Newspaper Page Text
Egood
VENIN VF
By Quimby Melton
“The Light of Life” is the ti
tle of this week’s International
Bunday School lesson. Back
ground Scripture is John seven
through nine.
The Memory Selection is "I am
th ? light of the world; he that fol
loweth me shall not walk In dark
ness, but shall have the light of
life.” (John 8:12.)
We find “light” mentioned in
the third verse, first chapter of
the Holy Bible. “Let there be
light” said God. “Light” is an
ancient symbol describing the
dazzling splendor of God’s ap
pearance when He makes Him
self known. There was “light”,
when God spoke to Moses from
the burning bush. As a sign of
God’s revelation to men we find
in Proverbs 6:23 “the law is li
ght”; and in Psalms 119:105
“Thy word is a lamp unto my
feet, and a light unto my path.”
Early Jewish teachers called
the coming of the Messiah, know
coming of the “light”.
Christians, accepting Jesus
Christ as the Messiah, know
Him as the Light of all the wor
ld.
Chapter Seven of St. John is
one of this layman’s favorite
chapters in the Bible. It tells the
story of one born blind whose
sight was restored by Jesus.
Here we have a true story of
what happened one day when Je
sus met a man who had been bl
ind since birth; and had com
passion on him. As one reads
this chapter one cannot help but
observe that Jesus began this
miracle by anointing the blind
man’s eyes with clay; He then
told the man to go to the pool of
Siloam and wash; The man ob
eyed Jesus. Notice the word “ob
eyed” — God can work miracles
in the lives of all, if they will
obey Him. The blind man did
not know anything about faith—
but he was anxious to be able
to see — so he displayed the
greatest faith — obedience —
anyone can show.
As one reads this chapter one
finds that when word reached
the leaders of the temple that
this man, whom everyone knew
had been blind from his birth,
could see, they could not be
lieve the news. They sent for
the man’s parents and asked
them about it. And, they being
afraid they might be denied ad
mission to the temple, said the
man was grown “let him speak
for himself.”
Let’s not be too critical of the
man’s parents. They being de
voted Jews did not want to be
“read out of the church” or
be “excommunicated," or have
“fellowship withdrawn” so they
“plassed the buck” as it were.
How many modern church
members might be prone to take
the same position?
The temple leaders sent for
the man. No doubt they were st
artled when they saw him walk
into the building, without any
one to guide him, without the
cane he had been forced to use
in the past; with no "seeing eye
dog” with him. They asked him
if he really was the man born
blind and who it was who had
restored his sight.
The man answered he did not
know whom the man was. They
then began to try and explain
the miracle saying that Jesus
was a sinner and that if his si
ght had really been restored
“Give God the credit”.
Then came a statement from
the man, which to this layman
is one of the greatest testimon
ials in all the Bible. He said
“Whether He (Jesus) be a sinner
or no, I know not; one thing I
know, that, whereas I was
blind now, I see.”
Later on the man, having left
the temple, came face to face
with Jesus, and when Jesus id
entified Himself, the man said
“Lord I believe.”
Those who are blind, spiritual
ly blind, and who, by the grace
of God Almighty, have seen the
light, need not to ask when
or why it happened. They, like
the blind man centuries ago, can
say “Whereas I was blind —now
I see.” And like the blind man
worship Him.
LITTLE SNIP
SAN FRANCISCO (UPD-The
Tishman Realy & Construction
Co. took the wraps off its new
26-story office building in
downtown San Francisco.
Architect John Carl Warnecke
used a pair of shears eight feet
long to cut a 400-foot-long
ribbon which was tied around
the base of the structure.
Attorneys Nearly
Come To Blows
By ROGER DIX
Woodrow Newman, who admit
ted he had served time In prison
and In jail on many occasions,
testified this morning that he he
ard Ronald Smith make the
statement:
"Charles thought he
was above me because he had
money. You should have seen
the expression on the s . . of a
b face when he realized
I was going to kill him.”
Newman also stated that he
heard Smith answer the ques
tion: “Did he have any last
words?”
“He was mumbling something
but I couldn’t understand what
he was saying.”
Newman, a sometime trusty
at the Spalding County jail, was
on the witness stand in Spalding
Superior Court this morning In
the trial of Smith, charged with
the murder of Charles Vaughn,
22-year-old college student.
The trial was in its fourth day
today.
Newman testified over and
over again that Smith mention
ed the name “Charles” in the
first statement but did not men
tion any names in the second
one.
