The Roanoke Beacon
and Washington County News *******
Paper must be used to keep
naval shells unmarred for
accuracy in firing at our
enemies . . . And waste
paper reserves are the
owest of any vital war
material!
SAVE WASTE PAPER
ESTABLISHED 1S8«J
VOLUME LV—NUMBER 27
Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Thursday, July 6, 1944
Casualties Are Heavy on Saipan—But Nobody Here Has Been Hurt Buying War Bonds
Town!
OPICS!
Cpl. Charles H. Bagley, jr„ return
ed to Camp Chaffee. Ark., last Fri
day after spending 10 days with his
grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. L. D.
Lamb, at Mackeys. Corporal Bagley
has been in the service since July 15,
1943. He was first assigned to an
anti-aircraft artillery unit, but was
later transferred to the infantry.
Lt. L. Warnie Gurkin. jr., recently
completed his operation tr-.ining at
Barksdale Field, La., it was learned
from his parents this week. Lieuten
ant Gurkin was the first county man
to be designated lead pilot of a
bomber group and first pilot of his
own ship. He leads a formation of
five B-26 Marauder medium bombers.
All Schedule “B" privilege li
censes expired June 30. local
business firms are being remind
ed this week. Chief of Police P.
W. Brown is issuing the 1944-45
licenses for the town and will be
calling on every store and busi
ness house here in the next few
days.
Highway Patrolman M. B. Stewart
returned to his station here this week
after spending two weeks at a train
ing school in Fayetteville. Mrs.
Stewart spent the two weeks with
relatives and friends in Lillington and
Bolton.
Lt. and Mrs. Hugh F. Jordan and
little daughter, Sandra Anne, arrived
Monday night to spend several weeks
here with Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Jordan
and Mr. and Mrs. P. M. Arps. They
have been living in Sarasota, Fla.,
where Lieutenant Jordan is stationed.
Automobile inner tubes were
taken off the rationed list, effec
tive July 1, It was announced by
the State OPA director last week
end. However, tho announce
ment catches local dealers at a
very inopportune time, as few
of them have many tubes on
hand.
Miss Eva V. Chesson, of Washing
ton, D. C., is spending her vacation
with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. James
A. Chesson, sr., near Roper. Miss
Chesson was formerly employed here
at the office of the North Carolina
Pulp Company but is now secretary
to a high-ranking official in the Se
lective Service system at Washington.
A meeting of the Albemarle dis
trict committee of the Eastern Caro
lina Boy Scouts Council will be held
in the municipal building here Tues
day night of next week at 8:30 p.m.
The budget for the coming year will
be presented by J. A. Gaskins, council
executive, of Wilson and Dr. Maynard
O. Fletcher, council finance chair
man, of Washington. All members
of the committee are urged to be
present.
Colored Laborer Is
Killed in Car Wreck
-®
Happened Near Columbia
Tuesday Night; Another
Negro Injured
Henry Moore, 60-year-old colored
laborer from Havana, was instantly
killed Tuesday night in an automo
bile accident about IV2 miles west of
Columbia on Highway 64. He was
passenger in a car driven by John
Rogers, also colored, of Pehokee, Fla.,
which was in collision with another
car driven by Allen G. Daniels, white,
of Belhaven. Rogers was injured in
the wreck, but none of the four oc
cupants of Mr. Daniels’ car was hurt.
According to Highway Patrolman
M. B. Stewart, who investigated the
accident, the two Negroes were head
ed toward Columbia and said to have
been driving at a high rate of speed.
Going around a curve in front of the
home of Robert S. Knight about
11:16, the Rogers car, a 1935 Buick
sedan, two feet over the center line,
crashed into the 1937 Packard sedan,
driven by Mr. Daniels, which was
headed west.
Both cars were almost totally
wrecked by the impact, and Moore
was thrown 30 feet away with his
neck broken. Rogers was thrown to
the pavement and knocked uncon
scious. The latter was taken to Co
lumbia and later to the labor camp
near Columbia, where lie and Moore
lived. Both the Negroes were said
to have been drinking. The labor
camp was established near Columbia
recently to provide farmers of that
section with potato harvesters.
