T.
own
opics
As busy as he’s been serving as
a witness in numerous eases dur
ing the past two weeks at the
January term of Washington
County Superior Court here, State
Highway Patrolman Carl Gil
christ, of Plymouth, is mighty
thankful the highway wrecks
g have been scarce. There’s iust a
* bare chanre. too, that the speed
sters are thankful that Carl has
been so busy.
Gilbert Vaughan, who does a
little basketball officiating in ad
dition to his big-game hunting
when he can get away from the
Beacon Linotype, received a pair
of gold-rimmed spectacles in the
mail last week. It seems that
Gilbert recently “called” a game
between the Creswell and Rope”
boys, decided in the last 5 second •
when a Roper player hit from
mid-cotirt on a desperation toss
to win by a single point. One of
the Creswell players sent Gilbert
the glasses, along with a note ex
plaining that he admired the
referee’s “integrity.” It would in
dicate the Creswell youth be
lieves Gilbert calls ’em as he sees
’em all right but also believes
he ought to see ’em better. Well,
it’s about the season of the year
when some players—and coaches
—seem to forget that for every
winner there must be a loser.
Jack Booker, son of Mr. and
| Mrs. W. H. Booker, left this
morning for Lackland Air Force
Base, San Antonio, Texas, where
he is to enter the Air Force for
a two-year tour of duty. He is
the second young Plymouth re
serve officer to be called to active
duty with the Air Force in the
past two months. Clarence O.
Kelly, jr., son of Mr. and Mrs.
Clarence Kelly reported about
the middle of November and is
at Francis E. Warren Air Force
now at an Air Force supply school
Base, Cheyenne, Wyo. Both young
men graduated at the University
of North Carolina last June and
received commissions as second
lieutenants in the Air Force Re
serve.
Plymouth’s volunteer firemen
are in solid agreement that Wed
nesday morning was really a cold
one for stirring early. And stir
early they did. The alarm was at
7 o’clock for a burned out chim
ney in a colored residence on
Chestnut Street. There was no
|p damage.
The picture of Roy Swain, local
barber, gTaces (?) a page in the
current issue of Look magazine.
Roy and Gilmer Ayers were at
Myrtle Beach last summer and
Roy happened to get in on the
picture taking when a Look
photographer posed him at a table
in 'a local restaurant. Ever since
then, Gilmer and Roy have been
scanning each successive issue of
Look for the picture. Finally,
Gilmer began to tell Roy that
the photographer was only kid
ding and that his picture would
not appear in the magazine. Then
suddenly there it was.
-4
Dr. Wolverion To
Give Lecture Here
The Rev. Wallace I. Wolverton,
. Ph.D., rector of St. Paul's Church,
1 Greenville, and professor of
Christian Ethics at East Caro
lina College, will deliver a lecture
on “Communism and Christiani
ty” at the parish house of Grace
Episcopal Church, Plymouth Mon
day evening, January 18th, at 8
o’clock. The public is cordially in
vited.
Dr. Wolverton attended Duke
University 1929-31. He received
his Masters’ Ph.D. degrees from
the University of Chicago. He was
assistant professor in the school
of Religion at the University of
Oklahoma 1933-34. He was chap
lain of the U. S. A.A.F. from 1936
to 1952. He is the author of two
books on the 8th century pro
phets:
There will be an informal in
termission at Monday evening’s
program at which time the public
may meet and talk with the
speaker.
, 1,278 License Plates
Issued Here to Date
Sales of state motor vehicles
license plates at the local branch
of the Carolina Motor Club are
about on a par with the pace gen
erally maintained during past sea
sons here, it was reported this
week.
With the deadline drawing rap
idly nearer, it appears that some
what more than one third of the
number of plates usually issued
at the local office have been sold.
Total sales through business of
Tuesday were reported as 1,278
by Janies H. Ward, office mana
ger of the branch which is locat
ed on Washington Street near the
Mayflower Restaurant.
Of the licenses issued through
Tuesday, 907 were for passenger
cars, two for motorcycles, 219 for
private trucks, 40 for farm trucks,
88 for Class Z or small utility
trailers, and 22 for Class C, or
commercial trailers.
