davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The broad ax., 1927-07-16

while | thought to myself how versa
tile colored man has to be to keep
from starving to death.
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1927-08-19
BAPTIST DIVINE
WOULD ABOLISH
ALL RELIGION
DR.. C. w. Clark Says Religion
Is What Ais The World
To-Day

The congregation of First
BAPTIST Church, Elizabeth City,
got a distinct shock Sunday
morning when DR.. G.. W..
Clarke. supplying the pulpit in
the absence of the pastor, DR.,
S. H. Templeman. who is on a
vacation. declared that if he
could have his way he would
abolish religion from the earth.
We have too much religion. de-
clared the speaker: all the world
has religion and most of il Is wrong.
Religion is Il form of rmotiunalism
that may he based upon Pigment
of truth or Il mountain of falSehOGdS
and errors. Religion is often as. not
licpnti0uS. brutal and murdrrouS
r. ther than godlike. What the
world needs is less religion and
more Christianity.
DIR. Clarke gave his congregation
another shock when he announced
that he would preach without Il text
from the bible. He said Jesus. the
greatest preacher the world has ever
known, never took Il text from the
bible.
DR.. Clarke was former pastor of
blackwell Memorial Church of this
city and is visiting Elizabeth City
for the first time in several years.
He is now pastor of the First Bait
tiSt Church of Lake Charles, LII.
He admirS that he has hruadrncd
somewhat in recent years and he
doesn't talk ut all like Il Funda-
mentaliSt any more.
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1927-08-19
|DEACONS DON'T
WANT EVERETT
PLAN AT ALL

Baptist dcacons generally in
this section resent the conten-
ton of the Rev. J. NJ. Everett,
retiring pastor of Salem Bap-
tist Church Of this county, that
Baptist ministers need a n
association to fortify them
selves against the autocratic
dictatorship OF their deaconS.
What is needed more. in the
opinion of DR.. Sam Gregory. Il men,
her of the Board of DeacGnS Of the
First Baptist Church in Elizabeth
City. lis an organization of Baptist
iIeac0ns and laymen for mutual pro-
lection against the unrulincss Of
little two by four preachers like
Everett" The language Is DR..
Gregory'S.
DeacOns of other Baptist church.
cS thruout the city and county are
said TO have given voice to similar
expressions.
The Rev. Mr.. EverettS charge
that the individual Baptist church
is too often ruled by Il tight little
of dcacOnS who boss the
preacher and ignore the rights of
both the pastor and the c0ngreEa-
ton. was published exclusively in
this newspaper last week. Mr..
Everett promises to write at length
in defense Of his sensational pro-
r0Sal that Baptist ministers organ-
izc. giving concrete instances of
what he regards as the haleful ef-
feet of cliqucs of deaconS in the
His first article will ap-
pear next week and will be followed
by two others.
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1927-08-19
HERE IS A PLAYHOUSE
FOR A GREAT REGION
Carolina Theatre, Open After Many Delays,
Will Provide Diverse Amusements
For All The People