Newman admitted that he was
a prisoner at the Spalding Coun
ty jail when he heard the state
ments. He said he was serving
time on a drunk charge.
Newman said he was a strong
drinker but considered himself
a pretty good fellow until he was
47 years old.
The witness testified that he
told Deputy Albert Hubbard ab
out the statements but had n»-
ver discussed them with Sheriff
Dwayne Gilbert.
Reuben Garland, one of Sm
ith’s attorneys, questioned
Newman nearly two hours. He
brought many charges and in
dictments against Newman into
court. The witness admitted the
charges and indictments were
true.
Mr. Garland repeatedly ques
tioned Newman about circum
stances leading up to and con
cerning the statements.
The witness steadfastly stuck
to his testimony that he did
hear Smith make the statements
and that he did mention the
name “Charles” in the first but
not in the second.
The questioning became so in
tense and repetitious that Sol.
Gen. Andrew Whalen objected
twice.
Judge McGehee agreed and
instructed Mr. Garland not to
ask some of the questions any
more.
Newman made similar state
ments Thursday night.
He was placed on the stand
by Sol. Gen. Whalen and the
jury was ordered from the
courtroom while Newman was
questioned.
Judge McGehee, after hear
ing the statements and answers
to many questions by Mr. Gar
land and Sol. Gen. Whalen ru
led:
“The court heard the evidence
and finds it should be consider
ed by the jury.”
Newman was recalled to the
witness stand this morning and
testified in the presence of the
jury.
He repeated statements that
he attributed to Smith then un
derwent cross examination by
Mr. Garland.
Newman left the witness st
and at 11:30 after Sol. Whalen
and Judge McGehee concurred
that some of the questions put
to the witness were being repea
ted.
Court convened this morning
at 9 a.m. with numerous motions
by Mr. Garland, Smith’s chief
counsel and his son, Edward,
assistant counsel.
Edward Garland made a mo-
New Jurors
To Be Drawn
Judge John H. McGehee said
today that a new jury list
would be drawn this afternoon
for next week’s session of co
urt. The new jurors will report
for duty Monday at 10 a.m. at
the Spalding Courthouse.
Judge McGehee said he would
open court in Pike County at 9
a.m. Monday, then adjourn it so
he could come to Griffin and
continue the current session of
court here.
All jurors who served this
week, with the exception of
those serving on the Smith
case, were dismissed this after
noon for the term.
DAILY NEWS
Daily Since 1872
tion that he and his father be
granted additional time to in
terview Carol Jean Smith with
the consent of Tom Lewis, her
attorney.
Mr. Lewis refused to grant his
consent.
Judge McGhee overruled the
motion.
Edward Garland then moved
for a mistrial on grounds that
his first motion was denied.
The younger Garland then
made a motion that Ronald Smi
th be granted the right to s e e
Carol Jean, with consent of Mr.
Lewis.
Mr. Lewis stated that he had
agreed Thursday that Ronald
Smith could see Carol Jean and
that he did.
Mr. Lewis stated that he could
see no reason that the Interview
be continued today but that he
would have no objections if spe
cific questions were prepared
and listed so he could look
them over so only those he deem
ed proper would be asked.
Judge McGehee ovrruled that
motion.
Young Garland then made a
motion for a mistrial on the
grounds that the motion for his
client to see Carol Jean Smith
was overruled.
Judge McGehee denied the
motion.
Reuben Garland then made a
motion for a continuance of
three days because he contend
ed there existed a concerted ef
fort between the solicitor, sher
iff and Mr. Lewis to prevent him
from Interviewing Carol Jean
Smith.
Mr. Lewis objected to part of
the statement.
“I will not stand by and be ab
used like this,” Mr. Lewis said.
Judge McGehee calmed the at
torneys.
“The people of Spalding Coun
ty know you,” the judge told Mr.
Lewis. “I blieve that is enough
said.”
“I thank you, your honor,” Mr
Lewis replied.
A short time later, Mr. Lewis
interrupted again.
“Some of the things he (Mr.
Garland) is saying are untrue.”
Mr. Garland called Mr. Lewis
a lair and it appeared the two
men were about to come to
blows.
Judge McGehee spoke out.
Sol. Gen. Whalen walked ar
ound a table and stood bet
ween Lewis and Garland.
Judge McGehee sent for Sher
iff Gilbert.
Sheriff Gilbert came into the
court room and Mr. Lewis retur
ned to his seat.