Motor vehicles, to be legally
operated on and after February
l, must display the new plates or
they will be subject to prosecu
tion. Patrolmen will begin citing
delinquents to the courts who are
caught operating motor vehicles
without the new plates, begin
ning February 1.
Office hours at the branch
license office here are from 9 a.
m. to 4 p. m., the early closing
being necessitated by daily re
ports of sales which must be tabu
lated and mailed by 6 p. m. each
day.
The Roanoke Beacon
****** and Washington County News ******
Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Thursday, January 14, 1954
ESTABLISHED 1889
VOLUME LXV—NUMBER 2
I NEW OFFICERS INSTALLED AT PERSEVERANCE LODGE HERE LAST TUESDAY]
New officers of Perseverance Lodge, No. 5), A.F. & 9.M., are pictured above following their
installation here Tuesday night of last week. Tic.v were installed by II. B. Carawan, of Wash
ington, district deputy grand master, assisted b>- J. O. Jordan, also of Washington, as marshall.
Left to right in the front row above are Mr. Carawan, installing officer; Hilton Dunbar, senior
warden; Harry L. Garrett, master: W. Chessoi, junior warden; and Mr. Jordan, marshall. Left
to right back of the front row are: .1. M. Gilreath, senior deacon; G. R. Leggett, jr., junior deacon;
IV. C. Hall, tiler; B. G. Campbell, treasurer; R. II. Lucas, chaplain; Bill Styons and Marvin Ange,
stewards. W. A. Roebuck, secretary of the lodget wis not present when the picture was made.—Pola
roid 1-Minute staff photo.
Court Clears Docket
And Quits Tuesday
Good Attendance
At Farm Classes
Attendance has steadily in
creased at the series of special
farm meetings or classes being
held at the Agriculture Build
ing here this week. Classes are
being held in the auditorium
with specialists in various fields
of agriculture from the State
College Extension Service on
hand to bring the latest recom
mendations in many phases of
farming.
The classes began Tuesday
and arc continuing through
Thursday, with morning and
afternoon sessions being held.
The program for Thursday in
eludes consideration of poultry,
turkeys, beef cattle, sheep and
swine. Discussions are enliven
ed and illustrated with colored
slides. County Agent W. II. Pru
den has termed the scries of
meetings “the most important
held here in a long time.”
Republicans Set
Convention Date
The Washingtn County Repub
lican Executive Committee has
announced that the 1954 precinct
conventions will be held Tuesday,
January 26. The places will be an
nounced next week. All Eepubli
cas are urged to keep the date
open for the convention.
Plan of organization calls for a
convention in each geeral elect
ion year to be held in each pre
cinct and suggests the same date
for all precinct conventions
The precinct committee is to
consists of five members to be
elected by the registered Repub
lican voters of the precinct, with
me member to be designated as
chairman. Delegates to the coun
ty convention will also be elected
Additional information can be
secured from the leaders of the
Republican party, E. A. Harrison,
county chairman, precinct No. 1,
r. D. Somerville, precinct no. 2,
Rarton Swain, Lees Mill, Stark
rfolton, Skinnersville, W. T.
^helps, Scuppernong, and Mar
/in Rose, Wenona.
! Lizzie Patrick Convicted of
Manslaughter and Sen
tenced To 10-Year Prison
Term
-+
The jury returned a verdict of
guilty of manslaughter in the Liz
zie Patrick case at 5 p. m. Tues
day, Judge Chester Morris sen
tenced the defendant to a 10-year
prison term and shortly there
after, court expired by limitation.
Defendant, through counsel,
noted an appeal and bond was
fixed at $20,000.
The trial, charging Lizzie Pat
rick with the pistol slaying
of her husband, Johnny Patrick,
at the home of the Negro couple
in Skinnersville last March, open
ed Monday morning.
No unusual difficulty was ex
perienced in selecting a jury and
evidence in the case was offered
throughout the day and a good
part of Tuesday. Arguments of
counsel and the judge’s charge to
the jury were completed late in
the day and the jury, after get
ting the case, deliberated only
about an hour before bringing in
the verdict.
