North Carolina Newspapers

« T'own opics Thomas F. Hopkins and J. S. Norman are expected to return today from High Point where they have been attending the Southern Furniture Exposition since Monday. The contrast of last Saturday’s E< day's cold, windy blast was the perfect spring weather with Mon subject of many sidewalk con versations on Water Street this week. The huge letters forming the store sign on the front of Spivey’s were taken down by workmen Monday for a new paint job. The constant exposure to the elements for the past several months had taken its toll. Cutest sight of the week: a | group of seven tiny tots staging ; a back-yard parade of their own, including majorettes, and march- j ing to the tune of “Jesus Loves Me.” Pvt. and Mrs. Lee Six left ! Camp Lejeune Monday for Fort Monmouth, N. J., where Pvt. Six; will enter Telephone Repeater School. He and Mrs. Six have been making their home at Camp Lejeune for the past four months, while he was stationed there. She is the former Betty Hudson, of Plymouth. Hugh Respass, bookkeeper at Swain Buick Company here, was operated on for hernia Monday morning at a Washington Hospi tal . -+ Car Demolished, Youth Receives Minor Injuries Wade Fields, Sanford Boy, Escapes Series Injury in Car-Truck Wreck ai In tersection — Wade Fields, 19 year old San ford man, narrowly escaped ser _ ious injury or possible death late '▼ Monday afternoon when the 1949 | Buick convertible he was driving crashed into a log truck at the intersection of Washington Street and new by-pass Highway 64. Fields received only lacerations of the forehead and bruises as he was thrown out of the car, which from the impact against the heavy truck careened into the j front yard of a' nearby house. I Matthew Spruill, Creswell col ored man, who was driving the truck, was not injured. The accident occurred at 4:15 o’clock and was witnessed by Plymouth Police Chief P. W. I Brown, who picked up Fields and rushed him to a local doctor, where he received treatment. He was hospitalized overnight at the Washington County Hospital. The truck belonged to Atlas Plywood Corporation of Plym- j outh. It was loaded with logs and 1 was proceeding north on Wash-' ington Street. The light at the in <7* tersection was green for Washing ton Street traffic, Chief Brown said. Fields crashed the red light at a good rate of speed and struck the truck and the logs were spill ed onto the street. Fields is said to have stated that he failed to see the light, because of the late afternoon sun in his eyes. He was cn route home from Mantco, where his father has a business, it was said. The Buick was completely de molished while damage to the truck was estimated at $250. Fields was charged with reckless driving, failure to stop at red light, and damaging property and was tried in recorder’s court here Tuesday. Apples Distributed to All Schools of the County A carload of apples from Par ker Farms, Wilton, New Hamp shire, arrived in Plymouth this week and 220 bushels boxes of the fruit were distributed to the g schools of the county, Superin ™ tendent of Schols Roy F. Lowry, announced yesterday. Distribution of the apples was as follows: (Number of bushels) Plymouth, 59; Roper, 21; Cres well, 37; Plymouth colored, 35; Brooks. 3; Deep Bottom, 4; Mo rattock. 3: J. J. Clemmons, 18; Maccndonia, 8; Mt. Dclanie, 5; Sound Side, 7; Creswell colored, 20. The Roanoke Beacon ****** and Washington County News ****** A home newspaper dedicated to the service of Washington !£ County and its 13,000 people. a| ia HnuniHnnHSHsnsiijansiniiussniininnHaEinijTiSli VOLUME LXII—NUMBER 4 Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Thursday, January 25, 1951 ESTABLISHED 1889 Wednesday Last Hay! To Use 1950 Licenses! Sales of 1950 state license plates picked up somewhat dur ing the past week at the branch office of the Carolina Motor Club at the Etheridge Company here, according to figures re leased late yesterday. A total of 569 sets of license plates of all categories were sold since the last report pub lished a week ago. Of these, 239 sets were for automobiles, 75 sets for private trucks, 8 sets for farm trucks,- 18 for small trailers and 29 for com mercial trailers. Totals now stand at 1,529 sets, in categories as follows: automobiles, 1141; motorcycles, 8; private trucks, 212; farm trucks, 33; small trailers, 93; and commercial trailers, 42. Sales of Plymouth town tags for motor vehicles have now reached 468, City Clerk W. A. Roebuck reported yesterday afternoon. Every motor vehicle must carry new state license plates after midnight, January 31, or be subject to prosecution if caughl. All motorists