T'own
opics
*
Mr. and Mrs. W. O. Allen and
family left early Wednesday
morning of this week for Los
Angeles, California, where they
will visit Mrs. Allen’s parents.
Mrs. Allen’s mother remains ill
following a serious operation re
cently and had to cancel a plan
ned trip here. The Allens are
motoring via the southern route
and expect to reach their desti
nation sometime next Monday.
They plan to return home in
about three weeks.
When Nixon T. Styons and Sel
ma Adleen Waters, both of Plym
outh, were united in marriage by
Justice of the Peace J. T. BcNair
at Mr. McNair's home here Sat
urday night of last week, it mark
ed the 172nd time in the course of
44 years that the popular magis
trate has performed the knot
tying routine. He admits, inci
dentally, that most of the knots
have been tied rather well, ap
parently. Mr. Styons is the son of i
Louis B. and Mary Styons of this |
county, while the bride is the
daughter of Otis H. Waters and
the late Sudie Waters, of Beau
fort County.
T
Richard West, Plymouth farm
er and iron, steel and glass dealer
who owns 10 Tamworth gilts, was
among those who attended the
meeting of the Tamworth Swine
Breeders’ Association of North
Carolina Tuesday on the Daniels
farm between Rocky Mount and
Zebulon. Mr. West reported a
good time and a good barbecue
Charles Schism, of Kingsport,
Tenn., a graduate of Kings Col
lege and a ministerial student,
will be in Plymouth for the sum
mer months as supply pastor of
the local Presbyterian Church.
While here, Mr. Schism will make
his home with Mr. and Mrs. G.
W. Bowen on Jefferson Street.
Services are being held in the
auditorium of the Washington
County Agriculture Building on
Adams Street, while a church
building is in process of construc
tion. The Sunday School hour is
10 a. m. and the morning wor
ship service, 11.
*
CropMeasurement
Is Underway Here
-♦
Crop reporters—15 strong—are
in the midst of the annual task
of measuring all acreage on farms
of this county planted to crops
under government acreage con
trol. Additionally, the workers
are tackling the unenviable job
yOl redetermining all crop acre
age on farms in the county.
The reporters, several of them
college students home for the
summer months, are working un
der supervision of J. Whitford
Swain, county performance sup
ervisor, who is also kept busy
much of the time spot checking
in order to insure accurate work
at the important task.
Crops under acreage control
and thus to be measured for a
check against individual allot
ments and possible overplanting
include peanuts, cotton, corn and
tobacco.
It was stated this week at the
local ASC office that spot checks
are made of each reporter’s work
and must be approved before re
porters are assigned to continue.
Every effort is being made for
complete accuracy, it was said,
and farm operators are asked to
cooperate fully with reporters in
the big measuring job in order to
expedite the work.
The Roanoke Beacon
*★★*** and Washington County News ******
A home newspaper dedicated j;j
to the service of Washington j:j
County and its 13,000 people. ji;
VOLUME LXV—NUMBER 22
Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Thursday, June 3, 1954
ESTABLISHED 1889
■J
ATTAIN HIGHEST SCHOLASTIC HONORS HERE |
Eleanor Ann Kinard, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. D. Kinard,
of Wenona, and Eugene Waters, son of Mr. and Mrs. L. V. Waters,
of Monroe Street, were honored by being named valedictorian and
salutatorian, respectively, for the 1954 graduating class at Plym
outh High School. Miss Kinard plans to enter East Carolina Col
lege at Greenville this summer, while Eugene is to enter the Uni
versity of North Carolina next fall.—Polaroid 1-Minute staff photo.
Local School Finals
Draw Large Crowds
Principal Will)
Remain On Only |
School is "out" lor ■ —Ohor
summer respite but there’s at
least one hard worker who is
not quite ready to “take off.”
Principal J. S. Fleming has
announced that his office at the
high school will be open the
remainder of this week and
from Thursday of next week
until, as he expressed it, “all
desired services can be render
ed.” Patrons should note that
the office will be closed Mon
day, Tuesday and Wednesday
of next week while Mr. and
Mrs. Felming and family will
be out of town.
Releases 8,000 Bass in
Mackeys Creek ai Roper
Game Protector J. T. Terry, of
Plymouth, stated this week that
he had released 8,000 bass from
the state hatchery, Fayetteville,
in Mackeys Creek, Roper, last
week.
The bass were sent here by
truck from Fayetteville, Terry
stated.
One of Largesl Audiences in
Hislory of School Attends
Finals Here on Monday
Night
V.'uat was described as or& of
the largest audiences in the his
tory of the Plymouth schools
overflowed the auditorium at the
high school Monday night to wit
ness graduation exercises for 41
seniors—25 girls and 16 boys.