This was the only automobile ac
cident of the Fourth of July holiday
to be reported
To Bond Drive Workers
Calling for a whole-hearted last-minute effort to put Washington
County over in the Fifth War Loan campaign. County Chairman T. W.
Earle this week addressed the following letter to all community chair
men and co-workers:
‘■We have until midnight July 8 to meet our quota of $130,000 in
E. F, and <i Bonds. As of July 4, we have only sold 80% of our quota.
“This means only one thing. If we, as Washington County Citi
zens are to meet our obligation and do our part in helping bring this
war to a more rapid termination so that our fighting boys and girls
can come home, we must continue to work hard during the remaining
time left in this drive and sell more bonds.
“Please redouble your efforts. Make one more call this week on
all the people in the territory assigned to you. Some had promised
to buy when you called on them last time, so be sure and see them
again before Saturday, July 8, and sell them a bond.
“On Friday, July 14 at 9 P. M. in the Agriculture Building at
Plymouth, North Carolina, we arc going to hold our final meeting of
ali Chairmen. Co-Workers and others interested in this 5th War
Loan Drive.
“At that time, you should have all available information as to
the sales in your territory.
“Let us show the rest of the nation that the people in Washington
Countv can and will make any sacrifices and fulfil every task that
they are called upon to make in order that by so doing our part we
can hasten the end of the war and our loved ones in war service
can more quickly be brought home to us.
“I wish to again thank each and every one of you for the splendid
results you have already obtained and to thank you in advance for
the good work that I know you will do in the remaining few days left
in our drive so that we will go over the top in our E, F, and G. Bond
quota."
Board of Education Is
Petitioned To Improve
School Facilities Here
Schools oi County
Get Coal Supply
1.. *..
County Superintendent of
Schools II. H. RIeLean said yes
terday that he had received
three-fourth of next winter’s
supply of coal for the various
schools in the county. The super
intendent said it was estimated
eight carloads would be required,
and that six of them had already
been received and unloaded, and
he is expecting the remainder in
tlie very near future.
Last winter, the schools here
were closed for several days when
the coal supply ran out, and the
superintendent is trying to avoid
a repetition of the occurence
during the coming season.
Crop Conditions in
County Said Fair
Some Areas Still Suffering
For Lack of Rain; Others
Had Good Season
Crop conditions in Washington
County were described as very "spot
ted" this week by County Farm
Agent W. V. Hays. Some sections are
still suffering from lack of rain, he
said, while in others the season has
been a very good one.
Generally, tobacco is said to be in
better shape in this county that in
most others in the bright belt, al
though the crop is not as uniform as
in former years. Due to blue mold
about the time plants were trans
planted, there was much replanting,
which makes for a very uneven ap
pearance in the fields.
Peanuts are said to be generally
good, with fair stands. Frank Par
ker, statistician for the State Depart
ment of Agriculture, who has tra
veled over much of North Carolina,
said while here last week that pea
nuts looked better in this section at
that time than anywhere he had
been.
Insurance Firm To Pay
$5,000 tor Hail Damage
More than $5,000 was allowed by
the adjuster for one insurance com
pany for damage to tobacco done by
a hail storm In the Acre section just
beyond Vann Swamp Tuesday after
noon of last week. The percentage
of loss allowed by the adjuster ran as
high as 83 per cent in some cases, it
was stated.
Fourth of July Holiday Is Observed i
Quietly by Washington County People |
The Fourth of July holiday
passed very quietly in Wash
ington County this year. There
were no holiday accidents in the
county, although a Negro was
killed just across the line In Tyr
rell County when two autos col
lided Tuesday night. Dr. and
Mrs. John H. Bonner, of Eliza
beth City, escaped Injury Mon
day night when their car was
hit by a train near Roper.
