector of negro education in the State; W. D. Moore, Jr., commun ity manager at the Scuppernong Farms, and James W. Westby, community service supervisor of the regional office of the Farm Security Administration at Ba letgh. The Western Farm Association. through Mr. Westby, wants to enter into an arrangement with the county for transporting 18 colored children from several families on the farm to the Cher ry colored school, a distance of seven miles. Washington County receives $3,336 annually from the FSA in lieu of the taxes formerly paid on the Scuppernong Farms land before it was bought by the gov ernment. It is estimated that about $380 of this amount goes to the school fund of the county, the board of education being sup posed to furnish families on the project school facilities similar to that provided children of the same race elsewhere in the coun ty. Arrangements Are Being Made to Register All Men in County Fiom 18 to 64 Years Machinery is being set up (or registration within the next week or two, of all the men in Wash ington County between the ages 18 and 64 years for some kind of service for their country in the present war. Legislation recently enacted by Congress makes men from 20 to 44, inclusive, liable for military training and service. Men in the 18 to 20 and 44 to 64 age groups will be enrolled for non-military duty. Voluntary enlistments of young men for all branches of the armed services—proceeding at a record pace since ttie war began—is being encouraged in the meantime. Registration of all classes of men is aimed at the creation of an army of 4.000.000 men. Se lective Service officials say that, once the men are registered anti classified, a total of 2,215.000 po tential soldiers can be added to the 1,800,000 now in the uniform in this country. There is some speculation, also that the Navy may draw heavily on the selectee pool. The Navy now has authority to take 50, 000 men and the marine corps 10,000. When the two-ooean Navy Is completed the fleet will need at least 1.000,000 men. Some believe that the I'nited States will equip and train a vast army for overseas service, since President Koosevelt now has the authority to send forces outside ! the western hemisphere. Mili tary experis feel that an Ameri can Expeditionary force may be needed in Africa and in foreign hcld territory in tire Atlantic. It is predicted that it will take two years to create an effective fight ing force for foreign action. Raise Over $1,670 for Red Cross War Relief No Holiday Here New Year's Day Business and industry in gen eral paid scant attention to the New Year’s holiday today. The Branch Banking & Trust Com pany and the ABC stores closed for the day. The post offices ren dered a reduced schedule of serv ices. Because of war conditions, and for other reasons, very little at tention was paid to the holiday by the general public. A large number of people gathered about radios in the afternoon to hear the Hose Bowl football game, which is being played in Durham, with the Duke Blue Devils meet ing the Oregon State Beavers in the classic. Post Office Here Handles Record Volume of Mail Over $5,l>uw * Worth of De fense Bonds Also Sold Last Month More mail was handled in the local post office during the Christmas hol idays last week than ever in the his tory of the Plymouth post office, it was announced today by Postmaster John W. Darden, who has been ex amining the records for comparative data. He said that 40,000 Christmas cards were mailed from the local of fice, in addition to the average of 55,000 pieces of regular mail dis patched during the period. The postmaster said that in addi tion to handling the regular volume of mail during December, 67 defense bonds of various denominations were sold. Most of the bonds were issued the week before Christmas, with the denominations of $25 and $50 most popular among those buying. Besides the $5,718.75 worth of bonds sold, the office also handled the sale of $314 worth of defense stamps. This was three times as many de fense bonds and stamps as has been sold in any other single month. After the Christmas rush was tak en care of, Postmaster Darden set a precedent for future postmasters by inviting employees of the local of fice and their friends to a Saturday night dinner at the Pines. There were 22 persons present, and everyone made a short talk or was recognized. The dining hall was decorated with United States flags. Town License Plate Sales Showing Sudden Increase Sales of Town of Plymouth auto mobile license plates have taken a definite upward spurt here during the past two or three days, and this morning it was said that 250 of the 500 tags bought by the town had been sold to owners of cars who live with in the town limits. Complete Report on Chapter Activities is Made by Chairman Nearly $2,300 Raised in Two Drives Conducted Dur ing December