The case charging Ronald
Boyce Kulow with manslaughter
in the death of Martha Hornthal,
of Plymouth, in an automobile
accident at Roper August 27, 1953,
was begun last. Thursday and end
ed in acquittal of the defendant,
Friday. The jury brought in tbe|
verdict at 3:30 o'clock Friday af-|
ternoon. The case went to the|
jury at 11:55 a. m. Friday
At the conclusion of state’s'
evidence in the case, a motion for!
non-suit was made by Defense I
Counsel W. L. Whitley, of Plym-!
outh. The motion was denied and:
excepted by the court.
The case perhaps attracted'
greater interest than any other
tried during the term of court.
Other court proceedings, not re
ported last week, are summed up
as follows:
John Davenport, larceny, nol
pr os;
Herbert Taylor, assault with a
deadly weapon, nol pros with
leave;
Judgment absolute for State to
recover $200 from Walter Nor
man, principal, and John T. Hall
and Guy Brown, sureties. (Nor- ]
man was called at the July term |
nf court and failed to answer and
a Judgment Nisi was entered
against him and Judgment Sci.
Sce^COCRT, Page 10
Examination Announced
For Rural Carrier Here
-«
The United States Civil Service
Commission has announced an
examination to fill the position
of rural carrier for the post office
at Plymouth.
Applicants for this examination
must actually reside with
in the delivery of the above-men
tioned post office and must have
so resided for one year next pre
ceding the closing date for receipt
of applications. Age limits, waiv
ed for persons entitled to veteran
preference, are from 18 to 50.
Full information and applica
tion forms may be obtained at the
above-mentioned post office or
from the Commission’s Washing
ton office. Applications must be
filed with the U. S. Civil Service
Commission, Washington 25, D. C.,
not later than February 11, 1954.
Report of Grand
Jury Asks Minor
Building Repaii
Prison Camp Found in Gooc
Condition, Jail Clean, anc
Courthouse Fair; Recom
mend Painting, Repairs
The grand jury report, submit
ted to Judge Chester Morris las
week, recommended minor re
pairs to several county building
and to school busses, declared re
ports of the justices of the peacf
made in satisfactory manner anc
listed delinquent guardians.
The report stated that the juror;
found the jail clean and sanitarj
and that interviews with prison
ers showed that wholesome foot
was being served in sufficien'
quantity to meet the needs.
The courthouse condition wa;
listed as generally good. How
ever repairs were recommended
for the wall in the southwest cor
ner because of livater seepage
painting the register of deeds of
fice was recommended and new
curtains for courtroom windows.
An inspection of school proper
ty disclosed that the roof at Cres
well Colored School leaks at the
north end and that some window
panes are out.
The jurors found floors worn
in the old building at Roper Col
ored School and many window
panes out. At Roper High School,
the report stated, the building is
under repair and expected to be
completed in a week or so. It was
said that the Celotex was falling
in the auditorium and that the
plaster in the hall ceiling was in
bad condition. Tile needs replac
ing at the doorway to one of the
classrooms. It was also recom
mended that classrooms and halls
be painted and windows repaired.
The report further stated that
the body found the gym “a dis
grace to the other part of the
buildings.”
At Plymouth Colored School,
the repoirt continued, the roofing
is in poor condition, window panes
are out and there is poor fastening
af doors in the gym. Improper
door stops and rotting eaves in
several places were also listed,
rhc annex to the school should
~ See GRAND JURY, Page's™
NEW ROCHELLE SCOUTS ABOARD 'ALBEMARLE' |
The group of Sea Scouts and their skipper from New
Rochelle, N. Y., who recently visited the Plymouth Sea Scouts for
a few days are shown here aboard the Sea Scout Ship Albemarle.
Pictured are Howard Yeomans, Brad Yeomans, Peter Bade, Skip
per Douglas Williams, Gordon Schlafer and Lou Vario. While
here the scouts were handsomely entertained and reported an
enjoyable visit.