As an innovation here, no out
side speaker was featured on the
finals program, but outstanding
members of the graduating class
supplied the occasion with excel
lent talks.
An overflow crowd was also
on hand Friday night of last week
for the class night exercises and
a good-sized audience heard the
commencement sermon on Sun
day night, ably delivered by the
Rev. Ross J. Allen, of Wilson,
secretary to the North Carolina
Christian Missionary Society.
Graduation exercises Monday
night opened with the proces
sional “March” from “Aida.” Fol
lowing the invocation by the Rev.
C. N. Barnette, minister of First
Christian Church, Plymouth, and
choral selections by the high
school glee club, the following
three seniors spoke:
Eugene Waters, “The Frontiers
See SCHOOLS, Page 12
«
COMT1 VOTE, BY PRECINCTS
Following is the official tabulation of votes, by precincts, cast in the Democratic Pri
mary in Washington County last Saturday, as certified to the county board' of elections at
the official canvass of returns in Plymouth Tuesday morning (The table does not include the
vote for commissioner in Scuppernong Township, which was as follows: Phillip M. Spruill 167,
H. W. Pritchett 151, Douglas W. Davenport 129):
COUNTY BALLOT Ply. 1 Ply. 2 L.M. Skin. Scup. Wen. Totals
For Solicitor—2d Judicial Dist.—Reg. Term
Elbert S Peel _ 322 474 222 76 278 25 1,397
Hubert E. May ...—-. 41 67> 32 14 40 1 195
For Solicitor
Elbert iS. Peel .
Hubert E. May
-2d Judic. Dlst.—Short Term
291
43
415
70
195
25
59
14
224
38
24
1
STATE BALLOT
For United State Senator—Regular Term
W. Kerr Scott_ 243
Alton Lennon.....-. 121
Alvin Wingfield, Jr- 2
A. E. Turner_ 2
Olla Ray Boyd- 2
W. M. Bostick- 1
Henry J. Sprinkle ..-.. 2
406
144
li
2
0
0
198
63
3
0
0
1
0
70
56
0
0
0
2
1
315
93
2
3
1
0
0
24
4
0
0
0
0
0
For State Treasurer
Edwin Gill
Joshua S. James..
223
95
359
124
156
51
67
9
200
61
15
9
For Insurance Commissioner
Charles F. Gold
John F. Fletcher._
199
118
292
185
142
71
35
42
131
130
12
7
1,208
191
For State Senators—2d Senatorial District
Edward L. Owens.—_______ 275 343 122 39 171 25 975
L. H. Ross........ 120 204 67 31 93 3 518
Martin Kellogg, Jr__.__.._ _72134128 24 95 1454
For Member State House of Representatives
E O Arnold _ 116 240 158 120 172 21 827
J.' M. Phelps...-___ 137 140 80 25 258 5 645
I3en A. Sumner__----- 116 17627117 > 3 340
1,256
481
8
6
5
4
3
For United States Senator—Short Term
W. Kerr Scott___ 228 367 167 49 234 25 1,070
Alton Lennon__-_ 115 133 63 34 77 4 426
Alvin Wingfield, Jr_ 1 2 3 0 9 0 16
Henry W. Sprnikle__— - - 0012407
1,020
349
811
553
TOTAL VOTE..
378
565
272
146
449
28
1,839
Probable Cause
Against Two Men
In Kidnap Case
Ambrose and Craddock Oul
On Bond To Await Trial
At July Superior Court
Term Here
-«
Charles Craddock and Irving
Ambrose are out on bond to await
trial at the July term of Superior
Court here on a kidnapping
charge, involving H. R. Stillman,
middle-aged former Creswell
merchant and now a resident of
that town.
In a preliminary hearing here
Tuesday morning before Judge
W. Ronald Gaylord, of Washing
ton County Recorder's Court,
probable cause on the charge of
“kidnapping one H. R. Stillman”
was found. Appearance bond for
each of the two young .white men
was set at $4,000 and each de
fendant was put under a $1,000
peace bond. Appeal was noted by
defendants following the latter
action and appeal bond for each
man was fixed at $100, making
the total amount under bond for
each defendant $5,100.
According to testimony offered
during the hearing, the alleged
offense took place in and around
Creswell Friday night of last
week. Ambrose is said to have
taken Stillman by the arm as the
latter was on his way to his resi
dence from the business section
and escorted Stillman to a wait
ing car under the steering wheel
of which sat Craddock. Stillman
made no outcry nor offered any
resistance, it was said, being un
der impression according to his
See KIDNAP, Page 12
-•*
Edward L. Owens
And L. H. Ross
Win Senate' Race
Ross Is High Man; Plym
. outh Attorney Ahead oi
Masiia Kellogg by Mar
gin of 1,537 Voles
—»—
Edward L. Owens, local attor
ney and landowner, and L. H.