living within the city limits of Plym outh must carry city tags on their vehicles after the same date. Call 25 for Physical Exam February 2nd 4 -f Local Draft Board Gelling Notices Out This Week; 15 Go for Induction on February 5 -4 Hardly before notices went out to 17 Washington County regis trants ordering them to report for induction into the armed forces on Monday, February 5, the local draft board last week received another call from state headquarters. The latest call is for 25 registrants to report for pre-induction physical examina tions on Friday of next week, February 2, and notices are be ing mailed out by the office here this week. The local board is getting down toward the “bottom of the bar rel,” and all of those ordered to report for induction on February 5 are in the 20-year-old group. Included in the call are two extra men carried on the records here as “delinquent.” One of them is known to be in the merchant marine service, and his status undoubtedly will be cleared up as soon as the ship he is now on reaches port. The February 5 in duction call is for 15 men, with the two men classed as delin quent extra. Residents of the Rop^i'' tarea are hardest hit by the call, four white and five colored men there getting the notices. Plymouth is next with six, two white and four colored; and two of the colored registrants are from Creswell. Names of those called are as follows: White—James Harrison Gaylord, James Butler Edwards, Rommie Lee Sawyer and Jack Tarkington Spruill, of Roper; Ira Ward Asby and William Eugene Sandy, of Plymouth. Colored—Isaac R. Wilkins, Wil lie Lee McCullough, Morris Lee Garrett, Willie Lee Norman and William Earl Mason, of Roper; John Clarence Harper, Theodore Roosevelt Pierce, Harry Lee Hedgebcth and Leo Benny Dav enport, jr., of Plymouth; William Jupiter Owens and William Ar thur Owens, Creswell. Take Two Stills In Recent Raids -4 Two stills, 12 barrels of mash and a quantity of incidental equipment fell to raiding ABC officers during the week ending January 20, according to a report submitted by L. L. Basnight, of Plymouth, chief ABC officer for Washington County. A summary of the raids follows: January 18—Site in Pea Ridge raided by Basnight and Robert Sawyer, yielded 2 barrels of mash, cap and worm, but no still. January 18—Bib new copper still, cap and worm, 7 barrels of mash, cooling barrel, doubling keg, oil burner, compressor tank, jugs and funnel taken in Skin ncrsville. January 19—Copper still, cap and worm, 3 barrels of mash, cooling barrel, doubling keg, buckets and jugs taken at site up Dismal Road deep in swamp back of Davis farm. The raids were made by Bas night and Sawyer. IN COUNTY SUNDAY The Rt. Rev. Thomas H. Wright, Bishop of the Diocese of East Carolina, will visit two county churches next Sunday, holding a confirmation service and preaching at Grace Church in Plymouth at 11 a. m., and at St. Luke’s Church in Roper at P.p. m. The public is inv. uj . > all services. Week-End Meter Receipts To Go To Polio Drive -4 Unofficial Report Through Saturday Shows Between $500 and $750 Raised To ward $3,000 Goal -♦ The drive to raise a quota of $3,000 for the March of Dimes in Washington County received a boost this week with the decision of the Town of Plymouth to con tribute its share of parking meter receipts for Friday and Saturday to the cause, Thomas F. Hopkins, county director of the campaign, announced today. No official tabulations of re ceipts thus far were available at press time, but it was stated un officially that through reports of last Saturday the drive had nett ed between $500 and $750. The quota set for the county this year is the highest in the history of the polio fund drives, Hopkins said. Last year the quota was $2,500 and the final report showed $2,786 collected. Representatives of the Plym outh Woman’s Club will receive contributions from patrons of the local theatres during the cam paign. as has ben done in past years, it was announced. Also, as an aid to the thorough adver tisement of the drive, 250 paper iron lungs with coin slots have been distributed over the county for use in collecting contributions and 600 posters of three types have been distributed. These in clude 100 colored posters. In the town of Plymouth, 100 lapel type receptacles have been I (Sc~POLIO DRIVE, Page 12) More Volunteer Thun Inducted Here -♦ Up to the first of January, Washington County had more registrants from 18 to 26 to volun teer than had been drafted, but calls bein greceived will reverse the order before much longer, it was learned this week at the of fice of the local selective service board. The availability report