Judge McGehee said that he
and Mr. Garland had been
friends for a long time, adding,
“I wouldn’t want anything to
happen to that friendship.”
Judge McGehee later sugges
ted that Mr. Garland apologize
for calling Mr. Lewis a Har.
Mr. Garland said he was sor
ry it happened.
C. Chappell (Chap) Johnson, a
Griffin business man, testified
Thursday that he sold Ronald
Lee Smith the pistol that was
identified by Dr. Larry Howard
as being the one used in the kill
ing of Charles Vaughn.
Mr. Johnson, who operates a
pawn business, was handed a
pistol by Sol. Gen. Andrew Wha
len and was asked if he could
positively identify the weapon.
He took a small black pad
from his pocket and said that
the serial number on the wea
pon (417164 K corresponded with
the one recorded in his book.
He said he had been instruc
ted by the Griffin Police Depart
ment to make records because
of his pawn business.
$35 Pistol
Mr. Johnson testified that he
sold the weapon to Ronald Smith
on April 12, 1967. He said Ron
ald paid him $35 for it.
The Griffinite testified that
Smith had inquired about a pur
chase on one occasion. He said
that Smith along with “some
lady" came back two or three
days later, liked the pistol, and
bought it.
He said that he was positive
that the weapon in court was the
one he sold to Smith.
Under cross examination, Mr.
Johnson handed Reuben Gar
land, Smith’s chief counsel, the
small, black book.
Mr. Garland handed it back to
Mr. Johnson and asked him to
turn to the page from which
he had read.
Mr. Johnson was asked to
read the date of sale. He did.
He was questioned about the
month. Mr. Johnson counted on
his fingers from January and
said the sale was made in May.
Continued on page two
GRIFFIN
Griffin, Go., 30223, Friday, February 16,1968 Vol. 96 No. 40
' ' I —r
my ■* fit % t wi
WK S Wife < W " Mfe
w Mr wi
LjKV I jlfl
(Griffin Daily News Staff Photo)
Good Citizen
Griffin High School senior Beth Jones (c) was named the Daughters of the
American Revolution “Good Citizen” at Griffin High this morning. The honor is
presented for qualities of patriotism, leadership, service and dependability. Miss
Jones, a member of the First Christian Church, is active in a number of church,
school and Girl Scout activities. She has received numerous honors at Griffin
High. The “Good Citizen” Award was presented by Mrs. Henry Raven (1) chair
man of the “Good Citizen” Award Committee, and Mrs. E. Park McKibben, re
gent of Pulaski Chapter.
House Begins Work On
Appropriations Bill
By MARCIE RASMUSSEN
ATLANTA (UPD—The House
delves into the long-awaited ap
propriations bills today, and
Speaker George L. Smith said
the House’s work would be
completed before next week if
it takes a Saturday session.
Tifton Sen. Ford Spinks pre
dicted Thursday, a special ses
sion would become a “definite
possibility” because the Senate
would not have sufficient time
to study Gov. Lester Maddox’s
supplemental and 1969 budgets
Trooper Escort
Buses Take Back
Route To School
By HENRY P. LEIFERMANN
SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. (UPI)
—State troopers escorted school
buses to an all - Negro elemen
tary school by a back route to
day, slipping by demonstrators
who had planned to throw
themselves in front of the buses.
A roar of shouts went up from
the 50 demonstrators, Including
seven White University of Geor
gia students, when they real
ized they had been out-man
euvered.
The young Negroes inside the
buses looked straight ahead and
seemingly paid no attention to
the protesters.
Today marked the third con
secutive day demonstrators
have turned up at the Social
Circle Training School to pro
test against alleged inferior
conditions at the school.
Despite the protests, about
half the student body of 435 stu
dents has turned up each day.
When the demonstrators dis
covered the buses had used a
back route, one of them shouted
at the 33 state troopers across
the school yard: “By Monday,
I don’t care which way you
come — we’ll be everywhere.’’
Maj. Porter Weaver, Geor
gia’s highest ranking uniformed
state trooper, replied: “We’re
here to maintain law and or
der and we’ll see that’s done
Monday, Tuesday or any other
day.”
Before the buses arrived,
Newsweek reporter Andrew Jaf
fe was roughed up by Walton
County Sheriff Jesse Still and
Deputy Ronald Sorrels when he
attempted to take photographs
of the two officials.
A force of 35 state troopers
arrested 44 persons at the little
Weather:
FORECAST FOR GRIFFIN
AREA — Fair and rather cold
tonight. Saturday fair and part
ly cloudy, becoming mild In
the afternoon.