Ross, Washington attorney, ap
parently were winners in the con
test for state senators from the
second senatorial district last
Saturday. Mr. Ross led the ticket
with a total of 8,131 votes in the
seven counties of the district; Mr.
Owens was second with 5,687; and
Martin Kellogg, jr., of Dare, was
third with 4,150.
Owens was high man in two
counties of the district, Washing
ton and Tyrrell; Ross led in four
counties, Beaufort, Martin, Hyde,
and Pamlico; and Kellogg led on
ly in his home county of Dare.
Since there is no Republican
opposition for state senators in
this district this year, Saturday's
primary vote was tantamount to
election. Mr. Owens will be the
first man from Washington Coun
ty to represent the district as a
senator since the late W. Roy
Hampton held the office in 1943.
The unofficial vote last Satur
day, by counties, follows:
Owens Ross
Washington _ 975 518
Tyrrell _ 552 354
Beaufort _ 1,245 3,857
Dare _- 263 278
Martin _- 1,880 2,138
Hyde _, 333 353
Pamlico _ 439 633
Kel'g
454
480
721
953
1,004
349
289
Totals _5,687 8,131 4.150
-4
Broom-Mat Sale
Here Is Success
-» —
More than $530 worth of
brooms and mats, made by blind
workers, were sold in Plymouth
last Thursday and Friday by
members of the local Lions Club.
The club membership was divid
ed into teams of three, which
went from house to house in all
sections of the town to make the
broom sale the most successful
ever held here.
Club officials declined to state
how much profit was realized
from the broom sale. However,
it was stated the proceeds made
it possible to buy spectacles for
10 county people who had been
certified as needing glasses but
who were financially unable to
pay for them and were not eligi
ble for public funds. The sale
also aided the non-profit firm
which makes the brooms and
mats in providing year-round
employment for 40 blind persons.
Hubert Ange, club president,
J. W. Allen, broom sale chairman,
and other Lions express their ap
preciation to all who aided in
making the sale a success, espec
iall to those who bought the
brooms and mats.
Second Primary Called To Decide
One County, One Township Races
Scoii Leads Lennon by Sub
stantial Margin in County
Vote; Apparently Has Ma
jority in State
Former Governor W. Kerr
Scott led the state ticket in Wash
ington County last Saturday, get
ting 1,256 votes for United States
Senator to 481 by the incumbent,
Alton Lennon, with 26 other votes
scattered among the five remain
ing candidates for that office. The
total vote was the smallest cast
in a Washington County Demo
cratic primary since 1948, when
only 1,600 went to the polls.
The total vote in Washington
County last Saturday was 1,839,
as compared with 1,926 two years
ago. In 1950 the county had a
record primary of 2,021, while in
1948 the vote was only about
1,600. Scuppernong Township
came up with its biggest primary
vote ever last Saturday, 449 vot
ers going to the polls there. This
was due to the three way battle
for county commissioner in that
township. Wenona also had a good
turnout for that precinct, 29 vot
ing, which is larger than usual in
a primary.
The racial issue, injected at the
last minute by Lennon forces, ap
parently had little effect in this
county. Leaflets of the “phony”
ad which appeared in the Win
ston-Salem Journal about a week
before the primary made their
appearance in the lower part of
the county Friday, and may have
had some effect in reducing
Scott's margin in the Skinners
ville and Scuppernong precincts.
So far as could be learned, they
were not used in other parts of
the county. Scott leaders charged
two state officials with sending
the leaflets into the lower part
of this county and Tyrrell last
Thursday and Friday.
In the state as a whole, Scott
has a close but apparently safe
See SCOTT, Page 7
KfewHeadquariers
For Wildlife Man
-♦
Joseph O. Early, jr., has estab
lished headquarters in Plymouth
for carrying on his duties as wild
life patrolman with the North
Carolina Wildlife Resources Com
mission.
Mr. Early transferred from
Ahoskie where he has made his
headquarters previously during
his three years of service with
the commission. His duties take
him into 13 counties embracing
Wildlife District 1—Gates, Hert
ford, Chowan, Pasquotank, Per
quimans, Bertie, Martin, Curri
tuck, Camden, Dare, Hyde, Tyr
rell and Washington. The patrol
man works closely with the game
protector in each of these coun
ties.