compiled as of January 1st show ed that 31 registrants had enlist ed, 26 white and 5 colored; while only 15 had been drafted, 7 white and 8 colored. However, the January indue tion call was for 25 men, and another call has been received for 15 more to report February. En listments of county registrants during the present month have been at a high rate, but the gap is closing and by the time March calls are received, it is probable that the number inducted will exceed the number volunteered. The local board is now sending questionnaires and notices to re port for examination to regis trants reaching the age of 19 in rapid succession. The availability report of January 1 showed total registration of 1,115; 58(1 white and 529 colored. The total classi fied was 994, 529 white and 461: colored, others not having reach ed their 19th bidthday. The tota' examined and acceptable was 29 15 white and 14 colored, wit’/ most of that number getting call; during the month. There wen 126 registrants in class 1-A no examined, 57 white and 69 color ed, with many of these also call cd since or soon to get calls. Four Civil Cases Continued; Court Completes Term New Trial Ordered in Shu gar-Davenpori Case; Sen tence Changed in Crimi nal Case Four civil cases were continued to another term of court as Wash ington County Superior Court wound up its January mixed term here Thursday and adjourn ed. Other cases disposed of, not re ported last week, were: In the matter of the will of Mamie Hassell, will dated Aug ust, 1946, was declared to be the last will and testament of Mamie Hassell and subsequent will, dat ed October 14, 1948, was declar ed inoperative, void and of no effect. The propounder of the will, George Hassell, was taxed with costs of the action. In the case of J. S. Shugar versus John J. Davenport, relat ing to crop settlement, the verdict returned by the jury was that plaintiff recover $21.09 and that defendant, in counter claim, re cover $466.53. Plaintiff, through counsel, moved to set aside the verdict on the ground that it was contrary to law, the instructions of the court, and not supported by evidence. The court ordered a new trial, the verdict being set aside. D. J. Brinkley was appointed court surveyor in two actions, T. E. Ainsley versus Cecil Nixon, and S. B. Davenport versus T. W. Tarkenton. to survey and make maps showing the conten tions in the cases, with each party in each case ordered to deposit with the clerk $23 to defray costs of the survey. Chester King versus D. O. Pat rick was non-suited. In a criminal action tried the first week of court, a sentence of 3 months was imposed on James Bell, jr., for assault with a dead ly weapon. The court ordered the sentence stricken out, and in lieu of it the sentence of 6 months suspended upon payment of $50 fine and costs was entered. In the case of Charles T. Gur kin and wife versus J. W. Mc v .. y asi wife - an amicable agreement was reached to estab lish a property line between lots of plaintiff and defendant. Cases continued were O. R. Griffin versus R. K. Jagars; C. W. Overton versus Marvin A. Has sell: J. R. Watkins and Company versus Ernest Frame; and W. T. Freeman versus Nello L. Teer Co. Posi Represented At District Meet -4 James E. Jethro Post No. 164 of the American Legion was well represented at the meeting of the First Division of the Department of North Carolina in Edenton Friday night. The principal speaker was the State Depart ment commander, Hugh Alexan der. A dutch supper was served. Those attending from the local post were S. M. Ca’oenter, Dal las G. Waters, D. u. Hudson, B. G. Campbell, Bob Furlough, Hu bert M. Ange, R. L. Tetterton, W. J. Weaver, Newman Allen, Jesse McNair, William Tetterton, Wil bur Perry, Hilliary Tetterton, W. S. Davenport and Benton Tetter ton. -4 Admissions and Discharges Ai Hospital in Past Week —4 Records at the Washington County Hospital show that the following persons have been ad mittted and/or discharged there from last Thursday through yes terday noon: Admissions, white: Mrs. P. C. Blount, Jamesville; Mcsdames C. J. Norman and Mary C. Rober son, Pcarlie Craddock and Master James Stanley Allen, all of Plymouth; Mesdames Leon Swain and R. L. Gardner and Miss De lores Van Garsel, Roper: T. L. Smith, Washington: Wade Fields, Sanford: and Miss Linda Hud son, Plymouth. Admissions, colored: none. Discharges, white: Mesdames Blount. Roberson. Swain. Gard ner, Lillian Hudson. Jack Midgett and Hope Harney and W'ade Fields. Discharges, colored: none. -♦ Bible College Group to Give Program at Holly Neck -4 The choral group of Roanoke Bible College. Elizabeth City, will present a musical program at Holly Neck Christian Church Wednesday night, January 31, church officials have announced. The group is headed by Miss Pearl Pressley and Field Repre sentative Harold C. Turner. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 8 o'clock. The public is cordially invited. PASSES SUDDENLY W. Roy Hampton, former State Senator and Chairman of the State Board of Conserva tion and Development, died shortly after reaching the county hospital here yesterday morning after being stricken with a sudden heart attack at his home less than an hour be fore. Mrs. Mittie Fagan Died Last Friday After Long Illness —♦— Funeral at Dardens Metho dist Church Sunday; Was Mother of Mrs. J. F. Jor dan, of Plymouth -4 Mrs. Mittie Wynne Fagan, 80, died Friday night. January 19, about 11:30 o'clock in the Martin General Hospital at Williamston after a long illness. Mrs. Fagan, descendant of a long line of for bears distinguished in early North Carolina history, was the widow of the late Charles Car roll Fagan, of Dardens, and had made her home in that com munity for many years. B irn in Columbia on December 27, 1870. Mrs. Fagan was the datxdtfer of Elizabeth Ann Has selWti'Al Thomas Daniels Wynne. She was the last surviving great great - granddaughter of Peter Wynne, who was active in Colon iial affairs prior to and during j the period of the American Revo lutionary War. Mrs. Fagan was educated in Columbia Academy and taught school for several terms before her marriage, on December 18, 1892, to Charles Carroll Fagan, of the Dardens section of Martin County. Her husband served in the legislature for several terms and held several state offices i prior to his death on January 21,1 1922. With the exeception of about five years, when they lived in Raleigh while Mr. Fagan was a state official, Mrs. Fagan lived at her country home at Dardens from the time of her marriage until her death last week. She was well informed and maintained an active interest in local, state and national event* throughout her lifetime. Joining the Methodist Church in Colum bia in early girlhood, she never removed her membership, al though active in affairs of all the neighborhood churches in the Dardens community until her health began to fail. An entertaining writer, she was author of numerous articles that appeared in newspapers and periodicals throughout the state. She had an abiding interest in | family history and compiled au-; thentic records of seven genera-1 tions of the Wynne, Hassell, Fa-! gan and Daniels families, from which she was descended or re- j lated by marriage. Mrs. Fagan is survived by one son, Carroll B. Fagan, of Dardens, who is now in McGuire Hospital at Richmond, Va.; and one daugh ter, Mrs. J. Frank Jordan, of Plymouth. She also leaves a fos ter daughter, Mrs. James M. Bon ner, of Bonnerton: two grand sons, Maj. Hugh F. Jordan, of the U. S. Air Force, now station ed in Tokyo, Japan; and William C. Fagan, of Dardens; in addit ion to five great-grandchildren. Funeral services were held from the Dardens Methodist Church last Sunday afternoon at 3 o'clock, with the Rev. D. L. Fouts, of Plymouth, in charge. Interment was made in the fam ily plot in the church cemetery. -+ W. R. Hampton Is Victim Of Sudden Heart Attack State Officials Shocked By Passing of Hampton State officialdom was shocked and saddened by the sudden pass ing of W. Roy Hampton, of Plym outh, here yesterday morning. Messages of condolence and tri bute have been pouring into the home of the family from men and women in all walks of life since the news of his death was circu lated yesterday. Both houses of the North Caro lina General Assembly adjourned as a tribute of respect shortly af ter convening yesterday morning. Motion to adjourn in the senate, of which Mr. Hampton was a former member, was offered by Senator Hugh G. Horton, of Mar tin County; while in the house the motion was offered by Repre sentative W. J. Woolard, of Plymouth, and seconded by R. Bruce Etheridge, of Manteo, close personal friend of Mr. Hampton and former director of the board of Conservation and Development. Governor W. Kerr Scott said: “In the death of Roy Hamp ton the state has lost one of its most public-spirited and unselfish citizens. As a member of the Board of Conservation and De velopment since 1937 and its chairman since early last year, Roy Hampton devoted himself unsparingly to the task of build ing a better North Carolina . . "This is a terrible blow to us,” said George Ross, conservation di rector. Recalling that he and Hampton were classmates at State College, Ross said “His death is a personal loss to me. His easy manner and lovable dis position have been most helpful to me since I became director of conservation and development.” Representative R. Bruce Ethe ridge, of Dare County, conserva tion director for 16 years, said that in Hampton’s death “North Carolina, and particularly east ern North Carolina, has lost one of its very best friends. Person ally, I lost one of my closest friends.” Steady B.