Assets of the Washington County chapter of the American Red Cross within the last few weeks had grown to $2,532.92, according to a financial statement prepared for publication today by John W. Darden, county chairman, who showed how the mon ey was raised. His report showrs that the chapter had $44.45 in the bank here on check ing account; $201.80 on time deposit, drawing interest; $616.05 raised in the annual roll call drive for member ships; and $1,670.62 received in the war relief fund drive, both of these campaigns having been conducted in December. The tabulation also showed that checks outstanding against the local Red Cross chapter were $308 sent to the national organization as its share in the annual roll call drive and $1. 275, sent to the national headquarters for the county quota in the war relief fund drive. The total sent to nation al headquarters for the two cam paigns is $1,583. Balance in the bank at this time to the credit of the Red Cross treas urer here is $994.92. Some portion of this balance will be retained here as half of the money secured in the roll call drive is to remair in the local treasury and 15 per cent of the war relief fund drive remains in the local treasury. The balance may be sent to national headquarters shortly. The following contributions to the war relief fund are acknowledged by groups, North Carolina Pulp Company and employees $271.93 in cash and $138 in pledges; American Fork and Hoe Company $26; Plymouth Box and Panel Company $222; Pulp Mill Vil lage $14; bank distributed $14.52; Jefferson street $39.01; Main and Madison streets $29.45; Water street $172.17; Washington street $55.76; Third street $8.31; Adams street $3; court house, agriculture building, Brinkley avenue, Fort Williams street and Fourth street $36.55. The following contributed $10 each Junior Woman's Club, Senior Wom an's Club and Lions Club; $$5 each: Junior Woman's Auxiliary of Grace Epicopai Church; Circle No. 1 and Circle No. 2, Woman's Society of Christian Service, Methodist Church; Ladies Aid Society of Methodist Church; Plymouth chapter. Order of Eastern Star; American Legion Aux iliary; Ladies Aid Society of Christ ian Church; Young Matron's Circle of Christian Church: Masonic Lodge, T. E. L. Class of Baptist Church and Alba Home Demonstration Club. Sea Seoul Meetings Are Resumed Here Eighteen boys and H. H. McLean, T. W. Earle and Dr, A. Ppineau at tended the Sea Scout campfire pro gram given at the Hampton fishery Saturday nght. Scouts were given practice in rowing the surfboat across the river. Hot dogs were served. At the meeting last Friday night, Jerry Polk and Bill Robbins passed off their tests for tenderfoot require ments. Second class scouts were giv en instruction in first aid. Sea scout meetings will be resumed regularly beginning Monday. Skip per Pauineau will have the able as sistance of L. I. Weste. The scout executive will make his regular visits to Washington county twice a month. January visits will be on the 13 and 23. -—®>--— Services Announced for Grace Episcopal Church Services will be held as follows at Grace Church Sunday: 10 a. m., church school; 11 a. m., morning prayer; 7:30 p. m., evening worship service, with W. B. Daniels, student minister, in charge. Plans Underway for Praclice Blackout in County This Month Volunteer Civilian Workers Will Also Be Registered In Near Future Appointment of the personnel of the Washington County Defense hav ing been made, immediate plans are now underway for a test blackout to be made in towns of the county about the middle of January, according to W. M. Darden, chairman of the dis trict Civilian Defense Council. It was also said that plans are under consideration for registering volun teer men and women for home de fense duty in the near future. The plans now in the making will call for a complete simultaneous blackout of Roper, Plymouth and CresweU at a not previously desig nated hour on a night about the mid dle of the month, and Mr. Darden said that preliminary arrangements are gradually being completed. In addition to the committees al ready named by Chairman Darden, he said that others were to be added to the committees from time to time. Appointments so far made follow: Fire protection: Miller Warren, of Plymouth, chairman; P. W. Brown, Mayor B. G. Campbell, members of the fire department of Plymouth; Mayor H. S. Everett, Chief of Police •J. J. Hassell and.L. L. Mizelle, Roper; Walter White aria Louis Bateman, Skinnersville; C. N. Davenport, jr„ Edgar S. Woodley and W. D. Phelps, CresweU; and W. B. Davenport, of Mackeys. Police protections* Corporal T. B Brown. Plymouth, chairman; Mayor B. G. Campbell, P. W. Brown, Paul Basnight, G. R. Coburn, J. K. Reid. Plymouth; Mayor H. S. Everett and Chief of Police J. J. Hassell, Roper; Mayor C. N. Davenport, sr., W. D. Peal and Constable Willie Ainsley, Creswell. Air-raid