Mr. Early is a native of Bertie
County, the son of Mr. and Mrs.
Obed Early, of Lewiston. He is
married to the former Pauline
Wright, of Spencer, West Virgin
ia, and; there are two sons, Joe
III, 11, and David, 9.
The Earlys moved to Plymouth
Wednesday of this week and are
at home on Main Street in the
Adler house.
ATTEND SAFETY CONVENTION IN RICHMOND, VA. |
Pictured above is a group of North Carolina Pulp Company
officials and employees at the safety convention held in Richmond,
Va., last month. Host companies for the convention, which was
attended by representatives of 62 paper mills from 22 southeastern
states, were the North Carolina Pulp Company, of Plymouth, and
the Chesapeake Corporation, of West Point, Va. The Plymouth
group pictured here includes, left to right, standing: H. B. Gay
lord, personnel director; J. A. Auchter, manager; l>. .1. Darby, in
dustrial relations director; A. Jackson; sitting: Claude Jones,
Frank Collins and Joseph Peele.
Sales Light Monday
For Market Opening
Prices Hold in Line With
Those on Old Established
Markets, Operators Stale;
Volume Hike Expected
-♦
Opening on the fringe of the
“long week-end” Memorial Day
holiday and thus at a distinct dis
advantage, the brand new Plym
outh Produce Auction Market
nevertheless “carried on” this
week maintaining prices right up
with those on old, established
markets such as Fasion, Wallace,
Mount Olive, Burgaw, Clinton,
Valhalla and others.
Receipts during the week up
to Thursday came from Pitt,
Kdgecombe, Martin, Bertie, Beau
fort, Chowan, Tyrrell and Wash
ington Counties and consisted of
rather light offerings of snap
beans, squash and cabbage.
Monday’s light volume of beans
ranged in price from $1.75 to $2
per hamper. Tuesday’s market
was some weaker as, in the words
of W. T. Freeman—one of the
operators, “the trade outlets had
a four-day supply on hand due to
the Memorial week-end holiday.”
Mr. Freeman was joined by part
ners W. M. Darden and James H.
Ward in expressing expectation
of a better market with increased
volume next week when the snap
bean volume peak should come.
It was also said that light early
arrivals of cukes are expected
sometime next week on the mar
ket wh'ch is located at the old
Brinkley Ball Park site. Joe Moye
of Robersonville, is serving as
auctioneer.
Darden is market manager;
Freeman has charge of ware
housing and marketing; and Ward
is office manager. Bookkeeping
and clerical duties are being
handled by Mrs. Sylvester Harri
son, of Plymouth, and Miss Jerry
Hinson, of Whiteville.
See MARKET, Page 7
Issues Warning j
To Dog Owners j
■■■■■■•■■■a
Game Protector J. T. Terry
this week issued another warn
ing to owners of deer dogs to
restrain their dogs from run
ning deer during the off-sea
son.
Terry says such practice will
be prosecuted according to the
regulations governing such
matters. Complaints of dogs be
ing allowed to run deer have
been made recently, it is under
stood.
Install Officers
Of Woman's Club
-«
Mrs. Durand Keel will head the
Plymouth Woman’s Club for the
coming year.
Mrs. Keel was installed as pres
ident, succeeding Miss Elizabeth
Wood, at a dinner meeting of the
club held in the Episcopal Parish
House on Madison Street here.
Other incoming officers installed
were:
Mrs. Charles Roberson, first
vice president; Mrs. Lillian Shu
gar, second vice president; Mrs.
Joe Arps, recording secretary;
Mrs. Archie Modlin, treasurer;
and Mrs. Lillian Bishop, corres
ponding secretary.
Serving as installing officer
was Mrs. Effie Brickhouse, of Co
lumbia, retiring district president,
who also reported on the recent
State Federation convention held
in AsheviRe.
The meeting, the last to be held
until September, was well at
tended.
HUGE DISTILLING PLANT DESTROYED NEAR HERE LAST FRIDAY |
■
One of the largest illicit liquor manufacturing- plans ever raided in this section is that pic
tured above. It was discovered by federal and local officers about 11 a. m. last Friday, with the
boiler still hot, and destroyed by dynamite shortly after noon. Located across the river in Bertie
County, the plant was less than a half mile from the Plymouth business section and apparently
had been in operation for several months. Built on a wooden platform in the swamp about 17S
yards from the river, less than a half mile upstream from the town dock, the plant was complete
with two stills, one of 1,000 gallons capacity and another of 100 gallons capacity. Also seized and
destroyed were 3,750 gallons of mash in 87 oak and steel barrels and miscellaneous apparatus used
in making whiskey. Officers in the raiding group pictured above are Plymouth Police Chief P. W.