The stores here were all closed,
and many local people spent the
week-end at beaches. Albemarle
Beach, near here, had a large
crowd all day Tuesday and for
the dance that night. _Those who
went to ocean beaches said the
weather was unusually cool for
the time of year.
Quite a number of golfers turn
ed out at the country club, and
the colored baseball game drew
the largest crowd of the season
Tuesday.
Urge New Building
To Care for Needs
-$
Expansion of Pulp Mill To
Make Present Situation
More Acute
--
Improvement of the Plymouth
school plant was requested of the
county board of education at its regu
lar meeting Monday by a committee
of local business and professional men
who have been studying the situation
since last spring. The improvements
sought include a new grammar school
building and enlargement of the pres
ent high school building, as well as
necesary incidental facilities. The
board of education took the commit
tee recommendations under advise
ment, and it is understood they will
be submitted to the county commis
sioners at their next meeting.
In requesting immediate consider
ation of the committee proposals, the
members pledged their aid, individ
ually and collectively, to the county
beards of education and commission
ers in devising plans to finance the
undertaking. The possibility of se
curing state or federal financial as
sistance was suggested, with the com
mittee members to do what they can
to this end.
Z. V. Norman acted as spokesman
for the committee, and brief talks
were also made by J. Roy Manning,
A. Papineau, T. W. Earle, and P. B.
Bateman. It was pointed out that
the high school building here was
constructed in 1920, while the gram
mar school building was first occu
pied in 1902. Since then, the school
population has grown out of pro
portion to reasonable expectations,
due to school consolidations, influx of
industries, and like causes.
Expansion of the pulp mill here,
contemplated as soon as possible, pos
sibly before the end of the war, will
bring additional people to the com
munity, which will make further de
mands on the already totally inade
"TseTLOCAirSCHOOLS, Page 6)
-$
Lt. Ransom Martin
Wounded in Action
l ieutenant Ransom Marlin, bom
bardier on a heavy bomber which has
been on a number of mis.1 ions over
Germany and enemy-occupied ter
ritory in the past few months, was
wounded in action on June 19, ac
cording to a letter received last week
by relatives here. He received
shrapnel wounds in the neck and
right arm while on a mission over an
unspecified enemy target. His para
chute was also ripped o'ff his should
ers by "flak” he wrote. However, his
wounds were not serious and he has
since returned to active duty, the
letter stated.
Lieutenant Martin was home last
Christmas, shortly after he bailed out
of a B-17 over Chespeake Bay near
Barron Island, Md„ one night, when
the craft went out of control due to
one of the engines catching fire. One
member of the crew was drowned at
the time. Lieutenant Martin went
overseas shortly afterwards and has
participated in a number of missions
over the continent since as a squad
ron bombardier.
Son of the late Senator and Mrs.
Van B. Martin, he is brother to Bob
bie Martin and Mrs. L. E. Doxey, of
Plymouth.
July Term Superior
Court Will Convene
Here Next Monday
-$
Judge Carr To Preside, One
Week Term for Criminal
And Civil Cases
The July term of Washington
bounty Superior Court will convene
oext Monday morning, July 10, for
ihe trial of both criminal and civil
cases. Judge Leo Carr, of Burling
:on. is scheduled to preside over the
nixed term, which will be for one
week.
There are 10 criminal cases on the
locket, but several of them are old
ones that have been hanging fire for
several terms, and it is possible that
they will not be brought to trial next
week. Only four civil actions have
been placed on the calendar, all of
them divorce cases.
The criminal docket is as follows:
State vs. Mrs. N. C. Walters, white,
of Plymouth, for careless and reck
less driving and damaging the car of
Mrs. Blanche Swain to the extent of
$50. This case was appealed from
judgment of the recorder’s court.
State vs. Van B. Martin, white, of
Plymouth, for theft: appeal from re
corder's court.
State vs. Vernon Nixon, white,
Gregory Norman and Raymond
Everett, colored, charged with theft
of 8,000 herrings, quantity of gaso
line and motor boat from cannery at
Mackeys. This case was continued
from the July, 1943, term of superior
court.
