Newspaper Page Text
HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL
JOHN L. HODGES, Publisher MVoiED TO HOME INTERESTS. PROGRESS AND CUITWE ESTABLISHED 1870
VOL. LV. PERRY, HOUSTON COUNTY, OA.. THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 1925 No 25
JOHN HOWELL SENTENCED
TO ELECTRIC CHAIR
Bibb Merchant Receives Extreme Penalty
After Three Day Coorl Battle la
Houston. New Trial Asked. ?
After a three days hard fought
court battle John Howell, Macon
boot legger was convicted by a
Houston County jury here Wed
nesday night. Judge Mathews
sentenced Howell to die in tfcc
electric chair on August 6th.
The trial began Monday morn
ing, half that day being consumed
in the sslection of the jury. One
hundred twenty jurors were sum
moned from which the trial jury
was selected. About sixty witnesses
from Bibb County weresummouod
to testify.
The trial developed many in
teresting legal points and every
step in the making up of the case
was hotly contested, the jury be
ing retired frequently to discuss
points ot'law involved in toe testi
mony of witnesses.
In dramatic detail Robert Battle,
negro star witness for the state,
related to the jury Tuesday how
Deputy Sheriff Harry Green was
murdered near Bibb Sea at Macon
on the morning of May i6, and
laid the crime to John Howell.
He began with the trip to Round
Oak for a load of liquor on the
night of the crime and then back
to Maeon where they encountered
Green. He related the details of
the wild ride through the streets
of Macon, with Green firing at the
car and then down to swamps at
Bibb Sea, where he said Howell
firtd the fatal shots.
Interruptions occurred on tech
nical points of the law, the de
fense contending strenuously that
Harry Green was not a deputy
sheriff at the time he was slain
and that he was not chasing Howell
in the death ride, while perform
ing his duties.
TwiCe*during the morning ses
sion the jury was retired by Judge
Mathews while ignumerable poluts
relating upon the status of the
slain man were argued by both
the state and counsel for defense
before the court.
Solicitor General Garrett used
witnesses called to the stand dur
ing the morning session to testify
that Green was a deputy sheriff
?nd held the privilege to arrest
any violator of the law at any
time.
Defense counsel argued that
no proof showing Green was a
deputy could be produced in its
highest form of evidence, namely
the bond of office.
Lane Mnl.Ially, chief of the sher
iff's force, upon taking the witueos
stand testified that he swore
Green in as deputy.
Objections were uttered by at
torneys tor the defense and
lengthy arguments followed.
Attorneys for th- defense at
tempted to prove by Deputy Lu
ther Stephens that Greeu had de
serted the motorcycle furnished
him by Bibb County for the pur
pose of performing his duties near
Crumps Park and that he had hir
ed a Ford, picked up a woman and
started out on a "lark."
Testimony that a half pint bot
tle containing a fluid resembling
moonshine whiskoy bad been
found on Green's dead body was
again offered.
Tom McComillon, Bibb county
jailor, next was summoned. He]
testified that he saw a half pint]
bottle that bad been taken from
the dead man's person as well asa
small sum of money.
E. L. Poster, city detective,
stated that Green was sober when
he saw him on North Avenue j
?boat 12:55 o eleck ou the morn
ing of May 16, and that the alain 1
deputy had tinkered on his car.
Lewis Simpson, 10 years old,'
of Macon, took the stand and said
he had worked' at Howell's place
at 715 Broadway. He said he
found four 38 empty shells on a1
shelf in Howell's store. He iden
tified shells shown him by Garrett
as those he had found on the
! morning of the tragedy. i
| Chief of Detectives Valet, Chief
? of Deputy Sheriffs Mullally and
I Fred Pitts, who embalmed Green's
body, and who testified that he
discovered no odor of liqnor on
, the body when he handled it at
j the undertaking parlors, were
(Called to the stand during the
afternoon proceedings, I
J. B. Hammond said Green was
at his residence on the night of
May 15, and that a woman, whose
I name Green did not tell, drove up
(and called Green to her car. Ham
mond said Green got into his car
and drove toward Catholic Woods,
returning a moment later with a
half pinl bottle that was half filled
with whisky.
Green told Hammond, the wit-1
ness said. "Have a drink- She told
me to watch out that^ a car of
liquor was coming through to
night.*' ,
F, M. Kincaid, ,Tr,, said he did
not see Green take a drink, that
night and denied he told counsel
for the defense that he had told
them such.
On the night of May 15, about
8 o'clock A. W, Barrow a negro
said he had an auto accident on 1
Forsytn Road and that Green'
drove up in an automobile, pulled
his wife out of the wreckage and
hauled her to a hospital. He was
sober.
L. S. Simpson aud Bill Spinks
declared Howell had told them be
fore Green's death that he would
make it hard for the next man
who tried to catch him. The jury
was retired as both witnesses
started answering questions asked
by the Solicitor General and then '
the discussions on technicalities'
followed.
On the witness stand Wednes- 1
day morning Howell told the story 1
of his ride to Jones County; told
how he loaded up his car with 100!
gallons of whisky and then spread
a canvas over the top and started '
for Macon with a negro, Robert
Battle, as his only companion on ,
the trip.
Howell told of the pursuit by a'
strange car from whieh shots were J
fired aud finally as a climax he de-|
clared that Battle picked upa1
pistol that was lying on the seat
between them and opened fire
when Deputy Sheriff Harry Green
drove alongside.