& L. Growth Shown by Statement Assets Increased by Nearly 27 Per Cent in Past Year; Number and Amount of Loans Also Up -♦ Continued growth of the Plym outh Building & Loan Association is reflected in the annual state ment published this week, as compared with the statement pre pared about a year ago. Total assets increased during the year from $318,218.25 to $403,723.29; an advance of $85,505.04, or near ly 27 per cent. Much of the increase is due to the growth in number and amount of mortgage loans in force now, as compared with the total a year ago. On December 31, 1949, mortgage loans aggre gated $292,370, while on the same date at the end of 1950 the amount advanced to $372,195, up $79,825 in the 12-month period. There are 132 such loans out standing. ranging in amount from $200 to $9,500, and none of which exceed 70 per cent of the apprais ed value of the property. All of this money was loaned to share holders on improved real estate holdings to enable them to buy or make improvements to their homes. Stock loans now stand at $9,273, a slight decrease from the $13,435 in force a year ago. During the year the association increased its issuance of full-paid stock from $119,000 to $153,500. At the present time 3 per cent in terest is paid on full-paid stock. Undivided profits, to be appor tioned to shareholders as their stock matures, now stands at $15,372.19. In addition, a reserve fund of $20,000 has been set aside to care for any contingencies that may arise. At the start of 1951 the associ ation had 6,350 shares of install ment stock in force, on which a total of $191,380.60 had been paid. Total number of stockholders was 265. This class of stock is now earning a little over 4 per cent -4 Sea Scouts to Collect Old Waste Paper on Saturday -4 Plymouth Sea Scouts Skipper, Dr. Alban Papineau, announced today that the group would begin canvassing both sides of Washing ton Street Saturday morning for the collection of waste paper. All householders having old paper on hand which they would like to contribute to the drive, are asked to have it on the porches. A schedule of other streets to be worked will be announced later. Interest Mounts On 1950 Taxes County and town tax collect ors are reminding citizens who have not yet paid their 1950 taxes that the state schedule of interest becomes effective af ter Wednesday, January 31, on all unpaid tax accounts. The interest starts off in February at 1 per cent, increases to 2 per cent on March 1st, and then goes up Yi of 1 per cent each month thereafter on unpaid taxes. Tax payers who settle their last year’s accounts by next Wednesday can save the 1 per cent interest. There can be no exceptions, as the interest charge is required by state law. 9 Watches Stolen In Break-in Here Thursday Night -4 Show Window ai Economy Auto Supply Smashed with Brick and Thieves Make Off with Loot -4 A thief or thieves smashed a hole in one of the plate glass windows at Economy Auto Sup ply store on West Water Street sometime Thursday night and made off with 9 watches which had been left in the display win dow. Discovery of the break-in was made shortly after six o’clock Friday morning by Joe Gray Beasley, an oil truck driver. W. C. Hail, co-owner and manager of the store, had entered at six o’clock but did not notice any thing amiss. Beasley followed him in the store, coming out a few minutes later, at which time he made the discovery. Part of a brick was found on the floor of the display window and a watch was found on the sidewalk outside. Another watch was in the display window, ap parently out of reach of the thieves, who reached through the opening made in the glass and took 9 watches, retail value of which was placed by Hall at ! $436.50. No insurance was car ried on the merchandise, Hall said. Was Chairman of State Board of Conservation and Development; Final Rites This Afternoon •-♦ William Roy Hampton, chair man and senior member of the State Eoard of Conservation and Development and a prominent figure in the business, political and social life of Washington County for upwards of half a century, died Wednesday morn ing here after suffering a sudden heart attack. Mr. Hampton, 61 years of age last September, was stricken at his home on East Main Street about 7:30 and passed away