State vs. J. D. Vick, white, of Plym
outh, two cases in which he is charg
ed with carnal knowledge of girls
under 16 and over 12 years of age.
Preliminary hearing was waived in
recorder’s court some months ago.
Frank Crew, colored, bound over to
superior court after hearing in re
corder's court on charge of attempt
ed robbery of White’s Store in Skln
nersville and assault.
Madison Boone, colored, of Plym
outh, charged with forcible entrance
of the home of Mrs. Lawrence Bowen
while drunk. Appeal from recorder’s
court.
John Banks and Earl Aikens, col
ored, charged with robbery , of ABC
store at Creswell several months ago.
Held for superior court on probable
:ause after hearing in recorder’s
:ourt.
~fSee"sUPERIoiCcoURT, Page 6)
.....................-..........
HOW WE'RE
DOING
Watch This Chari
| "E" Bond Sales
$130,000
$125,000
$100,000
$ 75,000
$ 50,000
$ 25,000
0
!
j
County Only $25,000 Short
Of Its E Bond Quota Today
Town Board Orders
Enforcement of Dog
Laws After August 1
To Impound Dogs Caught
Running at Large; Other
Matters Considered
The dog situation in Plymouth
again came in for a large measure of
conversation at the regular meeting
of the city council Monday night,
along with a number of other matters.
The councilmen finally ordered that
all ordinances on the books relative to
dogs—and livestock, as well—be
strictly enforced, beginning August 1,
and delegated authority for their en
forcement to the city sanitary in
spector, J, A. Broughton.
Mr. Broughton was sworn in by
Chief of Police P. W. Brown and
authorized to exercise whatever po
lice power is necessary in carrying
out the orders of the council.
Under existing ordinances, it is
against the law for dogs to be per
mitted to run at large at any time.
The only way a dog can legally be on
the streets is on leash. All others
are to be impounded and the owners
notified. If the owners do not claim
their dogs—and pay all the cost in
curred in impounding—they are to be
destroyed by the police. Other
livestock unclaimed after the owners
are notified are to be advertised and
sold at auction.
The sanitary inspector was ordered
to see that all hogs and cows are re
moved from inside the city limits
and to enforce other provisions of
the sanitary laws. The city clerk
was ordered to have the recently
passed resolution forbidding stabling
of cows inside the city limits put in
ordinance form and published ac
cording to law.
Chief of Police P. W. Brown and
Clerk M. W. Spruill were asked to get
what information they could about
the method other towns are using to
license automobiles. Mr. Spruill was
asked to write for prices on a substi
tute for the metal tags used hereto
fore and report to the next meeting
of the council.
A committee was appointed to get
some information about painting the
city water tank. A bid of $557 for
chipping, spotting and painting the
tank, inside and out, was considered
excessive, and the committee named
by the mayor was ordered to find out
from other towns if the price was
about in line with what they were
paying for similar work. When the
tank here was last painted, two or
three years ago, the cost was about
half the amount of the present bid.
The committee includes Chief of Po
lice Brown, Councilmen Leggett and
Kelly and Mayor Campbell.
Sanitary Inspector J. A. Broughton
made his monthly report, citing the
several cases in which property own
ers had refused to comply with the
law reported last week.
Members of the council present in
cluded J. Roy Manning, Shep Brink
ley, W. A. Roebuck, G. R. Leggett,
C. O. Kelly, and Mayor B G. Camp
bell. Councilman H. E. Harrison, of
the first ward, was unavoidably ab
sent.
-9
Farmer Releases
To Be Considered
-#
It was announced Monday that the
county selective service board, the
USDA War Board and officials of the
U. S. Employment Service would hold
a joint meeting here sometime this
week to work out a policy to be
followed in granting releases to
farmers who wish to accept tem
porary employment in industry.