wardens; P. W. Brown, Plymouth, chairman; Mayor H. S. Everett, Roper; J. L. Rea, jr., We nona; J. C. Tarkenton, Pleasant Grove; Earl Davenport, Creswell; and others to be appointed. Emergency medical service; Dr. Cloudius McGowan, Plymouth, and Dr. J. M. Phelps, Creswell, co-chair men; Drs. T. L. Bray, A. Papineau, E. W. Furgurson, S. V. Lewis and county and district health nurses; Mayor B. G. Campbell, Plymouth; Mayor H. S. Everett, Roper; Mayor C. N. Davenport, sr., of Creswell. Emergency public works; J. R. Manning, Plymouth, chairman; Dr. S. V. Lewis, W. J. Highsmith, John N. Carr, Plymouth; W. W. Mizelle, Roper; J. E. Davenport, Mackeys; Mr. Harris, superintendent of prison farm near Creswell, for Skinnesville; Harry Pritchette. Creswell. Emergency utilities: John W. Dar den and Clyde Hardison, Plymouth, co-chairmen: Howard Glass, R B. Trotman, Plymouth; D. E. Poole, Plymouth; A. T. Brooks, Creswell. Protection of industrial plants and public buildings: T. W. Earle, Plym outh, chairman; E. L. Walker, E. F. Still, E. A. Harrison, E. G. Arps, H. H. McLean, Miss Ethel Arps. New Officers Installed at Masonic Lodge Tuesday The following elective and appoint ive officers of the local Masonic lodge, Perseverance. No. 59, were in stalled at the regular meeting held Tuesday night: J. L. Knowles, master; T. B. Brown, senior warden; W. J. Highsmith, jun ior warden: B. G. Campbell, treasur er; John W. Darden, secretary; Floyd S. Lumpkin, senior deacon; Howard J. Glass, junior deacon; Lloyd Dav enport, tiler: Paul Basnight, senior steward: C. M. Robbins, junior stew ard: and R. H. Lucas, chaplain. 10 Young Creswell Men Are In Pacific War Zone There are at least 10 boys from Creswell in the Pacific war zone. These boys arc with American forces in the army, n: y and air force that are making an effort to protect the Philippines, Haawii and other Far East territories of the United States. These boys include William L. Spruill, W. S. Davenport, Corporal Carlton L. Spruill, Sgt. Thomas Spruill, Bootsie Patrick, J. Ray Cox, John Collins, Dallas J. Spruill, B. A Bateman and Elwood Davenport. I Superior Couri To Begin Two-Weeks Term Nexi Monday Thirteen Criminal Cases Set First Two Days; Judge Frizelle To Preside Thirteen criminal and 18 civil cases have been set for trial during the two-week mixed term of Washington County Superior Court, which will convene here Monday, with Judge J. Paul Frizelle. of Snow Hill, presiding. Monday and Tuesday of the first week have been set aside for trial of the 13 criminal cases on the docket, and it is possible that more time may be required, as there are some cases scheduled which will probably call for lengthy examination of witnesses and extended speeches by lawyers. Cases on the criminal dockets are as follows: C. Edley Hutchins, 25. white, is charged with abandonment and non support of his wife on September 3. 1940. He appealed from a recorder’s court judgment which required him to pay $25 monthly for the support of his wife, and his bond was fixed at $500 to guarantee payment for two years. The case was continued at the July term of superior court last year, when the defendant's attorney, Carl L. Bailey, withdrew from the case. A capias was issued for Hut chins at this time and sent to Bun combe County. The court records do not show vhether or not it has been served on the defendant. Lenneth Fayette Williams, 30, white, is charged in an indictment signed by Solicitor Don Gilliam with robbing the Norfolk Southern Rail road frieght station at Mackeys on December 11, 1940. He is alleged to have stolen a box of candy con signed to a Columbia drug store. The case was continued from the July, 1941, term of superior court. James Cox. 20. colored, is charged with assault with a deadly weapon on Queenie Johnston. Cox appealed from a recorder's court sentence of 60 days on the roads, and a mistrial was entered in the case at the last July term of superior court and the case was continued. Joe Goddard, 46. white, and Miss Malinda Linton, 20. white, are charg ed with failing to stop and render assistance after an automobile acci dent. Their car struck another parked on the streets here. November 16, 1940, causing the parked car to. run over the sidewalk and seriously in jure Paul Hardison, who happened to be passing at the time. It is alleged that Goddard and Miss Linton left the scene without offering assistance. The case was continued from the July, 1941, term of superior court, vhen Goddard was called and failed to appear. Goddard was also called and failed to appear at the last July court on a charge of driving an automobile while intoxicated. Dee Rock Squires is charged with operating a tractor while under the influence of intoxicants, with no op erator's permit, and with no license tag on the vehicle. Henry Bryant, 19. colored, charged with assault