Elizabeth CITY and its neigh
bOurs turned out en- masse
Monday night to attend the
opening of The Carolina
Theatre, "thc prcttlcSt play
house in Coastal Carolina.
And everybody couldn't get in.
The house was packed at two
evening performances and hun
dreds. tiring OF the struggle
to get in. went elsewhere.
Folk, its beauty: every seat Ill
the house is good seat: the ll%ht-
iny is perfect; the ventilation en-
rellrnt: the music is charming ana
tbc uroicCtion is 50 good that ther"
i no distortion of the pictures L"
ono sitting right up on the front
row.
Will Elizabeth City support NV"
theatres: Perhaps not. But the
Carolina is not going to depend OIL
Elizabeth City for thc people wltnlh
-, rodiuS of 80 miles 0r NOR" c'
Elizabeth City. 1t will not ON!
rive Elizabeth City topnotch pc
tures. but il will bring in vaudeville
and road shows as we'll The biggest
road shows touring the South: Iie%-
fields FollieS. George Khitc's Sci'n-
d,ls Al Fields MinStrelS. to men-
tion only il few. will he brought 10
Elizabeth City. And it Will Ora"
its support from Il great region.
T.. ID. Turner. president Of the
Carolina Theatres. Inc. promised al
this in talk to the audience Moh-
dav night. And he promised p"pu-
lar prices at all times. declaring
the aim of his organization to place
amusement within the reach ol all
the pcople. even down to a low 1lat
admission of ten cents every Neu-
neSday.
Coed vaudeville acts VIII he
brought in AZ fast aS 0btalhaoie'
But they are not easy to obtain here
in the South, says Mr.. Turner. ana
he promises no regular vaudeville
schedule until December.
The Genesis of 1t
How the Carolina Theatre came %o
he built was related to the IlrS'
night audience by w. q. Saunders
in IL Snappy four minute talk. MI
Saunders began by reading the fol-
Continued Oh page eight
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1927-08-19
$4,000 FIRE BELIEVED
OF INCENDIARY ORIGIN

Some one set fire to the new ana
GOOD looking roadside filling station
and confectionery stand Of Mark
Grandy at Camden cross road near
Camden e. II. early yesterday morn
in". in the opinion Of Mr.. Grandy
and his neighbours. The fire Wheh
discovered was blazing hriSkly from
the outside of the building. lndl-
eating the work of an incendlariSt.
With no fire fighting apparatus ut
hand. the building waS totally de-
Stroyed before firemen from EllHa-
ibeth City could get on the scene.
The loss is estimated ut $1,000 anu
partly covered by insurance.
Mr.. Grandy erected the building
several months ago and has done IL
thriving business i'll gasoline. oils
automobile accesS"rieS. soda f"un-
tain goods "ir.
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1927-08-19
To Publish 4
Virginia Dare Hotel
Edition of
The Independent

With the approva president and board oi drectos
Of c Elizabeth City Corporation and with the 'opr
tion of the architect contractors THE lNDEffNDr
will issue the beautiful and pretentols seca EDITION o
th newspaper ever undertaken upon the opening or Eeth
Citrs new Virginia Hotel about Oct. !, 1921
W. O. Saunders himself been quietly at work on plans
for , Virginia Dare Hotel edition THE INDEPENDENT for
detail IL beautiful ful page cover
design has been taken been drawn by member
of the art national publtlo lhe fnl length
portra of Virginia which the artist has conceived 1or
this edition piece of art worthy OF metropolitan
newspaper.
Mr. William Lee stoldard the architect of the hotel will
lo coutrimtor to the Virginia Hotel edition of THE
INDEPENDENT will many Others connected with the build
ing and furnishing beautiful hotel i'll Coastal caro-
lima
By arrangement with the managementS copies OF the \r-
ni Dare Hotel Edition vii he placed in guest room III
the Colsovo i'll Norfolk. Baltimore and Richmond Ill
the Cavalier Virginia in the Sir Walter at Raleigh
hotel and Commerce i'll important town and
city on Coastal Highway from Key West to M0n
treal and in North Carolina and Virginia
The Virginia Dare Hotel Edition of THE INDEPENDENT
will only of the Virginia Dare Hotel roSeE
with and beautiful pictures made especially 1or
the but will picte and tell in interesting and <truc
tive things about the attractive region Oh which fI-
beth City is the hub.
Advertisers big of their enterprises or
should speak early for preferred position
in the Virginia Dare Edition of THE INDEPENDENT.
Don't until the week of the opening of the hotel because
Virginia Hotel Edition will not be the hasy work OF
a week That edition is already under way
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1927-08-19
0. F. GILBERT SIGNS A
PETITION in BANKRUPTCY
Assets of Less Than $4,000 All That Remains
of One of Towns Biggest Mercantile
Businesses