"Battle shot Green,"' said Howell
' and after firing the shots he fled."
Arguments took up the after
noon of the third day of the trial.
T. Arnold Jacobs opened for the
defense, followed by J. W. Blood
worth for the State; S. A. Nunn
for defense; Solicitor General
Charles H. Garrett for the State,
and W^A. McClellan for the de
fense.
The case went to the jury about
seven o'clock Wednesday evening
and the verdict of guilty without
recommendation was returned just
three hours later at 10 o'clock.
Immediately after the verdict
lawyers for Howeil announced
that they would file a motion lor
?'a new trial. Judge Mathews stated
that he would fix the tentative|
date for hearing the motion on
July 22.
Oliv9 Oil Importation
Mor? thjn half of the edible olive oil
that Is Imported Into the United
States comes from Italy.
OPENING OF NEW PERRYHOTEL
EVENT OF WEDNESDAY EVENING
Three HuM Attewl Bvftd Sapper Aad
' Dance.
An event of unsual civic im
portance as well as social interest
to Perry and this section was the
formal opening of the New Perry
Hotel on last Wednesday evening.
Some three hundred guests were
present to enjoy the event, and
were given the opportunity to in
spect the new hotel. Besides a
large number of local people,
large parties from Macon, Fort
Valley. Hawkinsville and other
neighboring citics were present.
From seven to nine a supper
was served buffet style nfteiwaids
there was dancing in the dining
room, there being about one hun
dred couples on the floor.
Perry matrons and a score or
more of Perry's prettiest girls as
sisted Mrs. Skellie, the proprie
tress in serving her guests. The
Southern Serenaders of Macon
furnished music for the occasion.
Perry has every reason to be
proud of her new hotel which has
just now made its formal bow to
the public, and many guests who
saw the hotel on Wednesday night
for the first time declare its to be
the most beautiful and most modern
to be found in any city of Georgia
of less than 20,000 inhabitants.
C1VITANS TO TAKE GA.
PEACHES TO MEETING
I A movement lias been launched
by Civitans of Macon and Perry
to advertise Georgia peaches at the
I National Civitan Convention in
Dayton, Ohio, Juue 22-24, in
clusive, by taking the Georgia
peach with then and giving
visitors to the convention an op
portunity to see and taste them.
| Two hundred crates of peaohe?
I will be taken to Dayton and thrso
peaohes will be given out to thou
sands who attend the convention.
The delegates also will carry with
them a little booklet that will tell
of 50 ways in which Georgia peach
es can be used,
J. P. Ethridge has been appoint
ed delegate from the Perry Civitan
Club and W, E, Swanson alternate.
BARBECUE AT HOUSTON LAKE
This afternoon the members of
the Civitau Club and their yuests
will motor out to Houston F.ictoiy
and v.-i 11 enjoy a barbecue. The
club has invited members from the
civic clubs of Oglethorpe, Mont(?
zuma, Marshallviile, Fort Valley,
and I'ue Kiwaina and CJivitan Clubs
'of Macon. In addition the Perry
'men have two guests.
| There will be a short swim In
the lake before supper is served.X
Unity and Concord
Two are better than one, because
they have a good reward for their
Sabor. For If they falJ, the one will
I lift up lils fellow; but woe to him t"hat
la alone when he fnlleth; for lie hath
not another to help him up. And If
j one prevail against him, two ?hall
withstand blin; and a threefold cord
la not quickly broken.? Eccleslastea.
Good Luck Emblem
On the doorposts of many Jewish
hooses ti. England are affixed small
brass fittings, not imre tban three
Inches In length and k?s than half an
Inch in wldtn. The Inner portion Is
hollow, and holda a parchment copy of
i Jewish prayer. The emblem Is said
to bring good lack to the household.
WE ARE NOW IN POSITION TO MAKE
PROMPT SHIPMENT
Of All Orders For
High Grade Fertilizers
Either in car lots or less.
NITRATE OF SODA
$65.00 per Jon f. o. b. our plant for cash.
Prices subject to changes made by
THE IMPORTERS.
"It's What'* IN The Bag That COUNTS."
HEARD BROTHERS.
. Manufacturers of High Grade Fertilizers.
MACON, - GEORGIA
BIG BARGAINS
Automobile Tires and Tubes have advanced 30 per cent
in the past few days and anotqer advance will take place
next week. We took advantage of the low prices and
are now offering our Tires and Tubes at the old price;
30 x 3 Casings at $6.65 and 3o x 3 1-2 at $7.85
for 10 days only.
Our stock of Fruit Jars, Water Coolers and Freezers are
also reduced. See us before you buy your Groceries,
Hardware and General Merchandise.
It will be to your interest.
J. W. BLOODWORTH,
PHONE No. 94.
The Busy Big Store. Perry, Ga.
We Are Now In The
Paint Business
?
We haAe just received a stock of Lucas Paints and
Varnishes which is a recognized standard in the
paint industry. We sell at standard Prices and
guarantee the quality to be as good as any standard
house paint on the market.
It is now within the reach of all to have their hous
es painted, saving the wear and tear of the weather
and at the same time making beautiful the home.
We will furnish paint, pay the painter, and allew
you to pay same on installment plan. Twenty per
cent down and the balance in 10 equal monthly
payments. See us at once for details and get your
painting done during the Spring as this is the time
to get a better job.
Perry Warehouse Co.
TRUCK and WAGON BODIES
for Hauling Peaches
Let Us Build Them for You
W. A. CURTIS,
Perry, Ga.