with a deadly weapon and attempted robbery. This case is the outgrowth of the robbery of John James’ store here on November 24 and the attempted robbery of Bate man's Service Station in the Skin nersville section on the night of No vember 26, when Glennis Oil, 25, col ored, was shot and killed. John G. Spikes, 18. and Ernest Boney, 22, two other members of the colored quartet engaged in the robbery attempt, are also charged in the courts here with attempted robbery and assault with a deadly weapon, but it is hardly like ly that they will be tried at the Janu ary term, as they have been turned over to Virginia officers following a confession obtained by Sheriff Reid that they killed Michael Mihales, a Greek restaurant owner, in Norfolk on the morning of November 26. Bry int, who drove the car for the gang vhen the attempted hold-up of Bate man's Service Station occurred, was not implicated in the Norfolk crime. Roy Bryant, 19, white, is charged with reckless driving, injuring Dalton Phelps and damaging the car of Dewey Spencer, on August 4. 1941. He was held for probable cause after a hearing in recorder’s court. Charlie Agnewy 48, colored, charged with shooting Martha Collins, Mar tha Hedgebeth and Willie Spencer, on November 2, 1941. He was held by recorder's court on probable cause. Joseph rnarpe, 2b, colored, was or dered held for probable cause after a hearing in recorder’s court on a charge of stealing the car of A. Lloyd Owens on October 19. The car was practically demolished when the ne gro ran it into a gate at the pulp plant here. Dennis Cahoon, 28, white, charged wi:h issuing a worthless check. He appealed from a fine of $75 and costs imposed in recorder’s court. Jack Cason, white, is charged with :obbing the Norfolk Southern station at Mackeys on December 11, 1940. His indictment came from a grand jury hearing and the case was con linued at the January and July terms of court last year. C. C Cahoon, white, 64. charged l with setting fire to grass and brush ands on the property of Ira Alligood He appealed from a recorder's court judgment of $50 fine and costs, and the case was continued from the last July term of superior court. Tax Listing for 1942 Gets Underway in All Parts of County Today Ask Donations of Sid License Tags_ .Motorists who have old license plates removed from their ears or trucks are urged to bring them to the courthouse to H. H. McLean, county superintendent of public instruction, who says he will gladly take them to Raleigh, where they will be turned over to national defense workers. Mr. McLean said he had re ceived a request from N. H. Yel ton, executive secretary of the State School Commission, to bring old license plates from school trucks the next time he was up there: and the county superintendent said he would be glad to take any others at the same time. Mr. Yelton said in his letter that the need for steel in nation al defense industries prompted him to request saving the old li cense plates. Christmas Holidays Pass Very Quietly Throughout Section Several Cars Involved in Traffic Accidents; Few Drunks Arrested The Chirstmas holidays passed comparatively very quietly in this sec tion last week, but there were sev eral automobiles involved in traffic accidents, with one person injured severely enough to require hospitali zation; four drunken drivers report ed arrested in the county; and sev eral others being removed from the streets after they had imbibed too freely of intoxicants. ' Buddy" Boyd, a colored boy who lives with his aunt. Sue Garrett, here, received a broken itg Chirstmas Day about noon on Highway 64. within the western limits of the town, when a car operated by Robert S. Sawyer struck him while he was skating on the highway. After first-aid treat ment by Dr. T. L. Bray, the youth was taken to a Rocky Mount hos pital. An automobile operated by Dr. L. S. Mitchell, local colored physician, turned over on the highway curve at Dardens last Friday afternoon. The doctor was hurt on one leg and his arms bruised, but he was not serious ly injured. His car was damaged to the extent of an estimated $200. It was reported that Corporal T. B. Brown arrested four persons over the week-end who were to be tried at a special session of recorder’s court Fri day for operating automobiles while under the influence of intoxicants. Chief of Police P. W. Brown said there was evidence of some drinking during the holidays, but that things were comparatively quiet. Several were arrested to be tried later. There were no robberies reported, as has ben the case in other years just be fore the Christmas holidays. Beginners' Band Course Begins Here Next Week If there is sufficient demand, a be ginners' band course will be offered at the Plymouth High School, begin ning next week, according to L. W. Zeigler, band instructor, who said that a number of the members of the