Elizabeth Citv's first seri-
Gus commercial failure in MANY
wears was recorded in the l.. S.
Court here yesterday in the ill
ing OF a voluntary petition in
bankruptcy by O. +. Gilbert
individually. BY Gilbcrt'S Ladies
Shop. Mtichell'S Department
Store and the Peoples Bargain
Store. all owned and operated
i'll this city BY Mr.. Gilbert.
The liabilities are placed ut $l5.--
eco in round numbers with assets
estimated ut S23.OG0. The principal
secured creditor is the First X Citi-
zcnS National Bank of this city.
holding his notes for about S2I 900.
secured largely by stocks and bonds.
The unsecured creditors are prin-
Cipally New York dress and suit
houses. Local creditors are the e.
III. Robinson Co. Crystal Ice X Coal
Corp. Auto X Gas Engine Works
and few others.
q. +. Gilbert wa< forced into
bankruptcy hy his creditors. many
of whom had reduced their claims
to judgements within recent months
and who We're threatening to fore
close. To give all Cf his creditors
Il fair shake. he assigned cverythil 4
this week and the three Gilhers
stores failed IL open their doors
Thursday morning.
\ meeting Of the creditors will he
held in ten days and Il receiver ap-
pointed. Ii i said there will h" no
compromise. Mr.. Gilbert preferriiI"
to let the creditors take all and
make the most of it,
The beautiful hnm" on Penn>yl-
vania Avenue which he occupies and
the Lincoln sedan used ny his fam
lily are Mrs. Gilhert'S.
Too many small stores in town.
slow paving accounts and home town
trade going ~ Norfolk are given as
principal reasons for the failure
Of the head of one of the eldest
and largest retail mercantile bust
n, >>e< in Elizabeth city. And some
are adding the high cost of living
-. +. Gilbert has been money
maker and Il llonry >rrndcr. There
wa> never anything short or conScr-
vative about him.
Five years ago certified public
accounts placed the net wealth "f
Continued on page TwOl
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1927-08-19
CHAS. WHEDBEE
TIRES OF S0PS
FROM MCLEAN
And Fires Back a Meaningless
Commission With A Caustic
Note To The Governors
Office

The Mclean administration
got d jolt the other day when
Hon. Chas. W. Whcdbcc Of
| Hertiord. returned a commits
sion to the Governors office,
with a caustic note that will
express the sentiments of thou-
sands in the counties North of
Albemarlc Sound.
Mr.. Whcdhcc let the story ont
! III The course Of IN imprOmptl
J speech in Elizabeth City Monday
night. Governor Mclean sent Mr..
WhrdbCr Il handsome commission as
Il delegate to the Atlantic Deeper
Waterways Association. 1t WAS Il
beauty. printed from beautiful Old
English and script type on purch-
mrnt PAPER. set off with Il gold seal
and the flouri<hing signature of his
ROYAL hiyne><. the GOvcrnnr himself.
And Mr.. Whrdhrp sent the thing
back with Il letter reTU"Stin" the
Governor 10 send the commission to
some one on the South side OF .Alhc-
marie Sound.
"NIl during the administration of
Governor Mclean" said Mr. Whcd-
lwr. 1--WE have noted that whenever
he has IN appointment that carries
with il :. me honor or some cm"ll-
mcmt. hr always selects some ON" on
the South side of the Sound. entire
Il ignoring this sid" of the Sound
ard | would suggest that ii would
leo decidedly more fitting To let all
of his amendments 20 to that Soc
ton. rather than attempt to plhcat"
thr ncopln Cf the counties North of
thr Sound with an occasional sop
that means nothin". Personally |
do not appreciate il. | would mU"h
prefer an appointment from the
Chairman Of The Board of Commits
SiomcrS of my county snr from the
Mayor of ny town.
For years we have set quietly
hy and allowed this state Of affairs
to 80 on: | do not propose to he Il
party TO any such treatment. You
may read this letter and say that
the writer is sore: we are sore: we
have been so long ignored by the
administration that we have become
very touchy on the subject and our
state of mind is not improved by
meaningless gestures.
Tp to the hour of going to press
Mr.. Whedbep had not been ordered
shot ut sunrise for his gruSS act OF
lrse majeSty.
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1927-08-19
THAT SACCO-VANZETTI CASE
LCPk Aso THE SOOA uCPKeR