For the past several months, no re
leases of this nature have been
granted; but in view of the fact that
many farmers will soon have a little
time to spare between the cultivat
ing and harvesting seasons, it Is felt
that the question should be reopen
ed. The men are needed in industry,
even on a temporary basis, and it is
possible that a plan may be worked
out to release some farm workers for
a short time without jeopardizing
their deferred status in the draft.
Two Escape Serious Injury
When Train Strikes Auto
--
Dr. and Mrs. John H. Bonner, of
Elizabeth City, were painfully but not
seriously injured Monday night about
11 o’clock, when a Norfolk Southern
train hit their automobile near Pleas
ant Grove. Mrs. Bonner suffered
from shock, cuts and bruises on the
face, arms and legs, and Dr. Bonner
was cut and bruised.
They were brought to Plymouth
and given first-aid treatment by Dr.
T. L. Bray. The car was almost com
pletely demolished, according to re
ports.
1'
"I
County Board To
Meet on July 18th
The regular meeting of the
county board of commissioners
was not held Monday on account
of the state holiday. It was stat
ed yesterday that the board
would meet on Monday, the 24th.
instead, when the proposed
budget for the coming fiscal year
will be considered.
County officials generally think
that the tax rate for the 1944 tax
year will be about the same as it
was last year, $170, although this,
of course, will not be determined
until after the budget is approv
ed. After the county board pass
es on the budget, it must be ap
proved by the Local Government
Commision at Raleigh
White and Colored
Groups Called for
Induction in July
-•
Colored Selectees To Leave
Next Monday; Whites
On July 19
Eight white and eighteen colored
men are being called up from Wash
ington County this month for induc
tion, it was learned this week. No
one in the two groups is more than
26 years of age. The men called in
to service will not know to which
branch of the service they will be as
signed until after they reach the in
duction center, it was stated. Tire
colored group will leave next Monday,
July 10, while the white group will
not leave until Wednesday, the 19th.
Three of the white group are from
Creswell, two each from Plymouth
and Roper, and one from Wenona.
Their names are as follows: Leroy
Milton Comstolk, Zephie Henderson
Phelps, jr., and Lonnie Sherlock Al
bertson, of Creswell; Lee Victor Land
ing, jr„ and Clinton Respass, of Plym
outh; Carlton Aubrey Phelps and
Lloyd Everett Comstock, of Roper;
and Edison William Patrick, of We
nona.
In the colored group, leaving next
Monday, there are 13 from Plymouth,
three from Roper, and one each from
Mackeys and Creswell. They are:
Phillip Abraham Davis, Dempsey Lee
Thorps, Cleophus McNair, Gabriel
Smith, Marcellus Roosevelt Brooks,
Joe Nathan Swain, General Lee Puc
kett, Arthur Winfred Parker, Boss
Reid, Charley Henry Williams, Thom
as Gaylord, jr„ William Arthur Fen
ner, and Henry Edward Cherry, of
Plymouth; Noah McBrown, Fleten
Christon Clark and Charles Rupert
Lee Freeman, of Roper; Charlie
Webb, of Mackeys; and Cleophus
Satchel, of Creswell.
Sgt. Joe Smith in
French War Zone
——•—
Sergeant Joseph D. Smith, former
partner in the Smith Brothers clean
ing establishment here, recently wrote
his sister-in-law, Mrs. Maurice Smith,
here that he is now in France. The
letter, dated since the invasion, asks
all his friends here to write. Sergeant
Smith has been in the service for
more than three years, over two of
which has been in foreign service with
a combat engineers outfit.
Excerpts from his letter reads:
“This is to let you know that I am
now somewhere in France and get
ting along okay. Can’t give any de
tails yet, but will write later about
that. Tell the kids I already have
lots of Jerry souvenirs for them. The
chow is kinda monotonous, so will
appreciate it if you will send a few
packages now—candy, gum, canned
stuff like sardines, etc. Keep writing
and remind everybody else.”
Roper Community
First to Reach Goal
Chairman Calls for Final
Effort To Put Drive Over
’ By Saturday Night
-@
Sales of "E” bonds during the
Fifth War Loan Campaign in Wash
ington County yesterday afternoon
stood at $102,308.25. according to H.