just after reaching the Washington County Hospital less than an hour later. Funeral services will be held from Grace Episcopal Church here at 4 o’clock Thursday after noon, with the rector of the church, the Rev. E. M. Spruill, in charge, assisted by the Rev. Mor timer W. Glover, jr., rector of St. James Episcopal Church, Wil mington. Interment will be made in the Hampton plot at Grace church cemetery. Mr. Hampton had been in his usual good health, attending to business matters at his office here Tuesday, later going to a dinner meeting of the Rotary Club and services at Grace Church. About 7:30 Wednesday morning he call ed to his son, W. R. Hampton, jr., in an adjoining room and asked that his physician be summoned. Dr. T. L. Bray responded within a few moments, and the fire de partment resuscitator was taken to his home by Fire CMef Miller Warren to provide oxygen. He failed to respond, and an ambu lance was called, but he died shortly before 8:30, just after reaching the hospital room. As a member and chairman of the State Board of Conservation and Development, Mr. Hampton had devoted largely of his time for development of the natural resouces of the state. He was especially interested in the state’s commercial fishing industry and assisted in writing many of the laws affecting that industry. Mr. Hampton had been a mem ber of the Board of Conservation and Development since 1937, when he was first appointed by Governor Clyde R. Hoey. Inter nationally recognized for his knowledge and experience in the fishing industry, he was made chairman of the commercial fish eries committee of the board in 1939, retaining that post after he became chairman of the whole board on October 25, 1949. He also was a member of the federal commission set up a few years ago to reach agreements on fishing industry conservation methods with similar groups from other nations bordering the Atlantic Ocean in the western hemisphere. He spent some time in Cuba and Mexico last October and Novem ber in connection with his work on this international commission. (See HAMPTOrCPage^) Quota Is Same For Party Day -♦ H. H. Allen, of Plymouth, chairman of the Democratic exe cutive committee of Washington County, said yesterday that the quota asked of the county this year for the Jefferson-Jackson Day dinner was $150, the same amount as a year ago. The dinner, an annual affair among Democrats of the state, will be held in Raleigh Saturday evening, February 10, Mr. Allen said. The speaker for the occas ion has already been secured and announced. He is the recently elected Senate majority leader, Senator Ernest W. McFarland, of Arizona. It is expected that three per sons from the county will attend the dinner but arrangements are not yet certain. County persons attending the affair last year were Representative and Mrs. E. O. Arnold, of Skinnersville, and Ed L. Owens, of Plymouth. Only Five Days Left for Tax Listing With only five listing days re maining and hardly more than half the property owners of Washington County having al ready listed their holdings for j taxes so far, it seems inevitable i that there will be some property owners in the county penalized I for tardiness in listing. That was the picture this week according to information from H. L. Davenport, County Tax Super visor. Mr. Davenport stated that Scuppernong Township property owners were about 55 per cent through listing while in Lees Mill Township the listing job was 50 per cent completed and in Skin nersville Township about 45 per , cent have listed. Plymouth ; Township was slightly more than half done by late Wednesday, ac cording to figures released by Township lust Taker Clarence L. Blount, of Plymouth. Mr. Blount reported 1200 out of approximately 2200 property owners in the township had al ready listed their holdings. The picture in Plymouth itself was much brighter as List Taker W. A. Roebuck reported around 1,000 listed out of about 1300. In view of the general situa tion over the county, list takers are expecting a terrific rush in the remaining time of grace as property owners seek to get in under the wire and escape penal ties. Absolutely no extension of time will be made, it was said, and all persons who have not list ed by the end of the day next (See TAX LISTING, Page 12)~ ; Roper Kighs, All-Siars In Benefit Games Monday -- School officials at Roper have announced that there will be a basketball double-header in the Roper School gymnasium next Monday night for the benefit of the county polio drive. The game will pit the girls and boys teams of Roper High against two Roper All-Star aggregations. The girls’ game will start at 7:30