Got anything "u your hip this
morning. inquired tn" Soda Jerker
of the Bank Clerk >lyly.
"Only Il pair of dimple>, replied
the Bank Clerk. And | aint brIs'
gin. about them.
You're trying to get funny this
morning. aint yUu:" snecred the
Soda Jerker.
Not at all. said the Bank Clerk !:
AS a matter of fact / never felt
more serious in my life: | have
been thinking of that Sacco-Nah-
zetti case.
Tell NE abou; it, said the Soda
.Jerker: I've been mighty inter
rSred in that case and if | had been
in Boston last week the police would
have sure run me in. because l
would have been right ther" OH
HoSton Commons whoOping it mp
fer SaccO and Vanzetti. L don |
know what the hell they were con-
virted for or what its all about
but I'm against capital punishment
and lust naturally feel sorry Tor
the under dog.
Dogs iS IL good word. repiieu
the Bank Clerk. "SaCcO ana VAN
z,tti are lust Il man"y pair Of ul-
S,ciuI brutpS about whom there
sIouId never have been any SUR
wharpvpr. But the high-hatty 'ohi-
mcnwealth of MaSSachuSrtteS mas
fumbled good case against VII
famous pair of murder0llS rouSh
ueckS and made martyrs OF iS uli-
lovely Il pair of prison birds its
this country has seen i'll long
time, | too am opposed to capital
punishment and if there ever was
/ ,uy argument for capital punish
mont that argument has been abol-
; isbed bv what has occurred Ill this
case i'm Massachusetts.
! ..,rha more intelligent defenders
uf Sacco and Nanzetti thruout the
world are agreed that life impris
onment is we'll enough for them. IL
i rorteuded only that there Is q
susuirion of Il doubt that they are
guilty. nverv circumstance p"'''s
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1927-08-19

to their guilt. But taking advan-
tagc rf the popular loathin" for
{. pital punishment. every anarch-
iSt. every communist, every BolShe-
vik. every lunatic and every p"tcn-
;ial murderer in the world has
seized upon Il peculiar opportunity
to stir up an international revolt
onoinSt the execution of Il death
sentence and the uglinr<S of Sacco
and EanZetti has been cllnnln%ly
lest in the furor. behind the more
sinister aspects of il death house
and an electric chair
THE facts in the case are of lit
tie moment: you are typical of the
millions who are clamOring for Il
communication of sentence. You don
know Il damn thing about the case
and Won admit it. But because you
arp inStinctively and humanely op-
poSed to the CHASTITY business of capl-
tai punishment. you too have Joliled
the anarchists. the communists ana
mur,lerer<' cults generally III Il
worldwide demonstration against
law and order. And if the Sacco-
VanZetti SympathizerS win their
fight the rough-ncckS OF the World
will take new courage and the voice
Of the mob will roar thruout the
civilized world like the voice OF Il
bpost that has tasted blood. 1t will
not be posSibIc to conduct Il great
murder trial anywhere without IL
mob clamOriny at the bar of Justice
Tn usurp Justice and substitute It's
hvsterical and morbid will instead
massachusetts has made Il helluVa
mess in diSposing of wretched
case. The Judiciary that has been
so strong for capital punishment
tbru Ill the years must face the
( fact at last that capital punishment
MUST he abolished if for no other
reuson than that it has given the
mob Il new weapon with which to
fight and rule.
(Why not get tho book OF the
Bank Clerk and the Soda Jerker, a
choice collection Of their rich and
raey nrsnmentsS 50 eente by n,a.L
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1927-08-19
Would Paint
Cats On Our
Lamp Posts