E. Beam, chairman of the county
War Finance Committee. A few
sales pending at that time probably
will round out the total sales at $105,
000, leaving the county just about
$25,000 short of its $130,000 “E” bond
quota for the drive.
The county is short of its overall
quota by approximately the same
amount, $25,000, it is indicated, with
sales of $235,000 to $240,000, against
an overall quota of $268,000. Thus
it can be seen that it Is up to the in
dividual bond buyers to rally and
put the county over during the few
days remaining before the cam
paign officially closes Saturday night,
July 8.
It was announced this week by T,
W Earle, county chairman of the
drive, that if this county exceeds its
overall and "E” bond quotas by 10
per cent, the name of the county will
be placed on a plaque in one of the
new ships being built at Wilming
ton. Mr. Earle is appealing to ail
canvassers for one last final effort to
round up all loose ends of the drive
and sell as many bonds as possible
between now and Saturday night.
It is announced by the chairman
that the final meeting of the cam
paign for community chairmen, co
workers and others interested will be
held in the agricultural building here
Friday night of next week, July 14, at
9 p.m., to summarize the results of
the drive. All workers are asked to
attend and to be prepared to make
their final reports at that time.
Roper is the first community to
“go over the top" in the present
drive; sales yesterday being reported
at $21,975. or $1,975 over it quota of
$20,000. The town of Plymouth
is next with its sales of $51,
(BeeTlBOND DRIVE, Page 6)
-®
James A. Chesson
Promoted in Navy
-$
Lieutenant James A. Chesson, jr„
U. S, Navy, visited his parents, Mr.
and Mrs. James A. Chesson, sr., of
near Roper, Monday afternoon and
Tuesday. He had just returned to
this country from convoy duty in the
Atlantic and Mediterranean areas. A
Naval aviator, he has been serving
on a converted carrier for several
months.
Upon his return to the States, he
was promoted from lieutenant junior
grade to full lieutenant. He was one
of the first men from the county to
win his Navy wings after the United
States entered the war, and he serv
ed as instructor at Pensacola for
more than a year after he was com
missioned before being assigned to
sea duty aboard a carrier.
Mrs. Chesson and their little son,
of Washington, D. C., were visiting at
the home of Mr. Chesson's parents
when he came home Monday. They
returned with him, but expect to be
back very shortly, when Lieutenant
Chesson gets a more extended leave.
-f
No Session of Recorder’s
Court Held This Week
The regular weekly session of re
corder’s court was called off this
week, due to the Fourth of July fall
ing on Tuesday. An effort was made
by Judge W R. Gaylord to hold the
court Monday, but a number of wit
nesses could not be reached in time,
and the four cases on the docket were
continued for two weeks, until July
18th. The court cannot be held next
week on account of the superior
court being in session.
| War Bond Premier Showing of "Cobra j
i Woman" at Local Theatre Tomorrow j
L——_■
Everything is in readiness for
the War Bond premier showing
of "Cobra Woman” at the
Plymouth Theatre here tomor
row (Friday) afternoon and
night. Admission will be only
by purchase of a War Bond. The
matinee will start at 3:15 p.m.,
while there will be only one show
at night, beginning at 8 p.m.
Up to Monday of this week,
more than 130 tickets had been
issued to purchasers of War
Bonds. The bonds may be pur
chased and tickets secured at
the theatre box office before the
shows, and a booth will be placed
on the streets here Friday morn
ing where bonds will be sold and
tickets issued.
This is an exceptional oppor
tunity for local people to buy
their bonds and get free tickets
to a flrst-run production. “0>
bra Woman” has an exceptional
ly able cast, headed by Jon Hall,
Maria Montez, and Sabu, and it
Is filmed entirely in Technicolor.
Buy your bond and get your
ticket today. All bonds sold jn
connection with this showing
will be credited to the county’s
Fifth War Loan campaign.