LOCAL WEATHER — High
today 55, low today 27, high
Thursday 47, low Thursday 33,
sunrise Saturday 7:23, sunset
Saturday 6:26.
before adjournment in March.
The Senate, meanwhile, tack
led a growing backlog of legis
lation, approving measures to
allow the General Assembly to
propose a draft of a new consti
tution without requiring a con
stitutional convention and hang
ing the selection procedure for
grand jurors.
The House favored regulation
of commercial alligator farms
and formation of a special com
mittee to study the state juve
nile court system.
all - Negro elementary school
Thursday when they threw
themselves onto the roadway
and blocked school buses. Twen
ty of them, students at the
school, were released Thursday
night but 24 adults remained
jailed under SSOO bond.
About 100 Negroes rallied at
a Baptist church for the second
straight night Thursday and
marched uneventfully through
town singing freedom songs and
chanting “freedom now.” State
troopers, sheriff’s deputies and
town police watched silently
from parked patrol cars.
Complaints against the school
have ranged from the use •
children as cooks and dishwash
ers in the cafeteria to a lack
of teachers.
The “lie - in” started Wednes
day but there were only two
arrests that day.
The arrests Thursday so de
pleted the ranks of demonstrat
ors that Willie Bolden, leader
of the protest and a member
of Dr. Martin Luther King’s
Southern Christian Leadership
Conference, threatened to call
for out-of-town volunteers.
After the demonstration three
carloads of Negro children and
their parents went to the pre
dominantly White Social Circle
public school to ask principal
S. W. Causey If they could
switch schools under the town’s
freedom of choice plans.
“This is not the time of year
to enroll children in school,” he
replied. “We hand out freedom
of choice transfer cards again
this spring for the next school
year.” .
North Releases
Three US Fliers
The load of bills backstopped
because of the budget and other
issues includes the governor’s
anti-gambling and anti-riot
bills. Frank Coggin, administra
tive floor leader, said he plans
to get them to the Senate floor
after the budget recess next
week.
The gambling bill is stalled
because of problems with word
ing, Coggin said. As originally
proposed, he said it could put
“church ladies playing bingo’’
in jail for five years. But pro
posed changes aimed at elimi
nating clip joints have left
loopholes which could permit
other types of gambling, Coggin
added, and the whole matter is
being reworked.
He said “some questions”
may crop up concerning the
controversial riot bills, being
handled by the Senate Judici
ary Committee.
The Senate recommitted con
troversial measure to raise the
salary of State School Supt.
Jack Nix to $29,500 after an
amendment was proposed to set
that pay for all constitutional
officers, including the governor,
who would be cut more than
SIO,OOO.
Maddox signed into law a bill
to regulate the strip mining in
dustry through an 11-member
board he must appoint within
the next two months. The board
will try to control damage to
land surfaces and water pollu
tion and charged each of Geor
gia’s 300 mining industries a
SIOO annual license fee, plus SSO
for each 50 employes.
Griffin Sen. Robert Smalley
sought the jury selection change
to correspond with constitution
al provisions that grand jurors
be the “most experienced, up
right and intelligent” persons
on jury lists. The provision has
been challenged in court and
was left out of the 1967 law to
choose juries from voter lists
rather than tax digests on a
Supreme Court mandate.
The Legislature could propose
a constitutional draft to the peo
ple without a convention under
a Senate resolution that passed
38-13. Senate Minority Leader
Oliver Bateman attacked the
action as “saying we don’t
trust the people to elect thetr
delegates to a constitutional
convention, which is the only
really proper way to change
the constitution.”
A pulpwood truck safety bill
specifying what kind of chains
and cables must be used to hold
the load won Senate passage
and was sent back to the House
for concurrence with a minor
change.
Expected To Arrive
Today In Laos
WASHINGTON (UPD—
Three American fliers shot
down over North Vietnam were
released today, reliable sources
said. It marked the first time
Hanoi has freed any captured
U.S. airmen.
The men were expected to
arrive shortly in Vientiane,
Laos, aboard an International
Control Commission plane, the
sources said.
The three airmen are the first
fliers released by the Commu-
Army Units
Earmarked
For Riot Duty
WASHINGTON (UPD—
Seven Army units totaling 15,000
men have been earmarked for
possible duty this year in
quelling city riots, Gen. Harold
K. Johnson disclosed today.
Johnson, Army chief of staff,
told the Senate Armed Services
Committee that seven brigade
size “task forces” are "specifi
cally earmarked and available
for civil disturbance duty.”