Two County Men
On Korean List
'Presumed Dead'
Ffc. John C. Blount, Jr., and
Pfc. Eddie C. Baker Miss
ing in Action Over Year
In Korea
The names of two Washington
County soldiers were included
among personnel who have been
missing in action for more than
a year and in which cases a pre
■ umptive finding of dead has been
made, announced January 8 by
the Department, of the Army.
They were listed ns Pfc. Eddie C.
Baker, son of Mrs. Marv Baker,
of Rt. 2, Roper, and Pfc. John C.
Blount, jr., son of Mrs. Alice M.
Blount. Rt. 1, Plymouth.
Blount, second reported county
casualty of the Korean fighting,
enlisted in the service June 9.
1950. following his graduation in
May from Plymouth Colored High
School. In September of that year
he was sent to Japan with the
Third Infantry Division.
The last letter received by
Blount’s mother from him was on
December 4, 1950, she said, and
the letter was dater November
11. He stated in that letter that
he was on a ship en route to
Korea from Japan and he asked
that his people back home pray
for him. Blount’s parents were
notified January 2, 1951, by the
War Department at Washington
that the soldier had been missing
in action since November 27.
Baker was the third county
casualty officially reported from
Korea and the second to be re
ported missing in action. His par
ents were notified January 10,
1951. that he had been missing in
action since December 6, 1950.
The young man was with a heavy
artillery unit attached to the
Seventh Infantry Division.
The youthful soldier, not quite
18, enlisted in the Army on Sep
tember 29, 1949. Prior to that
time he attended school in Plym
outh. He left the east coast on
August 6, 1950, arrived in Tokyo,
Japan, on August 21, and went on
to Korea early in September of
that year.
Bids Soon To Be Received
For Roper Relocation Job
Washington County is among
the 11 counties which will share
in highway improvements on
which bids have been advertised
for by the State Highway Com
mission.
Bids will be received in Raleigh
January 26 and two days later
the commission will meet to re
view the low bids received. Other
counties for which projects are
included were listed as Beaufort,
Johnston, Wayne, Nash, Moore.
Burke, Graham, Carteret and
Pender.
The Washington County project
calls for 1.30 miles of coarse ag
gregate base course and paving
with bituminous surface treat
ment in the relocation of US 64
and NC 32 through Roper. The
new location of the road will be
a by-pass of the Roper business
section.
-•
Now Two Openings in
County, Ranger Says
-4
County Forest Ranger S. F.
Darden stated this week that
there are now two openings for
men in fire protection work in
the county.
Mr. Darden said a smokeehaseT
is needed at the Plymouth tower
and that a towerman is needed
at Scuppernong. Anyone desir
ing work of this nature should
contact Mr. Darden at Plymouth.
About Third of Property
Listed to Date for Taxes
| HERRING BREAKFAST FOR JUDGE AND SOLICITOR |
Solicitor Elbert S. Peelt, of YVilliamston, and Judge Chester
A. Morris, of Coinjock, had just finished their breakfast of Roan
oke River corned herring at the Mayflower Restaurant when this
photo was made one morning last week while they were holding
the January term of Washington County Superior Court here.
Appointed solicitor by Governor llmstead in November, when
George M. Fountain, of Tarboro, was elevated to the superior
court bench, Mr. Peelc has announced he will be a candidate for
the solicitorship of the second judicial district in the Democratic
primary in May. He was state senator from the second district
during the 1!>2!) and 1931 sessions of the General Assembly.—Pola
roid 1-Minute staff photo.
Organization Set Up
For March of Dimes
Thirty-Four Volunteers Tc
Conduct House-To-House
Solicitations Next Week
End
-♦
The organization of volunteei
workers for the 1954 March o
Dimes in Washington County wai
completed this week, the count;
chairman, Thos. F. Hopkins, an
nounced.
Mr, Hopkins stated that coir
coi{jj|rtoM have been placed in th(
bus iij'i iouaei*’n Plymouth anc
I that all materials relative to th<
drive have been distributee
throughout the county.