present high school band will gradu ate next spring, and steps must be taken to replace them in order to as sure a good band next fall. With average progress, the beginners start ing now will be able to enter the playing band next fall. The director said that credit will be given to high school students tak ing the course, and any child from the fifth to tenth grades is eligible, with players needed for nearly all instruments. Personal Properly Schedule of Values Sei Up Last Week -<$> Hope To Finish Listing in County During Month Of January The annual task of listing all real estate, polls and personal property for the purpose of taxation began in Washington Couiuy today, with those engaged in the work hoping to finish their task during the month of Jan uary. Supervisor E. F. Swain, of Creswell, reported that the men were planning to get off to an excellent start In the work, and that every effort would be made to get all polls and personal property on the books, as well as real estate, in the allotted time. In a meeting of the list takers with the county commissioners last week, the following scale for listing person al property for 1942 was agreed up on: horses, $25 to $150; mules, $25 to $250: sheep, $2 to $5; goats, $1; hogs and pigs, 8 cents pound; milk cattle. $25 to $50; other cattle, $10 to $50; poultry, 10 cents pound; meat and lard. 15 cents pound. The list taker for Plymouth Town ship is W. Linwood Hassell, who will be at the courthouse each week day from January 1 to January 31, in clusive. The other listers are P. B, Belanga, Scuppernong; W. W. White, Skinnersville; and E M. Chesson, for Lees Mill Township. On another page of this issue of Tire Beacon there is a schedule of the dates and places where the list takers will be in the various town ships to list the taxes of residents of those particular communities. Dr. G. A. Marlin Resigns Pastorale Creswell Church Will Take Up Work in Cur rituck County Within Few Days -® After almost six years as pastor of the Creswell group of Baptist churches, Dr. G. A. Martin recently resigned to become pastor of a group of Baptist churches in Currituck County. He is expected to take over his new pastoral duties in Currituck within the next few days. While located in Washington Coun ty, the minister served as pastor of the Baptist churches at Creswell, Mt. Pleasant. Oak Grove and Roper. Un der the leadership of Dr. Martin the [churches have prospered and shown much progress during the six-year period. All financial obligations were met and generous oSerings made to missions and benevolences. During his stay, there have been more than 125 additions to the churches served by him and others in which he held meetings. Tlie departing minister was very popular among members of all de nominations. It was said by Cres well people that Dr. Martin did not confine his activities to his own de nominations. One of the citizens there said this week that “he lived like one who knew Christ. Many of the sick and needy will miss him and all regret his leaving. Often he has taken the poor to hospitals and cared for others at his own expense.” Dr. Martin said that his member ship had "always been loyal support ters of every cause that I presented, and they are united in Christian fel lowship. My only reason for leaving the good people here is that I feel called to this new work.” During his long and successful ca reer as a minister, Dr. Martin has been pastor of some large churches, including Baptist churches in Wil mington, Thomasville, Rutherford ton, Concord, Waynesville and Spar ta. Still, Riddle and Whitley Named To Tire Rationing Roard for This County Recognized as one of the first defense moves made in the coun ty, was the appointment this week of E. F. Still, A. J. Riddle and IV. L. Whitley on the county board to ration automobile tires and possibly other materials needed for war purposes. Apopintment to the important board was made by Governor J. M. Broughton, after a committee, composed of W. M. Darden, chairman of the tri-county dis trict council on Civilian De fense: C. V. VV. Ausbon, clerk of the superior court: and E. G. Arps, chairman of the board of county commissioners, had made the nomination. Sale of automobile tires is pro hibited at the present time, and on and after nest Monday pur chases may be made only after the rationing board has approved the application. The board will be guided by a rigid set of rules that will prevent most people from buying tires. Complete instructions have not been received by the rationing board here as yet, but It Is prob able that a district meeting will be held in Windsor some time this week to discuss the matter. At the present time plans have been made for rationing of au tomobile tires only, but it is be lieved that many other items nec essary for war purposes will In added to the proscribed list later.