How to save the lamp posts
on Elizabeth City's proud
White Way should not remain
an unsolved problem for long,
Judging from the suggestions
that are coming to the editor
from readers far and near. The
best vet from d. r. Johnston,
president of the Johnston-GasS-
er Co.. wholesale radio distrl-
butors, of Richmond, Va. Mr..
Johnson writes:
Editor The independents
| nate with interest that the City
of Elizabeth City is worried because
the CANNES and their visiting friends
are using the brand new White
Light Poles Along your great White
Way, for comfort stations. and that
You arc seriously considering calling
a special session of your Council TO
appropriate funds to provide rub
Der Jackets for said poles.
This To me. seems an unnecessary
expenditure for the solution of the
matter is after all, very simple. All
YOU have to do is to paint Il yellow
cat on each pole 50 that when doggie
wants to relieve himself. and march
eS up to the comfort station for said
purpose, he will see the cat and
thinking it is a live cat, make a
lunge for same with the result that
he will either but his brains out or
receive such IL jar. he will forget
lust what he originally sought the
comfort station for.
.- 1t might be advisable to paint the
cats in different ShadeS-One black,
another yellow. one gray etc.
You have been 50 successful in
creating interest in the Wright Beil-
con. / suggest that you have con-
test offering suitable prizes for Il
solution to the above dilemma. in
which event you will kindly consider
this aS an entrant.
Yours very truly.
ID. II. JOHNSTON.
Richmond. Va.
Aur. II, 1927.
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1927-08-19
Lost Colony s
Secret Maybe
Revealed Yet

That the centuries old my
sterv OF the fate Of Sir Walter
Raleigh'S lost colony NAV vet
be solved is the hope of DR..
Richard Dillard, distinguished
student OF North Carolina his
tory and owner of many rare
and curious documents and
manuscripts relating to the
early history OF Coastal Caro-
lima.
DIR. billiard. i'm Elizabeth City
this week on his way To attend the
Fort Raleigh celebration nn Roanoke
Island. says that he has long enter
tanned belief that some evidence
of what became of the Lost Colony
of Roanoke Island will he found
buried somewhere near the spot
where the colouiStS built their fort,
the site of which is we'll known and
marked to this day. Several times
DR.. billiard has planned t" conduct
excavations there. but he has never
gotten around 10 it.
There are 81 few facts conccrnin"
the Roanoke Island Lost Colony. hut
Dr. billiard inclineS 10 the opinicn
that there is something To the tale
handed down that the c0loniSiS
buried certain of their treasures
and perhaps Il document or 80 in the
dry sandy soil in or near their fort.
He believes that in the fine dry
sand Of Roanoke Island relics so
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1927-08-19
AND NOW THE DOCTORS
WANT TO HEAR "W. O."

W. q. Saunders has been invited
TO speak at Il dinner to he given by
the Cumberland County Medical
Society at Fayetteville. y. C.. on
the evening of Sept. 9th at which
dinner the society will be the host
to the most prominent medical meI
in Eastern North Carolina. 4 mum.
her of notable North CarOlinianS in
clUding Governor Mclean a:e also
expected. wv. o." has accepted the
invitation. but those doctors little
know what they've got coming to
them.
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1927-08-19

\ child has little mealES of COM
pairing his vision with standard
vision. He has no means Of know
ing. Children'S eyes are our speci-
atty. DR.. J. ID. HATHAWAY. Eye
Sight Specialists. adv.
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1927-08-19

buried would hc found in Il good
stat" of preservation.
Here then is Il hunch for some
body To pursue.
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1927-08-19

Conserve the Eyesight OF your
child. 1t is a duty you owe your
rhiId. See DIR. J. ID. HATHAWAY.
I,.o c;rbt enoci,liSts adv
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1927-08-19