House-to-house solicitations are
to be made in Plymouth by i
corps of workers Thursday, Fri
day and Saturday of next week
Mrs. Tom Hopkins, chairman oi
the house-to-house work, an
nounced a list of 34 workers in
cluding Mesdam-es H. C. Carter
Ray Brown, Tom Sanderson, Wil
lie Hedgepeth, A. F. Buchanan
Helen Watson, Seaton Overton
George Harrison, Russell Owens
I.ucy Hudson, W. If. Oliver, Fred
Humphreys, W. P. Merllin, H. W
Everett, Bill Pruden, H. H. Wynn
Lyman Mayo, Virgil Styons, Bon
nie Lillev, Lucille Cutler, Lewis
Price, Clarence Blount, George
Barden, Joe Arps, Joe Foster, Bill
Folkerts, Maurice Smith, N. J.
Nobles, Jimmie Gilreath, Perry
Turner and Tom Culberth, and
Misses Marie and Maxine Baynor.
Mr. Hopkins announced the
following general organizations
and various local chairmen:
County treasurer, Nick Ange;
publicity chairman, James Bond;
Plymouth business solicitations,
Melvin Boyd; Plymouth white
schools, Rev. C. N. Barnette;
Queen’s committee chairman, Mrs.
Dick Norman; Plymouth colored
chairman, A. R. Lord; material
distribution, A. J. Ange, Steve
and Larry Hopkins and Lowes
Moore; Creswell white chairman,
Mrs. Gladys Davenport; Creswell
colored chairman, P. W. Little
john; Roper white chairman, Mi’s.
Beulah Gaylord: Roper colored
chairman^E. V. Wilkins; Mackeys
chairman, Mrs. Herbert Chesson;
Wenona chairmen. Mr. and Mrs.
Oliver Stotesberry.
The six-dime cards will be used
lor solicitation by students in the
schools, the chairman stated.
Local Police Chief To
Head Officers' Group
Plymouth Police Chief P. W.
Brown was elected to succeed
Sheriff M. W. Holloman, of Mar
ton County, as president of the
Mart in-Washington County Peace
Dfficers’ Association at a recent
meeting of the group in Rober
;onville.
Corporal M. C. Byrum, of Mar
tin County, was named vice presi
lent, and Deputy Sheriff D. A.
Roberson, also of Martin, seere
;ary. Patrolman B. W, Parker, of
Martin, continues in the office of
;reasurer.
Included on the executive
>oard of the association are two
officers from this county—Plym
outh Policeman Foy Davenport
md State Highway Patrolman
Harl Gilchrist, stationed at Plym
outh,
1 ].j
jBeginWednesday
I Holiday Closing
At a meeting Tuesday after
noon at the Mayflower Restau
rant a group of Plymouth mer
chants voted to begin the Wed
nesday half-holiday closings
Wednesday of next week and to
continue the practice through
the last Wl^n, flay In Septem
ber. ..».
Business places, other than
grocery stores, will close on
Wednesdays at 12 noon with
the grocers closing an hour
later, it was decided. The meet
ing was called by Thos. F. Hop
kins, president of the merchants
association, and attended by
about 15 persons. Stores in most
nearby towns have already be
gun the half-holiday closings.
Auction Market
To Operate Here
-4
About 150 persons attended a
meeting at the courthouse here
Wednesday night to discuss the
proposed produce auction market
for Plymouth. James H. Ward,
one of the partners in the new
enterprise, presided and present
ed W. M. Darden who outlined
the need for such a market
W. T. Freeman reported that
several buyers had been contact
ed and that many would be rep
resented on the market here, in
cluding the Atlantic Commission
Company, said to be the world’s
largest produce buyers.
Several State College Extension
Service specialists were present
and spoke enthusiastically for the
new market, pointing but that
Plymouth would be an ideal lo
cation and that the auction mar
ket is the answer to what is need
ed. Representatives of both local
banks were also on hand, as were
the county agent and home agent.
Several farmers reported gross
income from truck crops up to
$1,000 an acre.
The market definitely will ope
rate in 1954 and it was stated
that present plans call for the
construction of necessary build
ings on the old Brinkiey Ball
Park lot.