“Additional Army forces are
available should they be need
ed,” he said.
“Although the strength and
resources of the National Guard
should prove sufficient for those
situations likely to occur, the
active Army can complement
the guard, if that become
necessary,” Johnson said.
Johnson and Army Secretary
Stanley R. Resor testified in a
closed session but gave state
ments to reporters. They also
revealed other military prepara
tions to counter riots which
President Johnson recently said
were inevitable.
Both placed the burden of
coping with such emergencies
on the National Guard rather
than active Army units. During
last summer’s wave of riots,
active Army units were ordered
only into Detroit.
Resor said that since last
summer antiriot training has
been stepped up in both regular
Army and guard organizations.
Macon Man Seeks
Heart Transplant
MACON, Ga. (UPI) — A re
tired grocer suffering from pain
so intense that “tears roll down
his cheek” will enter a Hous
ton, Tex., hospital Sunday to
find out whether he will be the
first heart transplant patient of
the famous Dr. Michael Debak
ey.
“If anybody can do It, Dr.
Debakey can,” Mrs. J.F. Regis
ter said today, explaining that
her 50 - year -old husband has
literally been living on bor
rowed time since last Septem
ber.
She said doctors at a Veter
ans Administration hospital in
Oteen, N.C., gave him five
years to live following surgery
in 1962 on a blocked artery.
Mrs. Register said he was ex
amined by Debakey in Novem
ber 1966, and was told by the
famous surgeon ’’l would like
to help you, but can’t do it at
this time.”
She said Debakey ruled out
corrective surgery, saying only
such an operation as a heart
transplant could save her hus
band’s life.
Mrs. Register said she wrote
Debakey on behalf of her hus
band a month ago, explaining
that his condition was worsen
ing. She asked the surgeon to
examine Register again, even
though they had no money to
pay for such an operation.
Debakey replied: "It would be
impossible to know whether you
are a candidate for operative
procedure at this time, however
nlsts in the Vietnam war. Ten
U.S. prisoners of war previously
have been released by the North
Vietnamese and Viet Cong. Nine
were in the Army and one in
the Navy.
Five American POWs, Includ
ing two Navy fliers, have
escaped.
Hanoi announced Jan. 28 that
it had decided to release three
fliers on the occasion of the
Vietnamese Lunar New Year in
an apparent goodwill gesture.
•In a broadcast that day,
Hanoi Radio identified the fliers
as Cap. Jon David Black of
Tennessee and Laredo, Tex.,
(serial number FR 55413), Maj.
Norris Miller Overly of West
Virginia (serial number 54067)
and Navy Ensign David Paul
Matheny of Indiana (serial
number 710099).
American sources could not
immediately confirm that the
fliers were aboard the ICC
aircraft. But it was acknow
ledged in diplomatic circles that
an ICC aircraft was expected in
Vientiane today and that there
was a possibility that the fliers
might be on board.
Two representatives from
American peace groups went to
Hanoi last month to assist in
the release of the men.
They were the Rev. Daniel
Berrigan and Prof. Howard
■ Zinn. Presumably, they were
accompanying the American
fliers.
Country Parson
* M WI
“It’s what you live without
that helps you live within
I your income.”
we would be happy to bring
you back Into the hospital and
evaluate your coronary di
sease.”
In a copyrighted story today,
the Houston Post quoted the
surgeon as saying: “Nothing is
impossible, but I can't really
comment about it until I’ve
seen the patient.”
Debakey has installed so
called artificial heart pumps in
seven patients since April 21,
1966, and two are still alive.
Debakey told the Registers
the examination, and possible
surgery, would be performed at
Methodist Hospital without
charge under what he called a
“coronary endarterecto my
grant.”
"I think it’s wonderful,” said
Mrs. Register, “and I think
there is no greater doctor than
Dr. Debakey. If anybody can
do it. Dr. Debakey can.”
She said neither she nor her
husband had any reservations
about transplant surgery, since
Register “has nothing to lose
and everything to gain. He has
awful pains, In fact he hurts
so badly that tears roll down
his cheek. He says he’s ready
for anything."
Mrs. Register said she and
husband owned three groceries
here at one time, but sold them
nearly seven years ago “be
cause I couldn’t look after all
the business and look after him
too.” She said they had been
living on her husband's govern
ment pension and Social Securi
ty checks.