.--T. ly Vance IIsvnsrl
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1927-08-19

(Why not get tho book OF the
Bank Clerk and the Soda Jerker, a
choice collection Of their rich and
raey argumente9 50 eente by nnsiD
Smyrna times., 1927-06-22
Music in Surgery

Music has been employed success
fully in an eastern hospital while op-
Grating on persons under a local an
esthetic. Special headphones are
worn by the patient. music being
relayed from a phonograph in dis
tant room, so that it cannot disturb
the surgeon or other attendants, says
Popular Mechanics Magazine. 1t has
been found that the tunes ease the
patients mind, divert his attention
from the operation and thus make it
easier for the doctors. Although the
local anesthetic eliminates pain, in
many cases difficulty is experienced
while operating on persons under such
conditions because they remain CON
sciOus and nervous.
Smyrna times., 1927-06-22
All Food to Ostrich

A zoo ostrich nearly lost its life in
an effort to swallow five yards of stout
rope. When the keeper made the dis
coyery more than half the rope which
had been inadvertently left in the cage
by painter, had disappeared down
the birds throat. The keeper, seeing
that the bird was in difficulties, decid-
ed to relieve it of its five-yard meal.
Owing, however. to the efforts Of the
ostrich to kick him away. the task was
difficult. BY long and steady pulling,
however, the keeper eventually recov-
cred the rope. Ostriches are not at
all particular what they devour. One
at the zoo recently swallowed a boy
scouts hat without any i'll effects
London Tit-Bits.
Smyrna times., 1927-06-22
New Dover opera House. Dover

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday,
The divorce evil delivers its greatest
blow to the second generation. This
fact was undeniably established by
Frank Lloyd, Paramount director,
when he was first asked to translate
"Children of Divorce" to the screen,
starring Clara Bow and Esther Raj
ston, and featuring Gary Cooper, ,Einar
Hanson and Norman Trevor When
Paramount selected Lloyd to guide
the filming of Owen Johnson's sensa-
tional story, the veteran director went
to Judge Summerfield's court in Los
Angeles. Summerfield has the repu-
tation of being one of North Amer
ica's most able divorce judges. There
Lloyd found the facts that he sought.
He had feared that the story exag-
gerated the truth He learned to the
contrary. cts the general rule that
children Of divorced parents usually
find unhappiness in marriage, Lloyd
was informed. 'The young girls OF
shattered homes suffer the most. The
boys generally lack that balance 50
necessary for happiness and success.
OF the two tragedies: death and di-
vorce, divorce is the greatest and
most lasting. Death brings sorrow;
divorce brings arm" Mr. Lloyd was
privileged to study the records Of
Judge Summerfeld's court and to
compare the cases cited with that st
out in His scenario script. He found
that the life Of His character, Kitty
Flanders, played by Clara Bow, had
been lived by literally hundreds Of
young girls IN real life Their parents
had separated. The child had been
Smyrna times., 1927-06-22
Screen and Stage
Strand. Smyrna

Friday and Saturday A thrilling
auto race in the dark, between a
smuggler's machine and Federal car
is one of the exciting features of
"Moulders of Men" Conway Tearle
plays the leading role, that Of a
wealthy physician and Federal official,
with all his remarkable artistry and
genius for which he is noted. Ralph
Ince has outdone himself in his splen-
did balancing Of the story values and
the building up of unusual suspense.
Every member of the cast is ideally
suited for the part, and the great care
used in selecting a perfect type" for
each role has borne fruit in the vivid
realism with which the picture moves
along to the tremendous climax. Mar
garet Morris, frankie Darro, Alan
Brooks, Rex Lease, Eugene Palette,
Jola Mendez and Bill Knight play the
more important parts. Dorothy Yost
wrote the adaptation and continuity
from John Chapman Hilder's original
story.
Monday Marion Davies il "Tillie
the Toiler" is picture sparkling with
humor, and tingling with thrills.