Pettigrew Park Work
Checked by Douglas
Ben Douglas, of Raleigh, di
rector of the Department of Con
servation and Development, was
in the county last Saturday. He
visited Pettigrew State Park,
near Creswell, inspecting work
now underway there to improve
facilities, according to T. F. Dav
enport, park ranger.
A new boat pier is being con
stiucted at the Lake Phelps end
of oO-Foot Canal, brick walks are
being replaced around the old
Collins House, and roads are be
ing changed to generally improve
facilities at the park. The work
is under the direction of W. a
Tarlton, research worker for the
state department. Excavations
under his direction have uncov
ered the foundations of a number
of old buildings around the site
of the Collins and Pettigrew
plantations, as well as the walks,
which are being restored.
Work on the pier is expected to
be completed within a few weeks,
weather permitting, while other
improvments planned at the park
will require considerable more
time, according to Mr. Davenport.
County Tax Supervisor Re
ports Fair Progress; Task
In Plymouth Township
One-Third Completed
About one-third of those ex
pected to list tcxe. in Plymouth
Township—based on last year’s
figures—had listed through Wed
nesday of this week, Township
List Taker Clarence L. Blount,
reported.
Mr. Blount said there were
around 1.500 who listed in the
township last year. Through Wed
nesday, the number listing had
reached about the 500 mark.
W. A. Roebuck, who is working
along with Mr. Blount in the com
missioners' room at the court
■ house and listing for the Town
of Plymouth, termed listing to
date as “slow.”
Meanwhile, the job of listing
which must be completed by
February 1 is progressing well in
the other townships of the coun
ty, Hubert L. Davenport, county
tax supervisor, reported. Mr. Dav
enport stated that he did not have
any definite figures but that the
job was going nicely in the other
townships, including Lees Mill,
Scuppernong and Skinnersville.
Mr. Davenport urged the im
portance of early listing in order
to avoid a last-minute rush as
well as to save inconvenience to
both persons listing and to the
list takers who are usually hard
pressed as the deadline nears. He
pointed out that listing is normal
ly heaviest at the first and last
of the week and said a good time
to list would be in the middle of
the week, during the slack per
iod.
Schedules for various listers in
the county have been submitted
*o Mr. Davenport as follows:
. Lees Mill Township. R. W.
Lewis, lister: Januarv 5 and 18
at T. W. Tarkenton Store, Pleas
ant Grove; January 7 and 20 at
W. B. Davenport Store, Mackeys;
January 14 and 25 at T. R. Ches
son Store, Westover; January 11
and 22 at Radcliffe Store. We
nona; all other dates in January
and also February 1 at Knowles’
Grocery, Roper.
Scuppernong TownshiD. P. B.
Belanga, lister: January fi, 13, 20
and 27 at Cherry: January 14 and
28 at Newland; all other dates in
January and also February 1 at
Creswell.
Skinnersville Township, W. W.
White, lister: January 6 and 20
at Mrs. E. L. Cooper’s Store: Jan
uary 13 and 27 at W. E. Phelps
Store; January 28 at Mrs Mattie
P. Harirngton’s store; all other
dates in January an dalso Febru
ary 1 at W. W. White’s store.
Plymouth Township, Clarence
L. Blount, lister: all week days
during listing period in commis
sioners’ room on first floor of
courthouse here.
Persons Using Dip Nets
Need Personal License
Washington County game pro
tector J. T. Terry, of Plymouth,
wishes to eall attention to a
change in the regulations for
using dip nets (better known as
herring nets) for taking non
game fish such as herring.
Mr. Terry states that prior to
this year a license for the net was
sufficient and anyone could use
a tagged net. Now the law has
been changed to make i* neces
sary for anyone using such nets
to have an individual license, cost
of which is fifty cents, Mr. Terry
said.
These may be obtained from
the game protector or from any
of the following: Blount’s Hard
ware Store or Boyd’s Firestone
Store, in Plymouth; N. G Ches
son, Roper; H. W. Pritchett or
Harry Barnes, Creswell.
The 1954 fishing licenses are on
sale at the same places, it was
said.