Brown, County ABC Officer Robert Sawyer, M. R. Harshaw, of the Elizabeth City A&TT office, and
Plymouth Policeman Paul Basnight. Fourteen sticks of dynamite were used to blow up the instal
lation.—Polaroid 1-Minute staff photo.
Arnold High, Phelps Second
In House Contest; Spruill
Leads Pritchett for Coun
ty Commissioner
-*
A second primary for Washing
ton County on Saturday, June 26,
was assured the first of this week,
when Dr, J. M. Phelps and H. W,
Pritchett filed written requests
for run-offs in the race for county
representative and county com
missioner, Dr. Phelps filed his
request Monday, even before last
Saturday's vote was officially
canvassed, and Mr. Pritchett ask
ed for a run-off in the Scupper
nong Township commissioners’
race the following day.
In the three-man race for rep
resentative, former Representa
tive E. O. Arnold, Skinnersville
merchant and orchardist, was
high man with 827 votes, only 80
short of a clear majority. Dr.
Phelps, Creswell physician, was
182 votes behind with 645; and
another former representative,
Ben A. Sumner, of Plymouth,
trailed with 340 votes. Mr. Arnold
was high man in four of the six
precincts, Plymouth No. 2, Lees
Mill, Skinnersville and Wenona.
Dr. Phelps led in Plymouth No.
1 and his home precinct of Scup
pernong, while Mr. Sumner’s best
showing was in his home precinct,
Plymouth No. 2, where he trailed
Mr. Arnold by 64 votes.
Phillip M. Spruill was top man
in the very close three-cornered
race for Scuppernong Township
member of the county board of
commissioners. He received 167
votes to 151 by Mr. Pritchett and
129 by Douglas W. Davenport.
Mr. Pritchett said Tuesday that
in view of the difference of only
See^COIJNTYT^age^ '
-4
Peel Tops Mays
By 4,000 Voles
Washington joined other coun
ties in the second judicial district
last Saturday in giving Elbert S.
Peel, of Williamston, a substant
ial margin over Hubert E. May,
of Nashville, in the contest for
district solicitor. Mr. Peel, who
now holds the position of solici
tor, led the entire ticket in this
county with 1,397 votes to 195 for
Mr. May, a majority of 1,202.
Based on unofficial but fairly
reports, Peel won the nomination
with a total of 15,290, to 11,228 by
May, a majority of 4,062 in the
district as a whole. He led in this
county by a margin of more than
6 to 1, second in percentage only
to his home county, where he re
ceived 4, 778 to 172 by May. Peel
led in all counties except Nash,
May’s home county, where the
vote was 6,635 to 1,877 in favor,
of May.
The unofficial vote in the five
counties of the district, for the
regular term as solicitor, was as
follows:
Peel May
Washington _ 1,397 195
Martin _ 4,778 172
Edgecombe _ 3,007 2,362
Wilson-1- 4,23d 1,864
Nash- 1,877 6,635
Totals _-15,290 11,228
-t
Church School To
Open on Monday
A Vacation Church School is
scheduled to open Monday of
next week at Plymouth Metho
dist Church, the church minister,
the Rev. D. L. Fouts, has an
nounced.
The school is scheduled to ope
rate daily, Monday through Fri
day, for two weeks and is open
to boys and girls, ages 4-14 in
clusive. Daily sessions will open
at 9 a. m. and close at 11 a. m.
Mrs. Frank Brinkley will serve
as director of the school and Miss
Ida Davis as secretary. Other of
ficers, teachers and helpers, were
listed as follows:
Kindergarden Department (age
4-5): Mrs. M. G. Chesson, super
intendent, Mrs. Lyman Mayo,
Mrs. Harold Nelson, Mrs. Joe
Arps, Mrs. J. F. Davenport, Mrs.
W. A. Smith, Mrs. T. G. Gardner.
Primary Department (grades 1,
2, 3): Mrs. Nellie B. Glass, super
intendent, Mrs. W. L. Riddick,
Mrs. H. F. Perkins, Mrs. J. W.
Marrow, jr., Mrs. Wade Adams,
Mrs. James T. Boyce, Mary Elea
nor Sanderson, Jacque House,
Susie Quinn;
Junior Department (grades 4,
5, 6); Mrs. Katherine Harrison,
superintendent, Mrs. John R. Wil
liams, Mrs. E. Durand Keel, Mrs.
Charles T. Gurkin, Sue Riddle,
Myra Dean Folkerts;
Intermediate Department (with
grades 7, 8, 9): Mrs. F. Maurice
Smith, superintendent.